Marathon Council Member Robyn Still joined Good Morning Keys on Keys Talk 96.9/102.5FM this morning to talk about what’s going on in the city.
The Quay boat ramp is going to be closed starting June 1.
Still said, “It’s going to be closed for three weeks. Obviously if you’ve used that boat ramp, you know the dock has needed some repairs. That’s what’s going to be happening for those three weeks. It’s estimated for three weeks. I have a feeling that’ll be fast tracked, because we are going into our summer busy season, where people are coming down and launching boats, and we are limited on boat ramps here. So, the Quay is a big one, and it is a popular one. So, just kind of be patient. The Quay boat ramp, the docks are going to be repaired, so it’s going to make it safe for everybody, but it is going to create just a little bit of extra stress, maybe, and trouble. You’ll need to go a little further down. If you have a three axle trailer, you’ll need to go to 33rd Street. Obviously, there’s Harbor Boat Ramp. Just keep in mind that is a neighborhood, it gets tight in there, so there is a pattern set up. There are signs, so please, please, please follow that pattern. Makes it easier for everyone. Don’t launch three axle trailers at Harbor. You will get a ticket if you do, and make sure you pay if you are required to do that. And just be polite and be patient with everybody.”
Deep Well Construction is back.
Still said, “It is back and we suffer from it too. Everybody’s being understanding. It does get frustrating. I’m very sorry about that. We’re under a court order. We have a timeline, so that has to get done. We’re down to one lane again in a certain portion on US 1, so just be patient while that’s going on. You slow down a little bit, but traffic seems to be moving, so like I said, just be patient.”
Graduation at Marathon High School is tonight.
Still said, “And Stanley Switlick. Those fifth graders, today’s graduation morning for them, for their moving up, moving to the middle school, so big changes for those families. Congratulations to all of them. And high school tonight, graduation is occurring tonight. Class night was this week, and when I say class night, some people, if you’ve not had to have any children or any grandchildren or friends that go through that, class night, the students are capped with their cap, they can select a friend or a family member to do that, and then they sit down on these hard folding aluminum chairs until 10:45 the other night. It started at six, and scholarships are given out, and our community is the most amazing giving community, well over a million dollars. I’m not sure the exact number, they announced it, it was so big, I was shocked, but it was amazing at the amount of scholarships that were given out to our students, and when I say given out to our students, not just the top grade earners, they gave out scholarships to kids that are going to school for marine mechanics, into the trade, so those kids were not left out. Also, the fire academy – there were two kids that were given a scholarship to attend the fire academy, and there are kids that are in the Hot Shots program. So that is a way to give back to people who are going to be working in this community and living here. So it was wonderful to see that. Congratulations to everybody who got the scholarships. There was a pay it forward scholarship that a local business owner resident started because her daughter got money from someone, so they were paying it forward. She outdoes herself every single year. She gave up $41,000 this year. The stage was full of students who received these scholarships. It was amazing.”
How is the search for the city manager going in Marathon?
Still said, “We do have a new PIO. He’s putting press releases out, so kind of looking forward to seeing what’s going to be happening with that. I’d like to see the same level of service, maybe not a good word, but the same information or level of information put out to the public. I think the public deserves to know what’s going on in the city. Our city manager search is ongoing. We have basically called a board of five employees, none of whom applied for the position, who are rating and reviewing, I think, 63 applications. Last I heard, the top score applicants will be pushed forward to city council, where I believe we’ll have one on one meetings with them. And what I would like to see, and I’m going to suggest, and I hope my other council members, I have a feeling they will want to have those applicants come to a workshop to where they can openly speak in front of council and the public, that way the public can kind of get to know them and know who we’re looking at as a possible city manager. I think it’s important they’re involved in that, obviously. I said that before, whoever sits in that seat, or I call that corner office, impacts every single person in our city in some way, so it’s very important that they know who that person is, and I want them to have trust in us, and I want them to have trust in who we select as that person, because that’s important.”
A workshop for the nonprofit grant application process will be held on June 23.
Still said, “The applicants are invited. You don’t have to come, but it’s recommended that you come before city council, you’ll have a chance to speak to talk about your agency, to talk about what you’re asking for funding for, and I would like to hear, and that’s just me personally, I would like to hear if they had received funding from the city in the past, what results were obtained from that funding, what was that funding used for, and what impact? So I’m going to be listening for that kind of thing. How they use the money if they got it in the past, what it did for our community? So I would encourage for my rating, if you apply, please come to that meeting, because if you don’t come, all I have is a piece of paper to read, and I might have questions, and it might be a question you could answer there, and that might change a score for me.”
The governor came out yesterday with a plan to have property tax reduction or even elimination go on the November ballot.
Still said, “You really don’t know what’s going to happen with that. Ad valorem taxes, what we’ve talked about in the past, is the services that it funds, law enforcement, fire, our education. The governor, in his statement, said he has a plan for that, and that those would be funded, and also core services. Well, he didn’t define what core services are, so everybody has a different definition of things. So, what I might think is a core service, does he? So that’s a little concerning. Some of the things that he talked about looked good from the outside, but when it gets fleshed out, what’s it going to look like? And I don’t know. What I urge people to do is to do what I’m going to do is I’m going to start paying really close attention to what’s being talked about, what’s being proposed, and I’m going to pay attention to if it gets on the ballot, I’m going to educate myself, because I want to make sure that whatever vote I make personally that I know what I’m voting for, and I understand what could happen after that vote one way or another. So, if it does get on the ballot, I’m just urging voters, contact your Senator, Representative, talk to them, and educate yourself on what everything means, because it’s important. If you don’t own property now, you may have the goal of owning property, and this will affect you then. If you’re renting and your landlord may be impacted, I don’t know what’s going to happen. Just educate yourself. Some things look really, really good and shiny when you look at it from the outside, but then you look inside, and it’s not so shiny. I don’t know, this may be good, but I don’t know. You’ve got to think about those core services, our parks and rec department, our library. I was talking to somebody last night about that, and she mentioned this, and I hadn’t thought about that. So those are things that I hadn’t thought about either. So all of that’s important. You want the sheriff’s office, want somebody to come to your house if you need services. You want the fire department to come if something’s happening, and those folks need to be funded. There are concerns about that. So, I just urge people, pay attention, educate yourself, don’t look at the dollar amount of what you might say, look at what services you might need that need to be in place.”
Summer activities are coming up.
Still said, “Pickleball courts are under construction behind City Hall, Ocean Front Park. This splash pad is going to be started soon, and our skate park is supposed to be finished next month. And if you drive by Community Park, you’ll notice very, very pretty green grass. Don’t look too hard if you’re driving people, but it’s very pretty, so that field has been redone as well. So, a lot of great things. Fourth of July is coming up, as we know, we have the best fireworks ever that’ll be on the beach, especially at the 250th anniversary, that’s going to be spectacular. So, let’s just make plans to have a safe summer, have a wonderful summer, and just have patience, because traffic’s going to be rough, as we know, lane closures and boat ramp closures, so people are going to be a little testy, but just have patience and be kind to each other.”