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UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / JULY 21, 2022
12 ENTER THE RACE FOR COUNCIL Incumbents and first-timers vy for a spot to turn the village around
SEAT 2
SEAT 1 SUE MILLER Age: 78 Years living in Islamorada: 41 Profession: retired, was real estate broker in Islamorada for 20 years, computer programmer in the 1960s and 1970s. I chose to move to Islamorada and raise my two sons here because of my love of the water, the environment, the small-town environment. I have watched as the involvement of residents in government decision-making has declined to disappointing levels. Are residents afraid to speak up or are they just ignored? The people need to have a louder voice in the decisions impacting lives and the future of the village. I will work to provide more opportunity for residents to be heard. Residents and the existing businesses are the heart and soul of Islamorada. Yet they often have needs and expectations that are not being met. We need to do everything we can to foster community engagement and transparency, build trust and accountability. I have been a community advocate for decades, attending village council meetings regularly, participating in village committees. I believe I can be a voice for the residents and small businesses. For 20 years I owned a small business in Islamorada and understand the struggles. I research the issues, I know and understand the village Comprehensive Plan and the Land Development Regulations. My motivation is simple – I think we all need to work together to create a plan to make Islamorada the best it can be.
QUESTIONS: This November, all five seats on the village dais are up for grabs. Enter 12 candidates ready to take on some tough tasks facing the village. The Keys Weekly asked each the following questions: What led you to run for Islamorada Village Council? What can you bring to the dais, if elected? Answers as submitted
PETE BACHELER Age: 74 Years living in Islamorada: 37 Profession: Private land use planner. I was a private land use planner in the village for over 35 years. I was chairman of the village Land Planning Agency for over five years so the next step was to run for council. My first year on council I was the vice mayor and this year the mayor. I’ve chaired over 50 village council hearings which brings a wealth of knowledge in “how the village does things” to the council. More importantly, I’ve met and talked to a lot of residents in person or on the phone. Communication is the key to business success as well as the success of the village.
ANGEL BORDEN Age: 60 years Years living in Islamorada: February 2011. Returned permanently to Islamorada and here full time for 12 years (originally left the USA 30 years ago). Profession: Businesswoman providing company administration and also owner of a kayak rental company. My personal tolerance level of frustration has exploded with the ongoing issues neglected for over five and 10 years. The lack of transparency by every single council to resolve these problems coupled with numerous residents over several years saying, “why don’t you run?” It is time for a change. Frustration with the amounts of money spent on studies/projects with waiver of competitive bids. $55,000 for what to do with the Fills and at the last village meeting it came out “we can do nothing without asking DOT permission.” We have qualified employees and volunteer committees that could have performed this “survey” and saved $55,000. Transparency and accountability in the actions by the council and the employees of the Village. It is obvious due to many recent events proper HR policies were “forgotten” or “ignored” allowing improper sexual contact behind closed doors; employees’ rights to a safe workplace were ignored. It is reprehensible that this conduct was not addressed in previous years or at the very least by our last short-term manager as due to his failure to act the workplace became extremely toxic and several highly qualified employees resigned. At 60 years young I bring over 30 years of accounting, property management experience including condo complexes of over 70 units as manager and board member. I have been responsible for preparing for multiple hurricanes and the resulting disaster recovery of Hurricane Ivan in the Cayman Islands that included human resources management of over 80 employees, each of which was held to a code of conduct.
MARK GREGG Age: 63 Years living in Islamorada: 35 Profession: Real estate attorney (semiretired). I have loved serving the people of Islamorada as an attorney since I started practicing law here in 1987, and as a councilman when I was first elected to the village council in 2000. Islamorada has many threats, challenges and opportunities that I have been focused on since incorporation in 1997, and I would like to continue working to improve Islamorada’s economy and quality of life, and to protect our community character and fragile natural environment. Leadership experience, knowledge of the community and professionalism. I was honored to serve as an Islamorada village councilman from 2000 to 2004, including a year as mayor and a year as vice mayor. I also served as a member of the Islamorada Land Planning Agency, including a year as chairman and a year as vice chairman, and as a member of the Islamorada Achievable Housing Advisory Committee. I practiced real estate and business law full-time in Islamorada for nearly 20 years, I was active in the Upper Keys Rotary Club for 17 years, and for 4 years I taught business law at the Florida Keys Community College (now known as the College of the Florida Keys). In 1998, I built the first 3 affordable housing units permitted by the village.
