The Tunnel That No One Claimed
It is amazing what one can discover by delving into public records databases. I did that over the past few days and what I found was startling. When public officials and those who want public money don’t believe anyone is looking, tax dollars can be used for purposes that have no relationship to any public good.
Being the government nerd that I am, I looked at both the Florida Senate and House members’ individual appropriation bills. I confined my search to Martin County’s delegation. I didn’t know what I was looking for, but I figured if something was wrong, I would spot it.
It isn’t that everything I saw were funds being appropriated for projects with which I agree. That wasn’t my point in looking at the extensive list of projects needing funding. For example, I don’t agree with what the Arts Council wants to do with the old high school building, but you cannot deny that requesting $500,000 to help pay for renovation plans has a public purpose. However, another request for $6.5 million did catch my eye.
I have been a supporter of the Three Lakes Golf Course, a private club, off Kanner Highway in western Martin County. It will preserve much open space. There will be minimum use of public resources and the project will generate significantly more in taxes than the current Ag designation does.
What can be wrong with a great private business opening in Martin County? Nothing…if everything was being funded with private dollars. That is where Three Lakes and a state appropriation for $6.5 million converge.
I noticed that amount being earmarked by Representative John Snyder for a pedestrian tunnel under Kanner Highway. The tunnel would connect one side of the Three Lakes property to the other side. It would be used by the club members and employees only. There is no way there is any public benefit.
The Requester listed is Katherine Blocke of Martin County Property Holdings Co. 1, LLC. (The actual name of the company is Martin Property Holdings Co. 1, LLC.) Her email is listed as kblocke@related.com with a New York City phone number. It is a Delaware- listed LLC which is not at all out of the ordinary. The information can be found here
The Sun Biz annual registration can be found here
And the 2022 corporate report here
The New York address listed is that of the Related Companies. They are a New York giant in the commercial real estate business. Related is the developer of Hudson Yards which is a massive development on Manhattan’s far west side. Currently, the company is plowing hundreds of millions of dollars into West Palm Beach. Steve Ross is the chairperson of the company and a partner in Three Lakes. It appears someone who works for (or who is at least affiliated with) the company applied for the government money.
Martin County is the local government that would be the recipient of the funds. County Administrator Don Donaldson is the person listed to contact for any information regarding the project. When I did contact him, Donaldson said it was not a county requested project and that neither he nor any other county employee signed any forms regarding this. He also said that it wasn’t one that the county would request because the beneficiary is a private entity.
I spoke to Representative Snyder. He said that he has a completed attestation form attesting to the legitimacy of the request. Snyder and every representative must rely on the local government’s attestations being accurate and confirming the requested funds would benefit the locality.
I have also spoken to several county commissioners regarding this matter. They expressed surprise and then anger that this was occurring. Then that leads to several questions I have.
This project came in as a local government project. On the attestation form that was completed by the requester, Blocke, question 11 wanted to know what type of entity is making the ask. There is a box to check if it is for a private entity. In this case, the box that was checked was for a local government.
If the money were received by the county, who was going to build the tunnel? Who was going to supervise the project? Was the county going to turn the funds over to the private entity? Was the county going to be the one that managed the project with county resources?
You can find the application and attestation here
There is something more to this than anyone is willing to reveal. Why would Donaldson not have made the request himself? I heard while speaking to people that the county had agreed to pay for the tunnel with Three Lakes. They were just trying to get money from the state instead of Martin County taxpayers.
This doesn’t pass the smell test for a couple of reasons. First, this project is not on the CIP list nor anywhere in the budget or the MPO as a county or even state project. When being approved by the county I don’t remember any mention in the development filing for this project regarding this pedestrian tunnel. Does that mean that a county employee or elected official made a quiet deal with the developer?
What would be the motive for an employee to promise something? Could it be a county commissioner that pressured staff to go along? You can’t put the imprimatur of Martin County government on a project and then deny ownership. Are these actions illegal? It is wrong and bad government without a doubt.
Somehow the county must get to the bottom of this for the integrity of their process. If they sweep it under the rug, then it will happen again and perhaps Friends & Neighbors won’t catch something like this next time.
The Related Group could have made it their request and not mentioned the county at all or as the designated recipient. Likely, it would have then been denied as it should have been all along.
I have spent a good part of the past several days on the phone verifying this story. Representative Snyder has told me that the county and the developer have asked that the project be withdrawn. Although late in the budget process, Snyder has said he will try to have the funds go to other Martin County projects that were not funded.
This is a cautionary tale of what happens when there is no one looking out for the public good. That is what local journalism is meant to do. We report what happens during public meetings but also, we look at government records…even those that are not easily found. Throughout the country, it’s the local reporters who delve into city and county commissions.
Now that money, if it isn’t too late, can be used for worthwhile and beneficial Martin County projects…those projects that will benefit the people who need it the most using money that each of them paid in taxes rather than a private business entity.
