By Joseph Wiedeman, Interning Correspondent for The Apopka Voice
In Summary:
The Apopka City Commission considered whether to limit city staffing and other expenses associated with commissioner-led community events. The discussion intensified after Anderson linked the agenda item to a social media post alleging she wanted city support for a concert at the Apopka Amphitheater. Commissioners Yesenia Baron and Sam Ruth suggested moving the policy discussion to a future budget workshop.
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The Apopka City Commission fell into chaos at its Wednesday meeting after Commissioner Nadia Anderson alleged the commission was formulating an attack agenda against her.
Mayor Nick Nesta introduced the first business item, a discussion of commissioners’ discretionary budgets and possible guardrails for staff spending on community events.
“I was holding a commissioner-led event, but I was then paying for staffing at these different town halls,” Nesta said when introducing the agenda item. “So I asked, and our discretionary fund was updated to allow two community events a year, and so this is to see if there is any intention to put a max spend or a max cost that we are going to allocate for these events.”
The city’s discretionary budgets provide each commissioner with funds for approved public purposes. The budget adopted at the September 2 meeting allocated $5,000 to each commissioner.
Commissioner Sam Ruth added to Nesta’s remarks, saying the money was not intended for commissioners to spend on personal events for friends.
The debate intensified when Anderson responded to Ruth.
“Every time I try to use a resolution, it comes up for review,” Anderson said. “I think it is very strange that just before this council meeting, on a hate page on social media, it talked about discretionary funds and linked me to some form of abuse and that just so happened to be on the agenda.”
Anderson then accused the commission of targeting her, saying the attacks had occurred at every meeting since the new administration took office.
“Let me be clear,” Anderson said. “If the attacks keep happening, there will be ethics complaints. There will be lawsuits filed. It is very disheartening that this council is supporting this attack agenda.”
Anderson went a step further, saying she would seek the phone records of other commissioners.
“Just for the record, I am not aware as to what you are talking about,” Commissioner Yesenia “Jesi” Baron said. “I have utilized my discretionary funds to support our local organizations that are here, so you’re not the only one that is using them. I just want to make sure it’s on the record; please do not include me in that. But I don’t think we should make decisions based on social media.”
Anderson clarified that she was not referring to the commissioners’ discretionary funds and said she had not spent any of hers. She said the issue involved funding for community events at the Apopka Amphitheater.
“People are walking up to me, sending me hate emails and texts,” Anderson continued. “Harassing and stalking my daughter, saying we don't live in the city of Apopka. It’s my life.”
In addition to the $5,000 in discretionary funds allotted to each commissioner, the city budget includes $282,500 for community events and programs.
“I was personally singled out; I have no clue what you’re talking about,” Ruth said. “The records request I made today is for what our discretionary funds are being spent on. Thank you for letting me know there is something else going on.”
Nesta opened the floor to public comment, and longtime Apopka resident Sylvester Hall spoke.
“Whether you like that format or not, that is the people speaking,” Hall said. “When social media speaks, those are the people in your community. I suggest you listen to ’em.”
Commissioner Diane Velazquez then questioned whether the proposed rules specified which facilities and city staffing expenses they would cover.
“[Initially] It really had to do with town hall meetings, and we felt we were not allowing the public input that was important,” Velazquez said. “So when we say city staff, can we specify what does that mean?”
Anderson interjected, saying Velazquez’s comments showed that commissioners had already discussed the proposal, which Anderson characterized as a “hit item.”
“People have obviously got together and have things pre-highlighted, and this is just an example,” Anderson said. “Any policy I want to use, or attempt to use, usually appears at the next meeting as an attack item.”
Nesta responded that the discussion was about a private event for which approximately $13,000 in expenses would be billed to the city. He said the commission had to decide whether the city should cover those costs.
“For me, I feel there should not be a not-to-exceed amount,” Nesta said. “I had to go above and beyond as a commissioner to make sure that our residents were heard, so to feign that you’re a victim of this now is sad at least.”
Nesta said staff needed direction on whether the commission was willing to authorize $13,000 for a private event. Ruth said he previously had no knowledge of the event or the two-event allowance.
“For the record, the request has already been made, so any change to this policy will not affect the request,” Anderson said. “If it does, there will be ethics complaints or lawsuits because that would be straight discrimination.”
Baron and Ruth both said they favored tabling the discussion until a future budget workshop.
Key Points:
- Each commissioner received a $5,000 discretionary budget under the city’s recently approved spending plan.
- The commission also has $282,500 budgeted for community events and programs.
- Mayor Nick Nesta proposed discussing spending limits for staff support at commissioner-led events.
- Anderson alleged that the agenda item was intended to target her and warned of ethics complaints and lawsuits.
- Baron and Ruth supported tabling the broader discussion for a future budget workshop.
This developing story will be updated in future editions of The Apopka Voice.
