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Budget / Compare spending

Available budgets provide context, with different scopes.

Start with a service. Follow the City and CRA contributions, explore nearby budgets, then check what broader benchmarks can tell us.

Posted FY2026 plan · final version unconfirmed

FY2026: October 2025–September 2026 · Evidence reviewed October 5, 2026 · Source version & limitations

Per-resident figures round to the nearest whole dollar. Dollar totals retain their current precision.

Compare one service and record type at a time.

Whole General FundAs printed, including the $9M grant and CRA payments$1,722FY2026 plan / resident

Minneola · available FY2026 plan

$36,516,934

As printed, including the $9M grant and CRA payments

Minneola budget source pages (2)

Nearby-city plans: Whole General Fund

Clermont

Geographic context · outside the 0.5–2× population band

FY2026 · Adopted

General Fund total · p. 53

Department lines add to $641,822 less than the stated total

Clermont budget document ↗
$64,427,184$1,262 / resident

Eustis

FY2026 · Adopted (fund totals only)

General Fund total (Resolution 25-62, Exhibit A) · p. 87

Eustis budget document ↗
$29,500,107$1,205 / resident

Fruitland Park

Geographic context · outside the 0.5–2× population band

FY2026 · Proposed (adopted version not found)

General Fund total · p. 75

Proposed budget; includes solid waste

Fruitland Park budget document ↗
$13,837,975$1,585 / resident

Groveland

FY2026 · Adopted

General Fund total · p. 91

Includes $4.87M of reserves and $3.2M of transfers out

Groveland budget document ↗
$34,884,861$1,464 / resident

Leesburg

FY2026 · Adopted

General Fund total · p. 94

Department amounts are net of charges to city-owned utilities

Leesburg budget document ↗
$40,790,963$1,087 / resident

Mascotte

Geographic context · outside the 0.5–2× population band

FY2026 · Proposed tables in final-hearing packet

General Fund total · p. 16

Includes a one-time $20M public works facility

Mascotte budget document ↗
$29,023,300$2,933 / resident

Mount Dora

FY2026 · Adopted

General Fund total · p. 26

Includes $1.91M of CRA tax increment; the city also runs an electric utility

Mount Dora budget document ↗
$35,997,048$1,905 / resident
Minneola denominator: 21,201 residents, BEBR April 1, 2025.
Population source (2)

Actual spending and published benchmarks

No matching actual-spending benchmark has been selected for this category. Parks history and capital evidence remain available separately.

Recommendations and service targets

No applicable dollar spending recommendation has been verified for this category. An observed average is not a recommended minimum. Service access, response and facilities targets need their own local evidence.

Professional recommendation · reserves

GFOA: General Fund reserve balance

GFOA recommends unrestricted budgetary General Fund balance of at least two months of regular General Fund operating revenues or expenditures, with a locally appropriate risk assessment. This is reserve guidance, not a target for total spending. A matching local balance and denominator have not been established here.

GFOA fund balance guidelines ↗
PoliceSheriff’s office contract$138FY2026 plan / resident

Minneola · available FY2026 plan

$2,918,157

Sheriff’s office contract

Minneola budget source pages (2)

Nearby-city plans: Police

Clermont

Geographic context · outside the 0.5–2× population band

FY2026 · Adopted

Police · p. 95

Clermont budget document ↗
$18,285,697$358 / resident

Eustis

FY2026 · Adopted (fund totals only)

Not obtained

Not comparable: Budget book recovered; department figures not yet selected for this comparison

Eustis budget document ↗
Not comparedDifferent scope · no rate comparison

Fruitland Park

Geographic context · outside the 0.5–2× population band

FY2026 · Proposed (adopted version not found)

Law Enforcement · p. 45

Fruitland Park budget document ↗
$4,095,697$469 / resident

Mascotte

Geographic context · outside the 0.5–2× population band

FY2026 · Proposed tables in final-hearing packet

Police · p. 16

Mascotte budget document ↗
$2,879,100$291 / resident
Minneola denominator: 21,201 residents, BEBR April 1, 2025.
Population source (2)

Actual spending and published benchmarks

Observed benchmark · not a target

Florida cities of 10,000–24,999: law enforcement

$451

Municipal expenditures, FY2024 (our median of 65 cities)
Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research (state financial reports)

FY2024 actual spending, all funds, account 521 Law Enforcement

$105 Minneola, same basis, FY2024. Same state account basis; not necessarily the broader City + CRA service definition.

Middle half of reported values: $318–$602.

This is our median of all 65 Florida cities with an FY2024 state workbook in the 10,000–24,999 population band, not a statewide average or a service-matched peer group. Non-provider, zero and missing-report screening remains outstanding; no arithmetic gap is shown.

EDR per-city expenditure workbooks, sheet 2024 (every city workbook with FY2024 population 10,000–24,999: 65 cities, Minneola included); medians and nearest-rank quartiles computed by us, checked October 20, 2026 ↗

Observed benchmark · not a target

Sworn officers per 1,000 residents, Florida city police departments serving 10,000–24,999

2.71 officers per 1,000

Police department ratios workbook, 2025 (our median of 57 departments)
Florida Department of Law Enforcement

Lake County departments range from 1.46 (Tavares) to 2.38 (Mount Dora)

Middle half of reported values: 2.13 officers per 1,000–3.19 officers per 1,000.

Minneola isn’t in this data because it contracts with the Sheriff’s Office. Police leaders’ associations say officers-per-resident ratios are not a basis for staffing decisions.

FDLE statewide ratios page; PD-Ratios-2025.xlsx ↗

Recommendations and service targets

No applicable dollar spending recommendation has been verified for this category. An observed average is not a recommended minimum. Service access, response and facilities targets need their own local evidence.

Fire & EMSIncludes $1.18M capital$315FY2026 plan / resident

Minneola · available FY2026 plan

$6,675,299

Includes $1.18M capital

Minneola budget source pages (2)

Nearby-city plans: Fire & EMS

Clermont

Geographic context · outside the 0.5–2× population band

FY2026 · Adopted

Fire + EMS transport + fire inspection · pp. 103–111

Includes a new $3.33M EMS transport program

Clermont budget document ↗
$23,159,126$454 / resident

Eustis

FY2026 · Adopted (fund totals only)

Not obtained

Not comparable: Budget book recovered; department figures not yet selected for this comparison

Eustis budget document ↗
Not comparedDifferent scope · no rate comparison

Fruitland Park

Geographic context · outside the 0.5–2× population band

FY2026 · Proposed (adopted version not found)

Villages fire contract · p. 47

Not comparable: Pass-through for fire service from The Villages Public Safety Department

Fruitland Park budget document ↗
Not comparedSource amount: $729,666Different scope · no rate comparison

Groveland

FY2026 · Adopted

Fire Operations Fund (separate fund) · p. 117

Partly paid by a $3.15M General Fund transfer

Groveland budget document ↗
$7,444,526$312 / resident

Lady Lake

FY2026 · Adopted

Villages fire assessment pass-through · p. 89

Not comparable: Fire service comes from The Villages Public Safety Department through a pass-through assessment

Lady Lake budget document ↗
Not comparedSource amount: $2,182,227Different scope · no rate comparison

Mascotte

Geographic context · outside the 0.5–2× population band

FY2026 · Proposed tables in final-hearing packet

Fire Department · p. 31

Not comparable: Lake County Fire Rescue provides fire service

Mascotte budget document ↗
Not comparedSource amount: $25,000Different scope · no rate comparison

Mount Dora

FY2026 · Adopted

Fire Services (General Fund share) · p. 26

Not comparable: Only the General Fund share; a separate fire-assessment fund also pays for fire service

Mount Dora budget document ↗
Not comparedSource amount: $4,925,374Different scope · no rate comparison

Tavares

FY2026 · Adopted

Fire · p. 82

Fire assessment revenue is transferred into the General Fund

Tavares budget document ↗
$5,021,298$230 / resident
Minneola denominator: 21,201 residents, BEBR April 1, 2025.
Population source (2)

Actual spending and published benchmarks

Observed benchmark · not a target

Florida cities of 10,000–24,999: fire control

$236

Municipal expenditures, FY2024 (our median of 65 cities)
Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research (state financial reports)

FY2024 actual spending, all funds, account 522 Fire Control

$274 Minneola, same basis, FY2024. Same state account basis; not necessarily the broader City + CRA service definition.

Middle half of reported values: $8–$361.

This is our median of all 65 Florida cities with an FY2024 state workbook in the 10,000–24,999 population band, not a statewide average or a service-matched peer group. Non-provider, zero and missing-report screening remains outstanding; no arithmetic gap is shown.

EDR per-city expenditure workbooks, sheet 2024 (every city workbook with FY2024 population 10,000–24,999: 65 cities, Minneola included); medians and nearest-rank quartiles computed by us, checked October 20, 2026 ↗

Recommendations and service targets

No applicable dollar spending recommendation has been verified for this category. An observed average is not a recommended minimum. Service access, response and facilities targets need their own local evidence.

Professional guidance · applicability not established

National Fire Protection Association

NFPA 1710 (2020 edition) · First engine on scene within 4 minutes of driving time, 90% of the time

The cited edition is retained as research context. Its current status, local applicability and Minneola’s matching service measure must be checked before assessing performance; this is not a verified local requirement or compliance finding.

Read the cited guidance: NFPA 1710 standard page (summary verified from secondary sources) ↗
Parks & recreation, day-to-daySelected park and recreation operations$35FY2026 plan / resident

Minneola · available FY2026 plan

$732,242

General Fund parks and recreation staff + operating lines. No additional CRA operations line selected; complete fund mapping is not established.

Minneola budget source pages (7)

City + CRA · identified service uses

Operations and capital across the funds

This combined context includes all selected operations, capital and unsplit grant lines. It can differ from the narrower comparison category above.

FY2026 posted plan · final version unconfirmed. These are known subtotals, not a complete citywide service inventory.

Parks & recreation

$5,566,668Identified plan subtotal
Operations
$732,242
Capital outlay
$4,834,426
City and individual CRA contributions
Parks & recreation · FY2026 posted plan · selected lines
Spending fundIdentified amount
General Fund$816,668
Downtown CRA$4,750,000
Mountain Properties CRANo service line selected · not a confirmed zero
Other City fundsFull service mapping not established

Exact source lines

  • $732,242 · Parks & Recreation departments: staff and operating
    General Fund · operating
    Source pages (4)
  • $84,426 · Parks & Recreation departments: capital outlay
    General Fund · capital
    Source pages (2)
  • $4,750,000 · Park Projects (060-641)
    Downtown CRA · capital
    Source pages (1)

Nearby-city plans: Parks & recreation, day-to-day

Clermont

Geographic context · outside the 0.5–2× population band

FY2026 · Adopted

Parks and Recreation, staff and operating · p. 153

Includes arts and performing arts centers; grounds maintenance is in Public Works

Clermont budget document ↗
$4,533,951$89 / resident

Eustis

FY2026 · Adopted (fund totals only)

Not obtained

Not comparable: Budget book recovered; department figures not yet selected for this comparison

Eustis budget document ↗
Not comparedDifferent scope · no rate comparison

Fruitland Park

Geographic context · outside the 0.5–2× population band

FY2026 · Proposed (adopted version not found)

Parks maintenance + Recreation, staff and operating · pp. 70–75

Excludes the pool

Fruitland Park budget document ↗
$1,152,371$132 / resident

Groveland

FY2026 · Adopted

Parks/Community Services, staff and operating · pp. 90, 94

Excludes a $16,000 county library contribution

Groveland budget document ↗
$1,948,700$82 / resident

Leesburg

FY2026 · Adopted

Recreation, staff and operating · pp. 108–109

Includes the marina and Bikefest

Leesburg budget document ↗
$3,856,100$103 / resident

Mascotte

Geographic context · outside the 0.5–2× population band

FY2026 · Proposed tables in final-hearing packet

Parks and Recreation · p. 38

Plus $100K for special events

Mascotte budget document ↗
$165,000$17 / resident

Mount Dora

FY2026 · Adopted

Recreation + Parks & Community Building, staff and operating · p. 26; sales-tax fund park maintenance · p. 99

Includes special events

Mount Dora budget document ↗
$3,813,142$202 / resident

Tavares

FY2026 · Adopted

Park & Recreation staff and operating · p. 82; splash park and Wooton Park maintenance in the marina fund · p. 478

Tavares budget document ↗
$2,897,214$132 / resident
Minneola denominator: 21,201 residents, BEBR April 1, 2025.
Population source (2)

Actual spending and published benchmarks

Observed benchmark · not a target

Park & recreation operating spending, agencies serving 20,000–49,999

$133

2026 Agency Performance Review, Figure 15 (printed p. 22)
National Recreation and Park Association

Minneola moved into this band in 2025

Middle half of reported values: $72–$251.

NRPA says these results are not standards that agencies should strive to meet. Survey medians describe reporting agencies. A recommended spending level or Minneola funding shortfall has not been established.

NRPA 2026 APR, printed p. 22 and p. 3 ↗

Observed benchmark · not a target

Same measure, agencies serving fewer than 20,000

$155

2026 Agency Performance Review, Figure 15 (printed p. 22)
National Recreation and Park Association

Minneola’s band through 2024

Middle half of reported values: $85–$369.

NRPA says these results are not standards that agencies should strive to meet. Survey medians describe reporting agencies. A recommended spending level or Minneola funding shortfall has not been established.

NRPA 2026 APR, printed p. 22 ↗

Observed benchmark · not a target

Acres of parkland per 1,000 residents, agencies serving 20,000–49,999

11.2 acres per 1,000

2026 Agency Performance Review, Figure 2 (printed p. 10)
National Recreation and Park Association

Quartiles 6.0–17.2

NRPA says these results are not standards that agencies should strive to meet. Survey medians describe reporting agencies. A recommended spending level or Minneola funding shortfall has not been established.

NRPA 2026 APR, printed p. 10 ↗

See Minneola’s five- and ten-year actual capital investment, separate from the future capital plan.

Recommendations and service targets

No applicable dollar spending recommendation has been verified for this category. An observed average is not a recommended minimum. Service access, response and facilities targets need their own local evidence.

Park capital plans, FY2026Project-year snapshot · see Parks for five-year context$228FY2026 plan / residentProject timing variesSelected plans, not typical annual investment

Minneola · available FY2026 plan

$4,834,426

Project-year snapshot · see Parks for five-year context

Minneola budget source pages (7)

City + CRA · identified service uses

Operations and capital across the funds

This combined context includes all selected operations, capital and unsplit grant lines. It can differ from the narrower comparison category above.

FY2026 posted plan · final version unconfirmed. These are known subtotals, not a complete citywide service inventory.

Parks & recreation

$5,566,668Identified plan subtotal
Operations
$732,242
Capital outlay
$4,834,426
City and individual CRA contributions
Parks & recreation · FY2026 posted plan · selected lines
Spending fundIdentified amount
General Fund$816,668
Downtown CRA$4,750,000
Mountain Properties CRANo service line selected · not a confirmed zero
Other City fundsFull service mapping not established

Exact source lines

  • $732,242 · Parks & Recreation departments: staff and operating
    General Fund · operating
    Source pages (4)
  • $84,426 · Parks & Recreation departments: capital outlay
    General Fund · capital
    Source pages (2)
  • $4,750,000 · Park Projects (060-641)
    Downtown CRA · capital
    Source pages (1)

Nearby-city plans: Park capital plans, FY2026

Clermont

Geographic context · outside the 0.5–2× population band

FY2026 · Adopted

Parks capital + recreation impact-fee fund + capital projects fund · pp. 153, 284

Excludes arts center and historic village projects

Earlier capital-object selection; a matching asset-purpose crosswalk has not been reviewed.

Clermont budget document ↗
$5,768,000$113 / resident

Eustis

FY2026 · Adopted (fund totals only)

Selected capital projects from CIP financial summary · budget pp. 341–343; standalone CIP pp. 29–31

Includes major restoration listed in operating accounts; excludes SaaS and bundled turf/maintenance. See Parks for summary/form discrepancies.

Eustis budget document ↗
Eustis capital source pages (2)
  • Eustis FY2026–2030 capital improvement plan ↗City of Eustis · PDF pp.29–31 / printed pp.25–27: annual summaries; p.24: no parks-impact capital projects. pp.51,78,81: dock/parking/furniture purpose; pp.63–64: SaaS/turf exclusions; pp.97–98,102: planning/court/vehicle details and source differences. pp.13–14: CIP includes operating-account work; this selection is narrower.
  • Florida Estimates of Population 2025 (April 1, 2025) ↗University of Florida, Bureau of Economic and Business Research · Table 1, PDF page 14: estimates by county and city; Minneola 21,201; 2020 census 13,843. Also used for nearby-city populations.
$700,000$29 / resident

Fruitland Park

Geographic context · outside the 0.5–2× population band

FY2026 · Proposed (adopted version not found)

Parks capital + CRA park improvements + capital projects fund · pp. 70–80, 85

Earlier capital-object selection; a matching asset-purpose crosswalk has not been reviewed.

Fruitland Park budget document ↗
$404,000$46 / resident

Groveland

FY2026 · Adopted

Selected FY2026 capital program: parks, trails and community centers · pp. 96–98

Includes project design and at least $11.773M carryforward; see Parks for full scope/funding

Groveland budget document ↗
Groveland capital source pages (3)
$13,470,521$565 / resident

Lady Lake

FY2026 · Adopted

Parks and Recreation capital · pp. 14, 16

Impact-fee money is transferred into the General Fund, so it is already included

Lady Lake budget document ↗
Lady Lake capital source pages (2)
$570,000$34 / resident

Leesburg

FY2026 · Adopted

Capital Projects Fund: Palmetto Sports Complex/gym floor plus Recreation fleet · pp. 330, 506, 510

Leesburg budget document ↗
Leesburg capital source pages (2)
$1,248,000$33 / resident

Mascotte

Geographic context · outside the 0.5–2× population band

FY2026 · Proposed tables in final-hearing packet

Surtax, recreation impact-fee and ARPA funds: Recreational Complex · pp. 51, 56, 58

Not comparable: Three funds list the same Recreational Complex project and may overlap

Earlier capital-object selection; a matching asset-purpose crosswalk has not been reviewed.

Mascotte budget document ↗
Not comparedSource amount: $1,980,500Different scope · no rate comparison

Mount Dora

FY2026 · Adopted

Selected parks/recreation capital plus agency support and forest preserve · pp. 55, 143–144, 207–208

Includes $9.919M recreation center and $1.4M carryforward; future concepts remain unverified

Mount Dora budget document ↗
Mount Dora capital source pages (3)
$11,505,838$609 / resident

Tavares

FY2026 · Adopted

FY2026 park/recreation asset-purpose crosswalk, including Public Buildings and equipment under General Government · PDF pp. 585–587, 591

Tavares budget document ↗
Tavares capital source pages (2)
  • Tavares FY2026 adopted budget: five-year capital program ↗City of Tavares · PDF pp.585–587,591: FY2026–2030 asset-purpose crosswalk from Public Buildings, Parks/Recreation and General Government; p.591: Recreation community-event barriers (FY2027). PDF p.49: first year underlies appropriations; future years are recommendations. Non-park CCTV, economic-development, seaplane and cemetery items excluded.
  • Florida Estimates of Population 2025 (April 1, 2025) ↗University of Florida, Bureau of Economic and Business Research · Table 1, PDF page 14: estimates by county and city; Minneola 21,201; 2020 census 13,843. Also used for nearby-city populations.
$902,012$41 / resident
Minneola denominator: 21,201 residents, BEBR April 1, 2025.
Population source (2)

Actual spending and published benchmarks

No matching actual-spending benchmark has been selected for this category. Parks history and capital evidence remain available separately.

See Minneola’s five- and ten-year actual capital investment, separate from the future capital plan.

Recommendations and service targets

No applicable dollar spending recommendation has been verified for this category. An observed average is not a recommended minimum. Service access, response and facilities targets need their own local evidence.

NRPA reports next-five-year agency capital budgets, not a recommended amount.

LibraryIncludes $577K grant spending$41FY2026 plan / resident

Minneola · available FY2026 plan

$870,175

Includes $577K grant spending

Minneola budget source pages (2)

Nearby-city plans: Library

Clermont

Geographic context · outside the 0.5–2× population band

FY2026 · Adopted

County branch library

Not comparable: Served by a Lake County branch library

Clermont budget document ↗
Not comparedDifferent scope · no rate comparison

Eustis

FY2026 · Adopted (fund totals only)

Not obtained

Not comparable: Budget book recovered; department figures not yet selected for this comparison

Eustis budget document ↗
Not comparedDifferent scope · no rate comparison

Fruitland Park

Geographic context · outside the 0.5–2× population band

FY2026 · Proposed (adopted version not found)

Library · p. 64

Fruitland Park budget document ↗
$1,018,911$117 / resident

Groveland

FY2026 · Adopted

County-operated branch library

Not comparable: Lake County runs the local branch library

Groveland budget document ↗
Not comparedDifferent scope · no rate comparison

Mascotte

Geographic context · outside the 0.5–2× population band

FY2026 · Proposed tables in final-hearing packet

County branch library

Not comparable: Served by a Lake County branch library

Mascotte budget document ↗
Not comparedDifferent scope · no rate comparison
Minneola denominator: 21,201 residents, BEBR April 1, 2025.
Population source (2)

Actual spending and published benchmarks

Observed benchmark · not a target

Florida public libraries, operating spending per resident (statewide average)

$33

Table 24, FY2023–24
Florida Division of Library and Information Services

Lake County Library System: $25

An observed statewide average, not a recommendation. Minneola’s library belongs to the county library cooperative, so county spending also supports it.

DLIS Table 24, statewide row ↗

Recommendations and service targets

No applicable dollar spending recommendation has been verified for this category. An observed average is not a recommended minimum. Service access, response and facilities targets need their own local evidence.

Professional guidance · applicability not established

Florida Library Association

Florida Public Library Outcomes & Standards (2015) · At least 10,000 items (3 per resident preferred) and 10–15% of the budget on materials, for populations up to 25,000

The cited edition is retained as research context. Its current status, local applicability and Minneola’s matching service measure must be checked before assessing performance; this is not a verified local requirement or compliance finding.

Read the cited guidance: FLA standards PDF pp. 9, 12 ↗
Roads & streets, General FundExcludes the one-time $9M grant project$72FY2026 plan / resident

Minneola · available FY2026 plan

$1,521,260

Excludes the one-time $9M grant project

Minneola budget source pages (2)

City + CRA · identified service uses

Operations and capital across the funds

This combined context includes all selected operations, capital and unsplit grant lines. It can differ from the narrower comparison category above.

FY2026 posted plan · final version unconfirmed. These are known subtotals, not a complete citywide service inventory.

Roads & streets

$14,271,260Identified plan subtotal
Operations
$564,445
Capital outlay
$4,706,815
Grant project · type not split
$9,000,000
City and individual CRA contributions
Roads & streets · FY2026 posted plan · selected lines
Spending fundIdentified amount
General Fund$10,521,260
Downtown CRA$2,500,000
Mountain Properties CRA$1,250,000
Other City fundsFull service mapping not established

Exact source lines

  • $564,445 · Roads department: staff and operating
    General Fund · operating
    Source pages (2)
  • $956,815 · Roads department: capital outlay
    General Fund · capital
    Source pages (1)
  • $9,000,000 · Grant expenditures (080-810)
    General Fund · one-time grant
    Source pages (1)
  • $2,500,000 · Road Projects (060-644)
    Downtown CRA · capital
    Source pages (1)
  • $1,250,000 · Road Projects
    Mountain Properties CRA · capital
    Source pages (1)

Nearby-city plans: Roads & streets, General Fund

Clermont

Geographic context · outside the 0.5–2× population band

FY2026 · Adopted

Streets Maintenance · p. 117

Clermont budget document ↗
$1,946,197$38 / resident

Eustis

FY2026 · Adopted (fund totals only)

Not obtained

Not comparable: Budget book recovered; department figures not yet selected for this comparison

Eustis budget document ↗
Not comparedDifferent scope · no rate comparison

Fruitland Park

Geographic context · outside the 0.5–2× population band

FY2026 · Proposed (adopted version not found)

Roads & Streets · p. 59

Fruitland Park budget document ↗
$1,180,241$135 / resident

Mascotte

Geographic context · outside the 0.5–2× population band

FY2026 · Proposed tables in final-hearing packet

Street Lighting · p. 36

Not comparable: Street lighting only; street repairs sit inside Public Works

Mascotte budget document ↗
Not comparedSource amount: $384,500Different scope · no rate comparison
Minneola denominator: 21,201 residents, BEBR April 1, 2025.
Population source (2)

Actual spending and published benchmarks

Observed benchmark · not a target

Florida cities of 10,000–24,999: road and street facilities

$163

Municipal expenditures, FY2024 (our median of 65 cities)
Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research (state financial reports)

FY2024 actual spending, all funds, account 541 Road and Street Facilities

$20 Minneola, same basis, FY2024. Same state account basis; not necessarily the broader City + CRA service definition.

Middle half of reported values: $97–$219.

This is our median of all 65 Florida cities with an FY2024 state workbook in the 10,000–24,999 population band, not a statewide average or a service-matched peer group. Non-provider, zero and missing-report screening remains outstanding; no arithmetic gap is shown.

EDR per-city expenditure workbooks, sheet 2024 (every city workbook with FY2024 population 10,000–24,999: 65 cities, Minneola included); medians and nearest-rank quartiles computed by us, checked October 20, 2026 ↗

Recommendations and service targets

No applicable dollar spending recommendation has been verified for this category. An observed average is not a recommended minimum. Service access, response and facilities targets need their own local evidence.

No applicable per-resident road spending recommendation is verified here. Pavement condition and adopted local service targets need separate evidence; City costs alone do not describe County or State roads.

Roads & streets, selected City + CRA linesGeneral Fund (no grant) + CRA road projects$249FY2026 plan / resident

Minneola · available FY2026 plan

$5,271,260

General Fund (no grant) + CRA road projects

Minneola budget source pages (2)

City + CRA · identified service uses

Operations and capital across the funds

This combined context includes all selected operations, capital and unsplit grant lines. It can differ from the narrower comparison category above.

FY2026 posted plan · final version unconfirmed. These are known subtotals, not a complete citywide service inventory.

Roads & streets

$14,271,260Identified plan subtotal
Operations
$564,445
Capital outlay
$4,706,815
Grant project · type not split
$9,000,000
City and individual CRA contributions
Roads & streets · FY2026 posted plan · selected lines
Spending fundIdentified amount
General Fund$10,521,260
Downtown CRA$2,500,000
Mountain Properties CRA$1,250,000
Other City fundsFull service mapping not established

Exact source lines

  • $564,445 · Roads department: staff and operating
    General Fund · operating
    Source pages (2)
  • $956,815 · Roads department: capital outlay
    General Fund · capital
    Source pages (1)
  • $9,000,000 · Grant expenditures (080-810)
    General Fund · one-time grant
    Source pages (1)
  • $2,500,000 · Road Projects (060-644)
    Downtown CRA · capital
    Source pages (1)
  • $1,250,000 · Road Projects
    Mountain Properties CRA · capital
    Source pages (1)

Nearby-city plans: Roads & streets, selected City + CRA lines

Clermont

Geographic context · outside the 0.5–2× population band

FY2026 · Adopted

Streets Maintenance + infrastructure and capital projects funds · pp. 117, 283

Streets capital is $3.05M on p. 283 but $2.725M on p. 288

Clermont budget document ↗
$5,244,197$103 / resident

Eustis

FY2026 · Adopted (fund totals only)

Street Improvement fund total only · Exhibit A p. 87

Not comparable: Recovered budget detail has not yet been selected for this all-funds roads comparison

Eustis budget document ↗
Not comparedDifferent scope · no rate comparison

Fruitland Park

Geographic context · outside the 0.5–2× population band

FY2026 · Proposed (adopted version not found)

Roads & Streets + CRA streets and sidewalks + road resurfacing fund · pp. 59, 80, 85

Excludes a $600K unclassified CRA line

Fruitland Park budget document ↗
$1,984,665$227 / resident

Groveland

FY2026 · Adopted

Streets + CRA streetscape and downtown infrastructure + surtax · pp. 81, 102–104, 121

Excludes a $765K CDBG grant

Groveland budget document ↗
$4,011,700$168 / resident

Lady Lake

FY2026 · Adopted

Streets Maintenance · p. 14

No separate road funds; sales-tax road capital is inside this total

Lady Lake budget document ↗
$3,389,583$200 / resident

Leesburg

FY2026 · Adopted

Street Maintenance + gas-tax road projects in the Capital Projects Fund · pp. 190, 330

Excludes a $1.5M downtown parking project

Leesburg budget document ↗
$1,885,224$50 / resident

Mascotte

Geographic context · outside the 0.5–2× population band

FY2026 · Proposed tables in final-hearing packet

Street work sits inside Public Works

Not comparable: General Fund street repairs are not separately budgeted

Mascotte budget document ↗
Not comparedDifferent scope · no rate comparison

Mount Dora

FY2026 · Adopted

Road & Street Facilities + sales-tax fund + General Construction road projects · pp. 26, 99, 143–144

Includes $3.06M Donnelly Street reconstruction carried forward; excludes a $1.3M parking project

Mount Dora budget document ↗
$7,702,121$408 / resident

Tavares

FY2026 · Adopted

Street Maintenance + sales-tax paving and SR 19 plan · pp. 213, 351–352

Paving is $287,958 on p. 352 but $400,000 on p. 579

Tavares budget document ↗
$2,418,217$111 / resident
Minneola denominator: 21,201 residents, BEBR April 1, 2025.
Population source (2)

Actual spending and published benchmarks

Observed benchmark · not a target

Florida cities of 10,000–24,999: road and street facilities

$163

Municipal expenditures, FY2024 (our median of 65 cities)
Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research (state financial reports)

FY2024 actual spending, all funds, account 541 Road and Street Facilities

$20 Minneola, same basis, FY2024. Same state account basis; not necessarily the broader City + CRA service definition.

Middle half of reported values: $97–$219.

This is our median of all 65 Florida cities with an FY2024 state workbook in the 10,000–24,999 population band, not a statewide average or a service-matched peer group. Non-provider, zero and missing-report screening remains outstanding; no arithmetic gap is shown.

EDR per-city expenditure workbooks, sheet 2024 (every city workbook with FY2024 population 10,000–24,999: 65 cities, Minneola included); medians and nearest-rank quartiles computed by us, checked October 20, 2026 ↗

Recommendations and service targets

No applicable dollar spending recommendation has been verified for this category. An observed average is not a recommended minimum. Service access, response and facilities targets need their own local evidence.

No applicable per-resident road spending recommendation is verified here. Pavement condition and adopted local service targets need separate evidence; City costs alone do not describe County or State roads.

Planning & code enforcementPlanning + Code Enforcement$61FY2026 plan / resident

Minneola · available FY2026 plan

$1,289,809

Planning + Code Enforcement

Minneola budget source pages (2)

Nearby-city plans: Planning & code enforcement

Clermont

Geographic context · outside the 0.5–2× population band

FY2026 · Adopted

Planning & Development (includes code enforcement) · p. 82

Clermont budget document ↗
$2,967,077$58 / resident

Eustis

FY2026 · Adopted (fund totals only)

Not obtained

Not comparable: Budget book recovered; department figures not yet selected for this comparison

Eustis budget document ↗
Not comparedDifferent scope · no rate comparison

Fruitland Park

Geographic context · outside the 0.5–2× population band

FY2026 · Proposed (adopted version not found)

Building & Zoning (combined) · p. 51

Not comparable: Planning is combined with building permits ($1,642,944)

Fruitland Park budget document ↗
Not comparedDifferent scope · no rate comparison

Lady Lake

FY2026 · Adopted

Growth Management + Code Enforcement · p. 14

Includes $564K capital

Lady Lake budget document ↗
$1,429,373$84 / resident

Leesburg

FY2026 · Adopted

Community Development · p. 107

Not comparable: Net of a $410,614 charge to utilities; code enforcement sits in Police

Leesburg budget document ↗
Not comparedSource amount: $335,957Different scope · no rate comparison

Mascotte

Geographic context · outside the 0.5–2× population band

FY2026 · Proposed tables in final-hearing packet

Planning + Code Compliance · pp. 16, 27

Mascotte budget document ↗
$411,200$42 / resident

Tavares

FY2026 · Adopted

Community Development + Code Enforcement · pp. 81, 184

Community Development also covers economic development

Tavares budget document ↗
$1,687,802$77 / resident
Minneola denominator: 21,201 residents, BEBR April 1, 2025.
Population source (2)

Actual spending and published benchmarks

No matching actual-spending benchmark has been selected for this category. Parks history and capital evidence remain available separately.

Recommendations and service targets

No applicable dollar spending recommendation has been verified for this category. An observed average is not a recommended minimum. Service access, response and facilities targets need their own local evidence.

City administrationCouncil, manager, clerk, finance, legal, HR, IT$121FY2026 plan / resident

Minneola · available FY2026 plan

$2,555,043

Council, manager, clerk, finance, legal, HR, IT

Minneola budget source pages (2)

Nearby-city plans: City administration

Clermont

Geographic context · outside the 0.5–2× population band

FY2026 · Adopted

Council, clerk, manager, finance, legal, IT, HR, procurement · pp. 65–149

Clermont budget document ↗
$6,865,264$135 / resident

Eustis

FY2026 · Adopted (fund totals only)

Not obtained

Not comparable: Budget book recovered; department figures not yet selected for this comparison

Eustis budget document ↗
Not comparedDifferent scope · no rate comparison

Fruitland Park

Geographic context · outside the 0.5–2× population band

FY2026 · Proposed (adopted version not found)

Legislative, executive, finance, legal · pp. 28–36

Fruitland Park budget document ↗
$1,509,250$173 / resident

Groveland

FY2026 · Adopted

Council, administration, clerk, finance, procurement, HR, communications, legal, IT · pp. 20–55

Groveland budget document ↗
$5,255,460$221 / resident

Lady Lake

FY2026 · Adopted

Commission, manager, clerk, elections, finance, HR, IT, communications, legal · p. 14

Lady Lake budget document ↗
$4,034,298$238 / resident

Leesburg

FY2026 · Adopted

Commission, finance, HR, IT, GIS · p. 107

Not comparable: Net of charges to utilities and excludes the $3.4M Executive department

Leesburg budget document ↗
Not comparedSource amount: $1,280,101Different scope · no rate comparison

Mascotte

Geographic context · outside the 0.5–2× population band

FY2026 · Proposed tables in final-hearing packet

Council, administration, finance, legal · p. 16

Excludes the $621,200 CRA transfer inside Finance (our adjustment, matching Minneola)

Mascotte budget document ↗
$969,100$98 / resident

Mount Dora

FY2026 · Adopted

Council, manager, clerk, communications, attorney, finance, customer service, HR, IT · p. 26

Mount Dora budget document ↗
$5,857,071$310 / resident

Tavares

FY2026 · Adopted

Council, administration, finance, IT, legal, clerk, HR, communications · p. 81

Includes about $1.75M of transfers and other items

Tavares budget document ↗
$7,480,259$342 / resident
Minneola denominator: 21,201 residents, BEBR April 1, 2025.
Population source (2)

Actual spending and published benchmarks

Observed benchmark · not a target

Florida cities of 10,000–24,999: general government

$575

Municipal expenditures, FY2024 (our median of 65 cities)
Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research (state financial reports)

FY2024 actual spending, all funds, account 51x General Government

$288 Minneola, same basis, FY2024. Same state account basis; not necessarily the broader City + CRA service definition.

Middle half of reported values: $432–$783.

This is our median of all 65 Florida cities with an FY2024 state workbook in the 10,000–24,999 population band, not a statewide average or a service-matched peer group. Non-provider, zero and missing-report screening remains outstanding; no arithmetic gap is shown.

EDR per-city expenditure workbooks, sheet 2024 (every city workbook with FY2024 population 10,000–24,999: 65 cities, Minneola included); medians and nearest-rank quartiles computed by us, checked October 20, 2026 ↗

Recommendations and service targets

No applicable dollar spending recommendation has been verified for this category. An observed average is not a recommended minimum. Service access, response and facilities targets need their own local evidence.

About this data

Minneola service coverage

The posted document retains a draft footer. Planned amounts are not actual spending or the current FY2027 budget.

Whole General Fund

Every city’s total includes different one-time items: Minneola’s $9M road grant and $6.7M of CRA payments, Groveland’s reserves, Mascotte’s $20M facility. Use the service rows below for a fairer picture.

Police

Minneola buys police service from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office; most nearby cities run their own departments. Contract and in-house costs are not directly comparable.

Fire & EMS

Minneola’s total includes $1,180,000 of capital purchases this year. Some cities budget fire through a separate assessment fund or rely on Lake County.

Parks & recreation, day-to-day

Selected General Fund parks and recreation operating lines. Agency survey coverage and municipal service boundaries differ; full City/CRA service mapping remains incomplete.

Park capital plans, FY2026

These are selected capital-project plans, not typical annual rates or verified payments; project planning/restoration can sit in operating accounts. Groveland carries forward regional-park funding; Mount Dora includes a CRA-financed recreation center. The Parks section compares five-year plans with funding and coverage limits.

Library

Minneola’s library budget includes $576,630 of grant expenditures. Not every nearby city runs its own library.

Roads & streets, General Fund

We removed Minneola’s $9,000,000 grant project to compare routine budgets. Many cities budget roads in separate transportation or sales-tax funds, so General Fund road budgets understate total road spending.

Roads & streets, all funds

Includes CRA and other-fund road projects, excluding one-time grants and parking projects on both sides. Groveland includes an unsplit $1.71M CRA downtown infrastructure line; Fruitland Park excludes a $600K unclassified CRA line.

Planning & code enforcement

Minneola’s Permitting department ($1,887,334) is left out because most nearby cities run building permits from a separate, fee-funded fund. Fast growth raises planning workload.

City administration

Minneola’s Executive department is counted without its CRA payments. Cities split overhead differently, and some charge part of it to utility funds.

Nearby-city plan coverage

Individual records for context. Budget versions, service coverage and fund structures differ. No matched peer median, ranking or percentage gap is established. Amounts are listed alphabetically, not by spending.

Clermont

Own police, fire (with new EMS transport program), parks & recreation incl. performing arts center, electric franchise-heavy revenue; water/sewer/solid waste/stormwater utility funds; building services separate; library is Lake County system branch; much larger (51k residents).

51,042 residents · BEBR April 1, 2025

Eustis

Own police, fire (no fire assessment; funded from GF), library, recreation; Building Services in separate fund; water/sewer, stormwater utilities (no city electric); police and fire pension funds.

24,477 residents · BEBR April 1, 2025

Fruitland Park

Own police; no own fire dept (Villages Public Safety contract paid by fire assessment); library, pool, recreation city-run; building & zoning in GF funded by permit-fund transfer; solid waste and stormwater inside GF; water/sewer utility fund separate (3.75M). Part of the city lies in The Villages.

8,732 residents · BEBR April 1, 2025

Groveland

Own police (+ dispatch) in GF; own fire dept in separate Fire Operations Fund subsidized by GF transfer; Building Services Fund separate; own water/sewer utility fund; sanitation (3.375M) budgeted in GF; library is county branch; 3 large construction funds (parks, fire station, public safety complex) outside GF.

23,827 residents · BEBR April 1, 2025

Lady Lake

Town, not city. No town fire department: fire is a Villages Public Safety Dept (VCCDD) pass-through funded by a fire assessment. Own police, library, building services, water/sewer utility (separate fund), solid waste is a pass-through to Waste Management. Large Sumter/Lake split with The Villages.

16,978 residents · BEBR April 1, 2025

Leesburg

City-owned electric, gas, water, wastewater, solid waste utilities transfer 10.6M (10%) to GF; own police and fire (assessment revenue in GF); city library; marina and Bikefest in GF; building inspection within Fire/Life Safety; code enforcement within Police.

37,541 residents · BEBR April 1, 2025

Mascotte

Own police; fire via Lake County Fire Rescue (merged 2020; GF budget only 25,000); no library (county branch in Groveland); water/sewer/stormwater enterprise funds; building done by contract; sanitation and street lighting funded by non-ad valorem assessments inside GF.

9,894 residents · BEBR April 1, 2025

Mount Dora

Owns electric utility (Fund 410), water/sewer, sanitation, stormwater; own police and fire (fire assessment fee fund separate); library city-run with county library funding; Building Dept in separate fund; two CRAs; GF receives large utility 'direct allocations' (~3.6M) and PILOT/ROI.

18,896 residents · BEBR April 1, 2025

Tavares

Own police and fire (fire assessment fund transfers into GF), city library, water/wastewater, solid waste, stormwater, seaplane base, pavilion funds; building permits in separate fund; no electric utility.

21,869 residents · BEBR April 1, 2025

Actuals and benchmark coverage

This view uses the period printed on each source, which may differ from the FY2026 plan. Florida size groups have not been screened for equivalent service provision; national agencies may serve different populations. These are contextual observations, not a ranked comparison.

Only final service-use lines are included here. General Fund payments into the CRA’s two area funds are not added again. Unassigned CRA uses, other funds and any remaining internal reimbursements need reconciliation before these can be called complete service totals. Utility and stormwater spending is shown separately in Utilities & debt.

What remains unassigned?

  • Reimbursements to Turnpike (Mountain Properties CRA, 030-400): $4,141,180
    Source (1)
  • Water, wastewater and expansion design (Downtown CRA): $750,000
    Source (1)

These are identified unresolved lines, not an exhaustive residual. The underlying Turnpike agreement is not established here; its payment is not assumed to be an internal City transfer.

CRA financing includes contributions from outside City government; these figures describe spending by the funds, not solely City tax funding or equal benefits throughout the City. See each CRA’s full budget and funding sources.

Compare city property-tax rates

City property-tax rates, 2025

Operating rate each city set for FY2026, in mills ($1 per $1,000 of taxable value). The tick marks each city’s “rolled-back” rate: the rate that would raise the same property-tax revenue from existing property as the year before.

  1. Eustis7.3898
  2. Tavares6.685
  3. Mount Dora6.3
  4. Groveland5.7
  5. Minneola5.5
  6. Mascotte4.6381
  7. Clermont4.59
  8. Fruitland Park3.9134
  9. Lady Lake3.651
  10. Leesburg3.4752

The default service comparison covers selected governmental spending and CRA uses. Utility and stormwater budgets are separate in Utilities & debt. Fund totals and reconciliation retain the wider budget and known source differences.