Monroe County officials received several positive updates during Wednesday’s Board of County Commissioners meeting, including progress involving tourism marketing, local airports, fire rescue, libraries and FEMA flood maps.
Mayor and Monroe County Commissioner Michelle Lincoln joined Good Morning Keys on Keys Talk 96.9/102.5FM this morning to talk about what’s going on in the county.
The commission received an update from Visit Florida Keys CEO Kara Franker, who recently marked her second anniversary with the organization.
Franker provided an update on recommendations from an audit conducted two years ago, as well as the organization’s current marketing strategy.
“She has put together just a great team,” Lincoln said, noting the addition of a chief administrative officer and chief marketing officer.
The new marketing campaign will emphasize the individual character of the Florida Keys while promoting responsible tourism.
“The theme is a play on ‘your own key,’ which I love because each of the Keys, as you and I have discussed many times, are so different and so unique,” Lincoln said. “What works in Key Largo doesn’t work in Key West.”
Lincoln said the commission also approved a five-year extension of the contract with Visit Florida Keys.
The tourism presentation was followed by an update from Key West International Airport Director Richard Strickland and his financial team. Lincoln said the airport continues to perform above national benchmarks and received five-year commitments from the airlines currently serving Key West.
Those airlines include Delta, Allegiant, American, Breeze, JetBlue and United.
“It just puts us stronger, , financially to know that we have that,” Lincoln said.
The commission also discussed efforts to restore commercial air service at the Florida Keys Marathon International Airport.
Lincoln said the county has applied for a federal grant designed to assist rural counties with attracting airline service. The grant could help offset costs associated with bringing an airline to Marathon.
She credited Daniel Samess, the Marathon Chamber of Commerce and local Marathon businesses for providing $1.5 million in matching funds.
“That’s not just skin in the game. That’s some serious skin in the game,” Lincoln said.
County officials are continuing discussions with two or three airlines as they work toward bringing commercial service back to Marathon.
The commission also approved moving forward with construction of the long-awaited Sugarloaf Fire Station after the project faced delays and increased construction costs.
Lincoln said the estimated cost increased from approximately $9.6 million to $10.9 million. Commissioners considered whether to reject the bid and start the process again or move ahead with the project.
Ultimately, they chose to proceed, with the contractor estimating the project can be completed in about 13 months.
“We need to get that fire station up and running,” Lincoln said.
She said the Sugarloaf station is particularly important given the number of recent fires in the area.
“We’ve had how many fires in just in my district?” Lincoln said. “It just reminds us of how important it is to have our fire station strategically placed throughout the Keys.”
The project will be funded through the county’s infrastructure sales tax rather than ad valorem property taxes.
The commission also agreed to hire an outside agency to conduct a study of Trauma Star’s fees and operating costs. Lincoln said the county has not increased certain Trauma Star fees since 2016 and wants to determine whether adjustments are appropriate.
“That’s how important Trauma Star is to a chain of islands like we are,” Lincoln said.
Lincoln also highlighted a recent Monroe County Fire Rescue awards and promotional ceremony, where more than 300 firefighters, employees, retirees, family members and county leaders gathered to recognize service.
At Wednesday’s commission meeting, Monroe County Fire Rescue Lieutenant Manuel “Manny” Leon was recognized for 25 years of service.
“It’s like you just imagine how many lives he’s impacted, how many people he has saved and rescued, and then how many younger firefighters he’s influenced over the years,” Lincoln said.
The commission also recognized Allison Williams for 15 years of service with Monroe County in the Key Largo office.
Another proclamation recognized September as Library Card Sign-Up Month. Lincoln said the commission encouraged residents who do not have library cards to sign up.
The meeting also included an update on the Key West Library’s long-awaited roof replacement. Lincoln said the work is expected to begin at the end of September and will require the library to close for approximately four weeks.
Temporary “pop-up” library locations will be available, including at the Harvey Government Center and Bernstein Park. Residents can also continue using the library system’s digital services through Libby while the Key West branch is closed.
The commission received another update concerning FEMA’s preliminary revised flood insurance rate maps. Lincoln said FEMA is preparing to reengage with Monroe County after a process that has been underway, with delays, since 2021.
FEMA is expected to redraw the maps while taking county concerns into consideration. Lincoln said additional community meetings will be held once the revised maps are available so property owners can understand how their properties may be affected.
“We’ll do like we did the last time. We’ll do community meetings and let everyone figure out where they are on the map and what differences might have been made,” Lincoln said.
Lincoln also reminded residents that Monroe County’s final budget meeting is scheduled for Monday evening at 5:05 p.m. in Key West, with participation available through Zoom.
She said commissioners were able to reduce approximately $5 million from the proposed budget during summer budget workshops while keeping the millage rate at the same level as last year.
For an average homeowner, Lincoln said that would amount to an estimated increase of about $4.40 per month.
Lincoln said the county continues to monitor the potential financial effects of a November referendum that could change how sales tax revenue is distributed among Florida counties.
“We believe we’ll probably turn into a donor county when this gets approved,” Lincoln said, explaining that Monroe County could potentially contribute more in sales tax revenue than it receives back under the new system.
Despite the ongoing budget and financial issues, Lincoln said the latest county updates provided plenty of reasons for optimism.
“We’re looking really good,” she said.