CHANGES COMING TO VILLAGE COMMITTEE SELECTIONS

Individual Appointments No Longer The Process

JIM McCARTHY jim@keysweekly.com

Residents who wish to serve on one of Islamorada’s eight committees will need majority support from the dais, per a new ordinance supported by the village council.

Previously, each council member selected their preferred person to the committees, one being the Local Planning Agency that considers and recommends issues on planning to the dais. The remaining two members on the LPA are selected at-large via the council’s majority approval.

Now, those wishing to serve on a committee must fill out an application and go through an interview with the council. Candidates would then go before the full council for final approval, which needs three out of five council members voting “yes.”

Council approved the changes, which were originally brought forth by Vice Mayor Sharon Mahoney, at an April 7 special meeting inside the Founders Park Community Center.

Revamping the dais’ committee selections began when Mahoney told her fellow council members in February that she wanted to open the opportunity to more residents. The idea was met with support from several council members, as well as Village Manager Ted Yates, who said the change could bring more qualified residents whom the council may not know.

“We need to reach out to the community as a whole and not just pick our friends and neighbors to desperately fill seats,” Mahoney said. Opponents to the idea, including those who sit on the Local Planning Agency, said the selection process would be consolidated to a few