City Council - Regular Meeting

I'd like to welcome everybody to the Apopka City Commission meeting for September 16th, 2026 at 6 p.m. I would like to recognize Commissioner Ruth and Pastor Doug and Representative Bankston, please, for invocation.

I think everybody knows who Pastor Bankston is and our house rep. Yes, sir. Thank you for coming in.

Amen. Thank you. Commissioner Ruth, can you listen to the Pledge of Allegiance?

You may be seated. Thank you. Thank you, Pastor Bixen. All right, we will open up our public comment period. Mrs. Bone.

Thank you, Ms. Martin. Thank you, Ms. Martin. But just for the record, and we'll talk to the attorney. So I'm not really sure because I'm a person. I don't like looking people in their face and telling them something that I can't commit to. I don't know. I know we've met with different attorneys. I met with our city attorney and also with the insurance company attorney. But from my understanding, there hasn't been anything that came for the council. And I'm not sure. I'm not sure what that looks like. And I'm not even sure if that's even legal. I'm not sure what type of discussion you and the

Thank you. No one else? All right. We will close public comment period. Sure. If we can get a card filled out, please. We ran out of cards.

All right, we'll move on to the approval of minutes. Two sets of minutes here. Looking for a motion to approve the two sets of meeting minutes as presented.

Move by Commissioner Barron, second by Vice Mayor. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed? Motion carries unanimously. Mr. Williams, any changes to the agenda?

The CRA extension extension. on the stop-set date. All right, next up we have a presentation, Bike Walk Central Florida. Miss Sanchez, present here. Miss Bush, please.

Well, keep in mind, too, that specific intersection, I run that one often. And so I am one of those pedestrians that is dodging cars and sometimes yelling at cars. So I definitely know firsthand that that one does need some love. Keep in mind, I mean, that that's a pass through not only just for our residents, but also for Lake County coming through. So it takes a lot more education than just a few times, unfortunately, especially for that one as we grow and as Lake County grows as well.

Any additional comments? Yeah, let's don't forget about Old Dixie and going to the park, neither. We don't have a means of getting from the west side of Park Avenue over to the park. Right, to the park, we don't. And Old Dixie is the main, it's the oldest road we have in the city, and it's the one that's, there's no sidewalks there, neither. So, I hope we take in our... our CRA district, we start circling back and start taking care of some of these deficiencies.

Thank you. Thank you so much. We appreciate you. Thank you so much.

Thank you. All right. Next up, we've got two proclamations, so I will come down and read those. All right. First up, please come on up. We are going to be recognizing our CRA and Economic Development Director, Ms. Antoinette Forbes, and her team as well for all the good things they do. So I'll read the proclamation here. It's Florida Redevelopment Week. Whereas community redevelopment agencies, CRAs, and redevelopment programs play a vital role in revitalizing neighborhoods, addressing areas of slum and blight, strengthening the local economies and revitalizing downtowns and improving the qual

So we're gonna take a picture. We're doing pictures a little bit different. So bear with us as we navigate this.

Next up, we have Hispanic Heritage Month Proclamation. We do have an event coming up on the 26th in Caitlin Nelson Park. So we are excited to celebrate that. It's going to be retooled a little bit and we'll be using the new little mini amphitheater out there. So very excited for that. It's going to be a really good event. So I'll read the proclamation. Whereas National Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the accomplishments of Hispanic Americans who have enriched our culture and society and helped make America into the incredible country it is today. And whereas Hispanic American men and women

We have Advent Health here as they are a title sponsor for our Hispanic Heritage event coming up later this month. So we have Mr. Hillman here who will be receiving this proclamation.

But we will definitely get that in Spanish and make sure it's translated appropriately. Thank you for that. All right. We're on to the consent agenda. Any questions or concerns? Whose pen is this? Is this your pen?

Any questions on consent? Anything we want to discuss separately? Need to be pulled. If not, I will look for a motion to approve the three consent agenda items. Move by Commissioner Anderson. Second. Second by Vice Mayor. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed? Motion carries unanimously. All right, next up, business item number one, the review of resolution number 2025-34, our discretionary fund. For this one specifically, this was one that, and I know Mr. Williams can jump in as needed, We had established this last year, and then staff had asked me for some direction and clarity on it.

The only one that I have is I think it's important that we understand it's not our money. And I think that there needs to be some strong wording in there that it's not our money to spend personally for, you know, theater for us to entertain ourselves and our friends now outside of that what i'd like to do is i'd like to see if we can you know either privately or have a discussion with our attorney to find out what those guardrails could be obviously i think that there needs to be some strong wording in there to where that we could assemble this in a manner that there's going to be a paper trai

And I want to say for the record, what's interesting is that what I've found since this new administration has taken over, every time that I've decided to use a resolution, it comes up for review. And it's always when I'm using it for events or something that's diverse. And I think it's very strange that right before this council meeting on a hate page on social media, it talks about discretionary funds and linked me to some form of abuse of it. And that was on the agenda. So I think it's important that we don't spend so much time trying to attack people. a commissioner that is simply followin

So to be clear, we're not talking about the discretionary funds for the commissioner. We're talking about resolution 2025-34 in regards to community events is what I'm talking about. I'm the only person that is trying to use the community event, not the discretionary funds. I actually have everybody reports. I'm actually the only person who have not used my discretionary funds this year. So I'm not talking about discretionary funds. I'm talking about the use of the event, the amphitheater. That's what I'm referring to.

All right. I was personally singled out. I have no clue what you're talking about. And my comments to staff on Monday was strictly about discretionary funds. I have... I said in my gender meeting this week, what you're speaking of, I know nothing about. I wasn't on the dais. And I haven't talked to anybody on this board. And I've even made records requests. My records request today was... for what our discretionary funds were spent on. Thank you for advising me that there's something else going on. I don't know what you're talking about.

I guess a ghost is reporting information to social media.

So with that being said, I 100% agree. The issue is, is that that sounds so great. And I said the same thing. But until you are the person under attack, until you're not the one that cannot take your daughter outside because people are passing by your home, easy to say, until it's you. It is me. This is my life. It's real. And I know, trust me, I 100% want to move the city forward. But I'm the one that's getting attacked. My daughter is the one in school that's getting attacked. It's easy when it's not you. But when it's you, it's different. It's people on the diocese, the ones that's feeding

I'll open up to public comment. Do we have any cards for this one? We'll close public comment then. Any final comments on this? You're per the policy, but I'll allow it. I just need the card filled out, but we're supposed to be filling out all cards prior to the meeting starting. So please make sure to fill out a card.

Thank you, Mr. Hall. All right, so we'll close public comment period. Mr. Hall, if you can, just fill out a card for this one, please.

Well, I just think it's important if we're going to tell the customer, our residents that money's tight. And, you know, we're not going to, you know, we're. Things are so tight that making the investment in the roads and the infrastructure, you know, the lack of police service and fire service and everything's tight. I want discretionary funds to reflect it. So I'm just trying to be well rounded and, uh. The rest of the stuff we've been talking about, I don't know what they're talking about. I don't watch social media. I leave at 5 o'clock in the morning, drive to the coast. We're trying to bu

But when you say two events, is that two events? Is that 10 events, two per commissioner?

Have we done a workshop to know what the value of this request could be?

So what's interesting, like I stated before, I'm the only person has requested to use this and now this on the agenda as a hit item. And I pressed my case and it was converted. Obviously, people have got together how things already pre-highlighted. And this is just an example. No, it was highlighted. You should also say you sent an email.

I wasn't finished. I wasn't finished. Actually, you interrupted me. as I was stated, was I was the one who wanted to use the policy that she just read out. And now it's a business item discussion on the agenda. Anything, any policy that I want to use or that I attempt to use, it usually appear up the next meeting as an attack item to try to change it. So I won't be able to utilize it. It has happened. And I will go and I'll do a whole presentation so you guys can see it. The community can see what has been happening under this administration.

Who do we ask for the request? I know nothing about what we're talking about. Is this what we asked you? I asked you Monday what this was.

I wasn't on the dais. I don't know what it was and I don't know anything about the request, although I asked.

And where this came into play and why this, again, I preface this right as soon as we started, non-emotionally, in that Staff asked me, okay, what does this look like for these requests? And I said, I cannot dictate that. This is a commission-led initiative. The commissioners can choose how this goes. What was requested was an event that is a private event, separately ticketed, non-commissioner or mayor-led, private event that would cost the city about $13,000. I can't make that decision to spend that money. And I need the commissioners to tell me, are we okay to spend that money as a commissi

Well, the one comment I want to make to this is my dear friend, his wife passed a month ago. I came in here and requested the facility at the VFW to hold a funeral. You know, Nobody volunteered that to me. And we paid for the event out of his pocket. I would have liked to have known that there was an avenue like this. He was only the city administrator for 25 years. But, you know, what I'm trying to get at is nobody told me that this even existed. So I'm hearing this for the first time and had no clue what this was about. But you would think that Somebody may have said, hey, you know, you got

Well, for the record, anything moving forward, the request has already been made. So any change to this policy would not affect the request already made. If it is, there will be ethics complaints, there will be lawsuits filed because that would be straight discrimination. This has already been asked for. It was already a resolution that was very clear where I could use it. And if this council go against it, I promise you there will be lawsuits and ethics complaints filed on everyone up here because it's straight discrimination. It is straight discrimination. Well, no one asked, actually. No on

I mean, one of the eligibility is it's no one even asked to what extent or what type where I was doing at the event.

No one knows exactly what's going to happen at the event. We just assume you don't know what's before, after, during. No one knows. And if no one asked me absolutely nothing about the event, everyone just got together with a whole attack agenda.

Commissioner Ruth knew. And again, at the end of the day, too... And we'll wrap this up. I just need direction for staff. That's all this comes down to. Call to attack. Be dramatic. Feel free. Threaten litigation. Have fun with that. Please.

I'm still talking right now. You are out of order. You are out of order.

OK, what we will do is I'm open to we can keep it the same. I think the original spirit of this was to be a commission led event that was not charged, not separately ticketed. That was to be for commissioners to engage the public. and that's what it should be used for. However, if Commissioner Anderson wants to spend $13,000 on a separately ticketed event, that's up to her. So what we can do moving forward is put like a not to exceed number of the total cost of an event for staffing, things of that nature, should not exceed XML, $500, $1,000, $1,500. And that the event should be organized and

And for the record, that is actually not true. No one asked me the details of it.

I think the amphitheater was $4,000. You have different varying costs depending on time, date, all of that. So they're all different.

Is that included in the... That total... Well, what I'm recommending is the total cost. The total cost of what would be the rental for it, and then what would be the total staffing cost for that. What do we not to exceed for these events? Because we need a budget for this. At the end of the day, it needs to be a line item somewhere.

It's one of the hazards of discretionary funds, which I'm deadly opposed to anyway, so...

Well, again, the spirit of this was because the commission at the time would not allow public comment in a more open and videoed manner. So we had to do events like this because I had commissioners that would not vote for open public comment. So what's that number look like for not to exceed? Or do we want to table this and we can bring it back up, think about it, discuss it with context?

Who would I ask in staff to supply me with the information that we're discussing?

I'll make a motion to table. Okay. Do you have a date, sir? Or just in perpetuity right now? I'd prefer it be in perpetuity until we can find out a little bit more about what we're trying to accomplish here because I'm not opposed. I mean, I'm opposed to discretionary funds for this exact reason. There's too many hazards. Although it affects some of our community members here that I greatly appreciate what they do.

Agreed. All right. So we have a motion to table the review and edit of resolution number 2025-34. Looking for a second. Second by Commissioner Barron. All those in favor say aye.

All opposed? No. Motion carries four to one with Commissioner Anderson in opposition. Next up, we have ordinance number 3098.

Thank you. Any questions to applicant or staff? Anybody on public comment would like to speak with us? Okay.

Thank you, Mr. Olson. All right, I'll look for a motion to adopt ordinance number 3098. So moved. Moved by Vice Mayor, seconded by Commissioner Ruth. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed? Motion carries unanimously. Next up, ordinance number 3099.

Dr. Son. No changes. Thank you, sir. Any questions to staff or applicant? Anybody in the public wishes to speak on this? If not, I will look for a motion to adopt ordinance number 3099. Move by Commissioner Ruth. Second. Second by Vice Mayor. All those in favor say aye. All opposed? Motion carries unanimously. Next up, ordinance number 3158.

Dr. Stone? No attendees. Thank you, sir. Any questions to staff or staff? Staff. Anybody from the public wish to speak? We'll close public comments. Look for a motion to adopt ordinance number 3158. So moved. Moved by Vice Mayor. Seconded by Commissioner Ruth. All those in favor say aye. All opposed? Motion carries unanimously. Next, ordinance number 3159.

Thank you, sir. No changes. Thank you, sir. Any questions to staff? Not anybody from the public. Close public comment. Looking for a motion to adopt ordinance number 3159. So moved. Moved by Commissioner Ruth.

Thank you. Any questions to the staff or applicant? Any public comment? I will look for a motion to adopt ordinance number 3164. So moved. Moved by Commissioner Ruth.

Motion carries unanimously. Next, ordinance number 3170.

Thank you. Any questions to staff or applicant? Not. Anybody from the public? I will look for a motion to adopt ordinance number 3170. So moved. Moved by Commissioner Barron. Second by Commissioner Ruth. All those in favor say aye. All opposed? Motion carries unanimously. Next, Ordinance Number 3173.

Mr. Samanofsky. All changes. All right. Thank you. Any questions to staff? All right. Open to public. Any public? All right, look for a motion to adopt ordinance number 3173. So moved. Moved by Commissioner Ruth. Second by Commissioner Barron. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. All opposed? Motion carries unanimously. All right, we have a city administrative report. Nothing to report tonight. Thank you, sir. City Attorney, this isn't your last one.

Well, the one person sitting on the dais that I can actually say, I made the motion to hire you. So, and it's been a good ride. I didn't get to spend the rest of your time here with you, but you were always a friend to me. And I always valued your opinion. And even when I thought I knew better, you were always that little voice that says, step back and take a deep breath and see it from somebody else's shoes. So I appreciate that. Thank you.

Yes. Let me echo some same sentiments. Just thank you for your help and assistance throughout this process. And I appreciate you're always very direct and not emotional responses. So I've always appreciated that about you. So thank you, sir, for that.

And also, Attorney Shepard, we have had a lot of calls and I'm definitely, definitely going to miss the guidance and the wisdom. And every time I call, you spend a lot of time asking questions and very honest, very direct. Always, always errant on the side of what was right and not your opinion, but factual and what was law. And I appreciate your comments. I appreciate your guidance. Even sometimes I didn't want to hear it. But I thank you for always, always doing what's right and not really following your opinion, not following anyone's opinion, really. You always said, I don't like it, but t

Thank you, sir. Thank you for everything. Enjoy your retirement. All right, next up. Well deserved. Yes. Next up, we have City Commissioner reports. Commissioner Ruth. I'm done. All right. Vice Mayor.

Awesome. All right. I got a few things and we'll get out of here. I do want to thank obviously Monday morning, you wake up to, we have a, not a St. Cole, Apopka Police Department, to a depression in Welch Road that was a water main break. So I just wanted to say thank you to our utilities teams and to PD for being out there to keep the roads safe and blocked off appropriately. And then to our utilities teams for being out there and just knocking that out. It was about 15 hours from the actual break being reported to cars driving on it. So just really appreciate that team. They really came toge