The Stuart City Council met in regular session Monday night.

The Council approved liquor licenses for Doe-A-Deer and Ruby’s Pub and Grill, with Councilmember David Doely abstaining, as his wife is the owner of Doe-A-Deer. They also approved the budget amendment for the current fiscal year, a bid of $4,086,085 to McAninch Corporation to do work in the upcoming fourth phase of the Wambold Housing Project and payment number one to Hydro Clean in the amount of $84,607.50 for their work on the 2023 sewer manhole rehabilitation project.

The Council also set a public hearing for May 22nd to discuss the city to enter into general obligation loan agreements, and approved gifting passes to the city swimming pool to volunteer members of the fire department with Council Members Kristina Renslow and Michael Kalbach abstaining as they have ties to the fire department. They then approved rezoning the Tibben Property from agricultural to residential, set a date for a public hearing for designation of the expanded Stuart Urban Renewal area and an update to the Urban Renewal plan.

Council members also approved TIF application of The Stuart Scoop Owner Sadie Kleppe, the marketing proposal of Main Street Marketing Owner Nate Westre, a downtown speaker policy and quarterly joint meetings with the Utility Board of Trustees, the first meeting of which will be in June. The downtown speaker policy states that the Stuart Chamber of Commerce may use the City’s speakers in the downtown district as they see fit, as long as they are considerate of businesses and residents in the district.

Chamber President Katie Adams made a presentation to the Council on when they would play music over the speakers, and what steps have been taken to accommodate businesses and residents. Even with the accommodations, there was one resident who sent rude messages to two members of the Chamber. Councilmember Renslow brought this topic to the Council this meeting, as she believed that the messages were uncalled for, and should not have been sent to the Chamber members.

The Council then approved a request by Mayor Dick Cook that in the case of nuisances, if upon receival of the final notice the fine was less than $500, to allow abatement without bringing each case to the Council. They then approved a 4% pay raise to city employees, and discussed the need to make sure that residents licensed their dogs with the City. Mayor Cook brought it to the Council’s attention that only about ten percent of dogs in the city were actually licensed. No action was taken at this time, as the topic was not on the agenda.