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PAGE ONE COMMENTARY: The Jim Young Case

The Common Sense
City Commission Did
the Right Thing and
Righted a Wrong

WILL THEY DO IT AGAIN IN THE
TOM NEARY CASE?

by Dennis Reeves Cooper

What is really amazing about
the settlement of Jim Young’s whistleblower
lawsuit against the city is not the
actual settlement of the suit itself— in
which city officials admitted that Young
had been wrongly fired in 2006 from his
job as head of Code Enforcement and
agreed to pay at least some of his back
wages and at least some of his attorney’s
fees. That happens all the time in cases
in which city officials pretty much think
they’re going to lose in court, so they
cut their losses by agreeing to settle
out-of-court and try to pay as little as
possible.

But what is really amazing about
the Young settlement is that the City
Commission went one step further—
they actually gave Young his job back,
along with a wide-ranging mandate to
clean up the department that has gone
to hell since he left.

After the city elections in 2007,
in which the voters basically cleaned
house, we labeled the new City Commission
as the “Common Sense Commission.”

And we were right— assuming
that the Jim Young settlement is
some kind of indicator that the people
now running the city are willing the
simply do the right thing by righting
past wrongs.

Transient Rental Landlord Wants to Settle $50,000 Fine For $5000

CITY ATTORNEY: THIS COULD BE A TEST
CASE AS COMMISSION GETS READY TO
CREATE RULES FOR WHO CAN MITIGATE
FINES AND HOW MUCH THEY CAN MITIGATE

KWTN Team Report

When Jim Young, the former manager
of Code Enforcement, again takes
charge of his old department (now called
Code Compliance) in early February,
one of his mandates from the city commission
is to collect some of the millions
of dollars in outstanding code violation
fines. But at least one of those violators
is not waiting for Young’s return.

William and Britt Lemon, who
were fined almost $50,000 by special
Magistrate J. Jefferson Overby in September
of 2007 for allegedly renting a
Francis Street home without a shortterm
transient rental license, are now
asking the city commission to approve
a proposal to settle the fine for a little
more than $5000. That proposal for fine
“mitigation” is on the agenda for the
February 3 commission meeting.

City Attorney Shawn Smith sees
this as a test case.

Paul Cebar Plus Salsa at the Green Parrot

PAUL CEBAR & THE
MILWAUKEEANS, top
photo, return to the Parrot
starting with a 5:30 “sound
check” this afternoon, Friday,
January 30. Then, they return
for a full gig Friday night,
starting at 10. On Saturday
night, MARTY STONELY
AND ROLANDO ROJAS
bring their salsa party to the
Parrot, starting at 10.

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SPECIAL COMMENTARY: County Commissioners

Are They Just Pretending to Be Dumb?

by Dennis Reeves Cooper

We write here a lot about
dumb politicians. But what
is even worse than a dumb
politician is a politician who
probably isn’t really dumb, but
who pretends to be dumb. An
example is the current debate
among county commissioners
concerning the cost of Traumastar,
the county-owned air
ambulance.

They recently were debating
whether or not to ask for
bids from private companies
to see if air ambulance service
can be provided cheaper than
the millions of dollars that Traumastar
is currently sucking out
of the county budgt.

We already know the
answer, of course. Private companies—
like Lifenet, which
serves Key West— can provide
the service at no cost to the
county government because the
private companies charge only
the patients being transported.
If those being transported don’t
have any insurance and no
money, the private companies
write off the charges.

Cops Looking for Tips on Burglaries

The Key West Police Department is looking for help to
stop a series of burglaries targeting high-end residences in the
city. Over a dozen flat screen televisions were stolen during the
night over the past two weekends, and KWPD detectives want
to stop the trend.

“We’re looking for information from anyone who might
know the people involved in these thefts,” said Key West Police
Chief Donie Lee. “This is a large number of large TVs. There’s a
good chance someone in the community has seen them or knows
about these apparently systematic burglaries.”

The stolen goods likely bear the brand name Haier. However,
there may be other brands involved.

Police are asking anyone who might have seen a suspicious
number of large flat screen televisions being stored or transported
to call Crime Stoppers.

Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards up to $1,000 for anonymous
information leading to an arrest. Tipsters should call 1-800-
346-TIPS (8477) with information in this case.

These thefts are also a reminder to homeowners to be
vigilant in keeping their homes and families safe. Locked doors
and well-lit properties deter potential burglars.

Music at the Cap

MARTY STONELY, left, and ROLANDO ROJAS entertain at the
BottleCap Lounge on Wednesday evenings. RAVEN plays on
Thursdays, 9 ‘til midnight.

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Discipline Still Pending For Parking Enforcement Officer Who Injured Tourist

KWTN Team Report
A month ago, on the morning
of December 31, Parking
Enforcement Officer Joseph
Auguste, 47, ran into the back
of a rented scooter being ridden
by Jessica Burke, 25, who was
visiting Key West from Sarasota.
Burke was stopped at a red light
on Duval Street at Angela.

Auguste was driving his
city car. The impact pushed the
scooter under a truck, which was
also stopped at the light.

Caffeine Carl & the Buzz at Schooner Wharf

CAFFEINE CARL & THE BUZZ are at the Schooner Wharf Bar tonight and tomorrow night,
Friday and Saturday, Janaury 30-31, 7 ‘til midnight.

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Old-Fashioned Parking Meters Being Replaced

Street parking
just got easier with
the installation this
week of Pay and Display
parking meters.

These one-stop pay
stations clean up city
sidewalks by taking
the place of the old
fashioned pole meters
that stand at every
parking space.

Overall, ten new stations will
take the place of 280
old fashioned single
head parking meters.
The machines accept
coins as well as credit
and debit card payments.
Customers can
purchase up to eight
hours of parking in a
single transaction. The
machine prints out a receipt,
which the customer places in
the windshield.