Here’s your Commissioner’s Report for the week of April 5th. After a couple of weeks off, we resume our regular City Commission meetings this evening at 6 pm in the Commission Chambers of City Hall. Below is a brief outline of tonight’s agenda. 

City Commission Agenda

We are issuing several proclamations tonight but we are making a special presentation to our boys’ high school basketball team who recently won back-to-back state titles – a feat that has not been accomplished in basketball since integration. Coach McGriff and his coaching staff have done an excellent job – not just teaching basketball but also helping raise young men. 

The City Manager Communication line item identifies two important topics for conversation. The first involves the city’s participation in the SE Wellfield Project. This is a project initiated by the PRWC – our local water cooperative. We will be discussing whether it makes sense for the city to participate in this project given the terms of the agreement they have proposed. 

The second item is an update on the citywide master planning effort. It looks as though the consultants are ready to schedule a preliminary review of the options they have generated for the city. Very exciting!

We have several hearings and ordinances to consider today as well. When there are decisions to be made regarding annexations or things like changing to land zonings we consider those in this part of the agenda. 

We have a request to rezone some property on the west side of Hwy 17 from commercial to low-density residential. This was initially enacted back in 2019 but it appears the owners of the property have changed their minds on what they want to do with it.

We also have a request to annex and zone for residential development 22 acres on the north side of Hwy 60 near Gandy Cemetary Road. 

We will also be considering the final plat for Bartow Citrus Project on Hwy 17. 

In our Consent Agenda, we will be issuing several proclamations as well as appointing individuals to serve on various city boards

In Other Business, we will be authorizing the City Police Department to accept a $6,861 grant to upgrade our electronic citation equipment. We will also be ratifying the settlement our team was able to reach in the DEP/CFWI rulemaking litigation that took place over the last several weeks. This was a big win for the city. The settlement improves our water position more than if DEP never challenged the rule in the first place. Our city management, legal team, and lobbyist are to be commended for protecting the City’s water rights well into the future. 

We will end our meeting as usual with Commissioner Comments. 

City Elections

Unless you’ve been on a desert island for the last couple of months (or don’t live in the city or use social media) you probably already know it is election season in Bartow. 

City-wide elections will take place tomorrow! If you haven’t already voted by mail, come down to the civic center between 7 am to 7 pm to cast your ballot. 

I am running for my second term and I would be honored to have your vote. I am pleased to announce that I was endorsed by our local Teamster’s Union No. 79 who represent the Bartow Firefighters. I am thrilled to have their support as they mean so much to the city of Bartow.

I’ll be hanging out down at the polling location tomorrow and around waving signs. If you have a campaign sign in your yard, bring it with you when you come to vote. We will display them around the location (it also makes it easier to collect them after the election!)