Key Colony Beach will conduct a search for a new city administrator following a swift vote not to renew the contract of current administrator Dave Turner. The move comes with a significant shift in power within the city following the addition of newly-appointed commissioner Thomas DiFransico. During its short organizational meeting on the morning of Dec. 14, the commission also voted in commissioners Joey Raspe and Freddie Foster as KCB’s new Mayor and Vice Mayor, respectively, with 3-2 votes, with commissioners Beth Ramsay-Vickrey and Tom Harding dissenting. The commission unanimously re-elected Harding as its Secretary/Treasurer.
“I thank the city staff for all their hard work in moving the city forward,” Turner, who was on vacation at the time of the meeting, told the Weekly in a text message.
Several crucial votes, including reconsideration of the city’s oft-criticized contract award to Hands On Builders, LLC for construction of a new city hall, as well as a vote to terminate the city’s independent investigation of FEMA fraud following Hurricane Irma, were expected throughout the rest of the meeting.
The Keys Weekly will update this developing story as more information becomes available.
