George Oliver III, Rosemary Wilsen sworn in as Ocoee City Commissioners

Ocoee City Commissioners Rosemary Wilsen, representing District 2, and George Oliver III, representing District 4, were officially sworn into office at a ceremony prior to the beginning of the March 18 City Commission meeting. 

Wilsen, who ran unopposed, was joined by her daughter and husband as she took the oath, while Oliver, who defeated Ages Hart to reclaim the District 4 seat for a fourth time, hosted supporters, local leaders and a host of his Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity brothers for a pre-ceremony celebration and call for unity after a contentious campaign.

“We have to be able to truly embrace the spirit of forgiveness, regardless of whatever someone has done to us,” Oliver said to the crowd before his swearing in. “We are responsible for how we treat others, not how they treat us. We are responsible for that, and this is the road toward unifying. When we all start to realize that it’s about forgiveness and coming together as a community, then we can start down … the journey of unity, the journey of grace, the journey of giving one another the benefit of the doubt and extending grace to one another. The same grace that God gives us every single day.”

Forest Lake Golf Course

By a 3-2 vote, the commission approved a special meeting at 5:15 p.m. Thursday, March 27, to vote on an update to the seventh amendment of the ground lease agreement between the city and Forest Lake Golf Club LLLP that would formalize a mediated settlement agreed by the two parties. This would result in Forest Lake Golf Club ceasing operation of all aspects of the golf club and facilities located on a city-owned land at close of business April 30. 

As part of the same motion made by Wilsen, the commission also authorized city staff to release a request for proposal to solicit Forest Lake Golf Club LLLP’s replacement as permanent operator of the golf course. 

Following the vote, the commission was asked to select an interim operator from three local vendors — Down to Earth, Hampton Golf and Tamarack Golf — to take over the course’s operations from May 1 to Nov. 2, when a permanent replacement operator is chosen via the RFP process. However, the commission instead voted unanimously to delay the vote until the March 27 special meeting due to a lack of information they deemed vital for a decision. 

In other news

• During the staff report and agenda review section of the March 18 Ocoee City Commission meeting, City Manager Craig Shadrix requested and received approval for the removal of item No. 5 — which would have authorized city staff to execute agreements for the installation of a second celebratory Centennial mural on the side of the building at the northeast corner of the Bluford Avenue and McKey Street intersection — from the regular agenda because of an existing code violation at the location. The item will be brought back to the commission once the property is in compliance with city code.    The commission appointed District 2 City Commissioner Rosemary Wilsen as mayor pro tem — replacing District 1 City Commissioner Scott Kennedy, who served in the role in 2024. Since 2007, the mayor pro tem — which is a vice-mayor role that sees the elected person would serve as acting mayor in the absence of the actual mayor — rotates between the commissioners annually.
• In accordance with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement regulations, which states that state or local police officers must go through immigration enforcement training and be 287(g) deputized to enforce Form I-205 administrative arrest warrants issued by ICE, the commission approved the Ocoee Police Department’s request to have one sworn officer become 287(g) deputized to comply with the 287 (g) Task Force Model Memorandum of Agreement.
• The commission unanimously approved assignments of commission liaisons to various city boards, maintaining the same assignments from 2024 for 2025. Mayor Rusty Johnson will continue serving as the liaison for the Human Relations Diversity Board and the Personnel Board. Commissioner Kennedy will remain the Citizens Advisory Board for the Police Department and MetroPlan Orlando Municipal Advisory Committee liaison. Commissioner Richard Firstner will serve as the Citizens Advisory Board for the Fire Department liaison, while Commissioner George Oliver III will remain the liaison for the Education Incentive Board. Shadrix will serve as liaison for the West Orange Chamber of Commerce.