The Key West city commission District IV race is the most crowded on the Key West ballot, but will only be decided by voters in that district. Incumbent commissioner Greg Davila isn’t seeking reelection, and four political newcomers want the nonpartisan seat: Ryan Barwick, Lissette Cuervo-Carey, Kim Highsmith and Steven Nekhaila.
Barwick is a former bar employee who is now a wine sales representative. Cuervo-Carey is a lifelong Key West resident who works at the Key West housing authority. Highsmith has worked as a federal background investigator and is a former board member of the nonpartisan voter education group Hometown. Nekhaila owns nine Wendy’s restaurants, including the two in Key West.
We asked each candidate the following three questions in 100 words or fewer:
- Key West’s District 4 contains an interesting mix of longtime local residents and shopping centers that are crucial to locals and tourists. Would you support or oppose zoning changes that would allow housing to be built atop the shopping plazas?
- Other than housing, which affects everyone, what, specifically, is the biggest issue facing District 4 residents? And what do you propose to do about it?
- Vacation rentals and investment properties are becoming the rule rather than the exception in the Key West real estate market. As Florida’s election laws do not define legal residency, the owners of such properties can and often do vote here while living elsewhere for most, if not all, of the year. How does this trend affect people’s decision-making power and priorities in Key West? Would you support a 6-month residency requirement for voters, as is required for Homestead exemptions and other matters?
Ryan Barwick
Age: 28
Occupation: Wine sales representative
- Support. We are in a housing crisis, and this will help in both the short term and long term as it will provide much-needed housing for current employees and will help keep housing for our employees for the years to come. We are also talking about the New Town area where we already have apartment buildings that sit higher than the shopping plaza buildings, so building up isn’t the issue. In terms of the look, New Town has been more modern looking, giving it a great contrast to the historic look of Old Town.
- I believe the biggest issues that concern District 4 at this time are Riviera Canal, the flooding issues in the district and beautification of the district. I plan on advocating to have Riviera Canal dredged to remove the muck and garbage off the bottom to help improve water quality. I have been in contact with city personnel about what can be done about the flooding in certain parts of the district and if there is new technology to help with storm drainage. The beautification part would be cleaning up our small green spaces and medians, addressing the overflow parking issue, and cleaning up the sidewalks.
- I support a 6-month residency requirement to vote, but the bigger issue is enforcing the requirement. Currently we don’t have enough code officers to enforce our laws and our police department is understaffed as well. I also believe this is a state issue and we should be working with our state representatives on this solution. Another way to ensure our workforce’s voice is heard is to allow those who work in the city and live in the county the opportunity to vote, as every decision that the Key West government makes will affect them and the businesses they work for.
Lissette Cuervo Carey
Age: 42
Occupation: Administration coordinator, Key West Housing Authority
- I would support zoning changes that would allow for housing to be built atop the shopping plazas. My initial thought is that developing units above our shopping centers would increase affordable housing stock. However, the residents living directly behind these shopping centers and in surrounding neighborhoods would need to be polled so their concerns could be addressed. At first glance it stands to reason that this type of housing would decrease traffic, if those who work in these commercial areas would be utilizing the housing. It would allow for workers to have minimal commute times to work, improving their quality of life.
- District 4 is comprised of mostly local working families, and also has a dense senior population. Quality of life issues such as better accessibility and use of green spaces, reducing congestion and traffic, providing better and safer commuting options and providing opportunities for residents to voice their needs and opinions are all big issues facing District 4 residents. I propose spending time on developing the pocket parks in our district. Perhaps the pocket parks on Flagler Avenue can use some attention with more shade, recreational or passive recreation instruments like swings, shade or benches….
- I would consider looking at a 6-month residency requirement for voters, as is required for Homestead exemptions and other matters. I feel strongly that the residents that live here and face the daily challenges of our island should be those who are choosing the leadership that represents them. As a lifelong resident of Key West and having lived in my neighborhood almost my entire life, I have a deeper understanding of current and historical characteristics of my district, the true makeup of its residents and the challenges that affect my district with a lifetime of experience to thoughtfully address those challenges.
Kim Highsmith
Age: 52
Occupation: Federal background investigator
- I absolutely support zoning changes that would allow housing to be built atop the shopping plazas. Affordable housing has been a serious issue in this community for far too long, and given the extraordinary rise in home prices over the past couple years, it has become a clear and present existential threat to life on the island as we know it. In addition to controlling the proliferation of short-term rentals in our residential neighborhoods, we need to find ways to increase our overall housing stock. I believe that building housing atop the shopping plazas can be part of the solution.
- Our biggest issue is infrastructure: we need more bike paths, green spaces and safer sidewalks and surface drainage. The effects of sea level rise are evident when King Tides flood our streets and businesses. While exploring long-term solutions, the City could implement temporary low-maintenance solutions such as geo-tubing and water-inflated barriers. I’d also like to see convex traffic mirrors installed at intersections where visibility is frequently blocked by parked cars, within neighborhoods and especially along Flagler Avenue, so it’s safer for both drivers and bicyclists to pull out or cross the street.
- I am not in favor of limiting the right to vote. We have robust local elections, with widespread community interest and involvement. I think the passage of the three Safer Cleaner Ships referendums in 2020, by wide margins in every city district, indicates that our elections still reflect the will of the people who live here. However, I don’t think this requirement would even be a city issue as the person tasked with enforcing it would be the state or county Supervisor of Elections.
Steven Nekhaila
Age: 28
Occupation: Restaurant/business owner
- I advocate for mixed-use commercial/residential, smart urban planning and development is a lost art that we need to implement. Allowing vertical residential units on top of commercial will allow workers to commute and shop without creating traffic. It is an attractive option for businesses to fund their workforce housing and does not require any additional footprint or utility integration. Increased supply ultimately means lower rent as demand gets satisfied.
- The biggest issue is the cost of living, especially when it comes to rent and energy. District 4 runs the gamut from workers to business owners. We have a diverse district, but our common denominator is cost of living. We are locked into expensive municipal energy contracts with the Florida Municipal Power Agency for 30 years. With the cost of natural gas rising and the cost of solar lowering there may be an opportunity to encourage solar at the local level. The city can encourage solar through an expedited permit process, tax credits and group buys to make it a more affordable option, especially on new developments.
- I would support a 6-month residency requirement, although it should be slightly higher. Many residents of states such as New York avoid hefty state taxes by residing in Florida more than six months. The problem is so pervasive in New York that they will check the refrigerator of residents in Florida to see if they have food or are lying to avoid taxes. When people who have no skin in the game here besides residency make decisions, we get laws and regulations that only benefit them. If we do not like Tallahassee and DC making our decisions for us, why should we be okay with out-of-staters doing the same?
