Dozens of residents and arts leaders told the Martin County School Board they support converting the vacant Stewart High School into an arts campus — and repeatedly said limited alcohol service at evening events is central to the project’s financial model.

"I want to speak out in strong favor for the transformation of the historic high school into an arts campus," said Chris Kling, a local artist, during the public-comment period. Multiple speakers, including Nancy Turrell of Martin Arts and Joanne Gallagher of the Florida Arts and Dance Company, said event rentals, receptions and fundraisers that include limited alcohol are critical revenue streams.

Martin Arts representatives asked the board to complete negotiations on an intent-to-lease and move toward a written lease so the organization can unlock philanthropic commitments. "We have raised over a half million dollars both in cash and in kind that has paid for all the planning work," Nancy Turrell said, but she added that the organization’s business plan "is a deal breaker" without the ability to host some alcohol‑served events.

The board did not vote on any lease tonight. School board attorney Terry Harmon, participating by phone, told the board the intent-to-lease is "an agreement to agree" and that the district must still receive a mutually agreed written lease. Harmon flagged policy issues, including board rules he characterized as creating a 1,000‑foot drug‑free zone that counts alcoholic beverages as "drugs," and other board language that prohibits alcohol on district premises. "There is nothing in Florida law that absolutely prohibits a school board from engaging in this type of activity," Harmon said, but he described multiple policy and proximity "red flags" that would need to be addressed.

Board members also raised concerns about the district’s ongoing costs for the vacant building and the long timeline: the chair said about $500,000 has been raised so far while the project’s estimated cost is in the tens of millions. "We need some assurances that you're going to be able to raise $20 to $30,000,000 for this project," the chair said, adding that holding the property indefinitely imposes financial responsibility on the district.

Several board members suggested a possible path around policy barriers would be for a third party to own the building (a sale to Martin Arts or another nonprofit) so the district would no longer be the property owner and thus not subject to the same board restrictions. The board directed staff to update appraisals and surveys for Stewart High School and to inventory underused district properties as a next step; no formal motion or vote occurred.

The superintendent and staff said any lease would be presented at a later regular meeting if the parties reach terms. For now, the board sought more information on legal options, city and county permitting impacts, fundraising progress and property valuations before advancing to a formal lease vote.