4 Key West officers voted to give up town’s rainbow crosswalks relatively than be a part of a authorized battle to protect them as soon as state officers determine the destiny of Key West’s rainbow crosswalks on Friday, Sept. 5.
When town fee met Wednesday night, Commissioners Sam Kaufman and Monica Haskell voted to rent a lawyer to pursue a authorized injunction that might bar the state from eradicating the crosswalks if the ruling on Friday is in favor of the state. However after listening to from greater than a dozen residents urging the commissioners to guard the delight crosswalks, and one who opposed spending taxpayer cash on the crosswalk debate, Kaufman and Haskell had been the one ones prepared to proceed the struggle.
Following the general public enter interval, Commissioner Kaufman requested, “What occurs when the state says our Conch Republic flag has to return down? Are we going to face for that? Typically we now have to be aggressive. Not reckless, however we now have to take a stand. I’m talking with elected officers in Fort Lauderdale, and so they’re like, ‘Please, Key West, be a part of us.’”
Miami Seashore, Delray and Fort Lauderdale are all opposing the state’s ban on painted crosswalks, Kaufman stated.
“I do know my colleagues have concern about this, however I need us to be good about this. We have to reap the benefits of the timing now and be ready, as a result of FDOT is making its ruling on Friday and do we predict crews received’t be right here by Saturday to take away the crosswalks? If we don’t approve this tonight, and authorize our outdoors authorized counsel to file a authorized injunction to cease the crosswalks’ removing, then take into account them gone. Let’s please not bend to the scare ways.”
Commissioner Haskell added, “I’m not a lawyer, but when I used to be, I’d say the motion of FDOT and the state are arbitrary and capricious.”
She pointed to a undertaking in Tallahassee, the place FDOT championed painted crosswalks as a part of a nonprofit Crosswalks to Lecture rooms initiative. “This system even obtained an award from FDOT,” Haskell stated.
However Kaufman’s movement to pursue a authorized injunction to stop the removing of the crosswalks failed with the 4 to 2 vote, the identical breakdown as in the newest high-profile selections going through the fee that packed metropolis corridor. Commissioners Donie Lee, Lissette Carey, Aaron Castillo and Mayor Dee Dee Henriquez opposed Kaufman’s movement on Wednesday. Commissioner Mary Lou Hoover was absent as a consequence of sickness.
Carey stated her vote in opposition was not solid out of concern of the state, however relatively in assist of the state and federal authorities.
“Every time we’re confronted with selections to face in opposition to our state and federal governments, I symbolize a constituency that doesn’t agree with doing that,” Carey stated. “And if this metropolis does take a stand in opposition to the state, then I’d wish to look into painted crosswalks in assist of veterans and Christians. I believe folks would ask for crosswalks to assist many alternative teams.”
Carey’s feedback obtained a smattering of supportive applause from some opponents of the rainbow walks, whereas others within the viewers snickered.
As soon as the fee shot down Kaufman’s proposal, Commissioner Donie Lee, a longtime former Key West police chief, who’s homosexual, then proposed, “If town is discovered not compliant on Friday, then I transfer we direct employees to take no additional motion in opposition to FDOT and as a substitute work with the Key West Enterprise Guild to completely and publicly designate the ‘gayborhood.’ We could also be erased from the road, however not from the general public.”
In a by-then predictable vote, Kaufman and Haskell opposed and the opposite 4 voted in assist.
“So he’s saying we received’t even attraction FDOT’s determination on Friday if it doesn’t go our manner,” Kaufman summarized.
So now, town awaits Friday’s ruling by FDOT, whereas many residents ponder whether Key West’s identification is altering colours.