Good evening ladies and gentlemen. I would like to welcome everyone this evening to the Village of Indiantown’s first State of the Village address.
One short year ago in 2018 our very first Council election was held on March 13th with Indiantown’s first Council Meeting at Indiantown Middle School on March 21st. That council meeting was the culmination of months of diligence and work of a transition team that’s purpose was to plan the first steps needed of getting the council up and running. To them and the Village staff of Interim Attorney Paul Nicoletti, Interim Manager Teresa Lamar-Sarno, Clerk Sherry White, Administrative Assistant Kayla Toler, Building Tech Miriam Sanabria and Planning Consultant Bonnie Landry, who have served Indiantown in its first month’s, we say thank you for your work on behalf of our community.
In this year the Village Council has accomplished many firsts, one of which was to successfully complete the hiring process for Village Attorney in August with the selection of the Vose Law Firm and Wade Vose. Wade has proven to be a talented expert that dispenses legal opinions in a very concise and thorough manner while having what is best for Indiantown at the heart of it all. Most recently we completed the hiring process for an experienced full-time Village Manager with the hiring of Mr. Howard Brown. When Mr. Brown started two short months ago he had to hit the ground running. His experience and professional work history has prepared him to understand where we are in our growth process and to knowledgeably use his abilities to move the Village forward along the path set by the Village Council. At the urging of Mr. Brown we have adopted a strategic approach to chart that path and measure our progress. We now have a clear “North star” to drive the most important things that will strengthen and grow Indiantown, especially in the next three years. We named it “Contract with the Community” so it’s clear what we are working hard to accomplish.
In our meetings, workshops and listening sessions your Council has heard the community’s voice, residents and businesses alike, and unanimously adopted an overall vision of our strengths and positive assets. They include-
-a sense of community with diverse community cohesion
-a commitment to learning and education
-infrastructure
-an ideal business location, transportation connected
-outdoor activity opportunities
And the list can go on and on.
Along with the vision, our adopted mission is: “enabling economic prosperity and new business while building community pride and cohesion through hands-on self-governance.” As Indiantown celebrated that self governance in our first year of Home Rule in 2018, Home Rule was being recognized and celebrated State wide on its 50th Anniversary. We are the poster child for Home Rule. We as a Council along with all of the Indiantown Community is now tasked to protect this hard-won privilege by being diligent in our advocacy against the continued efforts to a erode our Home Rule rights and privileges.
With Home Rule intact, we are clearly responsible for our village. We are now beginning to gain traction and are doing and accomplishing not just planning. These accomplishments include-
BUILDING DEPT. – we now have a building inspection program established and permits are being pulled here in Indiantown. There have been a number of permits issued by the Village. We have a part-time permit technician on hand and a contract building inspection and plan check firm responsible for reviewing building plans and conducting life-safety inspections of new and existing development. Ms. Miriam Sanabria is a key and central employee to delivering these services. Miriam is here to help residents with the process. Inspections are being done quicker and response times are better for follow up.
CODE ENFORCEMENT– your Council adopted Codes and adjusted them after community listening sessions and opinion polling to reflect the resident’s opinions according to their input. Code Enforcement has been on a part-time basis but after staff review Code Enforcement will be moving to a full time position. On April 25, 2019 the Village Council will interview and select a Special Magistrate. A Code Enforcement Special Magistrate acts as Judge for alleged code violators. It is essential that we have this system in place to carry out an effective code compliance program.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT – we are actively promoting and encouraging economic development in several ways. We have partnered with the Martin County Business Development Board to offer the Business Accelerator Program. Indiantown has been designated a Business Opportunity Zone. The Village applied for and was awarded a Department of Economic Development Grant which will produce an Economic Strategic Plan by May. Work continues on the Comprehensive Plan and the Village will soon be soliciting proposals for a firm to draft Land Development Regulations.
ROADS – at this past February 14th‘s Council meeting Bowman Consulting gave the Pavement Condition Evaluation and Maintenance Recommendation Presentation. The study recommended maintenance to prolong the life of streets throughout the Village, so that study was for maintenance and not repair of potholes specifically. With our current pressing road issues Bowman Consulting was tasked to look at several problem areas in and around the Village. We put together a bid and received several bidders and Mancil’s was the lowest best bid. They will start repairing roads any day now. To bring the immediate need together with long term maintenance, our plan of action, which is currently being carried out, is to hire a Village Engineer (contract or in-house expert) to manage temporary and permanent street repair and maintenance activities throughout the Village
Folks we are engaged in a marathon, not a sprint. We have been tasked with creating a new municipality and it is a process. This process is able to gain traction and get rolling now that funds are becoming available. An amazing amount has been accomplished considering that the Village just received in January the first installment of our Ad Valorem tax income, which makes up the bulk of the Village Budget’s income. So let me thank everyone for your patience during this process and your continued understanding and willingness to work together as we move forward in this process.
So in closing, let us stop and consider the lowly duck. If you have ever watched a duck on a pond they look so serene and calm sitting on the water. They look so peaceful until you look beneath the surface and see their feet paddling and moving as fast as they can go working against the current just to keep in that spot. We are that duck on the water. It may look like to the casual observer that not much is going on but when you look beneath that surface appearance you realize and know the work that’s being done and the things that are being accomplished. So please help us in the process by continuing to be engaged. Continue to come to Council meetings. Continue to become informed of what is happening and going on. Continue to voice your opinions and suggestions to every one of your Council members. Continue to call the Village office with questions and concerns. We need everyone going in the same direction, together, to move forward.
Ladies and gentlemen I believe because of the process, that the Village of Indiantown is healthy and has an amazing outlook. We are on our way to a bright future because someday that lowly duck will turn into a swan that the whole world will sit up and take notice of.
Thank you.