City Commission Spends Six Hours on Contract Delays, Food-Funding Fight and Employee Handbook Push — Veliz Appointed to District V

A six-hour meeting saw contract fumbles, a failed $40k food-aid proposal, and approval of an employee handbook without staff input as Greg Veliz was appointed to the District V seat.

The Key West City Commission slogged through more than six hours of sometimes tense deliberations Tuesday — a marathon session defined by contract delays, accusations of tone-deaf governance, a holiday-season fight over food insecurity, and a pivotal appointment to fill the late Mary Lou Hoover’s District V seat.

Former City Manager Greg Veliz was appointed, sworn in, and seated on the dais for the afternoon session, marking his first official appearance since resigning as City Manager to lead the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority.

Stantec Contract Delay Sparks Environmental Outcry

The morning opened with sharp criticism from environmental advocates over the city’s stalled water-quality monitoring contract with Stantec — a delay critics say is leaving Key West without critical nearshore data.

A representative from Last Stand told commissioners the stoppage is “creating a widening gap in nearshore environmental data,” and warned that failing to implement the October vote awarding Stantec the contract “erodes public trust.”

City Manager Brian Barroso said the finalized agreement only reached legal on Nov. 20 and won’t be eligible for an agenda until January — a delay environmental advocates called unacceptable.

District V candidate Chris Massicotte echoed the frustration:

“This delay is unacceptable. This work should have started months ago, and our community deserves answers.”

Speakers and commissioners tied the delay to broader concerns about the city’s outsourced legal department, led by Orlando attorney Mayanne Downs, with several calling the Stantec holdup “the latest in a string of legal fumbles.”

Commissioner Aaron Castillo summed up the confusion many on the dais expressed:

“I don’t even understand how this works — and I’ve been sitting up here for two years.”

Commissioner Sam Kaufman added that Downs was unavailable for his agenda review, reinforcing his concern over limited access during critical decision-making windows.

Clean Slate PAC Chair Blasts Employee Handbook

Jeff Siegel, chair of A Clean Slate for Key West, tore into the city’s newly proposed employee handbook, accusing the administration of shutting workers out of the process and creating a liability-laden, error-filled document.

“This is one of the most incompetent documents I’ve ever seen come out of this government,” Siegel said.

“It violates state law in places and exposes the city to liability.”

Despite objections from Siegel, multiple speakers, and Commissioners Kaufman and Haskell, the handbook was approved without employee input.

Food-Aid Allocation Fails 2–4 Despite Holiday Need

Commissioner Kaufman’s proposal to allocate $40,000 to local food pantries — timed to assist families struggling during the peak holiday season — failed 2–4, despite warnings from local nonprofits that demand is at crisis levels.

Kaufman said the $40,000 request stemmed from direct cost estimates provided by food banks preparing for the holiday rush.

Haskell called the denial “disheartening,” noting that many families are already in survival mode.

Voting against the request:

Commissioner Carey, Commissioner Castillo, Commissioner Lee and Mayor Henriquez.

Only Kaufman and Haskell supported providing the assistance.

Veliz had not yet been appointed and did not vote.

Veliz Appointed to District V, Sworn In, Takes Seat for Afternoon

Shortly before the lunch recess, commissioners appointed Greg Veliz to fill the District V vacancy caused by Commissioner Hoover’s death.

Veliz was sworn in and took his seat for the afternoon session, marking his first official role with the city since leaving the City Manager’s office to lead the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority.

Afternoon Session: Trolley Congestion, Duval Street Resiliency, Policy Overhauls

Residents opened the afternoon session with concerns about dangerous crowding at the Southernmost Point trolley queue, which is expected to worsen during the holiday tourist surge.

Duval Street Resiliency Plan Unveiled

Stantec presented a long-awaited resiliency and stormwater plan for Duval Street — a sweeping concept including a major pump station near Mallory Square and a phased rebuild of the corridor. The estimated cost: about $50 million.

Commissioners raised concerns about:

• prolonged construction

• business survival

• unclear timelines

• funding uncertainty
  

Kaufman urged the city to consider a pared-down initial phase focused solely on stormwater and pump infrastructure, warning that many Duval businesses “cannot survive another summer like last year.”

Castillo, Haskell, Lee and others agreed that construction impacts should be minimized.

The next meeting of the Key West City Commission is scheduled for Jan. 6 at City Hall, 1300 White Street, beginning at 9 a.m.