City Council - Regular Meeting

I'd like to welcome everybody to the June 17th, 2026, Apopka City Commission meeting. And I'd like to bring up Commissioner Anderson to lead the invocation.

Okay. Thank you so much. So I'm going to actually approach the podium. Good evening, everyone. Could you please join me, Pastor?

And all please rise.

And all please rise. So I would like to introduce Pastor Decoa Poiret. She's the president and CEO of the Sharing Center and also co-pastor of Celeration Church here in Apopka. It is a great honor to introduce this great, amazing business leader in the community. She advocates for women. She was the former CEO also of Pace Girls. And it's such an honor to have you here. So thank you.

Good evening and thank you again for having me here. To the mayor, commissioner, city staff, citizens of Apopka, thank you so much for the opportunity to open tonight's meeting with prayer. If we would bow our heads. As we come before you, Heavenly Father, we come before you tonight with grateful hearts. Father, we thank you for the city of Apopka, for its residents, businesses, schools, first responders, and the many people who work each day to make this community strong and thriving. As we gather tonight to discuss the business of the city, let us remember, Lord, that the leadership is required from a perspective of responsibility and privilege. The decisions made in this room impact families, businesses, children, seniors, and the future of the community of Apopka. Scripture reminds us in Proverbs 11 and 14 that where there's no guidance, a people fall, but in the abundance of counsel, there is safety. Lord, we thank you for the leaders gathered in this room. Your word tells us in James 1 and 5 that if anyone lacks wisdom, they should ask of God who gives generously. So tonight, Father, we come together on one accord, praying and asking for wisdom. Grant our mayor, our commissioners, city staff and community leaders clarity of thought, sound judgment, integrity and discernment as they consider matters that affect the lives of so many. Father, help them to lead with humility, courage and genuine desire to serve the common good. May every discussion be marked by respect, every decision guided by your wisdom, and every action motivated by a commitment to the people they serve. We pray tonight, God, for unity within the city of Apopka. In a time when division can easily arise, help us to remember that we are stronger when we work together. Give us hearts that seek understanding, solutions that promote flourishing and shared vision for a greater future. Father, we come tonight on one accord in prayer as we lift up the families of Apopka. Bless the children with the opportunity they need to succeed. Bless our seniors with care and dignity. Bless our businesses with growth and our neighborhoods with safety and peace. Protect our police officers, firefighters, healthcare workers, educators, clergy, and all who serve from a servant leadership perspective in this community. Lord, may your favor rest upon this city. Let Apopka be known not only for its growth and success, but most of all, Father, let it be known for compassion, character, and commitment to serve others. We lay beside God our desires, our wants, and we ask to help us to make the needs of others the most important. As this meeting begins, we ask for your guidance. We ask for blessings upon every agenda item, every conversation, and every decision that must be made. And Father, we ask this now, and no other name that we know, but the name that has power. The name that when it's called upon, Father God, demons have to flee. When it's called upon, healing takes place. When it's called upon, those things that are dead must resurrect it. When it's called upon, your glory is present in the midst. When we call upon your name, all that we desire, all that we ask shall come together. So Father, we ask this prayer now in no other name we know, but the name of Jesus Christ. Amen and amen.

Amen. Thank you very much. Thank you, Commissioner Anderson. We can all do the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. All may be seated. All right, we will move to the public comment section of our agenda tonight. Mrs. Bowen, do we have any speaker cards?

Yes, Dr. Jim Moyer.

Good evening, Mayor, Commissioners. My name is Dr. Jim Moyer. I'm the elected Orange Wood and Water Conservation District 2 supervisor serving Northwest Orange. This presentation, like all my presentation, is mine and mine alone. No other individual or organization. However, Mr. Leroy Bell of Here in Apopka kind of inspired me to do this particular one. Between 500 and 300 million years ago, there were two supercontinents. Florida was not part of the North America portion of the supercontinent. However, the next 100 million years, the two continents came together to form one, and Florida was kind of in the middle. That one continent broke apart into pretty much what they are today, except Florida was underwater for the next approximately 170 million years. Okay, that is what formed today's Florida aquifer. The drifting of the plates, the landmasses, the limestone when it was underwater, sand and clay later about 50 million years ago came from the northeast, specifically Appalachian Mountains. The sea level rises and falls, change the shapes, and acidic groundwater in the northwest and southeast broke apart some of the limestone. Here's a picture of the aquifer, but you notice it's not exactly the same all throughout the whole entire state. It also goes into southeast portions of the U.S. a little bit as well. Right now, 90% of Florida and 100% of Orange County get their water, their potable water from the aquifer. During the wet season, of course, we hope the aquifer replenishes. During the dry season, we pray that we can get through it without warnings and restrictions. Within Orange County, it's not the same. Here in the West, the water is replenished from near the surface, which means that more pollutants can get into the water system. It's a higher risk of pollutants, runoffs, and our area, as you know, is historically more agriculture and more septic towns. So using my D2C3 all the year round, we should change our habits, conserve water use. But here in the western part, it's even more important to clean the water bodies and prevent pollution from going down into the aquifer. Thank you for your time. God bless you all.

Thank you, Dr. Moyer. Thank you. And before we do the next one, I just want to apologize. I know it's a little warm in here. I apologize. It's summer. I got in here at 2.30 to turn it down, and it doesn't seem like it's keeping up sometimes. So I apologize for that. Please, next speaker card.

Okay, Stacey Bryan.

Stacey Bryan, PO Box 315, Apopka 32704. I'm coming before you tonight to speak on Mabel Powell's behalf. Ms. Mabel is one of the homeless or unhoused people that spends most of her time underneath the walking bridge. And on Monday, there was a rain delay. I was out walking. And I sat down just to speak with her. And we were talking and just kind of small talking. We've had a lot of conversations about God, about the Bible, about all sorts of things from our past, just getting to know one another. I consider her a friend. And through all of that, we've never had a political conversation. During that conversation on Monday, she said, Stacy, she goes, who's the mayor of Apopka? And I said, Miss Mabel, you don't know who the mayor is? And she goes, no. And so I told her, and she says, I don't know him. I said, yeah, I said, you probably do. And I pulled up your picture and showed her your picture. And she said, yeah, I've seen him around. She said, Stacey, she says, do you think that he supports homeless? And I said, I can't answer that for you, Miss Mabel. But I said, I would like to think that he does. And I said, not only that, I said, I can tell you that back before he was mayor, he was commissioner. And when he was commissioner, there was talk about a resource center being created. And he actually mentioned one of the buildings within the cemetery to be used for a possible resource center. And so we began talking about what the homeless actually need. She has lost her identification, her identity. Medicare cards, pretty much all of the time she's constantly replacing something. And she has a lot of needs, as do all of the homeless. She is currently 75 years old on the streets. She'll be 76 in August. And so I just wanted to bring this to your attention. She wasn't comfortable enough. And she said, Stacy, will you talk to them for me? She says, will you tell them that we need a place? So I am coming to advocate for Mabel Powell, who has been on the streets in Apopka since the 1980s. She has family here in Apopka. Her son lives in Apopka. And when she is off the streets, she's with her son. But when she's not physically or mentally able, she is usually underneath the bridge during the day. So I wanted to bring that to your attention. I wanted to let you know that the homeless really do need a resource center and that they are crying out for those resources. Thank you.

Thank you, Pastor Brian.

Thank you. Thank you. What's wrong with this thing?

Albert McKamey, 3603 Golden Gem Road. Mayor, commissioners, you all find yourselves here tonight for two reasons. One was perception and the other was morale. The morale in this city became so poor and that was due to the perception of injustice and people wanted a change. I would like to see a change in the culture in the city. For too many years I've come here, and my mind goes back to a young man called Naret Tarang, who came here and complained that he was a whistleblower, that he saw bullying in the city, and he went to HR, made a complaint, and subsequently his position was terminated for... one reason or another, and he never felt that he got justice. So this isn't something that's a new perception. It's something that's been going on for a while. And currently, as much as some of the commissioners say that what goes on in social media is rubbish, then, you know what, I don't report on anything that's rubbish. I only report on facts. And I don't know the facts. I only can tell you that the perception is that the employees are unhappy and the public are unhappy because it's not a happy work environment. And the perception has to be that any business coming to Apopka is going to judge you on how you deal with bullying in the workplace. It's going to judge you on how we deal with sexual harassment in the workplace. Now I'm not saying that's going on, but what I'm saying is there's a perception that the morale in the city employees is not good. There's a perception that public servants in the fire service or the police service face difficulties if they have some complaint that happens at work and the health insurance is in a difficult position while they go through workers' comp or whatever. Now, I can't attest to what those conditions are and why those people are facing difficulties. But what I'm here to ask is, do we need to look at the policy? Do we need to look and see how public employees are being treated if they suffer accidents or something happens to them in their work environment. Because if it does, and they're subject to hardship because of it, it's not a healthy morale for the rest of the staff. It's not going to encourage people to stay in the city of Apopka. If they don't stay, then you're going to be faced with... offer improved conditions, improved remuneration to attract other personnel. We want to keep who we have. Can we find positions for people who can't actively do what they were supposed to be doing before they became ill, just to tide them over?

Thank you, Mr. Rakemi.

Good evening to the dice.

Good evening.

I am reflecting upon our early slaves who settled in what was known as the Rock Spring Plantation. Major William Delk and his 20 slaves settled, or I might say homesteaded, a 3,000-acre tract of the most environmentally sacred land in Northwest Orange County in 1840. Major Delk freed his slaves in Rock Springs in 1863, right after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. He said to them, you're free to go, to avoid having his treasured land seized by the Union Army. William Delk was the father of Joseph Robard, who was his biracial son by one of his slaves. Joseph Robard was sought out by none other than Dr. Howard Kelly before Dr. Howard Kelly purchased what is known now as Kelly Park or slash Rock Springs. It was said that Joseph Robart knew the area because of building dams and other environmentally things to protect that area. He knew the area very well. So the Apaka Chiefs located Joseph Robart for Dr. Kelly. And Dr. Kelly purchased Robart. Rock Springs in 1926, donating the land to the community for their enjoyment. There were three slave owners, two others besides Delk. It was the Goolsbees and the stewards. After that time came, Sarah Mee, a free slave woman who settled at East 6th Street and McGee. The community became known as Sarah Meade's Bottom. Sarah introduced the majority of the early Black settlers who were there until 1937 when the city passed an ordinance prohibiting Black people to live north of the tracks. With that said, as we celebrate Juneteenth, I will forever be indebted to our early settlers. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Boykin.

Thank you. And Bobby Bowie.

I'm Bobby Boy on Boy Scout Road. I've got a couple of things.

Can somebody help her lower the podium itself? Yeah, because I just see your eyes. Okay. There it is. And then you'll be able to speak. Thank you. Thank you. We're going to be challenged. Thank you. Okay.

A couple of years back, I reported a hole that was on the southwest corner of 13th Street where it meets Okoye Papka. It was filled, lasted about three months, and it's been still there and growing. It's big, about three foot long, about a foot wide. Trucks that do cut that corner do fall into that. And it just needs to be fixed. put on somebody's to fill. And the other thing, I have a neighbor that's a trucker, and he is having issues with trying to get through the Edencrest roundabout. I like the roundabouts, but I don't think the bigger trucks were considered on that, although the center circle there is able to be ridden up on. But what's that going to do to that in the long run? I don't know. When we came here 40 years ago, and it was a nice little town, and it was quiet, peaceful. And about five years after we were here, the headlines on the newspaper was, so you thought you'd never see a traffic jam in Apopka. And of course, it's only gotten worse since then. But anyway, I liked, of course, the 267 acres in front of me has all been ripped out. And it's now apartments and townhouses and everything else. And going to be a roundabout for the 429. And I think a market's going to go in there, which I think the neighborhood will enjoy. And a gas station because it's connected to the 429. And that's about all I need to bring to some kind of attention. I don't know. Besides them pumping the water from the retention pond over across into Boy Scout Road.

We used it on the corner of, it was 13th street and.

Okay.

Thank you.

It's that Southwest corner. It's right there on the curve where it, there was a car park right in the middle of the intersection there. He was going to make a left turn. Yeah, we all do it. So I went ahead and cut that a little bit too short and, you know, The back end went into it, but it's no damage or anything for the fact that I know I'm probably not the only one. And it's a yay deep. It's about 10, 12 inches deep.

Well, thank you for bringing it to our attention. We'll take care of that.

Okay.

Thank you. Is there anybody else that did not submit a card that would like to speak during public comment?

Mayor and our wonderful commissioners. Good evening. Glad to be here this evening. First, I want to thank you, as I always do, My name is Virginia Street. I've got to remember to say that. Virginia Street with compassion in Apopka. First, I just want to thank you for your continued support for everything, everything, and I mean everything you continue to do. Not just, and I always, I continue to say, not just Virginia. our leadership, but the people in the audience and people that are online that may be watching that have reached out to me to donate things, to purchase things. I'm exceedingly overwhelmed by the kindness that we have here in the city of Apopka. I'd like to thank Pastor Bryant for bringing up Mabel. She's one of my favorite people. And her words and concerns are real. And you hear them in the meeting today. There's stories after stories after stories that I listen to. You know, everybody's got a unique story about why they're in the situation they're in, why they're sleeping under the bridge, why they're sleeping in a dumpster, you know, why all these things are happening. And you already know that the weather is starting to get hot. We know we can feel it in the room. Okay. But can you imagine having to be unhoused and it's a hundred degrees standing outside? Can you imagine that? I, you know, I stand out there with them sometimes and I, you know, I can't wait to get in my car, just turn the air conditioning on, you know? So it is extremely hot. I'm asking, um, For your help to come up with a remedy. I know we're working on a resource center. And yes, I have told, I mean, they ask me all the time, what is the current administration going to do about a resource center? And I tell them, look, things are coming. Things are coming. We're having the meetings that we need to have. But they need to see something. So I know that the Resource Center and the things that we are currently working on there are moving in a positive direction faster than they ever have. And I appreciate that. What I would like to do is I'd like to come up with some ways of trying to help them. I've already seen signs of heat exhaustion, you know, people passing out because they're so hot. and I just drive around with water in the back of my car because I'll never know who I'm going to see that hadn't had any water for the day. So things that you can think of that you can help me with for this hot season that's going to come up because, I mean, it's not even July, and we're already hitting 100. So the temperatures are rising. The heat exhaustion is happening. Just please help me as much as you can. You can see me personally. You can also go to Compassion in Apopka on Facebook, and you can contact me there. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Street.

Excuse me, Mayor. I have a question. We had two speakers mention the Homeless in a Resource Center. Can we add that to a workshop so we can discuss? Absolutely. Thank you so much. Thank you. Appreciate it.

Leroy Bell, 2308 Blue Meadows Court, Apopka, Florida. Just a couple of things right quick. All veterans that served, I would ask them would they please stand. And for a moment of silence, we lost eight people at Edward Air Force Base in California. A B-52 bomber crashed and we lost all eight. One of the guys served with my grandson. Thank you. Secondly, with the hurricane season coming in, I would just like to ask with the palm trees, with all the limbs and stuff hanging over, with the high wind, that's how we lose a lot of palm trees. And they have the thing they call hurricane, hurricane the tree. That's where they cut all the limbs out, I believe, except two or three that they leave standing up this way when the wind blow it it don't blow the whole tree over and i would like to ask that and also have there been any program in place that to start right now for hurricane awareness here in the city

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Specific to the palm trees, it was one of my priorities as well, and government works a little bit slower than I prefer, but it's my understanding that palm tree trimming should be starting tomorrow. So that will be starting on the main thoroughfares because we've discussed that in the past and it's one that I've definitely heard, well-received, and definitely working on. Specific to hurricane and programs and education side of that, I don't think we have anything formally set. I know the county does in some capacity, but we definitely can do more here locally to educate and provide more resources.

So I was actually at a, I think we all was actually invited to it. It was the, I forgot organization, but they had a, it actually was the, what center was that is a organization that actually with the county that partners with the county and they'll come in and do an educational seminar for our residents. So I'll get the information. I'll get it to you. That'd be great.

It's definitely going to be well warranted and well received. Hopefully we don't have bad hurricanes, but you never know. And I'd rather be prepared than not. So any other public comment, anybody that didn't give a card would like to say anything in general. All right, thank you. Then we will close the public comment period. We will move on to approval of minutes. Has everyone reviewed those minutes? Any questions, comments, any changes? Then I will look for a motion to approve the meeting minutes of June 3rd, 2026. So moved. Moved by Commissioner Barron. Second. Second by Commissioner Anderson. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. All opposed. All right. Motion carries unanimously. We'll move on to agenda review. Mr. Williams, is there any changes to the agenda?

Yes. I apologize, Mayor and Commissioners. Staff need to pull business item number one and number two off of tonight's agenda. We do have some additional adjustments we're looking at before we bring that back to Commission. Okay.

So that's the City of Apopka's administrative policies, number 107.3, procurement proposed revisions. That's business item number one going to be pulled and then put on a later date. And then number two, utility estimated billing policy. and number four for me just for discussion purposes the award of country so that's consent consent yes we'll do that yeah these ones specifically are being pulled off the agenda we're not discussing tonight so yes but yeah we'll we'll get to that and absolutely um because that is important to pull off and discuss it thanks mr williams anything else on that capacity no sir thank you for that uh next we will move on to proclamation so i will come down and present those real quick All right. First one up is our code enforcement appreciation week. And that week is actually the beginning of June. But with June, and I think we'd updated the commission on this, we had some changes made from code enforcement being under PD to now it's under building. We feel there's a little more synergy there and we're going to see how it goes. If it doesn't go well, back to PD it goes.

Yeah.

But super excited about the changes and a lot of team players. And I wanted some of the enforcement officers to be here, but long days for them. So I get it. It's late. So I will read this proclamation. Whereas code enforcement officers provide for the safety, health, and welfare of the citizens in this community through the enforcement of building, zoning, housing, fire safety, environmental, and other codes and ordinances. And whereas the work of code enforcement officers help save lives in improved neighborhoods and and quality of life for the citizens of Apopka. And whereas every day assisted by support and program staff, they provide quality customer service to the public for the betterment of the community. And whereas code enforcement officers are unsung heroes that accomplish code compliance, with their efforts and expertise. And whereas code enforcement officers are dedicated, well-trained and highly responsible individuals who take their job seriously and are proud of their department and the local government within which they serve. And whereas the Florida Association of Code Enforcement or FACE has declared the first week of June be set aside by local government to honor and recognize their code enforcement officers. Now, therefore, I, Nicholas L. Nestor III, Mayor of the City of Apopka, Florida, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the City of Apopka, do hereby proclaim June 1st, 2026 through June 6th, 2026 to be Code Enforcement Officers Appreciation Week. Commissioner, if we can take a picture. Mr. Hanson, if you'll take a picture.

Thank you. I didn't think anybody was here.

Please.

All right, next up is the proclamation for our Juneteenth recognition. Whereas our country is made up of the people from every nation on earth who are declared equal, not only in freedom, but also in justice. And whereas our nation began on July 4th, 1776, with the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the most well-known statement of that document being, we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And whereas on January 1st, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, stating that all persons held as slaves within any state or designated part of a state shall be then, thenceforth, and forever free. And whereas the Emancipation Proclamation made the permanent abolition of slavery a Union War goal and provided legal frameworks for the emancipation of nearly all 4 million slaves as the Union armies advanced. And whereas on June 19th, 1865, almost two and a half years later, Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas and announced the end of both the Civil War and slavery with the announcement, the people of Texas are informed that in accordance with the proclamation from the executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves and a connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere. And whereas Texans began the celebration of Juneteenth in 1866, with the community events such as parades, cookouts, prayer gatherings and musical performances and historical cultural readings. As freed families emigrated from Texas to other parts of the United States, they carried the Juneteenth celebration with them. And whereas on January 1, 1980, Juneteenth became an official Texas state holiday, and whereas the day was recognized as a federal holiday in 2021 when the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act was signed into law. Now, therefore, I, Nicholas L. Nestor III, Mayor of the City of Apopka, Florida, do hereby recognize June 19th, 2026 as Juneteenth in the City of Apopka and encourage all residents to observe this date with appropriate programs, activities, and reflections. Before we take our picture, I do want to welcome up Mrs. Jones for a quick word, please. and Mrs. Morse.

mayor, and commissioners. This is our president, Keomi Jones, but I'm just going to read a little bit of history about Juneteenth, and we want to thank you so much for the proclamation. We celebrate 161 years of freedom since emancipation and honor the generations who fought to make that freedom a reality. We also recognize that many of the rights we value today, including stronger protections for voting rights and equal citizenship, came through the sacrifices and courage of those who stood for justice during the Civil Rights Movement. Juneteenth is more than a celebration. It is an opportunity to learn our history, honor the contributions of African Americans to this nation, and reflect on the resilience, innovation, and determination that have helped shape the United States. So we invite you all, everyone, no color, black, white, all colors, to come out and be a part of our parade and the celebration and gain a deeper understanding of our shared history. Together, we honor the past, celebrate the present, and inspire future generations to continue building a stronger and more united community. Thank you so much. Okay, so the parade, the staging will be on the opposite side, so on the corner of VFW, so 519 South Central Avenue on the Station Street side. That's where we will line up, and we will go down Central to 10th Street, back on Marvin C. Zanders, and then we will end by going directly into the celebration that will be at Alonzo Williams Park at 225 M.A. Board Street. So we invite you all to come out. We want to thank the police and everybody that has been so instrumental in this that we can make this a success on Saturday. And Carolyn Ray. Carolyn for everything. Yes.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

I'm scared of her.

Excellent. All right, we'll move on to the consent agenda. We will be pulling two items and any others that you guys would like to discuss. So one of them will be number four, which is the award contract for RFP 2026A-301, Consultant Services for the South Apopka Annexation Feasibility Study to the Corradino Group, Inc. We're going to pull that for discussion. And then I also want to pull the... Which one? four it's four and number three yes one up yes thank you uh which is the water reclamation facility east plant expansion design uh just some questions aren't going to figure out make sure we're on the same pager and make sure you want to move forward with it so um with those two being removed i will look for a motion to approve consent agenda items one two And five through nine. Moved by Commissioner Ruth, second by Commissioner Anderson. All those in favor, say aye.

Aye.

All opposed? Motion carries unanimously. Mrs. Sherman.

Okay, I'm going to start with item number three.

Yes, ma'am.

Okay. Thank you. I will. The request before you is to approve a negotiated contract for RFQ 2025A-184 for the water reclamation facility east plant expansion. November of 2025, the contract came before council for approval and Tetra Tech was awarded the contract. I want to make sure I got that right. And we were authorized to proceed with negotiations. We have completed those negotiations and it came in at an amount of $4.4 million with a 10% contingency that takes it to 4.9.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So the reason I wanted to pull this is that this is the design for the East Plant down on Cleveland Street. And effectively what this is going to do is just the design of an additional capacity water plant, which we somewhat discussed at the workshop specific to Golden Gem and just some capacity along with... Orange County as well. That question came up of will, have we negotiated anything with Orange County? Do they have capacity for us? And they do have capacity for us and there's options there to move forward with that. Whereas this potentially could cost, would cost, I'm going to say six-figure price tag, but I mean in millions. So it's going to be more than $100 million this entire project. So we need to decide, do we want to spend the $4.5 million, well, a little over, now to do the design when this is not in our capital improvement plan at all anyway? So do we have the appetite to pay for the design now and then hopefully within the next...

Never.

Five, seven, ten years.

I think one of my concerns I brought up is that if we pay for this now and we don't have the money, and then we're going to have to redo it again. So if we don't have the capacity right now, because we don't have $100 million right now. So I think without a strategic plan on how we're going to go from A to Z, I think it's premature to pay for something that we possibly have to update later and pay for probably more expensive. So I just think right now I think we should table it. until we're able to.

Can we use that 4 million somewhere else to build capacity, to build extra? Don't we have a plant there that we're not using?

Yes, and that's being, and I could get this wrong, so please correct me. I believe we have a loan out for $25 million that will be retrofitting the West plant to get it to where we need to be to add that capacity.

That was the SRF.

Thank you. So that is going to be up and coming. The $4.5 million are impact fees?

Yes.

So it would have to be used in expansion to your point, but it could offset some other costs or allow maybe some other projects in some capacity.

Yeah, because I mean, during our agenda review, we were discussing that. And as Commissioner Anderson said, investing $4 million that we can get results from it, rather than a design, and we don't have the money to continue, it would be best to invest that $4 million in something that will have an end result.

Makes sense. Any comments, questions on that front?

I agree.

Okay. So with this being a RFQ, do we have to vote on this in some capacity? Can we just let it die if we don't make any motion at all? Or do we have to make a decision on it?

You don't have to make a decision, but the people who are out there waiting probably deserve to know what's happening.

Okay. Understood. So I will look for a motion to either approve or deny the RFQ 2025-A-184 for the Water Reclamation Facility East Plant Expansion Design.

So I move to deny.

Okay. Do I have a second for denial? Second. Second motion by Commissioner Anderson for denial. Second by Vice Mayor Velazquez. All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

All opposed? Motion carries unanimously. Thank you for that. Next up, we'll be discussing the annexation feasibility study.

Thank you, Mayor. The item before you is to award a contract for RFP 2026-8301 for consulting services for the South Apopka Annexation Feasibility Study to the Corandino Group, Inc. This solicitation was issued on April 26, 2026. We had four responses from Blue Star Holdings International, LLC, SideBite Technologies, Inc., the Corradino Group, Inc., and WGI, Inc. The evaluation committee consisted of Valdemir, our city engineer, Andrew Brown, Antoinette Forbes, and Deputy Chief Daniel Garcia. The qualifications and experience was 35 points. Understanding the scope of service and overall project approach, methodology, and ability to meet timeline was 40 points, and the price proposal was 25. The Corradito Group came in at 96.5. The second one was Blue Star Holdings International LLC at 80.96. We do have Ms. Scarlett Hammonds here with us. the corandino group and she does have a little presentation if you'd like to hear this your course absolutely shoot

Good evening, Mayor and Commission. My name is Scarlett Hammonds. I am a senior planner with the Cordino Group. And I just wanted to just introduce our firm really quickly, just letting you know we are a full-service construction, engineering, planning firm, and we operate throughout all of Florida. We do have our headquarters in Miami, and we have a local office close by here. in Altamont Springs. For this project, we have a team that we've proposed would be led by our president and the CEO of our company, Mr. Joseph Corradino. I would be the project manager. We have an assistant project manager, Alexander Rios, is proposed, and also we would utilize services of a GIS specialist. We have a financial analyst, and we also have engineering services from Keith, which would be a sub-consultant. The tasks in this scope consist of seven. I'll just briefly go through those seven tasks. We would do the mapping, of course, related adjacent areas and unincorporated areas. We would map out the existing water and sewer. The proposed expansion to those services and also the general land use patterns of the proposed annexation area will be identified. We'll go through certification process, and this is governed by Florida statutes confirming the annexation area is contiguous, that it is compactness, its absence of enclaves that would not be created, and also that the portion of the study that would be not the area or subject to exclusion. No portion would be subject, excuse me, I'm stumbling over words. So the urban service delivery plan would be part of the study as well. This will document current service levels within the study area against the city's established level of service for each of these categories. The categories include police, fire, water, sewer, trash, lights, street maintenance, parks, building inspections, zoning, planning, and government administration. And this will happen through the assistance with the city departments. The water sewer service expansion plan will be part of this study. It will be a technical review examining water distribution, the wastewater collection system, and also reclaimed water system. The analysis will assess the technical feasibility of extending the water and sewer to the study area. The basically part of this project will come up with a timeline for this extension if it is determined to be feasible. The proposed timeline will be for construction of water and sewer. It will begin the effective date right after the annexation is finalized. And it will be a part of this final analysis. We'll also look at the financing based, again, on Florida statute requirements, the revenue stream, the expected expenditures to deliver services to that area, and also financing methodology will be proposed. We'll also include communication and documentation. Obviously, this will come to you in the form of a final report. We will coordinate regularly with staff during the process and have key benchmark dates. And it will also be presented to you finally as a final study. We propose a schedule that is approximately two months. It would be, if awarded tonight, it would be starting within the week. And we're looking at early August for a final deliverable. That's my presentation. Thank you very much. And I'm here to answer questions.

Are there any questions from commissioners, please?

Okay. So first I want to say thank you to former Commissioner Smith. I know this is something that was important to him, that was near and dear to his heart. So I'm glad to actually see that is actually moving forward and happening. So just a few things. So I know this is kind of a quick synopsis of kind of the study. But one thing that I didn't see was any type of engagement or any type of engagement with the residents in that area, in other areas. Did I miss that on it? Is that anything in the study? I was looking at that.

That is not part of our scope today, no. That would be, the engagement would be coming for you at the commission meeting.

I think the engagement was supposed to be a separate task like a survey or something that we were going to do.

So I thought that was supposed to happen first.

The last time we talked about it, they wanted to happen at the same time, simultaneously. That was the last discussion we canceled.

Thank you, mine too. We do have a new makeup as well, so we can redefine how we want to do this. You can figure that out.

Yeah, because we have so much, we have a lot of documentation from different workshops. So the one thing I don't want to see this group do is repeat something that we've already done. We've gotten feedback. But as to Commissioner Anderson's point is, I think it's important to have the community feedback somewhere in here. That's important.

I totally agree. Again, the direction that was given when they said to go out for this again was to do both of those simultaneously. Simultaneously.

You were trying to get questions or something, Radley? Was that, when did we decide?

Yeah, there was a discussion about what questions would go out in the survey. And my recollection is the same as we'd put the survey out while this feasibility study was going on.

But I mean a real, like, I would like to see this group actually have community input, like not through a survey.

We'll probably select someone else to gain that community input because that was not a part of their scope. This is just to do the feasibility study. But we can also go and select someone else to do the survey. And I think, Cliff, you recall some of the discussions pertaining to that as well.

So I guess the rationale for me is so I think one or two things probably needs to happen. Either we initially need to do a survey to engage the residents in the beginning or after this is done with the data so they can make an informed decision. Is that because right now I want to kind of understand what we're doing here.

I think you need both. So three things. The survey.

Well, here's the thing. What happened last time, and this is going from memory, is that there was. a faction, I'm not sure who was in what faction, that said, why wouldn't we go doing a feasibility study until we found out whether the residents were interested? And the other said, we should do the feasibility and get the input at the same time. I don't frankly remember how how it ended up going, but that's how I recall it. Because again, there was some number of the council that wanted to find out if the residents really wanted to go forward. There was the other part of the council that said, well, until they know what it is they would be getting, they won't have a good answer to the question on a survey. And so that's how the stuff got muddled is my recollection.

So not simultaneously. So the goal here is to do the study first and then take that data and do a survey to the residents. Is that what we're doing here?

If that's what. Okay. I just want to understand what we're doing here because I don't really. Previous discussions was as he just mentioned. Well, was it simultaneously or was it one and two? What I recall was simultaneous. Simultaneous. Okay. So that's not the same thing. That Cliff just pointed out was a part of that discussion. I guess we got to figure out what we're doing here, I guess. Correct.

That's correct. So this had started, I think this RFP went out December.

We originally went out and remember we only had one and then we stopped. And so this went out, what I said, April of 2026. Oh, excuse me.

Okay. So I'm way off on that. So again, it came from a previous commission makeup. So that's where let's have a discussion of how do we want to proceed or if we want to proceed and what's that look like. And the cost of this, the way that it is right now too, because that wasn't part of anybody's presentation, $44,500. Okay. So I just want to make sure that's out there as well. So it's that discussion. It's do we want to move forward with it? How do we want to move forward with it? In what capacity? What do we want it to look like?

Well, I guess from me, if I was in the study area, I would want to know what that impact is, what it's looked like in order for me to make an educated decision. So I guess the study will give them all the information so they can make a decision on what that looks like. Maybe that was the rationale at the time.

Yeah. And it may not give all the information. I'll put that in there too, because it gives a kind of a high level information, but there'll be more that we need to kind of put out there that residents are going to have questions about that. This study may not be fully comprehensive, exactly how your life is going to be impacted one way or the other. So I don't want to oversell this, that this is going to be telling everything, but at the same time, it's going to have... get us on the right track to have the right conversations to figure out, hey, do we need to engage another vendor or another third party to maybe look deeper into water and wastewater and how we're going to be able to provide that or what that looks like? Or do we need to engage Orange County and see what that looks like depending on their services they currently offer?

And that was the next question because I have been with Orange County. I was like, I don't see any here where we're actually reaching out to the county to get any type of data or anything from them. Does this study include anything with the county? Because I don't see anything about the county here. So I don't know how we can compare.

During the workshops, did the county provide? I believe the county did provide some data.

But it needs to go into this feasibility study in order to accurately get a complete picture.

Yes, it is the intent to work with the county, absolutely. I apologize, I didn't mention that in my presentation, but it is in our overall scope of services that we, the big one. Okay, so the big scope does include the county. It does include, okay, working with the county, yes.

Because you'll compare current level of service on whatever it may be, then match it to ours and kind of compare it. So you will need their numbers and data. We'll need all their data. Locations, their sewer, water, all of that. Correct, okay.

Because I think that was provided to us when we're in one of the workshops.

I remember the workshop.

Information was problematic. I know. I have all the workshop paperwork. Okay. Makes sense now. Okay.

It makes more sense now. Any other questions, Commissioner? Okay. Commissioner, Vice Mayor, excuse me.

No, that's fine. So I guess what we're doing is this. We're gathering the information. Yes, ma'am. And we'll have to survey.

At the appropriate time, we'll start the survey. When we have enough information and have the appropriate questions.

And kind of craft the survey from there. Yes. Okay. That's a little more detailed. Yes.

Of what that looks like. Right. Because the last one was for each of us at the previous.

I understand.

To give what we. Questions. Questions. And we didn't know what to ask. Correct.

And we can engage a third party vendor to help.

To help with that.

Yes. Massage and make sure we're legally compliant as well. Because we can't advocate.

Mm-mm. Correct. No, the whole idea of the study is to get information that would be relevant for the residents who are proposed to be included in the annexation and the city to know what they're getting if they sign on to this and what we are getting as a city if we sign on to this. And that is why you may recall that there is an option, not one that you have to do, but there's an option to have both the city vote and the annexation area vote. So far, my understanding is we would only be having the annexation area vote, but it could be both and require both approvals. You don't have to have the city vote. That's your call, but you can't. But if that's the case, then votes are going to have to line up. If you don't have the city vote because you have the action authority as the commission to say if they vote yes, we want them, then it's literally up to them to say yes, we want to be a part of it.

Thank you for that. Any additional comments from the commission?

I just have a, I guess it's a question. Not a guess. It's a question. So in terms of once we do this study, we get the results from this study and we disseminate the survey. Is this a survey that's going to be a canvassing type survey where we're knocking on doors or is this a internet email survey?

This will be your call. But the real question is not who does a survey, which is a procedural matter. Y'all can decide whether you want to hire a separate company to do it, just like you hired a company to do the feasibility study. It may be the same company that did the feasibility study if they have the ability to do surveys. The real question and what got bogged down last time was what kind of questions do you ask? And based on what data, the assumption is you take the data from the feasibility study and you say this study is done to try to answer as many questions as possible. But once you start picking and choosing the data from the survey or from the study to put in the survey, somebody could accuse you of trying to balance the scales one way or the other. So really what you want to do at the end of the day is here's the feasibility study. You can provide factual answers to questions. That's the kind of limitation on politicking when it comes to an issue that will ultimately be a ballot issue. But that's it. Now, individually, you can advocate for whatever you want. You can go down to the neighborhood and say, hey, this would be great for you guys. Let me tell you all the things for reason why I think it's a great idea. You can also say personally or on your own social media, this is a terrible idea and nobody should ever go for it.

whatever you want to do personally but as a city we are very limited uh uh perhaps creating a citizen a citizen advisory board they would be the same restriction okay they can't spend money advocating for an issue got it but more of reviewing and pulling questions

But again, at the end of the day, the most important thing about whatever you put in the survey so everybody will accept results is that it's, I hate to use this phrase these days, fair and balanced. You understand why I hate to use that phrase. But again, that's really the goal. Because if you're in the area to be annexed, what do you want to know? Are my taxes going up or are they staying the same? Am I getting better services? Is my EMS time quicker? Am I going to have more police, less police, et cetera, et cetera? Are my property values likely to go up, stay the same, go down? All those kinds of questions are the ones that would typically move the needle on how I vote on annexation. And that's the stuff the feasibility study is designed to tell you.

Okay. Thank you.

Well, one of the problems I have, we're doing a feasibility study to tell us if they want to come in. So we're going to spend $45,000 between now and August. Then we're going to have another discussion that's going to move us another $50,000 to go to December. What I'm trying to figure out, how does that relieve the pressure at Michael Gladden and Apopka Vineland when they're asking me, you're doing a study and we need a traffic block? meet a traffic light at Cleveland in Apopka, Vineland, and we're doing studies. It sounds like what we've been doing for the last eight years. We're doing studies, but we're not really doing nothing that helps relieve everybody else's issues. I'm just kind of curious how we got here.

Well, I think how we got here is that you have residents that is in the county that has advocated and want to be part of the city.

Those same residents are stuck at Michael Gladden and Apopka Violent because they can't get- Your question was, how did we get here?

And that's how we got here, is that we had citizens that came in that wanted to be part of the city. And it's been an ongoing conversation for, I mean, since I got on council, even before council, about it. For decades. For decades. It's been decades. It's been decades. So I think it's just one of the former commissioners really advocated for it to bring it to an end. Yeah. Because we just kept kicking a can, kicking a can, kicking a can down the road.

Sounds like we're still doing that.

But no, we're not. We actually, I think we kind of.

If I can. Yeah. jump in real quick here. If we can describe the reason we're doing the study and Ms. Sherman, if you can describe why. I can't just put this onto a ballot. We can't just make a decision.

It's a requirement.

It's a legal requirement. If you're going to take in an annexation area, involuntarily, that's the only way to do it. You know, I can ask to be annexed into the city voluntarily, but to take in an area involuntarily, you have to have that area vote. And part of the issue that goes into the vote is them having information to decide which way they should vote. That is why a statutory requirement is a feasibility study. And it's why I would distinguish that kind of a study from anything else that you may be wanting to study, because This is the only way to proceed with annexation of some portion of South Apopka. If that is still something that the council wants to determine whether or not there's a desire for that amongst the people who live there, that's the only way to get there. A survey would just tell you about interest, but it still would have to have a feasibility study first. And that's why we had the discussion last time. Well, don't we want to know if they're interested before we do the study? Well, don't we need the study to determine whether they're interested? That's where we got it. kind of wrapped around the axle. But legally, the feasibility study has to happen before it can go on the ballot. Period. You don't have to do the survey, but you have to do the feasibility study.

So that's where, that's the next, the rationale for how we got to where we're at and why this is in front of us right now. So, any more comments? We can move to public comment and then we can have a little more discussion.

Okay.

Thank you, Ms. Sherman.

I'll open this up for public comment.

I don't want to talk when I'm talking. So just about my personal preference, my personal viewpoint on the annexation, I'll give you my personal experience that communities in South Dakota don't understand until they're impacted. My friend lost his daughter in a car accident and he had to wait for the ambulance to come from Orlando to save his daughter's life and she died when Apopka was two blocks over so those minutes that people in South Apopka may not think about it is life or death when it comes to your money being paid in the city And you're not being able to receive those things based off a block that you live. People may not agree until it's you.

But that's all. Your name, for the record, please.

Kiyomi Jones.

Thank you, Ms. Jones. Thank you. That's a great perspective. Thank you. I'll say something. I'll say something.

I lived on 319 West Ellijay Gilmore Street for over 10 years. And I have been part of this whole process multiple times. And I don't live there now, but I have tons of family members that live currently in South Apopka that will be affected by the decisions that you guys make. One of the things that Kiyomi just mentioned was that it does change. I personally, living in South Apopka, did have to wait quite frequently. There was a few times that I needed medical services or the police department to come. It took hours for them to sometime respond. So it does make a difference on how it's presented. But also, I don't think a lot of the facts are given to the residents. And I do appreciate Commissioner Anderson asking do the residents have the information so that they can actually make a sound choice? And I think not having, like say, for instance, there's hardly anybody. Is anybody here from South Apopka? Just a wave of hand. Ms. Monique.

Yeah.

Pastor Smith. So there's very few people that are here from South Apopka that are actually knowing what's going on. So I think getting the word out and maybe having a discussion more so open so that they can actually give input, and that will help you with making your decision much easier.

Thank you.

My name is Mark Wright.

Thank you, Mr. Am I?

Am I? Yes.

To the constituency of the city of Apopka, I am the voice of what has been dubbed as South Apopka by many individuals in recent years. First of all, there is no such place. U.S. Postal Service makes no distinction between if you live Apaca Zip Code 32703 or 32712. The proposed study to be funded by the city of Apaca to annex a certain defined section of unincorporated Southern Apaca into the city limits already reek of unfairness. An automated presentation done a few months ago, had only one bidder. There are many questions to be answered regarding this study as I'm witnessing tonight. The city of Apopka proposed spending of thousands of dollars to study annexing a community that lack infrastructure, is poverty-stricken, disenfranchised, blighted, and rural. Using the guise that the city of Apopka can provide better services than Orange County is a hoax and it's a no brainer. US Census defines the community as economically deprived and depressed. Proposed annexation is an opportunity for developers to move forward with unbridled growth in Northwest Orange County without having to go through the rigors slash guidelines established by the state of Florida to annex properties into city limits. Proposed annexation for unincorporated Southern Apaka will fast track a takeover of a historical community using the laws of eminent domain, gentrification, higher property taxes, for sewer hookups, and displacement of its residents. The city of Apaka spoke loudly in 1937, segregating this community. almost 89 years ago. Annexation of Southern Alpaca Unincorporated is not for the betterment of my community. It is for the detriment. Persons seeking and supporting annexation most times do not live in the community and are not experts for what is best for the people of Southern Unincorporated Alpaca. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Boykin.

Thank you, Ms. Boykin.

Monique Morris, 630 East 13th Street, Apopka, Florida. I just would like to say it is what Kiyomi said. I want to ditto to that, that there are many times that when you call the police, someone was walking around my house one night and I'm on the phone saying, hey, somebody's walking around my house. I need somebody here. Several APD pass by and However, they was telling me to stay on the phone, stay on the phone, stay on the phone. Orange County is coming. We won't lose our history if we are annexed into the city. I believe that the government that's closest to you can do best for you. And I... would say, I've been here, I've been on the news about it, talked about it. You know, Mayor Nesta, we've been doing this for a long time about this same situation. I just think the first thing we need to do, maybe the survey, but I think we can go into the churches. We can go into the churches. We have a ministerial alliance that the pastors are a part of. We set up a team, whatever team you guys set up. You go into the churches or you have a meeting in the churches and then you give them and you educate them about it because a lot of the people are elderly, of course. They don't know about the annexation. They're just thinking they're taking something away from me or something like that. So if we're educated to know what it is, then I think people will understand it better. But I know doing a windshield survey and going around, riding around the town, that's not going to do it. We definitely have to get out there and educate the people. And that's first, you can start with the churches, going into the churches.

Thank you, Ms. Morris.

Thank you.

Leroy Bell, 2308 Blue Meadows Court, Apopka, Florida. First of all, if you're going to do a study, the first place you need to start looking, go to Orlando, to Orange County. Yes, there is a place they call South Apopka. And the reason we're called South Apopka, it was back when we had a mayor by the name of Linda Chapman. We had a president of a South Apopka action by the name of Reverend, he's a Reverend now. I believe it was a Reverend then. His name was Reverend Hezekiah Bradford. He went to Linda Chapman and asked Linda Chapman that we needed some dollars in a specific place to be designated there. And that's when they came up with South Apopka for those particular funds after the census. for it to hit the blighted area of South Apopka. Secondly, Commissioner Roof, there's another minister. I don't know if he's a member of the ministerial line. His name is Reverend Jimmy Howard. He'd been up here several times. He got up and he testified right here when his house was on fire. He testified that his taxes went down. Secondly, you got people talking about it's too expensive to live in North Apopka versus South Apopka because both of the people in South Apopka is on a fixed income. That's the farthest. Because just as many people in North Apopka and South Apopka is still on a fixed income. Now, how is it going to be more burdensome for you to live in South Apopka to annex South Apopka when you're already paying water. You're getting service from South Apopka. Apopka paying into the economy of North Apopka. Every time they send their kids to school from South Apopka, they send them to the city of Apopka. Every time they get ready to buy groceries, where do they buy groceries? Not in Orlando. They buy it in Apopka. When they buy gas, when they buy clothes. What the forest is, we're raping these people over here. You mention all the time about the guys that you train. The majority of the professional football players and baseball players, where they come from? South Apopka. You talk about putting in traffic lights, this, that, this, that, and the other. Well, we need to put them in, Commissioner Root. But everything that you do in North Apopka, you burden the people in South Apopka. Look what you just did with the water, with the meters. It's time. It's time to stop overlooking people and bring people together.

Thank you, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, sir.

Hi. I never thanked y'all for your service. I knew what y'all do. It's amazing. Anyway, I'm sort of going to change horses a little bit. But when he came up with stoplights again, and I have talked about having a stoplight at the east end of Boy Scout Road in Apopkoe. I do not think that is maybe correct now. of rethinking there's some areas of time there's very low traffic like 10 or 10 10 30 11 o'clock in the morning and there's no pace in the afternoon if we have a stoplight that's stopping traffic when there's nothing maybe coming one way and we're all sitting there at a light where if we had a four-way stop sign at least when the traffic is flowing or there, they can move and not be sitting waiting, burning their gas and stuff so you don't stop light. It was just some thoughts I had with that. I guess that's about it. The lights are not discriminating about the flow of traffic. Anyway, I'm sort of changing my thing off the stoplight itself. Okay. Thank you, Ms. Bobby.

Virginia Street, 2119 Palm Vista Drive, Apopka, Florida. No, I do not live in the city. But, you know, I'm sitting back there and I'm observing things. This is 2026, and I just really feel like this city has got so much division unnecessarily because of a rule that was set up in 1930-something. They had their reason for what they did, why they did it then. But this is 2026. And there should be some unity in this town. There should be some unity. What example are we setting for our children as they see separation at the middle schools and the high school when the children from so-called South Apopka go to Apopka Middle School? You know, there's no unity. There's no unity here. So there's no unity there. You know, this is really time. We really need to evaluate. The information needs to be given. Facts need to be given. How this is going to impact you. Yes, people are scared of change, but the facts need to be given and good decisions need to be made, not just for how you feel about right now, but for how it will impact your children, your grandchildren, and those that you love that live near you. You know, this is our village. Whether we live in North Apopka, South Apopka, we're driving through it. This is our village. And so we need to have some unity right here. And it's got to start right here. It's got to start right here. That's really all I got to say. Thank you, Mrs. Street.

Thank you.

Albert McKinney, 3603 Golden Gem Road. Earlier on tonight, I mentioned perception. And as we look and people look at Apopka, how are they going to evaluate us? It's not about what we spend. It's about who we are. And if we disenfranchise people because they're not educated, because we haven't taken the time to collect the information that we can give them to help them make a choice, we really don't deserve to be leaders.

Thank you, Mr. O'Keefe. Thank you, sir.

Alexander Smith, 569 Strathclyde Court, Apopka. Mayor, Commissioners, it was 89 years ago when the law was passed that African Americans could live on this side of the track. And it's sad that here we are, 89 years later, still talking about division. Our attorney has told us over and over again, in order for the unincorporated part of the property we're talking about to be annexed, this study is required. When the contract was presented to us before, when I was on the council, my agreement was to vote to delay and have RFPs sent out again because they say that we didn't have enough time to conduct this study. They have done that. Now we have a company now that's ready to do this annexation study, and the time to do it is now. We don't need to put fear into people about annexation. You've heard it said over and over again, right now it's taxation without representation because the people in unincorporated Apopka spend their money inside the city limits of Apopka, but they receive no benefits because they're not city residents. We are talking about building Station 7 on the north side of town. We need a Station 8 on the unincorporated part if we annex it in. So if we can build Station 7 for residents that have not lived here, then why not build Station 8 and annex unincorporated property for those residents that have lived here all their life? We can do whatever we want to do. We don't need to put fear in people. Reverend Howard came and he testified that when he annexed into the city, his taxes actually went down. I've done a study and I've come up with the same conclusion that there'll probably be at least $490 reduction in their taxes by being a city resident. So that's the farce that we're in.