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CC03-16-2026Min LONGWOOD CITY COMMISSION Longwood City Commission Chambers I 175 West Warren Avenue Longwood, Florida MINUTES March 16, 2026 6:00 PM Present: Mayor Brian D. Sackett William Watts, City Manager Deputy Mayor Abby Shoemaker Liane Cartagena, City Clerk Commissioner Tony Boni David Dowda, Police Chief Commissioner Matthew McMillan Dustin Woolbright, Financial Services Director Commissioner Matt Morgan Chris Kintner, Community Development Director Dan Langley, City Attorney Shad Smith, Public Works Director 1. CALL TO ORDER. Mayor Sackett called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. 2. OPENING INVOCATION. Phil Ayres, Lead Pastor of LifePoint Christian Church gave the invocation. 13. THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. Mayor Sackett led the Pledge of Allegiance. 4. COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS. Ms. Cartagena read the following announcements. A. The Senior Matinee will be held on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, from 1:30 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. at the Longwood Community Building, 200 West Warren Avenue. This month's feature is Green and Gold. B. The Magic 107.7 Easter Egg Hunt will be on Saturday, April 4, 2026, from 9:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. The hunt will be held in the Historic District around Longwood City Hall, 175 West Warren Avenue, and will feature an egg hunt, prizes, and giveaways. Parking will be available at the SunRail Station, Downtown Longwood, and the Longwood Orlando Health Emergency Room back parking lot. This is a free event. 5. PROCLAMATIONS / RECOGNITIONS A. Nomination of the Beautification Award for the Second Quarter of 2026. Commissioner Morgan nominated Jack in the Box for the Beautification Award of the Second Quarter. Nomination carried by a unanimous voice vote. 116. BOARD APPOINTMENTS 7. PUBLIC INPUT CC 03/16/2026 / 1 A. Public Participation. None. 8. MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS' REPORT District#1. Deputy Mayor Shoemaker had no report. District#2. Commissioner Boni reported on the success of the senior wellness symposium hosted by Be the Change for Seniors and HCA Lake Mary Hospital, noting approximately 65 attendees. He announced that Jack in the Box,the new Beautification Award winner, would serve lunch at the upcoming Senior Matinee on March 18. He concluded by describing the Chili Cook-Off and car show as a fun and successful community event. District#3. Commissioner McMillan commented on the success of the Chili Cook-Off,the grand opening of Jack in the Box, and the ribbon-cutting for House of Sploot, calling it a great addition to Longwood's Historic District. He reported on his attendance at a Wekiva Wild and Scenic River Management Committee meeting, which included a presentation on the bluenose shiner fish and an update on a county lawsuit regarding a Forever Seminole property. District#4. Commissioner Morgan praised the City's five-year strategic planning session held on March 3, commending Mr. Watts for leading the initiative. He encouraged residents to watch the meeting on the City's YouTube channel and provide feedback. He thanked Jacqueline Aubrey, Community & Media Relations Manager, for her assistance with the Facebook posts of the meetings. He also commented on the successful grand openings for Jack in the Box and House of Sploot, and the well-attended Strawberry Festival, Chili Cook-Off, and Car Show. He recognized Chris Capizzi, Leisure Services Director and his staff as well the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board. He announced his appointments to the Advent Health Board of Directors for Florida and Recovery Connections of Central Florida. District#5. Mayor Sackett reiterated positive remarks about the City's five-year strategic planning session,the Chili Cook-Off, and the grand openings for Jack in the Box and House of Sploot. He requested that Mr. Watts investigate if the yard waste bag limit with Waste Pro could be temporarily lifted to allow residents to clean up storm debris from recent rains. Mr. Watts agreed to look into the matter. Mayor Sackett also encouraged the public to participate in a MetroPlan Orlando survey regarding regional transportation services. 9. COMMISSION AND STAFF ADDITIONS OR CHANGES A. ADDITIONAL ITEMS RAISED DURING MAYOR'S AND COMMISSIONERS' REPORTS B. ANY ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA 10. CONSENT AGENDA A. Approval of the March 2, 2026, Regular Meeting and the March 3, 2026, Strategic Planning Workshop Meeting Minutes. B. Approve the Monthly Expenditures for February 2026. C. Approve the Monthly Financial Report for January 2026 CC 03/16/2026/2 D. Approval of Purchase Order for$452,833.55 to Huffman Inc. DBA NuWave Concrete for new Sidewalk Installation/Repair Projects, and Stormwater Structure Repair Projects. E. Approval of an Inter-Agency Agreement between the Seminole County Sheriffs Office and the City of Longwood for Criminal Justice Computer Services and Support. F. Approval of fleet replacement between Ricoh USA, Inc. and the City of Longwood for citywide copiers, printers and wide format scanners. Commissioner McMillan moved to approve Items 10A through 10F as presented. Seconded by Commissioner Morgan and carried by a unanimous roll call vote. 11. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. Read by title only, set April 6, 2026, as the second public hearing date, and approve the first reading of Ordinance No. 26-2279, allowing Special Education Schools in the Industrial Core zoning district. Mr. Langley read Ordinance No. 26-2279 by title only. Mr. Kintner presented the Item. Mayor Sackett opened the public hearing. The following spoke in favor of Ordinance No. 26-2279: Jordan Johnson, 632 Firwood Court, Altamonte Springs, stated he and his wife have four children and three of them attend the One School of the Arts. His daughter, a seventh grader, has dyslexia and her previous school was not able to help. He and his wife hope to get their daughter back into school and he shared something his daughter wrote describing her difficult journey in school. He asked the Commission to consider the proposed Special Education School for his daughter and other children like her. Kristen Sayavan, 1675 Dixon Road, Longwood, Head of School at One School of the Arts & Sciences, stated the proposed Special Education school impacts not only their scholars but also the City of Longwood. She hoped the school would create value for the City and help meet the needs of families. Commissioner Boni asked about the pickup and dropoff times for the proposed school. Ms. Sayavan responded the school is implementing a flexible drop-off system to support a two- campus model, where students are dropped off at the main campus and then transported in groups to the satellite campus, Land of Hope, which will serve special needs and dyslexia students. This approach is intended to reduce parent burden and limit traffic, with impacts expected to remain similar to current conditions. Morning drop-off will occur within a window similar to existing operations, and many students will return to the main campus in the afternoon for activities, minimizing pick-ups at the satellite location. She noted limited direct drop-offs at the satellite campus may occur but are not expected to be common. Commissioner Morgan readdressed the Special Education School's commitment to a business tax. CC 03/16/2026/3 Ms. Sayavan expressed her commitment to being a positive, long-standing partner in the Longwood community. Commissioner Boni moved to close the public hearing. Seconded by Commissioner Morgan and carried by a unanimous voice vote. Commissioner Boni moved to approve Ordinance No. 26-2279 as presented. Seconded by Deputy Mayor Shoemaker. Further discussion ensued regarding concerns about the long-term tax implications for the City. While the current arrangement includes property taxes being paid by the building owner, questions were raised about the potential future purchase of the property by a nonprofit entity, which could result in the property becoming tax-exempt and reducing city revenue. The importance of maintaining the integrity of the industrial corridor and preserving a balanced tax base was emphasized, particularly given the City's near equal split between residential and commercial properties. While these concerns were noted, there was also recognition of the positive impact of the school, its strong reputation, and the supportive community surrounding it. The Commission returned to the original motion to approve Ordinance No. 26-2279 as presented and the motion carried by a unanimous roll call vote. B. Read by title only, set April 6, 2026, as the second public hearing date, and approve the first reading of Ordinance No. 26-2280, amending the Land Development Code and City Code of Ordinances to authorize,where permitted by law, publication of required advertisements and public notices on a publicly accessible website, in lieu of publication in a newspaper of general circulation. Mr. Langley read Ordinance No. 26-2280 by title only. Ms. Cartagena presented the Item. Mayor Sackett opened the public hearing. No one spoke in favor or opposition to Ordinance No. 26-2280. Commissioner McMillan moved to close the public hearing. Seconded by Commissioner Boni and carried by a unanimous voice vote. Commissioner Boni moved to approve Ordinance No. 26-2280 as presented. Seconded by Commissioner McMillan and carried by a unanimous roll call vote. 12. REGULAR BUSINESS A. Read by title only and adopt Resolution No. 26-1715, amending the FY 25-26 budget. Mr. Langley read Resolution No. 26-1715 by title only. Mr. Woolbright presented the Item. CC 03/16/2026/4 Commissioner Morgan moved to adopt Resolution No. 26-1715 as presented. Seconded by Deputy Mayor Shoemaker and carried by a unanimous roll call vote. B. Presentation and Discussion Regarding the Method of Electing the Mayor and Review of the 2019-2020 Charter Advisory Committee Proceedings. Commissioner McMillan presented the Item revisiting a previously unsubmitted proposal by the Charter Advisory Board to modify the Commission structure by creating four districts and one at- large Mayor elected citywide, with the intent of providing more consistent representation. While prior concerns included timing and redistricting, the Item was reintroduced due to recent city growth, changing external factors, and the belief that such a decision should ultimately be determined by voters. Commissioner McMillan presented results from a poll using registered voters who had opted into text communication. While limited in size and not intended to be a formal poll, it was used to gauge general public sentiment. Results indicated strong support for maintaining existing City services and satisfaction with public safety, while notably showing overwhelming support for a directly elected Mayor. He emphasized that any such proposal must be discussed in a publicly noticed meeting and, if pursued, would require drafting an Ordinance to place the question on the ballot. Implementation would need to account for current elected terms and State law, meaning any structural changes would be phased in over time, with a potential transition occurring in a future election cycle such as 2028 or 2030. He also noted a willingness to have District 3 transition to an at-large Mayoral seat in order to avoid impacting the terms of other sitting Commissioners. Deputy Mayor Shoemaker suggested keeping the five commissioners and adding a Mayor similar to the City of Winter Springs and voiced an appreciation for the City's current governance structure. However, she indicated an openness to letting the voters decide the issue to ensure fair selection of a Mayor. Further discussion clarified that under the proposed structure, commissioners could run for mayor but would be required to submit a resign-to-run letter, meaning they would give up their current seat and trigger a special election if they pursued the mayoral position. This requirement raised concerns about potential turnover if multiple commissioners ran simultaneously, as several seats could be vacated at once. The process was explained as consistent with state law and prior precedent, emphasizing that candidates must fully commit to the race. Additional concerns were also discussed regarding past perceptions of the proposal, though it was reiterated that the intent was to allow voters to decide and to revisit the concept with a more transparent and thorough discussion. Commissioner Boni questioned the validity of the informal poll, noting he had received constituent calls opposing the idea. He suggested that extending the Mayoral term to two years by a Commission vote could provide desired continuity without redistricting. Commissioner McMillan argued that this proposal would increase transparency and give residents a direct voice in choosing the city's leader, citing public confusion over the current rotating system. CC 03/16/2026/5 Commissioner Morgan spoke in favor of the current system, stating that it promotes teamwork and equality among the five Commissioners where each Commissioner brings unique strengths. He expressed concern that an at-large elected Mayor could disrupt this balance. Mayor Sackett also supported the current system, highlighting his 23 years of experience and the historical success of the collaborative commission. He emphasized that the current structure works well, and the Commission functions effectively as a team to serve the City. He did not support the proposed change. Commissioner McMillan moved to direct staff to prepare a ballot initiative to let the people decide whether the Mayor should be directly elected. The motion was seconded by Deputy Mayor Shoemaker. Mr. Langley clarified that if the motion were to pass, staff would be directed to draft an Ordinance to place a referendum on the ballot. This Ordinance would require two separate public hearings and votes by the Commission before the issue could be presented to voters. The Commission voted upon the motion by Commissioner McMillan and seconded by Deputy Mayor Shoemaker, and failed by a three to two (3-2) roll call vote with Mayor Sackett, Commissioner Boni, and Commissioner Morgan voting no. 13. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT. None. 14. CITY ATTORNEY'S REPORT. None. 15. CITY CLERK'S REPORT Ms. Cartagena announced the upcoming Mayors and Managers meeting at the Lake Mary Events Center. The City of Longwood will host the CALNO meeting on April 1 and the Mayors and Managers meeting on April 21. Additional upcoming events included the Tri-County League of Cities Membership meeting on March 19, featuring a legislative session update, and the Seminole County Chamber of Commerce Legislative Update on March 26 in Altamonte Springs. 16. ADJOURN. Mayor Sackett adjourned the meeting at 7:45 p.m. Minutes approved by City Commission: April 6, 2026 A_id, Brian . Sac tt, Mayor • ATTEST: Liane Cartagena, City Clerk CC 03/16/2026/6