LAKE COUNTY, Fla. – The Montverde Town Council convenes every second Tuesday of the month for its regular meeting, but what makes these gatherings special is what happens beforehand.
News 6 reporter Treasure Roberts sat down to chat with Montverde Mayor Joe Wynkoop over dinner made by Tabletop Top Catering.
It’s now tradition to provide dinner before the council meetings — all in an effort to increase attendance.
“About six or seven years ago, we really weren’t getting a lot of people to be able to come,” Mayor Wynkoop said.
[EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos]
That’s when they came up with this idea.
“Some people may feel a little intimidated coming to town hall,” Wynkoop said.
The food and fellowship is changing that, though.
Wynkoop noted that after attending a few dinners, residents often become more engaged in the meetings. He added they even began to build community, talking to each other outside of town hall.
Carlissa Hartle, a longtime Montverde resident, echoed this sentiment. She emphasized the welcoming atmosphere cultivated by the dinners.
She witnessed the council chamber transition from sparsely attended to now nearly full. Hartle said civic engagement is important, so she’s pleased to see the growing interest among Montverde residents,
“If they want to have a say in what goes on in their towns, they need to know what’s going on,” Hartle said.
One topic of discussion during Tuesday’s meeting was the town’s upcoming centennial celebration in 2025.
“We want to come up with ideas on what we want to do during that year,” he said.
Wynkoop emphasized the importance of community engagement in celebrating and sustaining the town’s progress.
He said the town is in good standing and has been for years, so he wants the people who step up to replace the current council to keep it that way.
“Hoping we can get more people that are interested in being in the government,” Wynkoop said.
He believes the pre-meeting dinners will continue to foster that civic participation.
Check out the Florida Foodie podcast. You can find every episode in the media player below: