The Marathon City Council is expected to take up several issues during its meeting Wednesday evening, including continued negotiations over the city manager position and a proposal that could bring additional affordable housing allocations to the city.
Marathon City Council Member Lynn Landry joined Good Morning Keys on Keys Talk 96.9/102.5FM yesterday morning to talk about what’s going on in the city.
The proposed contract for current City Attorney Steve Williams is expected to receive the most attention during the 5:30 p.m. meeting at Marathon City Hall.
Landry said the contract was initially placed on the council’s consent agenda but was pulled for discussion following a request from an organization.
“It’ll be some discussion,” Landry said. “We’ll have an open discussion in the public and see where Steve’s at and where we’re at and what’s negotiable, what may not be negotiable, and we’ll see where we go.”
Williams emerged as the remaining candidate after the city conducted a search for a new city manager. Landry said he believes Williams could be a good fit for the position, but he has concerns about the process that led the council to its current point.
“I do believe Steve could be a really good city manager,” Landry said. “I do have some reservations about how we got to where we’re at right now, because I think we had a process in place, and I think we had some really, really good candidates that could have made really good city managers for us.”
Landry said the proposed contract was reviewed by attorney Dirk Smits of Vernis & Bowling on behalf of the city. He said he has several questions about that review and was hoping to receive additional clarification before Wednesday night’s meeting.
According to Landry, the outside review examined the legality and substance of the agreement, but did not specifically evaluate the individual terms being requested in the contract.
The city manager position became available following the termination of former City Manager George Garrett. Landry said the council could reopen the search if negotiations with Williams are unsuccessful.
“If this doesn’t work out, we’ve learned a lot about this first round of interviews and the process itself,” Landry said. “There have been some complaints, so maybe if we open it back up and go back out, we can tweak on the process a little bit and go out and try this again.”
Another item on the agenda involves an interlocal agreement that could transfer 50 early evacuation workforce affordable residential allocations to Marathon.
Landry said Key Colony Beach and the city of Layton each received 50 allocations as part of an original allotment of 1,300 made during the administration of former Gov. Rick Scott. Because those communities are unlikely to use the allocations, Marathon has been working to have them transferred to the city.
“We can put them in our coffers for affordable housing, and they are still tagged early evacuation rental units for the city of Marathon,” Landry said. “But down the road, it could help us with takings. But I am truly in support of that. We definitely need affordable housing here in the Florida Keys and Marathon.”
The council also is expected to discuss the Harbor Boat Ramp and possible changes to parking and seasonal access.
Landry said the ramp previously was open during certain times of the year and closed during busier periods. Council members have different views on how the area should be managed.
“We’re all five of us in different places of what we’d like to see there,” Landry said. “Hopefully, we can come to some kind of consensus there of what we would like to see there.”
Other items on the agenda include several proclamations, including Patriot Day, Diaper Need Awareness Week and National Scenic Byway Day.
The council also is expected to discuss a possible short parade associated with the annual Witches in the Hammock event scheduled for Oct. 17. Landry said the proposed parade could travel along a portion of U.S. 1 from the high school toward the hammock.
Landry said Wednesday’s meeting will also include routine business, including ordinance and wording changes needed for submission to the Florida Department of Commerce.
Looking ahead, Landry said state lawmakers are expected in Marathon Thursday to present the city with funding received through the state’s stewardship program.
“They’re coming down with the big check, and we’re going to do a photo op for it,” Landry said. “Really appreciative to the state, Representative Mooney and Senator Rodriguez for all the work they’ve done to bring money back to the Florida Keys.”
The Marathon City Council meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at City Hall. For more information, click here: https://www.ci.marathon.fl.us/