2 Suing to Stop Sewer Deal

WWW.KEYSNET.COM ISLAMORADA 2 suing to stopSATURDAY,JUNE 23,sewer 2012 deal VOLUME 59, NO. 50 By LARRY KAHN ● 25 CENTS [email protected] Sante — a former village Two Islamorada residents mayor — and Joe Ziomek say the village violated state say “the process used by the law when it awarded a $93 village for procurement of Residents says the village violated million contract to the sewer project has result- state law regulating competition Islamorada Water LLC to ed in the wasteful expendi- design and build its system ture of village funds and after it issued a request for teria that the village intend- to pipe sewage to a Key flaunts the letter and intent qualifications to design and ed to use to evaluate the Largo treatment plant, and of Florida law regarding build the system in October the evaluation of responses statements of qualifica- firms to answer the initial want a judge to void the deal. competitive procurement of 2010. It violated that, the to the RFQ were not includ- tions....” RFQ, the lawsuit says. Then In a lawsuit to be filed construction projects....” lawsuit says, because, ed in a legislative enact- On June 5, the Village on July 29, 2011, the village Wednesday in Monroe Specifically, the lawsuit among other things: ment.” Council approved the con- issued a request for propos- County Circuit Court, Chris says the village violated the • “No legislative rule or • “The selection criteria tract with Islamorada Water als to design and build the state’s Consultants ordinance was enacted for did not include the mandated LLC. The company was sewer system. Two firms Competitive Negotiation Act the qualification of design- minority business enterprise specifically formed for the submitted them: Veolia and KEYS COMMUNITY COLLEGE build contracts.” criteria.” Islamorada work by Reynolds Water Islamorada. • “All of the criteria for • “The RFQ failed to AECOM, headquartered in In March, Veolia got the notify prospective respon- Los Angeles, and Veolia contract over Reynolds. dents or the public of the cri- Water North America, based Sante says there is some- in Chicago. thing wrong beyond the alle- KEYS ENVIRONMENT Veolia was among five gations in the lawsuit in that ● See Lawsuit, 2A Larry Tyree ended his brief Florida Keys Community College career on Friday. Keynoter photo by SEAN KINNEY Departing Tyree is ‘bittersweet’ College chief is leaving Jonathan Gueverra. Tyree, 67, has served as after 2 1/2 years president of nine community colleges, five of those on an By SEAN KINNEY interim basis, much the way A breakout group on Tuesday gives its input to a Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary staffer during the [email protected] he came to FKCC in November 2009 to replace beginning of the sanctuary’s and national wildlife refuges’ rewrite of their management plans. At the end of the After two and a half years Jill Landesberg-Boyle, night, the comments were inputted into a database to be used to update the plans. of trying to right the ship, forced out by the board after President Larry Tyree leaves creating what was called by Keynoter photo by LARRY KAHN Florida Keys Community college staff a “toxic” envi- College on Monday, making ronment. Message: Clean water first, way to incoming President “I knew a little bit about MONROE COUNTY ● See Tyree, 3A closed areas last resort County possibly Sanctuary,refuges start the process national wildlife refuges. Tuesday’s meeting was in hole for $5M to rewrite plans the start of what is expected said Byron Goss, co-owner to be a three-year process. of Big Time Bait and FRS reversal, LARRY KAHN More than 100 people Tackle. — should be paramount. [email protected] attended the event, which, “With an exclamation For example, if one area Medicaid law that pending lawsuits after short presentations by point,” said Bucky Wile, a has, say, 6 percent coral involving Medicaid billing Ensuring clean water sanctuary and refuges staff, tropical-fish collector with cover or seagrass and the are reasons and the Florida Retirement flows to the Keys from consisted of informal Dynasty Marine. goal is to reach 20 percent, System are forcing the upstream, expanding law roundtable discussions There was a broad feel- close that area — with the By RYAN M county to give itself up to enforcement and setting where comment was taken. ing that if areas do need to intention of someday [email protected] $5 million worth of wiggle specific goals based on sci- The comments gleaned be closed, there has to be a reopening it. “Take the room. ence are the most basic from those discussions will better way to manage them. pressure off until you get it things the federal govern- be among the bases from First and foremost is “meet back to where you want it” Monroe County Admin- “We have two huge istrator Roman Gastesi says issues and they’re multimil- ment can do to protect the which the sanctuary and the specific goals of the clo- before doing something a pair of sizable looming lion-dollar issues. We’ll Keys marine environment. refuges update their plans. sure,” Goss said. else. expenditures could make for probably have to have a That was the sentiment It all starts with cleaning For example, the area “If you don’t reach that a tricky budget season this base issue and be prepared Tuesday at the Marathon up downstream runoff from around Sombrero Light is a goal, you don’t move on to summer. for whatever happens in Government Center from mainland sugar farms, said Sanctuary Preservation another area,” he said. If Tallahassee on Medicaid numerous fishermen, dive- Jason Long, owner of Best Area; only catch-and- you do reach the goal, open A first draft is more than a month away, but and the FRS money,” he shop owners and others. Bet Sportfishing in Key release fishing is allowed. that closed area and then Gastesi told the County said. They participated in the Colony Beach. He and oth- Snapper thrive but the coral move on. Commission Wednesday Monroe is one of 55 first public comment ses- ers say if water flowing into is degraded, meaning, Goss Mike Long, Jason’s counties involved with a sion to update the manage- the Keys were cleaner says, the regulation is not father, knows the Keys ment plans of the Florida before it got here, many of meeting its goal of replen- waters well: He was a major Keys National Marine the closed marine areas in ishing the entire ecosystem. with the state Fish and ● See Budget, 4A Sanctuary and the Great the 2,900-square-mile sanc- Chris Bergh, Keys pro- Wildlife Conservation White Heron and Key West tuary wouldn’t be needed. gram director for The Commission here before INDEX “Put a few more hash Nature Conservancy, con- retiring. Now he spends his Classifieds . .7B marks on water quality,” curred. He said setting spe- days fishing and diving. Printed cific objectives for specific ART He says he’s seen little Living . .2B on 100% Art takes form in nature’s areas — and meeting them accomplished through pro- recycled showcase Business . .7A Mother Nature providing the Botanical Garden backdrop and sculptors FILM adding art to nature. exhibit boasts The works on display: newsprint 17 sculptures •Jim Racchi: “Sky /Water,” painted steel; The visual arts get a spe- “Walking Couple # 2,” steel. cial showcase through July •Lauren P. McAloon: ● with 17 sculptures by 10 “Headress,” copper, wood, Keys artists on display at stone and lamp elements. CONTENTS © 2012 the Key West Tropical Obituaries . .2A •Katie Truax Alexander: See Sanctuary, 4A Forest and Botanical “Fusion # 4,” reclaimed and Garden. new steel with clear coat; “5 KEYNOTER PUBLISHING CO. As part of a push for Persons,” reclaimed bicycle environmental awareness, parts. most of the works on display •Lois Giffen: “Dragon were created from recycled Family,” powder-coated or repurposed materials. steel; “Snail Promenade,” Artists styles range from painted steel. abtract to whimsical, realis- •Jiwan Noah Singh: Opinion . .2A tic to organic. “ARC,” wood; “Mobius,” Organizers of the exhibit metal; “Installation # 1,” like to label this the “yin and yang” of creativity with G See Sculpture, 5B Sports/Outdoors . .1B ART In L'Attitudes Crossword . .2B Sculpture and more go Rupert Everett as Edmund St. John-Smythe in `Hysteria.' The laughs are felt deep down on display at two sepa- Deal is sealed in this Victorian retelling Feel-good film Keys Dancy’s repurposed to do the same gal in many nations around 77Film lovetreatment mechanically. the world, as well as in captures the era interest, The real Dr. Joseph Alabama, Georgia, Emily Mortimer Granville actual- Indiana, Louisiana, rate Key West exhibits. 86790 22222 and the hysteria Dalry- ly patented his machine for Massachusetts, Incoming Key West City mple. the relief of muscular Mississippi, Texas, and “Hysteria,” rated R, Gemma aches and pains. Virginia. 100 min., now playing at Jones Eventually called a “per- And just a few years the Tropic Cinema, Key plays cussor” or more commonly ago, the U.S. Supreme Brent Thole interprets this Keys scene titled ‘Dolphin Pier.’ West Lady St. “Granville’s Hammer,” the Court refused to hear a John- scene where he and his co- case questioning the con- The charming film Craig Wanous Smythe, inventor, Edmund St. stitutionality of such Manager Bob Vitas' con- “Hysteria” is based on true Stories, whoJohn-Smythe (played by statutes, so many of those Alumni show at events that led up to the delightfully discovers the Everett) try to think of laws are still in effect. (To invention of the “electro- pleasures of Dr. Gran- names for the device are, be treated to a visual histo- mechanical vibratory ville’s machine.

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