THE OLD COURTHOUSE COMES HOME

Since 1989, the County has leased the old Courthouse and Gazebo Park to Stuart. The City turned around and then sub-leased the Courthouse to the Arts Council. No money changed hands from Owner to Tenant or Tenant to Sub-Tenant. The only reason the City ever became involved was because the County wanted to tear down the building. With the termination of the old agreement, that all ends.

The County has received a $125,000 from the state for a new roof because the structure is historical. The Arts Council will receive $60,000 per year from the County to manage programs at the courthouse. The City will retain a lease on Gazebo Park, but the County can maintain the trees around the building without paying the City the tree trimming fee.

Commissioner Heard could not understand how the Arts Council qualifies for free rent and to receive $60,000 per year. She equated it to the BOCC picking winners and losers. On the surface it sounds that way, but Martin County has decided to be responsible for the building because it is an historical structure. The Arts Council is named in the Comp Plan as the County’s local arts agency.

There is absolutely no doubt that there are too many nonprofits being funded by nonprofits and or the government. Duplications and similar organizations abound. Perhaps the Arts Council should be combined as part of the Elliot, House of Refuge, and the Stuart Feed store. There can be a debate that joining all these organizations with one Executive Director and Board would make sense economically. But that is not the question being asked.

Just like government provides golf courses and parks, they should provide art and music. The Arts Council does that! So it isn’t, at least in this instance, the County picking a winner. This gives us a well-rounded community. A motion was made by Jenkins and seconded by Hetherington for the proposal. It passed 4-1 with Heard dissenting.

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