City Commission

Why I, Art Gallo, oppose the 23 October 2025 Seminole County Legislative

Delegation’s (SCLD) Local Bill proposed by Representative Plakon to change our City’s

Charter. Here are four reasons for our residents to research:

1. Strong Mayor – A Strong Mayor could have executive and administrative powers

beyond the council’s power, and could become the elected administrator

o Under this concept, the mayor could become the City Manager

o They can Hire/Fire Staff as example which will have major implications:

▪ It will devastate staff morale and result in staff turnovers

▪ It assumes someone on the Dais is qualified and experienced to act

as a City Manager – It took 1.5 years to find & hire Mr. Sweet

o Allows an ordinance to be adopted and codified by the City Commission to

make charter amendments by ordnance with only a majority vote of the dais

2. Not in support of Home Rule as was advertised by Mr. Jesse Phillips in his 21

October 25 article with “The Winter Springs Community Association”, because other

than Mr. Phillips and Mr. Greenberg who are both advocating for this bill, no

residents of our city have had any input into Rep. Plakon’s drafted Local Bill

o Only 2 of the 4 total “SCLD” Yes votes were provided by people who even

represent Winter Springs’ Residents in the Legislature

o Using the data provided by Mr. Greenberg at his public input at the 23

October SCLD meeting that: ~ ”450 respondents” to a survey were in favor

of this. Assuming all of these “respondents” were residents and eligible to

vote, that number is still less than 1.5 percent of the total eligible voting

population of Winter Springs. …Hardly a majority

3. It is not clear that the State Legislature can legally change a city’s charter

o There is no discussion (specific or implied) in the law that states that the

Legislature has the power to submit by Local Bill for Referendum to change a

city’s charter. We can and should legally challenge this in the Florida

Supreme Court. (The Florida League of Cities should be assisting us)

▪ No bill has yet been filed by Rep Plakon, which so far seems to

support my points that this is a terrible idea

4. Finally, this SCLD action bypasses the WS Residents and our Commission

o As an analogy, this is the same as if the Federal Government drafted changes

to the Florida Constitution in the US Congress for the Florida Voters. It would

never happen, yet this is exactly what Representative Plakon is doing

o Elections matter, and who we place on this Dais matters