Lakeland commissioners approve multiple board and advisory committee appointments

The Lakeland City Commission on Monday approved a slate of appointments and reappointments to municipal advisory committees and boards, with each motion passing unanimously.

The appointments included three members to the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee: Stephanie Von Pileske Busch to complete a term running Jan. 19, 2025, through Sept. 17, 2026; Danica Gaugherty to fill a term from Jan. 19, 2025, through Jan. 18, 2028; and the reappointment of Dennis Irving for a term beginning Feb. 21, 2025, and ending Feb. 20, 2028. Commissioners moved and seconded the measure and voted “aye” without recorded opposition.

The commission also approved the Lakeland History and Cultural Center advisory committee appointment of Verick Nunez to a three-year term beginning Jan. 6, 2025, and ending Jan. 5, 2028, following a motion and unanimous vote. On the Lakeland Housing Authority Board, the commission approved Mayor Bill Nuts’s recommendation to appoint Curtisha James to a four-year at-large term beginning March 18, 2025, and ending March 17, 2029.

On the nuisance abatement board, the commission approved the appointment of Alina Giuritano to fill the unexpired term of James Ring (Jan. 6, 2025–March 4, 2027), reappointed John Quirk III for a three-year term beginning Feb. 1, 2025, and reappointed Alonzo Thompson to a full three-year term beginning Feb. 16, 2025. All votes on those items were unanimous.

The meeting record also noted uncontested elections to municipal pension and civil service positions: Jim Studiol as employee representative to the general employee pension board (term Jan. 1, 2025–Jan. 31, 2027), Tom Wheatley to the civil service board (term Jan. 1, 2025–Dec. 31, 2027), and firefighter-elected trustees Matthew Burns and Peter (last name not specified in the transcript) to firefighters’ pension boards for four-year terms beginning Dec. 2, 2024, and ending Dec. 1, 2028.

Commissioners framed the approvals as routine municipal housekeeping and noted a forthcoming volunteer appreciation event and an updated list of outside boards and committee assignments attached to the meeting agenda.

Less-critical details: commissioners encouraged new board members to connect with the clerk’s office for onboarding and said the mayor and commissioners serve on many outside boards that are described in the agenda materials.