Residents spoke out about Key Colony Beach Commission Activity:
Here are the Notes from the February 19, 2026 commission meeting and other KCB News for the month.
Here is the Transcript of the February 19, 2026 commission meeting.Property Taxes
The KCB city commission has notably raised ad valorem tax revenue significantly. This report shows how much.
Property taxes in this major Florida city spiked nearly 400%, report shows. December 17, 2025. As Tallahassee targets tax cuts, new studies ranking all 67 counties and many cities on property taxes in Florida made the news again.
Florida property taxes have grown beyond the rate of inflation since 2014. Some of the highest growth rates were concentrated in major urban areas but KCB is right up there with the biggest. Statewide, property tax levies have risen nearly 40% in just the last three years (as of late 2025) and have more than doubled over the last decade, according to a report published by the nonprofit Florida Tax Watch.
The top Florida cities/areas for property tax growth between 2014 and 2024.Some readers have reported difficulty with external links so we also have a local copy of the WKMG report. We also have a local copy of the Florida Tax Watch report.
- Apopka ranked highest in the state with a 372% growth over that period.
- Key Colony Beach topped all the others in that report with a 196.3% growth rate in just six years between 2019 and 2025 (years that are available online). KCB's total property taxes per capita of $4,673 is only a couple hundred less than the county charges.
- Port St. Lucie: ranked fourth in the state with a 257% growth over that period.
- Homestead: 191.4% growth rate.
- Orlando: 164.2% growth rate.
- Kissimmee: 161.5% growth rate.
- Palm Bay: 158.2% growth rate.
- West Palm Beach: 156.3% growth rate
Speed Limits
Dear Commissioners,
I am writing about the request by someone to lower the speed limit on the island from 25 mph to 20 mph.
In a nutshell, the accepted norm in the U.S for residential city streets is 25 mph. The problem here is not the speed limit but rather the problem here is the lack of enforcement of the limit. The cited statistics to justify the decrease simply does not apply to Key Colony Beach nor does the comparison to Key West. This reduction is uncalled for and in a word is just plain dumb.
Simply enforce the existing limit and the problem is solved. Do not change the speed limit in Key Colony Beach.
Sincerely,
Roy Virost
Key Colony Beach
Overhead Wires
To: Mayor@KeyColonyBeach.net,
Doug.Colonell@keycolonybeach.net,
kirk.diehl@keycolonybeach.net,
Tom.difransico@keycolonybeach.net,
Tom.Harding@keycolonybeach.net,
cityadministrator@keycolonybeach.net,
cityclerk@keycolonybeach.net,
letters@PeopleAreAsking.orgSubject: Overhead wires
One thing that would make this town the most beautiful town in Flordia is to bury the overhead wires. They are an eyesore and a liability. The wires were buried on Sadoaski Drive and everyone will admit it looks great.
We all know the advantages of buried lines, but I would also like to add another advantage. The electrical lines and poles especially along West Ocean Drive if removed would make it possible for another sidewalk. It would make a safer and more attractive road for all the walkers and bikers.
Is there some kind of grant we could obtain to achieve this mission? Or is there some money somewhere to get this done? I am sure the power company would like this done and the residents would like this done.
Phase one could start on West Ocean in front of the new city hall, and extend to the Sunset Park. Just think how pretty it would be with no overhead wires.
If we all are pleased with the results maybe phase two we can do the rest of the city.
Sincerely,
Jo and Chris Corso
Key Colony Beach
Automated License Plate Readers
Mayor@keycolonybeach.net,
Doug.Colonell@keycolonybeach.net,
Tom.Harding@keycolonybeach.net,
Tom.Difransico@keycolonybeach.net,
Kirk.Diehl@keycolonybeach.net,
cityadministrator@keycolonybeach.net,
cityclerk@keycolonybeach.net,
chief@keycolonybeach.net,
letters@PeopleAreAsking.orgSubject: Automated License Plate Readers
Good afternoon KCB Commissioners and KCB Police Officers:
I am writing to the commission and the police department in KCB to express my significant concerns about the operation of the license plate reading cameras at the end of the Causeway. I was at the commission meeting when the ALPRs (Automated License Plate Readers) on the Causeway were approved. Very few questions were asked, and little explanation was given for the necessity of installing these cameras. I assumed at the time that they were to catch speeders on the Causeway as we have no significant crime problem in KCB.
Please call a town hall meeting to inform the citizens of the significant risks, to citizen's privacy and well-being, of activating the license plate reading cameras on the Causeway. Below I state my reasons.
There is no reason the newly installed cameras cannot be turned on Monroe County citizens in retaliation by those in power if deemed expedient to their purposes.
Here are the Cons of license plate readers:Cons of License Plate Readers
Privacy & Mass Surveillance: Critics, including the ACLU, argue that ALPRs create a "warrantless surveillance" network that tracks law-abiding citizens' movements without cause.Flock's Aggressive Expansions Go Far Beyond Simple Driver Surveillance ...
Jay StanleyAccuracy Issues: Most systems have a 90%–95% accuracy rate; however, factors like weathered plates, poor lighting, or high speeds can lead to misreads. This can result in innocent drivers being pulled over by police at gunpoint due to "false hits".
Data Security Risks: Vulnerabilities in some ALPR hardware have been identified, potentially allowing hackers to access live feeds or historical location data.
Lack of Regulation: There are currently few statewide or federal statutory standards in Florida for how long data can be kept or with whom it can be shared, leading to concerns about "indiscriminate" data sharing across state lines.
Potential for Abuse: There is documented potential for individuals or officers to use data to stalk partners, neighbors, or political groups for reasons unrelated to law enforcement.
My questions for the commissioners and the police:
1. Why, with 4 or more KCB police officers, do we need to record license plates in and out of KCB? I am not aware of any crime in KCB. Please avail the citizens of crime statistics for KCB that would be alleviated by the use of license plate reading cameras.
2. What information could be gathered by outside organizations invading the privacy of individuals in KCB by the license readers on the causeway?
3. What organizations will be able to see or download the information from our cameras? Who will have access to that information? In other words, how does the DOT, HWP, MCSO, FWC , CBP, and I.C.E. obtain and use the information?
4. How long is the information stored for by any of the recipients? What are all the possible uses for the information gathered using our license plate readers? Could law enforcement use this information to stalk a person who he has a conflict with? A partner? Divorce?
5. How is this not an invasion of my privacy and an invasion of privacy for every driver of a vehicle entering and exiting KCB?
I have recently become aware of the Flock cameras around Marathon and I sometimes see Highway Patrol and the Sheriff’s patrolmen running plates and or recording speeds of passing cars. It has come to my attention that these traps are also reading plates to identify immigrant vehicles. This is information they share with Customs and Border Patrol as well as ICE. Yesterday, I was privy to just such an arrangement. A junior from Marathon High School was stopped across from McDonalds by Border Control. While the boy was waiting in his car for his kidnapping to be completed, a MCSO drove, up high fived the CBP agent, ran the kid’s license, then the CBP agent handcuffed and put the young man in his car. That boy was a member of the Marathon Community and a student at Marathon High School. He had no record of doing anything wrong. HE IS NOT A CRIMINAL! No rights, no call, no lawyer, no judicial warrant—just disappeared.
Before the Causeway cameras are activated, please call a town hall meeting to share with KCB citizens the risks and rewards of the CAUSEWAY LICENSE PLATE READING CAMERAS.
Laurie Swanson
Key Colony Beach
Surveillance Cameras
To: KCB Mayor, Doug Colonell, Kirk Diehl, Tom Difransico, Tom Harding, City Administrator, City Clerk, Letters@PeopleAreAsking.org
Subject: Surveillance Cameras
Besides more cost to the citizens of Key Colony Beach what is the purpose of these cameras? Will they prevent a crime? Solutions for problems that do not exist is a waste of tax payer funds. The reality is the city of Key Colony Beach has an extremely low crime rate and the extra cost and potential liability if the system is not constantly monitored does not meet the needs test. This is a want.
Sincerely
Theodore C. Bentley
Key Colony Beach
No Parking Signs
To: KCB Mayor, Doug Colonell, Kirk Diehl, Tom Difransico, Tom Harding, City Administrator, City Clerk, Letters@PeopleAreAsking.org
Subject: No Parking Signs
The city of key Colony Beach recently installed No Parking Overnight signs along Shelter Bay Drive.
I have lived in Key Colony Beach for for over 13 years and never have I witnessed many vehicles parked overnight along Shelter Bay Drive.
This is a solution that never was a problem.
What's the purpose? Is it to penalize residents and sometime guests that live on Shelter Bay Drive?
Did the City notice the residents before installing these signs?
Why only Shelter Bay Drive and not 7th street?
This is again a waste of our tax dollars. The signs are not only ugly but obstruct normal use of the parking meridian that the residents sometimes use for trailer backing. Please remove the signs as soon as possible perhaps they can be used elsewhere in the city.
Sincerely
Theodore C. Bentley
Key Colony Beach
WiFi in Park, Surveillance Cameras, Fishing Pier, City Boat
The Bartkuses are "Really getting frustrated with what [the commissioners] are doing in this city."
To: Freddie Foster, Doug Colonell, Tom Difransico, clerk2@keycolonybeach.net, Tom Harding
Subject: wifi in park, surveilance cameras, fishing pier, city boat
Please be advised that we are not in favor of wifi in the park nor cameras --so that the one person can have their own sunset view on their computer. So the rest of KCB has to pay for this? RIDICULOUS! If people need wifi let them provide their own hotspot--which most people have. Or use their computers at home. They can take pics of sunset or go to park when they are here. Or better yet, let them buy a place with a sunset view. The many should NOT have to pay for the WANTS of a few? Not realistic.
Putting in a fishing pier in at Sunset Park also invites people out of our community to use our facilities and puts us at risk for lawsuits. Why are we doing this? Why did we put grills in Sunset Park?. Key Colony residents have their own grills at their homes--so why are we inviting people who don't live or rent here to utilize our park? We don't have enough parking as it is at Sunset Park
Why are we putting in cameras to capture license plates? Who gets this information? Our police officers do a nice job of watching the speed limit. I don't think they are so busy that this is necessary.
We still cannot figure out WHY we need a boat for the city? They don't give out tickets on the water so what good is it? If there was a problem in a canal--by the time they got in the boat and got there--the perpetrators would be gone. Waste of purchase price, yearly maintenance and insurance-waste of taxpayer money!!!
It seems like the city is spending a lot of money on things that are unnecessary. We the people, get to pay for them--with costs going up every year on items that we have lived without very nicely previously. What happened to the frugal, friendly city that existed when we moved here in 2002. People at city hall were friendly and helpful and neighbors looked out for each other. If there were problems, you called city hall or the police and made a complaint and they followed up on it . You didn't need a code enforcement officer to police the city. It is not like our police have a lot to do!! Then our past Mayor DeNeal implemented a hot line and encouraged people to turn their neighbors in for any infraction that they might notice. WOW!! Key Colony Beach certainly is NOT like it used to be.
It seems like we have become "a keep up with the Joneses" city. Why can't we just be the sleepy, friendly affordable place to live we used to be. We are headed in the wrong direction folks. Let's get back to basics and tighten our belts!! We don't need to provide everything for everyone!!
Thanks for listening to your taxpaying citizens who voted for you all to look out for us.
Jack and Sue Bartkus
Key Colony Beach
Here are the Notes from the February 19, 2026 commission meeting and other KCB News for the month.
Here is the Transcript of the February 19, 2026 commission meeting.
Citizen Comments
Citizen Correspondence:
The minutes reflected that Roy Virost requested lower speed limits. That was in error. Mr. Virost explicitly wrote "Do not change the speed limit in Key Colony Beach."All correspondence will also be attached to the meeting minutes.
Tammy Monach thanked Beautification and Recreation Committee for the improvements to public spaces and parks.
Jo and Chris Corso suggested burying the overhead wires.
Theodore Bentley questioned the recently installed no parking signs.
Jan Pfluger, Stanley Bachmann,, Laurie Swanson, and Theodore Bentley expressed concern about the license plate reader cameras.
In citizen comments during the commission meeting on February 19, Barb Haag-Heitman said
So I come today in the spirit of liberty, justice for all.
Late last month, I became aware of the license plates readers, and that are the cameras being installed on the causeway, and then I decided to speak directly to Police Chief Chris D. Giovanni to learn more about it and see I so I sought him out. It was very brief encounter. Informal, that was January 23rd. I learned that the cameras had not been turned on yet, and they would be hooked up to the county system. Kris Chief stated that he didn't know the software data company that would be collecting and reporting the data although I recently learned that the vendor is InSight. I thought previously that was blocked, but it's insight database. Since I still had questions and concerns about the camera. I sent the commissioners, the city administrator and Chief DiGiovanni an email on January 26th. In this email I requested that the cameras not be enabled until the concerns about their use have been addressed publicly at the Commission meeting. My specific concerns and questions include the rules of use, who and when. Identification of the database access beyond Kcb, and the link to data storage.
I also listened to the commission meeting in July 2025 where the request was made, and the Commission approved the purchase of the camera, or cameras for $19,700. There was little discussion about the use before approval and a comment was made that this would be part of the city expansion.
Today, I'm here to request that the Commission share the policy and procedure for use of the cameras, identify all the authorized users, and I believe that ICE will have access to the data, which actually I'm not in favor of.
In addition, I would like an explanation about the Treasurer's report item on page 151 of the meeting packet, and perhaps we'll get that from Mr. Harding, that identifies the receipt of $170,000 from the Department of Homeland Security. with a question mark about agreement funding. This seems to be related to the memo of agreement between ice and the Kcb police department signed by Chief DiGiovanni on March 27, 2025. However, I couldn't find any record that that agreement was discussed at the Commission, and perhaps Chris has the authority to execute that without your review or legal review.
Just wanted to make that a public comment. Also in Section 9 of this agreement, it indicates ICE will train KCB police on immigration functions to be performed, but the exact role the KCB police after training is not to find there. I request the name of the KCP police officers who are already trained by ICE, that are connected to the payment that on page 151 in the Treasurer's report today.
I'd also like to know the plans to train more or all of the six KCB police force to be shared at a commission meeting and the release of the financial agreement that accompanies the demo A, um, if that's available. In summary, I asked the Commission to share the policy and procedure for the use of license plate reader, including but not limited to authorized users, use of the data by KCP police, and sharing of the data with other agencies.
And also at the next commission meeting, I request that there be a review and discussion of the agreement between ICE and the KCB police, and define the details of how this agreement will be operationalized in KCB.
Thank you.
In citizen comments during the commission meeting on February 19, Theodore Bentley said,
Last week, I believe it was early last week I looked out my bedroom, not my bedroom, but my kitchen window to see a no parking sign placed in front of my driveway along Shelter Bay Drive. I'm not what know when this was approved or how it got approved, or anything else, but… This is a problem that is not a problem. The city, for whatever reason, which I can't understand, putting up no overnight parking signs along Shelter Bay Drive.
What's the point? There's never been an issue with overnight parking along Shelter Bay Drive to start with. Number two, every once in a while, maybe somebody does park on Shelter Bay drive overnight because they're a guest of somebody in their overflow. And for the city to just not even pull us residents that live there. This seems to keep happening over and over again lately within the city, and it's really not right. You know, we're the ones that are impacted when you guys make rules. And, you know, most of the rules are not unreasonable. This is an absolutely unreasonable rule. It's unnecessary. And why don't you put it along 7th Street? If it's such a problem, there's a lot more cars that park overnight on 7th Street. What's the difference? I have a really hard time getting my head wrapped around this particular subject matter. And I respectfully request that those signs be removed forthwith. Plus the right hazard. Do some of us that have trailers trying to buck back back in and back out of our driveways. So. Please remove the signs. There's no point in having them.
Thank you.
In citizen comments during the commission meeting on February 19, Laurie Swanson said,
Good afternoon.
On January 16th, I was arrested, handcuffed, and stashed in a cage of a highway patrol cruiser for not using the sidewalk when I walked across 37th Street in Marathon. 37th Street has no sidewalk. The day before yesterday, I was tailgated by Customs and Border Patrol from 25th Street to 75th Street. This was just after I filmed a Marathon High School student being kidnapped by probably the same Border Patrol. The boy is in Alcatraz now, and forevermore, no doubt collusion with the Sheriff's department has… sealed his fate.
Last night, I read the MOA that Kris DiGiovani signed with ICE, and I was outraged. Did you know we now have secret police living and working among us? As far as I know, all our police are ICE agents. The same as those who shot and killed Renee Good and Alex Pretty in Minneapolis.
When I drive down the causeway in KCB, I've always felt a sense of relief. I'm almost home. Now I know there's a target on my back. The license plate readers are sending my license plate to ICE. Are the secret police stalking me? I know they are stalking some people, immigrant citizens to be exact. When my brown-skinned grandson visits in a few weeks and drives the causeway, one of our ICE agents stop him? If I call KCB police for help, will ICE show up? If they can track me and my friends, don't you think you will be next?
We don't need license plate reading cameras, and we don't want them. Turn off the damn cameras. We don't need or want ICE agents in KCB. Tear up that agreement with our KCB police department that they have with ICE.
Thank you.
In citizen comments during the commission meeting on February 19, Cynthia Catto said,
I think both the license plate reader. And the agreement with ICE needs to have a community meeting. I. Sadly, people don't pay as much attention as they should, but this really needs to be a full discussion. available to citizens to know exactly what the topic is. And it should be discussed because I'm very nervous about what could happen, as are other people who were surprised. When I talk to them and couldn't come today, so just… a request.
Thank you.
In citizen comments during the commission meeting on February 19, Fred Swanson said,
I also read the MOU for supporting ICE. I believe in cooperation, I believe in our police force. They're here for us.
But I don't believe ICE is. I know too many people personally that have been picked up in the last couple of months, and it's it's not American. It's un-American and we should not be supporting this stuff. It's one thing if they pick somebody up and he has an opportunity to defend himself or whatever in a court of law, but they're picking people up and putting them in cages. And then, if somebody is released and somebody was released today that was picked up about Halloween. Okay, in Marathon. Actually wasn't in Marathon. He was picked up this where he resides. That guy has been in the cage here. Alcatraz, then in Texas, and then in Arizona, I guess, or New Mexico. It's cost them thousands of dollars. Now he's been released, but he's not okay. And that should not happen. And it did. I don't want our city to support ICE in any way. I'm really angry about other things. Absolutely. But this is not right. I said the same thing to the Marathon City Council, and so I feel strongly about it.
Thank you.
In the commission meeting on February 19, Mayor Foster commented about item 7c1, "For the wifi and camera in Sunset Park: All right, so we'll table that until we got more data and price."
In the commission meeting on February 19, Commissioner Harding asked Sgt Jamie Buxton to "review the contract for those license plate. I think… I think we get some expert help from Monroe County, say, you know, what have you learned from this? Right? And I think there's probably some really positive police activity that they found. So, like, that's what I would expect. And Jamie, I'd love to work with you on that. That's my guess on point on that. On the, um… Just just for clarification, it was reviewed by label. Anyway, keep going. I'd like to ask a few questions, whoever reviewed it.
"And then the second thing was the service agreement. Again, I think just to review with legal. Again, I found some issues I would like to ask some questions on. And I think we probably need clarification of the extent of the involvement that we have, and I think, again, to do justice for us, for allow time to look at it, and then also for the residents to put on next month's agenda. So it's my opinion on both of those."
Here are the Notes from the February 19, 2026 commission meeting and other KCB News for the month.
Here is the Transcript of the February 19, 2026 commission meeting.