Held May 28, two companies, Circuit and Freebee,  made presentations. We left the workshop with numerous questions!

In attendance, there were only a handful of residents, four members of council, two lobbyists (both, oddly, from lobbying firms representing both the Village and Freebee), several staff members, and several Freebee drivers.

An RFP (Request For Proposals) was advertised by the Village on March 12, 2026.

A competitive bid process is required by FDOT when applying for grant funding. The only previous RFP was mysteriously canceled by the Village without explanation after Circuit was recommended by the selection committee two years ago.

The current RFP stated that a $2 fee per rider would be charged, in an effort to reduce the cost of the service to taxpayers.

While the representative from Freebee claimed his proposal reflected a reduced cost compared to the current Freebee contract, his proposal calls for Freebee to be paid $665,000 annually instead of the current $553,330. The net cost to the Village in the Freebee proposal is reduced by $23,330, from $553,330 currently to $530,000, a result of new Village revenue of $135,000 from the $2 fee and advertising on vehicles.  

Circuit’s proposal varied from a low of $400,000 up to $581,000 depending on options suggested and varied ridership figures.

The current ridership numbers suggest there are approximately 40,000 to 50,000 riders annually ($80,000 - $100,000 revenue).  Plus possible revenue for advertising on vehicles, and with their cell phone app.

Memorial Day at the Monument has been a treasured Matecumbe Historical Trust event since the 1980s, organized for years by Trust Founder, Irving Eyster, and now, since Irving’s death, by his daughter, Barbara Edgar.

This year, Florida Senator Ana Maria Rodriguez addressed the crowd. Also present: Jim Mooney, Florida House, Michele Lincoln, David Rice and Holly Raschein from the County Commission, Anna Richards, Deb Gillis from the Village, Sherri Hodies, Supervisor of Elections, Sue Woltanski,School Board.

Local veterans contributed a wreath and passed out poppies to those in attendance. The poppy was originally associated with Veterans Day but is now primarily worn during the Memorial Day weekend, here and around the country.

In 1992, the owner of a wreath company in Maine, had a surplus of holiday wreaths. He donated them to Arlington National Cemetery as a tribute to the fallen—a gesture that soon became an annual tradition on Memorial Day. It may have been traditional to lay wreaths at the Hurricane Monument even earlier than 1992.

Thank you to the Matecumbe Historical Trust for this special annual community event.

Reports of interest (no public comment):

• FKAA Water pipeline status update - current project - all pipeline now in the ground. Next connecting the new pipe to the existing pipe at 6 distribution points from Snake Creek to the north end of project in Tavernier.   And paving U.S. One and damaged portions of Old Highway.

• Plates and Plans update: 15 -20 participants discussing ideas, asking questions a success.  Next similar workshop/open house expected the end of June

Citizen Advisory Committee Appointments: Those appointed should be added to the Village website soon. Congratulations. An opening remains for Parks and Rec.

Village Charter Review Committee recommendations: Ordinances required for Council Approval will be in June (1st reading) and July (2nd reading) agendas.

Mayor and Council Discussion(no public comment expected):

• Tom Brzezinski, Wade Trim, Village contract engineer, provided an in depth  wastewater report regarding fix for ongoing sewerage leaks at MM92, cost - $7.5 million, up from the $4.1 previously estimated.

• Anglers Reef Right of Way Parking discussion - Village Manager signed a License and Use agreement between Village and Anglers Reef to allow the property owners association to obtain a permit to create public, non-exclusive parking on Village owned Right of Way adjoining their property on Windley Key, at homeowners’ expense, with their cost limited to $25,000.  The Council has confirmed the village will not contribute to the cost.

General Public Comment - heard at 8 PM, 2 hours and 30 minutes into the 5:30 meeting. This is the time for the public to discuss items not on the agenda.  And guess what?  It was baseball at Founders Park that was not on the agenda but on the minds of the public. More details below

Consent Agenda, 8 items to approved without Council discussion, including a contract with FDOT for Village to mow, pick up litter and trim trees monthly on both sides of U.S. One Right of Way for a total cost of $75,644 or $6,304/month for 18 miles of right of way.  Sounds like a great deal - for FDOT, not Islamorada.

Resolutions:

Expanded and improved Boat Ramp and marina parking at Founders Park: First step - Council approved a conceptual design agreement - $53.7K. Vice Mayor Mahoney has worked with TDC on a $750,000 grant to fund the marina improvements.

“Machado Property” consideration of 99-year ground lease for developer to provide multi-family rental units - both proposals received were rejected by Council in a 4-1 vote. Read more below.

Public Hearings:

Purchasing Ordinance passed on 1st reading increases the manager’s right to approve purchases without council approval from $25,000 to $50,000. Also changes the purchase ordinance to increase threshold for requiring competitive bidding from $25,000 to $50,000.

TDR banking ordinance - deferred

Administrative Relief for 125 Mockingbird Road - approved 5-0

Administrative Relief for 113 Venetian Way - approved 5-0

Administrative Relief for 148 Tequesta Street - approved 5-0

Major Conditional Use - Transfer Station/Recycling Center - 86550

Overseas Highway; will resolve a major code violation as part of agreement - approved 5-0

ACTIONS AND POLICIES STATUS REPORT - OPEN ITEMS

Vice Mayor requested the format from prior status reports be restored to improve content and format.

The Village purchased the “Machado Property” at about MM88.6 bayside in 2021 and it has been sitting vacant ever since.  In January the Village advertised for proposals to find a developer to enter a 99-year lease with the Village and build and manager 16 affordable housing units at the site.  

And then May 12 the Council rejected both proposals received with a vote of 4-1, Council member Deb Gillis dissenting.

Was the Council concerned about compatibility with the neighboring community? Protection of the tropical hardwood hammock on the property?

The Council comments and the comments from the public demonstrated there are more questions than answers regarding workforce housing and exactly what is needed in Islamorada.  

Buses run continually throughout the day transporting the workforce to and from the mainland.  Given the opportunity, would those workers move to Islamorada?

With the high cost of land and construction, what options are available?  The Machado  property cost the Village $1.8 million. The recommendation from staff last Tuesday was to give a huge for profit corporation the land with a 99-year ground lease for 16 units of affordable housing - free of charge, a $112,500/unit gift.

Is there a better way to subsidize affordable housing?  We have a first-time homeowner program that provides buyers with a $10,000 down payment subsidy - significantly less than the $112,500/unit we were geared up to provide an out of town for profit corporation.

Since incorporation 25 years ago, the Village has approved approximately 140 deed restricted affordable homes - some rentals, some home ownership.  Others are in the works - all rentals, mostly 1 bedroom rentals.

The Council decided to put on the brakes and figure out how Islamorada can best address workforce housing.  Another study coming up.