An Islamorada village council with two newcomers and three returning members convened for the first time on Nov. 19. At the Founders Park Community Center, a packed audience watched as Monroe County Judge Sharon Hamilton swore in each member.
It’s the first time Capt. Steve Friedman and Don Horton have served on the council following their victories on Election Night. Sharon Mahoney, who ran unopposed, and Buddy Pinder, who won his race, both returned from the previous council. Former mayor Deb Gillis, who also won on Election Night, is also back on the council after she termed out in 2020.
With each member sworn in, previous mayor Pinder nominated Mahoney as next village mayor. It was met with unanimous support among the council, which proceeded to vote 5-0. Pinder followed up by nominating Horton as vice mayor; that, too, was met with full support from the council.
Before the nominations were made, Pinder took a moment to reflect on his previous three years as mayor while thanking the Islamorada residents, fellow council members he served alongside and staff.
Upon taking her seat as mayor, Mahoney said she’s looking forward to the future with the new council.
Per village charter, council members serve two-year terms. On Nov. 5, a majority of village voters said “yes” to term limits for council members. Now, council members can serve up to eight cumulative years. Previously, council members could serve four consecutive two-year terms, step away for a year or more and come back to run for office for potentially more terms in office.
Council, sheriff oppose proposed crosswalks
A request by one citizen for crosswalks led the Florida Department of Transportation to investigate the feasibility of two near resorts and businesses and one near Founders Park. The idea, however, was met with opposition from council members and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
Council members listened to FDOT’s Roman Sierra discuss potential for crosswalks to move pedestrians across a busy U.S. 1. He said a resident submitted a general request a few months ago for more crosswalks in the village. Sierra said FDOT typically follows up with the request by conducting a study and determining the feasibility. Out of it came proposals for three crosswalks near Blackwood Drive and Madeira Road at MM 82, near the U.S. Post Office at MM 82.7 and at the south entrance to Founders Park.
Sierra said they targeted these locations due to pedestrian activity, crashes involving pedestrians and the availability of crosswalks in the area.
“There’s no crosswalks in the area and pedestrian refuge in the median, another reason why it would make sense,” Sierra said.
FDOT uses two traffic control devices, one being a pedestrian highway beacon similar to the one at MM 100 that stays dark until someone pushes the button. Red lights flash to stop vehicles to allow the pedestrian to safely cross. Sierra said the beacon has brought “mixed results” in terms of its effectiveness.
There’s also the typical pedestrian signal like the one in front of Key Largo School, which flashes red, yellow and green.
A number of council members questioned the need for crosswalks FDOT proposed for the three locations.
“Part of the reason I’m not sure that I want any of them is that all of these will slow our traffic,” Gillis said. “That doesn’t mean I’m not concerned about people crossing the road and the safety of that.”
Speaking to the council, Sheriff Rick Ramsay said the data over the last three years showed no crashes at the proposed locations for crosswalks. Ramsay said if there was a true public safety need for crosswalks, he would be all for it. He said they will only make issues worse.
“Crosswalks cause crashes. They don’t reduce them,” Ramsay said. “The chief of police in Key West, I spoke to him today. … They hate these crosswalks. What they found in the crosswalks that are north of Roosevelt Boulevard is a mass increase in crashes at these locations.
“If there was a true public safety need, I’d be the first person to say let’s do it. I think the contrary,” Ramsay continued. “Crosswalks are going to be more problemsome for police, fire and rescue, congest traffic and make issues worse. I don’t think there’s a safety issue here that we’re trying to fix.”
Mahoney’s Enchanted Forest business is located near the proposed post office crosswalk. She said she’s been in business there for 27 years, and she’s seen no one crossing the street from that location.
“There is a problem going into the post office, but it’s a vehicle problem, not a pedestrian problem,” she said. “I think we’re all pretty much on the same page that we don’t see this as something that is urgent or needed.”
Photos by DOUG FINGER/Keys Weekly
