It’s no secret that Key West’s government has been in a state of upheaval since April, when three city officials were indicted and arrested on corruption charges, and a grand jury report detailed a network of “negligence, nepotism and manipulation at city hall.”
That investigation is ongoing and it all predates the arrival of current city manager Brian L. Barroso, who has initiated corrective actions to address the concerns outlined by the grand jury and has reorganized the structure of several city departments. And while several city employees have expressed support for Barroso to the Keys Weekly, others are not generous in their praise.
Planning director Katie Halloran resigned effective Sept. 1, and on Sept. 2 sent a letter to local media, explaining her resignation and addressing the letter to “Key West residents and voters.”
In the two-page letter, Halloran writes that the “hostility directed at the planning department has worsened under current city manager Brian Barroso’s administration.” She describes chronic understaffing and writes that because of funding and staffing cuts, as well as consolidation of positions and duties, “the planning department has now effectively been dismantled.” Halloran also details a disciplinary action that was taken against her and the city’s failure to actively investigate a complaint she filed against Barroso in April.
“I was informed by the Interim City Attorney that the complaint must remain confidential to protect the investigation. After four months of no substantive progress to resolve the complaint, a new investigator was hired last week. I am tentatively hopeful the City’s investigator will publish her report, that the City Commission will respond, and share the findings with the public,” Halloran’s letter states.
“I am deeply concerned that implementation of the grand jury’s recommendations will remain a mirage,” Halloran writes. “Perhaps this will be beneficial to some. But special treatment for some is an unfair disadvantage for many others. If you aren’t a well-connected property owner or business person, and you have to play by rules that others can bypass, you cannot compete. … The hostile work environment at city hall today is not conducive to positive progress. … Key West is my hometown. I want to serve the public, but at this time I am sure my time is better invested outside city government.”
On Sept. 4, two days after Halloran sent her letter to local media representatives, city spokeswoman Alyson Crean released a 400-word response entitled, “Correcting Misstatements,” denying the claim that the planning department had been dismantled.
“Out of concern for the 500-plus professionals who work for the taxpayers of the City of Key West, some of the statements by Halloran need to be corrected.
“The Planning Department has not been ‘dismantled.’ It is now fully staffed for the first time in several years, with the exception of the Director position, which was vacated by Halloran’s resignation on Sept 1.” (See below for Halloran’s full letter and the city’s response.)
The city’s response details the ongoing reorganization of several city functions and a consolidation of leadership in the interest of efficiency and collaboration. As part of the restructuring, city manager Brian L. Barroso has created the new Growth Management Division, a coalition of related departments — planning, building, code enforcement, licensing, historic preservation and others — now under the “umbrella” of one growth management director, Patrick Wright. A professional planner and former city employee, Wright returned to Key West in April to lead the new division, a job that made him Halloran’s boss and third in command among city administrators, under the city manager and assistant city manager, according to the organizational chart on the city’s website.
The new umbrella organization “provides an interdepartmental collaborative opportunity, replacing the previous ‘silo’ style arrangement,” according to an overview of the reorganization efforts that the Keys Weekly received from city spokeswoman Alyson Crean on Aug. 28.
That overview states:
“Since January, City Manager Brian L. Barroso developed a series of organizational improvements designed to deliver more efficient, responsive and effective municipal services. The initiatives focused on restructuring several key departments including Planning, Building, and Code Enforcement while fostering an environment where teammates feel valued, appreciated, and supported.
The first initiative centers on consolidating leadership of the larger planning, building and code enforcement departments as well as other divisions under one growth management department director. … The growth management division now unites several critical functions under one umbrella: Code Enforcement, Licensing, Building, Planning, Historical Architecture Review Commission (HARC), Urban Forestry, Housing and Community Development Office, Resiliency Department, Art in Public Places and Community Redevelopment Area (CRA).
Hiring and Workforce Improvements
The city has undertaken targeted hiring efforts to fill critical positions and attract professionals with expertise in planning, construction review, preservation and enforcement. At the same time, certain positions have been consolidated to eliminate duplication of effort, ensuring tax dollars are used efficiently. City officials have:
- Appointed a new Code Enforcement Director with 22+ years of Florida experience.
- Hired a Chief Building Official with more than 40 years in the trades and extensive Monroe County knowledge.
- Expanded Planning Department staff, including a Senior Planner (Acting City Planner), Planning Project Coordinator, Assistant Historic Preservation Planner, and a new Planner I.
- Promoted internal staff, including advancement from Planner I to Planner II
- Strengthened inspection and oversight capacity with a part-time HARC Inspector and a certified Urban Forestry Manager.
- Added administrative support positions dedicated to both Growth Management and the Planning Department.
- Cross-trained Building Permit Technicians to intake all permit types, eliminating the need for a specialized HARC/Tree Permit Technician.
The reorganization provides multiple benefits for residents, businesses and developers. Faster permitting, clearer processes and consistent enforcement create a more predictable regulatory environment. Historic preservation decisions are better integrated with planning goals, while property owners experience improved service at every stage of the process. The city will continue monitoring results of the reorganization and make adjustments as needed to ensure the highest level of service delivery.“
Halloran’s letter and the city’s response to it are below:
City of Key West’s response to former planning director Katie Halloran’s letter:
