Candidate: Shannon M. Martin

Shannon Martin began serving as the District 3 City Council representative in 2010, and served as Vice Mayor from 2016 to 2021, when she was elected Mayor during a special election after the resignation of Mayor Greg Oravec. When she was first elected, the United States and the City of Port St. Lucie were experiencing the worst economic downturn since the Great Recession. The City had many issues to overcome, and Mayor Martin is proud to say that she was a part of the recovery process that brought the City to where it is today. 

While she has served on the Council, the City has significantly lowered its debt and reduced the tax rate for six consecutive years in a row. Mayor Martin supports continuing to lower the tax rate this year. In addition, during her years of service, the City has started the Floresta Drive Improvement Project, as well as other road improvements included in the Half-Cent Sales Tax Projects list, which was approved by the voters of Port St. Lucie. Furthermore, she notes that economic development remains a top priority and the promise of the city’s Southern Grove jobs corridor is now a reality with Cleveland Clinic, TAMCO, Fed Ex, Accel, Cheney Brothers, and an Amazon distribution center. Amazon is also constructing a 1.2 million square foot fulfillment center on Midway Road.  She is excited about the additional economic opportunities that are now on the horizon that will bring hundreds of more jobs which pay above median wage.

During the past several years, Mayor Martin has championed the Parks & Recreation Department’s 10-year master plan. She spearheaded plans to bring two new neighborhood parks to underserved areas of the City: Woodland Trails Park in southwestern Port St. Lucie and Winterlakes Park in Torino. She also has been instrumental in the design and concept plan for Pioneer Park, which will be a one-of-a-kind children’s playground in the City’s Port District. Pioneer Park is expected to begin construction this summer. Knowing that the city needs more multi-purpose fields and recreational facilities, she has also championed improvements to O.L. Peacock Park, the design and construction of Tradition Regional Park and the master plan for Torino Regional Park. 

A strong supporter of the PSL Police Department’s efforts to keep the City’s crime rate low, Mayor Martin is proud the City has continued to be Florida’s safest large City.  She was a driving force behind the addition of a new police district for western Port St. Lucie, and she is committed to further strengthen the police department’s neighborhood policing bureau and support service division to ensure the department has the resources necessary to maintain a high level of service to the community as Port St. Lucie continues to grow.

Looking to the future, Mayor Martin is eager to begin the master planning and redevelopment of City Center on Port St. Lucie’s east side. In addition, she is proud that construction has finally begun on the first two segments of Port St. Lucie Blvd. South and is working to accelerate the construction of the remaining two segments. Continuing to address the city's infrastructure needs remains a top priority as the city continues to plan for more roads, sidewalks and other improvements that enhance mobility in and around the city.

Mayor Martin is extremely passionate about leading Port St. Lucie into the future. She believes in the City’s momentum and the direction it is headed because of its citizen-driven Strategic Plan. The Strategic Plan is updated annually by the City Council based on citizen and community stakeholder input. It helps set the vision for the city’s future and prioritizes projects, allowing Council, staff and citizens to work together as a cohesive team. She also wants to ensure that the City will continue to be fiscally responsible considering its growth, while continuing to make sure every dollar spent is not wasted as the City Council addresses the needs of our citizens.

As a member of the St. Lucie Transportation Organization (TPO), Mayor Martin works with other elected leaders to ensure future road connectivity and public transportation services will be adequate to serve the growing population.

The need for more green space and land preservation is also very important, and Mayor Martin is committed to keeping city owned parcels reserved for natural spaces and/or passive recreation. 

She also serves as a board member for the St. Lucie County Fire District, the Vice Chair of the Humane Society of St. Lucie County, and is on the Board of Directors of the Florida League of Mayors.  She is also past board member for the Boys and Girls Club of St. Lucie County.

Mayor Martin is extremely honored to serve all of the city’s residents, businesses and community stakeholders. She is proud that Port St. Lucie is one of the two most diverse and inclusive cities in the nation, and she has loved PSL since moving here in 2006 with her family. Mayor Martin is a paralegal by profession, and her husband Aaron is a Detective Sergeant with the City’s Police Department. They have two children, a 19-year-old son and an 18-year-old daughter. Her favorite hobbies are camping and exploring nature in Florida’s beautiful state parks.