Mr. Adams, the city attorney, told the Milton City Council that Florida statute 218.755 (referred to in meeting materials as HB683) will govern contracts entered on or after July 1, 2025, and requires prompt, specific staff responses to contractor change orders. "If change orders is submitted, it has to be approved with specific detail within 35 days," Adams said, and he recommended staff review contract templates and operational procedures so the city can comply.

Council members discussed how the timing of council meetings (some separated by more than 34 days) could create a compliance gap. Speaker 14 proposed that staff notify council by email within one business day of any change order and that the city consider holding a special meeting when a change order would otherwise lapse before council action. Councilmember questions focused on whether the existing staff authority and monetary thresholds already cover deductive change orders and which situations would require immediate council attention.

City Manager Mr. Spears and staff agreed to research which departmental policies must be updated and to return a draft policy recommendation by the next regular meeting, with a target of placing a compliant policy on the Dec. 9 agenda. Adams emphasized the legal limit: "You can't contract around the statute," and council asked staff to coordinate with the attorneys to draft language the city can enforce.

The council did not take a binding vote on a policy at the work session. The next procedural step is for staff and the city attorney to present a written policy or ordinance language so councilors can consider formal adoption at the December 9 meeting.