I want to thank those readers that decided to heed our call for monetary support. It was very heartening and much appreciated. Over the next week you will be receiving a personal email thanking you. It was very encouraging that some readers do care about us going on with our mission.

We also picked up almost a thousand new subscribers in the last month. All your friends and neighbors should sign up or you can sign up for them. It is important that we continue to expand our readership. This is how we make Martin County voters and residents know more about what is going on from the county commission to the school board to the municipalities.

This week we have not only our government reports but also pieces on Brightline, Town Halls, and much more. Don’t forget to read our columnists, letters, government notices and our non-profits.

We have a special section devoted to the candidates running for office. Each has authored a 450-word essay telling the voters who they are and their purposes for running. As they sent it to me is the way you see it. There has been no editing.

Happy Sunday Morning.

If you were to ask anyone who knew me as a kid, they would say I was always an old soul.

They wouldn’t mean it in a derogatory way and were only expressing the truth. My tastes in music tended to be from the Great American Song Book. Somehow, I always ended up hanging out with older people. In those circles, I was perpetually known as the kid.

And sometimes (because I was so full of myself), I would make a wise crack that I shouldn’t have and ended up with a good smack by one of the group. I definitely deserved it,

I grew up listening to the earliest recordings of Frank Sinatra, and those songs are among my earliest memories. And as far as I am concerned, there is no better interpreter of lyrics ever. His daughter, Tina, was engaged for a while to one of my boss’s nephews when I was a teenager. So, I caught a glimpse of her and even her sister, Nancy, a few times through the window in the kitchen door.

What really made me start appreciating that music in a systematic way was my 7th grade music teacher, Andrew Blackett. He called himself TOMOTH (the old man of the hill). He had a sly sense of humor.

Mr. Blackett asked for some after-school help for a project he was doing for a display in the entrance to the junior high school I attended. The project was to create a replica of Lincoln Center that was at the time being built on the West Side of Manhattan. I believe we finished at the same time the Metropolitan Opera House was opening at its new home.

I remember once going to the old Met on 39th St. and Broadway with my grandfather. Even working-class Italians would enjoy opera. The next time I went to the opera was with Mr. Blackett’s class to the new Met to hear “The Magic Flute.”

TOMOTH and I were kindred spirits. I would often have a pass from him to skip study hall. I would clip newspaper and magazine articles on music for his files. Along with my chorus teacher, Miss Sherman, TOMOTH instilled in me an appreciation for how beautiful the phrasing was when a singer really understood the lyrics. Mr. Blackett was the first one to tell me when singing how important it was to annunciate all the letters in words like Sinatra. He would say, “Don’t get sloppy with your T’s.”

 

Every time a good singer performs, they tell a story. It doesn’t matter whether it is opera or pop or rock, when the words match the music, I think it is a perfect short story. That is why so many good singers turn out to be naturally fine actors.

Once I graduated college and was working, one of the first self-indulgent things I did was have a yearly subscription to New York City Opera. I switched over to the Met when I was in my fifties, and we had a subscription there until we sold our New York apartment.  Every time I see an opera, a classical music performance, a concert of the American Song Book or just listen to a recording, I think of TOMOTH and what he shared. I guess that is what being a teacher is all about.

What would a County Commission District 1 election be without Doug Smith closing out the race to prevent any voters but registered Republicans from participating?

Doug, who has been the commissioner for Jensen Beach and other parts of northern Martin County for the past 24 years, believes only he should occupy that seat. To keep it, he is willing to deprive more than half the county of the right to vote. Former Ocean Breeze Town President, Ken DeAngeles, is this year’s sacrificial lamb to stop Democrats, Libertarians, Communists, and NPAs from voting in the August election.

The rules are that if there are no other candidates from other parties every voter can vote in August. If you have ever noticed there are no elected officials in Martin County that do not have Republican after their name. Though it is completely legal to close out a race, unless you are a Republican you must wait till November to cast a vote for someone beside the Republican that you write-in.

On the November ballot, voters can write in Ken’s name because he is a write-in candidate. But Ken will not appear at a rally, speak at a homeowners’ association, or put out a mailer. By filing to run and then not appearing on the ballot, Ken has made sure that non-Republicans cannot vote in the August election.

Eileen Vargas, Smith’s opponent, has called him out on this tactic. Doug has employed the same tactic in most of his other races over the years. But maybe this year Smith may have been too cute by half as the saying goes.

Vargas is a member of the Martin County Republican Executive Committee. She seems to be connected to other right leaning groups. Since Eileen is as far from a Democrat as one can get, the question will be if Smith is able to draw more than half the registered Republicans to his side.

 

A couple of things still make Smith the odds-on favorite to be reelected. One is he has great name recognition. Two is that he will have the business and development community behind him. And the third is that many Martin County residents have been voting for him for years. It is a hard habit to break.

County voters learned a long time ago that if they want to cast a ballot, then they officially register as a Republican. Who you vote for behind the curtain is the voter’s secret. That is the shame of this Florida farce with the ability to prevent half of our voters from casting a ballot. It should be legislatively changed.

 

Smith is someone who listens and usually sides with new developments. While some may believe that is negative, he also has been a champion of our environment. Doug has been instrumental in making sure there are grants and funds for water quality. He has ably represented us on the Ocean Reef task force and at various state and federal organizations.

Voters who believe that Martin County’s Customs House was a good thing concur with Smith who was a proponent and helped to have it happen. Smith has championed the public safety departments, and I would argue has given too much of our tax dollars to keep them happy. Yet despite some solid accomplishments, he once again has proven to be anti-democratic.

Last year when the legislature was contemplating term limits for county commissioners, Doug Smith made an impassioned plea from the dais not to have them because the voters should decide who represents them. Doug, if you really believe then you wouldn’t use this un-democratic device of closing out elections to deprive all the voters from doing just that.

This is just one more example of how our system is broken. Term limits are needed. Just like we need to do away with the ability to close out an election with this obvious sham. Tallahassee needs to make sure that all voters are allowed to cast ballots

I am sure all of us have had this experience.

You enter the treatment room, and a medical assistant asks you why you are there. As you attempt to explain, the assistant’s nose is buried behind a computer screen. The questions that populate the screen depend on the answer you gave right before to the last question…just don’t give too much of an answer because there may be no corresponding box for to check so the interview cannot go on.

Once the doctor or nurse practitioner comes in, the first thing they grab is a computer screen. You had better listen closely to the questions, many repeated. That is a good thing since many of the answers you gave were transcribed incorrectly. Perhaps if you are lucky, at some point the doctor will look at you to acknowledge you’re there and not just a note in a chart on a computer.

When I was a kid, my doctor would see me at night, come to my home, and with nothing more than a black bag, the old doc was able to diagnose most of what ailed me. Is today’s medicine better? Of course it is. But don’t expect to see a doctor unless you make your appointment at least three months in advance. For emergencies there is always the “Urgent Care” …a place I have learned is a 50-50 crapshoot for the right diagnoses.

With all my complaining at times, I would never want to go back to medicine as practiced in the mid-twentieth century. I just wish medical staff would stop trying to quantify me by computer and just listen to what I am saying about how I feel.

I often write about my disagreements with the governor. However sometimes we do agree, and I should acknowledge when we do.

Governor DeSantis signed the Mobile Opportunity by Interstate Licensure Endorsement Act (Mobile Act). This allows most professions under the Department of Health to issue licenses by endorsement. If someone has held a license in another state for at least five years, that person should be able to receive the same license in Florida by submitting the required paperwork.

Speeding up the licensing of healthcare workers will enable them to become employed as soon as possible resulting in enough professionals to take care of our burgeoning population. I can’t believe there is much difference in being a doctor in New York from being one in Florida. If qualified in one place, it should be easy to do so in another.

DeSantis vetoed the contentious new vacation rental bill. It would have further restricted local government from regulating home and apartment short term rentals. There is a fine line between an owner’s property rights and the effects of renting property on a short-term basis. This fight has been going on for more than a decade between Tallahassee and locals.

A more complicated bill was the recent legislation that the governor signed outlawing public camping in our parks and streets. Homelessness is a pervasive problem that needs to be dealt with but not by allowing people to stretch out wherever they want. The Supreme Court recently ruled that there is no inherent right to camp in public spaces.

While I agree with the governor’s legislation, I wish there was also some money for housing for these people. Many are mentally ill and need treatment. You can’t just outlaw something without the second step of solving the underlying problem causing the issue.

If DeSantis would stick to what he promised when first elected, I would be very happy. I think most fiscally conservative voters would. It is the social stuff he becomes bogged down in that I can’t endorse.

I am sitting and writing this on July 4th. And I couldn’t be any more pessimistic about our nation.

The United States hasn’t been this close to the precipice since 1860. Interestingly, then what separated us was the expansion of slavery into the territories. Whether for or against that institution, most Americans were willing to live with it. Though there were radicals on both sides of the issue pushing toward war, it took the Dred Scott decision in 1857 to make the Civil War inevitable. There were no safe places where a Black man could escape his fate. 

This week with Trump v. U.S. I fear the same thing will happen. Our political situation is broken. Another momentous SCOTUS decision was the reversal of the Chevron Document case, not because it was wrongly decided but because it was the correct decision. Congress has been and continues to be incapable of doing anything but punting. The legislative branch refuses to make hard choices, leaving it to administrative agencies, which are mostly under the executive branch, to sort out what to do.

For years, we have made the president more powerful than the Founders intended. So, it is good that the Court decided to curb the powers of that branch of government and insist that Congress be responsible. Even though some believe the courts will now be left to interpretate the laws, it will force Congress to be more specific when passing legislation.

That is what is so ironic about the Trump case because that same Court expanded the powers of the executive and so that they are now unrivaled. There is no other advanced western nation where the executive is king… even where they have kings.

There is nothing in the constitution that gives the executive a get-out-of-jail-free card. Yet by insisting a president can do nothing wrong if under the color of an official act, then what is the constraint? How is Congress even to exercise their power of impeachment if nothing is impeachable?

The Civil War that we have this time will be much messier than the last one. There may still be states that are predominantly blue or red, but mixed within the population are many who would belong to the opposition. Does a president place those from the opposite party in internment camps? According to the decision, it would be an official act and therefore unpunishable.

History teaches us that nations don’t always disintegrate because they were conquered. Sometimes it is just plain suicide. The United States is very close to pulling the trigger of the gun levied at its collective head.

As we have for the past several election cycles, we requested each candidate for local and state office send a statement telling the voters who they are and why they are running. Our only rule was that they couldn’t disparage another candidate. There are no filters or interpreters, only their words.

 

COUNTY COMMISSION DISTRICT 1

 

Doug Smith (Incumbent)

It has been an honor and a privilege to serve you as County Commissioner.
 

During these many years, there have been lots of opportunities and
challenges presented to us as a community. Every day that I go to work on
your behalf, there are five core beliefs that I take with me. 
 

First and foremost is that we adequately fund all our first responders,
Firefighters and the Sheriff's department. In recent years there have been
many challenges threatening the safety and security of our community and
that will always be my first priority.
 

Next comes what I call All Things Water Water Water. I have been dedicated
to making sure that all our water quality needs and protections have the
highest priority. I've spent my entire time in office working in Tallahassee
and Washington DC to make sure that Martin County's water needs are approved
and funded. There is nothing more precious for our environment than our
water quality.
 

As part of All Things Water Water Water, I've spent the last eight years
working on passage of the Coral Protection reauthorization bill.  Coral, one
of our greatest assets, has been threatened and challenged to the extent
that we have nearly lost it all. Last year I was part of a major national
effort to get the first meaningful rewrite of coral legislation passed in
over 24 years. We now have a path forward to restore and save what we've
lost.
 

Another big initiative of mine was to bring a biosolids conference to Martin
County to come up with a strategy to eliminate the dumping and spreading of
harmful waste on open land. I worked with state and federal legislators to
pass laws to incorporate innovative technology. The first biosolids
processing facility is going to be built in Indiantown by investors NOT our
taxpayers.  It will separate and eliminate medical waste, phosphorus,
nitrogen, and any other contaminants that may be found in our waste. This
project alone is a significant game changer for the State of Florida and
Martin County.
 

I've worked for five years on a new state water policy that will insure
predictable funding and a five/twenty year work plan. 
Next is assuring that Martin County continues to have the most stable tax
base in Florida and to that end job creation is something I work on every
day.
 

Fourth is our residents' quality of life. We have an amazing Parks
Department that creates fantastic opportunities for our residents every
single day including exceptional parks, beaches, golf, amazing environmental
trails, great sports facilities and boat ramps.
Lastly, but also of paramount importance, is protecting property owner's
property rights, while keeping our growth at 2% or less.

 

Eileen Vargas

Hi, I am Eileen Vargas. I am running for Martin County Commission District 1.

My early years in Stuart taught me about quality of life. My mission is to safeguard everything that makes this County special and ensure it remains for all to enjoy. 

I graduated from the University of Miami with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Broadcast Media. My career took me on a global journey with a unique, international perspective.

I’ve been an educator here in Florida and overseas, a business owner, and a published author.

Since returning to the Treasure Coast, I have been deeply involved in our community, volunteering in many local programs. I am not alone in saying we need discipline and a new direction.

I am running for County Commissioner because of the concerns expressed by our community and what I have observed in recent years. I cannot stand idly by while there is much I can do.  It is essential to maintain control over development, encourage planners to resist zoning changes and motivate landowners to explore all options within the comprehensive plan.

 We must carefully consider the long-term consequences of our decisions today and remain steadfast in our approach when approving applications and throughout the planning process. We must stay committed to ensuring sustainable and responsible development for the future of Martin County.

Our pervasive growth has gotten out of control. Raising our Taxes was unnecessary and irresponsible. The sway toward State control of our County has me concerned.

I believe in Fiscal Responsibility. I believe in Term Limits. I believe in Small Government. 

I am tired of excuses when it comes to Water. We look outside our community for answers and rely on the state and federal government to bail us out. Yet, we continue to over-develop. The era of cheap talk is over.

I am not afraid to talk with voters—I represent you and want to speak frankly with you. I don’t care what other Commissioners think of me.

Every District in Martin County can vote for me. I encourage you to visit my website at eileenvargas.com and ask that you please support my campaign if you agree with my policies.

 

EDITORS NOTE: This is a closed race where only registered Republicans can vote. If you wish to vote in this race and are not a Republican you must change your party affiliation by July 22nd. Please see the Supervisor of Elections website here 

 

COUNTY COMMISSION DISTRICT 3

 

Blake Capps

Dear Martin County Residents,

It is a great honor to qualify for the ballot for Martin County Commissioner District 3.

As a 47-year resident of Hobe Sound, and a business owner here for the last 31 years, I am ready to give back to the community that has given so much to my family and me.

Deeply vested in our community, I met my wife, Robin, of 38 years here, and we raised three kids in this community.  We have run a family business in Hobe Sound for 31 years.  Our church, as well as most of our friends, are here.  So everything we hold close is on Martin County soil.

My interest in county government began with my service on the Hobe Sound Neighborhood Advisory Committee for 4 of the last 5 years.  Becoming chair of this committee made me a member of the Martin County Community Redevelopment Agency where I served for 2 years.  Lastly, I was able to serve on the Martin County Local Planning Agency during 2023.

My first priority as your next District 3 commissioner will be to preserve the Martin County Difference.  How can we do this?  By upholding the Martin County Comprehensive Plan that has performed very well for us for over 40 years.  We must renew our faith in an old dream set forth in this plan:  a Martin County with adequate jobs and housing- yes- but also with clean, vibrant rivers and lots of preserved, native uplands and wetlands for our children and grandchildren to enjoy for years to come.

Most of the housing developments that get built these days are with amendments to the comprehensive plan that usually award density increases to developers.  We need to slow down these amendments and encourage folks to work with the land use and zoning in the comp plan.

Second, I will prioritize improving water quality in our three great rivers:  the Saint Lucie, the Indian and the Loxahatchee.  We will do this by buying up conservation lands where we can store and clean water before it’s returned to the rivers and by converting our septic tanks to the sewer system.

Lastly, we will work hard to keep our taxes in line.  31 years of running a small, local business compels one to learn how to find efficiencies and stretch dollars.  We could benefit by having some private sector business owners serving in our local government who are used to making tough business decisions, and I’ll do this as your next commissioner.

These are a few of my priorities.  I ask for your vote on August 20.  God bless you and our community.

 

Frank D'Ambra III

In September of 2023, I moved my extended family, my wife, two daughters and three grandchildren to Martin County, a decision driven in large measure by the "Martin County Difference".  Previously, our family lived In the Village of Tequesta for 20 years.  

I am a believer in giving back to the community; this has taken the form of elected public service.  During my time in Tequesta, I served 5 terms as a Council Member, including time as Mayor, Vice-Mayor, and Chairman of the Recreation Center Building Committee.  Prior to my time on the Council, I served as Chairperson of the Tequesta Public Safety Pension Board and as a member of the Village’s Audit Committee.

In Hobe Sound, I have had the opportunity to talk with new neighbors and many longtime Martin County friends.  While discussing their concerns, and the issues and challenges confronting Martin County, people suggested and encouraged me to run for the commission.  I believe my business and public service experience provides a strong and unique skill set to advance the interests and aspirations of our residents.  

Below is a brief summary of and my stance on the critical issues facing Martin County.  You can access additional information on my website at frank4mcc3.com.

On the Issues

Comprehensive Plan – Development & Growth:  Martin County is unique in its rural and agricultural composition, as well as its extensive conservation and park lands. The County Commission needs to be committed to preserving and maintaining the fundamental character of the County, or what is often referred to as the "Martin County Difference".

Taxes:  Maintain the property millage rate at its current level. Absent a housing recession, property tax has built-in increases as property values rise. Additional taxes, such as sales - which the county receives a portion of - increase with a rise in sales of goods and services. Government, like any family or business, must live within its means.

Budget & Government Operations: Though there are clear differences in the objectives and measurables of government as compared to business enterprises, with respect to operational efficiency and budgeting government should run like a business. Every tax dollar is precious and government representatives are charged with ensuring each dollar is spent wisely and in accord with the needs and desires of the citizenry.

Public Safety - Safe communities have the freedom to flourish: Our police and firefighters play a vital role in keeping our community safe. By providing them with the necessary resources and support, we strengthen our community’s safety net.

Environment & Water Quality:  Accelerate the transition from sewer to septic.

Term Limits:  Hearing new voices and seeing new ideas emerge is beneficial in life and in government.  I support term limits for the County Commissioners. 

Regardless of your choice in candidate, your voice matters. Your vote will shape the future of this place we call home!

 

Susan Gibbs-Thomas

Martin County voters are sharp. They know what they want for our community and from our elected officials. To put it appropriately for a family friendly publication, they have great “baloney detectors.”

That’s why we have a wonderful place to live—the vigilance, discernment and yes, skepticism—of voters. As a resident for 50-plus years with local family roots going back four generations, I share this mentality and am running for Martin County Commission District 3 to put locals first.

We’re at a critical juncture. Despite our quest for balance, we’re getting more crowded, more traffic and more taxes. So as your county commissioner I pledge to:

• Uphold the Martin County Comprehensive Growth Management Plan, it’s a good foundation and guide with a fair amendment process.
• Control runaway residential growth, so as approved projects come online, we study the impacts before making major zoning changes for new growth.
• Promote business growth and high-wage job creation, diversifying our tax base eases pressures on existing homeowners.
• Upgrade our infrastructure, prioritizing road improvements and key connectors to reduce delays.
• Fight for water quality and safeguard our environment, as we’ve fought too hard for too long against Lake Okeechobee releases to slow down now. Let’s keep the pressure on and save our rivers.
• Support and maintain public safety, as quality of life begins with our sense of personal security.
• Defend home rule, I’ll fight tooth and nail to protect our interests and pursue proactive solutions to prevent their intervention.
• Lower taxes, transparency, accountability, careful budgeting will make a real difference—just like our households.

I’ve raised my two sons in Martin County and just welcomed my first granddaughter.

My diverse local work history includes advertising, agriculture, construction, hospitality/tourism, public health, communications and 20-plus years at the Martin County School District. For the last six years I’ve served on the Village of Indiantown council, including as its first-serving mayor.

In fact, when my Indiantown neighbors wanted to incorporate, I was skeptical and actively opposed it. But then the people voted for it—overwhelmingly! So rather than complain from the sidelines, I stayed active, ran for office, got elected and went to work for my community’s priorities.

That’s because in my lifetime in leadership roles you don’t ask someone else to do what you’re not willing to do yourself—you step up. But you don’t do it alone. You listen to the community. Get informed. Understand the rules and implications. But when it comes time to cast your vote, you do so clearly, definitively, and decisively, standing strong on your convictions. 

I hope and pray you’ll entrust me with this incredible opportunity. I ask that you hold me accountable, too. Thank you and God bless you.  

 

COUNTY COMMISSION DISTRICT 5

 

Ed Ciampi (Incumbent)

 As we get closer to Election Day, you will be hearing from all of the candidates in each race. Thank you for taking the time now to read about each of us. I appreciate all voters for educating themselves and differentiating between campaign “talking points” and “buzzwords” versus the facts. I think of running for office as a job interview, each of us candidates as applicants. In the District 5 race for County Commission, we each need to explain why we are the best person for the job. I can tell you that I am uniquely qualified through my years of public service to represent you because I will be ready to continue to lead from day one of my term. As I know that there are projects and causes of specific importance to each citizen, it’s extremely important to be represented by someone with a proven track record of results, someone who is already ahead of the learning curve and can understand all aspects of the position, not just what is of specific interest to the candidate. It is not only through years of elected service but also through community service, expertise, and knowledge, that I am the candidate best qualified to represent you. 

    Like you, I have a vested interest in protecting what makes our community so special while also working to improve the quality of life for all residents, not just some. Three generations of my family call Martin County home and have done so for decades. Through my own lived experience, I understand first-hand all of the stages of raising a family here, working or owning a business here, and the concerns of our senior residents, as well. 

    Some of the accomplishments that I am most proud of during my time as Commissioner include the Veterans Memorial Bridge, which improved transportation in the area while honoring our service members, stopping 90 apartments from being built on Martin Highway that were completely out of character with Palm City, and the revitalization of our historic Mapp Road area, including a beautiful, new community park.

    It has been one of the honors of my life to serve in this capacity, working together with the rest of the Board, County staff, and constituents to create positive change through projects that protect or improve our environment, our quality of life and build a sense of community for all who call Martin County home. I look forward to meeting you or speaking with you in the weeks to come, and I hope that you will entrust me with your vote whether you vote by mail, early, or on August 20th. 
 

 

Bruce F. Nathan

Experience, Knowledge, Solutions, (EKS).

This is the premise of how I run for Martin County commissioner. My experience is vast, though none of it holding a political office. I did run for the United States, Senate, and governor of Florida, which gave me the opportunity to understand not only how politics works, but what would make it functional in the role that I would become.

Experience does not come from going to county commissioner meetings or irrelevant numbers that are put into a budget. We live in a time where artificial intelligence can put together a county budget which partially was taken from the previous years budget. This would mean you have to believe those numbers to be valid and not contrived or made up. It takes a lot of research to see what is fact and what is fiction in today’s world.

As a captain in the United States Army, I was not only  able to follow orders, but assign soldiers specific duties to help further a working medical unit specifically the 320th out of South Carolina.

28 years as a practicing physical therapist who went back to school in 2019 to become a doctor and graduated at the top of my class.

A farmer at Nathan‘s family Farm and Rescue, rescuing over 300 animals currently on the farm. Palm City Farm Camp as a small business LLC to teach 20 to 40 children per week in the summer, the importance of animals and agriculture and the respect for both. 

The father of six children which is an experience all in itself.

Knowledge is built on our parents and schooling in our younger years and the jobs and careers and peers which leads to them in our older years. This is not conceptually or intellectually available to someone in there 30s because there has not been enough time to see how everything works. There is not enough time to see why things work as they do.

experience plus knowledge equals solutions.

we can formulate solutions to every problem that stands in front of us. I have worked my life with the knowledge that every problem has a solution. A need for a specific type of creativity will usually be part of the solution. Creativity is vast. 

This is how I know what I can get done once the Martin County voters endorse me as their next commissioner.

Reducing the county debt and cutting taxes appears to be a political statement just like ending the toxic algae issue. Sure, it would be, if I was a ‘politician’, but I am not. I am here to provide solutions to your problems which are potentially county problems in the same way I have solved patient’s issues for 28 years. I am here to be hired by you and work for you for the next 4 years.

 

Michael Syrkus

"My name is Michael Syrkus, a near lifelong resident of Martin County and candidate for MC Commissioner- District 5. I have been actively engaged in local community services and politics for over a decade. Whether that be as part of the Republican Executive Committee, the Farm Bureau, through historical research with the Black Heritage Inititives and direct converstaion with county staff- I have been standing for what I believe in for years.

For years I have had concerns with the direction of our community, and I have patiently waited for someone to step up and guide us- but that day never came. This January I felt called to take action. I am running for county commissioner because we must have stronger leadership that is concerned with preparation for the future, not focused on building individual legacies today.

My platform is simple:
1- Reprioritize our finances to focus on base infrastructure (Roads, Fire-stations, maintenance of existing county assets), reduce our existing debt (2x higher debt per capita than Saint Lucie County, 3x that of Okeechobee) and build our General Reserves (less than 60 days funding in reserve).
2- We must follow our COMP plan, not continuously make exemptions to it. I appreciate that all property owners have the right to request a rezoning, but we should have commissioners asking pointed questions to determine the quality of a proposal. An increased tax base is not a justification for development, nor does it address quality of life concerns for those who live in the county
3- We must develop a new generation of leaders to guide our county in the future. Apathy has allowed a select few commissioners to direct this county for to long, and as a result we are now facing serious fiscal and sprawl challanges. By getting constituenets engaged in local politics and by instituting term-limits through a county ordinance, we can infused a greater deal of a local home rule over our county governance.

Please feel free to reach out to our campaign with any questions you have, or to share your concerns. My voice is just 1 of 160,000, and I intend to represent us all to the best of my abilities.

 

SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT 2

 

Marsha Powers (Incumbent)

Having attended and graduated from Martin County public schools and seeing my children do the same, I’m especially grateful for the privilege of serving on the Martin County School Board.

Each of the nearly 19,000 children in the Martin County School District are uniquely blessed with tremendous promise, talent and ability. We owe them safe, high-quality, well-resourced environments in which to learn, grow, and succeed.

I’m running for reelection to continue these key priorities and principles:  

Fiscal accountability: Taxpayers expect and deserve strict standards of transparency. Every dollar spent on the voter approved millage increase, which supports teacher pay, and the ½ cent sales-tax, is publicly posted, regularly updated, and subject to review. There is still work to be done regarding pay for our employees, but I am committed to continuing our efforts without compromising the financial stability of the district.

Career Technical Education (CTE)/Vocational Training: We must continue to expand options for students not attending college. Creating a pathway to a trade-related, industry-recognized credential sets students up for immediate employment in the workforce after graduation. With labor shortages and college debt continuing to capture attention, providing these career pathways for students is more important than ever.

School safety: As one of 15 appointees to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission, I gained heartbreaking insights, including school hardening, operational responses, and mental health services, which are essential to prevent and mitigate such tragedies. Through our strong, collaborative partnership with Martin County’s Sheriff Will Snyder, our school district is one of the safest in the state.

School choice: While the Martin County School District was right for me and my family, I realize other families prefer different paths. That’s why I’m an advocate for school choice. Whether private school, home school, traditional public school or charter school, school choice provides parents the option that works best for their student and family.

School Performance: Even while some individual schools have weathered challenges, our dedicated educators have redoubled efforts and achieved notable progress. The district is tied for ninth in accountability rankings statewide in 2022/2023 out of 67 counties, improving 18 spots from the previous school year. More than half our schools improved a full letter grade.

Family Engagement: Credit also goes to our parents, grandparents, and guardians, who remain actively involved. Their contributions enrich the quality of our school system. Our countless partners in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors also offer essential support to our students.

This communitywide effort to support education embodies one of the best lessons we could hope to teach our students. Thank you for entrusting me with the privilege of public service, and I would be honored to have your vote on August 20.

 

Sydney Thomas

After graduating with a bachelor's degree, Sydney began her educational career by earning two teaching credentials from a highly respected teaching program in 2005. After moving and taking a five-year break to raise her two amazing children, she returned to the classroom at Riverbend Academy in the Martin County School District, where she was nominated for Teacher of the Year.

She then moved to the district as a program specialist in the Student Services department.  In this capacity, Sydney gained extensive knowledge in education policy, statutes, and the support of at-risk students.. She collaborated daily with leadership teams and formed lasting, positive working relationships with those professionals.

Although she loved her job as a program specialist, she left the education sector in 2020 for financial reasons. Sydney still remained deeply involved in the district by regularly attending school board meetings, co-chairing non-partisan education advocacy groups, and advocating for students who often go unheard. 

Since moving to Martin County 15 years ago, Sydney has watched the performance and reputation of the school district drop.  She is devoted to supporting our superintendent’s mission to retain and attract more students and teachers in the MCSD.  Running for school board was never in her plan, but it has become the next natural step in her commitment to public education in Martin County.

How can Sydney Thomas help as a Martin County School Board member?

• Heal the relationship between the school board and teachers
  • It took 14 sessions to negotiate the contract, and Martin County is often the last in the state to settle.  Instead of an adversarial relationship, it should be a partnership.  Her experience as an educator will help.
• Repair the relationship between the board and the community
  • What the community has been asking for is simple.  Create a review process to allow some books back on the shelves.  Many books were inappropriately removed in the initial sweep by the extremist group Moms for Liberty.  This simple ask would go a long way with our community members. 
• Improve our reputation
  • Twice, MCSD has been embarrassed nationally.  Once on SNL over a racist incident at our middle school, and again because of the excessive book removals.  The school board is the public facing entity, and it’s time for a new perspective. 
• Prioritize budget and policy
  • Sydney is knowledgeable on public education statutes and policies.  Her direct experience as an educator and former collaborations with district leaders of multiple departments will help her to prioritize budget and policy decisions.

Sydney is the experienced educator and parent that Martin County School District needs on the school board!  Remember to vote on August 20th!

 

CITY OF STUART GROUP 2

 

Becky Bruner (Incumbent)

When election season rolls around it’s common for candidates to overuse the word “I,” as in “I did this” and “I did that.”

Stuart has been my home since childhood, so many of you know that I’m pretty shy about saying such things. But I am proud of what we’ve been able to do together. By “we” I mean us—our community. You’ve been clear about letting us know what you want, and we’ve tried our best to do it.

Water quality: Advocating for our beautiful St. Lucie River is what got me involved in politics. Even though it often feels like David against Goliath—we know David won that battle! So we’ve kept up the fight, legally and politically, teaming Congressman Mast in calling for zero discharges from Lake O. We’ve also transitioned to sewers, installed baffle boxes and created water-quality projects through the Haney Creek acquisition. I will always prioritize protection of our natural resources.

Sound planning: Since improving our Community Redevelopment Area, we’ve tripled the tax revenue, generating funding to do what the people really want—such as upgrade our parks. This is especially evident at Kiwanis Park, where we’ve invested in playground equipment every child—even those with special needs—can enjoy. This brings children and families to downtown, attracting visitors, supporting small businesses and making Stuart life even more enjoyable. A wonderful example is Roasted Record, once an old run-down property that’s since transformed into a bustling spot for gathering and great coffee.

Getting around: We’ve added bike lanes, created traffic-calming areas, added designated pedestrian crossings and enhanced walkability. When the Brightline station is built, we’ll have hundreds more parking spaces. Thanks to our partnership and pursuit of grants with the county, it should take minimal local taxpayer dollars.

There’s more work ahead. I hope to help:

• Finish the last phase of Memorial Park by adding entertainment grounds.
• Turning Guy Davis’s 35 acres into a fabulous park with a scenic entrance off Dixie Highway.
• Partner with Project LIFT on property we purchased in East Stuart to create a facility that trains young people for high-wage opportunities in the trades.
• Continue keeping Stuart Police and Firefighters trained and equipped to ensure your safety—and I’m honored to have earned endorsements from both organizations.

If you’re an old timer who remembers our once sleepy little town, you know how wonderful it is to see people opening businesses and raising families while embracing and safeguarding our small-town charm.

It’s been a blessing beyond words to serve you as your city commissioner. If you’ll kindly entrust me with your vote, I’m confident WE will continue to create a great every day and even better future for our town.

 

Laura Giobbi

Hi, my name is Laura Giobbi and I am running for a seat on the Commission, in the City of Stuart, Group II.

My husband and I lived in a small town in Connecticut, so when we decided to move to Florida to be closer to family, we tried to replicate that small-town charm.   It was in Stuart that we discovered our perfect match. We instantly fell in love with this incredible community and never looked back.

I had a fulfilling career in the life insurance industry; I dedicated many years of service in the VA hospital system.  Both careers provided valuable experience in management and caring for others. Additionally, I served as the board president of our condominium association for five years. I began attending regular commission meetings, and during this time, I became increasingly concerned about the approval of large-scale developments and the widespread exceptions granted by the commissioners.   In 2022, I was appointed to the Local Planning Advisory (LPA) board, where I furthered my understanding of the city's growth. Today, there is a lone voice on the commission speaking for the citizens of Stuart. It became evident that our community lacked strong representation on the board, as the majority seemed to prioritize the interests of developers over those of the community. This realization motivated me to enter the race for a seat on the commission, aiming to change the dynamics and advocate for our community's needs and concerns.

Our community is at the point of redevelopment.  The Commissioners are the guardians of this unique “City of Stuart”.  The choices we make at this juncture are crucial.   If left with much of the current leadership and the path they have chosen for us, it will lead us to be just another, nothing special small city with large city problems; overcrowding, traffic, more damage to an already fragile river, and inadequate infrastructure to accommodate the over-development.

Please visit my website votegiobbi.com, you will have access to my contact info.  I would love to hear from you and discuss your concerns.  I would appreciate your support and look forward to being part of the change for our great community.  Thank you.

 

CITY OF STUART GROUP 4

 

Troy McDonald (Incumbent)

As a resident of Stuart for 30 years, I remain committed to our community's well-being and prosperity. My name is Troy McDonald, and I am seeking re-election to the Stuart City Commission to continue our work and enhance our high quality of life.

Living in Stuart with my wife, Portia Scott, and our two pugs, Wo Ai Nee and Jean Luc, I understand our residents' values and needs. Our community is not just a place to live; it is our home.

Stuart was recently recognized by USA Today as the Best Small Coastal Town, a testament to our efforts to maintain and to enhance our city's historic charm.

During my tenure, I have focused on key areas that matter most to our residents:

Proven Leadership and Fiscal Responsibility

Since 2019, we have maintained a stable tax rate of 5.0 mils annually, ensuring a balanced budget that meets residents' needs WITHOUT raising taxes. My commitment to fiscal responsibility has allowed us to achieve consistent beneficial results.

Strengthening Public Safety

Stuart Fire Rescue maintains an ISO 1 Rating, this means we have the best response times and reduced insurance costs for our residents. We have fully funded our Stuart Police Department, added officers, and upgraded equipment to keep Stuart safe.

I am honored to be endorsed by the Police Benevolent Association and the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 2411. These endorsements reflect my commitment to public safety and my ability to work collaboratively with our first responders ensuring our community's security.

Quality of Life Enhancements

I champion projects that provide public access to the St. Lucie River, including Shepard Park, Flagler Park, and the Riverwalk Stage. Our parks and recreational facilities, such as playgrounds, dog parks, boat ramps, and walking trails, offer something for everyone.

Commitment to Clean Drinking Water

The state-of-the-art Reverse Osmosis Plant, fully operational in 2024, exemplifies my commitment to clean drinking water. This facility, along with successful litigation against 3M, ensures our residents have full access to safe and clean water.

Environmental Projects and Advocacy

I have been a staunch advocate for preserving our natural resources, including the Heart of Haney Creek Preserve, Poppleton Creek Park and our citywide Septic to Sewer transition and multiple stormwater projects, crucial for environmental protection. Our work with the Army Corps of Engineers to develop the Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM) highlight my dedication to environmental advocacy.

As your City Commissioner, I will continue to work tirelessly to maintain and improve the quality of life in Stuart. I ask for your vote to re-elect me, Troy McDonald, to the Stuart City Commission. Let's build on our successes and create an ever brighter future for our beautiful city.

 

Sean Reed

My name is Sean Reed and I am running for City Commissioner Group 4.  I am a lifelong resident of Martin County, attended school here and have a deep understanding of the people and the community's sentiments.  My family and I are proud small business owners in the City of Stuart.

We already have too much traffic and too many land use changes.  Residents have to worry about getting in a car accident just going to the store.  We must elect commissioners with a backbone, who will protect our home from further overdevelopment and preserve what's left of our small-town quality of life.  Stuart is a small town, we’re all friends but it’s time for a commission who will ask the tough questions and make sure what’s proposed makes sense.  This is a critical election.  The City will be facing the redevelopment of several key sites in including the Baptist Church, Seacoast property and others downtown.  We need the kind of leadership that will guarantee the city redevelops with similar height, density and character. 

We need strong and decisive leadership to prioritize the community's voice over the developers' desires and wants.  Our leaders must stand firm in ensuring that the interests and welfare of the community are at the forefront of decision-making processes.  We can’t handle four more years of unrestrained development, traffic, and pressure on our St. Lucie River.

Be sure to visit my website at reedforstuart.com and feel free to ask me questions, tell me your thoughts, or just say hello.  I appreciate your support and I look forward to serving you.

 

VILLAGE OF INDIANTOWN SEAT 2

 

Phyllis Waters Brown

She Supplied No Candidate Statement

 

Janet Hernandez (Incumbent)

Dear Friends & Neighbors,

As your representative, I have dedicated myself to serving our vibrant community with integrity, transparency, and a vision for a prosperous future. Over the past term, we have achieved significant milestones that have improved our quality of life and strengthened our village. Your vote for my re-election is a vote for continued progress and unwavering commitment to our shared goals.

1. **Community Development:** I have championed sustainable development projects that respect our unique environment while providing modern amenities. This includes enhancements to our parks, recreational facilities, and community spaces, making Indiantown a better place to live and raise a family. Championed the purchase of the outdated water utility. 

2. **Economic Growth:** By fostering a business-friendly environment, we have attracted new businesses creating jobs and boosting our local economy. Partnered with the BDB to help our efforts in this. 

3. **Community Engagement:** I believe in a government that listens to its people. I have sought your input on critical issues, and ensured that your voices are heard in the decision-making process. My commitment to transparency and accountability has built trust and strengthened our community bonds.

4. **Future Vision:** Looking ahead, I am committed to pursuing innovative solutions to address our challenges and capitalize on our opportunities.

I am proud of what we have accomplished together, and I am excited about the possibilities that lie ahead. With your support, we can continue to build a brighter, stronger Indiantown for all residents.

I humbly ask for your vote to re-elect me as your representative. Together, we will keep Indiantown moving forward.

 

FLORIDA STATE SENATE DISTRICT 31

 

Aaron James Hawkins

As someone who was born and raised in Stuart with a family history that goes back 100 years in Martin County, I feel comfortable saying that we are not the community we used to be. The state of Florida has been under the control of a single party for the better part of 30 years leading us to where we are today. The current legislature takes our community and the people here for granted and continues to cater to big businesses and special interest groups instead of the needs and values of  Floridians. It is time to send a message and remind the state legislature that they work for us. The current legislature has become solely ideologically driven and corrupted by power. We can break this power by sending a new representative dedicated to prioritizing our communities’ issues and forcing them to listen to us in Tallahassee.

No more sidelining the insurance crisis on the back burner. No more ignoring the issues of pollution and the degradation of our waterways. No more stalling on accepting federal funds for the expansion of Medicaid. No more overreach attempting to control our local school boards, city councils, and county commissions. I am not an ideologue or a person after a career in politics. I am a citizen that came to the realization that state politics is local politics, and we have to be much more proactive and responsive to what they are doing in the capital to be sure that our way of life here is preserved and our issues are prioritized.

Since moving back home during the pandemic, I have been active in the Martin County community aiding a number of community organizations and working with some to find local solutions for affordable housing. During my time working with these organizations while managing my own business I began to understand that there was also a need to find ways to increase civic engagement of young people and reestablished the Treasure Coast Young Democrats. At 26 years old, I have a B.S. in Economics and a M.S. in International Affairs both focused on economic development. I serve on several executive boards in the county focused on economic vitality, historical documentation, and political engagement while also serving on the City of Stuart’s Community Redevelopment Board as a volunteer appointee. I am primarily trained as a policy analyst, but I have a professional background in data management, real estate, small business consulting and organizational management.

The unique mix of my heritage, youth, education and experience gives me the benefit of better understanding the world we live in and planning for the future. It is time for a change in leadership here on the Treasure Coast.

 

We also reached out to our Florida Senate and House Candidates using their campaign email addresses. Only Aaron Hawkins responded. For several individuals I had their personal emails but did not think it was fair to those  I did not have the addresses for. You can draw your own conclusions why they did not provide statements.

Another Railroad Depot in Martin County?

Only this one is returning after a very long absence.  In the mid 1960’s the Florida East Coast Railway abandoned the running of passenger service.  Railroad depots were torn down or sold off.  The Hobe Sound depot which was located directly across from Jenkins Landscaping on A1A was sold to Hobe Groves Ltd.  Amusingly, while trailered up and awaiting transport to the Groves, a man hitched it to his truck and took off down Federal Highway!  One Howard Yochum was quickly arrested by one Deputy Quackenbush.  (You just can’t make this up!)

. 

Hobe Groves Ltd. became Becker Holding Corporation and includes where the polo grounds and the depot on Bridge Road are now located.  Becker Holding Corp. is owned by the Hurley family who used the depot for a couple of purposes including as a sales office.  To her credit, Mrs. Hurley remarked on a number of occasions that she wanted to return the depot to downtown Hobe Sound someday.  Her wish came true when the donation was arranged through the subsequent owners and developers of Atlantic Fields.  As part of their immense public benefit package to the County they are even paying for the depot to be delivered to its new home.

Unfortunately, it will not be returned it to its original spot.  But it will only be a few yards away on a piece of property know by locals as the “triangle”. 

Because the depot’s return was a dream of Commissioner Harold Jenkins, he happily donated some of his MSTU* dollars toward the renovations estimated to be between $500k and $1M depending on the condition of the original materials.  And because Phase II of the Hobe Sound Community Redevelopment Area plan encompasses the “triangle”, some CRA funds can help.  The County will build the foundation for it to sit upon. 

The Hobe Sound Historical Society plans to raise funds to help with the renovation of the interior.  After renovations are complete, the HSHS will become a lessee tenant.  Remember, the depot was donated to the County.   They hope to utilize it as a tourist attraction and repository for Hobe Sound’s historical documents.

The depot’s eta of August 1st depends on 2 things:  the Board of County Commissioners needs to sanction it with their vote presumably at the July 9th meeting and FPL needs to move the electrical lines in a timely manner.  In the meantime, if you are a railroad depot aficionado you may want to check out the historical Jupiter depot located on the east side of A1A at the south end of the bridge.

Darlene VanRiper’s opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

Pondering Books

I have been concentrating on reading. After reading Amy Tan’s memoir and reading some of Knife, another author memoir, I decided to read an amazing book about owls. Scientists are learning so much about our world and adaptation as these creatures fine-tune their amazing ears and eyes continuing to be the apex predators that they are. As they adjust perhaps there are lessons for us as well.

 I tried to go back to “The Senator and the Socialite” by Lawrence Otis Graham, detailing the rise and fall of one of America’s first Black elite families. Its patriarch,  Blanche Kelso Bruce, rose from  slavery to become a Sherrif, make a fortune in real estate, and  become a Senator from Mississippi during Reconstruction.  

Then I heard the call of the Maid. Edward A. Lucie Smith’s 1976 book “Joan of Arc” has unveiled a whole new understanding for me of the complex feudal structure and communal lifestyle that birthed Joan. She was not a poor shepherdess but a member of a  prominent local family of means and connections. Her sister was married to one local Mayor and her multiple co- godparents provided her with the connections need to reach the Dauphin.

Waiting for its turn  is “Adopted Son” David C. Clary about George Washington and his friendship with Lafayette during and after the American Revolution.  Lastly on this day, July 1, the fighting at Gettysburg began.  “This Republic  of Suffering” by Drew Gilpin Faust is about how the horrible death and injuries resulting from the Civil War changed our nation.

Need a book? Visit the closest free library , library branch or a thrift store.

Don’t forget your reading material when you are out.  I carry “The Death of a Nobody” by Jules Romains in my purse. It is a slender 150-page, described as  a “book with “ideas” in it. Or I grab the latest Smithsonian magazine.

Please wear your sunscreen, keep hydrated and Go TEAM USA! 

Nicki van Vonno’s opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

Growing your own food is very rewarding. With proper planning and preparation, your garden can produce a good yield that you can bring food to your table and opportunities to brag to your friends. Tomatoes are one example of plants that grow well in Florida and put forth a good amount of produce.

To ensure a good harvest when growing tomatoes there are important steps that need to be taken:

• You need to choose a tomato variety that will thrive in this climate, select a site with lots of sun and fertile, well-draining soil, plant at the right time of year, space the plants to ensure good air circulation and give room to grow, add fertilizer but not too much, protect against pests and diseases that will hinder plant growth, provide support for the plant, and harvest when the tomatoes reach full color.

Hold up a minute. This article isn’t about gardening. It’s about kids. Just like growing tomatoes, if we set our youth up for success, we will watch them thrive and reach their true potential. To me, there is nothing more rewarding than that. Let’s go over those steps again, but this time, instead of a tomato plant, let’s think about how each step can relate to helping our youth grow.

1. Choosing the Right Variety- We need to create the right opportunities that will appeal to our youth. These kids are growing up today, not when we did. We want kids to experience things the way we did, but what we need to do is adapt those experiences to fit the needs and trends of today’s world.

2. Site Selection and Soil Preparation- We need to meet kids where they are and create a space there. With the world split between virtual and real, we need to make sure we are both using digital channels and creating in-person spaces that are easily accessible to youth.

3. Planting Time- The time to offer kids these experiences are now.

4. Planting and Spacing- We need to offer youth opportunities and experiences, but in a way that leaves room for exploration and personal growth. Let them take the lessons and adopt them to fit their personal lives.

5. Fertilization- Give enough education and oversight so the kids have what they need to grow, but don’t smother them in it. Too much guidance can stifle growth. It’s a tricky balance to achieve the right mixture.

6. Pest and Disease Management- There will be youth who are disruptive and will lead others away from participating. Recognizing who these disruptive youth are, pulling them aside, and giving them a new way to share the experience may give all the youth a chance to learn- even the disruptive ones.

7. Supporting the Plants- Yes, give the space for exploration and personal growth, but also maintain a responsive frame to support the youth if they show signs of needing help. Let them know they are not alone.

8. Harvesting- When we do all these things, we can step back and see that we have made a difference in a young life today that could make a big difference for the world tomorrow. It is a feeling like no other and I hope you will have the chance, at least once, to experience it.

I don’t write these words lightly. I know working with kids isn’t as simple as the 1-2 lines I allocated to each point. But if we can take the time to consider our own outlook on “kids these days” we may find we are looking at them unfairly. If we take the time to meet them at their level we will see they are just like we were at their age, just at a different point in time.

David Hafner’s opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

At the end of June, United Way of Martin County hosted its highly anticipated annual "Big Reveal" event, proudly sponsored by Capstone IT and STS Aviation Group. It was an exhilarating and humbling experience to have 130 community and nonprofit leaders join us to discover how this year's campaign dollars will be invested.

Throughout the year, United Way rallies individuals and organizations to support the Community Impact Fund, which fuels local programs dedicated to enhancing education, health, and financial security for Martin County residents. The Big Reveal is the grand finale of the Citizen’s Review volunteer efforts. These dedicated volunteers read grant applications, ask questions, visit sites, and recommend programs that truly make a difference in our community.

Every year, no program is guaranteed funding, and new grant requests pour in from various organizations. This rigorous process assures donors that their contributions are directed toward vital programs in Martin County, thoroughly monitored and evaluated for their effectiveness. For the upcoming fiscal year, United Way is investing $958,800 into 38 local nonprofit programs that applied for funding through our 2024-2025 grant process.

Awarding community impact grants is just one-way United Way addresses our community's unmet needs. In addition to these grants, an extra $992,437 has been allocated to support direct program services, donor designations, and United Way's internal programs, including the United Way Holiday Project, Ride United, Students United, Leaders United, AmeriCorps Seniors/Volunteer United, and the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. This brings the total United Way investment this year to an impressive $1,951,237.

If you've never participated in a citizen’s review panel, we strongly encourage you to volunteer. If you're not yet a donor, we offer you the chance to experience this opportunity once, after which we ask participants to become donors. Some may question why we require mandatory gifts to the campaign. The answer is simple: those making funding decisions should have a stake in the outcome. Much like a free trial followed by a subscription, we believe in shared commitment and responsibility.

These are just a few examples of the benefits that a strong, healthy United Way in Martin County provides for our community. I will continue to share more about the incredible work we do, including our role as the local coordinating organization for Toys for Tots and our support for families during the holiday season.

For more information about United Way of Martin County, visit our website at www.unitedwaymartin.org. If you have any questions, please reach out to me at chdiez@unitedwaymartin.org or call 772-283-4800.

 

Carol Houwaart-Diez’s opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

In just a few short weeks, approximately twenty thousand high school aged youth will descend upon New Orleans for the National Youth Gathering. 

The three-and-a-half-day event will include days of worship, learning and community service.  This will be my fourth youth gathering, having previously attend Gatherings in New Orleans, Detroit and Houston.  While each experience has been unique, there are consistent threads that run through each event.

Regardless of the host city, the youth show up and bring an undeniable energy to the city.  The National Youth Gathering is an event that takes place every 3 years.  My first gathering was in New Orleans in 2009, that was the second consecutive gathering in New Orleans following hurricane Katrina.

I remember standing on Canal Street greeting bus loads of youth.  While waiting for the next bus to arrive countless people asked what was going on.  When I told them they quickly asked, “Are those all the kids in orange shirts?”  All the youth wear an orange shirt for their service day.  When I answered in the affirmative, the people would hug me with tears in their eyes. 

They remembered all the work the youth did for their city.  I have a picture from the top of the GM Tower in Detroit looking down as 10,000 orange clad youth were about to depart for their service projects for the day.

While the theme, the city, and even the youth change for each event, the energy and willingness to serve is consistent.   I know, it’s popular to rag on the youth of today, but you won’t hear that from me.  Why?  Because I’m fortunate.  I have the privilege of accompanying youth on mission trips across the country.  I see the work and the passion they serve with.  I see the impact their work does in a community.  I see their growth.  It’s all so transformative, for them and the community.

Here's the bottom line, whether it’s youth or adults, serving people is good for the soul.  A mission trip, a soup kitchen, a beach cleanup, a Habitat build, it doesn’t really matter what your passion is, just serve.  It helps us realize there is need even in a community like ours. 

Serving helps us focus on someone other than ourselves.  Serving others is deeply rooted in every faith tradition, and even if you aren’t a person of faith, its just good for humanity.  Whether it’s in our community or elsewhere, take the time to serve, and see how you and the world is transformed. 

Chad Fair's opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

This month’s Rivers Coalition meeting featured a presentation by board member Tood Thurlow: “The State of Lake Okeechobee”.  A “huge rain event” June 5-16 dumped an incredible 8.7 inches of rain, on average, across the entire South Florida Water Management District. Despite this deluge, though, the current lake level (13.4 feet) is almost three feet lower than when the Corps of Engineers began discharges in February.

The Corps, though, expects this year’s rainy season to be wetter than usual; an above-average hurricane season is also being forecast. The elephant-in-the-room question, though, is how many of those “above-average” tropical events will affect our area – which is impossible to predict. The lake can handle one, and probably even two, more “huge rain events” -- but after that the risk of discharges skyrockets. And there’s a lot of algae in the lake right now that would come our way if discharges become necessary.

A lot of people are thus hoping and praying that if this hurricane season is indeed more active than usual the storms have the decency to head someplace other than South Florida.

And for those who aren’t aware, Todd has created an incredible website at https://eyeonlakeo.com/ which has everything you ever wanted to know about Lake Okeechobee’s current status on it. Check it out sometime; it’s mesmerizing.

Meanwhile, John Maehl from Martin County reported the county has planted 10 acres of seagrass in an effort to help restore this critical habitat. The million dollar-plus project is largely funded by grants; the county’s share is only $100,000/year.

And last but by no means least, the seemingly-endless process of writing a new Lake Okeechobee System Operations Manual, which has been crawling its way through a myriad of government entities and regulatory authorities for more than five years, is finally – finally – reaching the finish line. Brigadier General Hibner, the commander of the South Florida Division of the Army Corps of Engineers, is scheduled to sign it and make it official on August 12. But don’t start to relax too much; someone remarked “It’s almost time to start the next one”.

The battle never ends… but at least river warriors are winning some skirmishes now.

Walter Deemer's opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

With more than 35 years in existence, the Business Development Board of Martin County’s role in providing confidential, complimentary services such as site selection, market intelligence, connections to capital and more is well known.

But some of our quieter qualities deserve a turn in the spotlight. Those include:

• Economic strategies tailored to the unique needs and characteristics of local municipalities.
• Authority over a chartered resource ideal for funding qualified projects.
• A growing number of influential partners ideally positioned to build local businesses and strengthen our overall economy.

Municipality strategies: As incoming communities such as Terra Lago get under construction, the Village of Indiantown is poised for increased job creation at permit-ready sites such as Venture Park and Indiantown Commerce Park. We’re working closely with village leadership and informing our network of contacts about Indiantown’s natural resources, unique and attainable lifestyle and incoming work force.

Nearly at build-out residential-wise, the City of Stuart poses different opportunities. With the help of BusinessFlare, our new economic development advisory firm, we’re identifying opportunities for the city’s commercial properties.

Martin County Industrial Development Authority (MCIDA): When interest rates run high, the IDA—under the governance of the BDB—can move a project from the sidelines to the starting line through to the finish line. Empowered to offer low-interest, tax-exempt loans to qualified projects, this specialized funding option—available exclusively through the BDB and attendant IDA board—can help projects in jeopardy of being grounded due to fierce fiscal headwinds get off the ground.

Private-sector support: Our campaign to attract private sector support is moving along nicely, especially since Dan Hudson, interim executive director, arrived to help organize and streamline such initiatives. Just recently we added SouthState Bank to a council of private-sector supporters that includes FPL, Bank of America, PNC Bank, Seacoast Bank, TD Bank, MidFlorida Credit Union, First Citizens Bank, Mattamy Homes, C&W Technologies, Evergreen Private Care and more.

The BDB is gathering momentum at a pivotal time.

The fundamental qualities of our community—safe, family focused, acclaimed schools, low density—remain strong. The enduring track records and respected reputations of our core industries—aviation/aerospace, marine, agriculture, innovative technologies—have caught the attention of C-suite executives and savvy investors.

The county has prioritized the installation of redundant fiber-optic infrastructure and permit-ready sites. Both support existing businesses and attract additional job creators, offering high-skilled, high-wage opportunities. This diversifies our tax base by adding business tax revenue sources and reducing reliance on residential property tax.

It’s a lot of working parts that the BDB is in the privileged position of helping move in the right direction, but when it does, everyone—working or retired, fresh entrepreneur or seasoned executive, small business owner or leader of a large corporation—reaps the benefits of.

In addition to volunteering as chair of the Business Development Board of Martin County, Susan Rabinowitz is the Treasure Coast Market President and Business Banking Market Executive for the Palm Beach and Treasure Coast markets for Bank of America.

Susan Rabinowitz's opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

Summer is a time of rest and relaxation for many but for children with mental health challenges, the lack of routine can be challenging. 

It is important for parents to remember that many children crave the structure that school provides.  Without this structure, many children with mental health challenges are more prone to behavior problems including oppositional behaviors and tantrums.  Recognizing this and helping to structure their summer hours can be helpful for children already struggling with their mental health.

Find a summer camp but be sure to educate the camp on your child’s special needs and that they are equipped to handle them.  Many mental health organizations provide specialized summer camps for children with special needs.  Check with your provider to see if such a camp is available.

Be sure to set a summer schedule.  Keeping to usual bedtimes and mealtimes helps make the summer easier to handle.  Also posting a daily schedule on the refrigerator can help children move from one activity to the next with less anxiety about what is happening in their day.  This is important even when traveling.

Many parents feel that summer is a time to take a medication holiday from ADHD medications.  It is important to discuss this strategy with their psychiatric provider.  For some children, without this medication, their summer is spent being redirected, disciplined and in trouble.  Make sure this strategy is right for your child and ensure that you aren’t just responding to stigma.

Summer is a great time for parents to reconnect with their children and learn more about what is happening in their lives.  Spend time with them to listen to what they have enjoyed and what they are struggling with this summer.

While summer can be challenging, planning and being prepared will increase the likelihood of a successful summer.  Enjoy this time with your children and remember the school year is just around the corner.

Anne Posey's opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

Bonding Cats

The Humane Society of the Treasure Coast is currently caring for over 200 cats and kittens right now. Our shelter has cats of all ages, colors, personality, and sizes. If you are in the market for a new feline friend, the time to adopt would be now! If you already own a cat, it’s very important to know the proper steps on introducing a new cat to your household.

Adopting a new cat when you have an existing cat at home is an exciting but delicate process that requires patience and understanding. One of the primary benefits of having two cats is the companionship they provide for one another. Cats are naturally social animals, and when paired together, they can engage in playful interactions, groom each other, and develop a strong bond. This not only enriches their lives but can also reduce the likelihood of behavioral issues that may arise from boredom or loneliness in single-cat households.

According to Maddie’s Fund, when introducing a new cat to your resident cat, it's important to go slow and work in stages to help them bond. First, keep the cats in separate rooms, allowing them to get used to each other's scents by swapping blankets and beds between the spaces. This helps them become accustomed to one another's presence.

It’s extremely important to make sure both cats are spayed or neutered prior to bringing a new cat home to minimize aggression. Every adoptable cat at our shelter is spay or neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped. Our shelter also offers low cost spay and neuter services if you have a cat, dog, or even a rabbit in need of this procedure. You can visit www.hstc1.org/public to learn more.

When it's time for the first face-to-face meeting, choose a neutral room where your resident cat won't feel territorial. If possible, place a barrier like a gate or screen between the cats. You can also use a Feliway diffuser to help create a calming environment. Try to stay away from Catnip as this might over stimulate the cats for their first visit. Don’t forget that you’ll need to have patience and offer positive reinforcement during this process.

Offer their favorite wet food or treats, placing the dishes on opposite sides of the room so they can eat in peace. During each visit, move the food bowls closer and closer until they are peacefully eating across from each other. It's normal for them to hiss or act unsure at first - this is just their natural way of expressing uncertainty about the new situation. However, if the interaction becomes aggressive, with scratching or biting, separate the cats immediately and wait a few days before trying again.

It's extremely important to never force or rush two new cats together. Patience and time are key to ensuring that the bonding process will succeed. Our shelter offers an “Adoption Trial” program where you can foster an animal for 10 days to ensure that the newly adopted pet is a good fit for your household. If you are interested learning more about all the fantastic felines that we currently have available for adoption, please visit www.hstc1.org/cats. If you are not ready to adopt, consider becoming a temporary foster instead! You can learn more about foster opportunities at www.hstc1.org/foster. Hope you see you at our shelter soon.

Frank Valente's opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

Let’s Celebrate All Year Long

July celebrates our nation’s independence, the foundation on which freedom and autonomy has been built! Have you ever wondered how people with a variety of disabilities celebrate their freedom?

Parades and events have always been an integral part of celebrations in our community as well as across the country!  Over the past few decades, these festivities have become more accessible to individuals with disabilities — thanks, in part, to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). So, whether you are going to the Taylor Swift concert, the U.S. Open Tennis Match, the Luke Bryan concert, or a movie, you’ll be welcomed!

The ADA requires event organizers to ensure that venues, pathways, and seating areas are accessible to people with mobility impairments. This mandate includes features such as wheelchair ramps, designated accessible seating, and clear pathways to facilitate navigation. In addition, the ADA encourages the provision of accessible restrooms and ensures that event information and announcements are available in accessible formats, such as braille or large print.

All of this has made it possible for us to include everyone—with or without a disability. At Helping People Succeed we talk a lot about employment for those with disabilities and that is a primary outcome for those we serve. However, it’s critically important that we help people live everyday lives—celebrating life is one of the most important!

What is everyday life—one that includes a safe living home; employment that is satisfying; and, finding time to have fun through recreation, exercising, and attending, community events with family and friends. This definitely includes celebrating the all of our holidays by attending parades, family barbeques and demonstrating appreciation for our way of life.

In addition, we love the opportunities we have to provide additional experiences such as—artists who have joined us to help create self-portraits (thanks to Martin Arts Women Supporting the Arts); we volunteer at a number of other nonprofits; to help others through assisting with Meals on Wheels. We’re expanding on the everyday lives with everyday activities.

July earmarks a time to honor the insurmountable value of freedom—the rights enshrined in the Declaration of Independence apply to every citizen! Enjoy your freedom—go to the parades; enjoy the fireworks; have a cook out and make sure that as you enjoy your day, you remember it is for everyone!

Suzy Hutcheson's opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

Our Students, Our Schools, and Our Environmental Future

Jennifer Stull, President of Keep Martin Beautiful

It’s never too early to learn about our connection to the environment and our responsibility to care for it, and education is key.

As this year’s President of Keep Martin Beautiful, it’s been gratifying to see that my belief is widely shared in our community. Our children, their families, their teachers, and their schools are showing the kind of passion for environmental stewardship that makes me feel hopeful for the future.

During Keep Martin Beautiful’s Environmental Stewardship Awards event in April, more than 220 attendees had an opportunity to hear about the school projects that were nominated for their excellence in protecting and preserving the environment. Even better, we got to meet many of the students and teachers involved in these activities and I wanted to share some highlights with you. 

Jensen Beach Elementary, Eco-Action Team

At Jensen Beach Elementary, the Eco-Action Team meets three times a week to work on environmental initiatives. During their Community Service Day, students gave out succulent plants to the patients. The Eco-Action Team partners with Citizens4H20 to recycle plastic bags and offer reusable shopping bags as part of their Single Use Plastics initiative and their Litter Lite Lunches efforts. For their many green initiatives and positive impact on the community, the JBE Eco-Action team earned the National Wildlife Federations’ Green Fla Eco-School Award and also Keep Martin Beautiful’s Youth Engagement Stewardship Award.

J.D. Parker, Green Club

At J.D. Parker Elementary, the Green Club participates in Keep Martin Beautiful’s International Coastal Cleanup and Adopt-A-Road program. They’re very attentive to recycling and partner with TerraCycle to recycle chip bags and other items that can’t be recycled in single stream recycling. And they share the harvest from their school garden with the entire school community.

Stuart Middle, Use and Consequence Card Sort Poster

The students at Stuart Middle School are studying the impact humans have on the environment. They’ve learned about the effects of deforestation, urbanization, desertification, erosion, and changes in air and water quality. Their Use and Consequence Card Sort Poster fosters critical thinking and problem-solving skills for understanding the interconnected nature of human activities and their effects on Earth's systems.

Earth Savers

The Earth Savers program offers high school students a great opportunity to gain volunteer hours while engaging with the Environmental Studies Center. With a current membership of over 30 students from freshmen to seniors, the Earth Savers Crew participates in beach cleanups, assists the Environmental Studies Center with its community outreach programs, and manages the Youth Driven Cinema Film Competition hosted at the Center.

Pine School, Manatee Skeleton

The Pine School’s Honors Class for Florida Environmental Studies took on an unusual project: learn more about the history and science of ecosystems by isolating the bones from a manatee carcass and articulating a skeleton – meaning they reassembled it using wires, hardware, and other materials. This kind of hands-on, interactive, intricate science gives students a rich and memorable learning experience.

CONGRATULATIONS to all the students in these groups. And KUDOS to all the teachers who guide and inspire our students and provide them with a learning environment that enriches their experiences and cultivates the next generation of environmental stewards.

For more information about Keep Martin Beautiful and to read more about these youth groups and all the 2024 Keep Martin Beautiful Environmental Stewardship nominees, visit keepmartinbeautiful.org.

Jennifer Stull's opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

Navigating Economic Storms: Don't Give Up, Pivot and Thrive!

In times of economic downturn, it's easy to feel overwhelmed and uncertain about the future. As a business owner, you might be facing challenges you never anticipated. However, it's crucial to remember that difficult times also bring opportunities for growth and innovation. Here's a friendly reminder to not give up, and some examples of how small businesses can pivot to stay open and even thrive.

Embrace Change and Innovate

Challenges often require businesses to think outside the box. Reassess your business model and explore new avenues. For instance, if you're running a restaurant, consider expanding your delivery and takeout options. Partner with food delivery apps or even set up your own delivery system. Online cooking classes or meal kits can also engage your customers in new and exciting ways.

 

Retail businesses can shift their focus to e-commerce. If you haven't already, create an online store and offer virtual shopping experiences. Personalized video consultations and live shopping events on social media can recreate the in-store experience for your customers. Remember, the key is to meet your customers where they are now – online.

 

Diversify Your Offerings

Diversification can be a lifesaver during tough economic times. Take a look at your existing products or services and think about how they can be adapted or expanded. For example, a fitness studio can offer virtual classes, on-demand workout videos, or personalized training sessions via video call. A small manufacturing business can explore producing essential items that are in high demand, such as personal protective equipment or sanitizers.

Another strategy is to bundle products or services. This can increase the perceived value for customers and encourage them to spend more. For example, if you own a boutique, you could create curated fashion boxes or seasonal bundles that offer a complete outfit or look.

Strengthen Customer Relationships

Your customers are your greatest asset. Strengthening these relationships can help ensure your business remains resilient. Communicate regularly with your customers through newsletters, social media, and personalized messages. Let them know about the steps you're taking to adapt and how they can continue to support you.

Offering loyalty programs, discounts, or special promotions can also keep your customers engaged.

Collaborate and Support Your Community

Collaboration and community support can make a significant difference. Partner with other local businesses to create joint promotions or events.

 

Engaging with your community through charitable initiatives or support programs can also boost your business's reputation and build goodwill.

Focus on Financial Management

Lastly, keeping a close eye on your finances is essential. Look for ways to reduce costs without compromising quality. Renegotiate with suppliers for better rates or explore alternative suppliers. Additionally, consider applying for government grants, loans, or other financial assistance programs designed to help small businesses during economic downturns.

Stay Positive and Persistent

Remember, resilience is about staying positive and persistent even when the going gets tough. It's okay to feel uncertain or stressed, but don't let those feelings deter you from finding creative solutions. Many successful businesses have emerged stronger from economic challenges by adapting and innovating.

Take a deep breath, reassess your strategies, and embrace the opportunities that change brings. Your determination and creativity can not only help you weather the storm but also pave the way for a brighter, more resilient future for your business. Keep pushing forward – you've got this!

Chriss David’s opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

Things have been a little bit slow in the MCEA office this summer, but that doesn’t mean we haven’t been busy. As President of the Martin County Education Association, I was on leave for the month of June as I welcomed the newest edition to our union family.

My son, Joseph William Albert Theobald, was born on May 31st at 8:38am, weighing 7 pounds, 5 ounces. Joseph or “Joey” is doing very well, and so is his mother, Kalyn, and his big sister, Kaia. We are enjoying our time settling in as a new family, and we would like to thank those in the community who have reached out with well wishes of love and support. We are truly blessed!

MCEA will resume reporting on our activities next month when teachers return from their summer break. Until then, I hope everyone has a safe, healthy, and relaxing summer!

Matt Theobald's opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

Helping You Leverage Every Opportunity to Take Care of Your Health
 

Hospitals across the country continue to face primary care workforce shortages in many types of roles. When people delay getting to see their primary doctors, preventative care is missed, and volumes go up in Emergency Departments with whole communities affected.  

In 2023, Cleveland Clinic Martin Health impacted more than 985,000 patients' lives. That is an increase of 19.6% since the integration of Martin Health with Cleveland Clinic just 5 years before.  While our services have never been in greater demand, we remain committed to delivering high-quality patient care and supporting the communities we serve.  

Cleveland Clinic Martin Health is focused on meeting the needs of our patients by recruiting more highly skilled clinicians and opening new avenues to access primary healthcare. This includes physicians and advanced practice clinicians such as nurse practitioners.

The reputation of the Cleveland Clinic brand has enabled us to recruit top-notch professionals and stay ahead despite workforce scarcity across the country. This summer, we are introducing 14 new primary care providers at Cleveland Clinic Martin Health. We are also expanding our team of advanced practice clinicians who will collaborate closely with physicians. This will add 8,000 slots for patients to see a provider at Cleveland Clinic Martin Health.

A group of people dedicated to clinical access (CAT) works hard to open appointment options for patients. This includes adding locations, providers, and using technology to help patients get in. If a patient without a primary care doctor is discharged from the hospital, a team helps place that person with an available physician for follow-ups.

This system helps with access and avoids unnecessary hospital readmissions. “Not having a Primary Care Provider (PCP) or not getting an appointment to see your PCP should not force you to go the emergency room for non-emergency medical needs. We are constantly figuring out newer ways to help care for people and this team is one such endeavor” says Dr. Surendra Khera, Institute leader for Primary Care, Cleveland Clinic Florida.

There are more patients than ever accessing our care. Wait times for appointments vary depending on the type of appointment, location and specialty. There are many ways to schedule your care – including through MyChart portal.  

Being open to a variety of types of visits may help you be seen more quickly. Here are several ways that you can be seen quickly:

1. Virtual visits grew exponentially during the pandemic, and for certain conditions, you can have an e-visit through your patient portal. In many cases, this is an efficient way to get the care you need.  Access this from the MyClevelandClinic App to start your virtual care with a practioner on demand in Florida familiar with your chart,
2. Another way to access primary care is through nurse practitioners and physician assistant appointments. Now, every day, over 175 patients can avail themselves of this opportunity and establish care with Cleveland Clinic Primary Care.

• An advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) can help you get established, understand what type of specialist you might need to see, and order any tests in preparation for a specialist visit. You might not need to wait to see a doctor. APRNs are experienced professionals who can help you detect problems and address any red flags efficiently.
• A nurse practitioner often has the designation APRN and has completed a master’s or doctorate degree and is trained for a specific role and patient population. Nurse practitioners are board certified in a specific specialty. They can diagnose, manage, and treat many illnesses, both acute and chronic, and work with physicians.
• You might also encounter a Physician Assistant (PA). A PA is a healthcare professional licensed to practice medicine with physician supervision. Physician assistants are primarily master’s degree prepared and are educated to diagnose and manage many illnesses.

3. Ask to be placed on a waiting list.  We constantly have new appointments and cancellations added and you are likely to be called and moved up.
4. Another thing to consider is being flexible with where you are seen. You may be able to get an earlier appointment at an alternate location. Our goal is to help you attain quality care and use the new services we are providing for you.

We are here to care for you from our offerings in primary care and express/urgent care to more complex procedures that we have introduced into Martin and St Lucie counties such as robotic lung biopsy, robotic total joint replacement, high risk pregnancy, and comprehensive stroke care.    

Rishi P. Singh's opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

Embracing The Changing World of Technology

I am often asked; how do you keep up with all the changes in technology. Over the years there seems to be a constant drumbeat from the media and others on the latest tech. It’s good for Wall Street that there seems to be something new every day.

I will also say studying and learning new things is always exciting. The hidden secret isat often what appears new and revolutionary often is the same tech just renewed or, as a common phrase that seems to have entered our lexicon, re-imagined.

 

Yes, there is new tech that comes about, AI is a fundamental shift in how we will interact with technology going forward, but the foundation is the same. In fact, operational foundations seem to cycle repeatedly. Let me give you an example.

Back in the early days of computing, we had big data centers where companies would use centralized very expensive computers. Various constraints prevented this from allowing wide acceptance of computing in Mid-Sized and Small Business so as PC’s became more popular something called distributed networking came into being.

Dedicated local servers that sometimes interconnected with other larger systems developed. Over time Cloud computing became popular. What is Cloud computing? Computing in centralized locations using shared resources. The local server and distributed network started going away.

Now comes AI. AI takes tremendous computing and while there will still be a high degree of centralization, the idea of distributing the process across local PC’s and devices is coming back into play. What’s old is new, becomes old and is new again.  

Along the way what has most changed is the way we interface with technology. From punch cards, to keyboards, to mice and graphic interfaces, to voice. These mostly have been one-way conversations, we tell our technology what to do, but we must know what to tell the technology first to get a decent result.

AI will change that. Our technology will be able to figure some things out for itself. We will have a new interface to work with, one that is much more human “like” than a keyboard or a mouse. Yet even AI, though on a totally different level, is a compilation of the old.

Back in the mid-1960s Joseph Weizenbaum at MIT developed ELIZA that simulated conversation by using a ‘pattern matching’ and substitution methodology, which gave users an illusion of understanding on the part of the program. I coded a version of ELIZA myself and it was fun to see the result.

Technology does change but not always as much as it appears, and sometimes it takes a lot longer to get where we wanted to go than we thought it would. I am a firm believer in embracing new technology. My secret is in knowing that what appears to be new really isn’t, it’s been there all along.

Eric Kiehn’s opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

Hello, I am Lori Sang, Executive Director of Little Lights Dentistry and I am pleased to introduce you to Light of the World Charities, D/B/A Little Lights Dentistry. 

Light of the World Charities was founded in 1999 to provide surgical and dental missions in South and Central America. In 2015, the missions program closed due to threats of insurgency abroad. Based on experience from the mission field, the Board of Directors recognized the impact that living in poverty has on children’s oral health.  At that time, a gap in the Martin County health care system was identified; there were no dentists willing to provide care for free or at a reduced cost for uninsured children, even in an emergency. In response to this gap, Little Lights Dentistry opened in 2016.

Little Lights Dentistry provides free dental care for uninsured, low-income children from their first birthday through high school graduation. Eligible children haven’t graduated from high school, do not have Medicaid or private dental insurance, and have a family income no greater than 200% of the federal poverty level-FPL. In 2024, 200% of FPL is $5,200 a month for a family of 4. 

Our office is on the campus of St. Joseph Catholic Church at 1300 East 10th Street, Suite B in Stuart where children are seen by appointment Monday through Thursday from 8:00 to 5:00.

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry identifies dental decay as the #1 cause of preventable disease in children; with 1 in 4 experiencing tooth decay by age 5. Decay compromises children’s quality of life, affecting their eating, sleeping, speech, mental health, and school performance.

Little Lights Dentistry emphasizes consistent oral health routines, including regular dental appointments, brushing with fluoride toothpaste twice daily, flossing daily, and introducing nutrition habits that benefit the entire family.

To accomplish this, Little Lights Dentistry provides a dental home, exams, cleanings, fillings, the application of sealants and fluoride, extractions, root canals, education on oral health home care routines, and nutritional guidance for the family, designed to create healthy habits for life.

Since opening in 2016, Little Lights Dentistry has provided free dental care to over 1,900 children on the Treasure Coast. To find out if your child is eligible, please call 772-223-9781.  For more information or to make a donation, visit our website at www.littlelightsdentistry.org. 

We believe that no child should go to bed with a toothache. Do you?

 

Lori Sang's opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

Preserving Martin County’s Natural Lands – Forever

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By: 

Committee Members Jim Snedeker and

Merritt Matheson, former Mayor, City of Stuart

How Preserving Martin County’s Natural Lands Will Benefit its Residents

This fall, all Martin County registered voters, regardless of political party, will get to decide whether they want to vote YES on a Referendum that will appear on their ballot with these words: “Lands to protect water quality, natural areas and wildlife habitat one-half percent sales surtax.”

What do these words mean and why should voters support it?

Martin County is a very special place - and we want to keep it that way. The referendum is a critical conservation initiative. It is our best chance - and maybe our last chance - to purchase undeveloped lands in Martin County from willing sellers and ensure they remain that way during our lifetime and for future generations.

In our last column we shared the perspective of Cat Villano, a 2022 Pine School graduate and junior at UF and her thoughts on the importance of saving our natural lands. It’s her generation that we’re fighting for.

Now we turn our focus to another touchpoint. Saving these lands helps to protect our “quality of life.”  But that phrase means different things to different people. We’ll explore this topic further in this, and future, columns.

One critical quality of life issue is water. It’s on everyone’s mind - as well it should be! Our water is the lifeblood of our community. Bear with us as we dive into a bit of a hydrology lesson to explain why water quality is so important and why it is at risk.

Florida’s has natural frontline defenses to cleanse water. Ideally, when there is a large rain event, water enters low-lying natural areas and wetlands, and that water then percolates slowly back into the aquifer and recharges it. Water can also “sheet flow” into a larger water body. The slow sheet flow of water through wetlands allows native plants to uptake and remove harmful nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous from the water. When too much of those nutrients overload our water bodies, they become harmful and provide food to stimulate devastating toxic algae blooms.

The landscape of South Florida has been significantly altered over the past century. We’ve channelized and redirected water to reduce and eliminate flooding in various locations. With the increase in homes, commercial properties, and roads comes an increase in impervious surface areas. Those are the hard surfaces that prevent or reduce the amount of water that can soak into the ground. With more impervious surfaces, stormwater runoff from large rain events flows directly into our canals, rivers and estuaries.

Mother nature’s water cleansing systems have been diminished and are stressed. But pointing fingers and being nostalgic about prior decades does nothing to clean our waterways.

We understand the problem and we must take action to solve it. We need to acquire and preserve more natural land. This will allow the miracle and magic of south Florida’s natural systems to do their job!

That’s what the Martin County Forever Referendum is all about. Voting Yes on the referendum will generate the funds needed to purchase the right lands in the right places to protect our water quality and our quality of life.

More wetlands put into permanent conservation will enable water to flow through them and filter and absorb nutrients that can cause toxic algae blooms. More natural lands in permanent conservation will allow for excess stormwater and rain to percolate into our underlying aquifer. These things will improve the quality of the water that is released into our waterways.

Martin County has led efforts to improve water quality with projects like the C-44 Reservoir and Stormwater Treatment Area (STA). Funded initially by local sales tax, this project was completed with state and federal support. The C-44 Reservoir, part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), captures and treats harmful releases from Lake Okeechobee and the surrounding basin. Covering 12,000 acres, it helps reduce sediment, nutrients, and saltwater intrusion while supporting over 4,300 species. Though effective, it only cleans 65% of local runoff. Supporting the referendum will expand this habitat and improve water quality.

Future columns will discuss other Quality of Life issues. If you’d like to dive into the details of the referendum, you can read the entire thing and the ordinance language here.

If you’d like to join us in our efforts to get the referendum passed, there are many volunteer opportunities. Money is needed for us to get the word out to voters. Reach out to us at martincountyforever@gmail.com. For much more info visit www.martincountyforever.com. Follow us on Facebook at Martin County Forever Facebook or on Instagram at Martin County Forever Instagram.

Snedeker & Matheson's opinions are their own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors’ viewpoint.

A Legacy Of Conservatism

By: Greg Braun Exec. Director

Are you interested to see how areas you care about in Martin County have changed over the last several decades? The Guardians of Martin County, the only non-profit organization in Martin County specifically focused on growth management, is pleased to announce our recent release of A Legacy of Conservation, an interactive website that describes the decades of thoughtful approach to responsible growth in Martin County.

Together with our colleagues in the Loxa-Lucie Headwaters Initiative, we’ve worked with graphics professionals to use various sources of existing mapping data to produce a thought-provoking look at the things that have helped create what has come to be known as “The Martin County Difference”. While the 4-story height limit and protection of wetlands immediately stand out as differences from our neighboring counties, the requirement to set aside natural areas on most development sites has largely prevented us from becoming the concrete jungles with backed-up traffic that are more common in other counties in south Florida.

For many decades, the prevailing philosophy of our elected officials was to avoid urban sprawl by refusing to move the Urban Service District (USD) boundary every time a land speculator requested to do so. But times have changed, and although we’re pleased to see large percentages of properties set aside as open space, the Guardians have been pushing for water quality monitoring and permanent conservation easements as conditions of large-scale future development outside the USD. Whether they are high-end golf courses (with dormitories for workers that “don’t count” in density calculations), or Live Local projects, the Guardians believe that future developments should be required to monitor the water that is discharged from their property to ensure that the quality of our surface waters aren’t further deteriorated.

Take a few minutes to visit and explore A Legacy of Conservation, at: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/1b0e234e591749eaa186546dd0704e2c

Use the “Slide” feature to see how things have changed in your neighborhood, and learn about how you can help maintain Martin County as a great place to live, work and play.

Greg Braun is the Executive Director at The Guardians of Martin County. To learn more about the Guardians, see TheGuardiansofMartinCounty.com

Greg Braun’s opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

How Do We Stop the Taxpayer Rip-off of Public Pension Bonuses

By David Jaye

Politicians and Bureaucrats collecting Public Pension Bonuses is a significant taxpayer burden.  These "Triple Dippers," are collecting a paycheck and a pension at the same time for the same job for 8 to 10 years! Unlike regular public employees who contribute 3% of their paycheck to the Florida Retirement System, these Triple Dippers are exempt, creating a financial imbalance and injustice. See https://tripledippers.org/

No one in the private sector collects a salary and a pension at the same time to do the same job. These Triple Dippers collecting 8-10 years of public pension cash bonuses has created a $39 billion unfunded liability in the Florida Retirement System, a $1,725 liability for every man, woman, and child in Florida.  Pension cash bonuses are unsustainable and will lead to big tax increases in Florida. https://thecapitolist.com/frs-double-dip-retirement-expansion-will-make-it-harder-for-private-sector-to-compete-with-state/

Publicizing the issue and exposing these Triple Dippers is crucial. The public needs to be aware of taxpayers' exploitation. The Public Employer (Taxpayer paid) salary match for Triple Dippers has surged from 4% to 21.13%, compared to 13.63% for regular public workers, highlights the unfairness of this system.   For a comprehensive list of the names, employers and pension cash bonuses of approximately 26,000 Florida's Triple Dippers, visit https://tripledippers.org/fl-statewide-2023-june-28537-tripledippers/.

Triple Dipping at the taxpayer's expense is indefensible. While it may be legal, triple dipping is similar to the gluttony of indulging in an all-you-can-eat buffet daily. Such behavior is not only immoral but also diverts necessary funds from essential services like education, safety, infrastructure and other public services.  Many Politicians and Bureaucrats, not satisfied with a 5-year pension cash bonus have used their public positions to apply for an 8 to 10-year pension cash bonus. See https://tripledippers.org/triple-dippers-hall-of-shame/ 

We must pressure politicians to pledge not to take pension cash bonuses, recognizing that their salary, benefits, and standard pensions are already generous. Furthermore, State Representatives, State Senators, and Governor Ron DeSantis must be pressured to end the Pension Cash Bonus program, require current Triple Dippers to contribute 3% of their salary to the pension program and eliminate the special provision allowing politicians to break their contract promise to resign as a condition of collecting the pension cash bonus.

Addressing this Public Pension Bonuses issue is vital for the financial health of Florida and the fairness to its taxpayers.

David Jaye’s opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

 

 

Dear Occupant:

In an effort to keep you informed, the Town of Ocean Breeze wishes to make you aware of the following important meetings and events.

1. Regular Town Council Meetings are held on the second Monday of each month at 10:30 am located at Ocean Breeze Resort Clubhouse, Pineapple Bay Room, 700 NE Seabreeze Way, Ocean Breeze, FL..Excem during the months of January, April, July and October, the meeting times are 6:00 pm.
2. Annual budget adoption schedule for fiscal year 2024/2025 is shown below. The meetings will take place at Ocean Breeze Resort Clubhouse, Pineapple Bay Room, 700 NE Seabreeze Way, Ocean Breeze at 6:00 P...!!b

• Millage Rate and Budget Workshop/ Special Meeting, Wednesday, July 24, 2024
• Tentative Millage Rate and Budget Hearing, Wednesday, September 11, 2024
• Final Millage Rate and Budget Hearing, Wednesday. September 25, 2024

3. Town Council Elections. Please see Election Proclamation on the reverse side of this letter.

If you have any questions regarding our meeting schedule, the budget process, or seeking a seat on the Town Council, please do not hesitate to contact the Town Clerk or visit our website at www.townofoceanbreeze.org.

Karen M. Ostrand Mayor

 

ELIGIBILITY:

Persons eligible to run for Council Member must be a full-time resident of the Town of Ocean Breeze and a registered voter in Martin County.

CANDIDATES:

Candidates for office shall file for qualifying with the Town of Ocean Breeze Town Clerk between the qualifying period ofThursday, August I, 2024 through Wednesday,

August 21, 2024. All qualifying documents are provided by the Town Clerk and can also be accessed on the Town's web-site at: www.townofoceanbreeze.org

VACANCIES:

The positions of three (3) Council Members and the Mayor are open. Term is for two (2) years. The Council Members currently holding these positions are: Council Members Sandy Kelley, Gina Kent and Liz Reese. The current Mayor is Karen M. Ostrand.

REGULAR ELECTION:

The Regular Town Election will be held Tuesday, November 5, 2024.

VOTE BY MAIL BALLOTS:

Please Contact- Vicki, Davis, Supervisor ofElections

135 SE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Stuart, FL 34994

Phone: (772) 288-5637     Fax: (772) 288-5765

www.MartinVotes.com

VOTING PLACE & TIME: Langford Park, 2369 NE Dixie Highway, Jensen Beach, FL 34957. Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

ELECTION RETURNS:

Election retun1s shall be furnished after the Election at the Canvassing Board Meeting on Saturday, November 16, 2024 at 9:00 am at: Martin County Supervisor of Elections, 135 NE Martin Luther Kind, Jr. Blvd, Stuart, Florida.

DATE TO TAKE OFFICE: Monday, December 9, 2024

VOTER REGISTRATION:

The deadline for registering to vote in the November 5, 2025 Election, is Monday, October 7, 2024. Registration takes place at the Supervisor of Elections' office.

Town Office is located at: 1508 NE Jensen Beach Blvd., Jensen Beach, FL 34957 Office hours of operation: Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Proclamation to be approved by the Town Council at the July 8 2024 meeting to be held at 6:00 p.m.

ARC OF THE TREASURE COAST RECEIVES $1M IN CRITICAL FUNDING

THANK YOU, GOVERNOR DESANTIS & FLORIDA LEGISLATORS

Stuart, FL. –ARC of the Treasure Coast is pleased to announce it will receive $1 million in state funding to build the Therapeutic Intervention Program Center in Port St. Lucie. The appropriation is part of the new $116.5 billion budget recently approved by Governor Ron DeSantis. The new budget kicks in on July 1st.

T.I.P. (Therapeutic Intervention Program) is a special education program that uses a variety of therapeutic techniques to meet an individual’s emotional and behavioral needs. TIP allows therapists to look beyond a subject’s disabilities and create positive change through speech therapy, physical therapy, and problem-solving skills, just to name a few.

“This center and the TIP approach will be life changing for the children, adults and their families we work with on a daily basis,” said Keith Muniz, President and CEO of ARC of the Treasure Coast.  “We are so thankful to Florida lawmakers and Governor DeSantis for their commitment to the disability community.”

A special thank you to Senator Gayle Harrell of Stuart and Rep. Dana Trabulsy of Fort Pierce for their relentless support of ARC of the Treasure Coast services and programs.

The next step will be to find a location for the center in Martin County. Several possible sites are being considered.

###

About ARC of the Treasure Coast: The ARC, (Advocates for the Rights of the Challenged) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to empowering children and adults with I/DD through residential, vocational, educational, behavioral, and other healthcare services.  ARC provides support, assistance, and training that enhances the abilities of children and adults with disabilities to thrive each day and achieve their fullest potential.

 

Introducing the New Banner Lake Development Director

Amanda joins Banner Lake following eleven years as Development Manager at one of the UK's top private boarding schools, Bryanston School, where she was involved in alumni engagement and donor stewardship while managing the school's regular giving and legacy programs. She was responsible for developing giving strategy, development communications and donor stewardship.  Her major achievements while there were incorporating a consistent communication strategy that included social media channels, achieving the school's first seven figure legacy, and building regular donor pipelines and income from donations for the three corps areas of development: scholarships, capital and pupil enrichment.  Working alongside teaching colleagues she integrated an annual, regional, student-lead Business Conference as part of the school's curriculum, wholly funded by donations, and introduced local financial sponsorship for selected extracurricular classes. 

Prior to Bryanston, Amanda spent three years in alumni and development relations at one of the UK's most academic all-girls day schools where she introduced a highly personalized scholarship support initiative. Her wide and extensive career includes six years in show business public relations working on shows such as The National Television Awards and the BAFTA TV Awards, three years in marketing and three years managing international expeditions. We are excited to welcome Amanda to the Banner Lake Club Inc. family and look forward to working with her!

 

CTWH is Forging Important Partnerships in the Community

By Jackie Holfelder

It’s been an active several months for Catch the Wave of Hope (CTWH) as the nonprofit continues to forge important relationships and collaborations in its mission to prevent the sexual exploitation and trafficking of children through awareness and education, while providing restoration to survivors.

CTWH has joined the SART team (Sexual Assault Response
Team) on the Treasure Coast, a part of the Sexual Assault
Assistance Program of the Treasure Coast. This team includes victim
advocates and other experts in the field.

SART is the first team to respond to sexual assault cases. It exists so that no survivor of sexual violence residing on the Treasure Coast or Okeechobee must go through crisis alone, regardless of age, circumstances, or their decision whether to involve law enforcement. The group is comprised of trained advocates, counselors, and administrators and all communications with staff are confidential. 

CTWH is also now part of DCF’s (Department of Children and Families) Sex/Labor Trafficking MDT (Multidisciplinary Team). Sarah Marie Henry, Executive Director of the 501(c)(3), attends meetings at which all parties come together to discuss services, resources, and plans of actions to assist children affected by human trafficking.

Board members of Human Trafficking Coalition of the Treasure Coast and Okeechobee: Ali Hernandez, Mindi Fetterman, Karissa Bolden, Terry Burke, Carol Rodriguez, Libby Snider, and Sarah Marie Henry.

Participants include DCF staff, investigators, case managers, therapists, Guardians ad Litem, and other related resources.

Catch the Wave of hope recently completed Certified Facilitator Training in the Monique Burr Foundation's “Child and Teen Safety Matters,” which is Florida Board of Education-Approved for Schools and meets the state’s mandate for Child Trafficking Prevention Education for students grades K-12.

And, importantly, CTWH is partnering with the Human Trafficking Coalition of the Treasure Coast and Okeechobee, Circuit 19, to launch a Resource Listserv for both adult and child survivors of human trafficking. This listserv is an email-based resource that will be used to better identify survivor needs and continue to grow and strengthen partnership between agencies, Law Enforcement, FBI, victim advocates, mental health therapists, attorneys, and many more parties working in the community to meet needs of trafficking survivors.

Catch the Wave of Hope collaborates with other service providers to prevent the duplication of services and to fill gaps in services that are not currently available to survivors. We take a trauma-informed, survivor-centered approach to everything that we do and we build our organization based on feedback from the community and those we serve.

To learn more, visit www.catchthewaveofhope.org.

Photo provided by Catch the Wave of Hope

 

These 2 Persian brothers, Vinny and Joey, are a lively pair.  They were surrendered when their owner could no longer care for them...and Persians do require extra care and maintenance to maintain their good looks and health.  At 7 years young, they are still extremely playful and fun.  Joey, in particular, loves to dash through the tunnel chasing a mouse. Vinny is positively addicted to the laser light and will chase it around the room with youthful exuberance. If you are familiar with the Persian breed or are willing to learn what is needed to appropriately care for them, come visit and prepare to fall in love.  

Adoption hours are 11am to 3pm daily except Sunday.  Caring Fields Felines is located at 6807 SW Wedelia Terrace, Palm City.

 

Back to School Bash at The Children's Museum

Date: Saturday, August 24th, 10 AM - 2 PM
Location: The Children's Museum of the Treasure Coast, 1707 NE Indian River Drive, Jensen Beach, FL 34957
Presenting Sponsor: Cleveland Clinic Martin Health
Supporting Sponsor: Publix Charities

Jensen Beach, FL — July 1, 2024 — The Children's Museum of the Treasure Coast is thrilled to announce the eagerly awaited Back to School Bash, presented by Cleveland Clinic Martin Health and supported by Publix Charities. This exciting event will take place on Saturday, August 24th, from 10 AM to 2 PM at The Children's Museum, promising a day of family-friendly festivities and educational fun.

Families are invited to kick off the upcoming school year with a memorable celebration featuring a wide array of activities:

• Petting Zoo: Delight in meeting and greeting adorable animals.
• Pony Rides: Enjoy a scenic ride (additional cost applies).
• Juggling Shows: Marvel at the talents of our skilled jugglers.
• Face Painting: Unleash creativity with imaginative face painting.
• Bounce House: Bounce around and revel in the excitement.
• Community Partners: Discover valuable back-to-school resources onsite.

Admission is as follows:

• Members: Free entry.
• Non-Members: Discounted, nonrefundable tickets available online in advance.
• General Admission: Available at the door on the day of the event.

Please note that pony rides will incur an additional fee.

"We are thrilled to host the Back to School Bash, thanks to the generous support of Cleveland Clinic Martin Health and Publix Charities," said Christina McIntosh, Community Outreach and Events Coordinator. "This event promises to be a highly engaging family friendly activity, offering families an opportunity to create lasting memories while gearing up for the school year ahead."

Mark your calendars and join us for a day of laughter, learning, and community spirit. Let's make this back-to-school season the best one yet!

To purchase advance nonrefundable reduced price tickets, please visit https://secure.paperlesstrans.com/childrensmuseumtcbtsbash

About The Children's Museum:
The Children's Museum of the Treasure Coast provides interactive exhibits and educational programs designed to inspire curiosity and creativity in children.

 

Critical CCKids Program Survives Veto, Supported by Governor

Port St. Lucie – Port St. Lucie – A proposed program to keep more families together as they navigate the dependency system that received widespread support from local legislators has made it safely through the budget and veto process.

The program - called the Early Services Engagement Program - is now officially green-lit for funding.

"The Early Services Engagement Program is designed to prevent children from being removed from their home," said CCKids Chief Operating Officer Cheri Sheffer.

It does that by reaching out to families earlier in the investigative process.

There are two major parts to the state's dependency system. There's child protective investigations, which is handled by the state Department of Children and Families. And there are dependency case management services, which is provided by Communities Connected for Kids.

CPI’s have a complex job identifying risk and providing immediate safety actions to prevent removals, Sheffer said. Sometimes, the number of diverse and complex investigations makes it challenging.

"The early engagement program will allow us to engage more immediately in this extremely high risk scenario, and provide more comprehensive oversight of the families that are most at risk of removal while the CPI finalizes the required elements of their investigation." 

CCKids' program is based on a successful model in Jacksonville that has already received considerable support among legislators. The program will focus on St. Lucie County and if successful, can be replicated in Indian River, Martin and Okeechobee counties.

"Keeping children in home by helping their families with early access to intensive services reduces trauma and improves outcomes for children and families and for the community of care," Sheffer said.

Special funding requests for the program were sponsored in the senate by Sen. Gayle Harrell and in the house by Rep. Dana Trabulsy.

The contract for the program is being finalized now.

 

Council on Aging Martin Offering Circle of Safety for Loved Ones with Memory Issues

STUART, FL - It only takes a moment – a loved one with memory issues wanders away, and the panicked search begins. Sometimes the person is found quickly and returned safely – but not always.

The Council on Aging Martin County is offering a better way to help individuals with cognitive conditions like dementia and Alzheimer’s and the families that love them.

The Circle of Safety Program provides SafetyNet bracelets to those in need. The bracelet is lightweight and worn around the ankle, where it stays in place and isn’t bothersome like a wrist bracelet. It stays on all the time. It’s waterproof. And it’s free.

“We see the heartbreak in families when a loved one wanders. When we were offered a grant from the WellMed Charitable Foundation for a program that really works and is cost-free for our families, Council on Aging jumped at it,” said Council on Aging Martin CEO Karen Ripper.

The bracelet uses the latest technology to help protect and locate individuals before they are hurt or lost or worse. The bracelet gives off a signal that is read by a special tracking system monitored by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff’s deputies are trained, certified and equipped with SafetyNet Search and Rescue receivers to act quickly in an emergency.  The signal works even in densely wooded areas, buildings, shallow water, and areas where even GPS and cellular technology aren’t effective.

“With the Sheriff’s Office, the Council on Aging, and families working together,” Ripper said, “we can build a circle of safety and protection around our most vulnerable loved ones.”

Martin County residents can get enrollment information for the Circle of Safety Program by calling the Council on Aging Martin at 772-223-7800 or visiting its offices at the Kane Center, 900 SE Salerno Road in Stuart. More information is available at its website www.coamartin.org.

About the Council on Aging of Martin County

The Council on Aging of Martin County is the community’s hub for senior resources and the county’s Lead Agency on Aging. Founded in 1974, the organization offers expertise, programming and support for older adults and their families to help seniors maintain lives of quality and purpose. Services include: Day Primary Care Center, Memory Enhancement Center, Adult Day Club, Meals on Wheels, care management, caregiver support, and a robust offering of educational, cultural, fitness and wellness programs.

The Kane Center located at 900 SE Salerno Road in Stuart is the Council on Aging of Martin County’s headquarters and is also an event venue available to the public. It serves as a special needs hurricane shelter when necessary. The Council on Aging of Martin County also operates senior outreach facilities in Hobe Sound, Jensen Beach, East Stuart and Indiantown. A 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, the Council on Aging receives funding from state and federal agencies and relies on philanthropic support from the community, including other agencies, private foundations and individual donors. For more information, visit www.coamartin.org.

 

Education Foundation of Martin County helps students forge a path in healthcare

STUART, Fla. — The HCA Healthcare Foundation has awarded a $60,000 grant to the Education Foundation of Martin County, which will lead to more healthcare career opportunities for local high school students. The grant is a $20,000 award per year for the next three years.

Part of a statewide initiative called “Career Pathways to a Healthier Florida,” the program focuses on preparing students for in-demand healthcare roles through enhanced healthcare academy offerings.

“We are thrilled to receive this crucial support, which enables us to address the growing need for skilled healthcare professionals,” said Lisa Rhodes, the Foundation’s executive director. “This initiative will prepare students for successful careers and inspire them to serve their communities.”

Projects funded by this grant include comprehensive curriculum materials, equipment and supplies aligned with healthcare industry certifications, vouchers to cover certification exam fees for students in need, and teacher stipends for the coordination and implementation of student work-based learning experiences.  

“As a healthcare provider deeply invested in the well-being of our community, we are honored to support the Education Foundation of Martin County in their mission to foster healthcare career opportunities for high school students,” said Corey Lovelace, Chief Executive Officer at HCA Florida St. Lucie Hospital. “This will not only pave the way for brighter futures but also contribute to a stronger, more diverse healthcare workforce along the Treasure Coast and across the state of Florida.”

For more information about the Career Pathways to a Healthier Florida program, visit www.educationfoundationmc.org.

About the Education Foundation of Martin County

The EFMC is the Martin County School District’s strategic non-profit partner with the mission of enriching and enhancing educational opportunities and support for students and teachers in Martin County’s public schools. As an independent group, the Foundation promotes this effort by raising and distributing private and corporate funds through several established programs, including classroom enrichment grants, mentoring programs, professional development for teachers, special initiatives, scholarships and programs to recognize outstanding teaching. For more information, please visit www.EducationFoundationMC.org.

About HCA Healthcare Foundation

Since 1998, the HCA Healthcare Foundation has contributed over $247 million in grants and matching gifts to more than 500 agencies and organizations, focusing on those that promote health and well-being, education and quality of life. In 2021, the HCA Healthcare Foundation established the Healthier Tomorrow Fund, a community impact fund with an initial investment of $75 million, to expand the work being done in Middle Tennessee to other community partners in communities where HCA Healthcare has a presence. Grantmaking for Middle Tennessee and the Healthier Tomorrow Fund is just one way that HCA Healthcare supports charitable giving and social investment. Through matching gifs to support colleagues’ charities of choice and encouraging colleagues to volunteer their time and talents, the HCA Healthcare Foundation is helping to create healthier tomorrows for the communities where our colleagues live and serve. Visit hcacaring.org to learn more.

Photo Supplied by Education Foundation of Martin County 

L to R Tracee Hendershott, HCA Florida St. Lucie Hospital, Chief Nursing Officer

Lex Lalicon, HCA Florida St. Lucie Hospital, Assistant  Chief Nursing Officer

Lana Barros, Martin County School District, Director of Innovation & Choice

Dr. Jorge F. Gonzalez Jirau, HCA Florida St. Lucie Hospital

Corey Lovelace, HCA Florida St. Lucie Hospital, Chief Executive Officer

Shaun Williams, HCA Florida St. Lucie Hospital, Board Member

Lisa Rhodes, Education Foundation of Martin County, Executive Director

Dr. Thomas Matese, HCA Florida St. Lucie Hospital, Board Member

Rene Arteaga, HCA Florida St. Lucie Hospital, Board Member

 

 

Palm City, Fla. – In today’s digital world why would anyone care about a classic wall calendar? For the Florida Ranches Calendar, the answer is easy. For twenty years, the award-winning calendar has been showcasing stunning photography alongside compelling information about the environmental stewardship of Florida’s working cattle ranches. Now amateur photographers can be part of this remarkable and important calendar by participating in a Call for Photos. Point of pride for ranchers and a tool to communicate to other Floridians and decision makers about the importance of Floridians

The Backstory. The genesis of the first Florida Ranches Calendar was conceived in 2005 as part of the Florida Cattlemen’s Association’s goal of creating a tool that could be used to educate the public about the importance of Florida’s ranches to the state’s economy, heritage and environment. At the time, the Adams Ranch in St. Lucie County was part of pioneering a new program where development would help pay for conservation, creating value and incentives for ranchers to remain in agriculture. The idea behind the program was to balance the need for Florida’s future growth with the need to protect Florida’s natural and rural landscapes and help sustain agriculture.

There were four key supporters of the calendar from its earliest days: the Florida Cattlemen’s Association; Family Lands Remembered; The Firefly Group; and Carlton Ward, Jr., eighth generation Floridian and renowned photojournalist who has since gained international recognition for his nature photography and videos and his efforts to save Florida wildlife and wildlife habitats. Since the calendar’s inception, nearly 150 different sponsors have supported its production including ranches, cattlemen, environmental organizations, engineering and planning firms.  

The first Ranch Calendar featured photographs of the Adams Ranch – half taken by Carlton Ward, Jr., and the other half photographed by Alto "Bud" Adams, Jr. The iconic patriarch of the Adams Ranch, Bud Adams was a distinguished Florida rancher renowned for his environmental stewardship and significant contributions to the cattle industry. As a leader in land conservation, he worked tirelessly to preserve Florida's natural habitats and promote sustainable ranching practices. Bud Adams was also a skilled amateur photographer known for capturing stunning images of Florida's landscapes and wildlife, which helped raise public awareness about the importance of preserving the environment.

“The first calendar was a tribute to Bud Adams and the Adams Ranch and his legacy in both the agricultural and environmental communities,” explained Stacy Weller Ranieri, President of the Firefly Group, the public relations and marketing firm that publishes the calendar.

                              Adams Ranch, 2005 - Captured by Carlton Ward, Jr.

“After that first calendar made such a positive impact in increasing awareness about the importance of Florida’s working cattle ranches, the concept was expanded to include working ranches throughout Florida. Firefly has been producing the calendar ever since with continued support from the Cattleman’s Association, Family Lands Remembered, Carlton Ward, Jr., the folks at wildpath and many others,” added Ranieri.

“As the calendar was produced each year,” Cox recalls, “we focused on using it as a teaching tool to educate the public as well as Florida state legislators, specifically, on the critical role working ranches can play in protecting our state’s natural environment. With so many people moving to Florida from out of state, and so many urban residents already in state, it wasn’t surprising how little residents knew about the state’s rich legacy of America’s first cowboys and cattle ranchers and their contributions towards environmental preservation,” Cox added.  

“We realized people wouldn’t be interested in supporting something they knew nothing about – and had never experienced. The beautiful and extraordinary photography, coupled with informative descriptions about each image, showcased ranches around the state and opened people’s eyes, minds and hearts to what we’ve got and what we need to do to preserve it,” added Ranieri.

Twenty years later, the calendar has grown to become a source of pride for the Florida Cattlemen’s Association as it recognizes the state’s oldest environmental stewards. The calendar itself also helped to launch what is now the Florida Wildlife Corridor initiative and wildpath.

Call for Photos.  The Florida Ranches Calendar has launched a call for photos to invite the public to submit their best images of working cattle ranches for consideration in the 2025 calendar.  The statewide photo contest gives amateur photographers across Florida an opportunity to be showcased alongside photographs from Carlton Ward Jr. and his talented team at the nonprofit wildpath. Wildpath uses visual storytelling, photography, and public outreach efforts to raise awareness about the importance of preserving Florida’s natural habitats and wildlife – specifically the Florida Wildlife Corridor.

The photo contest closes on July 7. For details go to floridaranchescalendar.com/contest.

Sponsorships to support the underwriting of the calendar design and print production are also being accepted at this time.  For more information on sponsorship, visit floridaranchescalendar.com/sponsor.

The calendar has become a favorite holiday gift for businesses and individuals throughout Florida and frequently sells out.

For more information, visit floridaranchescalendar.com, follow the calendar on Facebook and Instagram at facebook.com/FloridaRanchesCalendar and instagram.com/floridaranchescalendar

 

 

Stuart, Fla. - The MOM Mobile is on the move, bringing prenatal care to expectant women in neighborhoods throughout Martin County.

The Martin County Healthy Start Coalition held a ribbon cutting for its newest service, the MOM Mobile: Maternity on the Move, on June 20 and celebrated the beginning of a program that will change the landscape of maternity care in Martin County.

“Way back in 2019, this was our ‘pie in the sky’ idea – to bring prenatal care to pregnant women who couldn’t get to a doctor’s office or a clinic because of transportation problems,” said Martin County Healthy Start Coalition CEO Samantha Suffich. “It’s been a long, hard road, but thanks to our supportive partners and the compelling mission to connect women with prenatal care early in their pregnancy, we’re here and ready to roll.”

The MOM Mobile is a 38-foot van equipped like a prenatal care office, with an exam table, lab facilities, radiology equipment, and an educational area. Midwives will staff the van as it makes its rounds to five locations in Martin County: East Stuart, Golden Gate, Hobe Sound and Indiantown. Expectant women will get the same high level of care that they would get in the typical medical setting and have an opportunity to meet doulas who can help them through their pregnancy and birth. The staff is bilingual and representative of the clients who will be served.

“This is going to make a tremendous difference in the health of women who haven’t been able to access prenatal care and ultimately to the health of their babies,” said Dr. Ashley Calderone, President of the Martin County Healthy Start Coalition Board of Directors. “We know stories of women who have had to take as many as three buses in this county with limited public transportation to get to an office appointment. That’s a huge strain, and sometimes women just give up on getting prenatal care. Our MOM Mobile changes everything for them!”

The mobile unit was purchased and outfitted with grants from Martin County, which allocated a portion of the American Rescue Plan Act funds awarded to the County as part of the federal government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, plus a $100,000 Impact Grant from Impact100 Martin. Cleveland Clinic Martin Health, 100 Women Who Care of the Treasure Coast, and the  of the Martin County Department of Health all contributed assistance and equipment. The program will be sustained thanks to funding from the Children’s Services Council of Martin County, the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties, and the Hobe Sound Community Chest.

For more information about the MOM Mobile, its neighborhood schedule, and the many other services of the Martin County Healthy Start Coalition, visit www.mchealthystart.org.

Martin County Healthy Start Coalition Board, Staff, and enthusiastic community supporters gathered at the new MOM Mobile:

About Martin County Healthy Start Coalition

Martin County Healthy Start Coalition is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that every baby is born healthy. It provides educational and health services to pregnant women, new mothers and their families at no cost, particularly expectant mothers who are at risk for late or no prenatal care.

Part of a statewide coalition, Healthy Start connects pregnant women and young mothers with essential services including prenatal care, home visitations by a nurse or social worker, breastfeeding support, parenting education, car seat and sleeping safety, a free diaper pantry, and access to other community partner agencies through the Betty Moore Prenatal Outreach Center. The David Cardno Fatherhood Initiative, also part of the Martin County Healthy Start Coalition, helps fathers to become more involved in parenting and offers legal assistance to fathers who are separated from their children.

The programs of Martin County Healthy Start Coalition are voluntary and available to all Florida residents at no cost.

For more information about Martin County Healthy Start Coalition and its ongoing programs, visit www.mchealthystart.org, call 772-463-2888 or follow the organization on Facebook.

 

Supporting Families: The Impact of Hibiscus’ Parents as Teachers Program

  

Martin County -  Hibiscus Children's Center has been a cornerstone of support for children and families for almost 40 years across the Treasure Coast.  One of its standout initiatives is the Parents as Teachers (PAT) program. This essential service equips families with the resources and tools they need to create nurturing and stable homes for their children. Last year, PAT made a significant difference in the lives of 58 families across Martin and Okeechobee Counties.

 

PAT is a parent education and home-visiting program that plays a crucial role in guiding new parents. It focuses on teaching them essential skills to foster positive child development and prevent child maltreatment. The program is structured around four primary goals: Increasing parents' knowledge of early childhood development and improving their parenting practices; Providing early detection of developmental delays and health issues; Preventing child abuse and neglect; and Enhancing children's school readiness and overall success.
 

Jenna's story is a testament to the profound impact of the PAT program. A young mother of a one-year-old, Jenna was pregnant with her second child when she joined the program. Facing the challenges of raising two young children, she was not in school and was living with her family. However, her active participation in the PAT program marked a turning point. She utilized all the resources made available to her.  Through the support and resources provided by PAT, Jenna enrolled in college, found employment, and eventually moved into her own apartment with her children. She expresses deep gratitude for the connections and support that transformed her life.

The PAT program has been pivotal in changing the lives of families and instilling hope for a brighter future.  If you would like more information about the array of Hibiscus programs provided or to see how you can get involved to help children and families in our community, please visit us at:  HibiscusChildrensCenter.org.

 

 

 

STUART, Fla. – A fully operational Packing House, hydroponic greenhouses, gardens and an orchard were open for visitors at a ribbon cutting event at House of Hope’s Growing Hope Farm in Palm City in early June.

The Packing House has been a major project of the nonprofit. It uses state of the art equipment to clean and package fresh produce grown on the farm and other produce that is gleaned or donated. That produce is then distributed to House of Hope clients at its four Client Choice Food Pantries and is shared with community food pantry partners.

“We made it a goal to find ways to improve the nutritional status of the people we serve, and the Packing House is an important piece of our overall plan,”  House of Hope Rob Ranieri said. “By cleaning and packaging fresh produce in our own packing house, we are able to boost the nutritional content of our clients’ diets and even help them to develop a taste for fruits and vegetables.”

House of Hope staff and volunteers joined members of the Palm City Chamber of Commerce in cutting the ribbon on the new packing house at Growing Hope Farm, where fresh produce is  cleaned and packaged for House of Hope clients and partner food pantries.

House of Hope sees an additional role for the packing house: to serve local farmers who would find value in cleaning and packing their own produce near their farms and local markets. “We see this as a service to our farmers and also an additional way for House of Hope to earn revenue to help support our many community programs,” Ranieri said.

The ribbon cutting was held in partnership with the Palm City Chamber of Commerce. Chamber Executive Director Missi Campbell praised House of Hope for its vision in improving nutrition and being entrepreneurial in its approach. “House of Hope realizes that sometimes people just need a hand up and not a hand out, and they are there for our local families. House of Hope helps with housing, education, and life skills for those in need. Martin County is very fortunate to have House of Hope in our community, empowering our residents in need with housing, education, life skills, and even better ways of eating.”

Fresh produce from Growing Hope Farm is now being sold to the public at the Palm City Farms Produce & Market next to the farm on Citrus Boulevard in Palm City and at the House of Hope Thrift Store on US 1 in Stuart. Ranieri reminded guests at the event that House of Hope depends on volunteers for its successful operation. “We’re always looking for people who would like to be hands-on in helping us harvest, package and distribute fresh food,” Ranieri said. “It’s a volunteer job with very tangible rewards.”

For more information about House of Hope, its Growing Hope Farm, and volunteer activities, visit House of Hope’s website at www.hohmartin.org or call 772-286-4673.

About House of Hope

Founded in 1984, House of Hope is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers Martin County residents to overcome hunger and hardship. House of Hope touches the lives of more than 21,000 people each month, helping with basic needs such as food, clothing, furniture, financial assistance, as well as longer-term case management services that help build life skills for a more self-sufficient future. 

The organization has service centers in Stuart, Hobe Sound, Indiantown, and Jensen Beach, with thrift stores in Stuart, Hobe Sound, and Indiantown. House of Hope’s Centers for Enrichment at Golden Gate in Stuart, in Jensen Beach, and at KinDoo Family Center in Indiantown offer free programs, technology, and workshops designed to enhance life skills, earning potential, health, and overall well-being.

House of Hope also operates the Growing Hope Farm in Palm City and several nutrition gardens that provide sustainable sources of fresh produce for clients as well as nutrition education and vocational opportunities to the community. For more information, visit hohmartin.org or call 772-286-4673. Updates and announcements can also be found on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

 

Art for Living Calendar Call for Artists Extended

By Jackie Holfelder

The deadline for local artists to submit examples for their work for inclusion in Helping People Succeed’s Art for Living Calendar has been extended to July 22, 2024.

Artists from Martin, St. Lucie, Okeechobee, and Indian River counties are invited to submit examples of their works of art for consideration in the perennial favorite.

The subject matter should depict what it is like living on the Treasure Coast. From views of nature to historical sites, the Art for Living Calendar beautifully represents it all. Jewelry, 3D, photography, or digital photography will not be accepted.

Applications must be received by Monday, July 22, 2024. Helping People Succeed welcomes and encourages new artists to apply.

                                                        2024 Calendar Cover                                            

Thirteen artists will have their entry selected for inclusion in the 2025 Art for Living Calendar, all proceeds of which benefit Helping People Succeed.

Guidelines, criteria and responsibilities, as well as an entry application, can be found at www.hpsfl.org.

Helping People Succeed is celebrating 60 years of service to the community. Through its diversified, effective program services and initiatives, hundreds of thousands of the most vulnerable local children, families and adults have been able to transform their lives through education, counseling, training, and employment.

To learn more about how to apply, visit www.hpsfl.org or contact Jeraldine Guaba at 772-320-0836 or at jguaba@hpsfl.org.

 

 

Christmas in July to benefit humane society’s shelter animals

 PALM CITY, Fla. — The Humane Society of the Treasure Coast (HSTC) will present Christmas in July from July 1-31 to benefit its shelter animals. The no-kill shelter will offer guests the opportunity to participate in a variety of ways.
 
Supporters can make a tax-deductible donation by pulling a gift tag from the HSTC’s Giving Tree at its Palm City shelter at 4100 SW Leighton Farm Ave. Each tag represents a specific need at the shelter and the corresponding donation amount. Donations also are accepted in person at either thrift store in Stuart at 1099 NW 21st St. and 3302 SE Federal Hwy.
 
Additional options are to make an online donation to the shelter’s Virtual Giving Tree at www.hstc1.org/christmas; donate a wrapped present from the HSTC’s wish list to be placed under the shelter’s Christmas in July tree; or call an HSTC Christmas Elf at 772-600-3216 to make a donation over the phone.
 
The humane society also has an in-kind Wish List, https://hstc1.org/Wishlist, and if these items are purchased using the shelter’s Amazon link, https://amzn.to/3xAuRZR, Amazon will then ship the purchase directly to the HSTC’s shelter.
 
“The purpose of this campaign is to celebrate the spirit of giving that brings us so much joy and happiness, while providing valuable and necessary care to homeless and helpless animals at our community’s open-access, no-kill shelter,” said Sarah Fisher, the HSTC’s communications manager.
 
In addition, during the month-long Christmas in July promotion, thanks to the Bissell Pet Foundation, there will be reduced adoption fees: $50 for dogs (1 year or older) and $25 for cats (1 year or older). This special excludes kittens, puppies and small animals.

 
Starting on July 5 and continuing through July 31, shoppers will have the opportunity to purchase Christmas items from the HSTC’s thrift stores. Store hours are Monday–Sunday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
 
For more information or to make a donation, call Ashton Standish at 772-600-3216 or via email, AStandish@hstc1.org. For questions related to the thrift stores, call Kelly Ellis at 772-286-6909 or via email, KEllis@hstc1.org.
 
About the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast – The Humane Society of the Treasure Coast (HSTC) is a no-kill animal welfare organization located at 4100 SW Leighton Farm Ave. in Palm City, FL. Since 1955, it has been the leading advocate for animal protection and well-being in the Martin County area. A 501(c)3 private, nonprofit organization, the HSTC is independent and locally operated and relies on donations to support its programs and services. Follow the HSTC on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/humanesocietyTC and Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/hstc1. For more information, visit https://www.hstc1.org or call (772) 223-8822.

 

 

Martin County PAL: Giving hope to fatherless young men

The Martin County Police Athletic League (MPAL) is making a difference in overcoming the negative statistics often associated with boys raised without fathers. Through a variety of programs and initiatives, PAL is flipping the script with significant outcomes that are reflected both in national data and success stories from within our  community.

 

Did you know that boys raised without fathers are twice as likely to drop out of school.

PAL programs have been instrumental in improving academic performance and increasing graduation rates among participants. For example, boys involved in PAL mentorship and tutoring programs report better grades and a heightened interest in continuing their education. The presence of positive role models within PAL encourages these boys to value and pursue their education.

 

It has been proven that fatherless boys are more prone to exhibit behavioral problems and engage in delinquency.

However, studies of PAL programs show a 30% reduction in behavioral incidents at school among participants. Through sports and structured activities, PAL programs  help boys develop discipline and positive behavior. Mentorship from male role models provides the necessary guidance for managing emotions and making better choices.

National statistics show that boys without fathers are more likely to suffer from anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem.

To change this narrative PAL provides programs offering counseling and emotional support and because of this it reflects  a  lower rates of mental health issues among participants. A survey of boys in a PAL program showed a 25% improvement in self-esteem and a significant reduction in anxiety and depression, thanks to the emotional support provided by mentors.

Believe it or not, 70% of juveniles in state institutions come from fatherless homes.

It has been shown that communities with active PAL programs see a notable decrease in juvenile crime rates. For instance, a PAL program in a similar community to ours reported a 40% reduction in youth arrests. Positive interactions with law enforcement through PAL help build trust and respect for authority, steering boys away from criminal activities. Currently MCPAL has a zero recidivism rate.  Bringing crime rates down and saving tax payers money.

Statistics show that boys raised without fathers often struggle with forming relationships and may have children out of wedlock.

PAL programs emphasize the importance of healthy relationships and community involvement. Boys who participate in these programs report better social skills and stronger relationships with peers and family. A follow-up study of PAL participants showed a lower incidence of early fatherhood and higher rates of stable family life.

The Martin County PAL programs, through their mentorship and structured activities, play a crucial role in mitigating the adverse effects of father absence. By providing educational support, behavioral guidance, emotional care, crime prevention, economic opportunities, and social development, these programs significantly improve life outcomes for boys who might otherwise be at risk. The positive statistics from PAL participants highlight the effectiveness of these initiatives in creating a supportive and nurturing environment that fosters success and well-being.

Because MCPAL specifically is not funded by any government agencies like every other PAL nationwide, your community PAL relies on 100% on donor support.

If you are interested in learning more about volunteering or supporting MCPAL financially, please reach out to Executive Director, Noel DelValle tour the facility. 772-919-2441

 

 

Soroptimist of Stuart Raffle Honors Jody Bond’s Memory

By Jackie Holfelder

Jody Bond was an outstanding community leader and a member of Soroptimist International of Stuart for 22 years.

During her many years in Martin County, Jody wore a lot of hats: philanthropist, mentor, and member of numerous non-profit boards of directors, among them Hibiscus Children’s Center, Environmental Studies Council, Stuart/Martin Chamber of Commerce (serving as chair from 2009-10), Martin County Children’s Services Council, and Soroptimist of Stuart.

During her decades as a member of Soroptimist of Stuart, she was president from 2005-06, following terms as treasurer and president-elect and was recognized as Outstanding Soroptimist in 2007.

The nonprofit also honored her in 2011 by giving her an attaché level membership in the Laurel Society of Soroptimist International of the Americas. In 2005, she was recognized as Women of Distinction in Martin County Award and was given an honorary membership in the club.

 

Just Gold Jewelers, Jody’s business which opened in 1986, supported Soroptimist of Stuart for years by donating magnificent jewelry and other luxury items which were raffled off to raise funds for the nonprofit. 

Jody passed away in 2023 and her daughters Kelly Bond Pelletier and Tracy Ferguson and grandson Cade Ferguson continue to honor her commitment to Soroptimist.

This year they donated a beautiful diamond bracelet and the name of the winner, Gigi Suntum, was drawn on March 10.

Money raised will provide funds for the club’s Live Your Dream grants which are presented to women with children who are working to overcome obstacles to furthering their education, as well as awards that are presented to high school girls who are involved in making their community a better place.

 

Soroptimist International of Stuart’s annual Awards Dinner was held at the Dolphin Restaurant on May 22.  The club presented three Live Your Dream grants and one Youth Service Award. 

In addition, Schonna Green, executive director of M.I.S.S. of the Treasure Coast, was honored with the Women Helping Women Award, which is an annual recognition of a woman or community organization that has made an impact in the lives of women and girls.

For information about Soroptimist International of Stuart, visit www.soroptimistofstuart.org.

 

Helping People Succeed Celebrates 60 Years!

Submitted by Glenna Parris

60 years ago Helping People Succeed was founded by a group of parents wanting more for their sons and daughters who had disabilities. Little did they know that six decades later Helping People Succeed would be celebrating all of their accomplishments and dreams.

Nearly 100 guests gathered in May to celebrate Helping People Succeed’s 60 years of good works, volunteerism and philanthropy. This celebratory event was graciously hosted by Jeanine Webster and Mel Nobel. 

Bliss Brown

The venue was the headquarters in Jensen Beach and was elegantly decorated reflecting the 60th theme. A large Historical Snapshot was displayed and each guest marked their place of entry of involvement of this meaningful nonprofit.

Kirsty Innis, Roseann Ryba, Christina McIntosh, Kim Dettori, Sitting in front Suzy Hutcheson

The speakers were magnificent! Senator Gayle Harrell captured our history in a meaningful and educated way, Helping People Succeed’s CEO Suzy Hutcheson did a wonderful job with her overview of where Helping People Succeed has been and what the organization looks like today. Samuel McIntosh stole the show with his testimonial of support from Helping People Succeed. Bliss Browne, former board chair, shared with the group her passion behind the mission and Heidi Bosley, chair of the Governing Board, captured the audience with her own personal story and closing with what our future holds. Mary Kay Buckridge was honored as the most long-standing volunteer in the room.

Suzy Hutcheson, Gayle Harrell, Tom Campenni

The heart of Helping People Succeed is reflected in the successes of the people who are served. The newborn who thrives from a solid foundation and safe environment, the student who is at risk of expulsion and graduates high school, the smile on the face of a person with a disability when he lands a job and receives his first paycheck. Since its inception, Helping People Succeed has changed the trajectory of thousands of lives leading to a path of confidence and well-being.

                                Mary Rose Bressman, Michael Borlaugh, Heidi Bosley

Helping People Succeed is proud and honored to be celebrating 60 years of service to the community and is thankful for their support of its mission: Helping People Succeed transforms lives through education, counseling, training and employment. For more information, contact Glenna Parris at 772.320.0778.

Sally Kurts, Pat Hoshino, Otto Vitale, Bob Weissman, Marian Vitale

 

COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING JUNE 18, 2024

Fire Chief Chad Cianciulli gave a presentation about the recruitment of lifeguards.

To be a lifeguard in most places in the United State, candidates must be Red Cross certified. In Martin County until recently, not only did they have to pass a strenuous swimming test, but they also had to be an EMT. Most EMTs would rather be fire/rescue personnel instead of lifeguards.

The department found it hard to recruit people to work at our beaches. The requirements were changed to those of state statute which requires certification in first aid and pulmonary resuscitation in addition to the swim test. That intervention is enough to stabilize someone while the rescue vehicle is on route.

The proof that it works is that, instead of 2 applicants, there are 20. We must ask whether it is better to have lifeguards on duty at all our beaches for more hours or whether only EMTs should have the job. According to the chief, this will result in better protecting the public. I applaud the chief.

Treasure Coast Classical Academy has decided to expand on its present campus on Cove Road. They will be building a high school for 400 additional students. TCCA is a success story.

Beside the new building, there will be a new turf field for sports, expanded interior car pick-up lanes and will build a longer turning lane on Cove Road so that more cars will be able to stack there while waiting to turn into the school. TCCA is paying for the turn lane expansion. But Cove Road is still a two-lane highway, and as such there will be congestion at times.

Ciampi, Smith and Hetherington are happy about the options a school like Treasure Coast gives Martin County students. Heard believes they need to follow the rules. She said that Cove Road is an “F” in FDOT jargon and therefore no more should be built even though this project is a by right one. Cove Road is not scheduled to be widened for a decade.

Bob Raynes, the attorney for the applicant, said it wasn’t the school’s responsibility to build infrastructure. And TCCA meets applicable rules and regulations. Raynes hit the nail on the head.

For years, Martin County has thought that if it doesn’t build roads and other infrastructure, then development won’t happen. New projects will happen. It will just make our quality of life less pleasant because of the deliberate lack of infrastructure planning. This is the ostrich approach to planning.

The vote was 4-1 with Heard dissenting. You can see the presentation here 

There are certain rituals Martin County is known for. One of them is the annual BDB report on what the prior year has wrought. Currently the board is looking for a new CEO. Dan Hudson, a capable bureaucrat, parachuted in to try and right the organization.

The real problem is the continued identity crisis the organization has had since its inception. Why does it exist? Of its $577,800 budget. $450,000 is allocated from your tax dollars out of the Martin County general fund. An additional $20,000 comes from Stuart and Indiantown (more tax money). The other $107,000 comes from business.

Heard is right when she wanted to know what have they accomplished? Some of the accomplishments attributed to the board, I have been told, are because of things county staff did. And that is why the BDB should become an arm of the county under county control. They are paying for it anyway…how about making it work for the taxpayers for a change?

Ciampi and Hetherington want the BDB to be at a commission meeting to present. Ciampi also suggested that Assistant County Administrator George Stokus and Hudson meet individually with commissioners to solicit their ideas. At least another year will pass before something more than applying lipstick on this pig will happen.

You can see the presentation here 

Bathtub Beach parking lot was opened for what seemed like minutes before once again being closed. It is now closed for rebuilding and raising MacArthur Blvd since it is falling into the ocean and lagoon. The contractor will be working from the traffic circle at the entrance to Sailfish Point to just before the entrance to the beach.

The beach itself is not closed but the parking lot is because that is now the roadway while MacArthur is being elevated and rebuilt. This will go on through November supposedly finished in time for season. Commissioner Smith in election mode, was doing his best to make staff only close half the road at one time.

Staff members were trying to explain that there were cranes and heavy machinery being used on the roadway besides material storage. Smith believed he could bully these engineers so they would agree with him even if it put the public at risk. Commissioner Smith, to my knowledge, has no degree in construction and road engineering.

The other commissioners were not putting public sentiment above safety. I don’t believe the contractor would do so either. Commissioner Smith just needs to have any complaints made to him referred to Administrator Donaldson.

Bathtub Beach and MacArthur Boulevard will continue to be closed on a regular basis. This is an example of where development should not have happened…on a narrow spit of land between the ocean and the river. Unfortunately, Sailfish Point is too valuable to be allowed to its fate. Too late now.

You can see the presentation here 

I earlier reported that the Brightline deal between the city and county could be prone to problems as matters progressed. In a meeting held on Monday June 24th between city and county, the issues I mentioned in my article entitled "The Sand Box” in the March 3rd edition have not yet all been settled.

The station is supposed to sit on land that the county owns next to the tracks in the rear of the courthouse. Because by statute the county can’t just give the land to Brightline, it must be transferred to the city first and then Stuart can do so under an agreement with Brightline. The county hasn’t yet done the transfer.

There was a settlement agreement between the county and Brightline resolving the lawsuit back in 2018 that stated that a station had to be built on the Treasure Coast. For some unknown reason, it didn’t even have to be built in Martin County though it was a settlement agreement only between those two parties. Nothing is ever simple when you deal with Martin County.

To gain the station, the RFP was done as a joint submission between Stuart and Martin County. As usual, the county has been more and more bowing out as an active participant. Supposedly, they were the ones with the inside track for grants. Now it seems that Stuart will be the one on the hook to do the heavy lifting in that regard.

Martin County has a commission that talks big but seldom ever follows something to conclusion. For example, there is meeting after meeting where they pontificate about affordable, attainable, work force housing. Show me an apartment or home they have ever built. Remember the Palm City lot they bought for $4 million? It was supposed to come back on the market once they had carved out a piece for public works. To date, it has gone silent.

They couldn’t get Costco accomplished so instead they ended up with a Wawa and Tractor Supply in Palm City. Is that better than the mixed-use development in Stuart? The county just didn’t want to do the hard work necessary. We don’t even need to mention the Martin County Fair or the Business Development Board, both of which have been languishing in limbo for years.

The same thing now for the station. Stuart won’t be the biggest beneficiary in tax money, the county will. Yet the BOCC are doing everything not to leave any fingerprints on any Brightline deal.

If the station is built, it will be despite the obstruction. And I am not so sure that the county commission will ever vote on a clean resolution or ordinance regarding turning the property over. They will attempt to do at the county without a hearing in public.  There will be a consent agenda item citing some interlocal agreement. It is government by stealth.

City Manager Mortell should make sure that a real vote is taken in the sunshine. That way the county commission can’t pull the usual blame-the-city for having the station for anyone that wants to complain. I can easily imagine Smith and Heard up there opining on how Stuart is to blame but what could the BOCC do. The fewer people that remember that the new station and the economic activity was a result of a supposed city-county partnership the better is their thinking.

This project will generate more income to county coffers than city. The need is that no one can blame Martin County. It is the old line by Captain Renault from the film “Casablanca” that he is shocked to find out gambling is going on as he pockets his winnings.

Now because of the pending election, the county commission won’t even address it until August. I believe it won’t be until at least September after the election. At some point, the county becomes the invisible man in this scenario as it has in others. Brightline will wait…for now.

Within the past few weeks, the county commission had one more presentation from the MARTY people, who are county employees, and at this meeting from the people responsible for Community Coach.

Community Coach is operated with huge subsidies by an organization known as Senior Resource Association. They are based in Indian River County and provide a variety of programs to that community including Indian River County’s GoLine, their award-winning public transportation system. They are also the lead agency for senior programs in Indian River County.

Martin Community Coach is the door-to-door transportation system to those who are classified as Transportation Disadvantaged. To qualify, participants must be one of the following:

1.Over 65 with no other means of transport

2.Disabled with no other means of transport

3.At or below 100% of the poverty level with no other means of transport

In the 23/24 year, there are projected to be 28,000 rides and the rides are provided for 838 unique individuals within Martin County. A full 60% of all rides are for medical appointments with 41% of that number specifically for dialysis. 30% of the riders are going to work with 10% classified as other.

This year $1,050.000 is provided by two grants. An Innovative Service Development (ISD) grant which was for $750,000 this year will only provide $377,000 next fiscal year and then go away. The other, known as a Trip & Equipment Grant, is currently $300,000 and is projected to increase by $11,000 next year. There are local matches from the county of $166,000 and from Indiantown and Stuart of $25,000.

When discussing how to make up the shortfall for next year, Commissioner Smith stated that Stuart should pay more based on a pilot program that 20 individuals signed up for with 18 of those people coming with a Stuart postal address but not necessarily within the city limits.

As usual, Smith believes that Stuart taxpayers don’t pay the same amount into the general fund (where any current or future subsidy will come from) as the rest of the county. Indiantown and Stuart along with Ocean Breeze, Sewall’s Point, and Jupiter Island are all paying the same mill rate to the Martin County general fund as unincorporated Martin County. His assertion would be as ridiculous as asking Hobe Sound residents to pay more for flood control.

If one were to do the math, each Community Coach trip costs $44.32 (Total Budget $1,241,000 divided by 28,000 trips equal $42.32142.) And since each is a round trip, it is $88.64 per person. Is it me…or does that seem like an extraordinary amount?

Should we be funding this service or is there a better way to do so. In a pilot program run by United Way of Martin County, in a nine-month program that provided 2044 rides with 331 unique riders, the cost was $38,959.06 or $18.10 per ride. That is a big difference.

 

A few caveats, however. The riders were not just the elderly and disabled. The rides were provided through Lyft, which is part of a program with United Way Worldwide. Locally, our United Way claims there are few or no drivers in Indiantown and that most Lyft vehicles are not wheelchair accessible. 

If the county were to commit to a program, then I can see that the shortage of drivers in Indiantown would go away as people begin to see a way to make an income by doing this. I could also see an innovative non-profit such as Project Lift develop a program where vans could be made wheelchair accessible, and at the same time provide jobs for their clients as drivers.

For the transportation disadvantaged the average ride share would probably be more than $18.10 but nothing like $44.32 per ride. I challenge the commission to institute a program like this instead of continuing to fund a needed service at such an outrageous cost. Knowing our commissioners, they will do a lot of hand wringing but keep on going with the same failed systems.

United Way has proven this can be done. We could provide many new jobs for people using their own cars instead of an expensive government-owned failure. Any idea whether there will be a change.

You can see Community Coaches presentation here 

The Public Magistrate Hearing to consider a Request for Reasonable Accommodation for the Voyager Recovery Center in Tequesta within unincorporated Martin County was held on June 17th.   

The accommodation sought is to house “an average” of 10 persons who are not related on a property that is zoned for family residences.  According to James Green, the attorney for the owner, between 8 and 12 clients, the data suggests, is the perfect number which would allow the occupants to police themselves. The “rule of three” applies, meaning that if they leave the premises, they are to travel in 3s.  The theory claims that 2 addicts can talk each other into relapse while 3 is unlikely.  This scenario did not help address the fears of the community where the house is located.

Approximately 20 people from that community showed up for the hearing.  While it was a “public” hearing, they could not speak or testify other than via emails previously submitted to the magistrate.  He said he read all 200+. 

Surprisingly, the entire 1.5-hour hearing was taken up by Voyager’s attorney who comprehensively explained why residential rehab facilities were necessary and successful.  The community wasn’t specifically questioning the success of such centers although one resident did say after the hearing that “for profit” centers seem to have less success than the not-for-profit facilities without offering any proof. 

The elephant in the room was not addressed at all.  That elephant was the bizarre murder committed by Austin Harrouff in 2016 in that very neighborhood.  Harrouff, later deemed insane by the court, randomly and viciously stabbed to death a couple in their garage and then began to chew on their faces.  Harrouff admitted a history of serious and continuous drug and alcohol abuse although no drugs were found in his system immediately after his arrest.

It is because of this outlandish incident that people in that community do not want drug users, in remission or otherwise, living in their neighborhood. When asked about security the applicant stated that there would always be a property manager, or a driver or a treatment manager on the premises though no security guard.  No one that was trained to disable someone in a psychotic state. 

There are cameras, the attorney said.  Ironically, he explained that the cameras are really to dissuade curious neighbors from taunting the house residents.  He further detailed that these are voluntary admittances and that each candidate is well vetted.  Pedophiles and felons do not qualify. 

The vicious murder that haunts this neighborhood is completely irrelevant according to whether it should matter in the determination regarding granting the accommodation.  Asked about the glaring omission after the hearing, the attorney for Voyager, though sympathetic, confirmed the irrelevance of the murder to their request. 

If the neighbors thought the county attorney was going to represent them, they were disappointed as she didn’t ask one question or make a statement.  It was explained by county staff that she was just there for procedural purposes.  Martin County is restricted in part because this falls under the Americans with Disabilities Act which is federal law.

The magistrate has 30 days to make a decision.  If he rules in favor of the request, County Administrator Don Donaldson can still overturn the ruling.  That would likely find Martin County in court.  Would the county lose? It will be an expensive legal fight to find out.

COMMISSION MEETING JUNE 24, 2024

There was only one item on this week’s agenda. It was a discussion regarding how to handle the zoning of recreational marijuana shops if the referendum to legalize its use passes in November.

The city did this earlier with medical marijuana and pill mills. Commissioner McDonald wants to keep such businesses out of the downtown area. Once pot is legal, the smell wafting in the air may turn off some customers dining al fresco on Osceola Street. There is no sense in having a pot shop next door to the Gafford.  

It seemed the other commissioners agreed so language will be drafted.

Commissioner Collins brought up a point. It was not about the sale of weed but rather the growing of it. He said in Colorado that business had monopolized the warehouse sector by setting up grow houses. I don’t know what can be done about that except through zoning. But whether that use can be prevented in an industrial zone is an interesting question.

By doing this before the amendment passes, the city will not have to undertake an economic study on how zoning effects the businesses since there currently are none. The economic study is now required before a new regulation can be placed into effect. Another example of a preemption issue by the state to stop local control.

The second reason to have an ordinance now is because if the amendment passes (which it probably will overwhelmingly), then the enabling legislation may preempt localities from having local regulation. There is a chance that the legislature may grandfather in existing ones.

This will come back for a vote once the enabling regulation is drafted.

Stuart Commissioner Eula Clarke held a “Town Hall” at the Recreation Center on June 13th.

It began at 6 pm in a packed house. People came to see and hear a presentation regarding the historical significance of East Stuart. Some of those in attendance were not even from Stuart. I had already seen this presentation twice before, so I quietly left.

I should have stuck around for a while longer. Sources that were there for the entire meeting told me that the after-school program came up after Clarke initiated a discussion.

Clarke introduced city employees including the city manager, police chief, CRA officials and the director of the center and his staff. That wasn’t all the city employees that were present. Two key non-city employees who attended were Keith Fletcher and John Millay, the number one and two of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County.

The Boys & Girls Clubs just completed building their new $20 million club on Martin Luther King Blvd. directly across the street from Stuart Middle School. The building is located on school district property and some programs will be in conjunction with them.

At one point eight years ago, the after-school program was run by the club at 10th Street. With the club leadership at that time, the program was failing, and it was not properly staffed. I was a commissioner then, and with Community Services Director Jim Chrulski and his staff leading the way, the city was able to capture the Children’s Services Council’s grant for that program. I was glad to see the city stepping in when no one else was able.

Fast forward to today. Because of the dynamic leadership exhibited by the clubs’ board, CEO, and staff, they have raised $20 million dollars for a new Stuart Club. Beginning in October, the after-school program will once again belong to them at their new state-of-the-art facility. There will continue to be no charge for any child who attends. I understand that Fletch would be glad to prioritize the hiring of the city staff that were part of the program if they apply.

Toward the end of the Town Hall, Clarke tried to muddy the waters with the plan. I saw very few parents in the meeting. This changeover has been in the works for a couple of years. And what really is perplexing is that the commissioner sits on the clubs’ board and voted in favor of the program going there.

I am proud that Stuart stepped up and provided a service to our children. That is what the government should do when no other alternative is available. In this case kids will be much better served by them attending today’s programs at Boys & Girls Clubs. And as to the educational component, who better to oversee it than former School Superintendent Millay.

The Recreation Center can once again have recreation programs. Currently, when the after-school program is in session, no other programs for others including our seniors can be going on because of state regulations. With this move, we can have sports programming and other programs available to the entire community. 

The other thing that is troubling as a taxpayer is why was it necessary to have the panoply of city employees there for any reason when what was needed, at most, was just a handful. While some are considered exempt from overtime requirements, others were not.

I am disappointed that city leadership feels it necessary to waste valuable resources without a civic purpose except to assuage a commissioner’s ego. “Town Halls” and “Coffees with the Mayor or Commissioner” are blatant politicking and serve no useful government purpose.

The historical presentation was something that should have been given. It could have been done with two CRA staff people plus the consultant. This was not a “Town Hall.” To date, I have not pointed out this inordinate waste of taxpayer dollars. I am doing so now and will do so when I see it in the future.

SCHOOL BOARD MEETING JUNE 18, 2024

During the public comment section, a few people mentioned that charters were taking money from traditional public schools.

That is true, along with private and religious schools, which are all eligible for student vouchers. Superintendent Maine stated that fact and added that charter schools, like Treasure Coast Classical Academy, which is a public charter, are not the enemy. Their students’ scores are reflected in the overall district’s scores.

Last year, Martin County had a “B” rating. I don’t know whether charter scores brought the district’s ratings up or down. I would think that students in schools such as Treasure Coast Classical might have higher mean scores than traditional public schools because of parent involvement and socio-economic advantage.

Maine also said that the current system which has the vouchers following students is state policy. With the current elected incumbents, the legislature and governor are only going further down this path. The best thing Martin County School District and Board to do is accept it and work together to achieve the best possible results.

This meeting also saw Mr. Maine’s first performance evaluation by the board.

In general, it was positive, and I thought the evaluation number was right on the money.  It is interesting that there was no comment by any member of the board. It was just a motion to adopt. While efficient and available to the public if the agenda item was downloaded, I think most of the public would have preferred to hear the rationale behind board members’ evaluation.

Some of the rationale behind the ratings chosen by the board members was in the written comment section of each performance rating category. Li Roberts and Marsha Powers did fill in those blanks although there is very limited room in which to write. Amy Pritchett only wrote that she spoke to Maine on the subject areas for a few indicators. Mike DiTerlizzi and Jen Russell neglected to write anything.

I believe Michael Maine did a good job in his first year. I wouldn’t say that he deserved the highest number score in every category as DiTerlizzi did. It would have been nice if the board members had allocated a half hour for this agenda item and there had been an open transparent discussion.

Any human resource professional would agree that the hardest part of a manager’s job is to give a truthful evaluation to a subordinate. It is no different in the case of elected boards and their one or two employees. Mr. Maine should expect to have one from his bosses, the board standing in for the voters.

The board stands in for the voters and taxpayers of Martin County. When we moved from electing the school superintendent, we lost the ability to vote a failing one out. We have abrogated that right to 5 elected school board members. The least those board members owe us is a half hour at a meeting to explain why they gave the numbers they did to someone we once hired and fired.

You can find the evaluations here 

When I think of the Arts Foundation For Martin County and their quest to rehabilitate and use the old high school for their headquarters, I think of Don Quixote and want to burst out with a rendition of “The Impossible Dream.”

In the Foundation’s quixotic impossible quest to gain funds to rehabilitate the building, the organization is relying on massive tax dollars being granted and raising some private donations. They have been unable to really do either. And there is a reason for that.

Governor DeSantis and I don’t agree on much. Here we do agree. He vetoed a $250,000 grant this year as he did last year for this project. In fact, the governor vetoed a total of $32 million in arts funding this year…although going back to earlier this year, the legislature did go ahead with 15 grants for cultural facilities and left this one unfunded. That is not a good sign.

 

The 100-year-old building that once was Martin County High School and then the administration building for the school district is nothing more than old. And like so much in Martin County, we equate old and obsolete with historical. There is nothing architecturally worth saving nor should we think there is. It is a place with asbestos and a price tag in the millions to bring up to code.

According to the memo the Foundation submitted to the school board, it appears that the arts organization has raised $300,000 in the past several years and has spent it. It is a far cry from the $15 million they projected they would need back in 2017. Since then, construction prices for labor and material have at least doubled.

“To dream the impossible dream

  To fight the unbeatable foe
  To bear with unbearable sorrow
 And to run where the brave dare not go…

 This is my quest
 To follow that star
 No matter how hopeless
 No matter how far…

To reach the unreachable
The unreachable
The unreachable star”

Who could not be moved by that lyric. But this quest may be borne of ego and tilting at windmills. The proof is that Martin County is filled with wealthy and philanthropic people who have shied away from this project. The Martin County School Board, signing another lease extension until December of 2025, is just as unrealistic as the Arts Foundation in expecting something to come of this. To quote another song, “Where Have All The Flowers Gone”… “When will they ever learn. When will they ever learn.”

You can see the lease extension and Arts Foundation memo here 

SEWALL’S POINT COMMISSION MEETING JUNE 18, 2024

The more things change…

Last year the lobbyist/grant writer for the town was on retainer for $60,000 a year. For whatever reason, she was not retained going forward. Some of the commissioners were just as happy to see her gone. Because the town can’t afford to do anything without grant money, the town manager issued an RFP for grant writers. The submittals were evaluated by a committee. Town Engineer Joe Capra scored the highest at 185 and Amy Adams from Cape Canaveral Scientific is second with 180.

The terms of the contract are for one year with 4 one-year renewals. The per hour rates are listed in the contract. All government contracts have a not to exceed number. This one is $289,000 for the duration of the contract. A not to exceed number is given so that there is accountability. It does not mean that the town will spend that much over the life of the contract.

 

Once a grant is received, the cost for the management of the grant is part of that grant. However, until the town and the granting agency sign a contract, there is no relationship between the two so the cost for writing the grant including scope of work and preliminary drawings are funded by the town.

Is that so hard to understand?

It must be for the commission since they spent hours going back and forth on how grants are received and how they work. For some reason, their eyes kept tripping over the $289,000 amount. It is a meaningless number since once the grant is received, the reimbursements begin applying.

The town budget has $60,000 for grant services. If it were exceeded, then the commission would need to sign off with a budget amendment. That is the control of the commission. 

The past manager was unhappy with Amy Adams from Cape Canaveral. She showed Commissioner Kurzman that Adams was a poor return on investment (number of grants applied for against how much the grant writing was). I don’t know whether that statement is true or not.

The commission seems to want more control over a process that is not controllable. Good grant writers know where to look for grants and which ones to apply for. There are federal, state, and other grant sources such as from the Indian River Lagoon Council. Grants are announced throughout the year with short time frames to apply.

Sewall’s Point commissioners want to micromanage instead of setting the policy including the budget and then letting staff and contractors obtain the funds to do the approved projects. One of the public speakers, who is running in this year’s election, stated that the manager should write grants. There is a place for that on a limited basis. The manager’s job is to manage, not be a grant writer.

To see the approved contracts go here 

COUNCIL MEETING JUNE 27, 2024

The most important thing that happened at the meeting is the council decided to appoint Vernestine Williams-Palmer to the few weeks left in the term of Guyton Stone. Stone resigned and has moved from the village. Palmer had filed to run for that seat and was automatically elected when no one else qualified by June 14th which was the deadline.

It is nice to see the council at full strength again after several months of being a council of just 4. It was a nice gesture to bring her onboard early. Palmer took the seat immediately upon a unanimous motion. I wish her luck as she becomes one of the five decision makers.

There is still an election between the incumbent Janet Hernadez and Phyllis Waters Brown in August

Tom’s Articles

From Medium

"Florida Where Facts Go To Die"

Here

"Only The State Has The Correct Information"

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"Why American Oligarchs Will Have No Better Result Than Russian"

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Other Articles

The Washington Post: "'To many old people': A rural Pa. town reckons with population loss"

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The New York Times: "Are We Loving Our Pets to Death?"

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News Service Florida: "Chaining the Toothless Watchdog" by Bill Cotterell

Here

The New York Times: "DeSantis Vetoes All Arts Grants in Florida"

Here

The Capitolist: " Disney ends legal fight with state, district"

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Route Fifty: It's OK to ban homeless people from camping in public, high court rules"

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The New York Times: Medical Experts Alarmed by Out-of-Hospital Cesareans in Florida"

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The Washington Post: "An account of Jesus as a boy is decoded from an ancient papyrus scrap"

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Florida Phoenix: "Election workers worry that federal threats task force isn't enough to keep them safe"

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Florida Phoenix: " While Florida politicians push expensive fossil fuels, utilities are building losts of solar farms"

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The New York Times: "The Ballot Measures Aim to Reduce Partisanship. Can They Fix AMerican Politics?"

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