Dozens of Brightline supporters, clad in yellow, rallied outside Stuart City Hall Monday afternoon as the commission prepared to discuss the next steps in whether a station will one day be built in the city.
“We felt blindsided and we felt like we had an opportunity taken away from us,” said Brightline supporter Sherry Lee.
Earlier this month, the city commission, with two new commissioners, voted 3-2 to rescind agreements the city had made with Brightline and Martin County to put a station off Flagler Avenue behind the county courthouse.
Stuart
Stuart rescinds agreements with Martin Co. and Brightline
Zitlali Solache
Critics have contended that Brightline should be bearing more of the associated costs.
“Brightline’s a private company. A privately held, foreign-owned company. So I think they ought to be paying their own way or at least paying their fair share,” said Deana Peterson.
Even if the city of Stuart says no, Martin County can come to an agreement with Brightline, and say yes .