TOWN COMMISSION MEETING

TOWN COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES November 18, 2025, at 6:30 PM COMMISSION CHAMBERS - 202 E. MAIN STREET, DUNDEE, FL 33838 Phone: 863-438-8330 | www.TownofDundee.com CALL TO ORDER at 6:30 p.m. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE led by Mayor Pennant INVOCATION led by Mayor Pennant RECOGNITION OF SERGEANT AT ARMS Sergeant Frese ORDINANCE #13-08, PUBLIC SPEAKING INSTRUCTIONS provided by Mayor Pennant ROLL CALL taken by Town Clerk Erica Anderson PRESENT Commissioner Goddard Commissioner Wilson Commissioner Richardson Vice-Mayor Quarles Mayor Pennant LETTER OF CIVILITY – Presented 1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA The following changes were made to the agenda. Item #4 Ordinance 25-05 Estes Esperanza Voluntary Annexation was removed from the agenda. Item #5 Water and Wastewater study presentation was removed from the agenda Mayor Pennant opened the floor for public comment; being none, the floor was closed. Commissioner Wilson moved to approve the agenda with changes, seconded by Commissioner Richardson. Voting in favor: Commissioner Richardson, Commissioner Goddard, Commissioner Wilson, Vice Mayor Quarles, Mayor Pennant 2. APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA: CONSENT AGENDA FOR NOVEMBER 18, 2025 TC Meeting Minutes, November 18, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. Page 1 of 5 The minutes being reviewed include minutes from the following meetings: A. Minutes October 28, 2025, Town Commission Meeting Mayor Pennant opened the floor for public comment; being none, the floor was closed. Commissioner Goddard moved to approve the minutes from the October 28, 2025, commission meeting, seconded by Commissioner Wilson. Voting in favor: Commissioner Richardson, Commissioner Goddard, Commissioner Wilson, Vice Mayor Quarles, Mayor Pennant PUBLIC HEARING 3. DISCUSSION & ACTION, ORDINANCE 25-03 MUNICIPAL ELECTION DATE CHANGE 2ND READING The Polk County Supervisor of Elections has proposed and/or offered the opportunity for all municipal elections within Polk County, Florida, to be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of odd-numbered years. The Town Commission has determined that it desires the Supervisor of Elections to handle all of its elections and has further determined that its elections can conveniently be held in November of every odd-numbered year, which allows the Town to potentially conserve costs and encourages a larger voter turnout. The Town of Dundee is a Florida municipal corporation vested with home rule authority pursuant to the Municipal Home Rule Powers Act (F.S. Chapter 166) and Article VIII, §2 of the Florida Constitution. Mayor Pennant opened the floor for public comments; the following persons addressed the commission. Joe Garrison, Mervin Raggs, Sam Romain, Scott Caplan, Glen Lawhorn, and Rafael Jaramillo spoke in opposition of Ordinance 25-03. Alethea Pugh, Bernard Hammond spoke in support of Ordinance 25-03 Commissioner Goddard moved to withdraw Ordinance 25-03, seconded by Mayor Pennant. Commissioner Wilson stated that she believes the matter to be politically motivated, and she would be voting in opposition. Voting in favor: Commissioner Richardson, Commissioner Goddard, Vice Mayor Quarles, Mayor Pennant Voting Nay: Commissioner Wilson The motion passed 4-1. NEW BUSINESS 4. DISCUSSION & ACTION, TOWN COMMISSION MEETING SCHEDULE Town Manager Cassel presented this item to the commission and read the analysis. The Town Commission currently holds two regular meetings per month. Over the past year, staff workload, project requirements, and the volume of agenda items have been reviewed to determine whether the current meeting structure remains the most efficient model for the Town. Several Florida municipalities of similar size operate with one meeting per month, supplementing as needed with special meetings or workshops. TC Meeting Minutes, November 18, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. Page 2 of 5 Mayor Pennant opened the floor for public comment. The following persons addressed the commission. Alethea Pugh, Phyllis Brooks, and Merissa Green. A motion to approve the new Town Commission Meeting Schedule from 2 meetings to 1 meeting per month was made by Vice Mayor Quarles, seconded by Commissioner Richardson. Voting in favor: Commissioner Richardson, Commissioner Goddard, Commissioner Wilson, Vice Mayor Quarles, Mayor Pennant The motion passed unanimously. 5. DISCUSSION & ACTION, WOMEN’S SELF-DEFENSE CLASS HOSTED BY COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON Commissioner Richardson presented this item before the commission. Commissioner Mary Richardson, in partnership with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO), will be hosting a Women’s Self-Defense Class to provide personal safety training and empowerment resources for women in the community. This event supports the Town’s goals of promoting public safety, building community relationships, and offering meaningful engagement opportunities for residents. Mayor Pennant opened the floor for public comment, seeing none, the floor was closed. A motion of support for the Women’s Self-Defense Class was made by Commissioner Goddard, seconded by Commissioner Wilson. Voting in favor: Commissioner Richardson, Commissioner Goddard, Commissioner Wilson, Vice Mayor Quarles, Mayor Pennant The motion passed unanimously. DELEGATIONS-QUESTIONS & COMMENTS FROM THE FLOOR (Each speaker shall be limited to three (3) minutes) Mayor Pennant opened the floor for delegations. The following persons spoke before the commission. Julia Hunt, Archie Sapp, Rodney Cannon, Alethea Pugh, Jacki Nichols. Mayor Pennant closed the floor for public comments. REPORTS FROM OFFICERS Polk County Sheriff’s Office – for October 2025.  218 total calls for service  240 traffic stops  23 total arrests  2115 community contacts Sgt. Frese gave an update for the Turkey giveaway on Saturday, November 22, 2025, at the “Church on the Hill”, only one (1) turkey per vehicle, not per person. TC Meeting Minutes, November 18, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. Page 3 of 5 Dundee Fire Department – Year to date 1014 calls for service  55 medical  4 special circumstances  13 good intents  3 false alarms  5 public assists  1 hazardous condition Town Attorney – No report Town Manager – Town Manager Cassel provided the following updates.  Town offices & Public Library will be closed on Thursday 11/27, Friday 11/28 & Saturday 11/29 for the Thanksgiving holiday.  The first Coffee with the Town Manager will be on Tuesday, December 2nd, from 6 pm to 8 pm in the Town Hall Commission Chambers.  Christmas Tree Lighting is Friday, December 5th, at 6 PM, at the Community Center.  December Commission Meeting will be held on Tuesday, December 9th.  Ridge League of Cities Dinner will be held on Thursday, December 11th, in Auburndale. The Town Clerk will be sending out invitations.  Haines City Centennial Gala will be held Friday, 12/19. Individual tickets are $100.00 each. RSVPs are due by December 5th. Please let Town Clerk Erica know if you are interested in attending. He went on to state he would be meeting with Ms. Merissa Green in the future. Commissioners Vice Mayor Quarles – No comments Commissioner Goddard - thanked the public for coming out and voicing their opinions. He said the commission made a good decision. He went on to thank the staff and the commission. Commissioner Wilson - I am grateful to see everyone here this evening. While some may express their personal opinions—and everyone has the right and opportunity to do so—I am pleased to see both the Commission and the community finding common ground. Ultimately, we must all work together and make decisions that are in the best interest of the Town. It will take our collective commitment and collaboration to move Dundee forward and achieve the progress we all want to see. Commissioner Richardson – She stated that difficult decisions must be made, and those decisions are not always easy. She noted that she serves in her position because she believes in fairness and that everyone should be treated equitably. She expressed that her passion for public service comes from her commitment to people and her desire to serve the community, and she looks forward to continuing that service over the next four years. She further stated that she values her relationship with the community and, although there may be times when opinions differ, she believes it is possible to agree to disagree. She added that her legacy will be defined by doing what she believes is right for the Town. She concluded by stating that the Town will continue moving forward and doing what is in its best interest. She thanked the public for attending and expressed her appreciation to staff for their hard work. Lastly, she thanked the commission for supporting the Women’s Self Defense Class, acknowledged the pastor for being in attendance, and the Town Attorney, John Murphy. Mayor TC Meeting Minutes, November 18, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. Page 4 of 5 Mayor Pennant stated that although the evening had been challenging, much of the concern stemmed from a misunderstanding. He clarified the intent of the Commission, noting that their actions and motivations were significantly different from the perception that they were attempting to extend their terms. He stated that had the Commission not addressed the matter at this meeting, the same concerns likely would have arisen in the coming year or the year after. He went on to say that, in the interest of transparency and to ensure that the public felt confident that the Commission was acting appropriately, is why the Commission chose the approach taken this evening. He emphasized that this decision should not be interpreted as an admission of wrongdoing, but rather as an effort to take an alternative path to maintain public trust. He thanked the attendees for coming out and for sharing their input, and stated that their participation contributed to a productive meeting. ADJOURNMENT at 8:40 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Erica Anderson Erica Anderson, Town Clerk APPROVAL DATE: December 9, 2025 PUBLIC NOTICE: Please be advised that if you desire to appeal any decisions made as a result of the above hearing or meeting, you will need a record of the proceedings, and in some cases, a verbatim record is required. You must make your own arrangements to produce this record. (Florida statute 286.0105) If you are a person with disability who needs any accommodation to participate in this proceeding, you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance. Please contact the town clerk’s office at 202 East Main Street, Dundee, Florida 33838 or phone (863) 438-8330 within 2 working days of your receipt of this meeting notification; if you are hearing or voice impaired, call 1-800-955-8771. TC Meeting Minutes, November 18, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. Page 5 of 5