Photo by Dana O'Connor
Key Points
Since being sworn into office in April, I’ve heard from a lot of residents. Some are excited about where Apopka is going, and others are frustrated because they want to see things happen faster. I understand both.
When people vote for change, they expect to see change.
I’ve even heard people say, “Why don’t you just walk in and fire everyone?”
It sounds easy, but then what? Who keeps the city running the next morning? Who handles the projects already underway? Who keeps our water system operating, maintains our parks, pays the bills, answers residents and keeps everything moving?
What I’ve learned is that we have a lot of good employees working for the City of Apopka. Some have dedicated many years to this community. In most cases, they didn’t need to be replaced. They needed better communication, clearer direction and the support to do their jobs.
That doesn’t mean there won’t be changes. There will be.
We are finishing the first level of our reorganization, and the hiring freeze has ended. We have spent these first several months looking at how City Hall operates, who is responsible for what, where we have gaps and where departments need to communicate better.
But I also understand that most residents aren’t worried about an organizational chart. Residents are concerned about what you see when you walk out your front door.
Sidewalks are one example.
We have sidewalks that are cracked, uneven or damaged, and areas where sidewalks are missing altogether. Whether you’re pushing a stroller or simply taking an evening walk, those things matter.
We need to identify the areas that need attention, determine what belongs to the city, prioritize the worst areas and develop a plan instead of waiting for the next complaint.
The same goes for our roads.
Apopka has grown, and we’re feeling that growth. We have roads that need resurfacing, potholes that need attention and areas where our infrastructure has not kept pace with the amount of traffic we’re seeing.
Residents see new homes and businesses being built and ask whether our roads and infrastructure can handle that growth. That’s a fair question.
Traffic is another issue I hear about almost daily. Anyone who drives through Apopka during the morning or afternoon knows what I’m talking about.
Not every road belongs to the city. Some belong to Orange County and others to the state. But telling a resident sitting in traffic that it isn’t our road doesn’t solve anything. We need to work with our partners, identify problem intersections and make sure Apopka is at the table when transportation decisions are made.
Then there is water.
When you pay your utility bill and turn on your faucet, you expect reliable service, good water quality and dependable pressure. That’s reasonable.
We’ve heard the concerns about water pressure, especially in northern Apopka, and concerns about water quality.
Residents deserve to know what the problem is, what can be fixed now, what requires a larger infrastructure investment and what the timeline looks like.
Some water and wastewater projects take time. They require engineering, permitting, funding and construction. But we can do a better job communicating while that work is happening.
I’m not going to tell you everything is perfect in Apopka, because it isn’t.
We’ve got sidewalks to fix, roads to improve, traffic problems to work through, water concerns that need answers and infrastructure that needs long-term planning.
What I can promise is that we’re going to keep asking questions, looking at the numbers and communicating with residents about what we’re finding.
When you elected me mayor, you put your trust in me. I haven’t forgotten that.
Keep asking questions. Keep showing up. Keep holding me and your city government accountable.
There is a lot of work ahead, but there is also a lot to be excited about.
I believe in Apopka, and we’re going to keep working.