Village of Highland Park adopts FY2025-26 budget, OKs $19,555 fire assessment and advances water-rate increase

Village of Highland Park commissioners unanimously adopted the fiscal year 2025-26 budget and approved a final rate resolution to reimpose a non-ad valorem fire assessment totaling $19,555, then advanced a water-rate ordinance on first reading at a special meeting on Aug. 27, 2025.

Mayor Brandon McWhorter opened the meeting at 6:00 p.m. and, after a presentation on the budget by City Manager Ric Busbee, moved to approve Ordinance 2025-01, the FY2025-26 budget. McWhorter’s motion was seconded by Commissioner Derek Camann and passed on a voice vote. Busbee had provided commissioners with copies of the proposed budget and reviewed line items that changed from the prior year. McWhorter noted the Enterprise Fund still owes the General Fund about $7,000 and that the Commission could choose to repay that amount or defer payment.

The commission then took up Resolution 2025-02, the final rate resolution to collect non-ad valorem fire assessments for the coming fiscal year. Mayor McWhorter read the resolution title into the record; staff reported the assessment roll and a rate that would collect $19,555 to cover fire-protection services. Commissioner Derek Camann made the motion to approve Resolution 2025-02, Commissioner Amanda Updike seconded, and a roll-call vote recorded unanimous support.

On a related utility matter, City Manager Ric Busbee summarized proposed water-rate adjustments and said it has been 15 years since the village increased rates. The measure under first reading would raise the $40 monthly base water charge to $50, a change Busbee said is based on a Water Rate Study completed by the Florida Rural Water Association and is intended to address declining Enterprise Fund reserves over the past three years. Commissioner Camann moved to approve Ordinance 2025-02 on first reading; Mayor McWhorter seconded and the roll-call vote was unanimous.

During public comment on the water ordinance, resident Curtis Seay urged that customers who irrigate with municipal water should pay more than other users and questioned why Highland Park connects to the City of Lake Wales water line via an interconnect. Seay also asked about backflow devices and check valves to protect hot water heaters; the City Manager responded to his questions. Resident Mark Smith asked whether the ordinance would retain the existing inverted-rate curve; the City Manager said the inverted curve would not remain and that higher users would face higher rates. Staff noted there are only “2–3” customers who regularly use large volumes of water, a point discussed by commissioners and staff as they weighed the rate structure.

Village Clerk Blair Updike raised a separate billing concern, saying her fire-fee notice still reflected an incorrect amount after recent mailings. The commission set upcoming meetings for Sept. 10 (Tentative TRIM and Budget) and Sept. 24 (Final TRIM and Budget). The meeting adjourned at 6:31 p.m.