In first 'State of the City,' Mayor Sheila DeCiccio highlights strong financials

The annual event drew a large crowd and also honored Winter Park’s employees of the year, including a school resource officer from Winter Park High

Feb. 1, 2025

By Beth Kassab

Mayor Sheila DeCiccio underscored the city’s solid financial footing and pointed to a future of business growth and enhanced services such as flood prevention and the completion of the undergrounding project by the city’s electric utility in her first State of the City address on Friday.

DeCiccio, who made history last year when she was elected as the first woman to the office, spoke to a packed crowd at the Winter Park Events Center, including local officials such as U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost and state Rep. Anna Eskamani, who recently announced her bid for Orlando mayor.

She highlighted Winter Park’s strong financial position with growing residential and commercial tax bases and a robust reserve fund as part of the city’s $214.4 million annual budget.

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Mayor Sheila DeCiccio and City Manager Randy Knight shake hands on stage Friday morning as commissioners Todd Weaver, Marty Sullivan and Craig Russell look on.

“We’ve kept our millage rate the same for 17 consecutive years and we have the strongest tax base in all of Orange County,” she said, pointing to AAA ratings by Fitch and Moody’s.

Fitch upgraded the city to AAA in August citing, “financial resilience given amble budgetary flexibility and Fitch’s expectation that the city will maintain reserves at or above 10% of spending.” The reserve fund sits at about 29% today, just below the city’s goal of 30%.

DeCiccio listed the recent expansion of the Community Redevelopment Agency, which allows Winter Park to keep more dollars that would otherwise be siphoned off to Orange County, as a way the city will shape development and increase tax revenue off Fairbanks Avenue near Interstate 4.

She also cited the undergrounding of electric wires, which sits at 80% completion and is slated to be finished by 2030 as a key factor in how Winter Park has kept the lights on during storms while other communities sat in the dark and lauded a year-long study that has helped prioritize flood-prevention projects.

DeCiccio gave credit to the city’s staff, which she said routinely pull off a number of events that make Winter Park a regional draw.

Last year’s holiday decor and events were just one example.

“It was said it was like being in a Hallmark movie,” she said.

Earlier in her address, DeCiccio nodded briefly to the less feel-good side of Winter Park. The town of about 30,000 people along a picturesque chain of lakes is also known for bitter political fights over everything from development to gas-powered leaf blowers. (A ban on the noisy machines will appear on the March ballot along with two candidates for Commission Seat 3.)

“Our shared commitment to unity and nonpartisan government has allowed us to rise above divisiveness,” she said.

Defense attorney Warren Lindsey, who was just elected to City Commission Seat 4 without opposition and will take office in March, was in attendance. Also in the audience was Justin Vermuth, the attorney and timeshare lobbyist who is challenging Commissioner Kris Cruzada for Seat 3.

Other highlights included:

Founders’ Award. DeCiccio recognized former Mayor David Strong with the 2025 Mayor’s Founders’ Award for his role in steering the city during the 2008 recession and helping protect Central Park from development from a proposal to build a hotel there. Strong, a third generation Winter Parker, whose dad was also mayor in the 1980s, entered the real estate business after graduating from Winter Park High and Vanderbilt University, where he received a football scholarship. DeCiccio also cited his work on Howell Branch Preserve, Casa Feliz and numerous philanthropic activities such as supporting local arts and museums. (Full disclosure: Strong is also a financial contributor to the Voice.)

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Officer Christopher Belcore speaks to the crowd.

Employees of the year: Police Chief Tim Volkerson named Christopher Belcore, a school resource officer at Winter Park High School, as officer of the year. Belcore, he said, has served at the school for two years and received numerous accolades from parents about his ability to establish an authentic relationship with students while also leading key investigations. Belcore’s work was instrumental, Volkerson said, in the conviction of a student who Belcore learned had access to weapons and could have posed a threat to the school.

Winter Park Human Resources Director Pam Russell also recognized Jeanni Ruddy, who has helped grow the department’s wellness programs, with the 2025 honor. Winter Park Fire Chief Dan Hagedorn named Lt. Brandon Williams, who is also a paramedic, as fire employee of the year.

WinterParkVoiceEditor@gmail.com

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