Saturday, July 4, 2009

Truman Annex is an interesting enclave in Key West. It's part of the city, but sometimes its residents believe they're not.

It's pictured as a gated community, but it isn't -- because the Navy says it's not.

Residents of this community often complain that they are depicted as arrogant and elitist. They are depicted that way because it's often been the way they appear, thanks in part to spokespersons they've chosen.

There has long been disagreement about the rights of the Truman Annex Master Property Owners Association (TAMPOA) -- the homeowners' association -- and its gatehouse on Southard Street that separates Key West proper from Truman Annex, Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park, the Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center and, of course, Navy property.

In 2006, there was the infamous tiff at the gatehouse, caused when Key West city commissioners refused to provide identification when stopped and questioned by the TAMPOA guard.

An access agreement was hammered out in the courts the following year.

More recently, TAMPOA decided to show its perceived strength by defying the Navy and launching construction of a Southard Street gate that ostensibly would be closed at night.

This was done despite warnings from Naval Air Station Key West that military personnel must always have open and unobstructed access, via Southard, to its facilities at Truman Waterfront. It was, the Navy stated, essential to fulfilling its mission and for national security.

The price of the association's arrogance was another batch of legal fees added to those the litigious group has been racking up in recent years over similar issues.

The Navy won, of course.

Now the city of Key West is edging back up to the table to ensure that the terms of its agreement with TAMPOA -- unrestricted public access before 10 p.m. -- will still be honored.

However, we are optimistic about the city and TAMPOA working out any wrinkles without teams of lawyers and court orders. That's because there seems to be a new and less bellicose mood in the association's boardroom these days.

For several years, TAMPOA has been represented by a pair of attorneys who aggressively performed their jobs -- representing their clients' interests -- but who projected the impression that the needs and interests of the public, the city and federal government were not matters of concern to the people who lived behind the fences.

Recently, TAMPOA changed its legal representation -- and it appears that change has brought a more amicable approach to resolving issues. There also were changes last year in board leadership, and that, too, seems to have taken an edge off old differences.

We believe -- perhaps optimistically -- that a mellower TAMPOA is ready to settle down and play nice.

-- The Citizen