Next phase in Tradition
Phase 2 under way for HealthPark
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Hearing you loud & clear, sir Specialist works with impaired vets
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Looks ‘Suite’ on stage
IRSC takes on ‘California Suite’
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ST. LUCIE WEST • TRADITION
YourVoiceWeekly.com VOL. 4/ISSUE 32
YOUR INDEPENDENT LOCAL COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
Port St. Lucie vies for Costco
Patriotic run to remember Ginny and Michael Johnston of St. Lucie West round the last corner before crossing the finish line of the 25th Annual Run for the Pineapple 5k in Sewall’s Point Monday, May 30.
Adam Laten Wilson
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ST. LUCIE WEST — Costco Treasure Coast is back at the roundtable. In April, the company resubmitted its application to build a 152,661-square-foot store and 16-pump gas station in Palm City. Martin County Growth Management is expected to respond with a staff report this week, and a joint staff workshop with Costco, open to the public, will be scheduled sometime this month. Though Costco’s proposed location has fomented community resistance in Palm City and has raised traffic, stormwater management and other concerns for the county, Costco has stuck to the spot like glue, despite being offered many alternatives. For some, including Port St. Lucie Mayor Gregory Oravec, the deal is not yet done, however. June 1, Oravec broadcasted an open call to Port St. Lucie residents on his Facebook page, urging them to send emails of interest to Costco executives. Already more than 12,400 Facebook members have seen the post, and 108 emails have been sent. “Where Costco is proposing to locate in Palm City will pull from Port St. Lucie and St. Lucie County,” says Oravec. “Why not have that site in Port St. Lucie, where Costco would probably have a better permitting experience, and then be able to pull from the Palm
See COSTCO page 21
FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2016
Mitch Kloorfain chief photographer
Low fuel costs and four-day work weeks keeping utility rates stable Patrick McCallister STAFF WRITER
pmccallister@YourVoiceWeekly.com
ST. LUCIE WEST — Water rates in St. Lucie West will stay the same for another year, and possibly longer. At its last regular workshop — Monday, June 6 — the St. Lucie West Services District Board of Directors got
a look at the final proposed budget for the 2016-2017 fiscal year. The board was slated to approve the proposed final budget after press time. All told, the budget is $13.2 million with expected revenue coming up a little short. However, that’s because of proposed construction of a permanent office that’s expected to run
about $800,000. The district has about $6.6 million in the proverbial bank to draw from. Board member Wayne Smith, asked Dennis Pickle, manager and utilities director, what might come after this next fiscal year. “Are we still anticipating, (fiscal
See STABLE page 9
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