As many of you may have read or heard, the Martin County School Board made a presentation at the last City Commission Meeting. They essentially wanted Stuart to turn over Sailfish Baseball Fields and the Public Works Complex gratis for their new administration building. They would then sell their current six-acre location and keep those proceeds.

I am against the City giving away the 11 acres that comprise the ball fields and public works complex.  Then, in perpetuity, we would receive no taxes, fees or any other revenue for this most valuable site. It is anything but a “home run” for us. In my book, it’s not even a single. Not to mention their proposal would have us sharing (and contributing to maintain) a few new ball fields which we would only be allowed to use when the school board wasn’t.

This is something I could never support. No taxes and no ball fields, how could any Stuart elected official be for it? Some might say that the administrative building contributes to the economy of Stuart. To a very limited extent that is probably true. But to imagine that a new building is going to bring shops and restaurants to the area is not credible. The existing complex on East Ocean Blvd has not resulted in any shops or restaurants around it. What would cause a different outcome?

This may seem a radical notion but why does the School Board need to be within city limits? In 1950, when Stuart comprised 40% of Martin County’s population, there was perhaps a reason. But today when Stuart only accounts for 10% of the population there is no compelling reason. The vast majority of their staff lives outside the City. Further Stuart has 1% of the total land mass of Martin County. How can we afford to give up taxable land to another government entity and not even be paid for its value? Never mind the lost tax revenue and the loss of our ball fields.

As a custodian of Stuart residents’ money, how could I possibly do that? How can I ask Stuart’s 10% of Martin County’s total population to contribute such a valuable asset to the other 90%? We are not still a rural county with Stuart being the home for those who “live in town” and where the money is. That was true when the County was incorporated in 1925 but it is no longer true today. Communities that are outside the City, such as Sailfish Point, Jupiter Island and even Sewall’s Point, are where the wealth is.

If we are to maintain our quality of life we need to make sure our assets are used for City residents. We need to have our recreational fields under our control. We can’t just give away our assets. We need to be independent and do what is best for Stuartians. Yes we are part of Martin County. We pay both County and School Board property taxes. Therefore, we do not need to also subsidize further those governmental agencies since we are already paying our fair share. I cannot in good conscience claim to represent the people of Stuart and then give away those assets. That is unconscionable.