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Record of Proceedings

Cocoa City Council Meeting - July 28, 2026

City Council — Tuesday, July 28, 2026
BodyCocoa, Florida
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, July 28, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:35:29

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.

Speaker 1

0:00

Stone Street.

0:02

We will have invocation by Councilwoman Weeks and Pledge of Allegiance by the DM group back there, Don and Melissa.

0:13

Would you all come forward, please?

0:16

Thank you, sir.

0:18

Um, um, we're gonna do invocation first, and then we'll have you all do the pledge.

0:22

Y'all come on up, don't be scared, we won't bite you.

0:25

Would everyone please, ma'ams and sirs, secure your cell phones, and we will have invocation.

Unassigned speaker

0:34

Okay.

Speaker 2

0:35

Let us pray.

0:36

Our dear Heavenly Father, we just uh thank you so much tonight for the rain.

0:40

Well, we can do without the lightning and thunder, but Lord, we thank you for the rain.

0:44

And Lord, we just ask you to give us wisdom this evening as we do the city's business and the people's business.

0:51

And Lord, we ask you to be with all the employees of the city of Coco.

0:55

Lord, keep them all safe, especially those who work outside in this weather.

0:58

In Jesus' name we pray.

1:00

Amen.

1:00

Amen.

Unassigned speaker

1:03

I pledge

Speaker 1

1:04

allegiance to the flag of United.

1:08

And to the Republicans one nation on a God and the visible liberty justice for all.

1:24

Madam Clerk.

1:26

May we do roll call, please, ma'am.

Speaker 3

1:28

Yes, sir.

Speaker 1

1:29

Thank you.

Speaker 3

1:30

Mayor Blake.

Speaker 1

1:31

Present ma'am.

Speaker 3

1:31

Deputy Mayor Goines.

Speaker 1

1:33

Here.

Speaker 3

1:33

Councilmember Hearn.

Speaker 1

1:34

Here.

Speaker 3

1:35

Council Member Coss.

1:36

Here.

1:37

Council Member Weeks.

1:38

Here.

1:38

City Attorney Garganisi.

1:42

And City Manager Witton.

1:44

Thank

Unassigned speaker

1:44

you.

Speaker 1

1:46

Yeah, check your cell phones, please.

1:48

All right.

1:49

Thank you very much, Madam Clerk.

1:51

Um Arsenal.

1:52

Proceeding on to item number two-one agenda regular meeting of July 28th, 2026.

1:59

What are the wishes of council?

2:01

Move

Unassigned speaker

2:01

to approve.

Speaker 1

2:02

We got a motion on the floor by Councilwoman Weeks.

2:04

Second.

2:05

Second by Councilwoman Coss.

2:07

Chair's gonna call the question all in favor saying aye.

2:10

Aye.

2:11

Any nays?

2:13

Uh have it unanimously.

2:15

Proceeding on to item number two minutes, regular meeting of May 12th, 2026.

2:21

What are the wishes of council?

2:22

Move to

Speaker 2

2:23

approve.

Speaker 1

2:23

And a motion on the floor by Councilwoman Weeks.

2:26

Second.

2:27

Second by Deputy Mayor Gollings.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Fiscal Sustainability████████████████████████████████████36%
Budget Equity Analysis███████████11%
Land Use and Zoning█████████9%
Youth Programs███████7%
Parks and Recreation███████7%
Procedural██████6%
Public Safety████4%
Community Engagement███3%
Homelessness███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Cocoa City Council Meeting - July 28, 2026

The Cocoa City Council met on July 28, 2026, to conduct routine business, recognize a student volunteer, hear public comments, hold public hearings on annexation and zoning amendments, and advance the Fiscal Year 2027 budget approval process. Debate centered on whether to maintain the current millage rate or adopt the rollback rate.

Consent Calendar

  • The council unanimously approved the agenda (item 2-1) and the minutes from the regular meeting of May 12, 2026 (item 2-2).
  • The council unanimously approved the consent agenda (item 5).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Rev. J.B. Dennis, president of the Cocoa Flower Chopper National Action Network, argued for requiring muzzles on police dogs and replacing lethal force with beanbag rounds. He commended the Cocoa Police Chief for maintaining good relations.
  • Anita Gibson, a resident of 451 Stone Street, expressed concern that the former Dr. Joe Lee Smith Center has become a shelter for homeless individuals, urging its renovation to serve the Diamond Square community. She also cautioned citizens to read fine print in Habitat for Humanity contracts and announced a planned meeting with the city manager and police chief. Councilmembers noted homeless activity at the site.
  • Joshua Tiddle praised the city but requested that bus stop shelters be installed to shelter riders from heat.

Discussion Items

  • Acceptance of Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (Item 3-1): Finance Director Rebecca Bowman and auditor Joel Knopp (Forvis Mazars) presented a clean audit with no adjustments, an unmodified opinion, and strong financial health. Unassigned fund balance was $28 million (60% of expenditures), water and sewer operating income was $26 million, and the budget variance was $15 million positive. Council unanimously accepted the report.
  • Recognition of Student Achievement: The council recognized Addison Mayer (age 13, GPA 4.3, 454 volunteer hours) with a Certificate of Achievement for academic excellence and community service.
  • Grissom Parkway Annexation (Ordinance 27-2026): Second and final reading for the annexation of 1.29 acres east of Grissom Parkway. Planner Jen Webster noted a corrected acreage (from 1.16 to 1.19) and a change in ownership to SDH COCO BP LLC. No public comment. Council unanimously approved.
  • Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map Amendment (8-2026): Second and final reading, changing the designation to City of Cocoa Industrial. Council unanimously approved.n- Zoning Map Amendment (9-2026): Second and final reading, changing to M2 Manufacturing. Council unanimously approved.
  • Uptown CC Zoning Text Amendment (11-2026): Second and final reading to allow optical services as a permitted use. Council unanimously approved.
  • Budget Resolution (Resolution 2026-053): The council discussed establishing the rollback rate, approving a proposed millage rate, and setting a first public hearing. Finance Director Bowman explained that the proposed rate of 6.9532 mills would generate $432,952 more than the rollback rate of 6.8648 mills. Supermajority (4/5) would be needed at the final hearing for a rate above rollback. Councilmembers Coss and Weeks advocated for the rollback to provide taxpayer relief, while Mayor Blake, Deputy Mayor Goines, and Councilman Hearn argued for maintaining the current rate to avoid service cuts. The council:
    • Unanimously approved the rollback rate of 6.8648 mills.
    • Approved the proposed millage rate of 6.9532 mills by a vote of 3-2 (Blake, Goines, Hearn in favor; Coss, Weeks against).
    • Unanimously set the first public hearing for September 9, 2026 at 5 p.m. in City Hall.
  • Council Communications: Councilmember Hearn raised concerns about the football field at Cocoa High School (moles, poor turf, lack of water) and the possibility of moving some games to Provost Park. He also briefed on pending septic repairs at a park. Other councilmembers reported on community events and a waterway cleanup.

Key Outcomes

  • The council unanimously accepted the FY2026 annual financial report.
  • The council unanimously approved the annexation, comprehensive plan amendment, zoning amendment for Grissom Parkway, and the Uptown zoning text amendment for optical services.
  • The council unanimously established the rollback rate (6.8648 mills) and set the first budget public hearing for September 9, 2026.
  • The council approved the proposed millage rate of 6.9532 mills by a vote of 3-2, conditional on final adoption at the budget hearing.
  • No formal actions were taken on council communications, but staff were directed to follow up on items raised.

Meeting Transcript

Stone Street. We will have invocation by Councilwoman Weeks and Pledge of Allegiance by the DM group back there, Don and Melissa. Would you all come forward, please? Thank you, sir. Um, um, we're gonna do invocation first, and then we'll have you all do the pledge. Y'all come on up, don't be scared, we won't bite you. Would everyone please, ma'ams and sirs, secure your cell phones, and we will have invocation. Okay. Let us pray. Our dear Heavenly Father, we just uh thank you so much tonight for the rain. Well, we can do without the lightning and thunder, but Lord, we thank you for the rain. And Lord, we just ask you to give us wisdom this evening as we do the city's business and the people's business. And Lord, we ask you to be with all the employees of the city of Coco. Lord, keep them all safe, especially those who work outside in this weather. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of United. And to the Republicans one nation on a God and the visible liberty justice for all. Madam Clerk. May we do roll call, please, ma'am. Yes, sir. Thank you. Mayor Blake. Present ma'am. Deputy Mayor Goines. Here. Councilmember Hearn. Here. Council Member Coss. Here. Council Member Weeks. Here. City Attorney Garganisi. And City Manager Witton. Thank you. Yeah, check your cell phones, please. All right. Thank you very much, Madam Clerk. Um Arsenal. Proceeding on to item number two-one agenda regular meeting of July 28th, 2026. What are the wishes of council? Move to approve. We got a motion on the floor by Councilwoman Weeks. Second. Second by Councilwoman Coss. Chair's gonna call the question all in favor saying aye.

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