Monroe County Mayor Michelle Lincoln joined Good Morning Keys on Keys Talk 96.9/102.5FM yesterday morning to talk about what’s going on in the county.
The county commissioners will meet next Wednesday.
The county continues to allow residents to participate in meetings remotely through Zoom and provide public comment, a practice Lincoln said many other counties discontinued after the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We try every way we can to get the community involved in our meetings to attend our meetings so that they can learn and also give us input,” Lincoln said.
Among the topics expected to come before commissioners Wednesday is the regulation of e-bikes. Commissioner Cates has requested a discussion on the issue.
Discussion of a request from approximately 20 organizations for the county to conduct a more comprehensive capacity study will also be heard. The groups, including Last Stand and the Sugarloaf Homeowners Association, are seeking additional information beyond a capacity study conducted several years ago.
Commissioners will consider what such a study would involve, how it would be conducted and how much it would cost.
“We are in budget season, and that is the one thing that we’re really looking at is how to trim costs, not add,” Lincoln said. “But this is something that the public’s requested, so we’ll have a discussion on that.”
Another presentation scheduled for the commission meeting will come from Monroe County Property Appraiser Scott Russell regarding potential impacts of Florida Amendment 3.
Lincoln encouraged residents to attend the presentation, which she said is expected to take place at approximately 10 a.m.
The county is also continuing work on regulations designed to protect endangered species in Big Pine and No Name Key.
The county’s previous habitat conservation plan and incidental take permit have expired, with their safety provisions now incorporated into a federal biological opinion. County officials are working to add those protections, along with additional safeguards, into the county’s comprehensive plan and land development code.
A community meeting regarding the proposed amendments is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 20, at 5:05 p.m. The meeting will be held through Zoom.
Lincoln said county staff and officials have been working with Last Stand, Save Our Key Deer, the Key Deer Protection Alliance and Big Pine United as they develop the proposed protections.
“It takes some time, though. It’s always a process when you have to add things or amend our comprehensive plan,” Lincoln said. “So this will be the first of many meetings to make sure we can add those conditions.”
The budget continues to be worked on. The preliminary millage rate is currently 1.5% above last year’s rate, but county departments are continuing to look for additional reductions before the final budget is adopted in September.
The county’s budget is expected to increase by approximately $23 million, but that increase isn’t necessarily coming directly from property taxes.
Lincoln pointed to grant-funded projects and funding from the Tourist Development Tax Council as examples of money included in the overall county budget that does not come from ad valorem property taxes.
“The budget is extremely complex,” Lincoln said. “But that doesn’t mean it’s from ad valorem property tax. So I always want to make that distinction and explain that.”
Lincoln said approximately $181.1 million of the county’s budget comes from ad valorem taxes, with roughly 70% going toward public safety, including law enforcement, fire rescue, detention centers and the medical examiner.
When constitutional officers are included, approximately 90% of ad valorem funding goes toward public safety and the budgets of constitutional offices such as the sheriff, supervisor of elections, property appraiser, tax collector and clerk of court.
The remaining portion supports a variety of county responsibilities, including mandated state cost-sharing programs, parks and beaches, libraries, veterans affairs, code compliance, building and permitting services and planning.
Lincoln also encouraged eligible Monroe County voters to participate in the primary election.
“It’s amazing. I still talk with people every day who are non-party affiliates, and they don’t realize that they’re able to vote in this election,” Lincoln said. “I’m just trying to get the word out to everyone to get out there and vote.”
With schools back in session, Lincoln reminded motorists to use caution around school zones.
“Schools are in. Be careful, please, everyone out there,” Lincoln said. “And if you have children in school, I hope you all have a marvelous, happy, successful school year.”
Lincoln, who also serves as a Take Stock in Children mentor, encouraged other community members to consider volunteering with the program.
“If you’re not a Take Stock in Children mentor, I would encourage you to learn more about it because it is an absolutely wonderful program,” Lincoln said. “It allows you to keep the pulse of the youth, hear what’s going on in school, see it firsthand, and make a difference in a child’s life.”
Lincoln said the experience benefits mentors as well as students, describing it as an opportunity to make a lasting difference in a child’s life while gaining a better understanding of what young people are experiencing.