Fishing on Sunset Park pier
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.org
What was the outcome about allowing people to fish off of Sunset Park pier? We are VERY much against that. There are bridges and other locations in abundance in the KCB/Marathon area to fish and not make a mess of such a beautiful park area.
If this has not been decided yet, PLEASE vote no on this issue and keep our beautiful park beautiful.
Sincerely
Ken & Leah Baranowski
Key Colony Beach
Residents spoke out about the Key Colony Beach Meetings in November:
November 5, 2025Response to the "Workshop"
To: letters@peopleareasking.org
After all their claims of transparency, why couldn't the city council put the contract workshop on Zoom? This is the most important project in KCB in this century. What are they afraid we might see?
Name Withheld
Key Colony BeachThe workshop, held in Marble Hall, was open to the public but was not otherwise accessible.
November 20, 2025
Welcome Back Party
To: letters@peopleareasking.org
All the cowboys and cowgirls had a great time at the Welcome Back Party.
But people were talking about the "private meeting" Mayor Foster, Vice Mayor Colonell, and Commissioner Diehl had in the corner of Marble Hall. Did KCB commissioners violate the sunshine law? That may not be the first time.
Name Withheld
Key Colony Beach
What did the Commission do at the Regular Meeting on November 20?
The city commission held a public hearing and regular monthly meeting on Thursday, November 20. There were no items for the public hearing and no special requests.
KCBers offered extensive support for Daryl Rice and the new golf course contract. One resident who has been playing here for 30 years noted Rice's "knowledge of the course" and how "he keeps it affordable. Keeping Daryl is in the public interest." Another commenter "respectfully request[ed] that after you've listened to all the people and the citizens of this town, you do their wishes."
Margaret Tremblay commented "At the last meeting, Freddie made a comment, and I hope you remember this, that we are lucky that they open this meeting up to us and because of them we're allowed to be here. I just want to make a comment that I don't want you to forget, that you're lucky to be there because of us... Why don't we vote for the mayor? You're lucky you're there."
Mayor Foster replied, "I want to address that. We're up here to serve you guys. We're not up here because we enjoy this necessarily and we'd be happy with anybody that wants to step up and run because this takes a lot of my time and the last time I checked I was retired... I would encourage everyone in here to put your name in."
Cindy Catto reported that one Rec Committee member has resigned and another is considering leaving over their frustration with the lack of communication and the broken promises to tennis and basketball. She asked for more transparency and more notice of the commission's real plans.
Marathon Fire Chief James Muro reported that the Trauma Star helicopters have arrived and are being certified. One new bird and one backup are in service in Marathon now.
Mayor Foster reported that KCB is down to three untreated stormwater drains emptying into to the canals. They plan to address 7th Street, leaving just two on 11th Street. "Once they're done, this city will be the only city in all South Florida that can claim that we have no untreated water to go to the canal surface."
The commission approved hiring lobbyist Ron Brooks for one year for $50,000. They gave a head nod to pursue a piggyback agreement with Marathon for Early Alert. They determined the proposal for the golf course lease is in the public interest and approved the second interim golf course lease extension. The commission approved leasing a wide format printer for 63-months at $299 per month. They approved purchasing a $226,600 replacement membrane for the sewer plant that was in the budget.
A long discussion of the Employee Resource Guide disclosed that people including Dave Turner "just throwing stuff in" made it unusable. The commission discussed that department heads aren't allowed to have overtime even for prep before and repairs after a storm. Commissioner Harding questioned whether we really do what we say we're going to do in our safety policy. They discussed adding specifications and rules to allow administration and some of the building department to work from home as well as reducing the requirement to work for a year before taking vacation time.
They approved amending the ordinance to drop commission approval of boat lifts on 7th Street and within the Marina Subdivision. They also approved resolutions determining that the golf course contract is in the public interest, to adopt the revised personnel policy manual, and to adopt the local mitigation strategy update. Commissioner DiFransico noted that the mitigation document maps out the risks of floods, surges, fires. etc. in KCB. The document is available online and is a good resource, he said.
The motions all passed unanimously.
Commissioner Harding noted the city's bank interest rate has gone down. The commission gave a head nod to change some of our investments. He is working through options for about a $2.5 million loan for city hall. That will "be firmed up once the contractor gives us his cash flow."
He gave the wastewater updates and "remind[ed] everybody we are at the start of the flu and RSV season." Flu and RSV is present in the state of Florida but not in KCB in the last 30 days for flu or RSV. He reported low levels of COVID but no detection "in the last couple of weeks."
The November 13 report shows a COVID spike November 4th. Anecdotally, at least three or four KCBers tested positive for COVID around November 11.City attorney Jimmie Hicks clarified that the golf course contract falls under "a very technical, detailed statute" and that the final agreement must be a comprehensive agreement. He also noted that the release of the lien against Cox's property was for one matter only so other liens remain. Mayor Foster said "And this needs to be a lesson for not just us, but for your firm. We should have never, ever, ever done that. It just really, really bothers me that we were ready to punish people that were just innocent."
Commissioner DiFransico is still looking for ideas that would make KCB a "better place to live, a nicer place to live. And a more beautiful place. Silvia has posted a request on the website. Send your comments, your thoughts to Silvia, City Clerk."
Commissioner Colonell recommended holding the groundbreaking for city hall in mid-December to "keep the momentum going." He also explained the "Notice to Proceed" and described "how much work goes into a project before you run out there and put a shovel in the ground." He recommended that the NTP be concurrent with signing the contract. He also proposed a 10-foot sailfish sculpture, funded by donations, for the city hall driveway entrance.
Mayor Foster announced the Beautification Committee's January 11 concert with the 79th Street Band and free food as "a welcome back to KCB with all the improvements that we've done." He reminded everybody to go to Sunset Park. "We've done a lot of work there." The retention pond is moving along. The lighting for the fountains should be in next week. The city "website was woefully inadequate," so it is being redesigned.
He noted that "misinformation is a dangerous thing. So, I've heard that people have talked about the city has spent a whole bunch of money on different items out there. That's not true. What we've done is we've used a lot of grant money." He encouraged "communication is a two-way street."
The city commission cancelled the Town Hall scheduled for Monday, November 17, 2025.Read the Key Colony Beach City Commission Meeting Agenda and Packet.