🌅 🗳️ Fort Pierce’s Big Review

It’s Friday! and Sunland News has been growing over the last week or so.

I just want to give a big welcome to all the new faces. Appreciate you being here. Appreciate those who have been here, who continue to read and share and stop me in public and tell me how much they appreciate it. I appreciate you all so much more than I can express just through the words I write here. You have no idea how fun it is to keep up with everything that's going on, or how rewarding it is to know that I'm helping a lot of other people do the same. So I thank you, I thank you, I thank you, I thank you.

💜 Robert Mac Keen is now a member and had such kind words about the newsletter being informative, concise, and well delivered. He even mentioned seeing the parks employee video at the BoCC meeting before he left the building! Robert, thank you so much for the support and the encouragement. Means the world. If you want to join People Pass, check it out here.

📅 ICYMI: Be sure to check out yesterday's events list here!

☀️ Day: High of 81°F | Scattered thunderstorms during the morning
🌙 Night: Low of 70°F | Scattered thunderstorms during the evening
🌅 Sunrise: 7:19 AM | 🌇 Sunset: 6:57 PM
🌙 Moonrise: 9:42 PM | 🌚 Moonset: 11:16 AM
🎶 Sounds like: "Let's Stay Together" — Al Green

Whether you need auto, home, health, or life coverage, you want someone who actually knows what they're doing and has your back.

That's Daisy Alexander. She's the founder and CEO of S.E. Benchmark Insurance Agency right here in our community, with ten years in the industry. Daisy got into insurance because she saw too many families either underinsured or overpaying for coverage they didn't need. She's licensed to handle everything from auto and home to commercial liability and affordable health care plans.

Why it matters: Richard Chess faces his first performance evaluation Monday since taking over as city manager in April, a key test of whether he's successfully rebuilding trust after his predecessor's alleged bid tampering scandal.

The backstory: Chess was hired with a $200,000 annual salary following Nicholas Mimms, who faces criminal charges for allegedly rigging a 2020 contract. The hiring process itself drew scrutiny over salary negotiations that weren't fully transparent to the public.

What we're hearing: City employees I've talked to say Chess has improved morale and the overall spirit of doing business. He recently rolled out a comprehensive plan to reform procurement and rebuild public trust.

The complication: Fort Pierce's commission is currently split 2-2 as the city awaits a special election to fill the vacant seat, which could make any decisions about Chess's future more complex.

By the numbers:

What's next: The review happens at Monday's city commission meeting. No indication yet whether commissioners plan any changes to Chess's contract or compensation.

Thought bubble: This review got me thinking about the role local media plays in keeping residents informed. What has Chess accomplished in six months? I'm sure there's a lot, but without regular communication from city hall or someone covering it, how do we know? This is exactly where local media matters. If nobody's telling the story, the story doesn't get told.

💭 Your take: How do you think the city manager is doing? What should commissioners be looking at in this review? Share your thoughts here.

Want to dig deeper? Check out the meeting agenda and Chess's employment contract.

The railroad reduced service from 16 to 10 daily roundtrips between Miami and Orlando starting October 6th, eliminating 12 trains that pass through the Treasure Coast daily. While trains don't stop locally, the reduction means fewer railroad crossing delays for drivers and fewer drawbridge closures for boaters on the St. Lucie River, though Brightline plans to add two cars per train by year's end to double passenger capacity.

👉 Read more

The city plans to convert the 56,000-square-foot building it purchased for $10.06 million into municipal offices, though no timeline or department assignments have been finalized. The vacant call center has been used by SWAT and drone teams for training since QVC closed it in 2016, with police set to expand into whatever spaces are vacated on the main municipal complex.

👉 Read more

Commissioners unanimously approved extending the fairgrounds lease through June 2027 at no additional cost, giving the fair association more time to complete its move to a new site near Indiantown. Vice Chair Edward Ciampi expressed concern about "kicking the can down the road" but Fair Executive Director Micah Robbins assured commissioners they're committed to holding the 2027 fair at the new location.

👉 Read more

If you have an event, send it to me here

See you Monday!
With Love, Ja’Min

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