🌅 🏛️ Fort Pierce Searches for New City Attorney

It's Wednesday! I have a question for you all. In terms of local election coverage, how has it been for you? Do you think you've received sufficient coverage about all the candidates and their platforms?

The newsletter will remain politics-free, I promise. But I'm asking this in an effort to build out what we offer through the People Pass. I want to make sure we're giving you what you actually need.

The Fort Pierce City Commission voted 4 to 1 Monday to hire S. Renee Narloch & Associates to lead the search for the city's next attorney. If the timeline holds, a new city attorney could be in place by late October or early November 🏛️.

The commission chose the firm after reviewing three proposals. S. Renee Narloch & Associates came in at $30,950 including three onsite visits. That beat out Colling Basinger at $34,500 and GovHR USA at $28,000, which carried additional travel costs that would have brought the total to around $31,600.

The 16 week timeline creates a gap. Current City Attorney Sara Hedges' contract expires September 10th, meaning the city could be without a city attorney for roughly two months while the search wraps up. Mayor Hudson raised the concern directly: "We're going to be without a city attorney for three months. I'm very concerned about that because there's a lot of work that comes out of that office." Commissioner Dzadovsky suggested appointing an interim attorney. Commissioner Gaines pushed back on adding another layer to the process. The commission decided to wait for a more detailed timeline from the search firm before deciding on next steps.

The meeting also surfaced the ongoing debate over how the commission got here. Commissioner Broderick said what started as a charter conflict between the city manager's office and the city attorney's office eventually shifted into something else entirely. Mayor Hudson said she wants a clear job description for the position hammered out before anyone new is hired so the commission is on the same page about what the city attorney's role actually is.

We have been covering this story since it started in April.

What's next: The commission will revisit the charter and the job description at a future meeting. A new city attorney is expected by late October or early November 📅.

💬 What do you think Fort Pierce should prioritize in its next city attorney? Tell us right here

Demolition of Indian River Mall intensified as developer DTS Properties transforms the 30-year-old property into a mixed-use lifestyle center. American Demolition & Environmental Services has gutted the eastern wing and is removing the 104,000-square-foot Macy's and 120,000-square-foot Sears buildings. The new concept will feature five retail spaces from 18,000-25,000 square feet each, a 4,500-square-foot drive-through restaurant, and a covered walkway. Sprouts grocery market will anchor one space. The Dillard's and JCPenney anchor stores and AMC theater remain open. Phase 1 is expected to complete in late 2027 or early 2028.

👉 Read more (Vero News)

Amazon will lay off 494 employees at its Port St. Lucie warehouse in September for a $200 million facility expansion adding advanced robotics and conveyor systems. The 870,000-square-foot expansion is expected to complete by 2028. While separations are classified as permanent, Amazon hopes to rehire workers and is transferring hundreds to other South Florida locations. The company is providing severance based on tenure. When the facility reopens, Amazon expects more than 1,000 employees compared to 850 currently.

👉 Read more (TCPalm subscription may be required)

Martin County Fire Rescue is requesting a $77 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year, a $4 million increase over last year. Fire Chief Chad Cianciulli warned that 40 qualified firefighters are pursuing jobs elsewhere and losing them would be catastrophic. Call loads have increased 63% since 2018, requiring five additional rescue trucks. Personnel expenses account for 93% of the budget. The firefighters' union declined to reopen contracts for higher wages due to uncertainty surrounding a proposed homestead exemption tax measure that could cut the department $16.5 million over two years.

👉 Read more (WQCS)

👋 Thanks for reading! If you found it useful, consider sharing it with a friend.

📱 Keep up with the Sunland News: Send comments & suggestions to [email protected] Follow us on, Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube

🙋‍♂️ Did someone forward you this? Subscribe Below!