February Meeting to be at the home of
Cindy and Jeremy Emmet
1020 Southard St
Tuesday, February 21st at 5:30pm
Please join us as we host Key West City Commissioner Jimmy Weekley. The Commissioner will be bringing us up-to-date on the recent traffic study and several other items of concern to our neighborhood.
In addition we will also be joined by former Monroe County Mayor Shirley Freeman who has been appointed by Jimmy Weekley to the City Manager Search Committee. Shirley will give us her perspective on her role in this effort as well getting our input on this important process.
Friday, February 17, 2012
FSNA - Meeting Notes - January 23, 2012
A big Thank You to Norma and Dick Klein for hosting our January Meeting.
And to Chuck Sherman for moderating the meeting.
Our first speaker was Mosquito Control District Biologist Coleen Fitzsimmons. Coleen updated us on current dengue mosquito control efforts. The Florida Keys Mosquito Control District is pursuing trials for the release of genetically engineered males in the control of Aedes aegypti, the mosquito responsible for the spread of dengue fever. Due to the difficulty in controlling these mosquitoes, this technology could potentially assist in the reduction of both the mosquitoes and disease in Key West. While the District is still undergoing review from both Federal and State agencies for permitting, they hope that trials can begin in Key West in April 2012.
Coleen explained that these males would pass on an “autocidal” gene that kills their offspring early on in life, thus reducing the Aedes aegypti population. The gene is tetracycline-dependent, and these mosquitoes can only survive in the presence of tetracycline. Studies done in the Caymans showed an 80% reduction in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. This experiment only targets Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, and will not harm the other mosquitoes that live and breed in the Keys, thus not upsetting the balance of nature.
The field trial area, once approved, will cover approximately 6x6 city blocks between the Key West Cemetery and Garrison Bight Marina.
The second speaker was Key West Utilities Manager Jay Gewin who gave us an update on the results of the City's Recycling Study. Jay said the City of Key West has hired Kessler Consulting of Tampa, FL to conduct a Solid Waste Master Plan for the City.
This plan seeks to accomplish the following goals:
Jay indicated the city would eventually go to one pickup per week, with three large cans – one for garbage, one for recycling, and one for yard waste.
Phil Schaeffer made an additional plea for everyone to vote regarding the .5 mil ballot referendum for the Monroe County School Budget. He also reminded everyone about the Charter Review and Redistricting Committee Meeting on Thursday, January 25th at 5 pm at Old City Hall. And he told everyone about the Key West Cemetery Stroll being held on March 24, 2012, where small groups of visitors will be escorted to gravesites where they will meet interpreters who will tell the stories of the deceased in brief monologues. He asked that if anyone is interested in volunteering for this event to please contact him by email at keywestphil@gmail.com.
The next Meeting of the Frances Street Neighborhood Association will be hosted by on Tuesday, February 21, 2012, at the home of Jeremy and Cindy Emmet at 1020 Southard Street at 5:30 pm.
Margaret Schaeffer
for the Frances Street Neighborhood Association
keywestmargaret@gmail.com
And to Chuck Sherman for moderating the meeting.
Our first speaker was Mosquito Control District Biologist Coleen Fitzsimmons. Coleen updated us on current dengue mosquito control efforts. The Florida Keys Mosquito Control District is pursuing trials for the release of genetically engineered males in the control of Aedes aegypti, the mosquito responsible for the spread of dengue fever. Due to the difficulty in controlling these mosquitoes, this technology could potentially assist in the reduction of both the mosquitoes and disease in Key West. While the District is still undergoing review from both Federal and State agencies for permitting, they hope that trials can begin in Key West in April 2012.
Coleen explained that these males would pass on an “autocidal” gene that kills their offspring early on in life, thus reducing the Aedes aegypti population. The gene is tetracycline-dependent, and these mosquitoes can only survive in the presence of tetracycline. Studies done in the Caymans showed an 80% reduction in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. This experiment only targets Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, and will not harm the other mosquitoes that live and breed in the Keys, thus not upsetting the balance of nature.
The field trial area, once approved, will cover approximately 6x6 city blocks between the Key West Cemetery and Garrison Bight Marina.
The second speaker was Key West Utilities Manager Jay Gewin who gave us an update on the results of the City's Recycling Study. Jay said the City of Key West has hired Kessler Consulting of Tampa, FL to conduct a Solid Waste Master Plan for the City.
This plan seeks to accomplish the following goals:
- An analysis of our solid waste and recyclable materials to help us learn the composition of our waste flow.
- It will also analyze our waste stream by season, and by type of commercial customer. This information can provide insight for billing modifications to help increase recycling.
- It will also help us quantify what materials aren't being captured for recycling.
- Recommendations for amendments to the City's existing curbside (solid waste and recycling) and municipal solid waste (MSW) haul-out contracts.
- These recommendations will include ideas to increase recycling along with remedies for any deficiencies in our solid waste contracts compared with other Florida municipalities.
- Kessler Consulting will also propose approaches to future contracts/bids to help us achieve our goals for customer service and recycling.
- A comparison with other municipalities in Florida in regards to our customer fees for services.
- A staffing analysis of the City's operation of the Solid Waste Transfer Station on Rockland Key that will include opportunities to increase efficiency.
- A study of the City's solid waste/recycling ordinances that will include recommendations of possible amendments that will help increase our City's recycling rate.
- Recommendations that will increase our material recovery, and establish a pathway to reach maximum recovery/zero waste. These guidelines will be specific to Key West and our unique geography and community.
- Assistance with establishing Best Management Practices for the City of Key West in solid waste/recycling.
- Analysis of our commercial billing structure that could result in a more equitable payment structure among types of businesses, along with incentives for increased recycling.
- Project outreach including community meetings to help obtain resident and business participation in the study.
- Creation of a final Strategic Solid Waste Master Plan document, which will be used for staff and City Commission assistance in budgeting, management, and will be available for the public via our website.
Jay indicated the city would eventually go to one pickup per week, with three large cans – one for garbage, one for recycling, and one for yard waste.
Phil Schaeffer made an additional plea for everyone to vote regarding the .5 mil ballot referendum for the Monroe County School Budget. He also reminded everyone about the Charter Review and Redistricting Committee Meeting on Thursday, January 25th at 5 pm at Old City Hall. And he told everyone about the Key West Cemetery Stroll being held on March 24, 2012, where small groups of visitors will be escorted to gravesites where they will meet interpreters who will tell the stories of the deceased in brief monologues. He asked that if anyone is interested in volunteering for this event to please contact him by email at keywestphil@gmail.com.
The next Meeting of the Frances Street Neighborhood Association will be hosted by on Tuesday, February 21, 2012, at the home of Jeremy and Cindy Emmet at 1020 Southard Street at 5:30 pm.
Margaret Schaeffer
for the Frances Street Neighborhood Association
keywestmargaret@gmail.com
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Election Day - Tuesday - January 31st
A REMINDER - .5 mil Referendum
Rob Smith-Martin: VOTE YES
Rob Smith-Martin: VOTE YES
While the January 31st Presidential Primary is for Republicans to vote for their candidate there is also the non-partisan School Board .5 mil referendum on that ballot so everyone needs to vote - including Democrats and Independents.
• Absentee Ballot - if you still have an Absentee Ballot be sure to get it back to the Supervisor of Elections by the close of voting on Tuesday. You can carry it into their office.
• Early Voting - you can vote by going to the Supervisor of Elections Office on Whitehead and Southard tomorrow, SATURDAY the 28th, from 8:30 - 4:30 and Vote Early.
• or you can vote at your normal polling place on Primary Election Day - Tuesday, January 31st - 7am - 7pm
To get into the enthusiasm for making your YES VOTE please come and join the Rally at Salute! at Higgs Beach on Monday evening!!
• Absentee Ballot - if you still have an Absentee Ballot be sure to get it back to the Supervisor of Elections by the close of voting on Tuesday. You can carry it into their office.
• Early Voting - you can vote by going to the Supervisor of Elections Office on Whitehead and Southard tomorrow, SATURDAY the 28th, from 8:30 - 4:30 and Vote Early.
• or you can vote at your normal polling place on Primary Election Day - Tuesday, January 31st - 7am - 7pm
To get into the enthusiasm for making your YES VOTE please come and join the Rally at Salute! at Higgs Beach on Monday evening!!
January Meeting of the Frances Street Neighborhood Association Scheduled
At the home of Norma and Dick Klein, 524 Frances St on Monday, January 23rd at 5:30pm - Please join us for the first meeting of 2012!
Mosquito Control District Biologist Coleen Fitzsimmons will update us on dengue mosquito control efforts. The Florida Keys Mosquito Control District is pursuing trials for the release of sterile males in the control of Aedes aegypti, the mosquito responsible for the spread of dengue fever. Due to the difficulty in controlling these mosquitoes, this technology could potentially assist in the reduction of both the mosquitoes and disease in Key West. While the District is still undergoing review from both Federal and State agencies for permitting, they hope that trials can begin in Key West in 2012.
Then Key West Utilities Manager Jay Gewin will give us a report on the results of the City's Recycling Study.
Key West City Commissioner Jimmy Weekley will close out our meeting by providing a summary of the Traffic Carrying Capacity Study along with several other items of neighborhood interest.
HELP NEEDED: We need folks to host our 2012 meetings starting in February. Can you provide us with a venue for the meeting? If you are interested in helping the Neighborhood Association by doing this please contact Perry Johnston for more information and available dates.
Mosquito Control District Biologist Coleen Fitzsimmons will update us on dengue mosquito control efforts. The Florida Keys Mosquito Control District is pursuing trials for the release of sterile males in the control of Aedes aegypti, the mosquito responsible for the spread of dengue fever. Due to the difficulty in controlling these mosquitoes, this technology could potentially assist in the reduction of both the mosquitoes and disease in Key West. While the District is still undergoing review from both Federal and State agencies for permitting, they hope that trials can begin in Key West in 2012.
Then Key West Utilities Manager Jay Gewin will give us a report on the results of the City's Recycling Study.
Key West City Commissioner Jimmy Weekley will close out our meeting by providing a summary of the Traffic Carrying Capacity Study along with several other items of neighborhood interest.
HELP NEEDED: We need folks to host our 2012 meetings starting in February. Can you provide us with a venue for the meeting? If you are interested in helping the Neighborhood Association by doing this please contact Perry Johnston for more information and available dates.
A Message from Liz Lumb
Please accept a big wonderful thank you to all for being so kind and thoughtful during my recent illness and wishing everyone in the Frances Street Neighborhood Association a Happy New Year!
Frances Street Neighborhood Association Meeting Notes - December 27, 2011
A big Thank You to John Padget and Jacob Dekkerfor hosting our December Meeting. And to Chuck Sherman for moderating the meeting.
Our first speaker was Robin Smith-Martin, Monroe County School Board Member, who discussed the item on January’s ballot regarding the .5 mil referendum for the Monroe County School Budget and the urgent need for its passage.
Robin said Monroe County has 8,405 students in 17 public schools and 6 charter schools. Monroe County ranks 8th out of 67 schools in Florida, and continues to make improvements. However, with a budget of $80 million dollars funding must come from somewhere to keep the schools on par. The solution is Flexible Funding, the transfer of monies from the Capital Fund to the Operating Fund. To do this, every four years, it is necessary for the voters to approve this transfer. The approval of this referendum will not result in any increase in taxes to the voter. All they are asking is for the permission to transfer the money from one account to another to allow for the funding of vital school programs. Robin urges all to Vote Yes on the referendum.
The second speaker was Phil Schaeffer, Member of the Key West City Charter Review and Redistricting Committee, who gave an update on the proposed changes to the City Charter and to the District electoral process in Key West. Phil was appointed by Commissioner Jimmy Weekley to be on the Committee. Perry Johnston is also on this Committee as an appointee of Commissioner Teri Johnston.
One of the Committee’s actions has been to make the Charter more responsive to the will of the voters without being in conflict with State regulations. The Committee handled this by recommending the City Commission vote for critical items such as annexation, height limits, etc. based on a Super Majority of the Commission as they can no longer put these decisions on the ballot for voter approval by referendum due to conflicts with Florida State law.
The Committee must also recommend new District boundaries for the City Commission seats due to the change in the city’s population as a result of the 2010 Census. At this time we have 6 elected Commissioners in 6 distinct districts and one at-large Mayor. As many feel this makes for a more parochial Commission, one answer is to come up with 4 larger districts with Commissioners elected by the voters in those districts, 2 at-large Commission seats, elected by all the Key West Voters, and a Mayor also elected by everyone.
The Committee is also considering recommending the change of the election cycle to correspond with the Presidential and Gubernatorial elections to encourage better voter turnout.
The next meeting on Redistricting will be on Thursday evening, January 25, at 5 pm in Old City Hall. Phil encouraged anyone interested in the future of their city to come to this meeting and express their opinions. The final recommendations by the Committee will be presented to the City Commission for approval. These recommendations will then be placed on the ballot as individual referendum items in the 2013 election.
NOTE: While the January 31st Presidential Primary is for Republicans to vote for their candidate there is also the non-partisan School Board .5 mil referendum on that ballot so everyone needs to vote - including Democrats and Independents.
• Absentee Ballot - if you request one before the deadline at 5:00pm on January 25th you will get one by mail in time to vote in the upcoming Presidential Preference Primary on January 31st.
• Early Voting - you can vote by going to the Supervisor of Elections Office on Whitehead and Southard from January 16 thru January 28th
• or you can vote at your normal polling place on Primary Election Day - Tuesday, January 31st
The next Meeting of the Frances Street Neighborhood Association will be hosted by Dick and Norma Klein, 524 Frances Street, on Monday, January 23, 2012, at 530 pm.
Margaret Schaeffer
for the Frances Street Neighborhood Association
keywestmargaret@gmail.com
Our first speaker was Robin Smith-Martin, Monroe County School Board Member, who discussed the item on January’s ballot regarding the .5 mil referendum for the Monroe County School Budget and the urgent need for its passage.
Robin said Monroe County has 8,405 students in 17 public schools and 6 charter schools. Monroe County ranks 8th out of 67 schools in Florida, and continues to make improvements. However, with a budget of $80 million dollars funding must come from somewhere to keep the schools on par. The solution is Flexible Funding, the transfer of monies from the Capital Fund to the Operating Fund. To do this, every four years, it is necessary for the voters to approve this transfer. The approval of this referendum will not result in any increase in taxes to the voter. All they are asking is for the permission to transfer the money from one account to another to allow for the funding of vital school programs. Robin urges all to Vote Yes on the referendum.
The second speaker was Phil Schaeffer, Member of the Key West City Charter Review and Redistricting Committee, who gave an update on the proposed changes to the City Charter and to the District electoral process in Key West. Phil was appointed by Commissioner Jimmy Weekley to be on the Committee. Perry Johnston is also on this Committee as an appointee of Commissioner Teri Johnston.
One of the Committee’s actions has been to make the Charter more responsive to the will of the voters without being in conflict with State regulations. The Committee handled this by recommending the City Commission vote for critical items such as annexation, height limits, etc. based on a Super Majority of the Commission as they can no longer put these decisions on the ballot for voter approval by referendum due to conflicts with Florida State law.
The Committee must also recommend new District boundaries for the City Commission seats due to the change in the city’s population as a result of the 2010 Census. At this time we have 6 elected Commissioners in 6 distinct districts and one at-large Mayor. As many feel this makes for a more parochial Commission, one answer is to come up with 4 larger districts with Commissioners elected by the voters in those districts, 2 at-large Commission seats, elected by all the Key West Voters, and a Mayor also elected by everyone.
The Committee is also considering recommending the change of the election cycle to correspond with the Presidential and Gubernatorial elections to encourage better voter turnout.
The next meeting on Redistricting will be on Thursday evening, January 25, at 5 pm in Old City Hall. Phil encouraged anyone interested in the future of their city to come to this meeting and express their opinions. The final recommendations by the Committee will be presented to the City Commission for approval. These recommendations will then be placed on the ballot as individual referendum items in the 2013 election.
NOTE: While the January 31st Presidential Primary is for Republicans to vote for their candidate there is also the non-partisan School Board .5 mil referendum on that ballot so everyone needs to vote - including Democrats and Independents.
• Absentee Ballot - if you request one before the deadline at 5:00pm on January 25th you will get one by mail in time to vote in the upcoming Presidential Preference Primary on January 31st.
• Early Voting - you can vote by going to the Supervisor of Elections Office on Whitehead and Southard from January 16 thru January 28th
• or you can vote at your normal polling place on Primary Election Day - Tuesday, January 31st
The next Meeting of the Frances Street Neighborhood Association will be hosted by Dick and Norma Klein, 524 Frances Street, on Monday, January 23, 2012, at 530 pm.
Margaret Schaeffer
for the Frances Street Neighborhood Association
keywestmargaret@gmail.com
DECEMBER MEETING REMINDER
The next meeting of the Frances Street Neighborhood Association will be at the home of John Padget and Jacob Dekker, 611 Frances Street, at 5:30 PM on Tuesday, December 27.
We will have brief presentations on the following topics:
- Monroe County School Board Member, Robin Smith-Martin, will discuss the .5 mil Referendum on January’s Presidential Preference Primary on January 31st regarding the Monroe County School Budget and the critical reasons for its passage by the voters.
- Phil Schaeffer, Member of the Key West City Charter Review and Redistricting Commission, will provide an update on proposed changes to the City Charter and to the District electoral process in Key West.
P.S. Jane Vetter has made a donation from our contributed funds on behalf of the Frances Street Neighborhood Association to the Southern Homeless Assistance League (SHAL) in memory of Nils Muench. If you wish to make a personal donation in Nils' memory please contact SHAL's Executive Director, Wendy Coles.
If you missed our recent blog posting celebrating Nils' extraordinary life please visit the blog here.
We will have brief presentations on the following topics:
- Monroe County School Board Member, Robin Smith-Martin, will discuss the .5 mil Referendum on January’s Presidential Preference Primary on January 31st regarding the Monroe County School Budget and the critical reasons for its passage by the voters.
- Phil Schaeffer, Member of the Key West City Charter Review and Redistricting Commission, will provide an update on proposed changes to the City Charter and to the District electoral process in Key West.
P.S. Jane Vetter has made a donation from our contributed funds on behalf of the Frances Street Neighborhood Association to the Southern Homeless Assistance League (SHAL) in memory of Nils Muench. If you wish to make a personal donation in Nils' memory please contact SHAL's Executive Director, Wendy Coles.
If you missed our recent blog posting celebrating Nils' extraordinary life please visit the blog here.
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