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Village Weekly Update
September 28, 2026
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The second and final Village budget hearing will be held today (Monday) at the Founders Park Community Center beginning at 5:30 pm.
The tentative Village budget for the fiscal year which starts on October 1 is based on a proposed millage rate of 2.7231 mills, a slight increase over the current rate of 2.65 mills.
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A home (homestead or non-homestead) with a value of $1.2 million would see a property tax increase of less than $8 per month for Islamorada’s share of the tax bill if the 2.7231 millage rate is approved.
While the Village would be collecting more property taxes than received in the current fiscal year, about half will be spent on required increases in Fire Rescue and law enforcement personnel costs.
The Village is also experiencing increases in fuel costs, state retirement benefits, property insurance, and other required expenses.
The proposed resolution adopting a final millage rate and the proposed budget can be found on the Village’s Agenda and Meetings Portal.
| | Budget Hearing #2 Rescheduled to September 28 | | Shape the Future of Islamorada:
"Blueprint for Balance" Public Workshop | | |
The Village's consultant, Able City East, has released the latest draft of our revised Comprehensive Plan, "Blueprint for Balance."
Your voice matters! Scan the QR code below to review the draft, and join the Village and Able City for a Public Workshop on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at 5:30 PM at the Community Center at Founder's Park.
Come see the presentation and share your feedback. For questions, contact Planning Director Jennifer DeBoisbriand at jennifer.deboisbriand@islamorada.fl.us or (305) 664-6440.
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Baseball Field Groundbreaking | Join the Village and the Monroe County School Board for the Founders Park Baseball Field groundbreaking on Thursday, October 1, at 11:00 a.m. | |
We currently have vacancies on the following citizens' advisory committees:
Historic Preservation Commission
Workforce/Affordable Housing Committee
Land Acquisition Committee
Please check out our Boards & Committees page for more information.
Apply by November 10!
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The Keys Recycle—Islamorada Recycles! | |
Recycling in Islamorada is collected by local company, Island Disposal, but it all ends up in the same place—WM Recycling South Florida Facility.
This facility processes all the recycling coming from Monroe County, Miami-Dade, Broward, and Collier County.
WM constructed a $90 million new facility on its existing property in Pembroke Pines to replace the old, outdated facility. The new facility can easily process 60-75 tons per hour compared to the old facility’s rate of 35 tons per hour, thanks to both mechanical and technological upgrades.
The new facility contains 2 miles of conveyor belts to process and sort the single-stream recycling into bales about 5’ X 5’ that contain about 25 tons of material at a rate of 95% clean material (compared to the old facility’s rate of 85%).
Single-stream recycling means a facility does the sorting, rather than the individuals/businesses. It’s typically a more economical model for collection and makes participation more accessible for the public and municipalities, but it comes at the cost of greater contamination.
Contamination mostly refers to items showing up mixed in with the recyclables that are not recyclable—common items include stretch plastics, organics, and hazardous waste, but also larger problematic items including construction material, furniture, gas tanks, garden hose, even a few bowling balls.
Monroe County does recycle, and in fact in the past few years, Monroe County has dropped to one of the lowest rates of contamination at just 21%, under the facility average of about 30% contamination.
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Three-Year Term Charter Amendment on November 3 Ballot | |
Earlier this year, the Village Council appointed a Charter Review Committee to review the Village Charter and make recommendations for potential Charter Amendments.
On July 7, the Village Council approved three Charter Amendments for the November 3 ballot.
Chair Ty Harris shared information on the Committee's recommendation to move Village Council terms from two years to three years for several related reasons:
Alignment with a full budget cycle
- A three-year term lets a council member see at least one entire budget process from start to finish: planning, adoption, implementation, and evaluation.
- With two-year terms, new members often come in midstream, learning the system while major financial decisions are already in motion, which can reduce effectiveness and continuity in fiscal planning.
More consistency in working on Village goals
- Many of the Village’s priorities—such as infrastructure projects, environmental initiatives, and long‑range planning—take several years to develop, fund, and complete.
- Three‑year terms provide more stability and continuity on the council so members can set goals, implement policies, and follow them through long enough to measure real progress, rather than constantly campaigning or turning over seats.
Better working relationships with permanent staff
- The Village Manager, attorney, clerk, and other professional staff are permanent (or long‑term) positions, while council seats are elected and temporary.
- Longer terms give council members more time to build trust, understand staff expertise, and develop effective working relationships.
- This continuity can improve policy development, reduce disruption from frequent political turnover, and allow staff to carry out council direction more efficiently and consistently.
In combination, these points led the Charter Review Committee to conclude that three‑year terms would improve stability, planning, and overall governance for Islamorada.
This amendment also includes staggering the Council terms and establishing a three-term limit.
Should the amendment be approved by Islamorada voters, for the initial transition in November 2026, the three candidates receiving the most votes or running unopposed receive three-year terms, and the remaining candidates receive two-year terms.
| The other two proposed Charter Amendments are related to the procedure for filling Council Member vacancies when more than half of the term remains and to require a supermajority vote for the purchase or sale of certain Village-Owned properties. |
| General Election Signs Permitted as of September 19 | | |
ONGOING CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES
Sunday, September 28, through Saturday, October 3, 2026
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State Road (SR) 5/Overseas Highway Channel 5 Bridge (near MM 71)
Work continues under the Channel 5 Bridge.
Lane Closure/Detours:
- No lane closures or detours are scheduled.
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State Road (SR) 5/Overseas Highway Long Key Bridge (near MM 64)
Work continues under the Long Key Bridge.
Lane Closure/Detours:
• Overnight single-lane closures are scheduled Monday, September 28, through Thursday, October 1, from 9:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following morning.
• Temporary traffic signals will be used to control alternating one-way traffic through the work zone.
• Motorists should be prepared to stop and proceed only when directed by the traffic signal.
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State Road (SR) 5/U.S. 1/Overseas Highway Seven Mile Bridge over Moser Channel Rehabilitation (MM 40 - MM 47)
Work continues under the bridge.
Lane Closure/Detours:
- No lane closures or detours are scheduled.
View the project webpage here
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State Road (SR) 5/U.S. 1/Overseas Highway on Bahia Honda Bridge (near MM 36)
Work continues under the Bahia Honda Bridge.
Lane Closure/Detours:
- No lane closures or detours are scheduled.
View the project webpage here
| | | For real-time traffic and lane closure information, drivers are encouraged to log onto www.FL511.com, or download the FL511 app. |
| Plantation Key Transmission Main Replacement Project Traffic and Access Update | | |
Your new drinking water pipeline is now fully connected and flowing! Crews have completed connecting the 34,362 feet of new drinking water pipe from Snake Creek Bridge to Julep Road in Plantation Key, including all SIX connection points linking the new pipeline to the existing system.
As a reminder, crews will be paving overnight roughly 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., Sundays through Thursdays along Overseas Highway/U.S. 1 from Snake Creek Bridge to Julep Road.
Paving and restoration is expected to be completed in October 2026.
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Here's what to expect during the overnight paving operation:
Crews will pave overnight Sundays thru Thursdays roughly 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.
A rolling lane closure will move north along U.S. 1.
From Snake Creek Bridge to Woods Avenue, one northbound lane and one southbound lane will remain open.
From Woods Ave to Julep Road, one northbound lane and two southbound lanes will remain open.
- Access to businesses will remain open. However, entrances and exits may have temporary impacts to allow for proper asphalt curing.
| | Sign up for Islamorada Emergency Alert Emails | | Vote for Founders Park in 2026 Best of the Upper Keys | | |
Trunk or Treat is Back - Register a Trunk! |
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RESCHEDULED Budget Hearing #2
September 28 | 5:30 p.m.
Comprehensive Plan Public Workshop
September 30 | 5:30 p.m.
Workforce/Affordable Housing Committee
October 5 | 5:00 p.m.
Regular Village Council Meeting
October 6 | 5:30 p.m.
Land Use Village Council Meeting
October 8 | 5:30 p.m.
| | Visit the Islamorada Cultural Arts Calendar | | |
Islamorada, the Village of Islands, is seeking submissions of works of art from local artists for temporary display in the Village's public spaces in Village Hall and Founders Park. These works of art will be part of the third exhibition in Islamorada’s Art in Public Buildings series, on display from November 2026 through March 2027.
Submit your artwork by filling out this form by October 19, 2026. It only takes 10 minutes!
There is no fee to submit artwork for consideration. Artists of selected artworks can choose to make their artwork available for sale; the Village will not take a commission or percentage.
Eligibility: Artists must have an address in Islamorada (residence or business)
When: Selected art must be available for delivery to Village Hall the week of November 9, 2026. The exhibition will end in March 2027.
Where: Village Hall, Founders Park Community Center, and Ron Levy Aquatic Center Lobby
What: approximately 15-25 artworks
• 1 sculpture, up to 16in diameter and 30in tall
• Up to 24 wall-based works. The total number of artworks selected will depend on the size of each work. Wall-based artworks up to 72in diameter may be accepted.
Islamorada Art in Public Buildings is a program administered by the Cultural Arts Coordinator for Islamorada, the Village of Islands. For more information about the program, review the Loan Agreement. To contact the coordinator call 786-522-6905 or e-mail emily.rother@islamorada.fl.us
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