Winter Park City Commission Regular Meeting Summary: Budget, Flock Cameras, and Public Hearings - September 23, 2026

The Winter Park City Commission met on September 23, 2026, at 3:30 PM in City Hall Commission Chambers, adjourning at 6:34 PM. The meeting included a community partner presentation from the Winter Park Institute, a presentation on Orange County Public Schools' declining enrollment from Chief Communications Officer Scott Howat, a discussion leading to the unanimous suspension of the Flock camera program for 90 days, the adoption of the FY 2027 millage rate and budget following a public hearing, and second readings on micromobility regulations and utility rates.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the minutes of the September 9, 2026 regular meeting.
• Authorized staff to enter negotiations with top-ranked firm Credit Bureau System, Inc. for EMS billing services (RFP26-23).
• Approved HIDTA Grant pass-through funding for FY 2027 in the amount of $107,201. (All approved unanimously by a 5-0 vote.)

Public Comments & Testimony

• David Williams (209 Tyree Lane): Requested an agenda item to discuss his concerns and a $135 permit-fee waiver for his fence, citing violence, nearby disturbances, criminal activity, and difficulty obtaining police assistance. He criticized the City’s handling of his situation.
• Urban Forestry Budget Cuts (Public Hearing on Millage/Budget): Seven members of the public spoke in opposition to proposed reductions to the Urban Forestry budget.
  • Nancy Freeman read statements from Clayton Ferrara and Bob Bendick (Winter Park Land Trust) opposing the reductions and urging continued investment.
  • Leslie Poole (Rollins College Environmental Studies professor, Winter Park Land Trust member) expressed concern about deferred maintenance and the impact on lower-canopy neighborhoods, urging the Commission not to end the residential permitting program.
  • Peggy Bohl stressed that trees require consistent, continual care and asked the Commission to maintain its investment.
  • Cynthia Newton Edmond described the decline of birds and wildlife in her neighborhood due to mature tree loss.
  • CJ Williams (Winter Park Land Trust) noted that 80% of the suggested $511,618 in cuts came from Urban Forestry, opposing the elimination of the residential tree permitting process.
  • Kim Allen provided a historical perspective on Winter Park's tree canopy and the efforts to protect it, urging the Commission to continue funding tree planting and maintenance.
  • Brad Blum asked the Commission not to cut Urban Forestry staff or maintenance and not to abandon tree permits.

Discussion Items

• Flock Camera Program Suspension: Winter Park Police Chief Tim Volkerson requested approval to suspend the License Plate Reader (LPR) program for a minimum of 90 days, citing an evolving policy landscape, public records law ambiguity, and inadequate privacy protections for innocent citizens. He noted the three existing rear-facing flock cameras were already being removed. Commissioner Lindsey made a motion to suspend use for no less than 90 days, with a future agenda item scheduled for reconsideration. The motion carried unanimously by a 5-0 vote.
• Millage Rate and FY 2027 Budget (2nd Reading): Finance Director Wes Hamill advised the proposed millage rate of 4.0923 mills (maintained for 18 years) is 5.16% higher than the rollback rate of 3.8915 mills due to increases in assessed property values. A 0.1937 mill voted debt service levy covers general obligation bonds. Following public comment, the Commission adopted Ordinance 3373-26 (Millage) and Ordinance 3374-26 (Budget) unanimously by 5-0 votes.
• Water and Wastewater Rate Adjustments (2nd Reading): Ordinance 3375-26 was adopted unanimously by a 5-0 vote.
• Micromobility Devices (2nd Reading): Ordinance 3376-26 was adopted unanimously by a 5-0 vote. The ordinance requires riders under the age of 16 to obtain a safety certificate. Staff noted citations will not be issued immediately; an educational period will precede enforcement. Commissioner Russell volunteered to test courses with a middle school focus group.
• Recodification of City Code (1st Reading): Ordinance 3377-26 was adopted on first reading unanimously by a 5-0 vote.
• State Revolving Fund Loan (1st Reading): The Commission authorized a $19,166,503 loan from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for wastewater system resiliency projects. Half of the loan will be forgiven; the remaining half is repayable over 20 years at 0% interest. The annual repayment of approximately $440,000 will be funded entirely from water and wastewater revenues, not ad valorem taxes. The ordinance was adopted on first reading unanimously by a 5-0 vote. Mayor DeCiccio credited Natural Resources Director Gloria Eby with securing the loan.
• Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Discussion: Commissioner Lindsey proposed scheduling a work session with public input to address CRA critics directly with a formal City presentation. After discussion regarding previous outreach and the CRA’s benefits for infrastructure in historically neglected areas, the Commission reached consensus to schedule a work session after the first of the year.

Key Outcomes

• Flock Camera Suspension: Approved suspension of the License Plate Reader program for a minimum of 90 days (5-0).
• FY 2027 Budget & Millage: Adopted Ordinance 3373-26 (Millage Rate at 4.0923 mills) and Ordinance 3374-26 (Annual Budget) (5-0).
• Utility Rates: Adopted Ordinance 3375-26 increasing water and wastewater rates (5-0).
• Micromobility: Adopted Ordinance 3376-26 requiring safety certificates for riders under 16 (5-0).
• Code Recodification: Approved Ordinance 3377-26 on first reading (5-0).
• Wastewater Loan: Authorized the SRF Loan application on first reading (5-0).
• Directives: Schedule a future agenda item to approve the micromobility course; schedule a work session with public input to discuss the CRA after the first of the year.