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.
The City Commission has put the water quality contracts back out to bid.
Henriquez said, “The commission, by majority vote, decided to go out for an RFP for the water quality testing in the water surrounding Key West per our ordinance, Section 80-3 of our code of ordinance, and our city attorney and staff have started working on the RFP immediately, and I’m hoping to have a draft soon, and possibly this week.”
Will the next step be discussed at the next meeting?
Henriquez said, “That is correct and that hopefully it’ll be on our March 4 commission meeting.”
President’s Day is next Monday.
Henriquez said, “City Hall will be closed Monday for observance of President’s Day.”
What other items were discussed at the commission meeting last week?
Henriquez said, “There was a couple items, and one of them was the sunset celebration, in reference to Mallory Square, and we extended their lease another three months, reducing it from $7,200 to $500 a month to be able to give them an opportunity to give us a full accounting report, so they should have something within the next three months, and then we’ll regroup and see what we do at the next commission meeting. But overall, it was really good. We had a lot of proclamations. We had the Elizabeth Bishop Day, which is with poems, but overall, it was a pretty good meeting.”
What happened with the Navy grant request for the long term lease for affordable housing on the vacant 18 acre parcel at the Naval Air Station at Sigsbee Park?
Henriquez said, “That passed as well, and we are just keeping that conversation and keeping that moving forward and Commissioner Lee’s doing a wonderful job with that.”
The state of the city address from the mayor will take place at the next commission meeting.
Henriquez said it “would be on March 4, and it would be on the morning session, and that starts at nine. It was very unfortunate that we had to cancel, but it was the right thing to do, and we will see the state of the city at the next commission meeting.”
What events are coming up with week?
Henriquez said, “There’s a Key West Bight Board at four o’clock on Wednesday at City Hall. Also Wednesday morning, I will be christening the American Legion cruise line. I will be the God Mother of the American Legend. It will be a ship’s railing for the blessing and the ceremonial bottle breaking christening. So I’m looking forward to that on Wednesday morning, then Friday, we do have our Early Bird clean up at Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church on Duval Street. Saturday and Sunday, the 19th is the annual Florida Keys Seafood Festival starting at 11 at the Truman Waterfront Park. And then Sunday, we have the 10th Crooks Annual Second Line parade. So Duval Street will be closed between Front and Green and Southern Street, and there will be rolling street closures, and the parade starts at two o’clock. The Sustainability Advisory Board is meeting today at 2:30 here at City Hall. Then again, like I said, on Monday, City Hall will be closed in observance of President’s Day. So we have a lot going on this week, and City Hall is very busy.”