TDC Makes a Step in the Right Direction

This week I attended the Tourist Development Council’s monthly meeting in Key West. The TDC’s board members unanimously voted to permanently dismiss their Marketing Director, Stacey Mitchell. While this was a step in the right direction, why did it take so long for them to take action? 

Holly Raschein, County Mayor, said that this was “not personal”, but I have a hard time believing that as they kept her on paid leave at the amount of $17,000 per month for 4 months and gave a severance package of an additional 4 months. That’s 8 months pay for doing NOTHING, which comes directly out of the TDC funds. To me, that shows they were protecting her as long as they could and only when it was obvious the community was demanding action did they act. 

“They kept her on paid leave at the amount of $17,000 per month for 4 months and gave a severance package of an additional 4 months. That’s 8 months pay for doing NOTHING”

As your next Commissioner, I will appoint board members that are going to prioritize the future and sustainability of tourism in the Florida Keys, but also be mindful of how these funds are distributed. This is our #1 industry and they will treat it as such. 

Once the final audits are completed, follow up is needed. The public needs to know exactly what went wrong, how it happened, and how it will not happen again. My hope is this will allow for a fresh start for the TDC, and that means more oversight, more transparency and more efficiency with the millions of dollars they are entrusted with. 

To make certain in 2025 I am in one of those County Commissioner seats, please donate to my campaign. I will be the first to speak up if I feel something isn’t right, and unlike my opponent, I won’t stand idly by when things go wrong.

Sincerely,

Chris Massicotte