Letter to Security
District Property Owners Summer 2003
Duck Key Security
District
126 Bimini Drive
Duck Key, Florida 33050 (305) 289-4311
Advisory Board: Tom
Neville, Chmn.
RJ. Helbling, David Lyon,
Dick Adler, Bruce Franck Dick Holland, Dennis Kulig,
Gerry Fortier
June 19, 2003
Dear Duck Key Property
Owners,
Since the Duck Key
Security District was established in 1992, there has been
a consistent wish, expressed by many of the residents of
Duck Key, for establishing a security access point to our
island. In recent meetings, the Security District has
made progress on this issue and has at this point
received encouragement from the County as to the
possibility of establishing a security point on the road
going through Indies Island. One possibility is that we
could establish a gatehouse effect which has been
demonstrated to enhance security.
Our research in pursuing
this issue has involved numerous discussions with the
County Engineering Dept., County Legal Dept., and our
District 4 County Commissioner David Rice. It appears
that the construction of the security facility could most
efficiently be accomplished by private construction
rather than adhering to County bidding, design, and
construction regulations. For this reason, the Security
Board approached Hawks Cay Resort to request that they
consider the possibility of constructing the facility and
leasing it to the Security District. This arrangement
would result in financial benefits to the Security
District.
In subsequent
discussions, the representatives of the resort and the
homeowner's association on Indies Island expressed an
interest in participating with the Security District to
enhance security available both to Indies Island as well
as to the remaining portions of Duck Key. For this
reason, the Advisory Board plans to provide this
information which will be followed with a ballot to all
property owners within the current Security District in
February of 2004. This ballot will allow all participants
to vote on the option of expanding the Security District
to include all of Duck Key. This expansion would provide
the necessary funds for security enhancements such as the
gatehouse and other security improvements to Duck Key.
The current plans would
involve financial agreements with all parties which will
fairly resolve the issue of the current cash balance
which the Security District holds as a result of your
contributions over previous years. This cash balance will
be used to benefit the current members of the Security
District only.
The proposed expansion of
the Security District, if approved, would result in no
increase in costs to the property owner. In the event
that the Advisory Board obtains the approval of property
owners in February, a recommendation will be presented to
the Board of County Commissioners for approval.
So that voters can make
an informed decision, information will be distributed to
property owners through mailings and meetings. Property
owners will have opportunity to assimilate information,
present points of view, and ask questions of the Advisory
Board through traditional venues and public meetings held
for discussion on the island.
Respectfully,
Tom Neville,
Chairman Duck Key Security District Advisory Board
