[00:00:01] READY. THIS BUDGET WORKSHOP MEETING FOR THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, FLORIDA, DATED MONDAY, [CALL TO ORDER ] JUNE 29TH, WILL NOW COME TO ORDER. ON THIS MEETING, A LITTLE DIFFERENT FORUM, BUT WE STILL HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT. [1. PUBLIC COMMENT ] IF YOU HAVE NOT SIGNED IN AND WISH TO SPEAK I'M, I'M KEEPING IT OPEN UNTIL YOU SIGN IN, BUT RIGHT NOW WE HAVE TWO SPEAKERS. WE'LL RUN WITH THREE MINUTES PER SPEAKER IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANT TO PRESENT. LET'S GO AHEAD AND KICK IT OFF. SONNY ROTON. DOES EVERYBODY HAVE THE THE PRESENTATION THAT I PRINTED? OKAY. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS AND MR. CITY MANAGER. THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT. MY NAME IS SONNY ROTON, AND I'M HERE REPRESENTING FRIENDS OF ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY TO REQUEST YOUR SUPPORT FOR OUR STEM PROGRAM FOR THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR. AS I SPEAK, I'M GOING TO BRIEFLY WALK YOU THROUGH THE PRESENTATION THAT I PROVIDED TO EACH OF YOU. ALSO INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET ARE COPIES OF LAST YEAR'S RECEIPTS SHOWING EXACTLY HOW THE GRANT FUNDS WERE SPENT, ALONG WITH EXAMPLES OF THE SOCIAL SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS WE SHARED RECOGNIZING AND THANKING THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH FOR YOUR SUPPORT. IF YOU'LL TURN TO THE FIRST PAGE, YOU'LL SEE THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. LAST YEAR, THE CITY AWARDED ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY A 7500 STEM GRANT. THAT INVESTMENT HAD AN INCREDIBLE IMPACT ON OUR STUDENTS. THE GRANT HELPED FUND OUR SIM RESOURCE CLASS, A SCHOOL WIDE STEM ASSEMBLY, AND OUR ROBOTICS PROGRAM. TOGETHER, THOSE PROGRAMS REACH VIRTUALLY EVERY STUDENT IN OUR SCHOOL. THIS YEAR, WE'RE REQUESTING 10,000 SO WE CAN CONTINUE GROWING THESE OPPORTUNITIES AND EXPAND HANDS ON LEARNING EVEN FURTHER. ON THE NEXT PAGE IS WHY STEM MATTERS, WHICH I'M GOING TO SKIP. YOU CAN READ THAT BECAUSE I THOUGHT I HAD FIVE MINUTES. SORRY. ON THE NEXT FEW PAGES, YOU'LL SEE THE RESULTS FROM LAST YEAR'S PROGRAMS. THE SIM RESOURCE CLASS GAVE STUDENTS REGULAR OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPLORE ENGINEERING, CODING, ROBOTICS, DESIGN CHALLENGES, AND SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION THROUGH HANDS ON ACTIVITIES THAT SIMPLY AREN'T POSSIBLE IN A TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM. THE SIM ASSEMBLY BROUGHT EVERY STUDENT TOGETHER FOR AN ENGAGING AND EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE THAT MADE SCIENCE EXCITING AND MEMORABLE. IT GAVE MANY STUDENTS A CHANCE TO INTERACT WITH LIVE ANIMALS AND LEARN ABOUT BIOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE IN A WAY THAT THEY'LL REMEMBER FOR YEARS. OUR ROBOTICS TEAM CONTINUED DEVELOPING ENGINEERING, PROGRAMING, TEAMWORK, AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS BY WHILE REPRESENTING OUR SCHOOL AND COMPETITION. THESE PROGRAMS DON'T JUST TEACH FACTS, THEY INSPIRE CURIOSITY AND CONFIDENCE. IF YOU'LL TURN TO THE NEXT STAGE SECTION, YOU'LL SEE THIS YEAR'S VISION. THIS YEAR, WE'D LIKE TO CONTINUE OUR SIM RESOURCE PROGRAM WHILE EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS. ONE EXCITING ADDITION IS THE WEATHER EXPERIENCE ASSEMBLY THAT WOULD TEACH STUDENTS ABOUT METEOROLOGY, SEVERE WEATHER AND FLORIDA'S UNIQUE CLIMATE THROUGH AN INTERACTIVE PRESENTATION. WE ALSO HOPE TO CONTINUE STRENGTHENING OUR SIM RESOURCE CLASSROOM WITH ADDITIONAL HANDS ON MATERIALS AND LEARNING EXPERIENCES. FINALLY, WE'D LIKE TO EXPAND OUR ROBOTICS PROGRAM SO EVEN MORE STUDENTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN COMPETITIVE STEM ACTIVITIES THAT BUILD REAL WORLD SKILLS. ON THE NEXT PAGE IS GOING TO PROVIDE THE PROPOSED BUDGET. AND SO WE'RE REQUESTING FUNDING THAT WOULD SUPPORT THREE PRIMARY AREAS THE WEATHER EXPERIENCE STEM ASSEMBLY, THE STEM RESOURCE CLASSROOM AND THE EXPANDED ROBOTICS OPPORTUNITIES. AS YOU SEE, THE GRANT FUNDS WERE SPENT EXACTLY AS PROPOSED AND OUR PARENT COMMUNITY GENEROUSLY HELPED COVER THE REMAINING COSTS. SO OUR STUDENTS COULD RECEIVE THE FULL PROGRAM. LAST YEAR, THE CITY'S $7,500 GRANT HELPED FUND A PROGRAM THAT ULTIMATELY COST OVER 13,000. IS MY TIME UP. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS ROTON. WE'LL WE'LL HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO DOUBLE BACK AND GET MORE INFORMATION. BUT THANK YOU. BRINKLEY HARRELL. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, COMMISSIONER, STAFF. I JUST WANT TO BE THE FIRST ONE TO SAY LOOK OUT FOR THE REFERENDUM STATEWIDE COME NOVEMBER. PROPERTY TAX REFERENDUM GOING TO CHANGE EVERYTHING. I HOPE EVERYBODY'S KEEPING THAT FOREFRONT IN THEIR MIND. AND I WOULD LIKE TO ECHO COMMENTS ABOUT FUNDING ABE AND MAYPORT MIDDLE SCHOOL. THAT IS WHERE ALL OF OUR GRANTS SHOULD GO. NOT ANYWHERE ELSE AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED. AND LASTLY, I HOPE SOMEONE, PARTICULARLY THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, IS PAYING VERY, VERY CLOSE ATTENTION TO OUR TRASH HAULING CONTRACT WITH GFL THAT IS THE SINGLE LARGEST BUDGET ITEM YEAR OVER YEAR OVER YEAR. AND THERE'S THREE IMPORTANT DATES THAT EVERYONE HAS FORGOTTEN ABOUT EVER SINCE THAT CONTRACT CAME INTO BEING. [00:05:02] AND IT'S MAY AND NOVEMBER FOR FUEL ADJUSTMENTS BASED UPON MARKET. AND THERE'S ANOTHER DATE, I THINK IT'S EITHER MAY OR JUNE FOR A COLA CHQANGE OR A CPI CHANGE, A CPI CHANGE ON THAT SAME CONTRACT. I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING SPOKEN ABOUT THAT DURING ANY OF THESE MEETINGS OVER THE LAST MANY MONTHS. SO DOES THAT MEAN THAT EVERYBODY FORGOT ABOUT IT OR IT'S BEING DONE, AND WE'RE JUST NOT TRANSPARENT ENOUGH TO LET THE PEOPLE THAT PAY THAT GARBAGE BILL EVERY MONTH KNOW ABOUT IT. EACH ONE OF EVERY ONE OF YOU THAT LIVE IN ATLANTIC BEACH ARE PAYING THAT GARBAGE BILL. DON'T YOU WANT TO KNOW WHERE THAT MONEY IS GOING? I CERTAINLY DO. SO ANYWAY, AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. PLEASURE BEING HERE. THANK YOU, MR. HARRELL. THAT'S IT. OKAY. THANKS. WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE'LL MOVE TO PRESENTATION BY CITY MANAGER HOGENCAMP ON THE OVERVIEW OF FISCAL YEAR [2. OVERVIEW OF FY 2026-27 OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES (CM HOGENCAMP) ] 2026-27 OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES. THANK YOU, MAYOR FORD, CITY COMMISSION. TO THE ATLANTIC BEACH COMMUNITY, I'D LIKE TO FIRST INTRODUCE BRITTANY PURCELL, OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR WHO ALSO HAS A STAFF MEMBER HERE. IF YOU'D LIKE TO DO THE INTRODUCTION, PLEASE. I HAVE DEPUTY FINANCE DIRECTOR NONI PEDREGON, BUT WE DON'T WANT WE DON'T WANT TO MAKE HER NERVOUS. WE CAN JUST WAVE AT HER. GREAT. THANK YOU. AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE COMMANDER CAMERON AND DEPUTY CLERK NICHOLS WITH US AS WELL. CALL THE ROLL. OH. THANK YOU. OH THANK YOU, I GOT IT. COMMISSIONER BOLE. PRESENT. COMMISSIONER KELLY. PRESENT. COMMISSIONER RING. PRESENT. COMMISSIONER GRANT. MAYOR FORD. PRESENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. INTRODUCING MISS PURCELL. SHE, OF COURSE, IS OUR SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT ON THE BUDGET. HAVING SAID THAT, IT'LL BE ON JULY 1ST, LATER THIS WEEK, THAT SHE ROLLS UP HER SLEEVES AND GETS TO WORKING ON THIS BUDGET. SHE THIS WEEK IS PUTTING OUR ANNUAL AUDIT TO BED. AND SO WHAT I AM PRESENTING TO YOU HAS NOT HAD A LOT OF HER INPUT. HOWEVER, SHE IS AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS TONIGHT AND YOU'LL CALL HER UP PLEASE AS YOU SEE FIT. FIRST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROCESS. THIS IS AN OVERVIEW TONIGHT OF PHILOSOPHY OF STRATEGY TO INFORM YOU AND THE COMMUNITY OF HOW I WOULD LIKE TO GUIDE THE CITY COMMISSION IN MOVING FORWARD THROUGH THIS PROCESS. IT'S THREE MONTHS LONG. IT ENDS LIKE EXACTLY THREE MONTHS FROM YESTERDAY ON SEPTEMBER 28TH, WHEN THE CITY COMMISSION APPROVES THE THE BUDGET AND THE MILLAGE RATE. AND OF COURSE, THAT'S ONE OF THREE PILLARS OF RESPONSIBILITIES THAT THE COMMISSION HAS. THE OTHER TWO ARE PASSING LAWS AND AND, AND HIRING OF CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER. THOSE SO, THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD HERE IN THIS VERY IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT WHAT YOU DO CITY COMMISSION MEMBERS AND, AND, AND WHAT YOU DO FOR THE COMMUNITY. IT'S THE BEGINNING OF PART TWO OF THE BUDGET CYCLE. PART ONE WAS YOUR ESTABLISHMENT OF PRIORITIES, WHICH YOU'LL SEE AGAIN TONIGHT. YOU WON'T SEE A LOT OF NUMBERS TODAY AT THE JULY 20TH WORKSHOP. YOU'LL GET NUMBERS, A LOT OF THEM, AND AGAIN AT THE AUGUST 19TH WORKSHOP. TODAY'S EXERCISE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL IF IF I ENSURE IF I'M SUCCESSFUL AND AND YOU UNDERSTANDING THE PROCESS YOU BEGINNING A DIALOG WITH WITH WITH STAFF AND WITH YOUR YOUR CONSTITUENTS ON WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE AND WHAT YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE IN THE BUDGET. I'VE ALREADY HEARD FROM SOME OF YOU ON BOTH, ESPECIALLY WHAT YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE. YOUR INPUT AND THE COMMUNITY'S INPUT WILL GUIDE US EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. THESE MEETINGS AREN'T THE ONLY OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE. OF COURSE, BE IN TOUCH BETWEEN MEETINGS AS YOU SEE FIT. ADOPTING THE BUDGET AND TAX RATE STARTS BY UNDERSTANDING MORE ABOUT, ABOUT BUDGETS AND, AND TO BEGIN TO DIG IN, I'D LIKE TO GO OVER SOME SLIDES WITH YOU WHICH I THINK WILL TAKE US AS MUCH AS TEN MINUTES MAX DEPENDING ON Q AND A SO I'LL GET STARTED ON THAT. AND THEN PART TWO WOULD BE MY STRATEGY REPORT ON OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS. SO IF YOU'D LIKE, I'LL PROCEED. YES, THANKS. AND I'M GOING TO SEE IF I'M ADVANCING THESE SLIDES SUCCESSFULLY. AND IF I SLIP AND OFTEN DO TECHNOLOGICALLY, DEPUTY CITY CLERK IS HERE TO SAVE THE DAY. REAL QUICKLY ON ON THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH MILLAGE RATE. IF YOU ALL KNOW, WE PROUDLY PROCLAIM THAT WE HAVE THE LOWEST MILLAGE RATE AROUND IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA AND CERTAINLY [00:10:08] AMONG SIMILAR SIZED CITIES, AND OUR RATE IS 2.7499. AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND SAY NOW THAT IT'S GOING TO STAY THAT WAY MOVING INTO THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, UNLESS THE CITY COMMISSION GUIDES ME OTHERWISE, OR, OR IN IN THE EVENT THAT THERE'S SOMETHING CATASTROPHIC BETWEEN NOW AND NOW AND THEN. SO I INTEND TO PROPOSE TO YOU THAT WE MAINTAIN THAT MILLAGE RATE. AND I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND HAVE YOU ADVANCE THE SLIDES. OKAY. THANK YOU. A SNAPSHOT OF WHERE OUR PROPERTY TAX DOLLARS GO IN ATLANTIC BEACH. YOU'LL SEE UP AT THE TOP RIGHT WHERE IT SAYS CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, $750. THAT'S HOW MUCH THOSE OF US WHO OWN A HOME VALUED AT $322,000 PAY TO THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH ANNUALLY FOR OUR SHARE, WHICH YOU'LL SEE IN A LATER SLIDE, IS IS ABOUT 15 OR 16% OF YOUR TOTAL PROPERTY TAX BILL. ACTUALLY, IT'S ON THIS SLIDE. THE, THE OTHER COMPONENTS OF OUR TAX BILL GOES TO THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE, MORE THAN 44%, THE DUVAL COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM, MORE THAN 38%. AND ALSO TO THE WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT AND THE INLAND NAVIGATION DISTRICT. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. OUR BUDGET WE'LL TALK MOSTLY THROUGHOUT THE BUDGETING PROCESS ABOUT ABOUT THE GENERAL FUND WHICH IS SUPPORTED BY PROPERTY TAXES. THE BUDGET INCLUDES CAPITAL AND OPERATING EXPENSES AND ALL REVENUES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ACROSS ALL CITY OPERATIONS. WE HAVE IN RECENT YEARS DEVELOPED AND STUCK WITH OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM WHICH HAS LED BY CITY ENGINEER STEVE SWANN, WORKING WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS AND PUBLIC UTILITIES DIRECTORS PRIMARILY TO IDENTIFY CAPITAL PROJECTS FOR FIVE AND MORE YEARS AHEAD. THE FISCAL YEAR, OF COURSE, STARTS OCTOBER 1ST. LADAYIJA. AND THE BUDGET, OF COURSE, EVEN THOUGH PROPERTY TAXES IS AGAIN, GOING TO BE A PRIMARY THEME OF ALL OF THESE MEETINGS IS MUCH MORE THAN PROPERTY TAXES. WE HAVE ENTERPRISE FUNDS. THESE ARE FUNDS THAT PAY FOR THEMSELVES OR WATER AND SEWER UTILITIES AND SANITATION, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE RESTRICTED FUNDS THAT CAN ONLY BE USED FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES LIKE BUILDING GAS TAX FUND AND OUR CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU. TAX RECEIPTS. WE ALSO HAVE UNRESTRICTED FUNDS THAT CAN BE USED FOR ANY TYPE OF EXPENSE. AND AND THAT IS THE CASE WITH OUR PROPERTY TAX REVENUE. LADAYIJA. OKAY. THIS GIVES YOU A SNAPSHOT LOOKING AT FISCAL YEAR 2026, WHICH WERE THIS WEEK GOING TO ENTER THE FINAL QUARTER OF. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THE PERCENTAGE OF OUR GENERAL FUND IS 37.6% THIS PAST YEAR. AND WE KEEP, YOU KNOW, IT MAINTAINS SOMETHING CLOSE TO THAT AND WILL IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET NEXT YEAR. SO 21.6 MILLION OF THE $57.6 MILLION TOTAL BUDGET IS THE GENERAL FUND IN ATLANTIC BEACH. WHILE WE'RE ON THAT SLIDE, IN CASE IT'S NOT ELSEWHERE, WHAT IS THE RESERVES ON THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET CURRENTLY? AND THIS IS THE TIME WHERE I'LL CALL THE FINANCE DIRECTOR UP TO ANSWER THE QUESTION. [3. Q+A AND DISCUSSION ] THANK YOU. OR ACTUALLY, SHE CAN SHE'S GOT A MICROPHONE RIGHT THERE, IF THAT'S OKAY. YEAH. YOU CAN, YOU CAN STAY THERE. BRITTANY. THAT'S FINE. WHAT I'M INTERESTED IN IS BOTH THE DOLLAR AMOUNT AND THE PERCENTAGE OF THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET. YOU'RE WANTING TO KNOW THE PROJECTED FUND BALANCE. YEAH. IT'S GOING TO BE PROJECTED AS OF FISCAL YEAR END. SO IT'S 30% THAT WE'RE PROJECTING. AND I THINK THIS NUMBERS I DON'T THINK I UPDATED THIS NUMBER SO FORGIVE ME BUT IT'S ABOUT 4 MILLION. YEAH. FORGIVE ME. THAT DOESN'T SOUND RIGHT. WE FINISHED LAST YEAR WHEN WE DID THE BUDGET. WE ONLY DREW DOWN TO I THOUGHT IT WAS 37 OR 38% EXCESS OR RESERVES. AND SO THAT WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE WENT DOWN. WE OVERSPENT. YES. OKAY. THAT'S. AND AND WAS THAT BY, IF I MAY. WAS THAT BY BUDGETING FUND BALANCE IN IN BALANCING THIS YEAR'S BUDGET? IS THAT FOR THE THIS IS BALANCING FY 25. SO WITH THIS IS WITH US HAVING TRUE ENDING FUND BALANCE FOR FY 25 AND USING THOSE. WHEREAS LAST YEAR WHEN WE USE THE RESERVES THAT WAS ON PROJECTED FUND BALANCES. [00:15:04] SO THIS IS MORE OF AN ACCURATE FIGURE. YEAH. BUT I MEAN IT'S WE'RE TALKING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ERROR. SOMETHING WRONG HERE. I I'LL HAVE TO GO BACK TO MY NOTES, BUT LET'S LET'S COME BACK TO THIS ON OUR NEXT MEETING. YOU GOT IT. WE'LL TELL THAT STORY WHETHER. YEAH. I JUST NEED TO KNOW IF IF THAT'S ACCURATE. I NEED TO KNOW HOW WE GOT THERE BECAUSE I THOUGHT WE WERE IN REAL GOOD SHAPE. AND THAT NOW CONCERNS ME GREATLY. MAYOR. JUST ABOUT THE SAME TIME. YEAH. JUST TO ADD TO THAT, IT'S EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THEY SHARE WITH WHAT THE STATE IS DOING. INDEED, THIS IS GOING TO BE AN EMERGENCY FUND. ET CETERA. ET CETERA. BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE REVENUE IN STATE, I'M SURE KEVIN'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT IT. BUT THAT'S CRITICAL FOR US THIS YEAR. AND MAYOR FORD, I SHOULD ALSO ADD, THIS DOES ALREADY TAKE OUT THE REQUIRED OPERATING RESERVES. WELL THAT'S OKAY. SO THIS IS THE UNRESTRICTED AMOUNT THAT I'M REFERRING TO. THANK YOU. I WANT TO THANK YOU. THIS IS GOOD NEWS. OKAY. OKAY. SO LET'S ADD THEM TOGETHER. YOU SAID, WHAT DID YOU SAY 30%? YES. AND IF WE'RE REQUIRED IS 25%. YOU'RE SUGGESTING WE'LL FINISH AT 55% IN RESERVE. IF YOU. YES, IF YOU INCLUDE THAT. THAT'S CORRECT. I KNEW I WASN'T CRAZY, OKAY. THE UNRESTRICTED AMOUNT, THE 30% REPRESENTS THE UNRESTRICTED AMOUNT. UNDERSTOOD. THANK YOU. THANKS SO MUCH. LADAYIJA. THIS IS JUST. AND I'M NOT GOING TO GO OVER ALL THIS, BUT THAT'S STARTING WITH AD VALOREM TAXES AT 39.9% IS WHERE OUR REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES COME FROM. AND THIS IS OF COURSE OUR GENERAL FUND AND THIS, WE'RE GOING TO POST THIS PRESENTATION ON OUR WEBSITE FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO SPEND SOME QUALITY TIME WITH IT AFTERWARDS. YES. THE FINES AND FORFEITURES. WHERE DOES THAT MONEY WHAT? THAT'S NOT TRAFFIC TICKETS, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY GO TO THE STATE OR SOMEWHERE ELSE. BUT WE DO GET REVENUE FROM FROM TRAFFIC TICKETS. IS THAT WHERE THAT'S IS THAT, DOES THAT REPRESENT. IT DOES NOT. THOSE ARE MORE, MORE SO THINGS SUCH AS LIKE LIEN LETTERS. SO THAT WOULD FALL UNDER UNDER THERE. THERE ARE OTHER ITEMS TOO. I CAN GET YOU A LIST OF THAT IF YOU'D LIKE. I'M JUST CURIOUS BECAUSE WE COULD BE LIKE WALDO AND PUT OUT MORE. ALRIGHTY. MISS NICHOLS. THIS IS THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM. OF COURSE. WE ARE GOING TO THE POLLS. UNLESS THERE'S SOME LEGAL ACTION THAT STOPS IT IN NOVEMBER TO DECIDE WHETHER IN THE FISCAL YEAR THAT BEGINS ON OCTOBER 1ST, 2027 WHETHER OUR BUDGET WILL BE IMPACTED BY US OUR, OUR RESIDENTS, OUR PROPERTY OWNERS PAYING LESS IN THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION. AND THIS FIRST ROUND THAT IF APPROVED BY VOTERS, WOULD BE $150,000 HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION. AND THE SECOND ROUND IS 250 000 COMPARED TO THE 5000 THAT IT IS NOW. AND IN A LATER SLIDE, WE'LL WE'LL LOOK AT WHAT THE IMPACT IS. AND THESE ARE THE OTHER IMPLICATIONS OF, OF APPROVING THE THE REFERENDUM THAT WILL BE BEFORE US. HERE WE ARE WITH OUR GENERAL. THIS IS THIS IS YOU KNOW, LATER IN THE IN THE PROCESS OF WHAT WHAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE IS, IS ASKING FOR IS CONSIDERATION ULTIMATELY OF DOING AWAY WITH HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS. AND WE HAVE, THIS SHOWS THAT THAT'S $4.5 MILLION BASED ON TODAY'S DOLLARS THAT WOULD GO AWAY IF, IF HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS GO AWAY. THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE IMPLICATIONS OF, OF THIS FALSE REFERENDUM. AND IF VOTERS SAY YES, 60% OF VOTERS SAY YES, WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT. THAT TOP AMOUNT, 1.6 MILLION IS OUR PROJECTION OF HOW MUCH LESS MONEY WE'LL HAVE TO OPERATE THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH WITH. THAT'S ABOUT A 5% REDUCTION IN OUR GENERAL FUND. AFTER YEAR TWO, WHEN THE EXEMPTION GOES UP TO $250,000. THAT WOULD JUMP TO AN ESTIMATED $1.8 MILLION, OR 8 OR 9% OF OUR GENERAL FUND REVENUE. AND THAT'S OF COURSE WHAT, WHAT A RESIDENT AND COMMISSIONERS ALREADY BROUGHT UP AND WILL BE A THEME OF, OF EVERY BUDGET DISCUSSION THAT WE HAVE IS A POTENTIAL OF THAT LOST REVENUE. THAT FRANKLY ADDRESSES THE SLIDE TWO SLIDES AGO, WHICH WOULD, AND WE'LL MOVE FORWARD TO THE NEXT ONE THAT WAS REDUNDANT. [00:20:05] SO LOOKING, LOOKING WAY AHEAD, YOU KNOW, NOT IN THIS FISCAL YEAR, POTENTIALLY IN THE NEXT AND CERTAINLY BEYOND THAT OPTIONS AVAILABLE ARE REDUCTIONS IN SERVICE IMPOSING NEW AND INCREASED FEES, SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS. FOR EXAMPLE, WE COULD HAVE A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT FOR STREET RESURFACING OR EVEN FIRE PROTECTION OR ANY COMBINATION THEREOF. AND OF COURSE, I SAVED MILLAGE INCREASE FOR LAST. IF, IF WE WERE TO ONCE AGAIN LOSE ALL OF OUR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION WE'RE LOOKING AT A 1.5% MILLAGE INCREASE. THAT'S IF INDEED WE TRIED TO RAISE ALL THE REVENUE THAT WAY. AGAIN, THAT'S THAT'S LONG TERM THAT WE'RE ALREADY THINKING ABOUT AND PREPARING FOR JUST IN CASE IT HAPPENS. AND, AND THAT'S ONLY ADDRESSING THE IMPACTS OF THE FIRST TWO YEARS AND NOT THE FUTURE IMPACT OF AN ELIMINATION ON HOMESTEAD. NOW THIS, THIS IS ACTUALLY ADDRESSES ELIMINATION OF HOMES. OH IT DOES. OKAY. SO THAT'S THE END OF MY SLIDESHOW. AND I'D LIKE TO JUMP INTO WHAT I CALL OUR OUR OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS MOVING FORWARD. I'D LIKE TO INVITE THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE TO, AND FOR YOU TO FOLLOW ALONG ON THE HANDOUT THAT I HAVE. I'M NOT GOING TO READ ALL OF IT. THAT WOULDN'T BE FUN AT ALL. AND YOU ALL CAN READ. HOWEVER. HOWEVER. PLEASE DO. I THINK IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL IF YOU FOLLOW, FOLLOW, FOLLOW ALONG. AS WE APPROACH THIS FISCAL YEAR BUDGET CYCLE, THE CITY IS AT A, A A CRITICAL FINANCIAL CROSSROAD. MANAGING OUR STRUCTURAL REVENUE SHIFTS REQUIRES A BALANCED DUAL STRATEGY OF AGGRESSIVE INTERNAL COST CONTAINMENT AND TARGETED MODEST ADJUSTMENTS TO USER FEES. FURTHER, COMPREHENSIVE POLICY DEVELOPMENT IS A KEY RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE'RE UNDERTAKING. THAT'S KIND OF A IN MY DNA. AND WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A FEW YEARS NOW. BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT TO ESTABLISH CLEAR, REPEATABLE FRAMEWORKS. THIS IS FOR MATTERS RANGING FROM LIFT STATION DEVELOPMENT TO SELECTING A NEW CITY MANAGER FOR FUTURE GOVERNANCE. AND INDEED, I'VE FOLLOWED UP SINCE YOUR MEETING A FEW WEEKS AGO, AND A COMMISSIONER ASKED FOR A PROPOSED POLICY ON SELECTING A CITY MANAGER. AND AND THERE'S ONE UNDER THAT CITY COMMISSION MEMBERS REVIEW THAT YOU'LL ULTIMATELY SEE OR SEE A VERSION THEREOF. BY TAKING PROACTIVE, MEASURED STEPS, NOW WE CAN STABILIZE OUR FISCAL FOUNDATION OR FURTHER STABILIZE. IT'S QUITE STABLE RIGHT NOW, ABSORB UPCOMING REVENUE LOSSES, WHICH OF COURSE COULD, COULD, COULD, WOULD HAMPER THAT STABILITY AND ENSURE THE INTERRUPTED DELIVERY OF HIGH QUALITY MUNICIPAL SERVICES TO OUR RESIDENTS. AGAIN, OUR BASELINE THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH AS WE'RE, AS WE'RE HAVING TONIGHT'S CONVERSATION WAS A $57.6 MILLION TOTAL MUNICIPAL BUDGET, 21.6 FOR FOR OUR GENERAL FUND AND MOVING ON TO PAGE TWO, WE ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT VERY IMPORTANTLY WHERE YOUR DOLLARS ALSO GO IN THIS COMMUNITY. THAT'S THE WATER AND SEWER FUNDS OR STORMWATER FUND, OUR AFOREMENTIONED SANITATION FUND, AND OUR BUILDING CODE ENFORCEMENT FUND. SOME CURRENT FISCAL BENCHMARKS THAT WE PROJECT A YEAR END, WHICH IS A POSITIVE HIGHLIGHT OF THIS REPORT, IS OUR WATER FUND PROJECTS TO HAVE ABOUT A $1.9 MILLION BALANCE OR SEWER FUND, A $2.5 MILLION BALANCE OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND OF $1 MILLION, BALANCE. OUR TREE PROTECTION FUND A WHOPPING, AND I WOULDN'T SAY IMPRESSIVE BECAUSE WE REALLY NEED TO SPEND THIS MONEY DOWN $617,000. THE BETTER JACKSONVILLE FUND HAS NEARLY $500,000. IT GOES AWAY IN A FEW YEARS, SO IT GENERATES MORE THAN $1 MILLION A YEAR FOR US AND OUR PAID PARKING FUND, WHICH WILL, DOES AND WILL IMPROVE BEACHES, TOWN CENTERS OUR LANDSCAPING AND STREETSCAPING AND AND STREET LIGHTS AND OUR, AND PAY FOR OUR PAID PARKING PROGRAM HAS A HEALTHY BALANCE THAT WE PROJECT TO BE $330,000 AT FISCAL YEAR END. I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT WE HAVE SOME GUIDING STRUCTURAL DOCUMENTS THAT WE, THAT, THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT AS WE DEVELOP THIS BUDGET. AND THAT'S OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, OUR STORMWATER MASTER PLAN, OUR CONNECTIVITY PLAN, AND OUR ADAPTATION AND RESILIENCY PLAN. A FUND, A SUMMARY OF OUR GENERAL FUND IS GENERAL FUND REVENUES REPRESENT ANNUALLY, INCLUDING THIS PAST YEAR, ROUGHLY 40% OF OUR PROPERTY TAXES MAKE UP 40% OF OUR [00:25:07] GENERAL FUND, ROUGHLY TO BALANCE THE REST OF THE BUDGET FOR SERVICES LIKE PUBLIC SAFETY, STREET MAINTENANCE AND PARKS. THE CITY ALSO HAS OTHER FINANCIAL MECHANISMS AND THEY INCLUDE LOCAL OPTION SALES TAXES, HALF CENT SALES TAX. I'M JUST NAMING SOME OF THEM, OUR PUBLIC SERVICE AND UTILITY TAXES, BUILDING ELECTRICAL AND PLUMBING PERMITS, ZONING AND PLAN REVIEW FEES, ARTS, RECREATION, CULTURAL ACTIVITY AND AND RENTAL FEES AND INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS, NAMELY OUR AGREEMENT WITH NEPTUNE BEACH, WHERE WE HAVE REVENUE COMING IN FOR OUR PAID PARKING PROGRAM. AND I'M I'M SKIPPING AHEAD TO YOUR PRIORITIES. THE CITY COMMISSION'S FISCAL YEAR 2026-27 STRATEGIC PRIORITIES. THIS IS WHAT, EARLIER THIS YEAR YOU ALL. THAT'S GOING TO BE IT RIGHT THERE. YOU ALL ADVISE THE COMMUNITY AND STAFF THAT YOU'D LIKE US TO FOCUS ON THIS BUDGET SEASON AND AND THIS IS THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU APPROVED PLUS JUST ADDED A FEW ITEMS WITH SOME STAFF INPUT. RESILIENCY AND INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH ADDRESSES DRAINAGE NEEDS, FUNCTIONAL INTEGRITY AND LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY, ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP FOCUSING ON PROTECTING THE TREE CANOPY AND PRESERVING VITAL MARITIME ECOSYSTEMS. AND ON TO THE NEXT PAGE, NUMBER THREE, COMMUNITY SPACES AND PROGRAMING WITH A FOCUS ON ENHANCING RECREATIONAL ASSETS AND CONNECTIVITY. NUMBER FOUR, PUBLIC SAFETY AND MOBILITY WITH A FOCUS ON IMPROVING VISIBILITY, TRAFFIC FLOW, AND MODERNIZING LOCAL LEGISLATION. AND NUMBER FIVE, ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE AND PARTNERSHIPS FOCUSING ON MAINTAINING HIGH SERVICE STANDARDS, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND REGIONAL ADVOCACY. THOSE, THOSE GOALS UNDER THOSE CATEGORIES ARE LISTED. AND THEY'RE PUBLISHED ON OUR WEBSITE AT AND NOW JUMPING INTO WHAT I TERM OUR STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES. AND THAT'S OUR OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY AND OUR CAPITAL PROJECT WINS. WE'VE BEEN HITTING HOME RUNS THANKS TO OUR GREAT STAFF MOTIVATED AND OTHERWISE LED MOSTLY BY CITY ENGINEER SWANN. SO TO MAINTAIN A BALANCED BUDGET WITHOUT COMPROMISING OUR ESSENTIAL INFRASTRUCTURE, WE LEVERAGE INTERNAL EFFICIENCIES. WE CAPITALIZE ON, ON THE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH GRANTS AND APPROPRIATIONS THAT ARE OUT THERE. AND WE ENSURE AND YOU ALL HAVE HELPED DO THIS WITH WITH RECENT CHANGES, WE ENSURE THAT FEE SUPPORTED SERVICES RECOVER THEIR ACTUAL OPERATIONAL OPERATIONAL COSTS. AND I'M TALKING SPECIFICALLY OUR BUILDING AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT'S IS WHAT YOU'VE DONE RECENTLY TO ADDRESS THAT. ON THE NEXT PAGE I MENTIONED THAT WE'VE HIT SOME HOME RUNS. THE CITY COMMISSION WAS NOTIFIED TODAY, AND SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE SEEN IN THE, IN THE NEWS OVER THE LAST DAY THAT GOVERNOR DESANTIS HAS SIGNED THE STATE BUDGET, SECURING MORE THAN $1 MILLION FOR THREE OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS. THAT'S OUR SHERMAN CREEK DREDGING, OUR DOOR DRIVE PROJECT AND OUR MARSH OAKS SEPTIC TANK ELIMINATION. THE GOVERNOR DID VETO OUR $195,000 APPROPRIATION FOR THE SAILFISH DRIVE MULTI USE PATH. AND AS A RESULT I'M GOING TO BE BACK IN TOUCH WITH YOU ABOUT WHEN AND WHETHER TO PROCEED WITH THIS PROJECT, CONSIDERING THE AFOREMENTIONED FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS. SO I HAVEN'T SIGNED THE PAPERWORK FOR THE DESIGN YET. GOOD. GOOD THINKING. THANK YOU. AND OTHERWISE AS FAR AS OPPORTUNITIES YOU ALL ARE AWARE THAT WE'RE WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'VE REALLY COME A LONG WAY IN TERMS OF DIGITAL COMMUNICATION EFFICIENCIES. I LIKE THE, THE THIRD BULLET IN THAT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE IS SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR A LOT ABOUT AND THAT IS TO IMPLEMENT A FORMAL STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS PLAN. WE'VE COME A LONG WAY AS AN ORGANIZATION AS AND AS A COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF COMMUNICATING WITH OUR RESIDENTS. WE HAVE A LONG, LONG, LONG WAY TO GO, AND I'M GOING TO PROPOSE THAT WE DEVOTE SOME HUMAN RESOURCES AND AND, AND ALSO PAY FOR SOME, SOME TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENTS IN THIS FISCAL YEAR TO, TO, TO BE AMONG THE BEST IN THE COMMUNICATIONS ARENA. IN TERMS OF OUR OTHER OPPORTUNITIES, BELT TIGHTENING IS ONE. [00:30:03] SO I AM YOU'LL SEE IN THIS BUDGET THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MORE THAN A DECADE, WILL PROPOSE A SMALLER FTE FULL TIME EMPLOYEE COUNT THAN THE PREVIOUS YEAR. I'M WORKING ON THAT EXACT NUMBER. YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IN THIS IN THIS UPCOMING YEAR, THE SMALLEST PROPOSAL FOR ME TO HAVE THE SMALLEST EMPLOYEE SALARY INCREASE IN MORE THAN TEN YEARS. THIS IS CUMULATIVELY WE HAVE A PLAN TO ROLL OUT WHERE OUR LOWEST PAID EMPLOYEES WILL GET LARGER RAISES THAN OUR HIGHEST PAID EMPLOYEES. THIS IS WHAT I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO CONSIDER APPROVING ONCE WE GET INTO, INTO THE BUDGET SEASON. THERE ARE OTHER OTHER CHANGES AS WELL, INCLUDING A STRATEGIC RESTRUCTURING OF OUR PERSONAL TIME OFF BANK POLICY TO SAVE MONEY IN THE LONG RUN. WE'VE STARTED ADDRESSING. THIS IS NUMBER THREE NOW, MODEST AND TARGETED FEE ADJUSTMENTS ALREADY. WE WILL IN THE UPCOMING BUDGET ADDRESS OF WHAT I THINK ARE VERY MODEST WATER AND SEWER AND STORMWATER FEE INCREASES. AND WE'RE GOING TO ASK YOU TO APPROVE SOME RATE STUDIES ACCORDINGLY, BUT WE'RE GOING TO I'M NOT GOING TO WAIT FOR RATE STUDIES. I'M GOING TO PROPOSE THAT WE GO AHEAD AND MOVE WITH MODEST FEE INCREASES WITH THE BEGINNING OF THE FISCAL YEAR. I'M ON A PAGE THAT STARTS FOR LOOMING CHALLENGES. AND THIS, OF COURSE, IS OUR REVENUE SHIFTS AND OTHER OTHER PRESSURE THAT WE HAVE AS FAR AS OUR VULNERABILITY VULNERABILITIES, OF COURSE, WE HAVE COASTAL AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND THE INVESTMENTS THAT ARE NECESSARY THERE. WE HAVE OUR AFOREMENTIONED HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION PRESSURES. WE HAVE THE SUNSET AND THIS IS HUGE OF THE BETTER JACKSONVILLE PLAN REVENUE AT MORE THAN $1 MILLION A YEAR THAT WE GET. WE DIDN'T. IN THE NUMBERS THAT I SHARED EARLIER ABOUT HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION PRESSURES, WE DID NOT, I DON'T, I DIDN'T OFFER ANY, ANY, YOU KNOW, NUMBERS OR PERCENTAGES IN TERMS OF ACTUAL BUDGETARY IMPACT THAT BEGAN AFTER 2030. AND THEN FINALLY WE HAVE OUR NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE. THAT'S BOTH A OPPORTUNITY AND, AND, AND THE CHALLENGE, I SUPPOSE DEPENDING ON HOW THAT, HOW THAT TURNS OUT, WE, WE INTEND AND HOPE TO LEVERAGE THAT IN A POSITIVE MANNER. IF IF INDEED THE WORST HAPPENS AND, AND IN TERMS OF THE REFERENDUM THIS FALL, WE'RE LOOKING AT A POTENTIAL HIRING FREEZE AT BEST, FRANKLY WE HAVE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS, WHICH SAVES US HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS A YEAR. THAT PARTNERSHIP COULD BE IN JEOPARDY IF IF INDEED COJ HAS A LOT LESS REVENUE TO WORK WITH. JUST SOMETHING TO, TO THINK ABOUT ANOTHER ANOTHER POTENTIAL HARDSHIP THAT'S OUT THERE. SO HELP ME UNDERSTAND HOW THAT'S TIED TO COJ MISSING THAT. SURE. COJ FUNDS THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB PARTNERSHIP THROUGH OKAY, THE KIDS HOPE ALLIANCE. THAT'S COJ. RIGHT? AND THEN WE PONIED UP MONEY AS PART OF THE AGREEMENT. BUT THAT WAS ONE TIME MONEY. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT THAT IS. AND THAT WAS A SMALL AMOUNT TO IMPROVE OUR FACILITIES. AND WE MAY, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD CONTINUE TO UPKEEP, UPKEEP AND IMPROVE THE FACILITIES. HOW DO WE HOW DOES IT SAVE US $100,000 A YEAR? WE'RE NOT PAYING IT. THE STAFF. WE THAT'S IN LIEU OF US OPERATING AFTER SCHOOL AND SUMMER PROGRAM. YEAH. IF COJ DON'T DO IT THEN WE MIGHT BE LEANED ON TO. THAT'S RIGHT. PRECISELY. AND BEFORE YOU DIDN'T EXPLAIN THAT BEFORE YOU CAME ON BOARD. WE WERE DOING THAT. AND I DON'T WANT TO BE UNKIND, BUT AT TIMES WE WEREN'T DOING A VERY GOOD JOB AT IT. BUT IT WAS ON OUR PAYROLL. NOW IT'S ON THEIR PAYROLL. IT'S PROFESSIONAL. IT'S BEEN GOING EXTREMELY WELL. SO THAT'S A BIG DEAL. THAT'S A FOUR YEAR AGREEMENT. YEAH. I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD. THAT'S A FOUR YEAR AGREEMENT. THAT AMOUNTS OVER FOUR YEARS TO $1.4 MILLION PLUS PLUS SOME PROGRAMING AND CAPITAL EXPENSES ON TOP OF THAT. SO THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE COMMITTED TO CONTRACTUALLY IS, IS TO OPERATE THAT PROGRAM FOR FOUR YEARS. AND I'M, I'M FRANKLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF IT. IF, IF IF THE PROPERTY TAX THING HAPPENS. YEAH, YEAH. BEFORE WE GO TO YOU. TO PUNCTUATE IT, I BELIEVE THE IMPACT OF THE FIRST TWO YEARS WITHOUT EVEN CONSIDERATION OF ELIMINATION OF AD VALOREM ON HOMESTEAD. THE IMPACT IN CITY OF JACKSONVILLE IS $207 MILLION. IS THAT CORRECT? I'VE READ UPWARDS OF 300 MILLION. [00:35:03] IT'S A BIG NUMBER. BIG NUMBER. COMMISSIONER. HOW MUCH DOES IT COST A YEAR TO RUN THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB? THEY HAVE AN OPERATING BUDGET OF $350,000 A YEAR FOR THE FOR THE TWO CLUBS. THAT'S THE WE DIDN'T SPEND THAT MUCH ON OUR AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM. IT'S MORE LIKE A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. THAT'S BOTH JORDAN AND THE GAIL BAKER. AND DO THEY, DO I REMEMBER THAT THEY HELP PROVIDE FUNDS FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF THE BUILDINGS OR ARE THEY DOING INSIDE? WE'RE DOING OUTSIDE? NO. YEAH. WE WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BUILDINGS, FOR THE FACILITIES. HOWEVER, THEY HAVE PUT SOME IMPROVEMENTS THAT, THAT WE DIDN'T REQUIRE, YOU KNOW, TO, TO TO BRING THEM UP TO THEIR STANDARDS. THANK YOU. MOVING DOWN TO KEY DECISIONS TO MAKE. AND THIS, THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING. YOU'LL HEAR MORE IN JULY ABOUT THAT. THIS IS FAR FROM ALL OF THEM. AMONG THEM, AS IS THE THE FUTURE OF THE 16TH STREET BEACH WALK OVER. WHICH I THINK ALL OF YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT, IF WE ARE GOING TO SAVE IT OR IF WE'RE GOING TO REBUILD IT, WE'RE TALKING WELL OVER A HALF MILLION DOLLARS TO, TO, TO DO THAT. AND THEN YOU KNOW, ON A MUCH SMALLER BASIS, SOME OF THE DECISIONS ARE, ARE WHETHER TO AND WHAT LEVEL TO CONTINUE ARC GRANT FUNDING AND DONATIONS TO NONPROFITS. SO SINCE YOU'RE IN THAT, DO WE KEEP OUR CONVERSATION CLEAN ON THE DUNE WALKOVERS BY SAYING THAT THE 1,050,000 THAT WE GOT THROUGH RUTHERFORD IS FOR ALL THE OTHER DUNE WALKOVERS, AND THE 16TH STREET IS STAND ALONE AT PROBABLY WELL NORTH OF 500 000. IT IS. WE ARE AS AS WE'RE ALWAYS DOING, PURSUING POTENTIAL FINANCIAL RESOURCES FOR FOR 16TH STREET. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOMETHING IN THE HOPPER THAT WE'RE WORKING ON OF NOT NECESSARILY OPTIMISTIC, ALTHOUGH I'M HOPEFUL. OKAY. SO SO FINISHING UP AND, AND BEFORE TURNING IT OVER TO YOU AND TRYING TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY JUST LOOKING AT THE PROPERTY TAX MATTER FOR THE, FOR THE OWNER OF A $500,000 HOME IN ATLANTIC BEACH PROPERTY TAXES THAT, THAT HOMEOWNER PAYS ABOUT $1,070 A YEAR WHICH IS EQUIVALENT TO MAYBE A YOUTUBE TV STREAMING SERVICE MONTHLY OR, OR PILATES MEMBERSHIP. AND AND I'M HOPING WITH YOUR HELP, THAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE EDUCATED ON THE IMPLICATIONS COME NOVEMBER OF, OF, OF THAT DECISION WE, WE CAN'T ADVOCATE AS A CITY, WE CAN ONLY EDUCATE. AND AND I'M GOING TO FEED YOU ALL WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO EDUCATE AND ENCOURAGE YOU TO EVEN CONSIDER YOUR OWN TOWN HALL MEETINGS IN YOUR, IN YOUR DISTRICTS AND ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING TO ENSURE THAT, THAT OUR RESIDENTS KNOW PRECISELY WHAT THEY'RE DECIDING IF THEY, IF THEY ARE INCLINED TO, TO START DOING AWAY WITH IF YOU WERE ABLE TO PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER THAT, YOU KNOW, IS A HANDOUT, GREAT. BUT I THINK OUT OF FAIRNESS TO IT, SO THAT CITIZENS ARE FULLY EDUCATED, THEY NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE FULL TAXES ARE FOR DUVAL COUNTY. RIGHT. BECAUSE THE CITIZENS ARE GOING TO HAVE A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING THIS, THAT MOST OF THEM DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT SERVICES THE COUNTY PROVIDES AND WHAT SERVICES WE PROVIDE. BUT AS AN EXAMPLE, ON THAT $500,000 HOME, THE TAXES ARE WHAT? WELL, YOU COULD GO BACK TO ONE OF YOUR FIRST SLIDES THAT SHOWS, YOU KNOW, A TRIM NOTICE AND JUST HOW MUCH MILLAGE RATE COJ. I COULD. WELL WE COULD DO THAT, BUT I'M JUST SAYING WE NEED TO HAVE THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO EDUCATE PEOPLE, LET'S EDUCATE THEM ON THE WHOLE THING. I, I'M THINKING THE $500,000 HOME, YOU PROBABLY HAVE ABOUT AN $8,500 A YEAR TAX BILL. SO SLIDE HE HAD OVER HERE ON A $350,000 HOME. THAT'S IT. AND THAT'S YOU KNOW I OH, I CAN SEE IT HERE. YEAH. THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ON A $322,000 HOME. THAT'S THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE PAYING TO COJ COMPARED TO WHAT YOU'RE PAYING TO ATLANTIC BEACH. AND I DO THINK A LOT OF THE PEOPLE. IN FACT, AREN'T WE UNDER NEGOTIATIONS RIGHT NOW OF WHAT EXACTLY ARE WE GETTING FROM CITY OF JACKSON? THAT'S RIGHT. OKAY, SO WRAPPING UP, IF I MAY, YOU'LL SEE IN THIS IN THIS BUDGET PROCESS, I'M GOING TO FOCUS ON THREE, THREE AREAS. PROTECTING OUR CORE INFRASTRUCTURE, OPTIMIZING OUR INTERGOVERNMENTAL PARTNERSHIPS, [00:40:06] AND EXHAUSTING INTERNAL EFFICIENCIES. I FEEL LIKE THAT'S ABOUT HAVE Y'ALL NOT NOT YET HAVING STATED WHAT YOUR CHARGE IS TO STAFF, THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I'M THINKING AND FEELING THAT MY RESPONSIBILITY IS AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS BUDGET PROCESS. OKAY, SO WE'LL OPEN IT UP. BUT IF I MAY, I JUST WANT TO MAKE 1 OR 2 COMMENTS TO KIND OF SET THE STAGE. THE PROBLEM BEFORE US IS WE HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION ON BOTH THE BUDGET AND THE MILLAGE RATE BEFORE THE VOTE IN NOVEMBER ON A REFERENDUM. NOW, IF WE'RE SO FORTUNATE. IF THERE IS A COURT OVERTURN OF THE ABILITY TO ACTUALLY PUT THAT ON A REFERENDUM, THEN WE'LL KNOW THAT. I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW WHEN WE MIGHT KNOW THAT, BUT MAYBE BEFORE WE RATIFY THIS BUDGET, BUT MAYBE NOT. SO THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE. NUMBER TWO IS THE IMPACTS OF THAT FIRST YEAR OF GOING TO 150,000. THAT IS NOT AN IMPACT ON THIS BUDGET. THAT'S AN IMPACT ON THE 2027-28 BUDGET. BUT WE NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR IT. AND I'M, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A SIMPLE NUMBER IN MY MIND. AND YOU GUYS CAN COME UP WITH YOUR OWN IDEA OF HOW TO APPROACH THIS. IF, IF I KNEW THAT IT'S GOING ON THE REFERENDUM, I HAVE TO ASSUME IT'S GOING TO PASS. I CAN'T ASSUME IT'S NOT. AND I THINK FROM WHAT I'M, I'M TALKING TO A LOT OF PEOPLE IN POLITICS AND OTHERWISE, AND I THINK MOST PEOPLE THINK IT HAS A REASONABLE CHANCE OF PASSING, EVEN THOUGH IT HAS TO GO 60% PLUS ONE VOTE TO PASS. SO IF THAT'S THE CASE, WHAT DO WE DO TO PREPARE? WE'RE IN GOOD FINANCIAL SHAPE, ESPECIALLY AFTER BRITTANY FOUND WHAT, ANOTHER 30%? I APPRECIATE THAT ON THE THE RESERVES, BUT IN MY MIND, IF THE FIRST YEAR IMPACT IS ROUGHLY $1 MILLION, I'D LIKE TO SEE US FIND A WAY IN THIS BUDGET TO REDUCE THE BUDGET BY A HALF $1 MILLION SO THAT IF IT PASSES AND IT DOESN'T ACTUALLY HIT US UNTIL THE 2027-28 YEAR, THEN WE'RE ONLY DEALING WITH A HALF $1 MILLION IN THAT YEAR. NOW, WE STILL GOT AN $800,000 DELTA IN THE SUBSEQUENT YEAR, BECAUSE THAT GOES TO A $250,000 EXEMPTION. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT NUMBER IS. I'M JUST SAYING WE GOTTA, WE GOTTA DO SOMETHING TO PREPARE. WE DON'T HAVE TO GET CRAZY ABOUT IT. I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO RUSH TO RAISE A MILLAGE. WE CERTAINLY MAY NOT CHOOSE TO LOWER THE MILLAGE, AND THAT'LL ALL WORK ITSELF OUT BASED ON THE REFERENDUM. BUT NOW LET ME OPEN IT UP. COMMISSIONER JUST A COUPLE THINGS. YOU KNOW, ONE THING YOU MENTIONED, MAYOR, IS, YEAH, IT MAY NOT DIRECTLY AFFECT 27, YOU KNOW, 27-28 BUT THE 26-27 BUDGET WILL AFFECT 28. WHAT WE DO IN 27. YEAH. IT'S GOING TO AFFECT 28. SOME CITIES HAVE ACTUALLY DONE TWO DIFFERENT BUDGETS. YOU KNOW, IF REFERENDUM PASSES, IF IT DOESN'T. AND AND ONE THING THAT I WANTED TO BRING UP THAT A SITUATION WE KIND OF PUT OURSELVES IN LAST YEAR, I THINK WE ALL REMEMBER WHERE WE HAD A LIST OF PROJECTS. RIGHT? YEAH. AND WE WENT, OKAY, THERE'S NUMBER ONE. NUMBER TWO, NUMBER THREE, ONE WAY TO I WAS THINKING MAYBE A DIFFERENT, I KNOW YOU'RE, YOU'RE LOOKING AT PROCEDURES AND POLICY AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO APPROACH THIS IS THAT WE COME UP WITH A PROJECTS AND WE SAY THAT'S A NUMBER ONE PRIORITY PROJECT. THAT'S A NUMBER TWO PRIORITY PROJECT. THAT'S A THREE. AND YOU CAN GO ALL THE WAY TO FIVE OR HOWEVER THE METRICS ARE. AND THAT WAY, WHEN WE GO BACK INTO THE HOPPER, WE LOOK AT PRIORITY FIVE OR PRIORITY THREE PROJECTS. BECAUSE WHEN WE GO SINGULARLY THROUGH THERE, RIGHT, WE WERE DOWN TO 35, I FORGET 40 DIFFERENT PROJECTS ON A PAGE. SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, TAKING OUR, OUR, OUR VISION AND WHAT WE'VE SAID WE COULD ALSO ALSO PRIORITIZE AND SAY, YOU KNOW, IF WE THINK INFRASTRUCTURE IS NUMBER ONE, YOU KNOW, AND ACROSS THE BOARD OR HOWEVER WE WANT TO DO IT, YOU SEE, WHAT I MEAN IS THAT WE DON'T GO DOWN AND WE DON'T SIT AT THE LAST MEETING AND SAY, I WANT LIGHTS SOMEWHERE, OR I WANT TO. WE ACTUALLY HAVE A KIND OF A PATHWAY TO WHERE WE'RE AT. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YEAH, IT CERTAINLY DOES TO ME. AND THAT IS PRETTY CONSISTENT WITH WHAT YOU ARE, UNLESS YOU TELL ME OTHERWISE COLLECTIVELY, WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE ON JULY 20TH ON JULY 20TH IS GOING TO TAKE YOUR PRIORITIES AND, AND DELINEATE THE OPPORTUNITIES AND ASK YOU TO HELP PRIORITIZE YOUR PRIORITIES. SO LET ME CLARIFY THOUGH, LAST YEAR WE APPROACHED THIS. I BELIEVE MR. KILLINGSWORTH HAD ORIGINALLY INTRODUCED THE BUDGET BASED ON THE ROLLBACK RATE. AND THEN HE HAD A LIST OF ALL THE WHAT DID HE CALL THEM? THE ENHANCEMENT. ENHANCEMENTS. THE ENHANCEMENTS. THANK YOU. THE ENHANCEMENTS. OKAY. AND SO FINE. THAT'S JUST A, A DIFFERENT APPROACH, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU'RE PLANNING ON DOING. [00:45:04] SO WHAT? SO WHEN WILL WE KNOW, I GUESS ARE WE GOING TO GET THE FIRST PASS IN TIME FOR THE NEXT BUDGET MEETING ON WHAT YOU ARE ACTUALLY PROPOSING AND WHAT PERCENTAGE THAT IS YEAR OVER YEAR TO THIS CURRENT BUDGET? I DON'T KNOW. A WEEK OR SO IN ADVANCE IS WHEN, IF I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU JUST ASKED IS WHEN YOU WILL SEE THAT? I DIDN'T ASK, BUT I ACTUALLY AM THINKING THAT. SO THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT BEFORE THE MEETING. BUT BUT THEN SINCE WE DID IT KIND OF ON, ON ALL A LA CARTE ENHANCEMENTS LAST TIME, THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. SO NOW WE'RE BACK TO BRUCE'S SAYING IF WE HAD ENHANCEMENTS, WE'D LIKE TO LABEL THEM NUMBER ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, AND FIVE. SO I'M NOT SEEING HOW THAT HELPS DOING THAT. IF YOU'RE TRYING TO BUILD THE WHOLE BUDGET AND THEN SEE IF WE AGREE. YEAH. BUT IF WE IF WE SAY THAT, LET'S GIVE AN EXAMPLE INFRASTRUCTURE, RIGHT? THE PROJECT INFRASTRUCTURE, WE'VE SAID REPEATEDLY THAT THAT'S ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT. I'M NOT JUST USING THAT EXAMPLE. BUT WE'LL GET DOWN, YOU KNOW, EVENTUALLY, RIGHT IN THE THIRD MEETING OR FOURTH, THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF THAT, I'M JUST SAYING THAT PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK WHERE I SAY, HEY, THAT'S A NUMBER FIVE PRIORITY. THAT'S A NUMBER THREE PRIORITY. AND WE GO AHEAD AND, YOU KNOW, PUBLICIZE IT, TALK ABOUT IT, ANALYZE IT SO THAT YOU COME TO THAT MEETING AND GO, HEY, IN INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THE 4 OR 5 FIGHTS GOING DOWN. YOU KNOW, AS WE WENT THROUGH THE LAST 35, YOU KNOW, PROJECTS. YEAH, BECAUSE WE TAKE THE PRIORITY FIVE PROJECTS AND GO NICE TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I THINK I THINK THE CRUNCH IS COMING, YOU KNOW, AND YOU KNOW, 1 MILLION AS FAR AS THE PROJECTS THAT WE LOOK AT, YOU THINK, OH, THAT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, PERCENTAGE WISE, BUT IT'LL HURT THE IT'LL HURT THE, YOU KNOW, THE ONES ON THE FRINGE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. I MEAN, WE TALKED ABOUT GRANTS FOR AB RIGHT, ABE AND STUFF IN 10,000, 20,000, BUT THAT'LL BE FRINGE. THAT'LL COME OUT AFTER THOSE PRIORITIES. I MEAN, I'M JUST MY EXPERIENCE, SO I'M JUST GIVING THAT AS A FRAMEWORK. SURE. NO, I LIKE IT. WORK THE WAY YOU WANT, KEVIN. BUT YOU KNOW, I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A GUIDING, YOU KNOW, PRIORITY. YES. MR. HOGAN. CAN I THINK ANOTHER WAY OF STATING WHAT I INTENDED TO STATE IS BETWEEN BUDGET WORKSHOPS TWO AND THREE IS WHEN YOUR, YOUR INPUT FROM OUR DISCUSSION ON THE SECOND WORKSHOP ON JULY 20TH WILL INFORM WHAT I BRING BACK TO YOU ON AUGUST 19TH. OKAY. GOT IT. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER RING. SO ARE WE DOING THE BUDGET WORKSHOPS LIKE WE HAVE IN THE PAST, WHERE EACH DEPARTMENT PRESENTS TO US? AND THEN WE RECEIVE THEIR PRESENTATIONS BEFOREHAND SO WE CAN LOOK IT OVER? WE'RE DOING THAT WITH, WITH FOUR DEPARTMENTS, POLICE, PUBLIC UTILITIES, PUBLIC WORKS AND NEIGHBORHOODS. YES. I HAVE TWO OF THEM ON, ON JULY THE 20TH AND THE OTHER TWO ON AUGUST THE 19TH. SO BECAUSE I THOUGHT PUBLIC WORKS WAS UNDER NEIGHBORHOODS, SO JUST KNOW IT'S NOT ANYMORE. OKAY. PARK. SO PARKS ARE UNDER NEIGHBORHOODS. OKAY. AND WHEN ARE THEY PRESENTING? TWO WILL PRESENT ON JULY THE 20TH AND THE OTHER TWO ON AUGUST 19TH. I KNOW POLICE IS ON JULY 20TH. AND. I THINK IT'S PUBLIC WORKS. YOU SEE THE. NO, IT'S PUBLIC UTILITIES AND POLICE ON JULY 20TH AND THE OTHER TWO ON AUGUST 19TH. OKAY. SO GO AHEAD. I, I REALLY AM CURIOUS WHERE WE ARE IN THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT NEGOTIATIONS. THAT'S HUGE. I'M GOING TO ANSWER THAT. WE'RE NOWHERE. WE ARE WAITING FOR THE RESULT OF THE CONSULTANT. AND AS SOON AS WE GET THAT, THEN WE'LL FORMULATE THE GAME PLAN, REENGAGE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE AND DUKE IT OUT. DO YOU HAVE LIKE SIX MONTHS A YEAR? NO. THAT'S DUE OCTOBER. YEAH, IT'S DUE OCTOBER. AND THAT'S ALL THAT'S BEEN FROM DAY ONE. ONCE WE DECIDED THAT SORRY, I KEEP ASKING HIM TO REMIND ME WHEN IT'S DUE AS WELL. SO OCTOBER, THE CONSULTANT'S SUPPOSED TO HAVE SOMETHING TO US JUST BEFORE, BECAUSE I WOULD IMAGINE COJ MIGHT HAVE BEEN MORE INTERESTED IN POSSIBLY HUMORING US WITH A SEAT AT THE TABLE BEFORE NOVEMBER. BUT NOW. NO, NO, NO. WE. AND THANK YOU. WE KNEW FROM DAY ONE WHEN WE DIDN'T GET THIS DONE LAST YEAR. RIGHT. LIKE WE SHOULD HAVE. YES. OKAY. WE KNEW WE WOULD MISS THIS BUDGET YEAR AND NOT HAVE ANY ABILITY. SO QUITE FRANKLY, ONCE WE GET INTO THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH JACKSONVILLE, ASSUMING THAT WE HAVE AN AMICABLE NEGOTIATION AND DON'T GO TO LEGAL ACTION, IT WILL BE THE NEXT BUDGET YEAR BEFORE WE'LL GET THE RESULTS OF WHATEVER THE AGREEMENT IS. [00:50:03] BECAUSE HERE WE ARE. IF I MAY. IT'S A WHAT DO WE PAY? A LITTLE OVER $1 MILLION TO JFRD FOR FIRE, RIGHT? NO, NO, NO, WE'RE RIGHT NOW WE'RE PAYING A LITTLE OVER 750. 750 BUT IT WAS. IT WAS IT WAS A MILLION FIVE. AND THEN. RIGHT. OKAY. SO 1.5 MILLION AND WE'VE PAID THAT YEAR OVER AND YEAR OVER, EVEN THOUGH 55 SERVICES, BOTH ATLANTIC BEACH AND NEPTUNE BEACH, THAT IS THE ENTIRE JURISDICTION OF 55. WE ARE CLEAR ON THAT. YES. OKAY. I, I KNOW YOU ARE, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW WHOEVER WHOMEVER MAY BE LISTENING TO THIS FOR THE FIRST TIME, MAYBE THEY DON'T KNOW THAT. AND AS WE'RE STANDING HERE OR SITTING HERE AND NEGOTIATING OR LOOKING AT WHAT WE HAVE COMING DOWN THE PIPE, I'M SAYING WE NEED TO HOLD NEPTUNE BEACH ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS IF THIS DOES NOT. IT'LL ALL COME OUT IN THE WASH. YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT. BUT IF MAYBE I HAVEN'T BEEN CLEAR AND I CERTAINLY AND MR. HOGENCAMP WASN'T THE CITY MANAGER DURING THE INITIAL PART OF THIS. MY EXPECTATION AND THE BIGGEST DISCUSSION POINT ON THIS INTERLOCAL IS THAT FIRE SERVICES ARE A COUNTY SERVICE SHOULD BE BUILT INTO THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT AT NO CHARGE TO EITHER NEPTUNE BEACH OR ATLANTIC BEACH. SO THAT'LL BE OUR NUMBER ONE FOCUS. BUT THERE'S OTHER PIECES THAT ADD UP. BUT THAT'S THE BIGGEST DOLLARS. AND, AND HONESTLY, I THINK I, I SAW A NEWS ARTICLE JFRD ALONE IS OVER $300 MILLION A YEAR BUDGET. SO I JUST WANTED TO THROW THOSE NUMBERS OUT, I THINK, AND LET ME JUST SAY THIS BECAUSE IT SHOULD BE OBVIOUS IT. WE'RE A DROP IN THE BUCKET, BUT WHAT A BAD TIMING WHEN YOU'VE GOT A CITY OF JACKSONVILLE THAT'S GOING TO LOSE 207, 300 AND SOMETHING MILLION DOLLARS IF THE TAX RELIEF BILL OR REFERENDUM GOES THROUGH. SO THAT'S OUR CHALLENGE IS THEY THEY PROBABLY ARE NOT GOING TO BE AS EASY TO WORK WITH AS THEY OTHERWISE WOULD BE. WE JUST KNOW THAT BUT NEVER FORGET, THIS COUNCIL SHOULD KNOW, I'M CERTAIN OF IT. I BELIEVE MR. HOGENCAMP IS CERTAIN OF IT. WE DO HAVE LEGAL REMEDY IN COURT IF WE DO NOT GET A REASONABLE SETTLEMENT ON THIS AGREEMENT. WHICH IS COSTLY. IT MAY COST THEM. OKAY. THAT WOULD BE THE INTENT. GO AHEAD. COMMISSIONER. I JUST WANT TO COMMENT ON, YOU KNOW, THE SETTING OF PRIORITIES FOR THE VARIABLE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING. I LIKE THE FRAMEWORK. I ALSO WANT IT. I DON'T WANT IT WRITTEN SO PROHIBITIVE THAT IF SOMETHING HAPPENS AND WE NEED TO PAY GREATER ATTENTION TO A DIFFERENT AREA FOR WHATEVER REASON, BY A VOTE OF THIS COMMISSION THAT WE CAN DO. SO, YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF LIKE JUST FOLLOWING WHAT WE DECIDED, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THINGS ARE FLUID, YOU KNOW, JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE COGNIZANT OF THAT BECAUSE IT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU CAN'T DEFEND WHAT YOU DID SIX MONTHS AGO. SO. RIGHT. AND THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT INCORRECT THINKING. BUT REMEMBER, IF THE REFERENDUM PASSES, IT DOESN'T HIT US UNTIL THE 2027-28 BUDGET, AND WE'VE ALREADY IDENTIFIED THAT TO BE A $1 MILLION PRICE TAG. AND RIGHT NOW, IF I HEARD CORRECTLY FROM BRITTANY, WE'LL HAVE OVER $10 MILLION IN THE RESERVES, BOTH RESTRICTED AND UNRESTRICTED IN THE GENERAL FUND. SO WE'RE NOT IN A, THERE'S NO CRISIS HERE. OKAY. BUT JUST ONE LAST THING. IF SO IF WE GO, LET'S SAY WE LOOK TO A BUDGET AND MAYBE COMING UP WITH TWO IS THE WAY TO GO ABOUT IT. I'M NOT SURE. BUT IF WE COME UP WITH A BUDGET, IT'S $500 TO YOUR RECOMMENDATION. 500,000. AND THAT, AND THEN AND THEN THE REFERENDUM DOESN'T PASS. YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SPEND A GOOD BIT OF THAT BECAUSE OUR IF WE'RE ALREADY AT 55%. WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE MAX? THERE IS NO, THERE'S NO MAX. WE DON'T HAVE TO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE MANDATED TO SPEND ANYTHING. OKAY. I THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS A PERCENTAGE MATCH YOU COULD HAVE. NO, WE WE HAVE RESTRICTED RESERVES THAT SAY THAT WE SHOULD NOT FALL BELOW 25%. BUT BY ACTION OF THIS COMMISSION, YOU CAN SPEND EVERY NICKEL OF THAT IF YOU CHOOSE AS WELL. BUT ON THE UNRESTRICTED RESERVES, THAT'S ANYTHING FROM 25.01 AND ABOVE. AND WE'RE GOING TO END UP FINISHING THIS YEAR, I BELIEVE, AT OVER 50. RIGHT. YEAH. SO BUT YOU'RE ASKING, ISN'T THERE A CAP WHERE WE HAVE TO SPEND IT DOWN? I THINK IN THE PAST, AT LEAST IN MY DISCUSSIONS, WE'VE AGREED THAT ONCE WE HIT 50%, WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT SPENDING IT DOWN OR, OR AT LEAST DISCUSSING IT AND CHOOSING NOT TO. BECAUSE WE COULD WE COULD DECIDE THAT BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE THAT WE WANT TO BOLSTER THAT EXCESS RESERVE, [00:55:01] WE COULD DECIDE BECAUSE OF HURRICANE RISK, THAT WE WANT TO BOLSTER THAT EXCESS RESERVE SO WE CAN GO ABOVE, BUT WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE HAVING THAT DISCUSSION ANNUALLY. YES. MAY I INTERRUPT JUST FOR A MOMENT AND TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU? A COUPLE THINGS ON THAT. WE DO HAVE SOME DEBT SERVICE. IT'S ANOTHER WAY TO TO SPEND SOME MONEY. BRITTANY, IS COMMISSIONER GRANT ONTO SOMETHING IN TERMS OF OUR, OUR, OUR FUND BALANCE POLICY? BECAUSE HE'S SAYING SOMETHING THAT RESONATES WITH ME. THE 50% IS A FUND BALANCE POLICY. YES. THAT'S CORRECT. SO ONCE WE REACH THAT 50% RIGHT NOW, BASED ON OUR POLICY, WE HAVE TO BUDGET FOR IT TO GET IT DOWN TO 50% OR LESS. OKAY. BUT BUT THE UNRESTRICTED. BUT YOU WOULDN'T DO THAT WITHOUT ACTION OF THE COMMISSION. THAT'S CORRECT. NO THAT'S CORRECT. WE DO THAT AT YOUR SO SO IT'S A POLICY. IT'S NOT A ORDINANCE OR A A REQUIREMENT, BECAUSE THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN IS, I MEAN, PEOPLE ARE PAYING FOR THINGS, RIGHT? AND IF WE'RE JUST GOING TO PUT IT IN THE BANK, YEAH. YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO SPEND WE REALLY ONLY HAVE ONE SIGNIFICANT OUTSTANDING DEBT. IS THAT CORRECT? 2. I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I COMPLETELY AGREE TO THE DEGREE THAT WE VALIDATE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABOVE 50%, I'D LIKE TO PAY DOWN THAT DEBT. I HAVE A SPECIAL REQUEST. AND I'VE BEEN PULLING TEETH ON THIS FOR, I THINK THE PAST THREE YEARS. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A BREAKDOWN OF ALL SALARIES FOR DEPARTMENT HEADS OR WE CALL THEM, WHAT DO WE CALL THEM? DIRECTORS. NO. PARDON? DIRECTOR. DIRECTOR. THANK YOU. WELL DONE. OKAY. DIRECTORS AND AND DEPUTY DIRECTORS, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A BREAKDOWN. AND PART OF THE PROBLEM IS THERE'S A COUPLE OF THEM, AND I BELIEVE YOURS IS ONE OF THEM. THAT PART OF IT IS PAID BY PUBLIC WORKS, AND PART OF IT IS PAID BY PUBLIC UTILITIES. I'M NOT SURE, BUT I CERTAINLY KNOW I BELIEVE PART OF NEIGHBORHOODS WOULD BE PAID BY THEM. AND SO IF WE GET A SPREADSHEET, I CAN'T GO BACK AND FORTH TO THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS TO ADD THESE THINGS UP, I NEED A. IT'S AS SIMPLE AS SCORING AN EMAIL TO YOU ALL TOMORROW. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THAT. PLEASE. YES, SIR. A COUPLE THINGS THAT WERE MENTIONED HERE. YOU KNOW, I AGREE. WE'VE BEEN WE'VE BEEN CONSERVATIVE ON OUR RESERVES. I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD THING. I THINK WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS IN HURRICANES, TROPICAL STORMS, ETC., ETC., BECAUSE THAT INFRASTRUCTURE EATS MONEY FAST, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU NEED IT RIGHT AWAY. YEAH. AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS IN A STORM. YOU KNOW, YOU NEED THE MONEY AT THE LIFT STATION OR WHEREVER IT IS. I THINK, I THINK WE SHOULD BE HAPPY THAT OUR CITIZENS SHOULD BE HAPPY THAT WE'VE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN CONSERVATIVE. ONE THING YOU MENTIONED ABOUT THE THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE INTERLOCAL, IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT JACKS, WITH THEIR CITY COMMISSION, CITY COUNCIL IS DOING RIGHT NOW IS THEY'RE TIGHTENING THE SCREWS ALREADY. IF YOU LOOK AT THEM, THEY'RE LOOKING AT A LOT OF PROGRAMS WHERE THEY'RE THINKING, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT THAT IT'S GOING TO BE EVEN HARDER. BUT I ALSO THINK THAT NOW IS THE TIME, I KNOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET THE REPORT UNTIL OCTOBER, IS TO LOBBY. LET THEM LET THEM KNOW THAT WE'RE OUT THERE. I TRY TO DO THAT WHEN I RUN INTO THEM, GET INVOLVED WITH THEM THAT YOU KNOW, HEY, WE'RE COMING, YOU KNOW, AND AND LOBBY. EVERYBODY KNOWS. LOBBY WITH REGARD. CITY COUNCIL. YEAH. OKAY. I'M NOT SURE I AGREE WITH YOU ON THAT, BUT THAT'S. YEAH. WELL, MAYBE PUBLICIZE IT. OKAY. I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND EXACTLY HOW THAT WORKS. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE INTERLOCAL AND AND YEAH, I GET YOU. YEAH. NO, I JUST I'M JUST, I, I CAN'T GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. I RAN [INAUDIBLE] OF THEM AT A FUNCTION. AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS THAT AN INTERESTING THING ON HERE, AND I THINK KEVIN WILL COME BACK WITH NUMBERS IS AND YOU TALKED ABOUT SALARIES FOR THE DEPARTMENTS THE PTO BANK UP IN OPTIMIZATION. THAT'S A BIGGER NUMBER THAN IT'S BIG. IT'S BIG. OUR WORKFORCE CAN BANK UP TO. THAT'S THE RIGHT WORD. BRITTANY. UP TO 680 HOURS OF PTO TIME BEFORE THEY THEN THEY HAVE TO USE IT OR LOSE IT. YEAH. AND AND UPON PAYOUT THOUGH, THOSE, THOSE OF US WHO STARTED AFTER A CERTAIN POINT UPON OUR, OUR SEPARATION FROM THE CITY, WE GET A PAYOUT OF HALF THAT AMOUNT, BUT A POPULAR I KNOW CORPORATE AMERICA IS CERTAINLY DIFFERENT THAN IN GOVERNMENT, BUT A POPULAR PROGRAM IS BEING ABLE TO BANK UP TO A MONTH AND A HALF OF YOUR, YOU KNOW, YOUR ACCRUE EVERY PAYCHECK, RIGHT? AND YOU ACCRUE UP TO A MONTH AND A HALF IS, IS PRETTY POPULAR. YOU KNOW, FORMULA OUT THERE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, AND THAT, AND, AND THEY DID IT FOR THE SAME REASON BECAUSE SO THAT'S, THAT'S ROUGHLY 240 HOURS. THAT'S WHAT THE, THE DID YOU SAY IS ARE DOING THAT NOW. [01:00:01] YEAH. SO THERE YOU GO. YOU GOT I'M 240 AND SO OURS IS 680. THAT'S A BIG BIRD. YEAH. THAT'S YEAH. THAT'S FIVE. AND WE PAID IT AFTER JANUARY 1ST. YOU CAN'T CARRY IT OVER. SO I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. WELL JUST I HAVE 280 HOURS. I THAT THAT 40 HOURS GOES AWAY. YEAH. I DON'T USE IT IN THAT IN THAT YEAR. THAT'S YEAH, YEAH YEAH. YEAH. SO SO THAT IS A, THAT'S A, A BIG NUMBER. I MEAN, YOU CAN THINK OF ALL THE, HEY, I'M, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M GOING TO RETIRE IN TWO YEARS. WHAT DO I WANT TO DO? I WANT TO BANK 680. SO, SO UP TO OUR CITY MANAGER. BUT I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE A NUMBER THAT WILL BE EYE OPENING. YEAH. WE DON'T CURE THAT OVERNIGHT BY THE WAY. IT'LL TAKE YEARS TO. WELL, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, BUT YOU, I MEAN, NOW'S THE TIME TO COME UP WITH A PROGRAM AND SAY, OKAY, YOU KNOW, OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS, THIS IS YOU GOTTA, YOU GOTTA START PAYING THIS DOWN. OTHERWISE, WE HAVE A DRAFT OF WHAT I THINK IS A PRETTY GOOD PROGRAM THAT I'M BETTING WITH OUR STAFF. KEVIN, ONE THING YOU ALSO HAD ON HERE, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THAT E-BIKE LEGISLATION, DIDN'T THE STATE JUST VOTE DOWN? YEAH. THE E-BIKE. YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THAT LEAGUE OF CITIES. AND THE GOVERNOR VETOED IT. AM I RIGHT? YOU'RE RIGHT. WE POTENTIALLY THERE COULD BE STILL SOME LOCAL LEGISLATION. RIGHT, RIGHT. BUT I'M SAYING THE STATE, THE ONE WE WERE HOPING THAT STATE WOULD PASS, I GUESS THAT'S RIGHT. YEAH. THE STATE PASSED IT. THE GOVERNOR DID. YEAH. OKAY. JUST ASKING. I'M DONE. OKAY. NEXT I'LL JUST MAKE ONE COMMENT ABOUT THE THE FRIENDS OF THE ATLANTIC BEACH PEOPLE WHO CAME. IT'S A GREAT, WONDERFUL THING THAT WE DO FOR OUR SCHOOL, BUT OUR KIDS DON'T ALL GO TO OUR SCHOOL. AND NOW, WHETHER THEIR SCHOOL BOARD, YOU KNOW, THE NEW FISCAL YEAR STARTS TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY. SO NOW IS THE TIME TO POKE THEM AGAIN AND REMIND THEM THAT WE WANT ATLANTIC BEACH KIDS TO GO TO ATLANTIC BEACH SCHOOL. AND THAT AND I AND I. I, I'VE BEEN DOING, I'VE BEEN POKING. YEAH. HAVE YOU BEEN POKING? YES, I, I, I WENT RIGHT UP TO DOCTOR BERNIER AT LEAST TWO TIMES THAT I SAW HIM AND ASKED HIM ABOUT THAT. WE'VE SENT TWO RESOLUTIONS OVER. I KNOW, BUT NOW YOU KNOW YOU KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING NOW THEY'RE SCRAMBLING AND RE BUDGETING AND ALL THAT. AND AND MAYBE TO LET OUR PARENTS KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A CHOICE TO DO THAT. YEAH. YOU KNOW, WEST SIDE PARENTS THAT SO EVEN THOUGH MY KIDS PICTURE'S IN HERE AND YOU KNOW, I, I LOVE WHAT THEY DO. I JUST THINK IT'S NOT FAIR TO EVERY KID IN ATLANTIC BEACH. JUST, JUST TO CLARIFY IF LIKE, IF IT'S BY CHOICE, THEY DON'T HAVE TRANSPORTATION. CORRECT. CORRECT. CORRECT. SO WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT TRANSPORTATION FOR OUTSIDE. THAT'S RIGHT. YEAH. SO OUR KIDS OR OUR KIDS THAT ARE WEST OF MAYPORT ROAD HAVE TO SCHOOL CHOICE INTO ATLANTIC BEACH. OTHERWISE GO TO NEPTUNE BEACH ELEMENTARY, WHICH IS WHERE I WENT TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. I DO WANT TO JUST DO A PLUG WITH FABE. ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY IS OUR ONLY SCHOOL THAT'S IN OUR DISTRICT AND I JUST CAN'T HARP ON IT ENOUGH ABOUT THIS. I MEAN, SUNNY'S PRESENTATION TODAY WAS VERY THOROUGH, NOT JUST LAYING OUT EXACTLY HOW EVERYTHING WAS SPENT AND THE RECEIPTS THAT SHE SENT US VIA OUR EMAILS. THE LAST YEAR, BUT ALSO WHAT HER PLANS ARE FOR THE NEXT YEAR. AND WE KNOW THAT IT COST OVER 13000 FOR THAT ROBOTICS PROGRAM. AND SHE'S ASKING TEN THIS YEAR. SO I'M, I WASN'T GOING TO GO THERE TONIGHT, BUT I'M GOING TO SAY THIS. YOU GUYS KNOW HOW FOND I AM OF ATLANTIC BEACH ELEMENTARY. AND I TOTALLY AGREE. THEY ARE ONLY DUVAL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL IN THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH. BUT THE PROPOSAL FROM FABE TONIGHT WAS A IT 33% YEAR OVER YEAR INCREASE? WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BUDGET CONSTRAINTS, ESPECIALLY IF THIS THING PASSES. SO WHILE WE MIGHT CONSIDER THEM AND WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO THAT LATER AND I MIGHT VERY STRONGLY SUPPORT IT, I, I WANT US TO JUST RECOGNIZE THAT'S A 33% INCREASE. THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT YEAR FOR 33% INCREASE. SORRY. NEXT, I WANT TO CLARIFY ONE THING. I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT LOOKING AT OUR SISTER CITIES THAT WE ALWAYS LOOK AT THEM. AND I KNOW THAT JACKS BEACH HAS A LOT OF AIRBNBS. CORRECT. AND AIRBNB IS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR HOMESTEAD, RIGHT. BUT WE HAVE NO AIRBNBS. SO THAT OR TECHNICALLY WE HAVE NO. SO WE. WOULD WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO RELY ON THOSE FOR PROPERTY TAX. I DON'T UNDERSTAND. WE DON'T WE HAVE NO WE HAVE NO LEEWAY. [01:05:01] EVERY HOUSE WE HAVE IS A IS A HOMESTEAD. NOT NOT A NO NOT EXEMPT. NO RENTAL RENTAL PROPERTY. SO WE'VE GOT A LOT OF RENTAL. OKAY. SO WE CAN CHARGE RENTAL. OKAY. YEAH. WE CAN STILL RENT IT, JUST NOT LESS THAN 90 DAYS. OKAY. YEAH. I'M JUST LOOKING FOR. YEAH. CITY MANAGER HOGENCAMP. CAN YOU CAN YOU REMIND ME WHAT IS OUR HOMESTEAD PERCENTAGE? IS IT. YEAH. DO WE HAVE THAT? WHAT PERCENTAGE OF PROPERTIES IN ATLANTIC BEACH ARE HOMESTEADED? THAT'S CORRECT, I DON'T KNOW. I, I THINK I KNOW, BUT BUT I'M NOT GOING TO BLURT IT OUT BECAUSE I, I DON'T KNOW. I, I FORGOT ALREADY, AND I WAS ASKING A FEW WEEKS AGO. I JUST REMEMBERED THAT IT WAS LESS THAN WHAT I THOUGHT IT WAS. I, I THOUGHT WE WOULD HAVE A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF HOMESTEAD PROPERTIES. BUT FORGIVE ME, I DON'T KNOW THE NUMBER, BUT IT WAS LESS THAN I THOUGHT. OTHERWISE THE IMPACT WOULD BE EVEN GREATER TO THIS REFERENDUM. I'LL REPORT BACK BECAUSE I THINK IF COMMISSIONER KELLY IF I'M FOLLOWING YOUR TRAIN OF THOUGHT THERE THEY'RE ABLE TO, [INAUDIBLE] WHICH ALLOWS SHORT TERM RENTALS IS ABLE TO TAX OR RAISE THEIR TAXES ON THE NON HOMESTEAD. BUT WE HAVE A SMALLER PROPORTION. WELL, MAYBE NOT THAT NOW THAT I REMINDED ABOUT THE RENTALS. THERE'S NO WELL ALL OF US ON ON NON HOMESTEAD PROPERTIES. ALL OF US HAVE THE POWER OF OF THE MILLAGE. AND THAT'S GOING TO COME TO BEAR IN THE 27-28 BUDGET. NOT JUST THAT, BUT COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES AND COMMERCIAL. THAT'S RIGHT. AND, AND BY THE WAY REALIZE THIS WHEN, WHEN YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO CHANGE OR IN THIS CASE, RAISE THE MILLAGE RATE, IT WILL ALSO IMPACT HOMESTEADED PROPERTIES. SO IF WE RAISE THE MILLAGE RATE, IT'S ACROSS THE BOARD ON EVERYTHING THAT HAS AD VALOREM. THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT THOSE HOMESTEAD PROPERTIES NOW HAVE $150,000 HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, AND THEN A 250,000 HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION IN THE SECOND YEAR. YES. I JUST WANT TO COMMENT TO KEVIN. I THINK THIS IS A GREAT DOCUMENT THAT PROVIDES TRANSPARENCY, WHICH I FEEL MUCH MORE PREPARED TO GO INTO BUDGET SEASON LOOKING AT THIS BECAUSE I, I CAN GO THROUGH HERE AND GO, YEAH, NO, YEAH. SO I THINK THIS IS GOOD. IS THIS GOING TO BE ON THE WEB? YES. OKAY. AND, AND SO JUST TO GET, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED IT JUST TO GET THE CALENDAR RIGHT. THE NEXT THING WE SEE IS, IS WHAT YOU'LL SEE SOME NUMBERS AS FAR AS WHAT WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING THE BUDGET TO BE YOU'LL ALSO SEE PRESENTATIONS FROM POLICE AND PUBLIC UTILITIES. AND WE'RE GOING TO, ALSO, AS PART OF THAT AGENDA, TALK TO YOU ABOUT PRIORITIZING SPENDING. NO CARS. OKAY. THANKS. DID I HEAR NO CARS? NO CARS? NO TRUCKS. NO CARS? NO. NO HEAVY EQUIPMENT. OKAY. JUST TEASING. ALL RIGHT. WHAT ELSE? ANYTHING ELSE? THAT'S A GREAT START. GOOD CONVERSATION. SO WE WE DO NEED TO HAVE FURTHER CONVERSATION ON IF WE HAVE A CONCERTED STRATEGY OF INFORMING THE PUBLIC ON THE IMPACTS OF THE CHANGE TO AD VALOREM FOR HOMESTEAD. YES. THAT'LL WE'LL HAVE A ROBUST COMMUNICATIONS PLAN WELL AHEAD OF THE REFERENDUM DATE. OKAY. MY PEERS IN OTHER CITIES ARE DOING WONDERFUL THINGS. AND FRANKLY, I DON'T HAVE TO REINVENT ANYTHING. AGREED. AGREED. OKAY. IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.