Key West Mayor Dee Dee Henriquez joined Good Morning Keys on KeysTalk 96.9/102.5FM this morning to talk about what’s going on in the city.
A roundabout will be coming to Staples Avenue.
Henriquez said, “That is something new, and I am going to get more information about that, but to touch on that, the work is underway for a new roundabout at the intersection of Staples Avenue and Fourth Street, which I did take a ride by there last night. The traffic calming device is aimed to make the busy bicycle paths safer. The project includes, it’s a center island as well as they’re going to redo the sidewalks, repave the intersection. So this is a part of the city of Key West efforts to make roadways safer for the pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. So from my understanding, all they have left to do is the paving of that area. So like I said, I did go there last night, but I do have a meeting with our city manager this morning, and I will get some more updated information on that.”
Business tax receipts are due and expire at the end of this month.
Henriquez said, “Just a friendly reminder out there that the business tax receipts do expire on Tuesday, September 30, before they become delinquent. I was the previous tax collector, and we used to be able to process your business tax receipts online, and this year, the department recently implemented the new system that allows for online payments, so that’s very exciting for me. There is an instruction video that could be found on our city website, and if not, the city licensing staff is available to assist the public to navigate through the new renewal process. So you don’t even have to come into our office, you don’t have to put a stamp on an envelope. You could just go right online and renew. The deadline is September 30 before they become delinquent October 1. So I just wanted to give everybody a friendly reminder about that.”
There are a number of meetings coming up this week.
Henriquez said, “Today, we have the citizen review board starting at 5pm. Tuesday, we have the Historic Architectural Review Commission, which is the HARC board, that’s starting at 5pm on Tuesday in the chambers. And then Wednesday, we have a public meeting on Bayview Park improvements. The city of Key West is holding a public meeting at 2:30 at city hall in preparation because we are applying for a grant application for Bayview Park improvements, and the meeting will be held in the commission chambers, and the community is invited to join us and provide input on the installation of a new fitness amenity, providing a free world class outdoor gym for residents of all ages, and it will also be integrated into the broader Bayview Park redevelopment plan to promote healthier lifestyles. So please, if you’re able to come, it’s at 2:30, give us your input. Right after that, at 5pm is the regular Parks and Rec Recreational Advisory Board meeting starting at 5. So we can always continue that conversation at that meeting. On Thursday, we have the Development Review Committee at 10am. We have the code enforcement hearing starting at 1:30 and then the City Commission final budget meeting starting at 5:05 in the chambers. So Thursday, is very, very busy, and then Friday, this week’s plogging will be hosted by the Southernmost Beach Resort, which is at 506 South Street, and everyone’s going to meet in the parking lot between Simonton and Duval Street, starting at 8am. We do have a busy week. I do believe the city manager is going to be speaking with the folks from fantasy Fest and Goombay. So we’re continuing planning and working on those projects and preparing for Fantasy Fest next month.”
Will the budget be finalized this week?
Henriquez said, “It will be finalized. This is our final meeting, our third meeting. It will be finalized Thursday night, and as of right now, as everyone knows, I was not able to attend the last meeting, but they went down from 5% over rollback, to 4% which is the 1.9551 millage rate. So we’ll see what the Commission decides, whether they try and go lower or they leave it at the 4% over rollback.”
The city may take over property at Higgs Beach.
Henriquez said, “Both the city and the county commission discussed this opportunity on September 3 at our commission meeting. The city requested a cost benefit analysis and discussed Master Plan improvements, which were developed for the park years ago. So we are working very closely with the county to potentially transfer the ownership of the Clarence S. Higgs Memorial Beach Park from the county to the city. The property also includes the beach, the pier area, tennis, pickleball courts, playgrounds, dog park, pavilions, the restaurant, parking area and the historic West Martello Towers, home of the Key West Garden Club. So we are exploring opportunities to collaborate with the county on the potential acquisition of Higgs Beach, and it’s to ensure its long term preservation and public benefit. So those conversations are still going on. Just wanted to update everyone with that that there’s still a lot of conversation, a lot of things that need to be worked out, but we will continue to keep the listeners informed.”
The city website also has updates regarding the grand jury recommendations and steps being taken by the city in response to those recommendations.
Henriquez said, “We are updating that report constantly. We have made substantial progress on the recommendations issued by the grand jury this spring, in just over four months, the city has fulfilled nearly 50% of the recommendations, and others are still in progress, and we’re hoping that on the October City Commission meeting, that we’ll be able to take some of those items and recommendations off that list as well. So there are some things that have to go through the process and some take a little bit longer than others, but we’re nearly 50% of the recommendations that have been fulfilled.”
The Southernmost Point buoy has been temporarily moved.
Henriquez said, “It’s at the end of 1400 Duval Street. It’s at the end of Duval at the Southernmost Pocket Park. We were there at 4am to watch that temporary buoy go into place. It was really exciting, but it’s working out great. So like I said, it’s only temporary. It should take a year, year and a half, to complete that project over there at the southernmost point, and then I’m sure we’ll have a dedication again and opening and revealing the southernmost point back where it belongs. So like we said earlier, it’s just temporary. It just went on vacation for a little while, but it will be back. Stay involved. Participate in all of our meetings and our boards. Keep updated. We’re always constantly updating our website to be transparent, to get that information out there and make sure everyone is educated on what’s going on in the city.”