Mayor-elect Brett Moss addressed the public for the first time since winning the Village of Key Biscayne’s two-year post unopposed, talking about how “resident-led government” is necessary to form an efficient style of community leadership.
The former eight-year Council member outlined several ideas he would like to bring to the dais, starting in November, when he takes over for Mayor Joe Rasco, who will be termed out.
Moss, a 21-year resident, father of three, and Managing Principal at the award-winning Moss Architecture and Design Group, spoke Friday morning at the Rotary Club of Key Biscayne’s “Cafecito and Bagels with Brett” breakfast gathering at the Yacht Club. He reminded the audience that the founding principle of the Village was self-determination.
“We incorporated 35 years ago so we would not have to bow to what someone on the outside tells us to do,” Moss explained. “We want to stay small, efficient, and firmly in control of our own destiny.”
Clarifying his view on local governance, Moss stressed that the elected Council must act as the primary vision setters. He views the Village Manager as a Chief Operating Officer who is there to execute the goals of the Council, not to steer policy.
“I have tremendous respect for all the elected officials who sit on the dais,” he noted, adding that the job requires immense dedication.
Moss used the address to clarify several key pillars of his agenda, starting with an overhaul of the financial timeline of the Village. He proposed a January to May strategic planning process to develop a five-year plan by the Council, to be delivered to the Manager.
Drawing on his architectural expertise, Moss also corrected a common misconception by drawing a strict line between resilience and sustainability.
“Resiliency is how fast we get back to a normal way of life after a massive event, like securing a stronger Bear Cut Bridge and an underground power grid,” he explained. “Sustainability, on the other hand, is how we extend our long-term quality of life on the island, such as intelligent, scalable flood and sea-level management. We must prioritize the most important items to tackle first.”
Moss reiterated his commitment to ensuring projects are not overly complex and large, and keeping them simple so they are easily understood and feasible to bring to fruition.
Currently serving as Chair of the Zoning Ordinance Review Committee, Moss emphasized a fix-it-first mandate for Village assets and strict zoning to protect the aesthetics of the island.
“It’s important to make changes and prepare for resiliency, but not at the expense of the community character,” Moss said. “We must find a balance.”
Addressing the local K-8 Center and MAST Academy, Moss was concerned with the mass exodus in 6th grade and student mental health. He noted the heavy social pressure on 11-year-olds splitting up social groups to secure a seat at MAST.
He proposed working collaboratively with the school district to find better solutions and possibly consider transitioning the MAST entry point to ninth grade. Doing so, he argued, would restore the middle school enrollment of the K-8 Center, preserve the social circles of children, and allow MAST to offer a more diverse Cambridge high school program without losing any of the 1,100 priority seats.
Acknowledging the complexities of Virginia Key development, Moss was clear on the primary external focus of the Village.
“We have very little control over Virginia Key, but our highest priority is Bear Cut Bridge,” he said. “We have to put pressure on the County, and I support anything that can secure a stronger bridge.”
During the question and answer session, Moss addressed concerns about low civic participation, noting that residents often feel ignored during Council meetings. He committed to running efficient, civilized meetings that genuinely acknowledge resident feedback.
“I have been on that side of the podium, and I know how it feels,” Moss said, suggesting that the Council should take a moment after public comments to confirm the feedback was heard or add it to a future agenda.