Good evening, mayor and commissioners. Um, we have a handful of presentations and proclamations for this evening. Our first item is item 5A. This is uh kind of a recap on the Special Olympics torch
run. And with us this evening, Sergeant David Keegan. Uh he's going to come to the podium and offer some some results and information. Hello. Good evening. U David Keegan with Waring Police Department. I was asked to come up and do a small presentation
about our law enforcement torture that we host for Special Olympics. our agency the long uh the waring police department has been fundraising for Special Olympics since well into the early 90s but it really was mostly just some shirt sales and small events that we did to fund raise. It wasn't until 2013 when we
put a small team together to aggressively start fundraising for large scale events. Uh we've done events like tip a cops, plane pull, polar plunge, but our primary fundraiser has been our 5K and um that has been just our breadandbut
fundraiser for over the years. Some things have come and gone, but with COVID we were able to get our race off and continue on for 12 years being very successful. Um a lot of people look at fundra at Special Olympics as just a sportsdriven program, but it's so much
more than sports. They offer programs such as young athletes, which deals with two to seven year olds with unique sports play programs to help improve children's physical, cognitive, and social um and socially through sports and play. They offer athlete leadership,
which is a variety of opportunities for our athletes to conduct to be part of input councils, which provides input and feedback about programs within Special Olympics. They are part of the global messenger program which teaches athletes public speaking so they can go out and advocate for themselves and provide
confidence and leadership skills with their future endeavors. And they also have an a program called the athlete congress where delegates recommend policy for the special Olympics movement. And they also have a Capitol Hill day in Washington Washington DC where they're able to go and meet with
Congress uh members of Congress from their state so they can discuss Special Olympics policy and advocate for themselves moving forward and state programs and policies. Special Olympics is also the provider of the largest freebased medical health care for athletes. They
cover seven different um medical issues with vision, hearing, general physical checkups and wellness, podiatry, dental, physical therapy screenings to test for functionality testing. They go over diets and what they also call strong
minds, which is to help with coping skills and emotional wellness for our athletes. Over the years, um, our fundraising is really focused on not just trying to just raise money, but also to bring awareness. One of the things that we do is we also have for
our sponsorship levels of our 5K, we team up our 5K sponsors with an athlete, a local athlete, so they get to actually meet an athlete and be feel like they're part of a more than just here to help fun raise funds and and join our race, but also to get to put a face with the
name and kind of meet one of our athletes. Um, one of our athletes I brought for you today is my buddy Josh. Josh, come on up here. This is Josh Peak. Josh is on the best bot team going around. Correct. Who's the coach? Who?
Yes. Who's the coach? Me. Thank you. We've we've practiced this. Yeah. So Josh is uh on our Botchi team. He's also um he is a uh bowler. He's done a multitude of sports. He's currently though he came left his play early. He's
involved in some plays over in Lakeland at the Lakeland Community Center Lakeland Community Center. Um, so yeah, Josh is a great a not just a great athlete, but he's a great friend and he's someone who we really appreciate. And I say we, I mean myself, Lieutenant
Samantha Phillips as well. Um, you know, it's getting to meet people like Josh and getting really to It's just not just raising funds for somebody. It's raising funds for like my friend Josh. And this year, um, this year was a great year for us. Our estimated donation this year from
our 5K alone, we estimate it will be $21,821, which brings our total since 2013. Since we, Samantha and I have been really pushing the team to get it through, our year-to- date donation with that donation there will be $278,7849. Yeah.
[Applause] But you know that donation wouldn't be possible. It's not just Samantha and I. It's it's our it's our members, our civilian members, our sworn members who are giving up their time. They volunteer their time and they come out and they help us out. Our business community, uh
this is not something, as you are well aware of, we put in the budget. We don't try to slide this in there in the budget to have it approved. Um, it's something that our business community comes to and they help basically put this event on for us. They fund it for us, but it's also the team here in the city of Winter Haven.
Uh, our parks and recck team work great with us. Uh, they give us everything we need. I know the one person that can really be a thorn in their side is right here, but I push for it because I care for it and they know it and they, you know, they help us out as much as they can. Um, but that's really our program in a
nutshell. We're really happy we're able to donate this. I say estimated cost because I have another event planned for the end of the year. Um I'm working with the fire department to try to get off. It'll be our fire truck pull. We did one during COVID. It went okay, but um we think that we're going to be able to do
a much larger event and hopefully hopefully have another second event like our 5K that can start generating funds for Special Olympics. But with that, this year we usually design our own 5K medals. Usually it's someone in house at the police department. We
usually put together a medal for our 5K for our finishers. This year though, we ran out of ideas. Um so we reached out to a local athlete and said, you know, we reached out to a coach who has an athlete who's is into art and we said, "Do you think she could come up with something?" She's like,
"Yeah, I'll send her a message." 15 minutes later, that athlete sent me a me sent me a design. 20 minutes later, she sent me five more. Um we went with the first one because it was great. and we're going to present that here to you guys tonight. Josh, can you please help Samantha? Coach Sam, we'll get up there
and give them the medals. Do you have any questions for me that anything about the programs? No. So, mayor and commissioners, this was an opportunity to highlight something unique that the Winter Haven Police Department is involved in that reaches back to a very special uh segment of our community. And
you all get a medal without having to step one foot onto a 5K road race. You can see right insidence. [Music] way back. All right, we have three. One, two, three. One more.
Thank you, David. This is just so you know our race is already and lastly u this is for everyone our race has been approved by the parks and rec committee so we will be on March 14th 2026 we'll have sign up soon on active.com or through the city
we'd love to have you all join us and that's all thank you thank you David. So, uh, mayor and commissioners, our, uh, first proclamation this evening is going to be for child abuse prevention month. And with us, we have Taiisha Gent, uh, community engagement
specialist and Katie and Parchment Resiliency Coordinator with H Heartland for Children. Deputy City Manager MJ Carnival will present this proclamation. Good evening, Mayor and City Commissioners. Whereas Florida is committed to improving the lives of all Flityians and securing a better future for the citizens of this state and
children who have adverse childhood experiences are at a higher risk of short and long-term physical, psychological, and behavioral challenges that can impact the individual and the greater community. And whereas parents and care caregivers who have resources and support are better equipped to give their children safe and nurturing
experiences. And whereas children have better mental health, physical health, academic success when they are raised in a safe, stable, and nurturing environment. And whereas the Florida Department of Children and Families Secretary has a vision for holistic services by integrating systems and services. And whereas the state of
Florida has established Hope Florida, a pathway to prosperity, a personalized approach to helping families overcome barriers to self-sufficiency through community collaboration. And whereas Flidians can call 850-300 hope to speak with a care navigator for support to develop a plan to achieve
economic self-sufficiency, referrals to local partners, and help identify goals and barriers in their lives. And whereas during the month of April, prevent child abuse Florida in collaboration with the governor's office of adoption and child protection, the Florida Department of Children and Families, the ounce of pre prevention fund of Florida implements
pin wheels for prevention, a statewide coordinated campaign to raise awareness of child abuse prevention efforts by teaching about healthy child development and positive parenting practices and establishing circle of parents peer support groups. And whereas child abuse prevention month provides everyone a
chance to learn how they can play a role in preventing abuse and neglect, including adverse childhood experiences. And whereas child abuse prevention month reminds Flidians of all ages that they can help children increase positive childhood experiences which lead to happier, healthier childhoods. Now
therefore, Nathaniel J. Birdsong Jr., mayor of the city of Winter Haven, Florida, does hereby extend support to all observing April 2025 as child abuse prevention month in the city of Winter Haven, Florida. and witness whereof he has here to set his hand and cause the seal of the city of Winter Haven,
Florida to be affixed this 24th day of March, 2025. Signed, Nathaniel J. Birdong, Jr., mayor. Attest Vanessa Castillo. Thank you. Thank you. And thank you for having us. This is my favorite city to present in. Um, but we do have a response. Thank
you for proclaiming April as child abuse prevention month. We appreciate the involvement of Pulk County in the pin wheels per prevention campaign each year. We are delighted that many cities, schools, and county municipalities are displaying pin wheels and talking about
what we can do to strengthen families and keep children safe. Pin wheels for Prevention uses a simple child's toy, a blue and silver pin wheel to remind us of the happy and healthy childhoods that all children deserve and to also remind us that everyone plays a vital role in
keeping children safe. Hartland for Children is proud to be the lead community-based care agency under the Department of Children and Families. We are passionate about child safety and strengthening families through services and resources. To give you a better understanding of the families that we
serve, here's a little bit of data. The total number of children with open child welfare cases for Pulk Highlands and Hardy counties, which is the tri county area that we serve, as of February of 2025, is 1,728, which is down from last year
because we had almost 1,900 last year. Total number of children removed from their homes in the tri county area due to abuse and neglect the last fiscal year 2324 was 589. Currently there are
1,553 active DCF cases in Pulk County alone. 1,141 of the 51 um 1553 have been removed from their homes and placed in out of home care. 585 out of the 1141, which is
51.3% of these children are in traditional foster homes, meaning that they're not with relatives or non- relatives. Um 143 of the 584 85 are placed in fost foster homes outside of Pulk County, meaning that we
could not identify a family or a home in Pulk County that could house those children. Our greatest need facing our system of care is quality foster homes. Total current number of traditional foster homes in the tri county area is
162. Out of that number, the total number of traditional foster homes in Pulk County is 148. We are in need of about 50 additional traditional foster homes in Pulk County alone. In Highlands County, we have about 10 um foster
homes. And in Hardy County, we have one traditional foster home. For the fiscal year of 23-24, 167 children were adopted in Circuit 10. So, that's something to be joyful for. We are on track to at least reach that number this fiscal year by
already securing forever homes for 126 children. So, please visit our adoption gallery on H Heartland's um for children's website for more information. During the month of April, we encourage you to display the pin wheels and share information with others through conversation and social media about
child abuse prevention. We ask that you wear the pin wheel lapel pen um that you all have been provided with or will be provided with um to wear aware to um raise awareness about child abuse prevention. We want our community to understand that together we can have a
huge positive impact on children in our community. Thank you again for your commitment to children in Winter Haven and Pole County abroad. All kinds of swag tonight. Thank you. Thank you very much. Oh, thank you. That's fine. Thank you.
[Music] We have one more uh proclamation this evening. Thank you. Uh, and for this one, I'm going to ask for uh Cassidy King, our customer relations specialist, and Elliot Santiago Legaro, our water conservation specialist with
Winter Haven Water to come forward. Proclamation reads as follows. Whereas water is a basic and essential need of every living creature. And whereas the state of Florida's water manage state of Florida's water management districts and the city of Winter Haven are working together to increase awareness about the
importance of water conservation. And whereas the city of Winter Haven in the state of Florida has designated April, typically a dry month when water demands are most acute, as water conservation month to educate citizens about how they can save Florida's precious water resources. And whereas the city of
Winter Haven has always encouraged and supported water conservation through various educational programs. And whereas every business, industry, school, and citizen can make a difference when it comes to conserving water. And whereas efficient irrigation
design, programming, and maintenance can conserve water, city of Winter Haven will encou encourage its citizens and businesses to evaluate their irrigation systems for potential efficiency enhancements. Now, therefore, Nathaniel J. Birdong Jr., Mayor of the city of Winter Haven, Florida, does hereby
proclaim April 2025 as water conservation month in the city of Winter Haven, Florida, and calls upon each citizen and business to help protect our precious resource by practicing water saving measures and becoming more aware of the need to save water. For this
year, the 27th year of water conservation month, there will be a special focus on irrigation system evaluations and education. In witness whereof he is here and to set his hand and cause the seal of the city of Winter Haven, Florida to be affixed this 24th day of March, 2025. Signed, Nathaniel J.
Birdong, Junior, mayor. Attest Vanessa Castillo, city [Applause] clerk. Good evening, Major Benong Jourer and commissioners. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak today and for your continued commitment to our
community's f future. Water conservation is key to ensuring that we have a sustainable future as we facing growing challenge like climate change and rising population. It's important that we all play a part in conserving this precious
resource. A key component of this effort is educating our community on efficient irrigation practices. By helping residents understand how to properly water their landscapes and use irrigation systems more
effectively, we can significantly reduce waterways and improve conservation efforts across the board. By recognizing water conservation today, we're making a statement that our community values sustainability and is taking action for
a better tomorrow. Every small step counts from reducing waste to adopting water efficient technologies and being mindful of our usage. I appreciate your support of this important cause. Together, we can protect our water
future for for future generations and ensure our community thrive for years to come. Thank you. [Applause] Mayor and commissioners, we had one other proclamation. It's my
understanding that those individuals were not able to be with us this evening. That's family abduction awareness day proclamation. So we will see that that is uh transmitted to them accordingly. We do have one final presentation um which is from Miss Jane
McInness, president uh of the Winter Haven Women's Club along with Kimberly Bur, committee member uh in recognition of the women's clubs of Winter Haven's Flight of Honor project. So I'll invite them to the podium at this time to make their presentation.
Good evening, Mayor Birdong, Mayor Prom Yates, Commissioner Mercer, Commissioner Dansler, Commissioner Dolles, City Manager Stavveris. Thank you for the opportunity to share some exciting news from the
Women's Club of Winterhaven. We were challenged is each of the 189 General Federation of Women's Clubs in Florida was challenged to make a financial contribution for our GFWC
Florida's President's Project, Flight of Honor. This will transport 172 female veterans in Florida to Washington DC on March 11th,
2026. The financial goal of this project is $150,000, which includes all of the flights, the accommodations, and all of the expenses for the veteran and her guardian.
Well, challenged with this task, the project evolved to our not just raising funds for this once-ina-lifetime event, but has become another gift to the city
of Winterhaven from our 111-year-old organization. We are creating a book, Florida is golden, richness in nature. It will showcase the beauty that
presently surrounds us and will be available to purchase with all of the proceeds donated to Flight of Honor. I would like to introduce you to Kimberly Burr who will give you the specifics and
invite your active participation in our creation of this book. Thank you. Thank you Jane. Um thank you again for the opportunity opportunity to explain the details of our project. As Jane described,
capturing our current surroundings is important for historical purposes. In a sense, we are all documentarians, which is why we bring this exciting endeavor before our city leaders. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and in this
case, the eye of the observer is our average ordinary citizen, you and I, and others. We also hope that professional photographers will donate their works. The visual storyteller, the person who is intent on capturing the details of
the nature and the landscape in the area in which we live is PK County obviously will be highlighted highlighted. Therefore, we are inviting submissions of pictures with a title or inspirational sentence to be transmitted by email and in that case the committee
will choose such pictures. A release will be signed and the donation in the compilation of the first 100 printed copies has allowed I say a donation that was very generous has allowed for the GFWC of Winter Haven to meet their
initial goal in this historic endeavor benefiting worthy women veterans. Subsequent publications of this book, which we know we will sell more than 100, uh will of this picturesque beauty will also continue to be a fundraiser for the women's club of Winter Haven. It
will be used in many ways. It will use be used to continue to endorse, support, and uplift various community entities and programs as noted on our website, of which there are many. We have prepared contact cards to distribute to the
general public with details on how to submit photography and how to pre- purchase the November 2025 book release. Thank you again. We esteem all of our leaders and citizens present here tonight. We thank you for the support.
Um I see friendly faces back there. So we already know that we have many supporters. Thank you for all the ways in which you work diligently to improve all of our lives. We appreciate [Applause]
you. We have contact cards, but we're not ready to pre-sell the book. We're not here to solicit tonight. We feel like that's not our goal. We just endeavor to tell you of our intentions and hope that you join us when the time is is appropriate. And also we hope to
see this book in print soon uh and have it all over our city and go outside of Pulk County and all around the nation because Florida is golden. Richness and nature is a beautiful title. Jane will be overseeing this. She will have a committee. She will be the author. She
will have a committee that is helping her compile all of this. So there are quite a few of us that are already supporting Jane. Does anybody have any questions? No questions, but I'm just really thrilled that you all are are doing
this. Thank you. Thank you, Mayor Bird. Yes, Jane and I both have uh devoted our lives to supporting the military, so this is definitely in our wheelhouse. Thank you, Mayor. Yes. Uh would you tell us how um they can mail me in or what
they have to do to get their art piece into you? Yes, we've created a email website on our contact cards that we have with us tonight. It is wc ofwhlighthonorgmail.com. Um and we will have those in the back after the meeting is over after tonight's is adjourned for
um for you to distribute or pick up and pass out. Um basically you can submit in any form. It can even be a picture of a portrait. Uh we will be soliciting several professional photographers to take part that we feel are of note in
Pulk County, but we also really want this to be our vision is really we would like to solicit as many members of GFWC as possible to be represented, but we want to have a nice kaleidoscope of citizens present because
we feel like this book is something to cherish. It will be historical eventually. It's current now, but it will become historical and we feel like it needs to represent a large population here. Thank you. All right.
Thank you. And we would really love to have a submission from each of you for this book. Absolutely. Yes. Okay. Any other questions? Thank you for your time. Thank you. [Applause]
We have no developments of note. Commissioners, you have the minutes. I entertain a motion. Mr. Mayor, yes. Motion to approve the minutes from the March 5th, 2024 city commission agenda review session meeting minutes. Thank
you. I will close commission meeting. Open the public hearing. Anyone wishing to speak to this item may do so at this time. Seeing none, close the public hearing. Reopen the commission meeting. Is there any discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Opposes by the same
sign. here. Done. The minutes are adopted. Okay. We have uh four people that have signed up to speak and um I think all of them except for Goff
Harlon wanted to speak on Florence Place. Would you come forward? State your name and address for the record. You have five minutes. My name is Jeff Harland. I'm with Blue Sky Communities, uh, 1800 North Fountain Way, St. Petersburg,
Florida. Good evening, mayor, commissioners, staff, and public. Um, I'm with Blue Sky Communities. We're affordable housing developers. In 2024, last year, we finished uh Florence Place. It's affordable an 88 unit affordable housing development community
in the southwest quadrant of Martin Luther King Boulevard and First Street North right behind the Auto Zone. Many of you have been to the property and and um and seen the property know of the property. Uh I'm actually very happy to be here today to share a momento of of
the history of Florence Place with the commissioners and the staff. Um it's just it's a photo book. Uh we thought it would be um nice for you guys to have and see um pictures from from the beginning of the groundbreaking back in early
2023. Uh there's aerials in there throughout the progress of the development from the beginning all the way to the end. Um once the development was finished, we have pictures of the building in there, units, uh the pool area, the clubhouse, uh recreation area,
etc. Um, and then at the end, uh, we had the grand opening or ribbon cutting ceremony, uh, a after we leased up, and there's pictures of that as well. Um, with regard to Florence Place, um, just so everybody knows, we started, uh,
finished construction and started lease up at the end of April 2024, and the property was completely leased up by June of 2024. Uh, excuse me, and has remained consistently 100% occupied since. and we've actually had very minimal issues with the development at
all. Um I uh I'm here to to thank you uh on behalf of Blue Sky Communities uh for all your support for Florence Place in the past and um and also to thank staff. Um they've been amazing. They were amazing to work with through that process and they remain to this day uh
very helpful and amazing to work with and I I honestly can't say that about everywhere that we work throughout the state of Florida. Um, also, uh, quick reminder, um, we understand there's more need for affordable housing for seniors and for families in in Winter Haven. Uh,
to that end, um, uh, Dr. Anderson's with me from Trinity Ministries. Uh, he has some land here in Winter Haven over near Recker Highway at 21st Street. Uh, it's 12 acres and we're in the process of um, working on two phases there, the future phases of affordable housing. one will
be for seniors and one will be for families workforce housing. Um they'll be fully amenitized, you know, uh they'll be very similar to Florence Place. Um except for that specific area and community. Um we'll be coming to you again as that gets further down the road
to seek your support for those developments as well. That's all I wanted to share with you all today. I very much appreciate everybody's time unless you have any questions. That's all we have. Thank you for the the book. Absolutely. Nice. Thank you very much.
All right. Yes, sir. All right. Thank you. Also, there was Marcus Davis. Oh, okay. Oh, he Okay. All right. All right. All [Laughter]
right. Okay. So, the other two people that signed up there, uh, I'll call you up when we are discussing the item on the agenda that you want to speak to. All [Music]
right. Ordinance says second reading public hearing retrieved by Talon, city attorney. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Ordinance number 0-25-05, an ordinance amending chapter 21 of the code of ordinances of the city of Winter Haven, Florida, by reszoning one parcel from industrial light I1
zoning district to commercial-highway C3 zoning district, providing for the administrative correction of scrimmers errors, repealing all ordinances in conflict with and providing an effective date. General location, a parcel generally located the southwest corner of the intersection of Dundy Road and
Overlook Drive southeast. The area covered by this request is 4.89 plus or minus acres. Thank you. Thank you, city manager. Mayor and commissioners, uh this is a second reading on ordinance 025-05. There have
been no changes since first reading. I will, however, uh invite uh economic opportunity community investment director Eric Lavyby to give a overview of the item. Thank you. Yes, sir. Mayor, commissioners, this is a request by AVID Group to reszone a parcel from light
industrial I1 to commercial C3 zoning district. U the parcel is located at Dundee and Overlook Drive as seen on the aerial in front of you. The petitioner intends to develop the property with a three lot commercial subdivision uh with uses and development standards
consistent with C3. Again, the property is currently zoned I1. So, this be considered a down zone to C3 as the neighborhood mixeduse hub future land use designation will remain. The maximum development potential is unchanged. Uh
Dundy Road has a mixeduse corridor. Uh this is consistent with the comprehensive plan. There is no direct financial impact to the city with this request. The planning commission did hear it on February 4th, 2025 and voted to recommend approval of this request. No members of the public spoke at that
meeting. Um, again, it is consistent with the future land use and it is a down zone from I1 to C3. Staff does recommend the city commission approve ordinance 02505. Thank you, commissioners. Mr. Mayor,
motion to approve 255 on second reading and public hearing. Thank you. I will close the commission meeting, open the public hearing. Anyone wishing to speak to 02505 may do so at this time. Seeing none, closed public hearing, reopen city commission meeting. Any
discussion? Yeah, quick question. Um, Eric, we all had handed to us a bunch of traffic accident reports on this intersection. Is there any significance to that or what's that what's that about? I mean, I think it's good background data, but when the um proposed development comes in for actual
site plan review and development at that time, the traffic impacts for that development will be analyzed and any improvements necessary to the roadway would be made at that time. This looks like there's a bunch. Is that on average or is that like every intersection or do you can you can you spec speculate on
that? It just seems like a Yeah, I wouldn't be able to speculate. Um, I haven't seen that report and um, without looking at other intersections, I I wouldn't be able to speculate. And there's not a light there now, but there's going to be there is there is a light there now. It flashes. There is a
a fully signalized intersection that is part of the State Road 542 improvement project that was completed a few years back at the corner of Overlook Drive and Dundy Road. At that time, the the short road to the south of that that connected
back into Dundee Road was also closed, right? So, all traffic is taken to that signalized intersection. And we're still having that many accidents that these go back and and I again I just this is the first that I' I've seen this as well. This goes back to 2021. Um I don't recall off top of my
head, Commissioner Dancer, what year that that Dundy Road State Road 542 project was completed and signalized there. So April 2023, I believe 23. So some of this goes prior to that. What prompted this report? Why did we did somebody asked for it? Did one of you
guys asked? This was provided, I believe, by a resident. Oh, okay. Okay. So there's really no way in knowing since the lights been up. That's improved problem. Again, I would agree with uh Mr. Labby's comments that this is for
zoning. This is a downgrading of the zoning. um what's allowed on that property today under the I1 zoning is more significant than what would be allowed under the C3 zoning. And the time at which you would do a traffic
analysis would be is we go into a site plan and we actually have a specific product that's going on there and then that is a requirement as part of their site plan. Okay. Okay. Thank you. Any other questions? All those in favor of the motion, let it be known by saying I.
I I poses by the same sign. Hearing none. O2 025 is adopted. 02513. Would you read about Tyler on the city attorney? Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Ordinance number 0-25-13, an ordinance adding a new
section 15-290 of article Roman numeral 7, chapter 15 of the code of ordinances of the city of Winter Haven, Florida, regarding prohibiting smoking and vaping in public parks and public beaches owned and or leased by the city of Winter Haven, Florida. making findings, providing for exceptions and
enforcement, providing for definitions, codification, the administrative correction of scriven errors, severability, and a repeal of conflicting ordinances and resolutions, and providing for an effective date. Thank you. Thank you, city manager, mayor, commissioners. This is ordinance
02513 that is presented for second and final hearing this evening. Section 386.209 209 of the Florida statutes expressly authorizes municipalities to adopt and enforce restrictions as to smoking within the boundaries of any public park and/or public beaches that
the municipality owns and or leases and to further restrict smoking within the boundaries of public parks and/or public beaches that are within the municipality's jurisdiction but are owned by the county unless such restriction conflicts with a county ordinance. The Pulk County Board of
County Commissioners adopted a similar ordinance prohibiting smoking and vaping in public parks owned or leased by Pulk County that occurred on November 7th of 2023. Ordinance number 025-13, which is presented for second and final reading this evening,
establishes and adopts a new section uh to be numbered 15-290 of chapter 15, article Roman numeral 7 of the code of ordinances prohibiting smoking and vaping in public parks and or public beaches owned and or leased by the city
and located within the municipal limits of the city of Winter Haven, Florida, as authorized by section 386.209 209 of Florida statutes. We were required to provide a business impact estimate for this action. That is included in your fact
sheet. There are no businesses likely to be impacted. However, there there may be potential indirect impacts on the sale of tobacco product within the city, but such potential impacts are so dimminimous and or negligible that same
are not ascertainable. City manager and city attorney both recommend the city commission adopt ordinance number 025-13 and authorize city manager and or designate to take all necessary actions related to implementation and enforcement of the same. In brief summary, this puts us uh in step with
Pulk County and the actions that they have taken with their parks and their public beach areas. Uh this would limit or prohibit the smoking of tobacco products um or vaping in any of our public parks with the exclusion of
unfiltered cigars which we are not allowed to regulate per state statute. Um if approved, this would take effect immediately. Uh parks and recreation department is working with public works to fabricate the appropriate signage.
Um the enforcement would occur uh via the uh interface between parks and recreation personnel and the Winter Haven Police Department. Thank you. Thank you, commissioners. Mr. Mayor, yes. Motion to approve 0213 on second reading and public
hearing. Thank you. I will close the commission meeting, open the public hearing. Anyone wishing to speak to 0213 may do so at this time. Seeing none, close the public hearing, reopen the city commission meeting. Is there any
discussion? All those in favor of the motion. Let it be known by saying I. I. Opposes by the same sign. Hearing none. 0 2513 is adopted. Commissioners, we have the consent agenda.
Mr. Mayor. Yes. Motion to approve the consent agenda in its entirety. Thank you. I will close the commission meeting, open the public hearing, anyone wishing to speak to any item on the consent agenda may do so at this time.
Just if I could offer a comment, Mr. Mayor. Uh, let me close that. Thank you. I will now close the public hearing. We open the city commission meeting. Any discussion? Go ahead, city manager. So, item 10 C, uh, the citizen donation on
the Carolon bell tower. I'd mentioned uh during our presentation Wednesday e or yeah last Wednesday evening um that we were working through some of the final details with the vendor on that. Happy to report that uh staff along with city attorney today were able to conduct all
of those discussions and everything has been uh brought up to what it needed to be in order for us to transact that um that action. And so we will if the commission favorably approves that move forward. And I did want to recognize that Mr. Tom Holt is with us again this
evening. Okay. Thank you. Any discussion? All those in favor of the motion, let it be known by saying I. I. Poses by the same sign. Hearing none. The consent agenda is adopted and
we're going to have a very very very unique and nice item in our park. Thank you, Mr. Oak. All right. Resolutions. Resolution
R2510. City attorney. Would you read? Not by title, but just read. I will be happy to read, Mr. Mayor. And if you're okay with that, I'll read it by title. Resolution R-25-10, a resolution supporting and authorizing the city manager to execute
and submit on behalf of the city of Winter Haven, a Poke Transportation Planning Organization, TPO, Transportation Alternatives Program Grant application for Cypress Gardens Boulevard, State Road 540, pedestrian and streetscape improvements, and to certify the five-year schedule of
capital improvements of the city's comprehensive plan or amend the capital improvements element of the city's comprehensive plan. Thank you. Thank you, city manager. Thank you, mayor. Uh, I'm going to present items 2510 and 2511 together in one summary report, but the
city attorney will need to read the 2511 by title as well. Um, so periodically the DOT accepts applications for transportation alternatives, multi-use trail, and regional multi-use trail projects. The current application cycle includes funding for these types of
projects in fiscal year fiscal years 2627 through 203031. The city's funding applications will be submitted to the trans the pulp transportation planning organization or TPO of which three of you serve as members uh and ultimately to the Florida
Department of Transportation. For this application cycle, the city is applying for funding for two projects, Cypress Gardens Boulevard and US Highway 17. These roadways were selected based on vision plans that were adopted by FDOT in the year 2020. The Cypress Gardens
Boulevard project is approximately 1.7 miles and extends from Old Helena Road or South Lake Florence Drive to Water View Way. Some of the components include installation of 10- foot of a minimum 10- foot multi-use path on at least one
side, providing infill sidewalks in locations where the multi-use path is not constructed, providing for street trees, improving the intersection at Legoland Way, and installing street lighting. The anticipated design and construction cost is approximately
$14.24 million. And you can see the corridor uh as depicted on the screen. The second project which is the subject of the second resolution is US Highway 17 from Third Street Southwest and Sixth Street or what's also known as Third
Street Southwest and Sixth Street Southwest Northwest. This corridor is approximately 2.8 miles long and extends from Cypress Gardens Boulevard to Havenale Boulevard or State Road 544. This effort would remove portions of the continuous center left turn lane and
replace that with raised landscape islands. The intent there is to provide an area of refuge for pedestrians that are crossing that road, to widen existing sidewalks to ensure a minimum of six feet in width, and to upgrade street lighting. The estimated project
cost for design and construction is approximately 8.22 million. City Commission adopted resolutions R2101 and 21102 back in the year 2021 uh endorsing the Cypress Gardens
Boulevard and US Highway 17 vision plans respectively and requesting DOT to develop funding strategies to implement those plans. There's no immediate financial impact with these requests. However, financial contribution from the city may enhance the likelihood of FDOT moving forward with one or both of the
projects. If FDOT selects one or both of these projects, they likely will not be funded any earlier than fiscal year 2030. And that is based upon how the five-year work program is crafted. Staff recommends the city commission approve resolutions R2510 and
R211. Uh consider those as two separate items if you would. Again, this is just trying to move forward the vision plans that are were created about five years ago and outlined some muchneeded improvements along those state road corridors. Correct. Thank you. Thank
you. Commissioners, entertain a motion for R2510. Mr. Mayor, motion to approve resolution R2510. Thank you. I will close the commission meeting and open the public hearing. And at this
time, Linda Fe, would you come forward, state your name and address for the record, and you have five minutes. Good evening. My name is Linda Fe. I live at 3691 Plymouth Drive in Winter Haven, community of traditions at Winter
Haven. Um, I spoke to you a couple of weeks ago as a representative. First of all, I'm the the vice president of the HOA board at Traditions, 595 residents. Um, we also I also represent Traditions on the Regional Community Council, which
is 15 communities along the Thompson Nursery Road uh widening project. Um, I spoke to you immediately after Jay Jarvis spoke to you on the the project two weeks ago. Um, we are in support and when I saw the city commission meeting
and this agenda, it jumped right out at me. And as T Michael said, the second bullet on here is to install a minimum 10-foot multi-use path um along looking at the uh the Cypress Gardens Boulevard
section of this proposal. Um certainly we at the region community council want to offer our support on behalf of our communities. Um bringing the city and the county along the same lines. This is
what we're looking for and this was that option too that we recommended to you two weeks ago. um in your support to the county to provide the same multi-use corridor along the Thompson Nursery Road
section. also that came to mind um if you're not familiar if you want to go back and look the Collier to Poke regional trail that has been approved as of September of 2024 that goes from
Everglades City up to uh Lakeland and it comes along the corridor it comes into Barto and then it veers off on 98 um in into Lakeland. Um, here's another opportunity. This 210 milei corridor
also has a multi-use and they call it the sun and it's the shared use nonmotorized trail. And this is to encourage bike paths and pedestrian traffic along these intersections. So if
you picture as you may uh coming up from all the way from Everglades City in Collier County and coming up into Barto and be able to come up 17 as you continue moving southbound out of Winter Haven with a multi-use trail that would
connect to this economic impact. So you have an opportunity at 540 where the Thompson Nursery Road widing project is going from 17 over to 27 with a multi-use path linked to the state and now the city also. So we we commend you
for looking forward. We would recommend that the city, the state, and the county do some really serious long-term planning as to the impact of multi-use trails. And certainly once again anything that we can do certainly support you uh with the signing of this
and approval tonight by the city commission. I am speaking at the county commission meeting on the the 15th uh where they are to approve the fi the final design and the funding for segment four and segment five on the Thompson
Nursery Road project. And that goes from the tiein at Villimar and Eloise Loop over to 27. So if you're available, you have nothing else to do at nine o'clock on that Tuesday morning, please join us. Thank you. Thank you. And Mr. Mayor, M. Fe mentioned the
discussion with Jay Jarvis. The c the city commission did forward a communication to Mr. Jarvis uh indicating your preference for that design on that road she's speaking of. All right. Thank you. I will now close the public hearing, reopen the city commission
meeting. Is there any discussion? All those in favor let it be known by saying I I opposes by the same sign hearing none R210 is adopted. R2511 would you read by Talon uh city attorney. Thank you Mr. Mayor.
Resolution R-25-11, a resolution supporting and authorizing the city manager to execute and submit on behalf of the city of Winter Haven a Poke Transportation Planning Organization TPO Transportation Alternatives Program Grant application for US Highway 17 pedestrian and safety
improvements and to certify the five-year schedule of CAP improvements of the city's comprehensive plan or amend the capital improvements element of the city's comprehensive plan. Thank you. Thank you. Since the city manager has already given us a synopsis, u
entertain a motion. Mr. Mayor, motion to approve resolution R211. Thank you. I will close commission meeting, open the public hearing. Anyone wishing to speak to R211 may do so at this time. Seeing none, close the public hearing. Reopen the city commission
meeting. Is there any discussion? All those in favor of the motion, let it be known by saying I. I posted by the same sign. Hearing none, R211 is adopted. Ordinances first reading. We have one ordinance. We will not be uh voting on
this one uh tonight. Um but it says we're going to transmit it to Florida Commerce. So, we usually vote when we do that. There there is a public hearing tonight, Mr. Mayor, and I will be asking for you to vote to allow it to be transmitted. Okay. I'm just
looking at my notes here. So, all right. Uh, ordinance 02514. Would you read by Tyler, city attorney? Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Ordinance number 0-25-14, an ordinance amending ordinance 23-24, the 2035 Winter Haven
comprehensive plan by amending the future land use element, transportation element, and transportation map series to address preservation of future transportation corridors, repealing all ordinances in conflict here with, providing for the administrative correction of scrim errors, providing for severability, and providing an
effective date. Thank you. Thank you, city manager. Mr. Mayor and Commissioners, I'd like to invite Eric Labby, director of economic opportunity and community investment to present this item. Yes, sir. Mayor, commissioners, this is administrative request to amend the 2035 Winter Haven comprehensive
plan. Our comprehensive plan includes 11 elements including the future land use, housing, neighborhood preservation, transportation, infrastructure, public schools, recreation, and open space conservation, intergovernmental coordination, capital improvements, and
private property rights. Uh this is a administrative request uh to amend that plan uh specifically the transportation map series and the future land use element uh to include and preserve a corridor for the central Pulk Parkway as
envisioned as a limited access toll road connecting state road 60 in south uh south Winter Haven with US 27 south of Thompson Nursery Road and ultimately connecting to interstate 4 uh in Ocola County. Having this future roadway
depicted in our map series will support efforts to select the final corridor and ultimately secure the right uh the rights of way needed for construction. As it does contain a text amendment to the comprehensive plan, it will require transmitt to the to Florida Commerce and
other state and local agencies for review. There is no direct financial impact with this request. It is aligned with our strategic uh plan. Um, it's generally aligned with uh economic sustainability, infrastructure, and responsible government pillars. The
planning commission did hear this on March 4th, 2025 and unanimously voted to recommend approval of this request. There were no public comments. Staff does recommend that the city commission approve ordinance 02514 on first reading and it's transmitt to Florida Commerce
and other state and local agencies for review. Stand for any questions you may have. Okay. Any questions? All right. I entertain a motion for the transmitt. We are not actually approving the uh ordinance itself tonight. We will do
that depending on when it comes back and what they say. Entertain a motion. Mr. Mayor. Yes. Motion to approve the transmitt of ordinance 0-25-14. Thank you. I will close the commission meeting and open the public hearing.
Anyone wishing to speak to this audience may do so at this time. Seeing none, I close the uh public hearing. Reopen the city commission meeting. Is there any discussion? All those in favor of the motion, let it be known by saying I. I. Opposes by the
same sign. Hearing none. 02514 is approved to be transmitted. All right. We have one uh new business item. City manager. Thank you, Mr. Mayor and commissioners. This pertains to our
grant a application review committee recommendations for fiscal year 26. Uh on behalf of the chair of that committee, Mr. Alex Santiago extended his regrets. He was called away. Uh couldn't be here this evening, but I believe you received good feedback from him during the uh agenda review the
other night. His background. On November 1st of 2024, the grant a application review committee met here at city hall to discuss the the program and and current process. The committee voted at that time to unani un unanimously to recommend the following changes to the
process. First to update the application timeline which would allow for a twoe application window, a twoe staff review of those applications and then two weeks for the applicants to correct any errors that may have been within the application themselves. Somewhat of a
sufficiency review process. Number two was to eliminate the uh 40,000 single initiative funding category as that was something that has not been able to be funded based upon the number of applications received year-over-year. Number three, to request clarification from the city commission on how to
address funding requests from schools and other organizations with established foundations. And number four, to request clarification from the city commission on their desires regarding funding levels for legacy agencies prior to the next review cycles. Those agencies would
include the Winterhaven Public Education Partnership, Girls Incorporated, the Neighborhood Service Center, Boys and Girls Club of Pulk County, Meals on Wheels, and the Haley Center. On November 25th, 2024, the city commission discussed these recommendations
recommendations and approved items one and two. On February 19th, the commission further discussed recommendations three and four and provided the following guidance to no longer provide funding to schools through this program. Recognizing these organizations have access to other governmental funds and benefit from
other forms of support from the city to continue funding efforts from separate non notfor-profit organizations that do provide additional services to the schools. As an example, it was given kids pack and the public education
partnership. Um avoid number the second bullet was avoid funding organizations with wellestablished foundations that receive support from the city through other means but instead focus on notfor-profit agencies without existing robust funding mechanisms already in
place. was also recommended at that time to wait until the fiscical year 26 application window closes to provide feedback on recommendation number four in order to take into consideration the volume volume of applicants received for
this year coming. Additional guidance to be provided after the close of the fiscical year 26 application window on the question of should the committee prioritize funding the largest number of applicants even if awards are smaller or focus on providing higher funding to specific initiatives. Want to reiterate
that the grant aid application committee has not seen any applications as of this time. We are still going through the sufficiency review process and they will not receive that data probably for another Katrina you think three or four weeks. April 17th. April 17th. So, um
the application window did however close on March 15 of 2025. It included 76 total applicants uh with a total request in funding of $777,500. Of those 76 applicants, 36
were returning applicants, 40 were new applicants. There were five schools with a total request of $55,000 in requested funds and 11 organizations that are or have established foundations totaling
$68,300 in requested funds. the in your fact sheet on page three, it denotes the uh the legacy uh agencies that have been historically funded by the Winter Haven City Commission through the grant aid program. Um and you can
see that those are you can see what their request amounts were or their funding amounts were for fiscal year 2425. That is the current year we're in. They all came in at the same request level. However, the Haley Center did request um an increase of $13,000 over
their prior year uh appropriation. So, at this point, um staff's recommending the city commission provide direction to your grant and aid application committee on how to proceed with the funding request from schools and other established foundations before
they begin their review process. and to the extent that you're able to do so this evening provide direction on the funding of legacy applicants upon further receipt of applications from those agencies. We have received those applications. I would say the other
question is uh at what funding level do we set the bar uh for the grant and aid committee as they review these in order to appropriate uh following their reviews. and we will myself and Katrina Hill will be happy to stand for any
questions you may have. Okay, commissioners, I have a question. Um, you had mentioned I thought we had discussed um no schools um with the foundation, did we not? Well, the things that we discussed
action. We need the action. So maybe you need to list those out. What kind of motion do you want? because we talked about a 10% bump and a bunch of stuff but I mean do you want a broad race motion or do I think whatever you're comfortable with you know the questions are pertaining to schools pertaining to
foundations u those are the first two the third one is pertaining to the legacy partners or the legacy agencies that have been funded and then if there is a funding um cap appropriation total budget for the the your committee to work from I
thought it was last year's plus 10 wasn't it well 10% Well, I think I think the problem is this is going to get really confusing. So, why don't we tackle each one at a time with a separate motion and then you make it. Okay. And before we do that, before we
do that, there was uh uh Chris Newman that wanted to speak on this item. Lives at 255th Street Southwest. That's a school address. Oh, okay. Um,
good evening. I am Dr. Chris Newman Lake and I'm the principal and CEO of Cypress Junction Monastery. We're a public charter school, but we are also a private preschool program. Um, and I want to share a little bit with you about how this will affect us specifically. Um, so we are at 225th
Street Southwest, Winter Haven, Florida 33880. and I am here to speak about the proposed cut to grant funding that will directly affect schools in Winter Haven, specifically our preschool program. CJM serves as both a public charter school
and a private monastery preschool. While our public school receives state and federal funding, our preschool program does not. It operates as a private entity and because of that grant funding from the city has made critical difference in ensuring access to
highquality early childhood education for the families of Winter Haven. Cutting this funding would be and lifelong a great loss is more than a teaching method. It is a found. It helps children to develop critical thinking, emotional regulation and a
sense of responsibility from a very early age. When we talk about investing in Winter Haven's future, there is no greater return than investing in its youngest citizens. Highquality early education is proven to lower future dropout rates, reduce crime, and improve
long-term economic outcomes. Monatory education in particular empowers children through choice movement and a hands-on environment that supports every kind of learner. Removing funding from our programs like like ours does not
just affect one school. It affects families. It affects access and it widens the gap that we've all worked so very hard to close. We urge the city to reconsider this decision, not just for us, but for the families and the
children of Winter Haven. um they deserve options, opportunity, and support. Preserving this grant funding is an investment in a brighter future for our entire community. Thank you. Thank you. Is there anyone else? All right. All right.
Commissioners, so can you reiterate the first question again? First question uh pertain to your funding for schools uh and for uh established foundations and if you want to consider those separately. Gota.
Um, so I appreciate the comments that were were mentioned tonight, but I think when it these funds are so limited and finite to to the so many that were applied for and the fact that, you
know, private schools or public schools all have opportunities um and different funding sources. Because we are such on a limited budget, I would move that we exclude schools from this
process as well as sorry, what was the second one? Foundations. Foundations as well as establish foundations. All right, motion has been made. I'll again uh allow any comments from
the public. Are those in in the discussion? Yeah, I gota I got to make a quick comment because she changed my mind on this because I I've been feeling a little bit like we're making we're putting too much in a box and we're taking it out of the hands of our committee to make these
determinations. So, you know, she's right. Exactly what we're trying to do with this is help is what Monasuri Preschool is doing with this with this early education. I know it's a lot of money. It's 20 grand. But I'm just
wondering if we could soften it up just a little bit to where our committee could have a little bit of flexibility. You know, it's like a foundation that it may not have a million dollars in it. Might only have $20,000 in it and we're keeping them out. You know what I
mean? We should be able potentially give our committee a little bit of flexibility on things like preschool right in the middle of our city. Well, ultimately we're still going to have the final vote. So the committee can come back to us with the recommendation. We're just making this recommendations for the committee. So the committee can
then come back before us with the recommendation. And if there is one that was left off or two, just like we did last year, we wanted to fund um uh meals on wheels happened to be off. So I mean the commission can take that on, you
know, se as a separate issue when it comes back before us. Well, I hope they do because this what she just said is exactly what in my mind this this pot p pot of money is for. It's for children and preschool. And now they may have other sources of money. I
don't know. I mean, they probably do, but the end of the day that makes me feel good knowing that we got preschoolers going to have some preschool. I don't know. I mean, it's I'm just trying to think it's Yeah, we got we've got a lot of preschool programs, too. And the question was
whether or not you know how how do we establish or select you know a specific school. I know you know their program is admirable as many of them are and whether or not I think it was established some time ago that we had selected those particular groups or
organizations that have been receiving at certain levels of funding and uh but I think it had been so long how that was established or why that was established at the time and I think the other argument was that we wanted to be able to you know help as many as possible uh
but and I think the challenge that she shared and her uh explanation was that, you know, it's it's kind of like an entity within an entity. You have the preschool as well as the Monttoauri school, but I guess it's all part of the same thing. But that that that preschool
aspect is a I think she said that was a separate uh owned u u situation. So that that is a complicated somewhat of a complicated matter. How do you split that? I don't know. Well, it just seems like we're giving our committee some
really rigid guard rails and maybe we don't want it to be that rigid or or maybe we do want to be that rigid. I don't know. That's where I'm kind of struggling here because if it's a public's charity and they got $50 million in their foundation, yeah, I get that. But these
are people that are helping Winter Haven kids right in the middle of our city. And I don't know, I'm just thinking out loud. That's I'm I'm kind of struggling with this because I I hate it when we put build such tight guard rails that maybe we tell the committee, "Yeah, you still have a little flexibility. Maybe we don't want to do that." I don't know. That's the whole point of the committee
is we don't want to go down that road, but I mean, I hate to exclude them. Yeah. I mean, and and I I I feel it as well and I understand their request and and understand what's going on, but there there's a lot of preschools in our area that are very worthwhile to funds just as much as they are. And if we open
that that door, then you've got a million5 requested on a $300,000 budget. And I just feel like in order to try to streamline this process for our committee, we've got to set these parameters. And then, you know, if there is we can certainly have a a separate
pile of, you know, these are the ones that requested and those were zero and if we deemed it appropriate at that point in time to fund those, then we can make that motion at that time. Okay, that's a good point. Yeah, you will get when you get your your report from the the grant a application review
committee, it is a complete report that shows what was funded uh and what wasn't funded. And um just for clarification, uh the what commissioner Dancler said that in that particular case, that is a
$20,000 request, but that's the request. We get have a lot of requests that come in at that high level, but historically we've not been able to fund those at those levels based upon the number we have. And you can see that prior year was a $5,000 award. Okay, I'm good. Any
other discussion? All those in favor of the motion, let it be known by saying I. I oppos this by the same sign. Hearing none, the motion carries. So second would be for with respect to foundations. That was included. Was that
included in that motion? Okay. And then uh what would you like to do with your the uh legacy agencies again? Meals on wheels, the Haley Center, Girls Inc., Boys and Girls Club,
Neighborhood Service Center, Public Education Partnership of Winter Haven. And I think when you had discussed this the other night, there was some contemplation of either keeping them at the levels that you had or increasing them by a certain percentage in total. I think what we
talked about I I'll make the motion if we want to, but we talked about leaving them the same, but bumping the whole overall pie up by 10% because we haven't had so many people that have new people that have applied. Yeah, that's what it was. But we were going to leave the leave the legacy guys where they were last year but raise the pie 10%. That is
that is correct, Commissioner. I applaud it. I'll make that motion then. All right. There's a motion to uh keep the legacy uh organizations at their current year's funding level and to
uh raise the overall amount that we fund by 10%. You said 10%. All right. Did I get it? You got it. All right. I will offer an opportunity for uh the community to weigh in if you
would like to and then I'll entertain a motion. I just made the motion. Oh, you made the motion. Oh, and I restated it. Can Can I come forward? I'm sorry. Can I get clarifications real quick? So, we we're saying that we are what they were awarded last year, we're we're motioning
that we're approving them for that same amount this year. So whereas the Haley Center requested $33,000, we're we're approving for them tonight to get $20,000. Right. Gotcha. That's correct. And if I could just ask for a point of clarification on the 10%.
So your budget last year was 305,000. You actually funded 316. Is that correct? So would the 10% be on the 316, the actual appropriation? That was the motion. Thank you. That's the motion. Thank you. All right. Would you come
forward? State your name and address for the record, please. David Barry, uh 252 Santa Rosa Drive, Winter Haven, Florida 33884. Um just uh some food for thought for the legacy.
I've been in Winter Haven with the mission for 20 years, nonprofit work, and these past few years, I've had the opportunity to do a lot of consulting work with a lot of our nonprofits. I can tell you a nonprofit is just that. Most of them there's
nonprofit. So, every dollar counts. Every penny goes somewhere. I think one of the things that comes up the question is the the legacy. So you have these these groups, these these few organizations that have consistently been funded at a higher
amount kind of grandfathered in and and when you got like this year alone, you got 40 new applicants coming in. When we're sitting in the training session for this and that is communicated, if you take a look around at the faces of the new applicants, they're like, "Well,
how does that even make sense that they don't have to apply and be thrown into the pot and through the process like everyone else? They're automatically done at that higher level. If you put all those amounts together, that's about a third of the available budget that's able to be given out. There's a third
right off the top. So now you're dividing the rest of it down as opposed to let all organizations apply. Set your cap limits for how much they can apply for across the board and let them jump into the mix and be be seen just like
everyone else and be examined just like everyone else. And if you have questions about if there's a foundation involved that they have other funding involved, then incorporate that into your application process. Ask for the previous year's budget and expenditures. you can see how much came in last year
and how much went out and that'll give you a really great picture if they need the extra funds or not. If there's a big surplus at the end, you can kind of tell how they're doing. It kind of makes it a it's an even field across for everyone. You know, people don't do what you
expect, they do what you inspect. So I think if we put more in on the front end on the application process, so it doesn't matter what organization is because honestly the ones that are grandfathered in, the ones that fought for them to get put in there may not even be on the council anymore. So why
not just open up the pot and let everyone apply and let everyone get a fair shot? Just my two cents worth. All right. Thanks. Thank you. Anyone else, Mr. Mayor? For clarification, those legacy agencies do have to apply and they do have to have a complete
application. So, it's not just an arbitrary to fund them out. So, I just want to make sure that's understood by everybody. They do have to apply and they do have to to fund out or have a sufficient application. Okay. Would you state your name and
address for the record, please? Good evening. My name is Betty Smothers, 620 Avenue 0 Northeast, Winter Haven, Florida 33881. Uh to the mayor and the commissioners and everyone, I would just
like to uh speak uh on behalf of the senior citizens, uh the neighborhood service center. Uh, I know in the community we appreciate all that you all do for us, especially
you work with our youth and our Jew, our school and everything. And we appreciate you working with our youth, but we must consider our elderly. You know, we have people that have worked hard in this community down through the years. you
they uh weren't give weren't given social security was not taken out of their labor at the time and now their income is very low and so we just appreciate whatever you all do for the
seniors here in Winter Haven. Thank you so much. Thank you. Anyone else? All right. Any more discussion? Commissioners, all those in favor of the motion, would you like me to repeat that motion so you know what you're voting
on? That it's to keep the legacy agencies at the current funding levels and raise the overall fiscal year 25 appropriation budget by 10%. That's correct. And and what was the reason why we were not letting the committee
determine the amounts for the legacies? Well, in in our workshop, we said that uh that would be a discussion for maybe the next time. I guess I didn't remember that part. I
highlighted that with I again I always use TDC and the Arch Council. We have certain organizations that we know if we give them $50,000 every penny of it's going to go exactly like they say. And that's what we kind of made that correlation with the Boys Club, for example. We know that if we give them 50
grand, every penny of that's going to be spent exactly like they say, there's not going to be any any problems. And so, we just have comfort. We had comfort, a comfort level with the legacy agencies that they're actually going to um there will be if they say they're going to
spend it for X, Y, and Z, they're going to actually spend it for XY andZ because they always have. I think that was why we kind of went down that road of taking them sort off the table as long as they apply and are in good standing. But, you know, Mr. Barry makes a good point, but at the end of the
day, you know, Theater Winterhaven and Box Tower are the two that I use. They provide high quality art services for the county that everybody enjoys. So, stands a reason that they would get more money just because they do more stuff. And Boys and Girls Club serve hundreds
and hundreds of kids every year. So, it just stands a reason they would get more money because they're serving more children in my mind. Yeah. Well, and that was what we were saying is that just what you just said the the discussion for us to handle the
discussion if we were going to do that uh it would be the next time as opposed to next year. Yeah. But but the levels have to be established somewhere and and by some some measure and I think that's that's what we're speaking to the fact that we established the the the limits
of that. I guess the committee looks at the um the various uh groups that are applying and their worthiness and whether or not they're still meeting necessary guidelines or whatever. Um but that those limits have to be established somewhere and whether you give that uh
responsibility to them. Uh but I think the whole idea was to try there would be equity with regards to this in some manner. I go back to uh what I shared before was that how those legacies were established, you know, that's been some time ago and whether or not that was
under review or considered for review. Um that was another another matter. But like I said, this is stuff that happened years ago. So again, I don't I don't know how that came about. Some of you who are here, mayor. Yeah. Yeah.
Understand that. But for me, I I did not understand that. And I was trying to just uh for clarity at least appreciate, you know, because I I know a lot of organizations in their worthiness and what they do. Uh all of them are very worthy and as he shared too that they're all nonprofits and they don't have the
funds and every dollar does indeed count. Um and whether or not you rotate that in some way, you know, uh or is that the expectation that you know this particular uh group expects this amount, you know, from the city every year? And I guess we've been doing that for quite
some time. Well, and I I guess I'll go back to my comments from item one as well and just look in the mirror and tell myself we're just providing the guidance here for the the committee to move forward. And if once the final numbers come back to us, we can make those um adjustments as we uh deem
appropriate or or feel like a motion should be made on those other items. Mr. Mayor, um if you look at the legacy and I just took a quick look, I think you'll find that most of those are geared toward the children, the elderly
and uh one was medical um but which was child medical. So I think our goal has been children and elderly. I think we focused on some of that, but maybe you know uh all these are worthy and so is
you know um your agency too and so we want to probably look at some of those um in the following years. All right, maybe it's changed since then, but any more discussion? All those in favor of the
motion, let it be known by saying I. I opposes by the same sign. Motion carries. All right, we're down to Were there any other items on that or that was all of them? Um, I think you hit That was Yeah, we're I think that
was everything that the committee was looking for guidance on. We're going to circle back on the longevity of a program next cycle. That's the discretion of the the direction you you wish to take and we follow your lead. All right.
Okay. Commissioner L, our reports. Commissioner Dancler. Okay. Um, I got to spend two days in Jensen Beach with FMIT. Uh, and um, riveting meetings. I wish I could give you all kinds of interesting stuff, but all we did was
talk about insurance, but but what the good thing is for homeowners and for for municipal insurance, rates are coming down. So, we are going to you are going to all start seeing some relief here in the next uh couple of years on your insurance rates. So, that's a good thing. Um, also went to Tallahassee with
all of us. We all up there. Had a good trip up Tallahassee. Uh, was attended the neighborhood service center St. Patty's Day lunchon. Um, no red cake. I got to tell somebody about that, but everything else was delicious. And last but not least, uh, like everybody was out meeting the
governor at the ILC getting the 1.5 million. So, that's it for me. All right. Commissioner Mercer. Okay. Uh, so of course we did the trip to Tallahassee. Um, and I did the neighborhood service center, St.
Patrick's. Um, I did like I wanted to say about the police Olympics. I really enjoyed it. I participated mic down just a hair. Thank you. Thank you. I participated in the two previous years. Was not able to participate this year, but I'm hoping to be there next year.
So, um, and, uh, I think that was it for me. Right. Mr. about good evening uh and uh happy late birthday to the mayor and uh no trip.
Yeah, thank you sir. Thank you sir. I appreciate that. Uh I was able to uh uh attend the neighborhood service center uh Pat St. Patrick's Day lunchon. Uh great time and really enjoyed uh just being there. Uh I some of you served I
came at eight so I just make clear I I enjoyed enjoyed and Trac and I were just there uh sitting down and just enjoying the atmosphere and the good food was great. Um and just finding out not long ago that I'm 10 I'm 10% Irish so that
was kind of in in helpful too. Black Irish so I did not know uh the uh ROC banquet uh was held in our city and uh typically it's been held I think in Barto. Uh boy,
I tell you that was uh 450 uh young people. Uh place was just electrified and they were addressed to the nines. Uh just an amazing event. First time I had the opportunity to uh
to to be there. Um P County Day was really exceptional. Uh the weather was great in Tallahassee this year, but it was very informative and really enjoyed just being there. our leadership winter haven class 44 was on the hill and uh so I had a chance to see them and hang out
with them for a little while as well and uh but it was just really just really a great session to just learn a lot about some of the challenges and the changes that we're seeing happening uh around our state and uh you know funding
challenges that that will go forward uh in as much as you know we're through the pandemic and other things that uh have impacted the state in somewhat inflated overall budget. Um was mentioned tonight about Florence Place and uh you know me
Florence Place is an exceptional property and I appreciate the fact that and I and I'll tie this with uh uh what we have coming up very soon on the 31st. We have what is called the uh Nehemiah Action. It's an annual event. In fact, it'll be the 25th uh Nehemiah Action
that we have held. That'll be at Resurrection Church in um in Lakeland. the uh peace organization which I've been a part of for a number of years and I partner with peace for some very valid reasons because it really uh has sought
to uh really have give voice to the voiceless uh the issue of uh affordable housing uh mental health uh children not reading at grade level um I mean a plethora of problems uh of course the
clinics that we have around our county were championed by us uh from the very beginning about 25 churches cross cultural um we just have amazing group of people that come together to ecumenical it's
not about politics or anything of that nature it's about issues that people are being impacted by and so when I look out my office and I see uh the Florence Place property knowing the people that that stood up and said, you know, we can
do better as a community. Winter Haven joined that effort and we now have, I think, a very vibrant movement that is trying to address the the the affordable housing or the housing issue. Uh, and it's a real problem because we got our uh 5,000 students who are homeless in
Poke County. That's a very serious matter. the issue that we're actually dealing with this year um and we'll be talking about on the 31st which really shocked me was the fact that elderly services that I think uh one of our residents just spoke to that a moment
ago that there are many who do not have funding and did not and do not have much of uh retirement if any retirement at all and many of them have the minimum social security and I was talking with someone the other day and he was sharing with me that uh he's a retired retired
minister and he was sharing with me just you know what little he gets out of social security and that's mainly what he has to live on he and his wife in Poke County there are very limited services for
elderly and I was shocked that we are not doing nearly enough to address a a very vibrant very important segment of our community that has given so much and I think uh Mr. Smothers, you said it so well, who've given so much of
themselves, the measure of their lives to this community, meaning did work. Some of them, some of them worked in situations where they were not given uh the proper uh wages in terms of paying for social security and have so therefore they have none. So, we're
speaking to that issue, the fact that we can do better as a county. We must do better as a county because too many people are suffering. And uh I got a birthday this week and I'm joined in that crowd whether I want to or not. And
I and I like to I like to know that when my work is done, when my day is done being up here and serving in the community and other places, you know that I'm blessed that I do have some things that I can lean back on and and we'll be able Valerie and I will be
okay. But I think about those people who are not okay and there are a whole lot of them. And so my heart goes out to them. I'm gonna stand for them. I'm gonna fight for them every day because uh you know that could be my grandmother. That could be your grandmother. May be your grandmother. So
uh I know I'm on my soap box, but uh this is something that I'm passionate about because I think that if we're not serving if it's how we treat our children and how we deal with our elderly is so vitally important. It says a lot about our community. So I'm going to be there on the on the 31st. I'm
going to be there. Hope many of us will join. If you want to come check it out, just to know what it's all about, please come Resurrection Church on the on the 31st and uh you'll see something that you haven't seen in a long time. Thank you very much, Mayor Pro Tim. Thank you. Yeah.
So, I'll comment on our Tallahassee uh trip as uh to start off and I'll just say it is it is just so important. It's imperative that we continue to go up there and advocate for home rule um for
what affects our city um so that um the delegates up there understand what we're dealing with. You know, we we're the ones that get the phone calls and the nasty emails and don't approve this or don't approve that. And
Tallahassee is the one that's building the field for us to play on. And so, you know, so often times I think we want to change things up here and alter things and um try to make them more fitting to the direction of our community and our
city. And our hands are tied a lot of times with the with the field that Tallahassee gives us to play on. We're very lucky that we have the delegation that we have up there from Pulk County. They have a very levelheaded, common sense approach to things. Um, you know,
so I'm I'm I'm at least thankful for that. But we saw many things being attacked this year and continuing to be attacked such as CRAAS and property taxes and you know, there's Senate Bill 1118 which streamlines developers process to develop agricultural land.
Like come on guys, like you know, every voter in the state of Florida is saying slow down. Take a step back. And so I I just think that that those trips are just so important for us locally to go up there as a
committee, as a um as a delegation to to really advocate for um the direction that we want to see Winter Haven go. and uh and you know often times they they base
their decisions about things that that are being done in Miami or Cape Coral or places that are nowhere like Winter Haven, Florida. And so, uh just that's my soap box. So, I'll just end on that. But it's just important to continue advocating up there um for what's right
for Winter Haven. Also, uh I attended the appar airport advisory meeting on Friday. Um I'll just report there that the um tower the electric uh the remote tower services that that's rolling that
that is really moving along quickly now. And so that's going to be um in the in every time you put on the news or you flip on social media, it seems like there's another uh near midair collision happening and um with big jets and we
just have little guys flying around here in Winter Haven. So that's going to be um very valuable to our aviation community and uh be the front runners on that technology here in Winter Haven, Florida is is um is a positive thing.
So, I'm done. You're done? I'm done. All right. Okay. Uh, I just echo your uh comments as it relates to uh Poke County Day and home rule and all
of those things. And I know you're on the today's call and I know the city is too. I mean, it's just a merit of things that's passing, just trying to pass in
Tallahass that will affect us immensely. Um, and that's enough about that. uh attended the PRWC meeting and for the first time since I've been serving we had the most contentious meeting
ever where the local governments uh were at odds and uh ultimately it still worked out the way
that it uh should And uh the whole idea of the water crop is to uh put us in a position where we
won't go through with what Tampa and St. Pete did. And that is lawsuits over water and the pumping of water. Who's getting water? Because when you think about water, uh it's under the
the earth. And so I guess there is no boundaries, there are no city limits if you start pumping. And so but any rate it worked out. And uh it was the first time for me that I
actually had to chair all of the different uh wings of the the cooperative. And so because Mayor Muntz from uh Lakeland wasn't there. So, but anyway, it all worked out. And uh Gary wasn't there to
support me either. Where is Gary? He got He's gone. Yeah, he wasn't he wasn't there either. But T Michael was right behind me. He had my back. And so it it was all good. It was all
good. also attended the uh ROC uh banquet and uh it was just really enlightening to be at a military ball. That's what that's what it was. It was a military ball for the junior ROC
students and uh I mean it was just really really really nice. As Reverend Dolison said, there are over 450 students there. And when you get that many students in one place, the
noise level at certain points is going to be very, very loud. But, uh, it was all good. And the, uh, the food was good as well. It was prepared by one of the, uh, culinary arts, uh, schools at Lake
Region. And so it was uh it was very good. Uh went and received the million5 uh check from the governor and we thanked him and uh we're happy about that. And then
finally the uh I attended the uh transportation disadvantage uh organization and barto of which I'm uh a representative uh on there and uh
they deal with uh elderly services as well but it just it's basically only for transportation that's all is what that is uh and so that's a good meeting that I had and
uh the funding is is is continuing and everybody's concerned about certain what's considered entitlement programs and whether or not the funding is going to be continued but uh so far so good. Um and finally the neighborhood
service center uh St. Patrick's Day uh celebration. And I'll have to say to my fellow commissioners, hats off to you all because y'all actually got there and served. Y'all serve the senior citizen.
And those senior citizens, they know they have a reserve seat for me. They say I'm already eligible. When am I going to come and take my seat at the neighborhood service center at the at the senior program? But the food was good and I had to rush out because uh
the uh transportation disadvantage meeting was in Barto uh that same day. And so that's it for me. Mr. Mayor, I got one more thing I forgot. I just got to give props real quick. You know, we go to Tallahassee. Um you usually get
15 minutes with your legislators and you got a jam-packed 15 minutes and T. Michael is absolutely the best at getting everything in there in 15 minutes in an effective way. So, hats off to team Michael. But is this is what happens once in a while. You have two people at once. So, we peeled off and MJ
and I went over to see um uh Mr. Ca uh Kennedy. So, I'm trying to going to watch MJ to see how he does. And I'm thinking, oh, I'm gonna have to jump in here. I He didn't miss a lick. He didn't miss a lick. He was just a T. Michael clone. So, T, you got a
nice wingman there. He did a great job. I wanted to tell you, you did awesome. We had a great conversation with Mrs. Kennedy uh and you didn't miss a lick. So, congrats. And so, I just want to give you some props because you did a wonderful job. And it was spring equinox last week. So, just so you'all know. All
right. All right. Uh, city attorney. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Commissioner, nothing this evening. City Manager. Just want to thank uh Commissioner Dance for those nice words. He is starting to clone. You notice he's getting a little more gray in his beard. Um, we're watching that
closely. I'm gonna, you know, with all the discussion of legislation and the the joys of Tallahassee, and we are grateful for the governor coming to town and presenting a a check, but we also know that we've got about more than half of the session to go and we're watching
things by the minute as to what's happening there. So, I thought I'd give you something good this evening. Uh, I wanted to share with you an outstanding accomplishment by our deputy city clerk, Latana Harris, is in the back. Latana,
if you would stand for me. Um, want to share with the commission that Latana has received her certified municipal clerk designation through the certified municipal clerk association, the International Institute of Municipal
Clerks, IIMC. This is a huge accomplishment for anybody in the clerk profession. Um, Lata has been working on this since she became our deputy city clerk and city historian and uh would watch closely as she was taking classes
and completing the the various objectives and requirements to do so. And I received that notification at about 12:30 today that she has officially uh received that designation and just want to congratulate her.
[Applause] I do understand that uh from Vanessa, the the master municipal clerk, that at a future date, we will have a pinning ceremony of sorts that will take place here during a city commission meeting uh when she will get her lapel designation.
So, very good news for your team. That's all I have this evening, sir. All right. Nothing this evening, sir. City clerk, thank you for those kind words. um t Michael um Latana has worked really hard. It's it takes a lot to even get
your CMC uh designation. It's a lot of homework. It's um attending conferences and just so much. And I just want to say that I'm so proud of her. She's been um amazing um in our office and um it's all
this extra stuff, right? Um in addition to her workload. So congratulations again, Patana. Very welld deserved. All right. Thank you. Did Did you want I just have an announcement to make in deference to our
seniors. Okay. I have a resource for them. Um many of us remember the West Central Area Agency on Aging. It is now called the Senior Connection Center and that senior connection center uh funds help for the elderly and the financially
compromised. They do Medicare counseling and Medicaid counseling. They help with applications for the low-inccome subsidy and the Medicare savings program. And I have the phone number if you think it would be appropriate to announce it.
Yes. Yes. Go. Yes. Okay. It is 8009635337. Again, 800 9635337. And this is the Senior Connection Center, formerly the West Central Area Agency on Aging, PSA6, with the state of Florida. Thank you. Thank you, Lata.
Would you like to have something to say? Don't have anything formal this evening. I will um prepare something when I get my pinning. But of course, I could not leave here without saying thank you to you all for your support um for helping me along this way. This um
it was a team effort. Um and I had a lot of my team here um city manager, my city clerk, my deputy city manager. I would often get some of my fellow team members that would just encourage me to push on and to pursue this goal. So, I'm just
happy that I finally accomplished it and I look forward to doing more. Thank you. Thank you. [Applause] Emergency matters not received for the agenda.
Oh. Oh, come on. Come on up. I want to say something. Please state your name and address for the record so we know who you are. 125 Lakes Drive North. So, um, I'm Officer F. normally work night shift around the city. Um, and I wanted to come speak because we deal with a lot
of citizens, juveniles, kids, and stuff like that. And I don't get a chance to come to none of these meetings like that. And I was asked to come tonight. So, I want to say nice to meet a lot of you that I haven't seen faces in a long time. But also speaking on the side of
like the citizens because a lot of them come voice their opinions to us and they're scared to come talk to you guys about a lot of things. But um just I was a teen parent, okay, and I had my child at 16 and it was hard, okay, to you
know, so I may not be able to come to the next meeting and I don't want to be up here long, but as a concerned mom for a lot of people that is looking for fun for children and stuff, it is hard out here, you know, and um and also for the senior citizens like the young lady has
spoken, it's hard for our like my grandma, you know, when they're on a limited income. So, like uh Pastor Barry was saying that I used to talk to him all the time when I was on day shift, when it come down to funding and stuff like that, if it could be equal because
let's be honest, we don't know what everybody's using their money for. They could be saying one thing, but it could be something different. But if we set certain rules, you know, to provide data or something like that, I think that would help everybody out, especially when it come down to kids because it's hard. And I can say that as a cop, it's
hard. Really, really hard. So, I didn't I was sitting back there and I I don't come to these meetings a lot and I didn't want to leave without speaking up because then it would have been been on my mind all night. Like, so I'm sorry to interrupt, but I want to make it be known that it's it's tough out here as a
mom and I have two kids and I was a teen parent is tough and taking care of my grandma and stuff that's hard too as well. So, thank you for your service to our community and thank you for your service to your family. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Anyone else? All right. Again, emergency matters not received for the agenda. Motion to adjoin. [Music]