Government & Education news

14 Things to know about Mount Dora’s Building Height referendum

11/1/2022

(Original publication date 9/28/2022)

Yes? No? On Election Day Mount Dora voters will decide on a charter amendment pertaining to the hot-button topic of building heights. Here are some key questions and answers for local voters on the issue:

1. What is a City charter?
It’s a legal governing document that defines the city government’s powers, organization and general procedures.

2. How does downtown Mount Dora’s current building height limit differ from that in the referendum?
They are the same. The current height limit is 35 feet and in areas within 100 feet of the lakefront the height limit is twenty-five feet. The referendum has the same limits. The referendum also has a 5-foot variance process with strict criteria. For more details, see question 5. View the referendum in the file below.

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3. Does a vote either way preclude building a parking garage, condos, waterfront restaurants or shops?
No, either way those projects would be allowed. The difference would be the potential height of such projects.

4. Why is there a downtown building height referendum on the ballot?
In 2021 a group of Mount Dora residents went through the legal process of circulating a petition to gather enough valid Mount Dora voters’ signatures to place the referendum on the ballot this November.

Several recent events served as catalysts to the grassroots petition drive:

On January, 27, 2021, two buildings that exceeded the building height limits were formally proposed to Mount Dora Historic Preservation Board (HPB). One was 53 feet tall and the other was 45 feet tall. HPB rejected both buildings and the developer appealed the decision to Mount Dora City Council which then voted to allow both buildings to proceed to Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) without an HPB Certificate of Appropriateness. Typically, a Certificate of Appropriateness is required before a proposed project in the Historic District can advance to P & Z for a vote. The City Council’s bypassing of the Historic Preservation Board’s approval revealed a critical loophole. The 2021 proposals for 53’ & 45’ are public record and viewable here starting on page 146.

Adding to the petition group’s concern was the fact that a sitting member of the City Council was employed by and related to the developer that submitted the 53- and 45-foot tall building proposals in 2021. In advance of the HPB vote that January, the council member successfully initiated removal of a longstanding HPB member who expressed his opposition to the two projects. Legally, that council member couldn’t vote on his family’s specific development proposals. However, he would be able to vote on the height-increase ordinance (see below) that P & Z asked City staff to prepare.

Another petition driving force occurred in February 2021 when Mount Dora’s Planning and Zoning Commission asked City staff to draft an ordinance to increase downtown building height limits from 35 feet to 55 feet, which defied resident input. The vote was later administratively tabled as the 2021 municipal election season approached. Planning and Zoning Committee members are appointed by the City Council.

In May 2021 another catalyst was Mount Dora City Council’s passing of a revision to the City’s Land Development Code to allow up to a 55-foot parking structure in one of four locations in Mount Dora. One of those locations was in the Historic District abutting a residential neighborhood.

5. What does including the existing building height restriction into the City Charter do?
Placing the building height restriction in the charter effectively prevents the referenced incidents that occurred in 2021 from happening in the Building Height Impact District (BHID). It takes away the policy making authority on that issue from the City Council and P & Z and gives it to voters. Currently, only four council members are needed to increase the existing height policy. If the current referendum passes, another referendum would be required to increase building heights higher than the allowed variance or it would have to be proposed by the Charter Review Committee and go through that process. Mount Dora's Charter is required to be reviewed every five years.

6. What is the Building Height Impact District (BHID)?
It is a defined area within Mount Dora’s Historic District that the referendum addresses. The area was defined by the city’s Building Heights Advisory Committee whose members were appointed by Mount Dora City Council and the former Interim City Manager. See BHID map here.

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7. What does a “Yes” vote mean?
That is a vote for putting the current downtown building heights restrictions into the City’s charter. That means any increases to building heights in excess of the five-foot variance would be required to go before Mount Dora voters in the form of a referendum.

8. What does a “No” vote mean?
This is a vote for not including building heights on the City’s charter. Any increases to downtown’s building heights would continue to be voted on by Mount Dora City Council.

9. Who is behind the “Vote Yes” and “Vote No” groups?
According to official Treasurer Reports filed with the City of Mount Dora, the “Vote Yes” group’s chairman is Jay Smith, a Mount Dora resident with no commercial property in the Building Height Impact District. As of the September 9th reporting period, contributions to the “Vote Yes” group had 45 donations totalling $3,246. Donations were all from individuals and ranged from $15 to $300, including the chairman’s $30 donation. The average donation was $72.

The “Vote No” group’s chairman is Joseph Lewis, an Orange County resident who owns commercial lakefront property in the Building Height Impact District and vocal proponent of lakefront development. As of the September 9th reporting period, the group had three donations totaling $3,300. Those donations ranged from $300 to $1500. $3000 of the donations came from the chairman and his business, the remaining $300 was an individual donation. The average donation was $1,100.

NOTE: More reports will be available at the end of the reporting periods leading up to the election. The official treasurers' reports for both groups can be viewed here once they are available.

10. Would a vote either way cause Mount Dora homeowners’ taxes to increase?
No. There is no causal effect on residents' taxes. Separately, new commercial and residential development does add to a city’s revenue because the new entities (homeowners and businesses) pay local taxes which helps to offset the impact of the development on city services and infrastructure.

11. Would the charter amendment affect private property rights and due process?
The process is the same with either a “Yes” or “No” vote. Property owners retain their right to develop their property according to the zoning in place when they purchased it. They can apply for rezoning, which requires two public hearings and a vote by the City Council. Separately, a property owner can apply for a variance from the Planning & Zoning Commission. If the variance is denied, the decision can be appealed to the City Council. If the Council denies it, it can be appealed to Circuit Court. Those legal processes would remain whether the referendum passes or fails.

12. Does the referendum allow the rebuilding of existing non-conforming structures should they be damaged in a storm, fire or other occurrence?
Yes, there is a provision that allows for such buildings to be rebuilt to their current heights.

13. What would happen in the future if Mount Dora residents wanted to allow buildings taller than 35’ in the Building Height Impact District?
Other than going through the variance process which allows for up to 40-foot tall buildings and 30-feet tall buildings within 100 feet of the lakefront, any other policy change would have to be placed on the ballot for Mount Dora voters to decide. That can be done by petition or through a Charter Review Committee.

14. Is the 35’ height limit in the referendum arbitrary?
The height limits in the referendum are the same as the current downtown building height code, which is 35’ or 25’ within 100 feet of the lakefront. Those limits were adopted in the 1970s in response to the approval (and subsequent construction) of the seven-story Villa Dora Condominium. The conspicuous building perched on McDonald Street, was completed in 1974 and altered the city's skyline. The controversy that stemmed from the its construction was the impetus for restricting building heights downtown almost five decades ago. For the answer to why there is now a referendum to include those limits in the City’s charter refer to questions #4 and #5 above.

Residents are always encouraged to do their own research and view City documents on this and other issues that may affect them. For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit the area's website and download the area's free mobile app. Be sure to follow Mount Dora Buzz on Instagram and Twitter for more local info.

MOUNT DORA CITY COUNCIL UPDATE: October 18 meeting

10/19/2022

By Marc Crail

Mount Dora Vice Mayor & District 4 Representative
I've selected several items from the October 18th City Council meeting to share with you today. Please keep in mind that I'm not reporting to you on behalf of City Council in an official capacity, I'm only one individual member.

City Hall will be getting a new roof at a maximum price of $206,000. The roof is past its useful life and ready for replacement. This price included a large "contingency" budget because it's impossible to know for sure how much lumber, etc. under the surface, which can't be seen, may need to be replaced.

The Simpson Farmhouse building located by the library dates from 1905. The windows are now 107 years old. They will be replaced and like the city hall roof, there could be unseen damage around the windows so a sizable contingency is important. We got a $50K matching grant to help complete this work. The total cost is about $94,000.

Probably the most anticipated item on our agenda was a 5-2 vote to use the soon to be completed new Fire Station #35 located on 19A as a fire station and to renovate our current Fire Station #34 on Donnelly St. The fire station issue has morphed over the years mostly due to skyrocketing prices and new data. It's now been decided to have two fire stations and to continue plans to locate a new public works complex on Limit. Several other options were considered. Members Cataldo and Gunther voted no.

We heard that the Hurricane Ian tree and brush collection is now about 68% complete in Mount Dora. That should reach about 90% by the end of the week.

Our quote of the week comes from General Colin Powell. "Leadership is all about people. It is not about plans. It is not about strategies. It is all about people - motivating people to get the job done. You have to be people centered."

Thanks to all the people who work so hard to make our town, Mount Dora, a great place to live. Earlier this week we held a reception to honor the contributions of our volunteers and former elected officials. We certainly appreciate all those who serve on our volunteer Boards and Committees.

By Marc Crail
Mount Dora Vice Mayor & District 4 Representative

For more local government news, click here then scroll for articles. For other news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit the area's website and download the area's free mobile app. Be sure to follow Mount Dora Buzz on Instagram and Twitter for more local info.

Lake County Commission approves Mount Dora Groves North development

10/18/2022

ABOVE: Mount Dora Buzz stock photo

On October 11 the Lake County Commission voted to approve Mount Dora Groves North, part of a new proposed development on parcels of land on both sides of U.S. 441 spanning from The Country Club of Mount Dora to the Loch Leven shopping center. The planned mixed-use development has 1,068 residential units and 150,000 square feet of commercial space combined on the north and south portions of the project. The ordinance below (pdf file) includes the developer's concessions made to the City of Mount Dora.

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RELATED: 14 things to know about Mount Dora's building height referendum

The ordinance for the southern portion of the Mount Dora Groves development will be included once it's approved and becomes available.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit the area's website and download the area's free mobile app. Be sure to follow Mount Dora Buzz on Instagram and Twitter for more local info.

Mount Dora Firefighters sound alarm over City Manager’s newest proposal

10/10/2022

It’s déjà vu all over again for Mount Dora firefighters.

In August the first responders raised alarm bells over public safety concerns after Mount Dora City Manager Patrick Comiskey proposed consolidating the City’s fire department into one station, which he said could be built on Limit Avenue.

That consolidation would significantly increase emergency response times and put residents and structures at risk, according to the Professional Firefighters of Mount Dora Local 3088 in a September interview. In August, those concerns were also presented to Mount Dora City Council by Interim Fire Chief Rich Loewer at a public meeting. At the time, it seemed many members of the Council understood the consequences and sought better alternatives.

Fast forward to last week, and Comiskey recommended yet another plan to consolidate the Mount Dora Fire Department, but this time he proposed puting all fire personnel and equipment at the existing Donnelly Street station. The new strategically located fire station that is nearing completion on S.R. 19A would instead house the City’s electric department, according to Comiskey’s proposal.

Today, the Professional Firefighters of Mount Dora Local 3088 loudly sounded the alarm in a letter to the Mount Dora City Council. The detailed communication states that the same public safety issues and best practices were ignored in Comiskey’s newest recommendation which the firefighters union said was based on misinformation and a flawed rationale. At greatest risk of slower response times are the residents and businesses on the west side of the City near the Eudora Road corridor, according to the union’s leadership..

The proposal is part of Comiskey’s attempt to realign city resources to save money. however, the firefighters disagree with putting public safety on the table. Comiskey’s current proposal and the firefighters’ response letter can be viewed here:

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A work session for Mount Dora City Council to discuss the matter is scheduled for Tuesday, October 11, at 6 p.m. A vote on the matter is expected to be taken at the following regular City Council Meeting on October 18. Both meetings are at Mount Dora City Hall.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit the area's website and download the area's free mobile app. Be sure to follow Mount Dora Buzz on Instagram and Twitter for more local info.

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Mount Dora City Council Update: Sept. 27 Special Meeting

9/27/2022

The September 27 City Council meeting was fairly brief. Please remember that I'm providing this summary on my own and not on behalf of City Council as a whole.

In case you're wondering, the word from Waste Management as of this afternoon is that they plan to pick up trash on Wednesday 9/28 as long as weather conditions permit. They probably won't be able to collect trash on Thursday due to expected high winds. If you miss out on trash collection on Thursday, they hope to resume collection on Friday depending on the hurricane. It's unsafe to operate their big trucks in winds over 35 mph. Please be patient. Thanks!

We passed a resolution declaring a state of emergency related to Hurricane Ian. This allows emergency, storm related expenditures to be made without Council approval if necessary.

We have budgeted $221,905 for the purchase of a new Electric Utility Bucket Truck in our FY 22-23 budget effective October 1. The new truck is here. We picked it up today and may need it to help with storm damage so we approved purchasing it now rather than on October 1. Sometimes you just get lucky!

We discussed and approved that Mayor Stile sign a letter to the Board of Lake County Commissioners related to the proposed Mount Dora Groves development. This letter needs to be sent immediately. The BCC meets on October 11 to consider this matter and the parties need to meet ASAP to hammer out arrangements.

Please stay safe as you hunker down over the next few days!

Our quote today comes from former First Lady, Barbara Bush. "Never lose sight of the fact that the most important yardstick of your success will be how you treat other people."
Marc Crail
Vice-mayor & District 4 Representative

Lake County Commission to consider Mount Dora Groves Development on Oct. 11

9/27/2022

Above: Mount Dora Buzz stock photo

Mount Dora Groves, a proposed large new development on the orange groves on U.S. 441 near Country Club of Mount Dora, is being considered by the Lake County Commission at a public meeting on October 11 at 9 a.m.

The proposed development, on property owned by members of Mount Dora's Simpson family, has two sections. On Mount Dora Groves North, the applicant proposes a 275-lot single-family residential subdivision containing approximately 4.42 dwelling units per net acre (1.91 dwelling units per gross acre). The application and related documents can be found here.

Mount Dora Groves South, the applicant proposes a mixed-use development containing 783 single-family and multi-family dwelling units at a density of approximately 9.75 dwelling units per acre. It also includes 150,000 square feet of commercial uses, and associated recreational facilities. The application and related documents can be found here.

Anyone wanting more information or to express their opinion can attend the October 11 meeting which is being held at 315 W. Main Street in downtown Tavares at 9 a.m.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit the area's website and download the area's free mobile app. Be sure to follow Mount Dora Buzz on Instagram and Twitter for more local info.

Mount Dora City Manager’s proposal prompts questions on public safety

9/6/2022

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ABOVE: Mount Dora's new Fire Station 35 under construction on CR 19.

During a Mount Dora City Council work session last month, Mount Dora City Manager Patrick Comiskey presented his proposal to consolidate all Mount Dora firefighters and fire apparatus into one new, larger station on Limit Avenue. His proposed Limit Avenue station would replace the Donnelly Street station (Station 34) and the new station under construction on the City’s west side on 19A (Station 35). The station currently under construction was intended to replace an old and undersized station near the water treatment plant.

Comiskey’s proposal for the fire department was part of a larger plan to realign Public Works, Parks and Recreation Department, and Fire Department assets for cost savings. In his proposal, rather than Mount Dora Fire Department moving into the custom fire station, the Public Works Department would occupy it.

The City Manager stated his idea would result in the city not having to borrow additional funds and that service delivery would be enhanced. However, Mount Dora Firefighters Union 3088 believe the proposal would adversely affect public safety.

Mount Dora Buzz asked Casey Forney, a board member of that union for specifics in order to gain more insight about how the proposal could affect Mount Dora residents.

BUZZ: What are the ideal locations for MDFD stations to achieve adequate or superior response times for all areas within the city limits?

FORNEY: In 2018, three ideal station locations were identified to reduce response times and more equally distribute service coverage to City residents. The City has moved forward with plans to build two of those, one at 3200 Hwy 19A (near Eudora Rd) and one at 301 Limit Avenue (near Donnelly St). These locations remain ideal to provide sufficient coverage to all residents. If the Limit Ave station is not built, the current fire station on Donnelly should still provide adequate coverage.

The movement of the new station 35 inward toward the City center serves a twofold purpose: to decrease the number of calls run outside City limits, and to reduce response times to downtown.

Regardless of location, keeping a second station open on the West side is the only way to ensure the residents maintain sufficient coverage.

BUZZ: Currently, MDFD responds to many calls outside the city limits due to the old Station 35 location being at the edge of the city. Will the location of new Station 35 under construction on CR 19A reduce the amount of those calls? If so, how?

FORNEY: Station 35's new location is just over one mile closer to the central hub of Mount Dora, while still providing sufficient coverage to the West side of the city as intended. Call volume is an incredibly dynamic animal, and it would be hard to predict just how much of a reduction, if any, there will be in calls for service outside the City. There is a good chance it will go down though, as the location moves it further away from some of the more frequented areas within Eustis, Tavares and Lake County jurisdictions. What we can say with confidence, however is it is a much more strategic location to provide service within Mount Dora's own community. Triangle Elementary, Walmart, Target, Avante, Spring Harbor and many other businesses and residences on the West side of Mount Dora will have our fire department practically at their doorstep.

BUZZ: What is the national standard for response times? How do Mount Dora Fire Department response times compare?

FORNEY: For fires, the National standard calls for the first arriving engine company to a fire is to have a 4-minute travel time to 90 percent of incidents. The second due engine should have a 6-minute travel time, per NFPA 1710. Last year in Mount Dora, the average first unit travel time for structure fires was 7 minutes and 20 seconds.

For EMS calls, the national standard calls for a 5-minute travel time. Last year in Mount Dora, average travel times were 9:37 for moderate risk EMS calls and 6:30 for high risk calls, such as a cardiac arrest. Even with two stations, we exceed the national standards.

BUZZ: According to City staff, the proposed Limit Avenue station would have all areas of the City within a 6-mile radius. How does that distance correlate to response time variables?

FORNEY: While this is technically true, the radius provided does not correlate with actual travel times. A simple GPS query demonstrates how the 2.8 miles from Limit Avenue to Spring Harbor Blvd translates to a 9 minute travel time. While lights and sirens may reduce this travel time by an additional 1 to 3 minutes, it does not take into account things like traffic during peak hours.

The distance from current Station 34 to the back of the Lakes of Mount Dora subdivision is only 5.5 road miles, however the travel time approaches 15 minutes. Mileage only tells part of the story.

The bottom line is that longer response times equate to poorer outcomes. In a true emergency, every minute matters.

BUZZ: How would the consolidation into one station on Limit Avenue affect emergency response times for the residents of Mount Dora's west side, including those near Eudora Road, Sylvan Shores and Spring Harbor?

FORNEY: Consolidation into one station on Limit Avenue would invariably increase emergency response times for residents on the West Side, and in particular those near Eudora road. GPS travel times are currently 2 to 4 minutes from both old and new Station 35 to common incident locations such as Spring Harbor Apartments, Hammock Oaks Apartments, Village Grove, Avante, and Triangle Elementary. Travel time to the same locations from Limit Avenue increases to 9 minutes. This is an increase of at least 5 to 7 minutes to common responses on the West side, and this does not take into account increased travel times during periods of heavy traffic.

BUZZ: In terms of damage, what kind of difference could such extended response times mean to a house fire?

FORNEY: A fire can double in size every minute and fill a whole house with dense, untenable smoke in as little as 3 to 5 minutes. Often in Mount Dora, we are able to respond quickly and contain fires to a single room or kitchen appliance. This reduces threats to life safety, damage to personal belongings, and allows businesses to reopen shortly after an incident. While many factors come into play here, an extra 5-7 minutes of burn time in an uncontrolled fire could easily mean losing a whole house instead of damage to a single room. For disabled or sleeping residents, it could mean succumbing to fatal smoke inhalation injuries prior to fire department arrival.

BUZZ: How could the extended response time affect heart attack, stroke and trauma patients?

FORNEY: Minutes matter in EMS, as well as Fire. In cardiac arrest, brain death occurs within 6 to 10 minutes. With delayed access to CPR and defibrillation, a patient’s chances of survival literally decrease by the minute.

In heart attacks, irreversible damage occurs within 30 minutes of blockage, and deaths from severe heart attacks increase 10% for every hour treatment is delayed. 5 minutes can mean more extensive and permanent damage to cardiac muscle.

The fundamental rule in stroke care is “Time is Brain.” According to the American Heart Association, 1.9 million neurons are lost every minute a stroke is untreated. In one hour, that equates to 3.6 years of accelerated aging. Delaying treatment by 5 to 7 minutes is the equivalent of aging 5 months faster than normal.

In trauma patients, we speak of the “Golden Hour,” which means an injured trauma patient has 60 minutes to receive definitive care in a hospital, after which death and disability increase drastically. Adding 6 minutes to response times would reduce their treatment window by 10%.

BUZZ: What was Mount Dora's Fire Assessment fee intended to fund?

FORNEY: The fire assessment fee was intended to build three new fire stations in strategic locations throughout the city to reduce response times from 9 minutes to 4 minutes and improve the ISO insurance rating. The current proposal would build only one of those three stations.

BUZZ: Has this proposal affected morale at MDFD? If so, how?

FORNEY: The proposal to give the new fire station to Public Works and permanently close Station 35 has been yet another blow to morale. After the massive loss of 9 firefighters and a training chief in December 2021, our firefighters were looking forward to something more positive: a brand new station. The news that this custom $6 million dollar station might become a glorified warehouse quickly tore through the department. Within hours, firefighters were considering applying for jobs elsewhere and discussing the fear of more layoffs. This proposal reopened a wound that was finally starting to heal. It had a major impact on morale and raised serious concerns as to job security moving forward.

BUZZ: Mount Dora has an automatic aid agreement with Eustis, Tavares and Lake County. How would Mount Dora's proposed consolidation of its stations affect Eustis Fire Department, Lake County Fire Rescue, and Tavares Fire Department?

FORNEY: Currently, the “closest unit agreement” allows for all of the agencies within the county to respond to incidents depending on proximity to the call rather than jurisdiction, in order to provide the most efficient care to citizens.

If Mount Dora were to consolidate into one station, it would cause an imbalance to the entire system. The stations are spread out currently in a way that evens out the call load and allows units to back each other up when multiple units are required for a fire or vehicle accident. Closing Station 35 would leave Eustis and Tavares vulnerable without a second due unit coming from the West side of Mount Dora. The ambulance that is housed at Station 35 would need to be relocated, disrupting the County’s distribution of services. Eustis Station 22 would become the closest unit to calls on Eudora road, with an 8 minute travel time. This would pull their units away from their downtown areas multiple times a day, causing issues with their deployment model. Tavares would likely end up running many Eustis and Lake County calls as a result. Lake County would have an imbalance of running frequent calls into Lakes of Mount Dora, while losing the coverage previously afforded them by the West side station. The move is unreasonably disruptive to our neighbors, while concentrating resources in a less efficient way in one area of town.

BUZZ: If MDFD were to cease responding to medical calls, what would happen?

FORNEY: The level of service would decrease substantially. Mount Dora Fire Department runs an average of 13 calls a day, 80-90% of which are medical. All of the firefighters are trained as paramedics and EMTs, offering the same quality of care as the ambulance arriving to transport. If Mount Dora stopped responding to medical calls, Lake County EMS would be the sole provider of medical care for the City. This would mean longer response times, as ambulances are often out of the city transporting to the hospital or running calls in other jurisdictions. It would also mean that only 2 providers are available to treat and stabilize patients, rather than 4 or 5. The American Heart Association recommends a minimum of 4 providers to effectively manage a cardiac arrest. Fewer personnel means fewer hands performing the same amount of work, resulting in further delays in treatment and transport.

The logic seems to be that not running medical calls would leave units available for fire calls, in order to potentially save lives and property several times a year. Ironically, we would be knowingly discarding the chance to save actual lives every single day through medical care. We would be bypassing actual emergencies in order to save resources for potential emergencies. The logic does not add up.

Discontinuing medical services would be extremely disruptive to the countywide system and would result in massive turnover within the department.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit the area's website and download the area's free mobile app. Be sure to follow Mount Dora Buzz on Instagram and Twitter for more local info.

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MOUNT DORA CITY COUNCIL UPDATE : August 2 meeting

8/2/2022

By Marc Crail
District 4 Representative and Vice-Mayor

Here's the scoop from City Council's August 2nd. meeting. I've selected four important items from the agenda to tell you about today. This report comes from me and not on behalf of City Council as a whole.

We approved an agreement with Round Lake Charter School to provide for a school resource officer there for the upcoming 2022-23 school year. Round Lake Charter will reimburse the City $69,781 to defray the cost. We also provide resource officers at Triangle Elementary, Mount Dora Middle School and Mount Dora High School. I sleep better knowing that our school students are under the protection of well trained police officers. Our school children are among Mount Dora's youngest citizens and they deserve the best safety that we can provide for them.

Plans are moving ahead for a Community Resource and Recreation Center. There will be multiple partners involved in the operation and programming of this resource center. We selected Borrelli & Partners firm to do the design and engineering for this center. Of course rising construction costs are of concern and we discussed that but your City Council voted unanimously to approve $385,624 for phase 1 design and engineering costs and $638,954 for phase 2 design and engineering. Please note that these design costs will come out of the Northeast Community Redevelopment Agency's budget and not the City's general funds.

Over the past few months I've reported that the Lake County Water Authority Board has approved having their 153 acre Wolf Branch Sink Preserve annexed into the City. Now Mount Dora City Council has approved the first reading of of an ordinance that will change the zoning of that ecologically fragile property from "Light Manufacturing" and "Residential" to "Greenbelt" which is will, when finalized, provide the highest level of protection from future development for Wolf Branch Sink and the surrounding acreage owned by the Water Authority.

We also approved the first reading of an ordinance voluntarily annexing 36.61 acres for a future development called Mt. Dora Hills to be located on the south side of SR 46 and east of Buttercup Lane adjacent to the railroad tracks . This property is in the Wolf Branch Innovation District area. We heard from the developer at a June meeting regarding his exciting plans for this parcel.

FYI, we heard from staff from Mount Dora's electric utility department that the price of natural gas that is used to generate electricity is getting much more expensive and is expected to stay high through 2023. Mount Dora Electric must raise its fuel cost rate to cover those exponentially higher costs. SECO, Duke Energy and other electric suppliers have or very soon will raise their fuel cost charges as well. Get ready for higher electric bills no matter who supplies your home or business.

Our quote for today was adapted from a quote by Damian Barr. "We are not all in the same boat. We are in the same storm. Some of us have yachts, some have canoes, and some are drowning. Just be kind and help whoever you can."

Thanks for your continuing interest in our wonderful City.

By Marc Crail
District 4 Representative and Vice-Mayor

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit the area's website and download the area's free mobile app. Be sure to follow Mount Dora Buzz on Instagram and Twitter for more local info.

Mount Dora lags in important leadership transitions

8/1/2022

ABOVE: Mount Dora Buzz stock photo

Tropical storms and hurricanes can wreak havoc on Florida cities. Roads, utilities, emergency services and infrastructure can be strained or interrupted during and after these tropical storms. Hurricane season doesn’t seem to be an optimal time for a city to forgo permanent department leadership in critical departments like Public Works and Fire Rescue, and Police, but that’s the position the City of Mount Dora currently faces.

Mount Dora is also in the middle of planning its budget and determining its tax rate, yet it hasn’t had a permanent finance director since February.

The longest permanent management vacancy is the city’s Fire Chief, which has been vacant for over a year. Since then Deputy Chief Rich Loewer has been serving as the prolonged and capable Interim Chief. Loewer, who has served with the department for almost two decades and is an integral part of the City’s emergency management and ISO and accreditation processes, has yet to have the permanent position extended to him by the City Manager.

Interim Police Chief Mike Gibson, a former MDPD captain and respected 27-year veteran of Orange County Sheriff’s Office, has been in his current interim position as Interim Police Chief for the shortest period of time due to the resignation of Chief Brett Meade last June.

City Managers can opt to hire the qualified interim department heads or conduct an outside search for their replacements. According to the City, no searches to fill the crucial positions are underway, so it's unclear why the interim managers haven't been offered the permanent positions. City Manager Patrick Comiskey did not respond to Mount Dora Buzz's questions about the reason for the lack of searches or whether the interim management personnel were likely to become permanent. Comiskey also didn't respond to whether the interim directors were being compensated appropriately for their added responsibilities.

The potential short-term benefit of not making interim directors permanent or searching for replacements is saving money, while the potential longer-term outcomes are low morale, job uncertainty and the risk of qualified interim directors and their staff seeking employment elsewhere for professional recognition and salaries commensurate with their responsibilities.

Meanwhile, the budget for the city’s 2022-2023 fiscal year is being prepared by Interim Finance Director Rita Meade. The City's budget and tax rate will be adopted in September.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit the area's website and download the area's free mobile app.  Be sure to follow  Mount Dora Buzz on Instagram and Twitter for more local info.

8 things to know about Mount Dora schools' safety

8/1/2022

In light of local incidents that occurred late during the last school year and tragic incidents that happened nationally, Mount Dora Buzz compiled information that may help parents separate fact from fiction about local public school safety. Althoug Mount Dora’s schools are relatively safe compared to others, here are eight things to know as classes resume on August 10.

1. Mount Dora Police has a master key for all Mount Dora public schools to gain access in an emergency, according to M.D.P.D.

2. If a parent is worried about a specific threat to their student or others, they should email the school’s principal, vice principal, school superintendent and school resource officer to create a traceable public record about the specific threat. The same should be done with follow up communications, as public records are required to be preserved by Florida statute and create a trail of the communication. Parents can always call or visit the school, in addition to email.

3. Any time the school learns of a threat or a perceived threat, a Behavior Threat Assessment (B.T.A.) is conducted to determine the threat level and what their response should be.

4. Policies on bullying, as well as grounds for suspension or expulsion, can be found in the District’s Code of Student Conduct. "Bullying" is defined in the Code on page 48 as an incident where there is enough substantial evidence that proves the accused willfully and repeatedly exercised power or control over another by systematically and chronically inflicting physical hurt or psychological distress. More details about Lake County Schools (LCS) anti-bullying policies can be found at School Board Policy 5517.01.

5. To help reduce the number of fights, LCS expects adult supervision of students at all times, particularly between class periods, and it doesn't allow students to stand idle when they should be in class or headed that way.

6. The State of Florida requires Lake County Public Schools to submit School Environmental Safety Incident Reporting (SESIR) data, including fights and weapons. Physical incidents at the schools fall into different classifications.

“Fighting” is defined in the Code (page 48) as a situation when two or more persons mutually participate in the use of force or physical violence that requires either physical intervention or results in injury requiring first-aid or medical attention.

"Physical altercations" are defined in the Code (page 47) as physical conflicts between two or more persons that do not require physical restraint or cause injury and are stopped upon verbal command. These are not considered fights by the Code.

7. LCS does require its trained safety officers to intervene in fights with minimal force. Most LCS employees are not required to intervene in a fight, but they are allowed to do so. See School Board Policy 5630.

8. In the case of an emergency at a school, parents should refer to LCS Facebook page and local media for information and updates.

Below is a chart of data provided to Mount Dora Buzz from Lake County Schools comparing incidents at Mount Dora Middle School, other LCS middle schools and Mount Dora High School during the 2021-2022 school year.