Haines City meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Haines City Commission to weigh land use, subdivision, truck purchase at Aug. 20 meeting

Haines City commissioners met Aug. 6 to consider zoning changes, a city manager contract, and equipment purchases, but meeting minutes have not yet been published, so no official decisions are confirmed. The next commission meeting, set for Aug. 20, will take up second readings on land-use and zoning amendments for a property at 2115 Holly Hill Fruit Road, a preliminary plat for a 31-unit subdivision, and a truck purchase.

Recent meetings (Aug. 6)

All four meetings held Aug. 6 were agenda-only; minutes are pending.

City Commission Meeting — The commission had on its agenda:

• Ordinance No. 26-2151, a small-scale land use amendment for 2115 Holly Hill Fruit Road
• Ordinance No. 26-2152, a zoning map amendment for the same property
• Resolution No. 26-1945, a city manager employment agreement for Joe Halman, Jr.
• A Polk County interconnect automation agreement with Odom Contracting
• A State of Florida piggyback agreement with Garber Ford for purchase of two crane trucks

CRA Workshop — The Community Redevelopment Agency reviewed draft plans for FY 2027 in Districts 327 and 328, presented by CRA Director Dr. Alex Abraham. No formal decisions were listed.

CRA Meeting — The CRA board considered:

• A three-year partnership with the Florida SBDC at USF costing $32,791
• Board-level determinations for Residential Rehabilitation Grant Program applications, including one for 800 Citrus Ave
• Introduction and discussion with three CRA Manager finalists: Cedric A. Joseph, Amy Wheeler, and Ivy Williams
• A performance report for the 2025–2026 Residential Rehabilitation Grant Program
• Approval of minutes from July 2, 2026, and July 21, 2026

City Commission Workshop — The commission reviewed a supplemental budget packet presented by the Finance Director. This was discussion-only.

Upcoming meetings

City Commission Meeting — Aug. 20 — The commission will hold second readings on the Holly Hill Fruit Road land-use and zoning ordinances (Nos. 26-2151 and 26-2152). It will also consider:

• Resolution No. 26-1923, a preliminary plat for Lake Eva Estates, a 31-unit single-family subdivision
• Purchase of a Vac-Con truck from Southern Sewer
• Resolution No. 26-1944, FloridaCommerce CDBG signing authority for the Eastside Sidewalk Project
• Proclamations for two schools

Red Light Camera — Aug. 19 — A procedural meeting with no specific cases listed. Agenda includes call to order, swearing in of witnesses, case consideration, minutes approval, and adjournment.

Code Compliance — Aug. 27 — Two routine meetings are scheduled to handle certification of citations and fines, requests for lien reduction, and approval of minutes. No specific cases or dollar amounts are listed.

Coming up

• **Aug. 19** — Red Light Camera meeting (procedural)
• **Aug. 20** — City Commission Meeting (land use, zoning, subdivision, truck purchase)
• **Aug. 27** — Code Compliance meetings (citations, fines, lien reductions)

All meetings are open to the public. Agendas and minutes are available on the city’s official website.

Haines City boards weigh zoning changes, city manager contract, and CRA partnership

Haines City officials met Aug. 6 for a series of commission and redevelopment agency meetings, with agendas covering a property rezoning, a city manager employment agreement, equipment purchases, and a small-business consulting partnership. Minutes from these meetings have not yet been published, so no final votes or outcomes are confirmed.

City Commission Meeting

The City Commission met Aug. 6 with several items on its agenda, including:

• **Land-use and zoning amendments** for a property at 2115 Holly Hill Fruit Road. The commission considered Ordinance No. 26-2151 (Small Scale Land Use Amendment) and Ordinance No. 26-2152 (Zoning Map Amendment).
• **City manager employment agreement** for Joe Halman, Jr., under Resolution No. 26-1945.
• **Polk County Interconnect Automation Agreement** with Odom Contracting.
• **State of Florida Piggyback Agreement** with Garber Ford for the purchase of two crane trucks.

The agenda also included approval of multiple post-meeting minutes and cemetery deeds.

CRA Meeting

The Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) met the same day and considered:

• A **three-year partnership with the Florida SBDC at USF** costing $32,791.
• **Board-level determinations** for Residential Rehabilitation Grant Program applications, including one for 800 Citrus Ave.
• **Introduction and discussion with three CRA Manager finalists**: Cedric A. Joseph, Amy Wheeler, and Ivy Williams.
• A **performance report** for the 2025–2026 Residential Rehabilitation Grant Program.
• Approval of minutes from the July 2, 2026 CRA meeting and the July 21, 2026 CRA workshop.

Workshops (Discussion Only)

Two workshops were held Aug. 6 with no formal decisions scheduled:

• **CRA Workshop**: Reviewed draft plans for FY 2027 in Districts 327 and 328, presented by CRA Director Dr. Alex Abraham.
• **City Commission Workshop**: Reviewed a supplemental budget packet presented by the Finance Director.

Coming Up

• **Red Light Camera Board** – Aug. 19, 2026. A procedural meeting with call to order, swearing in of witnesses, consideration of cases, and approval of minutes. No specific cases are listed on the agenda.

Haines City Commission Set to Vote on Zoning, City Manager Agreement, and Crane Truck Purchases August 6

Haines City's recent workshop cycle focused on the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget and candidate selection for two top city posts, but no formal decisions have been recorded yet — minutes from all meetings held over the past two weeks remain unpublished. The most consequential votes are scheduled for August 6, when the City Commission will consider land-use and zoning changes, a City Manager employment agreement, and equipment purchases.

Recent Workshops: Budget and Hires Under Review

The City Commission held a workshop on July 20 to discuss the proposed FY2027 operating budget, covering the General Fund, Water and Wastewater Fund, and Stormwater Fund. Agenda materials were provided for each fund, but minutes have not yet been published, so no decisions are confirmed.

On July 21, the commission held a second workshop to consider candidates for City Manager and City Attorney. Attachments included a City Manager candidate file and City Attorney resumes and firm information. No other items were listed. Minutes are not yet available.

Also on July 21, the Community Redevelopment Agency held a workshop to review proposed FY2027 budgets for CRA District 327 and CRA District 328. Staff contact Alex Abraham provided the budget materials. The agenda indicated discussion only, with no formal decisions listed. A separate City Commission Special Meeting was scheduled the same day, but the agenda contained no listed items — only procedural sections.

Code Compliance Board Met July 23

The Code Compliance board met on July 23 to review ordinance violations. The agenda included certification of citations, certification of fines, and requests for lien reduction. A second listing for the same date described the meeting as routine, with new business, requests, citation and fine certifications, and lien reductions. No specific cases or dollar amounts were included in the agenda materials. Minutes have not been published.

Coming Up: August 6 Commission Meeting

The City Commission will meet August 6 to vote on several items:

• **Ordinance No. 26-2151** — Small Scale Land Use Amendment for the property at 2115 Holly Hill Fruit Road.
• **Ordinance No. 26-2152** — Zoning Map Amendment for the same property at 2115 Holly Hill Fruit Road.
• **Resolution No. 26-1945** — City Manager Joe Halman, Jr. Employment Agreement.
• **Polk County Interconnect Automation Agreement** with Odom Contracting.
• **State of Florida Piggyback Agreement** with Garber Ford for the purchase of two crane trucks.

The meeting will also include approval of multiple post-meeting minutes and cemetery deeds.

Coming Up: August 6 CRA Meeting

The CRA will meet August 6 to vote on a three-year partnership with the Florida Small Business Development Center at USF, costing $32,791. The board will also consider board-level determinations for Residential Rehabilitation Grant Program applications, including a property at 800 Citrus Ave.

Three CRA Manager finalists are scheduled for introduction and discussion: Cedric A. Joseph, Amy Wheeler, and Ivy Williams. The agenda also includes a performance report for the 2025–2026 Residential Rehabilitation Grant Program and approval of minutes from the July 2, 2026 CRA meeting and the July 21, 2026 CRA workshop.

Coming Up: Additional August 6 Workshops

Two discussion-only sessions are also scheduled August 6: a CRA workshop reviewing draft FY2027 plans for Districts 327 and 328, led by CRA Director Dr. Alex Abraham, and a City Commission workshop to review a supplemental budget packet presented by the Finance Director. No formal decisions are listed for either session.

Coming Up

• **August 6, 2026** — City Commission Meeting, CRA Workshop, City Commission Workshop, and CRA Meeting. Residents interested in the zoning changes at 2115 Holly Hill Fruit Road, the City Manager employment agreement, or the CRA's $32,791 SBDC partnership vote may want to attend.

Haines City Commission Adopts Crossroads Townhomes Zoning, Approves Major Equipment Contracts

The Haines City Commission adopted land-use and zoning changes for the Crossroads Townhomes development and approved several major contracts and equipment purchases at its July 16 meeting, including a $549,743 tactical pumper and a $274,017 mechanical road sweeper.

Crossroads Townhomes zoning adopted

The commission adopted Ordinance No. 26-2148, a small-scale land-use amendment, and Ordinance No. 26-2149, a zoning map amendment, both for the Crossroads Townhomes development. Each ordinance was carried. The meeting minutes did not record individual vote tallies.

Budget and millage rate set

The commission carried approval of the proposed FY 2026/27 millage rate and set budget hearing dates for September 10 and September 24, 2026. The specific millage rate figure was not listed in the available agenda summary.

Contracts and purchases approved

Several contract and purchase items were carried:

• Lake Eva Rapid Infiltration Basin Phase II contract award
• Piggyback agreement with Odyssey Manufacturing and purchase of new mixers
• $38,000 change order for Eastside Sidewalk design services
• Purchase of an ODRA MT4H Mechanical Road Sweeper for $274,017
• Purchase of a Darley Tactical Pumper for $549,743

The commission also approved a youth sports user agreement template.

City manager and attorney selections postponed

At a July 16 commission workshop, no selections were made for city manager or city attorney. The city manager recruitment discussion was moved to Tuesday, and the city attorney selection meeting was rescheduled for Tuesday, July 21. No votes were recorded.

Planning Commission reviewed Holly Hill Fruit Road parcel

The Planning Commission met July 13 to consider text amendments to the Land Development Regulations and a small-scale land-use amendment and zoning map amendment for a 3.87 ± acre parcel at 2115 Holly Hill Fruit Road. Staff recommended forwarding approval recommendations to the City Commission for each item. Minutes for this meeting have not yet been published, so the commission's actual votes are not yet available.

Red light camera hearing held

A July 15 meeting of the Haines City Red Light Camera board heard and adjudicated traffic violation cases, including swearing in witnesses and approving prior meeting minutes. No policy decisions or financial items were listed. Minutes have not yet been published.

Coming up

• **July 20 — City Commission Workshop:** Review of the proposed FY2027 operation budget, including the General Fund, Water and Wastewater Fund, and Stormwater Fund.
• **July 21 — City Commission Workshop:** Selection of a new City Manager and City Attorney, with candidate files and firm information attached.
• **July 21 — CRA Workshop:** Review of FY2027 proposed budgets for CRA District 327 and District 328. Discussion only; no formal decisions indicated.
• **July 21 — City Commission Special Meeting:** No agenda items listed.
• **July 23 — Code Compliance:** Certification of citations and fines and consideration of lien reduction requests.

Haines City Roundup: Budget Workshops Held, Crossroads Townhomes and Millage Rate Headline Busy July

Recent Meetings: Budget Workshops and Crossroads Townhomes

Haines City's boards held a series of workshops and meetings in late June and early July, though minutes have not yet been published for any of them. Based on the agendas, the sessions focused on the proposed FY2027 budget and several land-use and operational items.

The City Commission held two workshops on June 29 and June 30 to review the proposed FY2027 operating budgets for the General Fund, Water and Wastewater Fund, and Stormwater Fund. The June 30 workshop also covered the Water and Wastewater and Stormwater funds specifically. No formal votes were expected at either session.

The Community Redevelopment Agency held its own workshop on June 30 to review proposed FY2027 funding allocations for CRA District 327 and CRA District 328. Finance Director Omar DeJesus was listed as the staff contact.

On July 2, the City Commission agenda included the first reading of Ordinance No. 26-2148 and Ordinance No. 26-2149 for the Crossroads Townhomes land use and zoning map amendments. The agenda also listed Resolution No. 26-1940 for non-ad valorem assessments on nuisance properties, including locations on Bartley St and Railroad Ave. Other items included an emergency repair of the oxidation ditch gearbox at the Wastewater Treatment Plant, a Cooperative Purchase Agreement with Carahsoft Technology Corp. for Accela/Byrne software, and renewal of FDOT traffic signal and highway lighting maintenance agreements.

The CRA Board met the same day with several items on its agenda, including a decision on a partnership with the Tampa Bay Black Business Investment Corporation for Small Business Assistance and Entrepreneur Development, approval of an interim attorney agreement with Boswell and Dunlap, and funding determinations for Residential Rehabilitation Grant Program cases at 2416 Embry and 800 Citrus Ave. The board was also scheduled to discuss FY2027 Commercial Rehabilitation Grant Program draft guidelines and hear a presentation by Community Architects regarding the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Corridor.

Because minutes have not been published for any of these meetings, outcomes and vote tallies are not yet available in the record.

Coming Up

Several meetings are scheduled over the next two weeks that residents may want to track.

July 13 — Planning Commission: The board will review proposed text amendments to the Land Development Regulations and consider a small-scale land-use amendment and a zoning map amendment for a 3.87 ± acre parcel at 2115 Holly Hill Fruit Road. Staff recommends forwarding approval recommendations to the City Commission for each item.

July 15 — Red Light Camera Hearing: A procedural meeting to hear and adjudicate traffic violation cases captured by red light cameras, including swearing in witnesses and approving prior minutes. No policy decisions or financial items are listed.

July 16 — City Commission Workshop: The Commission will discuss recruitment for a new City Manager and City Attorney. The agenda includes a review of City Manager candidate tabulations and City Attorney resumes from L. Gueye, Jonathan Baber, and Olga SdeF.

July 16 — City Commission Meeting: The most consequential upcoming session. The agenda includes the second reading of Ordinance No. 26-2148 and 26-2149 for the Crossroads Townhomes land use and zoning map amendment, establishment of the Tax Year 2026 proposed millage rate and budget meeting dates, a contract award for Lake Eva Rapid Infiltration Basin Phase II with Cathcart Construction Company, purchase of an ODRA MT4H Mechanical Road Sweeper from ODRA LLC, purchase of a Darley Tactical Pumper for the Haines City Fire Department, and a change order for Eastside Sidewalk design services with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc.

July 23 — Code Compliance: The board will meet to certify citations and fines and consider requests for lien reductions.

Haines City boards set FY2027 budget talks, Crossroads Townhomes zoning, and code enforcement cases

Haines City's advisory boards and City Commission have a packed agenda heading into July, with proposed FY2027 budgets, a townhomes zoning change, and dozens of code violation cases on the table. All meetings listed below are reflected only in published agendas; minutes have not yet been posted, so no final actions are confirmed in this roundup.

City Commission — Crossroads Townhomes and City Manager selection

The City Commission scheduled discussion for July 2 on selecting a new City Manager and on land use and zoning amendments for the Crossroads Townhomes project. The agenda lists the first reading of Ordinance No. 26-2148 and Ordinance No. 26-2149 for the Crossroads Townhomes land use and zoning.

Other items on the July 2 agenda include Resolution No. 26-1940 for non-ad valorem assessments on nuisance properties, with examples cited as Bartley St and Railroad Ave; an emergency repair of the oxidation ditch gearbox at the Wastewater Treatment Plant; a Cooperative Purchase Agreement with Carahsoft Technology Corp. for Accela/Byrne software; and renewal of FDOT traffic signal and highway lighting maintenance agreements.

FY2027 budget workshops

The City Commission held workshops on June 29 and June 30 on the proposed FY2027 operating budgets. Agendas list the General Fund, Water and Wastewater Fund, and Stormwater Fund budgets. The June 30 workshop was described as presentations and discussions with no formal votes expected.

The Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) also scheduled a June 30 workshop on proposed FY2027 funding for District 327 and District 328. The listed staff contact is Omar DeJesus, Finance Director.

CRA — small business partnership and rehabilitation grants

The CRA Board agenda for July 2 includes a decision on whether to partner with the Tampa Bay Black Business Investment Corporation for Small Business Assistance and Entrepreneur Development. Also listed: approval of an interim attorney agreement with Boswell and Dunlap; funding determinations for Residential Rehabilitation Grant Program cases at 2416 Embry and 800 Citrus Ave; discussion of FY2027 Commercial Rehabilitation Grant Program draft guidelines; and a presentation by Community Architects regarding the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Corridor.

Code Compliance Board — property violation cases

The Code Compliance Board agenda for June 25 lists numerous administrative citations for property code violations, including fencing, sanitation, vehicle storage, weeds, and pool safety. Listed fines include:

• Case 38798: $405.45 fine for fence violation at 1201 Chester Avenue.
• Case 39751: $220.41 fine for unlawful structure and pool enclosure at 636 Boardwalk Avenue.
• Case 39856: $72.00 fine for weeds at 1213 Avenue F, noted as a repeat violation.
• Case 39863: $64.95 fine for vehicle and sanitation issues at 909 Caitlin Loop.
• Case 40068: $57.90 fine for vehicle storage and sanitation at 605 6th Street North.

A second June 25 Code Compliance agenda lists 12 new business cases and one stipulation case. Items include:

• Case 39434: EL Viejon Bar and Grill, 19 9th St N, prohibited hours of sale, admin cost $146.40, violation still exists.
• Case 40071: 613 Mckay Dr, swimming pool and exterior structure violations, admin cost $64.22, violation still exists.
• Case 40179: 1109 Ave C, repeat weed violation, admin cost $77.40, violation still exists.
• Case 40180: 44 Cedar St, repeat weed violation, admin cost $57.45, violation still exists.
• Case 39999: 713 Stonewall Ln, motor vehicle violation, complied, admin cost $35.83.

Because minutes are not yet published, it is not confirmed which citations were certified, which fines were finalized, or whether any lien reductions were granted.

Coming up

• July 15: Red Light Camera board hearing to adjudicate traffic violation cases captured by red light cameras, including swearing in of witnesses and approval of prior meeting minutes. The agenda lists no substantive policy decisions or financial items.

Crossroads Townhomes plan, small-business partnership top agendas as minutes awaited

Haines City’s boards and commissions tackled property violations, budget blueprints, and a potential small-business partnership during the past two weeks, though final decisions on several high-profile items remain unknown as official minutes have not been released. The City Commission was scheduled to hold a first reading on land-use and zoning amendments for the Crossroads Townhomes project, while the Community Redevelopment Agency weighed a partnership with the Tampa Bay Black Business Investment Corporation.

Land use and zoning

The City Commission was set to consider the first reading of two ordinances – 26-2148 and 26-2149 – that would amend future land use and zoning designations for the Crossroads Townhomes development. The agenda did not specify the number of units or the proposed location beyond the project name. A first reading is an introductory step; no final action would occur until a subsequent public hearing.

Code enforcement

The Code Compliance Board met on June 25 with a full docket. In one session, board members certified administrative citations and fines against five properties, including a $405.45 fence violation at 1201 Chester Avenue and a $220.41 penalty for an unlawful structure and pool enclosure at 636 Boardwalk Avenue.

In a separate hearing the same day, the board took up 13 cases. Among them: an administrative cost of $146.40 against El Viejon Bar and Grill at 19 9th St. N. for prohibited hours of sale, with the violation still existing. Other cases involved repeat weed violations, swimming pool and exterior structure violations, and a motor vehicle violation at 713 Stonewall Lane that had been corrected.

Budget workshops

City finance staff presented the proposed fiscal year 2027 operating budgets during two commission workshops. On June 29, commissioners reviewed the General Fund, Water and Wastewater Fund, and Stormwater Fund proposals. A follow-up workshop on June 30 was dedicated to the water, wastewater and stormwater budgets. No votes were taken; the sessions were informational.

The Community Redevelopment Agency also held a workshop June 30 to discuss proposed FY2027 funding for CRA Districts 327 and 328, with Finance Director Omar DeJesus listed as the staff contact.

Community redevelopment

At its July 2 meeting, the CRA Board was scheduled to decide whether to partner with the Tampa Bay Black Business Investment Corporation on a small-business assistance and entrepreneur development program. The board also was to approve an interim attorney agreement with Boswell and Dunlap, make funding determinations on residential rehabilitation grants for properties at 2416 Embry and 800 Citrus Ave., and discuss draft guidelines for the FY2027 Commercial Rehabilitation Grant Program. A presentation by Community Architects on the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Corridor rounded out the agenda.

Infrastructure and contracts

The City Commission’s July 2 agenda included a resolution (26-1940) to impose non-ad valorem assessments on nuisance properties, citing sites on Bartley Street and Railroad Avenue, among others. Commissioners also considered an emergency repair of the oxidation ditch gearbox at the wastewater treatment plant, a cooperative purchase agreement with Carahsoft Technology Corp. for Accela/Byrne software, and renewals of maintenance agreements with the Florida Department of Transportation for traffic signals and highway lighting.

Coming up

No public meetings are listed for the next two weeks. Agendas and minutes are posted on the city’s website as they become available.