WINTER SPRINGS, Fla. — On Monday, April 28, the city of Winter Springs will vote on a potential stormwater fee increase.

Currently, a Winter Springs resident is billed between $4.50 and $5.50 on their utility fee. The city is looking to about double the rate to $10.

Leah Weisman, a Winter Springs resident of 30 years, is a regular at city commission meetings. She says there have been few increases on her utility bills over the years when it comes to stormwater.

“Stormwater has not changed since 2005,” Weisman said. “Mine was $5.50, it’s been $5.50 all this time, they (city commissioners) are talking about moving it to $10.”

Following Hurricane Ian, Weisman says parts of her Winding Hollow subdivision were under water, and believes proper maintenance of Gee Creek could have prevented these issues.

Some leaders believe it’s time the city commits to annual maintenance that would cost at least $1 million per year.

In prior years, the city used grant money to clean up creeks, culverts, and ponds after floods.

“We should have done this ten years ago ...five years ago,” Winter Springs Deputy Mayor Cade Resnick said. “At some point, we need to pay the piper. The piper is calling now, because we can’t defer maintenance any longer, we can’t defer responsibility.”

Commissioner Paul Diaz doesn’t agree with the plan to raise fees and instead feels the city can allocate money from its general fund.

“Move that over to stormwater. It can only be used for stormwater,” he said.

Commissioner Cade Resnick disputed Diaz, saying his plan would create a deficit in the general fund.

As for residents like Weisman, she hopes her neighbors will see the value of a stormwater increase, rather than a potential bill to fix a flooded home that didn’t need to be.

“The problem is that some people have been paying thousands and thousands every hurricane,” she said.