Minneola Mayor Pat Kelley provided an overview of the state of the City of Minneola at the South Lake Chamber of Commerce Breakfast on Thursday, July 20 at Sterling Event Venue, located at 20524 CR 455, Minneola.
Mayor Kelly’s primary focus during the presentation was on Minneola Mountain Properties.
The City of Minneola established the Minneola Mountain Properties Community Redevelopment Agency in February 2013 and directed that a redevelopment plan be prepared. This plan evaluates the redevelopment’s physical and economic conditions and the community’s current challenges and development opportunities. The plan focuses on the transportation infrastructure, related support facilities, and the positive economic impact that an expanded transportation system and turnpike interchange would bring to the properties in the Redevelopment Area, the City of Minneola, and the region.
A few of the city projects discussed:
New Businesses
- Build the largest brewery in the state (Crooked Can Brewery)
Crooked Can Brewing Company will build a facility (approximately 35,000 sq ft) with a tap room, food hall, brewery, event space and headquarters. The facility will break ground once receiving approvals from the City of Minneola. The project will start in 2024 and open in 2025.
- Build a lifestyle center and town center
- Chipotle Mexican Grill is close to opening at Hills Crossing on Hancock Road in Minneola.
Parks and Recreation:
- Recycle the old City Hall into a new library
- Convert the Minneola Schoolhouse Library into a senior center with a museum and bookstore.
- Expand the parks system by acquiring approximately 60 acres of land.
- Expand the Minneola Athletic Complex.
Transportation
- Extend Citrus Grove Road and build a bridge across the Turnpike
- Widen Hancock Road
- Add a turn lane on Education Avenue
- Construct a right-turn lane on Lake Minneola Shores onto Highway 27.
Public Safety
- Design and construct a new 11,000 sq ft public safety building
Minneola’s goal is to complete the project without incurring additional debt or burdening the residents with increased taxes.
The discussion included Kevin Skorman of Skorman Development, LLC; Tara Tedrow, Lowndes Law Firm; Rebekekh Hurd, Director of Government Advocacy/Advent Health; Andy Sheeter, CEO of The Sheeter Group (Crooked Can; and J.R. Wright Jr., Principal and Co-Founder, Strategic Real Estate Partners.
The Minneola City Council include Mayor Pat Kelley, Pam Serviss, Debbie Flinn, Erick Hernandez, and Joe Saunders. City Manager, Mark Johnson. Learn more about the City of Minneola by visiting https://www.minneola.us
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Mayor Kelley began his career in public service by serving on Minneola’s planning and zoning commission. He was then elected as a council member in 2007 and then elected mayor in 2009. He has served as the chair of the Lake-Sumter M.P.O., Board of Directors of the Florida League of Mayors as well as various other boards and committees.
During his time in office, taxes have continually been reduced and all general fund and water fund debts have been eliminated.
Mayor Kelley holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and 5th year in accounting from Florida Southern, a master’s degree in management information systems from Florida Tech, and an M.B.A. from Stetson University. He has worked in the field of finance/data intelligence for a Fortune 50 company for almost 35 years. Mayor Kelley has been teaching system design and applications at Valencia College for 25 years.
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The Main Event Sponsor of the breakfast was the President of the Frankie Valente Scholarship Fund, Tony Valente.
Co-Sponsor of the event was Robert McCue, Principal for the Wesley Christian Academy and Rebekah Hurd of AdventHealth.
