Item N18
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
Meeting Date: April 20, 2005
Division:
BOCCI
Bulk Item: Yes X No
Department: BOcc 1
Staff Contact Person: Jana Johnson-Willi
AGENDA ITEM WORDING: Resolution of the Board of County Commissioners, Monroe County,
Florida, in recognition of the late Merili McCoy.
ITEM BACKGROUND:
PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION:
CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES:
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
TOTAL COST:
BUDGETED: Yes
No
COST TO COUNTY:
SOURCE OF FUNDS:
REVENUE PRODUCING: Yes
No
AMOUNT PER MONTH Year
APPROVED BY: County Atty _ OMBIPurchasing _ Risk Management _
DIVISION DIRECTOR APPROVAL:
(j)i;fle JIl. ~
Dixie M. Spehar, Mayor
DOCUMENTATION:
Included
Not Required_
DISPOSITION:
AGENDA ITEM #
Revised 2/05
.1\1 a, or Dixie '\1. Spehar
Resolution No.
-2005
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COlJNTV IN
RECOGNITION OF THE LATE MERILI HILTON McCOY
WHEREAS. \lerili McCoy, Commissioner of the City of Key \Vest tor the past ten
years, \\ ife of COllnt\ Commissioner Charles "Sonny'" .\1cCo)', matriarch of a large family. and
wonderful friend to many, passed away on April 9, 2005, and
WHEREAS, Merili's love for Key West, its residcnts, architectural and botanical beauty,
history, and the Keys environment began when, at age nine, her family moved to Key West for
her father, Captain Carl Hilton, to assume the top-ranking Coast Guard position in Key West;
and
"HERF:AS. \lerili had a generosity of spirit for evef}-' person who crossed her path. and
great passion for her family, her adopted home town, and all who have dwelled therein. and
WHEREAS, the community mourns her loss and has exhibited its heartfelt sympathy for
her extensive family, including "Sonny" and Mcrili's six children Dulce Arnold, Felicia McCoy,
Peter McCoy, Tim McCoy, Sean McCoy, and Mimi Grantham, along with their spouses,
children and grandchildren; and
WH EREAS, r-.terili' s sf rength of character kept her in the forefront of local issues and
projects until the very end. notv.ithstanding the toll taken by serious illness: nov.. therefore
BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE BOARD OF COCNTY COMMISSIONERS OF
MO~ROE COt:NTY, FLORIDA:
Section I: Hereby adopts this Resolution as an expression to the family of their
deepest sympathy in the passing of the late MeriJi McCoy_
Section 2: Hereby recognizes and honors Merili McCoy for her unfailing devotion 10
her family. community. and friends as c'\.emplificd by the following
Merili mcnlored and nurtured six children, numerous grandchildren and great-
grandchildren, and countless friends, especially imparting her views of life, responsibility,
loyalty, and her immense love lor gardening and the environment;
Merili, as the niece of' hotel mogul Conrad Hilton and the daughter or a Coast Guard
officer, traveled extensively" from her early childhood throughout her life, and lived in pre-Castro
Cuba \\ ith her husband and family, but always considered Key West home:
\1erili founded the Cily of Key West Tree Commission and was appointed to serve that
commission in 1971 when it was established, as well as ser.-ed on the Florida Keys HistoriL
Preservation Task Force;
~1erili \"'as a member of the ZOllla Club of Key West tor t\\enty years, st:rving 3S its ninth
president when the Key Wt.:st arm of the international service organization sponsored a new
/oma club in \1aralhon, and menlored other Zontians t\'en atler her City Commission activities
greatl\- reduced the time she- had to dedIcate 10 Zonta:
Merili, as a member of the Sunshine Rotary Club since 1988, served energetically in
City-wide c\cnts sponsored by- Sunshine Rotary and actively panicipated in the Club's \vork at
the District Ic\-el and its international pursuits_
Merili served on the Monroe County Tourist Development Council from July 1992 until
August I 99--t as a lodging n:prescntatin:' while managing a motel on Hilton Haven:
\leri] i served on the City Commission of Key \Vest from 1995 until her death, attending:
meet i ngs of all appointed boards of the City, studying all issues faced by the Cit y COITIIl1 i ssion,
and \\3S indefatigable in her promotion and support of many projects and causes \vhich would
bcnetit the people of Key \\'esl. most notably beauriiicatioJl of the City \Iarina at Garrison
Bight, landscapIng and prescf\1ng the trees and natural environment of Key West, encouraging
pedestrian and bicycle paths, and seeking solutions for the hOTl1eless~
\Ierili ahv-ays maintained her integrity and never flinched from laking the lone path in
carrying out her responsibilities on each uf the public bodies \vhich she served once she
determined that hers was the right path~
\lcrili, despite all of her cnmmitmellls to family and her public servicC'_ also found time
weekly to serve the community tl)r many years as a Helpline \oluntcer~
!\1erili \',as selfless in her devotion to familv and friends, holding huge holidav dinners
and always finding time to spend \\ ith someone in need of a hand to hold or interested in
receiving a tidbit of:\[crili's vast knov\Jedge of Key West's history,
\1erili was truly the Renaissance woman, and memories of her \",ill always he cherished
by those tlxtunate enough to ha\(: known her
Sel'tion 3: Hereby directs the Clerk to forward to the family of Meril! McCoy a copy of
this Reso]ution expressing the Board's sorrow
PASSLD A\iD ADOPTED by th.: Hoard of Count: Comll1JSsio!l,ors of \1onrolO C ouIlty. Flond:!,
at a meeting of said Board held on the 20th day of April, AD_, 1005_
\byor Di:x:ic \1 Spehar
\layor Pro Tern Charles "Sonm" \.fcCo\
CommiSSioner George 'j\,'cugcnt
Commissioner DaVid PRice
Commlsslom:r -'furray E \ielson
(SEAL)
Attest: DANNY L KOLHAGE, Ckrk
BOARD OF COl,'\;TY COM-'HSSIO'ERS
OF MONROE COUN1Y, FLORIDA
,i>,'rjIJE CDUNTV ATTORNEY
:';:J?RC','::u ':',S -:-PjORM.;,
. 1__..
"'.. / . - ~ ,..' f ; _ - r.- --
/S~ZANNE A, HutTON
,:"S;.ST^'.JT C:)tJNTY ATTORNEY
. ,
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By