Local

New Apopka mayor halves his salary

APOPKA, Fla. — Apopka's newly elected mayor didn't waste time fulfilling a campaign pledge -- halving his salary from $150,000 to $75,000 on his first day in office.

Mayor Bryan Nelson said he's reviewing other high-paying jobs in an attempt to fill a $6 million budget hole.

Nelson said that doesn't mean any jobs will be lost or that anyone will have to reapply to work for the city.

He said he's reviewing the city's 52 positions that pay more than $80,000 per year to align the right qualifications with the right jobs.

"There might be some that probably deserve another position, a higher position," Nelson said. "So it's just trying to see where the pieces are in the talent pool that we have here in Apopka, which is second to none."

The former Florida legislator and Orange County commissioner said he'll focus on balancing the city's budget, which burned through $6 million in reserves last year.

Nelson said he hopes the council will support his desire to eliminate red-light cameras, something he believes will pay off in the long run.

"It's not about always saving money," he said. "Maybe we need to spend money on improvements that will generate savings or get us in a better financial position."

Nelson said said he plans to shadow city employees at all levels in the coming weeks to see firsthand where the city's and employees' needs lie.