After suffering loss of canopy and understory in the last year and a half, the City of Cedar Key will celebrate a much needed Arbor Day on Saturday February 22, 2025.
Celebrating involves each resident/household planting a tree, given to them by the city, to make our canopy greener, cooler, and more beautiful.
Residents are invited to come to the pavilion at Beach Front Park from 9 am to 12 noon. There they may select their tree in a 3-gallon container, and receive fertilizer and a starter kit, all at no charge.
Approximately one hundred trees will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Species will be varied but should include oaks, cedars, and others.’
The City of Cedar Key is a designated “Tree City USA.” That designation is awarded by the National Arbor Day Foundation. For more information on that program, please visit Tree City USA at arborday.org.
"Casey Piscura, founder of Wild Mountain Seeds and Seed Peace, shared his passion for regenerative farming through multiple education programs and a global seed-breeding program. Piscura died on Feb. 2. A celebration of life is being held on Wednesday at Spring Creeks Ranch starting at 4:30 p.m."
Brian Moore was driving across the Number 3 Bridge when something in the water caught his eye. He noticed that a group of White Pelicans was paddling away from the pilings; but one pelican was struggling to keep up and was left behind.
On a closer look Brian realized that the pelican had line wrapped around his leg and his wings, and was snagged on the piling.
Brian’s quick call to W.R.E.N. put the Bird Rescue Team into action! Both Doug Maple and Amy Horn quickly made it to the bridge to access the situation. They realized that the huge White Pelican could not be reached by a rescuer wading into the water. A boat or kayak was needed.
Enter our seasoned and daring rescuer, Dawn Alexander!
With wire cutters in her pocket, she eased her kayak into the water near the Number 3 Bridge.
Realizing she would need both hands to try to untangle this huge pelican, and she could therefore not paddle the kayak at the same time, she aimed her kayak up current so that she could drift toward the bird without paddling.
Upon reaching the pelican, Dawn cut the line and unwrapped his wings, checking for damage.
The Pelican was able to stretch and flap his wings but was still attached to the piling by line around his leg.
Carefully cutting and unwrapping the line around his leg, and checking for any lesions caused by the line, Dawn decided he was safe to release.
CITY OF CEDAR KEY EARNS 2024 TREE CITY USA RECOGNITION FROM ARBOR DAY FOUNDATION
The Arbor Day Foundation named Cedar Key a 2024 Tree City USA in honor of its commitment to plant, grow, and maintain trees to benefit its community.
The Arbor Day Foundation is a global nonprofit with a mission to inspire people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees. Its network of more than a million supporters and partners has helped the organization plant more than 500 million trees in forests and communities across more than 60 countries since 1972. The Tree City USA program has recognized cities and towns that leverage urban forestry to enhance the livability and sustainability of their local area for over 50 years.
CITY OF CEDAR KEY AND CEDAR KEY WATER AND SEWER DISTRICT
ELECTION
Cedar Key City Hall 809 6th Street April 1, 2025 From 7 am until 7 pm
If necessary, a RUN-OFF ELECTION will be held on April 22, 2025.
THREE CITY COMMISSION SEATS: Seat 1, Seat 3, Seat 5 Two-Year Terms
Seat 1 Incumbent Jolie Davis versus Contender Susan Rosenthal Seat 3 Incumbent Jim Wortham versus Contender Dell Weible Seat 5 Incumbent Sue Colson is retiring. Contenders Andrea Dennison versus Mel Beckham
TWO CKWSD COMMISSION SEATS:
Seat 2, Seat 4 Two-Year Terms
Seat 2 Johnathan Ferguson’s seat is uncontested. Seat 4 Incumbent Steve Rosenthal versus Contender Sue Colson
Jim Wortham Chair, Cedar Key Community Redevelopment Agency
We are pleased to learn that the University of Florida - College of Design, Planning and Construction will be focusing on Cedar Key as their main focus for Spring Semester, 2025. Two student studios will be planned for these projects, one looking at development possibilities and alternatives for our current residential and municipal areas on higher elevations (areas between 3rd and 7th streets and D and G), and the other, focusing on lower elevations, primarily the downtown district. The College will be presenting at least two briefings to the CRA and possibly the LPA to help the City in our planning moving forward. Briefings will be open to the public and participation is encouraged!
CEDAR KEY WELL REPRESENTED AT LEGISLATIVE GATHERING IN BRONSON 2025 January 10
Nearly twenty Cedar Keyans took part in the Levy County Legislative Delegation meeting in Bronson on Tuesday, January 7, from 1 to 3 pm, at the Levy County Commission Auditorium, 310 School Street.
The legislators, Chad Johnson and Stan McClain, came to hear the needs and concerns of Levy County representatives of higher education, school board, elected officials, constitutional appointments, special districts, and citizens. Johnson, State Representative for Florida House District 22, and McClain, State Senator, representing Levy County.
Hear, they did. The Cedar Key Water and Sewer District and the Waccasassa Water and Wastewater Cooperative representatives spoke to the need for regional efforts to provide potable water and proper disposal of wastewater in Levy County, focusing upon the W3C potential pipeline. They thanked the Suwannee River Water Management District and state and federal officials who have made the project viable. Representatives included: Joe Hand, Zim Padgett, Robert Partin, Johnathan Ferguson, Mike Borelli, John Rittenhouse, Sue Colson and Robert Beltran.
They listened further. City of Cedar Key Mayor Sue Colson spoke briefly about the island’s rent difficulties: Hurricane Idalia, Dock Street fire, Hurricane Milton, and Hurricane Helene. She thanked them for all the assistance after each event and intimated that she would see them again.
Cedar Key Aquaculture Association representative Joey Cannon requested that legislators do all they can to support the recently hard-hit aquaculture farming in Cedar Key. He also requested that they support the W3C pipeline as that project will help ensure the cleanliness of the waters upon which aquaculture depends.
In the audience, supporting water personnel and the City of Cedar Key were Rosie Cantwell, Joyce DeHaan, Nita Cox, Jeff Webb, and Mandy and Frank Offerle.
When Judi Cain was notified last September that she won the 2025 Old Celebration of the Arts Design Contest she did not know how poignant that decision would be, and neither did the Cedar Key Arts Center Board who coordinates the event. Her acrylic painting was titled After the Storm.
The damage to Cedar Key caused by Hurricane Helene on September 26 was extensive. Popular shops and restaurants on Dock Street were severely damaged, businesses along historic second street were flooded, homes were lost, and hearts were broken. Judi Cain’s was one of those hearts. From her first visit to Cedar Key over 50 years ago through her time as an artist in the Cedar Keyhole Artist Co-op, Judi says “She always wanted to live there.” Coming in from Gainesville early to work or staying late to walk around the town she loved, she took pictures for future paintings. One of them, a black and white photo she took several years after the fire at Coconuts on Dock Street, inspired her winning artwork. Like others, Judi, who had recently moved to West Virginia to be near family, watched the news and cried.
When the Cedar Key Arts Center board met several weeks after the Hurricane, concerns were raised about whether Cedar Key would be able to host the annual spring arts festival - the Old Florida Celebration of the Arts - which celebrated its 60th Anniversary in 2024. However, by the November board meeting the resilient island community was showing signs of coming back as a few shops and restaurants began to reopen, even as the clean-up continued. By December the path was clear. The community of Cedar Key needed to have the festival, but the board would need to reimagine the event in a way that would bring visitors to the town without overwhelming it as rebuilding continued.
SUBJECT: LEVY LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION, BRONSON, TUESDAY, JANUARY 7…BE THERE
The state-level Levy County Delegation will be in Bronson on Tuesday… this Tuesday… January 7.
This delegation is the group that will give input to the state congress about funding and all other concerns. They need to hear from you and me. You are politically, auditorily, summarily, and every other way, absent if you do not attend this meeting.
If you can speak at the meeting, great. If you cannot speak and can simply be there representing Cedar Key, you count. If you do neither, you injure Cedar Key.
Whether they legislate anything or not in Cedar Key’s favor, they will absolutely do nothing if Cedar Key representation is absent.
Legislators know who is there and who is not. They count bodies.
You can speak to the facts that: • Cedar Key thanks the delegation for all its help in the past several years: lift station funding support, hurricane assistance, etc. • Cedar key needs continued support of a water and wastewater pipeline.
Do read the article below previously published in the Levy County Citizen.
BRONSON - The Levy County Legislative Delegation will hold its annual public hearing on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025.
The meeting will take place from 1-3:30 p.m. in the Levy County Commission Auditorium, 310 School St.
The delegation includes Chairman and Rep. Chad Johnson (R-Chiefland), along with Sen. Stan McClain (R-Ocala).
According to a press release from Johnson’s office, the hearing “is intended to afford local residents and officials an opportunity to request legislation or state funding, as well as to express opinions on any other matter of state concern, in advance of the 2025 Legislative Session, slated to begin in Tallahassee on Tuesday, March 4, 2025.”
Members of the public and government officials wishing to be placed on the printed agenda can do so by emailing their request, along with any backup information, to HD022@myflorida house.gov.
It is asked that requests be submitted no later than noon on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025.
For more information, contact the office of Johnson at 352-313-6542.
CEDAR KEY COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY MET DECEMBER 2024 December 17
The Cedar Key Community Redevelopment Agency met on Thursday, December 17, 2024, at 6:25 pm, after the adjournment of the regular commission meeting.
Commissioners in attendance were: Mayor Sue Colson, Vice-Mayor Nancy Sera, and Commissioner Jeff Webb. Commissioner Jim Wortham attended by telephone. Commissioner Jolie Davis was not in attendance.
GOALS, PERFORMANCE STANDARDS Commissioners considered the 2024-2025 Annual Goals and Performance Standards. The standards numbered seven: Administration Infrastructure Resiliency Projects Affordable Housing Commercial and Recreational Working Waterfront Activities Land Acquisition Public Meetings and Community Engagement Financial Transparency and Accountability.
SUMMARY CRA Chair Jim Wortham provided the following cogent summary of the agency’s efforts.
“New performance measures and standards reporting requirements were enacted during Florida’s 2024 Legislative Session, codified as Section 189.0694, Florida Statutes, effective July 1, 2024. The new statute requires special districts (including community redevelopment agencies) to establish goals and objectives for its programs and activities and performance measures, along with standards to determine if its goals and objectives have been achieved. The goals, objectives, performance measures, and standards must be established by October 1, 2024, or by the end of the first full fiscal year after a District’s creation, whichever is later.
The new statute also requires annual reporting each December 1 (beginning December 1, 2025) on whether the goals and objectives were achieved, which goals or objectives were not achieved, and what measures were used to make the determination. In response to Fla. Stat. 189.0694, and in alignment with the CKCRA’s existing activities, projects, and in light of the changed circumstances caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the CKCRA has developed goals, objectives, measurements and standards in the following categories:”
GOAL ONE, ADMINISTRATION ADDRESSED CRA members quickly reached consensus to retain Mr. Tom Ankerson to administer the program. Ankerson has been involved with the Cedar Key CRA since its inception.
GROUND EQUIPMENT APPROVED Members approved full funding, not to exceed $180,000, to repair and replace the City Park’s playground equipment damaged by the hurricanes.
UPCOMING CRA MEETINGS The upcoming CRA meetings are scheduled for January 21 and February 13, 2025.
The Cedar Key Water and Sewer District met on Monday, December 9, 2024, at 5 pm, at the Cedar Key City Hall, due to Hurricane Helene’s damage to its office on Third Street.
LINE OF CREDIT CKWSD has entered into a bridge loan with Seacoast Bank for a $1.5 million line of credit at a fixed interest rate of 4.96% for 48 months. This line of credit will be activated if federal, state, grants or other funding recompense is not received before bills for projects are due. Seacoast Bank requires bond counsel. The firm, Nabors Giblin and Nickerson, a colleague of CKWSD General Counsel Evan Rosenthal’s firm, initially quoted a $20,000 price tag and reduced that figure to $18,000.
FLORIDA RECOVERY OBLIGATION CALCULATION General Manager Rittenhouse is working with the he Florida Department of Emergency Management’s FROC program, which is designed to “standardize, streamline, and simplify” the public assistance process for debris removal and emergency measures taken. Mr. Rittenhouse seeks to recover expenses incurred after Hurricane Helene for potable water, sewage facilities provided during recovery, and other expenses incurred.
LIFT STATION REHABILITATION PHASE ONE The Florida Department of Environmental Protection Lift Station Rehabilitation Phase One is experiencing supply chain issues due to Hurricane Milton and are running 45 days behind schedule. The start date is now January 15, and the end date is June 2024.
OFFICE AND WASTEWAATER PLANT RELOCATION General Manage Rittenhouse is currently investigating possible relocation funding and property opportunities to relocate offices, which include a laboratory, and wastewater plant so that they are not in the path of the next major storm.
NOTICE OF CKWSD ELECTION Mr. Rittenhouse announced the upcoming April 1 election of the CKWSD’s two open commissioner seats, currently occupied by Mr. Rosenthal and Mr. Ferguson. Qualifying is scheduled for January; the election is April 1.
The Cedar Key City Commission met Tuesday, December 17, 2024, at 5 pm at City Hall. The Commissioners in attendance were: Mayor Sue Colson, Vice-Mayor Nany Sera, and Commissioner Jeff Webb. Commissioner Jim Wortham attended by telephone. Commissioner Jolie Davis was not in attendance.
PUBLIC COMMENT
HURRICANE DAMAGES Resident Scot Dennison suggested that a workshop be presented focusing upon each city department’s damage and loss due to recent hurricanes.
CLEAN WATERS Cedar Key Aquaculture Association member Joey Cannon requested that the commission consider the organization’s input when making decisions about the waters about Cedar Key. Cannon was referring to a recent Cedar Ky Community Redevelopment Agency meeting in which local businesspersons suggested changes to the use of the Marina area and the waters surrounding it. Cannon remarked that any accident could cause damage to the industry.
Commissioner Webb spoke stating the need for the commission to listen to all citizens, not one group alone. He repeated that declaration. Cannon offered any help, that the CKAA could provide, at any time, be they records, data collections, or attestations.
TREE CITY Mary Prescott proudly announced the Arbor Day Foundation’s redesignation of Cedar Key as a Tree City, in recognition of its efforts to plant, replace, chronicle, and create ordinances to support the Cedar Key canopy.
WOMAN’S CLUB The Cedar Key Woman’s Club’s Susan Rosenthal and Eileen Senecal presented gift baskets to the city’s Clerk’s Office, Fire Department, Police Department Public Works and to the Cedar Key Water and Sewer District.
CLERK’S OFFICE
IMPORTANT DATES Important dates announced were: City Hall Closed 12/24 until 12/25/24 City of Cedar Key Notice of Election: Qualifying: 1/21/25 through 1/24/25 at noon Election: April 01, 2024.
MINUTES APPROVED Minutes from November 19, 2024, Commission Meeting were approved.
ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
OLD CITY HALL At an earlier commission meeting, City Attorney Norm Fugate was directed to communicate with realtors regarding the sale of old City Hall on Second Street. Tonight, Fugate reported that he had spoken to three real estate brokers: Nikki Rucker, Vanessa Edmonds, and Caryn Stephenson. Why those three were selected was not proffered, except that they are brokers, not agents. Other brokers operating in Cedar Key were not considered nor mentioned.
After some lengthy conversation, including the facts that only Edmonds was in attendance, neither Rucker nor Stephenson attended the meeting, and those not selected might have hurt feelings. Commissioners settled upon requiring the three, if they chose to sell old City Hall, to submit a proposal detailing their experiences and their strategies about how to sell the property.
No discussion occurred regarding: • the fact that the old City Hall is only part of one larger parcel that currently contains the Fire Station, Public Works areas, and a parking lot; • how a price can be affixed to the property without stating size of the property involved; • how a buyer could evaluate a building without being able to enter it. There are safety issues due to the damaged floor supports and other structural damage.
Proposals will be discussed at the January 14 commission meeting.
POLICE DEPARTMENT
MUTUAL AID A memorandum of understanding and mutual aid agreements among Chiefland, Trenton, and Williston Police Departments were unanimously approved.
SURPLUS VEHICLES The sale of surplus vehicles damaged from Hurricane Helene was unanimously approved.
INTERLOCAL ELECTION AGREEMENT
An interlocal agreement involving the City of Cedar Key, its Police Department, and the Levy County Supervisor of Elections, detailing the responsibilities of each regarding the upcoming election, was unanimously approved.
CEDAR KEY WATER AND SEWER DISTRICT CKWSD General Manage John Rittenhouse announced the January commencement of the Lift Station Phase One effort and its smoke test to occur in January.
PUBLIC WORKS
OUTSIDE MARINA DOCK Three bids were received for the repair of the outside Marina docks: • Shore Builders, Inc. at $26,825; • Jamie Griffin Construction at $27,299; • and Insight at $31,979.
Commissioners unanimously approved Insight with the understanding that work would commence immediately.
4
INNER MARINA LEASE AGREEMENT Mayor Colson consulted with leases of the outer Marina docks about moving temporarily to the inner Marina and the potential changes in the current lease agreement that might be altered to help with the process. Colson presented the revamped agreement which was approved in a unanimous vote.
Dawn Alexander Paddled Her Way to Success!
Realizing she would need both hands to try to untangle this huge pelican, and she could therefore not paddle the kayak at the same time, she aimed her kayak up current so that she could drift toward the bird without paddling.
CKWSD MET IN DECEMBER
NOTICE:
