Mayor Nick Nesta invited Apopka service organizations to help shape a proposed resource center for people experiencing homelessness and other hardships. Participants welcomed the chance to coordinate their work but urged the city to set realistic goals and follow through.

Apopka’s four commissioners responded to the departure of interim City Administrator Radley Williams and Finance Director Blanche Sherman. Their statements offer different views on the changes underway at City Hall and what should happen next.

Apopka approved a firefighter contract with a $12,000 first-year base pay increase, while Orange County District 2 candidates Brown and Crabb debated growth and spending. The week’s coverage also examined a dispute over city discretionary funds, sidewalk safety, and drug warrants in APD’s arrest report.

The Apopka City Commission unanimously approved a three-year contract with the city’s firefighters’ union. The agreement includes a $12,000 first-year increase in base pay for bargaining-unit employees and runs through September 2029.

Apopka’s fifth annual Hispanic Heritage Celebration will take place Saturday, September 26, from 4 to 8 pm at Kit Land Nelson Park. The free event will feature live entertainment, food vendors, and community organizations.

A proposed three-year contract would give Apopka firefighters a $12,000 first-year raise, additional annual increases, and a uniform 4% pension accrual rate. Union members overwhelmingly ratified the agreement, which now awaits City Commission approval.

The Apopka Development Review Committee will review a construction plan for 95 single-family lots near Kelly Park Road and a proposed child care facility on Chandler Road. The Sept. 23 agenda also includes a Bronson Peak plat and three special-event applications.

Commissioner Nadia Anderson alleges that last Wednesday’s debate over discretionary spending and a proposed amphitheater event was part of a broader political effort against her.

The Apopka Planning Commission will consider plans for 557 single-family homes and two industrial projects Tuesday evening. The agenda also includes a special exception for overnight commercial-vehicle parking and a Land Development Code workshop.

Apopka’s top stories this week included a contentious City Commission meeting, adoption of a $237.25 million budget, and the denial of a proposed 312-unit apartment development. Bojangles opened a new restaurant, while Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings encouraged men to undergo prostate cancer screening.

A discussion about limiting city spending on commissioner-led events descended into accusations, threats of ethics complaints, and warnings of possible lawsuits. Commissioner Nadia Anderson said the proposed guardrails were meant to target her, while other commissioners denied coordinating against her.

The Apopka City Commission unanimously approved a $237.25 million budget and a 4.6761 millage rate for fiscal year 2026-27. The final hearing also revived discussion of forensic audits as commissioners questioned city reserves, impact fees, and future financial reviews.

A proposed 312-unit apartment development at Floridian Town Center must return to Apopka’s Development Review Committee after staff recommended denial because several issues remain unresolved. The DRC also advanced a 78-lot Crossroads at Kelly Park plat and reviewed three upcoming special events.

Three meetings on Wednesday will offer a wide-ranging look at the forces shaping Apopka’s future. City officials will review proposed development, adopt the FY2026-27 budget, and decide whether the Community Redevelopment Agency should receive seven more years to complete its downtown work.

The Apopka City Commission will consider extending the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency and vote on several residential, commercial, and mixed-use development proposals Wednesday evening. The agenda also includes a $400,000 stormwater-planning grant, recreation-complex concessions, and a Fudge Road annexation.

The City of Apopka has issued a precautionary boil-water advisory for several neighborhoods and businesses following a water main break on Welch Road east of Rock Springs Road. Customers should boil water used for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth, or washing dishes until the city lifts the advisory.

This week’s In Case You Missed It highlights competing perspectives on downtown Apopka’s future, including a call for immediate action and a proposal for a civic campus. Other notable stories examine a City Hall workplace investigation, efforts to combat agricultural labor abuses, and increased mosquito surveillance in Orange County.

The Apopka City Commission will hold its final FY2026-27 budget hearing Wednesday after a summer of debate over taxes, services, and deferred needs. The proposed 4.6761-mill rate would restore nearly all of last year’s quarter-mill reduction but remain slightly below the rate adopted two years ago.

The Apopka Development Review Committee will consider plans for apartments at Floridian Town Center and a 78-lot residential plat at Crossroads at Kelly Park. The committee will also review applications for three community events scheduled between October and December.