A new planning board member was appointed.
More than 30 people gathered inside City Hall for the end-of-the-month Commission Meeting. Mayor Nathan Kilton called the meeting to order with a prayer by Reverend Joe Bowles of Shiloh Baptist Church.
Vice-Mayor Jason Jones, City Commissioner Mike Sparkman, City Commissioner Bill Dodson, City Commissioner Mary Mathis, City Attorney Kenneth Buchman, City Manager Bill McDaniel, and City Clerk Kerri Miller were also in attendance.
Before addressing the printed agenda under the Reports of Officers, Boards, and Committees, City Manager McDaniel added a proposal to purchase the old SunTrust building and convert it into a City Hall addition. He said this is a strategic asset to the community and is a rare opportunity.
“This building includes office space, open work areas, a secure vault, a full teller line, the building appears to be in excellent condition and is largely ready to move in,” McDaniel said.
He said this will release the pressure of overcrowding without having additional construction in town.
“Part of my responsibility as city manager is to plan not just for today, but for tomorrow,” McDaniel said.
After negotiations conclude, McDaniel expects the project to be finished in four to six months.
It was passed with a vote of 5-0.
26-010 – Resolution authorizing the City Manager to purchase 39 sets of structural firefighting bunker gear from Municipal Fire Equipment Company, under Lake County contract Bid No. 22-730H.
Fire Chief David Dittman is asking for a total of $22,252.25 to buy the equipment.
“It’s ensuring that our new firefighters will be equipped immediately with the gear that they need, the visibility that we put with reflection and color of the track, being black, as 30% visible on the highway at night for them, to keep them safe,” Dittman said.
The resolution passed with a vote of 5-0
26-019 – Resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute an agreement with T. Wayne Hill Trucking & Technologies for the Transport of Biosolids.
The resolution passed with a vote of 5-0.
26-023 – Resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute an Engineering Work Order with Halff Associates, Inc. for Construction Engineering and Inspection Services for the Rowena Mays Athletic Park project.
The final plan approval is for the complex to be on 502 N. Alexander St. It will be 3.3 acres and have eight pickleball courts, two basketball courts, two tennis courts, new parking lots, new restrooms, and landscape.
“Given the scale and complexity and public interest, the dedicated construction support will be essential,” said CIP Project Manager at the Engineering Department, Tatyana Austin.
Commissioner Mathis said she is excited for the new park and can’t wait to play on the new courts.
The resolution passed with a vote of 5-0.
26-055 – Resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute an agreement with Rep Services, Inc. for two dugouts at the Randy Larson Four-Plex.
Julie Garretson, Director of Parks & Recreation, would like the city manager to make an agreement for $75,239; funds available from their CIP project.
The resolution was passed with a vote of 5-0.
26-051 – Consideration of a resolution appointing a member to the planning board
There were 13 applicants, and everyone was impressed by the resumes. Vice-Mayor Jones, Mayor Kilton, and Commissioner Dodson said they had a hard time narrowing down to the top 6 applicants.
Out of the 13 applicants, Thomas TJ Banks found his way on their top 10 list.
“He understands expectations, rules, and laws. He is the most qualified for what we need on the planning board,” Kilton said.
Commissioner Sparkman wanted to motion Matt Buzza to return to the planning board, but there were no other motions to support it.
The resolution passed with a 4-1 vote, with Commission Sparkman dissenting.
Mayor Kilton also requested the commission to support Justin Hall, from FDOT District 7, with a letter to support his grant to improve railroad crossings in Hillsborough County. This was approved with a vote of 5-0.
26-058 Second of two legislative public hearings on an ordinance annexing certain property and providing for referendum ANX-2025-03.
Robyn Baker is the director of rezoning, and she said there are 29 parcels totaling 187.37 acres. The property owners will vote to allow themselves to be annexed. If the majority doesn’t vote to join Plant City, it will not happen.
There was opposition from a property owner in one of the parcels. He said he was upset that he did not know this was going to happen and wanted more clarity on the matter.
This passed with a vote of 5-0.
26-057- A quasi-judicial public hearing on an ordinance to rezone a 1.14± acre parcel from Multi-family Residential District (R-2) to Neighborhood Business District (C-1A) located on the east side of North Dort Street, south of West Baker Street, and west of Carey Street (PB-2025-27).
The subject site is on 1.14 acres, and the applicant wants to rezone to a C-1A to continue running the medical office. This will help clean up the property.
This passed with a vote of 5-0
The meeting adjourned at 7:15 p.m.
