The Key West City Commission has called a special meeting for Wednesday, Dec. 10 at 3 p.m. at City Hall, 1300 White Street, to reconsider emergency “Human Services Funding” after a surge of public outrage over last week’s refusal to support the island’s food pantries. As of 1:40 p.m., the agenda was still not available on the city website.
Commissioners will revisit emergency food assistance on Wednesday, following widespread criticism of the Dec. 2 decision to reject a $40,000 allocation designed to support local food pantries strained by the holiday season and a federal SNAP disruption caused by the government shutdown initiated by President Trump.
The measure failed 2–4, with Commissioners Sam Kaufman and Monica Haskell supporting it, and Mayor Danise Henriquez and Commissioners Lissette Carey, Aaron Castillo and Donie Lee voting no. A $20,000 compromise, introduced by Lee, failed on a 3–3 tie, one vote short of the four needed for passage.
Henriquez drew criticism for remarking that living “paycheck to paycheck” was nothing new in Key West, a comment many residents saw as dismissive and tone-deaf as pantry lines lengthened across the island.
Castillo also came under fire after publicly stating he did not believe the aid was necessary, saying “the economy is doing well,” despite mounting reports from food pantries of surging demand and shrinking inventories. He also said that he did not believe such aid was necessary.
Haskell, who urged the commission earlier this month to act with the same urgency shown during the COVID-19 pandemic, said the renewed discussion could mark a needed shift.
“This might be the Christmas miracle I was hoping for,” said Haskell.
Commission to Debate New Framework: $75K Allocation, Continuum of Care Distribution
In advance of the special meeting, Commissioner and mayoral candidate Sam Kaufman, in an email to outside city counsel Mayanne Downs, proposed changing his original resolution to increase the funding level and direct distribution through the Monroe County Continuum of Care.
Kaufman’s new proposal includes:
Increasing the allocation from $40,000 to $75,000, consistent with updated need assessments from nonprofit agencies and the city’s finance leadership.
Distributing funds through the Monroe County Continuum of Care (CoC) — the umbrella organization for homelessness prevention, food programming and other social-service support across the Keys.
Supporters say the CoC can manage the process quickly and equitably, while City Hall lacks specialized human-services staff to evaluate applications or assess comparative need.
Staff Outline Funding Path and Administrative Decisions
City Financial Director Christina Bervaldi confirmed during the Dec. 2 discussion that the City can re-appropriate up to $75,000 from a budget line originally associated with the UNESCO initiative.
The line item — “Other Promotional Expenses as Designated” — allows flexible use and ensures all commissioners may vote on reallocating the funds.
Staff also drafted a three-page food-bank funding application since that meeting, but noted that several decisions must be settled by commissioners before it can be released:
Which office receives applications
Staff recommends the City Clerk’s Office, using timestamped, RFP-style intake.The application deadline
Staff recommended a 30-day window.Allocation method
Staff strongly recommended a first-come, first-served model, avoiding staff scoring of need and ensuring rapid deployment.Cap on organizational awards
Staff suggests limiting awards to $7,500 per nonprofit so multiple agencies can be supported.
These decisions will determine whether funds can be distributed immediately or whether the city must first establish additional procedures.
Under the City Charter, the City Manager has the ability to disperse up to $50,000 in emergency funds without requiring commissioner’s approval.
Meeting Focused Solely on Food Assistance
Wednesday’s special session will focus exclusively on whether the City of Key West will deliver short-term emergency funding to nonprofit food providers during the final weeks of the holiday season.
With demand rising, SNAP benefits disrupted by the shutdown and public frustration still growing, commissioners face renewed pressure to act — and to avoid repeating one of the most controversial votes of the year.
Wednesday’s meeting will begin at 3 p.m. at City Hall, 1300 White Street. The meeting is open to the public, and will be streamed live at the City’s website.
This is an evolving story. Watch this space.
