Nicolas Lopez-Jenkins is one of five candidates for Key Biscayne's Village Council, and is a political rookie seeking office at a time when the island is facing big decisions about sea level rise protection. What are his priorities, and how would he govern?
With special guest host Jan Dillow.
Nicolas Lopez-Jenkins is one of five candidates for Key Biscayne's Village Council, and is a political rookie seeking office at a time when the island is facing big decisions about sea level rise protection. What are his priorities, and how would he govern?
With special guest host Jan Dillow.
[MUSIC] This is Anti-Social, the program where we take a look at what is on WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and we say to ourselves, what are people talking about? I'm Tony Winton
Jan Dilllow:And I'm Jan Dillow, filling in for Thom Mozloom.
Tony Winton:and we try to don't we try sometimes. Jan, thank you for filling in. Don't we try to add add a little light? Do you think we succeed?
Jan Dilllow:I think we succeed. I know. Okay. Well, I think we try. Sometimes people might prefer the darkness. But anyway.
Tony Winton:Well, you know, that's one of those tensions, right? Darkness. You have, it can be exciting. And people get their angers and emotions up and they get interested but doesn't necessarily solve anything. Right,
Jan Dilllow:exactly. I think that that's right. I think we all should just be Kumbaya and get along.
Tony Winton:Okay, well, this is the approach that we're taking with our interviews. In this section. It's election season. So things get very busy here and on our island paradise. And so we are bringing to you interviews with all of the candidates who are running for Village Council. We have five running this year, right, as opposed to last year where we had last time. Yeah, that's two years ago, we had 10 People running right 10?
Jan Dilllow:Yeah, well, this time, we're gonna hear more from each person. And I think that's gonna give us a better sense of who we're voting for. I think that's good,
Tony Winton:right. It's preferable in the sense that, I think for the voters, it's not to manage that number of fields. In fact, one of the questions that will be on the ballot this year is whether to adopt a primary system. For future council elections, we have a primary system for mayor, we just went through a primary for mayor and keep his game. But the question is, should we have one, four? Council, if there are more than six people running? Basically, it would narrow the field down?
Jan Dilllow:I think that could make some sense. I think that could make some sense for everybody, it would at least give everybody more of a chance to get to understand the positions, certainly the final of the final candidates, right.
Tony Winton:But we do that to here. We bring you the positions of the candidates. And it's up to you to sort of do that. And on our show, we will ask questions. And we'll also be a transcript available.
Jan Dilllow:Yes, look for that on our on our links below or on the podcast below the podcast. Right?
Tony Winton:So our guest today is a Nicholas Lopez Jenkins, who is running for council, one of five people running this year. And first off, we want to welcome you to antisocial.
Nicolas Lopez-Jenkins:Well, thank you for having me, I can really appreciate being here. Huge fan of the show. And for the record. My middle name is Kumbaya. So you had me on tonight gonna
Tony Winton:see if I had that sound around? I don't know if I do, you know, but thank you tell us a little bit about yourself and why you decided to run this is you're never had an elective office before
Nicolas Lopez-Jenkins:never had elected office never worked for the government. Only interactions with the government have been pulling permits, getting my driver's license things along those lines. So yeah, so this is I mean, it kind of came to me, probably towards the beginning of the year. And it's really, you know, I wasn't tapped by God or thought or anything grandiose about myself. It was more from a standpoint of just general in ninth grade civics 11th grade government class, you know, citizen politician, you got to show up, you know, do your duty. I said, bring a fresh set of eyes to the government sometimes. And I said I had, I said, I've always had a notion of politics here locally, obviously, last election, things became a really contentious, so it kind of caught on everybody's radar. And I was encouraged by my wife to do it, which I thank her. Now. It's been an exciting experience. So far. I said, I am a complete novice at this. So I promised her that I would enjoy myself, make sure the ride was fun as well. And I've gotten a chance to get out there and meet a lot of people that do a lot of listening to. I don't profess myself to be, you know, an expert in everything, or too many things, actually, but, but I'm a good listener and I'm a hard worker. So given the information, I could sit back and do the, you know, do the work that needs to be done to hopefully come as part of a council of seven to the decisions that benefit the community. I've been coming here since the 80s. As a kid, my family moved to You're from Lakeland, Florida, and 82. So summers spent here in the key and then moved here as a renter in the 90s as a property owner in 2000, and been here basically ever since had a little flirtation with Coral Gables for a couple years, but we don't talk about that. So
Tony Winton:I'm talking about other girlfriends. Yeah, no, we don't.
Jan Dilllow:That's a bad thing to do. Well, we wanted to ask about a couple of questions that have been obviously very big and important for for the community. And one of them really is is resilience and, and the questions that are now going to be on the on the ballot from the charter commission. So what what are your views about raising the debt cap to help pay for these issues? And, you know, are you a fan of the projects that we've got on the on the on on the agenda?
Unknown:Well, I will say as far as raising the debt cap, I am in support of that. I'm taking more of a view just in the private sector that every successful business owner I want always wants the access to more capital doesn't mean you actually have to use it. But knowing that it's there, it gives a a positive sign that people that want to partner with you, and want to do projects with you to know that, hey, you know, what, if they can, they can put skin in the game if they need to the particular projects, I am, firmly believe that our seas are rising, and that something has to be done. I know we have a couple of projects on there whenever I haven't seen them, the specifics of them. But I'd like to do some further research into that my dad has a background at Durham for 25 years, he was actually a consultant with the village. So he I mean, he's been stressing to me the years that things need to get done to deal with our flooding issues. And this little anecdote I said, he said we lived in Lakeland, Florida, which is a big phosphate place. And you say how they would dig phosphate pits 60 feet on the ground, and then 60 feet down, he'd find sharp teeth. So which tells you that this place was covered by water at some point in time? And is it might at some point in time be covered again. So it's an issue that definitely needs to be taken seriously. What
Tony Winton:do you say to people who one of the mayoral candidates Fastow Gomez says that the idea of raising the dead cap is premature. What do you say to that? Well,
Unknown:like I said, it's not it doesn't have to be used right now. And it's nice to have it as something in your holster, I see his rationale that really doesn't because it seems that projects here take a long time to get there. The key projects been going on for a very long time. But it almost seems a little bit, I don't want to it's confusing if you're gonna say, Well, no, we don't need it now. But in two years, you do need it. And then now you gotta be supporting something you were against two years ago, just because of the timing. So I think it's something that we that we need to put there. I mean, you look at other municipalities. I mean, they have, you know, I mean, some of them, they don't have any debt cap, probably most of them. So going to 2%. I don't think it's outrageous. I just think we need responsible stewards to make sure that if that money is spent, that is spent right. I said, I'm 52 years old, I have two young kids, I mean, this will be that that will be put on their shoulders as well. So we need to look at it from that standpoint.
Tony Winton:In terms of the projects, you know, the administration has outlined an estimate very, very soft, could change a lot $250 million. And that would be for the entire range of projects from shoreline protection, beaches and the bay, both sides of the island, possibly raising streets, building pressurized pumps, and pumping stations over the island and utility undergrounding. Do you see all of those as being at the same level of importance? Are there things that are more important and less important? What's your view is a very big spend? Correct? What what what is? What's your view on
Unknown:wall? Well, I think I said I think the Ka project will give us a sense, especially the design part of it, because like I said, we haven't seen anything concrete of actually how this is going to go, we've seen sketches and whatever. But we need to do a little bit deeper dive, I know that that study is going to cost us you know, 300 something$1,000 I think it's something that the next council really needs to look at. And, you know, ask him to ask the questions, you know, is this the best way to go about this? Because I mean, there's there's different municipalities that have dealt with these things in different ways. We're keep this game we have to deal with it, what's whatever the best way that we can. I think it's a very important thing to deal with. And it can't be pushed off any longer. So I definitely it's towards the top of there. I said the undergrounding or it just seems part probably part of the natural process. If you're going to install new pipes, then you probably underground utilities at the same time. So I would imagine there's some kind of savings in the synergy with that. I haven't seen that. But it just makes sense to me. So
Jan Dilllow:right and doing everything at one time was theoretically the way to go in terms of not only in terms of not messing up the road twice. Okay. And I guess one of the other issues that we've been talking about a lot in this community is sort of dealing with the county in the city, particularly with respect to all the issues that are going on with the homeless camp issue which right no longer be we hope is no longer on the table and changing of the roads and in Virginia Key. So what do you think when, you know, sometimes it seems like we're very we have contentious we have very contentious relationship with them. Other times it doesn't seem quite as bad. What's your view about, you know, our are dealing with the county and the city and, and how we can, you know, work with them on certain things?
Unknown:Well, I think just a quick aside, I was actually at the Miami commission meeting yesterday, and I'm just ballparking it there must have been 100 comments from the public. And every single comment was negative about what's going on Virginia Key and was such a diverse group of people, people coming at it from 100 different ways. So I think that I think it was they were looking to leverage maybe the county into giving them some concessions about what to do with Virginia Key. And this is just my assumption, I think it probably kind of blew up in their face, because I said the pushback from the public was so great. But to your question directly, we're neighbors. Okay, well, actually, the county were part of the county. So we're a small part, but we are a part. And we're neighbors with it with the city of Miami. And I think the idea that we're going to dictate what they're going to do, especially from a position of I don't see weakness, but as a smaller community, as opposed to a larger one is probably unrealistic. So I think it's incumbent on us to come up with solutions that benefit everybody, including the State, obviously, because we have Bill bags at the end. So I think diplomacy and you know, and, and the ability to get along is probably the way to go.
Jan Dilllow:Have you have you had the chance to meet with Raquel Regalado or any
Unknown:Raquel, I actually sent a text to Francis Suarez has been a friend for about 20 years, we're very good friends. So I haven't spoken to him since I started running. I did run into his parents who I know very well as well. So but he's always I said, it's a different situation of a City, Miami because the mayor is in the strong. So it's kind of like it's more of the count, but I wouldn't have any problem. I said, approaching him and because like I said, in the end, we're all connected to each other. So I think what benefits all of us is better for all of us. So
Tony Winton:in terms of the Rickenbacker causeway plan itself, the administration here put out a initial draft a draft one, what would keep his game want from a redesign Rickenbacker Causeway, the bear cut bridge? And it focused very much on traffic, correct. What's your reaction to that plan?
Nicolas Lopez-Jenkins:Uh, I was I was at the unveiling of that plan. And I it's they're beautiful drawings, and it seemed great. I said, I know the the major pushback with it was going to be only one lane in one lane out. I don't know if it works with two lanes and Intuit lanes out. I don't know if that's, that's feasible. It might be one of those situations that other cities have that maybe in the morning, there's two lanes out and the wait on the evening, there's two lanes in and vice versa. flopping I said, it's such in such a preliminary spot, I think something needs to be done. I have to say that I'm says someone who does travel off the island a lot for work. I mean, the traffic is an issue. Traffic's an issue everywhere in, in, in Dade County. So it's I said, we do have that little gap that we have to deal with. And I think that roundabout that they've proposed for the corner of harbor and granted would be an interesting thing to do to, to alleviate that. So I like it. As I said, that was our plan, we'd have to see what what feedback we get from other people. But I think from from the general and like I said, I've been listening a lot, because what I do realize that I have my own experience here in Key Biscayne. But other people have different experiences.
Tony Winton:Well, let me ask you about the appetite. Right, because we the initial conversation was about lifting this dead cap. First question we asked you, there's a lot of there's a long wish list. That's, we'll have another question. In a moment of things that people want in this community and the most expensive one, you've got the resiliency we talked about, then you have the Rickenbacker it's been suggested that keep us gain really wants to have its voice heard, to have things like the changes that seeking in the plan, that there would have to be a hard capital investment in a new causeway in a bridge. Do you think there's a stomach for that? Would you be open to that if the key got wanted? What it wanted? What's your what is the What's your feeling of yourself and the community what they're willing to pay for it?
Unknown:Well, I, I'm looking at it from the standpoint that I said, we were presented with that, with that project with the with the outline with the drawings and stuff. I nobody ever talked about how much it was gonna cost. And just I mean, I said, I'm not an architect. I'm not an engineer. I don't know about these things. But I can imagine if if the rest of meeting our project at the K8 at about $35 million. I mean, that's gonna be in the billions, I would imagine. So I think the one advantage that we have here is that we do have a state park at the end of art at the end of our village. So we'd obviously have to have like a buy in for the state, federal level for all the infrastructure projects. That might be a possibility to say more
Tony Winton:than just tolls tolls are clearly going to go up. Right, that's going to fund most of it. But and but the question is, would you support? And I understand it's really early, but conceptually, if, if the village got what it wanted, we get the traffic lanes that all this other these other issues that are important. Is that worth it to you? To say? Well, any in
Nicolas Lopez-Jenkins:the game? No, we definitely would have to have some skin in the game, because I don't, I don't think anybody will take us seriously, if we don't, whether that number is $50 million, or 500 million, makes a big difference. So in the end, I think when it comes to these things, we probably realistic are gonna get everything we want. So, but we definitely want to have a seat at the table to make sure that that certain things are guaranteed, because this is our driveway.
Jan Dilllow:That's true. It's the only way in and out. But, you know, our village government was fairly proactive in putting together this plan. And, you know, after the hubbub about plan Z, they didn't just, you know, they didn't just sit back, and they actually put something forward. And I think that that was, you know, the council is, but you know, Mr. Williamson, who's our, our village manager was the driver of that. I'm wondering, he's been in his position for a year and a half now. You know, you've you've been here for many, many years, you've seen several village managers, you know, is, what's your view of him in his position now?
Unknown:Well, I think, when when it comes to this, I think it was important for us to come with our idea, I think we just need to figure out a platform where we get all the parties at the table and have them come up with their ideas as well, and to see where everyone is at, as far as conceptually what they view for the Rickenbacker for Virginia Key and everything. As far as Mr. Williamson, he seems incredibly competent. I've I've liked it, every meeting that I've gone to, he's come off very well. And I have to say I mentioned it before, the actual interaction with village government is actually I don't say pleasurable, but it's it's nice. You walk in, you read with a smile, if it's for your golf cart permit or if it's for permit for every interaction that I've had with the village government is great. So if people are getting overpay, which is fine with me, as long as as long as it's not like going to the DMV, I'm, I'm happy with that. So that's a low bar.
Tony Winton:It's price price price, and some people want service service service, right?
Unknown:I said there's there's something to this community. This is not a basic community. This is a community that has a level of expectation. So I said, I made an analogy to someone else. At one point, I said, Look, there's there's holiday ins, what's wrong with the Holiday Inn? And then there's the Ritz Carlton, and the Holiday Inn, nobody comes to pick up your back at your car, and you got to take yourself, which is fine. I say, because if there's other problems, you know, they have clean room, clean towels, whatever, that's all you're looking for. I think our level of expectation here is higher. You know, we've been blessed to live in a great community. I mean, we're in a golf car, they drove a golf cart here today. I mean, come on. I mean, that's why it's crazy to me that anybody's upset in this community.
Tony Winton:You're working on getting a mobile unit for this podcast, so we can do it from a golf cart.
Unknown:I wasn't gonna plan free golf carts for everyone was gonna be part of my platform. But I decided I decided against it so
Jan Dilllow:well, what actually what you just said, brings up the idea of, you know, the when you come in, you know, you know, when you would the next the next council, let's say, we'll be inheriting the budget that's being voted on in the next few weeks. So I'm one of the things that came out of the budget last budget hearing was that the community center, it was put on hold on the backburner. So what are your thoughts about that? It especially as you talked about Holiday Inn versus the Ritz? Because, you know, it's a community that that this is something we definitely want and use on the you know, and so what are your thoughts about that? On the other hand, you know, there's a fiduciary obligation to use the funds in, you know, in a way that is feasible and financially viable. So what are your thoughts on that? Well,
Unknown:as a user of the community, Senator, I do think at certain, certain levels, it does get a little bit updating, that's for sure. I think that's still in the budget. Expansion. This might not be the right time, I have looked at the budgets and tried to compare last year's to this year's, some things were switched around just for eventually, I guess, for better accounting practices. So it was kind of hard to track from from one side to the other. So the fact that they're putting it on hold, it's understandable. The budgets gone up a lot in the last, I think a commissioner, I mean, Councilman Laredo said it from eight years it's gone up$12 million, almost doubled. So I'd have to do a little bit deeper dive into the actual budget. I mean, I would personally selfishly love it. But I understand that like I said, if we have constrictions on other other levels for other expenditures, then you know, In my head because something has to wait a couple years,
Tony Winton:let me ask the manager, you just said earlier, the manager is doing a good job in your estimation Fair, fair. He recommended going forward with this project, the money that was in the budget was$150,000 to do the design. That was the amount that was asked. So the question is, should that be if you were advising the council, the votes coming up on the 21st? That's the final decision. If it stays out, you're kicking it downfield at least a year and rails could be longer. What would you advise to say, Should we at least keep moving down the path?
Unknown:I actually spoke at the last budget meeting. And it's it's a group of women that I met that that were specifically pushing towards getting a full time special needs coordinator that I would imagine, in my mind would be a bigger priority right now, then then a design for the new facility. That's, I said, we do have budgetary constraints. And there is like I said, we do have a fiduciary responsibility to the citizens. I think it's something that we need, the expansion would be great. But maybe
Tony Winton:what is the constraint? You just said there are constraints, right? It's it's $150,000 out of a $36 million budget, right? What's the constraint
Unknown:that the budget is gone up every year? I mean, not exponentially, but but pretty aggressively, a $2 million increase would come out to basically what an 8% increase this year. And there are some headwinds now financially in the markets. And as far as inflation is concerned that I can understand the idea of being a little more conservative as far as expenditures for future planning things. And I would say resiliency definitely tops being an expansion of the community center. So even though like I said, personally, I would love it.
Jan Dilllow:I think it's great that we're getting fresh faces in and coming to, and putting themselves out there for the council. And I think that that's great, because as a community, we really need to have the benefit of everybody put, you know, pulling in the same direction, hopefully, but also, you know, being there for as a devil's advocate, but as you said, this is sort of your new to this whole thing, and I'm just wondering, you know, coming into it as with fresh eyes at but having lived here for a few years, are there any issues that you kind of are looking at or have seen over the years that you would like to, you know, you know, you have ideas about that we should address or ideas to address things that maybe aren't, you know, the headline, resilience, you know, the, you know, the top three, the resiliency, the Virginia Key and, and other things.
Unknown:There are things that are coming to my attention. My experience here has been at the top of line incredibly pleasant. I said, I moved here as a single professional, I got married, I have two kids, my parents live here. So from a day to day standpoint, I don't view those as amazed as a major issue. There are some things that like I said, I think I think we increased access to athletic fields for children. I know that's been an issue when I've talked to friends. My kids don't play sports yet. There's still two the other two and four. But I know that's been an issue. I think I think that the lighting issues on the on the side where the condos at last especially I live two streets over Enid where where that robbery took place. So that's always something that we've been incredibly like I said, when we said we Why walk my dog at two o'clock in the morning sometimes so I'm always out in that area. In addition, maybe additional details to trash pickup, I've I've had a Winn Dixie card on my street for I gotta say, like three weeks. If I had a truck, I'd take it back, but I don't have a truck. So so maybe a little attention to details. I've heard people complain about the interaction with the city, I would the village I don't have that experience. But I think from a customer service standpoint, we can always improve. And I think of all the candidates that are that are running right now are committed to that as well. And I already mentioned, like I said, the community center, the improvements, I said definitely need new equipment. And I know that's that's in the budget as well. So
Tony Winton:now, we have a lot to talk about one of the one issue that's come up is you're talking about like this, the general I guess the general appearance of the island is that is my correct maintenance issue. Another thing that was really big of several months ago was and it relates to the comment about crime is the police department. There have been there's an additional staff that's been hired that certainly raises costs. Yet Key Biscayne still is in the top 15 safest cities in the country. Do you think as to one of your opponents, Councilmember London as frequently frequently been critical of the police budget spending thinks we can do more with less. And you know, you're talking about what you said or financial realities. Is that something that you would be prepared to look at or do you think that things are more or less at the right spot now?
Unknown:I don't I don't think reducing staff If whether it's staff in the field or staff at the office for the police department is a good idea at this point in time. I liked the fact that were we ranked I wouldn't want to experiment with going down in our rankings as far as our level of safety here. We do have we are an enclave to a major metropolitan city. And I said that I think that the citizens of the village are embrace the fact that what needs to be spent on policing is spent and I don't think they're looking to cut in that area.
Tony Winton:So you, but in terms of the I guess the issue is crime, safety, the way that people feel fire and public safety. You You're you're evaluating it basically as it's good. Don't break it.
Unknown:I said, it's good. There's probably a little bit room for improvement. But I think I think we're doing great. As far as that's concerned. I, I drive around. I mean, kids with lemonade stands here. I mean, where do you find that across the bridge? It doesn't exist. You know, we like I said, we are, if you can name me another major metropolitan city that has a place like Key Biscayne.
Tony Winton:Let me ask you, why are people though? I mean, I mean, one of the reasons we named the show antisocial is because there's such angst right on the chat. So I'm sure you've seen it. I have
Unknown:not you Oh, no, I have I was I was I was last eat up
Tony Winton:your glasses, because we should check your personnel, I
Unknown:can look at my whatsapp, I've been invited. And I said I have, I have an artificially high sense of self esteem, I do not need to be brought down with any of any negative comments. So I do understand, like I said, there's people who have specific issues, and I'm more than willing to talk to anybody. So it's, I said, my personal experience. I don't want to live anywhere else. This is this is where I love to live. And once again, there is areas for improvement are on the edges. But I mean, we live in a place where people would call rats. And that's not even an insult. I mean, we embrace who we are here, you know, and that's kind of what I want to bring to my campaign, so to speak, is is a level of positivity. And I told you before, I'm gonna have fun with this. I am I'm committed to it. I'm committed to leaving this with more friends than I had when I started. I'm committed to winning as well.
Tony Winton:It was like a very tall order. Yeah. Well,
Unknown:stay off the charts was the what was what was the that was the first thing.
Jan Dilllow:I think I think that there were other candidates that were doing that as well.
Tony Winton:You recently got an endorsement. I did. Tell us about that.
Unknown:It was the Miami Realtors Association. So my mom was a realtor for 40 years. I'm not saying that had an into play into it. But But I did meet with him last week, and it was very happy to receive the endorsement. So
Tony Winton:is that there are some people who are concerned about development, though, on the key would would if you What would you say to someone who's saying, you know, I am worried about that?
Unknown:Well, I mean, there is I said, it's funny, because we have, we have two kind of competing interests, because a lot of what's happening on the on the homeowner side is that multiple apps are being you know, put together to build one house. So you kind of reduce the on that side. And then there obviously is a push. There's always rumors circulating about different properties here, as I'm sure you all know, to be to go into construction. So I like the fact that people can can live here still, even though it's gotten a lot more expensive. And insurance is part of it, that's for sure. But I like the fact that you know that a middle that a middle income family can still move here and enjoy all the stuff that we have to offer here. So
Jan Dilllow:for middle income, it's it's to buy anywhere in buying, you
Unknown:know, buying Yeah, it is amazing, because I follow it just you know, just as a hobby as well, you know, the rental prices. But I guess it's become obvious to everybody at this point in time. It's it's probably doubled here in the last year,
Tony Winton:I have to ask you a question. We didn't ask. We should have to ask all the candidates eventually. And we will follow up on that. What's your position on the another charter amendment, which would allow the village council to make zoning changes with a supermajority vote?
Unknown:If it's with a supermajority, which it is, I don't have an issue with that. I know, I know, one of the things that we've been looking at here, and it's the possibility of having a an adult assisted living facility and health facility. And I think that would be great. It's it makes me sad that if somebody lives here their whole lives, they have to, you know, go to Coral Gables, or go to Kendall and stuff like that to receive the kind of care that you know, they should be able to stay in this community on some level. Once again, that's I'm just that's a that's a personal opinion, which I guess my personal opinions now matter. So, but
Jan Dilllow:I think that is an important question to ask, because I think
Tony Winton:we will. We will we will circle back with folks on that. But thank you. We're really believe it or not, we're at the end of our time. That's it. Yeah. So this is this is where you get to give your closing statement in 90 seconds. 90 seconds. Why should people vote for you?
Unknown:Hi, just to reintroduce myself. My name is Nicholas Jenkins and I'm running for village council because I think I'm one of you. I'm a regular person. I haven't served in government for any level. But I'm excited to participate. We've got At big projects on the horizon, and I think I bring a fresh pair of eyes to look at issues. I am somebody who will do the work, which is always a lot of work to do and become more and more parent. But please feel free to to see me in public, I will be having some events, you can communicate with me on Instagram, my email, as well. And I look forward to meeting as many of you as I can. And I hope you embrace the fact that I am like I said, I am a Akira for 40 years. So I'm proud of that. So that's I don't know if that's 90 seconds. But that's really all I had to say. So I didn't really prepare anything.
Jan Dilllow:Thank you very much for coming in. We really appreciate it.
Unknown:I really enjoyed it.
Tony Winton:So yes. And being our guest on antisocial, we'll be back right after this.
Jan Dilllow:Guys and we are back. This is antisocial with the Key Biscayne independent. I'm Jan Dillo.
Tony Winton:And I'm Tony Winton, and another interview successfully under your belt that's to free now
Jan Dilllow:I think I felt a little bit better about I think I was nervous as those guys were, but I'm feeling better. You got to have under my There you
Tony Winton:go. And you know, actually because this is a podcast, this might be the first one that people hear. So for those of you who hear this one first before the one we did with Oscar Sardinas. You know, this is actually number two in a row.
Jan Dilllow:Yep. Exactly. And we are very happy to be able to bring you, you know, you know, hopefully at least one of your first opportunities to hear hear what the candidates have to say in their own words, I think it's important, and it's
Tony Winton:a way is a less formal setting to really press a little bit on the questions and answers and hear what you're saying. Mr. Lopez Jenkins is really, if you look at what's happening in this election, we have five people running for three seats. And all but one of them is really a newbie. Mr. Sardinia at least ran once before, but no one's actually held office. So we're going to have a significant change in the makeup of the council regardless of what happens. Yeah,
Jan Dilllow:I think that's true. And actually, some of the some of the candidates haven't had any, you know, haven't had a large role in a lot of the, you know, community other other areas of the community or, or they haven't talked about them a lot. I guess Oscar has an education. But I'm not aware of it for some of the other guys. But that doesn't mean that that's a negative because I think everybody in the council, I think when the council operates best is when you have different perspectives and people coming from different backgrounds.
Tony Winton:Yeah, it's an interesting approach people take to the council varies very much. There are people who will, are extremely research oriented, they come in, they do their homework, and they almost envision themselves as municipal officials are experts in themselves, and big to have, there's so many complex areas, we didn't even get into all of them today, we don't have time in a podcast, that range from knowing about environmental policy to code enforcement to collective bargaining with your municipal unions. I mean, there's a and the council is called to make all these decisions. And of course, ultimately, they rely on the staff that they hire and the manager. Yeah. And so I'm always interested in this particular form of government, that council manager form of government, you're the concept of it is the council is sort of like a board of directors. It's not there to do day to day, hands on government. And yet people will feel a temptation, right, to get due to hands on stuff because they're elected.
Jan Dilllow:Yeah. Right. And people are asking them the question directly. But I think that mean, it is a very important role. And that's why you want you know, a good bat, you know, you want somebody who has a finance background and engineering background, because in an oversight role role, you you know, if you have a different background, you're the one that's going to be able to ask the hard questions. And that's the key, I think, for the village, in my opinion, that's the key role of the council members is to ask the hard questions to the manager, make sure that every base has been touched on the things that this community has decided are our priorities. Well, we
Tony Winton:ask hard questions here too, and we've been we try and one of them it does involve this and depending on when you listen to the show, the vote may already been taken is about the community center expansion. So let's talk a little bit about that. It is a potentially large expense $15 million, could be less if they don't do a full blown expansion and more of a renovation could, but that at the higher end, that's the number that they've been using. And it's to respond to what people say they want, which is more facilities, more services, and in a crowded environment with a village population is down 15,000, that the place is just crowded.
Jan Dilllow:Yeah, it's bursting at the seams in some places. I'm not always but yeah,
Tony Winton:and the question is, you know, yeah, we're in a, we're in a year where you have very high inflation, the budget vote coming up on the 21st is looking at the number that's currently in front of there is an 8.7% increase, adding$150,000 is going to make a miniscule difference in there. And you continue on with the planning for this, Senator? Or do you say it's more important symbolically to strike us from the budget to save a small amount of tax dollars? That's, that's a question. Right? And, you know, that is a BS, it's hard to hard to say this discrete decision you're making to not fund the next step of this expansion, is really going to have that big an impact on taxes.
Jan Dilllow:I hear you, I hear what you're saying. I think it's more from the perspective of some people, it's more of a symbolic, symbolic vote. You know, do you understand that we don't want money spent, you know, willy nilly on on everything that every, you know, everything that people think they want. But you know, there's, you know, the counter argument is, when this thing when the community center was built, the population of this island was 10,000.
Tony Winton:Right? And I'll make the counterpoint is our last guest, you know, was okay, with the level of police funding, they're adding two additional officers. Now, if you look at salaries and benefits, and overtime and everything else, you can say that's just not a one time expense, or$150,000. To do a design, that's a continuing expense every year that will only get larger over time. And do you say to yourself, gee, you know, maybe there may be that expansion in the police department that has one of the best safety records in the in the state? You know, do we need to be moved from number 10? To number six? I mean, what what is the that I mean, there's this these questions, you have to weigh.
Jan Dilllow:Yeah, no, and your your, your point is extremely valid, that when you hire, you know, you hire new personnel. You know, it's comes with a long tail, a very long tail when you start talking about pensions and that kind of thing.
Tony Winton:Right. So so it's it's the question, and this is interesting to see how these people who are running for office, they're all new there, they're already facing the same dynamic. And I think you heard it in both of our interviews, we have to be responsible. But I, you know, yes, we needed a community center. And this is the kind of debate that happens at the local grassroots level. And it's why we cover these things on the independent is to show our readers to give them the facts about what's going on, we'll see what happens at the at the final budget vote.
Jan Dilllow:I think it's going to be interesting, I do think it's going to be interesting, because this is a this is an item that's near and dear to a lot of people's hearts. Especially. I mean, I think everybody in general, certainly the you know, the seniors with asked, but you know, especially with the parents that have kids, because that thing gets a lot of use, and kids are hard on things. If nothing else, we need some new equipment, in my opinion, we need some, some new equipment and some updates.
Tony Winton:Right. And and there's always a long list. I mean, the the vision board, coming out with this report, in the centerpiece of it being a traffic circle that we wrote about during the summer. You know, these are all of these things have large price tags attached to them. And, you know, could you find everything? Yeah, you probably could do you want to pay for everything people don't want.
Jan Dilllow:They don't, they don't and I think and they don't want to pay for it. But the other thing is, you know, I think that's going to be really interesting to see how Key Biscayne manages is we're talking about a lot of projects, I mean, and a lot of construction projects. And, you know, in some ways, I think we're gonna have, you know, we're gonna have construction on this island, you know, for 10 years on this island and Virginia and Virginia Key for at least a decade. And, you know, hopefully we'll figure out a way that the cost we will not be bearing the, you know, we will not be bearing the whole cost. I mean, obviously, Virginia Key isn't ours, so we shouldn't be paying for it. But, you know, it's going to be a lot to negotiate for the community as a whole, I think.
Tony Winton:All right, well, I'm out of topics for today. We talked about the queen on the last show, of course, we have talked about the stock market cap last Well, well, this is something that you follow. Tell me what what's your, what's your take on that? Is that because of the inflation? Well, not dropping as much as people hope,
Jan Dilllow:I think that that's, I think that's part of it, I think people are recognizing, you know, I'm not a financial commentator. But the
Tony Winton:little disclaimer, we're not providing financial advice, consider a registered official.
Jan Dilllow:But I think people are recognizing that if the Fed has to keep hiking rates the way, you know, to control inflation, then you have a much more heightened risk of a recession. And it could be, it could be worse than people had been, you know, a lot of people that thought it would be a little dip and, you know, so it's just, uh, you know, it's a gyration in the market. It's not necessarily that this is, you know, where we're going for the rest of the stock market futures were down this morning. But I think that, you know, it's just inflation is here for a while is is my opinion, and it's dealing with that fact, as the market get, you know, acquiesce as to what that means for the future.
Tony Winton:What is, you know, the market, I guess, you know, there's always this to debate is, what is the market pricing in this is like, the meat in the most mysterious part, like an a big event will happen? And the market won't do anything? And why? Because it's expected. It's so it already priced it in exactly when something happens, it doesn't expect and then it react, then it reacts. But it kind of, if that's really all that's happening, it's like, I mean, you kind of you kind of wonder how, how did they miss it? I mean, what are they looking at, that the government isn't looking at? Or how would you miss something? I mean, prices have been going up, there's
Jan Dilllow:a lot of people that were looking that had an expectation that things were going down that because of gas prices because of gas prices? Yeah. So I mean, I think that's part of it. But the other thing is, I think it's especially like now, like sometimes you see that happen, but now I think it's like, broader implications for what does this mean for 2023 in terms of, you know, a downturn in the economy. And so that's, that's, I think, what people are looking at, and trying to figure it out, and, you know, every you know, that's why we have markets because people have both sides. You know, a lot of people some people think it's going to be you know, we're not going to have recession, some people say it's going to be a deep run. So
Tony Winton:I'm the last person you should ever ask about financial stock advice. I
Jan Dilllow:sometimes I feel that way too.
Tony Winton:I try to follow you know, try to keep things in a mixture I listened to the standard advice, keep your event and it kind of a mixture of investments. And now that I'm getting close to the finish line, you know, I'm just hoping things don't explode, which is always a risk, right? Well, I
Jan Dilllow:don't think anybody is expecting 2008 Again, I mean, that I think is off the table and that was more of an explosion. So
Tony Winton:okay, I'm knocking the table on that one. Thank you very much. Jan Dlo are our treasurer at Miami Fourth Estate. That is, I want to close it on on that. That note, thank you for listening to antisocial we will have all of our all of the candidates for village council come on and we are planning our next mayoral debate with the two candidates both of them have agreed to that date. We'll be publishing that soon.
Jan Dilllow:And have your eye on the Key Biscayne Independent
Tony Winton:right and we will have it as before it will be held at cross bridge church and it's open to the public and that that event will be coming up in early October. We hope to see everybody there thank you be safe everyone.
Jan Dilllow:Again, I think I will always be my friend. There