High Springs commission schedules charter referendum, raises some facility fees, awards sports-field contract and okays SRO vehicle funding

The High Springs City Commission on March 13 approved an ordinance sending proposed charter amendments to a Nov. 4, 2025 referendum, adopted a resolution updating user fees for city rental facilities, awarded a contract for renovation of the sports complex multipurpose fields and authorized payment to finish outfitting three school resource officer vehicles.

The commission passed Ordinance No. 2025-02 to place the Charter Review Board’s proposed amendments on the November general-election ballot. City staff described the ordinance as providing the full text of the proposed amended charter and required ballot language; the motion to adopt the ordinance carried unanimously on a roll-call vote. Commissioners also voted to review the remaining Charter Review Board recommendations at a future meeting in January 2026.

Why it matters: The ordinance sends proposed city charter changes to voters rather than adopting them by ordinance. The commission’s choice to schedule further review of remaining Charter Review Board items means additional possible charter changes will return to the commission before any new questions are referred to voters.

Commissioners spent much of the meeting debating rental rates for city-owned meeting and event spaces, particularly the Santa Fe Room at the Old…