Cocoa’s records on money for Junny Rios Martinez Park, repairs at Stradley Park and the FY2027 tax rate, from a 3–2 split in July to a final rate the chair announced as unanimous. Updated with the August minutes.

This article covers City of Cocoa records from 26 April 2021 to 13 October 2026. Council minutes, signed or in draft, run through the meeting of 25 August 2026. [Draft minutes, 11 Aug 2026 (packet of 13 Oct 2026, p. 11); Draft minutes, 25 Aug 2026 (packet of 13 Oct 2026, p. 37)] For 8, 9, 22 and 23 September and 13 October the archive holds agendas or packets and recordings, but no minutes. [Meeting page, 8 Sep 2026; Meeting page, 9 Sep 2026; Meeting page, 22 Sep 2026; Meeting page, 23 Sep 2026; Meeting page, 13 Oct 2026]

Money set aside before 2026

On 26 April 2021 the Council voted 4–0 to fund a splash pad ($675,000) and a new pavilion ($85,000) at Junny Rios Martinez Park; in the signed minutes an earlier “(5-0)” and the name “Koss” are struck through. [Minutes, 26 Apr 2021, p. 15] At the September 2024 budget hearing, the minutes record Councilmember Patricia Weeks saying that the splash pad “was done away with” and asking what happened to the extra money; City Manager Stockton Whitten “advised that it can be used however Council decides.” [Minutes, 17 Sep 2024, p. 4] On 18 February 2025 the Council voted 5–0 to approve a Stradley Park football-field concession project, with the County contributing $284,000 and the City $335,300. [Minutes, 18 Feb 2025, p. 6] In January 2026 the City’s budget rolled forward $85,000 and $553,458 as “Junny Rios Park Improvements - Roll.” [Packet, 13 Jan 2026, packet p. 758; Packet, 25 Aug 2026, packet p. 664; Packet, 25 Aug 2026, packet p. 665]

Spring 2026: a sign, four septic systems and $300,000

On 10 March Councilmember Lavander Hearn proposed an LED message board at Helow Park and asked about money left over from the Junny Rios splash pad; Finance Director Rebecca Bowman said she did not know the exact number but “it is around $600,000.” [Minutes, 10 Mar 2026, p. 4; Minutes, 10 Mar 2026, p. 5] Weeks said she would not vote for the sign if the funding came from her district, and Councilmember Lorraine Koss said she favored the sign but did not agree with where the funding was coming from. [Minutes, 10 Mar 2026, p. 6] The Council tabled the item 3–2, with Mayor Michael C. Blake, Weeks and Koss in favor and Deputy Mayor Alex Goins and Hearn against. [Minutes, 10 Mar 2026, p. 6] Afterwards Goins said choosing the funding source was the Council’s job, and Hearn said “the Council that sat previously” had put the money there and he wanted the sign “with hurricane season quickly approaching.” [Minutes, 10 Mar 2026, p. 6]

On 24 March Weeks brought a list of improvements for Junny Rios — shade structures, outdoor exercise equipment, and playground equipment with rubber mulch — and said she had priced most of the items at under $30,000. [Minutes, 24 Mar 2026, p. 6] After Whitten asked for time to bring back quotes, the Council voted 5–0, on her motion, to table it. [Minutes, 24 Mar 2026, p. 6; Minutes, 24 Mar 2026, p. 7]

On 29 April, according to the signed minutes, Hearn called the board a priority, wanting it soon “especially with hurricane season coming up”; Koss and Weeks objected to taking the funds from Junny Rios, and Goins wanted the Council, not staff, to identify the funds. [Minutes, 29 Apr 2026, p. 3] The Council approved the board 3–2, Blake, Goins and Hearn in favor and Koss and Weeks against. [Minutes, 29 Apr 2026, p. 4] A City budget worksheet later shows $63,235 for “2 LED MESSAGE BOARD (JRP)” taken on 4 June from the account that carried the Junny Rios rollover, citing the 29 April minutes. [Packet, 25 Aug 2026, packet p. 665; Packet, 25 Aug 2026, packet p. 664] Whitten put a pavilion, previously $94,000, at likely $150,000 and the Junny Rios total at “roughly around $234,000”; the Council then voted 5–0, on Weeks’s motion, to approve “spending up to $300,000 for items at Junny Rios Park.” [Minutes, 29 Apr 2026, p. 4; Minutes, 29 Apr 2026, p. 5]

At the same meeting Whitten said the Health Department had advised that the Stradley Park concession could no longer be used and that all four septic systems would need replacing at roughly $30,000 each. [Minutes, 29 Apr 2026, p. 6] On Koss’s motion the Council voted 5–0 to approve the four replacements and directed staff “to look for the funding, possibly from Junny Rios.” [Minutes, 29 Apr 2026, p. 6]

On 19 May Whitten reported that three of the four Stradley systems had failed inspection, an immediate need of roughly $32,000, or roughly $75,000 with the fourth. [Minutes, 19 May 2026, p. 5] Ms. Bowman said the money would come from “an assigned fund balance of 2 million that was part of the septic to sewer for that area,” and the Council voted 5–0 to replace the four systems and put the remaining dollars aside “for future needs at Stradley Park.” [Minutes, 19 May 2026, p. 6; Minutes, 19 May 2026, p. 7]

July: the tax rate

At a budget workshop on 7 July the City’s consultant, Stantec, recommended no millage rate increase, a 3% fire assessment increase, a 2% stormwater increase and no water and sewer increase. [Minutes, 7 Jul 2026, p. 3] Blake, Goins and Hearn agreed that staff prepare the budget on that basis; Koss and Weeks “were not in favor.” [Minutes, 7 Jul 2026, p. 4] Blake spoke about “the rollback vs. getting projects completed,” noting projects in the queue, and Goins said that if the City rolled back, “we might hurt the projects we want.” [Minutes, 7 Jul 2026, p. 4; Minutes, 7 Jul 2026, p. 5] Weeks said she had heard that people want some relief and “believes they deserve a break”; Koss said she favored the rollback rate, “that it would be attractive to the area.” [Minutes, 7 Jul 2026, p. 4]

On 28 July Ms. Bowman said the FY2027 budget had been prepared at the current rate, 6.9532 mills; moving to the rolled-back rate, 6.8648, would require cutting $172,953. [Draft minutes, 28 Jul 2026 (packet of 22 Sep 2026, p. 20)] According to the draft minutes, Koss said “the citizens are hurting,” that cuts are policy decisions best left to the City Manager, and that $173,000 “is not going to break the city”; Weeks said “Her district pays the most taxes and covers the gaps for the areas that don’t pay as much.” [Draft minutes, 28 Jul 2026 (packet of 22 Sep 2026, p. 20); Draft minutes, 28 Jul 2026 (packet of 22 Sep 2026, p. 21); Draft minutes, 28 Jul 2026 (packet of 22 Sep 2026, p. 22)] Mayor Blake asked Weeks and Koss whether they were prepared to tell police, firefighters and other union members they would not get a raise this year, and asked Goins and Hearn whether they would make cuts from their districts: “In response, they both stated no.” [Draft minutes, 28 Jul 2026 (packet of 22 Sep 2026, p. 21)] Blake then “stated that if Council goes back to the rolled-back rate then the cuts should come from Districts 3 and 4.” [Draft minutes, 28 Jul 2026 (packet of 22 Sep 2026, p. 21)] Whitten said it “would not be fair or ethical for him to decide which Districts are going to receive cuts,” and Weeks said that “to imply that Council doesn’t care about the employees is not true.” [Draft minutes, 28 Jul 2026 (packet of 22 Sep 2026, p. 21)] Goins said “Council is the boss” of the City Manager and should direct him. [Draft minutes, 28 Jul 2026 (packet of 22 Sep 2026, p. 21)] Hearn did not want services to “decrease over $173,000”; asked what property owners would save, Whitten said none, “because the County is raising their tax rates.” [Draft minutes, 28 Jul 2026 (packet of 22 Sep 2026, p. 22)] Goins said he did not want to pay more, but “if $25 or $50 makes a difference in his city, then he is willing to do it.” [Draft minutes, 28 Jul 2026 (packet of 22 Sep 2026, p. 22)] The Council voted 5–0 to establish the rolled-back rate of 6.8648 (Resolution 2026-053) and 3–2 to propose 6.9532, on a motion by Blake seconded by Goins, with Koss and Weeks voting no. [Draft minutes, 28 Jul 2026 (packet of 22 Sep 2026, p. 22); Draft minutes, 28 Jul 2026 (packet of 22 Sep 2026, p. 23)] These drafts were on the 22 September agenda; the City has not posted approved minutes, and that recording has a motion to approve them and a voice vote in passages marked not verified. [Packet, 22 Sep 2026, packet p. 1; Recording, 22 Sep 2026, 0:01:33; Recording, 22 Sep 2026, 0:01:48; Recording, 22 Sep 2026, 0:01:50]

August: the assessments are set

The draft minutes of 11 August record the Council approving, 5–0, preliminary FY2027 assessment resolutions for fire protection (Resolution 2026-061) and stormwater (Resolution 2026-062). [Draft minutes, 11 Aug 2026 (packet of 13 Oct 2026, p. 17); Draft minutes, 11 Aug 2026 (packet of 13 Oct 2026, p. 18); Draft minutes, 11 Aug 2026 (packet of 13 Oct 2026, p. 19)] Ms. Bowman said the 3% fire increase approved on 7 July would yield “approximately $4.08 million in gross revenue, funding about 41% of the Fire Department’s FY2027 budget,” and the 2% stormwater increase an estimated $2.49 million gross. [Draft minutes, 11 Aug 2026 (packet of 13 Oct 2026, p. 17); Draft minutes, 11 Aug 2026 (packet of 13 Oct 2026, p. 19)] On 25 August the Council adopted the final fire assessment resolution (2026-064) and the final stormwater resolution (2026-065), each 5–0, according to the draft minutes. [Draft minutes, 25 Aug 2026 (packet of 13 Oct 2026, p. 42); Draft minutes, 25 Aug 2026 (packet of 13 Oct 2026, p. 43)] Neither August draft mentions Junny Rios Martinez Park, Stradley Park or the millage rate. Both were on the 13 October agenda; that recording has a motion to approve them and a voice vote, but the motion’s wording and the result are in passages marked not verified, and no signed minutes are posted. [Packet, 13 Oct 2026, packet p. 1; Recording, 13 Oct 2026, 0:02:42; Recording, 13 Oct 2026, 0:02:59; Recording, 13 Oct 2026, 0:03:06; Recording, 13 Oct 2026, 0:02:55; Recording, 13 Oct 2026, 0:03:11]

8 September: when to take up the item

Where the recording is cited: from the meeting recording only; the City has not yet posted minutes for this meeting.

On 8 September, the night before the first budget hearing, a council member moved to bring the Junny Rios item forward to that night’s agenda, saying “I asked repeatedly for it to get moved to tonight” and that “it should be on tonight’s agenda, not under budget.” [Recording, 8 Sep 2026, 0:03:47; Recording, 8 Sep 2026, 0:04:00; Recording, 8 Sep 2026, 0:04:19] Another council member said “I’m not in favor of the” Junny Rios project “at this point” and asked first to “at least come up with a plan” for conditions the member called “very bad.” [Recording, 8 Sep 2026, 0:15:59; Recording, 8 Sep 2026, 0:16:11; Recording, 8 Sep 2026, 0:16:23] The chair, saying “I would prefer waiting for tomorrow,” announced the result of the motion to amend the agenda: “Nays have it unanimous, excuse me, majority.” [Recording, 8 Sep 2026, 0:10:56; Recording, 8 Sep 2026, 0:32:27]

9 September: the first budget hearing

Where the recording is cited: from the meeting recording only; the City has not yet posted minutes for this meeting.

The agenda asked the Council for direction “on which improvements to proceed with at Junny Rios Martinez Park.” [Packet, 9 Sep 2026, packet p. 1] A staff memo dated 5 August priced the full list at $427,000, or $447,000 with a $20,000 contingency. [Packet, 9 Sep 2026, packet p. 169] Staff recommended $361,000 of it — exercise equipment, climbing structure, a $194,000 pavilion and contingency — and not the shade or the rubber mulch. [Packet, 9 Sep 2026, packet p. 169] It put the remaining Junny Rios balance at $575,223; the City’s worksheet as of 31 July shows the $638,458 rolled forward in January less $63,235 for the LED boards. [Packet, 9 Sep 2026, packet p. 170; Packet, 25 Aug 2026, packet p. 665] The final-hearing packet confirms the Council adopted a tentative rate of 6.9532 (Resolution 2026-071) and tentative budget (Resolution 2026-072) that night. [Packet, 23 Sep 2026, packet p. 7; Packet, 23 Sep 2026, packet p. 6]

A reduced Junny Rios package of $162,500, including a $15,000 contingency, was moved; the chair described it as a motion “made by Councilwoman Weeks” (from the meeting recording). [Recording, 9 Sep 2026, 2:52:42; Recording, 9 Sep 2026, 2:53:11; Recording, 9 Sep 2026, 2:53:02; Recording, 9 Sep 2026, 2:55:22] A council member speaking for it said the funds had been allocated for the park for four years, that it was “the only park in my district,” and that it is “the park closest to the train station.” [Recording, 9 Sep 2026, 2:57:23; Recording, 9 Sep 2026, 2:59:02] A council member who opposed it, citing “what we heard tonight,” said “I know originally this wasn’t on our forecast. We didn’t predict those conditions” and “So I will be a no vote on this.” [Recording, 9 Sep 2026, 2:54:00; Recording, 9 Sep 2026, 2:54:17; Recording, 9 Sep 2026, 2:54:38] The chair announced the result as “Three, two, nay.” [Recording, 9 Sep 2026, 2:59:48]

The chair then announced “a motion on the floor by Councilman Hearn to allocate the funding” (from the meeting recording); the mover had described it as “the funding that was left,” for whatever “the city manager and his staff bring forward.” [Recording, 9 Sep 2026, 3:01:08; Recording, 9 Sep 2026, 3:00:02; Recording, 9 Sep 2026, 3:00:32] The words naming Stradley in this motion are in passages marked not verified. [Recording, 9 Sep 2026, 3:00:24] The mover amended the motion “to keep the recommendation for the grills on there,” and the chair announced: “Let the record reflect three, two, yes. So his motion passes.” [Recording, 9 Sep 2026, 3:01:51; Recording, 9 Sep 2026, 3:04:45]

22 September: a motion about $190,000 for Junny Rios

Where the recording is cited: from the meeting recording only; the City has not yet posted minutes for this meeting.

The parks came up again on 22 September under Reports; the agenda had no item on them. [Packet, 22 Sep 2026, packet p. 4; Recording, 22 Sep 2026, 1:49:00] One council member said “We have single member districts” but no district pots of money, and the Council has “every right” to reallocate funds. [Recording, 22 Sep 2026, 1:27:03; Recording, 22 Sep 2026, 1:27:17] A council member who said “I was the one that made the motion to reallocate the money” said teams had had to cancel practices, called it “embarrassing for the city,” and said “again I stand by my vote.” [Recording, 22 Sep 2026, 1:32:16; Recording, 22 Sep 2026, 1:36:54; Recording, 22 Sep 2026, 1:37:01] A council member, answering them, asked colleagues to support $190,000 for Junny Rios, saying “We’ve been putting money towards Stradley park,” that Junny Rios is “a well-used park,” and that “that 190 will make a huge difference at that park.” [Recording, 22 Sep 2026, 1:40:56; Recording, 22 Sep 2026, 1:41:09]

A motion was then restated “to reallocate $190,000 to Juni Rios Park for fiscal year 26. And whatever is spent can go back to Stradley Park for discussion.” [Recording, 22 Sep 2026, 1:50:00] The chair called a roll call; only one member’s “Yay” and “the chair says nay” are in verified passages, and no result is announced. [Recording, 22 Sep 2026, 1:50:17; Recording, 22 Sep 2026, 1:50:28; Recording, 22 Sep 2026, 1:50:36; Recording, 22 Sep 2026, 1:50:26] The next evening City staff told the Council there was “really nothing taken away and nothing given back last night.” [Recording, 23 Sep 2026, 2:47:52]

23 September: the final rate and a plan for Stradley

Where the recording is cited: from the meeting recording only; the City has not yet posted minutes for this meeting.

The final-hearing packet recommended 6.9532 (Resolution 2026-080) and $207,576,407 for all funds (Resolution 2026-081); its voting table requires four of five votes for any rate from 6.8649 to 7.5513. [Packet, 23 Sep 2026, packet p. 6; Packet, 23 Sep 2026, packet p. 26] In the recording, a motion for 6.9532 drew what the chair called “three, two,” and staff said “that does not meet trim requirements for the voting.” [Recording, 23 Sep 2026, 0:45:17; Recording, 23 Sep 2026, 0:45:29] The Council then took up a rate staff described as “midway,” and on the amended Resolution 2026-080 the chair announced “Ayes have it unanimously.” [Recording, 23 Sep 2026, 1:38:24; Recording, 23 Sep 2026, 1:39:04] The City’s FY2027 Adopted Budget, shown on cocoacivic.org/budget, states that at the 23 September hearing the “COUNCIL ADOPTED A FINAL MILLAGE OF 6.9090” and lists $207,489,931 for all funds. [CocoaCivic budget page; City FY2027 Adopted Budget, PDF p. 5; City FY2027 Adopted Budget, PDF p. 360] Staff had said the General Fund reduction needed was $86,477, and a council member moved to take it from “The street paving.” [Recording, 23 Sep 2026, 1:50:17; Recording, 23 Sep 2026, 1:57:09] The packet’s fund-balance list includes “AFB - Annual Paving” at $500,000 and “AFB - Stradley Park Concession Stand” at $335,300. [Packet, 23 Sep 2026, packet p. 43]

Staff then described Stradley work: a contractor “already under contract” for the retention-pond ditch, other drainage work done internally, laser grading of two fields, and septic work by November. [Recording, 23 Sep 2026, 2:33:51; Recording, 23 Sep 2026, 2:37:29; Recording, 23 Sep 2026, 2:37:57; Recording, 23 Sep 2026, 2:48:04; Recording, 23 Sep 2026, 2:28:32] Staff said the “vertical” work — fencing, dugouts, the concession stand and bathrooms — would come back “within the month, I think.” [Recording, 23 Sep 2026, 2:53:32; Recording, 23 Sep 2026, 3:00:01] Asked how much of the Stradley fund had come from Junny Rios, staff said it was money “set aside by City Council” at an earlier meeting and that a news report “was wrong there because there’s no reallocation.” [Recording, 23 Sep 2026, 2:47:17; Recording, 23 Sep 2026, 2:47:33; Recording, 23 Sep 2026, 2:47:38]

13 October: a resident’s question and the reply

Where the recording is cited: from the meeting recording only; the City has not yet posted minutes for this meeting. This recording was re-transcribed on 22 October 2026; the quotations below come from that newer transcript.

The 13 October agenda lists no item on either park. [Packet, 13 Oct 2026, packet p. 2] Speaking during delegations, a resident reminded the Council of “the promise that you made me”; her words on the park and its money are in passages marked not verified. [Recording, 13 Oct 2026, 0:08:46; Recording, 13 Oct 2026, 0:08:41] In reply, City staff, counting up “the swags that we talked about today,” said a concession stand and bathroom complex at Stradley would be “1.5 million dollars,” that the dollars “were were moved from, uh dedicated from Junior Rios Park to Stradley Park,” and that they “still aren’t going to be enough to to meet the needs at Stradley based on the preliminary numbers.” [Recording, 13 Oct 2026, 0:19:40; Recording, 13 Oct 2026, 0:22:31; Recording, 13 Oct 2026, 0:22:51; Recording, 13 Oct 2026, 0:23:14] A council member said “we are going to take care of that park” but that “the greater need right now, beyond a shadow of a doubt, is at Stradley Park.” [Recording, 13 Oct 2026, 0:25:16]

How this was reported

  • Sources: City records held by CocoaCivic; nothing outside them. Signed minutes outrank drafts, drafts outrank packets, packets outrank recordings. The minutes of 26 April 2021, 18 February 2025, and 10 March, 24 March, 29 April, 19 May and 7 July 2026 are scans; each passage used was checked against the scanned page.