The Stuart City Council met in regular session Monday.

The Council approved site plans and fencing operations for the Karl Chevrolet expansion project. The service center would be placed on the north side of SW 8th Street and west of Gaines Street. A parts facility would go east of the current facility. Even with the site plans approved, Veenstra and Kimm Engineer Forrest Aldrich informed the Council that future Casey’s General Store expansions might affect Karl Chevrolet. He also informed them that SW 8th would have to stay primarily open during any construction at the dealership to accommodate heavy semi truck traffic.

The Council also approved a proposal to place four LED Stop signs at the intersection of Division Street and White Pole Road. Each sign would cost $1,860, with most of the funds coming from those set aside for downtown aesthetics and safety. Street Supervisor Jim Henderson points out an additional change that will be required to install the modifications. “Street signage out here (proposed intersection) on this pole will have to move, because that can’t support the street signage, the Stop sign, and the solar head. So there’ll have to be some changes made there.”

Other action items approved include: setting the public hearing to vacate the alley at 623 W Front Street for April 9th at 6:30pm, approving Pedro Leyva as a new Stuart Police Officer, and moving forward with scheduled bond refinancing for the Karl Chevrolet expansion project. Stuart Chamber Vice President Loretta Sloss also informed the Council that the Chamber will still pursue funds to create a downtown mural. Sloss hopes the mural will help increase tourism efforts. The meeting concluded with discussion on clean-up efforts in town.