Candidate’s Questionnaire: Commissioner Billy Wardlow
Duval Street and Downtown
- Do you favor funding the Duval Street Revitalization Study in the fiscal year 2021 budget? Will you fund the recommended improvements in the next year? Answer limited to 100 words.
RESPONSE: Yes, we currently have a grant in the amount of $250,000.00 for the 2021 budget to be used for the revitalization study. I would favor funding the improvements contingent on the study’s findings.
- What are your ideas for interim projects (before the Study makes recommendations) on Duval or Downtown that would make it more pedestrian friendly and people oriented? Answer limited to 100 words.
RESPONSE: I would like to see a joint effort for all store owners/tenants to help in the cleaning of the storefronts and sidewalks in front of their buildings. I would also not mind the closing of Duval Street, one weekend of the month. My concern is for the health and safety of citizens, either eating or walking on the sidewalks or streets.
- Do you think removing all parking on Duval Street would enhance the downtown environment? Would you support an ordinance that would allow parklets (benches or tables and chairs on a platform) to replace parking downtown? Answer limited to 100 words.
RESPONSE: No, Residents live and have tenants who park on areas of Duval Street. There is also parking available in some areas.
Duval Loop and Public Transit
- Do you favor returning to a free Duval Loop for visitors to our island? Do you favor fare free rides on other City routes for everyone? Answer limited to 100 words.
RESPONSE: Not at this time with the budget shortfall. We will re-visit this in a year. It is costing the city $546,174.00 to run the loop.
- Do you believe a third-party consulting firm should be retained to assist the City with branding and marketing the Duval Loop, Key West Transit and Lower Keys Shuttle programs? Answer limited to 100 words.
RESPONSE: No, the transit department does a fantastic job branding the bus routes. I sponsored the resolution to take the route to the Holiday Inn Express in North Marathon. This is beneficial for employee’s transportation to Key West.
- Do you believe compensation of bus drivers should be increased to attract and retain a stable base of drivers? Answer limited to 100 words.
RESPONSE: Of course, a few years back I started the move to raise the pay to $15.00 per hour. The drivers deserve more compensation for traveling the keys daily.
Bicycle and Pedestrian
- Please name a few bicycle and/or pedestrian projects (they can be from the Bike/Ped Plan) you would vote to fund in your term. Answer limited to 100 words.
RESPONSE: We are currently using the “green” bike lane. Years ago when I addressed this issue I was told funding was not available. Now, there is currently a $30,000.00 FDOT HVE bicycle/pedestrian grant, a $100.000.00 Wickers bicycle trail grant, a $80,000.00 FDOT traffic grant plus funding for salt pond pathways and 222 bikes racks and lockers from the last mile grant.
- How often do you ride a bicycle and for what purposes? How do you propose we get more people to bike and walk in Key West? Answer limited to 100 words.
RESPONSE: As a family we ride our bikes several times a week for health and for pleasure. I believe bike riding is a personal preference, ones health, area, age and reasoning for biking are all taken into personal consideration.
- Do you believe increased traffic enforcement (speeding) will improve public safety for pedestrians and people on bicycles? Or do you believe that infrastructure improvements will improve safety? Or Education? Perhaps nothing more is needed or perhaps all 3? Explain how public safety should be accomplished. Answer limited to 100 words.
RESPONSE: Yes, in the budget we have $225,000.00 budgeted for busy controlled streets. Education for all vehicles and pedestrians should be prioritized and enforced; however, all 3 questions asked should be addressed.
Parking Strategies
- Do you favor raising the price on Residential Parking Permits to the $35 proposed in the FY21 budget? And even more for 2nd and 3rd vehicles? Do you favor going incrementally higher in future years? Answer limited to 100 words.
RESPONSE: No increase for one vehicle, however, more than one should be an extra fee.
- Do you favor instituting Residential Permit Parking by Zone so that the permit allows one to park near one’s own home? Answer limited to 100 words.
RESPONSE: This is how it currently stands.
- Should the City hire more parking enforcement officers since it has been demonstrated that these positions are self-funding and that residents desire increased enforcement efforts. Answer limited to 100 words.
RESPONSE: It never hurts to have extra parking enforcement officers.
GENERAL/CATCH ALL
What do you think of when you think of Car-Free Key West and its mission and how do you propose to make it easier and safer for more people to bike, walk, take the bus and use streets and why do you think this is important? Limit 300 words.
RESPONSE: Being a lifetime resident, I don’t believe in a totally “car-free” Key West. However, I am not against reducing vehicle traffic in certain areas of the city. The safety of all people is important to me, regardless of their mode of transportation depending on personal preference.
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