🌅 🗑️ Port St. Lucie Puts Trash Pickup on Ballot

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Port St. Lucie City Council voted Monday to place a straw ballot question on the November 3rd general election asking residents whether they support twice a week curbside garbage pickup at an increased cost per household 🗑️.

The question is legally nonbinding under Florida law. But Mayor Shannon Martin said clearly on the record that if residents vote yes she will personally move to implement it. That is the most important thing said about this item all night.

Here is what twice a week pickup would actually look like if it happens:

The cost increase to residents was not quantified at Monday's meeting. That number is expected before or at the second reading on July 13th. There is no additional cost to the city to put it on the ballot since it piggybacks on an election already happening 👀.

This did not come out of nowhere. Residents have been asking about twice a week pickup for years and it came up again at last week's Waste Pro settlement meeting when people wanted to know why the $24 million could not just go toward more frequent service. The short answer was that once the money ran out the city would be stuck with a permanent cost it had not budgeted for. The ballot question puts that decision where it belongs, with residents.

What's next: Second reading is July 13th. The general election is November 3rd 📅.

💬 Would you pay more for twice a week trash pickup? Tell us right here

The Tides restaurant has scrapped plans to relocate to a new South Beach mixed-use center and will instead close for an "aesthetic refresh" in late summer before reopening in its current Cardinal Drive location in the fall. Owner Anthony DeChellis said the decision was emotional, not financial, after regulars pleaded "please don't go," calling the restaurant their second home where they celebrated graduations, engagements and birthdays. Chef Leanne Kelleher, who has run The Tides for 26 years, posted the news on Facebook and received hundreds of praising responses within hours. The refresh will upgrade the roof, AC, landscaping and furnishings but won't substantially change the layout of the converted home.

👉 Read more (Vero News)

A joint meeting between St. Lucie County commissioners and Fort Pierce city officials held Thursday, June 18 at 9 a.m. at River Walk Center is now online. The 5-hour video covers county and city discussions and is available at the City of Fort Pierce website for residents to review.

👉 Watch (City of Fort Pierce)

Martin County School Board approved a reorganization plan for the 2026-27 school year generating over $3.9 million in net savings by eliminating 42 instructional positions through attrition and retirements rather than layoffs. Superintendent Michael Maine said the district spent two years flattening administrative positions to prioritize classroom resources. The plan includes organizational restructuring and enrollment-based staffing adjustments, with new leadership appointments taking effect July 1.

👉 Read more (WQCS)

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