The Latest News: August, 2024
KCB Makes Floodplain and Budget Changes
The Marathon Weekly and the Free Press reported that with new City Manager John Bartus at the helm, the Key Colony Beach City Commission Officials changed the floodplain rules and are considering different floor plan ideas and floodproofing for City Hall.
Two changes to KCB's floodplain regulations, both unanimously approved, should aid residents in repairing or improving damaged or ground-level homes... The city will shrink its "substantial improvement" time period from three years to one year, increasing the degree to which residents can repair or improve their homes without invoking FEMA's infamous "50% rule." The second change will revert the city's required height above base flood elevation from three feet to the (Florida statutory) one foot above base flood.
The commission was instructed to "diligently find the (CRS) points to make up for the ones that are lost."
https://keysweekly.com/42/how-to-add-to-key-colonys-city-hall-commission-debates-expansion-floodplain-changes .
https://www.keysnews.com/flkeysfreepress/news/middle_keys/kcb-talks-budget-annual-assessments/article_2f622fca-5bbe-11ef-af1b-7376fd8bdba3.html .
TRIM Notices
TRIM Notices have just come out.
The County sends the "Truth In Millage" notice to give you an idea of your property taxes based on the proposed tax (millage) rates, your property value as of January 1 and any applicable exemptions.
Some explanation. The back of the notice has a chart with your property valuation from last year and this year. The most important column in that chart is the "taxable value" because that shows you exactly what the tax collector uses on your bill. The example below looks only at what happens in the "Municipality" section of the tax bill, meaning the revenue KCB will raise this year.
The proposed tax rate is unchanged from last year at 2.8419 mills which is $2.8419 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. The city commission has discussed lowering the tax rate to 2.7215 mills or $2.7215 per $1,000 of assessed valuation (taxes will still rise dramatically).
The Monroe County tax assessor website has a nifty "Tax Estimator "tool at https://qpublic.schneidercorp.com/Application.aspx?AppID=605&LayerID=9946&PageTypeID=2&PageID=9673. This page currently shows the KCB tax rate at 2.8419 mills.
1. Here's a handy trick. KCB is in Tax District "50KC." Choose that from the first drop down box.
2. Now assume for the moment that the tax rate is unchanged since last year. Plug in the "Taxable Value" of your home for this year and tap "Compute." Write down the "Estimated taxes." Without changing anything else, plug in the "Taxable Value" of your home for this year and tap "Compute."
3. Subtract the "Estimated taxes." you just calculated for last year from the taxes you calculated for this year. That gives you increased revenue all the taxing agencies in Monroe County (including KCB) will get this year simply because property values have gone up so much.
4. Divide the "Estimated Taxes." you calculated for this year by the taxes you just calculated for last year. That gives you increased revenue by percentage
Let's look at an example. A typical non-homestead property on KCB may have had a Taxable Value of $1,000,000 last year. This year, rising property values increased the Taxable value to $1,500,000. (Remember, this is a hypothetical.)
Plugging in a Taxable Value of 1,500,000 for this year yields Estimated Taxes of $14,359.95.
Plugging in a Taxable Value of 1,000,000 for last year yields Estimated Taxes of $9,575.30. Simple subtraction shows the County and City will raise $4,783.75 more revenue on property tax alone this year despite a zero change in the tax rate. Our percentage calculation shows this non-homesteaded property's taxes increase 50 percent despite that zero change in the tax rate.The percentage calculation shows
this property's KCB taxes increase 50%
despite that "zero change"
in the tax rate.That's the real key. City and County officials publicize that they will reduce the tax rate. But city and county revenues soar as the actual taxes we pay skyrocket.
The TRIM Notice also includes estimates for GENERAL COUNTY, PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WATER MANAGEMENT, and MOSQUITO CONTROL. County solid waste charges have also risen.
Property taxes are a moving target until the tax bill comes out. Meanwhile, the TRIM Notice and this discussion are simply estimates of what is to come.
Public hearings on the proposed taxes and budgets will be held in person and via Zoom.
- Key Colony Beach: September 3 at 5:05 p.m. at KCB City Hall
- Mosquito Control: September 3 at 5:05 p.m. at Mosquito Control HQ, Marathon
- Monroe County: September 4 at 5:05 p.m. at Harvey Government Center, Key West
- Schools: September 10 at 5:05 p.m. at Marathon High School
- Water Management: September 12 at 5:15 p.m. at SFWMD Auditorium, West Palm Beach
- County Solid Waste: There is no public meeting for the solid waste increase.
- Key Colony Beach: September 17 at 5:05 p.m. at KCB City Hall
What Did the Key Colony Beach City Commission Do at the August Meeting
The City Commission held a public hearing and regular monthly meeting on Thursday, August 15.
PUBLIC HEARING HIGHLIGHTS
The commission sent the boat lift on 15th Circle back to the owner for redesign and approved the lift on the Causeway. They approved unity of title at Glunz Ocean Beach Club. They tabled the Comprehensive Plan amendments until the final draft is available. P+Z denied the architectural review for 1000 W. Ocean Drive and the commission agreed.
The commission did approve changing the flood plain regulations. The Substantial Improvement time period tracked is now one year and the Design Flood Elevation now matches the FEMA Flood Zone plus 1 foot. There are still concerns that this could change the CRS rating and that KCBers are not getting the full discount allowed.
REGULAR COMMISSION MEETING HIGHLIGHTS
Officials had another walk-through of city hall with engineer Will Campbell. They are considering different floor plan ideas and floodproofing the structure. Vice Mayor Foster reported that the state has reassigned the $2.2 million matching grant to underwrite some of that work. See below for the suggestions we sent to Building Official Loreno and the commissioners. WillScot will remove the Post Ofice trailer on August 28.
There was a lengthy discussion of whether to draft a city code amendment to change sewer inspection rules and whether city officials or contractors can enter a property without the property owners' consent. The commission denied that entire proposal.
Commissioners approved buying the F-150 Ford Truck for the Police Department and the request to hire an officer. The likely candidate is a veteran of the Allentown, PA, force and would fill the vacancy left by Lindsay Birkland's re-retirement. They approved the other agenda items including the increase in monthly sewer rates and the stormwater assessment. They dropped the Rentalscape online tracking service. There was no mention of the police report of one shot fired.
Commissioner Harding reported that we're now sampling wastewater for four viruses including dengue. COVID-19 is at a lower level than last month but still present. Monroe County had one COVID death in July and two in August.
City Hall Floorplan
Building official Tony Loreno discussed the redesign of city hall at the August commission meeting. Some suggestions included examining installing a second floor space under the existing roof, raising the roof for a new second floor, and adding more floor space with a new wing or new building.
We sent a note and drawings to Mr. Loreno:
Concerned in KCB has generated several suggested floorplans for reusing the existing ground floor space, as well as adding a new "wing," or adding a second floor. Weincluded Rroposal-2 and Proposal-3.
"Proposal3" seems the most efficient use of space if we stay on one floor. Other concepts are available here . There are volunteers here in the city ready to help analyze the suggested plans. That's an invaluable resource for city officials to tap. There has been no response from the Building Department nor from the commission.
Worthy of note, the former city engineer designed the pin pile layout to stabilize the current city hall floor. The same former city engineer also designed structural improvements to add a second floor living area to a rebuild on a 1968 "boatel" on 11th Street. That design added pin piles, new columns, and tie beams to support the second floor. The same concept can be applied easily to our city hall as we make the planned improvements.
Beautification News
The KCB Beautification Committee has several new projects. They have purchased new holiday banners (the old ones were falling apart). They planted more milk weed at the coconut path to encourage butterflies as well as new Ixoras near Marble Hall and Post office. They repurposed and installed the old Inch Beach fence around the air conditioners at back of Marble Hall. "Beauts" also purchased Yellow Mandela flowered vines and Public Works planted them around the fence. Public Works also removed the long grass around the palm trees in front of post office and mulched.
The committee is testing plants in the Retention Pond in conjunction with the Utility Board. The area has never recovered after Hurricane Irma so the committee not only wants a better look but also expects that the right plants will survive high rainfall and drought days as well as help to absorb the water, encourage birds, and build a wildlife area. They have also dug bore holes and Public Works is testing salinity and water levels.
Vice Mayor Freddie Foster is looking for a grant if the test works out.
Former Commissioner Arrested
Former KCB commissioner Kimmeron Lisle, 60, was arrested August 16, 2024, at the Continental Inn on one count of Simple Assault. The MCSO Arrest Reports were added to the Marathon Weekly in the newspaper box near the Post Office.
Download the arrest report here.
County Administrator Indicted
The Marathon Weekly and the Free Press reported that former Monroe County Administrator Roman Gastesi is the latest Keys official indicted for felony obstruction by a grand jury. Gastesi retired in February after serving in the county’s top unelected position for nearly a decade. He had been expected to return to the post.
This indictment comes in the wake of multiple arrests in the wide-ranging narcotics theft scandal connected to the Monroe County Fire Rescue Trauma Star air ambulance program.
State Attorney Dennis Ward said. "Gastesi's actions reflect a pattern of misconduct that affects our community's trust in government, and we are fully committed to ensuring justice is served." People Are Asking if indictments are coming for malfeasance by other officials?
https://keysweekly.com/42/roman-gastesi-indicted-for-attempted-coverup-in-fentanyl-theft-case
https://keysweekly.com/42/indictments-charges-grow-in-trauma-star-drug-theft-scandal .
https://www.keysnews.com/flkeysfreepress/news/county/grand-jury-indicts-former-county-administrator/article_6916bc3c-5bea-11ef-8ee0-23009549c84c.html .