Hearing today on bill to give Winter Springs mayor more authority: ‘It’s time for a shakeup’ 

A bill to give more power to the Winter Springs mayor has its second of three committee votes today. 

The state’s Government Operations Subcommittee meets Thursday, Feb. 5 at 12:30 p.m. You can watch a video of the meeting live on The Florida Channel. 

HB 4083 was filed by Rep. Rachel Plakon. If approved by the Florida Legislature and signed by the governor, it would put a charter amendment on the ballot in November 2026 for Winter Springs voters. 

If that amendment passes, it would make the Winter Springs mayor a voting member of the City Commission and would eliminate one City Commission seat by 2028.

“The bill provides that the mayor, who previously had no administrative authority, now has administrative authority over city employees as provided by City charter or ordinance,” an analysis of the bill reads. 

That part – allowing the mayor to have hiring and firing authority over staff with a simple majority vote by the City Commission – is the main alarm cry from opponents to the measure, including the current mayor and most current commissioners. 

Currently, the Winter Springs mayor only votes in the case of a tie, and can veto an ordinance. Current mayor Kevin McCann spoke against the bill at its last committee hearing, saying a charter review process is ongoing.

“This bill circumvents the process already in our charter,” McCann said.

Rep. Rachel Plakon said the charter review McCann talked about has been ongoing.

“That’s something that’s just been talked about for years,” Plakon said. “And it’s time for a shakeup.”

No matter what happens Thursday, the bill will also need to be approved by the State Affairs committee before the full Florida House of Representatives can vote on it.

In October, the first draft of the local bill was sent to Seminole County’s lawmakers. According to the embedded data in the PDF file, Jesse Phillips – a likely candidate for Winter Springs mayor – was the bill’s author. 

Phillips has denied that, saying he “shared ideas” with Rep. Rachel Plakon, who filed the bill (Plakon did not respond to an interview request for this story). Phillips has said he is “being encouraged” to run and is “praying it through.” Close allies have confirmed Phillips plans to run for mayor in 2026.

Thursday’s committee meeting will mark the first time a representative from Seminole County will have a chance to vote on the bill during the session. Rep. Susan Plasensia is on the committee; Plasensia voted in favor of the bill at the Seminole County delegation meeting in October.  

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At the last committee meeting, the bill passed 10-3. The three no votes all came from Democrats. Four lawmakers missed the vote as well. 

See below for a full breakdown of the vote. 

Yes – Dean Black (Republican)

No – Daryl Campbell (Democrat)

Yes – Noan Cobb (Republican)

Yes – Dan Daley (Democrat)

No – Ashley Viola Gantt (Democrat)

Yes – Anne Gerwig (Republican)

Yes – Peggy Gossett-Seidman (Republican)

Yes – Philip Wayne “Griff” Griffitts, Jr. (Republican)

No – Jennifer “Rita” Harris (Democrat)

Yes – Brian Hodgers (Republican)

Yes – Berny Jacques (Republican)

Yes – Kim Kendall (Republican)

Yes – Kiyan Michael (Republican)

(missed) Chad Johnson (Republican) 

(missed) Jeff Holcomb (Republican)

(missed) Lisa Dunkley (Democrat)

(missed) Ryan Chamberlin (Republican)

Abe Aboraya is a Report for America corps member