- January 13, 2026
-
-
Loading
Loading
Ocoee took a moment to reflect on all of the growth that occurred in its centennial year during the 2026 State of the City video presentation Tuesday, Jan. 6.
“As we wrap up our centennial year, I want to take a moment to honor the generations who came before us, the folks who built the foundation we stand on,” Ocoee Mayor Rusty Johnson said. “Their hard work and determination shape the Ocoee we love, and we carry their legacy forward with every step we take.”
In 2025, Ocoee maintained a balanced budget without raising the millage rate for the 10th consecutive year and brought in more than $4.2 million in grants to help alleviate the reliance on taxpayers.
The city celebrated breaking ground on the $10 million Ocoee Regional Law Enforcement Training Facility, a 15,000-square-foot complex situated at the corner of Fullers Cross Road and State Road 429. It is supported with $7 million of state and federal dollars.
Ocoee approved Vision 2045, a new plan for a 20-year vision for a more vibrant and economically sustainable community.
Since the 50 West Redevelopment District was established in 2006, property values in Ocoee have increased by 258% and generated revenue that has helped fund infrastructure improvements, parks and other projects.
The Public Works Department resurfaced seven miles of improved roadways in major corridors and neighborhoods and repaired almost a mile of sidewalk.
Ocoee’s Youth Council members contributed more than 420 volunteer hours in 2025, and the cemetery clean-up project earned the council the Florida League of Cities Youth Council Excellence Award.
The Ocoee Fire Department celebrated the city’s 100th anniversary with an open house, and it continued the partnership with the police department to offer residents hands-on training in CPR and first aid. A retired Lynx bus was converted into a mass casualty transport unit, which will transport an abundance of patients. For the new year, the department will place Tower 25 into service, break ground on the new Station 38 and take delivery of a new fire engine and rescue ambulance.
“As for the road ahead, I’ve never been more hopeful,” Johnson said. “Our future is bright, full of opportunity and promise.”
During the City Commission meeting Tuesday, Jan. 6, Ocoee Public Works Director Steve Krug shared updates on the city’s sidewalk and street resurfacing projects for the year.
The first phase of the sidewalk replacement project is scheduled to begin in February and will involve replacing 3,200 linear feet of sidewalk. Krug said digitizing the sidewalk system has allowed the city to better prioritize repairs and stretch its $500,000 budget. His team walked the entire city sidewalk and reported every location that needs improvements and found about 46,000 linear feet of sidewalk that needs to be replaced.
Construction will begin in January on a project along Hackney Prairie Road, which will remove a center median and replace it with grass to reduce speeding. The project is expected to be completed in April, and the road will remain open during construction.
Road resurfacing projects also are underway, with about 7.5 miles of streets scheduled for milling and resurfacing. Speed tables will be repainted in several neighborhoods.
Krug added the department now is ready to start pricing for the following phase.
