HomeMy WebLinkAbout_2021 03 22 City Commission Regular Meeting MinutesFrom:Jesse Phillips
To:_City Clerk Department
Subject:Public input
Date:Monday, March 22, 2021 2:41:39 PM
EXTERNAL EMAIL:
[Caution: Do not click on links or open any attachments unless you trust the sender and know
the content is safe.]
Cristian,
Please read the following comment during the first public input related to the resignation of
Mayor Lacey (item 503):
While it is the prerogative of the city commission to steer the process of selecting an interim
mayor, in light of the recent failures of the commission and growing distrust in its leadership
among residents, we strongly encourage the City to engage in a fully transparent and
deliberative selection process. We ask each commissioner to pledge not to appoint
themselves as Mayor, nor anyone who has recently held office or run for office or with
known political or professional ties to a commissioner. We need a fresh voice and new
direction. Given our City’s failures with water quality, unprecedented environmental damage
resulting in the fish kill, odor issues, 13 DEP violations since the Flint Water company took
over, traffic and development concerns, toxic work environment in city Hall and persistent
talent drain among staff, we need an outside perspective now more than ever. I emailed this
request to each commissioner and as of 2pm, did not receive a even a courtesy reply or
acknowledgement of receipt.
Submitted,
Jesse Phillips
1124 Duncan Drive
407-492-4915
From:kmiericke@aol.com
To:Christian Gowan
Subject:Citizen"s comments for Commission Meeting this evening, March 22
Date:Monday, March 22, 2021 3:07:25 PM
EXTERNAL EMAIL:
[Caution: Do not click on links or open any attachments unless you trust the sender and know
the content is safe.]
To Whom It May Concern:
My name is Dr. Kurt Miericke and I have been a resident of Winter Springs since July 1997. I am the past
President and a current Director of the Chelsea Woods Home Owners Association. I am Vice-President
of the Tuscawilla Home Homeowners Association and have been a Director since 2007. I am also a
member of the Winter Springs Rotary Club. I would like to thank Mayor Lacey for his years of service to
our community. However I do want to go on record that I strongly support the current Winter Springs City
Commissioners and the direction that they are leading our wonderful community. They each were
elected to serve after listening to the needs and concerns of our community. We are fortunate to have
them.
Sincerely,
Dr. Kurt Miericke
May 22, 2021
To Whom It May Concern
I am David Price, a resident of Winter Springs since 2011. My
wife and I moved here because it is, and has, a small-town
friendly atmosphere of predominately single-family homes.
The rise of condos/apartments in Winter Springs, along 434 as
an example, is concerning! Many of the past city
commissioners obviously supported the buildup. Thanks to the
practical and future looking current Commissioners a stop to the
large apartment and condo development has stopped. They now
have focused on what is important to the residents, clean water
and “up to standard” wastewater treatment plants.
Charles Lacey’s article in today’s Orlando Sentinel, March 22,
is almost laughable. Lacey has not been a leader but a puppet
for the likes of Greenberg, who desperately wanted to be elected
again on the council. Lacey’s comments reflect an individual
who is bitter and no longer interested in working with the
council members, nor interested in doing what is right for the
Winter Spring residents.
Our current Commissioners were elected by large margins. This
should have been a message to Mr. Lacey and his supporters that
an uncontrolled building development is not acceptable to the
Winter Springs residents!
Sincerely,
David Price
1
Tristin Motter
From:Beverly Egan <bevandbob360@att.net>
Sent:Monday, March 22, 2021 4:56 PM
To:Christian Gowan
Subject:Commission Meeting March 22, 2021 PUBLIC INPUT
EXTERNAL EMAIL:
[Caution: Do not click on links or open any attachments unless you trust the sender and know the
content is safe.]
My name is Beverly Egan I am a resident of Hacienda Village and I am also the board president of
Hacienda Village. We as a community of over 400 homes have been extremely happy with the
representation we have from the current commissioners especially Ted Johnson. I know that if we
need anything or have any questions I can call Ted and he will return my call or stop by to discuss
or needs. I have talked with him and several of the past and newer commissioners about how I
feel Winter Springs should handle future growth. We should concentrate more on single family
homes, condos and townhomes. Developments that promote home ownership because the past
city officials seemed to concentrate on larger apartment developments that are rental properties.
These larger properties are a strain on our facilities such as water and sewer services, roads and
schools. Good business developments with some commercial type of industries as well as some
type of technology or medical type of industries should also be pursued. I believe the
commissioners we have are listening to the people who wants us as a city to be more restrictive
and selective as to how we develop our community. Thank you for listening.
Sent from my iPad
1
Tristin Motter
From:withee@mindspring.com
Sent:Monday, March 22, 2021 5:51 PM
To:_City Clerk Department
Cc:withee@mindspring.com
Subject:Public Input - March 22nd Commission Meeting
EXTERNAL EMAIL:
[Caution: Do not click on links or open any attachments unless you trust the sender and know the content is
safe.]
To Whom It May Concern:
Due to a previously scheduled client engagement, I cannot attend this evening’s Commission meeting. Otherwise, I
would, because I’d certainly like to gain a better understanding about the nature of apparent discord between current
and/or former City leadership. In the interest of full disclosure, I currently serve the City of Winter Springs as Chairman
of the Board of Trustees (Pension Advisory Board).
Of late, meaning the past two months, I’ve received several unsolicited emails from a self‐described community
association which highlights what it perceives as shortcomings in the priorities and abilities of the current City of Winter
Springs administration and the City Commissioners. I don’t know this association’s founders personally, but on some
level I appreciate that a group of citizens cares enough about what is happening in the City to produce a newsletter on
its own. However, the tone of the recent communications has a sharp edge that moves well beyond simply highlighting
issues and appears to be as much about attacking City leadership as it is to inform and opine. This is counter‐
productive. I have no problem with genuine disagreements about City priorities – in fact, they are healthy – but there
are more appropriate and effective forums for meaningful reconciliation of these disagreements.
I was surprised by Mayor Lacey’s recent resignation. He, too, has been very vocal recently about issues that he says
made it necessary to take this step. While I don’t know him well, I’ve met him on several occasions and generally have a
favorable opinion of his service to the City, and because of that I listened to his comments with interest. I was struck by
the tone of his rhetoric and personal attacks on certain individuals. Whether one agrees with his assertions or not, there
are more appropriate forums and ways to articulate those concerns.
I moved to Winter Springs in 2004 and chose this area for the same reasons as many of you: good schools, low crime,
and overall good quality of life. Over the years, as I’ve availed myself of City services, gotten to know my local
representatives, and eventually volunteered time to serve on the Board of Trustees, I have gained an understanding
about how the City is run, and I must tell you it is run very well. City leadership with whom I work closely (including the
City Manager) and certain Commissioners whom I know well, are very focused on the operational issues and how they
affect the citizenry. Are there legitimate disagreements between various groups about priorities, funding,
etc? Sure. That is the nature of running any organization of size. But I am confident in saying that whatever the nature
of the disagreements, it isn’t because current leadership doesn’t care, isn’t capable, and can’t think independently. To
either insinuate or outright state otherwise is highly irresponsible.
As a citizen of Winter Springs, I’d like this to look a lot less like the municipal equivalent of the old television show
Survivor, where tribalism is the key to winning, and a lot more like an Amish barn‐raising. People of good faith and
candor can come together to discuss their perspectives about what’s best for the City and not resort to personal attacks
on those trying to make it better. We’ve got some important decisions to make that have long‐term fiscal and
operational implications and it demands a cooperative approach. I respectfully ask those doing the attacking to be part
of the solution and leave the incendiary communications behind.
2
David
David Withee
407‐448‐0089
withee@mindspring.com