Residents spoke out at the May 18 Key Colony Beach Commission meeting:

» The police union attorney recommended that planned changes to the employee leave resolution be tabled to make the negotiations more straightforward. The commission passed the resolution anyway because the benefits would be too expensive. Good financial managers accrue unpaid expenses and carry the necessary funds on the books. Items including interest on loans, wage expenses, payments owed to contractors and vendors, and trailer rental costs over multi-year contracts should be accrued. (Municipalities generally have to use cash accounting but the line blurs because municipalities also have "reserve" funds.)

» Laurie Swanson was the first KCB resident to speak. She asked What 'hold' keeps the commission from hearing our voices? She explained that people are pulling up stakes and leaving and that the whole city is abuzz to resist building this Taj-Ma-KCB as it gets shoved down our throats. And she reminded the commission that fact checking city statements is like fact checking fake news---there is not much truth to be found. She also told the commission:

"I voted for you, because you said that you had the best interests of KCB at heart and would never do anything to damage it. But damage it you have. You have trampled the wishes of a large majority of the residents and property owners. You have chosen a city administrator who has run roughshod over our citizens, our police department, and our institutions at every turn. You have hired a lawyer who slaps down the citizens...
"We, the people of KCB, are not divided; we are united against the charade you call governing. We are united against building the unnecessarily lavish proposed city hall. We are united in refurbishing the well-loved Marble Hall complex.

The audience applauded. The mayor called for order.

» One long-time resident has "never seen the city so divided."
» Another long-time resident "watched three commissioners smirk about the item to repair city hall. Their minds were already made up." She blamed the City Administrator for leading the "most spend happy administration. You are not the people we voted for," she said. "The others are working for Mr. Turner and other private interests."
» A resident noted that they had pin piled their own home at that we should pin pile "the old city hall which we love."
» A resident reminded the commission, "We elected you to represent our interests. I suggest we get a bid to restore. And have a referendum."
» A resident referred to the way the city clerk mentioned correspondence to the commission. "We should characterize the correspondence you get," he said, so everyone know what it's about, not just that "so-and-so sent a letter".
» A resident on Zoom asked for "a referendum with all of the facts and figures."
» A resident on Zoom who has had homes here for nearly five decades opposes the new city hall project. He mentioned the qualities that make us a community. "Eliminate any one of those" and that's the end of community.
» Former Commissioner and long-time city clerk Kathryn McCullough tried to comment and was overridden by the mayor.
Other comments included,

"Many residents have lost respect for the city government."
"The city has done nothing for almost six years."
"We request a full review of the financials. The information you feed to the public is unreliable."
"It's 'KGB' now, not 'KCB'."

» Mayor Trefrey said, "Some of these questions we can address later in the meeting." They never did.

» After the meeting, another long-time resident said, "See? They never listen. The 'Gang of Three' should resign and take that [deleted] administrator with them."