Islamorada Administrative Center closed down to the public on Monday following four confirmed cases of COVID-19 among village staff. 

Village officials say staff confirmed with COVID-19 were exposed outside of the building during the holiday season. Village hall is expected to be closed to the public through Jan. 19 as a coronavirus-related precaution. 

“The closure of the Administrative Center is deemed necessary as Islamorada acts to protect the health of residents, customers and staff following confirmed exposure of staff who work in village hall,” a village statement reads. Mary Swaney, public information officer, said they’re still conducting business as usual. 

Hard-copy building permits aren’t being accepted at this time, but electronic plan review and building permit applications will be processed, reviewed and issued through the CityView portal. 

“Nothing will slide,” Swaney said. “We won’t miss a beat.”

Village staff will complete work remotely as possible while a limited number of staff will still be working in the village hall. Village council is still slated to have their first meeting of the year on Jan. 14 at 5:30 p.m. Due to the size and configuration of the Founders Park Community Center, which serves as council chambers, only council members and essential staff members will be in physical attendance. Remaining staff and the public will be able to view and participate in the meeting via Zoom. 

To offer the ability for existing permitted work to continue, contractors and property owners may hire professional engineers, architects and private providers to perform building inspections at their expense. 

Planning and Biological Department inspections may not be conducted by an Engineer, Architect, or Private Provider. If a job requiring a pre-development biological inspection has not yet started, it is on hold until the inspection by Village staff can be completed. Please call Ty Harris, Development Services Director, at 305-570-9524 with questions for the Planning Department or email him at planningdirector@islamorada.fl.us.

Each department remains available to the public utilizing the following phone numbers: 

Village Clerk: Clerk@islamorada.fl.us or 305.664.6413
Building Department: Evelyn.Fraley@islamorada.fl.us or 305.664.6436
Sheriff non-emergency: Karla.Vasquez@islamorada.fl.us or 305.664.6480
Fire Department non-emergency: Debbie.Naiser@islamorada.fl.us or 305.664.6490
Finance Department: Deb.Naiser@islamorada.fl.us or 305.664.6429
Public Works and Wastewater Utility: Kasandra.Benavides@islamorada.fl.us or 305.664.6450
Code Compliance: Code.Compliance@islamorada.fl.us or 305.664.6435
Human Resources: HR@Islamorada.fl.us or 305.664.6448
Public Information Questions: Mary.Swaney@islamorada.fl.us or 305.998.9461

Jim McCarthy is one of the many Western New Yorkers who escaped the snow and frigid temperatures for warm living by the water. A former crime & court reporter and city editor for two Western New York newspapers, Jim has been honing his craft since he graduated from St. Bonaventure University in 2014. In his 4-plus years in the Keys, Jim has enjoyed connecting with the community. “One of my college professors would always preach to be curious,” he said. “Behind every person is a story that’s unique to them, and one worth telling. As writers, we are the ones who paint the pictures in the readers minds of the emotions, the struggles and the triumphs.” Jim is past president of the Key Largo Sunset Rotary Club, which is composed of energetic members who serve the community’s youth and older populations. Jim is a sports fanatic who loves to watch football, hockey, mixed martial arts and golf. He also enjoys time with family and his new baby boy, Lucas, who arrived Oct. 4, 2022.