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.

Don’t Forget….

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For now, the green algae on the Saint Lucie has subsided. On the stretch of river that I live on, the birds have returned. I have noticed more mullet jumping out of the water. So I guess things are returning to normal. But what is normal for the Saint Lucie?

Is normal now the cycle we went through this summer? Is it releases of water from Lake Okeechobee that kill oysters and sea grass, turn the water green and keep tourists and locals in fear of being in contact with it? Will the cycle repeat itself as it has in 2014 and 2016, or will it happen every year?

Our Washington representatives have gone away. Their caring faces, fact finding tours and photo ops duly noted. News crews have departed for the next story of disaster. Even our local paper has moved on to the next headline.

Once our state legislative session has begun, will Joe Negron’s bill to buy land south of the lake move forward, or will it die in the morass of Tallahassee? Even if it passes in some form, it requires federal dollars also. We know Washington hasn’t even made good on the dollars to help Florida that it has already pledged.

What I have learned, though, is that we need to keep on plugging away. I am not about to let Washington and Tallahassee forget about us. It would be great if the news media continued to take interest in this story. It would be marvelous if everyone came together and continued the fight. We do not need vitriol and accusations.

There is not just one solution to our problem. Every project that brings us closer to where Florida needs to be should be welcomed. The Saint Lucie, Indian River Lagoon, Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades will require many steps before we can all say the work is complete. We need to keep the pressure on and not despair. It took 100 years for this travesty to reach this level. I am hopeful it won’t take a century to be reversed.

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.

A New County Commission

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One thing is sure, the Martin County Commission will have two new members within a few weeks. How will that effect the governmental direction of the county? What changes will there be in development policy? Will the Customs House be back? What about the pending contract with the county fire fighters? What about taxes? What is in store for the relationship between Stuart and Martin County? These are only some of the questions I have.

Elections are supposed to express the will of the people. In two of the three races for Martin County Commission, only half the voters could participate because of Florida’s election laws. While every candidate acted lawfully, the law itself still disenfranchised every registered Democrat and Independent. Perhaps this is a reason why we will see a sizable minority not happy with the direction this new commission takes.

What is wrong with the Democratic Party in Martin County that they could not field one candidate for County Commission? Is being on the Democratic line so toxic that it isn’t worth the effort? There is something wrong with the state of our politics when there is not a healthy two-party system. I would suspect not everyone who ran for a county office is really a Republican. You shouldn’t have to pretend that you are a Republican to do so.

And as I have already written, what does it matter what your party affiliation is in being a good county commissioner? We need to change that provision of the law regarding “write-in candidates” on a state level. We cannot have a sizable number of voters disenfranchised. This just adds to our political problems.

While I don’t know what the future brings (except on the Customs House), I do know it will be interesting. The wheels on the county bus go round…round…round. It sort of is déjà vu with Ed Ciampi once again sitting on the dais. But there will be a different spin to this line up because of the new guy, Harold Jenkins. Watch Mr. Jenkins. He will be the third vote on issues one way or the other.

Is the System Rigged?

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I am happy that I was re-elected in August by the Stuart voters.  The election for City Commission is non-partisan. To file to run, all you have to do is fill out forms and submit the approximately $180 fee to the City Clerk. Voters who are registered Democrats or Independents do not have to worry that party affiliation or lack thereof will prevent their casting a vote for City Commission. It is too bad that these same voters may not be able to vote in Martin County Commission races.

Currently sitting on the Stuart City Commission there is one Democrat and four Republicans. I have yet to see one of us making a decision based on belonging to a particular political party. A City Commissioner of whatever political persuasion needs to keep the roads paved, the police answering calls and the garbage collected.  My fellow commissioners and I just want to do what is best for our residents and taxpayers. What political party you may belong to is immaterial.

The Martin County Commission does the same thing that the City Commission does, only with a much larger budget. There is no Democratic or Republican way of filling a pothole. Our parks are maintained the same regardless of a commissioner’s political affiliation. It is ridiculous, then, to run elections for County Commissioners as if party affiliation matters.

Martin County currently has 55,091 registered Republicans, 27,554 registered Democrats and 26,711 registered “Other.” In the vast majority of local races, a Democrat never even files to run. Therefore, the Republican primary decides who will be elected. That is because under Florida law, if there is no challenger from the other party then every voter regardless of party affiliation can vote in the primary. However, if a “write in” candidate decides to run, then the primary is closed and only Republicans may vote. A “write in” candidate does nothing more than file. His/her name won’t appear on the ballot, and there is no intent for that candidate to campaign or engage the voters in any way.

This ridiculousness has resulted in an 18-year-old high school student who filed as a “write in” preventing anyone but registered Republicans from voting for the District 1 seat. Whether you thought Smith or Thurlow-Lippisch was the better choice, if you are an Independent or Democrat you were not part of the decision during the primary election. Your choice on the November general election is between Commissioner Smith and a high school student.

I am a proud Republican. I participate and sponsor party events. I believe there is a philosophical difference between the parties. When it comes to our state and federal representatives, there should be a partisan influence on whom is chosen and why. When you are deciding policies and passing laws that have a definite philosophical bent, then reasonable partisanship is warranted.

There is no Republican way to fight a fire or answer an emergency call. There is no Democratic way to maintain a road. Some of my Republican friends will not agree with me. Some believe that everything in government should be seen through a partisan prism. I am not one of those people. I don’t do more for a Republican constituent than I do for a Democratic one. Every resident expects the same level of service and should receive the same. That is local government.

We need to stop disenfranchising half of Martin’s voters. They should not have to switch party affiliation in order to cast a ballot. A candidate to run for office should not have to pretend that he or she is a Republican to have a chance of being elected. We need to urge the legislature to make county commission races non-partisan or at the very least stop allowing “write in” candidates to close the primary.

This is one more example of the hypocrisy in our elective process. We need to make sure that voters don’t feel the system is rigged. Making local races non-partisan would help accomplish this. Anytime you can disenfranchise half the county’s voters, you are continuing to have our citizens think the system is rigged. For Martin County voters, this just may be true.

As I Begin My Second Term

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As I begin my second term, I want to say thank you to all those who supported and voted for me in the election. I am pleased to know that a vast majority of voters believed I had represented their interests for the past two years. I promise moving forward that I will continue to do so by looking how individual issues affect the entire City. Each project and ordinance must be scrutinized within that context.

Second, I want to commend my opponent, Patrick McGavock, for his campaign. He conducted himself as a gentleman. Similarly as I do, he wants what only is best for our City. I respect his efforts.

Throughout my first term, I have made myself available to meet individually, in groups, to speak by telephone or hear from you through e-mail and now through my new Facebook page, Commissioner Tom Campenni, City of Stuart. I will continue to have an open door.  I have tried to attend a wide variety of different events because I believe part of my job description is just that. By being at different civic and non-profit events, I not only represent myself but all of Stuart.

I will continue writing this blog. This gives everyone a chance to become acquainted with my views on issues that are important to Stuart and Martin County. Too many elected officials do not want you to know what their stance is on a subject; I am not one of those. After reading something I have written, let me know how you feel about it by sending an e-mail.

Another communication tool I used was my e-mail blasts before commission meetings to let the citizens know what is going on at the City. I am going to keep on doing so now that I am re-elected. Anyone who wants to receive the e-mails and currently does not, please send your e-mail address to me.

I have also made it a point to speak before various groups and organizations. Public officials have a responsibility to do so. The public should demand no less from us. So if you want me to speak at your organization, condo or homeowner association, church or club, let me know and I will be glad to do so.

I promise not to vote for projects that are environmentally unfriendly. I will not vote for projects that are not market oriented and privately driven. The private sector knows far more than government. It is their investment of cash and experience that will make the project successful. Government’s responsibility is to provide a framework through zoning and Land Development Codes and to insure a level playing field for all. I do believe in public-private partnerships, especially with non-profits such as Habitat for Humanity, to advance the well-being of the City.

I do not want to see us in a combined facility with the County or School Board. I am not in favor of moving the current City Hall unless an independent funding source is found to pay for it that does not increase your taxes. I am not in favor of moving City Hall unless there is a free market project that will bring substantial income to the City. I am not in favor of moving City Hall if we have to sacrifice one inch of Flagler Park to do so. For me to consider voting to move City Hall, all three of those conditions would have to be met.

I will not vote for an increase to our 4-story height limit. Nor will I vote for projects that turn our downtown and other areas of Stuart into Delray Beach. I believe that the quality of life for residents is paramount. I do believe we can continue to have our “Old Florida” feel and uniqueness.

I am in favor of having new people, jobs and businesses come to Stuart. We need to attract and keep businesses and institutions like Martin Memorial Health Systems and NUCO2. We need to strive to have the employees of businesses live within our borders by having many different forms of housing. The majority of tax distribution is apportioned by population. While we may be the business generator for Martin County, because we are now only a little more that 10% of Martin County’s population, we do not receive anywhere near the percentage of taxes we generate.

The key to a City’s survival is not only being a magnet for businesses and jobs but also for people. Millennials who want to start families need to live in Stuart and not flee to Palm City or Jensen Beach. As a City Commissioner, I have no say over our school system, but I will continue to support and help both J.D. Parker and Stuart Middle become better. Stuart needs to be considered home to all generations and be multi-cultural. A city with a varied population is a strength and not a weakness.

I promise to continue being a Commissioner that attends as many different advisory board meetings as possible. This allows me to understand issues that may or may not come before the Commission. As a board member of both the Treasure Coast League of Cities and the Florida League of Cities, I will work with my regional and statewide counterparts to solve problems such as the Indian River Lagoon. I will lobby and work with both state and federal officials to address environmental and other issues such as “All Aboard” and Sober Homes.

When I decided to become a Commissioner and then run for reelection, I did so because I wanted to make a difference. I wanted to use my experience as a business person to tackle the problems that Stuart faces. I am going to do just that. I will continue to oppose projects that I believe are bad and support those that are good for the entire City of Stuart.

 

Unintended Consequences

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The EcoGen project slated for Indiantown has been cancelled due to problems with county approvals. I don’t know whether this type of use would be harmful to our environment or not. On the face of it growing eucalyptus trees and then producing electricity with the bio-mass seems to be a good idea. Perhaps the county is correct and this would have been a bad project.  The problem is any economic development proposed seems to be bad. At some point, the majority of residents and business people stop believing the county commission is looking at economic development projects impartially.

How long does the majority on the Martin County Board of Commissioners ignore the wishes of the residents of Indiantown and other un-incorporated areas? If Martin County tries to staunch all new industry, there will be unintended consequences. Those consequences will lead to the very type of harmful growth and urban sprawl that the county commission is against.

It is apparent to me that Martin County is on an unsustainable course. Real estate taxes are close to the maximum millage allowed by statute. Our county’s infrastructure is literally falling apart. Apparently, the county is incapable of enacting common sense budgetary reforms that would lessen the cost of providing governmental services. Without measured sustainable development both in housing and business, Martin County will be in dire financial straits.

Communities from Hobe Sound to Indiantown feel that their desires are not being met by county government. It is impossible for the county commission to adequately represent the diverse interests of the residents of Rio and western Martin County. The majority of the county commissioners are trying to micro manage instead of allowing the people to have a say over their individual communities. The way county government operates is broken and needs to have much more input from the citizens.

Now with the near abandonment of any autonomy to the county CRA districts, the commission is pushing those distinct areas into forming independent cities and towns. I believe that the formation of new municipalities throughout the county will ultimately result in better government at both the county and municipal level. Municipal government will allow more direct representation of the wishes of the electorate. The people of Palm City will determine whether they want industry or not. Residents in Rio will decide whether and what type of housing will be built.

The development within those communities will reflect the will of the people who live within the municipal boundaries. Further, the level of governmental services will only be that which those residents want and are willing to pay to have. This will result in much less county taxes being levied on all Martin taxpayers. For instance living in Stuart, I see the benefit of having a professional fire/rescue department and am willing to pay for that level of service. If I lived in rural Martin County, I would be in favor of having a volunteer fire department and privatization of ambulance service. Different areas within the county have different expectations of levels of service.

County government was originally to be limited in nature and act as an arm of the state providing those services constitutionally mandated. Martin County, through its one size fits all approach to the delivery of traditionally municipal governmental services, has succeeded in becoming an unresponsive and bloated bureaucracy. As the area and scope of services have increased, fewer and fewer residents and taxpayers are happy with the outcome. If the more populated areas of the county incorporate, I can easily see Martin County cutting its workforce and lowering county taxes substantially.

Of course, the new municipalities would now have to levy taxes and provide services. From public works to parks to law enforcement, the type and cost would be determined by those living and paying within the municipalities. If in the next few years Martin County does not have new municipalities formed, county government will be unsustainable since it will no longer be able to raise the millage rate.

At one time in the not too distant past, Martin County was rural with Stuart as a small county seat. This is no longer the case as more and more of the county has become urbanized and suburbanized. What Martin County government has failed to do is adapt to these changes. I agree with the vast majority of county residents that we do not need unfettered growth outside the Urban Services Boundary. However, within that boundary, jobs and development do need to happen.

If you want to preserve Martin County, we will need to think about governing differently. Control over governmental functions in these now urban and suburban unincorporated areas have to be placed in the hands of local residents. There are distinct differences between Hobe Sound, Indiantown and Palm City, and our governing bodies need to reflect this fact. The less the “Big 5” on Monterey control, the better the outcome for all of Martin County including the preservation of the Urban Services Boundary and lessening of sprawl in the remaining unincorporated areas.