Former Stuart Mayor Matheson Files to Reclaim City Commission Seat

Former Stuart Mayor Merritt Matheson has filed to run for a seat on the Stuart City Commission, citing what he calls mounting chaos inside City Hall — including a rapid turnover of city managers, costly litigation, and a dispute over how to spend conservation dollars voters approved in 2024.

Matheson served as a city commissioner beginning in 2018 and rose to mayor in December 2021. He held the post until August 2022, when then-challenger Christopher Collins defeated him by 95 votes — a margin of 2.6%. The seat Matheson is now seeking opened after Collins resigned as mayor April 30 to pursue a Martin County Commission seat, automatically elevating Vice Mayor Sean Reed to the mayoralty.

So far, Matheson has one opponent: Johnny Cealmov.

"I'm running to bring back integrity, respectful, responsible leadership and stability to the city of Stuart," Matheson said. "I'd like to stop the chaos that we've seen in the city."

The chaos he describes is specific. Stuart cycled through four city managers in six months. A finance director and other finance department staff departed. The city paid severance to former City Manager Michael Mortell, who was fired without cause. The city lost a lawsuit brought by Polk Street Hotels, officials have confirmed.

Stuart is also still out of compliance with Senate Bill 180, signed into law in 2024, which bars municipalities from altering land development regulations between Aug. 1, 2024, and Oct. 1, 2027. Changes Stuart made after that cutoff have been rendered null and void under the statute, Matheson said.

Collins' push to use Martin County Forever funds to purchase a historic school building also drew Matheson into the race. Those funds — generated by a voter-approved 2024 initiative that Matheson helped champion — are designated for water quality improvements and conservation of environmentally sensitive land. Stuart receives roughly $2 million a year for 10 years from the program. Matheson sits on the Martin County Environmental Lands Oversight Committee, which directs how those dollars are spent.

"The best way to manage growth in Martin County is grow our conservation land," he said.

Describing himself as a "slow-growth proponent," Matheson said his priorities if elected would include repairing city infrastructure — sidewalks, bike lanes, and landscaping — easing traffic congestion, and steering Stuart's economy toward tourism rather than development-driven growth. He floated a water taxi as one possible transportation alternative.

"The job of a commissioner, more often than not, is choosing the best of two bad outcomes," Matheson said.

Residents seeking to weigh in on candidates or the city's compliance status can contact Stuart City Hall at 772-288-5300.

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