Mr. Bill Balanoff

Mayor Hal Turville, City of Clermont, called the meeting to order and recognized audience members Mr. Bill Balanoff, Mayor, City of Minneola, and Mr. Jason Yarborough, City Manager, City of Groveland.

Bill Balanoff, Mayor of Minneola, enjoys some Cracker Barrel favorites during the Ribbon Cutting festivities.

Bill Balanoff, MayorPost Office Box 678Minneola, Florida 34755(352) 394-3598

But the vote is more than a technical change -- it's the final stop in a fierce, and sometimes nasty, debate that flared up between the Minneola City Council and Mayor Bill Balanoff.

Last summer, in a strange succession of meetings, the council proposed the city manager measure, killed it and then revived it.It appeared on November's ballot as a nonbinding referendum and passed overwhelmingly 67 percent to 33 percent.Monday's 74 percent-26 percent vote is binding.

In months leading up to the November referendum, tensions took a turn for the worse.Two key staff members quit City Hall after flare-ups with Balanoff, and the City Council called for Balanoff's resignation in October.

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"Mr. Balanoff needs to resign.Period."

Less than a week later, Balanoff said he would not seek re-election in November 2003.He continues to serve as mayor.

Balanoff did not return phone calls on Monday evening.

Not everyone agrees -- especially the man who would be most affected by the switch, the current mayor, Bill Balanoff.

Elected in 2001, Balanoff, who is retired, said he is not overburdened by any responsibilities.

"I'm not saying I'm the best mayor out there," he said."But I'm there almost full-time.I would keep a strong-mayor form of government."

Some large cities, including Orlando, still use that type of government.

Still, Balanoff said, he would not try to block the referendum.

"It's up to the people of Minneola which way they want to go," he said.

City Council member Debbie Veit suggested the referendum at a meeting earlier this month, and Gerken said he hopes to have it drawn up in time for the next regularly scheduled meeting, June 11.

If not, he said, it will be ready by the June 25 meeting.

Not everyone agrees -- especially the man who would be most affected by the switch, the current mayor, Bill Balanoff.

Elected in 2001, Balanoff, who is retired, said he is not overburdened by any responsibilities.

"I'm not saying I'm the best mayor out there," he said."But I'm there almost full-time.I would keep a strong-mayor form of government."

Some large cities, including Orlando, still use that type of government.

Still, Balanoff said, he would not try to block the referendum.

"It's up to the people of Minneola which way they want to go," he said.

City Council member Debbie Veit suggested the referendum at a meeting earlier this month, and Gerken said he hopes to have it drawn up in time for the next regularly scheduled meeting, June 11.

If not, he said, it will be ready by the June 25 meeting.

Before Mayor Bill Balanoff came to office last spring, the city experienced major upheaval, with a string of prominent officials, including the mayor, resigning or being fired.The city appeared without a clear direction.Some wanted to change the city charter from a strong-mayor form of government to a city manager, while others simply wanted to merge with neighboring Clermont.

Today, Minneola officials say they are meeting growth demands.The city made an offer on property off Grassy Lake Road to construct a $16 million sewer plant and a new water plant is online.Densities have been reduced in a particular zoning category from four to three homes per acre and the city passed a grading ordinance in an effort to preserve the region's hills and valleys.