STUART — The City Commission voted Aug. 10 to have staff return with a resolution for a November referendum that would give Stuart voters the choice of undoing a 2011 referendum that set aside a two-acre commercial parcel near Haney Creek as a potential revenue source to help fund maintenance of the adjoining preserve.
City Attorney Lee Baggett introduced the agenda item. The proposal was initially suggested in July 2025 by former Mayor Christopher Collins, who resigned April 30 to run for the District 2 Martin County Commission seat being vacated by Commissioner Stacey Hetherington.
Since then, commissioners have struggled to move beyond 2-2 votes on several issues, postponing some matters until after the August primary election, when the commission will have a fifth member…