KEY WEST, Fla. — Key West will retain contract City Attorney Mayanne Downs while Assistant City Attorney Kendal Harden is out of the office on family leave, providing continuity as the city begins searching for a permanent, full-time attorney.
Commissioner Mark Rossi said he will bring forward a resolution establishing a selection committee to help recruit and evaluate candidates. The city also will draft an advertisement for the position, with the intention of returning the City Attorney’s Office to full-time, in-house leadership.
Downs, an Orlando attorney with the DownsAaron law firm, has served as Key West’s city attorney since Oct. 13, 2025. She is paid $495 an hour, plus expenses, under a month-to-month engagement that either party may terminate with 30 days’ notice.
She will fill-in for Harden to provide continuity.
The agreement is capped at 18 months and would expire no later than April 13, 2027, unless ended sooner.
Downs was hired as a temporary solution after a city-appointed screening committee failed to identify a candidate it could recommend for the permanent position. Her continued service during Harden’s absence will allow the city’s legal operations to continue while commissioners organize a new search.
The forthcoming resolution is expected to establish the selection committee’s composition and responsibilities. The recruitment advertisement will outline the qualifications, duties and compensation for the permanent city attorney.
The city attorney is one of Key West’s charter officers and reports directly to the City Commission.
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