IRMA’S GRILL
PHOTO BY PORFIRIO SOLORZANO
The operator of a downtown art gallery, Mary
Hutchinson became the mayor of Stuart last
December under the city’s system of rotating
the mayorship among commissioners. Hutchinson
was first elected to the Stuart City Commission in
2004 and re-elected in 2006. Both times she ran unopposed,
a fact she says is not uncommon in Stuart politics.
In her work life at her downtown gallery,
Hutchinson represents the art of her husband, Kevin
Hutchinson, and father in-law, Jim Hutchinson.
Q&A
How did you get involved in politics?
My previous job with Club Corp required me to fly
out of town almost every week. When I would come
home, I would see things changing around town.
When I decided to stop traveling, I had time to get
involved in my community. My belief is that you
shouldn’t complain about things if you are not willing
to participate and get involved. So, here I am on the
commission.
How do you describe Stuart to people who’ve
never been here?
Stuart is a great community where it is small
enough that one person can make a difference but
large enough so that there are a lot of amenities like
the Lyric, the waterways and our downtown area.
When you go downtown, chances are that you will
run into someone that you know. Neighbors still
know their neighbors and they help each other out.
What do you think are the city’s biggest challenges?
My biggest challenge in the city is making sure that
the development that does happen fits our community.
If we do not control the development, we will lose
what makes Stuart such a great place to live. There is
a balance between development and quality of life.
The challenge is getting developers to see the big picture
of what makes a community that is more than
97
just bricks and mortar.
What have been the city’s biggest accomplishments
since you’ve been on the commission?
This year, our city was able to decrease our tax rate
MARY HUTCHINSON
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