The Monroe County Commission has decided to spend $3.7 million on much-needed sewer projects instead of building a new Public Works facility on Rockland Key, a project now in limbo.

The commission on Wednesday agreed to take the money from a fund set aside for the construction and put it toward the Cudjoe Regional Wastewater System, a $194 million plan to build a central treatment plant on Cudjoe Key to serve 10,000 homes and businesses from Lower Sugarloaf Key to Big Pine Key.

The money will cover most of the $3.9 million shortfall to complete design work for the sewer project, according to a report by county budget Director Tina Boan. The county likely will move the remaining $200,000 from some other wastewater fund.

The county had planned to move a county garage and road work operations from its current location abutting the Key West International Airport to the county-owned property on Rockland Key.

"There is no rush to get that project completed right now," county Public Works Director Dent Pierce said. "We can operate where we are now. We understand there is more pressing issues like wastewater."

A previous County Commission had directed the staff to use county-owned waterfront property such as that at the airport for more money-making activities. So the county had planned to lease the land to Hertz, the only car rental company that does not have an on-site facility at the airport.

Hertz would have paid the county $1 million up front for a 20-year lease and then about another $75,000 a year, Monroe County Airports Director Peter Horton said.

The county is under a state mandate to connect all Florida Keys properties to advanced wastewater treatment systems by July 2010, an undertaking for which it lacks about $350 million. The county is woefully behind, and most elected and county officials doubt Monroe will make the deadline.

The state Legislature last year agreed to bond $200 million in wastewater funds for the Keys, about $50 million a year for four years. The money was appropriated as part of a larger Everglades restoration bill, but has not been allocated.

With the state's dire financial situation, some doubt the county will receive the $50 million this year.

For more than a year, County Mayor George Neugent has urged his fellow commissioners to start the process to implement a 1 cent countywide sales tax, with proceeds going to sewer projects.

tohara@keysnews.com