By Rod Olsen
Editor's Note: Rod Olsen is a former HOA President of Rock Springs Ridge and an Apopka resident who often contributes his opinions at the Apopka City Council meetings during the public comments section and in frequent op/eds to The Apopka Voice. Olsen sent this open letter to members of the Apopka City Council, the Administrator, and the finance director, and it was published in The Apopka Voice with his permission.
City of Apopka Mayor, Commissioners, City Administrator and Finance Director:
Thank you for approving a tentative 4.8399 millage rate. This will allow time to make more informed decisions and provide the opportunity to move the City in a more proactive direction.
In the ten years I have lived in Apopka, the City has primarily demonstrated a reactive mindset—fixing the fence after the cattle are already out of the corral. To grow successfully, we must get in front of potential “opportunities” by moving to a proactive mindset—planning, budgeting, building a quality corral, maintaining it, and monitoring it to ensure the cattle don’t get out!
Quality leadership, open two-way communication, effective planning, and holding people accountable for results are the keys to successful Companies and Cities.
You, the City’s Department Heads, and Staff Members are accountable for results. Establishing a proactive direction requires accountability to begin with the following actions:
- Increase the Development Fees as quickly as possible so that the Developers incur the cost of the utilities, roads, and sidewalks for their new developments.
- Establish a Citizen’s committee to review every budget line item and related expenditures. This committee can present their recommendations by no later than the January 15, 2025 City Council meeting to be incorporated into the 2026 budget process.
- Beginning with the July 2024 financials, implement monthly face-to-face Department Head financial reviews. These reviews will focus responsibility, provide more timely adjustments, serve as the basis for more accurate budgets and reduce the need to be addressed at nearly every City Council meeting.
- Beginning with the August 21, 2024 City Council meeting, institute monthly budget performance reviews to be presented at the 2nd monthly City Council meeting explaining variances of +/- 10% and the action the City is taking to correct the deviation.
- Immediately institute live water meter checks for any significant change in utilization to ensure that no other Resident will receive a $2,600 make-up utility bill.
- By no later than November 6, 2024, present the Camp Wewa break-even plan with timetables to fulfill the promise made to Taxpayers. Thereafter provide quarterly updates at City Council meetings. The Camp Wewa acquisition was made with the understanding that it would pay for itself in a few years. We are 3-years in and break-even does not appear anywhere in the foreseeable future. If it is decided that Camp Wewa will be a loss lead, identify it as such, control the costs and budget accordingly.
- By no later than January 15, 2025, present a 2026 Budget plan that allows all parties, including Taxpayers, adequate time to see, review and have input so as to make for more informed decisions and more accurate budgets.
- By no later than January 15, 2025, present the City’s 20-year Strategic Plan with provisions for annual review in advance of the budget cycle. It is past time that we stop talking about a Strategic Plan and actually establish one.
We are all accountable for our actions and failures. We can all do better. Now is the time to take action.
“Accountability breeds response-ability.” - Stephen R. Covey
If we do not establish goals, objectives, and related timelines and hold people accountable, we will be discussing the same “opportunities” again next year.
Please let me know if there is anything that I can do to assist.
