by Anne Mooney | Sep 22, 2019 | Headline, News, Visioning
Charter Review -- Fast Track to Completion
Commission Will Deliberate, Voters Will Decide
The Charter Review Advisory Committee (CRC) wrapped up their report Friday, Sept. 20, at Noon. The report will go to the Commission on Monday, Sept. 23, at a 6:00 pm workshop following the regular Commission meeting.
Every 10 years, a committee of Winter Park citizens is assembled to review the City Charter and make updates to bring it into compliance with state and federal law and to eliminate archaic language. The last review was in 2009.
Charter Review Committee
The committee members were Steve Brandon, Marjorie Bridges, Lisa Coney, Mary Daniels, Amanda Day, James Johnston, Bud Kirk, Jr., Nick Pope and Lawrence Lyman. They had 10 two-hour meetings between April 23 and September 20, 2019, in which they reviewed the Charter, line-by-line, and recommended changes. Recommendations required a consensus threshold of 75 percent of the committee. Issues decided could be readdressed with the consent of 75 percent of the committee.
Led by Marilyn Crotty
Not only was there robust discussion among committee members, there was substantial time devoted to public comment both before and following the formal meetings. Facilitator Marilyn Crotty, who led the effort and who has had a long career as a facilitator for cities throughout Florida, stated that she observed more participation from Winter Park citizens than she had for any other city with which she had worked. She commended Winter Parkers for their extraordinary level of civic engagement.
Implementation Procedures
The Commission will have the weekend to review the CRC’s report. Following the regular Commission meeting Monday, the Commissioners and the committee members will have an informal workshop to discuss the committee’s recommendations. Although the Commission could decide otherwise, it is customary that during an informal workshop, such as the one Monday night, no decisions will be made and no public comment will be taken.
It will be an important meeting for concerned citizens to attend, however, to see which issues are discussed and to hear the tenor of the conversation.
First, the Commission
The Commission can decide to accept all, some or none of the CRC’s recommendations. Recommendations the Commission does accept will be placed on the ballot at the Presidential Preference Primary March 17, 2020. The procedure for that is as for anything placed on the ballot. The Commission will pass an ordinance that will include the ballot language through a process of two public hearings and an affirmative vote of a majority of Commissioners. Public notice and public comment will play leading roles in that process.
Then to the Ballot for a Decision by the Voters
At the September 20 committee meeting, Ms. Crotty estimated there could be as many as 19 separate recommendations to go on the ballot in March – a substantial amount of information for anyone to take in, especially in a Presidential Primary year when there are sure to be distractions.
Elaborate Voter Info Program Recommended
The CRC is recommending the City fund a community education program consisting, at a minimum, “. . . of access to copies of the proposed Charter changes, printed informational brochures, public forums, information on social media and the City website, and a speakers’ bureau to inform voters of the proposed changes.”
Hot Topics
During the committee meetings, the items that came up for discussion most frequently – and tended to be the most controversial – were the following four.
- Should Commissioners be elected from a geographic district rather than representing the citizens at large? Some believed districts might provide fairer representation for under-served communities, such as the West Side neighborhood. Others believed Winter Park is not large enough to warrant being divided up geographically. No consensus was reached on this issue, so it will not go forward as a recommendation from the committee, but Commissioners are still likely to hear about it.
- Should the Mayor have the sole authority to make appointments to Citizen Advisory Boards? Again, no consensus – five voted for, three against, one was absent – but the vote did not reach the required 75 percent consensus threshold. While a recommendation from the committee will not be forthcoming, this discussion too is probably far from over.
- How to ensure our local elections remain non-partisan? The difficulty here was crafting rules that are a) unambiguous and b) do not conflict with state and federal statutes and certain U.S. Supreme Court rulings. The committee recommends language prohibiting candidates from publicly advertising affiliation with any political party or accepting campaign contributions from any political party. It also provides for penalties for infractions.
- Increased compensation for Mayor and Commissioners. The committee is bringing its recommendation for base annual salaries for Commissioners of $12,600 and for the Mayor, $15,000. According to a table distributed by Marilyn Crotty, each Commissioner now receives $2,400 per year, and the Mayor receives $3,000.
Holding office entails a significant commitment of time and resources, and that can be a barrier for someone who has family obligations and is not self-employed, retired or independently wealthy. While no current Mayor or Commissioner would receive an increase, the increase would bring Winter Park compensation more in line with other cities in Central Florida. More important, the hope is that this increase would encourage a wider pool of potential future candidates to run for elected office.
Civil Service Board Survives
The committee was able to work through one topic — the possible elimination of the Civil Service Advisory Board – to avoid controversy. Suggested Charter language had the potential to eliminate the Civil Service Board, which forms a layer of protection between Police and Fire first responders and the more politically oriented City government. Instead of a Civil Service Advisory Board, the Charter would have mandated a Civil Service Code, (as yet, unwritten) which the Commission would adopt by Ordinance and which would govern first responders.
A Civil Service Code exists, but has not been updated for many years and is largely irrelevant. When asked about this, Police Chief Michael Deal told the Voice, “The Code is outdated and should be modernized, but the Board should remain intact. This keeps politics out of [first responder] work.”
Chief Deal went on to explain that nearly everything first responders do is governed by state law and state accreditation standards. “I am very happy in my job,” said Deal, “and the City Manager and the Commission are very supportive – they all let me do my job.”
“The issue is how the City functions,” he said, “not about the specific personalities involved. Right now, everything’s fine, but there could come a time when politics could enter in – which it doesn’t now – and that would not be appropriate.”
Chief Deal and City Manager Randy Knight have agreed to work together to update the Civil Service Code to meet today’s conditions. In the meantime — except in the highly unlikely event the Commission decides to abolish it — the Civil Service Advisory Board will remain.
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by Anne Mooney | Sep 19, 2019 | Headline, Opinion, Tree Canopy, Zoning and Development
The Canopy – Questions Remain
Editor's Note: Articles written by citizens reflect their own opinions and not the views of the Winter Park Voice.
Guest Columnist Marty Sullivan
The first anniversary of the conditional use approval of the Canopy project is coming up September 24, and shortly thereafter the Commission should receive the construction drawings, from which the City can finally calculate the “not-to-exceed” cost of the project. Despite anticipation of these long-sought answers, questions remain.
The proposed Canopy project is a big deal for our City. Based on the history of our current library, we may have this public building for the next 40 years.
What Questions?
We have to ask: Is the design compatible with our City? Is the library satisfactory in form and function to serve Winter Park citizens? Will the adjoining events center serve Winter Park’s needs for community events? Will the evolving cost fit within our budget? Will long-term maintenance and operation costs be acceptable? Will it be a desirable addition to Martin Luther King, Jr. recreational park?
Let Your City Officials Hear From You
Your City leaders need to hear from you. Let your Commissioners know your thoughts on the proposed library and events center. There is no time to waste. Act now.
You can research the proposed Canopy library and events center on the City web site, https://cityofwinterpark.org/government/city-info/winter-park-canopy/
Narrow Margin Foretold Present Dilemma
In March 2016, we voted on a bond referendum for a new library. I expected a favorable landslide vote, because who isn’t in favor of a new library? The bond passed, despite controversy over vague plans and finalization of the building site. The final breakdown was 51 percent for and 49 percent against. The referendum passed by a margin of just 214 votes, foreshadowing the controversy that was sure to follow.
Initial Concept is Substantially Changed
Are the changes in building sizes from the initial concepts acceptable? The referendum language specified, “For the purpose of building the Winter Park Library and Events Center, to include library facilities, civic meeting and gathering facilities and related parking structure . . . .”
Voters were told there would be a 50,000-square-foot (sf) library, an 8,505 sf civic center and a 200-space parking garage (“Community Engagement Workshops,” ACi Architects, 10/26/2015).
Now, the plans are for a 34,400 sf library and a 13,564 sf events center. The ‘associated parking structure’ has been replaced by surface parking (City Commission conditional use approval, 9/24/2018). The Canopy library is only 400 sf larger than the current library facility. Library staff cites efficient use of space, which compensates for the reduction in size, but is this library adequate for our citizens’ needs?
MLK Park Loses Trees and Green Space
Are changes to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Park appropriate? The proposed structure will reduce the MLK park area by an estimated two acres, and the storm water treatment area must be expanded, although no specifications had been developed as of May 2019 (LandDesign engineers).
What Effect Will Tourism Dollars Have?
The City secured a $6 Million Tourist Development Tax (TDT) grant in return for making the Canopy Events Center available for international tourism. At the City’s presentation to the TDT grant board, City Manager Randy Knight was asked about the extent of Winter Park citizens’ use of the event center facility. He responded that he thought Winter Park residents might use the facility during the week, but that the event center would be available on weekends for tourism activities. Winter Park voters approved the bond referendum based on an event center with the purpose of “civic meeting and gathering facilities.” However, now the intended purpose seems to be an international tourism destination. (Presentation before Tourist Tax Grant Board 3/15/2019).
No Hard Numbers, So Far
Cost estimates have been a moving target. To date, the City has provided only artistic renderings, and we are depending on bids based on construction drawings to derive hard costs. The City’s official position on cost estimate is $40.5 million, coming from $28.7 Million in bonds, $6 Million TDT grant and $5.4 Million in private donations. The estimated total budget with contingencies is $43 Million.
How many private dollars should our community contribute to this one project? Are we draining resources away from other endeavors? We have other important projects on the horizon, many of which may require private sector support, such as plans for the post office site, new parks, city hall renovations and repurposing the old library site.
How high is too high?
What final figure will cause our City leaders to pause and rethink this project? Fifty Million? We’ve heard $55 Million. Commissioners need to tell us now what they consider an acceptable figure to move ahead with the Canopy.
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by Anne Mooney | Aug 31, 2019 | Headline, News
What's Happening at City Hall in September?
As We Roar into Fall
Given the weather forecast, most Winter Parkers are engaged in activities other than meetings. All City meetings through September 8 have been cancelled. First up is the Commission meeting September 9. Check this link for the most current information. https://cityofwinterpark.org/government/boards/
Keeping an Eye on Dorian
The place to hover your mouse this month is here — https://cityofwinterpark.org/media/emergency-incidents/.
During the storm, this part of the City website will be updated several times a day with information to keep you safe. Among the useful information is a Hurricane Preparedness Guide. Don’t wait until the storm hits to click on this link. https://issuu.com/cityofwinterpark/docs/hurricane_preparedness_guide?e=7314878/63055860
The Schedule? It’s a Definite Maybe
The Chapman Room and the Commission Chambers are on the second floor of City Hall.
Coffee Talks
In addition to commissions, boards and task forces, we also have informal gatherings with City Officials, where you can let them know what you’re thinking and find out what they’re thinking.
The Mayor’s Coffee Talk was in July. Vice Mayor Greg Seidel’s was August 8. The remaining Coffee Talks will be held 8:00 to 9:00 am at the Winter Park Golf and Country Club, 761 Old England Ave.
Commissioner Sarah Sprinkel – September 9.
Commissioner Carolyn Cooper – October 10.
Commissioner Todd Weaver – November 14.
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by Anne Mooney | Aug 30, 2019 | Headline, News
No Break for Summer Task Forces
Winter Parkers have been busy this summer, giving generously of their time to serve on one or another of three task forces. All three groups are set to complete their tasks this fall.
The Orange Avenue Steering Committee is studying redevelopment opportunities along the Orange Avenue gateway to our city. The Charter Review Task Force is reviewing the City Charter, line-by-line, as it must every 10 years. A dedicated and creative group — the Old Library Reuse Task Force — has been tasked with figuring out what to do with the current library facility once the new library at the Canopy has opened.
What follows is a snapshot of where each of these groups is in their process. It’s said the devil is in the details, and these 25 volunteers are way into the weeds as summer winds down and hurricane season gears up. Every person in Winter Park owes these volunteers a debt of gratitude for their hard work this summer.
Orange Avenue Overlay Steering Committee
The Orange Avenue Steering Committee is charged with creating an actionable document and providing input and recommendations to the City Commission for an Orange Avenue Zoning Overlay District.
Steering Committee Members are Jill Hamilton Buss, Sheila DeCiccio, Michael Dick, Ben Ellis, Sally Flynn, Lamont Garber, Phil Kean, Lambrine Macejewski, Bill Segal, Bill Sullivan, Laura Turner.
Previous Studies, but No Action — City discussions surrounding the redevelopment of Orange Avenue began in the early 2000s. The Commission requested Planning Staff to explore the creation of new codes that would facilitate redevelopment opportunities, but over the years, none of the studies yielded any actionable documents or created any City Code. These studies included Plan the Possibilities, Vision Winter Park and portions of the updated 2017 Comprehensive Plan.
Committee Has Heard a Variety of Views — Since May 29, the Steering Committee has met every two weeks. Meetings have featured panels of speakers representing area residents, small property owners, Rollins College, larger property owners who have developed property, such as Commerce National Bank & Trust and Jewett Orthopedics, and large property owners whose property is as yet undeveloped. Developers-in-waiting include Holler Properties, Demetree Global and the City of Winter Park, which probably will sell the property at Progress Point to a private developer.
Orange Avenue Issues — Panelists and Committee members alike have agreed that the issues along the Orange Avenue Corridor are insufficient parking, inadequate drainage and storm water management, traffic and pedestrian safety – and insufficient parking.
Did We Mention Insufficient Parking? The lack of sufficient parking along the corridor, combined with dangerous road conditions and archaic zoning codes, has caused obsolescence. Existing small businesses, including many along Designers’ Row, are at or over their allowed floor area ratio (FAR) – which is to say, the size of the building exceeds what is allowable for the size of the lot under current codes.
Upgrades or renovations undertaken by an owner would require bringing the building up to current code, and that’s frequently not possible because there just isn’t room. The most frequently mentioned barrier is insufficient space to create the required parking.
The Steering Committee will meet at least two more times, on September 4th and 18th from 5:30 to 7:30 pm in the Commission Chamber at City Hall. Planning Director Bronce Stephenson stated in an email that his department planned to ask for more time for the Task Force to complete their recommendations. “We only get once chance at this,” wrote Stephenson, “and we don’t want to rush the process.”
The public is welcome and urged to attend the Task Force meetings.
Charter Review Task Force
Every 10 years, the City Charter – Winter Park’s primary governing document – is reviewed and updated to reflect changes in state and national legislation and to incorporate revisions relevant to the City as it is now.
Task Force Members are Steve Brandon, Marjorie Bridges, Lisa Coney, Mary Daniels, Amanda Day, James Johnston, Bud Kirk, Lawrence Lyman and Nick Pope. The Task Force is facilitated by Marilyn Crotty.
The Voters Decide — After exhaustive study and discussion, the nine-member Task Force will submit their recommendations to the City Commission. The Commission then will deliberate to accept or reject Task Force recommendations and to incorporate their own changes. Final Charter revisions will be placed on the March 17 ballot for a decision by the voters.
Charter Review Issues — Questions discussed at the Charter Review Task Force meetings have included, but are not limited to, the following:
- If Winter Park is to have non-partisan elections, exactly how does the City propose to define the term “non-partisan.” What may candidates do and not do during their campaigns, and how would rules be enforced?
- The mayor and commissioners are currently elected ‘at large.’ In order to ensure even distribution of representation, should the City be divided into districts, with each commissioner representing one of those districts, while the mayor is still elected ‘at large’?
- Should the authority for appointments to Citizen Advisory Boards continue to rest with the Mayor, or should that provision be stricken from the Charter and Advisory Board members be appointed by the Commission as a whole?
- Should Police and Fire Departments continue to report to the Civil Service Board, or should they report directly to the City Manager?
- Should compensation for the mayor and commissioners be increased?
No Final Determination — The Task Force has not yet finalized their recommendations. With the generous time allotted for public comment, citizens are encouraged to attend meetings and express their views.
The Task Force meets at the Community Center on New England Avenue from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. Public comment is taken both at the beginning and the end of the meeting. There will be one or two September meetings, depending on need. Check the City website for meeting dates. Because the proposed Charter revisions must go on the March 17 ballot, the Task Force will submit their recommendations to the Commission in October.
Old Library Site Reuse Task Force
Five people are charged with the task of recommending the future use of the current library facility once the new library at the Canopy site has opened.
Task Force Members are John Caron, Miguel DeArcos, David Lamm, Jack Miles and Marjorie Thomas.
Possible Uses — Although a recent appraisal cited the “highest and best use” of the property would be to sell it to a developer for luxury condos, the majority of the Task Force discussion has focused on ways to keep the facility as a City amenity and avoiding selling it.
Among the uses that have been discussed are branch library, public art space, senior activity center, incubator space, temporary space for City staff while City Hall is renovated and various combinations of all the above.
Rollins CFO Ed Kania stated at one meeting that Rollins has no interest in purchasing the site.
Issues with the Old Library include two years of deferred maintenance and the current state of the building, the cost of renovation, the fact that it is in a residential neighborhood and therefore not appropriate for commercial or restaurant use, inadequate parking and Fairbanks traffic.
The Task Force meets at noon in the Chapman Room at City Hall. Check the City website for September dates.
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by Anne Mooney | Aug 24, 2019 | Custom Author, Headline, Opinion
Open Letter to Winter Park Residents
Open Advisory Board Service to All City Residents
Editor's Note: Articles written by citizens reflect their own opinions and not the views of the Winter Park Voice.
by Phil Anderson
A Task Force to review the Winter Park City Charter is currently meeting, as they do every 10 years, to make recommendations on how we should update our City Charter to make Winter Park better.
One way we can make Winter Park better is to re-open the opportunity to serve on volunteer City Advisory Boards to all Winter Park residents. As the Charter stands, only the Mayor can appoint board members, leaving many citizens feeling their applications are ignored if they are not a friend of the Mayor or a donor to his campaign.
On August 13, I asked the Charter Review Committee to recommend a change to encourage more inclusion on City Boards. We can change one sentence in the Charter and re-open the opportunity for almost 50 percent of our residents to serve.
These Citizen Boards are incredibly important. Over 150 residents serve on the 19 Boards, which include the Planning and Zoning Board, which determines in many ways what the city will look like in years to come. These volunteer boards also include the Utilities Board, the Lakes Board and others that specialize in one area or another. These boards thrive in an environment of blended political views, diverse professional expertise and general business and community experience that promote good policy for the city.
Thanks to you, I served as a City Commissioner from 2008-2011. At the beginning of my term, all Commissioners participated in nominating Winter Park residents to various City Advisory Boards and Committees. When I started, I remember sitting on the floor sorting through stacks of resumes. I was amazed at the wide variety of qualified citizens willing to serve as volunteer board members. These people could run large public companies, yet they were willing to volunteer their time and expertise. This process of including nominations from the full Commission had been practiced for a long time, and I assumed that would be the continuing tradition.
Halfway through my term, however, the process changed. In 2009, a sentence in the City Charter was invoked, and the nomination process started to fall exclusively to one person — the Mayor. Since then, many people have expressed their feelings that they won’t be considered unless they are a friend of the Mayor. Since mayoral election margins in Winter Park are generally pretty close, say 51 to 49 percent, almost half of Winter Park may feel excluded from serving. As a result, Winter Park is losing out on a deep pool of talented people.
If you agree that all citizens should have the right to be fairly considered for service on City Boards for which they are qualified – regardless of their political leanings — please contact your City Commissioners and consider speaking to the Charter Review Committee. Ask them to formalize an older, more inclusive practice which a) expands the pool of talent; b) allows all City Commissioners to participate in Board nominations; and c) brings Winter Park in line with almost all other Florida City governments.
This can be accomplished by removing from the City Charter asingle sentence: “He shall annually appoint members of the city boards subject to the approval of city commissioners.”
This one change opens up the process to a tremendous talent pool and is in the best interest of all Winter Park’s residents.
The next Charter Review Committee meeting is on Tuesday, August 27th, at 6:00 pm, at the Winter Park Community Center on New England Avenue. Public comment is allowed at the beginning and end of the meeting.
https://cityofwinterpark.org/government/boards/charter-review-advisory-committee/
Thank you for the privilege to serve,
Phil Anderson
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by Anne Mooney | Jul 31, 2019 | Headline, News
What’s Happening at City Hall?
Can You Believe It’s August Already?
Even in August, things aren’t slowing down much. We’re at 21 public meetings (down from 23 in July). Nothing is written in stone, so use this link to keep up with the latest schedule changes. https://cityofwinterpark.org/government/boards/
Social Notes from the Last Commission Meeting
Something’s Rotten at City Hall. The dais where the Commissioners sit has termites. Like the Trojan Horse, the beautiful custom woodwork facing the audience harbors an invading army. Before the army gets out and attacks the entire building, the dais will have to be dismantled and removed and the invaders eradicated. Here’s hoping the City of Winter Park is more successful than the Trojans were. Search is underway for an artisan to design a replacement.
Body cameras for Winter Park’s Finest are in the FY2020 budget. And the Commission voted not to demolish the building at Progress Point. A majority agreed they would wait and see what happens with redevelopment plans for the Orange Avenue corridor. The City did, however, mow the grass at Progress Point. Neighbors are grateful.
Schedules for Commission, Advisory Boards and 3 Task Forces
Commission meetings are held the second and fourth Monday of each month, beginning at 3:30 pm, in the Commission Chambers on the second floor of City Hall. They go until they’re finished – typically until 5:30 to 6:30 pm unless there is a controversial item on the agenda.
Nineteen citizen boards advise the Commission on topics ranging from Police Officers’ Pensions to Lakes and Waterways and Code Compliance. A full list of these boards and board members can be found at the City website (above link). The August schedule is on the chart below.
In addition to the standing advisory boards, there are currently three task forces, which are formed for a single stated purpose with definite beginning and ending dates. The three task forces are described below. You are urged to attend their meetings.
Charter Review Advisory Committee
This task force is formed every 10 years for the purpose of updating the Winter Park City Charter. The Charter is our City’s ‘Constitution,’ its primary governing document. Some major issues are under discussion, making these meetings interesting and relevant. Meetings are held once a month at the Community Center from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. The first hour is devoted to public comment, so best be on time. The next meeting is Tuesday, August 27.
Orange Avenue Steering Committee
The purpose of this task force is to decide the parameters of a zoning ‘overlay,’ which will establish guidelines for the redevelopment of that stretch of Orange Avenue reaching from 17-92 to just north of the corner of Denning and Fairbanks. Meetings are held twice a month from 5:30 to 7:30 pm in the Commission chambers. The next meeting is Wednesday, August 7.
Old Library Reuse Task Force
This group is charged with recommending to the Commission the proper disposition of the current library facility. The task force meets twice a month in the Commission chambers at Noon. The next meeting is Wednesday, August 14.
Coffee Talks
Not only do we have official commissions, boards and task forces, we also have informal gatherings with the Mayor and Commissioners where you can let them know what you’re thinking and find out what they’re thinking.
The Mayor’s Coffee Talk was in July. Coffee Talks with the Commissioners will be held 8:00 to 9:00 am at the Winter Park Golf and Country Club, 761 Old England Ave.
Commissioner Greg Seidel – August 8.
Commissioner Sarah Sprinkel – September 9.
Commissioner Carolyn Cooper – October 10.
Commissioner Todd Weaver – November 14.
Here’s the August Lineup.
The Chapman Room and the Commission Chambers are on the second floor of City Hall.
Note: this schedule is subject to change. Check the City website link at the top of the article for the latest information.
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