Winter Haven City Commission adopts five-year capital schedule, updates wastewater rules and approves budget amendments; backs CDBG support

The Winter Haven City Commission on a unanimous vote on second reading adopted a revised five-year scheduled capital improvements program, updated industrial wastewater pretreatment regulations and approved budget amendments to cover encumbrance roll‑forwards. The commission also endorsed assigning its FY25/26 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) allocation to a neighborhood service center modernization project.

The five-year capital schedule—covering fiscal years 2024/25 through 2028/29—was presented by the city manager as derived from the city's 2024–25 operating budget. The manager told the commission the schedule includes only projects with a minimum cost of $25,000 and a minimum service life of five years and that total capital spending in the proposed schedule is approximately $482,000,000.

The ordinance updating the city's wastewater industrial pretreatment regulations responds to recommendations from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The city manager said the revisions arose from DEP's March 27, 2024, audit of the pretreatment fat, oil and grease (FOG) division and that the DEP provided preliminary approval on Jan. 3, 2025.

The commission also approved a budget amendment to account for encumbrance roll‑forwards from fiscal year 2023. The manager said the general fund will increase by $250,482 and the airport fund by $238,440; each increase is offset by encumbrances in the same amount.

On separate motion the commission endorsed assigning the city's anticipated FY25/26 CDBG allocation of $279,221 to the Neighborhood Service Center modernization design‑build project. Polk County administers Winter Haven's CDBG funds; the commission's endorsement is a required step for the planned application and provided the opportunity for public comment.

Votes at a glance

- Ordinance O-25-03 (adopt 5-year scheduled capital improvements into comprehensive plan): Adopted (unanimous). The city manager said total capital spending in the five-year schedule is approximately $482,000,000. Planning Commission recommended approval Jan. 7, 2025.

- Ordinance O-25-06 (amend industrial pretreatment regulations, ch. 19): Adopted (unanimous). Changes respond to DEP audit recommendations and clarify regulatory language; DEP preliminary approval received 01/03/2025.

- Ordinance O-25-07 (budget amendment for encumbrance roll-forwards): Adopted (unanimous). General fund increase $250,482; airport fund increase $238,440; both amounts offset by encumbrances.

- Motion: Endorse FY25/26 CDBG allocation ($279,221) for Neighborhood Service Center modernization design-build project: Approved (unanimous). Polk County administers the CDBG program locally; staff recommended endorsement and opened a public comment period (no speakers).

Context and next steps

Several items were advanced to second reading for Feb. 24 (see separate article). Staff told the commission that the capital schedule incorporates the FDOT five‑year work program, Polk County's transportation program and the Polk County School Board's five‑year work program by reference. The industrial pretreatment ordinance will require the city manager and/or designee to take further actions to implement the update.

Commission discussion and public comment were brief on these items; no public speakers addressed the second‑reading ordinances or the CDBG endorsement during the hearing.

Ending

The commission adopted the consent agenda and other procedural items earlier in the meeting and set second readings for multiple ordinances on Feb. 24, 2025.