Yesterday, the newly assigned Mayor of Stuart, Christopher Collins, hosted a special commission meeting where he scheduled individual meetings with each commissioner to discuss their priorities and goals.
The advertised schedule was as follows:
1:00 – 2:00 PM MAYOR COLLINS AND COMMISSIONER GIOBBI
2:00 – 3:00 PM MAYOR COLLINS AND COMMISSIONER CLARKE
3:00 – 4:00 PM MAYOR COLLINS AND COMMISSIONER RICH
4:00 – 5:00 PM MAYOR COLLINS AND VICE-MAYOR REED
The format was very conversational allowing for each commissioner to express their concerns and focuses while allowing for discussion about a number of items.
Comissioner Goals
Commissioner Giobbi’s focuses included:
- Addressing the homeless population, especially children, including possibly donations, if permitted, to nonprofits that serve the homeless population
- Looking at affordable housing and how any Live Local Act projects could impact or affect it.
Commissioner Clarke’s focuses included:
- Creating a neighborhood feel throughout the City, not just in the individual neighborhoods.
- Discussing parking needs of the community.
Vice-Mayor Reed’s focuses included:
- Providing more transparency and open government including providing online emails and code enforcement.
- Providing more transparency regarding magistrate fines requiring all discussions be in the public removing opportunities for favoritism, as well as adding them to the website for viewing after the meetings.
- Cleaning up the existing issues for certain residents including reviewing the events that took place.
- Reviewing impact fees for people making improvements to our homes.
- Asking for budget presentations by department heads, not just the City Manager.
- Reviewing which employees are allowed to take home City vehicles and under what circumstances.
Commissioner Rich did not participate. When asked why he was not in attendance, he replied that “It was a personal family matter.”
Mayor Collins' Discussions Regarding His Goals
Mayor Collins’ discussions with each of the Commissioners included:
- Addressing the two acres north of the Roosevelt Bridge connected to Haney Creek going to referendum.
- Addressing preserving the Sailfish Ballfields as a recreation area regardless of Brightline’s presence, and if any change is to come it should be a result of a referendum.
- Addressing parking concerns, including needs of the new amphitheater.
- Reviewing the parcels assigned to Brightline and how the parking would be affected.
- Addressing the proposed Willoughby Extension with the MPO and/or FDOT.
- Addressing environmental concerns like pond management, including spraying, mechanical removal, and interplanting.
- Discussing salary rate increases for staff based on standards versus City Manager discretion, creating more transparency.
- Allowing backyard hens in the City limits.
- Reviewing the half cent sales tax priorities specific to Martin County Forever.
- Reviewing the site plan for the future City Hall site, specifically the green space to be used as an extension of Memorial Park.
- Reviewing the current City Hall building and the opportunities to use that building.
Mayor Collins stated his appreciation for the opportunity to speak with his fellow commissioners.
“It was great to be able to spend an hour with each commissioner and run through policy goals and hear from them in a less formal setting what they feel like constituents want to see out of our commission.”
He went on to say, “Overall, I thought it was very productive for the time we spent. I was happy to see some members of the public attend as well and offer public comment. All in all, I don’t think you can go wrong with more transparency of government and opportunity for the public to be involved in the process.”
The full meeting video and transcript can be found on the City of Stuart’s website.