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MARATHON WEEKLY / JANUARY 13, 2022
NUMBER OF THE WEEK
ON THE COVER
Renovation of the two-mile Old Seven Mile Bridge in Marathon is complete following its closure in 2016. In total, the 30-year restoration and maintenance plan was budgeted at $77 million, $41 million of which was spent during initial repairs. Nicknamed “Old Seven,” the bridge was built as part of railroad magnate Henry Flagler’s Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad that was completed in January 1912, connecting the Keys with each other and mainland Florida for the first time.
VIPs, elected officials and community partners spill onto the renovated Old Seven Mile Bridge shortly after a ribbon cutting on Jan. 12. The morning marked most attendees’ first opportunity to stand on the new bridge deck while still being able to touch the original railing repurposed from Flager’s Railway. See page 14. BARRY GAUKEL/Keys Weekly
$41 MILLION
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Rev. Larry White, second from left, delivers remarks commemorating the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. after receiving the Marathon City Council’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service proclamation. ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly
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n the wake of councilman Trevor Wofsey’s resignation, the Marathon City Council discussed plans to appoint an interim council member and attended to the unforeseen resignation’s impact on potential changes to council term limits. According to the city’s charter, the council has until Feb. 4 to choose a replacement for Wofsey, who resigned on Jan. 7 following a domestic battery arrest. In an address to his fellow council members, councilman Steve Cook expressed concern that a nominee was seemingly pre-selected to fill Wofsey’s seat. Cook then urged the council to take time to consider the nominees in a special call meeting to avoid any public impressions of impropriety. “There is a difference between the coconut telegraph and violating Sunshine Law,” said Cook. Citing instances in which he had allegedly learned of several appointments or city hirings prior to official votes or confirmation, Cook said he was upset not by the selections themselves, but the manner in which he had learned of the predetermined proceedings. “However we decide to do this selection process, I think we are obliged to follow the policies and procedures that we have set forth legally to install an official in the city and never have
the citizens think that (these rules) don’t matter,” he said. Councilman Luis Gonzalez also expressed concern regarding messages he received since news of the vacancy broke. “We are in an unfortunate situation, and we have to deal with this matter,” said Gonzalez. “No matter who we end up selecting, there will be folks who like that person and folks who don’t. I know that we are a much better community than what has been displayed to me this week, either by phone call, by email or by text.” After a brief discussion, the council agreed to address the vacancy in a special call meeting on Monday, Jan. 24 at 12 p.m. at Marathon City Hall. Candidates who submit their names for consideration will be required to submit an application to fill the seat. As the unexpected vacancy comes in the midst of a potential change to city council term limits, the council also voted to alter the proposed city charter amendment extending city council term lengths from three to four years. According to the city’s current charter, since the balance of Wofsey’s term is greater than 81 days, the council member appointed to fill Wofsey’s seat will serve until November 2022, when a total of four vacant council seats will be up for election.
Intending to avoid such a large turnover in a single election in the future, City Attorney Steve Williams proposed changes in order to maintain election cycles in which only two or three of the five council seats would be available at any one time. Under Williams’ changes, at the next regularly scheduled election, the person receiving the fewest number of votes but still winning one of the four vacant seats will serve a shorter term to preserve the 3-2 election cycles. If the charter amendment is approved by council, and subsequently by voters at the August 2022 primary election, the three highest vote-getters in the November 2022 general election would serve from 2022 to 2026, while the fourth highest would serve a twoyear term – expiring in tandem with Gonzalez’s term in 2024. Williams’ proposed changes would allow for similarly altered elections following unexpected vacancies in the future. As this was the first time such significant changes were added to the proposed amendment, the new ordinance will be heard again in its entirety at February’s regularly scheduled city council meeting. continued on page 18
