Kissimmee City Commission Meeting - February 17, 2026

The Kissimmee City Commission met on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at 6:00 PM in City Hall. The meeting was adjourned at 8:31 PM. All five commissioners were present: Mayor Jackie Espinosa, Vice Mayor Angela Eady, Commissioners Noel Ortiz, Carlos Alvarez III, and Janette Martinez. The meeting included three public hearings on charter amendments and a smoking ban, a large consent agenda, discussions on food truck regulations, appointment of an interim city attorney, recruitment process for a permanent city attorney, establishment of an auditor selection committee, and a Downtown CRA discussion on redeveloping the 50 Lakeview site.

Proclamations and Special Presentations

• Back on Track Employment Services: City Manager Mike Steigerwald read a proclamation honoring the organization for 25 years of workforce development services. Founder Jacqueline Murray thanked the City.
• Haven on Vine Community Partners and Resident of the Year: Deputy City Manager Desiree Matthews recognized community partners including GEO, C.R.E.W., El Faro Church, Pan American Behavioral Health, Sam's Club, Warren Hougland, and Natalie Casey for supporting Haven on Vine. Ms. Beatrice Brown was named Resident of the Year and expressed gratitude.

Public Hearings (Second Readings & Votes)

• Ordinance #26-03 (Term Limits): Amends the City Charter to increase commissioner term limits from two consecutive four-year terms to three. Alex Alemi and Danielle Sexton spoke in opposition. After debate, the Commission adopted the ordinance 4-1 (Commissioner Martinez dissenting). If ratified by voters in the August election, the change would allow commissioners to serve up to 12 consecutive years.
• Ordinance #26-04 (Smoking and Vaping Ban in Public Parks): Multiple students from Osceola High School’s SWAT program spoke in favor. No public opposition. The Commission voted 5-0 to adopt, making the existing policy enforceable by law.
• Ordinance #26-05 (Criminal Background Checks for Candidates): No public comment. The Commission voted 5-0 to adopt. The amendment requires candidates to consent to a background check; it will appear on the August ballot for voter approval.

Public Comments (Hear Audience)

• Several speakers criticized the termination of the former City Attorney at the previous meeting. Alex Alemi argued the action violated Florida Statute 286.0114 by denying public comment and lacked a proper vote. Alberto Sanchez de Fuentes defended his sister, stating the $6.2 million figure was misleading and that a surplus is not misconduct. Jeremy Fetzer supported the termination, alleging the former attorney padded her budget by roughly $500,000 to $1 million annually. Other speakers raised concerns about a Toho Water Authority board appointment, sought guidance on small business issues, and thanked the Commission for cultural events. One speaker also requested a workshop on alcohol vending at city events to allow more local vendors.

Consent Agenda

The Commission approved 14 items unanimously, including:

• Approval of February 3, 2026, meeting minutes
• Purchase of SCBA cascade and fill station from Compressed Air Supplies & Equipment ($87,951)
• Application for 2026 Urban and Community Forestry Hurricane Ian Recovery Grant ($37,500)
• Permanent right-of-way easement with Chick-fil-A on Oren Brown Road and Vine Street
• Acceptance of 2025 Florida Communities Trust Parks and Open Space Grant ($1,793,822)
• Renewal of network security and monitoring software from CDW ($86,410 for three years)
• Architectural design services for Oak Street Park concession stand renovations ($35,000)
• Final acceptance of Hilliard Ridge Subdivision improvements
• Award of Parcel 8 construction contract to Hubbard Construction at Kissimmee Gateway Airport ($4,417,648)
• Agreement with Monument Warehouse for Rose Hill Cemetery columbarium ($78,107)
• Local match commitment for passenger rail safety improvements ($653,824)
• Award of Woodside Drainage & Utilities Phase 2 contract to Jr. Davis Construction ($9,760,296)
• Establishment of the City of Kissimmee Community Impact Unit and partner service agreements ($200,000)
• Resolution #04-2026 approving an affordable housing development under the Florida Live Local Act

Discussion Items

• 8A – Food Truck Regulations: Development Services Director Craig Holland presented options ranging from an outright ban to geographical restrictions. After public comments, Commissioner Eady moved to allow food trucks at construction sites and city parks. The motion failed 2-3 (Eady, Martinez in favor; Alvarez, Espinosa, Ortiz against). The Commission reached consensus to schedule a workshop to further refine the ordinance.
• 8B – Appointment of Interim City Attorney: The Commission unanimously appointed Deputy City Attorney Kalanit Oded as Interim City Attorney.
• 8C – Recruitment and Selection Process for City Attorney: City Manager Steigerwald proposed using an external search firm and outlined a draft job description requiring 10+ years of municipal law experience and board certification preference. The Commission agreed to procure a search firm and hold a workshop to guide the process.
• 8D – Auditor Selection Committee: The Commission adopted Resolution #05-2026 establishing an auditor selection committee and appointed Vice Mayor Eady as the Commissioner member.
• 8E (Downtown CRA) – 50 Lakeview Redevelopment Site: The CRA Board discussed the 7.62-acre site. Commissioners suggested a mix of 55+ townhomes, mixed-use, and recreational space (skate park, basketball, checker tables). Consensus was to issue a broad RFQ with a six-month timeline; Commissioner Martinez requested the board review the RFQ before release.

Hear City Officials

• City Manager: Announced the Black History Month celebration at Chambers Park on Saturday, February 22, 1–5 PM.
• Mayor Espinosa: Read a statement defending the termination of the former City Attorney, citing “growing frustration and disappointment regarding the department's work product, communication, and overall operation management.” She claimed that under the former attorney, the legal budget was overstated by approximately $3.4 million in FY2025 alone, $911,000 in FY2025, and over $500,000 in FY2026. She stated that the financial findings were verified with the City Manager and Finance Director after the termination and that she had not discussed the matter with other commissioners to avoid Sunshine Law violations. She entered a three-page document of other concerns into the record but declined to read it publicly.
• Commissioner Martinez: Questioned the lack of board consultation and noted that decisions of this magnitude should involve the full board. She asked about the origin of the budget data and expressed concern about outside involvement.
• Vice Mayor Eady: Stated she needs time to research significant decisions and called for better transparency in future high-impact actions.

Key Outcomes

• Adopted Ordinance #26-03 (term limits increase) 4-1; placed on August ballot for voter ratification.
• Adopted Ordinance #26-04 (smoking and vaping ban in parks) 5-0.
• Adopted Ordinance #26-05 (candidate background checks) 5-0; placed on August ballot.
• Approved 14 consent agenda items unanimously.
• Appointed Kalanit Oded as Interim City Attorney (5-0).
• Agreed to hire an external search firm for City Attorney recruitment; workshop to be scheduled.
• Established Auditor Selection Committee with Vice Mayor Eady as the Commissioner member.
• Directed CRA staff to issue an RFQ for the 50 Lakeview site, with review by Commissioner Martinez before release.
• Food truck motion failed 2-3; a workshop on regulations was scheduled.