LETTER FROM YOUR NEIGHBORS, ALICE AND ROBERT HOOKER

 

CALL TO ACTION

 

ITEM: Please express your opposition to the proposed construction at 7 Morgan Circle

WHEN: July 24th at 10:00 AM

WHERE: Town Hall

WHY CARE: Eyesore, favoritism, and arbitrary exemption from provisions of our

Municipal Code

 

Neighbors,

At 10:00 AM on July 24th, at Town Hall, there will be a hearing before the Board of Zoning Adjustment to determine our appeal of the permits issued for proposed

construction at 7 Morgan Circle. We–your neighbors, Alice and Robert Hooker – have filed the appeal. Your support and public comment at the meeting would be appreciated.

 

The basis of our appeal is that the owner of 7 Morgan Circle – a Canadian citizen who is building in Sewall’s Point as second home – should build consistent with the Municipal Code, the way that everyone else has, and he should not get special privileges that are not enjoyed by other residents.

 

His proposed construction will violate ordinances restricting building height and construction within 50 feet of the river, and will diminish our enjoyment of our property, your enjoyment of the uninterrupted shorelines of the St. Lucie River, and a citizen’s expectation that the laws and ordinances are enforced without favoritism.

 

What is at stake for us is that the construction proposed next door to our home is for a massive three-story building that will tower 41 feet over the average natural grade of the property, and for a giant terrace supported by a 20-foot corrugated fiberglass & Resin wall that goes right out onto the shore – 15 feet from the water. This monstrosity will loom over our property, disrupt the shore, and block the river view. It will substantially decrease our enjoyment of our home and its resale value.

 

The proposed construction violates the Municipal Code. For example, a residence can only be two stories tall, and it can only be 30 feet above the average natural grade of the lot.

The only kind of construction permitted within 50 feet of the water is construction that preserves the open look and feel of our shore and the views shared by waterfront neighbors – generally swimming pools, decks, garden walls, walkways, and other things that are no more than three feet in height. The proposed construction is contrary to the Municipal Code – and the Town staff knows it. Why is this being allowed?

The owner of 7 Morgan Circle also knows his proposed construction is contrary to the Municipal Code, because in 2023 he sought variances for roughly the same project. At that hearing, I gave a short presentation with photos to the BZA to explain why the variance should not be granted. The town building inspector, Jack Reisinger, submitted a statement that Town staff did not support the proposed construction – because of the proposed 20-foot wall. The owner withdrew the variance request.

 

After that, the owner of 7 Morgan Circle decided to avoid public opinion and the input of Town staff by paying an architecture firm to claim that no variance is needed for his proposed construction. His new plan is worse than his first plan, and the only real difference is that he says there will be a large patch of artificial turf in the place where he previously said his pool would be.

He is trying to claim that because there is no pool on top of his giant embankment, he can dump the giant mound of dirt wherever he wants. He is wrong – an embankment like that cannot be built within 50 feet of the river for decks, patios, pools, or any other purpose.

And anyone with an ounce of common sense knows that his next move will be to put a pool on the embankment. The owner of 7 Morgan Circle is playing a game, and Town staff are allowing it to happen.

What is at stake for you? If you allow this kind of favoritism, it will eventually affect you. The enforcement of our Municipal Code is increasingly arbitrary, and we need to send a message to Town staff. As many of you are aware, Town staff has been extremely punitive towards some of our residents, imposing extreme fines for tree removal that is allowed under our Municipal Code. But the Town exempted 7 Morgan Circle from rules that would have prevented clear-cutting the lot and did not even charge permit fees or costs. Now, the Town has granted permits for construction at 7 Morgan Circle that violate both the letter and the spirit of our Municipal Code.

 

The owner of 7 Morgan Circle could easily build an appropriate house on that lot. This problem is one of his own doing because he wants a 9,000 square foot home with additional amenities on a flat lot, but what he bought is a 17,000 square foot sloping lot on the dunes and bluffs above our river. Everyone else in the area has built according to the Municipal Code, and in doing so has preserved and enhanced the natural beauty of our shore and its contours. The owner of  7 Morgan Circle wants to enjoy that benefit while taking it away from the people who have created and respected that beauty. It will be a loss to us, and it will be a loss to you, whether you are a homeowner on the river, a resident boating along the shore, or a citizen who has something to lose in a Town that plays favorites.

Please attend and comment at the Board of Zoning Adjustment hearing at     10:00 AM on July 24th at Town Hall. If you would like to comment at the meeting, please fill out

the “Public Comment Form” available there and submit it before the meeting starts. You are limited to three minutes. Thank you for your assistance.

Your Neighbors, Alice and Robert Hooker

 

 

 

 

WHERE IS TOWN CLERK APRIL STONCIUS?

WHERE in the World is April Stoncius?

You may be wondering why our Town Clerk April hasn’t been at work lately. This document will explain what happened. Please read it and let your town commissioners (and us!) know what you think. Details are to be found in the links.

Mid-May 2020 Town of Sewall’s Point hires April Stoncius as Town Clerk.

She has multiple professional certifications, a work history of stability, and stellar commendations.

6/18/21 Annual evaluation by Town Manager (TM) Michelle Berger

6/6/22 Annual evaluation by interim TM Dan Hudson

(Link contains both Berger and Hudson evaluations)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DnJR8zZ1rHzkTu84fR8y7fMU06luc1tv/view?usp=drive_link

8/8/22 Robert Daniels hired as new TM.

2023 The Town’s policy manual specifies that “Formal (employee) reviews will be conducted annually.” see p10.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qbOTYArQy6iZwBlTfr-XN1zRaIAIza2t/view?usp=drive_link

TM Daniels does not give April an annual evaluation in 2023. However, she was given a 2.5% raise upon earning her certification as Master Municipal Clerk in September 2023.

2024 TM Daniels does not give April an annual evaluation in 2024.

12/12/24 April emails Sam Amerson (Martin County Utilities Director) to request a copy of a letter that exempted Sewall’s Point from mandatory sewer hookup. Town Engineer had referenced this letter at a recent public meeting. Resident Frank Tidikis had requested a copy of it prior to October 15, 2024.

Mr. Amerson replied that he recalls no letter exempting the town from compliance with the state statute requiring connections if sewer is available. April forwards this response to Mr. Tidikis, TM Daniels, Mr. Capra, and others.

Sometime after fulfilling now-Commissioner Tidikis’s public records request on December 12. 2024, April tells Commissioner Tidikis and a resident that TM Daniels had “reamed her out” for providing Tidikis with Mr. Amerson’s email stating that the town was not exempt from the state statute.

2/25/25 April receives her first disciplinary notice since being hired almost 5years ago. TM cites her for “insubordination.” see pp 6-7

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rj3TITBLNemK-yPeUE0T122cfrZt0h39/view?usp=drive_link

4/8/25 TM Daniels issues April a written reprimand, again for “insubordination.” see p 4-5

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rj3TITBLNemK-yPeUE0T122cfrZt0h39/view?usp=drive_link

4/17/25 TM Daniels places April on administrative leave. see p1

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rj3TITBLNemK-yPeUE0T122cfrZt0h39/view?usp=drive_link

4/17/25 TM Daniels notifies April that she will be on unpaid suspension due to a 2024 incident. See pp2-3

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rj3TITBLNemK-yPeUE0T122cfrZt0h39/view?usp=drive_link

The Town Clerk recognition Ceremony was scheduled to be held at the upcoming 4/22/25 Town meeting. April had received this award the previous two years. A certificate had been created for this year with her name on it. At some point, her name was removed.

The 2023 Proclamation

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YDwF6NGzqF-CJtEgKcBme5jdgPVI5eHt/view?usp=drive_link

The 2024 Proclamation, prepared before Daniels fired April

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iVK-HXBFyctZlKAI2A8zURCQZYjFKmNe/view?usp=drive_link

The 2025 Proclamation, prepared before Daniels fired April

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Bta4uW4zQps4kvfP652OpVmUp4Mxgio7/view?usp=drive_link

The 2025 Proclamation used at the ceremony was modified to remove April’s name.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/120FaKywAMrtcq_8mVioouABPPgiShLk3/view?usp=drive_link

4/24/25 Building Official Reisinger travels to April’s residence and duct tapes a notice on her front door to appear before TM Daniels at 2PM on April 28.

4/26/25 The same notice arrived via UPS courier. April files a police report in Ft. Pierce.

4/28/25 11:59AM April emails TM Daniels, Town Attorney Torcivia, and Commissioners that she will be seeking legal counsel, who will contact him to reschedule.

4/28/25 2:00PM April does not meet with TM Daniels.

4/28/25 3:00PM TM Daniels signs letter of dismissal, citing two pages worth of alleged violations against town policies and the Finance Director.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MqrQnScaoWuy7wb_qyGfWsMzVVWiJnfP/view?usp=drive_link

5/2/25 UPS delivers all of April’s personal items from her desk at Town Hall, to her home

5/5/25 Seacoast Bank notifies April that her 5/2/25 direct deposit from the Town of Sewall’s Point (representing salary for 4/14/25 through 4/25/25) was reversed. April states that she was not notified of this withdrawal beforehand. She files 2nd Ft. Pierce police report.

Mid-May April would have been vested in the Town’s pension plan.

Because TM Daniels fired April for alleged misconduct, she is not eligible for unemployment benefits or health care.

April was fired by a Town Manager who has applied for other jobs without simultaneously notifying the commission as required in his employment contract. He also stated that he withdrew his application. But he was still listed as a candidate one week after notifying the TSP commissioners about his withdrawal; the employer’s web site doesn’t lie. But the Commission majority refused to hold him accountable. Instead, the Mayor lavished praise upon him, calling him “the best town manager we have ever had” and “the lowest paid town manager on the East Coast.”

At the 5/13/25 town meeting, a resident asked the Commission to have some mercy on the Town Manager for his transgressions. Where was his mercy for April?

We seem to have a double standard applied; it appears that “what is good for me is not for thee.”

TM Daniels’ draconian treatment of April is not how Sewall’s Point treats its employees.

Since April was fired, the minutes for 4/8 have not been posted on the town website; there is no record of the 4/22 meeting, nor of the 5/13 meeting. The March financial statements were not made public until 5/13, a full month late.

The outcome will not change. The TSP Commission has vested by the Town Charter all personnel matters in the hands of the Town Manager. You will not find Mrs. Stoncius’s helpful attitude and outgoing demeanor as you enter town hall. Hopefully, her replacement

will be of the same caliber.

Please let your commissioners know how you feel about this: the double standard used in punishment meted out to the Town Clerk and the lack there of for the Town Manager for insubordination. Mr. Daniels terminated Mrs. Stoncius’ employment two weeks before her five-year vesting. Was this warranted?

 

 

The Myth of Sewers

THE MYTH (AND TRUE COST TO HOMEOWNERS) OF SEWAGE TREATMENT FACILITIES. ( BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE LINKS AT THE END OF THE ARTICLE TO SEE JUST A FRACTION OF SEWAGE SPILLS)

(This is an article from 2017 so the prices shown are out of date, but the information is as true today as it was then. The author and his background are listed at the end of the article.)

Fueled by the internet and personal computers, America experienced one of the highest economic growth periods in history from 1990 to 2005, and with that growth came development.  Farmland, fields and forests were being purchased around the country at record rates in order to build new homes and businesses.  Of course, most of these areas were beyond the range of existing sewage treatment facilities, and, rather than wait for sewage plants to be built, most were built with septic systems.

Unfortunately, some areas of the country were—and still are—operating on old, outdated septic regulations and requirements (and many believe septic systems are inferior and temporary); coupled with the rapid building pace, many of the systems originally built were doomed to fail.  Now, there are entire developments with failing systems, and the homeowners are pushing hard to get a treatment plant built. Citizens, however, need to think very carefully before going with this solution.  Today’s septic systems are one of the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly solutions available, but the general public is being kept in the dark on this because the profits are far greater with the big-pipe.

Most think sewer plants are constructed to protect the public’s health/environment.  At one time, this was true; however, now treatment facilities have turned into a multibillion-dollar-a-year business, often driven by greed, not need.  Engineering firms profit in the millions to design and build these facilities, developers get rights to build more (and bigger) homes in an area, and the government bodies gain more tax dollars and revenue from those monthly fees.

And these projects are sold to the public by using a simple business tactic: discredit the competition.  People are told septic systems are pollution hazards, extremely expensive, and only last a few years.  At the same time, they portray their product as a cost-effective, modern marvel that will solve everyone’s problems.  By the time they are done, only a fool would want to stay with a septic system.

This information, however, is either wildly exaggerated or an out-right lie.  Septic systems are no longer the cesspools of the early 1900s; today’s systems will treat wastewater better than a treatment facility, and, if you use and maintain them properly, will last indefinitely.  They are not expensive, either— a standard, gravity-fed system will typically run $4,000 to $6,000.  If you are in an environmentally sensitive area, like next to a body of water, they will range from $6,000 to $15,000, and that is if you even need a special system.  A fair number of the systems in use already meet the state requirements.

On the other hand, treatment facilities cost far more than you are led to believe.  Your assessment fee (the number that everybody hears) may be $10,000, but that is just the cost to run the pipe past your house…it does not include the cost to build that plant and run those mains out to your neighborhood.  Factoring in those costs, you could be looking at thirty to sixty thousand dollars.

If the cost of that plant isn’t enough to shock you, maybe what happens after the plant is built will.  Developers come in and build upscale homes that drive-up everyone’s property values, and with the increase in population come more tax increases to expand police, fire, schools, etc.  Eventually, many are forced to move because they can no longer afford the property taxes.

As for pollution…it actually gets worse.  The damages to our shore and coastlines have gone up almost 600% in the last fifteen years where these plants were built because they reduce, not eliminate, contaminates in wastewater.  These mechanized facilities also experience a fair number of breakdowns; every year, billions of gallons of raw sewage are dumped into our waterways because of overloading, pump failures, pipe breaks, etc.

But it is the third issue that everyone should examine closely: we are running out of water.  Every day, cities and suburbs draw billions of gallons of water from local aquifers (temporarily stored in water towers and reservoirs), where it is sent to the homes and businesses.  This contaminated water is then sent to a treatment facility; however, rather than returning it to the aquifers where it came from, it is discharged to a river that leads to the ocean.

Today, America sends over two trillion gallons of water out to the oceans every week—after sixty years of this practice, our underground water supplies are dropping to critical levels. 

Thirty-five states are already projected to face severe shortages within in five years, and, unless we begin making the right choices on how to deal with our water (by starting looking at the future effects), we could be facing a major catastrophe.

Three states few would think at risk:

• Minnesota—The Land of 10,000 Lakes.  Having a great deal of surface water is one thing, but groundwater is another story.  There are suburbs in the twin cities metro area that are now forced to “buy” water from outlaying communities because they are using their own local supplies faster than they can recharge.  Some cities have been forced to start drawing water from nearby rivers to augment their groundwater supplies.

• Colorado—Even with their snow-covered mountains, this state is at risk; Colorado’s water supply is limited by fluctuating precipitation levels, and drought cycles are a common characteristic of this semi-arid climate (they have not yet fully recovered from the drought of 2002).  The Colorado River is also a major supplier of water to Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.
• Florida—It wasn’t that long ago Florida had too much water; but today, in the southern portion of the state, groundwater has been pumped out in such massive amounts (faster than rain has replenished it) that the water tables have dropped below sea level, which allows salt water to intrude into the fresh-water supplies.  As a result, thousands of domestic and municipal wells have been contaminated and rendered permanently unusable.  Also, the state’s ground-water supplies are fairly shallow and help support the surface soils; when you remove it faster than it can recharge, voids are created, which cause sink holes…as was demonstrated this winter throughout central Florida, with numerous sink holes that took down homes and even major highways.

 

Septic systems, when properly designed and maintained, are, in many cases, the best option because they will be far cheaper and do a better job of preventing pollution and help to recharge your local water supplies. So why would someone in a position of voting for these projects ignore these advantages? There are two reasons:

First, in many cases they have fallen for the “septic-systems-are-bad-for-the-environment” line from the people profiting from the treatment plants.  I have met with some of these community leaders who were adamantly against septic systems until they learned the whole story.  Naturally, they were shocked to learn the truth and wondered why they didn’t get all the facts.

I told them to look at it like any salesman would: if you walk into a Ford dealership, are they going to send you across the street to buy a Chevy?  No, they are going to sell what they have on their lot—a Ford.  And, if you even hint that you are considering another brand, they will rattle off a laundry list of why you shouldn’t buy that competing brand.

But they second reason is even more disreputable—they can be in on it.  Dig deep enough, and you will find local officials that were “rewarded” (by engineering firms and developers) for pushing these projects through—rewards like consulting fees, Caribbean cruises, etc.  Some have even gotten in on the “game” by purchasing raw land, voting in a treatment plant, and then selling it off at a tremendous profit.

In one West Coast community, regulatory people drew more than seventy million dollars out of the state funds for administrative fees to push their project through before starting construction.  In the process, this “agency” has attempted to discredit anyone who opposed them (including environmental experts from universities).   Now, they are threatening $5,000 daily fines for homeowners who refuse to get on board with them, and one source tells me about twenty-five percent of the community has been forced to move because they can no longer afford the increase in property taxes stemming from this project.

The reason they have pushed so hard is now coming to light: people within this agency bought undeveloped property in choice locations with plans to build upscale mansions; they know that they will get more for those palaces with a sewer plant hook-up than they would with a septic system.

Although citizens can fight these publicly funded projects, very seldom do people get the full story. As a result, in most cases, they go through with a minimal amount of public opposition.  By banding together and working as a group, these “plants-for-profit” projects can be shut down.

However, the public should know that they need to act right away, because in many cases, the meter is running.  In one small community, a “consultant” came into town and convinced the city council a treatment facility was needed.  They agreed and brought in an engineering firm to give them a plan and a bid.

Several property owners, however, realized the need for this project was questionable, and after four years, they succeeded in shutting it down.  Done deal, right? Wrong.

The engineering firm was on the clock from the first phone call; total amount paid by the taxpayers was 3.4 million dollars, and the firm never even turned a shovel (the majority of that bill was accrued in the last twelve months when they realized they were going to lose the job).  Now, the people are trying to get that cash back, but it means they have to hire attorneys and auditors out of their own pockets.

Keep in mind, public indifference and ignorance has allowed this practice to continue for decades; many of these deals are finalized over power lunches among a few people in key positions, and they have learned how to play the system and bureaucracy to their advantage.

If your community is facing one of these projects, you need to get involved and learn what your options are.  Call your local septic contractors to get their opinions and learn what your best choices are; do not allow your community to get signed into a plan that will not only deplete your wallets but your water supplies as well—all because a handful of people sold out your future for short-term profits.

If you thought that $4 a gallon for gas was bad, wait until you start paying $10 to take a shower.

Jim vonMeier performs educational programs directed at homeowners, teaching them about the health and environmental needs for proper septic systems and how to find a certified septic professional to inspect/design/install/maintain their systems.  He has also represented homeowners in their fights against public sewer projects, and he speaks at contractor certification courses around the country on the subject of customer service. Copyright ©2017 North Georgia Environmental Services

Here is a shocking article from 2020:   https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/sep/10/florida-sewage-spill-waterways-infrastructure

Here is another article about the sewer crisis in Florida, its from 2019:   https://stories.usatodaynetwork.com/sewers/home/site/theledger.com?rssfeed=true

The FDEP data in this article shows that about 865,000 gallons of wastewater spilled between 2009-2018 in martin county

one event was 100 gallons of raw sewage spilled here in SP on 10/4/13! (8th row down):    https://stories.usatodaynetwork.com/sewers/data/

 

 

 

LET’S TALK ABOUT TRANSPARENCY AND GETTING THE FACTS STRAIGHT!

 

Hello, fellow Sewall’s Point residents!

 

If you live in South Sewall’s Point, this issue affects $14,000-$18,000 of your money.

 

The town commission majority, composed of Mayor John Tompeck and commissioners

Frank Fender and Kaija Mayfield, are pro-sewer. The majority of south Sewall’s Point residents have either asked for the cost of installation figures, not responded to the TSP survey or opposed the installation.

 

The 3 commissioners’ agenda is sewers. It starts with the official town narrative: the Indian River Lagoon is impaired here and converting the entire town to sewers is necessary to save it.

Fact Check: FDEP data and the Florida Oceanographic Society reports show that the South Indian River Lagoon adjacent to our town is clean.  Impairment runs northward of the Fort Pierce inlet (the north and central lagoons).  Here in the south lagoon, there is no impairment. Environmental advocacy groups mail large postcards showing images of dirty water, but they were taken in Indian River and Brevard counties, not here.

 

North Sewall’s Point, a county road that already had some sewer infrastructure, was provided with grinder sewers in 2020, the connection rate is 40-45%.  South Sewall’s Point residents were led to believe that they could vote on the project once a cost study was done.  Mayor Tompeck said at the  1/28/22 town meeting: “you can’t vote on it unless you know how much it’s going to cost”   as usual, Captec engineering was given the job, which was then subcontracted out to Giffels Webster, an engineering firm located in Englewood, Florida.

 

After the GWE study was received in late July 2022, residents were not allowed to see it. Mayor Tompeck said it was “long and complicated. Our town engineer will work to make it understandable.” Residents making public records requests were told:  “The report is not in yet.” Meanwhile,  the town immediately began applying for grants. Mayor Tompeck claimed “FDEP just wants to get some ideas about projects we might want to do in the future. There’s no obligation.“  on 11/8/22 Captec released a 43-page report with 4 options for conversion. https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/1689144/TOSP_South_S2S_Residential_Area_Report_11.7.2022_draft__7_.pdf

 

All requests to see the GWE report were now met with : “the Captec Report is the only one we have.” At the 12/13/22 town meeting: Commissioners Tompeck, Mayfield and Fender all voted “NO” to allow residents to vote on a non-binding referendum on the project.

 

Soon, 340 homes on the east side of town and several interior streets will be able to install a grinder and connect to a sewer line.  If they choose to wait, and their septic system fails, they will be mandated to connect.

 

Now the town’s attention is focused on the remaining 366 homes west of River Road, in High Point, and on the interior streets not served by the grinder system.

 

Our commission has not been transparent with residents about their plans for this area. They appear to be following Option 2 in the Captec Engineering Report, which calls for gravity sewers for all 366 homes, but they will not confirm this. The report states that Option 2 which will install a gravity sewer system will carry a mandate to connect and will require a special assessment. It will also require tearing up the roads for installation. Our town commission has repeatedly insisted that they will not mandate anything nor approve a special assessment.

 

On  18 June 2024, the commission approved hiring two grant writing firms and provided them with a combined budget of $578,000 over five years. At $12,000 each, that will pay for 48 grant applications,  whether or not a grant is awarded. The justification is that if a grant is awarded, the town will be reimbursed from the grant for the cost of the application.

 

Prior to 2020, projects were far more transparent. The commission discussed grant applications publicly at town meetings before they were approved and submitted. However, at the 3/12/24 town meeting, the town manager, Mr. Robert Daniels, requested permission to submit grant applications without any commission approval (or public awareness), to avoid having special meetings when deadlines were tight. if a grant application resulted in funding, it would then be approved after the fact.  The commission agreed.

 

At the July 16, 2024 town meeting, Mr. Daniels stated that the town had submitted 4 grant applications to the FDEP water quality improvement program in the late afternoon of the previous day-minutes before the deadline. He then stated that shortly after they submitted the 4 grants, the deadline was extended by 2 weeks. but the applications were not on the agenda for that evening’s meeting, because “I did not want to throw everything out at you at once… because I thought it would be a time sensitive issue even with the date of the 30^th being the new filing deadline.”

 

Mr. Daniels then promised to provide copies when the agenda was prepared for the 8/13/24 town meeting (four weeks later).

(Fact Check: FDEP issued two notifications about extending the deadline: the first on 7/11/24, and the second on 7/15.  it is highly unlikely that neither the grant writer nor the town received the deadline extension issued on 7/11.)

 

A resident who made a public records request for copies of the 4 grant applications was told “Once we have received the correct documents, I will forward them to you.”

(Fact Check:  grant applications are submitted to FDEP via a portal, which allows applicants to print copies easily. )

 

This stonewalling and disinformation are the latest in a long string of instances when the town has failed to reply transparently to residents’ public records requests for information about the septic to sewer project. Residents have been given replies about unrelated projects,  assertions that data to support grant application claims was “not available,”  deflections to other government agencies e.g., “contact the health department”  and other ways to circumvent transparency.

 

The most egregious example concerns the Giffels-Webster report, which cost the town’s residents $75,000.  The town and its attorney completely denied its existence.

(Fact Check: paid invoices, a conversation with a Giffels-Webster employee and other evidence all confirms that GWE submitted a 300+ page report to the town in the last week of July 2022.)

 

An enterprising resident obtained copies of all 4 recent grant applications via creative but perfectly legal means.

(Fact Check:  The applications show that the town submitted one application on 7/9 and three applications on 7/11/24, not at the last minute on 7/15/24 as Mr. Daniels had claimed at the 7/16/24 commission meeting.)

Clearly, there was  plenty of time for commissioners to review them prior to the 7/16 town meeting.

 

The grant application, Sewall’s Point Septic Tank Elimination – Phase 2, for $10,000,000 states that the “connection fee” is $12,000 per home.  (residents have only been given a range of $8000-$12000 in the Captec report).

“Connection” means paying $12,000 to Martin County Utilities for the right to have a sewer connection.

 

The actual physical connection, running a line from the property to the connection box on the main sewer line in the street, requires a homeowner to hire a plumber.    A conversation with a local plumber indicated that the costs could vary from $2,000-$6,000. The cost variation is driven by the plumber’s rates and distance from the line, but a recent connection quote in North Sewall’s Point was for $6000. After connecting, a resident’s monthly bill from Martin County Utilities at least doubles. A $40 monthly water bill increases by the following amounts:  the Minimum Monthly Bill for sewer is $20.22 plus $4.94 for 0-10,000 gallons of water usage plus a Service Availability Charge of $16.03 for a total of $41.19 as of June 1, 2024. Rates were increased by 2.5% from 2023.

 

The town’s grant application contains blatant disinformation:

 

1. What is the current level of buy-in or approval from neighborhood for sewer connections? 
   Currently, the Town has been experiencing a 45-50% hook-up rate to tie into sanitary sewer.

 

(Fact Check: North Sewall’s Point had sewer lines installed in 2020, at which time there were 295 residences of which only 24 or 8.14% of the homes connected in the first two years in which sewers became available. The Castle Hill neighborhood had sewer lines installed when the area was developed. All of the 56 Castle Hill parcels connected as a group, which accounted for another 19% of the connections. Factoring new construction, which is mandated to connect to an existing sewer line because they will not be issued a permit for a septic system, the connection rate is approximately 7-8% of residences per year)

 

1. Please describe. Include key messages and target audience.
   The Town staff has used their website and direct mail/email to inform residents of all updates, gather interest in the proposed sanitary service and communicate any changes in the project schedule. According to a survey of mailings, the majority of Town residents plan to connect within the first three years.

(Fact Check: 62% of the residents did not even return their “survey.” )

(Fact Check: the “Survey” only asked when a resident wanted to connect. It lacked a “no” option. )

(Fact Check: the town counted “TBD” as a “yes” vote.)

(Fact Check: the town counted multiple checkmarks on a single “Survey” as multiple votes.)

This “ballot” made the recent Venezuelan voting look honest.

 

1. What other incentives are offered for hooking up to sewer, if any?
   The Town residents will be paying for their home’s connection to the sewer lines in the Town’s ROW. Martin County Sewer has determined the fee of $12,000 to connect to the County’s sewer.

 

(Fact Check: The Captec Report estimated an $8,00-$12,000 connection charge)

 

1. Will connections be required?
   No

The application states that the town will not require connections, however, the interlocal agreement signed with Martin County Utilities cedes ownership of the sewer lines to Martin County Utilities (MCU) who can mandate connection, which they have not done to date, but how long can they or will they ignore Florida law.

 

(Fact Check: Residents have incomplete information.  No mention is made that MC utilities owns the system once completed and according to Fla. Stat. s. 381.00655 the requirement is, that once a homeowner is notified of the availability of the service, connection is mandatory within one year,  also, the FDEP water quality improvement grants all mandate connections as a condition of the grant. Since this will be done by MCU and the State of Florida, this gives the town commissioners plausible deniability.)

1. Please provide details (e.g., links to information on technology or methodology, etc.).
   Construction will be accurate directional drilling for gravity sewers. The community will have less roadway/driveway repairs and therefore less cost for the sanitary sewer lines to replace septic tanks.

 

The application states that directional drilling would be used to install the gravity sewers. the 11/8/22 Captec report had stated that installing gravity sewers would require tearing up the roads.

 

(Fact Check:  Directional Drilling was first developed in the 1930’s in the oil and gas industry and has been used to construct gravity sewer lines since 2005. Technique and equipment have evolved to the point where this should have been considered in the Captec report of November 2022. Why two years later was this less costly option proposed? What is other loss costly options to the homeowners of Sewall’s Point.)

 

There Previous  grant applications had similar irregularities. when a resident asked the town’s Mayor to correct them, he was told that correcting them would make the town look bad, and it was not done.

 

On or about 7/24, a resident asked Mr. Daniels how the town planned to supply the $5,000,000 matching funds required by the $10,000,000 septic to sewer grant application.  Mr. Daniels replied that a portion of the South Sewall’s Point road S2S project had cost less than anticipated, and those extra funds would be used as the match.

 

In summary, the TSP commission has not been forthright on the facts. On the positive side, it appears that if TSP is successful in securing the Sewall’s Point Septic Tank Elimination – Phase 2, for $10,000,000 grant, residents will not be assessed. On the negative side, residents will have to come out of pocket $14,000-$18,000 for the privilege of being mandated to connect to the system.

 

 

 

 

 

Please follow the link to learn about a sewage spill in Ft. Pierce

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuvBxEPZCHQ

 

 

 

Treated Wastewater Flowing into Fort Lauderdale Intracoastal

Treated wastewater has been flowing into the Fort Lauderdale Intracoastal Waterway since Monday night after a subcontractor unintentionally drilled into a 54-inch pipe at Port Everglades. While the wastewater is treated and deemed non-hazardous by local officials, locals are concerned about the environmental impact, as treated water can still affect marine life and ecosystems. City crews are working to repair the pipe and mitigate environmental impacts. Signs are posted warning people to avoid the affected area. The mayor said the contractor, Ricman Construction, is taking full responsibility for the subcontractor’s actions and will pay for the costs and expenses related to the drilling.

 

 

 

 

A Change Election (Reprinted from Friends and Neighbors of Martin County Published Sunday 9/1/24) Martin County had a change election on Tuesday. The last one was 8 years ago when Ciampi and Jenkins came on the commission and Smith was re-elected. Anne Scott was beaten by Jenkins and Ciampi beat incumbent John Haddox who was middle of the road on development and former commissioner Donna Meltzer who was anti-growth in a three-way race. Commissioner Ed Fielding, the last of the no-growth commissioners didn’t run again and was succeeded by Stacey Hetherington two years later. The new commissioners made sweeping changes from the start. One was to end the Lakepoint lawsuit which resulted in the county paying millions in attorneys’ fees plus millions in a settlement because the county commission had infringed on Lakepoint’s mining rights. During the slow growth commission years, the county grew at about 2% per year. For the next 8 years with supposed rampant development, the county grew… 2% per year. This cycle, the City of Stuart had two incumbents lose over out-of-control growth. No new projects were approved last year. One project was approved the year before which had already been approved earlier with more units. In Indiantown, Janet Hernandez, an incumbent, was handily defeated by Phylliss Waters Brown. After six years, Hernandez was the last of the original council from the village when initially incorporated. Growth was a handy moniker to use to defeat incumbents. It was used as a curse word, and misinformation was rampant. The real reason for the losses was that the incumbents were there too long. After years, you make enemies. You become stale. No one wants to listen to your same old stories. Everyone who was defeated was at least a two termer. Maybe that should tell us that 8 years and done is a good rule. A few other things matter also. Smith defied gravity and was on the dais for 24 years. He had used the laws to close out the race for 50% or more of the voters. By his having a write-in candidate in the general election (in every election I can remember) he stopped everyone but Republicans from voting in the primary. What he didn’t figure on that Eileen Vargas was more Republican than he is. They flocked to her banner. What had been a winning strategy in the past was no longer very successful. The party had changed as had the voters. Smith was no longer able to count on enough Republicans for victory. Republicans voted for Vargas by over 60%. Ed Ciampi won with 42% of the vote. If there had been only one opponent in the race, Ciampi would have lost. The two challengers in the race split almost 58% of the votes cast. It was just the opposite of his initial victory with two other candidates for the seat. In the race for Jenkins’ seat, Blake Capps had a little over 50% while his two opponents, Frank D’Ambra and Susan Gibbs-Thomas, split the remaining. Gibbs-Thomas, Jenkins’ hand-picked successor, would have had a much better chance if D’Ambra had not been in the race. Blake is a very well-known Hobe Sound businessman and native who has served for years on different boards and committees. Except for Sean Reed, who beat McDonald in Stuart, the field of candidates who won were older folks. Why haven’t younger people taken an interest in local government? Of those challengers running and elected, most are in their 60s and beyond. That doesn’t bode well for our civic future. I guess it is the “Bidenization” of elected office. Change is good. Tallahassee should pass term limits for all elected offices. The motto should be 8 and done. With term limits, we could be bringing along younger people who would be more anxious to serve if they knew they wouldn’t have to run against an incumbent flush with money and didn’t want to make a career out of elective office. Another step is to change the law about closed primaries. Make the August election a true primary to choose the two top candidates regardless of party. Everyone, even Communists, should be able to vote. There is nothing magical about being a Republican that entitles you to disenfranchise those who are not. Lastly, stop local elected officials from receiving any more than a stipend for their service. There should be no medical or retirement benefits. Make it truly public service and temporary. Our county commissioners are paid nearly $80,000 plus benefits. Throw the bums out is an old rallying cry. We should make it official and pass a law to do just that. I just had to step down from the United Way board after serving 3 three-year terms because that is what their by-laws require. How about we require pols to do the same? Also for Your Information Reprinted from the Martin County Taxpayers Association The Martin County Taxpayers Association has decided to take a position on whether there should be term limits for county commissioners. The answer is a resounding YES. We believe that every elected official should be required to step down from the commission after serving their communities for a period of eight years. The state legislature and governor have eight-year limits before being required to take a time out. Term limits of eight years for school board members were enacted last year. Miami-Dade and Palm Beach are charter counties that currently have eight-year term limits. Broward County has twelve years. The argument that the voters should have the option to elect the same person term after term or vote them out was valid in the past. The power of incumbency and the financial contributions it brings makes challengers think twice about running against an entrenched politician. A race in Martin County may cost north of $100,000 or more. Serving on a local board was never meant to be a career with salaries, healthcare, and retirement benefits which all currently come along with the job. It was supposed to be a public service. How often have we heard that people would continue to vote for someone election after election not because they believe that person is doing a good job but because the quality of the other candidates was not as good. The amount of money an incumbent can raise usually dwarfs those of a challenger. This makes it more unlikely that those most qualified to run will. Commissioners often become enamored with the deference people afford them. The office should never become an exalted career but rather a temporary privilege. The notion of an entrenched governing class especially on the local level stymies an involved citizenry. Many times, with incumbency comes the tendency for commissioners to believe they are essential for the continuance of local government. Their decisions are influenced by the next election more than what is good overall. The level of pandering goes up and their judgement goes down with each new election. They appropriate the people’s tax dollars without thinking through the ramifications of what is in the best interest of the public. The most recent examples of this were when the commission approved a new allocation of $85,000 for a position for the Special Olympics at 10:30 am.  Then at the budget meeting at 5:00 pm on the same day, they were trying to cut millions from the following year’s budget to avoid having to raise taxes. A few weeks later, the commission approved buying land in Palm City slated for development for $4 million. That expense appeared nowhere in the budget. We have witnessed that the Martin County commissioners don’t begin their budget deliberations working to keep the mileage rate the same as the previous year. MCTA has concluded that term limits are the only way to remind commissioners as to what their priorities should be. Therefore, the Martin County Taxpayers Association is fully on board with House Bill 57 which will limit commissioners to no more than two 4-year terms. This Bill is sponsored by Representative Salzman from the Panhandle area.  We would like to know if you are on board with the MCTA’s position so we can pass that information on to Rep. Salzman as well as our own delegation.  MCTA representatives have visited and enlisted the support of our legislative delegation which is comprised of Representative John Snyder, Representative Toby Overdorff, and Senator Gayle Harrell.  All are on board with the passage of this bill. We realize that budgets do not remain static. That doesn’t mean that they should be created to fulfill the dream projects of individual commissioners such as the Special Olympics staff position or buying land for no other reason than a few who did not want it developed. We would like to see a concrete fiscal plan from each candidate running for office And then MCTA and the voters can hold the commissioners to their announced plans. Pet projects, special interest groups, and lack of fiscal reliability are hallmarks of those remaining in office too long. IF YOU SUPPORT THIS CONCEPT, PLEASE EMAIL MCTaxpayers1950@gmail.com TODAY so we can report that Martin County stands firm behind Representative Salzman’s bill. It would be helpful if you could have your family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues to do so also.

Follow the link to the Palm Beach Post for information on another sewer leak https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/local/lakeworth/2024/04/13/lake-worth-sewage-spill-stopped-saturday-is-drinking-water-ok/73312917007/

Follow the link to NOAA Coastal Science. Find  the latest about Lake O algae blooms

https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/science-areas/habs/hab-monitoring-system/cyanobacteria-algal-bloom-satellite-lake-okeechobee-fl/

 

People across the US are flabbergasted their local governments are raising property taxes and making other decisions behind closed doors (Check the link to Business Insider)

https://www.businessinsider.com/us-local-governments-making-more-decisions-behind-closed-doors-2023-12

TENFOLD INCREASE IN STORM-WATER FEE

Vero Beach OKs tenfold increase in storm-water fee; 971% hike to help clean Indian River Lagoon (Follow the link below for the complete TC Palm story)

https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/local/indian-river-county/2024/04/09/vero-beach-raises-storm-water-taxes-to-75-from-7-eyes-lagoon-health-indian-river-county-fees-covid/72901020007/

SAVE LOCAL GOVERNMENT