Commission declines to extend UCF incubator funding; mayor’s motion to provide longer notice fails

The City of Winter Springs Commission voted against a one‑year extension of funding for the University of Central Florida (UCF) incubator on Sept. 8 after a contentious exchange about whether last week’s decision to pause funding equated to breaking a contract.

Mayor Kevin McCann asked the commission to extend the contract for one year as a courtesy to the university and to avoid leaving partners “with 30 days’ notice.” He said he was not asking to reinstate multi‑year funding but only to provide more notice than a single month.

Another commissioner objected that the mayor’s characterization was incorrect. The commissioner said, “No contract has been broken. In fact, the contract specifically stipulates that it is subject to annual funding,” and urged the mayor’s motion be struck as out of order because the prior vote had simply withheld funding for the coming year.

Deputy Mayor Mary Kate Resnick made the motion to approve the one‑year extension at the mayor’s request; Commissioner Sarah Baker seconded. The roll call recorded Resnick and Baker voting aye and Commissioners Paul Diaz and Victoria Bruce voting no, yielding a failed motion. The mayor later said he disagreed with the outcome but emphasized he favored providing more notice to partners.

The commission earlier had taken action to withhold funding for the incubator as part of budget deliberations; the Sept. 8 motion sought to reverse that decision for one year but did not alter longer‑term policy or contract language.

No additional funding amounts or terms were specified during the motion; the mayor said the request was about timing and relationship with partners rather than reinstating the prior multi‑year arrangement.