Kelly Boatwright

This Annual Report details the activities and achievements of the St. Lucie Board of County Commissioners. The organization is guided by its Mission Statement: 'Committed To Service, Focused On Our Future, Grounded By Tradition' and Vision Statement: 'Infinite Potential, Creating Endless Opportunities.' The report highlights a new Strategic Plan focused on six key priorities: Enhance Public Trust, Economic Prosperity, Quality Infrastructure, Environmental Preservation, Thriving Community, and Health & Safety.

Discussions focused on significant capital purchases made by the city, including roster swaps with the county, investments into Sportsman's Park, and the acquisition of the St. Lucie County Tax Building and the Peacock building. These acquisitions are intended to position the city 20 to 25 years ahead regarding staff and employee housing infrastructure.

The proceedings began with a roll call and the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by the Public to be Heard segment, which was closed due to no speakers. The Parks and Recreation department provided an update on their high-impact plan, noting 28 major capital improvement projects totaling $79 million, and detailing the status of security camera installations across various parks, including proposed installation at Woodland Trails pending budget approval. Key initiatives under the 10-year master plan, such as the completion of the Conservation Trail and expansion of the wilderness trail network, were highlighted. The department also reported on the expansion of recreation programming, including 22 new programs, and facility improvements like phase one at O Peacock Senior Park. Furthermore, the department successfully submitted its CAPRA reaccreditation application in January, with a review expected in September 2026. The Saints Golf Course Administrator reported on a record-breaking year, achieving over $2.7 million in total annual revenues from 70,000 rounds played, noting increased traffic from younger demographics and women. Significant improvements to the driving range, including recontouring and new sod installation, were detailed, leading to substantial revenue increases for that facility.

The Public Works department presented its high-impact plan, emphasizing alignment with the city's seven strategic goals, including high-quality infrastructure and strategic growth. Key discussions included the active installation of traffic signal preemption coordinated with the fire district and improvements to traffic signal coordination on Village Parkway, Cross Town Parkway, and Gatlin Boulevard to relieve congestion. The department is continuing the residential driveway replacement loan program and advancing major drainage improvement projects, exploring alternative design or phasing to expedite them. Further topics involved geo tube bank stabilization for waterway maintenance, coordination with Planning and Zoning regarding development roadways, updates on the Discovery community traffic signal project, and managing construction traffic at the St. Lucy West and Peacock intersection. The department is finalizing the next 10-year sidewalk master plan, incorporating community feedback. Significant focus was placed on adopting project management software to improve staff efficiency, communication, and reporting, ensuring integration with existing asset management systems like OpenGov. Efforts are underway to streamline public works permitting processes, especially concerning right-of-way permits, which have increased substantially, and to update outdated review fees from 2012 that are not covering current costs. A deep dive review of the department's level of service, last conducted in 2018, is commencing to realign operations and maintenance programs. Additionally, the department is preparing for APWA reaccreditation and is anticipating the groundbreaking for a new Public Works building this year.

The meeting began with a city manager's introduction, highlighting the city's achievement of being named an All-American City for the first time, attributing this success to wise investments in critical infrastructure like roads, drainage, and public safety, and community engagement initiatives such as the Naturally PSL green spaces project. The city manager also detailed past accomplishments, including significant tax reductions, road resurfacing, and the implementation of roundabouts to address traffic issues. Future focus areas emphasized maintaining safety, completing ongoing projects, and shifting the culture to be more focused on finding solutions and achieving 'yes'. A significant portion of the workshop involved a presentation on the draft initial findings of the Southwest Annexation Area Transportation Assessment Report, discussing the city's remarkable population growth rate exceeding original projections, and its strategies for data-driven planning.