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.
There have been some paving updates in the city.
Henriquez said, “I am so excited to finally announce that Eaton Street paving is going to begin tomorrow. So from Tuesday, tomorrow, March 18 to Friday, 3/21, Eaton Street will be closed between White Street and Simonton Street for the milling and then Saturday and Sunday, Eaton Street will be remain open, but it will be a rough roadway surface. So it’s not going to be a smooth drive if you go down that street on Saturday and Sunday. But then Monday, March 24 to Monday, March 31, Eaton Street will be closed in three block segments, beginning at White Street and moving towards Simonton Street for paving. So I’m really excited that Eaton Street will be completed and paved by the end of the month. Providing there’s no hiccups, by March 31 Eaton street should be paved, and I think we all should have a celebration.”
Florida Keys Day was last week in Tallahassee.
Henriquez said, “Florida Keys Day was a very, very productive two and a half days for the city of Key West. Myself, city manager and the city attorney, we were going to be walking the halls and meeting with different senators, different representatives, and as well as our local delegation with Senator Rodriguez and Representative Mooney, and in speaking with them we wanted to make sure that the Florida Keys Stewardship Act funding was still going to be in place. It’s about $2 million. Another topic that was talked about, of course, was the ROGO slash BPAS. Representative Mooney and Senator Rodriguez still have their differences, but what? Maybe they’ll meet somewhere in the middle. We spoke to them about the importance of workforce housing, and then there was other discussions that were asked for the lining/coating of our 58 sanitary manholes in the Key West wastewater collection system, as well as revitalize the cross town greenway, Von Phister corridor to provide a better driving surface preserving vehicle wear and tear, and it will include the improved storm water management in the area. So both of these projects were $500,000 each. Another ask referred the Live Local Act. Our city attorney would like to see some language in the bill that defines the word story. And speaking with the senator who was very involved in creating the original bill, she seemed very perceptive to consider any language that we put forward on that matter. So as soon as we met with that senator, our city attorney called down here to Key West while we were up there in Tallahassee, they started working on that language. I had spoke about wanting to build partnerships and the relationship back in Tallahassee, and this is a prime example right here. We met with the senator who was involved in creating this bill, we spoke to them, and we were already starting to work together on something that we need and she was very open to our suggestion. So like I said, I went up there to rebuild those relationships. It was a very positive two days. A lot of them, they want to come down to Key West this summer. So I thought that was great. It was great seeing all of our our county, all of the different municipalities, the Key Largo wastewater, Village of Islamorada. It’s just it was so refreshing and so nice see everyone up there working together for the common goal, and even for things that they have specific to their their area. So it was really nice, very productive. I’m glad we made that trip, and I think we’re going to bring home some things this year. We’ll continue that conversation. Sessions not over. So we need to continue the conversations that we had up there with our lobbyists, and make sure that things are going to continue to move forward.”
The City Commission did vote to send extending the mayoral term to four years out to referendum.
Henriquez said, “That was on the first reading. We have a second reading on April 1, which is our next commission meeting and if that passes, then it will go out to the voters for them to vote in the election. My term won’t be extended this year. My term won’t be extended this year, I will still run one more time. If I’m successful, then the new term will start at that time.”
What’s coming up this week?
Henriquez said, “We have our tree commission meeting tomorrow, starting at five in the chambers, art in public places, advisory board meeting, which is on March 19, starting at 5:30 in the chambers. Thursday, I will be presenting the state of the city at the noon Rotary. Then on Friday, Early Bird cleanup Kennedy Drive and North Roosevelt Boulevard, that starts at eight, and we’ll be meeting in the parking lot next to H&R Block in Key Plaza.”