RECAP: August 5 Mount Dora City Council meeting

By Marc Crail
Mount Dora City Council, District 4 Representative 

​We had a very full agenda for our August 4, 2026 City Council meeting. Please remember that I am reporting to you as one individual member and not on behalf of City Council as a whole.

Holly Smith, the president of the Florida League of Cities was on hand. She came to recognize outgoing council member, Cal Rolfson for his contributions to FLC and to give us an update on Amendment 3 that we will be voting on in November. There have been two significant things regarding State Constitutional Amendment 3 that have come up in the past week. A judge has ruled that the proposed constitutional amendment language is misleading and flawed. He ordered that within 10 days the language be corrected, but the amendment will still be on the ballot. The second update is that the Florida Sheriff's Association has come out in opposition to Amendment 3.

Mount Dora's fiscal year 2024-25 Annual Audit received an "unmodified opinion" which is equivalent to getting an A on our audit report card.

Council approved Phase 1 of improvements to the Simpson Farmhouse renovation plan paid for by  $50,000 Library Impact Fee Funding money. This phase will include several additional parking spaces and improvements to the retention pond area.

On a split vote, council approved moving ahead with plans for implementing one-way portions of three narrow downtown streets to improve safety on Baker, Alexander, and Tremain streets. Baker will become one-way southbound between 5th and 3rd. Alexander will become one-way from 5th to 4th, and Tremain will become one-way northbound between  5th and 3rd. This was a difficult decision involving pedestrian and vehicle safety and access for large trucks, including fire engines. We will also gain 14 additional parking spaces. These changes will be made within the next several weeks. Lots of communications will follow to inform residents.

Our quote for today comes from former President Jimmy Carter, well-known for his many humanitarian efforts. "My faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference."

Thanks for your interest in our wonderful town.

By Marc Crail
Mount Dora City Council, District 4 Representative

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