In the two races for Key West Utility Board, incumbent Mona Clark held onto the Group A seat that she has held for more than 20 years. Clark defeated Jim Marquardt, who had campaigned on televising utility board meetings and the advancements of solar capabilities. Clark said at a candidate forum that she would oppose televised board meetings.
There was no incumbent in the race for Seat D, in which Tim Urbanski, a candidate endorsed by the Monroe County Republican Executive Committee, defeated Javier Garrido.
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 meets for about 30 minutes the second Wednesday of each month for regular meetings and the board has unanimously approved every item proposed to it 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.
Key West Utility Board races (Winners’ names in bold.)
Seat A
Mona Clark — 52% | 4,969 votes
Jim Marquardt — 48% | 4,532 votes
Seat D
Javier Garrido — 47% | 4,485 votes
Tim Urbanski — 53% | 5,064 votes
