STATE OF THE COUNTY 2016/17 HOME OF THE FABULOUS FLORIDA KEYS 2 Monroe County | monroecounty-fl.gov MESSAGE FROM THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR Your Monroe County government worked hard in 2016 to make our slice of paradise a better place to live, work and play for all our citizens and visitors. With the strong leadership of the Board of County Commissioners, the County took on projects big and small. We also tackled tough policy issues, secured passage of important state legislation and contin- ued to be a leader in planning and adapting to sea level rise. And, our County staff of more than 500 people worked to provide efficient and cost-effective services to the entire island chain ROMAN GASTESI Here are some of the County’s top 2016 accomplish- ments, which were done while striving for fiscal responsi- INCLUSION IN FEDERAL COMMUNITY RATING bility to keep taxes stable and ensure long-time viability. SYSTEM: Beginning Oct. 1, 2016, residents and business owners PASSAGE OF THE 2016 FLORIDA KEYS in Unincorporated Monroe County became eligible for STEWARDSHIP ACT: federal flood insurance discounts due to the County’s vol- The County’s legislative team worked together with untary participation in the FEMA program. These discounts State Rep. Holly Raschein, State Sen. Anitere Flores and will result in more than $3.6 million in annual savings to the the Keys’ municipalities to pass this new state legislation. County’s 15,000 National Flood Insurance Program policy- It includes a $5-million annual appropriation for 10 years holders – an average of $233 per policy. for land acquisition. It also expands the types of water projects eligible for funding. State of the County 2016/17 3 MESSAGE FROM THE COUNTY OPENING OF NEW CUSTOMS FACILITY AT FLORIDA IMPROVEMENTS TO LIFE-SAVING TRAUMA STAR KEYS MARATHON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT: AIR AMBULANCE SERVICE: The new $1.64-million Customs and Border Protection facili- The County purchased a second Trauma Star helicopter ADMINISTRATOR ty opened in April at the Florida Keys Marathon International to provide life-saving flights for residents and visitors Airport. Now, for the first time in decades, international throughout the Keys. During 2016, a record 528 pa- flights are able to land at the small, regional airport that is tients were flown to hospitals in Miami. Despite Monroe operated by Monroe County. In the first nine months of County residents not having to pay any out-of-pocket operation, there have been 187 international arrivals from costs, operations of the program were able to break 12 countries, including 27 arrivals from Cuba. Numerous even in 2016 arriving boaters also have checked in with the new customs and border protection facility. COMPLETION OF CANAL RESTORATION DEMONSTRATION PROJECT: SECURED RESTORE ACT FUNDING FROM The County completed construction on six restoration BP OIL SPILL SETTLEMENT: projects using four different methods to improve water The County’s legislative team secured a $12.4 million share quality on some of the worst canals in unincorporated of federal RESTORE Act’s Gulf Consortium funding. When Monroe County. Monitoring is underway with early added to the County’s Local funding from the BP oil spill results showing improved water quality. The project is settlement, Monroe County will receive $20 million over helping the County to decide how to move forward to the next 15 years for environmental and water quality clean up the rest of the canals with poor water quality. restoration. MOBILE PUMP OUT PROGRAM FOR BOATS COL- ADOPTION OF 2030 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND UP- LECTS ONE MILLIONTH GALLON OF SEWAGE: DATED LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE: The County’s mobile vessel pump out vendor collected After a 6-year effort, the County Commission adopted the its one millionth gallon of sewage under the County’s 2030 Comprehensive Plan and updated Land Development free pump out program for boats anchored in desig- Code. Both documents originally were developed more nated areas of the Florida Keys waters. This prevents the than 20 years ago. The Comp Plan evaluates just about illegal discharge of sewage that creates a health hazard everything that would affect the island chain, including: land and harms the environment and water quality, both to uses, housing, conservation of environmentally sensitive the nearshore waters and out to the coral reef. land, transportation, ports and aviation. The plan also in- cludes infrastructure (water, sewer, solid waste disposal and COUNTY SET AGGREGATE MILLAGE RATE AT drainage) and deals with recreation and open space, cultural 3.5360 – LOWEST IN STATE OF FLORIDA resources, historic preservation and capital improvement The County Commission adopted a $457 million oper- planning for all County services. ating and capital budget for fiscal year 2017. It includes an aggregate millage rate of 3.5244, which is 5.4% PROGRESS TACKLING AFFORDABLE less than last year’s rate and .33% below the rolled- HOUSING CRISIS IN KEYS: back millage rate. The lower millage rate will result in In the new Comp plan, the County took a proactive step by an average of about $20 less in property taxes for every making all of its approximately 700 remaining affordable $100,000 of taxable property value. housing allocation units available immediately – instead of those units being spread out for distribution over years as While 2016 was a productive year, as is outlined is the case with market rate units. This has helped lead to a through the pages of this 2016-2017 State of the flurry of new affordable housing projects now in the works County report, we know there always is more work to in the Keys. The County also transferred 13% of its afford- be done. We continue to look for better ways to serve able housing units to Marathon for projects and is support- our residents and visitors and preserve what already ing most of the 33 recommendations made by the County’s makes Monroe County a great place. Affordable Housing Advisory Committee. 4 Monroe County | monroecounty-fl.gov Message from the Administrator 2-3 Permitting 53 About Monroe County 5 Code Compliance 54 Board of County Commissioners 6 Solid Waste & Recycling 55 Meet the Commissioners 7 Library Services 56-57 Monroe County Organizational Chart 8 Animal Control 58-59 About Monroe County Government 9 Employee Services 60 Fiscal Year 2017 Adopted Budget 10 Monroe County Employees at Work 61-62 Budget & Finance 11 County Attorney 63 BOCC Operating Budget Appropriations 12 Land Authority 64 Grants Administration 13 Medical Examiner 65 Legislative Affairs 14-15 Tourist Development Council 66 Emergency Services 16 Citizen Boards & Committees 67-68 Fire Rescue 17 Quick References 69-71 Trauma Star 18 Your Commissioners at Work 72-73 Fire Prevention & Fire Training Academy 19 Message from Mayor George Neugent 74-75 Emergency Management 20 Zika and New World Screwworm 21 Key West International Airport 22 Florida Keys Marathon International Airport 23 Planning 24 ABOUT THIS REPORT Affordable Housing 25 The State of the County Report outlines how your Environmental Resources 26 County government functions. It also highlights the Wastewater 27 work and projects that your county government Sustainability: Climate Change/Sea Level Rise 28 accomplished in 2016 – and provides the goals and Sustainability: Canal Restoration 29 planned projects for 2017. Extension Services 30-31 Social Services 32-33 Veteran’s Affairs 34 Strategic Planning 35 The report was produced by Monroe Information Technology 36 County Public Information Officer Public Information 37 Cammy Clark, and Jason Koler, Sara Engineering Services & Roads 40-42 Matthis and Javier Reyes of The Your Infrastructure One-Cent Sales Tax at Work 43 Weekly Newspapers. Project Management & Facilities 44-45 County Parks 46-47 County Boat Ramps 48 County Museums 49 Fleet Services 50 Cover Photo: Guardian Ad Litem 51 Aerial of Monroe County’s Building 52 historic Pigeon Key. TABLE OF State of the County 2016/17 5 MONROE COUNTY The Keys were perpetually changed with Henry Flagler’s STATISTICS decision to build a railroad from Miami to Key West at the turn of the 20th century. His first train rolled into Key Area: West in 1912. The railway was destroyed in the Category 5 Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, but the federal government 3,738 rebuilt the rail lines as an automobile highway, helping square miles (73% water) tourism evolve into the major industry it is today. 2015 Census Population: 77,482 Estimate Male: The County’s boundaries originally were the entire south- 40,676 ABOUT ern portion of Florida. Over the years, Dade, Broward, Collier, Lee, Hendry and parts of Charlotte, Glades and Female: MONROE 36.806 COUNTY Palm Beach all formed within Monroe County. Foreign born: Today, Monroe County is the southernmost county in the 13,437 Spanish Explorer Juan Ponce continental United States and is made up of the entire de Leon discovered the Keys in Florida Keys island chain, its surrounding waters and a Islands: 1513 during his search for the virtually uninhabitable region that includes sections of “Fountain of Youth.” During Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve. 1,783 the next three centuries, Spain More than 99 percent of the county’s population lives in of 1 acre and Great Britain claimed the Keys, although the islands make up only 13 percent of or larger Florida as a territory. the county’s land mass. Established: 1823 In 1821, Spain ceded Florida to The island chain is a special place, like none other in the County Seat: Key West the United States in accordance United States, with the world’s third largest living coral reef with the Adams-Onis Treaty. A off its shoreline. The county is so environmentally diverse Districting: 5 Districts year later, a small naval depot and historically important that it’s worthy of 17 national was created in Key West to help and state parks.