Category Archives: Our Future

Now Is The Time

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It appears that Senator Negron’s bill regarding locating a reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee will have a hard time moving forward in the legislature. Many are fighting the reservoir on the availability of funds, some because there are other projects on the table that should be completed first, and still others because they oppose of the removal of the 60,000 acres from agricultural production.

All these reasons and explanations sound rational. But the most cogent explanation for moving forward with Senator Negron’s bill is the explanation I heard directly from him. The people and counties and cities along the Saint Lucie River and the Indian River Lagoon are seeing their way of life eroding every time releases occur. How long must we wait? Isn’t our health important not to mention our economy and quality of life.

The people of the Treasure Coast can’t wait 10 or 20 years. There is no good reason that we should wait. Economically, what we contribute to the state is as important, if not more so, than the sugar industry’s contribution. Like so many things in Florida and the United States, our area is being sacrificed, not because of valid economic and ecological reasons, but because of the hold the sugar industry has on our state and nation. It’s another sign of the collusion between big business and politicians to put the people’s interest last.

The business model for the sugar industry is, as so many others, only possible because of government subsidies. Those subsidies are made possible by political contributions made by the owners of those industries to the very politicians that vote for those subsidies. Our tax money is being used to pervert our interests. We have become a nation of subsidies and cronyism rather than the nation of entrepreneurship and capitalism .

We, the people, fight the battle for our environment while a few use our own tax dollars to thwart that effort. The river and lagoon will continue to be ignored. Every month and year that passes means that we are that much closer to another summer of green algae. The Treasure Coast is being sacrificed as are the state and national taxpayers. How about taking the corporate subsidies from those few well-connected and giving them to the citizens? We can fund the reservoir and all the other projects if we stop corporate welfare.

The Erosion of the People’s Rights

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Imagine if the government passed a law that stated the phone company can put a pole anywhere that Stuart has a “right of way”. AT&T would not have to ask permission or pay more than $15.00 a year to place its antenna on that pole. Verizon, Sprint and Comcast could erect similar structures at a stop sign or park or in the grass strip in front of your house. You would be outraged. You couldn’t believe it can happen in the U.S….in Florida. Stuart and Martin County would be powerless to stop it.

The same day that the poles go up in Memorial Park and in front of your house, your neighbor next door decided to make his home into a hotel. The neighbor on the other side of you decides that she wants to convert her living room into a convenience store and nightclub. Your neighbors on either side do not have to register anywhere or obtain the city’s permission. Stuart could not do anything to prevent it. When those new businesses open, they wouldn’t have to pay anything additional for the increased services that the city would have to provide because of increased traffic and police presence.

This is not fantasy. We are not being invaded by a foreign government. But it does smack of a totalitarian state doesn’t it? There are currently bills in the legislature that would make the above a reality. The Speaker of the House and a hand full of his followers have decided that local government is an enemy of business. It is their belief that we are unfriendly to business by requiring a utility to obtain a permit and the permission of that municipality before erecting a structure in a place that is owned by the citizens of the city.

Speaker Corcoran and some other legislators think that anyone should be able to turn his/her home into a hotel for “short term rentals” without any local oversight. These same legislators believe that local government should not have any authority to make sure businesses operate in the best interests of their communities. Their belief is that the legislature is all-knowing and that you should not be able to decide how your community should look.

This undemocratic and perverse logic will result in people fleeing the state rather than moving here. People want to have control over their local communities. They want to be able to live in towns and cities that reflect their values not those of a group of legislators from Tampa or Lee County. This is not a partisan issue but a philosophical one. We must fight this incursion on our sovereignty.

The right of “Home Rule” is just as important as “Freedom of Speech” or our 2nd Amendment Right.  It is vital to making sure that the people have the communities that they want. Every time we are denied that ability, our liberty is eroded just a little bit more. If a locality is not infringing on a constitutional right, then the state or federal government should not intrude on how we govern ourselves.

There is an economic cost to such mindless, one-size-fits-all laws. Some in the legislature may see it as helping business. However, when local government has its sources of revenue impacted by Tallahassee, the locality must find other sources of income to continue to provide services, usually on the back of the residents. As the quality of life is negatively impacted, then businesses suffer. And, if that comes to pass, we won’t need all those antennas in “rights of way” providing internet because there will be fewer people and businesses choosing to be here as a result of the legislature’s misguided policies.

Should Hobe Sound Incorporate?

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Should Hobe Sound incorporate? That was the question asked in an article by Gil Smart in Saturday’s Stuart News. It is my contention that any time citizens can know their elected officials and participate intimately in governing, it is the correct decision. The closer that local government is to the people the better it reflects their will. The smaller the unit of government, the more likely it is that those elected will not be professional politicians always looking toward a higher office or an election contribution.

Incorporation would mean that the citizens of the “Town of Hobe Sound” would elect a municipal council to govern. The Sheriff and Martin County Fire/Rescue would still provide those services. From the consultant’s report, total taxes would remain the same. The key difference would be that instead of being part of the Martin County development wars, the citizens of the town would call their own shots.  Who better to decide how to keep the character of Hobe Sound than local citizens?  County Commissioners can’t possibly know better what residents of Hobe Sound want than their neighbors and friends.

I am a Stuart City Commissioner and, currently, the Mayor. So, it should come as no secret that I believe local government is the best government because it is closest to the people. Most people who get involved at this level certainly don’t do so for the money. We do become involved because we want to give back to the communities in which we live. We are not easily influenced by developers or others wanting to erect projects. In fact, because we don’t need to chase campaign dollars to be elected, we can honestly do what we believe best for our communities. I hear constantly from citizens sharing their thoughts every time I go to the store or eat in a restaurant.

It appears that Hobe Sound has met the standards needed for the legislature to allow for a vote on whether to incorporate or not. There are criteria for incorporation that the legislature should follow as outlined in Section 165.061(1) of the Florida Statutes. What the legislature should not do is substitute their judgment for that of the people of Hobe Sound. Tallahassee should also not be concerned with how Martin County feels regarding incorporation.

If the legislature votes to allow the referendum, then the people can decide whether the “Town of Hobe Sound” should exist or not. I trust the people will make the correct choice. It is my hope that I can welcome the birth of Martin County’s 5th municipality this year and Indiantown should be the 6th municipality. The legislature needs to return incorporation in both areas to the citizens to decide.

Undemocratic Tallahassee

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I was in Tallahassee earlier this week to present a plan to the Florida Senate Appropriations Committee regarding Stuart’s Recreation Center. While in the capital, I attended a workshop on “All Aboard” and a House Committee hearing on Representative Fine’s bill known as HB 17. Fine’s bill would curtail local government’s ability to regulate businesses within their borders. I voiced my opposition to the bill as did a number of cities and counties. The preemption of your rights will have huge unintended consequences in counties and cities throughout the state.

It is really frustrating to me, as a Republican, that this “Big Brother” idea was sponsored by a member of my party. Further, it passed that initial committee with only one Republican member voting no as did every Democratic member. When you have to count on the Democrats to limit more regulation, then the world is indeed turned upside down. The idea that the best government is that government which is closest to the people apparently is not believed in Tallahassee.

Our representatives in Washington, but increasingly also in Tallahassee, have decided that they should minutely manage local affairs. They know best and we, the people, are too ignorant to be trusted. Members of the legislature have come to the conclusion that pesky citizens should not have a say in their own back yards.  As an example of this mind set, the legislature has preempted cities such as Miami from deciding whether or not to outlaw plastic bags.

This undemocratic and authoritarian style of governing is predicated on being business friendly. In other words, we can’t have businesses bothered by the locals.  The Florida constitution gives cities the right to manage their own affairs except where prohibited constitutionally or by legislative statute. The anti-democratic legislature doesn’t believe that to the detriment of every Floridian.

For example, the fiats handed down from Washington and Tallahassee regarding short- term rentals and sober homes have decimated some communities. The  legislators who sponsor and pass these bills argue that you can vote them out of office. If you wanted to get rid of Representative Fine you would have to move to Palm Bay.  Unelected and unresponsive to your needs, these men and women do indeed control your destiny.

The best thing that our Tallahassee and Washington representatives can do is not always use the power that they have to legislate. They should not assume that a problem brought to their attention in their local community is state or nationwide.  They should stick to those things that localities can’t do. The state should decide who can practice medicine or law but not where a city decides to allow offices to do so.  Is it really a concern of the state whether plastic bags are allowed In Miami or in Stuart?

Locally elected commissioners are not rubes that need guidance. We are keenly aware of what our citizens and voters want. Local elected officials are not in a bubble as so many state and federal officials are. We see and hear our constituents on a daily basis. The vast majority of us are not career politicians but rather are women and men who want to serve their communities. If we lose the public trust, we will be gone in the next election.

What I Learned In Washington

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I just spent several days speaking on behalf of cities in Washington.  I now understand what gridlock means. I met with many representatives and their staffs some of whom I had not visited before. My colleagues from the Florida League of Cities and I speak about issues such as the continuation of the interest deduction for municipal bonds, changes in the National Flood Insurance Program and the claw back provisions in FEMA de-obligation. A bit inside baseball for most people but each of these issues have a direct effect on your pocketbook.

I was surprised to learn that many of our federal representatives do not think tax reform or much else will be passed this session. While both the White House and Congress are in Republican hands, there is not a unified vision that is shared.  Everyone is open to making a deal if the basis of the deal requires no compromise on anyone’s part. The losers will not be those in Washington but the American people.

We are seeing the same inability in Tallahassee. There, we have the Speaker of the House and the Governor, both Republicans, trading insults instead of doing the business of Floridians. Your ability to lead and accomplish something is directly tied to your willingness to work with those with whom you may not agree. There are principles that should not be compromised, but that does not mean that anyone who disagrees with you is your enemy.

This problem is worse as government is more and more removed from the people. In the past 80 years, power has migrated to Tallahassee and Washington. They have taken bigger and bigger shares of our tax dollars while increasing taxes in general. So because those centers of power are so removed from the voters, the voters become less and less relevant. Special interests, lobbyists, and campaign contributors are important for the continuation of federal and state leaders in power.

Is the world more complicated that it was in 1789? Absolutely it is! But fundamentally the founders’ ideas for our country were correct. Washington is trying to do too many things that our governmental institutions were never meant to accomplish. The state governments hate when Washington dictates policies and saddles them with unfunded mandates. On the local level, we have both the Feds and Tallahassee dictating to us. They believe they know more about our needs than we do.  This is ludicrous. Governmental power needs to be exercised as close to the citizens as possible rather than the way we now are governed.

If we expect to have good government then allow the people to decide what should be done. The federal government should only do those things which the constitution expressly allows.  The state needs to stop mandating and assuming that what a legislator in the capital believes is all that matters. Someone from Tampa should not tell the citizens of Stuart how to govern their city.

What does it matter to the legislature whether our municipal election is in March, July or November? Why should they care whether we charge a fee of $5 or $500 per business in our communities? Our citizens will tell us what to charge through their input and at the voting booth. Washington and Tallahassee should stop taxing us so much in the first place only to have the funds be re-distributed after they take their large slice. We wouldn’t need a supposed tax cut if those in faraway capitals didn’t take our money in the first place.

Power is a corrupting force. As a politician goes up the food chain, he is more and more removed from citizen input. A legislator or congressman, governor or president no longer has that tug on his/her sleeve of their neighbor in Publix. Their world is made up of lobbyists, corporate lawyers and union officials. They only speak to other elites. Their grasp on the everyday plight of their constituents is a distant memory.

If you truly want America to be a country that our founders envisioned, our president, governor or congress person won’t get us there. The power we have bestowed upon them is much too much for any one person to exercise responsibly. America is a nation of villages, hamlets and towns. The more that we can govern on that level, the better all of us will be.

On Being a Commissioner

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As the year ends, I am taking stock in what I, as a Stuart City Commissioner, have accomplished in 2016. It has never made much sense to me that you pursue any elected office without identifying what goals you would like to accomplish while in office. I look at being in this office as my full-time job. I feel honored that a majority of voters trusted in my abilities and re-elected me. I don’t want to let down the residents, taxpayers and voters of the City of Stuart.

There are four distinct aspects to being a City Commissioner. All are equally important though the skill set required may be different for each. The first is constituent service. I represent you. So if there is a problem that you are having with our government, I need to find out why you are having that problem and how can we solve your difficulty. That isn’t always possible. Sometimes the constituent is just wrong and/or unreasonable. Other times the problem doesn’t have a City solution because it needs to be resolved by another governmental entity.

Mostly, it just requires that the constituent is put in contact with the correct person in the City. After “Hurricane Matthew,” I read a letter to the editor in the Stuart News regarding someone’s problem with obtaining a permit for a fence. I tracked down where that person lived and his phone number. I then brought the matter to the Development Department to see whether the problem could be resolved. Development did so expeditiously. In that instance, if the constituent had contacted me first before writing to the newspaper, his problem would have been resolved quickly. In this case, I was a Commissioner in search of a constituent…and I found him.

The second aspect is to represent Stuart to the outside world. You can think about it as public relations, but it is more. The mayor is the ceremonial head of government, and he/she will be the public face of Stuart throughout their year in office. I try to be at as many public events as possible to re-enforce the mayor but also to show that the elected government is more than just one person. As a public person, I should participate in other civic and philanthropic organizations and boards. That is why I have chosen to be involved in many Stuart and, especially, East Stuart organizations. It is hard to represent all the people of Stuart if I never see and meet people outside of my personal circle of friends and acquaintances.

The third part of the job is understanding and knowing what is going on in the operation of the City. I would find it impossible to carry out being your representative if I didn’t know how the City fulfills its duties. There is a learning curve when first being elected. As a private sector, small business person, I was used to issuing an instruction and everyone carrying it out. Government is a collaboration. Once you understand that, it becomes less frustrating yet still very challenging.

Since the Commission is responsible for policy, making appropriate policy requires that a Commissioner understands what is possible. The City Manager and staff are critical to moving any policy forward. The nuts and bolts of government resides in staff. The City Commission has only two people that report to us, the City Manager and The City Attorney. No Commissioner gets very far without their buy-in to a particular policy.

The final aspect of the job is thinking about our future. No city is static. It needs to evolve to be relevant. From the services we provide to the way those services are provided, we need to adapt and do so constantly.  How will the City of Stuart take advantage of our changing world to be part of that future in 10, 20 or 50 years?  No part of the United States or the world will look or function the same. What are the trends that I need to know about so that Stuart can be ready to take advantage of those opportunities?

I believe government’s responsibility is to have the necessary infrastructure in place to allow residents, taxpayers and citizens to live and work in our City and increase the number of new jobs and businesses. If we spend the money on the wrong or obsolete infrastructure, then we will not be ready for our appropriate future. If all I do is mindlessly continue what has always been done, in my opinion, I would have let you down. I have and I will continue to act and perform this job in the way I outlined.

Martin County Moving Forward

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Martin County has entered a new era. I don’t know what changes are in store, but changes will occur. While Stuart’s Board of Commissioners has remained the same, the County’s has had some significant changes. I can see some real benefit to Martin County and Stuart, but only if the new majority adheres to what the individuals promised in their campaigns.

As a City Commissioner and a resident, I would like to see the following occur. For both unincorporated Martin County and Stuart, the impact fees imposed by Martin County have inhibited growth within the City’s borders and the Urban Services Boundary. Stuart has given our impact fee consultant’s study to Martin County staff. The study shows that the current impact fees overstate the need for improvements covered by impact fees. The County’s out-of-date study is making impact fees act as a deterrent instead of what the law clearly states is their purpose.

Impact fees are not another tax. They are meant to offset the cost of providing new roads, etc. for new development. Within our municipalities and the Urban Services Boundary, this has already been accomplished. What the fees are doing is making it too costly for anything but the most expensive construction to be feasible. This prevents industry and middle class housing from being built.

Without new businesses, jobs and housing, the existing residential and commercial property owners will bear increasing taxes to maintain services. High impact fees have the consequence of making development in western Martin County more economically feasible, since the costs of land are cheaper. This encourages sprawl. Not something any of us want.

The Martin County Commission needs to embrace the formation of more municipalities throughout the county. Presently, there are efforts in Tallahassee to have both Indiantown and Hobe Sound become independent municipalities. This is a good thing. Why should 5 people on Monterey Road micro-manage the will of every resident in the county. For too long, Martin County has forgotten what a county is and is not supposed to be. It tries to provide the same level of service for everyone regardless of need. This is a recipe for governmental failure and, ultimately, fiscal un-sustainability.

The new majority wants us to believe that independent CRA districts will give the autonomy that is needed. Community Redevelopment Areas are not meant to be a substitute for towns and cities. They are a financial vehicle for urban redevelopment by concentrating funds in a “depressed area” for redevelopment.  They are not meant to be anything more than that. If the Martin County Commission does not understand this basic fact, it will continue to fail Community Redevelopment Areas in both self-governance and fiscal policy.

If Martin County was comprised of more municipalities, then the level of governmental services within each would reflect the wants and needs of those communities. This idea of “one size” fits all is ludicrous. Within Martin County boundaries, there are cattle ranches and high rises as well as sprawling farms and urban areas. This has led to a bloated county bureaucracy and payroll that will only increase over time. Martin County should only provide funding for basic services and constitutional offices. It is an arm of the State of Florida not meant to act the same as municipalities. If we had 15 municipalities in the county, our county taxes would be much lower and the county itself would be much more economically sustainable.

The new Martin County Commissioners should not let their election go to their heads. They are the agents of the people not for the special interests or friends that assisted in their campaigns both financially and physically. Too often, I have seen that Commissioners don’t want to cede authority over the amount of funding and resources under their control. Even when doing so would result in better governance and fiscal policy being enacted.

Lastly, I implore the new majority to remember that only Commissioner Ciampi faced all the voters. Even his election was one by a minority of the vote because there were 3 candidates in that race. We have seen time and again that there is overreach by a new majority. The Board needs to accurately reflect the will of the voters. The voters are not looking to have unvarnished development and the Browardization of Martin County.

At the same time the voters recognize that we do need “smart” growth. That does not mean “anti” growth or “pro” growth. It means looking at what is doable and how to actually achieve it. Give us a way to have the ability for our kids to grow up and stay here. We all want to live and enjoy the Martin County we currently have. The County Commission’s obligation is to provide that path.

Housing and Employment

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We are about to begin a new era in Martin County. On November 22nd, the new BOCC will be sworn into office.  With that Martin County should have a more pro-business and pro-growth county commission. Some residents fear what will happen in the western part of the county. Both Ed Ciampi and Harold Jenkens have stated that they do not want to see development outside the Urban Service Boundary. They claim that development should take place where the infrastructure already exists. I believe that also.

What can be more in keeping with new development within the existing USB than occurring within the City of Stuart? As a city, Stuart, already has the infrastructure to sustain new housing and new industries. If the City can work toward that goal, then Martin County can avoid similar sprawl that has occurred in other places in South Florida. How do we accomplish that?

The City has been given a grant from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. This grant will help to plot a course to realize our economic potential for both more jobs and businesses. One of the interesting facts that have come out of the study is that 21,000 people come to Stuart every day to work at our businesses. The reason they live elsewhere, is the lack of housing within the City. That is millions of dollars earned here but spent other places such as Port Saint Lucie. Those 21,000 additional people entering Stuart each day put additional strain on our police, fire/rescue, roads and other services. Those commuters pay not one dime in taxes to support the services that they consume. Those 21,000 commuters are more than the entire population of Stuart.

We desperately need housing within the City of Stuart. As the economic hub of Martin County, we are a net exporter of revenue to the entire Treasure Coast. We cannot afford to continue in this vein and remain a viable municipality. It is imperative that we have housing for every economic class. We can’t just cater to the poor or the rich…the young or the old. That is why I asked at the last meeting that staff look at increasing the number of units per acre similar to downtown within the Woodlawn area.

Presently that area has few residents. Colorado Avenue, which has been turned into a wonderful gateway to downtown, has been transformed with new businesses. However, many of those businesses are struggling because the area lacks the population to sustain them. The rest of the neighborhood has not been revitalized with private resources. It is imperative, if our tax base is to grow, that this area must become more economically productive.

The City of Stuart has many residential neighborhoods made up of predominantly single family homes. I do not want those single family neighborhoods to be anything other than what they are. It is important that we retain the character of those neighborhoods. As I said above we need housing to fit the needs of everyone.

Construction costs on a city lot are more expensive than sprawl development would be in western Martin County. This necessitates a builder constructs very expensive single-family homes that most employees of Stuart jobs would not be able to afford. Therefore, in underutilized areas such as Woodlawn, the traditional single family home is not feasible. That is why different housing options need to be made available.

The City of Stuart does not have to give up its character. I am steadfast in my commitment to maintaining our height limit. I am not looking to become Delray Beach. But we need to have homes for those that work in our City. Millions and millions of dollars each year are spent other places by people who earn that money within our borders. The clear majority of Stuart’s municipal employees live elsewhere because of the shortage of available housing.

Fifty years ago, the City of Stuart had 40% of Martin County’s population. We are now less than 10%. For political relevancy, economic stability and cultural diversity, we need to have more residents. Those that want to keep western Martin County rural and in agriculture, as I do, recognize the need to have places for new residents to live. There are 1000 new people a day coming to Florida. Stuart can continue to prosper and keep our cost of living affordable. For our own viability, we have to not only increase businesses and employment but also people and homes.

The “Martin County Difference”

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At a recent county-wide meeting where I spoke, many in the audience were still under the illusion that the merging of Martin County’s and Stuart’s Fire Departments would save money. As I have written numerous times, this is not the case, especially for the residents of the City. In fact, it would cost Stuart taxpayers roughly an additional $500,000 per year, probably the loss of one of the City’s stations, and increased response times.

For too long, Martin County tax payers have been duped into believing that there is some tremendous cost savings by consolidation. This sorry notion has been perpetuated by a County government not willing to make hard decisions to get its own costs under control. From the way Martin County allocates the soft costs of their Fire/Rescue Department to their unwillingness to face the hard costs, going forward will only exaggerate the monetary differences of the two departments.

Martin County residents are not doing their due diligence by examining the data that exists. We now live in a “fact free” nation where we disregard anything we don’t want to hear or believe. I would venture to state that not many people have read the “Fitch Study” including some elected and government officials and members of purported “watch dog” organizations. I would also surmise that even less have studied Stuart’s Finance Department’s findings regarding the effect of consolidation on the City.

Stuart is a geographically small compact city of 6.5 square miles. We have less than 10% of the entire County’s population. 65% of our residents pay only our fire fee and no real estate taxes. The average Stuart single family home has a taxable value of $124,567.  Martin County consists of 543 square miles and has a fire/rescue department whose budget is eight times greater than the City’s.  So consolidation is nothing more than a distraction from what really needs to be done by Martin County.

Why does it cost Stuart less than Martin County to provide fire/rescue service? The most important and main reason is because of the hard work by City management, the department rank and file and the City Commission. By working together, we have our costs under control. Stuart has implemented programs and procedures that have ultimately benefited the residents and taxpayers of Stuart. That is why consolidation would result in an expense to the City of an additional $500,000. The County, on the other hand, has not and continues not to do what is necessary to accomplish the same goals.

County residents, there is no quick fix. The Martin County Commission and management must implement needed reforms to control costs. If you live in unincorporated Martin County demand that they do what is necessary. Don’t look to the City’s residents and taxpayers to come to your rescue. Don’t believe what you are told when there are no facts to support those suppositions. A lack of political will and facing hard choices is how the County got here.

At that same meeting, an unincorporated Martin County resident actually said to me, “Stuart should allow the consolidation.” I once again explained that it was not in the best interest of the City to do so. He then said that Stuart just needs to “bite the bullet” because it may be better for him. To which I replied, “I don’t represent you, I represent the residents of the City and must do what is best for them.” That taxpayer should be demanding that his County Commission “bite the bullet” and do what is best for him and other Martin County taxpayers.

Remarks Made to the Republican Executive Committee October 20th 2016

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I am very excited about the future of Stuart.

Today’s world is entering a phase where cities are once again becoming the prime economic and cultural centers they had historically been. 

But I must tell you

I have always been a city person.

I was  born and raised in New York. I went to school at both Fordham and NYU. Which are quintessential big city universities.

My career as an owner, broker and manager of commercial real estate was primarily in New York and other cities. I still am a partner in businesses New York.

When I go on vacations I usually gravitate toward seeing cities.

I love cities.

 Cities are alive… They breathe… … They have a soul.  

Jaime Lerner the ex-Governor of the Brazilian state of Parana, a noted city planner and architect wrote that:

“ A city grows like an organism. It is a structure for living and working together..it is a mix of functions.”

 

Stuart celebrated its hundredth anniversary in 2014. I was honored to be Chairman of the city’s Centennial Committee.

From Stuart’s very inception it was the economic center of the area. Stuart continued to thrive through and after the 2nd World War.

Then as most cities in America… there was a decline in Stuart’s fortune. But the city survived the doldrums of the mid to late 20th century. This was when American downtowns were hollowed out to make way for malls and strip centers.

 

Small, medium and large cities were left to wither while America fell in love with the car and the suburb. We were fortunate that the bulldozers never made it to Flagler and Osceola Streets. Stuart still had bones if not much meat on its body.

 

Urban pioneers such as Peter and Joan Jefferson began to re-imagine a downtown where people lived, worked and shopped. The citizens finally realized that to quote Lerner once more “Cities are not problems. They are solutions.”

Today the City of Stuart is the soul and the center of our county. It is the downtown for 250,000 people on the Treasure Coast.

 

What would I like to see moving forward… is to encourage more development such as what is going to occur on the Triangle property.

A three story building will arise there with 49 new 1, 2 and 3 bedroom rentals. It will be self-parked with a pool, rec center and public areas. This is the first new residential building in downtown in the past 12 years.

Those new residents will be able to walk to shopping and dining.  

This development will spark a resurgence of that entire corridor along Dixie Highway.

It will encourage the establishment of new businesses and jobs to serve our new residents.

 

If we are ever to stop being a Potemkin Downtown a critical mass of residents must call the area home.

By having more residents our micro-transit system can really develop into more than a novelty.

It can actually move people to work and play first within the downtown area but ultimately encompassing the city.

 

Imagine an opportunity that a resident or guest will have to leave their car behind and enjoy another glass of wine at dinner before returning home.

Seniors would be able to visit their doctors, eat lunch and shop without worrying about driving. More would be able to age in place in the condos of East Ocean and Palm City Road.

Teenagers will have a way to move around the city from school to a job or a friend’s house without a parent playing chauffer.   

 

I want to encourage a place where our grown children can raise their families and not feel they need to move to do so.

Where jobs and businesses want to be located. .

Government in order to attract businesses can keep its taxes low, provide good infrastructure and schools and stream line the approval process.

Stuart is never going to attract a company with hundreds of jobs. We don’t have the physical space to accommodate that.

Further the economy’s growth especially for cities our size is in the formation of new businesses.

We have a good quality of life in Martin County and Stuart. This should attract the very people who will look to open businesses

Entrepreneurship is where we should be looking to grow those jobs and opportunity. 

To quote another Republican, …Governor John Kasich, …“You know where Entrepreneurship in my opinion has to go? Into the cities”.

 

I concur.

 

I would like to see our community center on 10th street become a better place for recreation for the entire city but also as an economic driver with new fields and infrastructure added specifically to encouraging travel leagues, Babe Ruth and Little League  somewhere to play and hold their tournaments there.

We could then use this as one more reason for people to visit Stuart and Martin County.

Once we have accomplished 10th street, The nine acres at Sailfish should be looked at for private redevelopment.

Stuart can create a new neighborhood for increased residents and businesses. Millions in new taxes will become available to Stuart, Martin County and Florida.

The city is built out.  Only through infill and through annexation can we grow our population, provide better services for all and enlarge our economy.

 

We are an ideal location to attract young families and seniors by making our city walkable and through the smart use of mass transit.

But a city of our size needs to have an integration of work, residency and culture to be successful.

In my opinion the biggest mistake of city planners for the past 100 years has been the bifurcation of those three things.

They form a three legged stool that supply the balance necessary to have a successful modern 21st century municipality.

 

I am adamant that we can accomplish all of this without losing our “ Old Florida Feel” or our height restrictions. This is what makes Stuart…Stuart.      

 

But we cannot live in the past and pretend that change will not occur. For if there is one constant it is change.

Our City government and citizens will have to guide that change and use it to shape our future in a way we want instead of outside forces.

 

Stuart can be all of this if we can get out of our own way.

For far too long staff, the commission and to some extent residents felt that they could dictate to the market. That is why the NorthPoint property has been a failure for ten years and counting.

I am hoping going forward that we finally first qualify the developer and then speak about the project they propose instead of the other way around. This is what we did at the Triangle and it worked.

Government needs to stop trying to tell a private developer what should be built…even if we own the land.

For some time we have insisted that a hotel needs to be built in downtown. We have drawn plans… We have continued to wish and dream and cajole…all to no avail.

The free market should decide and if the market ever decides to build a hotel in our downtown….guess what…it will be built. 

 

I want to leave you with two quotes from a couple of Greeks:

First: “A great city is not to be confounded with a populous one”. That was said by Aristotle

Second: The City is what it is because our citizens are what they are.” Plato

Thank you.