Over the last several months, I have spent a great deal of time reviewing our 2026–2031 Strategic Plan, meeting with employees and department leaders, and taking a closer look at how our city government is organized. 

The Strategic Plan gives us a roadmap for where Apopka needs to go. Now we have to make sure we have an organization capable of getting us there. 

That is why one of the most important things we are working on during the current hiring pause is a new organizational chart for the City of Apopka. 

An organizational chart may sound like boxes and lines on a piece of paper, but it is much more than that. It establishes responsibility. It determines who is accountable, who reports to whom, how departments communicate and ultimately how decisions move through City Hall. 

Apopka has grown significantly, and in many ways, our organizational structure has not grown with it. Responsibilities have become spread across different areas, departments at times operate in silos, and it is not always clear who owns a project or decision. 

Before we fill positions, create new ones or continue existing ones, we need to determine what the organization should look like. 

We are looking at every department and asking some basic questions. Is there a clear chain of command? Do our directors have the right responsibilities? Are we duplicating work? Most importantly, do we have the right people in the right places? 

This is not about personalities or changing titles for the sake of change. It is about building an organization around the needs of Apopka today while preparing for the Apopka we know is coming. 

Our population has grown. Development continues. Infrastructure needs are increasing. Residents expect better access to information and faster service. Businesses expect usto be responsive. Our employees deserve a structure that clearly defines their responsibilities and gives them the leadership and tools they need to succeed. 

The new organizational structure must also create accountability. 

When a major project begins, someone needs to own it. When money is budgeted, someone needs to be accountable for how it is spent. When we establish a goal, someone needs to be responsible for moving it forward and reporting on its progress. 

Accountability does not mean micromanaging employees. It means setting expectations, giving people the ability to do their jobs, then measuring the results. 

And that accountability starts at the top. 

As mayor, I am responsible for making sure the organization works for our residents and that the priorities we establish don’t just become another report sitting on a shelf. 

The Strategic Plan identifies priorities involving infrastructure, organizational health, economic vitality, public safety, communication, community engagement and quality of life. Those priorities cannot live separately from the people responsible for carrying them out. 

The organizational chart and Strategic Plan have to work together. 

If something is a priority for Apopka, we need to know where it belongs within the organization, who owns it and how we are going to measure progress. 

Reorganization should not be viewed as a negative. We have talented people throughout this city. Part of this process is identifying strengths and making sure employees are positioned where they have the best opportunity to succeed. 

When the hiring pause ends, I want us to be able to explain why a position is needed, where it belongs, who it reports to, and how it helps accomplish our priorities. 

That is responsible government. 

This reorganization will not solve every challenge overnight. There will be adjustments, and as Apopka continues to grow, our organization will have to evolve with it. 

Our goal is to build a better city government, one with the right people in the right places, clear lines of responsibility, better communication and accountability from the Mayor’s Office. 

We have a lot of work ahead of us, and I am confident we are moving in the right direction.