Cuban people, structural safety, city management, he Miami Marlins and Poinciana Gardens all topped the Key West city commission agenda on July 20.
City manager Patti McLauchlin told the commission the city is inspecting aging buildings taller than three stories in light of the Surfside condominium tragedy.
“I’ve asked our chief building official to look at structures over three floors tall,” McLauchlin said. “We’ve looked, over the past 10 days, at 10 buildings and have sent letters to two of them, saying they need to have a structural engineer look at them,” McLauchlin said.
The commission later approved a two-year employment contract for McLauchlin as city manager with an annual salary of $215,000. The commission also appointed Todd Stoughton assistant city manager.
Cuban support
The commission also on Tuesday passed a resolution in support of the people of Cuba, and opposing the government regime.
Commissioner Greg Davila introduced the resolution, saying, “I think the least this commission can do, given our Cuban heritage on the dais, is to express support for the people’s courageous struggle.”
Longtime Key West resident Gilda Niles, whose family fled Cuba in the 1960s, when she was a teenager, spoke in support of the resolution, but urged the commission, which agreed, to strengthen its wording beyond supporting the people, but also opposing the current leadership.
“When I hear of these people finally saying they want their freedom, it does my heart good,” Niles said. “I always wondered why we left, why didn’t we stay and fight for our country and our freedom.”
Poinciana Gardens
McLauchlin also updated the commission on Poinciana Gardens assisted-living facility, which needs financial assistance to remain open.
“A proposal at (Monday evening’s) Key West Housing Authority board meeting asks the city and Monroe County to each contribute $600,000 a year for three years to financially stabilize the facility. In addition, the county would close Bayshore Manor on Stock Island and move its 11 residents to Poinciana Gardens, saving the county about $1.2 million a year that could be used to help Poinciana Gardens, County Commissioner Craig Cates has repeatedly said.
“We currently have $400,000 budgeted for Poinciana Gardens,” McLauchlin said.
Mayor Teri Johnston said, “I think this commission has exhibited a strong desire to help keep this operating. But I also think it’s imperative that we reach out to the current and former operators of it to determine what went wrong, and why they’ve struggled to fill the units.”
JIATF stays
The commission also heard from Rear Adm. Doug Fears from the classified military operation known as Joint Interagency Task Force, or JIATF-South.
Despite rumors that JIATF, which is housed on military property off Whitehead near the Southernmost Point, would be leaving Key West for a new location, Fears assured the commission that the decision had been made last April to stay put.
In addition, JIATF is in the process of designing a new facility for its 550 employees.
Construction of the $200 million to $300 million facility would likely start in 2025, Fears said.
Scooters
Hotel owner Marc Meisel also presented an idea for a pilot program that would bring electric stand-up scooters to Key West. The scooters would be stored at participating hotels, and not on city streets or sidewalks. Despite a pending ordinance regulating electric bikes on city streets and sidewalks, the commission was willing to further discuss a pilot program, although no decisions were made Tuesday evening.
Miami Marlins
Commissioner Sam Kaufman announced that Saturday, Aug. 28 will be the first-ever Key West Day at Miami Marlins stadium. The Marlins will play the Cincinnati Reds and the mayor will throw out the first pitch.
“Don’t be expecting some flub dub pitch; our mayor is an excellent ball player,” Commissioner Mary Lou Hoover said laughing.
“Oh, I know, she ain’t gonna be like Fauci throwing out the first pitch; she’ll be good,” said Rick Lopez, general manager of Florida Keys Media radio stations, who’s organizing the event.
Game tickets will be available for $25, and Key West locals will sing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” during the seventh inning stretch, Kaufman said.
