Kissimmee City Commission Meeting – January 20, 2026

The Kissimmee City Commission met on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at City Hall Commission Chambers (101 Church Street, Kissimmee, FL) from 6:00 PM to 6:55 PM. Mayor Jackie Espinosa and Commissioners Noel Ortiz, Angela Eady, Carlos Alvarez III, and Janette Martinez were present. Commissioner Alvarez led the Pledge of Allegiance after a moment of silence. There were no first or second reading public hearings. The commission administered fire department promotions, recognized parade and community award recipients, approved a Section 108 loan resolution, unanimously approved the consent agenda, and voted 3-1-1 to uphold a 90-day food truck permit renewal.

Proclamations & Special Presentations

• Fire Chief James Walls administered the Oath of Office to four Fire Department personnel whose promotions took effect January 17, 2026: Geoff Miller (Battalion Chief of EMS & Safety), Jeff Booher (Battalion Chief), Samson van Olffen (Lieutenant), and Bryan Benson (EMS Lieutenant).
• Events Manager Veronika Frink presented the 2025 Festival of Lights Parade awards. The parade drew over 10,000 attendees and featured 66 entries. Kissimmee Utility Authority won Best Lights and Effects and Best Overall; Victory Charter Schools won Best Walking Group.
• City Manager Mike Steigerwald read a proclamation declaring January 18–24, 2026 as National CRNA Week in Kissimmee, presented to Laura Sanchez, who thanked the city on behalf of nurse anesthetists.
• The "Kissimmee, City of Love Day" proclamation listed on the agenda was removed from the agenda before presentation.

Public Hearing

• Mayor Espinosa opened the public hearing for Resolution #02-2026, which adopts and submits the First Amendment of the 2025–2029 Consolidated Plan and the PY25 CDBG Action Plan. Housing and Community Program Development Manager Frances DeJesus explained that the city intends to submit a $3 million Section 108 loan application to HUD to complete rehabilitation of Haven on Vine Apartments. Upon completion, the property will provide studio and two-bedroom apartments and emergency beds, along with integrated supportive services. The funds would support conversion of 43 motel rooms into studio apartments with kitchenettes and renovated bathrooms, plus office and administrative renovation, pool conversion, and construction of a community garden and playground. The required 30-day comment period ran from December 19, 2025 through January 17, 2026, and no comments were received; no audience members spoke at the hearing. Future CDBG funds and program income may be used to repay the loan. Staff will submit the amendment to HUD after approval, and HUD review is expected to take up to 60 days. The motion to approve was made by Mayor Espinosa, seconded by Commissioner Alvarez, and carried 5-0.

Consent Calendar

• Approved City Commission minutes from December 16, 2025, and January 6, 2026.
• Approved the Investment Advisor Services Agreement with U.S. Bancorp Asset Management, LLC.
• Adopted Resolution #03-2026 approving the Fourth Amendment to the Local Housing Assistance Plan covering SHIP Fiscal Years 2022–2024, including technical amendments to clarify Hurricane Housing Recovery Program fund beneficiaries and allow private contractors for the Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation Program.
• Authorized negotiations for Construction Engineering Inspection (CEI) services for the Connect Kissimmee Complete Streets Phase 1 Project with the top-ranked firm, DRMP, followed by Metric Engineering, Michael Baker International, and RK&K.
• Approved renewal of the three-year ESRI Small Government Enterprise Agreement for $180,900 ($60,300 annually, split evenly between the City and Kissimmee Utility Authority at $30,150 each per year).
• Accepted the FY2025 Justice Assistance Grant Countywide award of $34,000 for the Kissimmee Police Department Forensic unit's purchase of an Alternative Light Source machine; an $11,400 balance will come from the current fiscal year budget.
• Approved Task Order No. 7 with AVCON, Inc. for construction administration and engineering services for Kissimmee Gateway Airport's Parcel 8 site development, at a project cost of $150,000 (80% FDOT-funded, 20% local airport match).
• Approved a First Right of Refusal to lease approximately 2.5 acres of airport property to Sabal Aviation Kissimmee, LLC for a Business AirPark with about 12 50-foot by 50-foot box hangars. The fee is $2,500 per acre per year, totaling $6,250 per year until construction, after which approximately $38,000 per year is expected.
• The consent agenda was approved unanimously, 5-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

• During the Hear Audience portion, commenters raised concerns about retaliation, First Amendment rights, code enforcement, online and social media scrutiny, and overall decorum.
• Stephanie Nelson said she agreed with concerns about a "2.0 grant" and stated retaliation against Lillian Evans is unacceptable and should be addressed.
• Lillian Evans alleged violations of her First Amendment rights. She said that after asking lawful questions about public records and use of public funds, she faced retaliation, social media bullying, public targeting, and code enforcement appearing at her private property. She asked that no resident fear intimidation for participating in local government.
• Olga Carino said she witnessed commissioners treat a constituent with disrespect and alleged that code enforcement began targeting Lillian Evans after comments about rooms, trailers, and RVs on her property. She called it retaliation and an abuse of power and also said Jeremy Fetzer's repeated presence at meetings appeared intended to monitor and intimidate residents.
• Jeremy Fetzer thanked the city for hosting an excellent Martin Luther King Jr. event over the weekend.

Discussion Items

• City Manager Mike Steigerwald presented the appeal of the Development Review Committee (DRC) decision to renew a Conditional Use Special Event Permit for up to 6 food trucks at 1985 S. John Young Parkway. He explained that the Planning Advisory Board approved the conditional use on August 20, 2025 with a condition limiting the approval to 90 days, and that the City Commission voted 3-1 on September 3, 2025 to impose a moratorium on new food truck special event permit applications until a revised ordinance is adopted. The DRC withheld renewal on December 16, 2025 until a revised site plan was submitted, then approved the renewal on January 9, 2026. A written appeal was received January 12, 2026. Steigerwald said he appealed to let the commission decide whether the moratorium should apply to this renewal, and he clarified that the moratorium was specific to food trucks approved through the special event permit process.
• Commissioner Janette Martinez recused herself from voting and submitted the required form. She noted the request was a renewal rather than a new application, stated the applicant had no violations, and questioned the City Manager's characterization that he appealed "on behalf of the City Commission."
• Applicant Lisandra Roman, owner of Lechonera El Jarito and the Jibarito Food Truck Spot, said she followed every requirement, hired an architect and engineer, paid all fees, attended every meeting, and had no violations. She said the moratorium was stated to apply to new applications, not existing permits, and raised due process concerns because the City Manager appealed while the commission is also the decision maker. She asked for fair treatment and to continue operating lawfully.
• Celia Burgos, Roman's daughter and a 21-year-old mother of a one-year-old, said the family complied with all rules and had no violations. She said she used her savings to buy a food truck and had not yet been able to begin operating, and she asked the board not to take the permit away for reasons unrelated to compliance.
• Staff noted the DRC had approved the renewal, the applicant had a clean record, no complaints had been received, and staff recommended allowing another 90-day period while monitoring the property.
• During discussion, commissioners and the City Manager reviewed the definition of a special event, the scope of the moratorium, and the pending code revision. Commissioner Noel Ortiz expressed concerns about avoiding issues like those seen at the Mill Creek Mall area, asked about tabling the matter to develop more specific provisions, and ultimately voted against the motion.

Key Outcomes

• Approved Resolution #02-2026 (Section 108 loan and CDBG Consolidated Plan amendment) by a 5-0 vote.
• Approved the entire consent agenda, including Resolution #03-2026, by a 5-0 vote.
• Voted 3-1-1 (Aye: Mayor Espinosa, Commissioners Alvarez and Eady; Nay: Commissioner Ortiz; Abstain: Commissioner Martinez) to uphold the DRC's decision renewing the food truck special event permit for an additional 90 days and to continue monitoring compliance. The motion was made by Mayor Espinosa and seconded by Commissioner Eady. The permit will return to the DRC on April 7, 2026, and the future ordinance revision will require City Commission approval of conditional uses.
• The "Kissimmee, City of Love Day" proclamation was removed from the agenda.
• City Manager Steigerwald reported on the successful Commission Planning Retreat held the prior Friday, and Commissioner Eady called for unity and cooperation across the city.
• The meeting adjourned at 6:55 PM.