MONROE COUNTY BOCC: OCTOBER MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

MONROE COUNTY, FL – The Monroe County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) met today in Marathon to discuss the October regular meeting agenda. Below are some of the presentations from the meeting.

Conch Republic Marine Army and Solid Waste Recognized for its 5-Year Partnership

Conch Republic Marine Army Founder Brian Vest presented Director of Monroe County Solid Waste Management Cheryl Sullivan and her team along with the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners with a lobster trap plaque in recognition of support of the grassroots nonprofit for the past 5 years. The volunteer group has removed more than 227 tons of marine debris from our uninhabited shorelines since Hurricane Irma and from decades of neglect and Monroe County Solid Waste has been in support of their efforts since its inception. With more than 4,000 volunteers, the group has collected 454,163 pounds of debris, 510 miles of trap rope, and 91 refrigerators. To learn about volunteering with the group, visit www.conchrepublicmarinearmy.org.

Best of Marathon: Old 7 Mile Bridge – Best Place to Watch the Sunset

The Monroe County Board of County Commissioners recognized the Old 7 Mile Bridge as being voted as the “Best Place to Watch the Sunset” at the Best of Marathon awards ceremony presented by the Marathon Weekly newspaper. The Overseas Railroad was built between 1905 and 1912 by developer Henry Flagler, and the 2.2-mile section of the Old 7 Mile bridge connects Knights Key and Pigeon Key. Years ago, through grassroots efforts and a memorandum of agreement between the FDOT, Monroe County, and the City of Marathon, the bridge was rehabilitated and reopened to the public on Jan. 12, 2022.

“This is a beautiful linear recreational park stretching over the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, providing an excellent place to watch the sun rise and set,” said Monroe County Commissioner Michelle Lincoln. “The Old 7 Mile Bridge does indeed have the best place to view the sunsets in Marathon.” 

Best of Marathon: Marathon Public Library Branch – Best Bathroom

Monroe County built a new, modern library branch in Marathon that opened in June 2021, and ever since, the Marathon Public Library Branch has been voted as having the “Best Bathroom” in the Best of Marathon awards presented by the Marathon Weekly newspaper. The library includes the traditional features people love and expect from their public libraries, like books, newspapers, magazines, films, children’s areas, story times, and many programs for all ages, but its bathrooms, which include the most modern, hygienic features, steal the show. “Come in and see our bathrooms, and also check out the wealth of other state-of-the-art resources and amenities available that benefit the citizens and visitors of the Florida Keys,” said Monroe County Director of Libraries Kimberly Matthews.

Proclamation: Tuesday, Oct. 24 – World Polio Day in Monroe County

Monroe County Mayor Craig Cates and the Board of County Commissioners proclaimed Oct. 24 as World Polio Day. Members of local Rotary clubs joined the commissioners to raise awareness of polio eradication.

In 1985, Rotary launched PolioPlus and helped establish the Global Polio Eradication Initiative to immunize the world’s children against polio. Since the initiative was implemented, polio cases have dropped by 99.9 percent, and the world stands on the threshold of eradicating the disease. Rotary has protected more than 2.5 billion children in 122 countries.

The community is encouraged to wear purple on Oct. 24 and to donate to https://www.endpolio.org/donate to help provide much-needed operational support, medical staff, laboratory equipment, and educational materials for health workers and parents.

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