Going on vacation means we don’t publish an issue. With everything going on what a time to go on vacation.
It seems in September Stuart turned upside down. Brightline was going forward now it is not. The city is under a building moratorium that means if you want to develop something more than a single-family home no go. I have heard of several new businesses that want to open. They can’t because they aren’t able to renovate their space.
We are covering the closed city in detail. Government is not living up to its potential because of politicians unable to accept that we need it to function. We hope you like the 1950s because in short order we could be returning there.
We also have our columnists, government notices, and especially nonprofits. The nonprofits were very busy in the last month and our section is very large with all that happened and will happen.
So, sit back grab your computer, tablet, or phone and read away. Remember you can go to individual stories by going to our index on the side of the edition and using that. Any ideas for stories or if you would like to become a columnist let me know.
Have a great Sunday Morning!
You recall the years of your life by the events that happened and were going on around you.
In 1969 I remember the moon landing and subsequent walk by Neil Armstrong. I was at work cooking at the Elwood Diner. The diner had a radio turned on in the front, and though I couldn’t hear it, I received updates from the waitresses when they came to the kitchen to give and pick up their orders. That was also the year that Nixon was inaugurated to his first term, Manson’s Helter Skelter, Mickey Mantle retired as a Yank, and I thought I was going to end up in Vietnam once I had graduated from high school.
By 1973, I knew I wasn’t going to Vietnam. I was married, attending Fordham University, and still working…only now primarily in real estate and on the weekends in different commercial kitchens to pick up some extra money. Also, construction of the World Trade Center was done, Watergate was in the news, the movie “American Graffiti” had opened, the Middle East erupted with the Yom Kippur War, and the infamous Saturday Night Massacre occurred.
In 1978, we owned a house in Flushing Queens, I had two cars, was an owner and partner in a couple of businesses and was planning on buying a country place. That was also the year of the massive blizzard when we were snowed in for five days (and why I had a daughter 9 months later), first test tube baby, Jonestown, Milk & Moscone murdered in San Francisco, the infamous Lufthansa Heist at JFK, and Carter was in the White House melting down before my eyes.
In the span of less than 10 years, I went from a teenager to a responsible adult. The world just kept rolling along through war, peace, cultural events, and turbulent times. I remember trying to keep my head down and being a passive spectator of the world around me.
I saw the world trade center towers rise. I was up on a roof on West 25th Street marveling at it. I could see those towers when looking one way and the Empire State Building looking the other. I preferred the Empire State.
On September 11, 2001, I was driving on I-95 from New York to Connecticut after a doctor’s appointment when I heard the 2nd plane had hit. It was unmistakable to me that we were in a war. We could see the towers distantly from the beach a few blocks away from our home. And then we couldn’t.
My daughter’s friend lost his father that day without a trace. A classmate of mine had a similar fate. Several business acquaintances perished. A friend of my wife’s husband died one night suddenly several months later after he had gone to one memorial service too many of colleagues and friends. Father Mychal Judge, a Franciscan friar and the NYFD chaplain, died at the towers. We had worked on a project together a few years earlier.
After that day, our country never was the same…the world wasn’t. The United States went to war in Afghanistan and instead of declaring victory once the Taliban was defeated in a few weeks, we stayed for 20 years to build a nation that the Afghanis did not embrace. We ended Sadaam’s cruel reign and then broke the nation of Iraq and lost thousands of young men and women in a futile attempt to import a democracy that Iraqis did not want.
Two wars, Vietnam and Iraq/Afghanistan, have been the bookends of my life. In both instances they proved unwinnable and ultimately far from in the best interest of America. Life is made up of thousands of decisions, memories, and other factors. It is amazing how quickly the years go yet not much fundamentally changes.
There are two amendments on the ballot that are different than the others we covered in our last edition…Amendment 3 Legalized Marijuana and Amendment 4 Abortion.
Amendment 3 will give all adults 21 years or older the right to purchase and use Marijuana and Marijuana products. I have never been a personal fan of pot. After using it twice in high school I never did so again. I didn’t like the smell or anything else about the process. Nearly 60 years later, I would go out of my way to avoid it.
However, that doesn’t mean we should prevent adults from using it. It is no more harmful than alcohol and a lot less injurious than tobacco. The distribution of the product will be in the hands of big business, and some see that as a problem. I don’t because everything sold in this country is controlled to some extent by large corporations.
I intend to vote yes. You can see the entire text here
Amendment 4 is officially being called “Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion.”
There is not much to this amendment. The entire ballot scope is:
Ballot Title: Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion
Ballot Summary: No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider. This amendment does not change the Legislature’s constitutional authority to require notification to a parent or guardian before a minor has an abortion.
Article and Section Being Created or Amended: Creates - Article 1, New Section Full Text of the Proposed Amendment: New Section, Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion Limiting government interference with abortion.— Except as provided in Article X, Section 22, no law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider.
It says that there still would be a notice requirement to a parent before a minor could have an abortion. The government could not restrict the right to an abortion before viability of the fetus and at anytime to protect the life of the patient as determined by her doctor.
I thought the Dobbs decision overturning the Roe decision was the right one. Abortion should have always been solved politically and not been made into a legal fight. I just didn’t see a constitutional right in there. However, that does not mean I am against a woman’s right to choose.
And if, at some point in the future, a U.S. Constitutional amendment is proposed and passes, then indeed it will be a right that all women will have throughout the land. In the meantime, the battle must be fought in each state. I am glad that this right will be enshrined in the Florida constitution which means taking it away will be that much harder.
In both Amendments 3 and 4, no one is saying an individual must smoke pot or that a woman must have an abortion. It will be up to the individual to decide. In the case of the latter, it is a difficult decision for a woman to make, and I believe that, except for a psychopath, there is much agonizing and tears being shed when making the decision.
I just don’t think these are my decisions to make. It isn’t anyone’s…except the people involved.
Another day and another school shooting. They have now become so commonplace that the news sort of fades away within a day or two.
In the case of the latest from Georgia, the justice system has said that the father should be charged as part of the crime. The governor and legislature of Georgia, like so many other
states, refuse to tackle the serious reasons for the proliferation of mass shootings. Instead of making the choice to ban weapons of war, they now have hit on another false idea of charging a parent instead.
No doubt the guy was a bad father. However, what was his crime?
Georgia has no law that requires guns be safely stored, unloaded, and in a locked cabinet. Georgia has no law that a dad can’t buy a 14-year-old a semiautomatic assault type weapon as a birthday present. In Georgia, a 14-year-old is not prohibited from shooting such a weapon.
Interestingly, they charge the dad with not supervising the kid but at the same time charge the kid as an adult. Of course, the real problem is no one wants to touch the root of the problem which is the legality of private ownership of those types of guns in the first place.
When did Americans go completely loopy? If you were to ask an American of the 1950s or 1960s whether it was OK to regulate these types of weapons, they would have looked at you like you were crazy. Most men had volunteered or been drafted into the service. They knew that this weapon wasn’t some sort of toy.
The AK-47 was developed by the Soviets in the early 1950s. The M-16 was developed by a WW II vet in the 1950s. The military adopted the M-16 beginning in the 1960s as a counter to the Soviet AK-47 favored by Communist insurgents in Vietnam and other places. The Soviet rifle was a weapon designed so that with minimum training, a recruit could kill the enemy indiscriminately. It is point and fire.
By the end of the 1980s, gunmakers were flooding the guns onto the streets of America as rival criminal gangs began using them against each other. The gun from the very beginning was a weapon of war. It is very good at killing people.
If you go back to the American hunters of 50 years ago, they never saw the gun as a rifle to take game. It was and still is bought primarily because of fear. Fear of the government, fear of a criminal invasion or fear of fellow Americans. With millions of the weapons in the hands of Americans, their lethal killing power are looked on by our youngest as just another video game.
Will Americans ever face the reality that this weapon should not be in civilian hands? Probably not because we have been bamboozled to believe the worst about our government, criminals, and other Americans. There is some sickness in our society when common sense is overthrown by the make-believe perception of a dangerous society surrounding us and only those armed as if they lived in a war zone will survive.
At some point I suspect some crazy judge will overturn a gun law about fully automatic weapons being in private hands. His reasoning will be that the 2nd Amendment is an absolute right and therefore no gun law is constitutional. Every citizen can own every type of weapon system. There are no prohibitions.
Oh, and by the time you read this, there will be at least one more mass shooting.
Stuart and Martin County may be melting down. The question is will Tallahassee allow it.
A few uninformed or misinformed residents have decided to stop any progress that has been made in the past few years to create jobs and housing. If it is followed to the logical conclusion, there will be no jobs for our residents. No housing for the doctors and nurses who need to work at our hospitals or teachers to teach our children.
If the proposed development code changes that Boss Collins said he wanted for East Stuart go into effect, then many lots will become unbuildable. Families who have owned them for generations will own worthless parcels. It was only recently that those lots could have homes built upon them with the new East Stuart Code. Just when the value of those parcels was seeing appreciation, it is being taken away.
In two to three years, Stuart will have to cut staff and services. If there is nothing new being built, then tax revenue does not keep up with the expenses to run a city. This will be the result of “enough is enough.”
You don’t have to be a genius to see the result in other areas as well. Brightline should sue for breaching the agreement. Owners of properties should sue the city for taking away the value of their properties. This is the result of the triumph of the brainless. Boss Collins worked hard to have two puppets elected, and the destruction of the city should be placed at his feet.
In the meantime, people who want their small-town feel should first live within the city limits to have an opinion…many live in unincorporated Martin County rather than in Stuart. Secondly, the small town that some want is a place that does not exist and hasn’t for a very long time. Stuart was the hub of a bustling agricultural county that has gone the way of the 1955 Studebaker. The city had all the stores and institutions 70 years ago. You went to Stuart to do your shopping, doctoring, and schooling.
That version of Martin County and Florida is in the rear-view mirror. The state is growing by 1200 people per day. Does anyone really think that Tallahassee will allow Collins and his merry minions to stop what the governor and legislature see as progress?
And it isn’t only the state officials who look at it in that light. In some ways, Florida has paved over paradise with many a parking lot. Most of the 67 counties like doing just that. Martin County was different but while it can stop the incessant building of every square inch of land, it can’t ignore the will of the state entirely and make believe the streets are lined with 1955 Studebakers…
Another one of the music makers of the 1960’s and 1970’s I listened to when I was young has died. Kris Kristofferson passed away last week at the age of 88.
To look at him and listen to Kris speak, you would think he was a working-class stiff. No…Kris was an Air Force general’s son who went on to become a captain and Army Airborne Ranger. He flew helicopters. Kris graduated top of his college class with a degree in English and was in Phi Beta Kappa. He went to Merton College, Oxford as a Rhodes scholar where he studied the poetry of Romantic William Blake.
Under pressure from his family, Kris joined and was commissioned in the U.S. Army. After a tour in Germany, he was assigned to teach English literature at West Point. He tried to be assigned to Vietnam and, as a helicopter pilot, should have been, but the brass held to their order that he teach English. Instead, in 1965 he left the service and pursued his dream of being a songwriter. His first step in that pursuit was becoming a janitor at Columbia Records in Nashville to have access to the movers and shakers.
He had always been a writer and even in high school had published poems and short stories. In college, his work was published in The Atlantic.
Besides his musical career he began acting in films. He had some notable success such in Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore and a remake of A Star is Born with Barbara Streisand.
In my mind, the film where he was playing himself was Michael Cimino’s much panned Heaven’s Gate. He played Sheriff James Averill in 1890 Wyoming. Averill was a rough and tumble lawman trying to prevent a war between cattle barons and homesteaders. Throughout the movie and only through vague references is there any hint about his Boston Brahmin birth until the end.
After the inevitable massacre that occurs, he returns to his roots in New England. His character was a Harvard graduate. He leaves behind his western past and mourns the death of the woman he loved. Sadly, Averill takes up his cultured life once again.
Kristofferson never lost his educated roots. He traded on them to make his music better. In all his work such as “Help Me Make It Through the Night” to “Me and Bobby McGee,” there was a sophistication to the lyric that belied its simplicity. His work was recorded by country, pop, and rock stars. But no one interpreted his lyrics better than he did.
Too many drugs or too much booze didn’t get him. He had severe memory loss in his latter years that may have been caused by Lyme disease or too many blows to the head when he played football, rugby, and boxed. That was too bad because his writing and performing career was severely impacted.
Except for Willie Nelson, the Highwaymen have now all passed. Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings left us many years ago. Kristofferson was always the literate and most liberal member of the group. The guy who could quote the Romantics but could also write a soulful and longing lyric:
“Take the ribbon from your hair
Shake it loose and let it fall
Layin’ soft upon my skin
Like the shadows on the wall”
Like many of us, there was more to Kristofferson than met the eye. But to him, freedom wasn’t just another word. That was the secret to his art.
WPTV, Channel 5 held a town hall in Pt. St. Lucie on Sept. 17th, and I attended.
It was regarding the insurance crisis in Florida. I was hoping to hear something new. I was disappointed. A common accusation by attendees was that insurance companies are racking in billions while we are suffering with triple rate increases. This was the view held by attendee Doug Quinn, founder of American Policy Holders Insurance, a consumer advocate organization.
An insurance broker argued that in fact, they have lost billions and 11 companies have gone out of business here in Florida. When pressed, she admitted fraud was an issue. Representative Toby Overdorff was a panelist as well. He too corrected Mr. Quinn pointing out that insurance companies in Florida are highly regulated. Each request for a rate increase must be approved by the State. They can only make a 4.5% profit. And there are 22 active investigations going on currently.
I try to keep in mind that we are living on a peninsula. The most hurricane active peninsula in the world. According to Wikipedia “Since 1851 only eighteen hurricane seasons passed without a known storm impacting the state. Additionally, the cumulative impact from the storms has totaled over US$300 billion in damage (2018 dollars), primarily from Hurricane Andrew, Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Ian in the 1992, 2017, and 2022 seasons respectively. “
It doesn’t help much to keep this in mind when looking at my $7,000 bill. The average bill now over WPTV’s viewing area is $3,200 - $6,300. There was a 7.6% increase last year.
Rep. Overdorff commented that we should be seeing relief soon. Since legislation was passed, litigation (a big reason for price increases) has dropped by 20%. Fraud regarding assignments of benefit has been halted and the state has invested in “hardening” infrastructure. Re-insurance (the insurance that insures insurance companies 😒) has dropped to 1.4% and Florida has 9 new companies approved and admitted by the state.
Twelve companies have reduced their rates. But Citizens is asking for a 14% hike. They want to push residents off to these other companies so the state won’t take such a hit if it… well…gets hit. The polite term is “de-populate”. So far, they have depopulated 389,000. But those likely incurred a 20% rate hike which was the determinant factor for being tossed over to another.
The attendees wanted to know what they could do to help decrease their rates. An inspector and wind mitigation expert also sat on the panel. There are an incredible number of issues that determine your rate. Get that old roof replaced, water damage is the 2nd most popular claim so change out those old washing machine lines. Replace an old hot water heater. Don’t forget a fire extinguisher.
The value of your home is a determining factor as well. If the value goes up, the replacement cost goes up therefore the insurance rate goes up. You can work with your agent to lower your replacement cost, but not if you have a mortgage. I thought it was kind of a Catch 22 that everything to lessen your rate costs money. Just a passing thought.
And still we wait to feel some relief from the legislation that was so promising.
Darlene VanRiper’s opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.
Tipping
There’s a lotta bitching going on about tipping.
I get it. I am right there with you. I am picky. I expect hostesses to seat me, and I expect my servers to bring me utensils, menus and water, after asking, and always regardless of asking, if the patron is drinking. I expect cocktail napkins for my water and cocktail. I expect servers or the bussers to remove the dishes after we have finished that course.
Why? I used to be a server. My first job was in an ice cream shop. Later I waited tables in pizza parlors.
It’s a good job for someone who needs a flexible schedule, can multi-task, and maintain a sense of humor and helpfulness to the customers.
Tipping is the result of a labor system that cannot pay a living wage to restaurant workers. We expect food to be cheap and we set a minimum wage for restaurant workers, because we expect the recipient of the service to compensate the workers.
Have you ever read a tipping guide for people visiting the United States from another country? It is hysterical. In Europe restaurants pay living wages.
Now everybody wants a tip. Watching gym trainers try to get you to tip is hysterical. Watching someone who hands you a prepackaged snack ask for a tip is ludicrous. I am not afraid to decline to tip on the machine everybody is using these days.
Do I tip? Yes, if there is a tip jar, I am likely to leave something. I tip my hairdresser, my servers when I dine out, my uber drivers and the meal delivery services I use. When my favorite waiter at Bonefish brings me my martini just the way I like it, you better believe I am tipping him well. Everyone wants a place where they know your name.
Cheers!
Nicki van Vonno’s opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.
When a hurricane moves through, your food supply is at risk. Not only during the storm and through the following days, but potentially for years to come.
I grew up in agriculture by way of the equine industry. I knew the effects hurricanes had on our ranch and horses, such as loss of barns, paddocks, and stalls, flooding, damaged and downed fences, no access to water, and loss of income as we shut down operations to clean the mess. But what I didn’t know then, and have since learned, was how much a hurricane can affect our food and fiber supply for years.
Several years ago, I visited my friends at Erickson Farm in Canal Point. The Ericksons are tropical fruit farmers and are well known for their juicy mangoes. 4th generation Erickson farmer, Kimberly, was kind enough to give me a tour and during that time she opened my eyes to the broad effects that hurricanes can have on farms.
The tour was in August 2018, a year after Hurricane Irma wreaked havoc all the way up the State of Florida. Kimberly told us Irma’s high winds not only damaged the trees and the fruit physically in 2017, but they also stressed the trees causing them to either slow their fruit growth or produce no fruit at all for the following year.
Their 2018 lychee crop was a total failure, they had none of their sought-after Southern Blush mangoes, the sapodillas had blemishes and did not grow in quite the number they normally do, and these are just a few examples of how that September 2017 hurricane effected the next year’s harvest- and the bottom line for the Erickson family.
That day Kimberly opened my eyes to something I had never considered and left me wanting to know how hurricanes effect other types of agriculture. Following that day, I took the opportunity to ask farmers across the state how hurricanes effect their farming operation. Broadly speaking, I learned that Hurricane Season in Florida is also an important time of year for the success of the Florida agriculture industry and to our state’s economy- since agriculture is our #2 industry, behind tourism.
Here are some Florida agriculture quick facts pertaining to when a hurricane comes through our state: Citrus trees lose their fruit from the winds, and this is right before harvest season. Livestock pastures submerge in floodwaters for weeks or longer. This leads to the animals needing to be moved to higher ground and the farmer needing to purchase feed due to the loss of grazing land.
Dairy cows become stressed which negatively affects how much milk they give, and if the dairy has no power, it is likely the farm staff will be unable to milk them all by hand causing further stress. Plants, like tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, and zucchini, which are bedded in the summer, are ripped up and their crop rows are destroyed. Fields of corn are blown down making them hard to harvest, if harvestable at all.
Peanut and potato fields become saturated leaving farmers unable to complete their harvest. Cotton blooms are ripped from their pods right before harvest; Fruit trees are blown over and need to be replaced. New trees often take three or more years to produce fruit; and there are many more impacts to be listed.
When a hurricane blows through, the effects are felt across the agriculture industry long after the roads are cleared, and the power is restored. Will Rogers once said, “The farmer has to be an optimist, or he wouldn't still be a farmer.” With so much stacked against them, I have to say Will was right.
David Hafner’s opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.
Last month, Martin County was incredibly fortunate to avoid the worst impacts of Hurricane Helene. While the storm did disrupt our lives for a few days as we watched and waited, we were lucky compared to other communities in Florida and beyond.
This month, I’d like to share the critical role United Way of Martin County plays during disasters like this. One of our team members is stationed at the Martin County Emergency Operations Center, managing the Emergency Food & Shelter (EFS 15) desk. Once the "all clear" is given, United Way is responsible for coordinating volunteer deployment to aid in recovery. Additionally, the Board of County Commissioners has designated United Way as the official charity to accept disaster-related donations. We’ve pledged that 100% of every dollar raised will stay in the community to help residents get back on their feet.
Many of you may already be aware of this, but did you know United Way also steps up even when we aren't directly hit by storms? Last month, for example, we worked alongside our partners to help residents affected by the heavy winds. When a state of emergency isn’t declared, there are no federal funds to assist, so local nonprofits join forces to ensure our community gets the help it needs.
While we can’t always address every problem—some are simply too large—our nonprofits consistently step in to ensure the safety and well-being of Martin County residents. A variety of resources are available to support individuals and families in times of crisis and beyond.
I’m incredibly proud of the nonprofit community here in Martin County. They work tirelessly behind the scenes, not just during natural disasters but also during everyday crises. It’s not always headline news, but rest assured, we're all here to help when it matters most.
For more information about United Way of Martin County, please go to our website UnitedWayMartin.org. As always, if you have any questions, please reach out to me at chdiez@unitedwaymartin.org or call me at 772-283-4800.
Carol Houwaart-Diez’s opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.
I have always been fascinated by the human brain and the role our senses play in triggering our memories.
The smell of cigars, like them or not, reminds me of my grandfather. The taste of red velvet cake will forever remind me of my grandmother. The sight of a freshly lined baseball field brings back all those memories of the countless baseball games I played over the years. I will contend that few things feel better to the touch and are more relaxing that getting out of the shower and into a comfy bed with fresh sheets. Sound, of all the senses, is the most nostalgic for me. The sound of children’s laughter always reminds me of the pure joy of my own children’s laughter when they were little.
A few weeks ago, in worship we were looking at the creation story from Chapter 2 of Genesis. During my sermon preparation I kept coming back to the same verse, Genesis 2:7, “then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being.” Often when I read scripture, a verse or two sticks with me. That week Genesis 2:7 was the verse, but I didn’t immediately know why.
Then I heard a baby cry, and it jolted me back to the delivery rooms of my three children and that first gasp and cry of my children. That verse and those memories were so powerfully linked for me in that moment. It was the moment that God breathed the breath of life into them. This experience isn’t unique to me, or my children and I don’t believe it was unique to Adam either. We all have the breath of God breathed into us.
Once that crying baby made that connection for me it began to open the rest of Chapter 2 of Genesis. God created humanity, depending on the translation, to tend, care and/or protect creation. By creation, I believe, God meant all of it, nature and one another. If that is who we are created to be and the purpose we are created for, how are we doing?
Well, that’s where it gets tricky, our waterways and air quality aren’t what they should be. Violence, war, and hate continue to take lives. Homelessness and hunger are far too common, even in our own community.
God breathed the breath of life into each of us so that we could protect and care for all of God’s creation. Let’s get to work.
Chad Fair's opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.
Accomplished economic developer takes helm as new executive director for the Business Development Board of Martin County
STUART—The Business Development Board of Martin County is proud to announce the hiring of William Corbin as its new executive director.
A certified economic developer, Corbin has helped stimulate hundreds of millions of dollars of diversified commercial development in various municipalities—most recently in Georgia, including the cities of Duluth and Norcross as well as Clayton County.
“I’m honored to be chosen for this leadership role and I’m really excited to live and work in Martin County and learn more about its legacy industries such as aerospace, marine and advanced manufacturing,” says Corbin. “I’ve always loved boating and flying, so this BDB opportunity is very appealing. I hope to apply my insights into building economic ecosystems and helping strengthen existing industries and assisting companies in their plans to expand.”
Corbin distinguished himself among a field of more than 90 applicants, which the BDB selection committee pored over for three months.
“We’re extremely excited to welcome William to this role of executive director for the Business Development Board,” says Susan Rabinowitz, president of the BDB. “Our selection committee deserves tremendous credit for carefully vetting an array of compelling candidates to find William—who’s extremely qualified to step into the role right away and make meaningful contributions.”
While he got his start as an economic development practitioner in Miami-Dade County at The Beacon Council, Corbin’s experience spans communities of a variety of sizes and dynamics. Clayton County is home to 300,000 people while Norcross and Duluth have populations of 18,000 and 32,000, respectively, showing Corbin’s skills shaping projects to fit the characters and personalities of each unique setting.
In Duluth, he helped guide the planning and development of Parsons Alley, a 2-acre downtown redevelopment site featuring commercial and retail investments that won awards for its design, functionality and impact. In Norcross, Corbin’s leadership helped attract more than $500 million in total investment. He also helped increase the city’s communication and engagement with its small business and entrepreneur community through initiatives such as grant programs and partnerships with local organizations that specialize in providing access to capital and technical assistance services.
Further, Corbin led a workforce development project, among other achievements, that bridged connections between businesses and job seekers during the pandemic, strengthening the labor market.
“The resume of achievements that William has built up is impressive by any standard but even more so considering that he’s relatively early in his career,” says Dan Hudson, interim executive director who came aboard to helm the organization through a leadership transition. “His experience working with communities of all kinds of sizes and the approach he brings to each environment speaks to how attentive he is to public involvement and finding solutions that are rightsized for each location.”
Martin County’s distinctive quality of life posed a particular appeal to Corbin, 40, and his family. While considering other opportunities across South Florida, he and his wife, Jonide, did their research and even visited the area on vacation with their two girls, ages 5 and 7, and two-year-old son. They appreciated that Martin County offered a peaceful respite from a big city pace yet easy access to major metropolitan areas to the north and south.
“There’s a definite quality of life on display here and it clearly comes with a community and leadership that has embraced managed growth in a fashion that’s responsible, responsive to the residents and protective of such a beautiful place,” he says. “I like the laidback nature of the community and that there are a lot of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. I like how things are a little bit slower. It’s a great place to raise a family and grow roots.”
About the BDB
The Business Development Board's mission is to strengthen and champion Martin County’s economy. Organized as a 501(c)6 not-for-profit public-private partnership, the BDB touts Martin County as open for business, fosters leading industries and good jobs, helps entrepreneurs and companies grow while promoting Martin County's strategic economic development areas, and collaborates with local business and civic leaders, investors, and partners. To learn more, call 772.221.1380 or visit bdbmc.org.
Susan Rabinowitz's opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.
This Weeks Guest Columnist Jessie Adamson, MS
When our core values drive us to help others but our ability to give is limited, it can create inner conflict and toxic stress. Last month, we touched on prioritizing our commitments based on level of interest and our financial sustainability. For caregivers, this is not always possible.
According to Home Instead research, 72 percent of primary caregivers provide care to a parent or loved one without any outside help. Not surprisingly, 31 percent of those surveyed admit they'd like more help with caregiving, and one in four resents other family members who don't help.
As caregivers, it's essential to lean on your social network for support by making specific requests for help. For instance, consider asking a trusted friend to spend an hour with your child or elderly parent while you take a moment for yourself, perhaps by standing on the beach and simply breathing in the fresh air. This kind of focused, concrete request is often easier for both you and your friend to commit to, compared to a more general plea like, "I'm so stressed and need a break." By being clear about your needs, you make it easier for others to offer meaningful support.
If you find joy in volunteering and helping others, consider that your most important contribution might be needed right next door. Let's stay attentive to the needs around us, especially in supporting caregivers and protecting them from the risks of compassion fatigue and burnout. It really does take a village to ensure everyone is cared for, including those who give so much of themselves.
Tykes & Teens's opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.
Hurricane Helene Relief
Hurricanes in Florida are a natural part of living here, and while we may be accustomed to their frequency, it’s always extremely important to be prepared. Even though we were not harshly affected by Hurricane Helene here in Martin County, we still had a responsibility to extend our compassion beyond ourselves.
We were recently fortunate enough to join forces with five other animal welfare organizations to provide relief for the homeless pets who were directly affected by the flooding and harsh conditions of Hurricane Helene.
Our team immediately took proactive steps to find foster or adopters for our own dogs, which created space in our kennels to welcome the new furry friends. This ultimately provided us with enough room to help other shelters in need.
The dogs that we took were in a Madison County shelter. This particular shelter was outdoors, and the dog kennels were already flooded by the storms. The dogs are now safely with us at the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast, and we plan to take more dogs as we have more space at our shelter. Even after the storm is over, these shelters are still dealing with the aftermath and will need continued support from us.
This collaborative effort not only helped save lives but also strengthened the bond with our partners in the animal welfare community. Our community’s support for adopting, fostering, volunteering or donating allows us to continue this vital work, ensuring that every pet receives the love and care they deserve during these trying times.
Please remember to never take a hurricane lightly. Always be prepared and stay vigilant. Make sure that your pets are microchipped and that their chips are up to date. Have any mediations they are on refilled, food restocked, and any anxiety remedies available if they need them.
If you ever need assistance before a hurricane hits, please reach out to us at 772-223-8822. The Humane Society of the Treasure Coast is Martin County’s designated disaster relief center and domestic pet friendly shelter. We will house your pet at our facility for free for residents who are recommended or ordered to evacuate. We can only house approximately 150 animals in addition to what is currently at our shelter. Due to this limited capacity within our shelter, we require pre-registration for all animals we board. To learn more, you can visit https://hstc1.org/Disaster-Preparedness.
Frank Valente's opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.
60 Years and Banners Too
During the month of October, banners recognizing Helping People Succeed’s 60 Years of serving Martin County Citizens will be displayed through the City of Stuart—please take a moment to notice them and think about what has been accomplished over 60 years.
Many people have asked how does an organization, especially a nonprofit organization, manage to be around after 60 years. To follow in David Letterman’s footsteps, the following are the Top 10 Reasons Helping People Succeed is successful and growing.
- Belief in the mission-- Helping People Succeed transforms lives by realizing potential, creating hope and building futures through education, counseling, training and employment.
- Boards of Directors who have given countless hours to increase awareness, keep us fiscally sound and be the ambassador we need to continue to increase and expand the services we provide to help people succeed.
- Employees who are competent, professional, and compassionate and, also, have opinions and vision and are willing to speak up. Our employees are just amazing.
- Funding Sources that have trusted us and helped us immensely—As the saying goes—No Money, No Mission!
- We participate with our partners—we truly collaborate, attend events and share resources
- It’s a place where a young men and women can begin their career, continue their education and help members of our community become taxpaying citizens.
- We have become an interesting and unique organization that embraces the needs of the community and provides solutions to ongoing issues.
- Where else could you come to an event for reading in your pajamas—it was pretty amazing. This is a flashback to our Literacy Reading event.
- New people in the area are sent to us to get a feel for the area. People who come from the north still don’t like grits but they support the nonprofits in our area.
- We all work together for a common goal to Help People Succeed—we do what it takes for people who need help to be a part of not a part from the community.
In addition to our recognition in downtown Stuart, October is also National Disability Employment Awareness Month—a time to recognize the contributions of workers with disabilities and to promote inclusive employment practices. When you are hiring, consider hiring someone who has the skills, work attitudes and desire to be a competent long-time employee. We’re glad to help you find the perfect person.
We invite you to learn more about Helping People Succeed by coming for a tour, think about volunteering, becoming a board member and meeting the people we serve.
We thank board member Tom Campenni for the 60 Years of Helping People Succeed banners—he’s a strong committed supporter.
We plan to be around for at least 60 more years and invite you to join us.
Suzy Hutcheson's opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.
Keep Martin Beautiful with a Yes Vote on November 5
By John Vanilla, Vice President, Keep Martin Beautiful Board of Directors
Martin County is part of the very fiber of my being. I was raised here and went to school here. I’ve fished in Martin County waters, walked its beaches and trails, and played sports on its fields. As the boat captain, I’m out in the Indian River Lagoon almost every day, and I teach our young people about the science that underlies the natural beauty we all love. Now, I am honored to serve on the Board of Directors of Keep Martin Beautiful and share its mission to do just what its name says: keep Martin County beautiful.
Along with the rest of you, I know Martin County is a special place. It’s changed a lot since I was a kid here, but it’s also stayed the same in two very important ways. We still have a lot of undeveloped, natural areas and those of us who love Martin County want to keep it that way.
That’s why I’ll be voting for the Martin County half-cent sales tax referendum in November.
Martin County Forever has it right. We need to buy as much environmentally sensitive lands as we can before they are developed. Because once they’re gone, they’re gone forever. Instead, if we purchase and protect them, these native lands will be here in perpetuity for the benefit of us, future generations and wildlife too.
Keep Martin Beautiful works year-round to reduce litter in our waterways, parks and roadways. We work with thousands of volunteers to help neighborhoods improve their appearance. And we are part of a vast coalition of residents and local organizations with a collective goal of preserving our natural environment and water quality. This devotion to keeping Martin County different from places north and south of us sets us apart.
But all that passion can’t compensate for losing critical, undeveloped land to development. That’s why we need to take action and buy the land. I’ve read the “fine print” of the ordinance and there are many safeguards that were put in place so that the right pieces of land are purchased and the agreements can never be undone.
I encourage you to join me in voting yes on the referendum to buy and save the land on November 5. Let’s do what we can now to keep Martin County beautiful. The youth of tomorrow will thank us.
John Vanilla's opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.
Since the publication of our last article, negotiations between the Martin County School District and MCEA have reached an impasse as the school district refuses to negotiate in good faith on issues that would significantly improve the lives of educators and the learning environments of students.
MCEA approached the negotiations table with three goals to accomplish by October 1: to continue building on the historic salary increases of last year that saw our veteran teachers receive a 6% increase in base pay, to provide relief to employees who have been hit hardest by increases to medical insurance, and to increase supplements so that teachers who work above and beyond contractual hours are fairly compensated for the extra work they do.
While MCEA and the Martin County School Board worked quickly to address the first two issues, the issue of supplements became a sticking point when the school board refused to fully compensate teachers who receive a supplement for working in the western part of the county (Indiantown). That proposal was rejected by the school board after the superintendent falsely declared an end to the negotiations before the board had an opportunity to respond to MCEA’s final offer.
By ratifying part of the contract while other sections still required a response, the board effectively engaged in piecemeal bargaining which would have resulted in a bifurcation of the contract. By splitting the contract up into parts, the board has chosen to pit educators against one another instead of resolving the issue all at once in a fair and equitable manner. Ultimately, this dispute will force both parties into mediation to assist in the resolution of the impasse, which will undoubtedly impact educators who have been waiting since August to receive the wage increases that have already been mutually agreed upon.
Educators are particularly disappointed in the turn of events because they recently witnessed a settlement agreement between the board and the union that resolved a grievance over the same western zone supplement at issue during these negotiation sessions. However, for those at the negotiating table, it seemed like more of the same. Despite this setback, MCEA is committed to achieving all three of their goals in order to secure a fair contract and a livable wage for all educators in the Martin County School District, and they look forward to presenting their arguments to the mediator who will undoubtedly agree that the union’s plan will help improve the lives of those who work so hard to take care of our most precious resource… our students.
Matt Theobald's opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.
Eye-opening Reasons to Get Your Eye Exam
I became an ophthalmologist because it is a privilege to have the opportunity to make an immediate impact on people’s lives. Many eye conditions and diseases are treatable, and the results can be life changing. I was also drawn to the field because of the incredible amount of innovation and research that is possible.
While I cherish the sense of community I get to partake in now that I am in a hospital leadership role, my first love is caring for people’s eyes and helping them preserve their eyesight. For example, my colleagues and I collaborated in writing a grant to help people with diabetes protect their eyesight (more on that in another column).
And I am pleased to share that Cleveland Clinic Martin Health is welcoming optometrist Kimberly Caracci, OD, to the community. She extends what I do in ophthalmology and retinal diagnoses with prevention and screening to help people improve their vision.
I am thrilled that we’re able to collaborate in offering exceptional care in medical ophthalmology and optometry. Whether you're seeking treatment for a common eye condition or a complex retinal issue, we’re here to provide you with compassionate, personalized care.
And because October is National Vision Awareness Month, I asked Dr. Caracci to help spread the word about preventing eye disease and all the reasons why you need to continue scheduling your eye exams, whether at Cleveland Clinic or at the eye clinic of your choice.
Here are just a few of Dr. Caracci’s reasons to schedule an eye exam:
1. Glaucoma screening – Eye doctors look for conditions that can only be seen with a dilated eye exam. Some of these conditions are things such as glaucoma. Glaucoma is a silent cause of blindness. We can catch it in a dilated eye examination before patients notice any change to their visual field. If we catch it early, we're able to treat it and prevent blindness.
2. Freckles – Did you know you can have freckles in the back of your eye? These are important to look at because a freckle (nevus) does have a risk of turning into melanoma in the back of your eye. During an eye exam we check for them, monitor for changes, and determine if further intervention is needed.
3. Flashes and floaters – Other things your eye care provider can see in the back of your eye are things such as holes and tears, which can be symptomatic or asymptomatic. Symptoms could include flashes, floaters, or partial blocking of the visual field. But if we catch the problem early, a retinal specialist can intervene to prevent complications that could potentially cause blindness.
4. I’m not blurry, you’re blurry – You may not know you're seeing blurry until you see clearly for the first time. Oftentimes patients come in and say, “I see fine.” You show them 20-20, and they realize they can’t see so well.
5. Chronic diseases – Certain systemic diseases can affect your eyes. Two of the main conditions are high blood pressure and diabetes. People can develop diabetic retinopathy and not realize it until it affects their vision. During a dilated eye examination, we can treat and monitor diabetic retinopathy. In fact, Cleveland Clinic is determined to catch diabetic retinopathy early. We have started a diabetic screening program where primary care doctors and other physicians can order a diabetic eye imaging panel. This screening takes images and scans of the back of your eye. We review these images personally and schedule follow ups based on the results.
6. Screen time – Your eyes are not meant to look up close for extended periods of time. Looking up close for extended periods of time can cause fatigue and accommodative spasm. In addition, it has been linked to increasing the prevalence of myopia. Reducing screen time is important for normal eye development, posture, eye strain, and headaches. There are screen time recommendations:
- 0 to 18 months: no screen time, unless you're FaceTiming with grandparents or away family members so they can see the baby.
- 18-24 months: under an hour.
- 2-5 years old: 0-3 hours.
- 6-17 years: about 2 hours.
7. Sun damage – In Florida, UV rays are very intense. UV rays on the surface of your eye can cause something known as surfer's eye, and clinically known as pinguecula and pterygium. These are tissue growths on the surface of your eye. They are benign, but a lot of patients are really bothered by them and wish that they were never there. We can remove them surgically, but it's just always best to prevent it from happening, and so that's why UV sunglasses are really important in Florida and everywhere.
Take a moment to think about the last time you saw the eye doctor. If you’re due for an eye exam, don’t hesitate to call.
The mission of Cleveland Clinic Ophthalmology in Florida is to enhance vision health and improve the quality of life for our patients. We are committed to staying at the forefront of ophthalmic research and technology to deliver the best possible results.
Dr. Kimberly Caracci, OD, is seeing patients at Martin North Hospital by calling 772-219-1026 and remaining on the line to leave a message for the ophthalmology department.
Rishi P. Singh's opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.
We hope by now many Friends & Neighbors readers will have started seeing our campaign information. Mailers have gone out, our social media platforms are active, and we’ve been sending out e-mail communications. You’ll start to see print and digital ads as well as large and small yard signs and two big electronic billboards. We’re doing everything we can to get the facts out about the referendum on the ballot on November 5 to Protect Water Quality, Natural Areas and Wildlife Habitat.
In the course of the last two years of working on this environmental initiative, we never came across a single person who said “Yay! I love taxes. Let’s raise them!”
But what we did hear overwhelmingly was how concerned Martin County voters are about growth and development and how they want to protect what makes Martin County different from places to the north and south.
If we want to be certain that Martin County preserves its very special character, and we put a stop to insane ideas like the recent proposals to put golf courses and hotels in our State Parks then we must take matters into our own hands.
That’s why we need to act now to Buy the Land and preserve these natural areas before they are developed and gone forever. There are about 46,000 acres of additional lands identified on Martin County’s Environmental Sensitive Lands that are at risk of development.
If you support the referendum, WE NEED YOUR HELP to be successful. Please read on about upcoming events and activities and be a part of the campaign in whatever way suits you.
Volunteers Needed at Upcoming Events!
Help distribute materials, man booths, wave signs
Rally to Buy the Land
Thu., Oct. 10
5:30 p.m.to 7:30 p.m.
Dolphin Bar & Shrimp House
1401 NE Indian River Dr in Jensen Beach
Light eats will be served
Rally to Buy the Land
Thu., Oct. 17
5:30 p.m.to 7:30 p.m.
The Flagler Cetner of Stuart
201 SW Flagler Ave in downtown Stuart
Light eats will be served
“Firefest” Event
Sat., Oct 19
1 p.m. – 9 p.m. - Two shifts
Jonathan Dickinson State Park
Volunteers receive a free pass to the event.
Sign Waving & Material Distribution at
Various Polling Places
Mon., Oct. 21
Sat., Nov 2
8 a.m. – 5 p.m. – multiple shifts
Locations to be determined
To volunteer, contact our Committee Chairman Lorraine Kayser
512-659-9022 or lgkbradley@gmail.com
Would You Like to Share, Wear and Display Something?
Yard signs, buttons, bumper stickers, hats, koozies, rack cards and other materials are available for pick-up at these two locations.
The Firefly Group
1211 SW Sunset Trail in Palm City
772-287-5272
Mon – Fri
9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Stuart Angler Bait and Tackle
4695 SE Dixie Hwy in Stuart
772-288-1219
Mon - Fri 7 a.m. – 7 p,m,
Sat 6 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Sun 6 a.m. – 3 p.m.
If your business would also like to be a pick-up location, please let us know.
For more info visit www.martincountyforever.com.
Incorporating Machine Learning into Decision Making
As a business owner, I'm always seeking ways to improve operations and stay ahead. You need to adapt with tech advancements and one of those ways to advance is an area called Machine Learning (ML).
ML uses programming and statistical models on data, improving automatically with experience. In a sense machine learning is the forerunner of what we now call AI as it allows computers to learn without explicit programming. Simply put, ML teaches computers to make decisions based on data patterns and trends.
ML has been around for a long time but really started taking hold in the last 10 years. Yes, machines (or actually the software) have been teaching themselves for at least that long. Large corporations have leveraged ML for some time, and most of us haven’t even noticed. Anti-virus software is an example of how through ML, software was able to learn what to look out for and “teach” itself to be better at stopping viruses. The biggest difference between ML and AI is that ML needs patterns and trends to decide or learn, AI can “think for itself” without a specific pattern or trend.
The question becomes should you implement ML or AI in your life?
The answer is Yes!
Right now, if you have a repetitive pattern or trend that you can duplicate over and over with a known result, ML can be an effective, easy way to take that burden off your shoulders. If you have a repetitive task where data lacks a pattern or isn’t predictable then AI can do a better job. Pick your automation based on what you need to accomplish. AI isn’t the only automation, efficiency generating, option out there.
What are the advantages of ML? One key advantage is ML's ability to handle vast amounts of data quickly and accurately. Customer interactions, sales figures, and social media using ML algorithms can analyze this data in real-time and extract insights and make decisions meeting company goals.
Another is ML is precise and efficient decision-making compared to decisions that rely on human judgment, which can be biased and error prone. Without personal opinions, you get more objective decisions, and ML can learn and improve continuously, ensuring decisions are based on the latest information. This can lead to new opportunities, operational efficiency and a competitive edge.
By automating repetitive tasks and streamlining processes, employees can focus on critical tasks requiring human skills, increasing productivity and job satisfaction.
So, incorporating ML into our decision-making is crucial for staying competitive and informed. It’s established, and while AI gets all the buzz, ML is there to take on a load of work. It’s often already built into products you own or pay for.
Leverage ML for your business and personal life and you’ll be surprised at how easy it can be to make your world better and more productive.
Eric Kiehn’s opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.
The Case for Brightline: A Once in Lifetime Opportunity for Stuart and Martin County.
Some History: In 1968, passenger rail service to Stuart, Florida, was discontinued, leaving a void in the region's transportation infrastructure. Over the following decades, downtown Stuart, like many similar towns, experienced significant economic decline. By the 1970s, ‘80s, and early ‘90s, downtown was a shadow of its former self. Empty, lifeless, and lacking the vibrancy that once characterized the area. The City of Stuart was faced with a critical challenge: how to revitalize its core and foster long-term prosperity.
In the 1990s, visionaries like Joan Jefferson, Jeff Krauskopf, and Julie Priest took bold steps toward revitalizing Downtown Stuart. These efforts sparked renewed interest in restoring the area. It was thought that the return of passenger rail service would be crucial to achieving this vision. A train station in downtown Stuart was subsequently incorporated into the city's Comprehensive Growth Management Plan and CRA Plan as a key component of the town's future.
Brightline's Arrival: Controversy and Concerns
Fast forward to 2012, when the Brightline (formerly known as All Aboard Florida) passenger rail service was announced. The idea was of a rail service connecting Miami to Orlando and passing directly through Stuart. The proposal of 32 daily trains moving through Martin County raised significant worries among local residents. Chief among these concerns were the potential risks to intersection safety, increased traffic delays, problems with the St. Lucie River railroad bridge, and, notably, the absence of a planned train station in Stuart. In response, Martin County, with the support of Stuart, sued All Aboard Florida to protect the interests of the community.
However, in 2018, Martin County reached a settlement with Brightline, a turning point in the region's relationship with the rail service. One key aspect of the settlement was Brightline's commitment to build a station in either Martin or St. Lucie County within five years of launching its Orlando service. If Martin County were chosen, the county would be responsible for half the cost of the station's construction.
Brightline Service to Orlando and Stuart's Station
On September 22, 2023, Brightline officially began its service to Orlando, and soon after, issued a request for proposals for the location of a new station. Martin County and the City of Stuart collaborated to submit a joint proposal, suggesting a station on Flagler Avenue, behind the Martin County Courthouse.
In March 2024, Brightline announced that Stuart had been selected for the new station. This was a landmark moment for the city and the county as both parties entered negotiations with Brightline to finalize the terms of the agreement. The final deal differed somewhat from the initial proposal, with Martin County committing up to $15 million and the City of Stuart contributing up to $30 million toward the station. While the proposed parking garage was removed from the plans, the option to build one in the future remained open.
The station’s financial arrangement includes an important detail: the Property Appraiser will assess the value of the Brightline station, and Brightline will be required to pay taxes on that valuation. This means that, unlike other publicly funded infrastructure projects, this station will directly contribute to local tax revenues. Additionally, Brightline will also be responsible for all operations of the station, ensuring no additional operational burdens on local taxpayers.
Funding the Station: A Smart Financial Plan
One of the most pressing questions for taxpayers is: How will Stuart pay for its portion of the station? The answer lies in the city's Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) and its use of Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds. These funds, which are generated by the incremental increase in property tax revenues within the CRA district, are specifically earmarked for improvements within the area. Since the train station is included in the CRA Plan, no additional taxes will need to be raised to cover the city's portion of the costs.
Currently, Stuart receives nearly $6 million annually in TIF money, with approximately $3.5 million of that coming from Martin County. The Stuart CRA has roughly $23 million in reserves, which means that Stuart can theoretically pay for the station in cash over time, ensuring that the project does not create new financial burdens on local taxpayers.
The Value of a Train Station to Stuart and Martin County
The MCTA feels that the introduction of a Brightline station in Stuart is more than just a transportation project; it is a catalyst for economic development. Here are some of the key benefits:
1. Direct Value to the Community: Without a local stop, the Brightline service offers no direct benefits to Stuart or Martin County. A station connects the region to major hubs like Miami and Orlando, enhancing the community's appeal to both tourists and businesses.
2. Transportation Options: For residents, the station will provide an alternative to driving, making it easier to access major airports and reducing the need to navigate heavy traffic on I-95 or the Turnpike.
3. Increased Tax Base: The areas surrounding the station will likely see significant redevelopment, leading to increased property values and a broader tax base. Increasing the tax base will help avoid tax increases while fostering long-term economic prosperity.
4. Reduced Traffic Congestion: With over 1.5 million annual visitors coming to Stuart from South Florida and Orlando, it is anticipated that many of these travelers will choose to take the train, reducing vehicle traffic in downtown Stuart.
5. Economic Development and Job Creation: The station will help attract higher-paying jobs to Stuart and Martin County, further supporting the community's growth. Additionally, the ongoing operations of the station will create local jobs, contributing to job retention and creation in the area.
6. Downtown Business Growth: The influx of visitors and commuters via the Brightline service will generate more foot traffic in Downtown Stuart. This will result in increased business for local shops, restaurants, and service providers, while also driving job growth in the downtown area.
7. Environmental Benefits: In its first year of operations to Orlando, Brightline has carried 2.6 million passengers, meaning there were 1.9 million fewer cars on roads like I-95 and the Turnpike, easing congestion and reducing pollution.
A Vision for the Future
The return of passenger rail service to Stuart has been a vision of local leaders for many years. What began as a dream to revitalize a struggling downtown has now become a reality, thanks to the perseverance of the community and the strategic vision of its leaders. The MCTA supports a station in the county and preferably in the City of Stuart.
MCTA's opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.
The September 26 Rivers Coalition meeting featured a presentation by Col. Brandon Bowman, the new Commander of the Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District, of updates on the Corps’ projects. A representative from the South Florida Water Management District was also scheduled to give updates on their projects but was trying to deal with Hurricane Helene and unable to join us, and Col. Bowman had to leave early for the same reason. The updates were thus somewhat incomplete.
Col. Bowman reported that, after a seemingly-endless process, the new Lake Okeechobee Systems Operating Manual which replaced the 2008 version is now in effect. It will prevent discharges from the lake 95% of the time, give the Corps much more flexibility in managing the lake, and involves local stakeholders in the decision-making process. These are real positives for the St. Lucie Estuary.
Meanwhile, the C-44 Reservoir and Stormwater Treatment Area northeast of Indiantown is now in the testing phase. It was designed to treat runoff (rainwater) before it gets into the St. Lucie Canal, and is already reducing phosphorous content by 80%. During the testing process, the C-44 water level is being held at 10 feet, but will go up 15 feet when the process is completed in 2026. The C-44 is thus an important step forward to make Estuary water healthier.
The Corps’ other big project impacting us is the huge A-2 Stormwater Treatment Area south of the lake. When it’s done, the Corps will be able to send a lot more water south; enough to lower the lake level by half a foot, in fact. Alas, these things take a long, long time to build; the A-2 won’t be fully operational for another 6-8 years. Col. Bowman stressed, however, that only water from the lake will flow through the A-2 project; it is not a place for Big Sugar to dump their runoff.
John Maehle, from Martin County, reported that they have planted 13 acres of seagrass so far this year. He also proudly announced the county has met 100% of their regulatory benchmarks, adding that “we always try to exceed them, not just meet them”.
Finally, a sour note: Mark Perry reported that conditions in the Estuary were “very bad” due to all the rain runoff of late which have lowered salinity levels significantly. Given all the rain Hurricane Helene dumped on the West Coast, Georgia and North Carolina, though, “very bad” is a whole lot better than what those folks have to deal with.
Know Us Before You Need Us…
The Area Agency on Aging (Agency) is a local non-profit organization whose mission is to promote, support and advocate for the well-being and independence of seniors, adults with disabilities and their caregivers.
The Agency has an established network of providers who provide home and community-based services to qualifying seniors and caregivers. This is referred to as the Aging Network.
Our goal is to keep seniors independent in their homes and out of institutional care for as long as possible. This contributes to a higher quality of life and more cost-effective delivery of care as compared to an institutional setting, such as a nursing home.
When the federal government created Medicare and Medicaid, there was a third program intended to support the social determinants of health for Older Americans.
The Older Americans Act of 1965 established the ability to create a national network to support the social needs of the elderly. The implementation was left to the State Units on Aging and in Florida, the Department of Elder Affairs has that responsibility.
There are the 11 Area Agencies on Aging that each serve a distinct region of Florida. Our Agency encompasses the service area of Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Okeechobee and Indian River counties.
The Agency operates a helpline staffed with specially trained professionals who provide vital information and resources to older adults, persons with disabilities and their caregivers so they can live and age with independence and dignity. The Helpline may be reached tollfree at 1-866-684-5885. The Helpline is also the gateway to State Medicaid Managed Care for Long Term Care (SMMCLTC), assisting functionally impaired seniors and disabled adults at risk of nursing home placement.
Aging gracefully is sometimes more complicated than it seems. As we reach a mature age, we appreciate what’s behind us but don’t always anticipate what the needs may be in the future. This may include navigating physical changes, cognitive issues, mental health, declining health, mobility, food security, self-care and social isolation. The Agency is here as a resource and our associates are experts in aging and care for the elderly.
The Agency delivers services through contracted Aging Network providers. We have
Lead Agency providers in each of the counties we serve. The Lead Agency provides case management and a coordinated system of care for the client. They complete a thorough in-home assessment with the client and caregiver and develop a care plan to meet the client’s needs. They also follow up to see that services are delivered as required.
In the Treasure Coast, Lead Agency providers include the Kane Center/Council on Aging of Martin County, Council on Aging of St. Lucie, Okeechobee Senior Services and Senior Resource Association in Indian River County.
Know us before you need us. The Helpline may be reached at 1-866-684-588.
Dwight Chenette’s opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.
Local Bakery Launches Special Product for Foster Parents
Hobe Sound – Denise Natalizio knows foster care; she’s made a life supporting local people who open their hearts and their homes to children who have been abused, neglected or abandoned.
Natalizio is the Martin County Director and oversees foster parent licensing for Communities Connected for Kids, the nonprofit organization that oversees the child-welfare system in Okeechobee and the Treasure Coast.
When she decided to open her own cottage industry – The Good Loaf Bakery – foster care was still first in mind.
Indeed, she debuted the gratitude loaf, a sourdough recipe dedicated to foster parents, within weeks of opening. Customers who order the bakery’s signature Perri bread can purchase the gratitude loaf for a discount, and the Good Loaf will deliver it free of charge.
“Foster parents open their hearts and homes to take in abused, neglected and abandoned children,” Natalizio said. “Let’s come together as a community to give back to those who have given so much to our community.”
Henley FamilyPhoto
Like many people trying to fill their time during the lockdown of 2020, Natalizio began baking bread for her friends and neighbors during the COVID pandemic. And last year, she started baking sourdough.
She opened the Good Loaf Bakery this July.
“I really loved giving away bread, and seeing how that makes people feel,” she said. “I started following micro bakery women on line and thought, ‘Hey, I can do that’.”
Natalizio’s orders increased from about two to 15 loaves per bake day in just the first month.
“We’ve had a great response from the community, people sharing their bread stories, and I really love seeing my neighbors order bread to share with one another,” she said.
Natalizio’s own story began with her mother, Pierrette, for whom the baker named her signature loaf, the Perri. The original sourdough bread is a “well-balanced combination of tangy deliciousness, a chewy texture and crispy crust,” she said.
“My youngest memories are of my brother and me sitting in the back seat of the car after a stop at our local bakery. Mom would pass a warm loaf to us in the back seat, and it would be gone before we got home.”
Natalizio hails from a family of entrepreneurs and has herself forged her own path through the business world in the past, having run her first business in her 20s as the co-owner of two car stereo retail stores and as an independent contractor teaching English in the Dominican Republic.
Natalizio said her next business goal is to increase production and expand into farmers markets when the cooler season begins. And to raise awareness for the Gratitude Loaf.
So far, she has delivered loaves to 10 local foster families. She also delivers to La Haia, a homeless camp in Martin County.
All menu items are pre-ordered through the HotPlate.com/goodloafbakery.
Place of Hope Treasure Coast to Officially Open & Welcome its First Young Residents
Foster Children will Soon be Living at the Marshall E. Rinker Sr. Family Foundation Neighborhood Foster Care Cottage
STUART, Fla., - September 23, 2024 - It’s the beginning of a new era on the Treasure Coast. Place of Hope is thrilled to announce the Marshall E. Rinker Sr. Family Foundation Neighborhood Foster Care Cottage on Place of Hope’s new Bender Family Campus in Stuart is opening its doors to its first foster children. This marks a significant moment as it will be the first time anyone has lived on campus since Place of Hope acquired the property more than 2 years ago. The cottage will provide a loving family-style environment, offering them the support, care, and skills they need to thrive in life. The cottage was made possible by the generosity longtime Place of Hope supporters Drs. David and Leighan Rinker.
At the heart of this incredible milestone are Marcus and Danielle Stanton, beloved cottage parents from Place of Hope’s Paxson Campus in Palm Beach Gardens. The Stanton’s have fostered more than 14 children and adopted two of their own. Their leadership will ensure a seamless transition of Place of Hope’s legacy of compassion to the Treasure Coast community as they welcome their six new arrivals from across our local area.
WHAT:
· Ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Marshall E. Rinker Sr. Family Foundation Neighborhood Foster Care Cottage
WHEN:
· Monday, September 23, 2024, at 9:00 AM
WHERE:
· Place of Hope's Bender Family Campus
1490 SE Cove Rd., Stuart, FL 34997
VISUALS & INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES
· The ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring Place of Hope founding CEO Charles Bender, Drs. David and Leighan Rinker, and community supporters
· Cottage Parents Marcus & Danielle Stanton
· Campus tour updating progress on the programs for young mothers and aged-out youth
· Limited access for video and photos inside foster cottage common areas (Please RSVP)
· TBA Place of Hope alumni
· TBA local Martin County leaders
This Cottage represents the first step in an expansive vision to address the critical needs of foster children and other vulnerable populations on the Treasure Coast. By the end of the year, the Berlin Family Foundation Mommy and Me Cottage will also open, offering support and housing for single mothers and their children. In addition, affordable transitional housing for aged-out foster youth is currently under construction, as Place of Hope expands its services to meet the needs of this underserved community. These are all necessary levels of care for Place of Hope to achieve its ultimate goal of ending the cycles of abuse, neglect, poverty, homelessness and human trafficking.​
ARC OF THE TREASURE COAST-OWNED ALICE’S FAMILY RESTAURANT REOPENS WITH A FRESH NEW LOOK FOLLOWING RECENT RENOVATIONS
Stuart, FL. – Alice’s Family Restaurant, A Caring Cafe in Stuart reopened for business on Tuesday, September 24th, 2024, following a much-needed facelift. The restaurant, located at 2781 S.E. Ocean Blvd., now has a fresh new look.
Alice’s closed two weeks ago for renovations funded by Impact100 Martin and the Loblolly Foundation. Some of the improvements include new flooring, a new training room build out, new POS system, tables, chairs and booths. Also, there is new lighting, painting and décor throughout the restaurant. In the kitchen, we replaced all appliances to include a gas stove and fryer, new grill, freezer and prep tables, refrigerators, soda dispensers, counter tops and added a barista bar.
ARC of the Treasure Coast acquired the restaurant late last year. Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities are trained and employed to work at Alice’s collaborating with Treasure Coast & Indian River Provisions, Boar's Head distributors to focus intense training in the food service arena.
Please stop by to check out the changes and enjoy a delicious meal while supporting our local non-profit. Alice’s Family Restaurant, A Caring Cafe helps to provide services and support to ARC of the Treasure Coast children and adults with disabilities, as well as their families.
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.
Banner Lake Early Learning Center Teachers earn CDA’s
Professional development is a priority at Banner Lake Early Learning Center. We employ a well-trained and educated teaching staff. We also provide ample time and opportunity for them to further their education, attend training, and earn credentials. Often, we are even able to help our staff with financial assistance to meet their educational goals. Six of our teachers have recently met the requirements to earn their Child Development Associate. The first step was a CDA fast track course in Orlando Florida. These teachers became dedicated and hardworking students to complete their training, pass their written assessments, and perform well for observations. Thank you, Mary, Alejandra, Yanina, Tess, Tiannea and Kaila, for your dedication and enthusiasm. Staff education is crucial for a high quality and successful early learning program. It is not an unusual event for us to celebrate educational milestones for our early learning staff. Many have already earned CDA’s, college degrees, and other credentials. We would also like to thank the Community Foundation of Martin and St Lucie Counties for making this possible with their generous support!
Humane Society plans Whiskers for Whiskey fundraising event
STUART, Fla. — Whiskers for Whiskey! That’s the name of the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast’s next “fun-raising” and fundraising event. The nonprofit organization is partnering with The Chef’s Table and Libations Mobile Catering Co. to present the affair at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 25, at The Chef’s Table, 2313 SE Ocean Blvd.
A representative from Rabbit Hole Distillery will guide guests through an aromatic, flavorful tour designed to unlock their senses. As attendees savor every sip, they also will enjoy chef-prepared cuisine to accompany each pour. To see what’s being served, those interested in attending may get a sneak peek of the menu at bit.ly/4dNtY3Z. Bob Slater, Patty & Roger Kamerer
Tickets are $150 per person (must be at least 21 years) and must be purchased in advance online at https://bit.ly/3Z7i7t6. Ticket sales will close Sept. 16.
George Olson of Chef's Table
“The Chef’s Table always provides the perfect four-course pairing with the various pours,” said Sarah Fisher, the humane society’s communications manager. “At the same time, guests learn more about the different varieties of whiskey.”
Each guest will automatically be entered to win 'Dinner for Two' at The Chef’s Table, which will include a bottle of whiskey, courtesy of Libations Mobile Catering Co. Valued at $150, the prize package is exclusively available to event attendees. Each attendee will receive one raffle ticket. To increase the chance of winning, guests may buy additional raffle tickets for $20/each, which further supports the shelter animals’ care.
Ron & Sandy Owens, Kurt Wienants and Grant Whitcomb
Whiskers for Whiskey is generously sponsored by Stuart Magazine and Tankersley Chiropractic.
For more information, contact Community Events Specialist Alyssa Bean at 772-600-3215 or Events@hstc1.org. Or visit the website, https://hstc1.org/Post/Whiskers-for-Whiskey. For event sponsorship information, contact Development Manager Ashton Standish at 772-600-3216 or Astandish@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
Palm Beach County Awards $250k Grant to West Palm Beach-based Nonprofit 1909
Funding Enables 1909 to Help More Palm Beach County Entrepreneurs Grow and Achieve Sustainability
West Palm Beach, FL – September 17, 2024 – 1909, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs and small business owners, announced today it has received a $250,000 grant from Palm Beach County. The funding, which will be spread over two years, will enable 1909 to expand its services, reaching more entrepreneurs and businesses throughout Palm Beach County. It will also provide year-round programming focused on growth and sustainability, support entrepreneurs at every stage of their business journey, and complement the range of entrepreneur-focused programs already supported by the County.
1909, named after the year Palm Beach County was established, is dedicated to providing entrepreneurs, small business owners, and creatives with the resources and support they need to succeed. Through affordable workspace, educational programming, mentorship, and events, 1909 empowers individuals to build a better tomorrow for themselves, their families, and the community. The nonprofit reported that in 2023 alone, its members generated over $37 million in economic impact to Palm Beach County.
"1909 has emerged as a beacon of innovation and entrepreneurship in Palm Beach County. By providing mentorship, resources, and a collaborative community, 1909 is empowering the next generation of business leaders and creators,” said Palm Beach County Commissioner Gregg K. Weiss. “Their work is vital in diversifying our local economy and positioning Palm Beach County as a hub for cutting-edge ideas and businesses. I am convinced that the ripple effects of their efforts will be felt in our community for years to come and that’s why I’m delighted that we were able to support them with these funds.”
With the support of the grant, 1909 will launch a new “Scale Up” initiative, which will expand countywide programming to include support for scaling business needs such as client acquisition strategies, access to capital, talent recruitment, HR management, and business development. The program will also provide founders expert mentorship and opportunities to network with potential corporate partners and investors.
The programming will be accessible to entrepreneurs and founders across all 39 municipalities in Palm Beach County, as well as those in unincorporated areas. Shana Ostrovitz, Executive Director of 1909, shared that the grant will enable 1909 to effectively double the number of businesses it supports through its programming, while also expanding its mentorship capabilities.
Ostrovitz added: “This grant is a game-changer for our organization and the hundreds of entrepreneurs and small businesses in Palm Beach County that we can now support. With this new partnership and the County’s $250k backing, we can fulfill our mission of guiding entrepreneurs from Boca Raton to Jupiter and beyond as they grow and evolve their businesses. Our top priority is ensuring these businesses are sustainable and can continue to thrive right here in Palm Beach County.”
About 1909:
1909 is a non-profit membership organization dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs, small business owners, and creatives in Palm Beach County. Through affordable workspace, educational programming, mentorship, and events, 1909 provides individuals with the resources and support they need to succeed in their entrepreneurial endeavors. For more information about 1909, please visit www.weare1909.org.
Chuck Shaffer Named 2024-2025 Campaign Chair for
United Way of Martin County
STUART, FL – United Way of Martin County is proud to announce that Chuck Shaffer, Chairman and CEO of Seacoast Bank, will serve as the 2024-2025 Campaign Chair. In this leadership role, Chuck will guide and inspire the organization’s annual fundraising efforts, serving as the public face of the campaign. As a United Way board member with extensive experience and deep community ties, Chuck is poised to rally support for our mission, ensuring we can continue to mobilize resources and sustain critical programs that enhance the quality of life for Martin County residents.
The Campaign Chair plays a vital role in setting the strategic direction of the fundraising efforts, driving community engagement, and ensuring that the financial goals of the campaign are met. This position is crucial in helping United Way of Martin County provide funding to over 40 local programs and initiatives that focus on education, financial security and health.
Seacoast Bank, one of the largest community banks in Martin County and across Florida, has stood as a pillar of financial resilience and community service for nearly 100 years. Under Chuck’s leadership, Seacoast Bank has been a steadfast supporter of United Way, consistently ranking as the #2 Most Generous Workplace Campaign and significantly contributing to the organization’s efforts to create lasting change. Chuck’s appointment as Campaign Chair underscores the bank’s dedication to making a positive impact in our community.
“We are thrilled to have Chuck Shaffer leading our 2024-2025 campaign,” said Carol G. Houwaart-Diez, President and CEO of United Way of Martin County. “His leadership, experience, and passion for our community make him an ideal choice to guide our efforts in addressing the critical needs of our residents.”
Chuck’s involvement with United Way is a testament to his commitment to the well-being of Martin County residents. As Campaign Chair, he will be instrumental in ensuring that the organization continues to meet its mission of advancing the common good and creating a brighter future where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
###
About United Way of Martin County
Since 1972, United Way of Martin County has been dedicated to creating long-term social change and providing support to residents. With a mission to improve the education, financial security and health in Martin County, United Way invests in impactful programs that enhance quality of life and ensure everyone has the opportunity to thrive. To learn more about United Way of Martin County, visit www.unitedwaymartin.org.
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR PALM BEACH AND MARTIN COUNTIES ANNOUNCES RESULTS OF FISCAL YEAR
Nonprofit Raises Single Year Record of $31.8 Million; Funds to Benefit Nonprofits, Communities and Individuals Across Palm Beach and Martin Counties
West Palm Beach, Fla. (September 6, 2024) – The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties, a nonprofit organization that leads partnerships with donors, nonprofits and community members to solve the region’s chronic and emerging issues, today announced the results of its 2024 fiscal year, posting a single year record for most dollars raised. The nonprofit raised $31.8 million, which is an increase of 12% over the previous year.
“As I reflect on this remarkable year in the Community Foundation’s history, I am grateful that our Board had the vision and collaborative spirit to create a strategic plan that was challenging — yet achievable,” said Danita R. DeHaney, President & CEO, Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties. “This year, we have not only met, but exceeded many of our goals, which is a testament to the dedication and passion of our team, donors, nonprofit partners, and everyone involved.”
Marti LaTour and George T. Elmore 2024 Mcintosh Award Winners
Highlights from FY 2024
- Almost $22 Million in Grants Allocated: Through 1,155 grants totaling $21.7 million, this fiscal year, the Community Foundation empowered 609 organizations to deliver their outstanding programming and grow their capacity to do good. The top three grantmaking focus areas for the Community Foundation included Human Services, Arts, Culture & Humanities, and Education.
- Rewarded Over $1.4 Million in Scholarships: The Community Foundation awarded 117 scholarships totaling more than $1.3 million to recent high school graduates enrolling in college for the 2024 academic year. To date, the Community Foundation has provided over $17.7 million in scholarships. The Foundation currently hosts 123 scholarship funds.
- 2024 McIntosh Award: Philanthropist George T. Elmore was recognized with the 2024 McIntosh Award at the Founders Luncheon, which helped raise support for early literacy efforts. The prestigious award, which is named after Winsome and Michael McIntosh, who founded the Community Foundation in 1972, is presented annually to an individual or organization who has made significant contributions to the community.
- Visit to Israel: In February, DeHaney joined with seven local non-Jewish leaders in addition to Jewish Federation executives to travel to Israel for one week. The trip, which was sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County and its new entity, the Palm Beach Center to Combat Antisemitism & Hatred, gave the participants a new sense of familiarity with Israel’s complex situation and the challenges facing Jewish people around the world and here at home.
- Season to Share: Thanks to the Community Foundation’s strong partnership with The Palm Beach Post, readers donated $488,290 to neighbors in need as part of the newspaper’s Season to Share campaign. Each year, the campaign calls on nonprofit organizations in Palm Beach and Martin counties to nominate an individual or family who is need of the community’s support. Readers have donated nearly $17 million through Season to Share since 1995. The Community Foundation serves as the fiscal agent for the campaign.
For more information, please visit https://yourcommunityfoundation.org.
About the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties
The Community Foundation is a nonprofit organization that leads philanthropy locally. The Foundation provides charitable expertise and vehicles to increase the investment options on behalf of individuals, family foundations, and corporations. Since 1972, the Foundation has distributed over $200 million in grants and scholarships aimed at closing the area’s opportunity gaps. With its vast network of donors and nonprofit partners, the Foundation supports initiatives that improve education and youth, economic opportunity, thriving communities, and crisis preparation and response. Learn more at https://yourcommunityfoundation.org.
Community Foundation awards grant to Education Foundation of Martin County
STUART, Fla. — The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties has awarded a $49,000 grant to the Education Foundation of Martin County.
Education Foundation Staff
This funding will support the Education Foundation’s efforts to continue strengthening organizational operations and programs by investing in staff expansion and retention. This will benefit Martin County public schools, teachers and students.
Lisa Rhodes, the Education Foundation’s executive director, expressed her gratitude to the Community Foundation for its important support.
“This grant will enable us to successfully grow our operations and expand our programming,” said Rhodes, “Our goal of increasing student reading proficiency is one of many benefits that this grant supports.”
For more information on the Education Foundation and its programs, 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 the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties, Inc.
The Community Foundation strengthens the local communities by leading philanthropy and solutions through its direct work in partnership with donors, nonprofits and the community. The 501(c)3 nonprofit Foundation is the foremost resource for convening partners to elevate people, improve lives and make the community a better place to live
Martin Artisan Guild’s Fall into Art and Chances for Art to Run Simultaneously
By Jackie Holfelder
You can double your pleasure at Martin Artisan Guild autumnal doubleheader, Fall into Art and Chances for Art. They run simultaneously at the Palm Room Art Gallery and Artisans Boutique located in Harbour Bay Plaza.
Both shows started on September 4 and run through November 2.
Participating artists in Fall Into Art include:
· Carolyn Walsh
· Caryl Pomales
· Chris Kling
· Cynthia Cooper
· Danuta Rothschild
· James J. DeMartis
· Doreen E. Lepore
· Dot Galfond
· Ed Douglas
· Glen Allen
· Glenda Skarie
· James J. DeMartis
· Jane Lawton Baldridge
· Jose Farino
· Linda Reymore
· Lynn Morgan
· Mallo Bisset
· Mickey Rudolph
· Patricia Pasbrig
· Suzan Allen
· Wayne King
Glenda Skarie
CTWH Announces Partnership with Monique Burr Foundation
By Jackie Holfelder
The Monique Burr Foundation for Children (MBF), a nonprofit organization located in Jacksonville, was founded in 1997 to educate and protect children and teens from all types of bullying, abuse, and other types of child victimization using evidence-based and evidence-informed prevention education programs.
Sarah Marie Henry, executive director of Catch the Wave of Hope (CTWH), recently announced a new partnership with MBF.
The CTWH team completed the Monique Burr Foundation’s Facilitator Training in the Child & Teen Safety Matters Curriculum, which gives CTWH leadership the credentials and resources to offer MBF curriculum in any Florida school at no charge to the school.
Sarah Marie Henry Executive Director of Catch the Wave of Hope
This evidence-based curriculum is approved by the Florida Board of Education and meets the state mandate on Human Trafficking Prevention for all K-12 grade students.
This important designation allows schools to outsource this required program. It is especially important because not all human trafficking training programs have state approval.
Henry says that when schools permit Catch the Wave of Hope staff present the MBF program to their students, it decreases the workload for school personnel while equipping youth with the information they need to protect themselves from this ever-increasing threat to their safety and well-being.
To find out more about how Catch the Wave of Hope can bring this important educational tool to your school, contact Sarah Marie Henry at sarahmarie.henry@catchthewaveofhope.org.
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR PALM BEACH AND MARTIN COUNTIES
LAUNCHES 2025 COMPETITIVE GRANTMAKING CYCLE
Grant-Seeker Sessions, Open to All Nonprofits in or Serving Palm Beach and Martin Counties, Will Take Place in Delray Beach, Stuart, West Palm Beach, Belle Glade, and on Zoom in November
West Palm Beach, FL (September 24, 2024) – The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties today announced the kickoff of its 2025 competitive “Community Impact” grantmaking cycle. Applications open for nonprofit organizations in Palm Beach and Martin Counties on November 1, 2024 and close on December 20, 2024. Award recipients will be announced in late Spring of 2025.
Past Grant Recipient Delray Beach Public Library
Nonprofits can apply for year-round or summer grants that support programs or general operations. The Community Foundation offers competitive grant awards of up to $75,000. This year, the Community Foundation has a special pool of multi-year grants of up to $100,000 that are dedicated to organizations focused on literacy.
The competitive grantmaking cycle will prioritize the following areas:
- Economic Opportunity: Programs that focus on job training and workforce development that lead to greater economic success and an improved quality of life (e.g. financial literacy, vocational skills, life skills, etc.).
- Education and Youth: Programs that will lead young people to their fullest potential (e.g. early childhood literacy, mentoring, internships, etc.).
- Thriving Communities: Programs that address a broad range of issues aligned with current community needs (e.g., arts and culture, housing, hunger, mental health, the environment, etc.).
“Our competitive Community Impact grants are the heart and soul of what we do at the Community Foundation,” said Julie Fisher Cummings, Chair of the Community Foundation’s Community Impact Committee. “Identifying the greatest needs in our community and partnering with those nonprofit organizations that are equipped and capable to address them is at the core of our mission. At the end of the day, our rigorous grantmaking process should give confidence to both the donors who support it, and the nonprofit organizations who are selected to receive the grants.”
Those interested in learning more about the process are invited to attend grant-seeker sessions, which will take place in November. Registration is online at yourcommunityfoundation.org.
General Grant-Seeker Sessions include the following:
- Belle Glade: November 6, 2024 from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Student ACES Center, 915 S. Main Street, Belle Glade, FL 33430
- Delray Beach: November 8, 2024 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Delray Beach Public Library, 100 W Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach, FL 33444
- West Palm Beach: November 12, 2024 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach, 411 Clematis Street, WPB, FL 33401
- Stuart: November 13, 2024 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Children’s Services Council of Martin County, 101 SE Central Pkwy., Stuart, FL 34994
- Virtual (Zoom): November 14, 2024 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Zoom link will be emailed to all registered attendees in advance
A special session dedicated to the pool of literacy-focused funds will be held on:
- Virtual (Zoom): November 18, 2024 from 10 to 11 a.m.; Zoom link will be emailed to all registered attendees in advance.
“Each year, we strive to allocate our donors’ dollars where there is the greatest need in our community,” said Danita R. DeHaney, President & CEO, Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties. “And through a comprehensive and thorough vetting process, we enusure that our competitive grants support the essential work of local nonprofit organizations with the resources they need to address our community’s most critical opportunity gaps.”
The Community Foundation follows a competitive grantmaking process each year designed to closely align the recipients’ work with the Community Foundation’s mission, vision and values. The careful selection ensures that donors’ dollars are directed to local nonprofit organizations that have demonstrated high standards of integrity and impact. The grantmaking dollars specifically come from charitable funds created by individuals, families, businesses and organizations.
Grant Recipient Roots and Wings
In 2024, the Community Foundation awarded 136 grants to nonprofit agencies throughout Palm Beach and Martin Counties. The grants totaled over $5 million, which marked the highest amount ever distributed through the Community Impact Grants process. For a full list of 2024 grant recipients, please click here.
To learn more about the Competitive Grantmaking process, visit yourcommunityfoundation.org/the-competitive-grantmaking-process/
About the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties
The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties is a nonprofit organization that leads philanthropy locally. The Foundation provides charitable expertise and vehicles to increase the investment options on behalf of individuals, family foundations, and corporations. Since 1972, the Foundation has distributed nearly $250 million in grants and scholarships aimed at closing the area’s opportunity gaps. With its vast network of donors and nonprofit partners, the Foundation supports initiatives that improve education and youth, economic opportunity, thriving communities, and crisis preparation and response. Learn more at yourcommunityfoundation.org.
Poinsettia Power Kicking Off the Holiday Season at New Venue on December 2
STUART, FL - Poinsettia Power, the very popular annual holiday bazaar, luncheon and fashion show that benefits the Council on Aging’s Meals on Wheels program in Martin County, is moving to a new venue this year.
“Our event gets sold out quickly every year,” said long-time committee member Linda Ryan, “so we’re moving it to a larger venue - the beautiful beachside Hutchinson Shores Resort & Spa. The larger venue will allow us to double our capacity, so we can accommodate more people who want to get a jump start on the holidays and support a great cause.”
Poinsettia Power will be held on Monday, December 2, beginning at 10 a.m. Nathalie Pozo, Morning Anchor at WPBF25, will be Emcee.
Local and regional vendors will entice guests with a variety of merchandise including jewelry, clothing, holiday wreaths, pickleball must-haves, and more at a holiday-themed bazaar. A wide variety of prizes will be drawn, and silent auction items will be available throughout the program to help raise funds for Meals on Wheels. During the delicious lunch, participants will enjoy a lively fashion show and hat parade.
“There is no better time than the holiday season to focus on the people in our community who depend on Meals on Wheels,” said Council on Aging Martin’s President and CEO Karen Ripper. “For many of our clients, the hot meal delivered to their home each day means more than nutrition. It’s a friendly smile from our volunteers and an extra check on their well-being.”
Many Meals on Wheels clients are financially stressed and can’t afford daily meal delivery. The Council on Aging raises funds throughout the year, including at the Poinsettia Power luncheon, to make it possible for them to continue to get this critically important service.
“Join us for a great kickstart to your holiday festivities,” Ryan urges, “and know that you’re making the holidays, and every day, better for neighbors in need.”
Early sponsors in support of Poinsettia Power and Meals on Wheels include Holly Sponsor: Cummins-Levenstein Charitable Foundation; Peace Lily Red Wine Sponsor: Bob & Ralf Massey Foundation; Peace Lily Sponsors: Donna Haines, Penny McCaffrey and Publix Super Market Charities; Amaryllis Valet Sponsor: Ross Earle Bonan Ensor & Carrigan, P.A.; Amaryllis Décor Sponsor: Nancy Goethel at Raymond James; and Mistletoe Sponsors: Law Offices of John Mangan, P.A., N. Schoonover & Associates, Inc., Seacoast National Bank, Sandhill Cove Retirement Living and The Wawa Foundation, Inc.
For more information about Poinsettia Power, to purchase tickets at $150 each, or to become a sponsor, visit the Council on Aging Martin website www.coamartin.org.
Council on Aging Martin Poinsettia Power committee members are eager to share a new venue and holiday festivities to raise funds for Meals on Wheels. Back: Marney McKee, Devon Senical, Joanna Mangan; Front: J.C. Stern, Linda Ryan. Not pictured: Donna Haines, Francesca Morgan, Melinda Galley, Jackie Roesch-Sanchez, Beverly Mauermann.
About the Council on Aging Martin County
The Council on Aging 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 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 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
House of Hope Creates Disaster Kits with Grant from
The Community Foundation Martin-St. Lucie
STUART, Fla. – If you live paycheck to paycheck, it’s almost impossible to gather the supplies you’ll need before a hurricane or the resources you’ll need to recover.
The House of Hope staff know this story all too well: low income families who go into a hurricane without the ability to stock up on supplies, households who lose precious perishable food when the electricity goes out, hourly workers who can’t get paid because their places of employment are shuttered.
Thanks to a designated disaster-relief fund established through The Community Foundation of Martin-St. Lucie, nonprofits like the House of Hope are able to be proactive in providing clients with hurricane-preparedness kits before the storm and responding quickly after it.
“Historically, in the middle of the storm, I would be preparing to reach out to our clients and friends to say, ‘Okay, it’s real. The storm hit. We’re going to need to help the frontline organizations really quickly’,” The Community Foundation Martin-St. Lucie CEO Elizabeth Barbella said. “And when the dust settled, we’d be reaching out to organizations asking for some type of simple application and then deploying the resource.”
The Local Disaster Relief Fund gives donors an opportunity to set aside funds in advance of a hurricane or other disaster. Their proactive philanthropy gives nonprofits like House of Hope the knowledge that resources will be there when needed.
“Now we can plan, knowing we will have the resources in place and ready to go when our clients need them,” House of Hope CEO Rob Ranieri said. “It will make us an effective resource for the lower income community, and it will be almost instant, like flipping a switch.”
Community partners and volunteers, including a team from Macy’s, helped House of Hope pack supplies into 1,150 kits for vulnerable households and for individuals experiencing homelessness in Martin, St. Lucie and Okeechobee Counties so they’ll be better prepared for hurricane season.
This summer House of Hope began using funds from the program to assemble 1150 hurricane preparedness kits, including 250 that have additional supplies for those experiencing homelessness. Supplies include non-perishable food, flashlights, batteries, water, tarps, hand sanitizer, manual can opener, garbage bags, a first aid kit, tents, bug spray, and string bags.
Without this assistance, most of the organization’s clients wouldn’t be able to stockpile supplies, said House of Hope CEO Rob Ranieri. “It’s a couple hundred bucks they don’t have in their budget.”
House of Hope is taking the lead in working with partner agencies in neighboring counties, distributing support to Mustard Seed and GraceWay Village in St. Lucie County and Our Village in Okeechobee County.
“We’re grateful to The Community Foundation and its donors for the incredible foresight to plan ahead and put a structure in place that will greatly benefit the people we serve,” Ranieri said. “The Local Disaster Relief Fund in an ingenious concept and a lifesaver.”
To learn more about House of Hope or make a donation, 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.
Summer Fun and Back to School for Hibiscus Children
Martin County - Summer break is a time of excitement for children everywhere and the kids at Hibiscus Children’s Center are no exception! After a summer filled with fun activities, the kids have returned to school energized and ready to embrace the new year. Hibiscus provides a safe haven and life-changing services to children who have been removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect, or abandonment.
The Hibiscus Shelter serves children from birth to age 12, and older children when they are part of a sibling group. Many of these children arrive with significant educational gaps, facing challenges that make it hard to succeed in school. That’s why education and literacy programs are critical. They provide the tools children need to overcome obstacles and create a foundation for future success.
One of the standout programs at Hibiscus is the Literacy Program, which encourages a love for reading and helps build essential educational skills. Last year, Hibiscus children in grades K-3 showed a remarkable 75% improvement in sight word recognition and reading fluency. Liam (name changed) is an eight-year-old boy who came to Hibiscus after experiencing severe trauma and abuse. He had not been allowed to attend school. He should have been in 3rd grade but had no academic background and was unable to read. One of the first things Hibiscus staff did was to enroll him in school.
With the help of a dedicated tutor and school assistance, Liam began his journey toward reading and learning. His excitement to learn has grown steadily, and once he grasped the basics of letters and sounds, his progress accelerated. Today, Liam can read sight words and simple sentences—a testament to the power of Hibiscus’ staff, volunteers and teachers. Liam’s transformation is one of many success stories that Hibiscus witnesses every day.
In addition to educational support, Hibiscus Children’s Center is committed to creating a sense of normalcy for the children in its care. This includes ensuring they experience the simple joys of childhood, such as attending summer camp. “Camp Hibiscus” is a key part of their healing process, offering fun-filled days of adventure and creativity. Outings to water parks, theme parks, bowling alleys, and movie theaters are balanced with arts and crafts, games, and imaginative play. Through these activities, Hibiscus helps children find moments of joy and healing while building the resilience they need for the future.
Thank you for your support for Liam and the many other children in Hibiscus’ care who need these critical services. Please visit us at HibiscusChildrensCenter.org to learn more.
Join Us for the NAMIWalks Treasure Coast FL Event on October 12th!
Treasure Coast FL Residents– We warmly invite you to participate in our annual NAMIWalks Treasure Coast FL event on October 12th from 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM at Indian Riverside Park in Jensen Beach. This special walk brings together our community to raise awareness and funds for mental health support, celebrating hope and resilience.
NAMIWalks is the largest mental health awareness and fundraising event in the nation, and this year, we’re excited to unite as a family to support those affected by mental illness. The day will be filled with inspiring speakers, valuable resources, and a spirit of connection that highlights the importance of mental health for everyone.
Everyone is welcome to join us—whether you’re a supporter, someone with lived experience, or simply curious to learn more about mental health. Together, we can create a community that embraces understanding, compassion, and hope.
Registration is free, and all ages are encouraged to participate. To register or learn more, please visit www.namiwalks.org/treasurecoastfl
Let’s walk hand in hand toward a brighter future for mental health in the Treasure Coast community. We can’t wait to see you there!
For more information, please reach out to (772)-223-4440 or info@namitreasurecoastfl.org.
kitty Catalina — the purr-fect event for cat and wine lovers
PALM CITY, Fla. — The Humane Society of the Treasure Coast recently held its seventh annual Kitty Catalina Wine Mixer, which raised over $5,200 to help the no-kill shelter's adoptable animals. Animal rescue advocate and international best-selling author Sherry Dunn was the presenting sponsor and was on site showcasing her children's book, "Maddie & Jasmine."
Author and animal rescue advocate Sherry Dunn, who was the presenting event sponsor
Almost 90 attendees mixed and mingled with friends while sampling a variety of wines from Keel and Curley Winery, Florida Orange Groves Winery, San Sebastian Winery and Secret Gardens Winery, all Florida wineries. Chef Amy from Heritage Kitchen at Secret Gardens provided light bites.
At the end of the event, guests were hoping to have their raffle ticket number called for the 17 prizes that were available.
Bob Lepa, Judith Just, Diana and Glenn Schreiner
Of course, the superstars were the cats and kittens, as supporters gave them additional love throughout the evening. Because of Dunn's sponsorship, the adoption fee was waived during the event for felines over one year old. Additional sponsorship support was generously provided by TC Palm, Seacoast Bank and Publix.
Although it rained most of the evening, the night skies were capped off with a double rainbow over the humane society's Memorial Garden.
For more information about future events, contact Alyssa Bean, community events specialist, at 772-600-3215, or Events@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’s Boujee Trucker Hat Party – A Fun Ladies Night Out for a Great Cause!
Ladies, Are You Ready for the Ultimate Night Out? Get ready to gather your girlfriends for a fun and creative evening our upcoming Sip N Press- Boujee Trucker Hat Party! This Sip & Press event is the perfect excuse for a ladies’ night out where you can design your own custom trucker hat, enjoy an open bar, indulge in delicious food, and mingle with other fabulous women. For just $50, you’ll receive a trucker hat and 4 patches, with the opportunity to upgrade your look with additional patches for only $10!
We’ll also have a variety of vendors on-site, including permanent jewelry services and much more, to help make this a night to remember. Whether you’re looking to show off your creative side or simply enjoy a laid-back, stylish evening with your girlfriends, this event is designed to be the ultimate ladies’ night out of the season!
Event details:
When: October 17th, 2024
Time: 6:00 – 10:00 PM
Where: Martin County Police Athletic League
How to Get Involved:
All the proceeds from the event will go directly to benefit Martin County PAL, supporting our programs that help shape the leaders of tomorrow. Limited spots are available, so don’t miss your chance to be part of this exciting night! To register today, visit www.martincountypal.org or scan the QR code on our flyer. For more information, contact Martin County PAL at info@martincountypal.org. We look forward to seeing you there!
Dear Friend,
September is Suicide Awareness Month, and I’m reaching out to you with a critical plea. Suicide is now the second leading cause of death for young people aged 10 to 24, with rates increasing by nearly 60% over the past decade. This is a crisis we cannot ignore.
Young people today are under immense pressure, facing challenges like academic stress, social media, bullying, and the lingering effects of the pandemic. Many suffer in silence, feeling hopeless and without access to the support they desperately need.
At Tykes & Teens, we are committed to turning the tide on this tragic trend. We provide life-saving services including:
· Training and Education: Our staff are equipped with the skills to assess and intervene in suicide risks, ensuring that those in need receive the right support at the right time.
· Counseling and Support: Our clinical team offers direct, immediate assistance to those in crisis, with a new walk-in clinic providing crucial early intervention.
· Community Outreach: We raise awareness, reduce stigma, and connect people with the mental health resources they need.
But we can’t do it alone. As a non-profit organization, we need your help to expand these vital programs and reach more young lives at risk.
Here’s how you can make a difference:
· Learn: Attend one of our Mental Health First Aid Trainings on to better understand how you can help.
· Talk Away the Dark: Talk about mental health in your community to reduce stigma and encourage others to seek help.
· Donate: Your generous donation will fund essential training, education, and direct support services that can save lives.
Together, we can create a community where every young person feels valued, supported, and hopeful. Please consider making a donation today at How to Give - Tykes and Teens.
Thank you for your compassion and support.
With deep gratitude,
Anne Posey
Chief Executive Officer
Dancing with the Martin Stars 2024 Breaks Attendance and Fundraising Records for the Martin County Healthy Start Coalition
Stuart, FL -- Dancing with the Martin Stars 2024 broke all records this September for massive attendance, sky-high fundraising, and wall-shaking energy levels in support of the Martin County Healthy Start Coalition.
On Saturday, September 21, nine community volunteers and their professional dancing partners took to the stage of the Lyric Theatre in Stuart and brought the audience to their feet with applause for dances like the tango, waltz, and cha-cha. Because the event was a sell-out long before the date, another huge crowd cheered on the dancers at a live-stream watch party at Ross Hall in the Pittenger Center on the campus of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church.
An astonishing $350,000 was raised by the dancers, sponsors and ticket sales. “We’re so grateful to all of our dancers, sponsors and supporters,” Martin County Healthy Start Coalition CEO Samantha Suffich said. “The funds we raise through this fun event go directly to our mission of ensuring that in Martin County, every baby is born healthy, every mother is supported, and every father is involved.”
This year’s Martin Stars lineup included Christian Anderson, dancing with local professional Daisy Krakowiak-Wiebe; Casey Caplan with Brian Spector; Lorna Day with Angel R. Tamayo III; Matthew Durbin with Emily Matos; Jonathan Garich with Tanya Chaves; Stephanie Martinez with Michael Chaves; April Milner with Eliseo Ruiz; Matthew Right with Eva B. Velez and directed by Marianella Tobar; and Sue Whittington with Jang Don.
Martin County Healthy Start Coalition COO Aubrey Campbell, Overall Champion Christian Andersen, Healthy Start CEO Samanth Suffice, Overall Champion Partner Daisy Krakowiak-Wiebe, and Healthy Start Director of Operations Angie Aulisio
For months the dancers learned their steps and chose fabulous costumes. That was only part of the challenge, however. They also raised funds with a variety of mini events like dinners, wine tastings, and auctions to boost their fundraising totals.
The dancers’ goals were to dazzle the judges with their footwork and also raise the most money. In a fiercely competitive battle, Christian Anderson and Daisy Krakowiak-Wiebe were declared the 2024 Overall Champions as Top Fundraising Team and Top Dancing Team. The First Runner Up Dance Team was April Milner and Eliseo Ruiz; the Second Runner Up was Casey Caplan and Brian Spector. The First Runner Up Fundraising Team was Sue Whittington and Jang Don; the Second Runner Up Fundraising Team was Lorna Day and Angel Tamayo. In the first ever live voting, Sue Whittington and Jang Don won the People’s Choice Award.
Faith Jacobsen, dance teacher at Exquisite Dance Company and sales manager for the AI Fitness tech company Oxefit; Craig Glavin, manager of Astra Dance Studio and a two-time winner of Dancing with the Martin Stars as a teacher and once as a coach; and Chris Thiel, a top performing realtor with RE/MAX and a former dance teacher and competitive ballroom dancer served as Judges. Charles Jones of CDJ Entertainment served as emcee at the Lyric, with Dr. Ed Savage emceeing the live feed at Ross Hall.
“We’re so grateful for the entire community who support us each year,” Suffich said. “From our local celebrities who danced their hearts out on stage and raised funds off stage, to the audience that filled the Lyric to capacity, everyone brought their passion for both the event and the cause it supports.”
The Martin County Healthy Start Coalition expressed its thanks to all of its sponsors and supporters, in particular Title Sponsor Mark R. Kaiser Dermatology; Samba Sponsors Women’s Health Specialists and Rommel Wilson Memorial Fund; and Tango Sponsors Ooo La La, Muscle Vodka, and the Lichtenberger Foundation.
For more information and event photos, visit https://www.mchealthystart.org/dancing-with-the-martin-stars/2024-stars-dancers/.
About Martin County Healthy Start Coalition
Martin County Healthy Start 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.
We haven't published since September 1st. So some of our letters haver been sitting around for a while
Nik Schroth
Tom,
Wanted to send you what I've sent the commission:
Dear Commissioners,
I am writing to ask you to consider some serious questions as you embark on this 2nd zoning in progress in as much as two years.
The idea that you have chosen to use the powers of government to limit development rather than take the initiative to prove out a better way is a socialist approach rather than a capitalist approach, and it is troubling. Nobody who has complained about over development has taken the initiative to fix the problem, only the time and hot air to complain, rattle sabers, mud sling and divide our small town.
In 2014, I saw a problem. The Avonlea PUD had been approved for 411 residential units 180 commercial/residential units and 377,000 square feet of commercial space on 49 acres, of which about 12 acres was wetland. This was too much density. Through ownership of the property, we controlled what went where and in the current proposal the project is 325 units 117,000 SF of commercial and 19 commercial/residential units, your proposed zoning in progress will actually prevent a further reduction in density. Additionally 42% of the site or 20.4 Acres is restored wetlands and preserved upland set aside in conservation. The concept I want to think about is this idea that the people can simply vote to use the government to rob their neighbor of their rights versus rolling up their sleeves and doing it themselves. While the “Over Development” drum beat was well worn in this election, it is still only the voice of 15% to 20% of the registered voters and overall population, yet you’re responsibility is to represent 100% of the population.
The second concern I have is, where will the knowledge, experience and insight come from? A zoning in progress that encompasses all of the property within the city except for a few vacant single family lots is an undertaking unlike any in recent history, yet the city is at its lowest point for any sort of real experience, knowledge and know how in its staff, boards and commission. In the past 2 years my dealings with your development staff have been awful, from simple business tax licenses to development review, the system is broken.
A few questions I would like to see asked as you embark on this is, who on our staff has ever pulled a building permit of any kind? Who on our staff has ever purchased a lot and constructed a home? Who on our staff has ever purchased a plot of land and developed a commercial improvement (defined as anything 4 units or more)? Who on your advisory boards has ever done these things? There has been a lot of mud slinging around realtors and developers not being allowed to be on the LPA, the CRB, the Commission, then I would ask you who? In your Development Department, what real experience in writing code is there? On your Local Planning Agency Board, who has the experience to lead the discussion on the balance of property rights and zoning restrictions? Who on your CRB can you rely on to bring the experience of maintaining a vibrant downtown to the table? Who can speak to the economic realities of what you are about to do?
And of equal importance, how will you get the word out? Your proposed zoning in progress stands to affect nearly all property owners in the city, how will you get their input? When the Creek District Zoning was being put into effect, the largest property owners in the Creek District were not even aware of the proposed changes until I reached out to them. Be mindful of the scenario where zoning code is changed today and the lawsuits come for years. Many property owners will not realize the change has taken place until they chose to develop their property or re-develop their property, how many years into the future will the city be fighting lawsuits for? As a tax payer, I expect you to get acknowledgement from property owners that they understand what is happening, not just mailed a post card. I will hold you personally accountable as far into the future as these impacts ripple.
As you propose to put a pause on anything but single family development (I am not sure you recognize the economic impact and capitalist impact this move will have) I ask where’s the Architect that will give you guidance on what building code should say to result in the look you want, where’s the engineer to give guidance on how development physically works? Where is the experience to balance property rights, economic realities and the outcome of development? Its not on the dias, is it is not on your boards and it is not in your staff and its certainly not on Facebook. Just because you live in a house and shop at a store and eat at a restaurant doesn’t make you qualified to balance property rights with a desired outcome. If this is the approach you take, then let me say, with a few fractured vertebrae I have spent a lot of time on a chiropractic table, perhaps next time I get the opportunity to attend a commission meeting I’ll afford you all the same courtesy you seem to be affording the development community.
Let me remind you, 80-85% of the community did not vote for you. This zoning in progress is an unprecedented taking of property rights and over reaction to the noise of 15% of the community. The 15% of the community that has used Facebook as a weapon of mis-information, 15% of the community that has resorted to mud slinging tactics and pitted neighbor vs. neighbor, the 15% of the community that is apparently comfortable letting the government dictate what is best for all.
I will not be able to attend the Sept 9th meeting due to a family matter conflict, I ask that my letter be read into the record. I also ask that each of you as a commissioner reach out to me to discuss this matter.
Sincerely,
Nikolaus M. Schroth, CCIM
Father, Husband, Employer, Resident
Joan Jefferson
|
Couldn't help myself- promised myself that I would not ge involved in local politics, but damn, what are they thinking of?
Sent to City Commission.
I am confused to hear that the commission would like to return the community to its pre-Duany plan time.
In 1986 pre Duany vacancy in the downtown was 60%. This increased after the adoption and implementation of the Duany plan to 100% occupancy. In four years, businesses in downtown
went from 53 in 1987 to 150 in 1991. Between 1987 and 1993 - property values in the downtown increased from 18.4 million to 22.5 million despite some of the properties coming offline because the city or other tax-exempt entities purchased it. At Duany's recommendation the historic Courthouse was saved, a grant was received to restore it, and it became the home of the Martin County Counsel for the Arts. His recommendation to increase public parks caused the development of Gazebo Park with Kiwanis funding the construction of the gazebo. His new bridge recommendations allowed the bridge to be redesigned. The original bridge design called for a six-lane bridge destroying most of the buildings along US1. I could mention many of the improvements implemented by the Duany plan, but I hope you will reconsider going back to the days before his plan was adopted. Perhaps the commissioners did not live in Stuart before and after the adoption of The Duany Plan or they may not remember its impact. However, all of this may be moot since the Duany Plan has not been implemented or relevant for the last 30 years.
James Harter
For those that want to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, here are things to consider.
National Institute on Drug Abuse: 11 percent of teens that try marijuana become psychologically addicted and loose 6 percent of their mental capacity by age 25.
American Heart Association: Marijuana users have a 25 percent higher risk of heart attack and 42 percent higher risk of a stroke.
National Institute on Health: Marijuana has a high level of heavy metals such as lead and cadmium. Illegal marijuana which comprises of 66 percent of marijuana sold, even in states that have legalized use, has high levels of pesticides and causes higher fungal infections. Almost all the studies not funded by the marijuana industry show a significant increase in schizophrenia and psychosis.
Some argument claim that marijuana never killed anyone other than an increase of 25 percent of highway deaths in legalized states. It has killed 360,000 Mexicans and 400,000 in the drug cartel wars that supplies our bad habits.
Peri Grandone
Don't Waste Taxpayer Money Buying Land!
In the latest edition of Friends and Neighbors, Martin County Forever attempts to conflate the recent plan to develop our state parks with their push for the sales tax on the ballot to buy land: "That’s why this cautionary tale of Jonathan Dickinson is a clarion call for us to take matters into our own hands. We must buy the land ourselves - now."
I am against this sales tax for many reasons, but first and foremost because it is not the answer. The answer is to partner with organizations already set up to accept and manage conservation easements which will protect land in perpetuity. Martin County Forever would better serve residents by working to make Tallahassee donate conservation easements on our state parklands to ensure development can never happen. They should also push Martin County to donate conservation easement to preserve land owned by the County. There are land trusts, and other national organizations that are set up as 501(c)3's whose mission is to hold conservation easements. Here is a link for more info: https://livinggreen.ifas.ufl.edu/topics/natural-history-/conservation-easements/
A donation to help these organizations with stewarding the lands is far, far cheaper than an outright purchase of land. Once purchased, Martin County taxpayers will be on the hook for personnel for stewardship and maintenance and any other associated costs-in perpetuity!
Read Stories On Martin County In This Section
COMMISSION MEETING SEPTEMBER 24, 2024
The commission went through the EAR (Evaluation and Appraisal Review) Amendments to the Comprehensive Plan. This is mandated by state statute.
But it seemed staff went through each amendment for informational purposes only. The commission did not vote on them. The vote with another presentation was delayed until October 22nd. The board did take public comment.
I was told that the reason was to give the public another opportunity to see the amendments. The changes were mostly language and to comply with new state statutes. On October 22nd, new commissioners, Eileen Vargas and Blake Capps, still won’t be in office. Many wanted the commission to wait until the new commission was seated, but by law the state must have the amendments sooner than what would be possible by waiting. The new commissioners will vote and/or change the elements when Tallahassee returns them to the commission.
If you want to know more read the following story or here.
Every seven years, a county’s entire comprehensive plan must undergo an update, have a hearing before the LPA, a transmittal hearing by the commission, be sent to the state for review, and then be ratified by the commission once again after coming back from Tallahassee. It is only then it changes the Martin County Comprehensive Plan.
What is more, according to Martin County staff, all the elements of the plan must be sent together as a complete packet at the end of October. That is before the two new county commissioners take their seats. This process already had public workshops, hearings before the LPA and has been going on for nearly two years.
The purpose of the plan review is to be sure the document reflects changes in the state code. It also finds what has changed in the local codes and conforms those changes to be the same throughout the comprehensive plan. From what I can see, about 90% of what has been changed is updating tables and language to be the same across different elements.
The Evaluation & Appraisal Review (EAR) is a planning tool written into state law to make certain that a thorough look of the comprehensive plan happens. For some reason, some folks in Martin County believe that the Martin County Comprehensive Plan is holy writ, and it would be sacrilegious to change one word. That has resulted in us not planning. The belief is that if it was good enough 40 years ago, it is good enough today.
I hear all the time that we need to plan. A study of the available lands left is one way to do it systematically. What is being done now is to address things one parcel at a time instead of using the comprehensive planning that is needed. The EAR is far from the only tool, but it is a tool that can be used with others to have a better planning result.
The State of Florida doesn’t care that we have had an election and have two new commissioners being sworn in in November. They don’t really see where that matters. Most of the EAR content is just correcting language and making sure that the elements are not in conflict because of state or local changes. Besides, the new commissioners still will have a vote in the final adoption when it comes back from Tallahassee early next year with their corrections.
Adoption of the EAR doesn’t mean that Martin County shouldn’t have thorough planning for what the western part of the county should look like going forward. That can happen at any time. In my opinion, it is well past time to do so. The county needs to do a comprehensive study of what we want the future to look like.
It can’t infringe on existing property rights. Nor does it mean no development is acceptable. What can be done is that we stop looking at projects one at a time and instead have real planning.
This was printed in Martin County Moments
COMMISSION MEETING SEPTEMBER 24, 2024
Martin Commerce Park was presented in three different items. This had come before the LPA the Thursday before the meeting. Many of the public speakers who were at the commission meeting attended the LPA meeting.
Because of its location outside of the Urban Service District, the project would have to be a Free-Standing Urban Service District. To me, that is the biggest problem in approving this. But then what is the alternative…having the developer put in septic tanks?
It goes back to the lack of planning in Martin County. The pro-growth faction thinks that if there is planning, then land will be off limits to them. The no-growth group is afraid planning will result in more property being subject to development. In my opinion, both are wrong.
Right now, some property land uses and zoning designations are antiquated. Ten- and twenty-acre ranchettes no longer are practical (if they ever were). Any planner will tell you they are classic sprawl. That would be the result of subdividing large western tracts now.
In today’s Martin County, farming and ranching are no longer as viable as they once were. Perhaps with conservation easements, those uses can continue but not without them. Instead of tackling the problem of planning, Martin County does nothing but wait until one property at a time needs to be rezoned for projects.
It is time to move the Urban Services Boundary. For the most part, it no longer functions to stop anything. It is unrealistic to continue this way as more and more exceptions are made. Along with planning for today’s economy and living standards, a systematic look at the maps is important. Right now, it appears only Commissioner Hetherington is pushing for this to occur.
The main source of dissension are the Stuart West and Cobblestone developments both of which are off Martin Highway (714). The exit and entrance to I-95 are very close by. There are also other industrial parks nearby.
An overarching concern is that Martin Highway becomes a 2-lane road very shortly after the interstate’s on and off ramps. The volume of traffic will grow not very much because of the proposed project but when completed, the Newfield project will feed into Martin Highway via Newfield Parkway (Citrus Blvd). The new town is slated to have thousands of residents in the next decade.
The lack of adequate planning has directly affected our roads. Again, it was believed by the no-growth faction that if there wasn’t adequate capacity, then things wouldn’t be built. They were wrong.
Martin Commerce Park is the type of place we need for businesses. It is far enough away from residential development that most people won’t even know it is there. It isn’t manufacturing with heavy machinery. The owners have even agreed to install a traffic light to facilitate the movement of cars in these developments.
There may also be a fire/rescue station built to service the area. Jenkins said that some of the people in the room complaining about taxes are the ones clamoring for increased services. How do you do that without projects like this one?
The applicant’s representative agreed about the lack of planning. Morris Crady said one of the dumbest things Martin County did was place I-95 so far west. Everywhere else the highway is much farther east. Martin County believed that by placing it in the middle of farm country, people wouldn’t want to be here as much. Another fallacy.
The board approved the project 4-1 with Heard dissenting.
You can see staff report here
COMMISSION MEETING SEPTEMBER 24, 2024
Three Lakes Golf Course or as it is known, Apogee, a project that I have endorsed and spoken loudly in favor of, has now disappointed me.
In their latest ask, there will be a text amendment change to allow up to 12 bedrooms in a cottage. However, the number of overall bedrooms in the project will remain the same. In Three Lakes case that will still be no more than 324 bedrooms and 54 cottages. But instead of a maximum of 6 bedrooms per cottage, there could be between 2-12 bedrooms. It also reduces the height of the cottage from four stories to two.
Even if you accept the conclusion that the bedroom count has no affect on the project, it affects future projects. According to staff, going forward in any Rural Lifestyle project, the maximum could be up to 54 cottages with no more than 324 bedrooms no matter how many golf holes there are.
The way it was explained to me for example is that if in the future if there were 90 holes in total, there could not be more than 54 cottages. The cottages in total could be arranged with 2-12 bedrooms each but the maximum number could not exceed 324. If there were 18 holes, then there could only be 18 cottages with a maximum of 216 bedrooms.
I have never been a fan of golf cottages and because I was on vacation when this came before the LPA, I did not have a chance to air my disagreements. I could never support it under any circumstances.
It seems to me that Rural Lifestyle is beginning to take on the life of a resort and not a golf course. There are pools, tennis courts, and other manner of amenities. Throw in a state-of-the-art clubhouse with great dining and call it “Club Lakes.”
Now a 12-bedroom cottage which I am sure will have a commercial kitchen and professional staff, and it has become a hotel. I have nothing against hotels but that wasn’t part of the original presentation.
The commission passed this change 4-1 with Heard dissenting. I definitely support Heard on this.
There are quite a few stories this week with the new majority. They are run below as single stories under this section.
We have just seen this with the reneging of the deal with Brightline by the Stuart City Commission. This should not have been a surprise to you, the voter. You placed these sad characters in a position of power. They did exactly what they told you they would do.
These are the guys who want nothing new built. These are the guys who want to stop the little guy from building a home on cottage lots. These are the guys who said enough was enough and you bought it hook, line, and sinker.
Commissioner Collins and his little brother, Sean Reed, and little sister, Laura Giobbi, will do anything to bring you back to a time when Downtown was empty. Where no one wanted to live in the city. When it was considered a dead zone.
Brightline was more than just a railroad stop. It was a fulfillment of the transportation element of the comprehensive plan. Collins cites the plan all the time when it serves his purpose. He ignores it when it contradicts his very fixed ideas on what Stuart should be.
And make no mistake…Collins is calling the shots while Reed and Giobbi are just the other two members of the Politburo who will vote the way Leader Collins tells them. Clarke and Rich are no longer relevant to anything that happens. Collaboration doesn’t go well in the newest people’s republic.
What will Mortell and his staff do? They are obligated to carry out the policies set by the commission. Even if it means that Stuart is no longer viable as a city. Even if it means that the city is sued for breaching an agreement. Even if tax revenue shrivels up and causes the beginning of cutting services for the citizens.
Elections have consequences. Enough is Enough. The People must be heard. Although the people want something that Leader Collins doesn’t which is evident from the commission meeting of a few nights ago. Collins knows what is best.
It will be a long time before anyone will want to sign an agreement with Leader Collins’ city. He can change his mind at any moment and Reed and Giobbi will fall into line. That is the change the good people of Stuart voted for.
COMMISSION MEETING SEPT 16, 2024
During commissioner comments, Collins brought up that this publication wrote an article which in his words was vulgar and vile. You can judge for yourself by reading it here.
Disrespect of the leader in Commissioner Collins’ Stuart requires that I be removed from the CRA and CRB immediately or at least that is the penalty he suggested. I fully expected not to be re-appointed in December, but the actions of an intolerant politician are very predictable. And make no mistake that Collins is the defacto leader and will attempt to squelch all who dare disagree.
The matter will come up for discussion at the next commission meeting on September 23rd. Stay tuned.
CRA MEETING EPTEMBER 23, 2024
The following was in answer to Commissioner's Collins with Commissioners Giobbi and Reed's desire to remove me from the boards prior to my term expiring in December. The reason was the piece I wrote "Elections Have Consequences" (It is here)
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
At the last city commission meeting I was threatened by a commissioner with removal from the CRB and CRA Boards because I wrote an opinion piece that was unflattering to the new commission majority. I always thought that as an American I had the right to express my opinion. It is what is known as free and protected speech.
For more than the past decade, I have been writing what was once my constituent newsletter and has now evolved into an online local free publication which has grown to have an email list of 33,000. We also have a Friends & Neighbors Facebook page where we run articles that are written between editions and then may also appear in the following edition. The article referenced at the commission meeting appeared on our Facebook page.
Let me just say that Friends & Neighbors is written primarily by me, but we have other contributors. There are over 25 columnist who express their opinions, a non-profit section that has the announcements and press releases from Martin County’s organizations in that field, government announcements where our constitutional officers and other governmental bodies inform the public about what is going on in our community, letters from the public, reporting on government meetings, and other sections of interest. It is a digital newspaper for our digital age.
But besides being reporter, editor, publisher, and janitor for Friends and Neighbors, I am also a Stuart resident who deeply believes in serving his community by volunteering, donating money, and serving on nonprofit boards as well as being active in local government. I have done so my entire life.
I did not expect to be re-appointed to the CRB when the reorganization occurs in December. I and the new commission majority obviously do not agree on policy. The new commission majority has the right to have board members who reflect their ideas.
Under our charter, they also have the right to dispatch board members at any time. Because you have a right doesn’t mean you should exercise it.
Expressing criticism of elected officials is my right as a citizen. I intend to continue to do so regardless of whether the new majority removes me in the commission meeting that follows. Trying to curtail criticism of your actions by censoring the messenger makes you look petty and dare I say comically tyrannical. The receiver of such treatment becomes a martyr to the cause of good government and the 1st amendment.
At the last meeting, another commissioner said that he would like to remove one of his inherited appointments because he too was criticized by the appointee on social media. With attitudes like that, we have truly become the People’s Republic of Stuart.
Perhaps the new majority should take a break from social media and live in the real world for a change. Stuart is not Sim City, and the commissioners are not memes playing a game.
Regardless of what actions the commission takes later this evening, I will go on writing my opinions and reporting the facts.
Since Commissioner Clarke first appointed me to the LPA more than a dozen years ago and former Commissioner McDonald appointed me to Chair Stuart’s Centennial Committee, it has been a pleasure to be of service to the people of the city where I live.
The commission decided to table my removal at their commission meeting. Did they have second thoughts? Did their attorney and city manager persuade them that first amendment issues were at stake? Were they ready for the lawsuit that could follow?
Whatever the reason the new commission is gathering lots of attention. I understand the League of Palm Beach Cities had a presentation from their attorney on how not to run a meeting and act as a commission using the City of Stuart as their example.
In three meetings the new commission majority under Leader Collins have made themselves known throughout the Free State of Florida. And it has produced a good many laughs.
Perhaps the Ethics Commission and even the State Attorney may be looking at what is going on in the People’s Republic of Stuart. Just this week Reed apparently voted no on a project because the applicant had donated to his opponent.
We now have Leader Collins and “Pay to Play” Reed on the commission. That is showing them.
My colleague, Donald Rodrigue from the Hometown News wrote two articles about Stuart in their last edition. One almost entirely about Leader Collins not being able to broach criticism. You can read it here
COMMISSION MEETING SEPT 16, 2024
City Manager Mortell asked for clarification regarding what to do about Brightline. While at the last meeting there were countless speakers in favor of having a Brightline station, the commission neglected to more forward definitively to end the possibility. Collins as the defacto leader instructed Mortell to hash it out and make the agreement better with Brightline to include “that they should pay half.” When Mortell, Mayor Rich, and Attorney Baggett wanted to know which agreement (the 2018 Settlement Agreement between Martin County and Brightline of which the city is not a party or one of the interlocal agreements with the county and or Brightline) Collins said he thought he was “pretty clear.” Collins was as clear as mud.
There will be a discussion at the next meeting. Mortell will have all the agreements, even the one between the county and Brightline. I don’t believe Collins and his acolytes want to do a deal. Delay equates to denial.
There were many speakers that begged the Collins triumvirate to have a Brightline station. The business community and residents spoke in favor of the station. Their pleas fell on deaf ears. Having now watched three meetings with the new majority, it is apparent they couldn’t care less about what anyone says outside there own circle of Facebook followers.
Stuart has 19,000 residents. Giobbi and Reed won with less than 2000 votes cast for them. Besides the residents, Stuart is the business hub of the county. Does the new majority plan to ignore the thousands that they represent and make believe they have some incredible mandate. Collins, who beat Matheson 2 years ago by less than 100 votes has been using the line “this is what the residents want.” It doesn’t hold water.
Collins may obfuscate the facts to seem as if he was reasonable in reneging on a signed deal, but that claim will not be believed by most of those who have repeatedly spoken in favor. The dozens of business owners that will be financially hurt, the countless jobs that are lost or never been created, the residents that would use the train, and the tax dollars that will not be in city coffers will be blamed where it should be with Collins and the lesser two. And this publication will make sure they don’t forget.
Another interesting thing is that Collin won’t have anything to do with programs that have the words resilience or smack of acknowledging climate change. Stuart was selected to work with FEMA to have protocols in place because of resiliency and climate change. By having a relationship now, Stuart is in a better position to receive grants. Unfortunately, an adherence to a rigid ideology will come back to hurt the city when it will need FEMA most, such as after a hurricane. Ideology will now supplant the welfare of Stuart residents and taxpayers under this new majority. The commission agreed to table the item to a future time. In other words, kill it without a vote as I said deny by delay.
COMMISSION MEETING SEPT 16, 2024
Lastly the crowning achievement in the new majority’s desires…a Zoning in Progress (ZIP) across the entire city. This has prevented any property owner from bringing a new application forward since September 4th. The commission majority promised to end new projects, and they are making good their word. Except for single family homes being built and a last-minute inclusion of a government building exception to allow the county to go forward with changes to one of its facilities, nothing moves ahead.
In their pursuit of bringing Stuart back to the time of 1955 Studebakers, they plan to examine all codes. Even those that were just adopted while Collins was on the commission such as the East Stuart and Creek District ones. It was pointed out by several members of the public and Mayor Rich that no ZIP was necessary while those codes were being rewritten with extensive public workshops and comment.
Speaker after speaker warned of the consequences of enacting the ZIP. But it was former mayor, commissioner, and yes savior of Downtown, Joan Jefferson, who spoke out and asked a simple question…had any of the commissioners actually read the Duany report that they are vilifying. It was met with silence.
I dare say the new commissioners seem far from prepared for a meeting. Collins may be better prepared, but he, like so many zealots, won’t ever let facts dictate beliefs. That coupled with his significant intellectual capacity makes his positions at times humorous but also dangerous.
I have heard no overarching plan from the majority for what they would like to see in the code. There are vague references to density, allowing only single family residences and adequate parking…but no plan. If the plan is to do nothing and have nothing they may be successful.
At some point, the lawsuits will begin but not yet. It would be hard to demonstrate a taking or a loss of income by a 3 or even 6-month moratorium on unfiled projects. Most of the parcels have been owned by any would-be applicants for years. But if the commission adopts new codes that take away rights from owners, lawsuits will begin and be winnable.
What this majority hasn’t discovered yet is that this is not a game of “Sim City.” Or that the small world inhabited by their online supporters egging them on is anything but the real world. If one lives for the accolades on social media, one also must die when they change. Believe me, they will change.
They voted 3-1 with Rich dissenting to place a ZIP in place to a very angry room. Commissioner Clarke was absent
It is official. At the Special Commission Meeting of September 16th, Leader Collins decreed there should be no hint of dissent of his dictums from someone who has an appointed board seat for the City of Stuart.
As the Leader sees it, being disloyal can result in your termination from the volunteer position. It isn’t because you said anything about a matter that came before you as a board member, it is enough that you disagreed with an action of the commission and said or wrote about it.
That is the kind of stuff they do in Putin’s Russia, or Xi’s China, or Orban’s Hungary. Collins wasn’t the only member of the board to believe that dissent deserves immediate banishment. Reed has learned his lessons well from his mentor, the Leader. He believes that one of the holdover appointments from Troy McDonald who expressed disagreement should be removed as soon as possible.
My crime was writing an article calling Commissioner Collins “Leader Collins” and suggesting that he has now become defacto leader of the city. I also called Reed and Giobbi his little brother and sister since they follow his lead without question.
I fully expected to not be re-appointed to my position in December when these changes are typically made since the new commission majority, and I have many differences of opinion. But Leader Collins needs to make sure that he broaches no “insubordination” in any way at any time. Every month matters when you are out to bring back the 1950s. Even if it is a period before you were a twinkle in your mother’s eye (in fact your mother may have not even have been born yet.)
Like so many authoritarians, the Leader needs to try and erase any opposition from the history books. This is what the city is now, the People’s Republic, run by Leader Collins and his Politburo of two. But to remake over a hundred years of Stuart, you only need the vote of three commissioners. More importantly is a desire by those commissioners to make sure no one ever expresses an alternate point of view to their own.
COMMISSION MEETING SEPTEMBER 23, 2024
Throughout the meeting Collins constantly spoke to Manager Mortell as if they were having a private meeting. Collins, Giobbi, and Reed would walk off the dais individually and have a private conversation with Attorney Baggett. Of course, there is nothing wrong with commissioners speaking privately to their manager and attorney before or after the meeting. But if you do it during the meeting, then the commissioner is not listening to what is going on, Mortell and Baggett are not listening to the proceeding, and it is disrespectful to your fellow commissioners and the public.
If commissioners have a question that comes up because of something they heard at the meeting, shouldn’t they ask it in public so that every commissioner has the benefit of the answer? That is why we have open meetings and not ones behind the closed doors that this new majority seems to favor.
But procedure doesn’t mean much to these folks. In fact, I heard that a neighboring League of Cities organization had an entire presentation made by their attorney this week about how not to conduct a commission meeting or be a commissioner basing it on the embarrassment the Stuart Commission has become. I guess that is something that Collins and his majority would be proud of. The Lords of Chaos are in charge.
COMMISSION MEETING SEPTEMBER 23, 2024
It was a long night…5 hours long. That is the nature of the new majority’s meetings now.
For the past two decades, Stuart property owner and Martin County resident, James “Mac” Stuckey has attempted to have the city hire an environmental attorney for $300,000 to, in essence, sue the Feds or Florida or anyone else which in his belief would result in pristine water surrounding the city.
This last was a cause célèbres when new commissioners Merritt Matheson and Mike Meier were elected in 2018. It quickly fizzled after Stuckey made a presentation to the commission consisting of old newspaper clippings about the good old days. Matheson and Meier quickly were cured of “sueitis” and began to work in conjunction with the county to educate the Army Corps about the city’s and county’s concerns. Matheson was and still is deeply involved with this issue.
Just a few months ago, the Corps put into place LOSUM (Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual) which dramatically lessens discharges into the St. Lucie. The reservoir that was supposed to take much of the overflow has developed a leak which has resulted in more water going down the St. Lucie than anticipated until the situation is corrected. But it is still less than 2014 which resulted in the “Lost Summer.”
Since going on the commission, Rich has become the commissioner most interested in the discharges and has forged a relationship with the River Coalition, the county, and the Army Corps to further the goals of continuing improvements in water quality. Nevertheless, we are back to grandstanding and shying away from the real work of governance.
The new majority has resumed with expensive idle threats of lawsuits. It is much easier for the new commission majority to tell us how ecologically friendly they are without doing anything like forging coalitions with fellow government staff and officials. The result will be to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayer money to sue and end all influence the last couple of commissions built up with the Corps and other agencies.
Collins asked that Stuckey be allowed to make a presentation about the $300,000 attorney at a meeting. I can’t wait to see the newspaper clippings again. Collins and Stuckey have been in close communication, and Collins has asked Stuckey to help draft the resolution hiring the attorney and setting up what may be a new charter officer.
A new charter officer, as I hear that Stuckey is recommending, would require either waiting until next election or doing a special election that would cost the city about $20,000. Once it becomes a charter officer, the commission would hire the attorney as they do the city attorney. The $300,000 would be his compensation (I don’t know whether it includes benefits). There would need to be at least a paralegal employee, office space, etc. The amount could add $500,000 to the budget. And Collins and his crew have a problem with the cost of a Brightline station?
I can’t wait to see the city under Collins’ direction throw a couple of million dollars down the drain suing the federal government. So much for Collins and his two colleagues working for the taxpayer. Even if you assume they are doing this with good intentions, what a waste of taxpayer dollars. Taxes will undoubtedly have to be raised to pay for their folly.
COMMISSION MEETING SEPTEMBER 23, 2024
Until 1962 Martin County had a landfill on what then was the outskirts of the city close to the present-day county jail. The county then relinquished control of it to the city, and it was used as such until 1980. Until 1987, it was used only for wastewater sludge when all dumping ceased. Since 1987 the city has used a fraction of the approximately 50 acres to allow yard debris to dry before taking it to Okeechobee for processing.
The city still needs to close out the Brownfield site with the EPA. One of the things Ashley Capital has been doing since they signed a letter of intent with the city last year is completing their due diligence to find out what exactly needs to be done to do just that. In other words, before the company can present terms to develop the site, it needs to know how much it will cost to remediate the environmental impacts from the old landfill.
At any time, the EPA can demand that Stuart come into compliance with the regulations. The cost is anybody’s guess at this point, but it is in the many millions of dollars not the couple of thousand that a Brightline station would possibly cost that Collins and his crew, are worried about. Right now, Stuart is responsible not only for closing the site but also for any environmental damage that has been done. That is a huge liability for every taxpayer.
Ashley’s request for an extension of the due diligence period until March should have been a no brainer. That is why it was on the consent agenda. Collins decided to do his shtick where he wanted to tell everyone his “personal opinion and thoughts” that he didn’t want the land sold because the city needs 8 acres to dry yard debris.
So, let me see if I have this straight…he is willing to keep the city on the hook for millions of dollars to remediate this Brownfield site and not use the other 42 acres of this 50-acre site for that reason? That shows the new majority’s business acumen.
To remediate the site, the entire 50 acres must be cleaned. There is no way that Ashley Capital can do it otherwise. It is also true that by drying out the yard waste, a significant amount of money (depending on your definition of significant) is saved in tipping fees because the water in the waste is gone.
Collins suggested that the amount it saves is several hundred thousand dollars a year. But no one has really quantified that. For argument’s, sake let’s say he is correct. I am sure that Ashley Capital, which has thousands of acres already zoned for that type of use in western Martin County, could give the city enough land closer to Okeechobee to do just that. The trucks are already full of waste so instead of taking them to the current spot, they would just drive ten miles more and spread the yard debris out for drying and be closer to where the debris would end up anyway. A simple fix.
For expediency, if the drying station needs to be where it is and it doesn’t impede on the brownfield cleanup (which I was told Ashley is checking into), I think a satisfactory deal can be worked out with what I have always seen as a reasonable company.
But in the end, the real reason Collins is so intent on keeping the current brownfield site that could cost the city millions at some point in the future is because he is deadly afraid of any residential development there. If he did any type of his own due diligence, he would know that Ashley only does industrial development. They also do not build offices or commercial. They also do not sell their sites.
Collins is fixated on making sure not another person lives in Stuart. It is almost a sickness. He would rather give up new jobs, tax revenue, and economic benefit. Anything that promotes any of that and makes people want to live here is an automatic no vote.
His sidekick Commissioner Reed voted no on the extension because he wanted the motion to include the names of candidates Ashley, and their owners had contributed to in the last election.
Is he insinuating that if you gave a political donation which can’t be more than $1000 to any one candidate, you had bought them. Or conversely if you didn’t contribute to Reed, you can’t expect for him to vote for your project?
It can’t be much clearer than that. Reed claimed he wanted all the information in one place. What information? Does he want to know so that when the matter comes up again, he can vote no because perhaps someone that opposed him received a couple of bucks?
It appears to me that if Ashley wanted to take advantage of this idiocy in the future, they could go after the city and Reed legally. Tactics like this are closer to the Mafia than democratic government. Oh, right…maybe Reed is equating being on the city commission to being on the organized crime “commission.”
“Pay to play baby” is the inference I got.
I hope someone at the State Attorney’s Office is paying attention or in the least the Ethics Commission. Campaign contribution violations are a serious matter. And any citizen can make it known to the authorities that possible crimes have been committed.
The new commission majority of Leader Collins and Pay to Play Reed have within three meetings attempted to thwart a citizen’s right to free speech and legally donate and be a supporter of a candidate’s campaign. Next will come having Stuart PD arresting the new commission majority’s political opponents. The People’s Republic of Stuart is here.
There are many people spouting off about the Brightline Station in Stuart. Much of the information, including from the commissioners on both the county and city commissions, is just inaccurate. I am going to attempt to give you the facts by looking at the original settlement agreement, the RFP, and the interlocal and three-way agreements between Stuart, Martin County, and Brightline.
The settlement agreement between the county and Brightline was signed in 2018 to end a years-old lawsuit between the two parties. In every instance, through every court case, Brightline ended up as the prevailing party. The agreement was ratified by the Martin County Commission in an unusual Saturday session so that more members of the public could attend.
Martin County spent $4.1 million in legal fees to try and prevent the passenger rail from occurring. While many of us were in favor of the litigation at least in the early years, once we knew we could not prevail, the settlement was championed by the county obtaining a station to accrue some benefit from the trains passing through Martin County.
Section 6, which pertains to building a station somewhere in Martin or St Lucie County, states the following:
- Brightline Station in the Treasure Coast
Within 5 years of commencement of Brightline's passenger revenue train service from West Palm Beach to Orlando, Brightline agrees to build at least one train station ("Station") in the Treasure Coast, subject to receipt of all applicable governmental permits and approvals with respect thereto. The Station will be located either in Martin or St. Lucie County. Following completion of the Station, at least two northbound and two southbound Brightline trains will stop at the Station each day. Construction of the Station is subject to the payment of 50% of the Station construction cost by the County and/or municipality in which the Station is located, if such payment is requested by Brightline.
In the event the applicable County and/or municipality or Brightline elects to seek federal, state, or other grant money to defray the cost of construction of such Station(s) under this paragraph, the other party shall coordinate in good faith with such efforts. Likewise, if a party is successful in obtaining grant money for any construction, the cost of which is to be shared on an equal basis, their payment obligations shall be reduced on an equal basis. The parties agree that such construction costs shall be reduced proportionally upon the granting of federal or state funding for such construction.
Nowhere does it say Brightline will pay half the cost. Brightline even then knew that at least 50% of the cost would be covered by grants... the other half. The settlement agreement clearly states that the government entity where the station is located will pay half the cost if asked by Brightline. There does have to be an implementation agreement discussing terms and, importantly, definitions of what comprises a station’s components.
Does the cost include parking, trackwork, or road work? Or is it just the physical building of the station. What about the land where it will be built? The settlement agreement is just the basic framework not anything near the complete agreement.
The Brightline ancillary stations such as Boca and Adventura have been paid for to a very large extent by a variety of government funding sources and grants. In most cases, the main funding source has been the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Grant or CRISI. It is a federal grant administered by the Federal Railroad Administration.
In general, the $15, $20, $40 or $60 million some are saying that it would cost local government is a specious argument since it hasn’t been true anywhere Brightline has built a station. The reason that grants have not been applied for yet is because there are no signed agreements. That is what is necessary to move forward with grant applications.
Stuart is not a party to the 2018 settlement agreement. The city never was a party to any court action. Under no circumstances could they be held to the terms. But the reason why the city may be obligated now is because of the RFP that the city and county jointly entered to entice Brightline to have their Treasure Coast station in Stuart.
On December 20, 2023, the city and county presented a proposal outlining what they would do to be the recipient of a station. The proposal is quite detailed about what is being provided. In fact, the city’s contention that a station belongs are bolstered by Policy 2.A.10.2 and 2.A.10.3 of the city’s comprehensive plan that encourages the development of passenger rail.
As far as the RFP was concerned, the funding was to include station and track work for $15 million each between the county and Brightline. The city would be responsible for up to $30 million for the street improvements and parking garage. The estimates were based on the Boca station. Any grant money received would be apportioned by each party’s financial contribution to the project.
What has been completely forgotten in stating that the city would be responsible for up to $30 million for a parking garage is the fact that members of the city commission and businesses have been clamoring for a garage to be built for decades. The biggest reason why it has not is because of the cost. This project gave the city the opportunity to build a garage using federal grants instead of paying from CRA and general funding. It would have entailed some borrowing with the associated cost.
Attached to the RFP was an Interlocal Agreement between the county and city dated December 12, 2023, outlining what was contained in the RFP. It enumerates the responsibilities for the county and city. It expressly states that these are the only two parties to the agreement.
The submittal of an RFP by the county outlined what would be the terms of their involvement in the station. Did that action negate the terms of the settlement agreement once accepted by Brightline if for nothing else as far as the station is concerned? I think there could be a good argument as to that point.
On March 4, 2024, Brightline sent a letter to both the city and county stating that they had been chosen as the winner of the RFP.
“After carefully reviewing all of the proposals, Brightline has decided to select your proposal (inclusive of several clarifications/modifications that have been discussed with both County and City staff and elected officials) to proceed to the negotiation and execution of final agreements for the development of a new Train Station and Parking Garage located at your proposed site in Stuart. Brightline will require that the terms (listed below) will be included in the final agreements that we enter into with the City and/or County:
Martin County Commitment of $15M
Funds shall be used on the design and development of a train station to be developed on the Land (as defined below), including both front and back of house areas, platform, canopy, entry plaza, service yard and all necessary rail infrastructure, including, but not limited to, all the necessary track, ballast, ties, civil, signal/communication, and special track work / equipment (collectively, the “Train Station”) (covering both hard and soft costs);
City of Stuart Commitment of $30M
Funds shall be used on the design and development of the parking garage to be developed on the Land (the “Parking Garage”) and or Train Station (covering both hard and soft costs).
Agreement by Martin County to modify the 2018 Settlement Agreement
Key terms that would be modified include but are not limited to:
remove the obligation of Brightline to pay 50% of the cost of the Station to be developed in the Treasure Coast; remove the obligation of Brightline to consent to and participate in the cost of building an aerial pedestrian bridge in downtown Stuart (Section 3). In consultation with the City, the pedestrian overpass is no longer needed as the parking garage and station are located on the east side of the tracks;
agree that the fencing installed within Martin County that is currently contemplated in the RAISE Trespassing Prevention Project (fencing locations subject to Florida East Coast Railway, L.L.C.’s approval) will satisfy Brightline’s obligations to construct and pay for additional fencing within Martin County (Section 4); and
agree that, upon completion of construction of the proposed replacement St. Lucie River Bridge, Brightline will no longer be required to agree to the requirement for a bridge monitor for that bridge and that Martin County will support the elimination of such requirement (Section 5).
Commitment from the City and County to immediately fund the design dollars for the Train Station and the Parking Garage upon execution of the Lease and Development Agreement.”
As you can see, Brightline was modifying the settlement agreement with the county to pay for half the cost of the station besides other terms. In a letter to Brightline on March 25th Martin County agrees to release them from any obligation to pay for half the station that was implied but never stated. The county reiterated that they would only be obligated for up to $15 million.
The City of Stuart would still be responsible for the $30 million for a garage that it committed to in the RFP.
At an August 12th city commission meeting, the board voted 4-0 with Collins absent to approve an amended Interlocal Agreement with the provisions of the March 4th and 25th letters. Brightline and Manager Mortell announced at the meeting that there may not be any need for a parking garage. The lot designated for it could be adapted to give the needed spaces without any structure. That would significantly reduce the cost that Stuart would be responsible for. An answer to that question would be known after preliminary design work was completed.
From the very beginning there was always the assumption, based on the other Brightline stations, that most of the funding would come from federal and state grants. In speaking with our partners in Washington and Tallahassee, Martin County and Stuart were assured that the money was there as it had been for the other stations.
The idea that Stuart would back out of the deal is unbelievable to every other business and government entity in Florida and the country. The federal government has made inter-city rail a top priority. The idea that this is some scam or economic burden is delusional. The funding for at least 80% is there. The county is contributing the raw land though transferring ownership to the city only because they can’t lease land without an RFP. That has immense value and is not going toward the contribution of $15 million though the granting agencies take it into consideration.
The new city commission majority and their allies couldn’t be further from right on this. Collins’ weird financial ideas show that he has no sophistication on how government or private finance works. His constant refrain that he is a small businessperson means what exactly?
The real small businesspeople in Downtown know that a station will bring more visitors to spend in their shops and eat in their restaurants without added traffic. It will make our properties more valuable because of having that transportation mode accessible. Tax revenues will increase because of sales and ad valorem from the station.
This would have been a win for all. Instead, we all lose.
Here are the agreements:
Settlement Agreement: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:85b24897-f4e4-4887-a801-30a080fdd8b0
RFP: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:4393ee4e-75bf-42bb-a5fa-666b944a54f9
March 4th Response Awarding Station: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:637b492d-3497-4983-b500-bb475201f238
March 25th Letter from Martin County Agreeing to Changes:
https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:e0ed4866-4aaf-4339-b101-4c9b88604b01
August 12th approved by City Commission Interlocal Agreement:
https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:ca1f1728-12d6-4552-af7f-95876b0984b0
SCHOOL BOARD MEETING SEPTEMBER 17, 2024
There was a special meeting within the board meeting to approve the 2024/25 budget and tax rate on the first reading.
The final tax rate consists of several sub-rates. The State Law Millage Levy known as the Required Local Effort is the amount set by Tallahassee. The rate was 3.0770 or a decrease of 0.1180 from last year. The Discretionary Operating rate remained 0.7480. Voters passed an additional millage of up to 0.5000 in 2018 that was renewed in 2022 and is up for reauthorization this year. The board reduced the amount to 0.4250 for the next year. The Capital Outlay rate remains the same at 1.5000.
For 2024/25, the total rate is 5.7500 (0.1930 less than last year). The proposed budget for 2024/25 increased to $582,927,364 which is $14,685,000 more than last year. It passed unanimously.
You can see the presentation and entire budget book here
During his comments, Superintendent Maine stated that there have been increased threats to schools across the state. He and his staff are taking all threats very seriously. He emphasized it wasn’t just here but throughout Florida.
The board has authorized a thorough look at the pool at MCHS and what needs to be done. An engineer and pool contractor have been hired to examine every aspect. In the meantime, the different teams have been moved over to Sailfish Splash to accommodate the extensive work. The liner needs to be lifted to see if there is damage underneath. The board will receive a thorough report with estimates and a timeline for performing the needed repairs. The pool will be closed during construction if the board authorizes the work.
SCHOOL BOARD WORKSHOP OCTOBER 1, 2024
At last Tuesday’s Workshop, the board heard from a marketing consultant regarding how to have naming rights become an alternative revenue source.
Tebo Partnerships gave a presentation about what they can do to help the district tap into what could be a lucrative income source. The company would do an audit of the district’s facilities and then get down to brass tacks by assigning a value to the naming rights for things like MCHS athletic fields.
Sports programs are expensive to run. In many cases, football has probably eclipsed Algebra as why high school is important. And it is the important things that need support.
If we are going to plaster business names on stadiums, fields, and pools, then the district should do it in a systematic way. This is a plan to do just that. In the crazy way we fund education, why not sell the chance for a business to be memorialized on a ticket booth?
The district wants to make sure that local businesses and firms have an equal chance to participate. That would be one of the board’s prerequisites for having the program. A local institution like Cleveland Clinic or Wells Fargo shouldn’t be forgotten and overwhelmed by the likes of Toyota.
Tebo Partnerships seems to be a good business partner for the district if they are going to do this. But I have questions about the revenue raised and how it will be used. Because if the district plays its cards right, it could be substantial.
The district is in tough financial times. They are in impasse with the union over teacher pay. The state runs the show on how much can be raised through taxes and how much money can be spent on things like textbooks.
Will what is collected go to running the sports programs and if so, will the budget for sports be reduced by that amount to free up funds for academics? The entire point of having schools is not football, baseball, or any other sports team. It is educating our kids.
Maybe we can get Bruce Jenner to donate for a new pool. Would it be known as the Bruce or Kaitlan Swim Complex? Forget that idea. You know what happens when we bring up transgender stuff.
You can see the presentation here
COUNCIL MEETING SEPTEMBER 12, 2024
At this year’s reorganization meeting Carmine Dipaolo was voted in as mayor.
Susan Gibbs-Thomas, who will be resigning her seat effective October 31st suggested that all board appointments be delayed until her replacement is chosen. The current vice-mayor, Angelina Perez, will remain in that position for the coming year.
COUNCIL MEETING SEPTEMBER 26, 2024
The council agreed to allow Terra Lago to place temporary trailers at the development site. The purpose is to have employees live at the project to protect the still vacant newly constructed homes and materials stored on the property. Manager Kryzda stated that this is common practice in the industry for a project of this size. It passed unanimously.
The council also passed an ordinance to not allow camping and sleeping in public spaces. This is in reaction to a state statute that forbids this to occur. Beginning in January, the municipality can be sued if they allow people sleeping in public spaces.
COUNCIL MEETING SEPTEMBER 26, 2024
After many discussions regarding special events, an ordinance was crafted. Instead of going to the council for approval, the manager will now have the final say for special permits. You can apply for a special event permit 365 days before the event but no later than 30 days prior. Currently, special event permits must be submitted no later than 60 days before the event. If there is anticipated to be more than 250 attendees, the organizers must check in with the Sheriff’s Department and Fire/Rescue to see whether their personnel would need to be there.
Though the ordinance would apply to every park in Indiantown, as usual Booker Park became the focus. It is where Swampfest is held. This is becoming a flashpoint for racial tension within Indiantown.
If the village manager declines the permit, there is the possibility of appeal to the council, but the council can only evaluate whether the event organizer met the requirements or not. It sounds like there would not be a bunch of public comment, but I wouldn’t count on it.
Then Mayor Dipaolo made what sounded like a commonsense request that the athletic fields be used for athletics and not a place for stages and food trucks. He asked for a motion to place that prohibition into the ordinance, but his council was anything but obliging. Member Palmer said that she was afraid that if the sports fields were left for sports only, then other things couldn’t happen there.
Dipaolo stated that if tens of thousands of dollars were going to be spent to have the fields rehabilitated, then it is sensible that they only be used for sports. Kryzda stated that the vacant land surrounding the park has been sold and will be for residential development. That property once developed will not be available to be used by the public with or without permission because there will be new homes there.
Vice-Mayor Perez wanted to know what damage there was to the fields. She didn’t see any after Swampfest. Member Brown noted that they were not just talking about one event and that they must be mindful of the language used. To paraphrase her: there are no they and them…only us.
Dipaolo said there could be road closures to place stages and food trucks. I believe if there are road closures, they must be voted upon by the council. And where do people park? Dipaolo said he wanted to permanently close the street at the park but even if you did, I don’t know why you would. There is not much to gain in usable land if you were to permanently incorporate it into the park.
The mayor should not have brought this up. The fields are still a mess. There has been no money approved for rehabilitation at his point. It was an unnecessary flashpoint that was not needed.
The vote was 5-0 to pass the original ordinance giving permit authority to the manager without mention of fields.
I have often heard before Harold Brown became the manager of Indiantown that race and ethnicity didn’t matter. He stirred up the differences because he wanted to more easily control the different factions, I was told by many people.
I believe Brown did play the race card. What I don’t believe is that there was just love and brotherhood between all residents before incorporation. Americans see everything through the prism of color. It is in our DNA.
When Indiantown didn’t have a government or self-determination, then each group could live in its silos with only the amount of interaction that individuals wanted to have. Their political destinies were decided far away, and to most, it seemed like colonialism with Indiantown as the colony. All parks, roads, and infrastructure were just plain lousy.
The White people lived in their neighborhoods, the Black folk in their area and the mostly Spanish-speaking Hispanics in their places. That is no different than the way most Americans live. Swampfest has brought out the racial animosity that was brewing right below the surface.
This point can be proven by the attitudes of the public speakers at the meeting for Black History Fest. Without discussion and with staff recommendation, the council had almost approved it before the clerk reminded the mayor that they needed public comment.
Linda Niccum, an Indianwood resident and a public speaker on almost every issue, began pulling the permit particulars apart. That included how late the music ran and its thumping beat that could be heard in Indianwood. She disparaged the numbers of attendees not being the same on different forms in the package. She was substituting her judgement for that of staff. The lens she was looking through was one of time, culture, and color.
Then of course the organizer, Kimberly Jackson of Concerned Citizens for Booker Park, had to come back and refute everything. She intimated that her culture was being impugned and to some extent it was. She staunchly argued that she was not going to be chased from Booker Park. I don’t blame her when her perception is that “no matter what…it is never good enough.”
Then a voice of reason spoke, Karen Onsager. She stated that the Booker Park residents met the permit requirements. She questioned why things are always viewed through that prism of color. Everyone should celebrate Black History as a big part of American History.
Susan Gibbs Thomas wanted to remind everyone that staff had said it should be approved. The commission had a motion and second without discussion by them. While the calling of public comment is necessary, it doesn’t mean there needs to be any if no one steps forward. The motion passed unanimously.
With all the new construction happening, Indiantown will have at least a doubling of its population in the next decade. An entirely new group of people, predominantly White and middle class, will be moving into these new homes.
They will be looking to become active in civic affairs. They will be looking to become engaged in their new community. The problems of the past will not concern them. They will be the new majority. They will be the age of the current residents’ children and grandchildren.
Most millennials and Generation Zs don’t quite see the prism of color as Linda Niccum, Kimberly Jackson, and Carmine Dipaolo do. Racial dating and intermarriage are as accepted now as interreligious marriage was 60 years ago. Heads no longer turn when there is a Black and White couple together.
Perhaps as Indiantown grows less parochial, the very idea of seeing things through the prism of color will go away. And maybe American’s DNA is even changing.
Another non-believer has accepted the truth. Senator Rick Scott acknowledged after the devastation of Helene that “the climate clearly is changing.” He added that, “We’ve got to figure out how to react to that.”
For some reason in the City of Stuart, some of our elected officials still won’t acknowledge what is most evident. Because of Commissioner Collins, the city returned a FEMA grant to help prepare for our next hurricane. He could not accept the word resiliency that was in its title.
There is much I don’t understand about science. My degrees are in history and English. Though I took the science classes that were mandatory in both high school and college, I never enjoyed them. I am not very knowledgeable about why storms have become worse over the years.
In 2003, we decided that the 1930’s home we bought in Florida a couple of years before would need to be replaced after hearing that it was beyond rehabilitation without spending more than what a new one would cost. Two weeks before the dual impact of Hurricanes Francis and Jeanne had come ashore, we had demolished the old house. I always thought if we had waited, we might have saved a few bucks.
What was also destroyed was our boat house, dock, sea wall, and the hedge of Australian Pines that I loved before the sea wall. We rebuilt the dock and the boat house but couldn’t replace the Australian Pines because they were now considered an invasive species. A beautiful beach had been created so we didn’t bother rebuilding the sea wall.
Over the next two years, we began to experience higher and higher tides, and the yard was disappearing…first slowly and then more rapidly. We felt we needed to replace the sea wall to protect the yard. Our home then had a wall like every other along the river.
Yet with every tropical storm or heavy rain, the river was more and more likely to go over the wall. Neighbors began building their walls higher along with their docks. It had become a regular occurrence for my neighbor’s dock to be submerged with King Tides until eventually a new owner built a much higher seawall and dock.
We can also see the temperatures each year are warmer. It isn’t only here. In coastal Connecticut, there would be three good-sized snow storms a year. Last year, there were above normal temperatures and below normal inches of snow. The planet is warming.
I guess the argument over climate change started because of politics and economic interest not science. Right now, getting into that argument is not material when considering what should be done to stop the warming of the planet. Regardless of what you believe, acknowledging facts that it has occurred is the first step to fixing the problem.
Accepting a FEMA grant to help plan and have procedures in place for the next storm is not some big conspiracy theory to foster world dominance by a secret society or the U.N. It just makes sense.
What doesn’t make sense at all is the attitude of Collins to throw away money to do something that Stuart will have to do anyway…which is plan. Ideologues and true believers make poor government officials. We are again looking on just how important electing the right people can be to a community.
IF YOU ARE NOT A SUBSCRIBER DO SO FOR FREE HERE www.friendsandneighborsofmartincounty.com
GET THE WORD OUT
Friends and Neighbors of Martin County is your eyes and ears so that you know what is going on in Martin County’s municipal and county governments. I attempt to be informative and timely so that you may understand how your tax money is being spent. Though I go to the meetings and report back, I am no substitute for your attending meetings. Your elected officials should know what is on your mind.
Tom Campenni 772-341-7455 (c) Email: thomasfcampenni@gmail.com
Tom’s Articles
From Medium
"Rooftop Antennas & Clotheslines
"Trave May Not Be So Good For The Natives"
From Martin County Moments
"EAR Changes Are Mandated"
Other Articles
The New York Times: "Amazon Tells Corporate Workers To Be in the Office 5 Days a Week"
The New York Times Magazine: "America Must Free Itself from the Tyranyy of the Penny"
The Washington Post: "Is recycling beyond fixing? Here's why California thinks so"
Florida Phoenix: "Book publishers file lawsy=uit, say book ban law unconstitutional"
TCPalm: "Living history: Bid underway to place Downtown Stuart on National Register of Historic Places"
Florida Phoenix: "Lying like a champ for America"
The Washington Post: "Here trans daughter made the volleyball team. Then an armed officer showed up"
City Lab: "How Air Conditioning Took Over the American Office"
The New York Times: "Italians Fight for the Richt to Feast on the Beach"
The Washington Post: "The Number" (The CPI reveals much)
Route Fifty: "Zoning reform made way for an explosion of smaller homes in California. Will it work elsewhere?"
The Washington Post: "U.K., home of the industrial revolution, shuts its last coal-fired plant"
Route Fifty: "Study finds prevalence of firearms is driving soaring gun deaths in U.S.--not mental illness"
The New York Times: "History Teachers Are Replacing Textbooks with the Internet"
Copyright © Oct 4, 2024 Friends & Neighbors of Martin County, LLC., All rights reserved.