Welcome Aboard!

Welcome to the inaugural days of Key West Progress, a new news, analysis and civic engagement platform.

Before we begin to jump into issues, it's probably worthwhile to take a moment to explain what this new internet site is all about, and the hopes and dreams of this founding editor.

 Key West Progress was born through the inspiration of another local blogger, Chris Hamilton, who edits the “Friends of Car-Free Key West & Duval Street/Historic Downtown” blog. (https://carfreecities.com/) Chris and I have been friends for many years.

From time to time in the last 4 years I've had the opportunity to write, what I hope were thoughtful posts, on Facebook - primarily on the Reimagining Key West Facebook page. Chris and others have urged me to launch my own platform in order to more efficiently discuss local issues and to archive what I write. A few months ago, work began to do just that. And here we are.

 Here is the vision and the plan.

Key West Progress is about trying to bring people together whenever possible. Every small town in America features people and groups with conflicting goals, needs and priorities. Civic life, at its best, is about trying to resolve such conflicts amicably, and whenever possible, with a win-win for everyone.

Respect for differing opinions, and the different realities of people's business and personal lives, however, doesn't mean that there should be no unifying vision for our city. Indeed, part of the impetus for this blog is to spark discussion about how local government (and civic organizations) can better reflect the will of the people who actually live in Key West, rather than non-resident business owners who sometimes seem to call the shots at city hall.

 Recognizing there is always room for debate and discussion about how to reach goals, here are this blog’s guiding principles:

 We will focus almost exclusively on the city of Key West, and, from time to time, neighboring Stock Island. I fully recognize that Key West contains only one third of Monroe County’s population - and  that the future of this city and the rest of the county are bound together in some ways. But Key West needs a forum and news source that focuses on city concerns. That is the niche this blog will strive to fill.

Key principles here will be "sustainability", "environmentally sound", "business friendly", and "transparent". These things can all exist in harmony when citizens seek balance and openly share ideas.

 This blog will not be based on the often cynically repeated mantra that city government is inherently corrupt and purely a tool of special interests. Like all small towns where a major amount of money is at stake, those things do exist. But it is this writer's firm belief that most people are in public service to be good public servants. They share our common belief in the common good. When the facts indicate that that ideal is not being sought or accomplished, that will be pointed out, but the presumption will be that local government,  the local business community, and local civic groups want there to be a economically viable, sustainable, environmentally responsible Key West in our future. We have to work together to get there.

 Another concern to be addressed is finding ways to counter the growing intolerance and domination by the state government in Tallahassee. We need strategies to promote local control, and not just when the legislature happens to be in session. The cause of restoring local control in Florida needs to be a year long, year after year commitment.

 Local government, and the civic and business groups who depend on government, need to be more proactive in addressing problems. The mayor and the city commission have done a very commendable job by adopting a multi year strategic plan. That's the kind of forward thinking that's been missing in the past. Hopefully,  the days of merely reacting to developer initiatives, or to the crisis of the week, are drawing to a close.

 The goal here is to serve as a supplement, not a replacement for the established press. We are blessed with multiple ways to communicate on this island. There are at least two well-established existing civic engagement blogs. (Plus several locals oriented Facebook pages.) Although its corporate owners have stripped it of many resources, the Citizen still produces amazing investigative reporting. The Key West Weekly actually appears to have increased its coverage and resources. Gwen Filosa also does a great job of communicating news, both through her Facebook page and through her reporting for WLRN. But none of these resources can cover the entire waterfront (literally). There is plenty of room in Key West for additional voices and additional platforms to bring people together and to serve as a catalyst for discussion.

 At least initially this blog will not seek to monetize its content. There is no profit motive and no formal designation as a nonprofit. I am able to financially maintain the platform, and I am willing to take the time and expend the shoe leather to investigate and determine facts as needed. Not being beholden to advertisers offers a unique ability to speak candidly without fear of economic reprisal.

 Please check back here regularly. There's no single publication day. Posts will be produced as they are needed and as research allows for competent and objective reporting.

 I suspect our Facebook page will become a primary means for commenting and having discussions about issues raised here. The blog software also allows for direct commenting, but social media will be quicker and more familiar to most people. Over time, I hope that other voices in the community will write guest columns and provide information for the common good on these pages as well.

It's going to be an adventure. Welcome aboard.