Tom Campenni
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IN THIS EDITION OF THE NEWSLETTER
This will be our last edition for 2021.
At this time of year, we all take stock in what the passing year has brought. There was much to be thankful for and some things that did not go as planned. Isn’t that what happens to most of us?
We added more contributors this year to make the newsletter more diverse and would love to offer even more in 2022. Perhaps a mom to write about what she faces as a parent in Martin County. And a teacher who might want to write about what it is like to teach in Martin County today. Letters to Tom are always welcomed. I hope we can continue running Martin County Taxpayers Association articles.
Next year will be an election year which should be interesting. I won’t be making endorsements. I didn’t in 2020 except in one instance where one candidate was lying about another. I hope not to do so in 2022.
Writing this newsletter, I have met some terrific public servants, elected officials, residents, and others that show what a great place it is to live. I love being involved in my city and county and will continue to do so as a resident and interested citizen.
For the past few years, leaving the county and going on vacation because of Covid has been hard. Several trips were cancelled, and others postponed. My wife and I will spend time at our apartment up north visiting our family and friends this coming year for a few days at a time. While not an exotic foreign destination it is a good place to be. However, Martin County will always be our home.
Many of us have been caught up in the holiday scene for the past couple of weeks. My tree and outside lights have been up since Thanksgiving weekend. My menus for Christmas, Christmas Eve, and New Year are finished in anticipation of family and friends joining us for each of those days.
I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Cities, School Board, County, and the Sheriff’s Department send me your announcements and I will run them. Our readers are anxious to know what is happening. We want to help you to inform your citizens.
Besides reading the newsletter you can catch articles and other information by going to our Facebook page, Friends & Neighbors. If you want to read what I have been writing between newsletters you can go to Martin County Moment at here and to our Medium page at here
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ANOTHER YEAR
As another year passes, I wonder where did the time go?
Our lives can be divided into periods. In childhood, everything is new to us. Then there is high school followed by college when we become adults. In my case, the first few years of being married was a great period of exploration of another person before children entered the picture. Then once children arrive, time is consumed being a parent and making a living leaving little time to think about much else.
Life is a series of episodes. Some are melodramatic, others comedic, and at times both. There are rotating characters and guest stars with a few constant cast mates. It is our own personal show telling a story that is unique to every individual.
We are now in the Covid era. It began sometime in February/March of 2020. Some of us were scared and others made believe that it did not matter. One person told me that he believed the world would end with us all being consumed by the virus.
With each passing variant…alpha, delta, omicron… we become a little bit more resigned to living in a world that has Covid. Some won’t be vaccinated for political, moral, or just idiotic reasons. Others have had the shots and booster. Some have gone back to wearing masks. I have decided not to do so (at least for now) unless the government mandates that I wear one.
The Covid period is upon us. There is no going back to a pre-Covid time. I don’t know whether there will be a post-Covid time or just a period where Covid (like the flu) will always be waiting to infect someone during the indoor season.
I feel confident that if I catch the virus, my case will be mild. I have decided not to be concerned or change my lifestyle to protect someone that has not been vaccinated. I made a choice and the unvaccinated have made a different choice.
We need to stop trying to minimize the spread of the virus. Omicron shows how ridiculous that is. I am ready to live in a Covid era that has a semblance of rationality and normalcy.
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WHAT IS NEWSWORTHY?
Government meetings are the meat of this newsletter. Informing people about those meetings is why it is written and published. Meetings may go on for many hours. There are always more interesting subjects than I can possibly include.
Take, for example, the BOCC meeting held on December 7th. In that section of this edition, I write about two agenda items: the commissioners’ priorities for next year and the reshuffling of the boundaries of commission districts. Naturally, there were many more items on the agenda before the BOCC.
In determining which I write about, I consider several things. First, if possible, I wait at least a day before looking at my notes and the information from the agenda. What sometimes seems as if it is earth shattering becomes rather mundane after brief reflection. When reading my notes, I look for whether the item has enough appeal to most readers. For instance, were there differences between commissioners or a split vote.
For example, there was a gas station/convenience store on Kanner Highway that came before the commission. It was approved quickly, and I could find no reason to write about that item.
There was another item about changing how the county gives needs certificates for those giving medical treatment and transport outside hospitals on an emergency basis. That is very intriguing to me. How does it affect Stuart’s EMTs and their medical director? It seemed it was aimed at keeping private ambulances from answering non-emergency calls. Perhaps it is a way to prevent Indiantown from ever having its own department. There were also some questions about community associations and what they can offer.
This may not be an insignificant item. It does require further understanding by me before I can report to you intelligently on its significance. The presenter did not give a long presentation or an explanation. The commissioners did not ask questions which means one of two things. Either it was not much of anything, or the county did not want to draw too much attention to the item. The item deserves further probing before I can write anything.
Some readers think I give too much opinion. The newsletter is not a newspaper. It is written to inform. I try to present the facts of the story first and then I will comment on how I believe the decision will affect our community.
There are several audiences the newsletter tries to reach. The general public is the most important. With knowledge is the power you need to cast a ballot or know where your taxes are being spent. The business community and those that speak to our elected officials are other audiences. Sometimes the quickest way to have a problem solved is through influence and these people have it with elected officials and high-ranking staff.
Another audience are elected officials and staff. You would be surprised how many times I am contacted to go over things, so I get the story “straight.” I learn a lot by poking and at the same time the officials may learn something about the county or municipality from me.
Ultimately, what goes into any newsletter is not everything that occurred at a government meeting. It is not a verbatim transcript. Our motto is being a government watchdog which means we do use judgment.
Unfortunately, most news organization will not carry anything about a meeting. I try to balance what I write to give you concise information and the ability to dig deeper if you want by giving links to original sources.
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OTHER OPINIONS
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BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BOARD BENT
By Joan Goodrich
CEO BDBMC
Wishing everyone a very Happy Holidays from the Business Development Board, and a special “thank you” to Friends & Neighbors’ Chief Editor Tom Campenni, who encouraged me to stretch my creative legs with this edition’s column. I think I was a teenager the last time I penned a poem, so please, judge gently.
Joan Goodrich from BDB
T’was mere days before Christmas and all through Martin County
The residents were grateful because of their bounty
Of obvious blessings around them to see
Beautiful beaches, great schools and an ever-strengthening economy
A stronger economy, we believe, (and it’s really common sense)
Is a priority that’s truly everyone’s business
Quality of life most often describes this incredible community
And it only gets better as we expand economic opportunity
Fortunately, careers abound in our core industries
Marine, aviation and clean energy
Our world-class healthcare providers enjoy the highest relevance
Little wonder we consider these our ‘Hubs of Excellence’
We celebrate the creators, innovators, inventors and entrepreneurs
The service-providers, problem-solvers, restauranters and beer brewers
The BDB loves offering businesses assistance and assessments
This year we helped secure $35 million in capital investments
Supporting industries, market research and narrowing site selections
Cultivating startups, building talent, making human and capital connections
Helping local businesses with plans for growing and expanding
While also always moving forward with the firm understanding
That Martin County remains selective about what it accepts and declines
And stays true to its vision of being Distinctive by Design
Joan Goodrich’s opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.
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VANRIPER’S VIEWS
By Darlene VanRiper
Musings on Capitalism While We Shop?
The irony of man’s greatest achievement lies in its diametric yet symbiotic relationship with democracy. Capitalism without liberty cannot exist. By its very nature it requires the free will of people exchanging goods that they desire for their labor.
At the molecular level, man is consciously and sometimes unconsciously choosing a need over a desire. Or a greater need over a lessor necessity. He allows a sultrier obsession to win out over a less coveted luxury.
Certainly, some other powers affect the liberty with which consumers make these choices. Marketing often steers the invisible hand away from one item toward another. The evolution of a free people’s culture to keep up with the Joneses. Fads and trends arising from ostensibly nowhere to demand our attention and the dollars from our wallets. These are all the result of the freedom to choose.
Indeed, democracy and capitalism seem to walk with purpose and great confidence hand in hand. At this time of year, they are skipping with such happiness they seem to be dancing a great waltz whirling in perfect harmony.
And yet they will, at one point step on each other’s feet, trip each other up.
They will bump into each other, and a choice must be made. When the consumer demands ever cheaper goods, then the manufacturer must look toward less expensive ways to make those goods or cease to exist.
When the rules are not the same for all players and when man’s character allows him to trade loyalty for dollars, a choice must be made. Either less freedom or less capitalism. I fear we sit at that intersection now.
Americans must make a choice whether the ultimate result of capitalism…the cheapest good at any metaphorical cost, or loyalty to a higher, more altruistic purpose…that of democracy wins out.
The real question here, I think, is can man’s character allow him to voluntarily limit his choices to sustain the greatest experiment known to man? Is the only way to keep men free to limit their freedom? The catch of course, is that the only way to accomplish that democratically is for it to be done voluntarily.
Darlene VanRiper’s opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint
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PINE’S PONDERING
By Tom Pine
Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, and Happy Hanukkah to one and all during this special time of the year.
With New Year’s just around the corner I have a New Year’s Resolution I would like you to consider joining in with me and emailing your local government officials with your opinions of their votes on issues coming before them.
Public participation works, at the November 16, 2021 Martin County Commission Meeting the majority of commissioners were all ready to eliminate Chapter 2 of our Comp Plan and a ground swell of public participation stood up and stopped it till there is a complete review in a couple of years.
Merry Christmas and a healthy, safe and Happy New Year to one and all!!!
Truth to Power
Tom Pine’s opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.
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McCHRYSTAL’S MEANDERINGS
By Frank McChrystal
Frank will be back in January
Frank McChrystal’s opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.
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HAFNER’S CORNER
By David Hafner
David will be back in January
David Hafner’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
The Palm City Chamber of Commerce held their 1st Annual Holiday Village at Palm City Place on Mapp Road on Wednesday, December 1st.
The event was a huge success with our community’s support. We enjoyed musical performances by the Hidden Oaks Middle School Chorus and holiday music by The Gratitude Steel Band. Local vendors along the sidewalk provided a variety of holiday gift items while the food trucks filled our bellies with wonderful meals and tasty treats. The holiday village will be displayed until right after Christmas, and we know it will be even bigger and better next year!
This time of year, brings out the best in our community, businesses, friends, and neighbors. This is evident as we see the huge amounts of donations being supplied to our local nonprofits and nationally to Toys for Tots and The Salvation Army.
The United Way bicycle drive has exceeded their past years in donations! The contributions to Elev8Hope have been amazing! The House of Hope continues to provide food for our local community. And the Boys & Girls Clubs are providing support in a variety of ways for their children and families.
The best part of the holiday season is the magic created for our children. It’s only through their eyes that we truly see how blessed we are to live in Martin County. We are not only a community known for being the Sailfish Capital of the world, but we are also fortunate to be able look at the number of nonprofits capitalizing on the giving spirit and providing so much to those in need – whether it’s a simple greeting to helping someone get back on their feet again.
We’re also known for our boating and on-the-water recreational activities but look at the number of people coming together to help transport members of our community to doctors’ appointments, job interviews or helping them get their own transportation.
We truly live on the Treasure Coast but not because of our location. Because of our community. Treasure one another during this magical time of the year, and I can’t wait to see what 2022 will bring!
Missi Campbell’s opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.
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FISHING TIPS
BY Capt. Paul Sperco
Happy Holidays to all the subscribers to of Friends and Neighbors of Martin County.
What a great time of year to be living, vacationing, or just doing a weekend visit to our beautiful part of Florida. After moving here from N.J. 11 years ago I love driving through our area after Thanksgiving when the holiday decorations start going up on the palm trees, in downtown Stuart, and through all the residential areas.
Initially it was hard to believe, if you are from up north, that you could see Santa Claus on a front lawn while you were driving to the beach for the day. This part of Florida is truly paradise and I certainly feel lucky and blessed to be here.
As far as the winter fishing is going in the Martin County area, it’s off to a pretty good start. I spoke with my friend, Capt. John Young, from Bites OnCharters, and John has been putting his customers on some great river fishing for catch and release snook, sheepshead, drum, and croaker in the Indian and St Lucie rivers.
John also said the tripletail are starting to show along with some big jacks from the seawalls and mangrove points. The surf season has started off a lot better than last year. There have been some days where it has been a challenge to put a few pompanos in the cooler but there seems to be a bigger spread of fish and more consistent fishing then we experienced last year.
Some of our local beaches that have been producing are Bryn Mawr, Tiger Shores, Bob Graham, Stuart, and Santa Lucea. Along with the pompano there has been bluefish, Spanish mackerel, whiting, ladyfish, jacks, blue runners, and a few permits. You want to target the blues and mackerel fish early, from 7 to 9 am and cast a 3/4- or 1-ounce spoon and have some fun.
Lots of pompano anglers like to rake their own sandfleas from the water’s edge and I have to tell you they have been harder to find than the pompano. fishbites have been the bait for the pomps and yellow crab, ez flea, and electric chicken have been the top scents and colors. A tip for anyone that wants to bend a rod with a permit, fishbites in the white crab color has always been my go-to bait.
The key to catching the pompano is having the gear and equipment to reach them so break out your 11,12, and 13 foot rods with a Penn Squall or Fathom conventional reel or a Spinfisher longcast spinning model and give it a shot. The pompano will be with us right into May so it’s a long season and you will have lots of great weather days on our beaches to give it a try.
If anyone has any questions about any type of tackle, techniques, bait, or locations, feel free to stop by the Snook Nook on Indian River Drive in Jensen Beach on any Thursday from 6 to 12 am. I will be happy to answer any and questions you might have. I hope everyone stays healthy and safe as we head into the new year. Get out and enjoy our beautiful part of the state right here in Martin County as we have outdoor resources that are the nicest in the country.
Happy holidays to all and enjoy the rest of the holiday season.
Paul Sperco’s opinions are his own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.
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JURGENS JOURNAL
By Kallie Jurgens
I have always loved Christmas as did my mom. It was a special time in our house and my mom tried to make it that way with special gifts for me and my brother. This Christmas is different. I am trying to make an effort to make Christmas a good time for others.
Each year, our friends in law enforcement up north “adopt” many families for Christmas. This year, the need is even greater, there are double the families who would go without if it weren’t for the adoption. With inflation at its highest and the price of gas, food, and clothes going up exponentially, we have decided the focus more than ever should be on those going without. We are boosting contributions to those families, and we are giving locally as well to favorite charities.
When we were up north recently, we were saddened by those who were complaining about how hard all of a sudden it was to feed a family, fill their gas tank, heat their home, and find the money for any extras. Eating out at fast food was an extravagance. Even a trip to the dollar stores has been difficult, with prices going up 25%.
As you all celebrate Christmas this year, please especially remember those in need. Our family has been blessed with being able to help others in need. This year it has been even more important.
Kallie Jurgen’s opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint
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Martin County Taxpayers Association
IS THIS EXPENDITURE NECESSARY?
At the December 7 meeting of the Martin County Commission, each commissioner presented priority items for 2022.
Commissioner Doug Smith had as his #2 priority a Diving Well at Sailfish Splash for the competitive pool side and later Commissioner Ed Ciampi expressed support for that same item. Adding that deep well would require upgrading from the current springboards. Based on competitive standards, the required pool depth for a 5-meter platform is 13 feet and the 10-meter platform is 17 feet. The diving well is not meant for the general public to use.
If added to the Sailfish Splash Water Park, the 10-meter platform would be only one of 21 in the southeastern United States. In Florida, these 10-meter platforms currently exist in Coral Gables, Fort Lauderdale, Gainesville, Orlando, and Tallahassee.
In April 2021, the Indian River State College campus in Fort Pierce hosted the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Swimming and Diving National Championships. The diving included 1- and 3-meter springboard events allowing the men’s team to earn an unprecedented 47th consecutive national title. The reason it is important to know about the IRSC dominance in collegiate diving is the college’s plan to build new diving platform. USA Diving and the school plan to raise funds to build “a world-class, international diving facility on the Indian River State College Fort Pierce campus.”
Sailfish Splash has hosted many Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) swimming and diving meets in recent years including November of this year. Athletes from all over the state came to Stuart to compete for the state championships.
Though admirable for Commissioners Smith and Ciampi wanting to expand the potential visitors to Martin County to compete beyond the FHSAA level, the price tag to the taxpayers will be very high to build the necessary deep dive well and diving platforms, especially when IRSC will have one in Fort Pierce with planning already underway.
The commissioners need to ask themselves should this be supported by Martin County taxpayers.
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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
Ruth “Ski” Pietruszewski, Martin County Tax Collector
I’LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS
Now that most of the nation is getting vaccinations, those that have felt trapped and can’t wait to travel will start traveling again. With the holidays right around the corner, citizens will be flying home to visit and spend time with friends and family.
We offer at our Palm City branch office a nifty service called “Birth Certify” to our TSA clients to get their birth records certified in minutes, in order to process their TSA √.
Simply find your birth-state on the map. The dates shown represent the specific time-frame the state is able to certify birth records. States shown in gray do not currently offer birth certify service. The dollar amount shown on the specific state’s picture is the amount that you will be charged to have your birth records certified. We simply call on the phone and are able to certify your birth records in minutes, so we can process and have your TSA √. issued. The applicant must know their mother’s maiden name.
TSA PreCheck saves travelers from waiting in long lines at the airport, especially at heavy travel times, and speeds passengers through physical screening. This is for domestic flights only within the US. Passengers do not need to take off their shoes, belt, or empty their backpack. Airlines no longer offer randomly chosen courtesy PreCheck.
Our taxpayer’s are extremely pleased and happy that we have added and brought these innovative and customer friendly services to Martin County to serve them better!
Enjoy the holidays!
From Martin County School District:
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Our first letter is from Audrey Capozzi:
Apparently there are those who are considering the idea of whether or not to continue paying school board members a salary and benefits. Some wonder if board members would continue to serve if not paid?
I believe I can answer the query since I resided in one of the 75% of states which do not pay school boards. Most elections are hotly contested for many reasons: parents wish to improve the quality of education, others use it as a stepping stone for future elected office, some for their business’s name recognition, ego gratification, and so on. Too numerous to mention the rest. You get the idea.
In that same state, local elected officials do not earn a salary, nor are benefits attached. They had been in the past. This was a magnet for business persons: insurance, real estate, attorneys, heating/cooling specialists and others to run for local offices. Hence, the policy was abandoned years back. State law changed to: if an business owner wrote his family’s health insurance as a business expense, s/he had to provide same to employees. Today there is a small stipend for local commissioners to cover expenses. This change has not made any impact. There are still plenty who wish to serve.
Term limits are never a bad idea. Our Founding Fathers never envisioned a “politician.” They expected citizens would take a turn at governance and then go back to their “real” positions.
Regularly there are letters asking about Martin County’s lack of interest in quality of life issues: water mains, river quality, etc. Some liken the current BOCC members with fiddling while the county burns. The claims are the BOCC is more interested in subsidizing money pits: water park, fancy golf course (not yet open), empty buses traveling on Martin County roads, concessions at beaches run by BOCC rather than restaurateurs, etc.
A friend lives in downtown Orlando across from a beautiful lake where one may rent a pedal boat in the shape of a swan; library, nice restaurants are abundant around the park area. A charity set up a food station for the homeless. They arrived, took up residence in the park surrounding the lake and now senior citizens are accosted, residents knocked off their bicycles, handbags ripped off women and the elderly. If you build it they will come.
Our second letter is from William Frates. I have printed Mr. Frates missives a few times because all points of view need to be heard. I have been known to quote scripture when I write to make a point. Only not as if I were in Bible study. So read the letter if you want or skip it.
Who is God? Moses called God: Numbers 27:16 “the God of the spirits of all flesh.” Jesus Christ calls God “our Father in heaven” Matthew 6:9. The Son of God, Moses and the Apostles say, “God is one.” Christians have one heavenly Father who is God. The Holy Spirit is the Father. Acts 2:32-33 “God raised this Jesus to life, and we are witnesses of the fact. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has – received – from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.” Jesus Christ is worshiped as the image of the Father: John 14:9-10 “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” “The Father living in me is doing his work.” We can also conclude: Christ living in you and me is doing his work. God is Spirit, Holy, and the Holy Father. John 20:17 “Jesus said to Mary “I am returning to, my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”
God is Not a “trinity” or a “Mystery” as the deceived profess. God is your “Father in Heaven.” Most church leaders today, teach that the Holy Spirit is what they call the third person of a trinity. That is false and blasphemy; it blinds a Christian to – God as their “Father in heaven.” Is your spirit a different person from you? No. John 5:28-29 proves we all have a spirit from God: That will survive death. The Spirit of God: “Our Father in heaven” will live in me and in you, even after our death – Luke 20:38 “to God all are alive.” Romans 8:11, is speaking of the Father. “And, if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is “Living” in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies – through His Spirit, who Lives in you.”
God is Holy, God is Spirit, God is Wonderful Counselor, Spirit of truth, and God is the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of Christ and the Father are one and the same Spirit but two individuals: As you and your father are one blood but two individuals.
As God created the heavens and earth, by his Holy Spirit, through Jesus Christ – John 1:1-3. God is creating by his Holy Spirit, through Jesus Christ, Children who will inherit the kingdom of God and life that is Not subject to death.
The Son of God was the Son of God, before he was born, the Son of Man Psalm 2:7-12.“God is one” 1 Corinthians 8:6 “There is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.”
Matthew 12:31-32 – proves that the Father is the Holy Spirit “Every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.” “Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the – Holy Spirit – will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.” It is obvious Jesus is speaking of his “Father in heaven.” If you Believe Christ is speaking of a third person of a trinity then you believe that third person is greater than the Father and Son. And that is blasphemy. Jesus Christ said John 10:29 “My Father is greater than all.”
Work of the Father: Call of God – John 6:44-45, “No one can come to me unless the – Father – who sent me draws him, and I will raise him at the last day. Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.” The Father himself “reveals to believers, by his Spirit – his Son Christ Jesus. God is the Gardener: John 15:1-2 “My Father cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit.” Christian: How do you know if you have been cut off from Christ or God’s Spirit? Do you identify with the wicked by the “we are all sinners” argument and invite those who – parade their sin – to church? If that describes you: You have been cut off from Christ. God teaches do Not even eat with the sexual immoral 1 Corinthians 5:11. Repent: The spirit of the world has overcome you! Your fate will be Matthew 7:21-23.
The Father reveals the Son by his Holy Spirit, and the Son reveals the Father by the same Spirit that he received from the Father: Matthew 11:27 “No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. “ The Father speaks through you by his always present Holy Spirit: Matthew 10:19-20 “When they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time, you will be given what to say. For it will not by you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”
John 16:15 “All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit – meaning the Father – will take from what is mine and make it known to you.” An example of that is in Matthew 16:17 “Blessed are you Simon son of John, for this was not revealed to you by man, buy by my Father in heaven.”
John 15:26 “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me.” This is saying the same thing Christ said in John 6:44 “No one can come to me unless the Father ‘draws him.” Christ explained the different expressions for the Spirit of his Father
in John 16:25. “Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father.” John 16:3 “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” Knowing the Father and the Son is “eternal life.”
The teaching that the Holy Spirit is a third person of a trinity, or that the Holy Spirit is “mystery” is blasphemous, and Idolatry, a false image of God. Ephesians 4:4-6 “There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called to one hope.” “One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” Matthew 28:19 – interpreted: “Baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” from the Father through the Son in you and me creating the Church. Praise God – Jesus Christ Crucified is Light that shines beyond the Grave. Richard Frates – seedsoftruth@charter.net – November 16, 2016
Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus.”
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COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING DECEMBER 7, 2021
The commissioners were tasked with bringing back their priorities for the coming year. This has become a yearly exercise to give staff direction on where the commissioners want to focus.
Chair Smith wants to focus on acquiring more land in Pal-Mar, an environmentally sensitive area. There are several complications including a pending lawsuit between Martin County and the Pal-Mar Water Control District regarding withholding of dues by the county. Commissioner Heard waded in that there is illegal building going on within Pal-Mar, and she wants to see more enforcement.
After further discussion, there was consensus that the commission needed to be brought up to speed on the lawsuit and there will be a “shade meeting” (one where the commissioners and legal counsel confer behind closed doors as not to give away their legal strategy) at the next regular meeting to discuss options for going forward.
Further, this commission seems to be in favor of having a referendum to institute a sales tax to buy lands in Pal-Mar and other ecologically sensitive areas.
The vast number of these southern properties are wetlands. They cannot be built upon or developed. They need to be placed in conservation and maintained so that the natural flow ways can be restored. Most of our current flooding issues will only become worse if we do not allow storm water to take its historical pathways to the south.
If the commission has a good communications plan and sticks to its present intent, a sales tax will undeniably pass. The public in Martin County believes in conservation. It would be up to our leaders to move us in the right direction.
Another of Smith and Ciampi’s priorities is to construct a diving well at Sailfish Splash. They claim that the USA Diving Association would welcome the move and more tournaments would come to the park. The diving association is already headquartered on the IRSC campus in Fort Pierce where a diving well is being constructed.
The well at Sailfish will not be used by the public but only for competition. Spending tax dollars will help business the commissioners claim. I always get nervous when the words “heads in beds” are used by a commissioner. I would like to know when it became the government’s job to use taxpayer funds to ensure a hotel is full or a restaurant sells more meals. If you are taking money in the form of taxes out of residents’ pockets, our own residents are certainly able to buy fewer meals themselves.
Splash Water Park, like the golf course, is an expensive place built and maintained with taxpayer money. The facilities cost money to enter and can be prohibitively expensive to many Martin County citizens. The government should not subsidize the rich and business. Every dollar spent needs to be for a genuine public purpose. I wish the commissioners would stop interfering with markets by their use of tax subsidies.
Hetherington still wants to improve communications with the public. The county has made some strides but there is still a long way to go. She would also like to see the completion of El Camino Trail in Golden Gate. Hetherington mentioned that we should promote educating residents for the marine and aviation trades. Those are three worthwhile priorities.
Jenkins wants to continue to build on better customer service. There are also CRA projects that need attention. Interestingly, he wants to restore Banner Lake and its flow way. Only a true Hobe Sounder could have conceived of that project. There was also a mention of a land trust to aid affordable housing development.
Heard spoke about buying IRL South lands. Twin Rivers Park restoration was on the top of her agenda. Heard also mentioned a sales tax for land acquisition. Every commissioner, I believe, is on board with that idea.
Ciampi thought that drainage and flooding issues have improved in his district, and he would like to see more. He wants broadband connectivity. Many parts of western Palm City have no internet or cable for that matter. He also mentioned shelters. He would like to explore the possibility of a men’s shelter. The closest one is in Fort Pierce.
RE-DISTRICTING
Re-districting can be very contentious.
The districts each need to have about the same number of voters, but they also need to be contiguous using natural and logical boundaries. Re-districting is also a political matter. The staff drew the districts with commission input. Unlike the school board’s school re-districting, the public had no say and that is a shame.
County bureaucrats are not as invested as either the commissioners or the public. Staff did not want to look at anything but census tracts primarily. There is more to a district than population. In some instances, they had unnatural lines being used to determine boundaries. I am not in favor of gerrymandering, but I would like to see neighborhoods and municipalities contained within single districts.
If the school district had not used a citizens committee, there would have been many more children switched from their present schools to new ones. Theories on the separation of friends are big in the educational world as if families don’t ever move for the 12 years that a child is in school. Experts sometimes do not see the forest for the trees.
Since every voter votes for every commissioner, I believe more leeway could have been used in determining boundaries. In the future, there should be a citizens committee that makes the final recommendation to the commission for adoption and not staff.
Ed Ciampi (District 5) and Harold Jenkins (District 3) have immense districts as measured by land area. Because of the law, 1600 of Ciampi’s constituents happen to be residing in a state penitentiary. Jenkins’ district goes from east to west in a huge swath of the county that has no residences at all. Smith (District 1) and Hetherington (District 2) have only two little changes on their borders.
The contention took place between Heard (District 4) and Jenkins over Loblolly Pines being switched to District 3. Loblolly did create a peninsular enclave of District 4 into District 3. The real fight could have been over MSTU funds.
Loblolly has a large taxable value. That money will now go into the commissioner funds for District 3 instead of 4. As you can see, re-districting has a political component. Ciampi will get no additional money from his prison constituents.
A motion was made by Jenkins and seconded by Hetherington for Option 3C (see link below) to be placed on the next meeting’s agenda for adoption. The motion passed 4-1 with Heard dissenting.
Option 3C will likely be the new school board district’s boundaries since they adopt the ones selected by the county.
To see Option 3C and the other ones go here
COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING DECEMBER 16, 2021:
Under pressure from the South Florida Water Management District, the county is changing its year-round irrigation ordinance. Both Sewall’s Point and Stuart have already adopted the SFWMD current recommendations. Currently watering is prohibited from 10 am-4-pm.
At first glance, it seems like a no brainer to adopt the ordinance. Everyone wants to conserve water. Going to a two-day-per-week schedule like the two municipalities would appear to be a good thing. This ordinance does not apply to reclaimed water users, nurseries, or athletic areas. It has monetary penalties for noncompliance.
The sprinkler contractors spoke in agreement of this ordinance. Exemptions on the two day per week cap were available to properties if a smart water system was installed. Another example of technology saving us at a greater expense.
For a mere several hundred dollars, a smart system could be installed allowing the property owner the possibility to irrigate more than twice a week. Could this be another example of business development by the commission?
Hetherington spoke out loudly against the enforcement provision. She called it an unfunded mandate. Code enforcement must be used and be pulled off more important tasks. She said there was nothing in the budget for that.
Smith stated that his yard is sugar sand. In the dry season, he said he would lose his yard if he were limited to two days per week. He went on to state that he did not like the fact that neighbors would be calling code enforcement on each other. Smith also said if people had to spend additional funds on their sprinkler systems, it was, in effect, a tax increase.
I agree with both Smith and Hetherington. Wouldn’t a better solution be to require a smart system in all new construction now and at multifamily and commercial properties over a period of five years. The county could then tackle the existing single-family homeowner. At the same time through an education campaign, the county could alert those single-family homeowners that twice-a-week watering would be coming in the next few years.
The county attorney stated that SFWMD wants an ordinance to be in place to obtain grants and receive consumptive use permits. A motion was made by Jenkins and seconded by Ciampi to adopt the ordinance. It passed 3-2 with Hetherington and Smith voting no.
You can find the ordinance here
Without fanfare Commissioner Ciampi made a motion to adopt the re-districting maps for commission districts. It was seconded by Commissioner Hetherington. It passed 4-1 with Heard dissenting. The new maps can be found here
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SECTION 3: CITY OF STUART
STUART CITY COMMISSION MEETING DECEMBER 13, 2021:
Merritt Matheson was elected mayor by the commission. Matheson made a short speech about what I am hoping will be an ongoing policy. The names of the public speakers will now be called by the clerk as well as monitoring speaker times. City Manager Dyess did an excellent job in keeping the speakers to their time limit.
The new Vice-Mayor will be Troy McDonald.
Commissioner Clarke did a good job as mayor. She was at times exuberant, but she handled the job with aplomb. For the most part, she kept the meetings moving. At times she was too accommodating but that is Clarke’s nature.
There was a minor amendment to the Savanah Place PUD. Savanah place will be a development in front of Helping People Succeed. When the PUD was approved, there was to be five oak trees planted on HPS property in addition to the buffer. Helping People Succeed has now determined that they do not want the trees.
A motion was made by Bruner and seconded by Clarke to accept the amendment. It passed 4-1 with Matheson dissenting.
The commission approved the advisory board appointments for 2022. It will be the same as last year except for Werner Bols as a new member on the board of adjustment. The appointments passed unanimously.
The new property rights element that is now required in the comprehensive plan was approved for inclusion.
All in all, it was a very productive and relatively fast-moving meeting. Congratulations to Mayor Matheson on a first meeting.
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SCHOOL BOARD WORKSHOP DECEMBER 7, 2021
Chair Li Roberts began the meeting by reading a statement.
The statement had to do with a package of Memorandums of Understanding that was Covid related. Although there were 3 distinct MOUs, the staff and board always referred to them as one unit…one entity…a package. It is not clear why it was not just one MOU. Perhaps there is a bureaucratic reason. Having three clearly caused the problems.
The governor had given $1000 to all classroom teachers. One of the MOUs would have had the district give that amount to other MCEA (Martin County Education Association) eligible employees that were not covered under the governor’s order. The second was payment for Covid-related sick days. The third was to require teachers to turn on passive non-interactive cameras in their classrooms to allow quarantining students to view the lesson while at home. It would be turned on at no other times.
The MCEA approached the MOUs as being distinct. They overwhelmingly ratified the first two (where they would receive money) and roundly voted no on switching the cameras on for those students in quarantine.
The board has taken the position that it is all or nothing. Instead of being paid immediately, the entire substance of the MOUs will now be part of contract negotiations. This is hard to believe!
Is there any wonder why parents are angry? Teachers and others are getting paid extra money and benefits and are refusing to agree to a simple thing like flipping a switch so that quarantined students can participate in the learning process. I hear it is all about the kids until it is not in the contract…too bad.
You can read Ms. Roberts and the board’s statement here
The board also approved their meeting calendar for 2022. It can be found here
REDISTRICTING
The board has two redistricting matters to take up at the next regular meeting.
The first is school redistricting. The staff has sent out approximately 1500 letters to the homes of students that may be affected by changing the boundaries for high school. 30 of the letters came back because the students no longer live at their address of record. There were 5 calls from parents and 4 emails. It did not appear that there were any complaints.
It looks like they will keep the recommendations of the redistricting committee for Options 4, 5, 6 for high school students only. Existing students can continue to go to their current high schools, but beginning with the incoming freshman class, they will go to the new districted high school.
Roberts wanted the re-districting committee to look at where the students who will be living in the new construction off Commerce Avenue in South Stuart should attend school. The committee met to consider options for that area. Committee Chair Ciampi explained that, once again, the committee did not want to create any new enclaves. Therefore, it was the committee’s recommendation for the students to attend Anderson Middle School and Jensen Beach High School.
The entire redistricting package will be presented at the next meeting.
Ciampi then put on his commissioner hat and explained the commission’s revised election districts. The school board will follow the commission and have the same districts. You can see the proposed revisions under the Martin County Commission Section.
SCHOOL BOARD MEETING DECEMBER 14, 2021:
It was an uneventful meeting except for the two re-districting matters. The board adopted the county’s district lines for their own election districts. They also voted to keep the recommendations of the committee for school re-districting. In the scheme of things, it was the minimal amount of disruption to the fewest students possible. You can find the those maps here here
Apparently, Mr. Anderson does not like it when this newsletter writes about the public comments he makes from the dais. He once again attacked me for being inaccurate and deliberately lying about things he has said during his comments. In the past newsletters, I not only was very accurate, but I also cited where on the tapes you could find those remarks in his own voice.
He claims I want the notoriety of attacking him. With the newsletter having a nearly 26,000 subscriber email list, I hardly need his publicity. In this week’s diatribe by Anderson, he compared me to a boll weevil in a bag of rice and that I am from somewhere else. I take exception to the boll weevil comment but freely admit I was born somewhere else as are three of his fellow board members.
Anderson states he will not mention me again because he has a “thick skin.” We will see. I thought it especially interesting that he said that his tie and jacket come off. Does that imply he wants to meet me behind the gym? At nearly 70 I am a long way from middle school, where Mr. Anderson has spent his career, so would decline the invitation.
Is there any wonder that Mr. Anderson already has an opponent in his upcoming race, Amy Pritchett. I know nothing about Pritchett except that she speaks at school board and county commission meetings. I hope to learn more about her. She is from somewhere else too. Should she be disqualified because of it? Is she another boll weevil in the Anderson bag of rice?
His comments can be found starting at 1:20 of the school board recording of the meeting here
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SEWALL’S POINT COMMISSION MEETING DECEMBER 14, 2021:
This was another meeting where a level of animosity between residents, staff and board was in the air.
There is no excuse for some of the outlandish statements occasionally made by people. I often wonder where they get their facts from. For instance, the manager’s contract is a good example of fact versus fiction. Taking a few minutes to look at the expiring and the proposed new contracts which are part of the agenda would demonstrate that what many speakers said during public comment was not true.
I am not saying they intentionally lied. What they did not do was verify the facts but relied on Facebook posts and took it as confirmation of what they already believed. One example of this was someone saying the manager was going to receive 3 months of time off. The formula in the contract called for a total of 160 hours or 4 weeks per year.
In the past decade, fiction has become reality for too many of us. It is like we are living in an alternate universe…one that we create to bolster our opinions. This was a meeting that proved this out.
Septic to sewer is a good example of misinformation that was also heard during the meeting. What town officials have said is that Tallahassee wants to see as many coastal towns as possible hook up to a sewer system. They are providing many millions of dollars in grants and low-cost loans to do so. The federal government is also pushing for this. There is no mandate that it be done by 2025. However, it is the belief of many government affairs experts that at some point the state and federal money will run out and it will be the town’s burden.
Will it be a mandate? Many of the same experts believe so. But that is irrelevant. I know of no instance when anyone at the town stated at a public meeting that it had to be done by 2025. What was said at a meeting was Martin County and the municipalities must have their new storm water plan by that date.
As to the manager and her contract…some believe that she should work for less. If you expect a full-time manager, then it costs money to have someone with that skill set. Berger does have that skill set.
Could she operate in a bigger place with more employees? The answer is absolutely. She was a senior VP for the southeast for a major company and at the same time a city council member of the then 8th largest city in Florida, Port St. Lucie. She has a master’s degree in public administration. So, she is eminently qualified to be Sewall’s Point’s town manager.
Since coming to the town two years ago, she has put into place systems that guarantee the smooth running of town hall. The clerk, building official, and finance director are her hires, and as Commissioner Kurzman stated, they are all better than those who held the positions before. The budget for operating town hall is less than before.
Whether she should receive a raise, health care, etc. is a negotiation between the commission and Berger. She is not bound to accept the town’s offer as the town does not have to employ her.
Berger was not at the meeting due to illness. The contract discussion was handled by the town attorney, Glen Torcivia, who is a pro. Along with the mayor, he tried to keep the commission on point. For the most part they did. Unfortunately, Campo had a prior family engagement and had to leave. Kurzman became ill and left.
With a three-person commission, they could have continued. They wisely decided it would be best for every commissioner to weigh in on this important matter. The matter was continued until the January 11th meeting.
The original and then revisions of the contract can be found here
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INDIANTOWN COUNCIL MEETING DECEMBER 9, 2021:
It was an interesting meeting.
From the beginning, the water utility was going to be a challenge. Kevin Powers and others asked the council to be careful about the way they were going to purchase the old plant and system. Indiantown has been fortunate that state and federal programs have been around to help in that purchase and some of the rehabilitation work.
Much of what had been borrowed through SRF had been forgiven in the past. With this latest round of projects totaling between $18 and $19 million, the funds may be available, but their consultant was told that the funding will not have the possibility of forgiveness. To service the debt money must come from the operating funds. With that in mind, they can only borrow for three of the five projects that need to be done. All the projects are listed in the capital plan below.
You can see the capital plan here
The next matter was approval of the old DRI property now known as Terra Lago. It is 806 acres and, when built out, will be 2488 residential units with apartments, town homes, and single-family houses along with 100,000 feet of commercial space.
This is some big stuff that will change the face of Indiantown if it gets built. There is a little over 10% dedicated to open space for the public. While in the warmup before tonight, I heard that there would be affordable homes for Indiantown residents, I did not see anything mentioned in the three agenda items regarding this project.
No one who reads this newsletter regularly can possibly say I am anti-development. This may be the perfect development to put Indiantown on the right course, but I feel something is amiss.
When fully built, Terra Lago will easily double Indiantown’s population. Except for a brief presentation by the planning department, there was no discussion. No public comment was heard. They have committed themselves to a village altering development and the council spent no time in discussion. It makes you think.
You can find staff presentation here
UNCONDITIONAL LOVE
At the last meeting, the selection of an architect for the new village hall was delayed until this meeting because Hernandez was absent. That was a good idea and it turned out to be a game changer. The two firms were both fine. PGAL is a national one and REG is headquartered in Palm Beach County. You can learn more about the firms by going here
Dowling wanted to go ahead with the recommendation of staff and choose PGAL as the firm. He made a motion and it died for lack of a second. Dowling said he made the motion three times (in the two meetings) …the same outcome happened.
Gibbs-Thomas piped up and asked if this is the best time to build the complex given that the utility needs so much work. Hernandez spoke with a contractor and the Palm Beach diocese (I am assuming through her employer which is the diocese) and stated that she was told that REG was local and easy to work with. Stone said he prefers a local company.
Dowling stated that they need to support staff. While you should defer to staff in many instances, you do not always. That is why the Council has the final say. A motion was made by Hernandez and seconded by Stone to go with REG. It passed by 4-1 with Dowling dissenting.
The second reading of the ordinance giving the manager the right to hire people and deviate from the council-set policy was read. Gibbs-Thomas stated that the power to set policy for employment was in the charter, and during last year’s election, a charter revision to give the manager the right to set the hiring standards was soundly defeated by the voters. This is now the second time in the past 5 years the voters have specifically said they want the council to exercise this responsibility.
Stone said he wants to permit the manager the flexibility in this matter. Dowling stated it was unorthodox, and he has been in favor of allowing the manager to have this flexibility since the beginning. Dowling asked the attorney whether the charter language was standard in other municipalities. He replied that it is all over the place but tended to give it to the manager.
Hernandez doesn’t want to micromanage. If every deviation must come to the council, then it would take too long and talented people would not be hired.
The village attorney has a work-around, which is this ordinance, allowing the council to give the manager the authority and then take it back if it is abused. However, once a job seeker has accepted conditions of employment, then the village is stuck with whatever was promised that employee. Hernandez said there is nothing illegal about it.
The motion to go ahead and have this ordinance was passed 4-1 with Gibbs-Thomas dissenting.
I agree with Hernandez that there is nothing illegal about this although it goes against the spirit of the charter and what the people have intended. Is it harder? Yes, it is! That does not matter. The council should not try to thwart the will of the people whether they agree or not.
Nor should it go for another vote at the next election as Dowling wants. He is trying to rig an outcome because he believes in something. Live with it guys! That is what your constituents want. And Dowling should get over his need to show unconditional love to village staff.
JUPITER ISLAND MEETINGS DECEMBER 13, 2021:
Jupiter Island was supposed to be the genteel part of Martin County. It looks as though that may be a thing of the past.
The first meeting of four today was requested by Commissioners Heck and Brooks to speak about what happens if a commissioner resigns. Mayor Pidot asked a very pertinent question, which was if either Heck or Brooks intended to resign? Heck said he had no intention; Brooks was a bit cagier.
The town charter spells out that if a commissioner resigns, then the remaining commissioners will appoint his/her replacement. So why was a meeting called to discuss a replacement if none was needed?
Was Brooks trying to see whether the commission would select a replacement that was in line with Brooks’ views on the dune line? If the commissioners identified the name of the replacement and it was someone that Brooks knew would vote against the decisions reached by the IRC (Independent Review Committee), would he have resigned? Perhaps he naively thought that the commissioners would discuss names before a resignation was given.
After an hour, the meeting ended in no one resigning.
Generic Beach Photo
In preparation for the hearings on whether the IRC’s decisions approving the permits for 310 and 322 South Beach Road were in keeping with the towns zoning, LDRs and comprehensive plan, Brooks recused himself and stepped off the dais. He would not be hearing the appeals. But why?
Ethan Loeb represents the owners of 310 and 322. They filed plans to build houses on pristine beaches using the 2019 dune line that is part of the town code. Mr. Loeb is a well-known attorney when it comes to defending property rights. He was the attorney that represented Lake Point against Martin County which ended up costing the county about $20 million.
In the Martin County suit, Loeb eventually discovered that three county commissioners had possible public records law violations and obtained a monetary settlement with the county. In Jupiter Island, Loeb’s clients sued Brooks personally for having a private email account for town business and apparently blind copying emails to other commissioners. So, is this suit enough to allow Brooks to recuse himself in this matter?
The law is clear that if a voting member of a board or certain members of his family have a financial interest in a matter before the board, he/she must not vote on the item.
FS 112.3143(d) “Special private gain or loss” means an economic benefit or harm that would inure to the officer, his or her relative, business associate, or principal, unless the measure affects a class that includes the officer, his or her relative, business associate, or principal, in which case, at least the following factors must be considered when determining whether a special private gain or loss exists:
1. The size of the class affected by the vote.
2. The nature of the interests involved.
3. The degree to which the interests of all members of the class are affected by the vote.
4. The degree to which the officer, his or her relative, business associate, or principal receives a greater benefit or harm when compared to other members of the class.
The degree to which there is uncertainty at the time of the vote as to whether there would be any economic benefit or harm to the public officer, his or her relative, business associate, or principal and, if so, the nature or degree of the economic benefit or harm must also be considered.
(2)(a) A state public officer may not vote on any matter that the officer knows would inure to his or her special private gain or loss.
There does not appear to be any financial gain or loss to Brooks. I had requested a copy of the mandatory 8-B. The clerk said that he need not file one since there is no financial conflict. There is no other form to file when recusing oneself.
There is also this:
286.012 Voting requirement at meetings of governmental bodies.—A member of a state, county, or municipal governmental board, commission, or agency who is present at a meeting of any such body at which an official decision, ruling, or other official act is to be taken or adopted may not abstain from voting in regard to any such decision, ruling, or act; and a vote shall be recorded or counted for each such member present, unless, with respect to any such member, there is, or appears to be, a possible conflict of interest under s. 112.311, s. 112.313, s. 112.3143, or additional or more stringent standards of conduct, if any, adopted pursuant to s. 112.326. If there is, or appears to be, a possible conflict under s. 112.311, s. 112.313, or s. 112.3143, the member shall comply with the disclosure requirements of s. 112.3143. If the only conflict or possible conflict is one arising from the additional or more stringent standards adopted pursuant to s. 112.326, the member shall comply with any disclosure requirements adopted pursuant to s. 112.326. If the official decision, ruling, or act occurs in the context of a quasi-judicial proceeding, a member may abstain from voting on such matter if the abstention is to assure a fair proceeding free from potential bias or prejudice.
Nowhere in the statute does it say that a commissioner can recuse himself because he is being sued or has a perceived bias. Imagine if that were the standard for recusal. The week before a vote, one side or the other would file a lawsuit for something against a board member who has been against or for development in the past.
I have reached out to Brooks’ attorney but as of now have not heard back.
Michael Brooks
Without Brooks, the commission had a tie vote for both hearings. That means the IRC decisions stand and Mr. Loeb’s clients as of this meeting will be permitted to build their homes using the 2019 dune line standard. However, Mr. Singer, the attorney for the Testas and their group, “Jupiter Island Forever,” is awaiting a summary judgement decision from a lawsuit they filed against the town stating that not enough or improper notice was given before the dune line was changed.
Being a property rights advocate, I believe the IRC got it right. The property owners were following the codes. Some people may not like the code and that may result in it being changed again which is the reason for the ZIP. However, the people who want to build on the parcels had applied when the 2019 dune line was in effect.
It also appeared to me that the IRC relied on “competent substantial evidence” including the town’s own staff and experts. Mr. Singer also mentioned that the proposed homes had not taken the characteristics of the surrounding area into account. The surrounding area is beach lots. If you take that standard, then the first home ever built on the island would not conform to the surrounding areas. Nothing would have ever been built.
Many people tend to believe that vacant land should not be developed…ever. I am speaking of vacant land that is privately owned. It is not a park or owned by the government. The private owner, if he/she follows the rules, has a right under the U.S. and Florida Constitutions to indeed enjoy the use of the property. We lose sight of that fact…especially in Martin County.
I believe Pidot and Collins were right to uphold the decision of the IRC. Heck and Townsend got it wrong. The one thing those four commissioners did was vote. Having a point of view and even expressing it does not mean the four commissioners, in this case, would not approach their decisions with an open mind. As a commissioner, Mr. Brooks should have followed that standard.
No matter what happened today, more court battles will follow. Both sides have the money to spend millions in litigation. The losers, of course, will be Jupiter Island taxpayers.
Mr. Brooks’ vote would not have made a difference ultimately since the matter is headed for the courts. That does not matter, however, as Mr. Brooks was obligated to vote in this instance. The law clearly states so. Brooks did not file a Form 8-B. He quoted 286.012 as his reason to abstain which is the statute I cited above. There is no financial conflict which would obligate him to do otherwise.
If a commissioner has expressed an opinion or is being sued by a party to the proceeding, that is not grounds for recusal. If true, then all any attorney would have to do is commence a lawsuit against a commissioner that he/she knows won’t vote the way his/her client wants. If that were the standard, then Commissioner Heard would be sued several times a week.
There is no financial reason for the recusal. The statutes that Brooks claims allows him to recuse himself deals with financial matters. The legislature has not changed the reasons for recusal.
An Attorney General Advisory Legal Opinion in 1987 states that the legislative intent of 286.012 was for financial conflicts and no others. The statute does not allow an elected official to walk away from his/her duties every time a hard vote comes up by claiming animosity between himself and one of the parties. While judges may have a range of reasons for recusal, Florida Statute has narrowly drawn defined limits for elected and appointed officials.
The entire opinion can be found here
If you want a deep analysis of the controversy regarding this, Barbara Clowdus of Martin County Currents has just done an in-depth series. You can read it here
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In The Spotlight
by Jackie Holfelder
Jackie is always looking for a good story…you may reach her at: jackieacolumn@gmail.com
100 Women Who Care Makes a Difference for Nonprofits
100 Women Who Care provides financial support to Treasure Coast nonprofits by combining donations from members into grants that support an organization’s mission and needs.
Members come from all walks of life and different financial backgrounds. 100 Women Who Care meets four times a year at various locations around the Treasure Coast and each member contributes $100 per meeting.
These individual contributions are combined into whatever monetary total is being requested by an approved 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
100 Women Who Care has chapters throughout the country. Claire Roubal and Pippa Dinsdale founded the local group and the first “give” took place in October 2017. There has been a quarterly” give” ever since – even during COVID, when members met virtually.
This grass roots organization has no board of directors. There are no membership dues, and all donations are made out directly to the chosen local 501(c)(3).
National charities are not considered.
Awards have been given to:
Project LIFT Girl’s Program
Gertrude Walden Child Care Center
Elev8Hope
Inner Truth Project
Graceway Village
SafeSpace, Inc
Catch the Wave of Hope
Carebag, Inc
Family Promise of Martin County
Little Birthday Angels
Madision’s Miracles
Pilot Club of Fort Pierce
Members make a five-minute presentation at a meeting about a non-profit they’d like considered, which is followed by a five-minute Q&A. Attending members then vote on whether to grant will be made.
To learn more, visit www.100womenwhocaretc.org or call Claire Roubal at (772)-486-4692 or Pippa Dinsdale at (772)-485-6309.
Photo – Cher Fisher, Janice Brady, Claire Roubal and Maureen deThorne
Christmas, Kiwanis Club of Stuart Style
Thanks to Cher Fisher, that dynamo who works so hard for so many nonprofits in Martin County, for sharing this sweet story.
For more than 50 years, Kiwanis Club of Stuart has been offered a shopping experience with Santa for Martin County students in need.
This year, Kiwanian Janice Brady chaired the event at which 109 elementary school-age children who had been selected by their guidance counselors each received $100 worth of clothing, a stocking stuffed with goodies, their own personal bookshelf loaded with books selected especially for them, and a bag of hygiene items.
The children received the goodies at the drive-through on December 4 that took place at First United Methodist Church of Stuart.
Photo – Kiwanian Liz Milner welcomed everyone to the Shop With Santa event
After they got their goodies, the kids were able to park and visit with Santa and members of Stuart Fire/Rescue and Stuart Police Department.
Community partners whose donations helped make the day possible included CareBag, Seacoast Bank, 100 Women Who Care of the Treasure Coast, Premier Realty Group, Shannon Andersen, and Beall’s.
To learn more about Kiwanis Club of Stuart, visit www.kiwanisclubofstuart.org.
Jill Burton Opens Home to WCS Holiday Home Tour
Many of us know Jill Burton as the affable Marketing Director of Sandhill Cove Retirement Living in Palm City, but did you know she has a decorator’s eye that has brightened up the holiday season in Stuart and helped nonprofits hold successful seasonal fundraisers?
In the past, Jill has decorated several Christmas trees for Tykes & Teens Festival of Trees, and this year was one of five artistic and philanthropic families who opened up spectacularly decorated residences as part of the Woman’s Club of Stuart Annual Holiday Home Tour.
Jill and her family live in Palm City. Each room was all dressed up for the season and Santa joyfully welcomed visitors from his front porch perch.
She selected a traditional red, white and silver color scheme with a touch
of farmhouse.
Some of the unique displays include a hand-made Nativity from her mother-in-law, Ruth, and a Christmas Pyramid that is a traditional German wooden handcraft made by skilled artisans in the Erzgebirge Mountain region.
Six-year-old Oliver is filled with joy at the presence of Christmas and the notion of the bearded, jolly man in a red suit who will be visiting soon.
Photo: Six-year old Oliver in front of the decorated mantle.
His room is decorated with a Scandinavian tree and all the gnomes that
one could want. Oliver values the premise that Christmas
is about giving and he knows that opening our home will benefit
young adults in our community. (Monies raised at the Holiday Home Tour underwrite the Woman’s Club’s scholarship program which benefits young women in Martin County.)
Each year, Oliver donates one of his new toys to a friend in need, which echoes the culture his parents have created in their home of giving back in their daily lives.
Chautauqua South 2022 at the MCLS
Photo – Fred Moyer Jazz Trio
Do you know about the Chautauqua South special presentations, an eclectic group of artistic events sponsored by Friends of the Martin County Library System?
If not, it’s time you learned about these special performances that take place right in your own backyard.
A varied roster offers dozens to choose from in the series that runs from January through April, and offers jazz, classical music, literature and poetry, book discussions and more.
Such favorites as The Rowdy Micks, Fred Moyer Jazz Trio and Atlantic Classical Orchestra are on the schedule in 2022, with morning, afternoon and evening performance times.
For presentations, dates, times and branch locations, check the complete schedule at a glance at www.martin.fl.us/resources/chautauqua-south-at-a-glance-calendar.
On a personal note, this is my final column of the year. I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and joyful holiday season.
Jackie is always looking for a good story…you may reach her at: jackieacolumn@gmail.com
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FINAL THOUGHTS
EDUCATIONAL DIVERSITY
I am a big believer in educational diversity.
That is why I championed Treasure Coast Classical Academy when it came to town. Many parents send their children to St. Joseph’s on 10th Street in Stuart to inculcate them in the values of a Catholic education. Many non-Catholic students attend the school.
Now the Sisters of Mercy in America will open a middle and high school next to St. Joseph’s in the old Pine School building which is owned by the parish. The Palm Beach diocese has blessed the endeavor. This school, which will be named Misericordia, will concentrate on providing its graduating students with the ability to work in the health sciences.
Most of us think that Catholic secondary education prepares students for college. The overwhelming majority of schools do this with great success. But there is also a long tradition of the Church having schools that prepared their graduates to go to work in industry and commerce.
Ed Curtin
I sat down with the founding president, Ed Curtin, to discuss the school’s concept and his expectations. Ed has been with “Mercy Education” for 31 years at Mercyhurst Prep in Erie, PA, the last several as their president. It was evident immediately that Ed has a passion for this mission which will be open to all regardless of religion.
The Sisters of Mercy originated in Ireland. They are currently based in Silver Spring, Maryland. The order has schools in North, Central, and South America.
Martin County is a place that can use different approaches to education. The mission of Misericordia (Spanish for mercy) will be to provide an education to those kids who will not be going to college upon high school graduation. During their time at the school, students will receive an education that will impart values, leave them with the skills to work in the health fields, and a lifelong love of learning.
I suspect many of their students will be minorities but that does not mean it is a minority school. Misericordia will be another option for kids who are not on an immediate college track. They will receive a solid education and be able to immediately support themselves upon graduation. And after a year or two, many graduates may go on to take further courses at IRSC to improve their skills to be eligible for better jobs.
To learn more, go to their website at here
Tom Campenni 772-287-5781 (o) 772-341-7455 (c) Email: thomasfcampenni@gmail.com
ARTICLES OF INTEREST
Articles Tom wrote:
From Martin County Moment:
“A Deal In The Works”
“The Emperor Has No Clothes”
From Medium
“School Vouchers Can Prevent School Censorship”
“Christian Nationalism For America Is A Fallacy”
Other Articles:
The Capitolist: “Jeff Brandes’ think tank: Live Local Bill will help, but bigger changes needed to fix affordable housing crisis”
The New York Times: “How To Clear 500,000 Ferel Cats From New York Streets”
Trump’s Indictment
Florida Phoenix: “Statehouses debate who should build EV charging networks”
The Washington Post: “Tracing the power of Casey DeSantis”
GLOSSARY
American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)
Annual Medium Income (AMI)
Basin Action Management Plan (BMAP)
Best Management Practices (BMP)
Board of County Commissioners (BOCC)
Business Development Board (BDB)
Capital Improvement Plan (CIP)
Career & Technical Education (CTE)
Center For Disease Control (CDC)
Centum Cubic Feet (CCF)
Children’s Services Council (CSS)
Community Development Block Grants (CDBG)
Community Development District (CDD)
Community Redevelopment Board (CRB)
Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA)
Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR)
Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP)
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
Emergency Operation Center (EOC)
Equivalent Residential Connection (ERC)
Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU)
Evaluation & Appraisal Report (EAR)
Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA)
Fixed Asset Replacement Budget (FARB)
Federal Rail Administration (FRA)
Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)
Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)
Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND)
Full Time Equivalents (FTE)
Future Land Use Maps (FLUM)
Health Maintenance Organization (HMO)
High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP)
Hobe Sound Local (HSL)
Indian River Lagoon (IRL)
Land Development Code (LDR)
Lake Okeechobee Regulation Schedule (LORS)
Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSUM)
Local Agency Program Certification (LAP)
Local Planning Agency (LPA)
Martin County Fire/Rescue (MCFR)
Martin County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO)
Martin County Taxpayers Association (MCTA)
Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU)
Municipal Service Taxing Unit (MSTU)
Not In My Back Yard (NIMBY)
Organization For Economic Co-operation & Development (OECD)
Parks & Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB)
Planned Unit Development (PUD)
Preferred Provider Organization (PPO)
Preserve Action Management Plan (PAMP)
Request for Proposal (RFP)
Residential Planned Unit Development (RPUD)
Right of Way (ROW)
Secondary Urban Services District (SUSD)
South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD)
South Martin Regional Utility (SMRU)
State Housing Initiative Partnership (SHIP)
Storm Water Treatment Areas (STA)
Tax Increment Financing (TIF)
Urban Planned Unit Development (UPUD)
Urban Services Boundary (USB)
World Health Organization (WHO)
Zoning-In-Progress (ZIP)
