FLORIDA DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHAIR
NIKKI FRIED HEARS CEDAR KEY’S CONCERNS
2025 May 27
NIKKI FRIED HEARS CEDAR KEY’S CONCERNS
2025 May 27
Friday, May 16, Florida Democratic Party Chair, and previous Florida State Commissioner of Agriculture, visited Cedar Key in her mission to learn more about rural Floridian’s concerns and needs.
They articulated their concern about recent federal and state government staffing changes and cuts. They are anxious that fewer public agents will be monitoring the waters, the hunting grounds, the public lands. They fear that less information will come to them regarding extreme weather, information so very vital to the area. In short, they fear degradation of the area. They also talked about the critical long and short-term water and wastewater needs of the area, and the plight of diminishing public school funding.
Chair Fried spent nearly an hour speaking with former Mayor Sue Colson about the area’s water needs and the Food Pantry concerns. Fried learned of the nascent Waccasassa Water and Wastewater Cooperative’s efforts to provide clean water and remove wastewater to a large part of rural North Forida. Colson relayed that the United States Department of Agriculture and corporate donations are lessening and may well be further jeopardized. Chair Fried also spent time learning about Cedar Key’s aquaculture from Leslie Sturmer. She toured a facility and met with water people who spoke to the issues of extreme weather, damage, and resilience.
Despite the worried concerns articulated by Cedar Keyans, Chair Fried left town with a picture of the Cedar Key area that is working hard, working smartly, and that is, above all, resilient. Chair Fried fulfilled her mission and listened well.
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