He played first base from 1998 to 2009, most prominently as a member of the Minnesota Twins where he was a Gold Glove Award winner. Doug is one of six players to win both an Olympic gold medal and a World Series championship.

How lucky is Islamorada to have Doug as a local resident! Doug has helped coach the high school baseball team here for about seven years. Ask any of the baseball players at Coral Shores. Doug has shown the student athletes a path to success - the value of hard work, dedication, and perseverance.

At the Tuesday Council meeting, Mientkiewicz expressed his thoughts about the merits of the baseball field upgrades planned for Founders Park - as both a taxpayer and a coach.  He questioned where the energy and concern has been for all the years when the field has been subpar.  

He probably remembers when he played for Westminster Christian and traveled to Islamorada to play ball when high school baseball and football shared space here at the school campus. But times have changed. Coral Shores now has so many new sports… lacrosse, soccer, tennis… and a new bigger school on the same property where space is certainly at a premium.  

As Doug pointed out, the other Keys schools have vastly better ball fields. “It’s time for the kids in the Upper Keys to have quality facilities.  This is a critical step - upgrading the baseball field.  The momentum will build from here. Sports opens doors for kids and they deserve that.”

A special call Council meeting is scheduled for Jul 27 with hopes that the Jul 21 sit down with the School Board succeeds and a Baseball License Agreement can be finalized.

The story of Betsy can be found in Wikipedia: It took Richard Blaze 5 years to create the lobster sculpture when he was hired by a local restauranteur in 1980. The sculpture was meant to represent the impact the species has had on the culture of South Florida. When it was finished in 1985, the restaurant that had commissioned the sculpture had closed, so the owner of Treasure Village, Tom Vellanti, bought it and displayed it at his property. Vellanti’s property was eventually turned into a school, so Betsy was put into storage. In 2009, the sculpture was moved to the Rain Barrel and became a popular roadside attraction.

Steve Forbes: “The politicians say ‘we’ can’t afford a tax cut. Maybe we can’t afford the politicians.”

Thomas Sowell: “Elections should be held on April 16th — the day after we pay our income taxes. That is one of the few things that might discourage politicians from being big spenders.”

Arthur Godfrey: “I am proud to be paying taxes. The only thing is, I could be just as proud for half the money.”

Marco Rubio:"The government can’t just take our money; we must have a say on how it is spent."

Warren Buffett:"I'm not an economist, but I know this: a tax hike is a great way to kill a recovering economy."

George Bernard Shaw: government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.

Bob Thaves: “I don’t know if I can live on my income or not — the government won’t let me try it.”

George H.W. Bush: “Read my lips: no new taxes.”

Gerald Barzan: “Taxation with representation ain’t so hot either.”

Mark Twain: “I shall never use profanity except in discussing house rent and taxes.”

Robert Half: “People try to live within their income so they can afford to pay taxes to a government that can’t live within its income.”

The teams met with elected officials and staff, celebrating the historic bipartisan support behind restoring and protecting the source of drinking water for millions and a trillion-dollar economic asset.

Islamorada’s Mary Barley, founding board member of the Foundation, attended. For decades Mary has led the effort to restored and protect America’s Everglades and Florida Bay.  

From  Mary Barley: “There is no substitute for showing up. When 75 of us fanned out across the halls of Congress last month, we weren't just telling the story of Everglades restoration, we were proving it. Together, we've helped secure billions in bipartisan funding and accelerated completion of the EAA Reservoir by five years. Restoration is working, and it’s worth the investment.

For those of us in Islamorada, this isn't just about the River of Grass, it's about Florida Bay. The Everglades Foundation was founded more than 30 years ago because Florida Bay was in crisis. Seagrass was dying, fish populations were declining, and local economies were feeling the impact. In Everglades restoration, Florida Bay is the "canary in the coal mine" because it reflects the health of the entire Everglades ecosystem. When the Everglades suffer, Florida Bay suffers.”

To read more of Mary’s thoughts - Click here.

Mary has lived in Islamorada for many decades.  She works diligently campaigning to protect the waters that surround our islands.

According to the Everglades Foundation website: Mary Barley served as Board Chair of The Everglades Foundation from 1995 through 2002, was Vice Chair from 2003 to 2012, and remains a vital member of the Board today. She has served on the World Wildlife National Council since 2007, and its Marine Leadership Committee since 1996. She has also served on the Boards of the National Parks Conservation Association, the Everglades Trust, the Atlantic Salmon Federation, Clean Water Action, the Sierra Foundation, the Florida Keys History and Discovery Foundation, and the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys.  

Last year Mary was inducted into the Everglades Coalition Hall of Fame. Click here

Summary -

• History: For 20 plus years the local Coral Shores High School baseball team has played ball at the grass field at Founders Park… The only high school in the Keys that doesn’t have a school owned baseball field. 

• A new Interlocal Agreement was approved by Village Council, as owner, and School Board, as lessee, and recorded 6/20/2025 agreeing to the use of the Founders Park field for the Coral Shores High School baseball team by the School District, pending specific terms in a license and use agreement for the next 20 years. (Click here )

• No Current License Agreement (lease): The original 20 year agreement between Islamorada and the School District as to use for the high school team and maintenance of the field ended several years ago.

• Condition of Field: Both the Village and School District have described the field as in “poor condition” and in need of upgrades and improved maintenance.

• Transparency: For more than 5 years, there have been ongoing plans to upgrade the facilities, without public and Village Council involvement until about 18 months ago.

• Improvements: The School District would like to make major improvements to the Village owned field at School District cost but want strict assurances the Village won’t evict the Coral Shore team after $millions are spent on improvements.

• Design Features: Ongoing design features ($6.1 million) proposed by School District cannot be completed in time for 2027 baseball season so the School Board has approved a scaled down initial project with new fencing, artificial turf and dugouts ($3.8 million) that could be completed by February 2027 start of season. No 2200 sq ft bldg (with lockers, coaches office etc), no concession stand, restrooms, elevated bleachers and other ADA required features.

• Ongoing Cost: It has been questioned why Islamorada would have to contribute financially to maintain, repair, replace, when the Village is already contributing the very expensive park site at just $10/year to the School Board. No other taxpayers in Monroe County contribute tax money for maintenance of school athletic fields, or provide the land.

• In January 2026 the Village Council approved a license agreement spelling out scheduled use and maintenance and replacement issues.

• In June the School Board approved their own license agreement with the scaled down plan for improvements, sharing of maintenance/replacement with the Village, and penalties if the Village evicts the Coral Shores ball team. It is a 20 year agreement with two automatic 10 year renewal periods.

• Eviction: In case the Village evicts the Coral Shores ball team, the School Board put a reimbursement schedule of payments from Village to School District in the proposed License Agreement to recover value remaining of their $3.8 million cost  Click here for reimbursement schedule.

The Baseball License agreement approved by the School Board is on the July 7 Village Council meeting agenda.

Will the council abandon the January agreement they have insisted will protect the team, the taxpayers and the park?

The issues described by locals regarding numerous baseball field concerns the Council should consider before voting:

• Maintenance, repair, replacement cost analysis by Jamie Engel - Click here

• Transparency by Capt Ed Davidson - Click here

• Artificial turf or grass - Click here 

Freebee’s proposal was ranked #1 by the staff selection committee:

• The total contract price proposed at $665,000 is an increase of just over $110,000 over the prior cost.

• Riders will be charged $2/rider intended to reduce taxpayers’ burden. In 2025 there were just over 55,000 riders ($110,000).  

• Freebee to pay the Village at least $60,000 in advertising revenue they receive.

• To provide scheduling flexibility, Freebee proposed increasing the number of vehicles, but not the total hours of service.

• In the proposal the Village can change vehicles from the 5 passenger Tesla sedan to the 7 passenger VW Buzz. No restrictions mentioned.

However, it now appears that Freebee does not want to live up to the terms in their proposal that resulted in the #1 ranking.  Their primary concerns - the number of vehicles; cost and time to change vehicles; potential vehicle scheduling change.  

And we hear the council may not want to implement the $2 rider fee immediately, in order to provide notification to riders.  With the number of riders averaging over 4,000/month, a six-month delay as suggested, would cost taxpayers an estimated $50,000.