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MARGARET ROMERO TO RUN AGAINST TERI JOHNSTON
KEY WEST MAYOR’S RACE DRAWS A CHALLENGER
MARGARET ROMERO FILES TO RUN AGAINST INCUMBENT TERI JOHNSTON
Former Key West city commissioner and current government watchdog Margaret Romero has filed paperwork to run for mayor. CONTRIBUTED
MANDY MILES
mandy@keysweekly.com
The bun will run.
Former Key West city commissioner Margaret Romero, known for her trademark hairstyle, filed paperwork on May 4 to officially enter the Key West mayor’s race.
“The time has come for the community to once again respect one another and for every voice to be heard,” Romero told the Keys Weekly on May 4.
She is the only candidate so far to challenge incumbent two-term Mayor Teri Johnston, who told the Keys Weekly she never expected to run unopposed and is not surprised by Romero’s decision. “I think you should always run in anticipation of a challenger,” said Johnston, who has raised nearly
Incumbent Key West Mayor Teri Johnston is seeking reelection to her third two-year term. CONTRIBUTED
$51,000 so far. “Our team is ready and it’s been our strategy all along to run an issue-oriented campaign.”
The mayor’s race is nonpartisan, but is closely watched and heatedly campaigned.
A native Conch, Romero challenged Johnston for mayor in 2018, when Johnston received 66% of the vote to Romero’s 34%.
Prior to being elected mayor in 2018, Johnston had served eight years as a city commissioner, then took a few years off before re-entering city politics.
Romero speaks at nearly every city commission meeting and regularly questions lawmakers and initiatives.
The general election is Nov. 8, but if one mayoral candidate receives 50% plus one vote in the August primary, the race will be determined then.
GOVERNOR OKS FUNDING FOR NEW SHELTER
DESANTIS APPROVES $4.3M TO REBUILD KEYS OVERNIGHT TEMPORARY SHELTER
MANDY MILES
mandy@keysweekly.com
The Keys Overnight Temporary Shelter for homeless people may have to be renamed once it’s rebuilt with $4.3M in federal funds approved for that use this week by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
When KOTS first opened in 2004 and until the start of the COVID pandemic in 2020, the shelter was only open in the evenings. Users would check in around 6 p.m. nightly and had to leave the shelter around 7 a.m.
Since COVID, the shelter has been operating 24 hours a day rather than just overnight. County Commissioner Craig Cates noted that has led to a decrease in homeless people and panhandling in downtown Key West.
Key West city commissioner Sam Kaufman, who has long been an advocate for KOTS and the homeless, applauded the state funding announcement, telling the Keys Weekly, “The amount is close to the amount budgeted, but I’m not sure about final numbers. City approval for the new emergency homeless shelter construction on Stock Island and the $4.3 million award from the state is wonderful news. Replacing the current shelter has been a high priority for city management and now we are seeing progress. We are very pleased that construction is planned to begin in January 2023.” The new KOTS is in the design phase and will be rebuilt as a permanent structure on land provided to the city on College Road by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, in exchange for land in Key West, where the sheriff plans to build employee housing.
When built, the new shelter will continue to operate 24 hours a day. But during construction, city and county officials are discussing preliminary plans to house the homeless at the vacant Bayshore Manor, a former assisted-living facility, just down the street on College Road. Those plans have not yet been approved by either the city or
The Keys Overnight Temporary Shelter provides shelter for 155 adults, but the current structure has surpassed its usefulness and is being replaced. CONTRIBUTED
county commission and remain in the discussion stages.
The funding for the new KOTS is included in $22 million for 15 Florida communities that the governor approved for broadband, infrastructure and workforce development programs in Florida communities.
Administered by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, the funds are federal dollars from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that are designed to help local governments prepare for, prevent or respond to the health and economic impacts of the pandemic, a press release from the governor’s office states.
“Awarded projects must be critical to the locality and primarily benefit low- and moderate-income residents. Local governments are encouraged to include activities that benefit workforce housing, training and sustainability, as well as broadband infrastructure and planning,” it states.
“These awards will support projects including expanding broadband internet services, improvements to community centers, and small business grants,” the release says.
DeSantis “has a strong vision for Florida’s economy, and thanks to his leadership, we have made economic resiliency a priority in Florida,” said Florida DEO Secretary Dane Eagle in the release. “This funding will help meet communities’ needs as they continue to grow stronger and prepare for future crises.”
FAMILIAR FACE, NEW ROLE
GOVERNOR APPOINTS JIM SCHOLL TO COUNTY COMMISSION
MANDY MILES
mandy@keysweekly.com
“I’ve always said I don’t run for office; I run from office,” the Florida Keys’ newest county commissioner told the Keys Weekly on May 2.
Jim Scholl, former Key West city manager and naval aviator who commanded Naval Air Station Key West in the early 2000s, didn’t run for the office of county commissioner, but rather was appointed last week by Gov. Ron DeSantis to fulfill the term of Eddie Martinez, who resigned in December 2021 following his arrest on suspicion of domestic violence.
Martinez’s term would have ended in 2024, but because he resigned with more than 28 month remaining, Scholl’s appointment “only lasts until one week after the next general election,” Supervisor of Elections Joyce Griffin said, meaning the seat will be up for grabs this coming November. Scholl said he plans to run for the seat in the coming 2022 election.
“Before I was appointed, I was already planning to run for Martinez’s seat this November as a Republican candidate,” Scholl told the Keys Weekly on May 2.
His swearing-in ceremony will take place at the May 18 county commission meeting in Key West, part of which Scholl now represents. His District 3 seat covers the western part of Key West. Commissioner Craig Cates represents District 1, which includes the eastern side of Key West, Stock Island and Key Haven.
“I certainly understand the issues, I’ve been paying attention and I know everyone involved,” Scholl said, adding that he has maintained good relationships with military leaders at NAS Key West as well as city of Key West and county officials. He lists workforce housing, sea level rise and resiliency and quality of life for residents among his top issues and priorities for the county.
“We have some serious things to figure out when it comes to sea level rise and adaptability and which projects make sense to do,”
Former Key West city manager and Naval Air Station Key West commander Jim Scholl will fulfill the Monroe County commission term of Eddie Martinez, who resigned in December 2021 following his arrest. Keys Weekly file photo
he said. “When it comes to quality of life, investors buying up all property in the Keys obviously has a huge impact on quality of life, but of course, property owners have property rights. And our workforce housing situation is devastating to everyone,” he said.
With regard to politics in general, Scholl said, “Of course rhetoric gets stirred up in social media to exacerbate a problem that may not even exist. It’s embarrassing and disappointing that we’ve lost our sense of knowledge from history lessons. The easiest way to cause big problems is to demonize something, and social media makes that easier than ever before.” “There’s so much information now in the public domain, but no one wants to go to the actual source or use critical thinking to evaluate those sources,” Scholl said. “We all need to work together for the greater good, not personal gain.”
COVID CASES RISE
COVID-19 cases are on the rise in Monroe County. A little more than 90 cases were reported between April 15 and April 21.
JIM McCARTHY
jim@keysweekly.com
COVID-19 cases are ticking upward in Monroe County, but they aren’t leading to serious illness and the need for hospitalization among the infected.
The Florida Health Department report that’s now released every two weeks reported 91 COVID-19 cases in Monroe County between April 15 and April 21. In that span, Florida reported 20,860 COVID cases.
A new case positivity rate of 8.1% in the Keys is above the state’s 6.1% average. But hospitals aren’t reporting seeing increased patients who are in need of inpatient care. Lower Keys Medical Center reported one COVID positive patient receiving treatment as of May 2. LKMC spokeswoman Lynn CorbettWinn said the facility hasn’t seen a significant rise in COVID hospitalizations in the past month.
Baptist Health South Florida’s hospitals in the Keys reported no patients receiving treatment at Mariners or Fishermen’s hospitals as of May 2. While the health department in Monroe County is watching the situation closely, Bob Eadie, health officer for Monroe County, said the recent COVID-19 wave isn’t causing any major concerns. Those who are vaccinated and come down with COVID are experiencing cold symptoms for a brief period before they begin to recover.
“It’s not unexpected or unusual to see the epidemic evolve and the virus evolve. But it doesn’t seem to cause serious illness, and that’s a relief as far as that goes,” he said.
Sore throat, cough, congestion and fever are among the symptoms appearing upon exposure to the virus. Symptoms may appear two to 14 days after the exposure.
Like influenza and the cold, Eadie said, experts are now saying that people will live in a world with COVID. In the northern states, waves will likely be seen during the colder months. In states like Florida, waves could be seen during the warmer months.
“During colder months, you have people inside and closer together as opposed to warmer months. That would drive spikes,” he said. “With the presumption of travel, you have people coming from so many different areas of the country to the Keys. You have a constant change of people and that increases exposure to the virus.
“We’ve learned to live with the cold and influenza. There’s no reason we can’t figure out how to live with this,” he continued.
Eadie added that vaccines remain effective against the virus and the various strains. Those who are inoculated and still come down with COVID only see mild symptoms. He also urges using common sense, like staying home if sick and staying away from big crowds.
A total of 61,386, or 84% of the population, in Monroe County have received a vaccine. That’s tied for second best in Florida with Broward County.
