Five candidates will vie for three seats on the Key Largo Wastewater Treatment District this November. The election of the board of commissioners is nonpartisan and is held every two years to create staggered four-year terms.
The Keys Weekly asked the candidates the following questions (Andy Tobin didn’t provide responses in time for publication):
- Why did you decide to throw your name into the hat for the Key Largo Wastewater Treatment District?
- What can you bring to the board, if elected?
TIM MALONEY
Retired Publix Super Markets district manager
1. I am currently a Commissioner on the Board of Key Largo Wastewater District and enjoy representing our community and working with the team at the District. I look forward to continuing my service to the community we support.
2. I am proud to be a current Board Member for Key Largo Wastewater Treatment District. My background in customer service, human resources, finance and budgeting, and the business industry, along with my history of community involvement, will support the growth of the organization and represent the associates of KLWTD. I was born and raised in Key Largo and attended Island Christian School for many years; I graduated from Coral Shores High School. After graduation, I left the Keys and started my career with Publix Supermarkets. I returned to Key Largo 11 years ago as a district manager with Publix Super Markets and then after 33 years of a great career, I retired four years ago. I have served on various boards in the past such as United Way of St. Lucie County, Okeechobee County, Palm Beach County, and Monroe County. I was on the Board of Directors for Mustard Seed Ministries in St. Lucie County which supported many soup kitchens and a plethora of needs in the community. I serve on the board of KLWTD to give back to the community I grew up in, support the needs of our county, and represent our residents.
MARIAN “MARINA” ERNSBERGER
Business administration
1.Our local environment deserves better. Currently 2.5 million gallons of treated water is injected into the ground in Key Largo each day. Harmful chemicals and pharmaceuticals are found in treated water. In a recent angling magazine article, a lead research scientist interviewed found
pharmaceutical contaminant levels in fish that were studied to be alarming. It’s clear that our waterways are suffering and it’s time that the KLWTD board invests in a process to remove all chemicals and pharmaceuticals from treated water. The idea seems insurmountable and expensive but our current wastewater board has plans to spend $7.5 million on equipment to monitor and notify KLWTD of issues that come up from time to time with individual customers’ equipment. Our community doesn’t need expensive monitoring equipment to notify KLWTD when Joe citizen’s location has an issue. Presently issues are addressed when a customer calls into dispatch — a tech is sent out the same day.
2. My seat and vote on the board will count for the environment rather than the status
quo. There is too much apathy on a board where every vote is 5-0. The board needs diversity and I will challenge them to seek out the science needed to provide our community with a higher quality treated water. It appears that this board has become a complacent bureaucracy spending money on a whim, and that needs to change. KLWTD board members should know that they are stewards of our environment, they should be investing in science and investigating innovative ways to make pumping treated wastewater into the ground a thing of the past.
ROBERT MAJESKA
Key Largo business owner
1. In 2008 I was appalled by the high cost that the Key Largo residents and businesses were having to pay to build and hook up to a central sewer system. The business owners and homeowners had to borrow 78 million dollars to comply with this unfunded state mandate. I decided that we needed some local business owners on the board, to examine expenses and oversee the spending of taxpayer dollars. For the next 10 years I served as a commissioner on the wastewater board. Then when I ran for the Key Largo County Commissioner seat I was required to resign as wastewater commissioner. Since then, there have been several openings on the wastewater board. But instead of allowing me back on the board the current commissioners have chosen unelected political allies to the wastewater board. I am now hoping that the Key Largo voters will remember how I served them honestly and will reelect me, Robby Majeska, to the Key Largo Wastewater Board on Nov. 8.
2. First of all, there currently is not a single Key Largo business owner on this board. The current board is made up of a lot of political appointees, not commissioners voted in to represent you, the voters. My goal has always been to make this a cost efficient, state-of-the-art wastewater system. My history with the construction and financing of our system from the beginnings is of great importance. The Key Largo Wastewater System was built by the citizens of Key Largo, and it needs to stay in our possession. This system is valued at over 135 million dollars, has 24 million dollars sitting in the bank, and makes almost 5 million dollars a year in profit. We cannot let this system be taken away from Key Largo ownership. There are several problems that need to be addressed. Simply lowering your wastewater bills, as a political gimmick, is not what we need. I believe that we should remodel the Key Largo Wastewater District after the great example of the Electric Co-Op. Owned by its ratepayers and rebating excess funds back to them on a biannual basis. Please support me in bringing the Key Largo Wastewater District back under the control of its ratepayers and voters.
SUE HEIM
Retired, Key Largo Wastewater Treatment District (KLWTD) board member, Tavernier Volunteer Fire Department volunteer, USCG Auxiliary Flotilla 13-8 volunteer
1. I started following KLWTD in 2006 while it was in the process of constructing the Island of Key Largo’s central sewer system. I became an advocate for customers who were concerned that their properties were wrongly assessed and/or classified. In 2015, I decided to run for the Wastewater District Board at the urging of a number of friends and colleagues, including former District Board member, Charles Brooks. I ran because I wanted to use my skills (30 years office management experience) to help the District transition from construction mode to fully functioning professional wastewater utility. Now we are there I have turned my attention to ensuring that our customers receive the highest level of service at the lowest cost. I am proud of the role I played in accomplishing what no other Monroe County utility has done; reduced customer utility rates by 15%. Another customer service policy change I proposed and the Board passed, is the elimination of the monthly base charge for qualified seniors and veterans.
During my term, the Wastewater District completed a state-of-the art solar energy project that has slashed the District’s utility bills at no cost to our customers. I threw my hat into the ring because I don’t intend to stop there.
2. I bring:
- My fiscal conservative instincts. Because I do not believe in empire building or re-inventing the wheel, financial decisions receive critical analysis.
- My research skills, which allow me to make informed and reasoned decisions. I am proud of my reputation for attention to detail and consideration of all the facts before taking action.
- My familiarity with the issues, history, and staff of the District, and my ability to provide continuity to keep projects and initiatives moving. I want to continue to make a difference.
- My deep commitment to protecting and improving the Keys fragile, unique environment is also evidenced by my position on the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Water Quality Protection Program steering committee, where I participate in their decisions regarding funding and program initiatives to improve and protect our Keys fragile natural environment.
