Ocoee elects new mayor pro tem, sets commission liaisons to boards

The Ocoee Commissioner heard about concerns regarding homelessness from representatives from Matthew's Hope, while also electing a new mayor pro tem and appointing commission liaisons to various boards during their meeting Tuesday, April 6.

Since March 20, 2007, the commission has utilized the policy they put into place over a decade ago to elect the mayor pro tem annually — even in non-election years — by rotating down through the seniority list. This year's title of mayor pro tem went from Commissioner Larry Brinson to Commissioner Rosemary Wilsen.

Also on the regular agenda, the commission appointed themselves as commission liaisons to a number of boards, including: the Parks and Recreation Board, Citizens Advisory Board for the Police Department and the Ocoee Youth Council. The only changes made were Commissioner Oliver making the move from the board for the police to the Human Resources Diversity Board; Commissioner Brinson jumping off the the Personnel Board to the board for police; and Mayor Rusty Johnson switching from the HRDB to the Personnel Board.

The other topic of discussion of the night came during the Comments from Citizens/Public, when Matthew Hope's founder Scott Billue — and others — brought forth their concerns about the homeless boom that has escalated in the last year due to COVID-19, and asked for help from the city. 

To read more about the discussion on homelessness, see next week's issue of the Observer.