By Mandy Miles and Jim McCarthy
A week into the federal government shutdown — and political finger-pointing between Republicans and Democrats — life in the Florida Keys hasn’t changed too terribly for most residents, although dozens of government websites and social media accounts tell online visitors the pages and sites will not be updated while workers are furloughed.
But military servicemembers and civilian employees — many of whom, like the rest of us, live paycheck to paycheck in the pricey Florida Keys — could face the pain of delayed paychecks.
Air traffic controllers remain on the job to keep planes in the air, but when previous government shutdowns have stretched through several weeks, absenteeism became a concern for air traffic control, prompting some flight delays and cancellations.
The National Weather Service, which falls under the auspices of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, is always a concern for Keys residents. But the Keys Weekly stopped by the NWS Key West forecast office on White Street on Monday Oct. 6 and spoke in person with warning coordination meteorologist Jon Rizzo and with meteorologist-in-charge Chip Kasper. Both were still at work and on high alert in the last month and a half of hurricane season.
They are what the government considers “excepted” employees, meaning their jobs are essential, much like air traffic controllers and law enforcement officers. They’ll continue to work through a shutdown, although they may not get paid until the shutdown ends.
“If this continues, then paychecks may be delayed, which would be tough on our lower-level staff,” Kasper said, while emphasizing that the office’s hurricane and tropical weather forecasting has not been affected.
The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, which also is under the umbrella of NOAA, however, has been affected by the shutdown.
The Eco-Discovery Center at Key West’s Truman Waterfront is closed.
“The lapse in appropriations means we are unable to utilize government property, including buildings and vessels,” Scott Atwell, communications and outreach manager for the sanctuary, told the Keys Weekly in an email on Oct. 8. “This means the Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center, normally open Wednesday-Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., is closed.
“Approximately 25% of our staff are federal employees, and are on furlough. The balance are considered contractors or affiliates, like myself, paid by previous year appropriations and are therefore still working remotely.”
Atwell added that federally owned vessels cannot be operated during the shutdown.
Dry Tortugas and Everglades national parks remained open to visitors as of Oct. 6, and the ferry was running to the Tortugas.
“One problem with nailing down specific closure information (for national parks) is that staff has been furloughed at federal websites where closure notifications would normally be posted,” states an online post by the travel site floridarambler.com. “As a result of the staff issues, visitor centers and ranger stations are not being manned and phones are not being answered.”
Naval Air Station Key West’s usually active Facebook page has not been updated since Oct. 1, when a single post read stated, “There is a lapse of appropriations and there will be limited updates.”
Active-duty service members are considered essential and therefore still working, but most civilian employees have been furloughed. (A furlough is defined as “suspension or discharge of a worker or workers on account of economic conditions or shortage of work, especially when temporary.”)
A text message to NASKW civilian spokeswoman Danette Baso-Silvers came with an automated reply stating, “Due to a lapse in federal funding, employees have been furloughed. I will not be able to respond to your message until the furlough has ended.” She did provide a phone number for an active-duty naval service member for emergencies.
Federal Magistrate Judge Lurana Snow told the Keys Weekly on Oct. 7 that “the federal courts are all open and will not close during the shutdown.”Check keysweekly.com as we continue to update this story while the federal government shutdown continues.
