Keys eye sales tax for sewers - Receive the Entire Key West Citizen ...

THE KEY WEST CITIZEN ◆ MONDAY, APRIL 11, 20113AMILE MARKERSKEY WESTFKCC plans library week eventsFlorida Keys Community College will celebrateNational Library Week with a series of literary,artistic, fundraising and outreach activities todaythrough April 19 at the Key West campus library.Events include a weeklong silent auction, anda book and DVD drive to build the college’slibrary collection and to supply materials to thenonprofit Books for Africa organization.Local film critic, writer and former MarvelComics executive Shirrel Rhoades will give apresentation on film in literature at 5:30 p.m.Tuesday in the FKCC library.FKCC library staff will be outside Publix inSearstown from 3 to 6 p.m. Thursday to issuecommunity library cards.All activities are free and open to the community.For more information, call 305-809-3194 oremail library@fkcc.edu.KEY WESTDrive one for high schoolThe Key West High SchoolBand will hold a fundraiser from9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday in theparking lot of Key West HighSchool, 2100 Flagler Ave.Representatives of Ford will beon hand to offer quick test drivesof their new cars, and to donate$20 for each test drive to theband program.All test drivers will be put ina drawing for a chance to win a$100 Best Buy gift card.Free hot dogs and drinks willbe served. Baked goods will beavailable for sale. For more information,call 305-433-1567.KEY WESTPhoto courtesy of Alyson Crean/city of Key WestKey West MayorCraig Cates, right,presents a proclamationdeclaringApril as WaterConservation Monthto Tom Genovese,the South FloridaWater ManagementDistrict’s FloridaKeys Service Centerdirector. The Keyscurrently are underwater restrictionsfor irrigation andlandscaping. Formore details on therestrictions, visitwww.sfwmd.gov.BIG PINE KEYFull moon kayak tripCapt. Bill Keogh and his crewat Big Pine Kayak Adventures willoffer a sunset/moonrise kayak tripon Sunday through the sponge flats,grass beds and mangrove forestsof the Great White Heron NationalWildlife Refuge.The two-hour trip costs $25 perperson, with proceeds going to benefitall four Florida Keys national wildliferefuges.Kayakers will depart at 6 p.m. fromthe Old Wooden Bridge Fishing Camp,near the No Name Key Bridge, off BigPine Key. Bring your own flashlight.To reserve a seat, call 305-872-7474.For more information, go to www.favorfloridakeys.com.LawyerContinued from Page 1Aa situation that Chief AssistantState Attorney Manny Madrugasaid will be remedied soon. “Wehave interviews scheduled thisweek,” he said.At least one replacement willbe hired before Kadir leaves,said Madruga,who typicallyis basedin Key Westbut has beensplitting histime with theUpper Keys Kadiroffice sinceformer office head ColleenDunne was demoted and transferredin January.Kadir, who has been withthe State Attorney’s Office forjust more than a year, said hisdifficult decision to leave wasa financial one. In an effortto keep him, State AttorneyDennis Ward had offered him apromotion to Dunne’s old position.“Emotionally I would havestayed here,” he said, stressinghow much he enjoyed his joband the Keys. “I didn’t want toleave here. My family doesn’twant to leave here.”With his resignation, Kadirbecomes the sixth prosecutorto leave the Upper Keys officeduring Ward’s 27-month tenure.Madruga said budget cutsand moves by the FloridaLegislature to cut the benefitsof public employees are makingit all the more difficult toretain prosecutors. The Senate,for example, is considering abill that would trim the pay ofpublic employees by 3 percentto cover retirement benefits.“People like to prosecute,but when it comes down tochoosing to do what they liketo do or providing for theirfamilies, most people are goingto provide for their families,”Madruga said.rsilk@keysnews.comVeteransContinued from Page 1ASpecial Agent Mark Barstow.“We did get the informationfrom the national leagueand have been spreading itaround,” Rzad said.The Department of VeteransAffairs is reminding currentand former military membersthat it does not randomlycall veterans, nor does it askAngelaContinued from Page 1Aasked architect Michael Millerto design plans for a fire station,parking lot, public restroom,taxi stand and pocketpark at the Angela Street location.“I think it looks great, and itshows what is possible with allthat green space,” Cates saidon Friday.Miller’s design includes 100street-level parking spaces,instead of a multi-story parkinggarage, which would berequired if the property wasalso to house a City Hall facility.The fire station would bebuilt at the corner of Simontonand Southard streets, at the siteof the Madeline Bean administrationbuilding, which is slatedfor demolition.The station would be aWastewaterContinued from Page 1Aon the 2012 ballot.Voters in 1998 approved theuse of the sales tax for fiveyears, then extended it for 15years, Murphy said.The sales tax also could beused to secure a loan fromthe state Department ofEnvironmental Protection’s(DEP) Clean Water RevolvingLoan Program, accordingto Florida Keys AqueductAuthority Executive DirectorJim Reynolds. Reynolds andother staff from the countyand water utility have begunto explore the idea.The county, utility and Keysmunicipalities could borrowas much as $15 million a yearfor wastewater projects, andrepay it with sales tax revenueand fees for utility serviceand wastewater connections,Reynolds saidTo apply for the loan, thecounty would have to holdpublic hearings to adopt afacilities plan in May and sendit to the DEP for approval inJune. The DEP would decidein August whether to loan thefor information that it wouldalready have, such as SocialSecurity numbers.“In particular, if you havenot dealt with the VA previously— in person — and allof a sudden you receive a callfrom someone saying theyare with the VA or somethingsimilar, hang up the phone,”the press release states.The Department of VeteransAffairs also does not conductany official business by email,“drive-through” style, “whichwill avoid having to stop trafficon Simonton Street whiletrucks back into the station,as is the present case,” Millerwrote.The two-story fire stationwould have garage bays toaccommodate two fire trucksand an ambulance. The secondfloor would house dormitories,an exercise room,offices, a garden grill and picnictable.The plans also include “lowmaintenancegreen spaces, acharging station for electriccars, public toilets, attractivenight lighting, public art,fountains and a prominentpick-up and drop-off pointfor hotel shuttles, taxi standand bus stop,” according tothe “design concept survey”released Friday.Miller provided the designat no cost to the city.money, and how much, hesaid.The Keys are under a statemandate to have all propertiesconnected to advanced treatmentsystems by December2015, a deadline Neugentsaid “without equivocationain’t going to be met.” TheLegislature promised the Keys$200 million in bond revenuefor wastewater projects in2008, but has yet to allocatethe money.With a grim state financialbudget season ahead,no one expects the moneyto reach the Keys anytimesoon. The state pushed backthe deadline from 2010 to2015. Without state funding,property owners could face a$20,000 connection fee.ReasonableRates toSolve YourAccounting &Tax IssuesIndividual &Business292-63663154 Northside Drivesuehildebrandt.net27 Years In Business329751Daughtery wrote.Department of VeteransAffairs attorneys are workingwith the Department ofDefense to ascertain if thefake group was able to gainaccess to military members’contact information, accordingto the press release.“There are constantly peopletrying to take advantageof veterans, those deployedoversees or their familieshere,” Barstow said. “NCIS isCates said the parking lotwith its additional featureswould cost an estimated$900,000, plus the anticipated$2.6 million for the fire station.He wants Miller to presenthis ideas at the May 3 CityCommission meeting, whichmeans the design plans willbe posted on the city’s websitewith the commission agendaon April 26.Meanwhile, Cates will introducea preliminary proposalfor the shared use of GlynnArcher at the April 19 commissionmeeting.“It will just be presentedat that time; we don’t haveto vote on it then, but if thecommission likes it, then wecan start getting more specificprices and pinning down somenumbers,” he said.Other commissioners,including Teri Johnston, continueto object to what could“Here we are a year and ahalf into this deadline and stillno designated funding for thissmall community,” CountyMayor Heather Carrutherssaid. “We need to find a wayof funding this ourselves.”Carruthers and other Keysleaders were in Tallahasseelate last month and receivedanother grim report on thestate’s budget.Carruthers said she lobbiedthe governor’s chief aideand others to let the Keys askvoters to approve the use ofa second penny of sales taxor the imposition of a tollfor motorists coming intoMonroe County, but receivedno assurances. She’s stillawaiting the Federal HighwayAdministration’s response to aThermage stimulates your body’s naturalrenewal of collagen, which creates subtle,natural results with little to no downtime.• Tighter, Smoother Skin• Softened Lines & Wrinkles• Redefined Contours and Firmness• Renewed CollagenSkin of Key West508 Southard St., Suite 103305-879-2465 329864aware of it, but we haven’t hadany local complaints yet.”The Department ofVeterans Affairs asks thatmilitary members or veteranswho receive informationfrom the fake group to notifythe Key West Council of theNavy League at nlkeywest@keywestnavyleague.org orthe Department of VeteransAffairs office in Washington at800-827-1000.alinhardt@keysnews.combe a costly renovation of a historicbuilding for a City Hall.Commissioner Barry Gibsonsuggested last week that thecity consider buying HabanaPlaza shopping center onFlagler Avenue and use it as aCity Hall. Gibson pointed outthat the city is already rentingoffice space there whileit decides on a new City Hall.He acknowledged that it doesnot “look like a City Hall,” butwould represent a significantcost savings in these economictimes.Commissioner Mark Rossion Friday said he would entertainfurther discussion aboutthe Habana Plaza property,while Commissioner ClaytonLopez, whose district includesmuch of Bahama Village andOld Town, said he would neversupport a City Hall that farfrom the downtown residents.mmiles@keysnews.comletter the County Commissionsent in January seeking permissionto impose the toll.The commission willmeet April 20 at the HarveyGovernment Center in KeyWest.tohara@keysnews.com340454Relay For Life raises money for theAmerican Cancer Society. To startor join a team, or to buy a luminaria,call 305-292-2333.BARK FOR LIFERegister your dog or volunteer towork at Bark For Life at the DogPark on June 4. Call 305-292-2333.TEAM DINAStuffed bears/bunnies for sale.$10. Call Dina at 305-293-1549ext. 54352 or 305-923-5514.LUMINARIASDonations accepted for white bagsand/or silver, gold and pink ribbonbags to honor loved ones ata May 14 ceremony at BayviewPark. Forms available via emailat LKRelayForLife@gmail.com orat the American Cancer Society,1010 Kennedy Drive, Suite 306,Key West.UNITED WE CAREGordy Michael and Maj Johnsonin concert, 8 p.m. Friday, KeyWest United Methodist Church,600 Eaton St. Two teams will splitdonations: the church and FirstState Bank of the Florida Keys.FIRST STATE BANKYard sale and car wash, 7 to 11a.m. Saturday, branch at 3406 N.Roosevelt Blvd.COASTIES FOR A CURERubber duck race, noon Saturday,Coast Guard Sector Key West;Grinnell Street entrance opento public. 300 ducks will racealong Fleming Street canal to win$1,400 prize package (three-day/two-night stay at Hawks Cay Resortand 50-minute couples massage.)$10 apiece. Call Mo at 305-304-5621.TIB BANKParty, 5 to 8 p.m. April 19, TheLazy Gecko, 203 Duval St., KeyWest. Guest bartenders, chancedrawings.REBELS WITH A CAUSEParty, 5 to 7 p.m. April 22,Bobalu’s, 404 Southard St., KeyWest. $1 pizza slices, silent auction,50/50, live entertainment.TEAM HART AND SOULCar wash, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. May1, Chevron, 1126 Truman Ave., KeyWest.Yard sale, 8 a.m. to noon May 7,3350 Flagler Ave., Key West.Oysters and Margaritas party, 2to 4 p.m. May 7, La Concha, 430Duval St.PRINCE AND PRINCESSKindergartners through fifth-graderscan vie to be Relay For Lifeprince or princess, sponsored bySarabeth’s. The boy or girl whoraises the most $1 “votes” will becrowned during the May 14 openingceremonies. Call Patsy Morrowat 305-395-2551.CITIZEN OF THE DAYMIKE HENTZ/The CitizenCapt. David Barillas, shown here with his dogs, Tez andMajuhaa, was born in Guatemala and has lived in Key Westfor 20 years. Barillas, the captain of the boat Pescadora, saidhe loves the water and people of Key West, which he says hasan all-around great environment.