STUART, Fla. — The City of Stuart is preparing to eliminate between 10 and 12 staff positions following a decision to reduce property taxes, as part of a broader effort to cut costs and improve efficiency.
The City Commission voted 4-1 last week to lower the property tax rate from 5 to 4.9 mills. The decision followed a directive from commissioners earlier this year asking city staff to find ways to reduce spending and streamline operations.
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City Manager Michael Mortell said the staffing cuts will not consist entirely of layoffs.
"Part of it is vacant positions that I already have that I'm not filling," Mortell said. "We also have people that are retiring or leaving for other reasons."
No staff members have been let go yet, as the city is still evaluating which roles will be affected.
"I've had to evaluate the entire city staff and go through and see if there's any redundancies or any positions that can be merged together so that it is balanced and the level of service stays the same," Mortell said.
Commissioner Christopher Collins initially raised the issue during a July meeting.
"I would like to see a tax decrease. I would like to see less spending and something like a DOGE internally," Collins said.
The city's final budget also includes funding for four new firefighter positions.
Stuart residents expressed mixed reactions to the budget decisions. Jim Swaggard voiced concerns about balancing tax relief with maintaining city services.
"Everybody likes reduced taxes, but you also want to make sure you have enough money to maintain what we have, so you know reduction of taxes is not always a good thing," Swaggard said.
Swaggard said he wants more information about which positions might be affected.
"If you're talking about positions that actually affect the public, then I'd like to know what those are," Swaggard said.
Other residents who declined to appear on camera expressed mixed views. Some echoed Swaggard's concerns about possible service impacts, while others welcomed the city's efforts to rein in spending.
Mortell emphasized that the goal is to minimize disruptions for residents.
"I am hoping that the way I do it will make it seamless so that the general public doesn't see a reduction in service at all," Mortell said. "Staff will see an increase in things that they have to do."
The city has not provided a timeline for when the final staffing decisions will be made.
