HOPEFULLY WILL BE HERE ANY MINUTE.
[00:00:01]
RESIDENTS, NEIGHBORS AND GUESTS.[CALL TO ORDER]
CITY OFFICIALS.THIS BUDGET WORKSHOP DATED MONDAY, JULY 8TH, 2024, WILL NOW COME TO ORDER.
LADAYIJA, WOULD YOU DO A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? COMMISSIONER BOLE.
PRESENT. PRESENT. SO THIS IS SINGULAR TOPIC TODAY IS BUDGET WORKSHOP.
AND WE'RE GOING TO, OH DO YOU HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED IN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? NOT YET. NO.
OKAY. SHOULD WE ALLOW FOR PUBLIC COMMENT TIME PERMITTING AT THE END? I THINK SO, IF ANYBODY HAS ANY.
IS ANYBODY WISHING TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT THAT HASN'T SIGNED IN? MARK.
[2. TOPICS]
OKAY. ALL RIGHT.GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COMMISSION.
WE GOT THE POWERPOINT UP OR GOT IT? ALL RIGHT. SO THIS IS THE FIRST OF SO FAR, FOUR PLANNED WORKSHOPS.
I THINK LAST YEAR YOU DID TWO WORKSHOPS.
EACH OF THEM WERE TWO HOURS LONG.
THIS YEAR WE WERE PLANNING ON FOUR WORKSHOPS, ONE HOUR LONG.
LAST TIME YOU DID THE WHOLE CITY IN ONE SHOT EACH TIME.
THIS TIME YOU'RE GOING TO DO THE CITY INCREMENTALLY AS WE GO ALONG.
AND THEN AT THE END, WE'LL ROLL IT ALL UP TOGETHER AND HOPEFULLY HAVE A CONSENSUS AND BRING FORTH THE ORDINANCE FOR THE FIRST HEARING IN SEPTEMBER. AS WE GO THROUGH THE AGENDA, JULY WILL BE JUST KIND OF A HIGH LEVEL LOOK AT OUR AT THE REVENUE ESTIMATES, HOW WE WENT ABOUT DOING THEM.
AND WE WERE ALSO LOOKING AT SOME GENERAL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, THE EASY ONES, WHICH IS THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, CITY COMMISSION, HR, IT, AND ADMIN AND FINANCE.
I WON'T SPOIL TOO MUCH OF IT, BUT THEN GOING INTO JULY, WE'LL LOOK AT A BUILDING PLANNING AND ZONING, A PUBLIC UTILITIES AND PUBLIC WORKS. MY EXPECTATION IS THAT THERE MIGHT BE SOME DISCUSSION ON PLANNING AND MAYBE SOME ON PUBLIC UTILITIES.
PUBLIC UTILITIES ENJOYS THE FRUITS OF BEING A TOTALLY ENTERPRISE FUNDED.
AND SO I DON'T THINK THERE MAY BE SOME CONSERVATION, CONVERSATION ABOUT SPECIFIC PROJECTS, BUT THERE'S NOT ANY PARTICULAR FUNDING ISSUES THERE.
HOWEVER, WITH PUBLIC WORKS, THEY ARE FUNDED LARGELY OUT OF GENERAL FUND.
AND SO THE PROJECTS THAT THEY TAKE ON BOARD IMPACT THE GENERAL FUND IN OUR EXPENDITURES.
SO THERE MAY QUITE, VERY WELL BE SOME DEBATE ON THAT AS WELL AS OTHER CAPITAL ASSETS THAT THEY HAVE SUCH AS TRUCKS AND VACUUM EQUIPMENT.
AND THEN ON AUGUST 12TH, WE'LL LOOK AT PUBLIC SAFETY AND RECREATION.
THERE MAY BE SOME DISCUSSION ON RECREATION, BUT I EXPECT PUBLIC SAFETY WILL RECEIVE A GREAT DEAL OF DISCUSSION, GIVEN THE FACT THAT IF YOU'VE PAID ATTENTION IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, IT LOOKS LIKE JSO IS GOING TO RECEIVE A VERY LARGE PAY INCREASE.
AND HAS AT LEAST THE MAYOR'S SUPPORT AT THIS POINT IN MOVING OVER TO THE FLORIDA RETIREMENT SYSTEM AND OFF OF THEIR CURRENT 401 K SYSTEM.
SO I EXPECT THERE WILL PROBABLY BE A ROBUST DISCUSSION THERE AS WELL AS THERE'S ALSO ASKED FOR VEHICLES AND OTHER THINGS THAT MAY GENERATE. THE AUGUST 26TH MEETING ON THIS AGENDA.
IT'S NOT NOTICED YET THAT ONE.
MY EXPECTATION WILL BE THAT IT WILL BE A WRAP UP OF WHAT WE HAVE HEARD FROM THE OTHER THREE.
SO WE WILL BE BUILDING THIS PRESENTATION INCREMENTALLY AS WE GO, AND THEN WHATEVER RECOMMENDATIONS WE HEAR FOR CHANGES, AS WELL AS STAFF PRIORITIZATION OF THE ENHANCEMENTS IN WHICH THEY'VE MADE, WHICH I'LL GET TO AT THE END OF THIS, WILL BE PUT THERE.
AND THEN HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE SOME KIND OF CONSENSUS FROM THE COMMISSION ON HOW TO PROCEED FORWARD.
IF NOT, THEN WE'LL SCHEDULE A SPECIAL MEETING BETWEEN THAT AND THE FIRST SEPTEMBER MEETING.
AND THAT 1ST SEPTEMBER MEETING WILL BE THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING.
AND THEN THE 2ND SEPTEMBER MEETING WILL BE THE ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET.
[00:05:04]
AND THEN ON THE NEXT SLIDE IS THE THEMES FOR THE PRIORITIES THAT THE COMMISSION SET.IT'S MY HOPE AND BRITTANY'S HEARING THIS FOR THE FIRST TIME TONIGHT, BUT THAT'S LARGELY BECAUSE SHE TEASED ME TODAY, SO THIS IS PAYBACK, IS THAT I'D LIKE TO TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, ROLL UP OUR EXPENDITURES INTO THESE THEMED CATEGORIES SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT THE CITY'S SPENDING ON EACH OF THE THEMES AND HOW WE'RE YOU KNOW, IT MAY BE ENLIGHTENING.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET.
IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE CERTAINLY THE MOST IMPORTANT TO STAFF BECAUSE IT HAS THEIR PAYROLL IN IT.
BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO THE COMMISSION BECAUSE THIS IS HOW YOU IMPLEMENT YOUR YOUR PRIORITIES AND THE POLICIES FOR THE CITY IS ACTUALLY THROUGH THE BUDGET. THE DOCUMENT GIVES US THE ABILITY TO COLLECT REVENUES AND TO PARE EXPENSES.
AND LIKE I SAID, IT'S HOW WE ALLOCATE OUT OUR RESOURCES WHICH IMPLEMENTS YOUR POLICY.
SO THEN IF WE GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THERE'S ABOUT THREE SLIDES FOUR SLIDES.
I WANTED TO START OUT BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN A BIG YEAR.
SO EVERYTHING THAT'S ON THE NEXT FOUR SLIDES IS ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT HAVE OCCURRED THIS YEAR.
IT IS EITHER ALREADY DONE OR IT'S UNDER CONTRACT.
THERE'S A PLAN AND A COMMITMENT TO GET IT DONE THROUGH A CONTRACTUAL VEHICLE.
BUT YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE ONES THAT I'LL PICK OUT IS THE PICKLEBALL COURT EXPANSION.
THE SPLASH PAD THE SPLASH PAD WAS SOMETHING THAT HAD BEEN ON THE BOOKS FOR A WHILE.
I THINK THE PICKLEBALL COURT ONE WAS AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE LARGELY THEY'RE EITHER DONE OR WILL BE DONE THIS WEEK.
MAYBE NOT IF THE RAIN KEEPS UP, BUT DUTTON ISLAND PIER, THE REDECKING AND RAIL REPLACEMENT JUST TO RUN THROUGH THE ONE THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO WORK IN MY OFFICE IS THE NEW AC UNITS.
WE HAVE A PRETTY ROBUST EVEN THOUGH THE CONTRACT HAS BEEN LET, AND THE NOTICE TO PROCEED ISN'T UNTIL EARLY AUGUST, IT IS A ROBUST MILLING AND REPAVING PROGRAM.
AS WELL AS OUR FAVORITE SPEED HUMPS IN THE CITY OVER ON MAIN STREET.
SO THE ALL THE DECKING WILL OCCUR ON DUTTON ISLAND.
AND THEN THEY CAN GO TO 18TH STREET OR AHERN STREET BIKE PATH IS UNDER PROCESS.
I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THESE, BUT THE LAST THREE ARE PRETTY BIG ITEMS. THE LIFEGUARD STATION RENOVATION THAT'S BEEN ON THE BOOKS FOR QUITE A WHILE.
THEY WILL PROCEED WHEN OUR BEACH SEASON ENDS AND WE NO LONGER HAVE TO HOUSE LIFEGUARDS THERE.
WE PURCHASED 100 WEST 1ST STREET, SO THAT'S A BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR THE CITY AND SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN ON THE BOOKS, WHAT I'M TOLD SINCE 2017 IS AN ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING SYSTEM.
MY EXPECTATION IS THAT'S A YEAR LONG PROJECT, BUT AT LEAST IT HAS MOVED PAST A DREAM AND JUST A BUDGET TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS. SO I DID WANT TO GO THROUGH THOSE PRETTY QUICKLY.
I DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET POLICY.
SO THE CITY HAS A FORMAL BUDGET POLICY.
I DON'T HAVE IT HERE WITH ME TONIGHT, BUT THERE'S, LIKE, 12 TO 15 ITEMS ON IT.
[00:10:05]
BUDGET'S APPROVED, I WOULD LIKE TO REVISIT THE BUDGET POLICY.WE HAVE TO FULLY FUND ALL OF OUR STAFF.
WE HAVE TO THEN NOT ONLY FULLY FUND THEM, BUT GIVE THEM A 3% PAY RAISE EVERY YEAR, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT I DON'T BELIEVE WAS ACTUALLY MET IN THE PAST. BUT AS YOU GO THROUGH IT, THE ASSUMPTION IS ALWAYS THAT WE HAVE MORE REVENUE THAN WE HAVE EXPENDITURES.
AND SO I'LL COME WITH A RECOMMENDATION FOR THAT.
BUT IT WOULD BE PROBABLY AFTER THIS BUDGET IS APPROVED.
WE HAVE MAINTAINED THE CURRENT LEVEL OF SERVICE.
WE MAINTAIN A 25% OPERATING RESERVES.
ACTUALLY, I BELIEVE WE HOLD A 50% EXPECTATION IS BY THE TIME ALL THE REVENUE IS ACCOUNTED FOR, THAT WE WILL EXCEED THE 50%.
AND ALL OF OUR AUTHORIZED POSITIONS ARE FUNDED IN THE DRAFT BUDGET THAT WE HAVE.
SO IF WE CAN GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO THE TOTAL REVENUES FOR THE GENERAL FUND, THE SLIDE IS A LITTLE MISLEADING.
SO WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IS THE PROPOSED REVENUES FOR THE GENERAL FUND ACTUALLY GO DOWN IN 2025.
THAT IS A AN ACCOUNTING ISSUE.
SO IF YOU REMEMBER, IN 2024, WE TOOK OUT OF RESERVES MONEY TO PAY FOR THE LIFEGUARD STATION.
EVEN THOUGH THE LIFEGUARD STATION IS, THROUGH FUNDING FROM COJ.
SO WE HAVE TO HAVE THE MONEY UP FRONT TO PAY, AND THEN WE'LL GET REIMBURSED.
SO WE TOOK $700,000 OUT OF RESERVES FOR THAT.
WE TOOK $700,000 OUT OF RESERVES TO PAY FOR 100 WEST FIRST STREET.
SO THAT GETS COUNTED AS REVENUE TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR.
AND SO THE REALITY IS THAT THERE IS AN INCREASE IN THE GENERAL FUND IN REVENUE.
IN TERMS OF PARTICULARLY IN TERMS OF OUR AD VALOREM.
AND WE'VE ALREADY SEEN THAT IN THE INITIAL NOTICE.
BUT LIKE I SAID, THAT'S MOSTLY AN ACCOUNTING ISSUE.
SO MAY I ASK A QUESTION THERE.
SO. YOU MAY. THE DELTA ON THAT IS PROBABLY 1.4 MILLION.
WELL AND SO THE DELTA ON THAT BASED ON THE ASSUMPTIONS IS PROBABLY SOMEWHERE AROUND THERE.
YEAH. BUT WHEN YOU SEE THE ASSUMPTIONS, YOU'LL SEE THAT I ASKED STAFF TO ASSUME THAT OUR REVENUES IN TERMS OF LIKE PASS THROUGH REVENUES FROM THE COUNTY AND FROM THE STATE ARE LAST YEARS.
MY EXPECTATION IS THOSE REVENUES WERE ACTUALLY BE HIGHER.
SO MY EXPECTATION IS THAT THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE, THAT THERE WILL BE MORE MONEY THERE THAN WHAT THIS INITIAL DRAFT OF THE BUDGET IS ANTICIPATING. OKAY.
SO IF WE CAN GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO THESE ARE THE ASSUMPTIONS FOR THE REVENUE.
I ASKED STAFF WHEN WE WERE CALCULATING UP OUR REVENUE TO ASSUME THAT WE'RE MAINTAINING OUR MILLAGE RATE OF 2.8410, THAT THE STATE SHARED REVENUE, THAT THERE'S NO INCREASE IN, THAT MY EXPECTATION IS, GIVEN THE ECONOMY, THAT THERE WILL BE A MEANINGFUL INCREASE IN OUR STATE REVENUE.
BUT I WANT TO TAKE A PRETTY CONSERVATIVE APPROACH IN PUTTING THE BUDGET TOGETHER.
INTERFUND TRANSFERS IS GOING TO BE A REDUCTION THERE THAT IN ALL LIKELIHOOD, WON'T BE OVERLY MEANINGFUL UTILITY RATES. WE HAVE HISTORICALLY ASKED FOR A 3% RATE.
WE HAVE PUT MONEY IN PUBLIC UTILITIES BUDGET FOR A NEW RATE STUDY.
[00:15:01]
WE'RE AT THE END OF OUR RATE STUDY RIGHT NOW, BUT WE ANTICIPATE THAT IT WILL BE PROBABLY ROUGHLY 3% AT LEAST.SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT A 3.7% INCREASE.
THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN INCREASE IN THE STORM WATER FEES SINCE 2012, IS THAT CORRECT? AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT FEE, AND GIVEN THAT IT'S BEEN WHAT EIGHT AND OR 12 YEARS SINCE THERE'S BEEN ANY INCREASE I ASKED STAFF TO GO AHEAD AND LOOK AT A 9% INCREASE THERE.
NO INCREASE IN PERMIT FEES, NO INCREASE IN OTHER USER FEES.
AND RIGHT NOW WE HAVE PROGRAMED A ROUGHLY $3 MILLION 2.882 MILLION IN GRANTS FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION? I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO US THAT, YOU KNOW, WE GO AND LOOK AT REAL NUMBERS WHEN IT COMES TIME TO VOTE FOR MILLAGE RATE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THAT WILL DICTATE, I THINK, YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR WHAT WE DID WAS A LITTLE OUT OF THE NORM.
OH YEAH. SO AS EACH WORKSHOP PROGRESSES AND THE REVENUE NUMBERS GET TIGHTER AND TIGHTER, MY EXPECTATION IS THAT THAT FOURTH WORKSHOP, THOSE WILL BE THAT WILL BE THE REVENUE AND THE EXPENSE NUMBERS THAT THAT WE WOULD OTHERWISE SUBMIT FOR THE HEARING.
RIGHT. UNLESS THE COMMISSION CHOOSES TO MAKE CHANGES TO PROJECTS AND THINGS.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT.
IT SAID NO, NO USER FEE INCREASES.
WEREN'T WE DOING A STUDY ON THE RECREATION FACILITY RENTALS? AND DID THEY COME UP WITH A WITH A PLAN A FEE SCHEDULE? I'M NOT AWARE THAT THEY COME UP WITH A NEW FEE SCHEDULE YET.
YEAH. I'M NOT AWARE THAT THAT THEY'VE DONE THAT.
SO THEY EITHER BLEW IT OFF OR IT GOT STUCK OR.
SO, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T HAVE A DIRECTOR RIGHT NOW.
THEY DON'T HAVE THOSE CHALLENGES YET TO BE OVERCOME IN REC.
AND I DON'T THINK IT'LL MAKE THAT MUCH DIFFERENCE, BUT JUST, JUST IT TRIGGERED MY MIND.
IF WE CAN GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
ATLANTIC BEACH IS OF THE MUNICIPALITIES WITHIN DUVAL COUNTY WOULD HAVE THE LOWEST MILLAGE RATE.
IF WE LOOK AT THE NEXT SLIDE AND WE SEE HOW THE TAXES.
SO FOR EVERY DOLLAR OF TAXES THAT AN ATLANTIC BEACH RESIDENT WOULD PAY, $0.46 WOULD GO TO DUVAL COUNTY, $0.37 WOULD GO TO THE SCHOOL BOARD $0.16 WOULD GO TO ATLANTIC BEACH AND $0.01 WOULD GO TO THE WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT.
IF WE LOOK AT OUR EXPENDITURES BY FUND, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE PUBLIC UTILITIES ENTERPRISE FUND IS, BY AND LARGE, THE LARGEST EXPENDITURE.
BUT THEY ALSO GENERATE THE LARGEST REVENUE TO COVER THAT.
THE GENERAL FUND IS THEN THE NEXT LARGEST EXPENDITURE.
AND THEN THE OTHER FUNDS BECOME MUCH LESS, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE EXPENDITURES ON THE IN TERMS OF TOTAL EXPENDITURES EXACTLY MATCH THE PROPOSED REVENUES, WHICH IS A GOOD THING, THOUGH WHEN WE GET TOWARDS THE END, YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF ASKS THAT WERE ASKED FOR THAT HAVE NOT YET MADE THE CUT.
WE CAN GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
OUR OPERATING EXPENSES ARE THE LARGEST PIECE OF THAT.
BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S LARGELY A LARGELY FLAT.
WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT ONE, WHICH IS GENERAL FUND REVENUE DISTRIBUTION.
IT'S A PIE CHART THAT SHOWS YOU HOW THE GENERAL FUND IS AGGREGATED SO ROUGHLY 50% OF IT IS THROUGH TAXES. THE OTHER 21%.
ANOTHER 21% IS THROUGH INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUE THROUGH THE COUNTY OR THE STATE.
[00:20:05]
ABOUT 14% IS CHARGES FOR SERVICES.AND THEN THERE'S SOME MISCELLANEOUS PERCENTAGES FROM PERMITS AND FEES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT MOST OF OUR FUNDS EITHER COME FROM TAXES, GOVERNMENT TRANSFERS OR DIRECT CHARGES.
42% OF IT GOES TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
ROUGHLY 30% OF IT GOES TO GENERAL GOVERNMENT, WHICH IS CITY COMMISSION, CITY MANAGER, CLERK'S OFFICE, HR, FINANCE, ACCOUNTING, PLANNING.
THESE CATEGORIES ARE THE CFOS, THE STATE CFOS CATEGORIES.
AND SO THEY'RE NOT REALLY OUR CATEGORIES, BUT THE TRANSPORTATION IS MOSTLY MADE UP OF PUBLIC WORKS.
IF WE CAN GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE, AM I? WE HAVE A LITTLE ORDER.
EITHER THAT OR I DROP THE PAGE.
DO YOU WANT THIS? GO ON. WE CAN GO ON.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS BUILT INTO THE BUDGET RIGHT NOW, I CAN JUST DO IT.
IS IT. DID I FLIP IT? I DID I BUILT INTO THE BUDGET OF 5% COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT.
WE'RE ON THE THIRD YEAR OF A CONTRACT WITH THE POLICE UNION.
THAT THIRD YEAR IS A 5% INCREASE INTO THE STEP PLAN.
THE STEP PLANS ARE A LITTLE WEIRD, SO THAT DOESN'T DIRECTLY MEAN A 5% FOR EVERYBODY WHO'S ON IT. SOME PEOPLE ACTUALLY END UP GETTING A LITTLE BIT MORE AND SOME A LITTLE BIT LESS, BUT ON AVERAGE IT'S A 5%.
AND FOR THE GENERAL EMPLOYEES, I PROGRAMED IN A 5% COST OF LIVING.
AT THIS POINT MY UNDERSTANDING IS JACKS.
BOTH JACKS BEACH AND NEPTUNE ARE LOOKING AT A 3% COST OF LIVING OVERALL, AND THEN A 2% COST OF LIVING TIME TO THEIR ANNIVERSARY DATE.
SO KIND OF WHAT THAT MEANS IS, IF YOU ASSUME THEIR ANNIVERSARY DATES ARE SPREAD OUT EVEN OVER THE YEAR, THE REALITY IS THE FIRST YEAR THEY'RE LOOKING AT A 3% AND THEN A 1%.
SO IT WOULD BE ABOUT A 4% THAT FIRST YEAR.
AND THEN THE SECOND YEAR THEY'LL PAY THE FULL LOAD OF THE 5% PLUS WHATEVER THEY DO.
IN ADDITION TO THAT IN THAT SECOND YEAR.
I JUST DID A FLAT 5% THE COMMISSION CAN CERTAINLY WEIGH IN ON THAT, AND THEN YOU CAN SEE HOW THOSE SERVICES ARE DEPLOYED THROUGHOUT THE GOVERNMENT.
IF WE CAN GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE.
WE DO NOT HAVE NUMBERS YET FROM OUR CARRIERS, BUT WE ARE ANTICIPATING A 15% INCREASE IN OUR GENERAL LIABILITY, WHICH WILL RESULT IN ABOUT $107,000 INCREASE INTO OUR GENERAL LIABILITY INSURANCE.
IF WE CAN GO ON TO THE NEXT ONE, OUR HEALTH INSURANCE, WE'RE ALSO ANTICIPATING ABOUT A 15% RAISE.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'VE PROGRAMED.
SO THAT WOULD BE ABOUT A $235,000 INCREASE INTO OUR HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS.
AND NOW WE GET INTO THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT.
THE DEPARTMENTS WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT, THE LARGELY FLAT.
I WILL GO INTO LIKE HUMAN RESOURCES LOOKS LIKE THERE'S 11% INCREASE THERE.
AND I'LL TALK ABOUT WHY THAT IS, BUT THERE'S NO PERSONNEL CHANGES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO THE 401 K.
AND THE WAY THINGS WERE DONE IN THE PAST AND THE WAY I WOULD PREFER TO DO THEM.
FOR THE REST OF THEM, THEY'RE JUST REALLY FLAT.
OTHER THAN THAT 5%, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE IS LEADING THE CHARGE AND ACTUALLY DOING A REDUCTION IN OUR BUDGET, BUT YOU WOULD FIND ME OUT THAT'S NOT EXACTLY TRUE.
[00:25:02]
AND WAS HER PLAN ALLOWED FOR HER FULL BUYOUT? OF HER LEAVE. SO WE BUDGETED FOR THAT.SO THAT IS NO LONGER IN MY BUDGET.
AND THAT LARGELY REPRESENTS THE DECREASE IN MY BUDGET.
IF WE GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE, IF WE LOOK AT THE INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTS, WE REDUCED AID TO GOVERNMENT AGENCIES PRINCIPALLY THE NEPTUNE BEACH SENIOR CENTER.
AND THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE WE REMOVED THE RECORD MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT THAT $25,000 HAS BEEN IN THE BUDGET FOR, I THINK, ABOUT THREE YEARS.
AND KEVIN HOGENCAMP DEPUTY CITY MANAGER AND DONNA, THE CITY CLERK. HAVE PROMISED ME THAT THEY WILL HAVE THAT MONEY UNDER CONTRACT AND EXPENDED BEFORE THE YEAR IS OUT.
MAYBE NOT EXPENDED, BUT AT LEAST ENCUMBERED AND UNDER CONTRACT.
SO WE'RE NOT BUDGETING FOR THAT NEXT YEAR.
AND WE'VE ENDED UP RECLASSIFYING THE RECORDS MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST.
WE'VE HAD CHALLENGES GETTING QUALIFIED EMPLOYEES APPLYING FOR THAT JOB.
SO WE ENDED UP RECLASSIFYING IT AT LEAST ONCE.
AND SO THAT REPRESENTS THE CHANGES IN THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE.
AND THEN WE REDUCED THE PAY GRADE OF THE SECOND ONE AND MADE IT A CUSTOMER SERVICE SPECIALIST.
SO THERE WASN'T A FTE COUNT REDUCTION THERE, BUT THERE WAS A PAYROLL REDUCTION THERE.
IN HUMAN RESOURCES WE THERE WAS A RENEWAL FOR OUR HR SOFTWARE, WHICH MAY GO AWAY ONCE THE ERP IS FULLY IMPLEMENTED HOPEFULLY.
BUT THE BIG INCREASE THERE IS ACTUALLY, FOR WHATEVER REASON, WE WEREN'T FULLY BUDGETING THE CITY'S 401 K CONTRIBUTION FOR THE EMPLOYEES IN THERE. AND SO WHAT I ASKED BRITTANY TO DO IS WHERE SHE SAW THAT IN DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS IS TO FUND IT AT WHAT THE ACTUAL LEVEL WAS THE YEAR BEFORE.
I MEAN, THE OPTIONS IS TO UNDERFUND IT AND THEN WE HAVE TO FIND MONEY FOR IT WHEN WE GET TO THE END OF THE YEAR FUNDED, ASSUMING EVERYBODY MAXIMIZES THEIR ABILITY TO CONTRIBUTE, WHICH IS, I THINK, UNREALISTIC OR FUNDED AT WHAT PEOPLE HAVE HISTORICALLY CONTRIBUTED, WHICH I THINK IS THE MOST REALISTIC OPTION. AND SO THAT'S WHAT I ASKED BRITTANY TO DO.
AND YOU'LL I THINK YOU'LL SEE THIS WHEN WE GET INTO OTHER DEPARTMENTS IN FUTURE MEETINGS, IS THAT WE INCREASE THE CITY'S 401 CONTRIBUTION MATCH TO MATCH LAST YEAR'S ACTUALS.
AND THEN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.
WE'VE MOVED ALL THAT FUNDING INTO IT.
AND THEN THERE'S SOME NEW LICENSING SOFTWARE, BUT THE BULK OF THAT WAS PERSONNEL.
AND THEN IF WE GO ON TO THE NEXT, I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH LINE BY LINE EACH OF THESE CAPITAL PROJECTS, BUT THESE CAPITAL PROJECTS ON THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES OR CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT ARE IN THE CURRENT DRAFT BUDGET.
AND SO THE BULK OF THEM, QUITE FRANKLY, ARE WATER SEWER PROJECTS BECAUSE THEY'RE ENTERPRISE FUNDED.
AND HE HAS THE ABILITY TO FUND THE NEEDS THERE.
AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO CATCH UP ON SOME OF THAT.
YOU WILL SEE SOME OTHER PROJECTS.
I BELIEVE THERE'S ONE IN HERE.
YOU'LL SEE LEVY ROAD ON HERE, WHICH IS ACTUALLY CURRENTLY UNDERWAY THAT SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER SQUEAKED THROUGH, BUT THAT WILL COME OUT THAT IS FUNDED THROUGH BETTER JACKS I BELIEVE.
SO IF THERE'S AN ENHANCEMENT THAT WOULD EQUAL OR BE LESS THAN THAT, THAT COULD ALSO MEET THE BETTER JACK'S CRITERIA WE WILL SLIP THAT PROJECT IN THERE. AND THEN THERE ARE SOME OTHER PROJECTS THAT BEACHES VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK, THERE'S
[00:30:10]
PAVILION THAT'S IN HERE THAT ARE FUNDED.IF WE CAN GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
WHEN WE PUT THE INITIAL DRAFT OF THE BUDGET TOGETHER BASED ON THE CRITERIA THAT I GAVE BRITTANY, IN TERMS OF CALCULATING OUR REVENUE FOR THE NEXT YEAR, WE ENDED UP WITH ABOUT A $2.5 MILLION OVERAGE.
SO WE HAD EXPENDITURES, $2.5 MILLION GREATER THAN OUR REVENUE.
LIKE I SAID, I EXPECT THE REVENUE WILL ONCE IT AS WE GET TOWARDS THE END OF JULY, WE'LL, SEE THAT, THAT REVENUE WILL BE THERE. BUT I WANTED TO START FROM A BALANCED BUDGET AND I DIDN'T WANT TO ANTICIPATE REVENUE THAT I COULDN'T COUNT ON.
AS WE GET CLOSER TO AUGUST, THE STAFF WILL PRIORITIZE THESE AND PRESENT THEM TO YOU AND THEN I WOULD ASK THE COMMISSION TO PRIORITIZE THEM.
WE'LL TAKE A COMMISSION MEETING.
AND THEN AS THE REVENUES BECOME AVAILABLE, WE'LL MOVE THESE IN BASED ON THAT PRIORITY LIST.
SO THERE ARE THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE NOT ON THIS ENHANCEMENT LIST.
THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE IS WHAT I STARTED THIS WITH WAS THE FACT THAT IT LOOKS AS THOUGH JSO IS GOING TO GET ROUGHLY 17% PAY INCREASE AND THE OPTION TO MOVE TO THE FLORIDA RETIREMENT SYSTEM, WHICH WILL PUT PRESSURE BOTH ON OUR RECRUITMENT AND OUR RETENTION. I HAVE PERSONALLY MET AT LEAST FOUR POLICE OFFICERS THAT WE'VE RECRUITED WHO CAME HERE BECAUSE JSO DIDN'T HAVE THEY CAME FROM JSO BECAUSE JSO NO LONGER HAD A PENSION AND THEY WEREN'T ON A PENSION AND WE OFFERED A PENSION.
SO IF JSO GOES BACK TO A PENSION BASED SYSTEM, THAT WILL BE A CHALLENGE FOR US.
I DON'T WANT TO SAY THAT, BUT IF THEY'RE MAKING 17% MORE AND WE'RE NOT COMPETITIVE FROM A PAY SCALE POSITION, THAT WILL IMPACT OUR ABILITY TO RETAIN AS WELL AS OUR ABILITY TO RECRUIT.
SO WHEN WE GET TO THE WORKSHOP IN WHICH POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL BE PRESENTING, THAT WILL BE PART OF THE PRESENTATION AND PART OF THE ASK.
AND SO WITH THAT MAYOR, WE DO HAVE WE DID HAND OUT WITH THE PACKET YOU ALL THE OBJECT LEVEL LINE BY LINES FOR EACH OF THE DEPARTMENTS WE COVERED TONIGHT, AND WE WILL STAND BY FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONER. I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I JUST SPENT THE HOUR THIS AFTERNOON WITH BILL, AND I MEAN THE WORK THAT THE STAFF DID AND THE FACT BILL CAN EXPLAIN THIS, IT MAY JUST TAKE ME LIKE 4 OR 5 MORE TIMES TO LEARN IT INSTEAD OF TEN, BECAUSE HE DID A GREAT JOB.
AND ALSO, I MEAN, WE GO THROUGH ALL THIS OVER THESE YEARS OF, YOU KNOW, AND LOOK AT, I MEAN, LOOK AT ALL THE THIS WHOLE COMMISSION, THIS WHOLE STAFF AND DEPARTMENT HAVE DONE. AND IT'S ALL THESE ARGUMENTS, NOT ARGUMENTS, THESE CONVERSATIONS.
AND WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT, WHAT'S NOT IMPORTANT.
I THINK IT'S PRETTY SATISFYING FOR ALL OF US.
I MEAN, I FEEL GREAT ABOUT THE WHOLE PROCESS, AND I JUST WANT TO STAY THAT WAY.
THE THING THAT WORRIES ME THE MOST IS WHEN YOU LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS AND I'M THINKING BACK AND I CAN SAY, YOU KNOW, SPLASH PAD, LIFEGUARDS, ETC., ETC., THEY'VE DOUBLED OR SOMETIMES A THIRD HIGHER THAN THOSE NUMBERS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT WHEN WE ACTUALLY CAME TO EXECUTE.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN A WEIRD TIME AND AS FAR AS LABOR, RESOURCES, ETC., ETC.
SO I TAKE WITH A GRAIN OF SALT WHEN YOU TELL ME, YOU KNOW, NOT YOU.
BUT WE LOOK AT IT AND WE SAY THAT'S WHAT IT COSTS TODAY.
REMEMBER WHAT I'VE LEARNED IN CITY GOVERNMENT IT'S NOT WHAT IT COSTS TODAY.
IT'S WHAT IT COST A YEAR, TWO YEARS, A YEAR AND A HALF FROM NOW.
SO I LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, A PROJECTION.
[00:35:04]
SO, YOU KNOW, I'M THINKING, HOW LONG DID IT TAKE US TO BUILD SOME OF THOSE THINGS? I, YOU KNOW, RANDOM THOUGHT.BUT I LOOK AT A NUMBER AND I SAY, OKAY, TODAY, THAT'S WHAT THE NUMBER IS.
SO I THINK WE HAVE TO TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT ALSO.
AND SO YOU KNOW, THAT BECOMES A CHALLENGE WHEN THEY SIT OUT THERE.
BUT WE ARE COGNIZANT OF THAT FACT.
BILL SAT WITH ME EARLIER TODAY FOR A GOOD LONG WHILE.
I THINK I WENT INTO COMMISSIONER WATERS TIME FRAME THERE.
THAT IS FINE. BUT HE WALKS ME THROUGH EVERYTHING VERY THOROUGHLY.
THIS IS A GREAT STARTING POINT.
I AM NERVOUS ABOUT THE $2.5 MILLION GREATER EXPENDITURES.
I KNOW THAT YOU FEEL PRETTY HOPEFUL THAT WE WILL RECEIVE MORE.
WHEN YOU SEE ROOFS AND CARS, TRUCKS, A LAWN MOWER, ETC.
IT'S A LONG LIST AND SOME OTHER THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, CARRIED OVER FROM LAST YEAR, PREVIOUS YEARS.
PUBLIC SAFETY IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
I KNOW JSO, AND JFRD HAVE JUST INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY.
I KNOW THAT'S NOT JFRD IS NOT AN ISSUE WITH US RIGHT NOW.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT LATER IN THE COMMISSION MEETING.
BUT FOR JSO, CAN WE CAN'T COULD WE MEET A 17% INCREASE OR WHAT ARE WE WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT. WELL, SO YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE DISCUSSION IS DO YOU HAVE TO MEET A 17% INCREASE.
SO THE DELTA RIGHT NOW IS 12.5.
I THINK THE CHIEF IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT WHAT HE BELIEVES WOULD BE A MINIMUM AND WHAT HE'S WILLING AND ABLE TO GIVE UP IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE WHATEVER THAT MINIMUM LEVEL IS.
RIGHT. SO THIS TIME LAST YEAR, I KNOW CHIEF VIC WAS ASKING ABOUT MORE POSITIONS.
SOUNDS LIKE WE WERE ABLE TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS.
AND I KNOW I'M SURE CHIEF VIC WILL HAVE HIS OWN PRESENTATION, BUT JUST GOING INTO THAT IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, JUST THINKING THAT ABOUT THAT IN THE BACK OF MY, OUR HEADS AS WE PROGRESS THROUGH BUDGET SEASON, I GUESS I JUST.
AND CHIEF, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, I THINK WE FILLED ALL BUT ONE OF THE OFFICER POSITIONS.
THAT'S CORRECT. SO WE'RE DOWN ONE OFFICER RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS BETTER THAN WE'VE BEEN IN A LONG TIME, RIGHT? SO COMPETING WITH JSO MAY BE DIFFICULT, BUT ALSO THINKING ABOUT COMPETITION WITH NEIGHBORING BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENTS LIKE NEPTUNE BEACH AND JACKS BEACH AND KNOWING WHAT THEY'RE PAYING.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE MORE COMPARABLE THAN WHAT [INAUDIBLE].
OUR EXPECTATION I THINK WE HAVE SOME EXPECTATION.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT NEPTUNE, BUT YOU KNOW, THE CITY MANAGER FOR NEPTUNE USED TO BE THE POLICE CHIEF.
SO THERE'S PROBABLY SOME FRIENDLINESS TOWARDS THAT THERE.
AND OUR EXPECTATION IS THAT JACKS BEACH WILL DO WHAT THEY CAN TO MATCH.
SO ALL THE BEACHES WILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM RIGHT.
SO THEY'RE ALL WELL THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAD.
OKAY I JUST WANT TO PUT ONE MORE PLUG IN.
SINCE I KNOW COMMISSIONER BOLE HAS BEEN PASSIONATE ABOUT THE 16TH STREET WALKOVER.
IN ORDER FOR THAT TO GET DONE IN THE BUDGET YEAR.
SO WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF MONTHS.
OKAY. WITH BOTH PARTIES ON BOTH SIDES.
OKAY. AND ONE SIDE IS ALREADY FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, AGREED.
[00:40:03]
OKAY. IT'S THE OTHER SIDE, SO.BUT I CAN BRIEF YOU LATER WHAT I KNOW.
SURE. AND THE REASON I GUESS I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT THAT IS I THINK WE'RE VERY CLOSE, YOU KNOW.
WELL, TO THE PEOPLE THAT KNOW MORE ABOUT SAFETY CLOSING THAT BECAUSE OF THE, YOU KNOW, SLIDING DOWN.
AND THE CITY DOESN'T WANT TO BE LIABLE EITHER FOR SOMEBODY INJURED.
SURE. SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S A DECISION WE WILL HAVE TO MAKE.
I'M GOING TO LET CANDACE GO FIRST.
SHE HASN'T SPOKEN YET, BUT I'LL GO NEXT.
ACCORDING TO WHAT THEY DO FOR THE CITY AND WHAT WE SAID WE WANTED AND WHETHER, YOU KNOW, LIKE THERE'S LIKE A LOT OF PLAYGROUNDS IN THERE. AND, YOU KNOW, THE PLAYGROUNDS WE HAVE, I DON'T THINK ARE BAD AND PEOPLE I DON'T THINK HAVE BEEN CLAMORING FOR MORE PLAYGROUNDS.
SO ANYWAY, I THINK AS WE GET THE BREAKDOWN THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY, WE HAVE A BETTER, BETTER SHOT OF SAYING, ARE WE PAYING FOR WHAT? ARE WE GETTING WHAT WE WANT SAID WE WANT, YOU KNOW, ARE WE? OR WHAT IF WHAT WE SAID WE WANT COSTS THIS MUCH, DO WE STILL WANT IT? YOU KNOW, YOU GO TO THE STORE AND YOU GO, OH, I LIKE THAT.
AND THEN YOU TURN IT OVER AND YOU LOOK AT THE PRICE AND YOU'RE LIKE, I DON'T LIKE IT THAT MUCH.
SO I'M ANXIOUS TO SEE HOW THE REST OF THIS WILL PLAY OUT.
SO I JUST HAD ONE OTHER QUESTION.
I THINK IT WAS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO THAT OUR GOVERNOR DID VETO A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF FUNDS.
AN OVERVIEW. I KNOW, BILL, YOU'VE ALREADY EXPLAINED A LOT TO ME, BUT FOR CITIZENS TO KNOW, HOW DOES THAT AFFECT OUR BUDGET THIS YEAR? SO THE SEPTIC TANK RENEWAL.
WE'VE APPLIED FOR A GRANT FOR THAT.
I DON'T HAVE THE OUTCOME ON THAT YET.
AND THAT WAS WHAT, THE BUDGET.
BASICALLY WHAT THE GOVERNOR SAID IS THAT THERE'S GRANTS AVAILABLE FOR THAT.
IT WOULD HAVE STILL BEEN HELPFUL IF WE COULD HAVE GOTTEN THE APPROPRIATION.
I GUESS THE TWO BIGGEST PROJECTS WERE THE BEACH WALKOVER.
BEACH WALKOVER YEAH. AND THE SEPTIC TANK.
SO I DON'T SEE THE SEPTIC TANK ON HERE.
YEAH. IT'S WE DON'T HAVE A GRANT FOR IT YET.
SO AS SOON AS WE GET WORD BACK ON THE GRANT THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO THE COMMISSION AND REQUEST PERMISSION TO SIGN THE GRANT AND THEN APPROPRIATE THE MONEY, BECAUSE THE GRANT WOULD BE REIMBURSABLE.
SO WE'LL HAVE TO APPROPRIATE THE MONEY, IMPLEMENT IT, AND THEN GET REIMBURSED FOR IT.
OKAY. THANK YOU. THE GRANT, THAT'S A NON MATCHING GRANT THAT WE'RE APPLYING FOR.
OKAY. HOW DO WE KNOW I HAVEN'T GOTTEN ANY FEEDBACK LATELY ON, ARE WE GETTING OUR MONEY'S WORTH OUT OF OUR GRANT WRITER AND OUR LOBBYISTS? WE YOU PUT ME ON THE SPOT IN THE PUBLIC.
WELL. SORRY. NO, YOU CAN ANSWER ME LATER IF YOU WANT.
BUT I THINK WE CAN SHOW SUCCESS.
I'LL GET YOU THE STATS ON THE GRANT WRITER.
WE CAN SHOW SUCCESS ON OUR GRANT WRITING.
IF YOU LOOK AT THIS SESSION, OUR LOBBYING EFFORTS WEREN'T VERY PRODUCTIVE.
HAVE WE TALKED TO THEM? THE LOBBYIST.
OH, YEAH. WELL, ALL THE TIME, YEAH.
OKAY, SO MAYBE WHAT WOULD YOU ATTRIBUTE IT TO THEIR INEFFECTIVENESS OR THE CLIMATE OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION? WELL, WE GET THAT IN TERMS OF THIS SESSION.
WE GOT THE MONEY THROUGH THE SESSION.
WHAT HAPPENED WAS THE GOVERNOR VETOED IT.
SO AND THE EMAIL EXCHANGES THAT I HAD WITH THEM, IT APPEARED AS THOUGH IN WORKING WITH THE GOVERNOR'S STAFF, THEY FELT OPTIMISTIC. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND WHEN THE GOVERNOR MADE THE DECISION TO VETO THEM, BUT I GUESS THEY WERE PRODUCTIVE IN GETTING IT THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE.
BUT YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T GET THE HORSE ACROSS THE LINE, THEN.
[00:45:03]
GOVERNOR BELIEVED WE COULD GET THAT AN NOT A GRANT.I'M SORRY. THE GOVERNOR BEING ABLE TO APPROVE THAT.
HE KNEW THAT WE COULD GET A GRANT TO DO THE SAME.
SO IT'S KIND OF MINOR IN THE SCHEME OF THINGS, I GUESS.
BUT THERE WERE ONLY TWO AND THAT WAS HALF OF IT.
I'LL GET OKAY. SO I THINK FOR ME IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THIS IS JUST STEP ONE.
I COULD ASK QUESTIONS, BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER UNTIL WE GET MORE DATA.
AND SO THE NEXT MEETING AND THEN THE SUBSEQUENT MEETING WILL GIVE US MORE AND MORE TO ACTUALLY HAVE A CONVERSATION ON WITH REGARDS TO THE ENHANCEMENTS YOU SAID THAT IN ORDER TO BE PREPARED TO SLOT THEM IN, YOU'RE GOING TO TRY TO RANK ORDER THEM THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT HEADS, AND THEN YOU'LL WEIGH IN ON THAT.
AND THEN HOW WOULD YOU LIKE US TO HELP IN THAT? WHAT I'LL PROBABLY DO, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T REALLY TAKE ACTIONS THROUGH A WORKSHOP, IS I WILL BRING THOSE PRIORITIZATIONS PROBABLY AT LIKE THE CITY MANAGER COMMENTS AND THEN JUST ASK FOR A CONSENSUS ON THAT, AND WE CAN DO IT THAT WAY.
I THINK UNLESS JASON HAS AN OBJECTION TO DOING IT THAT WAY.
OKAY, GOOD. ALL RIGHT, SO HAVE WE COVERED EVERYTHING ON THIS TOPICS FOR TONIGHT? OKAY. FOR THIS PART OF THE MEETING.
SO IF THERE IS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED, AND WE'LL RECONVENE IN
APPROXIMATELY TEN MINUTES FOR THE REGULAR MEETING.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.