Islamorada voters will decide five Village Council seats and three proposed charter amendments in the upcoming general election, while village officials continue working on flooding concerns, improvements to Founders Park and efforts to address growing sargassum problems.
Village Manager Ron Saunders joined Good Morning Keys on Keys Talk 96.9/102.5FM this morning to talk about what’s going on in the village.
Early voting is underway through October 31 at the Plantation Key Old Courthouse. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, with voting precincts at Founders Park Community Center and Emmanuel Lutheran Church.
All five Village Council seats are up for election because members serve two-year terms. All five incumbents are running for re-election, although one is guaranteed not to return because two incumbents are competing for the same seat.
In Seat 1, incumbent Anna Richards faces challenger Joe Wischmeier Seat 2 features incumbent Steve Friedman against Deb Gillis, who previously represented Seat 3. Gillis moved from Seat 3 to Seat 2, creating a race between the two incumbents.
In Seat 3, Corie McGraw-Abel and Sue Miller are competing for the seat vacated by Gillis. Seat 4 features a rematch between incumbent Mayor Don Horton and Tom Raffanello, who challenged Horton two years ago. Vice Mayor Sharon Mahoney is running unopposed.
Saunders said the election will bring at least one new member to the council.
“Once again, when all five are up every two years, you never know what’s going to happen,” Saunders said.
Three proposed charter amendments will also appear on the ballot.
The first would establish three-year staggered terms for council members, with a three-term limit. The current charter provides two-year terms and an eight-year term limit.
Saunders said the change would prevent all five council seats from being up for election at the same time every two years. If approved, the transition would involve a combination of two- and three-year terms, with the candidates receiving the most votes serving the initial three-year terms.
The second amendment would establish a procedure for filling council vacancies when at least half of a member’s term remains. Under the proposal, the remaining council members would appoint a replacement by majority vote and call a special election within six months to fill the vacancy.
Saunders pointed to the departure of former Mayor Buddy Pinder after his re-election as an example of the difficulties involved in filling a vacancy under the existing process.
The third amendment would require a supermajority vote of at least four of the five council members for certain decisions involving village-owned property. Those decisions would include purchasing or conveying real property, changing certain land-use designations or zoning, and changing the use of some village property designated for parks.
Currently, those actions generally require three council votes, Saunders said.
He explained that the amendments would become part of the village charter if approved by a majority of voters. Otherwise, the existing charter would remain unchanged.
Saunders encouraged residents to review the sample ballot available through the village website before voting. In addition to the local council races and charter questions, the ballot includes state and federal races, judicial contests and proposed amendments to the Florida Constitution.
“Certainly voting is important, and we encourage people to be an informed voter and go out and vote,” Saunders said.
The village is also moving forward with construction of a new artificial-turf baseball field at Founders Park, where Coral Shores High School’s baseball team has played for approximately 20 years.
Saunders said the Monroe County School Board approached the village about replacing the existing grass field, which had experienced considerable wear and tear.
“Hey, why don’t we work together and put a new field there?” Saunders recalled the school board asking.
The village council ultimately approved the artificial-turf project, and a use agreement was established between the village and the school board.
Construction began about a month ago, with crews removing the old grass field and preparing the site for the new surface. Drainage improvements and environmental considerations are also part of the project.
Saunders said the village is monitoring the work to ensure adequate drainage and protect surrounding trees. He recently discussed the project with school officials, including Superintendent Ed Tierney, during an Upper Keys Rotary Club meeting.
He encouraged them to visit the site to see the progress firsthand.
“There’s a lot of activity. They’re out there this morning digging trenches, etc. So it looks like they’re ahead of schedule,” Saunders said.
The school board’s contractor has told village officials that the project remains on track for completion before baseball season begins in January.
“We meet with them every other week, and they’ve told us they’re on track to have that field done by baseball season,” Saunders said.
Flooding and king tides remain another significant concern for Islamorada and communities throughout the Florida Keys.
Saunders said the village council has approved a stormwater management plan to identify potential solutions, including raising roads and improving pumping systems. However, he cautioned that raising roads can redirect water onto neighboring properties, while elevating new homes can also create drainage problems for surrounding neighborhoods.
“There’s no real easy answer, and especially no inexpensive answer,” Saunders said.
Saunders, who grew up in Key West, said he has noticed a significant change in the flooding experienced in recent years.
“I’ve watched the county debate this for years now, and we’re talking in the millions of dollars to do something,” he said.
He added that he has seen flooding become more severe in his hometown.
“I was born and raised in Key West, and I’ve never seen the flooding we’ve had recently,” Saunders said. “When I grew up down there, I don’t remember them being called king tides. They were just high tide.”
The village is examining possible solutions while seeking state and federal funding to help pay for stormwater improvements. Saunders said officials are beginning the process of approaching the Florida Legislature and Congress for financial assistance.
“Whatever you’re doing for other areas for flooding, for stormwater management, we want to be participants in it too,” Saunders said.
He said residents and businesses are significantly affected by the flooding, making the search for solutions a priority.
“When you’re on a string of islands and you’re pretty low level, you’re going to have flooding no matter what,” Saunders said. “But these king tides certainly are; they’re not getting any better.”
Saunders also identified increasing amounts of sargassum seaweed as another major challenge for Islamorada and the rest of the Keys.
He said village officials have been working with marine scientist Dr. Brian Lapointe, Monroe County officials and representatives from Key West to explore ways to intercept sargassum before it reaches beaches.
Once the seaweed washes ashore, removing it can also remove sand and damage beaches. As it decomposes, it can produce unpleasant odors and create other management concerns.
“Once it hits the beach, you’ve got a problem,” Saunders said, explaining that removing the seaweed can take sand with it and damage the shoreline.
Officials are also exploring whether collected sargassum could have commercial uses, such as being turned into fertilizer or other useful products.
Saunders said flooding and sargassum are among the village’s top priorities, but neither problem has a simple or inexpensive solution.
“Flooding and sargassum are two things that are near the top of my agenda for the village of Islamorada,” he said.
He added that the problems extend beyond the village, affecting communities throughout the Florida Keys and other coastal areas. Saunders said he hopes increased awareness will lead to more support and potential solutions from state and federal agencies.
The village is also working with the Monroe County Tourist Development Council on projects intended to benefit residents and visitors. Saunders credited the council with providing funding for improvements at Founders Park and said the village is looking at upgrades to the boat ramp at Founders Park Marina.
He also hopes tourism-related funding could help address sargassum, noting its effects on beaches and the visitor experience.
Saunders thanked the Tourist Development Council and its staff for their partnership with Islamorada.
“We like working with them, and we appreciate everything they’ve done for the Village of Islamorada,” he said.
Residents can find election information, the sample ballot and updates on village projects through the official Islamorada website at islamorada.fl.us.