Councilors Face Busy Agenda in 2023

As 2022 draws to a close and 2023 rises on the horizon the challenges facing council and the city stay in a holding pattern and will await action over the next twelve months. 

Short Term Rental Registration Ordinance Implementation

• It is anticipated that the software contractor is or will be under contract by the time you read this article. The city should be able to roll out an online application form some time in February.

• The city has begun initiating planning for staffing requirements and training to meet the requirements of the ordinance.

• A separate STR Registration Account is being established and all funds from registration fees will be deposited into that account. 

• Councilors will be sure to have regular updates as to the progress of the implementation plans.

Water Quality Issues

• In 2019 the city did a RFP for the study of Nutrient Source Identification to determine where potential sources of impaired waters were coming from. That 490-page document was created by Dr. Harvey Harper’s firm Environmental Research and Design.

• Since the presentation of that report numerous meetings and workshops have been held between various entities with a minimum of progress and reams of printed materials created.

• Offshore testing does show that waters located off-island demonstrate nutrient numbers as high if not higher than inland waters, pointing to a “regional-Issue.”

• The city has received some funding for stormwater improvements around the island from state grants, but the debate continues to rage as to a definitive long-term plan.

North Marco Utility Acquisition

After incorporation as an independent city and the acquisition of the Florida Water Services assets the city chose to leave a small independent utility intact in the Old Marco section of the city. Late last summer the concept of acquisition of what is known as North Marco Utilities (NMU) came forward to complete city control of all wastewater responsibilities for island residents.

North Marco Utilities presently collects all wastewater in the Old Marco Area and pumps that material to the city’s wastewater treatment plant on Elkcam Circle for treatment. NMU subsequently pays a gallonage fee for treatment of that material to the city.

Residents of Old Marco receive all their potable water from the city for consumption purposes.

Council will be looking at the acquisition costs for NMU and the assumption of responsibility for maintenance of the NMU infrastructure. (pipes and lift-stations) 

Code Enforcement

No department has come under more scrutiny than that of Code Enforcement, or more discussion as to its effectiveness.

Presently that department resides under the umbrella of Chief Tracy Frazzano. Her efforts to convince council to allow her to switch those responsibilities over to full-time personnel versus part-timers has not been met with much success before council during budget deliberations.

It is sure to come up in budget deliberations again this year as the department will undergo some strategic changes due to the implementation of the newly approved Short Term Rental Registration Ordinance. The structure of how to deal with that new responsibility will surely come under intense discussions as the city deals with how to implement that new responsibility.

These are just a few of the issues which the 2023 council will need to deal with, amongst others when they convene on January 9th for the first meeting in 2023.