Key West Mayor Teri Johnston joined Good Morning Keys on KeysTalk 96.9/102.5FM yesterday morning to talk about what’s been going on in the city.
There were a number of holiday events last week.
Johnston said, “This is a very, very active time of year for all of us here in the city of Key West. We recognize the World AIDS Day, on Friday at 4:30. We marched from City Hall down to the AIDS Memorial, where we had presentations and a number of names were read into the record as adding to the wall, which seems incredible in 2023, that we’re still losing men and women to HIV AIDS. But unfortunately, we did add some names to the wall. It was a very somber ceremony as we have every year, but it’s good to recognize them. Then we move right into one of the one of the most festive events in the city of Key West, which is our annual holiday parade. This one did not disappoint. We had a record number of entries into the parade and you did a fabulous job of announcing as we as we came down Duval Street. That parade went off like clockwork. Everyone is in a good mood. It’s something that you would like to bottle and, and spread around 365 days a year.”
AH Monroe helps take care of those afflicted with HIV and AIDS.
Johnston said, “If any of your listeners have not been out to the AIDS Memorial, please do. It’s a spectacular monument. AH Monroe, and the committee takes immaculate care of that area. They added four new benches, so you can sit and reflect, read the names of those who have passed due to this insidious disease and just enjoy the moment. So please get out there if you have not visited that.”
There are still a number of discussions to be had before the New Year arrives.
Johnston said, “Commissioner Hoover has a north Roosevelt Boulevard business decorating contest going on. So please drive down Roosevelt Boulevard and support those businesses who are out there decorating. We’re heavily involved in a Bayview Park revitalization. Our Clinton Square Park project is getting ready to go into effect. We’re working on the John Jones Navigational Center, which is our homeless shelter. We’re working on the southernmost point seawall, the Martin Luther King Community Pool, we are redesigning. Conch Republic public parking lot project, we’re reviewing alternate parking layout there. We’re creating more bike parking. We’re working on Spencer’s boatyard seawall. We’re working on the Smathers beach pavilions. We’re working on the Southern Most Point Plaza. So we are very, very busy right now.”
The next meeting for the city commissioners will be Thursday, December 14 at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Johnston said, “It will be a packed session. This will be our last meeting of 2023. It takes a village. It takes every one of these individuals in the support organizations in order to make Key West work and we thank them every day for their tireless efforts to improve the quality of life of all of our residents.”