Key West must step up lobbying for state funding City Manager Veliz tells Commissioners

BY TERRY SCHMIDA
KONK LIFE STAFF WRITER

At the Feb. 5 City Commission meeting City Manager Greg Veliz had a sobering message for the city: More must be done to secure state funding, including money for climate change-related projects in Monroe County.

“We’ve just returned from Tallahassee,” Veliz told commissioners. “We had several rounds of meetings that I feel were, hopefully, productive . . . I think we laid some very good groundwork while we were up there, and I think we realized that we’re going to have to have an expanded presence in Tallahassee. . .one time going up on the day that they cut the Key Lime Pie and serve the seafood is not going to suffice any longer. We’re going to have to go up there and make our presence felt, because there’s a lot of people up there making their presence felt.”

Among the issues Veliz said were raised during “Florida Keys Week” in the far-flung state capital included the ever-present affordable housing crisis, and the gathering climate crisis – in which South Florida has been described as “ground-zero,” due to its elevation, in the United States.

That latter issue, climate change, has been on Veliz’s mind a lot lately, as he surveys the situation on the ground in his home town.

“I’ll admit that I was a little late to the party,” Veliz added in a recent interview, “but I’m a believer now. We’ve had flooding and other weather events in the past, but not like we’re seeing now. The evidence is all around us.”

So is the water. “We’re on an island, so we’re getting it from all sides.”

Ultimately, what Key West needs, the City Manager added, is a “master plan” that can be used to successfully move allocations to the Southernmost City through the political apparatus in Tallahassee. It’s too late this year, with the legislature already seated, but putting together such a coherent lobbying front in the state capital appears to be high on Veliz’ to-do list, given the millions of dollars at stake.

Considering the reception Veliz received from the commissioners and mayor, it’s likely that he’ll move in the near future to begin the search for one or more experts who can help shape proposals to fit the city’s needs in a professional manner to expedite their chances, rather than just “throwing money” randomly at flooded streets “with no rhyme or reason.”

“You have my full support for a consultant,” Mayor Teri Johnston said. “I think that’s the only way that we’re going to bring these projects forward and see them to completion. Have somebody that’s dedicated specifically to that project.”

Responding to a question from District Three Commissioner Billy Wardlow regarding the city’s paid lobbyists in Tallahassee, Veliz reminded commissioners that lobbyists don’t formulate policy.

“They are doing the work securing the money, and following the money through,” Veliz responded. “It also helps when we’re up there speaking to them directly and showing that we have an interest . . . What I’m thinking about is more . . . here . . . looking at developing a plan . . . The lobbyists don’t weigh in on [policy,] they just secure the funds . . . We need someone to tell us how to make ourselves flood-resistant . . . or at least prevent some of the floods that we’re experiencing . . . I believe that there is a need.”

The money to pay for such a consultant could even be reimbursed, Veliz suggested, making it an even more attractive idea.

“Who wouldn’t want to come down here and say, spruce up Duval Street, which hasn’t been done since 1976?” Veliz asked. “Who wouldn’t want that line on their resume?”

The same reasoning can be applied to plans for climate crisis mitigation, Veliz said. Part of the problem at the moment is the amount of planning going on that doesn’t take the climate into consideration, something a master plan should help with.

“We allocate curbs and sidewalks, but with no plans to raise them up,” he said. “We have no mitigation plan. That has to change.”

The City Commission meets next at 5 p.m., on Wednesday, Feb. 19.

[email protected]