Lakeland commissioners considered changes to the city’s code enforcement process Monday and approved additional funding for airport improvements. Later, a speaker made remarks about tracking commissioners that one official described as bordering on threatening.
In a presentation that opened the Oct. 19 City Commission meeting, Luis Cruz, Lakeland’s economic development manager, said the city’s population has grown 11% over the past five years.
As of April 1, Lakeland had an estimated 125,267 residents, making it Florida’s 18th-largest incorporated city, according to the newly published 2026 Demographic Guide.
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City Moves Toward Eliminating Code Enforcement Board
A seven-member citizen board that hears Lakeland code enforcement cases could be eliminated under a proposed ordinance introduced Monday. The board oversees unresolved violations involving property maintenance, zoning, garbage storage, and other city codes.
Under the current system, residents can contest an initial hearing officer’s order within 10 days and seek review by the citizen board. The proposal would eliminate that option, leaving circuit court as the formal avenue for appealing a magistrate’s final order.
At Friday’s agenda study meeting, Commissioner Ashley Troutman, a former board chairman, questioned whether a single magistrate would give residents extra time to correct violations when they’re making good-faith efforts. A city legal representative said enforcement staff would continue recommending flexibility.
The commission previously appointed former Lakeland City Attorney Joe Mawhinney as a special magistrate on Oct. 5. City officials said he already serves in that role for six other jurisdictions.
Monday’s proceedings constituted only a first reading, with no vote on adoption. A public hearing and possible final vote are scheduled for Nov. 2.
Airport Expansion Advances Amid Mixed Airline News
Lakeland commissioners unanimously approved an $82,549 state grant agreement Monday toward a $3.3 million expansion of the passenger waiting area at Lakeland Linder International Airport. The city will match the grant, while federal funding covers most of the cost.
In a project update workshop on Friday, Oct. 16, Airport Director Adam Lunn said that the goal is to finish the new passenger waiting area before April’s Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo. The project will add space for departing passengers on the west side of the existing terminal.
Lunn also said the FAA approved a forecast of approximately 520,000 annual departing passengers in 20 years — more than four times the airport’s recent annualized figure of about 122,000.
However, the current Atlanta route illustrates challenges of sustaining that growth: Avelo flights from Lakeland to Atlanta are expected to operate twice weekly during the holidays before being cut from the schedule in January due to insufficient demand, Lunn said on Friday.
Lunn also reported that the airport currently hosts nine flight schools, with little available space for additional operators. Commissioners unanimously approved a three-year lease expanding Legacy’s training facilities, while infrastructure planning continues for KingSky’s development.
$96 Million Sewer Project Advances Amid Cost Questions
A $96.3 million sewer replacement project in southwest Lakeland moved forward Monday, as commissioners unanimously authorized an application for another $20 million in state financing. The aging pipeline carries approximately 3.5 million gallons of wastewater daily through southwest Lakeland.
The Western Trunk sewer project will replace infrastructure dating to the 1980s with a larger 42-inch sewer line, a new pump station, and connecting pipes. The improvements aim to increase capacity and reliability. The pump station is expected to be completed in fall 2027.
At Friday’s agenda study, commissioners questioned why the original $20 million estimate from 2021 had grown so dramatically. Assistant Water Utilities Director Robby Kniss explained that his supervisor at the time pressed him for an estimate despite his request for more time. “I literally put something on a napkin,” Kniss said. Officials also cited inflation and higher material costs.
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Speaker Claims Investigators Are Tracking Commissioners
A man who identified himself only as “Jordin” criticized Lakeland’s Flock license-plate-reading cameras during Monday’s public comment period. He argued that commissioners had approved surveillance of residents without adequate public input. LkldNow confirmed the man as Jordin Keene, who previously spoke at an Aug. 17 meeting.
Keene also claimed he had hired private investigators to follow commissioners for several months, at a cost of $3,600 a week. He argued that having investigators observe public officials was just as legal as the city’s camera surveillance.
“I have a close eye on every single one of you,” he said. Keene also claimed to know where commissioners’ family members worked or attended school and details of their daily routines. His claims were not independently verified. Commissioners did not respond during his remarks.
Afterward, Commissioner Guy LaLonde told LkldNow he respected the speaker’s right to free speech, but said language that sounds “borderline threatening” can be “a little uncomfortable.”
LaLonde said the city operates 29 Flock cameras and acknowledged concerns about Fourth Amendment privacy rights. He also questioned the use and oversight of privately owned surveillance cameras throughout Lakeland.
Read the Oct. 19 City Commission agenda and watch the meeting video.
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