Rebecca Washam
On Wednesday, October 16, 2024, the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC), including Monroe County Mayor Holly Raschein and Speaker of the House for the Conch Republic, Paul Menta, passed a motion to join the Local 2030 Islands Network under the United Nations without comment or prior knowledge involving the residents of Monroe County Florida. This unwarranted move was made only months after the residents of Monroe County had decided against pursuing a change in governmental structure to become a charter county. The rejection of the charter county proposal clearly showed the intent of the residents to not allow unilateral decisions to be made by said BOCC. We believe that this move shows the intent of the BOCC to subvert the will of the residents of our county. The BOCC has no formal or implied authority to make such moves without the will of those residents. The Conch Republic’s ambassador, David Randle, has no known address in Monroe County, and does not hold any public office in our county. Monroe County would have to join the Blue Consortium to protect our coral reef and participate in coral restoration projects costing residents, businesses, and tourists tax dollars to support this program which would, in turn, go to and be controlled by an international Globalist Organization (The United Nations). The United Nations is not an organization to enter into an agreement with lightly as several of their positions are anti-US Constitution positions. In addition: The process for joining Local 2030 requires
- Completing a membership interest form,
- Participating in an online video interview,
- Submitting a letter of commitment detailing possible collaborations with as yet unidentified entities
- Receiving official board approval for the membership application.
Residents are concerned about the commitments being made on their behalf, Who these collaborations will involve, and why the public was not consulted. There is no transparency in this entire process and no protections were provided to our residents to consider.
**Seeing as this agenda item was never presented to the Monroe County residents or businesses for consideration, nor was there any public press release, we request that the process of joining be immediately suspended until proper channels have been taken to better inform the public and formally accept or reject the agenda. The lack of transparency has caused concern among citizens, businesses and residents of Monroe County, leading them to conclude that their voices have been ignored in a process that aligns with a United Nations globalist agenda.
THEREFORE We request that the BOCC honor the will of the public and exercise their authority by halting Monroe County’s participation in the Local 2030 United Nations project until it is brought before the community for thorough discussion and/or a vote.
The residents of Monroe County Florida formally requests that this matter be suspended until further discussion and a proper conclusion be made by formal vote to either adopt or reject the proposal by the residents of said county.
17 Comments
Asked the commission to join this like Key West https://www.bluecommunity.info/
This is a co-founder, have you researched these people? This is nuts, is this a joke?
Member of the UNEP Major Stakeholders Group (please research them)
Co-Founder of Blue Community Consortium
Dave Randle holds a B.A. from California Lutheran University, an M-Div. from the Iliff School of Theology, and a doctorate in Spiritual Disciplines, Wellness and Environmental Concerns from the University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO.
https://floridianpress.com/2024/10/scott-rubio-others-threaten-to-cut-un-funding-for-anti-israel-bias/#
The Blue Community Consortium seeks to protect, enhance and restore coastal habitat, and marine environments in Florida through implementing Blue Community and other sustainable tourism strategies.
The Blue Consortium is administered by the WHALE Center, a not-for-profit 501 (c) 3 organization. It is an Organization in Special Consultative status with the U.N. Economic and Social Council since 2019, Member of UNEP Major Stakeholders group, and a UNWTO Affiliate. It also administered the UNWTO Blue Community Sustainble Tourism Observatory.
The Blue Community Sustainable Tourism Observatory where most Consortium members reside include 12 communities in Florida. Additional communities in Florida are welcome to join.
THIS IS NOT JOINING THE UNITED NATIONS.
Holly, you don’t get to ram this down the peoples throat without them even looking at it. And BOCC. You work for us.
Locals 2030 is not joining the United Nations, However, it’s joining a group that is run by the United Nations meaning we must make a commitment to them and their SDG’s just like the rest of agenda, 2030. This is simply a tributary of agenda 2030 stop trying to repackage it like it’s just about the restoration of our coral reef. There are numerous programs that we could get involved in that could help us restore our coral reef without making a commitment to something that is run and organized by the United Nations.
To clarify the intentions of the BOCC, our County will be joining the Blue Consortium in yet another effort to help further protect what’s left of our Living Coral Reef. We are joining other current Florida Keys members that include Conch Republic Marine Army, Mote Marine Laboratory, Plant a Million Corals, Keys Marine Labs, and the City of Key West, among others including other communities around the planet who are experiencing similar challenges as ours. To be clear, we are in no way asking to join the United Nations, any notion of that nature is undeniably false. We are, however, seeking opportunities through the Blue Consortium to open up resources and funding for critical coral restoration projects. Joining this effort costs nothing to our taxpayers.
The Florida Keys community is united in the quest to restore this precious resource, and the more awareness and assistance, especially financial, we receive, the stronger our position will be. The conspiracy conversation swirling around this topic is unfounded and, in a world, full of disinformation, please take a moment to learn the facts. Additionally, this item was placed on the agenda in the properly noticed fashion as required by law, more than one week prior to the meeting when this proposal was discussed. As in all BOCC meetings, any member of the public is welcome to take part either in-person or via Zoom.
Mayor Holly Merrill Raschein
Wow! The arrogance and overuse of power is strong with this comment. You have basically just said that you don’t care that the residents of the county are opposed to this! And you don’t care that they had no input . You are going to do it anyway because you believe this is what’s best. You have done one of two things, you either did not research this at all or you know very well what you are committing us too, but you don’t care because it’s all about funding to you. both of these scenarios are damaging to our county. I watched you at debates before the primary election, standing in front of a group of people and talking about how important your constituents and their opinions on the county were. They were the people that you served you said. Based on this decision and your attitude in this comment, you have just proven that you’re a liar. The people want to know what you committed us to!! You clearly don’t speak for us. We will not rest until the right people get eyes on this. You’ve gotten a little Confident in your position. Always remember, everyone is replaceable.
The Local2030 Islands Network, working hand-in-hand with the UN, promotes global agendas through the Local2030 initiative. Monroe County’s BOCC, however, seems alarmingly out of touch with its own people, acting as if they’re above community input. Holly, you’ve made it clear this past election who you’re truly aligned with—and it’s certainly not the everyday citizens of Monroe County. Your actions show a disregard for the voices of those you’re supposed to represent, and the community has had enough.
Taken directly from the Proposal linked on the top of this comment.
“Proposal for Monroe County to Join the
Local2030 Islands Network
Prepared for: Monroe County Commissioners
Prepared by: Dr. David Randle, , Conch Republic Ambassador to the United Nations
Sunday, September 15, 2024 –
Proposal number: 240723
CONCH REPUBLIC
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Objective
To better position Monroe County aka The Conch Republic as a global leader for the UN Sustainable
Development Goals (SDG’s) at a local level and to provide leadership for the best practices that Monroe County has to offer.
Goals
1. Improve the coastal resiliency and restoration in Monroe County
2. Increase funding opportunities for the county
3. Increase global awareness of Monroe County’s leadership in climate change adaption and mitigation
4. Increase knowledge of best practices of nature based solutions for coastal resiliency and restoration.
Solution
Become a member of the Local2030 Islands Network through becoming a member of the Blue
Community Consortium and or the Hawaii Green Growth Local2030 Hub
Background
• The Local2030 Islands Network is the world’s first global, island led network devoted to advancing the
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through locally driven, culturally-informed
solutions that can be scaled for increased impact. The Network brings together a diverse set of island
economies – nations, states, and communities – from all regions of the world, and promotes island
solutions and leadership based on shared experiences and island culture.
• The Local2030 Islands Network serves as a platform for islands to engage each other as peers to raise ambition on the SDGs, share experiences, spread knowledge, promote solidarity, and identify
and implement best practice sustainability solutions.
• Island economies and countries that have islands can join the Network as members regardless of jurisdictional level. Intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, business,
academia, and philanthropy can join the Network as partners.
• The Hawaii Green Growth Local2030 Hub serves as the United Nations Hub for North America and is an existing partner of the Local Islands Network. The Hawaiʻi Green Growth UN Local2030 Hub is apublic-private partnership committed to advancing economic, social and environmental goals. The
hub highlights islands as leaders in innovation, providing a holistic approach to solutions grounded in a legacy of systems thinking. The Hawai’i Green Growth Hub develops local solutions to global
sustainability challenges, building on island culture and values, and indigenous knowledge. With the
Global Island Partnership, this hub highlights islands as laboratories for innovation that catalyze and
scale integrated ridge-to-reef projects, cutting across the energy, water, food, and urban nexus.
• The Blue Community Consortium includes over 40 members from local governments, academia,
business, and NGO’s. It is a member of the United Nations Environment Program Major Stakeholders
Group, a UNTWO Affiliate, has observer status for the UN COP meetings on climate change, the UN
Small Island States, and holds Special consultative status with the U.N. Economic and Social
Council since 2019.
Introductory Video
Some Priority Programs of the Local2030 Island Network
• Data for Climate Resilience – Facilitated by Hawaii Green Growth Hub & US National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
• Resilient and Clean Energy Systems – In partnership with US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
• Resilient Water Systems in partnership with global technical experts.
• Sustainable and Regenerative Tourism in partnership with Hawaii Local2030 Hub and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Major Partners of the Local2030 Islands Network
• Foundations – such as UN Foundation, The Ocean Foundation, The Greening Islands Foundation, Sea
Grant.
• Island Networks – such as Tasmania Way, SMIL Climate Strong Islands Network, Union for the
Mediterranean, Global Island Partnership, Caribbean Climate Adaption Network, Pacific Tourism
Organization
• Support Organizations such as ESRI, Center for Music Ecosystems, Environmental Defense Fund, PICHTR, PDC Global, KRING of Coastal Engineers.
• Academia such as University of Hawaii, Guam University, East West Center, Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research (UH NOAA)
• U.S. government agencies such as U.S. NREL, U.S. DOE, U.S. AID, U.S. Dept of Interior, U.S. NOAA,
U.S. Smithsonian, U.S. Dept of State, U.S. EPA, CLIMAR
• Other Government Groups such as: ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability
• UN agencies such as UN Economic and Social Commission of the Pacific
Process for becoming a member
Monroe County can be part of the network immediately by becoming a member of the Blue
Community Consortium which is already a member of the UN Hawaii Local Island Hub.
It can also apply for its own independent membership as well. The process is as follows
• 1. Complete a Membership Interest Form
• 2. Participate in an online video interview
• 3. Prepare a Letter of Commitment including suggestions for possible collaborations
• 4. Official Board Approval of Membership application”
This is taken, word for word from your attachment on the agenda item. Doesn’t say UN or UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) once in the document, right? Total disinformation blasphemy, must be an attack on your personal character too, for just making the public and your majority Republican based constituency aware of the truth.
https://www.islands2030.org/partners.
United Nations or UN in many of the partners names SPECIFICALLY the one you are piggybacking off of, Hawaii.
The UN repackages it’s Agenda 2030 17 SDGs goals in a pretty ribbon and preys on the vulnerability of the are it is trying to sell it to, clean water/toilet initiative for Countries that have those issues, reduction in traffic for areas in California, to fixing poverty/starvation in other parts of the World..
You and the board are clearly NOT Republican.
You know that I care for the environment. But there is lots of coral restoration money to be had that does not impact taxpayers (i.e. grants and tourist taxes) that would allow us to restore our reefs with NO globalist strings attached.
You are acting on Monroe County’s behalf to accelerate the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), most of which have ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with coral reef restoration.
You can’t “join” the UN as a County, we aren’t ignorant. But you can agree to subvert why most people moved to Florida and this County to undermine your own citizens and local, State, and National goals.
This is an unfortunate action by the Upper Keys Republican Club. I would have hoped they would have sought to be more informed before launching such a petition.
A response you may want to pass off to the Commissioners and others who may be interested.
1. Monroe County would be joining the Hawaiil Green Growth Initiative which is the North American Hub or the Local2030 Island Network
2. The Local2030 Islands Network is the world’s first global, island-led peer-to-peer network devoted to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through locally driven solutions. In other words this is a program for Island communities to assist each other in what they want to do locally and the U.N, does not tell them how to do that.
3. Global problems require global solutions. Climate change that is a serious challenge for Monroe County is a global problem. Cooperating with others, learning from others, and offering Monroe County’s expertise and best practices to others is in the best interest of Monroe County. The Local2030 Island network provides a structure for all island communities around the world better succeed in their own local solutions.
The impacts of climate change call on all to work together for the best solutions for each local area Trying to create divisions through ill thought petitions does nothing to further practical solutions to the challenges we all face.
This has to be a HORRIBLE JOKE>>>> A wolf in sheep’s clothing handing us over to the works of the evil players. You people trying to make this happen are either TRULY EVIL AND PART OF THE 2030 DEPOPULATION AGENDA or just blindly unbelievably ignorant and should not be the head/in control of anything.
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