A friend of Dinghy Beach said the article was "what the doctor ordered...behavior gets much better in the sunshine." Well, we're here in the Sunshine state, so let's fill that script!  

Here the Letter to the Editor (The Citizen newspaper, Key West), as published in The Citizen's "Weekend Edition" Jan. 29/30. Please forward if you can - just one person CAN make a difference.

Two years ago, a beachside corporate hotel franchise erected an illegal (Florida Statute 161.55/.053), no-permit fence on the North Roosevelt Boulevard, long-used waterfront pocket park, shamefully blocking off access to the entire area's only public beach to residents and (non-hotel) visitors ever since.

Key West City Commissioner Sam Kaufman has looked into the matter and is proposing a solution that is pro-public, rather than pro special interest. But other city officials, like Commissioner Wardlow, in whose District 3 the property lies, disagree. Despite his constituents' pleas to "Restore Dinghy Beach," and it being public property (which, most residents will probably agree, should be thoroughly discussed and public opinion included before giving it away to someone who simply plops down a fence and claims it's theirs), Wardlow says: "I don't see why we need this beach... I can't see why we (are)... discussing this item".

But why wouldn't - and haven't - city officials spoken out fervently and openly discussed - with full public input included - when a hotel owned by an affluent Key West family annexes a public space? Will others now be afforded such generous discretion too, say if they were to annex Dog Beach or Smathers? Usually, when such an egregious offense is committed, the "offending" party is drawn and quartered, dragged down Duval and hung on the highest City Code yardarm available for all to see...so, do the rules now only apply to everyone but those entitled few?

The good people of Key West expect city officials to refrain from special-interest favoritism and not try to sweep important issues under the rug. Addressing Dinghy Beach is exactly one such issue and the growing Change.org "Restore Dinghy Beach" petition is an open call two years on - to the city to address this particular important issue, which (directly or indirectly) affects the entire city, now.

Christine Lininger

Key West