Each week, in an effort to provide greater familiarity and communication between the seven Marathon City Council candidates and our readers, the Marathon Weekly has printed candidates’ answers to a series of questions in editions leading up to the Nov. 4 election. Three seats on the council will be filled by the candidates with the highest vote totals, joining council members Kenny Matlock and Lynny Del Gaizo on the dais.
The Keys Weekly will reprint one question from our Oct. 1 forum in the Oct. 16, 23 and 30 issues, along with one new question given to candidates each week. Answers from our forum are direct quotes, trimmed for length. Other answers are printed exactly as submitted by candidates, with responses limited to 100 words.
Forum question: Marathon has a strong manager/weak council form of government where the city manager serves as the de facto CEO of Marathon. The current manager’s contract was renewed last year for three years with very little discussion or a formal review process. Candidates have expressed strong opinions about the performance of the city manager. If elected, what process or procedures would you put in place to review the manager and city attorney’s job performance?
New question: In the forum, candidates across the board spoke about improving the quality of life for Marathon residents by using code enforcement to regulate vacation rentals. What is another initiative or service you believe Marathon could provide for its residents to increase quality of life, not related to vacation rentals or code enforcement?
GREG ROBINSON
- The first thing that I would do is create a framework for actual performance evaluation. I’ve been an executive consultant for over 20 years, and I’ve never seen a role over $200,000 with no performance outcomes whatsoever. I would look to enforce accountability by creating this framework, which specifically ties key performance indicators (KPIs) to both the city manager and the assistant. I would evaluate whether an assistant is actually needed. I would also look to ensure that those KPIs are also transformed department by department, such that the city manager is held accountable to producing on outcomes relative to all subordinates’ KPIs, and that the council reviews all those KPIs and performance in relation to what the city manager does.
- We deserve accountability in how the city is run, and this is how quality of life improves. Too often, City Council and the City Manager approve major spending without clear reporting or putting residents first. Ongoing drainage failures and excessive administrative compensation highlight a lack of oversight. My proposal is a Resident Accountability Dashboard to track city spending, projects, and services in plain language. Updated weekly by department heads, it ensures the City Manager is held to measurable benchmarks. Residents will see results – not vague promises, overspending, and no evaluations. Our quality of life depends on real accountability at City Hall.
JEFF SMITH
- I guess we did renew (the contract). However, there was a review process in place for George at the time for city manager, and he was reviewed. It hasn’t been done on an annual basis – I think we need to hold his feet in the fire on making that accountability. There’s some salary incentives for him to do that, which he decided he did not want to enforce and take advantage of the city. So he didn’t do it last year, but we do need to do it on an annual basis, as well as with Mr. Williams. Both their contracts specify their compensation based on those reviews, so I would encourage us to follow what’s in the contracts.
- Marathon should pursue traffic relief initiatives to improve residents’ quality of life. With the recent airport runway relocation allowing larger aircraft, the city should work with Monroe County to attract airline services and reduce automobile-driven tourism. This would offer residents more convenient travel options without long drives to other airports. Additionally, promoting alternative ground transportation for visitors can ease local traffic. Reducing congestion will enhance safety and mobility throughout the community.
ROBYN STILL
- We do have a performance evaluation that we do for George. It could probably use some improvement. It’s basic, but there is a review process. I think we could make some improvements in that, but there is a review process that is in place.
- Affordable housing should remain top priority, but depends on multiple variables beyond city control and requires long-term solutions. We can deliver immediate quality-of-life improvements with programs already in place. Our Parks and Recreation Department provides activities for all ages — after-school programs, summer camps, family movie nights, and youth sports leagues. These activities keep families and kids engaged, active, and connected to our community. They provide affordable opportunities for residents to gather, build relationships, and feel more connected to each other — at little or no cost. Strong communities are built by bringing families together, and that’s something we can do now.
DEBBIE STRUYF
- I was a little upset when I found out that they renewed the contract for three years without much review, and if there was a review, it wasn’t publicly known. My first move would be to ask for a resolution to move a strong city council back into place, remove some of the power that George has until we can decide how we’re going to handle the situation, and put more back in the council’s hands. That would include all the heads of all departments as well. The council needs to be more involved in all the decisions that are going on.
- Marathon is the heart of the Florida Keys, our waters are what define our beautiful island. The reason many of us choose to live and visit here. Over time, development, and human activity have taken a toll on our water. I would like to leverage our lobbyist to find a way to work with our government agencies to prioritize the cleanup in Boot Key Harbor, canals and local beaches. Identify funding opportunities and work to preserve what makes Marathon special. We can also add green spaces, and update ones with equipment to add shade for our children to play safely.
GERRIT HALE
- It’s really pretty simple. If it’s in the contract that he’s supposed to have an annual review, he should have an annual review. That’s a failure of the council, not the city manager. If the council is not doing their job, then that needs to be looked at. But the city manager should have a review. The city attorney should have a review. Any department head has an annual review on their performance, and that performance is how they’re either getting their merit pay or if they continue with their employment.
- The most impactful step Marathon can take is investing in clean water and resilient infrastructure. Healthy water supports our economy, property values, tourism, and daily life. In the short term, canal restoration, drainage, and stormwater upgrades reduce flooding, odors, and pollution. Long term, deep well systems, mangrove restoration, and modern stormwater management protect reefs, fisheries, and neighborhoods from rising seas and storms. Clean water is not just an environmental goal — it’s the foundation of Marathon’s health, economy, and identity. Protecting it ensures a sustainable, vibrant future for residents and generations to come.
LYNN LANDRY
- The city manager works at the will of the council at any time. Whether he has a three year contract or not, if there are three city council members that no longer want his employment, he can be terminated. However, there is a buyout clause in his contract as well. There is a review process in place, I meet with George on a regular basis, and we do review him. However, I haven’t done a formal review process since (my) first year. We did push for an assistant so that we could have George working at 20,000 feet, helping writing policy and legislation because that’s where his strong points are. And we brought in an assistant city manager to help him run the day-to-day operations. As far as going to a strong mayor form of government, absolutely not, because by the time you get elected as a strong mayor and you learn what’s going on, it’s time to be re-elected.
- Community, it’s the feeling we get when we can enjoy time with our local friends and neighbors. Bringing the community together is a priority. The Community Events Committee is an important part of this, promoting events and partnerships. The food tuck jamboree, movies in the park and the float in movie Jaws at the Lagoon is just the start. Marathon already has some of the best parks and beaches in the Keys. Coming soon we will have the skate park and the splashpad. I will continue to support events and partnerships that promotes community in the City of Marathon.
DAVE PERRY
- You said a weak council. While all these on council are my friends, at that moment that night, I thought they were weak. Another councilman asked to table it and talk about it, and they didn’t even listen to it, they didn’t give him a chance. I think the five councilmen up there, to be a strong council, they have to all work together. You never hear of a (city) manager getting three years. It’s always one year, evaluate his job, give him another year. How he got three is beyond me, without discussing it with everybody in the city. We should have had a choice on that, not just let the council go ahead and give it to him. His salary is up there, so you need to hold him accountable for everything he has done wrong, and he has done some things wrong.
- In my three months of campaigning for City council, the biggest complaint I’ve heard from the people of Marathon is the lack of timely communication from the City. How do we rectify this? I know we have a fantastic City staff. I’ve spoken with a majority of the employees and they are all responsive. We need to find a way to be more responsive and available to our residents.
