Marathon voters to pick 3 City Council members in at-large election

Voters in Marathon, Monroe County’s third-largest municipality by population, will head to the polls Tuesday to fill three City Council seats.

Seven candidates are competing in an at-large election, where each voter can cast up to three votes, one for each seat that’s up for grabs.

The three candidates with the most votes will win three-year terms on the five-seat panel, which dictates local policies for the city of roughly 10,100 residents.

Incumbents in each of the three seats are running for re-election. Four candidates hope to deny them.

In answers to a questionnaire from the Florida Keys Free Press, the incumbents — G. Lynn Landry, Jeff Smith and Robyn Still — cited their accomplishments while in office.

Landry said city services have improved thanks to fees on vacation rentals, while taxes remained level. He also touted revived affordable housing funds from the state and an increase to the city’s first-time homebuyers’ program.

“We have moved forward on many capital projects (and filled) and adjusted staff positions to better serve the community, (including fully staffing the) fire department (for the) first time in seven years,” Landry wrote in his candidate’s statement on the Monroe Supervisor of Elections website. “I will continue to do the work for the City of Marathon. I believe there is unfinished business to complete.”

Smith talked of tightening restrictions on blanket purchase agreements, settling a lawsuit Marathon closed out in 2023 with Friends of the Lower Keys over clean water issues in the city, and adhering to state changes governing the expansion of workforce housing.

Still pointed to several of the same accomplishments as her peers, including the creation of a new Public Information Officer position to improve transparency and resident-government relations.

Of the incumbents, Landry led in fundraising with $8,175 collected through Oct. 17, followed by Still ($7,425) and Smith ($5,775). Landry also outspent his fellow Council members, paying out $3,786 compared to $3,196 by Smith and $1,539 by Still.

Several of their challengers — Gerrit Hale, William Perry, Greg Robinson and Debra Struyf — outraised them.

Hale, who raised and spent more than $6,500, said in his candidate statement that his experience in economics, business and strategic planning would be an asset at City Hall, and noted recognition he’s received for his volunteer work.

He’s a relatively new arrival, having only become a full-time resident in 2023. He and his wife bought their home “sight unseen after falling in love with the community” in 2021, during the pandemic.

Perry, a Keys native who raised the second-most funds with $17,400 collected and $12,000 spent, told the Keys Free Press he’s displeased with the city’s direction, particularly with regard to development.

“Some people say you should build in Marathon until you can’t build anymore, then sell your house and move away,” he said. “Those people just wanna make money.”

Robinson, a health care technology executive who described himself as a “proven public sector reformer,” raised $5,775 and spent $3,196.

He vowed, if elected, to focus on affordable housing, resilient infrastructure and “policies that strengthen quality of life.”

Struyf raised the most by far — $26,825 — and spent more than $17,000 of that by mid-October. A more than 45-year resident, local business owner and volunteer, she promised to bring more “transparency and accountability” to City Hall.

“I’m not against growth or vacation rentals but we need to manage them responsibly,” she said in a statement. “I promise to be a clear, compassionate voice for Marathon’s residents; preserve our sense of community and ensure our children can enjoy the same island we love for generations.”

Marathon sits east of Big Pine Key and west of Key Colony Beach about an hour’s drive from Key West. It stretches across several islands, including Vaca Key, Fat Deer Key and Grassy Key, forming the principal municipality in the Middle Keys.

Residents are predominantly non-Hispanic White (59%) or Hispanic (33%), with just 4% identifying as Black and 3% claiming two or more racial backgrounds, according to Census data. The city’s median age is 46, and the median household income is $80,556. About 11.5% of the population lives below the poverty line.

Early voting runs there through 5 p.m. Friday at the Marathon Branch Office, 10015 Overseas Highway.

The General Election is Tuesday.