Winter Springs debate centers on $1 million transfer, stormwater fee as hurricane season nears

Commissioners in Winter Springs on April 28 debated whether to move $1 million from the city’s general fund to the stormwater enterprise fund to pay for creek and pond clearing ahead of hurricane season, but took no formal vote on the transfer.

The discussion followed hours of public comment — including multiple residents who described deteriorating detention ponds and blocked channels — and an auditors’ presentation that the city’s fiscal statements are “clean.” Commissioner Paul Diaz proposed an immediate $1 million transfer, with half earmarked for heavily affected neighborhoods and regular reporting back to the commission. Diaz said, “Move the million dollars today,” and urged tight oversight and itemized reporting of how the funds would be spent.

Why it matters: Winter Springs officials and residents said clogged ponds and creeks have worsened flooding risk in some neighborhoods and that maintenance and repairs have lagged for years. With summer hurricane season approaching, commissioners and staff debated using existing reserves for immediate cleanup versus preserving those reserves for other long-term capital needs.

Discussion and public testimony

Several residents described long-term deterioration of neighborhood drainage. Rick Mold, a 35-year resident on Pond 59, told the commission, “If we don't do something, we're gonna have some kind of calamity on our hands,” saying the pond is shallower and more filled with debris than when he moved in.

Other public speakers, including Laurel Ross and Kurt Merakey, urged a dedicated response to stormwater problems and supported raising the stormwater fee to create a sustainable funding stream. Opposing voices at public input warned against new taxes and suggested reallocating surplus general fund monies instead.

Officials' fiscal and legal responses

Auditor Ron Whitesides said the city’s financial statements earned an unmodified (clean) opinion and confirmed that “the majority of monies in the general fund are available to be transferred to the stormwater fund.” He and Finance Director Holly Queen both cautioned that while transfers are legally allowable, taking all or most reserves would be imprudent without a forward-looking cash-flow analysis.

Queen told the commission that the FY2024 annual comprehensive financial report (ACFAR) showed roughly $16 million in cash and investments in the general fund and an unassigned general fund balance of about $9.7 million, with $2.0 million assigned to balance the FY2025 budget. Auditor Whitesides added that while some transfer could be justified, a one-time wholesale reallocation could create short-term cash flow pressure.

Positions on an immediate transfer

Commissioner Paul Diaz argued for an immediate $1 million infusion to clear creeks and ponds and proposed strict conditions: earmarking part of the funds for the most affected corridors, requiring regular commission reporting, and tracking exactly what work is paid for.

Deputy Mayor Mary Kay Resnick opposed a one-time infusion, saying the city should “shore up the program, not give it a quick infusion of cash,” and emphasized preserving reserves for long-term needs and large capital projects such as wastewater plant work.

Next steps and procedural items

The commission did not vote on any transfer at the April 28 meeting. City staff and the commission noted that state-required business-impact analysis and public-notice steps remain part of the formal rate-change process; commissioners directed that the stormwater rate ordinance come back on May 12 for a required second reading and further public discussion.

Other formal actions at the meeting

Separately, the commission unanimously accepted the FY2024 annual comprehensive financial report (ACFAR). The meeting also included votes to approve updates to town-center convenience store rules and parking regulations (first readings passed). Commissioners approved a consent agenda earlier in the meeting.

What to watch

- May 12: expected second reading and possible vote on the stormwater rate ordinance (staff will supply the required business-impact estimate and supporting materials). - Commission requests for tighter project-level reporting if a transfer is approved. - Staff bids and contracts for sediment removal and debris work that the manager said are scheduled for May construction-phase procurement.

Until the commission acts, staff said stormwater crews will continue routine inlet and channel clearing and pursue federal and state grant funding already lined up for specific projects.

Ending

Commissioners left the matter open for further deliberation. Residents who testified asked for immediate, visible work in flood-prone neighborhoods; staff and auditors urged a balance between immediate action and preserving financial flexibility for large capital programs.