Meet Key West’s New City Management

With the contracts in place and a new fiscal year around the corner, the City of Key West wants to formally introduce its new City Manager, Greg Veliz and Assistant City Manager, Patti McLauchlin. With the retirement of Jim Scholl, Veliz has been chosen by the City Commission to move from his former role as assistant city manager. Veliz tapped McLauchlin from her former role as IT director.

Veliz was born and raised in Key West and came to work with the City in 2005 as a field inspector with the environmental protection/utilities division. He was named deputy director of the Community Service Department in 2006, then promoted to the position of director in 2008. This department encompasses some of the most fundamental aspects of providing service to the community ranging from keeping the streets clean through public works, to overseeing City parks and recreation areas. Special events, sidewalk and right-of-way maintenance and City facilities: all fall under the purview of this department.

In 2014, Veliz was promoted to Assistant City Manager of Operations where he worked directly with the City Manager overseeing the operations of some 15 City departments including the ports, utilities, engineering, and transit.

In 2016, the City’s two assistant city manager positions were melded into one, and Veliz also took on the administrative responsibilities of that position.

Veliz is passionately involved in the island’s youth and sports. He’s been an active volunteer coach with the youth leagues, the Boys and Girls Club and Relay for Life. He’s served on multiple boards throughout the years.

Veliz and his wife Teri are celebrating 23 years of marriage this year. They have two daughters and three sons, one of whom — Gregory – is currently pitching for the LA Angels. In addition, they have eight grandchildren.

Patti McLauchlin hails from South Carolina. Some 40 years ago, she and her 14-month old son Franklin came to Key West.

McLauchlin has worked with the City for more than 30 years in a number of capacities, giving her a broad understanding of every aspect of municipal government. She started with the police department in dispatch and later the records department. While there, she discovered her propensity for information technology by creating a computer system for records. She later served the City as a trainer.

In 2002, she was promoted to the role of IT Director. Under her leadership, the IT department has helped the City evolve with fast-moving technology to provide accessible, state-of-the-art access to all aspects of City government to the community. During her tenure, all City departments have become more responsive to the public’s needs through IT ranging from in-car police reporting to on-line payments. McLauchlin has improved the City’s efficiency in all departments with the introduction of new software systems, hardware, and aggressive training programs to keep an every-changing staff up to date.

McLauchlin’s son Franklin, after growing up in Key West, became a United States Air Force fighter pilot. He has retired and lives in South Carolina with the light of McLaughlin’s life: her two grandsons.

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