By Anita Todd
HAINES CITY – At the Sept. 19 Haines City Commission meeting, the Board voted unanimously to remove a resolution from the agenda that would have excused Commissioner Anne Huffman’s recent absences.
Resolution No. 25-1898, titled Excusing Commissioner Anne Huffman’s Absences from Regular City Commission Meetings, had originally been scheduled for discussion under “New Business.” Once the section began, Commissioner Huffman asked Mayor Morris West if the resolution could be moved from item 9f to 9a.
Although not discussed during the meeting itself, Huffman later explained to The Daily Ridge that her absences were due to health issues. In 2024, she underwent a heart transplant and was hospitalized for an extended period, causing her to miss several meetings. At that time, the Board also voted to excuse her absences.
Last week’s resolution focused on the most recent three regular meetings she missed due to complications from her medication. Immunosuppressant medication helps stop the body from rejecting the organ. There is a long-term lifelong need for those medications which can also cause other medical conditions, often resulting in hospitalization.
Had she missed the Sept. 19 meeting, it would have marked her fourth consecutive absence—the maximum allowed under the City Charter.
When the matter came up for discussion, Mayor West called it unnecessary. “We need to move the resolution off the agenda. She’s here,” he said. “It was on here just in case she couldn’t make it.”
Commissioner Omar Aaryo expressed support, noting that he was praying for her and hoped she would be able to fulfill her term.
City Attorney Fred Reilly clarified that procedures exist for commissioners unable to attend in person. “If there are extenuating circumstances, someone can call in to participate in a meeting because of health issues,” Reilly said.
Huffman emphasized that her absences were unavoidable. “I understand this is on the Charter, but it needs to be looked at on a case-by-case basis,” she said. “Rules are rules but there has to be some degree of compassion and set aside our personal differences.”
She added that her health has improved thanks to adjustments to her medication and she remains committed to serving. “I don’t want to let the residents down,” she said.
After the vote, Huffman’s daughter, Charmeythia Streeter, spoke on her behalf. “If my Mom isn’t here, she’s at Advent Health in Orlando,” she told the Commission.
