Dear Friends:

1.Monroe County is still reviewing the environmental issues we raised in our letters in December and early January. Contrary to confused media reports, the County has NOT signed off on the College truck training nor that the College plan "has no significant impact on the human environment."  As such the College access to HUD funds is blocked. It's not too late for letters to the College, County, and the BOCC. Please write to them and tell them how you feel.

2. Tomorrow the members of the Monroe Board of County Commissioners will be in Tallahassee to garner support for their agenda. We would like to encourage all of you and your neighbors and friends to alert our elected legislators that using Florida state lands for a truck driving training center is not wise use of taxpayer funds and assets and highly opposed on Big Pine Key.  Write a quick note today if possible, so that they can ask our Monroe County delegation who are going to be in Tallahassee tomorrow about this project and what is going on in Big Pine with this trucking school? There is an easy way to send them an email on their website. They have multiple phone numbers, but these are their Tallahassee phones. 

This is the link to Rep. Jim Mooney: https://www.flhouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/custom/details.aspx?MemberId=4797&LegislativeTermId=91

Phone: (850) 717-5120

And to Senator Ana Maria Rodriguez:  

https://www.flsenate.gov/Senators/s40s

(850) 717-5120

Other updates:

3.  We want to encourage your public input into media and elected officials, groups you support, etc. to make sure all tell public officials and the College no one opposes educational training. But that does not mean we support a truck driving training center in the heart of Big Pine, adjacent to the USF&W land, homes, and Key Deer Boulevard. The reasons for this wide opposition are not just environmental but also safety and infrastructure concerns.

There were several radio interviews and other media attention recently. 

https://soundcloud.com/user-742256275/us1-radio-morning-magazine-5?utm_source=clipboard&utm_campaign=wtshare&utm_medium=widget&utm_content=https%253A%252F%252Fsoundcloud.com%252Fuser-742256275%252Fus1-radio-morning-magazine-5

https://www.atfkw.com/p/breaking-cfk-board-could-face-sunshine?utm_source=publication-search

https://soundcloud.com/user-742256275/morning-magazine-for-814241931?utm_source=clipboard&utm_campaign=wtshare&utm_medium=widget&utm_content=https%253A%252F%252Fsoundcloud.com%252Fuser-742256275%252Fmorning-magazine-for-814241931 

4.  We have confirmed that the $2 million in HUD funds came as the direct result of what was once called a Congressional "earmark" that does not go through normal Congressional review. It's the pork barrel fund that Congress uses to bring dollars to their home districts and from which we normally benefit. Our Congressman, Rep. Carlos Gimenez, was the sponsor for the College's request for funds. We need to let him know that the location selected by the College is not suitable and ask that he support a request by the College to relocate the training site to a better place, such as much closer to where the College CDL training formerly occurred, in Key West and nearby. 

This is Congressman Gimenez's contact information:
WASHINGTON, D.C. OFFICE
448 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC  20515
Phone: (202) 225-2778

KEY WEST (Remote Office Hours)
1100 Simonton St., Room 1-213
Key West, FL 33040
Phone: (305) 292-44865

Thanks again for all your efforts!