by Beth Kassab | Oct 19, 2026 | Arts and Culture, County News, News, Taxes
What's Going On? I-Drive Chamber, Unions, Kelly Semrad All Call to Slow Down Giving Away TDT Money
The unusual allies expressed concerns ahead of a meeting today where the County Commission is set to consider Mayor Jerry Demings’ plan to give out nearly $1 billion
Oct. 19, 2026
By Beth Kassab
When the Chamber of Commerce that represents the largest tourism interests on International Drive aligns with both the local labor union and the county commissioner who was elected on a campaign of pushing back against tourism’s political power, it’s a rare day in Orange County.
Those unusual allies appear to have different motivations, but they’re calling for the same thing: They want Orange Mayor Jerry Demings to slow down his push to allocate nearly $1 billion in Tourist Development Tax revenue to 13 projects without subjecting each one to greater scrutiny or more fully assessing what local communities will need over the long term.
Today, those groups will be seeking answers to a number of questions when Demings and County Commissioners meet this afternoon for a special meeting at which Demings will seek approval of his recommendations for the 13 projects.
Among those questions, which center on a process that began in late July with the first meeting of Demings’ 34-member citizen task force to evaluate the projects, are:
- How and why was a proposal to spend $46 million on new soccer and track-and-field facilities at the University of Central Florida (UCF) added back to Demings’ list as his 13th recommendation after the citizen task force made only 12 recommendations and funding for UCF didn’t even garner enough support for a full vote?
- Will proponents of another expansion of the Orange County Convention Center succeed in getting that project added to the recommendation list in the final hours, even though the citizen task force also rejected it?
- Were all the projects evaluated using the same comparable metrics and standards agreed upon by the task force to justify the use of public dollars?
- If the County Commission funds all 13 projects at the recommended levels, will any additional hotel bed-tax revenue be available for transportation or other local needs if the state eventually allows the expanded uses of the tax revenue recommended by the citizen task force? Both candidates seeking to become Florida’s next governor have expressed support for expanding those uses.
“Government moves slow until you put a billion dollars on the table for the tourism industry then it moves at the speed of light,” said Commissioner Kelly Semrad, who represents Winter Park, describing the timeline, which began less than three months ago.
Today’s meeting could provide the last major opportunity for debate on Demings’ plan to spend more than $860 million, mostly over the next 10 years. Some of the financial obligations, however, would extend much longer. Debt service on a major expansion of the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, for example, would cost about $32.8 million annually for as long as 30 years.
The plan outlined by Mayor Jerry Demings as presented recently to county commissioners.
The meeting comes just two weeks before Election Day, when voters will select a new mayor and four commissioners, and about eight weeks before the winners are sworn into office.
John Stine, chairman of the International Drive Resort Area Chamber of Commerce, called the process “rushed and flawed” in a letter to the editor published in Sunday’s Orlando Sentinel.
“County commissioners have a responsibility to independently examine the recommendations before committing funds,” Stine wrote. “A task force recommendation should begin that scrutiny, not replace it. Unanswered questions require answers. Incomplete financial information requires further review.”
Similarly, the union representing food-service, housekeeping, and other workers at Walt Disney World and hotels near Universal Orlando and the Convention Center called for more time before the financial commitments are finalized.
Union leaders said Sunday in a news release that they would hold a news conference just before Demings’ meeting to urge the county to “take more time to evaluate the size and scope of the proposed commitments, provide greater transparency on the TDT financial picture, preserve flexibility for future transportation investments, and ensure tourism workers and the incoming County Commission have an opportunity to weigh in before long-term decisions are finalized.”
According to the county webpage dedicated to the citizen task force, today’s work session will be followed by a special Tourist Development Tax meeting on Nov. 6 and then a regular County Commission meeting on Dec. 1, just days before Demings is scheduled to leave office.
Linda Chapin, the former Orange County mayor who served as co-chair of the citizen task force, defended its process in an interview with the Voice on Sunday.
“We spent twice as much time on this task force as the last one did,” Chapin said. “We heard from three times as many applicants as the last one did, and we worked very hard to make sure this money benefited people across the community, so I will be very disappointed if they don’t move ahead.”
She said she was pleased that projects from Ocoee to Eatonville to more money to be handed out later to smaller arts organizations made it into the recommendations. She pointed to recent projects in Winter Park that received tourist development tax dollars such as the Rollins art museum and the Winter Park Playhouse as examples of how the tax is benefiting communities across the county rather than just in the central tourism areas.
Chapin did acknowledge, however, that she was “a little surprised” to see UCF’s project added to Demings’ recommendations after no one on the task force seconded a motion to include it among the projects the group endorsed.
She also said she was “very frustrated” that the task force was never given specifics about how much money it had to work with as it met in July and August.
A PowerPoint presentation provided to commissioners by county staff last week included a chart showing that the projected costs of the 13 projects would exceed revenues from 2028 through 2032 before the balance returned to positive territory in 2033. The tax’s unallocated cash reserves, or rainy-day fund, would dip below the comptroller’s recommended target of $300 million in 2031, 2032, and 2033, according to projections that assume 8% growth in TDT revenue in 2026 and 2% annual growth thereafter.
But Chapin dismissed the notion that funding the recommended projects would tie up all available funds for the next decade. She also said she was concerned about what might really be driving some calls to slow the process until a new County Commission takes office.
“I fear that for some of these people, not all, it’s a ploy to see if they can put it off until the next board so they can give money to the convention center,” Chapin said.
She plans to attend today’s work session and said, “if I need to issue a red flag about the convention center, I’ll stand up and do it.”
Semrad and others, including Winter Park Mayor Sheila DeCiccio, who advocate directing more of the tax revenue toward local needs such as transportation infrastructure, say the latest convention center expansion’s failure to win approval from the task force was a victory for the community. They view the convention center, which has already cost $2 billion, as primarily benefiting hotels and businesses along International Drive.
Mike Crabb, who was appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to represent District 2, which includes Apopka, and is now in a runoff on Nov. 3 against Kamia Brown, sent a memo to fellow commissioners last week urging them to add the convention center back to the list of projects slated for funding. Among other recommendations, he suggested allocating $523 million to the convention center while reducing the $400 million Demings recommended for the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts to $150 million.
Commissioner Mike Scott, who represents the International Drive area, along with Tangelo Park and Pine Hills, and is seeking reelection next month against Lawanna Gelzer, also pushed to reconsider the convention center at a recent commission meeting.
Roseann Harrington, Demings’ chief of staff, said in an email to Semrad that the mayor had the discretion to add UCF back to the list because “commissioners mentioned three times” when they accepted the task force’s recommendations in August that the action “did not limit them to only selecting among the 12 recommended by the TDT Task Force. Commissioners expressed interest in the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) and UCF.”
When Semrad, a UCF professor who studies hospitality economics, asked for more detail about how the projects were evaluated for economic impact and why the county used a traditional economic analysis rather than what she considered more informative measures — such as jobs and wages, geographic reach, long-term operating costs, financial sustainability, and future TDT revenue generation — Harrington suggested that Semrad conduct her own analysis.
“After speaking with six of the seven BCC members on the type of fiscal analysis they would like conducted, the consensus was to do a traditional economic analysis consistent with the work done by GSU,” Harrington wrote. “With that said, since you have expertise in financial and community analysis, please feel free to do your own research and we will be glad to distribute to the BCC.”
Semrad argued that clearer guidelines were needed not only for the metrics but also for the process.
“My concern is that both the applicant pool and the scope of that analysis appear to have changed without further public Board discussion,” she wrote to Harrington.
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by Beth Kassab | Oct 15, 2026 | Chain of Lakes, City Commission, Historic Preservation, News, Zoning and Development
Commission Delays Merrywood Vote as Preservation Talks Continue
Matt Morgan is still trying to buy the property as Commissioner Kris Cruzada pushes for compromise for ‘conscience’ of city
Oct. 15, 2026
By Beth Kassab
The fate of Merrywood remained uncertain the morning after a more than four-hour meeting devoted to determining how much, if any, of the historic property must be preserved for its new owner to get permission from the City Commission to split the lakefront lot he purchased in August for $15 million into two.
As these debates often do in Winter Park, the discussion touched on more than the fate of one house. For many, it reflected a collective angst over losing the architectural diversity and history that, along with its walkability and lush tree canopy, have long earned the city acclaim as a destination for visitors and people seeking a Florida lifestyle in a New England-style village.
Natalie Brethauer, one of at least 10 people who signed up to speak at the meeting, illustrated that tension between old and new. She told commissioners she grew up in Winter Park, moved away for college and lived in other vibrant cities, including Denver, Houston and the Old Town neighborhood of Alexandria, Va., before returning home and marrying at the Capen House, which had been slated for demolition before it was floated across Lake Osceola to be preserved.
“The whole reason I came back to Winter Park is because it is such a unique and beautiful place to raise a family and live,” she told commissioners. “And something that I’ve noticed since moving back, and it’s really ramped up post-COVID … It looks as though it’s like a dystopian-type vibe happening here. You go down Palmer [Avenue], and to me, I describe it as like an evil villain lair in ‘The Incredibles’ movie or something. Like, what are these homes that are being built? I thought the whole point of Winter Park was its beautiful historical charm, and that was the lure and the draw, and so it’s just really sad to see a lot of that going away.”
She was referring to the proliferation of what have become known as “white box” houses. Though they aren’t always white, the homes feature sharp edges and an ultra-modern aesthetic more common in, say, Miami Beach than along the local brick streets fronting the Chain of Lakes.
After the meeting, Commissioner Kris Cruzada, who voted in June along with Mayor Sheila DeCiccio and Craig Russell to approve a lot split without any preservation conditions, said he considered Brethauer’s comments representative of part of the “conscience” of Winter Park. He said that sentiment was one reason he pushed so hard Wednesday night for a compromise that would preserve some portion of Merrywood in exchange for allowing the lot split.
Attorney Jason Searl, who represents Steve Lockwood, points to areas on the Merrywood facade that could potentially be saved.
The property at 1020 Palmer Ave. has already set a record for the highest sale price in Winter Park at $15 million. It would become even more valuable if it were subdivided so that a portion could be sold separately.
Lockwood said during the meeting that a close family friend wanted to purchase the new lot and build a house there. Lockwood, who sat through the hours-long meeting with his wife and daughter, said he plans to build a new house for his family behind Merrywood. The existing house would be at least partially demolished and converted into what he called a “guest house.”
After the meeting, Lockwood told the Voice he would hire an architect and try to determine what would be feasible under a condition proposed by Cruzada that would require preserving a portion of the nearly 90-year-old estate. The house was designed by James Gamble Rogers II and is listed in Florida’s database of historic and cultural assets.
Cruzada’s shift in position was key to the commission’s unanimous 5-0 vote to delay a decision until Nov. 11, giving new owner Steve Lockwood time to outline what portion of the house he believes could be preserved.
Commissioners discussed retaining only a portion of the facade, or front wall, while gutting everything else.
New Merrywood owner Steve Lockwood speaks at the City Commission meeting on Wednesday.
“Just like a billboard?” asked Commissioner Craig Russell, conjuring the image of an old Hollywood set piece.
Even after the meeting was recessed to give the owner and his lawyer time to try to work out some terms, it remained unclear how much of the house would need to be preserved to secure at least three votes on the commission, or how much Lockwood considered feasible and affordable.
Throughout the meeting, Lockwood and his attorney, Jason Searl of Maynard Nexsen, pointed to inspection and engineering reports that appeared to have been prepared earlier this year, when Tara Tedrow was still under contract to buy the property. The reports indicated that the house was in a state of disrepair beyond saving.
Searl showed commissioners an overhead projection of the house and pointed to a section of the facade, perhaps 30 feet long, that he said could potentially be restored.
That led to an exchange among commissioners that got to the heart of the discussion.
Commissioner Elizabeth Ingram said 30 feet was inadequate.
“That’s not the architecture,” she said. ” That’s not the beauty of the home. It’s not the house anymore. To me, if you were willing to keep that entire facade, that front whole section where you have the extra height on this side, and then you have the little rounded space around the side. That is the coolness. That is the charm and the beauty and the style of James Gamble Rogers.”
Ingram also said preserving so little would “erode” the city’s comprehensive plan, which must be amended to allow the lakefront lot to be split. The plan generally prohibits lakefront lot splits.
“That doesn’t encourage one bit of historic preservation, which we all claim to love and respect and want to promote, but then we’re going to be OK with just keeping 30 feet of this ginormous, beautiful home? Like, what are we doing?”
Cruzada argued that preserving some of the house was better than preserving none of it.
“I guess what I’m trying to do is find a path to some level of preservation or we lose it all together,” Cruzada said. “You know, we’re in an unfortunate set of circumstances. He’s here before us trying to compromise.”
“No, he’s here trying to have us compromise our comp plan,” Ingram replied.
“You’re right,” Cruzada said. “But the other side is if we don’t allow the lot split, then he’s still going to go forward with the demolition permit. Then we don’t have anything.”
Lockwood, who owns federal government medical staffing contractor Loyal Source and last year purchased the Orlando-based drinkware brand Corkcicle, and his attorney opened the meeting by saying they were unwilling to put any preservation conditions in writing beyond a commitment that Lockwood would make a “good faith” effort to preserve a portion of the house.
Searl proposed allowing any square footage Lockwood preserved to count toward the potential additional square footage of the new homes on the divided lot. The commission has sought to limit the combined size of the homes to 30,000 square feet.
Searl said that if commissioners did not approve the lot split Wednesday, Lockwood would move forward with demolishing the house and potentially seek approval for the lot split in the future. He quoted former owner Cathy Gilmer, who spoke during the June meeting and called the house “basically a waste” that falls further into disrepair every day it remains standing.
Searl said Lockwood was discouraged and offended by an open letter to the City Commission, organized by the Friends of Casa Feliz and signed by nearly 300 people, that called on the city to deny the lot split unless Lockwood agreed to designate the house as historic.
The letter came as a disappointment and a surprise, Searl said, after Lockwood spent two hours meeting with the leaders of Casa Feliz, another Gamble Rogers-designed house that was saved 25 years ago when it was moved across Interlachen Avenue to its current location on the Winter Park Nine. It now serves as a museum and popular event venue.
“When that happened, it feels like to us you’re then fighting a losing battle, and anything you say will not achieve a cooperative spirit from that group,” Searl said.
When it was Betsy Owens’ turn to speak, she explained that Lockwood knew about the letter and called for at least 80% of the house to be preserved, including the entire front elevation.
“When Mr. Lockwood and I met last week, I mentioned this letter,” said Owens, executive director of Friends of Casa Feliz. “It’s been in circulation for about two months, so this was not at all a reaction to that meeting. We were very upfront about that. We recognize an uncomfortable reality: Merrywood is not historically designated and could be legally demolished tomorrow, but today the city has something it ordinarily lacks, and that is leverage. The owner is asking you to change the comprehensive plan. That gives you an opportunity to secure preservation protections in return … We understand that saving some portion is better than losing all of it. We don’t want the perfect to be the enemy of the good.”
Lockwood later apologized for misunderstanding the open letter, saying he thought it was a new letter rather than the one Owens had already told him about.
After initially insisting he would not agree to delay the vote and would rather face a rejection than push the hearing to another meeting, Lockwood ultimately agreed to wait until November.
Matt Morgan, center, listens to the debate over Merrywood during the Winter Park City Commission meeting.
That leaves four weeks for a potential compromise to take shape or another twist to emerge in the saga of Merrywood.
Matt Morgan, one of the faces of the Morgan & Morgan law firm who lives in a historic home in Winter Park not far from Merrywood, sat in the commission chambers for nearly the entire meeting but did not speak.
On Thursday morning, he sent a letter to commissioners reiterating his desire to purchase the property. Morgan emerged publicly as a potential buyer over the summer after commissioners were told during the first vote that Merrywood had to be demolished because no one was willing to invest the money needed to restore it.
“I want to make certain the commission understands that I am willing to assume the financial responsibility and substantial undertaking necessary to preserve and restore the home,” Morgan wrote on Thursday morning. “I recently offered to purchase Merrywood for its pro rata share of the $12 million contract price. I also indicated that, upon reviewing the operating agreement for Lake Osceola Holdings, I would be willing to increase that offer.”
Tedrow reportedly had the property under contract for $12 million contingent on the lot split going through. Lockwood purchased the property under Lake Osceola Holdings LLC for $15 million, though his identity wasn’t known until last week and it’s unclear why the price went up by $3 million.
Morgan said Searl has told him the property is not for sale.
But Morgan said he remained hopeful the house would be preserved and expressed relief that the second and final vote on the lot split was delayed.
“Thank God they took a breath,” he said. “Because they were getting ready to entirely change the code on a hope and a prayer.”
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by Beth Kassab | Oct 13, 2026 | Arts and Culture, Events, News
Photo Gallery: First Pumpkin Patch near City Hall
The pumpkin patch runs through Oct. 25 and benefits the Park Avenue District
Oct. 13, 2026
By Gabrielle Russon
About 2,200 people have visited the first-ever pumpkin patch that’s sprouted up by Winter Park City Hall.
Volunteers from schools and local businesses have picked up 150 shifts to help run the patch that will stay open through Oct. 25. The proceeds will benefit the Park Avenue District which supports small businesses and promotes the shopping and restaurant hub, said Allison Chandler, the district’s executive director.
“The new activation is part of the Park Avenue District’s growing investment in experiences that bring the community together, support local businesses and create new traditions while preserving the character and charm of Park Avenue,” the organization said in a news release.
The hours are 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., Monday–Thursday and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
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by Beth Kassab | Oct 5, 2026 | Election, Environment, News
No Budget, No Power, No Paycheck: Who Wants to Serve on Orange's Soil and Water Board?
Three of five seats on the board charged with helping people keep their soil and water clean are on the Nov. 3 ballot
Oct. 5, 2026
By Beth Kassab
The five people elected to serve on the Orange County Soil and Water Conservation District don’t have a budget, don’t have any power, don’t receive a paycheck and lack even basic tools like official district email addresses.
When it comes to civic and government jobs, the soil and water board is as humble as it gets. PTA presidents and homeowners association board members get more glory because they typically have a budget to spend, some authority and perhaps receive a round of appreciative applause at an end-of-year banquet.
Yet for nearly 80 years, voters in Orange County have elected supervisors to a board that few understand or ever see.
Erik Melear
Those campaigning this time around, like candidates before them, face a steep climb in convincing voters that their choices near the very bottom of the Nov. 3 ballot matter.
“Why do you even exist?” is a question Erik Melear, a candidate for Seat 3 on the district board, says he has heard plenty of times.
“But we do have a role to play,” he said. “Unfortunately, when you have no budget, no taxing authority and no other resources, it becomes very difficult to develop and do things.”
The state began creating soil and water districts across Florida as far back as the 1930s and charged them with carrying out local programs to conserve and protect soil, water and land for agricultural purposes.
In recent years, lawmakers in Tallahassee have tried a series of efforts to wholesale abolish the districts, though none has succeeded.
Chuck Drake, a geologist who specializes in potable water who previously served on the St. Johns River Water Management District, is also a candidate for Seat 3 and said he understands the push to get rid of the board if it isn’t effective.
Chuck Drake
“I don’t like government for government’s sake,” he said, but at the same time as a native Central Floridian who has spent his more than 40-year career focused on groundwater, he said he understands the local challenges related to finding fresh supply and water quality.
Drake, who also serves as president of the American Institute of Professional Geologists, pointed to converting septic tanks to sewer as one specific way to add to the reclaimed water supply.
“I’d like to find out what they really do,” he said of the board. “And see if I can add any benefit to it,” noting there could be grant opportunities the previous board members have failed to seek.
Several candidates argued that a board focused on teaching residents best practices to maintain clean water, the local tree canopy and growing plants and food could surge back to relevance. They point to an age of AI data centers that consume water and power, soaring grocery prices and environmental challenges such as frequent named storms.
“If we can teach you how to conserve water, which saves money, how to keep soil healthy, which reduces landscaping costs, how to maintain a mature tree canopy that not only reduces your water bill, but also your power bill and can increase your property value …,” said Melear, who works as a senior project manager for the city of Orlando’s water utility. “Then the district board has the opportunity to be an ombudsman to communicate with government agencies and HOAs and community groups and serve as a nexus for information so they can make the prudent and wise decisions that affect all of us.”
Melear already volunteers as an associate supervisor for the district and is working to establish partnerships with Orange County Public Schools for community gardens and contests to engage students. He raised $500 from a labor union over the summer for his campaign and gave himself another $500.
Drake, like five out of the eight candidates running for the three open seats, isn’t raising campaign money.
The third candidate for Seat 3, which includes much of central Orange County, from Orlando, Edgewood and Belle Isle south to the county line, is Jose Antonio Rodriguez. He also has not raised any funds and did not respond to emails or phone calls seeking comment.
Jimm Middleton, a candidate for Seat 5, also sees untapped potential for the district.
Jimm Middleton
“The board should have a strategic plan in place so they can get things done and, by golly, make announcements about what is going on,” said Middleton, an IT manager at Walt Disney World. “They are too quiet about it.”
He said he was first inspired to run for the board in 2016, unsuccessfully, after seeing the reports about lead in the water in Flint, Mich. He said he is driven by an interest in service and the environment and wants to help people in Central Florida learn to keep their water and soil clean.
“I do not see this as a springboard to run for a higher office,” he said. “I’m doing it solely for the purpose of helping out the community.”
Some board members have sought other offices without leaving much of a mark on the district. Multiple current candidates blame that inactivity as one reason behind the weak state of the board today, though its biggest problem is the absence of a regular source of funding.
Daisy Morales, who was elected to the district board in 2014, missed nearly a year of meetings in 2019 and 2020, which other board members said made it difficult to conduct business. She ran for a state House seat and won in 2020 but lost re-election. This year, she ran for House District 43 but lost the Democratic primary to Samuel Vilchez Santiago.
Middleton isn’t raising any money for his campaign. Zack Green, the other candidate for Seat 5, which includes Maitland, Winter Park and the northeast rural portion of the county, did not respond to requests for comment and also has not reported any financial contributions.
“I’m doing it the old-fashioned way,” Middleton said. “I’m talking to people. I’m posting on social media. It doesn’t make sense to ask people to donate money to this campaign when the current board doesn’t have any money. If you’re going to donate, donate to the board itself.”
According to the district’s current budget plan, it will hold a fundraiser in November, an attempt to raise the board’s profile and build a cash balance that is starting from nearly zero. The district projects about $3,000 in cash and nearly $1,000 in expenses, including renting a post office box, maintaining its rudimentary website and buying supplies for outreach and education events, such as handouts and volunteer shirts.
Quinnie Perez
Its most critical budget item is a donation in the form of space and services from Orange County government valued at about $11,000. The donation includes a meeting room for the board, broadcasts of its meetings on OrangeTV and some legal services.
The board members use their personal email addresses to conduct business and, without a staff, volunteer for different roles such as acting as treasurer, keeping records, sending out agendas and minutes and updating the website and Facebook page.
Quinnie Perez, a candidate for Seat 1, is the only candidate who has raised substantial funds: about $4,500, more than the district itself currently has to spend.
She said she wants to bring her experience on other political campaigns and in community organizing to the district to jumpstart awareness of its purpose.
Perez describes herself as the daughter of Mexican farmworkers. She grew up in Ocala and now works in the medical cannabis industry.
“It doesn’t matter if you are running for soil and water or city council or something else, there’s a lot going on with our environment and it’s very important we are advocating for these issues,” she said. “It’s the kind of position that you can make your own, and that’s what I plan on doing by holding regular office hours, even if it’s in the library, and showing people how they can access grants that are available to them.”
In addition to running for an office few voters know about, Perez says she has faced challenges as a transgender woman who has sometimes been met with hostility online.
“I do get stares,” she said. “I always direct them back to the policy. I’ve gotten more harassment on social media than anywhere else … it can work to my advantage because I stand out. It would be a historic race if I’m elected.”
Vicente Perez Carreno
Perez would be the first openly transgender person elected in Florida if she is successful in November.
Vicente Rafael Perez Carreno, who is also running for Seat 1 and serves as the district’s current volunteer treasurer, said he believes in the mission of the district and wants to help it raise more funds through private donors, partnerships and grants.
As an immigration and employment lawyer who also serves as legal director for Casa de Venezuela in Orlando, he said he is driven to run by his passion for environmental issues and an appreciation for the role agriculture plays in the local and state economy.
“One of our greatest challenges is public awareness,” Perez Carreno said of the district, noting that the group must do more to foster collaborations with other organizations such as the school district and recruit more volunteers willing to spread its message across the urban and more rural areas of the county.
Doug Sahr, the third candidate for Seat 1, which covers the southwest portion of the county from Oakland through Winter Garden and Windermere down to Lake Buena Vista, did not return calls seeking comment.
Perez Carreno has joined with Melear and Middleton to run as an unofficial slate for the three seats up for grabs this year. They call themselves “Team VEJ,” for their first initials.
For voters who live in the areas covered by Seats 1, 3 and 5, the soil and water candidates will appear nearly last on their ballots, just above the state constitutional amendments.
None of the candidates has the name recognition, dollars or buzz of those at the top of the ballot for U.S. Senate, governor or even Amendment 3, which would increase homestead property tax exemptions. But some are choosing to count their wins one voter at a time, particularly as mail voting has already started and early voting is set to begin Oct. 19.
Melear, for example, said he was recently at an Einstein Bros. Bagels working on a mock-up of a campaign sign when a woman sat down next to him and happened to notice the name.
“She said, ‘Oh, I just voted for him,’ and I said, ‘Oh, I happen to be him,'” Melear recounted. “I was almost moved to tears.”
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by Beth Kassab | Oct 2, 2026 | News, Taxes
Maxwell Frost and Sheila DeCiccio hear from Winter Park residents on SunRail, Amendment 3 and More
At a town hall held at Mead Botanical Garden this week residents also asked about everything from AI policy to Tourist Development Taxes
Oct. 2, 2026
By Gabrielle Russon
On a Friday in March, more than 12,000 passengers rode SunRail to and from Central Park to visit the Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival.
But that weekend, the SunRail shut down like normal for the remainder of the festival. No trains ran, no matter how much Winter Park officials wanted them.
“We beg them. We will pay you. Can we please have it on the busy weekend?” Winter Park Mayor Sheila DeCiccio said. “Wouldn’t that be great for Winter Park?
The answer — still an emphatic “no.”
Now, DeCiccio said she is “leading the charge with the mayors in Central Florida to ask the Legislature to change the law and free up the hundreds of millions of Orange County hotel tax revenue to help fund public transportation.
DeCiccio and U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost held a 90-minute town hall Thursday night at Mead Botanical Garden to listen to residents’ concerns and talk about the citywide issues, including parking, traffic and a lack of public transportation.
One resident asked if it was a good sign that SunRail got special late-night weeknight trains to transport theater-goers seeing “Hamilton” this month at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.
“I hope so,” DeCiccio said as she said she keeps working on expanding weekend SunRail service.
Winter Park is a regional tourism destination with a thriving Saturday farmer’s market, weekend Track Shack running races and beloved holiday traditions in the downtown that draw thousands. And the city’s train station allows passengers to hop on and off the rail from the center of most of the action: Central Park.
“Really it should run all weekend because there’s so many people that come in and out,” the mayor said.
DeCiccio sent letters to other local mayors urging them to join the fight in reforming the 6% hotel tax which is also known as the tourist development tax (TDT).
Frost, who represents the city of Winter Park in Congress, also called transportation one of his top priorities. He expressed support for using TDT money for transportation but said he hopes federal funding from an infrastructure package emerges after the November election when Democrats are predicted to make up ground in Washington, D.C.
The lack of public transportation “is really holding us back” and preventing Central Florida from attracting large-scale events and helping tourism workers get to their jobs, Frost said.
US Rep. Maxwell Frost and Winter Park Mayor Sheila DeCiccio speak to residents on Oct. 1 at at town hall at Mead Botanical Garden.
At Thursday’s town hall, other residents used their moment of face time with the two elected officials Thursday to complain about Winter Park’s brick streets, express their fears about the threat of artificial intelligence and ask about other issues.
Don’t hold your breath for any immediate federal laws to protect humanity from AI.
“I’m going to be honest with you guys. Part of the problem is Congress lacks the expertise and technology to be able to move forward and pass real comprehensive legislation,” Frost said.
Dominating Thursday’s discussion was Amendment 3 as both DeCiccio and Frost expressed their concerns about the constitutional amendment to increase non-school homestead exemptions.
Amendment 3 is the latest threat to local governments after the state has been eroding away at local home rule for years, they said.
“We had an ordinance you couldn’t just take down a big beautiful oak or tree in your yard,” DeCiccio said, citing an example of how the state is superseding Winter Park’s authority to make decisions. “We love our trees. It’s part of our charm. It’s part of our character. It keeps us cool.”
Instead Tallahassee passed a 2022 bill allowing people to cut down a dead or dying tree without a local permit which developers are taking advantage of to remove trees, DeCiccio said.
Local governments losing millions of revenue would be forced to ask Tallahassee for approval and funding.
“They’re trying to push our local governments to have to go to Tallahassee and beg for crumbs and money to be able to do anything. And that’s about power,” Frost said.
DeCiccio warned the city would be forced to close the library “a few days a week” and its police and fire response times would get slower. Also potentially getting cut would be city festivities in the park to celebrate holidays, “all of the things that make Winter Park so very special,” she said.
One resident asked how people can get involved to help defeat Amendment 3.
“One thing is to have conversations with people in your neighborhood,” said Frost, whose political career started as a community organizer. “You know who are the homeowners, who are the tenants. Reach out to a neighbor and talk to them about it. … If everybody in this room spoke with 20 people between now and Election Day, that could literally mean the difference between it passing and it not passing.”
If at least 60% of voters approve the Amendment 3 on Nov. 3, the constitutional amendment would increase the state’s non-school homestead exemptions to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, and tie further increases in 2029 annually to inflation.
New Florida residents would be required to wait five years to get the full property tax break.
Under Amendment 3, Winter Park City Manager Randy Knight previously said the city would need to cut an estimated $3.7 million in the first year, followed by another $7.5 million the second year.
The Florida Realtors, which spent $10 million on its Vote Yes on 3 political committee last month, are the loudest advocates for Amendment 3, along with conservative state lawmakers and Gov. Ron DeSantis who have been calling out for property tax relief for months.
Real estate agents make their livings off commissions from home sales and a report published on Realtor.com asserted that eliminating property taxes on owner-occupied homes would increase prices by 7% to 9%. In turn, such a move would also juice commissions for Realtors.
“Florida families are facing rising costs from every direction, from housing and insurance to groceries and everyday necessities. Amendment 3 provides meaningful property-tax relief at a time when many homeowners need it most,” said the Florida Realtors in a statement this week.
Meanwhile, the Florida Sheriffs Association, the Florida State Fraternal Order of Police and the Florida Professional Firefighters have come out strongly against Amendment 3 with the groups saying it could have the opposite effect by eating into the appeal of safety and other amenities provided by local governments that make many neighborhoods so desirable.
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by Beth Kassab | Sep 30, 2026 | Chain of Lakes, City Commission, News, Zoning and Development
New Merrywood Owner (Who is Still Unknown) Will Pursue Lot Split
A second vote on the property that is known as the site of a large James Gamble Rogers II estate is scheduled for Oct. 14
Sept. 30, 2026
By Beth Kassab
One of Winter Park’s most closely guarded secrets — the identity of the new owner of the lot known as Merrywood at 1020 Palmer Ave. — may soon be revealed.
Jason Searl, a real estate attorney at Maynard Nexsen, sent a letter to Winter Park Planning Director Allison McGillis on Sept. 23 saying he was recently hired to represent Lake Osceola Holdings LLC, the entity that closed on the nearly 4-acre property in August for $15 million, and that the new owner is seeking to complete the process needed to split the lot in two.
“My client desires to continue with the pending Comp Plan Amendment and will accept responsibility for the application going forward,” Searl wrote.
The second of two required City Commission votes to finalize the change to the city’s development plan, which would carve out a special exception to Winter Park’s prohibition against lakefront lot splits for Merrywood, is scheduled for Oct. 14.
McGillis told the Voice she does not know who is behind Lake Osceola Holdings LLC, but said Searl indicated to her in a conversation that the new owners would likely meet with commissioners or potentially appear at the public meeting. That could mean they would be identified and potentially discuss their plans for the property.
She said she does not have any details about the owner’s plans, but said she was told it was possible that some portion of the 90-year-old estate on Lake Osceola could be preserved. The house is listed in Florida’s master file of historic resources and is among the last remaining examples of the local influence of architect James Gamble Rogers II, and is known as one of his largest and most ornate works.
Tara Tedrow, the Lowndes attorney who originally had the property under contract and began the lot split process last year, was copied on the email thread that included Searl’s letter and followed up with her own note indicating that she would no longer be involved in the process.
“Please accept this email as written confirmation of a transfer of my pending comp plan application to Lake Osceola Holdings, LLC,” Tedrow wrote.
McGillis requested the correspondence from both Tedrow and Searl so that she could meet the deadlines for public notice ahead of the Oct. 14 scheduled vote.
Neither Searl nor Tedrow responded to requests for comment from the Voice on Wednesday.
Lake Osceola Holdings LLC filed its articles of incorporation with the state of Florida’s Division of Corporations on June 10. It listed Carla Deloach as the manager of the company, and its Orlando address is the same as Cypress Row Advisors, where Deloach is a senior attorney.
On that same date, Tedrow filed with the state a company called Ketara RE LLC and listed herself and her husband, Kevin Skorman, as the managers.
June 10 fell about a week after the Planning & Zoning Board recommended that the City Commission approve the lot split, and about two weeks before the first hearing related to the property in front of the City Commission.
Tedrow did not respond to questions about whether the company she registered on June 10 was related to the lot on Palmer Avenue. She is also listed as a manager, along with Skorman, a local commercial and residential developer, on three other companies filed with the state between March and September.
Tedrow told city officials throughout the process that she hoped to build a home for her family on the empty portion of the Merrywood lot, which is not far from the house she grew up in, and sell the other portion.
She told the City Commission that she and Sotheby’s agent Mick Night hoped to find a buyer willing to preserve and restore Merrywood, which is now in disrepair, but that no one came forward after nearly a year of searching.
That led Mayor Sheila DeCiccio to say that there was little choice but to approve the lot split, because the house was likely to be demolished either way, and Tedrow said she would walk away from the deal if the split wasn’t approved. DeCiccio said she feared that without the split, another buyer would come along and build a house as large as 50,000 square feet, based on the entitlements related to the size of the lot. As a result, the City Commission voted 3-2 on June 24 in the first of two required votes to approve the split.
Not long after that, the Voice first reported that Matt Morgan, a Winter Park resident and key face of the Morgan & Morgan law firm, made an offer on the property in August 2025 for $10 million. Night said the offer was too low and that, at the time, he was unaware of Morgan’s desire to preserve the home.
Morgan, who currently lives in a home on the city’s historic register, then upped his offer to $12 million and said he would like to see Merrywood preserved.
The city extended a demolition permit for the property in August. City officials have little power to require the home be preserved because its longtime owners, before the most recent sale, never listed it on the local register.
The clearest path to keep the home standing is for the City Commission to approve the lot split with a condition that the home remain in place and be listed on the register — similar to a condition placed on a different property in recent years, in a case where the owner was also seeking to split the lot.
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