The Key West Utility Board oversees operations of Keys Energy Services, the power company that provides electricity to about 30,000 customers from Key West to the Seven Mile Bridge.
The five-member utility board meets monthly with little fanfare and no controversy. A review of its past year of meeting agendas and minutes shows the board, which meets for about 30 minutes on the second Wednesday of each month for regular meetings, has been unanimous in its approval of every item proposed by the power company it oversees. Workshop meetings every few months tend to last one to three hours, according to board minutes.
Utility board members earn about $24,520 with the board chair getting $28,000.
Each board member also receives full health insurance coverage while serving on the board, Keys Energy spokesman Julio Torrado told the Keys Weekly last year.
Four candidates are vying for two of the five seats on the board — Seat A and Seat D.
All four candidates spoke at a June 12 Meet the Candidates event held by the nonprofit and nonpartisan voter education group, Hometown. Here are some of the comments from each candidate.
Key West Utility Board Seat A
Jim Marquardt
Jim Marquardt, general manager of the Gardens Hotel on Angela Street, has touted the reliability and service of Keys Energy Services, and has called for its meetings to be broadcast online to encourage more public participation in the board’s operations and decisions.
“We deserve reliable and affordable utilities, which affect every family and every business in our communities,” Marquardt said at the June 12 Hometown event. “People deserve leadership that listens, plans ahead and spends taxpayers’ and ratepayers’ money responsibly.
“I believe we need practical solutions such as maintaining infrastructure before problems become emergencies, keeping rates as fair as possible, and making decisions openly so the public understands where their money is going.
“I’m committed to accountability, common sense and treating every resident with respect. This campaign is about service, not promises that can’t be delivered. We do need fresh eyes and leadership in seat A. If elected I’ll work hard, ask tough questions and always put the community first.”
For more information visit jimmarquardtforutilityboard.com/.
Mona Clark
Mona Clark is a retired educator who has served on the utility board since 2004.
“For over two decades, I have had the privilege and honor of serving you on the utility board,” Clark said at the June 12 event. “When it comes to decision making for our customers and the community, the community and the customers come first. Through our planning, we work on safety diligently, protecting our unique environment, the integrity, quality relationships and optimization of using technology, and other ideas to improve our service at the lowest reasonable rates.
“We make it better for our customers by offering them rebates to help them save energy and save money. We also have started a pilot program to enroll in called a time-of-use program where representatives in our customer service department will help those customers with ideas that can help them to save money.
“I stay engaged in state and national municipal electric associations to keep up with the trends and changes that take place in the industry. l’m running for reelection to the utility board Seat A to ensure Keys Energy’s future is built on experienced leadership committed to this community.”
Key West Utility Board Seat D
Javier Garrido
Javier Garrido is a real estate agent and vacation rental manager. At the Hometown event, he told the audience he’s a charter member and past president of the Sunset Rotary Club.
“I’ve also raised about $100,000 for local scholarships through the Key West Gator Club, sending kids to University of Florida.
“There’s a lot we can do up here but at the end of the day, we just want to keep the lights on. I manage a $5 million budget for my company. The utility board is really about keeping things affordable and reliable. I think what they have been doing for years is great. If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it, but we can always make it better.
“I’d like to see some green energy discussed, maybe a little more solar, some renewable energies with tides and whatnot.”
For more information, find “Javier Garrido for Utility Board Member Group D” on Facebook.
Tim Urbanski
Tim Urbanski is a 12-year resident of Big Pine Key, a Vietnam veteran and electrical contractor.
“Keys Energy is a great company. It’s run fantastically, but it needs a utility board to assure the public that it is performing its function in an efficient and skilled manner. … We’ve got a unique area we live in and you have to consider the crazy things that happen here with electricity. Power comes all the way down from the mainland through the tie line — 38,000 volts on those triple lines — over saltwater.
“Keys Energy has maintenance issues. They have operational issues and they’re a good company. They stay on top of them. But these are things that the utility board does. Remember when it got cold a couple months ago? Everybody saw the notice to cut back your power. Why? … The mainland didn’t have enough power to supply us. We had to light the generators at the Key West plant to stay active. Keys Energy can do that. But they’re looking at margins. They’re looking at ways to improve things … to reduce the load on the grid. We have a lot of old infrastructure.”
Running out of time, Urbanski asked the audience to learn more about him at timforutilityboard.com.
