Commentary about the April 18 Key Colony Beach City Commission meeting:
Mayor Raspe Joey "enforced the 3 minute public comment rule."
KCB resident Joe Schmidt reported that "We went through all the years without a a city administrator. I don't see the need for an administrator." He made the further point that "If there has to be one, the administrator should be a city resident."
Public comment included many letters from residents asking the commission to reject the solar plans. There were also many letters about the tennis courts and pickleball proposals. The commission voted unanimously to reject the proposal for solar energy by the retention pond.
The Commission unanimously appointed Carmen Slusher to the Planning & Zoning Board. They also approved engineering drawings for drainage improvements along 7th Street and Shelter Bay Drive and the construction of a new Tiki Hut to replace the Gazebo in the Ocean Drive park.
The Commission unanimously tabled the Utility Board's suggestion to change sewer billing. The plan was meant to make the billing more fair and to make it easier for the city to administer. It relied on a flat "infrastructure charge" plus a smaller charge based on the amount of poop going into the sewer plant.
Mayor Raspe discussed the feedback from the other commissioners about the city administrator job description. He believes the position needs "more of an organizer instead of a supervisor." He says "a 30 hour work week or three day work week would be plenty for that position." The suggested pay would be $62,400 per year with full benefit package or $75,000 with no benefits. They will bring it back to discuss more at the May meeting. Commissioner Harding says the Sunshine Law makes it a lot more difficult to work.
Mayor Raspe gave an update on Marble Hall and Administrative offices. All city and club meetings as well as exercise classes are now being held in Marble Hall. They are working on preliminary drawings for the administrative offices with an engineer and the architects for the building for rehab and for a possible standalone for police department and EOC. They have rough sketches which will be posted but are not yet on the website.
Proposal #3 from a KCB resident was the simplest proposal of all. Some long time KCB residents looked at floor plans that would house the actual employees the city has and would serve the residents and visitors going forward. The building doesn't even need to get "a little bit higher." although the new wing could.The Post Office is nearly ready. All drywall, painting, and cleaning is complete and they have met with the USPS people. The new lease is in the works. Their next step is to install the new counters and move all the boxes back. The move could be as early as Memorial Day weekend. Heather is ecstatic.
The Commission rejected the proposed bid for the Tennis Courts, Pickleball Courts, and a playing surface at 7th Street Park. They appointed Ed Borysiewicz to lead the preparation of a new bid package and to consult with members from each sport. They discussed two tennis courts and a half court basketball court.
Commissioner Harding reported on wastewater sampling for viruses. There was a COVID spike last week but Flu was down to zero.
CRS is the Community Rating System, FEMA's "voluntary" incentive program that drives floodplain management practices and that means flood insurance discounts for homeowners here. Insurers say CRS discounts are dissolving. FEMA says we are losing the CRS discount. Despite that, Commissioner Harding plans to restart the monthly CRS workshop.
It was noted that the City now requires three feet of freeboard (the bottom of the joists or trusses of the lowest living area floor must be three feet above FEMA's Base Flood Elevation). Florida statute requires just one foot of freeboard. Under that KCB rule, 85% of city residences are now nonconforming. They discussed dropping that requirement to match Florida law.
Joe Schmidt and Ed Borysiewicz discussed that the flood gates were not deployed for Hurricane Irma. The flood gates were for Marble Hall because it was considered the "refuge of last resort." The decision was made that the panels would keep people out of their refuge of last resort and, once the city learned that residents had already left, the storm arrived to quickly to install them.
Mayor Raspe reminded KCBers to send anything we would like the commissioners to discuss to City Clerk Silvia Gransee.