‘WELCOMING CITY FOR ALL’

MANDY MILES mandy@keysweekly.com

Change isn’t always popular in Key West, where the city commission has met on Tuesday evenings, twice a month, for the past 20+ years, but it’s not always a bad thing.

The city commission is trying out a new meeting schedule meant to avoid long, late-night meetings that force members of the public to wait through hours of reports, proclamations and awards before commenting on the topic that affects them.

City Manager Al Childress has changed things up a bit. The commission now meets once a month, on the second Thursday, in both a morning and evening session.

While the first of the new meetings took place after presstime, a full report from the meeting is available at keysweekly. com.

But here’s a look at what’s expected. In the morning session, the commission will cover the less controversial and more housekeeping type of items: proclamations, reports, presentations and the consent agenda. The session will still be televised and online and the public may comment during each session.

One proclamation of note at this week’s meeting is a tribute to local businessman and philanthropist Frank Toppino, who turns 100 on June 15. (See the June 15 edition of the Key West Weekly for a full tribute and profile of “Mr. Frank.”)

The evening session starts at 5 p.m. and includes the deeper discussion items that will likely draw more public interest and attention.

On June 8, the commission was expected to name a new city clerk, as longtime Clerk Cheri Smith retires this summer, along with outgoing City Manager Patti McLauchlin.

Both candidates for the clerk position — Angela Budde and Keri O’Brien — have already worked in the Key West City Clerk’s office. Budde has worked for the city for 25 years, spent 11 years in the clerk’s office and has earned the Master Municipal Clerk certification. O’Brien has worked in the clerk’s office since 2019 and is in the process of earning the Master Municipal Clerk certification.

Key West’s Pride celebration, June 7-11, features loads of events and a commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the island’s Sea-to-Sea Rainbow Flag. (Cover design includes Pride stickers available at Amazon.com.)

In keeping with the island’s Pride celebration, the commission was also expected to pass a resolution, sponsored by Commissioner Jimmy Weekley, “Affirming that the city of Key West continues to be a welcoming city, committed to ensuring the rights of residents and visitors, including drag queens, gender nonconforming, transgender, cisgender and all manner of humans to walk upon, and to use, public spaces while wearing attire of their own choosing (so long as it is in compliance with the City’s nudity ordinance and public health requirements; acknowledging the drag community for elegance and originality, for their ability to unite the community and for boundless events and contributions benefiting the charitable causes of our city.”

Stay tuned to keysweekly. com for a full report from the June 8 city commission meeting.