FRIENDS & NEIGHBORS AUG 21, 2022

Tom Campenni

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IN THIS EDITION OF THE NEWSLETTER

There are only a few days left until election day on August 23rd.

I thought it was going to be a quiet season with many of the incumbents walking into their new terms unopposed. The only place that happened was in Sewall’s Point and Cristia Li Roberts’ seat on the school board. Every other local government seat is being contested.

Most of the contenders are unknown. They filed at the last minute. That is fine by me. I think sometimes people filing months in advance is just plain silly. At one point in Stuart, they wouldn’t even take your paperwork until the first day of the qualifying period.

Some of the people running will never be seen again after this election if defeated. One or two will stay involved. Stuart’s former mayor and commissioner, the recently deceased Pete Walson, continued to be involved until the day he died by serving on the CRB. He was defeated at the polls but not in his own heart. He cared.

Probably 50% to 60% of the vote has already been cast through early voting and mail in ballots. For those who have not yet voted, don’t forget to do so. It is important that you do.

A few of the races were tough for me to decide where to cast my vote. Others were no contest in my mind. I don’t think I have missed an election in 20 years, so I am what is known as a “super voter” as is my wife. A smart candidate would knock on my door and try and convince me to vote for him/her. In fact, good candidates knock on every “super voter” door. But only a few have done so.

Good luck to all.

This week I pay tribute to a departing commissioner, Mike Meiers. We have One Martin and their take on Martin County, van Vonno explains her attachment to the comics, and Hafner delves into what is more important in Indiantown…village hall or goodwater. Girls & Boys Clubs tells us about their scholars.

Dr. Libman explains Monkeypox. Rob Ranieri gives another view on the school district’s mobile café. Missi Campbell explains motherhood and school. Sperco tells us what is running in the surf. And Gonzalez spells out what is happening to the real estate market.

We have the Constitutional announcements, Jackie Holfelder and her portrait of Phyllis Gillespie, articles, and our government news. Final Thoughts explains what is meant by “Continued No Brings A Big Fat Yes.”

We are still looking for interested people to write columns. If you have an idea, give me a call. And make sure your friends & neighbors are on our email list.

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AN OPEN INVITATION

I am issuing an open invitation to every elected official, manager, and government office in Martin County to take advantage of a free way to get your message out to the public.

All you must do is send it to me. It isn’t hard nor does the release have to be arduous and long. For over a year now, the constitutional officers (except the sheriff) have been getting their messages out through this newsletter. There is no advertising fee. It is a public service.

For a while, I was sending emails to the county, Stuart, Indiantown, the school district, different agencies like the Tourism Council and the Sheriff and received one or two things at most from some. Why?

I have also asked managers if they wanted to have a monthly column to communicate with their residents and businesses about what is going on in their jurisdictions. The silence has been deafening. Again why?

Many governments send out notices in their utility bills, put things on their websites, Facebook, and Twitter, and they have their own newsletters. They should continue to do so. It isn’t an “either or” but another way to communicate.

More people receive this newsletter that any local government publication. Some may dislike it but most people who care about this county read it. Its purpose is to further communication and dialogue.

To every elected official who is not in an active campaign, you have a forum here. The same for Don Donaldson, Howard Brown, David Dyess, and all other managers…how about starting an information campaign for your residents right here. The same goes for our state officials. We want you to join us on a regular basis to further the dialogue.

How many of these entities and people will take advantage? We will see in the coming weeks. I would not hold my breath. We hear much about transparency but not much is done in practice. Secrecy is some people and governments preferred mode.

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MEIER, WE HARDLY KNEW YE

Commissioner Mike Meier will be on the dais for his last commission meeting on August 22^nd.

MEIER

He has been a commissioner for four years. He chose not to stand for re-election again not because he didn’t think he could win but because of his other commitments…like making a living. He felt he could not devote the time that he believes the job should take. Four years is not a long time in the world of elected politics. Most of these guys and gals fight tooth and nail to remain term after term.

Being in that position, you may get to like the supposed deference paid to you. The title becomes your identity and leaving is unthinkable to many. The problem is not only locally but also in the state and nation. Even with term limits, we see career pols going from office to office never setting foot in the private sector.

We need more citizen legislators. Those are the ones who change things for the better. They have an agenda of why they sought office. It wasn’t for self-aggrandizement, or the paycheck attached.

In Mike’s case, he should have stayed another four years to see through his agenda of change. I understand that he was reluctant because of the reasons listed above. That doesn’t mean he won’t be missed by his fellow commissioners and all who saw his presence as a stabilizing influence at Stuart commission meetings.

I hope he comes back at some point. Government needs more like him and fewer of the other type. Elected office is not meant to be your career but your community obligation. Mike shows that some still feel that to be true.

Good luck Mike…you can always count on my support.

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BACK IN THE HARNESS

Children are back in schools and everything that entails.

There is still a shortage of personnel from teachers to school bus drivers. I have heard many explanations offered for the openings. But when everything is said and done, there are not enough qualified people to do the jobs for the compensation being offered. If we offered double the pay for teachers or bus drivers tomorrow, would the shortage somehow be alleviated?

I don’t know if the answer is all about compensation or are other factors involved? I submit that we do not have enough people looking for work in the entire nation to address the number of open positions. That isn’t only for teachers but in almost every occupation.

The legislature passed a law allowing veterans the opportunity to teach. They will be granted a temporary certificate while they finish their bachelor’s degree. The applicants will need a minimum of 60 college credits with a 2.5 grade point average. They also need to have at least 4 years in the military and have an honorable or medical discharge. The candidate would be under the supervision of a more experienced teacher and have 5 years to complete the bachelor’s degree and become certified.

Medium

Now the governor is proposing to expand it to retired “first responders.” I can see how being a cop, infantry platoon leader, or fire fighter would qualify you to teach kindergarten.

Florida is short 10,000 teachers but the shortage exists across the entire nation. But why are only veterans and “first responders” having this opportunity? What about any adult who has an associate degree and can pass a background check? What makes these categories more qualified with the same credentials than others.

Since no education classes are needed to get into this program, how will these untrained teachers know how to teach reading to a six-year-old? The applicants do need to pass a Florida subject area teaching exam but without specific knowledge in childhood education, it will be difficult for most to walk into third grade and be effective.

How does someone teach math or science to a 10^th grader if they don’t have a bachelor’s degree in either? There are so many questions surrounding the placement of people with good intentions into our classrooms to educate our children. Isn’t this new plan saying to teachers who have degrees and years of experience that those credentials are no longer needed to do their jobs?

It may be that we have no alternative but to have less qualified people in the classroom. But isn’t that a sad commentary on us as a nation? Maybe part of the problem is compensation, but another part may be that we do not value the profession of teacher as much as we do those that have chosen other occupations.

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OTHER OPINIONS

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ONE MARTIN

BY Rick Hartman

WE CAN’T TRADE SUSTAINABILITY FOR SOMEONE ELSE’S COMFORT

One Martin had sent an email out recently. With their permission as a courtesy have reprinted it here.  You can also read it on their website: here

Most of us hate changing what’s grown comfortable and familiar to us. It’s the known versus the unknown, which makes us easy targets for those who want to influence our opinions.

Our susceptibility to emotional responses takes precedence over cool, rational analysis of facts, particularly when it comes to land-use issues in Martin County.

Thankfully, we have seen some projects that overcame the fear-mongering predictions by a minority of vocal no-growth activists. Many of these previously contentious projects now enhance our quality of life to the point that we cannot imagine living without them.

Veterans Memorial Bridge

One example is the once highly controversial Veterans Memorial Bridge which connects Indian Street in Stuart to Martin Highway in Palm City. Its original justification was to serve as an important additional hurricane evacuation route. The bridge gives us a direct route to Florida’s Turnpike and prevents gridlock at the Palm City Bridge in an emergency. Does this peace of mind contribute to our quality of life? We think it does.

The bridge also enhances our lives in multiple other ways, too, from its beauty and gorgeous views from the top to its popular use by walkers, joggers and cyclists, to shortened commutes for both workers and shoppers. It’s difficult now to imagine the decades of fierce opposition to the plans for the bridge, including a lawsuit that delayed construction by many years and added millions of dollars to the final cost of the bridge.

Those of us who travel the Veterans Memorial Bridge can’t imagine life without it. It is truly an enhancement to our community.

Florida Oceanographic Tower Denied

Interestingly, the bridge generates such pride that no one even complained about the 50-foot flagpole that was installed a few years ago, which soars a full 10 feet above Martin County’s four-story height limit. That’s ironic when you consider the beloved Florida Oceanographic Society was denied an educational observation tower on its property on Hutchinson Island because it was a mere five feet above the height limit.

The tower would have allowed visitors to simultaneously see the St. Lucie River and the ocean but was shot down by “no-growthers” who refused to acknowledge its value as an environmental education tool. “No exceptions to the rules,” yelled the activists!

Other Notable Projects that enhance Martin County’s Quality of Life

Other high-value projects that saw bitter opposition at the time, but we cannot imagine living without now, include the life-saving tower at Martin Memorial North Hospital and the Martin Memorial South Hospital, both now Cleveland Clinic.

Back in the day, vigorous opposition also targeted South Fork High School and the beautiful master-planned Martin Downs community, as well as the construction of Citrus Boulevard, Monterey Road, and the Green River Parkway, which all help alleviate traffic congestion along our main arteries.

We’ve lost some good projects, too…

Thanks to the same no-growth activists who are so adept at recruiting others to support their agenda and false narrative by stirring emotions that override rational thinking.

It’s happened even when the projects themselves stir our emotions, such as the Boy Scout Camp at Jonathan Dickinson State Park, or removing the septic tanks responsible for polluting the Loxahatchee River (the state’s first “Wild and Scenic River”), the St. Lucie and the Indian River Lagoon.

Can you believe that anyone calling himself or herself an environmentalist today would fight septic tank removal on our treasured waterways? Yet it happened.

These so-called “environmentalists” spent more than 25 years convincing residents that pollution from septic tanks along the St. Lucie River and the Indian River Lagoon is non-existent. They insisted — some still insist — that the enteric bacteria that periodically makes the water untouchable and feeds algal blooms comes solely from agriculture, despite studies confirming its origin is human.

Other projects that landed in the dustbin due to our most vocal citizens included the extension of Willoughby Boulevard to create another north-south corridor that would alleviate traffic congestion on US 1. After the 2012 election, the road’s funding was returned—just as more commuters were hitting our highways.

Where is the traffic coming from?

It’s a popular false claim to blame the increased roadway traffic on “out-of-control” development. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, during the past decade, Martin County’s population only increased by about 1,200 residents annually – from 146,000 in 2010 to 158,000.

New residents alone cannot be blamed for all the additional traffic.

Often ignored is the simple fact that people cannot afford to live in Martin County. Half of the County’s employees, half of the City of Stuart’s employees, and a third of the school district’s employees live out of county and must commute here.  In addition, many of our residents must travel out of county for better-paying jobs.

The short-sightedness of vocal activists, those who ascribe to the “Just Say No” land-planning philosophy as the solution to all of Martin County’s issues, are to blame for these commuters — and so much more.

We must also point out that the choice to move I-95 out west decades ago as a growth management tool has backfired.  That decision eliminated its use as an alternative to commuters, which further congests US 1.

1982 Called and It Wants our Comp Plan Back

We’ve learned so much about our natural environment, development patterns and sprawl than when our Comprehensive Growth Management Plan was first written in 1982.

Would you want to use the same technology or medicine that was available back in 1982 to enhance your quality of life today?  Of course not! The same is true for using a forty-year-old Comp Plan as our guide for the future.  Why would we NOT be willing to make changes to it and incorporate the best land-use practices available today?

Over and over again, this SAME group of fear-mongering activists stir residents’ emotions anytime a change is contemplated, without ever looking at potential positive benefits. They’re successful because they took over a formerly legitimate conservation organization more than two decades ago. They usurped the mission of that organization with downright lies and distortions to motivate unsuspecting residents to be their foot soldiers, to give the impression that this conservation organization is a countywide, grassroots movement. It’s not.

If we want to ensure the sustainability of our quality of life and “the Martin County difference,” we need to stand up to the naysayers and fearmongers. They should no longer be allowed to drown out rational, factual conversations about adjustments to the Comp Plan to create a sustainable Martin County. It’s the only way to ensure better futures for our children and grandchildren.

Sincerely,

Rick Hartman

President, One Martin

For more information visit www.onemartin.com or follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/OneMartinCounty/

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VANRIPER’S VIEWS

By Darlene VanRiper

Darlene has taken the edition off.

Darlene VanRiper’s opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

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Nicki’s Place

By Nicki van Vonno

See you in the Funnies

I’m a newspaper reader.

The news I read first. I save the best part, the comics for last. Comic strips give us another way to understand the news, the world it purports to show, and ultimately ourselves. In three or four boxes.

Comics center around a few common themes, mirroring the panels of our lives. There are family strips, like CURTIS, ROSE IS A ROSE and BALDO. There are the workplace strips, like BEETLE BAILEY, and DILBERT. There are the ones that celebrate childhood, like PEANUTS, THE FAMILY CIRCUS, and WALLACE THE BRAVE. And then there’s love, like BLONDIE, and MARY WORTH.

All the strip themes bleed into each. Dagwood’s office manager gig is a prominent joke setting for the strip’s workplace humor. But at its heart, BLONDIE is about the unlikely love affair of a gorgeous flapper who can cook, and shop, to a dweeby charmer who can run circles around his boss while frantically delivering the almost-too-late contract, only slightly smudged by the pepperoni meatball juice residue on his sandwich-making hands.

And after all the years (and Blondie getting a job!), they are still that seemingly mismatched but complementary pair. And Snoopy rides on a flying doghouse.

Comics show us ourselves. Curtis’s Dad bemoans their lack of money but at heart we see a loving intact family while Curtis’s crush object is the forlorn lonely girl of a rich daddy. The forlorn lonely child is a staple of the comics: starting with LIL ORPHAN ANNIE. Now we have Tiffany in LUANN, and Hillary and Ted in SALLY FORTH.

Hillary is the apple that didn’t fall far from the tree. Her flights of fancy, and anxiety, come from her dad Ted; her dogged persistence to accomplish her goals comes from her artfully named mom, Sally Forth. A recent strip showed Ted comforting her about the state of the world. Only her Dad could have could have done that. Her mom would engage and solve. Hillary just needed to be heard.

As Garfield said recently “I love newspapers. You can’t whack a spider with a rolled-up smartphone.”

Occasionally I reject a strip. I do not read GET FUZZY. I did not read WUMO at first, but now I do. I stopped reading PHOEBE AND HER UNICORN. Narcissists get tiresome, even if they are unicorns. And, if you whack a narcissist with a smart phone, it only encourages them.

So, stop.

Nicki van Vonno’s opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

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HAFNER’S CORNER

By David Hafner

New Village Hall or Drinkable Water?

That is a big topic circulating in the Village of Indiantown right now, especially with another boil water notice that went out a week ago due to coliform bacteria- a bacteria typically found in human and animal feces- being detected in the water. At the village council meeting on August 4, 2022, during his strategic plan progress report, Village Manager Howard Brown spent some time talking about the new village hall. Brown reasoned the new village hall is not a project being pushed by the village, but rather is based on input from the community.

On January 19, 2021, the Village of Indiantown announced the Visual Preference Survey asking for “Input to Plan and Design Future Village Hall.” Over the following weeks there was a series of meetings for residents to review options and give their preferences. On February 10, 2021 an online option was added for those who could not attend one of the in person opportunities. You can find the online survey here:

As you will see the survey was very basic and did not give much direction as to what the purpose was, and it did not include any costs or thoughts on what the purpose was behind the images. I took the survey thinking it was just a way to get residents involved in thinking about the future of the village.

In his comments at the August 4, 2022, village council meeting, Brown said the village is only planning and that the village hall is not being built now. I watch every village meeting and that is a reverse from the implied direction from the council majority (all but Gibbs Thomas) up to this point. Sounds like election year attention redirection to me.

Why spend money on cost analyses, why so much angst around selecting an architectural firm if this is only for planning and the village is not moving forward with their “Taj Mahal”? I’ll let you decide.

Howard Brown, during the same strategic plan progress report, brought up annexing land around the Village. He said the village utilities currently run 5 miles outside of the village’s municipal boundary and so lands should be annexed to bring all utilities back into the Village’s footprint. For those who are against expanding the Martin County Urban Services Boundary, expect to see landowners start to court the Village of Indiantown for better opportunities. The Comp Plan is a living document and will need to be readdressed before Stuart-like growth is seen in the western parts of Martin County from a municipality looking for new taxes to justify a new town hall and their own emergency services.

David Hafner’s opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.

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FLETCH’S PERSPECTIVE

By Keith Fletcher CEO & President of

Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County

When reflecting on our life stations and achievements, we all generally recall the circumstances, individuals, decisions, and efforts that influenced and affected our outcomes.

It all comes down to opportunities—everyone which derived from someone who had something to offer, recognized something in us, and took a chance that we would make good on their instincts.

While reading this you’ve probably had the faces in your own personal hall of fame—family members, teachers, coaches, mentors—flash to mind.

For members of Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County (BGCMC), the opportunities offered inside the clubs vary drastically from what they face outside the clubs. Both can be life-changing—and in very different ways. Preparing them to make the right choice is a comprehensive and ongoing effort.

That’s why we’re so excited about the growth of the Copper Key Scholarship Promise, a newer collaborative program that not only offers kids amazing opportunities but also reimagines how to ensure they maximize what’s presented.

Created in conjunction with House of Hope, Nina Haven Scholarships and The Community Foundation of Martin St. Lucie, Copper Key Scholarship recipients are selected early—sixth- and seventh-grades. They must finish high school—and remain active memberships in our clubs while doing so. After graduation, they receive a full scholarship into a Florida college, university, or vocational school.

This is certainly a great opportunity, but on its own it’s not enough.

The values instilled in the clubs—good citizenship, nutrition and health lifestyles and academics—fortify our kids’ character and ready them for success. But the Copper Key Scholarship takes things a step further, involving their families in the benefits. House of Hope provides the parents/guardians counseling sessions, parent workshops and other tools of self-sufficiency to create more stable home environments and build strong families.

“There are very few programs that focus not just on the child being successful, but also on the entire family unit becoming a success,” says Jeronda Hill, BGCMC area director. “The goal is focusing on breaking these generational curses.”

Scholarship winners include:

Jonathan – 2019

Mildred – 2020

Nakayla – 2020

Valentina – 2021

Misha – 2021

Angie – 2021

Kamar – 2021

Keyon – 2021

Shanti – 2021

Walker – 2021

We congratulate them knowing full well, like so many of the kids in our clubs, that they always had what it takes to make the most of their lives. They just need people who care enough to invest the time and resources that prepare them to answer the door when opportunity knocks.

And when the door of opportunity—as is the case with many of our kids—is closed, they might need helping to unlock it. BGCMC and its partners have just the key—a copper one—to do so.

Keith Fletcher’s opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint

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MICHELE’S MEDICAL MOMENT

By Michele Libman M.D.

THE LATEST ON MONKEYPOX

As of August 15th, 2022, there are over 11,000 confirmed cases of monkeypox in the US with over 1000 cases in Florida and 6 currently identified in Martin County including a 3 year old child. Florida has the third highest count in the country!

So, what do we know about this new virus that appears to be spreading around the world? Fortunately, this virus is not as contagious as Covid. Monkeypox is a virus similar to smallpox, but symptoms are less severe. It was discovered in 1958 after outbreaks occurred in monkeys kept for research. The virus was primarily found in parts of Central and West Africa, but in recent weeks it has spread to dozens of countries and infected tens of thousands of people. On July 23rd, the World Health Organization declared monkeypox a global health emergency!

The virus appears to be transmitted in three ways: through direct contact with an infected persons rash, by touching contaminated objects and fabrics, or by respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. There is also evidence that the virus can be transmitted via the placenta from a pregnant mother to her baby.

Scientists are still trying to understand if the virus can spread through semen, vaginal fluids, urine, or stool and if people can be contagious before they develop visible symptoms.

Currently most cases have been in adult men who have sex with men

Several factors can determine your risk of getting monkeypox, whether you are caring for someone who is ill to attending crowded parties or just by having sexual intercourse. How close you are to someone who is sick, how infectious they are, how much time you spend around them and your own personal health may affect your susceptibility.

Activities that put a person at highest risk for catching the virus include close, intimate contact with another infected individual. This includes skin to skin contact such as what occurs during sex, cuddling, hugging, massaging, or kissing another person. Condoms may add a layer of protection during sex, but they are unlikely to prevent contact with lesions on an infected persons groin, thighs, buttocks or on other parts of their body.

Roommates and family members in the same house are also at significantly higher risk of getting monkeypox. Household contacts can catch monkeypox through contaminated clothes, towels, and bedding as well as shared utensils that may carry an infected person’s saliva.

Face to face contacts riskier than being several feet away. Health officials recommend maintaining at least 6 feet of distance from unmasked patients to avoid getting exposed. Wearing a mask indoors can help protect you against monkeypox. Attending a packed indoor party could put you at risk of getting the virus. Raves are an especially high-risk activity as there is prolonged skin to skin contact

Symptoms tend to develop six to 13 days after exposure and consists of fever, headache, body aches, swollen lymph nodes and general exhaustion. This is followed by a painful rash that is characteristic of poxviruses. It starts with flat red marks on the patient’s face, hands, feet, mouth, or genitals that become raised and filled with pus over the course of about a week. Recently cases have developed where the patients do not always have the traditional fever, and body aches. Some people are only developing a few pustules and there have been cases detected in asymptomatic people as well!

Symptoms usually go away on their own with little supportive care, like education for pain or secondary infections. People are no longer infectious once their pustules scab over and the scabs fall off (usually 3-4 weeks). Children and people with underlying immune deficiencies may have more severe cases but monkeypox is rarely fatal.

Patients should isolate at home as soon as they develop monkeypox symptoms. They should also cover all skin rashes as much as possible, and, like those with Covid-19, should avoid close contact with friends, family members and pets and wear high quality masks if they must come in contact with others for medical care. The C.D.C. recommends limiting exposure to others and staying in isolation until all lesions are completely healed.

Currently the only way to diagnose monkeypox is by swabbing a lesion so in the early stage of the disease when people have fever, body aches and swollen lymph nodes there is no way to diagnose monkeypox unless they have developed the rash. We currently have the necessary swabs at Treasure Coast Urgent Care to perform this testing.

Michele Libman’s opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint

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HOPE IN OUR COMMUNITY

Rob Ranieri

CEO for House of Hope

I was disappointed, but sadly not surprised, to see a columnist in the last edition of this publication express a very negative view of the Martin County School District’s Summer Feeding Bus.

The author couldn’t fathom why our School District would want to feed hungry kids and seemed especially annoyed that two-year-olds might have been fed in the process.

I’d like to provide some insights on this topic. First, we are a community without a robust public transit system. Nearly half of our residents live paycheck to paycheck, faced with the reality that one major unexpected expense, such as a medical issue or a car repair, can send them spiraling toward homelessness.

Summer is an especially challenging time for many lower wage earners in the hospitality and service industries because of the seasonality of our economy. The cost of rent, gas, food, and most basic living expenses have increased substantially. Many families are still digging their way out of the financial hole that COVID created for their households.

House of Hope has been assisting food insecure residents and our lower income community since 1984. We have grown our resources and facilities to include four client choice pantries, our Elisabeth Lahti Nutrition Center, four nutrition gardens, a traveling nutrition education garden, two centers for enrichment, a nutrition education program, our case management team, and Growing Hope Farm which features approximately 65,000 cubic feet of hydroponic greenhouse space.

We are also providing food bank services to dozens of non-profits, church pantries and soup kitchens. This fiscal year, we will distribute about 1.5 million pounds of food across four counties.

Our vast experience in this arena has shown us many truths. Here are just a few:

No one agency or entity can solve food insecurity by themselves.

It takes a concerted effort and collaborative spirit among non-profits, religious organizations, government agencies and philanthropists.

There is a definitive link between poverty and health.

For example, lower income communities in Martin County experience higher than typical levels of diabetes, heart disease and obesity.

The connection between nutrition and learning is real.

Nutritional deficiencies early in life can negatively affect the cognitive development of school-aged children. Access to nutrition improves students’ concentration, energy levels, immune systems, ability to cope with stress, and overall behavior.

The Martin County School Board should be commended, not berated, for their Summer Feeding Bus

I would personally like to say to the Martin County School Board: THANK YOU! Thank you for making the physical and mental health of our lower income kids a priority this summer. Thank you for trying to ensure our children are nourished. Thank you for making sure that the barrier of transportation doesn’t keep our children from getting a healthy meal.

We are fortunate to live in a compassionate community that cares. Our School Board, our County Commissioners, our Health Department officials, our non-profit and religious leaders, and our funding leaders and philanthropists continue to make others, especially our most vulnerable neighbors, a priority. Muhammad Ali once said that “service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.” I am happy to know that the leaders of our community are paying their debt.

Rob Ranieri’s opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint

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PALM CITY HIGHLIGHTS

By Missi Campbell

Executive Director of the Palm City Chamber

I had no idea how severe my ability to concentrate on one thing at a time was until I retired from being an educator.

I imagine that dealing with 18-30 little personalities kept me focused and on my toes.  When I began teaching, in 1985, my Kindergarten class had 28 students and it grew throughout the school year.  When I retired, with the class size amendment, I usually had the maximum number of 18 students.  Let me just say, 18 five-year-old’s is plenty for anyone.

Now that the school year has begun, most families are getting back into the routine of the daily school schedule. All of the school supplies have been purchased.  Lunches are prepared the night before.  Healthy breakfasts are prepared each morning and families sit down with their children each evening to do homework.  Well, that’s how “they” say it’s supposed to go.  I’ve never known who the “they” are, but “they” didn’t live in my house.

My children are now successful members of society that live locally with their spouses and my one granddaughter.  I realize how fortunate I am to have them local and I’m grateful every day for that.  When they were students in the Martin County School District and I was teaching, mornings on school days were crazy.  We all had to be up and out of the house at the same time.  Those healthy breakfasts were often toast, a bagel, or even the occasional Pop-Tart.  Lunch was prepared the night before or if I was lucky, they would purchase their lunch at the school cafeteria.

Homework was always a challenge.  I’m sure that having a teacher for a mother was not always a positive.  I was on them to be successful in school, yet they were both athletic and had games and practices that we had to work around.

Now that I reflect on these times, I miss them.  I love my adult children, but I miss my little kiddos.  The worst thing is the guilt that all working parents feel.  We feel as though we are always missing something because we are working.  However, if we didn’t work, we wouldn’t be able to provide for our children.  It’s truly a Catch 22.

So, if you see a parent in the grocery store late in the evening with children in tow, be kind.  If you can offer your services of babysitting or shopping for a working parent, do so.  If you are a working parent and need assistance, don’t be ashamed to ask for help.

In today’s world, it truly takes a village to raise our children, just like “they” say!

Missi Campbell’s opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint

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FISHING TIPS

BY Capt. Paul Sperco

The calendar is marching along, and we are in the hot days of August.

Water temperatures at our beaches are in the mid-eighties and winds have been light for the past week or so. One good situation that I am happy to report is the fact that the mats of sargassum weeds that have plagued all of the surf anglers along our county beaches have backed off and given us some fishable conditions.

The big news lately has been the appearance of keeper sized pompano from Hobe Sound to the South Hutchinson Island. I usually start targeting these tasty fish around Labor Day and normally must weed through undersized ones to get a keeper. That has not been the case so far as keepers outnumbered throwbacks this past week.

The recreational limit for pompano is they must measure 11 inches to the fork of the tail with a daily bag limit of 6 per person. EZ Flea and Electric Chicken Fishbites have been the baits that are putting fish in the cooler this past week.

The long rods are needed as the pompano are running along the second trough and you must place your baits 70 to 100 yards off of the beach. The near shore bite continues to catch and release snook. There are some big snook swimming in that first trough and live pilchards or live croakers are the bait that will produce a tug of war with these great gamefish.

The season is still closed until September 1st so please get your snook unhooked and back in the water promptly and gently after you land it. Early morning and early evening are the prime times to target the snook. Another factor for all beachgoers at this time of year is to stay hydrated and apply lots of sunscreen.

These next two months are traditionally the hottest of the year and the mid-day hours of 11 to 2 can be uncomfortable. As far as locations that have been producing the public beach on Bridge Road and the National Wildlife Refuge area in Hobe Sound have been very good along with Stuart, Tiger Shores, and Bryn Mawr beach accesses along the northern Martin County stretch. Early season Pompano, catch and release snook, and some decent whiting fishing should continue right into September.

Stay hydrated and enjoy our great fishing. Good luck and catch em up.

Paul Sperco’s opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint

10

MARTIN COUNTY REAL ESTATE

By John Gonzalez

What is going to happen now …

I hear all the time that the economy will fall, crash, recede, collapse, depress and every other objectionable adjective a reader may imagine. Rarely, do I hear that this pause in the market is just a blip on the radar screen. Certainly, we are experiencing inflationary pressures from groceries and gas to housing and rental prices. I am asked what is happening to and what do economists say about real estate prices?

Beginning earlier this year many local Realtors began to feel/sense the shift in the local housing market. Buyers were worried about interest rates and were fearful they would overpay for their new home. Sellers continued to be bullish and somewhat stubborn on their belief that historic price increases would last infinitely longer than we have ever seen.

Each party began to feel frustrated and in their own way began a cooling off the once scorching hot real estate market. Both parties seemed to retreat. It has been said that fear and uncertainty generally drive all markets.

We have not seen a significant price reduction. Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors®, told the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs that he does not foresee a nationwide decline in home prices despite indications that price growth is set to slow. Yun reiterated that the overall housing markets have a shortage of homes. Locally, we have rising inventory, longer time on the market, some price reductions and some property listings that are expiring before a sale. The indicators are that there is a return to a balanced and more stable market.

The real effect of the higher interest rates, inflation and the low housing inventory will not be prices … it will simply be affordability. Buyers have less discretionary money to spend, and sellers have less desire to move and increase the cost of their money – through an interest rate increase. Morgan Stanley recently said, “This market has many unique characteristics—including limited supply, significant home equity and healthy owner finances—that suggest it won’t follow the same trajectory as the great housing boom and bust of the early 2000s. Although home price appreciation is likely to slow, these dynamics could keep home prices climbing.” Further they said in the article, “Rising mortgage rates could potentially squeeze supply even further and exacerbate affordability gaps.”

I believe that Florida, and several other states, will continue to see increased population growth and new arrivals. We will not see significant declines in the cost of a new home under construction or the resales of existing homes. The inventory levels are still far below the demand for our region and our quality of life.

I think the answer to the original question is that we are returning to a time where buyers and sellers will have a sandbox in which to play. Seller’s that want to sell and buyers that can buy will begin to practice the age-old ritual of a negotiated sale. Each side will give a little until an agreement is reached. My recommendation is to use a local Realtor to help make the process go as smoothly as possible.

John Gonzalez’s opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint

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CONSTITUTIONAL CORNER AND OTHER GOVERNMENT NOTICES 

And from our Supervisor of Elections:

From The Clerk of The Court:

From the Property Appraiser

Tax Collector

The first Is from Dan Braden:

Tom

Your item on the property on Heritage Way had two errors.

One Mr Lucido did not provide the plan, we did.

Two the attached plan shows compliance with the setbacks.

Thanks.

Sincerely,

My answer

Dan:

You should get full credit for designing this. I mentioned Lucido because at an earlier meeting Commissioner Campo mentioned him.

As to the setbacks, at about the 57 minute mark in the recording of the last meeting, Campo said the setbacks were not in compliance with the ordinances. If this is a new drawing I would be glad to attach it here for readers to look at. Both you and the commissioner should be applauded for the work you are doing to try and sell this unusual lot while preserving the trees..

Thanks for setting the record straight. 

Braden Response

This is the second drawing after Mr. Campo ran the first one by the building official.

You can see the drawing under Sewall’s Point.

The next letter is from Audrey Taggart

Recently, I attended a meeting overflowing with local residents. There were short presentations by a number of candidates running for local offices, ranging from school board, city board of commissioners, county board of commissioners, etc.

The featured speakers were representing the Martin County School Board and the Superintendency.  Questions had been presented in advance by the organizers. One asked for elaboration on the rather poor performance of third graders on the recent state exams. (This was prior to the announcement that our schools had lost their A accreditation and were now B rated, while two Martin schools dropped to D.)

Board member, Ms. Roberts, presented a well-documented discussion of the budget procedures, the millage question, but I never did hear what the board’s view is on the test results. As a retired college professor in a department of education, I would have to assign her a more than adequate grades on what my students were graded on: eye contact, projection, clarity, diction, gestures, use of microphone, etc.

The content, however, would have been better off in a Budget Meeting. There was no mention of the degraded performance on the state exams.

Martin Schools Superintendent, Dr. Millay, followed. We heard the percentage of non-English speaking students in the district.

We learned Guatemalans do not speak Spanish; that there are numerous languages spoken in Martin Schools.

Neither school board spokesperson addressed the “total immersion” procedure, whereby the student is not pulled out and given one-on-one or small group instruction (at very high cost) and causing them to miss vital instruction in class.

There was talk of the variety of certifications: teachers of ELL (English Language Learner), ESL (English as a Second Language) and so on.

If the Superintendent and board believe that the number of non-English speaking students is the cause of the poor results, I would like to have heard a discussion on how this problem might be ameliorated (other than closing the southern border).

For example, is the PTA able to garner volunteers to assist in bringing the parents of these children to school to learn English? What about to community groups, libraries to offer English language instruction by volunteers?

Saying we have a large number of foreign language speakers in Martin Schools is not an answer or an explanation. It is a fact of life in this current “non-sovereignty” belief of the current administration in the US government.

Unfortunately, I did not hear any proposed attempts at solving the problem of children who do not speak our language. Have they been tested to discern whether they are competent in their first language? That would seem to be the first step. If so, smaller classes, volunteers to assist, especially those who speak the language of the children would be the next step. Throwing more money at a problem is never the answer. Hiring ‘specialists’ isn’t either. Phonics instruction at the primary grades is the answer. It is equally effective for children born in the US, as well as foreign language natives. If there are Future Teachers of America clubs at our high schools, this could be a project for volunteers.  Throwing more money at a problem is never the answer.  Hiring “specialists” isn’t either.  Phonics instruction at the primary grades is the answer.  It is equally effective for children born in the US, as well as foreign language natives.

I am hoping there will be a follow up by the board, superintendent, PTAs candidates for board, etc. Anyone who can shed some common sense on the topic should be welcome to weigh in on this problem.

Home schoolers obviously do not have this issue to deal with. What happens in religious schools, charter schools, private schools? The community can deal with this if invited to assist. But phonics instruction at the outset must coincide with all other strategies.

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Next from Karyn Wells:

I have a question , can anyone answer who paid for and who authorized the school bus that the  MCSD bought and turned into a food truck . The News that said “kids  0 to 18 who didn’t have to be students and did just include  not  in Martin County ” all over the Treasure Coast and the Palm Beaches” for the month of July. “Including music and Internet”, Department of Justice was this paid for with our tax dollars without us having any say in it ? Was this paid for from the covid federal funding because that came with two caveats neither of them allowed this egregious spending. Why are they asking us to renew the mileage tax to provide for our children if they’re giving the money away to people from 0 to 18 on the Treasure Coast in the Palm Beaches that are not Martin County School District students and are not benefiting from that spending. It’s in fact that spending was some sort of overage why wasn’t the actual price of our children’s school lunch knocked down this year rather than giving our money away to people that are not students of this District ? Why are my taxes going up for schools this year if we’re giving it away I’m not paying taxes to support people in Martin County students because we have a progressive liberal social program loving superintendent who needs to be rained in and should have never been hired,  so I’d like anybody who has this information to answer these questions for me please. In the live interview with a journalist Dr Malay stated that the district bought the bus so even if it was an old bus that money belongs to the taxpayers it’s not Dr malaise social program slush fund and somebody needs to remind him of that ! It’s also curious why the seven administrative positions he filled were all bought from out of state and registered Democrat self-proclaimed progressives why didn’t we promote from within ? He has done nothing but turn this school into a political agenda driven mess.   Bottom line …he needs to go.

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CONTINUED NO WILL BRING A BIG FAT YES

Within the next dozen years, Martin County will have thousands of units being built.

While Smith, Heard, and increasingly Hetherington have lobbed bombs at Stuart for approving new units within an urban area, the county has with great stealth by the commission decided to create one city and probably a second. I am not speaking about Atlantic Fields or Three Lakes Golf Course. In my opinion, projects like those will save hundreds of acres of open land from development. Sure, the roll out of the “Rural Lifestyle” use was botched but that is imminently fixable.

Kiplinger’s Newfield will be a new urban center in Palm City. If it is developed as the now plan suggests, it will eventually have the same population as Stuart currently has. I support it because it is creating mixed use and mixed income housing and jobs within walkable neighborhoods. Not to mention all the open land that will be incorporated into the “town.”

Indiantown is open for business and the sprawl will occur there. The South Florida cookie cutter homes with every family having a car, truck, (and probably several) will happen. Residents that need to go for a quart of milk, be prepared to hop into your car to travel to the new Publix that will be built in a shopping plaza with hundreds of empty parking spaces. Schools, fire/rescue stations, and more will need to be constructed to support the population.

You doubt that Indiantown is becoming known as the next South Florida land development grab. Ask a hedge fund based in West Palm, Miami, or even New York, and they will have heard about the village. Acres that are not even in Indiantown will be annexed in to accommodate the Divostas and Pultes.

The reason the village was incorporated was because the county commission said no to everything from industrial to new homes. Instead of smart development we are likely to get what was feared…any development. See what I mean when a continued no ends up as an unqualified yes.

Could that new motor track we heard about be on county land? Maybe Lakepoint will morph into a track from the current mining operation. Perhaps King Ranch’s or Becker’s lands will be ripe for the track and the ancillary uses such as hotels, fast food joints, and gas stations.

The biggest unknown could be Harmony. That is still a ticking timebomb waiting to go off. The “Rural Lifestyle” could have helped prevent the thousands of homes that may come out of the ground there. While Newfield is an integrated community, Harmony will be a classic 1950s sprawl development.

The mishandling of the new land classification could have been easily prevented. Instead of relying on elites such as the Guardians to sell it, the county should have mounted their own dog and pony show and travelled near and far to explain what “Rural Lifestyle” was and wasn’t. While the supposed movers and shakers usually still win, the people are gaining ground on the good old boys whether moneyed environmentalists or developers.

Lastly, with the mood of the governor and legislators to keep Florida growing, there is no way they will allow a local government to stop the flow of new residents into the state. Florida’s entire way of life needs new blood for the economy to prosper. That means the new residents will need a place to call home.

A continued response of no from Martin County will have Tallahassee declaring a big yes. That of course will strip away even more home rule.

As Published In Martin County Moment

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GET THE WORD OUT  

Friends and Neighbors of Martin County is your eyes and ears so that you know what is going on in Martin County’s municipal and county governments. I attempt to be informative and timely so that you may understand how your tax money is being spent. Though I go to the meetings and report back, I am no substitute for your attending meetings. Your elected officials should know what is on your mind.