Residents spoke out about Key Colony Beach Commission Actions:
Letter to the Commission: License Plate Reader Cameras
Dear City Council, Chief of Police and City Administrator
I spoke to Chief Kris DiGiovanni on Friday about my concerns about the newly installed license plate reader cameras on the causeway. He told me that they have not been hooked up yet.
While I do appreciate their potential positive use in helping solve crimes - there are also unintended consequences of their use - such as ICE surveillance along with Fourth Amendment concerns.
I am requesting that these cameras not be enabled until concerns about their use have been addressed publicly at a commission meeting.
My specific concerns and questions include the rules of use - who and when.
What database is being used to collect and store the data - i.e. Flock Safety, Genetec, Motorola?
Who else besides the KCB police has access to the data?
How long is the data stored?
Thank you -
Barb Haag-Heitman
Key Colony Beach
Residents spoke out about the January 12 Key Colony Beach Commission meeting:
Golf Course Contract!
Read the transcript for the complete comments by Bill Catto, Doug Lipke, Jack Marsich, Joe Pasvalik, and Richard Pflueger at the workshop and special meeting.
Golf Course Contract!
The newsletter and updates are needed and fantastic. Thank you. Thank you for your time and hard work.
Name Withheld
Key Colony Beach
Golf Course Contract!
It's official. Both parties have signed the golf contract with Daryl Rice. The contract expires on September 30, 2027. KCBers made a difference! Our voices were heard. Thank you all so much for all your support of Daryl and golf at KCB.
Cindy Catto, Recreation Committee Chair and President of KCB Ladies Golf League
Key Colony Beach
What did the City Commission do at the Golf Course Workshop and Special Meeting?
The city commission held a workshop and a special meeting to consider the golf course contract on Monday, January 12.
The workshop discussed the comprehensive agreement and several attachments, the golf course lease agreement, as well as Daryl. Rice's comments.
The golf course contract came up at several commission meetings in 2025. The question was very controversial. KCB residents and golfers strongly supported Daryl Rice, the current lessee and manager of the course. Public input and commission discussion continued throughout the year.
Read the complete transcript of the workshop and special meeting and more.WORKSHOP
Commissioner DiFransico noted that the citizens of KCB have told the commission that "they'd like to continue with Mr. Rice working on the golf course and since we work for the citizens I think we're trying to make that happen." Commissioner Harding reinforced that "the residents have been very clear that the quality of service, they've been actually very happy with, with excellent performance from Daryl."
Commissioner Colonell pointed out that "we need [Daryl Rice] to help us coordinate to get to the next step."Mayor Foster noted that he has spoken with Daryl "so, here's here's what I'm going to propose when we, uh, break this meeting and move into the next one. There's an 8-month contract with monthly renewals." The contract also included Rice paying the city legal fees. "That's my position, and I think it clearly lies with Mike, and we can get plenty of transition time in the next 8 months with Mr. Rice, and be done. So, that's where I'm at."
Mayor Foster and Daryl Rice had earlier agreed on a contract through September, 2027, not a month-to-month contract.Daryl Rice reminded the commission that when he "took this course over, those trees were worse than you ever saw, ever saw. The irrigation system was not working. You had ants, you had grubs, you had nothing but a mess. It took 2 years to get it up and going... It's been a pleasure, a pleasure and a thrill to run it all these years. It's been a love." But he was blind sided by Mayor Foster's comments and "it's time to walk away."
For the city to take over the course, Commissioner Harding thinks "we would probably need two additional headcounts which, typically, we obviously provide full benefits. That's a significant increase in expenses that we may not be able to come up with from ad valorem taxes."
Mayor Foster "crunched the numbers, it's one person. I think we're fine. It'll pay for itself."
Doug Lipke commented that he, Len Testa, the mayor, a number of commissioners, and Daryl had talked extensively. "We thought we walked in here today with an understanding." Rice had agreed to the 20-month lease and transition through September of 2027 which accomplishes a number of things that the commission wanted. Commissioners had said Rice would not be responsible for the legal fees. "Daryl is ... a hard-working guy, he loves the golf course, he has a passion for it. He's really good with the people, and we ask you to consider that compromise to see if we can get this thing finished and move forward."
Bill Catto commented that keeping Daryl for just eight months, then him "month to month whether you're employed or not. But we want you to invest your time, and we want you to train our people" is unfair.
Jack Marsich asked, "The question to you, Mayor, is what problem are you solving by doing what you're doing?" He was "very disappointed" in what he called Mayor Foster's "entitlement decision [and] this whole procedure."
Joe Pasvalik questioned "what are the goals? We don't have any written goals of what the golf course is supposed to look like."
Richard Pflueger commented, "If your goal is that the city operates the course, then say so, and why" He asked if the commission had done a feasibility study, a market analysis, or a property loss study? "If the city operates, how will this be an improvement over what we have now? How will it benefit taxpayers? How would it benefit golfers? ... Approve the Daryl Rice contract for as long as he is able and willing. And then find another Daryl Rice."
Commissioner Colonell commented the "The clubhouse is a pie in the sky. It's an idea, is all it is at this point there would be no clubhouse construction starting next week, or even in 6 months at the rate we're going."At the Rec Committee workshop, Commissioner Diehl asked about the CPH architectural drawings of the new club house that he had heard about from Commissioner Colonell (CPH also designed the city hall project). There were questions if that was a Sunset Law violation as well as questions of why there were finished drawings of a "pie in the sky." The next Rec Committee meeting is in Marble Hall, tomorrow, Thursday, January 15, at 9:30 a.m.SPECIAL MEETING
Commissioner DiFransico moved to offer a 20-month lease to Mr. Rice. Commissioner Harding seconded. [Motion approved unanimously.
The commission discussed the "termination for convenience clause" which Commissioner DiFransico called "very onerous." Mayor Foster said, "to move this along, I'm going to vote that we leave that language in there, and that's my motion. Do I have a second?" No one seconded the motion and the motion failed. Commissioner DiFransico moved to delete the convenience section. Commissioner Harding seconded. The motion was approved 4-1 over Mayor Foster's Nay vote.
The commission talked about providing grounds keeping equipment. Rice can use large equipment but he is to supply consumables, fuel, cleaning supplies. Motion approved unanimously.
Commissioner DiFransico moved that the city will perform all maintenance, all major repairs and maintenance, on equipment. Motion approved unanimously.
Mayor Foster made several motions. He moved to delete the different fee schedules; that Rice maintain the irrigation system minus the main line and the pumps; that the clubhouse, the bathrooms are Rice's but not the bathroom in the service building; that only golf clubs, equipment, and property needed for the operation and maintenance of the golf course be kept in the storage building; that the city may operate and maintain a vending machine; that the lease cost would be $39,500, subject to an annual CPI adjustment; to maintain the 50-50 split of utility costs; and to define summer months as May 1 to September 1; and that Rice buy and spread the mulch. Those motions were approved unanimously.
Mayor Foster also recommended that Tom Harding be point of contact and he left the $20,000 performance bond like it is.
Commissioner Harding moved that the hours stay unchanged at 8 to 4. Motion approved unanimously.
Commissioner Colonell addressed workers' compensation. Attorney Hicks noted that, "if he's required by statute to have it he must carry it. If it's not required by statute based on employment issues that he's not required to have it, but I do not believe that creates any liability on behalf of KCB."
Commissioner DiFransico moved to remove water coolers from the contract. Motion approved unanimously.
Commissioner DiFransico moved that the Commission approve the agreement and the lease Appendix to the agreement as modified. Commissioner Diehl seconded. Motion approved unanimously.
Cindy Catto thanked the commission on behalf of the Ladies Golf League and the Rec Committee. She noted that "the Rec Committee is available for any help assistance that we can do to make everything runs smoothly."
Dave McKeon add that the "Beautification Committee stands ready to help make things work wherever we need to."
Read the transcript of the workshop and special meeting plus the history of the golf course contract.
Residents spoke out about the January 22 Key Colony Beach Commission meeting:
Fire Rescue Costs
To: Concerned in KCB:
Marathon Fire/Rescue gives us extraordinary service but we paid nearly a million dollars to the City of Marathon for that service last year. They completed 125 calls in KCB last year, or about 6.5 percent of Marathon's 1,896 total calls. If Marathon's total Fire/Rescue budget was more than eight million dollars, it looks like we paid nearly 12 percent of the Marathon budget for just 6.5 percent of their costs. That seems like very good negotiating on Marathon's part but pretty darned poor negotiating on ours.
Would the Commission explain to us why they accepted such a lopsided contract?
Name Withheld
Key Colony Beach
This Week in KCB
To: Concerned in KCB:
Steady overreach of a bloated City Hall, surely the #1 revenue business of KCB. They continue to find ways to squeeze dollars from the property owners. (See Mr Haney from Green Acres.) What is the end game? All houses raised 12' elevation with giant boat lift reflectors and no missing buoys? Owners fined for any new mandatory compliance? Must be expecting people to come from far and wide to a "city" full of rules and regs. Most claustrophobic city in the Middle Keys.
Michael Sniscak
Key Colony Beach