[00:00:03]
GOOD. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING TO ORDER.
[Call to Order]
WILL YOU ALL PLEASE RISE, IF YOU'RE ABLE, AND JOIN IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.WILL THE CITY CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? MAYOR MIDDLETON HERE.
VICE MAYOR KEMP HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER TINSLEY HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER. MOROSO HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER LITT HERE.
[III. ANNOUNCEMENTS / PRESENTATIONS]
OKAY, TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN THE WORKSHOP PRESENTATION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 2027 BUDGET PRESENTATION.THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE A Q&A SESSION AND THERE WILL NOT BE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
THANK YOU. JUST AS AN INTRODUCTION, THIS YEAR'S BUDGET AS EVERY YEAR.
AND CERTAINLY WE WISH TO RECOGNIZE OUR FINANCE ADMINISTRATOR ARIANE PENZAK.
AND WITH HER GUIDANCE AND MAINLY PATIENCE TO GET US ALL THROUGH TO THE END HAS BEEN A GREAT EFFORT.
BUT EVERYBODY'S WORKED TOGETHER WELL TO GET THE BUDGET TO WHERE IT IS TODAY.
ALSO TONIGHT, AS YOU MENTIONED, WE WILL BE LOOKING AT THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON OUR BUDGET WHEN THE PROPERTY TAX AMENDMENT THREE, IF IT'S APPROVED BY VOTERS IN THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.
NOW, ARIANE WILL GO OVER THE OVERALL IMPACTS AND REDUCTIONS AND OTHER AVAILABLE TAX REVENUE SOURCES. THE DEPARTMENT HEADS SITTING HERE IN FRONT OF YOU WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH WHAT WE CONSIDER ONE OF A WORST CASE SCENARIO, THE WAY WE SEE IT THAT THE BUDGET CUTS WILL HAVE ON THEIR DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS, THE IMPACTS ON THEIR, OF THEIR OPERATIONS, AS WELL AS THE LOSS OF SERVICES TO OUR RESIDENTS.
THEIR PRESENTATION WILL REPRESENT THE SAME ACROSS THE BOARD CUT FOR EVERY FOR EVERY DEPARTMENT FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES ONLY. THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO TACKLE A PROBLEM, SUCH AS A REDUCTION IN REVENUE.
WE'VE SEEN THEM BEFORE, BUT WE'VE NEVER SEEN THEM AT THIS POTENTIAL LEVEL.
SO THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO LOOK AT IT. WE'RE ONLY LOOKING AT ONE WAY TONIGHT.
IN THE EFFORT OF MOVING THINGS ALONG AND GIVING EVERYONE AN IDEA OF JUST HOW SERIOUS THIS AMENDMENT PASSAGE WOULD BE ON SERVICES TO THE CITIZENS.
ALSO, YOU WILL HEAR TONIGHT FROM OUR COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, CANDICE TEMPLE.
SHE WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH A FRAMEWORK OF HOW WE GO ABOUT DOING THE INFORMATION TO THE RESIDENTS AND PROVIDING COUNCIL WITH INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT YOU MIGHT HEAR HERE TONIGHT AND THE IMPACTS OF THE PASSAGE OF AMENDMENT THREE. SO THAT'S JUST SORT OF THIS IS WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TONIGHT.
WE WILL BE PROVIDING A LOT OF INFORMATION. SO PLEASE BE PATIENT WITH US.
EVERYONE HAS A STORY TO TELL. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU WHO ARE THE ULTIMATE POLICY MAKERS OF IF THIS HAPPENS, HOW WE'RE GOING TO APPROACH THIS AS WELL AS THE RESIDENTS TO UNDERSTAND THE SERIOUS IMPLICATIONS OF THIS AMENDMENT. SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO ARI AND ZACH, AND THANK YOU, ARI.
MADAM MAYOR, COUNCIL, FOR THE RECORD. ZACH. FINANCE ADMINISTRATOR.
ALL RIGHT. SO TONIGHT, I WILL PRESENT THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 27 SPJUTE AND THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF THE PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX INITIATIVE UNDER BALLOT AMENDMENT THREE. SO THIS YEAR, WE'LL START WITH A BUDGET.
[00:05:01]
THIS YEAR, PROPERTY VALUES INCREASED BY $616 MILLION IN NEW CONSTRUCTION AND 5.74% IN EXISTING PROPERTY VALUES, BRINGING OUR TOTAL PROPERTY VALUE TO $23.5 BILLION FOR FISCAL YEAR 27.OVERALL, THIS REPRESENTS AN 8.58% INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR'S TAXABLE VALUE OF 21.7 BILLION IN JULY.
UNDER RESOLUTION 20, COUNCIL APPROVED THE PROPOSED MAXIMUM MILLAGE RATE OF 5.0537, WHICH IS THE SAME RATE AS THE CURRENT YEAR'S RATE WITH NO DEBT MILLAGE, AND THIS REPRESENTS A 5.74% INCREASE ABOVE THE ROLLBACK RATE OF 4.7795, AND THIS RATE WILL HELP MAINTAIN STABILITY FOR MOST HOMEOWNERS. THIS YEAR'S RECOMMENDATION WAS DRIVEN BY FOUR KEY FACTORS OUR CONTINUED COMMUNITY COMMUNITY GROWTH, THE PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX AMENDMENT, UNCERTAINTY SURROUNDING FEDERAL FUTURE, FEDERAL DISASTER REIMBURSEMENT, AND THE NEED TO MAINTAIN STRONG FINANCIAL RESERVES.
AND THIS CHART SHOWS ALL OF THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATES ACROSS PALM BEACH COUNTY.
THE AUTHORITIES HIGHLIGHTED IN GREEN ARE PROPOSING A RATE DECREASE.
THOSE IN RED ARE PROPOSING AN INCREASE, AND THE REMAINING ARE KEEPING THEIR RATES FLAT.
THE PERCENTAGE ABOVE THE ROLLBACK RATE. YOU'LL NOTICE IT SIGNIFICANTLY VARIES ON THE FAR RIGHT COLUMN FROM 2.33% ALL THE WAY TO 100%. AND YOU'LL SEE HERE PALM BEACH GARDENS IS RIGHT THERE, COMPARABLE AND CONSISTENT WITH OTHER MUNICIPALITIES DEMONSTRATING A RESPONSIBLE AND SUSTAINABLE APPROACH TO OUR FUNDING FOR CITY SERVICES.
NOW LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE IMPACT OF THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE ON A TYPICAL HOMEOWNER.
UNDER SAVE OUR HOMES, THE ASSESSED VALUE OF HOMESTEADED PROPERTIES CAN INCREASE NO MORE THAN LESSER OF 3% OR CPI, AND FOR FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2026, THE CAP IS 2.7%.
SO IN THIS EXAMPLE, WE LOOKED AT HOMES VALUED BETWEEN 450,000 AND 1,000,050.
AND THE ESTIMATED INCREASE IN CITY TAXES RANGES FROM APPROXIMATELY $61 TO $143 ANNUALLY.
SO NOW LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE IMPACT ON A TYPICAL NON-HOMESTEAD PROPERTY.
THE ESTIMATED INCREASE ON THESE PROPERTIES WOULD SEE ROUGHLY $227 TO $531 ANNUALLY.
SO MOVING ON, WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT OUR ALL FUNDS SUMMARY, AND I'LL START BY PULLING UP OUR OPEN GOV BUDGET PLATFORM THAT CAN BE FOUND ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE UNDER OUR FINANCE BUDGET PAGE. AND TAKING A LOOK AT OUR ALL FUNDS SUMMARY, YOU'LL SEE OUR TOTAL PROPOSED BUDGET.
IT'S A LITTLE OVER 313 MILLION. GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS, TOTALED 218 MILLION.
IF WE SCROLL DOWN AND TAKE A LOOK AT REVENUES BY TYPE.
YOU'LL SEE AD VALOREM TAX IS OUR LARGEST SOURCE OF REVENUE AT 36%.
BEGINNING FUND BALANCE IS THE NEXT LARGEST AT 29%.
RESERVES IS OUR NEXT LARGEST AT 69 MILLION IN.
OPERATING AT 60 MILLION. AND WHILE WE'RE HERE, WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AND MOVE ON TO THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH IS THE CITY'S LARGEST FUND AND COMPRISES A TOTAL OF 222 MILLION THIS YEAR OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
AGAIN, AD VALOREM IS THE LARGEST SOURCE OF REVENUE, MAKING UP 51% OF THE OVERALL REVENUE SOURCES.
BEGINNING FUND BALANCE OR THAT'S OUR CARRYFORWARDS FROM THE PRIOR YEAR, A 58 MILLION.
AND THEN AGAIN, WE HAVE ALL THOSE MISCELLANEOUS REVENUES HERE TO THE SIDE AND THEN SCROLLING DOWN TO EXPENDITURES BY TYPE PERSONNEL AGAIN, IS OUR LARGEST USE IN THE GENERAL FUND AT 109 MILLION.
[00:10:05]
AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THIS YEAR WE ALSO HAVE 8.2 MILLION FOR OTHER USES, AND WHICH REPRESENTS A PLANNED TRANSFERS TO SUPPORT FUNDING FOR RECREATION OPERATIONS ACROSS. WITH THE OPENING OF THE DISTRICT PARK FIELD HOUSE, WHICH IS SCHEDULED TO OPEN LATER NEXT YEAR.AND ALSO WE HAVE FUNDING FOR TWO GRANT RELATED PROJECTS THE RCA BOULEVARD DITCH IMPROVEMENT PROJECT AND IMPROVEMENTS ALONG GARDENS PARKWAY THAT ARE ALSO GOING TO BE TRANSFERRED OUT. ALL RIGHT. SO MOVING ON TO THE COST DRIVERS, THERE ARE A FEW COST DRIVERS THAT AFFECTED THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
THE MOST SIGNIFICANT IS ALL THE RAPID GROWTH THAT WE'RE SEEING, DRIVEN BY THE NEW DEVELOPMENT AROUND OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH HAS LED TO THE ADDITION OF 12 NEW FULL TIME POSITIONS.
ALSO, THIS GROWTH IS DRIVING OUR INVESTMENT IN CITY FACILITIES, INCLUDING THE SUPPORT, AS I JUST MENTIONED, FOR THE DISTRICT PARK FIELDHOUSE OPENING AND CRITICAL FUNDING FOR A PUBLIC SAFETY RADIO INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT.
THE BUDGET ALSO REINFORCES THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SAFETY BY ADDING FOUR ADDITIONAL FIREFIGHTERS AND FOUR POLICE OFFICER POSITIONS TO ADDRESS THE GROWING DEMAND ON THEIR SERVICES. WE'RE ALSO TRANSITIONING FIRE RESCUE TO A 2472 SHIFT SCHEDULE, AS WELL AS ADDING FIRE DISPATCH SERVICES THIS OCTOBER. HEALTH CARE COSTS ALSO CONTINUE TO INCREASE DUE TO RISING MEDICAL CLAIMS OR COSTS, PLACING ADDITIONAL PRESSURES ON THE CITY'S SELF-INSURANCE PLAN.
AND WE ARE STILL IN A VERY COMPETITIVE LABOR MARKET THAT CONTINUES TO DRIVE SALARIES AND BENEFITS IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN AND RETAIN, ATTRACT AND RETAIN A QUALIFIED WORKFORCE. AND FINALLY, THE UNCERTAINTY SURROUNDING THE FEDERAL AND STATE FISCAL POLICIES, INCLUDING THE POTENTIAL PROPERTY TAX REFORM AND CHANGES TO FEDERAL DISASTER REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAMS, ADDS ANOTHER LAYER OF COMPLEXITY TO THIS YEAR'S FINANCIAL PLANNING.
SO MOVING ON TO SALARIES. SALARIES ARE UP 2.8 MILLION, FOR A TOTAL OF 72 MILLION IN THE GENERAL FUND DUE TO PROPOSED SALARY INCREASES FOR PERSONNEL. OH, SORRY. WRONG SIDE 109 MILLION.
I GOT AHEAD OF MYSELF. THERE WE GO. SO WE'RE UP 2.8 MILLION.
DESIGNED TO SUPPORT EMPLOYEE RETENTION. THE CITY'S AGREEMENT WITH THE IRF RUNS THROUGH THE END OF FISCAL YEAR 2011, AND SWORN FIRE PERSONNEL WILL RECEIVE A 4% MARKET RATE ADJUSTMENT, AND AGAIN THIS OCTOBER, THEY WILL BE MOVING TO THAT 2472 HOUR WORK SHIFT, AVERAGING A 42 HOUR WORKWEEK.
THE FOUR FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE WERE LOOKING AT ADDING AN ADDITIONAL EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS OPERATOR, A CRIME SCENE ANALYST, POLICE CAPTAIN AND ONE RADIO SYSTEMS AND COMMUNICATION SUPERVISOR.
AND IN OUR SPECIAL REVENUE FUND, WHICH IS FUNDED BY REVENUES GENERATED FROM USER FEES, WE'RE LOOKING AT ADDING ADDITIONAL RECREATION COORDINATOR FOR A TOTAL OF 12 NEW POSITIONS, AND IF APPROVED, THAT WOULD BRING US TO A TOTAL 687 FULL TIME EMPLOYEES, OR 9.39 PER 1000 OF THE POPULATION. AND WE ALWAYS LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THIS METRIC TO SHOW THAT WE ARE DOING MORE WITH LESS THAN COMPARED TO OUR PRE-RECESSION YEARS. PENSION COSTS ARE ALSO UP 2.5 MILLION FOR ACTUARIAL VALUATIONS FOR POLICE AND FIRE, AS WELL AS STATUTORY RATES FOR FRS FOR A TOTAL OF 18.1 MILLION, OR AN INCREASE OF 15%, WHICH ARE EXPECTED.
THERE IS ALSO THERE IS ALSO THE RECENTLY APPROVED POLICE PENSION ENHANCEMENTS, WHICH ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE COSTS BY AN ADDITIONAL 1.5 MILLION PENDING THAT FINAL ACTUARIAL FIGURE RESULTS.
SO THOSE THAT FIGURE IS NOT IN THESE NUMBERS TODAY.
WE STILL DO HAVE A VERY HEALTHY RESERVE BALANCE, ESTIMATED AT 5 MILLION, SET ASIDE TO COVER ROUGHLY FIVE MONTHS WORTH OF CLAIMS, AND THE OFFICE OF INSURANCE REGULATION REQUIRES 90 DAYS, SO WE'RE WELL OVER THAT MINIMUM.
[00:15:02]
MOVING ON TO OUR MAINTENANCE, REPAIR AND OPERATING COSTS, WHICH DAVID AND HIS TEAM OVER AT PUBLIC WORKS WORK TO PRIORITIZE PROJECTS AROUND THE CITY.THIS YEAR, WE ARE REQUESTING $4 MILLION FOR OUR FACILITIES, ROADWAYS, GROUNDS, ROADWAY PLANTING, CANAL MAINTENANCE, AND STORMWATER REPAIR. IN ADDITION TO THIS, THE CITY WAS SUCCESSFUL IN SECURING AN ADDITIONAL 250 000 STATE STORMWATER GRANT TO ADD IMPROVEMENTS TO THE THOMPSON RIVER CANAL, WHICH INCREASES THAT TOTAL STORMWATER REPAIR BUDGET TO $500,000 FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND JUST TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THE LARGER PROJECTS THAT ARE SCHEDULED FOR NEXT YEAR, WE DO HAVE A $6 MILLION TO SUPPORT THE PUBLIC SAFETY RADIO REPLACEMENT PROJECT, WHICH INCLUDES UPGRADES TO THE CITY'S RADIO INFRASTRUCTURE TO IMPROVE SYSTEM COVERAGE CITYWIDE.
WE ALSO HAVE 1 MILLION HERE FOR THE BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT, WHICH IS ALSO A GRANT PROJECT TO CREATE A MORE WELCOMING AND VISIBLE GATEWAY INTO OUR CITY AND IS PARTIALLY FUNDED, AS I SAID, BY A GRANT. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE $3 MILLION IN OUR HOUSING FUND FOR THE MULTIFAMILY HOME IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, FUNDED THROUGH DEVELOPER CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE WORKFORCE HOUSING FUND.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO NOW LET'S SWITCH GEARS AND TAKE A LOOK AT OUR TEN YEAR FORECAST, WHICH MAINTAINS A FLAT OPERATING MILLAGE RATE OF 5.0537 WITH NO DEBT MILLAGE ALL THE WAY THROUGH YEAR TEN.
ALSO, IN YEAR TEN, OUR UNASSIGNED RESERVES ARE ESTIMATED TO BE ROUGHLY FOUR 41.9 MILLION THIS YEAR.
STAFF AGAIN PROPOSED TO INCREASE OUR UNASSIGNED RESERVES TO MAINTAIN THAT 20% THRESHOLD.
IN RESPONSE TO STRENGTHENING OUR POSITION FOR FINANCIAL AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLANNING, WHICH DOES MEET COUNCIL'S POLICY THRESHOLD OF OF AT LEAST 17% OF EXPENDITURES.
THIS ADDS ROUGHLY 2.7 MILLION TO ARE UNASSIGNED RESERVES, LEAVING US WITH 4.7 MILLION.
ESTIMATED BUDGET STABILIZATION IN FISCAL YEAR IN TEN.
THE FORECAST DOES ANTICIPATE A $2 MILLION USE OF BUDGET STABILIZATION IN FISCAL YEAR 28 FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS AT MARISOL PARK, FOLLOWED BY 3 MILLION IN FISCAL YEAR 29 FOR GREEN MARKET EXPANSION AND IMPROVEMENTS AT PGA NATIONAL PARK.
AND THEN IN FISCAL YEAR 2030, YOU'LL NOTICE AN INCREASE IN THE UNASSIGNED RESERVES.
AND THIS IS RELATED TO A PLANNED ISSUANCE OF A PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT BOND TO REPLACE FIRE STATION ONE.
IT IS A 50 YEAR OLD BUILDING THAT NO LONGER MEETS OUR OPERATIONAL NEEDS AND IN ORDER.
YOU'LL NOTICE IT HAD INCREASED THAT YEAR. AND THAT IS IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THAT 20% THRESHOLD.
SO AS THOSE CAPITAL EXPENDITURES START TO BE SPENT, YOU'LL SEE THE UNASSIGNED RESERVE STARTS TO DIP UNTIL WE FIND OURSELVES IN YEAR TEN ENDING AT 41 MILLION. OKAY, SO NOW LOOKING AHEAD, FLORIDA VOTERS WILL CONSIDER THE PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX REFORM INITIATIVE THIS NOVEMBER UNDER BALLOT AMENDMENT THREE.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE FISCAL YEAR 27 BUDGET IS NOT IMPACTED BY THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT, AS PROPERTY TAXES FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR WILL CONTINUE TO BE CALCULATED AS IS UNDER THE CURRENT LAW, THE AMENDMENT MUST BE APPROVED BY 60% OF VOTERS BEFORE IT CAN TAKE EFFECT.
ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IS THE EXPANSION OF HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.
IT WOULD INCREASE FROM $50,000 AS IT IS TODAY, TO 150,000 BEGINNING IN 2027 AND 250,000 BEGINNING IN 2028. THE AMENDMENT ALSO INCLUDES A PROVISION THAT DIRECTS LEGISLATURE TO ESTABLISH A SCHEDULE FOR THE FULL ELIMINATION OF NON-SCHOOL PROPERTY TAXES ON HOMESTEADED PROPERTIES, WHICH FOR OUR CITY IS ROUGHLY 46 MILLION.
[00:20:02]
CPI, WITH THE NEW EXEMPTION AMOUNT ADJUSTED ANNUALLY FOR INFLATION BEGINNING IN 2029 FOR NON HOMESTEADED PROPERTIES, INCLUDING MANY COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES, RENTAL PROPERTIES AND SECOND HOMES.THE ANNUAL ASSESSMENT CAP WOULD BE REDUCED FROM 10% AS IT IS TODAY DOWN TO 5%.
THE PROPOSAL ALSO INCLUDES DIFFERENT RULES FOR NEW FLORIDA RESIDENTS.
HOMEOWNERS HOMESTEADS ESTABLISHED AFTER DECEMBER 31ST, 2026 OF THIS YEAR WOULD REMAIN AT THE $50,000 EXEMPTION FOR FIVE YEARS BEFORE BECOMING ELIGIBLE FOR THE EXPANDED EXEMPTIONS.
AND THEN FINALLY, AS IT IS THE CASE TODAY, WHEN A PROPERTY CHANGES OWNERSHIP, IT IS REASSESSED AT MARKET VALUE WITH SAVE OUR HOMES PROTECTIONS AND APPLICABLE EXEMPTIONS APPLYING ONCE THE NEW HOMEOWNER ESTABLISHES HOMESTEAD.
SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR OUR HOMEOWNERS? FOR EVERY $100,000 INCREASE IN THE EXEMPTION AMOUNT, HOMEOWNERS WOULD SAVE APPROXIMATELY $1,100 ANNUALLY ACROSS ALL TAXING AUTHORITIES, OR $96 A MONTH.
THIS SLIDE PROVIDES A QUICK SNAPSHOT OF OUR PROPERTY TAX BASE.
PALM BEACH GARDENS HAS APPROXIMATELY 64,000 RESIDENTS AND 33,000 TOTAL PARCELS.
56% OF THOSE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES ARE HOMESTEADED, AND OF THOSE, 7000 OR 40% HAVE AN ASSESSED VALUE UNDER THE 250,000 EXEMPTION EXEMPTION AMOUNT. SO BY YEAR TWO, A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THESE PROPERTIES COULD COME OFF THE CITY'S TAX ROLL ENTIRELY. SHIFTING MORE OF THE PROPERTY TAX BURDEN TO PROPERTIES THAT REMAIN TAXABLE, INCLUDING RENTALS AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES.
THESE INCLUDE PUBLIC SAFETY ROADS, STORMWATER SYSTEMS AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS.
HOWEVER, THAT LANGUAGE WAS REMOVED AND THE AMENDMENT THAT WILL APPEAR ON THE BALLOT DOES NOT REQUIRE CITIES TO MAINTAIN PUBLIC SAFETY FUNDING LEVELS OR PREVENT REDUCTIONS TO THOSE BUDGETS. SO PUBLIC SAFETY IS NOT PROTECTED FUNDING LEVEL UNDER THE CURRENT PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE POTENTIAL IMPACT, THIS SLIDE HIGHLIGHTS WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE CITY USING FISCAL YEAR 27 BUDGET AS A BASE, AND YOU'LL SEE THAT APPROXIMATELY 70% OF THE GENERAL FUNDS GENERAL FUNDS REVENUES ARE GENERATED THROUGH PROPERTY TAXES, WHICH ARE PROJECTED TO BE 114 MILLION FOR THIS NEXT YEAR, AND IT REPRESENTS THE LARGEST FUNDING SOURCE FOR THE CITY.
THE PROPOSED $250,000 EXEMPTION WOULD HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE CITY'S TAXABLE VALUE BEGINNING IN YEAR TWO, WITH AN ESTIMATED REOCCURRING PROPERTY LOSS OF ROUGHLY $24 MILLION AND WOULD NEED TO BE INCREASED, WOULD NEED TO INCREASE THE MILLAGE RATE BY APPROXIMATELY 29% IN ORDER TO MAKE UP THAT LOST REVENUE BY THE.
BUT THE POTENTIAL IMPACT DOES NOT END THERE. AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THERE.
THE AMENDMENT DOES DIRECT THE LEGISLATURE TO ESTABLISH A SCHEDULE FOR THE POTENTIAL FULL ELIMINATION OF NON-SCHOOL PROPERTY TAXES ON HOMESTEADED PROPERTIES, AND IF THAT WERE ULTIMATELY IMPLEMENTED, THE CITY'S REOCCURRING REVENUE LOSS WOULD GROW TO APPROXIMATELY 46 MILLION ANNUALLY AND WOULD NEED TO INCREASE THE MILLAGE RATE BY APPROXIMATELY 79%, WHICH WOULD SIT JUST UNDER THE TEN MILL CONSTITUTIONAL CAP.
AND OF THAT AMOUNT, APPROXIMATELY 101 MILLION, OR NEARLY 57% OF OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET IS DEDICATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES FOR OUR POLICE AND FIRE. THESE SERVICES REPRESENT THE LARGEST OPERATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CITY AND ARE FUNDED PRIMARILY THROUGH PROPERTY TAX REVENUE.
[00:25:07]
INCLUDING 19 MILLION IN OUR CAPITAL. IMPROVEMENTS OF OUR FACILITIES AROUND THE CITY.SO THIS REVENUE LOSS ISN'T JUST A REDUCTION IN THE CITY'S BUDGET.
IT ALSO REDUCES THE CITY'S PURCHASING POWER. AND THAT COULD MEAN FEWER CONTRACT AWARDS.
PROJECT CANCELLATIONS AND LESS MONEY FLOWING TO OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES AND THEIR EMPLOYEES.
AND OVER TIME, THAT IMPACT COULD BECOME BROADER.
REDUCING REDUCED REOCCURRING REVENUES COULD MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR THE CITY TO KEEP PACE WITH GROWTH AND CONTINUE INVESTING IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE, PUBLIC SAFETY AND FACILITIES OUR COMMUNITY RELIES ON.
IT COULD ALSO REDUCE OUR FINANCIAL FLEXIBILITY, POTENTIALLY INCREASING OUR BORROWING COSTS, MAKING FUTURE INVESTMENTS MORE DIFFICULT AND MORE EXPENSIVE, AND ULTIMATELY IMPACTING THE LEVEL OF SERVICES WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE TO OUR RESIDENTS.
SO IF PASSED, BEGINNING IN JANUARY OF 2028, THE $250,000.
HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION IS ESTIMATED TO REDUCE THE CITY'S PROPERTY TAX REVENUE BY ROUGHLY 24 MILLION.
THIS COULD MEAN FEWER FIREFIGHTERS, POLICE OFFICERS AVAILABLE TO RESPOND TO EMERGENCIES, ALONG WITH REDUCED SPECIALIZED TRAINING, FEWER TECHNOLOGICAL TECHNOLOGICAL TOOLS THAT SUPPORT EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND CRIME PREVENTION AND REDUCTION OR ELIMINATION OF PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT OFFICER AND FIRE SAFETY.
RESIDENTS COULD ALSO SEE A CHANGE IN EVERYDAY SERVICES THAT SUPPORT THEIR NEIGHBORS, NEIGHBORHOODS AND QUALITY OF LIFE, INCLUDING REDUCED RECREATION CENTER HOURS AND ATHLETIC FIELD HOURS AND PROGRAMS, HIGHER RECREATIONAL FEES, LESS ROADWAY PAVING, AND MEDIAN MAINTENANCE. ELIMINATION OF OUR STORMWATER CANAL MAINTENANCE AND REDUCTION, AND REDUCED EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND DISASTER RESPONSE.
SO SO FAR, WE'VE LOOKED AT THE POTENTIAL REVENUE LOSS FROM THE CITY'S PERSPECTIVE.
NOW I'D LIKE TO BRING IT BACK DOWN TO THE DEPARTMENT LEVEL SO THAT WE CAN SEE WHAT THESE REDUCTIONS, WHAT REDUCTIONS OF THIS MAGNITUDE COULD ACTUALLY MEAN FOR THE SERVICES OUR RESIDENTS RELY ON.
AS WE HAD MENTIONED EARLIER, THE AMENDMENT DOES INCLUDE THE LONG TERM PROVISION ESTABLISHING THE SCHEDULE OF THE FULL ELIMINATION OF NON-SCHOOL PROPERTY TAXES ON HOMESTEADED PROPERTIES, AND FOR THE CITY. AGAIN, THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE $46 MILLION TO OOPS, SORRY TO HELP US BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT LOSS OF THAT MAGNITUDE COULD MEAN OPERATIONALLY, WE DID ASK EACH DEPARTMENT TO COMPLETE A BUDGET REDUCTION EXERCISE, AND WE PHASED THE REDUCTIONS IN OVER TWO YEARS, A 10% REDUCTION IN YEAR ONE, FOLLOWED BY AN ADDITIONAL 14% IN YEAR TWO.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. FOR THE RECORD, PATRICIA SNYDER, CITY CLERK.
I'LL BE PRESENTING TWO BUDGETS THIS EVENING, THE CITY CLERK'S DEPARTMENT AND CITY COUNCIL.
I WILL BEGIN WITH THE CITY CLERK. AS DISPLAYED ON THE SCREEN.
THERE ARE THREE KEY AREAS TO COVER THE COST IMPACT, SERVICE TO RESIDENTS AND THE LOSS OF SERVICES.
THE CITY CLERK'S BUDGET IS 1,000,003, SO THE COST IMPACT FOR YEAR ONE WOULD BE $130,000.
YEAR TWO THE COST IMPACT WOULD BE 14% IS $163,000.
SERVICES TO THE RESIDENTS. AS YOU ALL KNOW, 90% OF THE CORE DUTIES OF THE CITY CLERK ARE MANDATED.
CHARTER CODE. FLORIDA STATUTES, ELECTION LAWS, THE LOSS OF SERVICE, THE.
ELIMINATING 33% OF THE CITY CLERK'S WORKFORCE SHIFTS THE RESPONSIBILITIES.
COMPROMISING THE DEPARTMENT'S ABILITY TO FULFILL MANDATED LEGAL OBLIGATIONS.
NOW I WILL GO INTO THE CITY COUNCIL BUDGET AND I WILL COVER THE SAME THREE KEY AREAS THE COST IMPACT SERVICE TO RESIDENTS AND THE LOSS OF SERVICES. THE CITY COUNCIL BUDGET IS $672,000.
[00:30:01]
OPERATING BUDGET. YEAR TWO THE COST IMPACT IS $85,000.THIS WILL FURTHER REDUCE REDUCTIONS IN ELIMINATIONS FROM YOUR OPERATING BUDGETS.
SERVICES TO RESIDENTS SERVING AN AT LARGE POPULATION OF $64,000.
THE LOSS OF SERVICES, ELIMINATING 33% OF THE CITY CLERK STAFF OBLIGATES CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO DIRECTLY ABSORB THE ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN OF EVENT REGISTRATION, TRAVEL, LOGISTICS AND EXPENSE RECONCILIATIONS.
THIS REDUCED OVERSIGHT INCREASES THE RISK OF INTERNAL CONTROL FAILURES AND RECONCILIATION ERRORS, WHICH ARE PRESENTED IN THE ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, THESE OPERATIONAL DISRUPTIONS IN CURRENT PROCESSES WILL JEOPARDIZE CRITICAL COMMUNICATION AND THE DELIVERY OF VITAL SERVICES TO THE RESIDENTS. THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I'LL NOW TURN IT OVER TO ADMINISTRATION. THANK YOU.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. FOR THE RECORD, KELLY NEUENSCHWANDER, ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES MANAGER, HERE TO SHARE THE IMPACT ON THE ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT BUDGET.
IN YEAR ONE, A 10% REDUCTION WOULD LOWER THE BUDGET BY APPROXIMATELY 231,000, PRIMARILY IMPACTING OUR OPERATING EXPENDITURES IN YEAR TWO. AN ADDITIONAL 14% BUDGET DECREASE OF APPROXIMATELY 291,000 WOULD REQUIRE THE ELIMINATION OF ONE POSITION. AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE PRESENTATION SLIDE, THESE REDUCTIONS WOULD DIRECTLY IMPACT SERVICE DELIVERY, RESULTING IN SLOWER RESPONSE TIMES TO RESIDENTS.
REDUCED CUSTOMER SERVICE LEVELS. DIMINISH COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO CITY COUNCIL AND WEAKENED COORDINATION AMONG CITY DEPARTMENTS. THIS COULD LIMIT LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY AND STATE APPROPRIATION SUPPORT, REDUCING OPPORTUNITIES TO SECURE EXTERNAL FUNDING FOR THE CITY. THANK YOU, AND I'LL PASS IT ALONG TO JANICE MASSEY AND THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
COUNCIL FOR THE RECORD, JANICE MASSEY, LEGAL ADMINISTRATION MANAGER.
THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT PROTECTS THE CITY, ENSURING ALL OPERATIONS RUN IN COMPLIANCE WITH LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS. THE CITY ATTORNEY PROVIDES LEGAL COUNSEL TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS WORKING WITH ALL DEPARTMENTS.
LEGAL STAFF PREPARES AND REVIEWS ALL LEGAL DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING ORDINANCES, RESOLUTIONS AND CONTRACTS TO ABSORB A 24% BUDGET REDUCTION OVER TWO YEARS, THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT MUST CUT JUST OVER $230,000.
AS YOU CAN SEE, A 10% CUT IN THE FIRST YEAR REQUIRES A REDUCTION OF $102,000 TO ABSORB THIS LOSS.
ONE FULL TIME POSITION MUST BE ELIMINATED IN THE SECOND YEAR.
A 14% REDUCTION REQUIRES AN ADDITIONAL CUT OF $129,000.
MEETING THIS CUT REQUIRES THE ELIMINATION OF A SECOND FULL TIME POSITION AND REDUCTION OF THE OPERATING BUDGET TO $1,000 FOR ESSENTIAL OPERATIONAL EXPENSES. OVERALL, A 24% BUDGET CUT REPRESENTS A 66.7% LOSS OF LEGAL STAFF, LEAVING ONE POSITION TO MANAGE THE WORKLOAD OF THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT.
THE IMPACT OF THESE CUTS WILL REDUCE THE DAY TO DAY EFFICIENCY OF THE DEPARTMENT.
DELAYING CRITICAL LEGAL SUPPORT TO CITY OPERATIONS.
NOW I'LL PASS IT OVER TO ERIC, HOLDT AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.
THANK YOU. JANICE. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, FOR THE RECORD.
ERIC HOLDT, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ADMINISTRATOR.
BECAUSE TECHNOLOGY SUPPORTS NEARLY EVERY CITY, SERVICE, REDUCTIONS TO THE IT BUDGET HAVE FAR REACHING IMPACTS BEYOND JUST THAT OF THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT. APPROXIMATELY 60% OF THE IT BUDGET DIRECTLY SUPPORTS POLICE AND FIRE OPERATIONS, REFLECTING THE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC SAFETY TECHNOLOGY.
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UNDER THE PROPOSED REDUCTION, THE DRONE IS. A FIRST RESPONDER PROGRAM WOULD BE ELIMINATED.EXPANSION OF THE REGIONAL VIDEO SURVEILLANCE PLATFORM WOULD BE SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED, CUTTING ANNUALLY, CUTTING ANNUAL IT EXPENDITURES BY APPROXIMATELY $779,000.
THESE REDUCTIONS WOULD ELIMINATE TECHNOLOGY SPECIFIC TECHNOLOGY SPECIFICALLY INTENDED TO IMPROVE EMERGENCY RESPONSE, INVESTIGATIVE EFFECTIVENESS AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
ACHIEVING AN ADDITIONAL 14% REDUCTION IN YEAR TWO WOULD REQUIRE APPROXIMATELY $981,000.
IN FURTHER BUDGET CUTS, APPROXIMATELY $250,000 WOULD COME FROM PERSONNEL REDUCTIONS, RESULTING IN THE ELIMINATION OF APPROXIMATELY 20% OF THE IT DEPARTMENT STAFF. THESE REDUCTIONS WOULD IMPACT NOT ONLY CITY OPERATIONS, BUT ALSO THE NORTHCOM CONSOLIDATED DISPATCH CENTER AND ALL THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS THAT IT SERVES. THE IT DEPARTMENT CURRENTLY CONSISTS OF 12 EMPLOYEES RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING 24 OVER SEVEN SUPPORT FOR THE CITY'S CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE. ELIMINATING POSITIONS WOULD INCREASE RESPONSE TIMES FOR TECHNOLOGY ISSUES, DELAY IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS, REDUCE PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE AND SYSTEM MONITORING, INCREASE THE RISK OF SERVICE OUTAGES, AND REDUCE THE DEPARTMENT'S ABILITY TO MAINTAIN SECURE, RELIABLE AND RESILIENT TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS. ADDITIONAL REDUCTIONS WOULD ALSO REQUIRE EXTENDING REPLACEMENT CYCLES FOR COMPUTERS, SERVERS, STORAGE, AND NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE.
CUTTING APPROXIMATELY $50,000 ANNUALLY BUT POTENTIALLY INCREASING EQUIPMENT FAILURES, DOWNTIME, AND LONG TERM MAINTENANCE COSTS. DISCONTINUING THE LIVE STREAMING OF CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS WOULD CUT APPROXIMATELY $25,000 ANNUALLY, BUT WOULD DECREASE TRANSPARENCY IN PUBLIC SERVICE.
DISCONTINUING THE EXXON BODY WORN CAMERA PROGRAM WOULD CUT AN ADDITIONAL $350,000 ANNUALLY, BUT REDUCED CAPABILITIES THAT SUPPORT OFFICER.
BECAUSE OF THE ELIMINATION OF NUMEROUS POSITIONS ACROSS ALL DEPARTMENTS.
BUDGET REDUCTIONS WOULD ALSO WEAKEN THE CITY'S CYBERSECURITY POSTURE.
REDUCING CYBERSECURITY FUNDING BY APPROXIMATELY $95,000 ANNUALLY WOULD WEAKEN OUR LAYERED DEFENSES, INCREASE THE CITY'S EXPOSURE TO CYBER INCIDENTS, AND SIGNIFICANTLY RAISE THE LIKELIHOOD OF A SUCCESSFUL ATTACK.
A MAJOR CYBER ATTACK WOULD DISRUPT CRITICAL CITY SERVICES, DELAY EMERGENCY RESPONSE, EXPOSE SENSITIVE INFORMATION, AND COULD RESULT IN SUBSTANTIAL FINANCIAL LOSSES, LEGAL LIABILITY, REPUTATIONAL DAMAGE, AND RECOVERY COSTS.
WHILE THESE REDUCTIONS ARE REFLECTED WITHIN THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BUDGET, THEIR IMPACTS EXTEND FAR BEYOND THE IT DEPARTMENT, AFFECTING PUBLIC SAFETY. CITY OPERATIONS. CYBER SECURITY.
TRANSPARENCY AND NEARLY EVERY SERVICE DELIVERED TO OUR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES.
AND NEXT, I'LL PASS IT OVER TO DAVID REYES WITH COMMUNITY SERVICES.
COMMUNITY SERVICES COMPRISES OF SIX DIFFERENT DIVISIONS, SO I WILL BE COVERING EACH OF THOSE DIVISIONS DURING MY PORTION OF THE PRESENTATION, BEGINNING WITH OUR PUBLIC WORKS ADMINISTRATION.
AS YOU CAN SEE ON YEAR ONE, WE'RE LOOKING AT $163,000 REDUCTION, WITH AN ADDITIONAL REDUCTION IN YEAR TWO OF JUST OVER $200,000. THIS REDUCTIONS WILL SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THE ABILITY TO ADDRESS DAY TO DAY OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES.
COORDINATE PROJECTS AND PLAN FOR FUTURE INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICE NEEDS.
AS A RESULT, REMAINING STAFF WILL HAVE TO ABSORB ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES, LEAVING LESS TIME FOR PLANNING, OVERSIGHT, COORDINATION AND PROBLEM SOLVING. BUT THE IMPACT WILL BE SIGNIFICANT FOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
DURING A HURRICANE, TORNADO AND ANY OTHER MAJOR INCIDENT, THE CITY'S ABILITY TO RESPOND EFFECTIVELY DEPENDS ON HAVING SUFFICIENT PERSONNEL AND RESOURCES AVAILABLE BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER THE STORM.
I HAVE TO NOTE THAT EMERGENCY RESPONSE IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN SCALE UP AFTER AN EVENT.
WE NEED THE PERSONNEL, THE PLANNING, THE RESOURCES, COORDINATION IN PLACE BEFORE THE EVENT HAPPENS.
SO WITH FEWER RESOURCES AVAILABLE IN THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER WILL HAVE LESS CAPACITY TO COORDINATE DEPARTMENTS, TRACK RESOURCES, MANAGE INFORMATION, AND SUPPORT THE CITY'S RESPONSE AND RECOVERY EFFORTS.
SO IT WILL BE A BIG IMPACT TO THAT OPERATION.
ALSO, ELIMINATING THE FUNDING TO THE CITY'S HURRICANE GUIDE.
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NEXT, WE'RE GOING TO OVER GOLF. NOW, GOLF IS UNIQUE FROM THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND DIVISIONS BECAUSE WE ARE DISCUSSING GOLF AS A REVENUE GENERATED, NOT A TAX SUPPORTED.HOWEVER, THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL CONSIDERATION THAT WE WANT TO BRING TO YOU.
THE BOND PAYMENT IS CURRENTLY BEING PAID BY THE RECREATION IMPACT FEES, WITH THE PLAN FOR THAT OBLIGATION TO EVENTUALLY PASS TO THE GENERAL FUND WITH THE ELIMINATION OF THE PROPERTY TAXES, THAT GENERAL FUND SUPPORT WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE.
AS A RESULT, DURING THE GOLF OPERATION WOULD BE REQUIRED TO ABSORB ABOUT 100 AND $877,000 A YEAR IN THEIR OPERATION. SO THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE REFLECTED INTO THE 436 IN YEAR ONE AND YEAR TWO.
SO AS A RESULT, GULF WILL BE REQUIRED TO GENERATE THE ADDITIONAL REVENUE TO ABSORB THIS NEW FINANCIAL PRESSURE, WHICH MEANS HIGHER USER FEES. OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR USERS WILL HAVE TO PAY MORE TO UTILIZE THE FACILITY, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME WE'LL HAVE LESS STAFF AND LOWER SERVICES.
SO THAT WILL BE A BIG IMPACT TO THE OPERATION, ALTHOUGH IT IS A REVENUE SUPPORTED.
NEXT UP, WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER OUR PARKS AND GROUNDS FOR YEAR ONE.
THE REDUCTION IS ESTIMATED AROUND $869,000, WITH A YEAR TWO OF AN ADDITIONAL $1 MILLION.
THESE REDUCTIONS WILL HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON ALL CITY PARKS, FIELDS AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES.
OUR PARKS AND ATHLETIC FIELDS REPRESENT A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT BY THE CITY AND ARE HEAVILY HOUR PPBG YA THEY USE BY TOURNAMENTS AND SPECIAL EVENTS. MANY OF YOU MAY REMEMBER THE DAYS OF LONG FIELD CLOSURES BECAUSE THE FIELDS WERE NOT RECEIVING THE PROPER MAINTENANCE BECAUSE OF LIMITED RESOURCES AND REDUCED MAINTENANCE.
WITH THE PROPOSED REDUCTIONS, WE WILL NO LONGER HAVE THE RESOURCES NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN TO THE CURRENT STANDARDS, AND AS A RESULT, WE CAN EXPECT TO RETURN TO LONGER, MORE FREQUENT FIELD CLOSURES, ALONG WITH GREATER INTERRUPTIONS TO THE PG PROGRAMS, TOURNAMENTS AND OTHER COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES. ADDITIONALLY, THE 50% REDUCTION IN MOWING FREQUENCY ON THE COMMON GROUNDS WILL ALSO HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT NOT ONLY ON THE APPEARANCE, BUT ALSO THE USABILITY OF OUR PARKS.
THERE WILL ALSO BE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON TOURNAMENTS FOR PBJ PROGRAMS AND SPECIAL EVENTS DUE TO THE REDUCTIONS OF OVERTIME, OVERTIME AND STAFFING ARE CRITICAL TO PROVIDING THE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT REQUIRED FOR THESE EVENTS.
MANY OF THOSE WHICH ARE PROVIDED AT NO ADDITIONAL COST TO THE COMMUNITY.
THE NEXT DIVISION IS OUR PUBLIC FACILITIES. AS YOU CAN SEE IN YEAR ONE, WE'RE LOOKING AT APPROXIMATELY $725,000 WITH AN ADDITIONAL $913,000 FOR YEAR TWO.
NOW, THE CITY'S MAINTENANCE, REPAIRS AND OPERATIONS PROGRAM, MANY OF YOU KNOW, HEARD THIS MANY, MANY TIMES, WE CALL IT MRO HAS BEEN EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL, AND IT HAS RESULTED IN A SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL SAVINGS TO THE CITY OVER THE YEARS.
THE REASON IT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IS BECAUSE WE HAVE TAKEN THE PROACTIVE APPROACH TO MAINTENANCE.
WE IDENTIFY PROBLEMS EARLY AND ADDRESS THEM BEFORE THEY BECOME A MAJOR FAILURES, WHICH ALLOWS US TO MAXIMIZE EQUIPMENT LIFE EXPECTANCY AS WELL. PLANNING AHEAD FOR REPLACEMENT AND MAJOR REPAIRS.
HOWEVER, WITH LESS FUNDING AND FEWER STAFF, THE CITY WILL HAVE TO MOVE FROM THAT MODEL INTO A REACTIVE MAINTENANCE MAINTENANCE APPROACH THAT CREATES SEVERAL RISKS. WE COULD SEE MORE UNEXPECTED FAILURES, LONGER INTERRUPTIONS TO CITY SERVICES, HIGHER EMERGENCY REPAIR COSTS, AND AN INCREASE WEAR AND TEAR ON ALL THE EQUIPMENT.
ALSO, ELIMINATION OF DEEP CLEANING, WINDOW WASHING, PRESSURE WASHING, JANITORIAL SERVICES, WHICH SOMETIMES MAY SEEM LIKE JUST A NOT THAT IMPORTANT.
WILL HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON THE CONDITIONS, CLEANLINESS AND LONGEVITY OF THE FACILITIES.
HE WILL CUT DOWN THE LONGEVITY OF THE FACILITIES.
NOT TO MENTION, THE REDUCTION IN THE ART MAINTENANCE PROGRAM WILL DEFINITELY AFFECT THE ABILITY TO PROPERLY MAINTAIN SUCH A BIG INVESTMENT THAT WE HAVE ON THOSE EQUIPMENTS. SO ULTIMATELY, THESE REDUCTIONS WILL END UP IN SHORTER EQUIPMENT LIFE, MORE EMERGENCY REPAIRS AND HIGHER LONG
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TERM COSTS. NEXT IS OUR STREETS AND STORMWATER.YEAR ONE REDUCTIONS EXPECTED TO BE AROUND $713,000, WITH AN ADDITIONAL $898,000 FOR YEAR TWO.
NOW, THESE REDUCTIONS WILL HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON THE SAFETY CONDITIONS, APPEARANCE, AND LONG TERM MAINTENANCE OF THE CITY'S ROADWAYS AND OUR STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE. THE ELIMINATION OF THE PART TIME STAFF AND TEMPORARY LABOR WILL REDUCE OUR ABILITY TO RESPOND TO ROUTINE MAINTENANCE NEEDS AND ADDRESS ISSUES IN A TIMELY MANNER. IT WILL PLACE ADDITIONAL DEMAND ON EXISTING STAFF AND REDUCE OUR FLEXIBILITY TO RESPOND TO INCREASED WORKLOADS. STORM EVENTS AND UNEXPECTED MAINTENANCE NEEDS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WHERE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT IS CRITICAL, DEFERRED MAINTENANCE CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF FLOODING, DRAINAGE ISSUES, ROADWAY DETERIORATION AND COSTLY EMERGENCY REPAIRS.
THE ELIMINATION OF THE STREET SWEEPING PROGRAM WILL REDUCE THE ABILITY TO REMOVE DEBRIS AND SEDIMENT FROM OUR ROADWAYS BEFORE IT ENTERS THE CITY STORMWATER SYSTEM, AND OVER TIME, THIS IS GOING TO CONTRIBUTE TO CLOGGED DRAINAGE SYSTEMS, INCREASE POTENTIAL FOR DRAINAGE PROBLEMS. ALSO, THE REDUCTION OF OUR SCIENCE SHOP MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES WILL IMPACT THE ABILITY TO MAINTAIN, REPLACE ROADWAY SIGNAGE IN A TIMELY MANNER AND PROPER SIGNAGE.
AS YOU KNOW, IS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND TRAFFIC CONTROL.
ANOTHER MAJOR CHANGE WILL BE A 50% REDUCTION INTO THE MEDIAN MOWING, WHICH WILL HAVE A DIRECT AND VISIBLE IMPACT ON THE CHARACTER OF ALL THE MAJOR ROADWAYS AND OVERALL COMMUNITY, AND SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN THE ROAD PAVING WILL HAVE THE GREATEST LONG TERM IMPACTS BECAUSE OUR PROGRAM ALLOWS US TO MAINTAIN ROADS BEFORE THEY BECOME DETERIORATED TO THE POINT TO WHERE MORE EXTENSIVE REHABILITATION IS GOING TO BE REQUIRED. AND LASTLY, OUR FLEET DIVISION.
FOR YEAR ONE, APPROXIMATELY $137,000, WITH JUST OVER $1.8 MILLION FOR YEAR TWO.
EXTENDING VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT CYCLE MEANS THE CITY WILL BE RELYING ON OLDER EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT CYCLES AND MORE LONGER PERIODS OF DOWNTIME, INCREASING THE LIKELIHOOD OF BREAKDOWN, HIGHER REPAIR COSTS AND SERVICE INTERRUPTIONS.
AS VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT AGE REPAIRS BECOME MORE FREQUENT, DOWNTIME INCREASES AND STAFF SPEND MORE TIME ADDRESSING EQUIPMENT FAILURES RATHER THAN DELIVERING SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY. THE IMPACT IS ESPECIALLY SIGNIFICANT FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND CRITICAL OPERATIONAL VEHICLES SUCH AS POLICE, FIRE AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT EQUIPMENT.
AGING FLEET WILL REDUCE THE RELIABILITY DURING CRITICAL SITUATIONS AND INCREASE THE RISK OF EXTENDED DOWNTIME AND DEPARTMENTS WHEN WE NEED EQUIPMENT THE MOST. ALSO, THE ELIMINATION OF THE PARK EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT WILL FURTHER IMPACT THE CITY'S ABILITY TO MAINTAIN OUR PARKS AND OUR PUBLIC SPACES TO THE CURRENT LEVEL LEVELS. ALL THEIR EQUIPMENT IS LESS EFFICIENT, REQUIRES MORE REPAIRS, AND WILL LIMIT STAFF ABILITY TO COMPLETE MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES IN A TIMELY MANNER.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT FLEET IS A SUPPORT FUNCTION FOR EVERY DEPARTMENT WITHIN THE CITY, SO REDUCING THE CAPACITY WILL COMPOUND THE IMPACT OF REDUCTION BY LIMITING THE ABILITY OF DEPARTMENTS TO PERFORM THE DAILY OPERATION.
RESPOND TO SERVICE, DEMAND AND MAINTAIN THE LEVELS OF SERVICE THAT ARE EXPECTED BY OUR RESIDENTS.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL PASS IT DOWN TO OUR DEPUTY CITY MANAGER.
THANKS. THANK YOU DAVID. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES DEPARTMENT OPERATES ON A $1.82 MILLION BUDGET WITH 12 EMPLOYEES.
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SHOULD AMENDMENT THREE PASS AND WE'RE DIRECTED TO MAKE THE ACROSS THE BOARD CUTS.THIS WILL REQUIRE REDUCTION IN YEAR ONE OF $182,000 OF OUR BUDGET AND THE ELIMINATION OF TWO FULL TIME CODE COMPLIANCE OFFICERS IN YEAR TWO, WHEN THE EXEMPTION RATE RISES TO 250,000, WE WOULD FURTHER REDUCE OUR BUDGET TO ABOUT 230, ALMOST $230,000, AND HAVE TO ELIMINATE THREE MORE FULL TIME CODE COMPLIANCE OFFICERS, AS WELL AS ONE PART TIME ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT POSITION.
IMPACTS WOULD CAUSE THE DEPARTMENT TO TO SHIFT FROM PROACTIVE ENFORCEMENT TO REACTIVE ENFORCEMENT.
OUR CODE COMPLIANCE OFFICERS WOULD LIKELY BE RESPONDING TO COMPLAINTS.
RATHER THAN BEING ABLE TO BE PROACTIVE AND CONDUCT EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS IN AREAS WHERE WE SEE TRENDS OR PROBLEMS IN OUR EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS WOULD LIKELY BE ELIMINATED. SO OVERALL, I THINK ULTIMATELY THIS IS GOING TO LEAD TO A DECLINE IN PROPERTY APPEARANCE AND CONDITIONS.
AND THE BEAUTY OF OUR CITY, AS WE KNOW, IS PALM BEACH GARDENS.
FOR THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT, THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT OPERATES ON A $2.76 $6 MILLION BUDGET WITH 18 EMPLOYEES, AND IN YEAR ONE, A 10% REDUCTION WOULD BE A $318,000 CUT TO THE BUDGET AND REQUIRE THE ELIMINATION OF TWO FULL TIME POSITIONS IN YEAR TWO. AN ADDITIONAL 14% REDUCTION EQUATES TO AN ADDITIONAL $401,000 IN CUTS, AND THAT WOULD REQUIRE THE ELIMINATION OF THREE ADDITIONAL FULL TIME POSITIONS. SO OUR OPERATIONAL CAPACITY WILL UNDOUBTEDLY BE HINDERED, AND SOME OF THE IMPACTS WILL BE WOULD BE VERY, VERY SERIOUS. OUR PRIORITIES WILL HAVE TO SHIFT TO MEETING THE.
AS YOU KNOW, THE MANY STATE MANDATES THAT ARE COMING DOWN RATHER FREQUENTLY FROM THE LEGISLATURE, AND WE ARE GOING TO FOCUS ON THAT RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, THE PERSONALIZED CUSTOMER CARE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO DO NOW THAT THAT PEOPLE APPRECIATE AND, AND HAVE COME TO EXPECT. WE WOULD NO LONGER OFFER EXPEDITED SERVICES.
CUSTOMERS WILL EXPERIENCE LONGER PERMIT AND INSPECTION WAIT TIMES, AND THAT CAUSES DELAYS IN DEVELOPMENT AND ULTIMATELY FINANCIAL IMPACTS TO OUR DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY DUE TO REDUCED COUNTER STAFF. OUR WALK IN CUSTOMER SERVICES WILL DEFINITELY TAKE LONGER AND SOME SERVICES MAY EVEN REQUIRE APPOINTMENT ONLY.
WE AVERAGE OVER 1000 PHONE CALLS A WEEK INTO THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT WITH THREE COUNTER STAFF.
SO BY DEFAULT, PERMITS AND PLANS COULD BE APPROVED WITHOUT COMPLETE REVIEW BY THE CITY, REDUCING STAFF DOES NOT REDUCE OUR STATUTORY RESPONSIBILITIES, BUT IT CERTAINLY REDUCES OUR CAPACITY TO MEET THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES.
THANK YOU. TURN IT OVER TO JOANNE. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL JOANNE SCURRIA.
ON BEHALF OF THE PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT, THE PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT PROVIDES LAND DEVELOPMENT AND URBAN PLANNING RELATED SERVICES TO THE CITY. THIS INCLUDES ENSURING THAT PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE CITY'S GOALS, OBJECTIVES, POLICIES AND CODES, AND FACILITATING THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCESS, WHICH INCLUDES THE DEVELOPMENT, REVIEW COMMITTEE AND COORDINATION, AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS THROUGH THE CITY'S PLANNING, ZONING AND APPEALS BOARD AND THE CITY COUNCIL.
WE ALSO PROVIDE A FULL DAY BUSINESS PLAN, FULL BUSINESS DAY PLANNER ON CALL FUNCTION, ANSWERING RESIDENTS BUSINESS AND DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY QUESTIONS REGARDING ZONING, PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS, AND SETTING UP INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS AS NEEDED.
THIS IS WHERE MANY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS ORIGINATE. THE PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT LEADS THE CITY'S MOBILITY AND TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS AND THE ASSOCIATED GRANT FUNDING APPLICATIONS AND REQUESTS AS WELL AS RELATED PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
THE DEPARTMENT ALSO PROVIDES THE CITY'S HOUSING SERVICES, SUCH AS ADMINISTERING THE CITY'S WORKFORCE HOUSING INCENTIVE PROGRAM, THE WORKFORCE HOUSING FUND PROGRAMS, AND MANAGING THE CITY'S COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM.
WE ALSO PLAY A KEY ROLE IN MANAGING THE CITY'S IMPACT AND MOBILITY FEE PROGRAM.
AND LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST BY ANY MEANS, THE PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT WITHIN THE DEVELOPMENT COMPLIANCE DIVISION REVIEWS AND PERFORMS KEY FUNCTIONS SUCH AS ZONING, REVIEW OF BUILDING PERMITS AND BUSINESS TAX RECEIPTS, SPECIAL EVENT REVIEW AND COORDINATION, AND INSPECTIONS FOR CERTIFICATES OF OCCUPANCY BUILDING PERMITS AND CODE COMPLIANCE WITH THE PROPOSED SCHEDULE.
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DECREASES IN BUDGET FUNDING FOR THE PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT.THERE WOULD BE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS TO OUR OPERATIONS, SPECIFICALLY IN THE FIRST YEAR.
WITH THESE REDUCTIONS, THE CITY WOULD FACE SEVERAL IMPACTS TO THE DEPARTMENT SERVICES.
FIRSTLY, WITH THE SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN OPERATING BUDGET, WHICH IS PRIMARILY PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FOR CONSULTANTS, THERE WOULD BE NEGATIVE IMPACTS TO THE CITY'S PROACTIVE CITY PLANNING PROGRAMS AND FUNCTIONS SUCH AS WORKFORCE HOUSING, MOBILITY AND TRANSPORTATION, PUBLIC SAFETY AND VISION ZERO, AND THE CITY'S ABILITY TO COLLECT ADEQUATE IMPACT AND MOBILITY FEES IN A TIMELY FASHION.
ACTIVITIES SUCH AS GRANT APPLICATIONS, GRANT ADMINISTRATION AND GRANT COMPLIANCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, NATURAL AREAS MANAGEMENT, AND CITY INITIATED ART AND PUBLIC PLACES WOULD ALSO FACE NEGATIVE IMPACTS WITH LESS STAFF.
THE CITY WOULD ALSO BE FACING DELAYS IN BUILDING PERMIT AND REVIEW INSPECTIONS AND SPECIAL EVENT REVIEW, ALL OF WHICH ARE CRITICAL FUNCTIONS THAT PROTECT THE PUBLIC. AND FINALLY, THE CITY WOULD BE LOOKING AT DELAYS IN RESPONSE TIMES TO DEVELOPMENT, REVIEW AND RISK NONCOMPLIANCE WITH STATE MANDATED REDUCED REVIEW TIMEFRAMES, WHICH ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY COMMON.
WE WOULD HAVE TO PIVOT AWAY FROM THE CURRENT BUSINESS FRIENDLY PRACTICES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE, SUCH AS AVAILABILITY FOR INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS AND POTENTIALLY REDUCED PLANNER ON CALL HOURS, AND LIKELY LOOKING AT A MORE RIGID DEVELOPMENT REVIEW STRUCTURE WITH SCHEDULED INTAKE DAYS ROUTINELY SCHEDULED, LONGER DEVELOPMENT, REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETINGS RATHER THAN THE FLEXIBLE SYSTEM WE HAVE NOW TO ENSURE THE CITY THAT WE ARE PROTECTING THE CITY BY MEETING THOSE TIMEFRAMES.
FAILURE TO MEET THOSE TIMEFRAMES, RESULTS IN SUBMITTED DEVELOPMENT PLANS BEING AUTOMATICALLY APPROVED, WHICH WOULD BE HIGHLY DETRIMENTAL TO THE CITY. ALL OF THIS ULTIMATELY IMPACTS RESIDENT QUALITY OF LIFE, INCLUDING MANY OF THE ITEMS THAT WERE RECENTLY HIGHLIGHTED BY RESIDENTS AS PRIORITIES IN THE RECENT RESIDENT OPINION SURVEY, AS WELL AS NEGATIVE IMPACTS TO THE CITY'S DIVERSIFIED TAX BASE.
THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. FOR THE RECORD, ROSS GILMORE, G.
I S DIRECTOR. GIS PROVIDES MAPPING AND SUPPORT FOR THE CITY'S ONLINE PERMITTING SYSTEM, ALONG WITH SEVERAL SOFTWARE PLATFORMS UTILIZED BY VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS. WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ASSIGNMENT OF ALL ADDRESSES AND STREET NAMES WITHIN THE CITY AND THE MAINTENANCE OF THE RELATED DATABASES. GIS PROVIDES MAPPING SUPPORT FOR THE CITY'S DISPATCH CENTER, COMPRISED OF SEVEN POLICE AGENCIES AND TWO FIRE AGENCIES.
ALSO, WE PROVIDE MAPPING SUPPORT FOR OUR PUBLIC AND STAFF MAP APPLICATIONS.
THE YEAR ONE IMPACT WOULD BE $74,000, RESULTING IN THE ELIMINATION OF ONE FULL TIME POSITION.
YEAR TWO WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY 93,000, REQUIRING ADDITIONAL POSITION TO BE ELIMINATED.
REDUCTION OR ELIMINATION OF DISCRETIONARY EXPENSES LIMIT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE GIS DEPARTMENT IS COMPRISED OF FOUR STAFF MEMBERS.
THIS WOULD REDUCE OUR NUMBERS BY 50%. LOSS OF SERVICE WOULD BE POSSIBLE.
DELAY IN SUPPORTING AND MAINTAINING GIS APPLICATIONS USED BY ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS.
INCREASED WORKLOAD, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN ERRORS.
REDUCED SUPPORT FOR OTHER DEPARTMENTS, REDUCTION IN STAFF TRAINING RESULTING IN THE INABILITY TO KEEP UP WITH THE RAPIDLY CHANGING SOFTWARE THAT WE USE AND A REDUCTION IN THE TRANSPARENCY THROUGH OUR ONLINE MAPPING PROGRAMS WITH THAT. PASS IT TO AARON. GOOD EVENING AGAIN FOR THE RECORD.
AARON PENZAK, FINANCE ADMINISTRATOR. SO FOR FINANCE.
IN YEAR ONE, A 10% REDUCTION WOULD REQUIRE THE ELIMINATION OF ONE ACCOUNTING POSITION.
AND IN YEAR TWO, A 14% REDUCTION WOULD ELIMINATE A SECOND ACCOUNTING POSITION AND SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THE RESOURCES NEEDED TO MAINTAIN THE CITY'S FINANCIAL SYSTEMS AND MEET STATE AND FEDERAL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
[01:00:08]
THE IMPACT WOULD BE IMMEDIATE FINANCIAL REPORTING, MONTH END, CLOSE RECONCILIATIONS AND THE ANNUAL AUDIT WOULD ALL TAKE LONGER TO COMPLETE, INCREASING THE RISK OF AUDIT FINDINGS, DELAYED STATE REPORTING AND NONCOMPLIANCE WITH STATUTORY REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.WITH FEWER STAFF, THE REMAINING TEAM WOULD BE STRETCHED BEYOND CAPACITY, INCREASING THE RISK OF ERROR, STAFF BURNOUT AND TURNOVER WHILE REDUCING THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT EVERY DEPARTMENT RELIES ON.
THESE REDUCTIONS WOULD INCREASE THE FINANCIAL AND OPERATIONAL RISKS ACROSS THE ENTIRE ORGANIZATION.
ALSO, WE HAVE THE GENERAL SERVICES DIVISION, WHICH SUPPORTS EVERY CITY'S DEPARTMENT BY FUNDING SHARED COSTS THAT ARE NECESSARY TO KEEP THE CITY'S OPERATIONS RUNNING. THIS INCLUDES CITY WIDE PROPERTY LIABILITY AND AUTO INSURANCE, AS WELL AS THE SUPPORT TO THE COST OF RESIDENTIAL TRASH AND RECYCLING COLLECTION IN YEAR ONE, GENERAL SERVICES WOULD REDUCE APPROXIMATELY 500,000.
IN YEAR TWO, REDUCTIONS WOULD INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY TO APPROXIMATELY 4.5 MILLION.
AT THIS LEVEL, THE CITY WOULD NO LONGER BE ABLE TO FUND RESIDENTIAL WASTE AND RECYCLING COLLECTION AT THIS LEVEL, SHIFTING THE COSTS FROM THE CITY TO RESIDENTS.
REDUCING INSURANCE COSTS DOES NOT ELIMINATE THE RISK.
IT SIMPLY SHIFTS MORE OF THAT RISK BACK TO THE CITY.
IF WE EXPERIENCE A MAJOR LIABILITY CLAIM, A VEHICLE ACCIDENT OR SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO A CITY FACILITY, A GREATER PORTION OF THOSE COSTS WOULD HAVE TO BE PAID DIRECTLY FROM THE CITY RESOURCES.
RESIDENTS WOULD COULD ALSO SEE REDUCED LIGHTING, IRRIGATION AND OTHER UTILITY USAGE AT RECREATIONAL FACILITIES AS THE CITY WORKS TO LOWER OPERATIONAL COSTS. BY YEAR TWO, RESIDENTS WOULD SEE MUCH MORE DIRECT IMPACT.
SO WHILE GENERAL SERVICES MAY NOT BE A DEPARTMENT THAT INTERACTS WITH OUR RESIDENTS IN EVERY DAY, THESE REDUCTIONS WOULD BE SIGNIFICANT AND THE CITY WOULD ASSUME GREATER FINANCIAL RISK.
WHILE RESIDENTS COULD FACE NEW COSTS FOR SERVICES CURRENTLY FUNDED BY THE CITY.
AND NEXT, I'LL PASS IT ON TO TODD ENGEL, OUR CITY ENGINEER.
GOOD EVENING. COUNCIL. TODD ENGEL, CITY ENGINEER.
THE CITY THE CITY'S ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT PROVIDES PROFESSIONAL CIVIL ENGINEERING AND INFRASTRUCTURE OVERSIGHT TO MAINTAIN A SAFE, FUNCTIONAL. SAFE, FUNCTIONAL, AND WELL PLANNED COMMUNITY FOR OUR RESIDENTS, OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES AND THE INVESTORS WITHIN THE CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS.
THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT PROVIDES EXPERTISE TO CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY MANAGER, THE CITY ATTORNEY, AS WELL AS FIRE, POLICE AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY, SUCH AS PUBLIC WORKS, RECREATION AND PARKS.
THAT ENTAILS IS ELIMINATING OUR SPECIALIZED CONSULTANTS THAT WE USE FOR AREAS THAT WE NEED EXPERTISE FOR, TO SOLVE ISSUES AND PROBLEMS BY THE RESIDENTS.
THE YEAR TWO, WE'RE GOING TO CUT 171,000 THAT THE ELIMINATION OF A FULL TIME POSITION, WHICH REPRESENTS 20% OF OUR DEPARTMENT, AS WE ONLY HAVE FIVE PEOPLE WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT.
SO WHAT THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS WE'LL HAVE MAJOR DELAYS IN RESPONSES TO OUR RESIDENTS, TO OUR COUNCIL WORKING WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY ATTORNEY AND OUR OTHER DEPARTMENTS. IT'S GOING TO CAUSE MAJOR DELAYS IN OUR GRANT PROGRAM.
CURRENTLY, WE OPERATE TWO $12.5 MILLION IN GRANTS, AND WE WRITE THESE GRANTS, WE ADMINISTER THESE GRANTS, WE CONSTRUCT THESE GRANTS, AND WE FINISH THESE GRANTS.
THERE WOULD BE DELAYS AND INCREASE IN CONSTRUCTION COSTS.
WE PUT THAT MONEY BACK INTO THE PROJECTS. NOW I'LL PASS IT ON TO KUMRA WITH PURCHASING.
GOOD EVENING, CITY COUNCIL. FOR THE RECORD, KUMRA CHIEF PROCUREMENT OFFICER.
[01:05:08]
WHICH IS NOW KNOWN AS THE PROCUREMENT MANAGEMENT OFFICE.PREVIOUSLY, EACH CITY DEPARTMENT HANDLED PROCUREMENT INDEPENDENTLY, RESULTING IN DUPLICATION, INCONSISTENT PRACTICES, TRANSPARENCY CONCERNS, INEFFICIENCIES, AND SEVERAL INCIDENCES OF NONCOMPLIANCE WITH FLORIDA PROCUREMENT LAW. SINCE ITS CREATION, THE DEPARTMENT HAS OPERATED AS A ONE PERSON OFFICE MANAGED BY THE CHIEF PROCUREMENT OFFICER.
THE PROPOSED REDUCTION IN YEAR ONE WOULD REQUIRE THE ELIMINATION OF ALL OPERATING EXPENSES, INCLUDING TRAINING, PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS, CONFERENCES, THE ANNUAL VENDOR, WORKSHOP, MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES, ETC. THAT MEANS PAPER, ETC. BUT THIS WOULD ONLY ACHIEVE SAVINGS OF $4,200 OUT OF THE $29,000 GOAL IN YEAR TWO. THE ONLY AVAILABLE OPTION TO REDUCE COSTS IS TO CLOSE THE OFFICE.
THIS RETURNS PROCUREMENT RESPONSIBILITIES TO EACH INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENT LIKE IT WAS 15 YEARS AGO.
UNFORTUNATELY, THIS WOULD HAPPEN AT THE SAME TIME THAT CITY DEPARTMENTS ARE PROBABLY GOING THROUGH A COST CUTTING AND STAFF REDUCTION EXERCISE OF THEIR OWN, LEAVING REMAINING EMPLOYEES TO ASSUME ADDITIONAL PROCUREMENT DUTIES FOR WHICH THEY ARE NOT TRAINED.
THE RESULT IS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE RISK FOR PROCUREMENT MISTAKES, REDUCED COMPETITION, HIGHER COSTS, BID PROTESTS, NONCOMPLIANCE, FRAUD AND WASTE, AND POTENTIAL LITIGATION.
THE DEPARTMENT REMOVES THE OVERSIGHT AND EXPERTISE, TRANSPARENCY AND EFFICIENCY, AND THE SUPPORT AND COMPLIANCE PROTECTIONS THAT THE OFFICE PROVIDES. THANK YOU. UP NEXT IS CANDACE FROM COMMUNICATIONS.
THANK YOU. KUMRA. FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS CANDACE TEMPLE.
WE ARE IN THE INFORMATION BUSINESS. THAT'S WHAT WE DO.
THE WORK WE DO FOR ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS ALSO CREATES THE CITY'S SENSE OF COMMUNITY.
COMMUNITY. COMMUNITY PROMOTION. PRINTING AND POSTAGE.
EVEN AT THIS LEVEL, HOWEVER, RESIDENTS WOULD SEE FEWER PROACTIVE CAMPAIGNS, PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS, PRINTED PUBLICATIONS, AND OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS, WITH AN ADDITIONAL 14% REDUCTION IN YEAR TWO, BRINGING THE CUMULATIVE REDUCTION TO 24%. THE DEPARTMENT MOVES BEYOND EFFICIENCIES AND INTO SIGNIFICANT SERVICE REDUCTIONS. AT THAT POINT, DEEPER CUTS WILL REQUIRE BE REQUIRED TO PRINTING AND POSTAGE THAT WOULD IMPACT KEY COMMUNICATIONS TOOLS SUCH AS SIGNATURE CITY MAGAZINE, WHICH RESIDENTS RECENTLY SURVEYED AND SAID THAT THAT WAS THE NUMBER ONE WAY THEY RECEIVE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CITY. IT WOULD ALSO RESULT IN THE ELIMINATION OF ONE FULL TIME POSITION FROM OUR ALREADY SMALL BUT MIGHTY DEPARTMENT. THE IMPACT IS ULTIMATELY FELT BY RESIDENTS FEWER PUBLICATIONS, LESS COMMUNITY PROMOTION, WHICH IN THE END ALSO IMPACTS THE REVENUE OF OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
WE ARE DOING MARKETING FOR FOR OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
THE DEPARTMENT WOULD CONTINUE, OF COURSE, TO PRIORITIZE ESSENTIAL AND EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS, BUT OUR ABILITY TO BE PROACTIVE, TO EDUCATE AND ENGAGE WOULD BE DIMINISHED SUBSTANTIALLY.
NEXT, I WILL PASS THINGS TO OUR HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. SHERYL STEWART, HUMAN RESOURCES ADMINISTRATOR.
[01:10:06]
PROGRAMS AND SYSTEMS SO THEY CAN DELIVER THE HIGHEST QUALITY OF PUBLIC SERVICES FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO MEET A 24% BUDGET REDUCTION OVER TWO YEARS. THE HR DEPARTMENT MUST CUT A TOTAL OF APPROXIMATELY $320,000.A 10% CUT IN THE FIRST YEAR WOULD REQUIRE A REDUCTION OF APPROXIMATELY $141,000.
TO DO SO, HR WOULD ELIMINATE ONE FULL TIME POSITION AND REDUCE RECRUITMENT, VETTING AND OUTSIDE LABOR COUNCIL, LIMITING THE CITY'S ABILITY TO EFFECTIVELY HIRE AND RETAIN A QUALIFIED AND QUALIFIED EMPLOYEES IN AN INCREASINGLY COMPETITIVE LABOR ENVIRONMENT. A 14% BUDGET CUT THE SECOND YEAR REQUIRES AN ADDITIONAL REDUCTION OF APPROXIMATELY $178,000.
MEETING THIS REDUCTION REQUIRES ELIMINATING A SECOND FULL TIME POSITION, CITYWIDE TRAINING AND LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS. ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AND DEVELOPMENT FUNDING FOR EMPLOYEES AND DEPARTMENTS.
OVERALL, THESE REDUCTIONS WOULD REDUCE HR STAFF BY 30% AND SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE OPERATING RESOURCES, SUBSTANTIALLY WEAKENING THE CITY'S ABILITY TO RECRUIT, DEVELOP, SUPPORT AND RETAIN THE WORKFORCE AND ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE NEEDED TO PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY SERVICES OUR RESIDENTS EXPECT.
I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE CHARLOTTE PRUZANSKY. THANK YOU.
CHERYL. CHARLOTTE BREZINSKI, LEISURE SERVICES ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
AS YOU KNOW, WE OPERATE IN TWO DIFFERENT FUNDS, THE GENERAL FUND AND THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUND.
THE FIRST ONE I'LL REVIEW IS THE GENERAL FUND.
DETAILS ARE THERE ON YOUR SLIDE. BUT IN THE FIRST YEAR AT A 10% REDUCTION.
WE'RE LOOKING AT A $260,000 REDUCTION IN THAT FUNDING.
IT ALSO REDUCES THE SUPPORT THAT WE PROVIDE COGNIZANT CLASSIC IN MARDI GRAS, AND YOU'LL SEE A REDUCTION IN OPERATING HOURS, SPECIFICALLY AT THE BURNS ROAD COMMUNITY CENTER IN THE AQUATIC CENTER, AND THE ASSOCIATED ELIMINATION OF STAFF BECAUSE OF THOSE CLOSURE TIMES IN YEAR TWO.
LOOKING AT AN ADDITIONAL $329,000, POTENTIALLY WHAT WE'LL BE LOOKING AT IS REDUCING ALL FREE ACCESS PROGRAMS FOR OUR SENIORS AND GENERAL PROGRAMING.
THE LOSS OF SERVICES IN THE GENERAL FUND INCLUDES THE LOSS OF COMMUNITY, ACCESS TO EVENTS AND FACILITIES, ALONG WITH THE LOSS OF THE ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT THOSE EVENTS BRING TO OUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
THE NEXT FUND THAT WE WILL LOOK AT IS OUR SPECIAL REVENUE FUND.
IN THE FIRST YEAR. WE LOOK AT A $1.1 MILLION DECREASE IN OUR FUND THAT WOULD CAUSE US TO ELIMINATE ALL FREE ACCESS TO FACILITIES FOR OUR SCHOOLS. FEES WOULD INCREASE ACROSS THE BOARD FOR MEMBERSHIPS LIKE AT THE TENNIS CENTER AND HOW TO ENTER THE AQUATIC CENTER.
YOU WILL SEE INCREASED FEES. THERE WILL ALSO BE A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN AQUATIC CENTER OPERATING HOURS, AND AGAIN, THE ELIMINATION OF THE CORRESPONDING STAFF FROM THOSE REDUCTIONS.
YEAR TWO, WE'RE LOOKING AT $1.4 $4 MILLION THAT WOULD ELIMINATE ALL FREE AND REDUCED PRICE ACCESS TO FIELDS AND FACILITIES TO THE PPBG, JA AND OTHER USER GROUPS. AND THIS WOULD SET IN PLACE A FEE STRUCTURE TO OFFSET THOSE COSTS OF OPERATION OF THOSE FACILITIES THAT WOULD BE ROLLED INTO THEIR PROGRAM FEES.
ALSO, YOU WOULD CONTINUE TO SEE FACILITY CLOSURES, AND THIS WOULD NOW INCLUDE OUR TENNIS CENTER.
IT WOULD ALSO REDUCE OUR LEARN TO SWIM PROGRAM, WHICH IS A VITAL PROGRAM TO OUR COMMUNITY THAT HAS CONSISTENT WAITLISTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. AND THAT REDUCTION WOULD BE CAUSED BECAUSE THE REDUCTION IN THE HOURS OF OPERATION AND THE LOSS OF STAFF.
I WOULD TELL YOU THE GREATEST IMPACT OF THESE LOSS OF SERVICES AND THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUND IS GOING TO BE FEE INCREASES AND THE POSSIBLE FINANCIAL BARRIERS TO OUR FAMILY TO HAVE ACCESS TO THINGS LIKE CHILD CARE, SUMMER CAMP, AND ACCESS TO SIMPLE THINGS LIKE THE AQUATIC CENTER IN THE SUMMERTIME.
I WILL NOW TURN IT OVER TO STEVE STEPPE WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
[01:15:07]
THE BASIC SERVICES TO RESIDENTS ARE LISTED IN THE FIRST COLUMN.WE ENFORCE LAWS AND INVESTIGATE CRIMES TO ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOLD OFFENDERS ACCOUNTABLE.
WE BUILD COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS THROUGH OUTREACH PROGRAMS, PROBLEM SOLVING INITIATIVES, AND COLLABORATION WITH RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES, SCHOOLS, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
NEXT ARE THE COST IMPACTS LISTED IN THE SECOND COLUMN IN YEAR ONE, WITH A CUT OF 10% EQUATES TO APPROXIMATELY $5.5 MILLION. THIS INCLUDES THE ELIMINATION OF 11 SWORN OFFICERS, THE ELIMINATION OF AT LEAST ONE COMMAND POSITION, AND FOUR CIVILIAN POSITIONS. IT IS ELIMINATED BY CALEA AND CFA ACCREDITATION.
ALSO, THERE WILL BE A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN POLICE TRAINING.
WE'LL EXTEND THE FLEET REPLACEMENT FROM FIVE YEARS TO SEVEN OR MORE YEARS FOR POLICE VEHICLES.
WE WILL ELIMINATE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY AND TOOLS THAT ASSIST IN CRIME PREVENTION, DETECTION AND INVESTIGATIONS WILL ELIMINATE THE BODY WORN CAMERA PROGRAM IN YEAR TWO WITH A CUT OF 14%.
THIS WILL EQUATE TO APPROXIMATELY $6.9 MILLION.
THIS INCLUDES THE ELIMINATION OF 24 POLICE OFFICERS.
THE LOSS OF SERVICES ARE LISTED IN COLUMN THREE UNDER NUMBER ONE.
UNDER NUMBER TWO, REDUCE TRAINING. THE ELIMINATION OF ACCREDITATION, THE REMOVAL OF BODY WORN CAMERAS, DECREASE ACCOUNTABILITY, TRANSPARENCY, AND COMMUNITY TRUST.
THIS WILL LIKELY HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON OUR MANAGEMENT OF LIABILITY UNDER NUMBER THREE, WITH FEWER RESOURCES, DELAYED EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT AND REDUCED OPERATIONAL CAPACITY.
THIS WILL DELAY EMERGENCY AND DISASTER RESPONSE.
ADDITIONALLY, IT WILL LIMIT PROACTIVE POLICING, LONGER RESPONSE TIMES, FEWER PROACTIVE ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS AND THE ELIMINATION OF MOST CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAMS WILL REDUCE THE DEPARTMENT'S ABILITY TO DETER CRIME BEFORE IT OCCURS.
THAT IS A 26% REDUCTION, ALONG WITH THE CUTTING OF 19 CIVILIAN POSITIONS, WHICH COMBINED WILL DRASTICALLY REDUCE OUR POLICE CAPABILITIES. I'LL TURN IT OVER TO OUR FIRE CHIEF, KEITH PRIOR.
GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR AND COUNCIL, FOR THE RECORD, KEITH FIRE CHIEF.
LAYING OFF 25 FIREFIGHTERS WOULD DECREASE STAFFING LEVELS ON THE RESCUE TRUCKS FROM THREE FIREFIGHTERS TO TWO FIREFIGHTERS, WHICH WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE OUR RESPONSE TIMES WHILE DECREASING THE NUMBER OF FIREFIGHTERS RESPONDING TO HOUSE FIRES, TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS AND MEDICAL EMERGENCIES. TO ACHIEVE THE 14% BUDGET REDUCTION IN YEAR TWO, THE DEPARTMENT WOULD HAVE TO CUT AN ADDITIONAL $5.9 MILLION, RESULTING IN THE LAYING OFF OF AN ADDITIONAL 39 FIREFIGHTERS AND CLOSING TWO FIRE STATIONS. THIS REDUCTION WOULD RETURN US TO OUR 2004 STAFFING AND STATION LEVELS.
HOWEVER, IN 2004, WE APPROXIMATELY RESPONDED TO APPROXIMATELY 6000 EMERGENCY CALLS.
IN 2025, WE RESPONDED TO A RECORD 14,951 EMERGENCY CALLS, CLOSING TWO FIRE STATIONS AND LAYING OFF 64 OR 39% OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS WHILE EMERGENCY CALLS CONTINUE TO CLIMB.
WOULD DIRECTLY AFFECT OUR ABILITY TO SAVE LIVES.
DELAYED RESPONSES RESULT IN PATIENTS WAITING LONGER FOR CRITICAL CARE.
[01:20:04]
FIRES BECOME MORE DIFFICULT, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL.FIREFIGHTERS WILL ARRIVE WITH INSUFFICIENT PERSONNEL TO SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY MANAGE AN EMERGENCY.
THANK YOU. SO WITH THAT, YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO HEAR FROM EACH OF OUR DEPARTMENTS. A REDUCTION OF THIS MAGNITUDE WOULD HAVE REAL IMPACTS ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION AND ON THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE.
I ALSO WANTED TO REITERATE THAT TODAY'S PRESENTATION REPRESENTS THE WORST CASE PLANNING EXERCISE, ASSUMING THE FULL ELIMINATION OF PROPERTY TAXES ON HOMESTEADED PROPERTIES.
AND THESE SCENARIOS WERE NOT A RECOMMENDATION, AND NOR ARE THEY A PROPOSED PLAN.
ULTIMATELY, VOTERS WILL BE FACED WITH A DECISION THIS NOVEMBER BALANCING THE BALANCING PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FOR SOME AGAINST THE POTENTIAL LONG TERM IMPACTS OF CITY SERVICES AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
THIS SLIDE HIGHLIGHTS THOSE OPTIONS AND INCLUDES SEVERAL.
THE CITY CURRENTLY DOES NOT LEVY, SUCH AS UTILITY TAX, FIRE ASSESSMENTS, SOLID WASTE AND STORMWATER FEES, AS WELL AS INCREASES POTENTIALLY IN COMMUNICATION, SERVICE TAX, BUSINESS TAXES AND OTHER USER FEES.
WHILE THESE OPTIONS COULD GENERATE ADDITIONAL REVENUE, MOST OF THEM DO NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY TO REPLACE PROPERTY TAXES DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR AND EACH COME WITH ITS OWN IMPACT. SO THE KEY TAKEAWAY IS THAT THERE IS NO SINGLE REPLACEMENT FOR PROPERTY TAX REVENUE LOSS OF THIS MAGNITUDE.
AND IF THE CITY WERE FACED WITH THIS LEVEL OF REDUCTION, IT WOULD LIKELY REQUIRE A COMBINATION OF REVENUE OPTIONS, EXPENDITURE REDUCTIONS AND CHANGES TO OUR LEVELS OF SERVICE.
SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO PASS IT BACK TO OUR CITY MANAGER, MR. RON FERRIS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND THANK ALL OF YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK IN PUTTING ALL OF THIS INFORMATION TOGETHER.
I KNOW WE JOIN YOU AND YOU JOIN US IN IN THE THAT THE CONCERNS THAT WE ALL HAVE FOR THE IMPACTS OF AMENDMENT THREE. OUR PURPOSE HERE WAS TO PROVIDE YOU WITH INFORMATION WHICH YOU COULD USE OUT IN THE PUBLIC.
WHEN ASKED QUESTIONS FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS AS TO WHAT DOES ALL OF THIS MEAN? THE PURPOSE OF HAVING OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS HERE.
YOU ALL KNOW THEM, BUT THE GENERAL PUBLIC PERHAPS DOES NOT GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THEM AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY DO FOR THIS CITY AND BE ABLE TO SHOW THE IMPACTS, THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF WHAT THIS AMENDMENT THREE CAN DO IF PASSED.
SO WE HAD THE EXPERTS GIVE YOU BOOTS ON THE GROUND, SEE, AND WHAT COULD HAPPEN TO THE SERVICES THAT THE RESIDENTS ARE USED TO TODAY AT THIS LEVEL OF SERVICE, THE QUALITY THAT THEY GET.
I'M NOT GOING TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT THE LEGISLATURE WAS THINKING WHEN THEY PASSED THIS, BUT I'M SURE THEY DIDN'T KNOW OR UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT TO OUR CITIZENS IN THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE THEM. I'M SURE THEY DIDN'T. BUT HERE TONIGHT, YOU WERE PRESENTED A BRIEF OVERLAY OF THE BUDGET.
YOU DO HAVE YOUR FIRST READING ON SEPTEMBER 10TH OF THE BUDGET AND THEN THE 24TH FOR SECOND.
AND WE'RE ALWAYS AVAILABLE ANYWAY IF YOU NEED MEETINGS OR IF YOU WANT TO CALL.
SO WE'RE ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
SO YOUR PUBLIC HEARING IS ACTUALLY ON THE 10TH.
BY THAT TIME, WE SHOULD HAVE THE BUDGET REVIEW BOARDS RECOMMENDATIONS.
IT'S NOT TOTALLY SIGNED YET, BUT ONCE IT IS TOTALLY SIGNED, WE WILL PASS THAT ON TO YOU.
THAT'S THE IMPORTANT SEGMENT OF THE BUDGET REVIEW BY YOUR CITIZENS THAT YOU APPOINT TO THAT BOARD.
AND THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR COUNCIL TO SEE.
BUDGET IS POSTED ON THE WEBSITE AND IT'S BEEN OUT THERE.
[01:25:06]
AND I JUST WANT TO ALSO SAY THAT IF AMENDMENT THREE IS PASSED, COUNCIL IS GOING TO HAVE A REAL DIFFICULT PROBLEM CHALLENGE IN THIS IN POLICY DECISION IN TRYING TO CONSIDER WHAT LEVEL OF SERVICE IS DESIRED AT WHAT PARTICULAR DEPARTMENTS. YOU'RE GOING TO ESTABLISH WHAT THOSE PRIORITIES ARE AS FAR AS WHAT SERVICES CAN WE PROVIDE WITH THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE'RE ABLE TO GENERATE.WE WILL HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR PRIORITY, YOUR POLICY DECISION.
SO YOU WILL DECIDE THE PRIORITIES AND ESTABLISH THE POLICIES TO DIRECT US ON WHERE YOU WANT WHATEVER AVAILABLE MONEY SPENT ON THESE SERVICES. THE OTHER THING THAT CONCERNS ME A LOT IS THAT IF THIS SHOULD PASS WHEN THE LEGISLATURE CONVENES AGAIN, THEY WILL PASS AN ENABLING LEGISLATION.
WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY HAVE IN MIND FOR ENABLING LEGISLATION.
WHICH CONCERNS US ALL, PARTICULARLY WHEN WE HAVE LIMITED OTHER REVENUE SOURCES TO TAP.
SO THAT'S OUT THERE FOR THEM TO LOOK AT. ANOTHER, WE'VE PUT TOGETHER A LOT OF INFORMATION FOR YOU TONIGHT. AND THAT WAS OUR INTENT TO GIVE YOU THE INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED TO GO FORTH IN THE COMMUNITY AND BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE WHAT THIS THE IMPACT OF THIS WOULD BE.
BUT YOU WOULD SAY, RON, THAT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION.
AND I TOOK SOME NOTES, BUT I DIDN'T TAKE ALL THOSE NOTES.
SO WHAT STAFF DID WAS TO PREPARE EVERYTHING YOU SAW HERE TONIGHT.
BECAUSE I KNOW HOW YOU LIKE THINGS IN PRINT. SO EVERYTHING YOU SAW HERE TONIGHT IS IN THIS NOTEBOOK.
AND AGAIN, WE ARE ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO HELP IN ANY WAY WE CAN MEET WITH YOU, TALK ON THE PHONE, BUT EVERYTHING IS THERE, AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO GO THROUGH IT WITH YOU AT YOUR CONVENIENCE.
WITH THAT, I AGAIN WANT TO THANK THIS WONDERFUL GROUP OF DEPARTMENT HEADS, AND SOME OF THEIR STAFF MEMBERS ARE BACK HERE, WHICH HELPED IN THE PREPARATION. I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE AND I LOVE IT.
MAYBE WE SHOULD DO THIS EVERY COUNCIL MEETING.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? YEAH. NO. OKAY, I GOT IT. THAT'S IT.
MADAM MAYOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ON BEHALF OF THE COUNCIL WE WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE TIME AND EFFORT AND ENERGY YOU PUT INTO THE INFORMATION THAT WE RECEIVED TONIGHT. AND GO AHEAD, MR. FERRIS.
I'M I MESSED UP, I FORGOT PART THREE. UNO DOS.
TRES. MARKETING. HOW ARE WE GOING TO MARKET THIS? I GOT SO EXCITED. I JUST LEFT CANDACE OUT, AND I KNOW THAT'S GOING TO COST ME.
HOW COULD YOU FORGET ME? I'LL BE BRIEF. I KNOW EVERYONE WAS REVVED UP TO GO.
I JUST WANT TO SHOW YOU A COUPLE OF THINGS. THIS IS JUST AN OVERVIEW OF OUR PUBLIC INFORMATION PLAN.
YOU GOT YOUR BINDERS? TONIGHT, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC HAS THIS INFORMATION AS WELL.
OUR PLAN STARTS WITH A DEDICATED WEBSITE. PBGF.GOV/TAX TALK.
TOMORROW WE WILL BE UPDATING WITH THE FULL PRESENTATION THAT WAS GIVEN BY DEPARTMENT HEADS.
AS A REMINDER, THERE IS A FLORIDA STATUTE THAT LIMITS HOW LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR RESIDENTS ABOUT THESE TYPE OF ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE BALLOT. SO ALTHOUGH THERE ARE MANY THINGS I COULD DO TO EDUCATE PEOPLE AND INFORM THEM, WE ARE LIMITED. AGAIN, WE'LL HAVE AFTER THIS THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS ONLINE.
[01:30:05]
THEM OF THE POTENTIAL IMPACT TO THE BUSINESS WE ARE ABLE TO DO WITH THEM.THIS IS A PREVIEW OF THE TAX TALK WEBSITE. SOME GENERAL INFORMATION AND HOPEFULLY ANSWERS ALL OF THE QUESTIONS THEY HAVE. IT ALSO WILL HAVE A LINK TO INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES AND SOME RECENT NEWS ARTICLES THAT HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED ON THIS TOPIC. WE WILL ALSO COMMUNICATE WITH OUR HOA'S.
I'LL SHOW YOU SOME EXAMPLES OF THAT. WE HAVE OUR MAGAZINE, SIGNATURE CITY.
WE WILL HAVE INFORMATION THAT GOES OUT IN THAT IN MID-OCTOBER, SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS ALONG THE WAY, AND OUR CITY COUNCIL, A LOT OF PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW WE HAVE A SPEAKERS BUREAU.
THEY CAN REQUEST A SPEAKER, ONE OF OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO ATTEND A PUBLIC MEETING OR AN HOA MEETING THAT IS DONE THROUGH A FORM ON OUR WEBSITE UPON REQUEST, AND WE WILL MAKE SURE YOU ALL ARE ARMED WITH ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO THOSE REQUESTS.
SO WE USE AN EMAIL PROVIDER. WE LINK THEM BACK TO WEB PAGES WITH ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.
SO WE WILL, WE WILL ALSO DO THAT WITH WITH AMENDMENT THREE.
THANK YOU. SORRY. WELL THANK YOU. I THINK THAT WAS THE ICING ON THE CAKE.
AND THAT WAS THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WE WERE LOOKING FOR. CANDICE. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU AGAIN TO ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND TO MR. FERRIS FOR PUTTING ALL THIS INFORMATION TOGETHER FOR US.
IT'S A LOT TO ABSORB. WE WILL REACH OUT IF WE HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
AND I KNOW WE HAVE A GENDER REVIEW, AND OUR NEXT MEETING ON THE BUDGET WILL BE ON SEPTEMBER 10TH, WHICH WE CAN ALSO ACCEPT PUBLIC COMMENTS. SO WITH THAT, I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
AND THIS MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.