ICA to Village: Bypassing public scrutiny is against the law
January 24, 2023
Menu
This week’s hastily put together Village Council meeting is considered a lame duck session. It’s very unusual for Islamorada but it is legal (of course, we checked). So, what does it mean?
It means the current Council members are meeting and voting on a slew of items before the new Council can be sworn in.
What had originally been scheduled for November 17th was a separate hearing on the proposed and controversial project, The Crooked Palms brewery and distillery entertainment venue. It would be the ONLY item on the agenda.
The meeting, however, had been improperly noticed. When an ICA supporter brought it to staff’s attention, they concurred. Therefore, the meeting on that specific agenda item could not move forward on that date.
So, intead, staff loaded up a number of lingering items the public is not likely to be supportive of, in order to pass them before the new Council, which includes three existing Councilmembers, can officially be sworn in.
This latest maneuver by the Council is lawful, but it is awful.
The remarks that follow are both astute and timely, so much so we asked Sue if we could include them in this update. “Of course,” she said.
For the last two years, little has been done to address 2023, TDRs, traffic, affordable housing, noise, budget excesses, or the Fills. These are critical issues and have been given lip service and or ignored.
The Council’s most memorable accomplishments? Cancellation of the pedestrian bridge and the amazing holiday lighting last December. Both thanks to Henry.
The Council did manage to approve the purchase of numerous public works equipment and fire department vehicles.
A permit was pulled on 7/15/2021 for a 583 sq ft modular building for the dockmaster at Founders Park that, according to the online permit system, still does not have a certificate of occupancy though I hear it is now finally occupied.
This agenda shows the Village is a tenant-at-sufferance with FDOT. Someone forgot to ask for an extension or new lease at Anne’s Beach. I guess that’s important reason to meet tonight, but that’s been the case for more than a year and through three Village managers.
Here is THE AGENDA for Nov. 17, 2022. The meeting begins at 5:30pm. We encourage all Villagers to attend in person, tune in to the live stream or join by Zoom. Instructions for each option are included in the agenda item linked here.
Originally scheduled for November 17 was a public hearing of the proposed and controversial project, The Crooked Palms brewery and distillery entertainment venue.
Many images on our site have been generously loaned to ICA from award-winning conservation photographer Mac Stone and Mac Stone Photography. They are copyright protected.