Date: 2026-10-16T14:21:35Z

Agenda link: https://onedrive.live.com?cid=4805F5A6652CD089&id=4805F5A6652CD089!s4474666ead3144c397cc844f4ded92d0

Public comment: 3 minutes per agenda item, plus 3 minutes for the Consent Agenda (confirm the City’s current limit). Speeches are written for items flagged as anti-freedom, pro-freedom or worth congratulating. Each speech is ready for any resident to use – just fill in [YOUR NAME].

Summary

The October 19, 2026 Longwood City Commission agenda is dominated by money: a resolution seeking up to $5,177,713 in State Revolving Fund borrowing for the East Longwood Phase III septic-to-sewer conversion affecting roughly 140 property owners, plus a $3,464,768 consolidated bank loan and a grant-match-dependent $165,060 engineering contract that are both tucked into the Consent Agenda for a single block vote. On the positive side, staff recommends returning $144,046 of unspent Lewis House money to the General Fund and handing the building to a private historic society, the Commission is codifying clear public rules for remote attendance, a free Citizens Academy is proposed within existing budgets, and the cure plan for 171 West State Road 434 protects a property owner hurt by an FDOT taking. Nothing on this agenda references Florida’s Amendment 3, and no item rose to the level of a genuine, non-grant accomplishment worth public congratulation.

🚩 Anti-Freedom

• 12A. Resolution No. 26-1743 — Up to $5,177,713 in new State Revolving Fund debt for septic-to-sewer conversion affecting about 140 property owners who may face connection costs and new monthly sewer bills; total project $6,281,819.
• Consent 10K — $3,464,768 consolidated Seacoast Bank loan, including roughly $1.68 million of new borrowing and $424,515 in annual debt service, buried in a block vote.
• Consent 10I — $165,060 Kimley-Horn engineering tied to a hazard mitigation grant with a 25 percent local match and a Phase II match of $113,407 that depends on an unawarded $115,471.50 grant.

✅ Pro-Freedom

• 12B. Resolution No. 26-1744 — Written, public rules for remote Commissioner participation, with a physical quorum requirement, a three-meeting annual cap, and a ban on off-camera members of the public at remote locations.
• 12C. Lewis House funds — Returning $144,046 of unspent money to the General Fund instead of chasing cost estimates of $172,850 to $340,000, and transferring the house to the private Longwood Historic Society.
• 12D. Citizens Academy — Free civic education within existing budgets, including a Finance and budget session and a mock Commission meeting, with no new fees or positions.
• Consent 10L — Cure plan for 171 West State Road 434 lets a property owner keep using their property after an FDOT eminent domain taking created the setback and buffer nonconformity.

⚠️ Consent Agenda Watch

• 10K [ANTI-FREEDOM] — $3,464,768 consolidated loan; major borrowing decision hidden in a single block vote. Ask that it be pulled.
• 10I [ANTI-FREEDOM] — Grant-funded $165,060 design contract with local match exposure of $113,407 if the anticipated CDBG-DR match grant is not awarded. Ask that it be pulled.
• 10L [PRO-FREEDOM] — Cure plan protecting continued use of private property after an FDOT taking; support.

Consent Agenda

• 10A. Approval of the October 5, 2026, Regular Meeting Minutes — Routine approval of minutes; no budget impact. [ROUTINE]
• 10B. Approval of the Monthly Expenditures for September 2026 — Approves $385,422.57 in processed bills, check numbers 171688 through 171764, as required by Charter Section 6.10(A). [ROUTINE]
• 10C. Approval of the Monthly Financial Report for August 2026 — Unaudited monthly financial report, budget transfer report and purchasing-card detail required by Code Section 2-182. [ROUTINE]
• 10D. Purchase Order of $209,591.14 to Insight Public Sector, Inc. for (50) Panasonic Toughbook laptops — Replaces police field laptops bought in FY 2020-2021 that have reached the end of their five-year warranty and replacement cycle; budgeted in FY 2026-2027 capital equipment. [ROUTINE]
• 10E. Purchase Order of $50,000 to Fishback, Dominick LLP for citywide legal services — Funds ongoing legal counsel under an existing agreement; budgeted in professional services. [ROUTINE]
• 10F. Purchase Order of $183,051.07 to Atlantic Pipe Services, LLC for stormwater pipe and structure repairs in Longwood Groves — Lining and repair of roughly 230 feet of 42-inch pipe on Valencia Court using a piggyback contract; budgeted maintenance of existing infrastructure. [ROUTINE]
• 10G. Purchase Order of $91,674.80 to Earthscapes Unlimited, Inc. for landscape maintenance along State Road 434 — Continued mowing and landscape maintenance from Rangeline Road to Raymond Avenue under an existing bid contract. [ROUTINE]
• 10H. Two Purchase Orders totaling $541,085.72 to Rotolo Consultants, Inc. for citywide mowing and landscape maintenance — Competitively bid under ITB #PW 26-001 CE, split into $272,251.88 for rights-of-way and $268,833.84 for parks, stormwater and utility sites. [ROUTINE]
• 10I. Purchase Order of $165,060.00 to Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. for Fire Station #15 drainage engineering — Design work funded through a FEMA/FDEM Hazard Mitigation Grant that requires a 25 percent local match, with the Phase II match of $113,407 depending on a second grant of $115,471.50 the City has not yet been awarded. [ANTI-FREEDOM]
• 10J. Purchase Order of $1,807,000 to WastePro for FY 2026-2027 residential solid waste collection — Encumbers funds for curbside collection that residents pay for through their monthly utility bills under the existing contract. [ROUTINE]
• 10K. Approval of proposed loan terms and direction to secure funding for General Fund capital projects, FY 2026-2027 — Authorizes staff to pursue a $3,464,768 consolidated Seacoast Bank loan that refinances the Reiter Park note and adds roughly $1.68 million in new borrowing, with annual debt service of $424,515. [ANTI-FREEDOM]
• 10L. Approval of a cure plan for 171 West State Road 434 — After an FDOT road-widening taking leaves the building short of required setbacks and buffer width, the cure plan lets the owner keep using the remaining property rather than being penalized for nonconformity caused by the taking. [PRO-FREEDOM]
• 10M. Purchase Order of $82,271 to Aire Tech Mechanical Services, Inc. for an emergency chiller replacement — Replaces the failed Public Works chiller with the lowest replacement bid, including a 10-year warranty, ending ongoing temporary rental and generator costs. [ROUTINE]

3-minute Consent Agenda speech:

Good evening, Mayor and Commissioners. My name is [YOUR NAME], and I am a Longwood resident. I am speaking on the Consent Agenda, and I am asking you to pull two items for separate discussion and separate votes.

The first is Item 10K, approval of proposed loan terms and direction to secure funding for General Fund capital projects. This is not a paperclip purchase. Staff is asking for authorization to pursue a $3,464,768 consolidated loan from Seacoast Bank that refinances the Reiter Park note, carrying an outstanding balance of $1,780,627, and adds roughly $1.68 million in new borrowing, with annual debt service of $424,515. The alternative on the table is a smaller 10-year, $1,800,000 loan at 4.18 percent with annual debt service of $220,542. Those are two very different futures for Longwood taxpayers, and the choice between them deserves to be debated in public, on the record, not approved in a single block vote with meeting minutes and a mowing contract. Debt is a tax on tomorrow. Please pull 10K, make staff walk the public through both options, and vote on it by itself.

The second is Item 10I, the $165,060 purchase order to Kimley-Horn for Fire Station #15 drainage design. I understand flooding at a fire station is serious. But please recognize what the funding structure actually is. The Hazard Mitigation Grant is 75 percent federal with a 25 percent local match, and the Phase II match of $113,407 depends on a second grant of $115,471.50 that the agenda admits the City cannot even apply for until Phase I is finished. Grant money is still taxpayer money, collected from taxpayers somewhere else and sent back with strings, matching obligations and compliance requirements attached. Before this passes, residents deserve a plain answer: if the match grant is never awarded, who pays the $113,407? Please pull 10I and answer that in the open.

Finally, let me say something positive about Item 10L, the cure plan for 171 West State Road 434. FDOT is taking part of that property, and the taking leaves the building short of the required setbacks and landscape buffer. Rather than punishing an owner for a condition the government created, the City is approving a plan that lets them keep using their property. That is the right instinct, and I support it.

Pull 10K and 10I. Approve 10L. Thank you.

Agenda Items

4. Community Announcements

• 4A. Senior Matinee – Wednesday, October 21, 2026, 1:30–3:30 p.m., Longwood Community Building — Monthly senior movie event featuring Hocus Pocus. [ROUTINE]
• 4B. City Government Day at Longwood Elementary School – Thursday, October 22, 2026, 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. — Police, Fire and Public Works will display vehicles and equipment for students. [ROUTINE]
• 4C. “Truck or Treat” – Saturday, October 24, 2026, 3:00–6:00 p.m., Reiter Park — Free community Halloween event with trick-or-treating and a costume contest. [ROUTINE]
• 4D. Longwood Historic Society “Monster Dash 5K” – Saturday, October 31, 2026 — Privately organized 5K in the Historic District; proceeds benefit historic preservation. [ROUTINE]

5. Proclamations / Recognitions

• 5A. District #5 Nomination of the Business Person of the Month Award for November 2026 — Routine monthly recognition of a local business person. [ROUTINE]
• 5B. Beautification Award, fourth quarter – Cottage Gift Shop (Inside-Outside House), 141 West Church Avenue — Recognition of a private business for property upkeep. [ROUTINE]
• 5C. Proclamation – “Florida City Government Week,” October 19–25, 2026 — Ceremonial proclamation with no budget or regulatory effect. [ROUTINE]

6. Board Appointments

• 6. Board Appointments — No appointments are listed on this agenda. [ROUTINE]

7. Public Input

• 7A. Public Participation — Standing opportunity for residents to address the Commission. [ROUTINE]

8. Mayor and Commissioners’ Report

• 8A. Districts #4, #5, #1, #2, and #3 — Individual reports from the Mayor and Commissioners; no specific subject matter listed. [ROUTINE]

9. Commission and Staff Additions or Changes

• 9A. Additional items raised during Mayor’s and Commissioners’ Reports — Placeholder for follow-up items. [ROUTINE]
• 9B. Any additions or deletions to the agenda — Procedural agenda housekeeping. [ROUTINE]

11. Public Hearings

• 11. Public Hearings — No public hearings are scheduled on this agenda. [ROUTINE]

12. Regular Business

• 12A. Resolution No. 26-1743 – Authorizing application for a State Revolving Fund loan of up to $5,177,713 for the East Longwood Phase III Septic to Sewer project — Authorizes the City Manager to apply for a $5,177,713 state loan toward a project estimated at $6,281,819 that would convert roughly 140 homes and businesses from septic systems to city sewer, with an additional $1,273,550 expected from an FDEP 319(h) grant. [ANTI-FREEDOM]

  3-minute speech:

  Good evening, Mayor and Commissioners. My name is [YOUR NAME], and I am a Longwood resident. I am speaking on Item 12A, Resolution No. 26-1743, which would authorize the City Manager to apply for a loan of up to $5,177,713 under the State Revolving Fund program for the East Longwood Phase III septic-to-sewer project, a project the agenda estimates at $6,281,819. I ask you to vote no tonight.

  First, this is debt. A State Revolving Fund loan is money borrowed today that Longwood utility customers repay tomorrow, with interest, for decades. The agenda also counts on $1,273,550 from a state 319(h) grant. Please remember that grant money is not free money. It is taxpayer money collected somewhere else and routed back here, usually with conditions, reporting and compliance costs attached. Calling it a grant does not change who pays.

  Second, property rights. This project affects roughly 140 homes and businesses now served by septic systems. For those owners, this is not abstract. It can mean abandoning a system that works, paying to connect, paying a new monthly sewer bill, and losing the right to decide how their own property is served. Before the City commits to more than five million dollars in borrowing, each of those owners deserves a written, itemized estimate of what they will personally pay, and a public meeting where they can answer back.

  Third, process. The staff memo says the final loan agreement returns to you by ordinance. That is good, but by then timelines, expectations and sunk costs make reversal nearly impossible. The real decision point is tonight.

  I am not against clean water, and I am not against repairing failing systems. I am asking for honesty about the price and respect for the people who pay it. Please vote no on Resolution No. 26-1743, or table it until staff brings back a cost-per-household disclosure, a comparison of what residents pay now versus after conversion, and a plain answer to one question: will any property owner be forced to connect?

  Longwood taxpayers are not an unlimited revenue source, and debt is simply a tax on our own future. Please protect both tonight. Thank you for your time and your service.

• 12B. Resolution No. 26-1744 – Amending the City Commission Rules of Procedure regarding attendance by videoconferencing — Adds a new Rule 2.10 allowing a Commissioner to participate remotely, with a physical quorum required for remote voting, a limit of three remote meetings per Commissioner per year, 36 hours’ notice, an 80 percent connection requirement, and technology rules so the public and the Commission can see and hear one another. [PRO-FREEDOM]

  3-minute speech:

  Good evening, Mayor and Commissioners. My name is [YOUR NAME], and I am a Longwood resident. I am speaking in support of Item 12B, Resolution No. 26-1744, which adds a new Rule 2.10 to the Commission’s Rules of Procedure governing a Commissioner’s participation in meetings by videoconference.

  I support this item because written rules are better than unwritten practice. When the standards are published in advance, residents know exactly what is permitted, and no one has to wonder whether a decision was made under rules invented on the spot. That is transparency, and transparency is how a city earns trust.

  I especially appreciate the guardrails in this resolution. A Commissioner participating remotely may vote only if a quorum of this Commission is physically present. Remote attendance is capped at three meetings per Commissioner per calendar year, outside a declared emergency. A Commissioner must notify the City Manager at least 36 hours in advance, and must be connected and available for at least 80 percent of the meeting, from call to order to adjournment, to avoid being counted absent. Those are real limits, and they keep remote attendance an exception rather than a habit.

  The technology provisions matter just as much. The rule requires that the public, the Commission and the remote Commissioner all be able to see and hear one another, and that the remote Commissioner be able to view presentation materials and participate in voting. If the technology fails, the ability to vote remotely is suspended until the problem is fixed. And a Commissioner attending remotely may not have members of the public in the room unless those people can be seen and heard by everyone. That last provision prevents off-camera conversations that the rest of us cannot witness, and I thank whoever drafted it.

  I have two respectful requests. First, please treat the three-meeting limit as a firm ceiling, and if anyone ever wants to expand it, bring that back as a public amendment rather than letting practice drift. Second, if the City is building the equipment to let a Commissioner be seen and heard from a distance, please consider using that same two-way video to let residents deliver public comment remotely. Government that is accessible to officials should be at least as accessible to the people who pay for it.

  Please vote yes on Resolution No. 26-1744. Thank you.

• 12C. Discussion regarding Lewis House funds — Staff recommends letting $144,046 in unspent Lewis House money return to the General Fund and transferring ownership of the house to the Longwood Historic Society, after relocation and renovation quotes of $275,000–$340,000 and a revised $172,850–$224,300 both far exceeded the $150,000 budget. [PRO-FREEDOM]

  3-minute speech:

  Good evening, Mayor and Commissioners. My name is [YOUR NAME], and I am a Longwood resident. I am speaking in support of the staff recommendation in Item 12C regarding the Lewis House funds.

  This item is a rare and welcome thing: a city choosing not to spend money it already has sitting in a line item. The budget set aside $150,000. The only response to the City’s Request for Qualifications, from Falcon Design and Construction, came in between roughly $275,000 and $340,000 to move the house to Reiter Park and make it usable. A scaled-back version, moving it to Magnolia Park and only securing it on a foundation, still came in between $172,850 and $224,300. Both numbers exceed the budget, and the second one buys a building that still cannot be used.

  The honest conclusion is the one in front of you: stop. Let the remaining $144,046 go back to the General Fund rather than chasing a number that keeps climbing. The agenda shows the City has already spent $27,154.08 on this building over the years, including $5,954.08 on soil borings and $9,575 on the lift it sits on. Sunk costs are a terrible reason to spend more. Taxpayers should not be asked to fund an open-ended project simply because earlier dollars were committed.

  I also support transferring ownership of the Lewis House to the Longwood Historic Society. That is the right model. A private, voluntary organization can raise donations, seek favorable construction pricing, and work on its own timeline, with its own supporters bearing the risk. People who care about preserving this house get to preserve it with their own money and their own labor, and residents who do not share that priority are not taxed for it. Private stewardship of history is stronger, not weaker, than government ownership, because it depends on genuine community support rather than a budget line.

  I have one request attached to my support. Please state clearly tonight that the $144,046 is returning to the General Fund as savings, not as a pot to be quietly re-appropriated to new spending in the next budget amendment. Use it to reduce debt or hold down fees, and tell residents you did.

  Please vote to return the funds and to direct staff to prepare the transfer documents. Thank you for exercising restraint. It is noticed and it is appreciated.

• 12D. Approval to establish the City of Longwood Citizens Academy — Creates a free, annual ten-week civic education program for 20–25 residents beginning January 28, 2027, covering city operations, finance and the budget, a mock Commission meeting and a citywide tour, using existing staff, facilities and departmental budgets. [PRO-FREEDOM]

  3-minute speech:

  Good evening, Mayor and Commissioners. My name is [YOUR NAME], and I am a Longwood resident. I am speaking in support of Item 12D, the proposal to establish the City of Longwood Citizens Academy.

  An informed public is the strongest check on government there is. The best protection residents have is not a rule or a form; it is neighbors who understand how decisions get made, where the money comes from, and when to show up and speak. This program, as described in the agenda, would give twenty to twenty-five residents each year roughly ten weeks of direct exposure to how the City actually works, including Police and Fire, Public Works and utilities, Community Development, Finance and the annual budget, a mock City Commission meeting, and a citywide tour. That is transparency, and I support it.

  I also appreciate how it is being funded. The agenda states that the program is free to participants, that incidental expenses will be absorbed within existing departmental budgets, and that the City will use existing staff, facilities and resources. No new department, no new position, no new fee. That is the right way to add a service.

  Let me offer three requests so this becomes genuine civic education and not a public relations exercise. First, teach the hard numbers. When you reach the Finance and budget session, show participants the real millage rate, the actual outstanding debt, the annual debt service, and what a typical household pays in taxes and utility bills. Residents can handle the truth, and they deserve it.

  Second, keep admission open and viewpoint-neutral. Fill the class first-come, first-served, and welcome the City’s critics as warmly as its supporters. A program that only graduates applause is worth nothing.

  Third, share it beyond the room. Most residents cannot commit to Thursday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00 for ten weeks. Please post the curriculum materials, handouts and any recordings on the City website so every resident benefits, not just the twenty-five who get a seat.

  Finally, please keep the commitment that this stays inside existing budgets. If the program ever requires new spending, bring that back to the public for a separate vote.

  With those requests, I urge you to vote yes on Item 12D. Thank you, and thank you to staff for proposing it.

13. City Manager’s Report

• 13. City Manager’s Report — Verbal update from the City Manager; no items listed in advance. [ROUTINE]

14. City Attorney’s Report

• 14. City Attorney’s Report — Verbal update from the City Attorney; no items listed in advance. [ROUTINE]

15. City Clerk’s Report

• 15. City Clerk’s Report — Verbal update from the City Clerk; no items listed in advance. [ROUTINE]