26-2281 Amend Section 6.10b of City Charter to Revise Debt Authorization Thresholds and votingORDINANCE NO. 26-2281
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF LONGWOOD, FLORIDA, PROPOSING AN
AMENDMENT TO THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF LONGWOOD, FLORIDA;
PROVIDING THAT SAID PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENT BE
SUBMITTED TO THE VOTERS FOR REFERENDUM AT ELECTION HELD ON
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2026; PROVIDING THAT IF APPROVED, SUCH
AMENDMENT SHALL BE INCORPORATED INTO THE CITY CHARTER;
PROVIDING FOR CODIFICATION AND CORRECTIONS, DIRECTIONS TO
CITY STAFF, SEVERABILITY, CONFLICTS AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, Section 166.031, Florida Statutes, provides for the adoption of an ordinance
submitting proposed amendments to the City of Longwood's Charter to the electors of the City
for approval;
WHEREAS, the City Commission desires place a proposed amendment of the City
Charter amendment as identified in this Ordinance on the ballot for voter consideration and
potential approval; and
WHEREAS, the City of Longwood proposes the following amendments to the Charter
of the City of Longwood be submitted to the voters of the City of Longwood at the election
held on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
LONGWOOD, FLORIDA, AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Amendment. The following amendment to the Charter of the City of
Longwood is submitted to the qualified electors of the City of Longwood and upon approval by
the qualified electors, the City Charter shall be amended to read as follows (words that are
stricken out are deletions; words that are underlined are additions; stars *** indicate
separations between sections or subsections and do not represent revisions):
Section 6.10. -Administration of budget.
***
(b) Debt restrictions. The city may incur debt in an amount up to $~~000,000.00 for a capital
improvement project or for the acquisition of a real estate interest or other asset upon
approval by the city commission with at least three (3) city commissioners voting in favor. The
city may incur debt in an amount of $~~000,000.01 and up to and including $e~000,000.00
for a capital improvement project or for the acquisition of a real estate interest or other asset
upon approval by the city commission with at least four (4) city commissioners voting in favor.
The city may incur debt in an amount exceeding $e~000,000.00 for a capital improvement
project or for the acquisition of a real estate interest or other asset only if approved by the city
Ordinance 26 -2281
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commission with at least three (3) city commissioners voting in favor and authorized by the
voters at a duly held referendum. Beginning October 1, 2027, the debt amount references in
this subsection shall increase with inflation annually at the start of each City fiscal year based
on the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Producer Price Index, or
an equivalent replacement index adopted by ordinance.
SECTION 2. Amendment #2 Ballot Question. The ballot title and summary of the
charter amendment referenced in Section 1 herein, followed by the words "yes" and "no " shall
be set forth as follows on the ballot at the election held on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, for
consideration by the qualified electors of the City of Longwood , Florida:
PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENT
QUESTION #1
CHARTER AMENDMENT -REQUIREMENT FOR ISSUANCE OF DEBT
Shall Section 6.l0(b) of Longwood City Charter be amended to increase the debt limits
for capital improvement projects and acquisition of real estate interests to require at
least four city commissioners voting in favor of incurring debt between $5,000,000.01
and $30,000,000.00, to require a majority vote of city commissioners and a
referendum for incurring debt amounts exceeding $30,000,000.00, and provide for
debt limits to be adjusted annually based on the Producer Price Index?
YES __
NO
SECTION 3. Referendum . The forgoing proposed amendments to the Charter of the
City of Longwood above and its accompanying ballot questions contained herein shall be
individually placed on the City ballot and submitted to the qual ified voters of the City of
Longwood at the election held on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. The qualified voters shall have
an opportunit y to vote on the proposed amendments to the Charter . Thereafter, the Charter of
the City of Longwood , Florida shall be amended pursuant to the proposed amendments if such
amendments receive "yes" or affirmative votes from the majority of the votes cast . The City
Clerk of the City of Longwood is hereby authorized and d i rected to advertise the referendum
election authorized herein in accordance with the applicab l e provisions of the City Charter, City
Code , Florida Statutes, Florida Administrative Code , and federal law. In the event it becomes
necessary, as determined by the City Commission, to make modifications to any ballot
question, ballot summary or to remove a proposed charter amendment from the ballot
contained herein after adoption of this Ordinance, the City Commission may make such
modification by resolution. In the event it becomes necessary, as determined by the City
Commission , to reschedule the referendum on the proposed amendments to the City Charter
set forth herein, the City Commission may make such modification by resolution .
Or d i nance 26-22 8 1
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SECTION 4. Codification & Corrections. Any City Charter amendment provided for in
this Ordinance, which receives affirmative votes from the majority of the votes cast shall be
incorporated into the City Charter of the City of Longwood. Any section, paragraph number,
cross references, letter and/or any heading, may be changed or modified in the existing Charter
and the charter amendments proposed herein adopted as necessary to effectuate the
foregoing, including for consistency with other charter amendments adopted. Grammatical,
typographical and similar like errors may be corrected, and additions, alterations, and
omissions not affecting the construction or meaning of this Ordinance or the City Charter may
be freely made.
SECTION 5. Directions to City Staff. The City Manager and City Clerk are directed and
authorized to take such actions as are necessary and advisable to effect and carry out this
Ordinance and the City Charter amendments and referendum provided for herein. If the City
Charter is amended, a copy of the revised City Charter shall be filed with the Department of
State in accordance with Section 166.031(2), Florida Statutes.
SECTION 6 . Severability. The provisions of this Ordinance are declared to be separable
and if any section, sentence, clause, or phrase of this Ordinance shall for any reason be held to
be invalid or unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining
sections, sentences, clauses, or phrases of this Ordinance but they shall remain in effect, it
being the legislative intent that this Ordinance shall stand notwithstanding the invalidity of any
part.
SECTION 7 . Conflicts. In the event of a conflict or conflicts between this Ordinance and
other ordinances, this Ordinance shall control to the extent such conflict exists.
SECTION 8 . Effective Date of this Ordinance . This Ordinance shall become effective
immediately upon its passage and adoption.
SECTION 9. Effective Date of Proposed Charter Amendment. Any City Charter
amendment provided for herein shall become effective immediately upon approval by the
certified voters of the City of Longwood and certification by the Seminole County Supervisor of
Elections or other appropriate officer or entity. Any proposed amendment that is not
approved by the certified voters of the City of Longwood will not be incorporated into the City
Charter.
FIRST READING: April 6, 2026
SECOND READING: April 20, 2026
PASSED AND ADOPTED THIS 20th DAY OF April, 2026.
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........... -
CITY OF LONGWOOD, FLORIDA
ATTEST:
Liane Cartagena, City Clerk
Approved as to form and legality for the use and rel i ance of the City of Longwood,
~
Daniel W.
Ordinance 26-2281
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