With his first 100 days in office under his belt, Mayor Nick Nesta said he is proud of his administration’s movement toward enhanced accessibility and financial well-being. 

“Being able to send back $365,000 back to the taxpayers of their own money in water rate rebates, basically, that was what I was most proud of so far,” he said in an interview with The Apopka Chief on Wednesday, his 100th day as Apopka’s mayor.  

Nesta previously explained in a July 20 Facebook video that water rates were not billed correctly due to faulty water meters, leading to large back bills when the meters were replaced. 

“We don’t believe residents should be unfairly burdened by a problem they didn’t create, and that’s why we at the city of Apopka created an updated back billing policy,” Nesta said in the video. “With the support and approval of our great City Commission, $365,000 has been allocated to provide credits back to affected customers on their water bills.” 

Nesta’s sit-down interview with the Chief came as his administration pivots from a transition footing to long-term planning. He said he expects a meeting Friday will be his last official one with his full transition team, although some will continue wrapping up projects. 

While many projects remain in process, Nesta pointed to some that have already been accomplished, including more open lines of communication and increased transparency at city hall.  

“Our agendas are out a whole week early now, which was a big change from last time,” he said. “Access to city hall is becoming easier and better, which I love, and I want to make sure that this building is something that residents know is theirs.” 

He said key to building transparency in city hall is the new role of the incoming public information director, which will be filled by WKMG News 6 news anchor Steve Montiero, known as “Trooper Steve.”  

Montiero’s salary of $180,000 has sparked criticism, with news outlets comparing it to other area PIOs who earn less. Some speculatedthat other candidates would have accepted the role for less, but Nesta said the salary would have remained the same regardless of who was chosen among the more than 50 applicants.  

“He’s going to be at schools, at churches, at nonprofits, at businesses, marketing all of that, because the whole goal is to create a package of what our city is,” he said. “That’s not just a 40-hour work week and going home. That is nights, weekends, emergencies, hurricanes, all that. He’s going to be here, and his team is going to be here.” 

Montiero is set to start Monday, and Nesta plans to hire a chief of staff in the near future. 

“You have the city administrator that runs the day-to-day stuff,” he said. “They should know every employee, have a personal relationship as much as possible, be meeting with them, having that kind of time. But then also on the chief of staff side, it’s really helping with a higher-level vision setting, making sure that things are getting done, having the meetings that I can’t have, making sure that a vision that was set is now also being implemented as well.” 

Nesta said the biggest transition challenge has been starting from scratch, clearing out outdated equipment, and “no kind of handing on the baton or showing the keys.” 

“The previous administration — and I didn’t find out till weeks after I had gotten sworn in — had kind of gone around and directly told people falsely that I’d created a list of people I was going to fire,” Nesta said. “Probably the first 30 to 45 days was just making sure I can rebuild that trust. Let the employees feel safe in their jobs. Let them know that they’re supported.” 

Nesta also said he is working on reviewing financial data so a forensic audit can be completed in the future. 

“I’m spending a lot of time on making sure that’s done properly,” he said. “What’s happening is we’ve been artificially, and politically motivated, keeping the millage rate low, because it [benefits] property owners.” 

Although the Apopka City Commission voted on July 30 to raise the millage rate by 10% over the rollback rate, Nesta is open to suggestions on what to cut from spending and to “different types of alternative funding.”  

“Is it the government’s job to do parades, to do special events, to do grant funding, all those things? Or do you feel that it’s not that time right now?” Nesta said. “Message us, let us know, and we’ll pivot and remove that from the budget.” 

Nesta asked the community for patience as he completes “background work,” saying “a lot of big changes are about to come.” 

“I’m going to work day and night to make sure that the residents are getting exactly what they need and deserve and what they’re paying for,” Nesta said. “I know that times are tough right now, and I’m doing everything I can to make sure that that is well-known and that we are reducing wherever we can, without reducing service and quality of service to them, and maintain the city that they know and love.”