Town Commission Regular Meeting

Town Commission Regular Meeting Minutes Tuesday, December 09, 2025 at 7:00 PM 706 NE Cholokka BLVD CALL TO ORDER Mayor Jiana Williams called the meeting to order 7:02 pm INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO FLAG ROLL CALL Mayor Jiana Williams, present Mayor Pro Tem Kevin Putansu, present Commissioner Judy Galloway, absent with notice Commissioner David Massey, present Commissioner Ken Wessberg, present Attorney A. Derek Folds, present Administrator Sara Samario, present Deputy Town Clerk Patty Polk, present CONSENT AGENDA 1. Agenda Approval 2. Regular Commission Meeting Minutes of November 10, 2025 Minutes unavailabe and will be available next month. GUESTS 3. Micanopy Branch Library Update Wendy Schneider, Micanopy Librarian, gave a verbal report. 4. Willie Mae Stokes Community Center Update Bishop Christopher Stokes, Willie Mae Stokes Community Center, gave a verbal report. CITIZEN’S FORUM Public Comment (public comments limited to 2 minutes per speaker, please) Alfreda Bolen discussed the water color as being light brown. Questioned if there is still a burn notice in Alachua County, and the answer is yes. Xavier Monroe is running for a House of Representatives seat and introduced himself. Katera is on team Monroe, is his first cousin, and supports his campaign. An Alachua County Sheriff's Deputy visited our meeting and informed us about an app we can download to our phones that provides alerts from the Sheriff's Department. Bud DesForges thanked the Merchants Association and the town for a fantastic tree lighting celebration. The decorations in town look great, thanks to David Holton and his crew. He hopes everyone has a healthy New Year 2026. Sandi Newman discussed the community garden meeting on Monday, December 15, 2025, at 6:00 pm at Town Hall, 706 NE Cholokka Blvd. Mike Roberts discussed camphor trees that need to be trimmed back as they are impeding on the fence between his property and the water plant. Tim Parker is concerned with the rising water rates. Mayor Williams reminded Mr. Parker that this item is on the agenda and will be discussed later in the meeting. He stated that we previously had a community garden, but it failed because it was not maintained. Stoney Slaton stated that the holiday stroll was pleasant. He thanked everyone for resolving the missing Magnolia post. Cox has torn up the ground in many places in town while installing fiber- optic cables, and they should be held accountable for leaving the ground in the condition they found it. TOWN COMMISSION LIAISON REPORTS 5. Alachua County League of Cities Mayor Williams doesn't have a report. 6. Alachua County Children’s Trust Mayor Williams recomends looking for the billboards and raido advertising opioid awareness to include internet ads. 7. Thrasher Warehouse Board Commissioner Wessberg, Thrasher Warehouse Liason, gave a verbal report. Congratulations to Bud DesForges who is president again. CITIZEN BOARD AND COMMITTEE REPORTS  8. Planning and Historic Preservation Board Administrator Samario provided a verbal report: the P&HPB had only one item and approved the preliminary and final site plan review for the Alachua County Library District. Bidding is out for construction. 9. Tree Committee No report available. TOWN ATTORNEY REPORT 10. Proposed Ordinance No. 2025-04, Defining "Affected Party" in the Micanopy Land Development Code AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN OF MICANOPY, FLORIDA RELATING TO THE TEXT OF THE TOWN OF MICANOPY LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE; PROVIDING FOR AMENDING ARTICLE 10, SECTION 10.10.03 OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE TO DEFINE “AFFECTED PARTY” AND PROVIDING A PROCEDURE FOR REGISTRATION OF AN “AFFECTED PARTY” WITH THE TOWN CLERK FOR PARTICIPATION IN QUASI-JUDICIAL HEARINGS Tabled until our January 2026 meeting. 11. Proposed Ordinance No. 2025-05, Prohibiting Camping in Public Parks PROHIBITING PUBLIC CAMPING OR SLEEPING ON ANY PUBLIC PROPERTY, PUBLIC BUILDING, OR PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY Attorney A Derek Folds recommends changing the Ordinance number to 2025-04 and reading the ordinance on title only, explaining the need for this ordinance. Discussion ensued. Ordinance 2025-04 will be revised by our attorney and added to our next agenda. Ethics training will be held at Folds Walker LLC December 18, 2025 4 - 8pm; ribs will be served. REVIEW AND ACCEPTANCE OF FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS AND REPORTS Administrator Samario explained that the financial reports are not available and will be available next month. Non-action items: The Planning & Historic Preservation Board meeting will be held on December 16, 22025, at 7:00 pm. Our community center's preliminary site plan will be on the agenda for review. The Micanopy Area Cooperative School's final site plan review and special use permit will also be on the agenda. Backflow preventors have been tested, and letters have been sent to affected owners whose preventors failed. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR REPORT  12. Report - Nonaction items only The Planning & Historic Preservation Board meeting will be held on December 16, 22025, at 7:00 pm. Our community center's preliminary site plan will be on the agenda for review. The Micanopy Area Cooperative School's final site plan review and special use permit will also be on the agenda. Backflow preventors have been tested, and letters have been sent to affected owners whose preventors failed. 13. Use for Residential Structure at Annex Administrator Samario provided a verbal report on the community potluck dinner regarding the annex property house. Many ideas for the house were discussed, but we are limited in the decisions we can make. The consensus was to have a caretaker on-site. Administrator Samario would like to work with our attorney to make a contract with rules. This property has a conservation easement into perpetuity. 14. Resolution No. 2025-09, Establishing an Election Qualifying Period A RESOLUTION SETTING THE ELECTION FOR TOWN COMMISSION SEATS 4 AND 5 IN THE TOWN OF MICANOPY, FLORIDA Administrator Samario presented. Resolution 2025-09 establishing an election and qualifying period. Attorney A Derek Folds read the resolution on title only. Discussion ensued. Motion made and seconded (Massey/Wessberg) to accept Resolution 2025-09 as presented; passed 4-0 NEW BUSINESS 15. Proposed Resolution No. 2025-10, Amending Prior Established Rates A RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN OF MICANOPY, FLORIDA, PERTAINING TO WATER SERVICE WITHIN THE TOWN OF MICANOPY; AMENDING THE PRIOR ESTABLISHED RATES TO INCREASE THE RATES Administrator Samario presented Resolution 2025-10 Attorney A Derek Folds read Resolution 2025-10 on title only. Discussion ensued at length. Motion made and seconded (Putansu/Massey) to accept Resolution 2025-10 as submitted; passed 4-0 16. Community Garden  Administrator Samario discussed the proposed community garden and the need for formal commission approval to proceed with planning. Discussion ensued at length. Motion made (Wessberg) - Commissioner Wessberg rescinded the motion. Motion made and seconded (Putansu/Wessberg) to allow the use of our town property for the community garden; passed 4-0 UNFINISHED BUSINESS 17. Proposed Road Paving Administrator Samario presented the paving of NE Bay Ave (6th), Micanopy. We have a proposal from O'Steen Brothers and are waiting for one from V.E. Whitehurst. Discussion ensued. Motion made and seconded (Massey/Putansu) to authorize the Town Administrator to negotiate and execute an agreement with the lowest qualified bidder for paving NE Bay Ave (6th), with project funding to come from the restricted Transportation Fund balance; passed 4-0 TOWN COMMISSIONER REPORTS 18. Commissioner (Seat 1) Judy Galloway Commissioner Galloway absent with notice. 19. Commissioner (Seat 3) David Massey Commissioner Massey invited everyone to the Garden Exchange on the third Saturday of each month, December 20, 2025, from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. He will have plant starts available for anyone who wants them. 20. Commissioner (Seat 4) Kevin Putansu Mayor Pro Tem Putansu recognized the merchants who put on the Micanopy Stroll. He looks forward to the new year. 21. Commissioner (Seat 5) Ken Wessberg Commissioner Wessberg recognized David Holton and crew for the holiday decorations. This town never skipped a beat on Saturday. MAYOR (SEAT 2) JIANA WILLIAMS REPORT Mayor Williams thanked everyone for being here and for spending your evening with us. She shared a quote and is looking forward to the new year. ADJOURN PLEASE NOTE: PURSUANT TO SECTION 286.015, FLORIDA STATUTES, IF A PERSON DECIDES TO APPEAL ANY DECISION MADE BY THE COMMISSION WITH RESPECT TO ANY MATTER CONSIDERED DURING THIS MEETING, HE OR SHE WILL NEED TO ENSURE THAT A VERBATIM RECORD OF THE PROCEEDINGS IS MADE, WHICH RECORD INCLUDES THE TESTIMONY AND EVIDENCE UPON WHICH THE APPEAL IS TO BE BASED. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AMERICAN WITH DISABILITIES ACT, A PERSON WITH DISABILITIES NEEDING ANY SPECIAL ACCOMODATIONS TO PARTICIPATE IN TOWN MEETINGS SHOULD CONTACT THE TOWN ADMINISTRATOR, 706 NE CHOLOKKA BLVD., MICANOPY, FLORIDA 32667-0137, TELEPHONE (352) 466-3121. Mayor Jiana Williams adjourned the meeting 8:50 pm