IN YOUR CORNER

The Board authorized submission of grant applications to acquire Impoundment property across from Jensen Beach as well as an Addition to Bob Graham Beach. Both parcels are located on Hutchinson Island and have previously been identified as Indian River Blueways Priority Acquisition Candidates. These grants provide matching funds for acquisition of conservation and recreation lands. The final grant applications are due June 10, 2003. We hope this grant will not lock the county into a situation where it is forced to overpay for the impoundment property.

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The Board of County Commissioners' meeting of May 27th served as the venue for the annual performance evaluation of the Administrator. By a 4 to 1 vote, the Commission extended his contract and increased his wages by 4%. Why does every performance review have to have a raise attached. aren’t county employees paid to do a good job in the first place. The lone dissenter on this vote accused the Administrator of not being a "taxpayer advocate" citing an upward spiraling budget, project and consultant cost overruns, swelling employee headcount, and occasional failure to thoroughly brief commissioners. Some Commissioners surmised that the Administrator was only carrying out their wishes while others felt he could have exerted more influence on these factors.

Our County Administrator's top priority appears to be level of service. Unfortunately, from our vantage point, efficiency and cost containment seem to be at or near the bottom of his list of priorities. Martin County officials are basking in the results of a recent poll which indicates that the citizens are very satisfied with the services, and in this County of relatively wealthy people, few are complaining about government spending. However the citizenry will begin to show concern if current trends continue. Now is the time to increase efficiency, while skyrocketing property values are easily floating the budget.
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The good, the bad and the ugly on the sustainabiltiy front -

The good: Adoption of Ordinance to the Comp Plan on Mixed Use in Accordance with the Settlement on May 6, 2003 and transmittal to DCA

The bad: Martin County Ranch Community, a 39-Lot Agricultural Subdivision on 948.38 acres, located on the north side of CR 714, approximately 3 miles east of the Okeechobee County Line north of Indiantown, was approved.

The ugly: The county is still being suied by the Martin County Conservation Alliance on the tax saving Public Facilities and School Siting Amendment.

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It seems as though Martin County is constantly hiring consultants to studies. No doubt that once in a while an outside look is warranted, even needed. Many of these studies center on existing conditions of Martin County. Some ask why we need to hire expensive out of town consultants to tell us about our own hometown. We wonder as well.

One ongoing study that raises our curiosity particularly is the "Vacant Lands Study" and the "Rural Lands Study". Shouldn't we have already known how much vacant land there is in Martin County without having to hire a consultant from Atlanta, Georgia to tell us? Why not ask the Property Appraiser for this information?

Martin County has invested millions of taxpayer's dollars in a system call the Geographic Information System, or GIS for short. When called upon for information we find their information almost four years old and inaccurate.

Since the Property Appraiser is required by law to keep property records current, why not merge our County's GIS with the Property Appraiser. We feel like this would eliminate a lot of duplication and give the citizens accurate information about Martin County without having to hire consultants. The County Commissioners should ask their Administrator to open discussions with the Property Appraiser to eliminate these extra costs and improve efficiency.