510 greene street ~ 1st floor, key west ... · islands, with a budget of $472 million. a county...

Chamber Chowder©510 Greene Street ~ 1st Floor, Key West www.keywestchamber.org

March 2020Chamber ChowderVol. 23, No. 3

Message from President Greg Sullivan

Y our Key West Chamber of Commerce is hard at work for its members and residents

of Key West and the Lower Keys. We continue to meet with the Florida Department of Transportation regarding the Cow Key Bridge construction project and how it will affect us all. We will keep you informed via our website KeyWestChamber.org with links to weekly reports. We are also anxiously awaiting to learn about revisions the Sanctuary will announce regarding the proposed regulations. March 17th is also an important date as we all need to vote YES to support the renewal of the half cent tax for Monroe County Schools. This tax is generated through the sales tax, which means locals and visitors alike will contribute. We have supported this referendum in the past, and it is the best way to show your support for our students and teachers.

On another important matter, I am respectfully asking for your help with the Vacation Rental issue that is presently being debated in Tallahassee. If you haven’t been following SB1128, our Senator Anitere Flores is working very closely with our State Representative Holly Raschein to STOP SB 1128. Below is an overview of the Senate Bill that could override any of our local ordinances. We need to educate and inform our residents (owners and renters), businesses, and all the accommodation properties in the Florida Keys & Key West. If Monroe County loses LOCAL control over the ordinances we currently have—although ordinances vary from unincorporated Monroe County to the various cities—there will be NO rules. It will have a direct impact on our

honorable heather Carruthers, mayor of monroe County delivers Keynote at the February General membership meeting

continued on page 34

The Honorable Mayor Heather Carruthers Delivers the Keynote Address on the State of the County.

M onroe County Mayor Heather Carruthers took a brief break from

her policy-making and policy-changing efforts to deliver a State of the County address at the February membership meeting. Hers is a county with a population of just over 76,000 spread across 1,783 islands, with a budget of $472 million. A county that boasts the lowest millage rate in the state by keeping budget increases smaller than the increases in property values.

Almost two years after Irma, the topic and recovery remain fresh. “We’re still talking about it. We’ve spent $64 million on repair and recovery efforts and it’s ongoing.” She praised her budget department for securing reimbursements from FEMA that will “leave us on the hook for only about 15% of that.” Carruthers showed slide samples of the before and after of 247 canals filled with 16,401 cubic yards of debris, saying “we came in under budget and ahead of schedule, and employed seventy-five local residents in the process.”

In addition to the clean-up efforts, there are about 300 canals that are impaired and not fresh enough to sustain life. “When

we were in Tallahassee recently, the state added canal restoration to our work plan, which opens up funding opportunities. Another $300 million ticket item if we do it right throughout the county.”

Shining light on the work her office does with preserving public facilities and historic properties like the Key West Lighthouse, the Martellos, and our parks, she said “there’s a lot of less sexy stuff we do like replacing windows and mold mitigation on the public infrastructure throughout the Keys.” If a house is damaged by more than 50%, it needs to be brought up to code. “Our office continues to give people the ability to do that, by helping with 51-83% of those costs.” Two important issues of climate change and affordable housing has led to an initiative to purchase the significantly damaged Howard’s Haven and Conch Trailer Park and replace it with affordable, storm-resistant and code-compliant sticks and bricks homes.

Climate change and sea level rise were addressed, including efforts to mitigate impact while adapting to the new reality. Monroe County hosted the 2019 Southeast Florida Regional Climate

continued on page 3 4

Table of ContentsBusiness Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Leadership Seminar Information . . . . . . . . . . 4

Tiger in the Woods Golf Tournament . . . . . . . . 5

Business Trends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7-8

Business After Hours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Welcome New Members! . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Cruise Ship Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Community Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Chamber Calendar of Events . . . . . . . . . . . 12


Ernest HemingwayHouse Museum

907 Whitehead StKey West, FL 33040

305-294-1136

La ConchaCrowne Plaza430 Duval St

Key West, FL 33040305-296-2991

Horan & Higgins, L.L.P.608 Whitehead St

Key West, FL 33040305-294-4585

The Chamber Chowder Heartily Thanks These Businesses for Their Generous Support of this Issue of the Newsletter

Porter AllenInsurance Company

513 Southard StKey West, FL 33040

305-294-2542

Old Town Key West Development

201 Front St, Suite 301Key West, FL 33040

305-294-3225

B orn and raised in Key West, Letisia Powell went away to UCF to get her Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources

Administration. “I came back because I knew that’s where I wanted to be,” she states with certainty. Powell worked at First State Bank initially, but wasn’t really sure what she wanted to do. “Human Resources is so broad and I didn’t want to get bored doing the same thing over and over.” Powell never really ended up going into her field, but went back to school and earned her Master’s in Business Administration. “I love to learn!” she declares enthusiastically.

Her husband Steven is also a Conch. They met in middle school and then started dating. “He picked me up from college,” she shares warmly. They are celebrating twenty years of

marriage and have a son and daughter. “I feel the real use of my degrees has been in starting and growing our family business, The Fiberglass Shop of Key West,” Powell ponders. “It’s a retail store where we sell all of your fiberglass/composite and boating needs for those do-it-yourself projects.”

The years here, combined with the experience of the real estate market, lead to deep roots. And having such deep roots gives power to the process of helping people find their new home. Her slogan, ‘Let a native conch guide you to your island living,’ seems to really encompass what she brings to the table when people decide they want to live in their dream home in the sun. Key West has a lot of unique intricacies and it helps to have a well-seasoned guide to navigate the waters. Powell’s “Conchs in Paradise” real estate office is now partnered with an innovative and fast-growing brokerage South Florida

firm called Robert Slack LLC. Started in 2014 with just four newly licensed agents, by 2018 Robert Slack was the number one real estate team (awarded by RealTrends.com) for the most closed transactions and today boasts 275 agents.

With such lifelong ties to Key West, it makes sense that Powell would be committed to the preservation of the largest historic district in Florida. Since 2015, she has served on the Historic Architectural Review Commission with members appointed by the City Commission. Powell also gives back to the island she loves through the Women’s Club and the Sunset Rotary.

Kids are a priority in Powell’s life. She fits interview questions in between her son’s mock trial event at the courthouse and helps put smiles on the faces of over 600 kids at Christmas by joining the efforts of The Silverliners of Key West.

Each month, the Key West Chamber of Commerce spotlights a business or professional person whose business card is drawn at the Business After Hours. This month’s winner is Letisia Powell,Realtor, Conchs In Paradise Realty @ Robert Slack LLC.

Spotlight Shines on ... Letisia Powell, Realtor at Conchs In Paradise Realty @ Robert Slack LLC


year-round rentals with an unlimited number of vacation rentals entering the market and driving up rents that will force out more of our families and workforce. It will also destroy neighborhoods where we currently enjoy quiet nights and friendly neighbors. This is a statewide bill; we are asking for Monroe County to be carved out and leave in-place what we currently have.

Currently in Monroe County there are 36,831 residential properties and only 15,923 are homesteaded. In Key West there are 9,008 residential properties and only 3,560 are currently homesteaded. I can tell you that the City of Marathon has some regulations but wish they were stronger as they do not have a cap on the number of transient licenses that are allocated. Please check your email and the Chamber’s website for a letter you may copy and email or postal mail to all our State Senators and House Members to vote against SB1128. Let’s not lose our neighborhoods. Thank you and enjoy our beautiful weather.

“The Honorable Heather Carruthers” cont. from page 1 4

Change Leadership Summit. “We’ve stewarded the Keys at a cost of one billion dollars over the last twenty years,” the mayor relates. A part of that was implementing a straw ban and her office continues to look at alternative energy sources, like solar panels in the construction of the Marathon Library.

The adjusted sea level rise is expected to reach fifty-four inches by 2070, yet Mayor Carruthers is optimistic and on the case. “We are a resilient community that has been through a lot of economical and environmental challenges already and we will get through this.” Those efforts include reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the raising of roads, the latter which she points out is a complicated process including considerations for where the water flows for collection, cleaning and release back into our protected waterways.

“What else are we doing?” the mayor asks. “We continue to try and get more money. Of the $225 million we send to Tallahassee, we only get about $20 million back.” Carruthers references the ninety percent that our county pays for each kid’s cost of education while other districts pay only fifty to sixty percent. “We’re up in Tallahassee and D.C. trying to make sure we bring our share of the money back. And that includes money for water quality projects and the fulfillment of our Stewardship Act, for which we’re supposed to get twenty million and five million dollars annually, respectively.” Carruthers accounts.

As Fire Rescue and Emergency Management is one of the three largest chunks of the county budget (along with departments Employee Services and Solid Waste), the Hot Shot program was initiated to get local kids to become firefighters. The second class of recruits graduated in January from the training facility on Grassy Key. In addition, the county now has three Trauma Star helicopters and ensures that residents in need of this service pay no more than what their insurance covers. In the past, people were going bankrupt after being billed $58,000 for lifts to Miami.

From helicopters to the topic of airports, Carruthers says “we’re approaching one million visitors annually to the Keys with the airport being responsible for generating $6.92 million in business activity.” The Key West airport is expanding with plans to improve the departure terminal. “It’s crowded and we’re working on the baggage claim area, too.” Long-term plans include building a new terminal “so, we’ll lose a little bit of that Caribbean island, hit-you-in-the-face-with-humidity

feeling when you step off the plane, but we will be a much safer and more efficient airport,” she assures.

Highlighting the social services her office provides, Carruthers says the county receives 11,000 requests for services. Monroe County Transit provides rides to doctor appointments and there’s a meal program for home-bound residents. The department of Veteran’s Affairs makes sure those that served our country have access to the services they deserve. “We have 233 kids in dependency care assisted by staff and 100 volunteers, with seventy being placed in permanent homes.” In regard to animal services, “You may have seen our beautiful new SPCA facility on Stock Island. We handled about 3,000 animal cases last year and provided free spay/neuter services to 1,190 pets,” Carruthers reports.

Turning member’s attention to the library system, the mayor says the library “is the government entity people interact with the most in this county.” Construction began on the new Marathon library last year while the Key West library celebrated sixty years and “we are constantly looking at ways to improve it, like the air conditioning and at some point we may have to move it.”

“So, where are we going in the future?” the mayor posits. “We strive to balance our economy, environment and quality of life.” FEMA has been redrawing maps to determine elevation requirements that influence flood insurance rates. Reviewing them with consultants will delay the new maps for at least a year. “So get flood insurance now. It’s assumable, and if you start now, your rates will be lower than if you wait for the new maps.” Based on how our local government manages the flood plan, there’s a twenty percent discount with $13 million dollars savings county-wide. “We are working towards a 25% discount,” the mayor said to applause.

To address workforce housing, an issue that Carruthers says “has been present since the seventies, according to newspaper stories,” last year saw the addition of about 100 units with projects in place for 367 more. Traffic is a common frustration and a Transportation Coordination Committee has been established to research issues and create formal recommendations. Carruthers closed with the ways constituents can access the entire State of the County report and communicate via the website and Facebook page, and a plea: “If you get a phone call or someone knocks on your door from the Census, please answer it. It determines political representation and influences $675 billion in funding.

President’s Message cont. from page 1 4

CS/SB 1128: Vacation Rentals 4 GENERAL BILL by Commerce and Tourism; Diaz

Vacation Rentals; Preempting the regulation of vacation rentals to the state; prohibiting a local law, ordinance, or regulation from allowing or requiring inspections or licensing of public lodging establishments, including vacation rentals, or public food service establishments; requiring licenses issued by the Division of Hotels and Restaurants of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation to be displayed conspicuously to the public inside the licensed establishment, etc.


Thursday,April 23, 2020

LEADERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND INSPIRING OTHERS

By Elisa Levy 8:30am to 11:30am

At the Doubletree Grand Key Resort

Without great leadership employees lose faith and leave their companies. Turnover is an estimated five trillion dollars’ annual drain on

the U.S. economy. Studies show that 80 percent of workers lack real commitment to their jobs. Great leaders know not only how to recruit

and retain great staff, they know also how to motivate and inspire them to do their best.

Learn easy-to-use tools to:

Some of the topics leaders and managers will learn through the seminar include:

The Secrets to Recruiting and Interviewing Potential Employees How to Inspire Loyalty in Your Staff

Assertive Communication Conflict Resolution

Mediating Employee Conflicts Effectively Coaching Employees

Creating Systems of Accountability Training Staff To Do Their Jobs Well and Consistently

To register please contact [email protected] or call Dorothy at

305-294-2587.

Elisa Levy is an internationally known speaker and author who specializes in conflict resolution, team building, leadership and

customer service. For the last 20+ years, she has been working with organizations and individuals to

improve their businesses and working relationships. Her clients run the gamut, from the United

Nations, to Fortune 500 companies, hotel chains,

restaurants and non-profit organizations. Elisa travels the

world teaching; and has authored two books, and countless articles

on conflict resolution.

KEY WEST CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

510 Greene St. Key West, Florida

33040

305‐294‐2587

www.keywestchamber.org

Cost is $76.00 for members and

$99.00 for non-members. (Price includes continental breakfast)

Registration Deadline April 17, 2020


TITLE SPONSORS: WASTE MANAGEMENT, INC. | THE KEY WEST CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | TRULIEVE

305-294-2587 | KeyWestChamber.org

A T I G E R I N T H E W O O D S15TH ANNUAL

G LF T O U R N A M E N T

SUNDAY, APRIL 26, 2020KEY WEST GOLF CLUB

PRIZES + AWARDS• $500 Cash Prize for Closest to Pin on all PAR 3• 1st, 2nd + 3rd Place Prize in each Flight• Longest Putt• Closest to Hole• Longest DriveOVER $20K IN PRIZES + RAFFLES

TEE TIME | 7:30AM • REGISTRATION | 7:00AM

ADVANCE PAYMENT IS REQUIRED TO CONFIRM REGISTRATION

Minors 15 years or older permitted to play with a parent or guardian. No refunds after Sunday, April 19th or due

to weather. Sorry, NO CHILDREN permitted in the Clubhouse or on the Course! No Exceptions.

Interested in Sponsoring?305-294-2587

TITLE SPONSORS


-

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Pass

enge

rs

Source: City of Key West Port Operations

Key West Cruise Ship PassengersJanuary 2014 - December 2019

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

$-

$500,000

$1,000,000

$1,500,000

$2,000,000

$2,500,000

$3,000,000


Bed

Tax

Col

lect

ions

in D

olla

rs

Source: Monroe County Tax Collector

Key West Bed Tax Collections January 2014 - December 2019

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Airport closed 9/8-19/2017 for Hurricane Irma

Port Closed 9/6-22/2017 for Hurricane Irma

Hurricane Irma 9/10/2017

Passenger arrivals to the Key West International Airport in January, 2020 totaled 54,593, an increase of 24.6% when compared 43,822 from January of 2019.

For the year 2019, the 482,930 deplanements was 12.2% more than the 430,266 passengers that arrived in Key West for the year 2018.

Currently, American Airlines is providing service to Miami, Dallas and Washington National, and seasonal direct non-stop service to Charlotte, Chicago, and Philadelphia. Delta is offering year round service to Atlanta and seasonal service to LaGuardia which started March 9th. United Airlines is offering direct non-stop service to Newark and seasonal service to Chicago O'Hare. Silver Airways provides direct non-stop service to Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, and Tampa.

December, 2019 saw 777 planes land at Key West International Airport which was 9.7% more than the same period in 2018. For the year 2019 the 8,264 total landings was 2.1% less than the 8,443 planes that landed in Key West last year. The last two years are the only years that Key West International Airport greeted more than 400,000 passengers.

In 2019 Key West welcomed the most cruise ship passengers since 2003, when more than a million arrived in the Southernmost City. In January, 2020 a total of 51 cruise ships disembarked 98,575 passengers, representing a 7.3% increase over January 2019 when 91,897 passengers arrived. For the year 2019, the 935,508 passengers represents a 12.2% increase over the same period in 2018.

In all, 409 ships made port in Key West during 2019, representing a 7.9% increase from 2018 when 379 ships arrived. Both the number of passengers and the number of cruise ship arrivals were higher in 2019 when compared to 2018. The first few month of 2020 have started off very strong. Only once in the last decade has there been a month with 50 or more ships visiting Key West, and it happened three times already in 2020. Below is the cruise ship schedule for the next three months.

Number of Ships2019 2020

March 35 51April 39 42 May 27 30

The reported Bed Tax Collections for Key West in December, 2019 were $2,062,368 which is 2.7% higher than the same period in 2018. The year to date Bed Tax Collections total stands at $21,623,855 and represents a 7.1% increase over the same period last year.

The December, 2019 "occupancy rate" for Key West was 80.1% according to the Smith Travel Report. That is a 3.1% decrease over the 82.7% reported in December, 2018.

The Average Daily Rate (ADR) was reported at $341.38 for December of 2019, representing a 7.7% increase from the ADR of $316.94 posted in December, 2018.

For the year 2019 Key West saw an increase of 0.4% in occupancy rates, and a 4% increase in ADR year to date compared to the same period in 2018.

Since Hurricane Irma passed on September 10, 2017 and caused damage to some hotels, the number of rooms available had declined. Key West saw 145 more rooms open up in recent months, but witnessed another hotel close 48 rooms for long-term renovations.

-

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000


Dep

lane

men

ts

Source: Key West International Airport

Key West International Airport ArrivalsJanuary 2015 - December 2020

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Airport closed 9/8-19/2017 for Hurricane Irma

March Chowder KW Air Data 1 of 1


Key West Business Environment vs. Florida & the U.S.

Key West Economy Continues to Expand Key West Business Outlook

When asked about first quarter sales expectations 37%of all the businesses responding reported expecting higher sales in the first quarter of 2020.

● Despite increased trade concerns, economic numbers show that GPDgrowth to remained slightly above 2% through the year's end.● Consumer sentiment amongst Floridians in December, 2019 decreasedby 2.2 points, from 94.9 to 92.7.

Compensation & Wages

● 37% of all businesses surveyed claimed they were going to hire at least one or more employees during the third quarter of 2020.● 55% of all businesses surveyed described the ease of hiring as difficult in the fourth quarter of 2019.● The December, 2019 Monroe County unemployment rate was 1.8%, a year long low.● The State of Florida December, 2019 unemployment rate was 2.5% and was also a year long low.● According to the United Way of Florida, 43% of all families in Monroe County are Asset, Limited, Income, Restrained, Employed, (ALICE).

(at $27,192 Monroe County has the most expensive survival threshold budget for a single adult in all of Florida)

Macro-Economic Impacts

World Economy

For the fourth quarter of 2019, 60% of the businesses reporting stated their revenues had increased over the same time period in 2018. Average revenues across all three months showed a 6.3% increase over the same months in 2018. All other metrics point to 2019 having been a historically good year. Hotel occupancy rates were up 0.4% for the year, average daily rates and revenue per available room were also up 4% and 4.4% in 2019. Through 2019 total cruise ship passengers for the year increased 12% despite 2018 having been a fourteen year high in passenger counts. Ferry boat passenger arrivals increased 7% and aiport passenger arrivals were 12% higher than they were in 2018.

In a November of 2019 survey by the National Association for Business Economics, 226 economists were polled and 21% stated they expected the US will enter a recession in 2020. Another 34% identified 2021 as a target date while only 14% said a recession would occur after that. In the July, 2019 NABE survey 38% of respondents expected a recession in 2020.

Sources: Nabe, Outlook/Business Conditions Survey; UF BEBR, Consumer sentiment Index; IMA/ACCA, Global Conditions Survey; Bureau of Economic Analysis; Florida Chamber, Florida Small Business Index

www.KeyWestChamber.org

Key West businesses are expecting an even better 2020!Tourism and recreation taxable sales in Monroe County are up 16.2% in 2019 when compared to 2018. Home sales in the Florida Keys hit $1.2 billion in 2019 up 12% from the previous year.

An increasing amount of evidence points to an ever tightening local labor market. Only 281 people in Key West claimed to be unemployed in December of 2019, resulting in an unemployment rate that stayed at 1.7% the last two months of 2019. When asked about turnover rates, 24% of businesses reporting claimed to have experienced increased turnover during the fourth quarter of 2019.

Quarterly Economic Environment & OutlookThe Key West Chamber of Commerce continuously monitors, compiles, and analyzes economic data;

generating local economic data through surveys of its over 500 members.

The Global Economic Conditions Survey Report: Q4, 2019 provides regional analysis from 1,277 businesses in 180 countries*

Responses from KWCC BES conducted January 10, 2020 - February 2, 2020; NABE BCS conducted November 5-20, 2019

42% of all businessesreporting stated that employee salaries increased during the fourth quarter of 2019

60% of businessessurveyed reported an increase in fourth quarter sales

74% of all businesses surveyed statedthey were either optimistic or confidently positive about the outlook for the next 12 months

This month, the US economy will complete ten continuous years of economic growth,the longest such period in over 150 years.

The Global Economic Conditions Survey global confidence index increased in the fourth quarter completing a very volatile year. Confidence in the US increased to its highest levels since the second quarter of 2018.

Labor


MONROE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERSTHE FLORIDA KEYS AREA OF CRITICAL STATE CONCERN

2020 STATE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIESFLORIDA KEYS STEWARDSHIP ACT

Pursuant to the Florida Keys Stewardship Act:Support $20M appropriation to construct water quality projects in the Florida Keys.

(*Local Commitment: $7M in local funding expended, and commitment of $20M in County RESTORE funding.)

Support $5M appropriation within Florida Forever for land acquisition within theFlorida Keys that will both retire development rights AND conserve environmentally sensitive land.

(*Local Commitment: $12M in local funding committed.)

STATE-COUNTY PARTNERSHIP ON TAKINGS JUDGMENTSSupport legislation that codifies a shared 50%-50% apportionment of State-Countyresponsibility for takings judgments (a consequence of state-designated Area ofCritical State Concern, growth limitations, and hurricane evacuation requirements) andprotects property rights by providing a more expedient and certain process forrecovering the compensation due to property owners whose property a Court hasdetermined has been taken as a result of State-imposed growth limits.

CITIZENS WIND INSURANCESupport legislation to reduce Monroe’s annual wind insurance 10% rate increaseglide path, recognizing that Monroe County pays the highest Citizens premium rate inthe State despite having the strongest building code in the State.

VACATION RENTAL REGULATIONSSupport legislation (including local bill) that provides a permanent “carve out” forMonroe County from preemptive vacation rental regulations to enable theCounty to amend/update its vacation rental regulations in

order to preserve its supply of workforce housing; or legislation that would allowlocal governments with grandfathered ordinances to amend and update theirregulations without losing their grandfathered status.

VESSELSSupport legislative efforts to reduce the number derelict vessels and ensure sufficientfunding to remove and dispose of derelict vessels.Support $750,000 appropriation to support the County’s vessel pump out program to protect the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary waters.

ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATIONS AND ISSUESSupport $500,000 appropriation for security and facility upgrades to MonroeCounty’s Baker Act Receiving Facility.

Support $3M appropriation for the construction of the Sugarloaf section of theOverseas Heritage Trail.

Support State funding and legislation to encourage resiliency planning andhardening, to protect Florida’s coral reef tract, and to support EvergladesRestoration.

Support efforts to support the development of affordable housing including fundingavenues like tax credits awards for Florida Keys, SAIL funding, full appropriationof Sadowski Trust Fund.

State of Florida 2020 Legislative Session (January 14th - March 13th)Recently the EconomicAffairs Committee of theKey West Chamber ofCommerce met with theLegislative Affairs & GrantAcquisition Director ofMonroe County, LisaTennyson. During themeeting several of theMonroe County legislativepriorities were identified.Monroe County is hopingto receive more fundingthat will enable the countyto continue implementingprojects that protect andmaintain water qualitythroughout the Keys. A big concern for residentsof Monroe County are theprivately owned landparcels that have yet to bedeveloped. Theseproperties numberingmore than eight thousandare currently valued atmore than $850 million.Because of State- imposedlimitations such as ROGOUnits many of theseproperties are unlikelyever to be developed andcan result in what isknown as a"Takings Case". MonroeCounty would like tocodify theacknowledgement that thestate is a 50/50 partner inresponding to thesesometimes expensivejudguments . The issue ofvacation rental regulationis once again beingdiscussed, and the statehas considered removingthe special recognition ishas previously heldacknowledging localordinances previously inplace.

The Key West Chamber continues to monitor all local, state, and federal legislation and their outcomes to best serve the needs of ourmembers.

business after hours | tuesday, february 11, 2020 Sponsored by: Bayfront Suites & Marina - 801 Eisenhower Drive



CitiStar Mortgage LLCPO Box 431616

Big Pine Key, FL 33043305-216-2040 www.citistarmortgage.com

Contact: Gabel BoyetteMortgage Company

Ocean Construction & Plumbing LLC

1200 Fourth Street, #1008 Key West, FL 33040305-998-8548 www.oceanconstructionfl.com

Contact: Johnathan HeroldGeneral Contractor

Conch Republic Seafood Company

631 Greene StreetKey West, FL 33040305-294-4403 www.

conchrepublicseafood.com Contact: Casey Arnold

Restaurant

Sunset Harbor at Cow Key Marina

5031 5th AvenueKey West, FL 33040

305-296-5013 www.suncommunities.com

Contact: Lisa SpragueManufactured Home Community

Sushi Song925 Duval Street

Key West, FL 33040305-916-5288

sushisong.com/key-west/Contact: Billy Kourmelis

Restaurant

YuzzBuzz185 NW Spanish River Blvd., #205

Boca Raton, FL 33431888-815-3552www.yuzzbuzz.com

Contact: Daniel CabotDigital Marketing and Advertising

Welcome New Members!Cruise Ship Schedule

MaRCh 20203/1 N. Amsterdam 8:00am-5:00pm3/1 Rhapsody 11:00am-6:00pm3/2 Celebrity Edge 7:00am-5:00pm3/3 Brilliance 10:30am-5:00pm3/4 Celebrity Infinity 7:00am-5:00pm3/4 Norwegian Sun 11:30am-8:00pm3/5 Empress 7:00am-4:00pm3/5 Majesty 9:00am-3:00pm3/5 Silver Wind 10:00am-7:00pm3/6 Celebrity Infinity 7:00am-5:00pm3/6 Sensation 7:30am-1:30pm3/7 Norwegian Sky 6:30am – 3:00pm3/8 Celebrity Equinox 7:00am-5:00pm3/8 Empress 8:00am-5:30pm3/9 Majesty 11:00am-5:00pm3/9 Norwegian Sun 11:30am-8:00pm3/10 Celebrity Infinity 7:00am-5:00pm3/11 SS Explorer 7:30am-5:00pm3/11 Disney Magic 7:45am-4:30pm3/12 No Ships3/13 No Ships3/14 Norwegian Sky 7:00am-2:00pm3/14 N. Statendam 8:00am-5:00pm3/15 N. Amsterdam 8:00am-5:00pm3/15 Rhapsody 11:00am-6:00pm3/16 Celebrity Edge 7:00am-5:00pm3/16 Empress 7:30-6:00pm3/16 Carnival Freedom 11:00am-7:00pm3/17 Silver Wind 7:30am – 5:15pm3/17 Carnival Glory 8:30am-5:00pm3/17 Brilliance 11:00am-5:00pm3/18 No Ships3/19 Norwegian Sky 7:00am-5:00pm3/19 Majesty 9:00am-3:00pm3/20 No Ships3/21 No Ships3/22 Celebrity Equinox 7:00am-5:00pm3/23 Scarlet Lady 8:00am – 7:00pm3/23 Majesty 11:00am-5:00pm3/24 Celebrity Infinity 7:00am-5:00pm3/24 Carnival Conquest 7:30am-1:30pm3/24 Veendam 8:00am-6:00pm3/25 Disney Magic 7:45am-4:30pm3/26 Amadea 7:30am-7:30pm3/27 No Ships3/28 Norwegian Sky 6:30am – 4:00pm3/29 N. Amsterdam 8:00am-5:00pm3/29 Rhapsody 11:00am-6:00pm3/30 Celebrity Edge 7:00am-5:00pm3/30 Majesty 10:00am – 5:30pm3/31 Veendam 8:00am-5:15pm3/31 Brilliance 11:00am-5:00pm3/31 Carnival Freedom 11:00am-7:00pm

New Members (left to right) Gabel Boyette McKechnie of CitiStar Mortgage and Casey Arnold of Conch Republic Seafood Company being welcomed aboard by Membership Committee Chair Britt Myers.

Local military personnel are famous for contributing to the communities in which they serve. The Chamber-affiliated Key West Military Affairs Committee recognized four personnel for their volunteer work in the Key West community, including CW4 Robert Stringer (Special Forces Underwater Operations School), OS2 Matthew Merriman (Coast Guard Sector Key West), OS1 Dakota Ballard (JIATF-South) and AT1 Michael Buchholz (NAS Key West).


1 Locals Day at the Key West Tropical Forest and Botanical Garden 305-296-1504

1 Historic Tours of America Locals Day 305-296-15041 John Tesh in Concert at The Key West

Theater 8pm 512 Eaton St 305-985-04331 Free Curator Tour of Tennessee Williams

Museum 2pm-3pm 513 Truman 305-842-16663 Key West Craft Cocktail Crawl by Key West

Food Tours 3:30pm-6:30pm at Mary Ellen’s Bar and Restaurant 420 Appelrouth Lane

3-14 Short Attention Span Theatre: Twilight Zone 8pm 305-296-9911 Red Barn Theatre 319 Duval St

4 Stanley Zabar: A Retrospective – Artist Reception Cocco & Salem Gallery 1111 Duval St. 5:30pm – 8:30pm

4 Bahama Village Music Program 20th Anniversary Gala 6pm-10pm 305-504-7664 Oldest House & Gardens 322 Duval St.

5-28 Priscilla Queen of the Desert – The International Musical Hit 8pm 305-294-5015 Waterfront Playhouse 407 Wall St.

5-26 Three New Exhibitions: “Deer Humans,” “Legalized Love,” and “Living Traditions: The School of Mario Sanchez” at The Studios of Key West 533 Eaton St.

6-7 Twice Told Tales-The Smash Hit Theatrical Event Returns! 8pm 305-296-0458 The Studios of Key West 533 Eaton St.

7 Schooner Wharf Open Air Art & Music Festival 10am-8pm 305-292-9520Schooner Wharf Bar 202-R William St.

7 Spring Fair 2020 2pm-7pm Bayview Park, 1320 Truman Ave. Family friendly event supporting the Key West Preschool Co-op & May Sands Montessori School education programs

7 Fringe Theater Presents Key West Characters: The Oldest House 7pm-9pm Oldest House & Gardens 322 Duval St.

8 Natalia Kazaryan-Key West Impromptu Classical Concerts 4pm 305-296-5142 St. Paul’s Episcopal Church 401 Duval St.

8 George Thurogood & The Destroyers at The Sunset Green Event Lawn 7pm 3820 N. Roosevelt Blvd. www.keywestconcertseries.com for tickets

9 South Florida Symphony Presents Masterworks III: Zwilich, Mendelssohn, Beethoven & Gottsch 7:30pm Tennessee Williams Theatre 5901 College Rd 305-842-1666

9-12 March Merkin Invitational Permit Tournament “flats-and-fly-only” Key West Harbour Yacht Club 6000 Peninsular Ave. www.marchmerkin.com

9 Tom Rush in Concert-Old Town New Folk Series 8pm 305-296-0458 The Studios of Key West 533 Eaton St.

12 Repair: Work in Progress written and directed by Mike Marrero 8pm, 305-296-0458 The

Studios of Key West 533 Eaton St. 13 60th Annual Home Tours “Thanks for 60 Years”

10am-1pm 305-294-9501 tickets: www.oirf.com14 Bubba’s Fables at the Truman Waterfront

Park Playground 10am-3pm 305-296-0458 FREE Admission 21 E. Quay Rd Shows at 10am, 11am, & 3pm

14 St. Patricks’s Day Bar Stroll starts 11am at the Southernmost Beach Café 1405 Duval St. T-shirts available for purchase at www.stpatricksdaybarstroll.com [email protected]

15 Trunk Material 2-A Broadway Musical Review 7pm 305-394-7445 Waterfront Playhouse 407 Wall St.

15 The Smallstarts at the Key West Theater 8pm 305-985-0433 512 Eaton St.

16 Get the Led Out performing at the Key West Theater 8pm 305-985-0433 512 Eaton St.

19 An Evening of Strings by Southernmost Chamber Music Society 7pm-9pm 305-296-5142 St. Paul’s Episcopal Church 401 Duval St.

19 Repair: Work in Progress written and directed by Mike Marrero 8pm 305-296-0458 The Studios of Key West 533 Eaton St.

21-22 Fort Taylor Living History Weekend-Civil War Reenactment 8am-5pm 305-292-6850 Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park [email protected]

21 Cemetery Strolls-A guided tour of Key West Cemetery 9:30am, 9:50am, 10am Key West Cemetery 701 Pauline St. 305-304-1453

22 Calidore String Quartet-Key West Impromptu Classical Concerts 4pm 305-296-5142 St. Paul’s Episcopal Church 401 Duval St.

23-4/18 Frankie and Johnny in the Clair De Lune 8pm 305-296-9911 The Red Barn Theatre 319 Duval St.

26 Samuel’s House presents Women of Integrity & Men of Valor 6pm 305-296-0240 Key West Marriott Beachside Tavern N Town 3841 N. Roosevelt Blvd

28 39th Annual 7 Mile Bridge Run 7am www.7mbrun.com28 Mote’s 2020 Ocean Fest: A Community

Celebration 10am-4pm [email protected] Florida Key’s National Marine Sanctuary’s Eco-Discovery Center 35 E. Quay

28 Motown With a Twist at Tennessee Williams Theatre 8pm 305-842-1666 5901 College Rd.

29 Key West Artisan Market-Preserve Island Life Edition 10am-2pm Clarence S. Higgins Memorial Beach 1000 Atlantic Blvd.

29 Bahama Village Music Program’s 20th Birthday Bash 12pm-6pm 305-504-7664 Coffee Butler Amphitheater 21 E. Quay Rd.

Community CalendarMarch 2020

Chamber Chowder©510 Greene Street ~ 1st Floor, Key West www.keywestchamber.org


EXECUTIVE COMMITTEEGreg Sullivan, President

Waste Management/305-434-9140Melissa Kendrick, First Vice President

Mel Fisher Maritime Museum/305- 294-2633Cara Higgins, Second Vice President

Cara Higgins Law /305-294-6030Joe Caso, Treasurer

Caso & Company/305-453-6378Diane Schmidt, Secretary

Margaritaville Key West Resort & Marina/305-292-4350

Michael Morawski, Past PresidentHemingway Home/305-294-1136 5

David Clay, AppointeeLower Keys Medical Center/305-294-9200

John Toppino, AppointeeCharley Toppino & Sons/305- 296-5606

Mark Rossi, AppointeeRick’s/Durty Harry’s Entertainment

Complex/305-296-5513Scott Atwell

Executive Vice PresidentKey West Chamber of Commerce

305-294-2587

ChaMBER STaFFScott Atwell

Executive Vice PresidentEdward Dawicki, IIIDirector of Research

Kerry BakerMembership Director/Special Events Coordinator

Christina BirminghamExecutive Assistant/Bookkeeper

Dorothy SchmidaAdministrative Assistant

Gladys Clarks, Lily WilliamsonTourist Information Receptionists

Scott AtwellNewsletter EditorCindy Jefferson

Art DirectorJennifer Juniper Newsletter Writer

Karrie BondSocial Media Director

March 2020Business After Hours

Date: Wednesday, March 4, 2020Time: 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Sponsored by: Insurance Office of America Location: 2816 North Roosevelt Blvd.

Members Networking Event!

General Membership MeetingDate: Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Time: NoonLocation: The Casa Marina Resort

1500 Reynolds StreetTopic: Cow Key Channel Bridge Project

Discussion and how major businesses are navigating the delays: Waste Management,

Keys Energy Systems, Monroe County School Board, and the Florida Dept of Transportation

april 2020Business After Hours

Date: Wednesday, April 1, 2020Time: 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Sponsored by: Four Marlins Bar at the Reach Resort

Location: 1500 Reynolds Street Complimentary Valet Parking Members Networking Event!

General Membership MeetingDate: Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Time: NoonLocation: Key West Marriott Beachside

3841 North Roosevelt BlvdSpeaker: The Honorable Holly Raschein

State Representative District 120Topic: Legislative Update

Key west Chamber Calendar of events

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