It does not take long to figure out that in Islamorada there are two clearly defined entities. These two sides are on a collision course.

This week’s concern: Does anyone really care about trying to fix the high cost of living? Even just small bites?

A couple weeks ago I reported: property taxes in Islamorada have increased 58.2% in the last 5 years, from $11,544,900 in 2020-21 to $18,264,500 in the current 2025-26 budget and yet the population has decreased slightly. 

I submit that the Village spends more because we have more money to spend as property values escalate and the millage rate is not reduced.

It is not monopoly money, it’s our tax dollars. Our budget process continues to be shrouded in non-layman’s terms. You can’t question what you can’t understand. That is an old government practice.

How about a novel idea of returning some money to taxpayers. Re-assess your programs and identify programs and persons who have either completed their tasks or programs have been overcome by events.

Begin here:

Competitive bidding is intended to keep costs low, creating a process that promotes selection of the most qualified suppliers, protecting taxpayers from extravagance, favoritism, and fraud.

We have been ignoring and or coming up with ways to avoid this process for years.

We are addicted to favoritism and extravagance.

Some officials have labeled the Village “a town of rich people.” They have no idea about what residents have to do just to survive economically.

In the Village “Purchasing and Procurement Manual,” we are directed to comply with competitive bid requirements. In the current budget we anticipate receiving over $12.5 million in grants, all requiring competitive bidding. We are obligated to comply. 

Is there in-house punishment for failure to follow rules? Anyone? I think not.

In 2025, competitive bidding was waived by the Village Council a couple dozen times!   And even when there is competitive bidding, is the selection process fair or are they able to play favorites?  

I caution Council to play by their own rules and stringently apply competitive bidding procedures to our expenditures. We have not done this in good faith.

I strongly support a Florida DOGE analysis for a Village that has not been truly analyzed for a quarter of a century. Common sense.

Tuesday night the Village will amend the Village procurement policy manual to add FDOT competitive bid requirements that follow F.S. 287.057 – competitive bidding required for all services over $35,000.  It has always been required! This is a reminder.

We believe that competitive bidding goes a long way in assuring the best services for our community and the taxpayers who fund them.

Can the Council, Manager and general counsel assure that competitive bid requirements are being adhered to when applying for state and federal grants?  

It is their job and their promise to govern for the “greater good.”

Elections have consequences.

Tom Raffanello

Interesting agenda - just 326 pages. Shortest agenda for a regular Council Meeting in several years.

It seems the most important and controversial items are discussion items - with no individual public comment allowed.

General public comment can be used to comment on reports and discussions: squeeze in 3 minutes about multiple critical issues already heard with council direction already provided.

Examples March 10 agenda - 1) Discussion Regarding Baseball License Agreement and Design Plan; 2) FDOT SFY27 Rideshare Funding Opportunity; 3) Village Manager 60-Day Performance Review

We hear the School Board may refuse to give Islamorada the right to review and have a say in the final design at the Village owned baseball field. Have the two groups reached an impasse? Both are discussing it at their individual meetings Mar 10, 86 miles apart.  Why don’t they sit down together and work this out?

Examples March 12 agenda - 1) Comp Plan Update; 2) Plan for Allocation of the Early Evacuation Workforce Units

March 10 TAB 6 - Consent Agenda - approving a change in the Village procurement policy for purchases made that will receive FDOT funding. This one agenda item is162 pages long - half the agenda. In October 2025, the Village was reviewed for compliance for the FDOT Freebee grant.  FDOT suggested the Village update its procurement policies to assure they follow FDOT competitive bid requirements.

The Purchasing and Procurement Manual should be required reading for staff and council before waiving competitive bidding or utilizing RFP/RFQ processes.

And What is missing from the Agenda?

• No “After Action Status Report” - We were promised that every agenda would include this report. It is very helpful in keeping track of projects the Council wants the staff to undertake.

• No FDOT Landscape contract - pulled from February agenda.  The Village is being asked to agree to the same $65,644 per year to mow and trim 18 miles of FDOT right of way. This amount has not increased for years. We need some public discussion.  

• Use Change pulled from Feb agenda: No explanation - adding affordable housing as a legal use in Public Service/Semi-Public Zoning District. Request made by property owners, Habitat and Island Community Church.

Village Manager, Ron Saunders, has indicated he will continue to provide a comp plan update in every council agenda until the process has been completed. It surely seems to be moving at a snails pace.  An update of the status is to be provided at the Village Council Land Use Meeting on March 12.   Below is the original timeline.

Able City East was approved in October 2024 to work with the Village to update the Comp Plan. In addition, they agreed to do any corresponding Land Development Regulation updates needed, as part of the contract price. In September 2025, Able City East submitted a draft Comp Plan to the Village due in the spring of 2025 according to the timeline.   At the February Council meeting, we learned that the Village staff finally submitted their recommended changes.   When the changes are incorporated by Able City and an updated draft is provided, a public workshop will be scheduled. The updates will have public hearing(s) before the LPA and the Council before final approval.

On the March 10 agenda for discussion is the recommendation from the Workforce/Affordable Housing Committee as to a “Plan for the Allocation of Early Evacuation Workforce Housing."

Numerous recommendations from the committee would require changes to our comp plan and/or Land Development Regulations. Perfect timing.   But first - a Study: As we wrote in last week’s newsletter, an up-to-date Housing Study is desperately needed before we start changing Land Development Regulations and the Comp Plan. What type housing do we really need?  The county has 12 1-bedroom affordable units sitting at MM95, vacant since last July. What is it that is so desperately needed?  Figuring out the actual need must be step one.

Voices for Florida Keys Children, a volunteer organization, dedicated to the betterment of the lives of the County abused, abandoned, and neglected children, under the supervision of the 16th judicial circuit in the Florida Keys. These children are in the state judicial system through no fault of their own. Click here to learn more or to join the effort!

The amazing Annual Fundraising luncheon was held at Hawks Cay March 7.  Photo below are some of the sponsors honored at the event. In 2025, Voices provided support for Florida Keys children, including education, field trips, summer camps, medical expenses, clothing, holiday gifts, and scholarships totaling $187,657.  Thank you for a job very well done!

What an amazing performance with talent galore. Great vocals, fantastic dancing, an incredible set. The Arts are alive at Coral Shores High School.

At a recent council meeting there was a resident asking for help - too many roosters crowing at all hours disturbing the peace and quiet on Upper Matecumbe.  

It is believed there are about 5 - 6 roosters, several near Village Hall and the ones on Upper Matecumbe that were the object of the original crowing complaint at Jerome Ave.

Vice Mayor Mahoney to the rescue! She has located a farmer in Homestead who will provide a home for the roosters and someone who will transport them to the new home.  Without the roosters, the number of chickens can be stabilized.

Next - homes for the hens.  Anyone have a chicken coop that wants a couple extra hens?  Or you can get a chicken coop delivered by Amazon for a little more than $100.  It is believed the chickens at Founders Park were raised in a coop and will produce eggs as much as 2 per hen per day! A pretty good investment.  If interested, send Sharon an email at sharellen@netzero.net.

Remember - if you do not want to attract chickens to your neighborhood - do not feed wild chickens.  It is against the law!

Sometimes it seems we go so long in between meetings - we forget about the busy lives of those we elected!  Here are just a couple hints about the whereabouts of a couple members of Council.

Vice Mayor Sharon Mahoney finally had time between meetings to get her leg repaired. We hope recovery goes well.  Perhaps the Seven Mile Bridge race will be in her future!

Councilmember Anna Richards threw out the first pitch at the Coral Shores baseball game Monday, threwing a strike to get the Canes off to a great start as they won an exciting game 3-1 with pitcher Riley O’Berry going the distance.

Last Stand welcomed Councilmember Steve Friedman as their newest board member. Steve is a dedicated and experienced advocate for the lifeblood of the Florida Keys: the waters. Last Stand is lucky to have Steve on their board. Click here to read how Steve got to be such an advocate for our waters.

The rest couldn't be posted because of the size for some reason? Please see the newsletter archives for more!

It does not take long to figure out that in Islamorada there are two clearly defined entities. These two sides are on a collision course.

This week’s concern:

“They paved paradise to put up a parking lot”

Common good:The very heart of the legal concept of the common good isn't a single law, but an idea woven into government regulations, constantly asking the question: “What is best for the community as a whole?”

It is apparent the “common good” policy is not working properly in Islamorada and some in the community get special favors.

A year ago, property owners at Anglers Reef Condos on Windley Key asked the Village to provide overflow parking spaces on Village owned right of way in front of their 52-unit condo.

Over 75% of the units have vacation rental licenses, which certainly adds to their parking problems… that they want the Village to fix. 

There are numerous parking problems in Islamorada. The scenic Village is not so scenic anymore with continual overflow parking everywhere.  Why has the Council singled out Anglers Reef to provide special help? 

At a recent meeting, the Village Council, declared fixing Angler Reef parking as the “top priority” for the Planning Department. It is now ahead of the Comp Plan and a list of other, now forgotten “priorities.”

Publicly spinning the priority “wheel” doesn’t solve a single problem.

Jennifer DeBoisbriand, Village Planning Director, told council from a planning perspective, parking throughout the Village should be addressed together as part of the Comp Plan review. We think this is logical. That review should be top priority.

The property owners at Anglers Reef, through their HOA attorney, Ty Harris, offered to pay, an estimated $500,000 for the parking project. Village Attorney, John Quick, warned that this could create legal complications because of the tax-free status of the Village. And that the parking couldn’t be restricted to “Anglers Reef Only.”

The Council members responded - who else would use the proposed parking?  How about the mobile home park adjoining Anglers Reef with 48 homes squeezed onto a property about 1/3 the size of Anglers Reef. Aren’t they equally entitled?

Furthermore, this creates a precedent that will be tested and eventually abused.

At the June 2025 Council Meeting, former Village Engineer, Robert Mather, presented recommendations based on legal requirements and safety issues. He indicated parallel parking is the safest parking design and follows legal requirements. He explained requirements as to clear sight triangles, no backing onto a road, etc. 

DeBoisbriand added that while many local businesses back onto roads, those are existing conditions that can’t be changed. For a new project, all requirements like the no backing requirement must be enforced to minimize future hazards.

Recommendations and warnings from Mather and DeBoisbriand were ignored. The Council directed Mather to change the plan to angled parking. And voted to eliminate the “no backing” safety restriction in Village regulations.

Next: Once the sketch with the angled parking was completed, a Town Hall meeting was to be scheduled to present the plan to the community. None yet, 9 months later?

Special treatment: Is Anglers Reef getting other special concessions?    

According to “Cityview“ on the Village website, on Jan 16, the Building Department received a permit application for 11 parking spaces in the right of way with the Village as property owner. Who filed the permit?

On Feb 12, the Village Planning Department received a site plan for the Village owned Right of Way, from the homeowners, listing Anglers Reef as owner. 

From the site plan review by Planning: “Parking plan pursuant to License & Use Agreement between Village of Islamorada and Anglers Reef POA.”  What license agreement?  This appears headed for the Hall of Bad decisions. File it next to the Founders Park baseball field fiasco.

Also noted in the review for Anglers Reef  “Application fees and deposit waived per Village Manager.”  Why?  What entitles them to reduced costs? 

 

People ask why is there division in the Village?Look at the decisions made by Village authorities, often demonstrating blatant favoritism.

Are Village taxpayers on the hook for the costly improvements and staff time?

Will this application face the same scrutiny other applicants face? I wouldn’t bet on it. And will we ever know why Anglers Reef is treated a bit better than many applicants facing the Village.  This whole project stinks to high heaven.

Explain Village officials! You work for us. You can try to heal the division with transparency and answers to our questions. Ball is in your court.

 

Tom Raffanello

Nighttime single-lane closures will take place on the Channel 5 Bridge Sunday, March 1 through Thursday, March 5, from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following morning.