Lakeland’s city commissioners did something unusual last week — they talked with each other.
Florida’s Sunshine Law bars commissioners from discussing city business with each other outside of public meetings. However, public meetings usually focus narrowly on the action items of the day, leaving little time for brainstorming or collaborating. So it was a new feeling when the seven commissioners, including the mayor, spent the entire day Thursday with a moderator discussing their priorities, frustrations and visions for the city — many of which involved roads, traffic and aging infrastructure.
The session, which was live-streamed, was held about six weeks before the city’s annual two-day budget retreat, in which department heads give presentations about successes in the previous year and plans for the future.
The new pre-retreat visioning session was added after several city commissioners complained during City Manager Shawn Sherrouse’s performance review last year that they didn’t have enough opportunities to discuss their own goals during prior retreats, which were highly scripted.
In describing the change, Sherrouse said: “Staff is absent — we don’t have the department heads and the assistant department heads and other related staff that have been involved in Day One previously … though, I can assure you, they are all watching and listening. Today is really intended for staff and the public to sit back and listen to the commission.”
Former Tampa mayor: Unite around a goal and pursue it relentlessly
The morning kicked off with a 45-minute presentation from former Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, who talked about how Tampa revitalized its downtown during his two terms as mayor. As a strong mayor, who operates a little like a governor or president, he led the Tampa City Commission to concentrate on developing the riverfront area, which turned into a successful area for businesses, restaurants, shops and condominiums.
Buckhorn said a large part of the city’s success was partnerships, especially with Jeff Vinik, billionaire owner of the Tampa Bay Lightning and former principal of the commercial real estate firm Strategic Property Partners. He described Vinik as “the best wingman a mayor could ever have and a wonderful corporate citizen.”
Buckhorn encouraged Lakeland’s commissioners to think about where they wanted Lakeland’s “riverfront” to be and which strategic partners could help make it happen. “What I have found, certainly in Tampa, is the corporate community — if they know where you’re going, if they believe in it — they want to be helpful. They want their cities to succeed.”
He said Lakeland is competing with other towns to attract businesses, talent and jobs, likening it to a boxing match.
“If you don’t get up every day, put the eye-black on and get ready to hit somebody, shame on you because that’s what it’s all about,” Buckhorn said. “It’s all about competition. Because if you are not growing, you’re going to die. So, it’s important that you think about where it is that you want to go as a community and retaining your authenticity.”
Lakeland does not have a strong mayor form of government. Mayor Bill Mutz takes charge of meetings and ensures that everyone follows Robert’s Rules of Order, but he is one of seven commissioners and has the same voting power as the others.
Mutz praised Buckhorn, saying, “We have a hero in our midst in terms of vision, and someone who is absolutely relentless and present to make that happen. This is an extremely unusual individual, and I don’t mean that lightly.”
However, Mutz added, “I do believe there is a period of time and growth and size that our form of government is an absolute benefit over a strong mayor, and I think we’re in that mode now. The key in this relationship is that the commission and the city staff work well together while we’re in this size and modality.”
He said one benefit is continuity over time, with consistency of message and staff even as elected officials change — including Mutz himself, who told LkldNow he does not plan to run for a third term next year.
Sherrouse hired a new facilitator to run the strategic retreat this year after complaints about the previous one. Merrill Stewart, CEO of Marketing & Business Solutions based in St. Petersburg, had city commissioners briefly voice their vision of the city and what they wanted to leave to their children and grandchildren.
Mayor Bill Mutz
Mutz said in terms of strategic partners, he is extremely grateful for all Publix has done for Lakeland for decades in terms of leadership, generosity and philanthropy. He said city leaders must continue with the revitalization of downtown, but in an intelligent way that lets developers know what is allowable and that prioritizes connecting the various areas.
Mutz said that while Lakeland truly needs to address infrastructure issues, he wants the city to retain what is difficult to reproduce anywhere else and encompasses the city’s heritage.
“My vision is that we work increasingly to remain people-centric, opportunity-centric, diversity-tolerant and honor everyone,” said Mutz.
He also acknowledged that, although the city wants an innovation district near Florida Polytechnic University, much of it sits on land that the city doesn’t own or control. The commission is not sure what Williams Acquisition Holding Co. LLC., is willing to do with the nearly 5,000-acre tract it has owned for more than two decades. Recently, though, the city has been in fruitful talks with Williams.
In December, the City Commission voted unanimously to allow a solar power generation facility as a conditional use on 2,044 acres of marshy land east of State Road 33 and North Combee Road and south of University Boulevard.
Commissioner Chad McLeod
Commissioner Chad McLeod said he was inspired by how Tampa transformed its riverfront.
McLeod said his vision is a revitalized downtown, from Downtown West and the RP Funding Center to East Main Street.
The City Commission and the Community Redevelopment Agency engaged a consultant to make a strategic plan for “Downtown West” — the area west of South Florida Avenue to Lake Beulah Drive, including Bonnet Springs Park and the RP Funding Center. The plan emphasizes nurturing and reconnecting neighborhoods that currently are divided by George Jenkins Boulevard, Kathleen Road and the CSX Railroad.
“We’re on that path, but I think over the next three to five years, it’s close enough that it’s possible that we can continue and reach that,” McLeod said.
Commissioner Bill Read
Commissioner Bill Read said his focus is on Dixieland and the area around it.
“I think we need to prioritize our lakes and what we can do to enhance the utilization for the general public,” Read said. “Also I think it’s imperative that we focus on our university in the northeast corner and do what we can in that area to help spur them on into getting riders and more university industries up that way.”
Read also wants the city to work on road infrastructure “to make it more palatable for everyone to get around and we may have to do some fast-moving traffic,” hinting at possible increased busing or maybe light rail.
“I’m not sure what we can do about that,” he said. “Everybody’s used to their cars and it’s going to be hard to negate them from doing that.”
Commissioner Stephanie Madden
Commissioner Stephanie Madden said she wants to move some events to other areas of the city and for the city to continue to develop an innovation district adjoining Florida Poly.
“We see that we’ll have 30,000 people come for a big parade or for our Saturday markets, so I would like to leverage those community events to highlight Florida Poly have a 5K out there or have a community event somehow out in that area,” Madden said. “Have Dixieland alley activation events or signage across the thoroughfare so that people look at the signage instead of the cement barricades and think about the road diet … I know that when the city gets together and puts on events that’s one of the things that is authentically Lakeland that people love about Lakeland that I think we should do more of to focus on some of these areas in our strategic plan.”
Commissioner Sara Roberts McCarley
Commissioner Sara Roberts McCarley also talked about infrastructure needs and connecting neighborhoods to one another.
“I mean connectivity physically — with our infrastructures, pathways — so we have vibrant, connected communities-within-a-community, so downtown is connected to Downtown West to where its walkable, it’s bikeable, it’s traversable with multi modes of transportation,” McCarley said.
She added that the commission needs to understand that “there are wonderful residents of Lakeland — some of whom are brand new that we don’t know yet, and some who’ve been here multi generations — that we want to weave that all together. So we want to have a collective group that everyone’s proud to be here, everyone loves Lakeland, and everyone’s getting what they need where they are.”
Commissioner Mike Musick
Commissioner Mike Musick said while it’s great to discuss visions and share constituents’ ideas, he is a pragmatist. “At the end of it, I want to make sure that I feel that I’ve done all I can to make sure that there’s a plan behind that to push it where it needs to go.”
Musick said growth is one of the city’s biggest challenges and constituents reach out to him daily to say “enough is enough,” but Lakeland cannot bar people from flocking here.
“I don’t have a stop sign that I can put out there that’s going to work,” he said. So the only alternative is to listen compassionately and manage the growth as wisely as possible.
Musick noted that Publix has purchased multiple buildings downtown for its information technology (IT) campus, and that needs to be considered when formulating a vision for downtown.
“What do we need to do to continue to get with these stakeholders and grow and bring other people down(town)?” Musick asked. “Let’s create that as a vision, as a focal point like the riverwalk areas, so that everything starts there and how is it touching that, how’s that improving? And that’s everywhere, that touches every single district and how do we do that and include everybody at the same time?”
Commissioner Guy LaLonde Jr.
Finally, Commissioner Guy LaLonde Jr. spoke. “Well, I’m the new guy, so all of this that I’m hearing from my fellow commissioners is fantastic, and I agree with all of it. It’s an exciting time to be on the commission.”
LaLonde said his priorities include infrastructure, increasing density in the city’s core, improving connectivity between neighborhoods and the revitalization of Munn Park.
“But I believe to truly move forward, we’re going to have to address homelessness,” he said. “And changing the stigma of mass transit, instead of being just maybe a social service, to more of a way of actually moving and navigating through downtown more expediently.”
One word to describe Lakeland
Stewart asked the commissioners to use one word to describe Lakeland today. The rapid-fire responses included: community, lakes, caring, congested, challenged, diverse businesses, growing, changing, hopeful, swans, intentional, chrysalis, arboretum and home.
Then she asked them to describe the city’s future. All the words were positive: prosperity, thriving, peaceful, connected, unified, opportunities, encompassing, innovative, inclusive, refreshing and vibrant.
The rest of the day was broken up into discussions of target areas including infrastructure, economic development, public safety and the city’s culture.
The next part of the strategic planning retreat is scheduled for May 13 and 14 at the city-owned RP Funding Center.
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Lakeland doesn’t want to be like Tampa. We like Lakeland with the small town charm. That’s why we chose to live here instead of Tampa or Orlando. Why do you insist on changing it to be like the larger congested cities?
Lakeland needs more activity, more recreational parks for children , more side walks for taking strolls outside of your own communities. more use of the already beautiful lakes/parks. how about event’s being held there free concerts , fairs , and flea markets , and a few more places for nite life entertainment. Lakeland is pretty but it’s being out paced in all these areas by the other cities I’m only here two years and really don’t like having to drive to orlando or tampa to enjoy a night out. Yes even as a new resident for only 2 years I can see the population increasing , that said this city still has some small town feel which is still appreciated but inevitably this will soon change and we should be ready for the change..let’s go commisioners !!!
Lakeland is a great small city. However because of the population boom Lakeland does have to continue to grow a little. I totally agree with what the ex-Mayor of Tampa said; if your city isn’t growing, it’s dying. I think Lakeland can have growth and still keep that small city charm. One of the ways to do that is to think about what demographics you want to attract to the downtown. Young families is a great demographic to attract. The parks and playgrounds in Lakeland are a great family attraction but I think some planning could also bring young families downtown more often. Perhaps some fun educational activities like a Discovery Station. A place where parents can bring their kids to experience a whole host of hands-on activities like science labs and such. The possibilities of something like that would be endless. I think what makes a city feel charming is the people and I think Lakeland has a wonderful opportunity to manage the new growth to continue making Lakeland a great place to live, work and visit.