Have an extra $300 Million? Cheeca is reportedly for sale, or just another April Fools story? Click here for the history of the resort and latest status as reported by Key West journalist Ted Lund.

Appointments will be made at the Council meeting on May 12. Click here to see the list of committees and their functions.

Get involved! Pick a committee that interests you and apply.

Marjory Stoneman Douglas (April 7, 1890 – May 14, 1998) was an American  conservationist known for her staunch defense of the Everglades against efforts to drain it and reclaim land for development.  Her most influential work was the book The Everglades: River of Grass (1947), which made people realize the Everglades is a treasured river, not a worthless swamp.

She played a key role in the protection of the Everglades when she was 79 years old becoming an unfaltering crusader for the  preservation and restoration of the Everglades. Her efforts for the next 29 years earned her the nickname "Grande Dame of the Everglades."   It also resulted in significant hostility of agricultural and business interests looking to benefit from land development 

Douglas lived to 108, working until near the end  for Everglades restoration.

Since its inception, the Islamorada Community Alliance has been dedicated to the premise that we are duty-bound to inform and educate our residents of the factors that may hinder the Village Mission statement:

To Protect the Residents' Right to Quiet Enjoyment of Life

To Plan for Enhancing Our Village Character

To Preserve Our Community; Its People, Natural Resources, Pride

To Provide Basic Services to Support our Quality of Life

I believe the ICA has been very successful, in informing and educating. This is underscored by the fact that the ICA weekly newsletter has a viewership of several thousand. We thank those who honor us with their viewership. We must be doing something right.

I want to commend the Village Manager for responding to some of our inquiries and suggestions on how to better serve our public. I submit that this is the type of governance that residents want.

Residents want to be heard from and answered in a timely fashion by our public officials (both elected and appointed).

At one point, the Village Manager related that so few residents attend Council meetings because residents are totally happy with decisions being made.

I see that differently.

Many people feel that the residents have given up, but I am convinced that many pay attention to the issues but shun the spotlight.

In my editorials, I have often been quite tough on the council, manager and staff. It is our responsibility to point out their actions and decisions – and associated concerns.

It is important to remember, it is not personal, its business.

A couple weeks ago it was lack of follow-up by staff and/or council that I criticized with a long list of pending items that need to be addressed.

Again, I commend Manager Saunders and staff for listing the status of 5 or 6 items from my list of 20 in his weekly status report. This is a good start and we encourage more of the same. It is important to keep residents up to date with the Manager’s “After Action” report. Why not have an up-to-date “After Action” report, on the Village website?

That would be real transparency.

We voiced concern that the Mission Statement was removed from the Community Center wall. We understand it has been returned. We appreciate the quick response.

We have regularly questioned whether the village staff, and particularly the Planning Department, understands and cares about what residents of Islamorada envision for the future of the community.

In an effort to remedy this, “Plates and Plans” an April 15 forum, has been scheduled by Planning. Bravo! This is an innovative effort to begin a dialogue between residents and the Village Planning entity. We hope lots of residents show up with great suggestions to make our community better. We encourage members of council to listen to fresh ideas as well.

Together our voices can be a lot louder and then they will surely be heard more often.

My thanks to the Village Manager and Planning Department for this first of its kind forum.

We encourage all the additional Village departments to do likewise. i.e. code enforcement, wastewater, public works et al.

It’s good business. We want a united Village with common goals.

Speak up residents.

Tom Raffanello

Date: April 15, 2026 Time: 11 - 1 Where:  Community Center What: Light lunch provided, no appointment necessary, all welcome Plates & Plans: Community Planning Conversation. Mark your calendar for a no-strings-attached lunch where you can talk directly with village planners about what matters to you. No presentations, just come by to talk about what matters to you at an informal, accessible setting designed to foster community dialogue. Whether you have specific concerns, ideas for improvement, or simply want to stay informed about local planning initiatives, this is an opportunity to engage directly with decision-makers.

Bring your questions, insights, and perspective. Community input strengthens planning processes.

What type of affordable housing is the most critical need? An important question that needs a legitimate answer. The Monroe County Commission has called for an analysis for Key Largo, Tavernier, Marathon and Cudjoe Key to determine what kind of affordable housing is most needed and where.

Why isn’t Islamorada included in this study?  The county recognizes that they need answers as to the size of the dwellings most in demand, rental versus ownership, location, cost.  Doesn’t the Village need the same analysis?  The most recent Islamorada study was done in 2007 and focused only on the Village rather than including surrounding communities. Monroe County purchased a complex with 18 one-bedroom deed restricted apartments in Key Largo 9 months ago. They’re having a really tough time finding any tenants.   Much of the workforce in Islamorada comes from outside the Village, often from the mainland. With the extremely high cost of living here, would they even consider moving away from their own community to live in Islamorada even if there was affordable housing available?

The planning staff has been directed to move forward with an extensive list of changes to our regulations from the Workforce/Affordable Housing Committee. These could change many limitations.

Islamorada put out an RFQ in January looking for proposals to create deed restricted multi-family rental housing at the “Machado” property at MM88.6.  The village received just two proposals.  The selection committee is scheduled to meet April 2 to evaluate the proposals. The affordable housing needs analysis, required by our current Comprehensive Plan, is extremely out of date. Shouldn’t the selection of a contractor for the Machado property be deferred until an appropriate study has been completed? And until any recommendations by the Workforce/Affordable Housing committee are considered, along with any changes from the Comp Plan review and Charter Review? There are hundreds of potential units in projects that are in the pipeline. The Village has waited for years to seriously address affordable housing.  Now is not the time to fast track the process. There is a significant need for current facts and to study the real needs.  No more depending on studies done a decade ago when times were so different. Much thanks to the research and analysis of the local Habitat for Humanity efforts. Click here to see their statistics for Upper Keys affordable housing and adjacent their Mainland Study.

Anchors & Atolls: Ocean Adventures with Dr. Jack Grove Florida Bay Forever invites you to an unforgettable evening of ocean exploration, storytelling, and discovery with renowned marine biologist Dr. Jack Grove.

Dr. Grove will be sharing his incredible experiences from decades of work across the tropical Pacific. Grove has spent over 50 years exploring the world’s oceans, traveling to more than 100 countries and studying marine ecosystems from the Galápagos to Antarctica. A respected scientist, author, and educator, he is best known for his work on tropical marine life and his book “The Fishes of the Galápagos Islands.” Now based in the Upper Keys, Dr. Grove continues to inspire others through his work in conservation, education, and research. Event Details Date:Friday, April 10. at Safe Harbor Angler House, Islamorada, MM80.5 Time: 6 PM – Meet & Greet; 6:30 PM - Presentation Free & open to the public   RSVP (appreciated): Email: info@floridabayforever.org; Text/Call: 561-818-5341 Cash bar; free hot dogs, popcorn, and light snacks

The latest draft from Able City East was received on March 11 and is available on the Village website. Click here. If you care about the future of the Village, get involved.

A Public Workshop is scheduled for April 29, 5:30 PM. Be there.

You can submit recommendations to the Village in advance or at the workshop.

Thanks to Nancy Klingener for providing info from the Wright Langley Collection. March 30, 1926 – A delegation appointed by the Monroe County Commission traveled to the Matecumbe Keys to help find the best route for a new highway. Some Matecumbe residents feared land values would plummet if the planned road traversed their properties, and the delegates hoped to ease their minds. Below: Aerial View of Lower Matecumbe Key, ca. 1920, showing the route of the railroad available from the Library’s Florida Keys History Center.

Monroe County Mayor, Michelle Lincoln, has been traveling around the county providing a “State of the County” presentation.  She was at last week’s Islamorada Chamber of Commerce luncheon. We hope she will make the presentation at the April 7 Village Council meeting. Click here for the report.