People Are Asking

The Latest News: July, 2024

City Administrator

The City Commission hosted a special Public Hearing to introduce and choose from the applicants for a part-time City Administrator in Marble Hall and as a Zoom webinar on Monday, July 15, at 9:30 a.m.

The current applicants for City Commissioner are former Marathon mayor John Bartus and former Marathon city manager Mike Puto. A third person expressed interest but has not submitted his application at this time.

The Applicants will be invited to make brief statements about their goals and their experience. Commissioner will ask questions and make comments and there will be time for citizen questions and comments. The appointment by motion will follow with a rollcall vote to approve.

Click here to email questions or supporting documents to the commissioners and city clerk.
Download the 07-15-2024 City Commission Public Hearing Agenda.
The 07-15-2024 City Commission Public Hearing Agenda Packet is not available.

Please attend the meetings in person or by Zoom if you can't get to Marble Hall.

City Budget

The City Commission held its first budget workshop in Marble Hall and as a Zoom webinar on Monday, July 15. On the agenda were:

  • Estimated taxable value of KCB properties for 2024/25
  • Estimated year end cash reserves
  • The Treasurer's report of General Fund YTD revenue and expenditures
  • A draft of the Utility Board budget
  • A draft of the General Budget
  • Discussions of the millage rate
  • Commission direction/discussion
  • And department requests including the code department, now treated separately from the building department.

Click here to email questions to the commissioners and city clerk.
Download the 07-15-2024 City Commission Budget Workshop Agenda.
Download the 07-15-2024 City Commission Budget Workshop Agenda Packet.

Post Office News

We all expected the "great move" of the KCB Post Office from the double wide trailer back into the refurbished space in city hall in May. The move is still planned but the schedule is still unknown.

Flood Insurance

Commissioner Harding explained how the Community Rating System affects our flood insurance rates and how to assure we homeowners are getting the correct discount. CRS discounts will continue to apply.

Key Colony Beach is at "Level 7", so flood policyholders now receive a 15 percent CRS discount on their annual full risk premiums. Commissioner Harding reported that that discount is scheduled to increase to 20 percent next year. The CRS discount is automatically applied and should be indicated on your individual policy. The discount schedules are listed on the FEMA CRS website at https://www.fema.gov/floodplain-management/community-rating-system#discounts . (FYI, policyholders in unincorporated Monroe County receive a 35 percent CRS discount.)

Your invoice rarely shows the discounts you've received. Those discount details are usually included on a Policy Declaration Page, listed under "Coverage and Premium Information."

Things to look for on your policy:
  • Reserve fund assessment
  • Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act surcharge
  • Federal policy fee
  • Increase Cost of Compliance rider
  • Other discounts
  • Get an elevation certificate to ensure your insurer uses accurate elevation data to calculate your premiums. FIRM has reported that most policyholders do get better rates with elevation certificates.
  • Call your insurance agent to get your new premiums under Risk Rating 2.0.

The FEMA Discount Explanation Guide provides information on the rating variables that are generally applied to the building and contents premium. Visit https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_discount-Explanation-Guide.pdf for the guide.

Wonder why premiums are skyrocketing? The 2014 Homeowners Flood Insurance Affordability Act requires annual increases of no less than 15 percent (but no more than 18 percent) for primary homes and 25 percent for all other properties.

People Are Asking ... What Happened at the KCB City Commission July Meeting

The City Commission held its regular monthly meeting in Marble Hall and as a Zoom webinar on Thursday, July 18.

Developer Luis Alonso has abandoned the 721 West Ocean Drive property request. He had asked that KCB transfer the ROGO rights for that property to Marathon but said "time ran out" and the sellers would not grant an extension.

All tile work is now finished at the new tiki in the W Ocean Drive park and everyone is pleased with the result. Commissioners suggested adding night landscaping and open wireless internet there.

Ed Borysiewicz reported that they have finalized plans from K2M and have preliminary estimates for pinpiles and flowable fill, floor leveling, and drywall to repair City Hall. They plan to do all the work other than the pinpiles and floor a la carte so only the big ticket items go out to bid. Commissioners can simply pay invoices under $25K.

The Commission discussed items from the FY24/25 Budget Workshop
  • The Budget Calendar;
  • KCB's building and business tax fees;
  • KCB's schedule of violations & penalties;
    • Florida Statute §162.22 states that "a person convicted of violating a municipal ordinance may be sentenced to pay a fine, not to exceed $500..."
    People are asking why KCB's schedule of penalties for violations is a profit center for the city?
  • The General Fund budget;
  • The Utility Fund Budget;
  • The commission declared the proposed millage rate of 2.8419 (the same as the current rate). That can be lowered at future meetings but not raised.

The city attorney announced a closed session for Cox v. KCB at the end of the next commission meeting.

John Bartus Named City Administrator

Former Marathon mayor and longtime city councilman John Bartus will take the helm as Key Colony Beach's next city administrator, following a unanimous vote by the KCB City Commission. "As somebody who's sat in your seat for nearly a decade and a half, I've had to hire and fire city managers, and I'm very well aware of what I wanted to see in a city manager," Bartus told the commission. "That's somebody who will simply execute the policies that a city commission implements... You are the policy makers, and my job would be to execute those policies and not play politics."

Commissioners approved a contract that authorizes Bartus to continue as musician, publisher, and active community volunteer. He will keep a time sheet for KCB. He will start on July 22. Read the entire article in the Marathon Weekly: https://keysweekly.com/42/john-bartus-named-city-administrator-by-key-colony-beach-commission

The Heat Is On, but Not like 2023

Sea temperatures are on the rise again, but not as hot as the ones last year that led to a historic bleaching event. The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary gave a briefing last week on water temperatures and the forecast on coral bleaching this summer.

The prognosis for bleaching is not as dire as last year at this point, but water temperatures are on the rise once more as there have not been significant cooling storms or rains in recent days. Read the entire article in the Citizen/Florida Keys Free Press: https://www.keysnews.com/flkeysfreepress/news/county/the-heat-is-on-but-not-like-2023/article_c7db287e-42aa-11ef-8d5e-2f9e05be45fc.html

Monroe County ROGO Survey

The Monroe County Board of County Commissioners is hosting special Rate of Growth Ordinance and Building Permit Allocation System workshops to have a conversation about hurricane evacuation modeling. County residents must be able to evacuate the Keys within 24 hours before a storm.

The BOCC wants public participation. Their first survey results are being compiled now. Survey #2 gathers data from the community about "livability" factors of daily life, giving residents the opportunity to give open feedback. Survey #2 will only be available for a few weeks. Take the survey through this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MCROGOSurvey2 or visit http://www.monroecounty-fl.gov/1321/ROGOBPAS-Workshop-Presentations for more information.

Attention KCB Voters

If your signature has changed since the last time you voted, or if you have moved, or changed your address, or if you need to register to vote for the first time, you need to do it quickly for the upcoming Primary Election. The voter registration book closes July 22, 2024.

The Primary Election will be held August 20, 2024. There are 51,072 active, eligible voters in Monroe County.

Call the Elections Department (305.289.6017 or 305.292.3416), email info@keyselections.org or visit https://keyselections.org for more information,

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