Sebring council honors retiring corporal, approves St. Patrick’s event permit and Bennett property settlement; hears public‑works updates

The Sebring City Council on Feb. 18 approved a set of routine and negotiated actions including a retirement recognition for a longtime officer, a special‑event permit with street closures and an open‑container waiver for St. Patrick’s Day, and a settlement to resolve a years‑long property access lawsuit. Council members also heard staff updates on a planned Public Works/utilities relocation and the proposed purchase of a downtown building.

Council approved giving Corporal Matt Cloud retirement honors and transferring his service handgun to him as surplus property and authorized the city to purchase a replacement service handgun for future issuance. Council’s agenda packet cited a Florida statute (listed in the agenda as “Florida statute 100 and twelve‑one 93”) as authority for the city’s ability to award a retired officer his uniform and identification items. The motion to declare the firearm surplus and present it to Cloud passed on a council vote recorded in the meeting minutes.

The retirement action follows council and staff remarks recognizing Cloud’s roughly 17 years with the department and included authorization for presentation of a uniform, badge and a retired officer identification card. The city also approved paying to relocate a light pole adjacent to the parcel to be deeded under a separate agenda item described below.

Council approved a request from downtown businesses to close a section of South Commerce Street for a St. Patrick’s Day event on March 17, with an open‑container waiver limited…