I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CALL THE SPECIAL COMMISSION MEETING. STUART. CITY COMMISSION [00:00:03] FOR TENTATIVE BUDGET AND TENTATIVE MILLAGE TO ORDER. [ROLL CALL] MARY, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? MAYOR MCDONALD HERE. VICE MAYOR BRUNNER HERE. COMMISSIONER CLARK HERE. COMMISSIONER COLLINS HERE. COMMISSIONER RICH HERE. OKAY, SO I'M JUST GOING TO SKIP OVER COMMISSIONER COMMENTS AND MANAGER. WE'VE ALREADY DONE THE PLEDGE TODAY. [APPROVAL OF AGENDA] SO APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA. MOVE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA IS PUBLISHED. SECOND. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CLARK SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER COLLINS. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ANY. SO WE'RE ALREADY IN PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE OTHER MEETING. WE'LL CARRY THAT OVER. THERE'S NO GREEN CARDS FOR THIS MEETING. FOR NON AGENDA ITEMS ON THE [1. ADOPTING THE TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024 (RC): RESOLUTION No. 70-2023; A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA ADOPTING THE TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.] FIRST ITEM ADOPTING THE TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024. PAUL, WOULD YOU READ THE RESOLUTION? YES, SIR. LET ME. OKAY. THIS IS RESOLUTION NUMBER 70-2023. RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA. ADOPTING THE TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024, PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. OKAY. AND WAS THERE ANYTHING THAT WAS, IF I RECALL, WAS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE NEEDED TO READ IN PARTICULAR FOR THIS? MIKE? I DON'T BELIEVE SO. DO I NEED TO READ THAT? I DON'T HAVE IT? YES, SIR. I GAVE YOU THE SCRIPT. I'LL PULL IT UP RIGHT NOW. HOLD ON ONE SECOND. THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME OF THAT. THIS IS A PER THE TRUTH IN MILLAGE RATE REQUIREMENT, WE HAVE CERTAIN DISCLOSURES TO MAKE IN A PARTICULAR ORDER FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE. WON'T LET ME COLLECT OUR AVALON. I THINK I HAVE IT RIGHT HERE. NO I DON'T. I'M STILL SEARCHING FOR IT HERE. DID YOU EMAIL IT TO ME, JULIET? YES, SIR, I DID. HOLD ON. I THINK I CAN GET IT AGAIN FOR YOU. REAL QUICK HERE. I WANT TO MAKE SURE I HAVE THAT RIGHT. HERE WE GO. NO, I'M SENDING IT, SIR. I'M GOING BACK HERE. OH MY GOODNESS. I DON'T HAVE IT. LET ME LOOK. DO YOU KNOW WHAT DAY IT WAS SET? THURSDAY OR FRIDAY, SIR? BUT I'M LOOKING RIGHT NOW TO ADD IT TO YOU. I TEASED IT TO YOU, BOSS. DID YOU? DO YOU HAVE IT? I DON'T, I THINK I DO NOW. I JUST SENT IT THROUGH TO YOU. THROUGH TEAMS? YES, SIR. SORRY. IT'S NOT ATTACHED TO THE AGENDA. I DON'T KNOW IF I'M. I DON'T THINK I'M CONNECTED TO THE. THERE IT GOES. YES, I CAN TELL YOU BY FLORIDA LAW. TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS MUST BE HELD TO ULTIMATELY ADOPT THE FINAL MILLAGE RATES AND ANNUAL BUDGET FOR THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA. THE PURPOSE OF TONIGHT'S FIRST PUBLIC HEARING, OR TENTATIVE, IS TO HEAR PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATES AND BUDGET. AMEND THE BUDGET, IF NECESSARY, TO TENTATIVELY ADOPT THE MILLAGE RATE AND CITY BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2024. THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN ADVERTISED WITH A NOTICE OF PROPOSED HEARINGS, AND I BELIEVE THIS. THAT WAS THE TENTATIVE. WE'VE HEARD. AND THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN ADVERTISED VIA THE NOTICE OF PROPOSED PUBLIC TAXES MAILED BY THE PROPERTY APPRAISER'S OFFICE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO DISCUSS NOW? RIGHT, RIGHT. WE CAN. YES. WE WE WENT INTO A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS. OBVIOUSLY, THE PURPOSE FOR THE OR THE INTENT OF THE COMMISSION TO US OR THE DIRECTION TO US WAS TO KEEP THE MILLAGE AT FIVE. IN SO DOING WE DID HAVE TO GO AND AS JOLIE WAS COMMENTING WITH HIS ASSISTANCE, WE WERE ABLE TO BALANCE THE BUDGET. AND WE DID IN FACT, HAVE TO REMOVE A COUPLE OF ITEMS. WHEN I SAY REMOVE, WE PUSHED THEM DOWN OR PUSHED THEM BACK TO WHERE THEY'LL STILL BE ON THE LIST. AND, AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO GET TO THEM AS A RESULT, BY KEEPING THE MILLAGE AT FIVE BASED UPON THE APPRECIATION AND VALUES OF PROPERTY, [00:05:05] THE CITY OF STEWART'S ROLLBACK RATE FOR THE YEAR 2024 WOULD RESULT IN 4.5775 MILLS. THE CITY IS PROPOSING A MILLAGE RATE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR OF 2024, WHICH WOULD EXCEED THAT RATE BECAUSE WE'RE SEEKING 5% OR KEEPING IT FLAT WITH NO TAX INCREASE. BUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ROLLBACK RATE AND THE CURRENT MILLAGE RATE OF FIVE WOULD BE 9.23%. AGAIN, WE ARE PROPOSING A MILLAGE RATE OF FIVE MILLS. THE PURPOSE OF THE FIVE MILLS IS TO FUND OUR CURRENT OPERATIONS AND TO ACCOMMODATE NORMAL INCREASES IN THE COST OF THOSE OPERATIONS, INCLUDING, AS YOU ARE WELL AWARE, OUR SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN PROPERTY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE, HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS, AS WELL AS THE OPERATIONS IN GENERAL. IT ALSO, AS WE DISCUSSED IN GREAT DETAIL AS IT RELATES TO EMPLOYEE PAY, THE STATE MANDATE A FEW YEARS AGO, ADOPTING THE MINIMUM WAGE TO $15 PER HOUR HAS A START. A GRADUAL INCREASE THIS YEAR WAS ALMOST A 10% INCREASE AT THE BOTTOM LEVEL, WHICH CAUSES COMPRESSION. IF YOU DON'T BALANCE THAT AND MOVE IT ACROSS. AND THOSE ARE ISSUES WE ADDRESSED, DO I SHOULD I GO INTO THE FIRE ASSESSMENT? NO, NO SIR. THAT'S A SEPARATE THAT'S A SEPARATE ITEM. SO FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH AS WE PRESENT TO YOU TONIGHT, WE HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET WITH NO TAX INCREASE, KEEPING IT AT FIVE MILS. AND WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT IT STAYS THAT WAY. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING YOU FOR FIVE MILS. IF IT IF WE RAN INTO SOME OTHER ISSUES AFTER TONIGHT, WE WOULD BE FORCED TO CUT ITEMS BECAUSE WE WOULD NOT BE COMING BACK TO ADJUST THE BUDGET AND IT WOULD REQUIRE US TO DO BUDGET AMENDMENTS. OKAY. SO DO WE HAVE A QUESTION OR MOTION? COMMISSIONER RICH, MR. MARTEL. MICROPHONE. THERE SEEMS TO BE WIDESPREAD CONFUSION OUT THERE, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE FIRE AND POLICE. IS THE. I'LL CALL THEM RANK AND FILE RECEIVING A COLA. YES THEY ARE. WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY GOT THE SAME COST OF, OF, OF LIVING RAISE OR GENERAL WAGE INCREASE, BECAUSE IT'S NOT DIRECTLY CORRELATED TO THE INDEX THAT A COLA MIGHT BE RELATED TO. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE USE TO BALANCE THAT WAS THAT ALTHOUGH WE HAVE IN THE BUDGET, THE PHASE FOUR OF MEMORIAL PARK THERE WAS ALSO A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE IN THE BUDGET ON THE OTHER END OF MEMORIAL PARK RELATED TO THE THE, THE BANDSHELL, BUT ALSO JUST THE NORTH EAST CORNER OF THE PARK THAT INCLUDED A LOT OF LANDSCAPING, CONSTRUCTION OF ACTUAL BENCHES AND OTHER THINGS. BUT IT WAS A $359,000 BUDGET ITEM. SO WE TOOK THAT OUT OF THE BUDGET, AND THAT FREED UP ENOUGH MONEY TO PROVIDE KOHLER FOR ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES. AND IN ADDITION TO THAT COLA ACROSS THE BOARD, IS THERE A WAY FOR INDIVIDUAL RANK AND FILE TO TRIGGER ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION? THERE IS ALSO INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET A MERIT INCREASE, BUT THAT WOULD NOT BE ON OCTOBER 1ST. THAT WOULD BE BASED UPON EACH EMPLOYEE'S CALENDAR HIRE DATE AND EVALUATION BY THEIR SUPERVISOR. BUT YES, IT IS BUDGETED SO THAT EVERY SINGLE EMPLOYEE THAT RECEIVES IT QUALIFIES FOR IT WOULD BE ABLE TO RECEIVE IT, WHICH IS GREAT FOR US. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DO WE HAVE A MOTION? SIR, CAN I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE IN ITEM NUMBER ONE, RESOLUTION NUMBER 70-2023. REGARDING ADOPTING THE TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024. SECOND. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CLARK TO ADOPT AN AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE RESOLUTION. THE RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE TAX RATE. SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER COLLINS. ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE MOTION? SEEING NONE. MAYOR. CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE. COMMISSIONER. RICH. YES. COMMISSIONER COLLINS. YES. VICE MAYOR BRUNNER. YES. MAYOR MCDONALD. YES. COMMISSIONER. CLARK. YES. OKAY. MOVING ON TO ITEM TWO. [2. FISCAL YEAR 2023-24 NON-AD VALOREM ASSESSMENT ROLL FOR FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES, FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS (RC): RESOLUTION No. 71-2023; A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, APPROVING THE FISCAL YEAR 2023-24 NON-AD VALOREM ASSESSMENT ROLL FOR FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES, FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS; DIRECTING CERTIFICATION OF THE ASSESSMENT ROLL TO THE MARTIN COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.] FISCAL YEAR 2324. NOT AN ASSESSMENT ROLL FOR FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES, FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS. PAUL, WOULD YOU READ THE RESOLUTION, SIR? THIS IS RESOLUTION 71-2023. RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, APPROVING THE FISCAL YEAR 2024 2020 23. 24. NON AD VALOREM ASSESSMENT ROLE FOR FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES, [00:10:02] FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS. DIRECTING CERTIFICATION OF THE ASSESSMENT ROLE TO THE MARTIN COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR. PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. AND IF I COULD JUST BRIEFLY COMMENT ON THAT. THE FIRE ASSESSMENT WAS ADOPTED IN 2014 AND WE'VE HAD PUBLIC COMMENTS BEING SAID THE CITY SUED THE RESIDENTS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. AND THAT WAS KIND OF A MISNOMER. WHAT THE CITY DID IS IT HELD A SERIES OF PUBLIC CIRCUIT COURT HEARINGS SO THAT THERE WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY ABOVE AND BEYOND THE REGULAR HEARINGS THAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE MEETING FOR OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO JOIN AND TO CHALLENGE ANY ISSUES RELATED TO THE FIRE ASSESSMENT SO THAT THERE WOULD BE A RECORD FOR APPEAL, AND IT WOULD BE VERY CLEAR AND DISTINGUISHED. THAT TOOK PLACE IN 2014. IT WAS A TWO TIER BASIS. ONE TIER WAS A FLAT FEE FOR EVERY SINGLE PARCEL, AND THE OTHER TIER WAS BASED UPON A FORMULA THAT WAS ADDRESSED DURING THOSE PROCEEDINGS, BASED UPON THE VALUE OF THE STRUCTURE ON EACH PROPERTY OR THE ASSESSED VALUE RETROACTIVE ONE YEAR ON THE PROPERTY APPRAISER'S OFFICE. I MENTION IT BECAUSE IT STAYED THE SAME AND EVERYTHING'S THE SAME ON THAT ASSESSMENT. AND WE'VE MANAGED TO OPERATE WITHIN THE BUDGET CONFINES OF THOSE NUMBERS SINCE 2014. BUT HONESTLY, YOU'RE GOING TO BE TEN YEARS OUT NEXT YEAR WHEN WE, WHEN WE RUN INTO THIS NEXT SUMMER AND THROUGHOUT THE SPRING OF NEXT YEAR, WE MIGHT CONSIDER DOING ANOTHER STUDY. BECAUSE WHEN WE DID THE STUDY IN 2014 AND CAME UP WITH THE DETERMINATION OF THE EQUITABLE RATES RELATED TO EACH PARCEL, IT WAS BASED UPON 2014 NUMBERS, WHICH ANYBODY THAT REMEMBERS IT, WE WERE JUST BARELY OUT OF A RECESSION AND VALUES AND AND, AND EXPENSES WERE VERY DIFFERENT THAN THEY ARE NOW. AND AS A RESULT, IT MAY BE WORTH THE EXERCISE OF GOING BACK THROUGH IT. WE CAN REVISIT THAT AT ANOTHER TIME. FOR THE PURPOSES OF TODAY'S CONVERSATION, IT DID NOT CHANGE. IT IS THE SAME RATE, SAME NUMBERS AND THE SAME ASSESSMENT THAT IT WAS THEN. THANK YOU, MR. MARTEL, AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP. I MENTIONED THAT IN A BUDGET HEARING THAT ESPECIALLY WITH FIRE STATION NUMBER THREE COMING ONLINE, WE PROBABLY AND BEING TEN YEARS OUT, WE PROBABLY NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE. BECAUSE THE NUMBER. FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT WEREN'T HERE AT THE TIME, THE NUMBER WAS BASED ON THE COST OF READINESS FOR FIRE, BUT NOT FOR MS. AND SO. AND OUR COST FOR READINESS OF FIRE IS IS INCREASING BETWEEN PAYROLL AND THE ADDITIONAL FIRE STATION. BUT THAT'S FOR ANOTHER DAY. DO WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION OR MOTIONS? COMMISSIONER. SO MIKE, DOING THAT STUDY ALLOWS FOR A CHANGE TO THAT NUMBER TO BE MORE DRAMATIC. FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, IT CAN FLUCTUATE WITHIN A CERTAIN RANGE WITHOUT HAVING TO PERFORM ANOTHER STUDY RIGHT NOW TO DO ANYTHING TO IT. IT NEEDS WE NEED TO STUDY IT AGAIN. WELL, WHEN I SAY YOU OBVIOUSLY WANT THE, THE, THE VALUE TO BE HAVE A BASIS, I MEAN, THE COMMISSION ISN'T GOING TO ARBITRARILY SET A FEE ON SOMEBODY JUST BECAUSE ON A WHIM, THE LEGALLY YOU COULD INCREASE THE NUMBER. THERE'D BE NO CORRELATION RIGHT NOW, AND WE WOULDN'T BE PREPARED TO TELL YOU A NUMBER TO INCREASE IT TO BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE LEGAL AUTHORITY TO DO THAT, BUT IT MAY BE WORTH HAVING US EVALUATE IT. WHETHER WE NEEDED TO HIRE A CONSULTANT OR WHETHER THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT COULD DO IT OR NOT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE COULD DETERMINE. BUT IT'S JUST BECAUSE IT'S TEN YEARS OLD, IT IT JUST EVEN IF WE DIDN'T INCREASE IT, IT WOULD BE WORTH THE KNOWLEDGE OF YOU TO KNOW WHERE IT FELL AND WHERE IT DIDN'T FALL AND HAVE SOME FEEDBACK ON IT THAT YOU MAY SAY, YEAH, YOU'RE RIGHT, IT IT COULD GO UP, BUT WE WANT TO LEAVE IT ALONE ANYWAY. OR WOW, IT'S REALLY, REALLY MUCH BELOW MARKET. WE SHOULD INCREASE IT ACCORDINGLY. AND WE CAN, YOU KNOW, WE'LL ADDRESS THAT LATER. I JUST WANTED TO BRING IT UP BECAUSE THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN VERY GOOD ABOUT STRETCHING IT THIN. AND AS WE FIND OURSELVES TRANSITIONING INTO THE CITY OF STUART, WHERE WE LITERALLY ARE BUILT OUT AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE NEW STUFF COMING ONLINE, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THIS YEAR OR NEXT YEAR, BUT IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, THERE'LL BE A SITUATION WHERE YOU JUST DON'T HAVE NEW VALUATIONS AND NEW PROPERTY GOING ONLINE, AND YOU'LL BE LOOKING FOR OTHER SOURCES TO SPREAD THAT OUT AND TO COVER THOSE EXPENSES. AND THIS IS JUST ONE OF THOSE PLACES THAT HASN'T BEEN REVIEWED FOR A DECADE. I KNOW THE TIER ONE VERSUS TIER TWO, THE ONE TIER SORT OF THAT WAS CONCERN. IT CAME ACROSS AS UNDULY HARD FOR LOWER INCOME. SO SO POTENTIALLY LOWERING THE ONE TIER AND INCREASING THE OTHER SLIGHTLY TO MAKE IT EASIER ON LOWER INCOME. IN 2014, WHEN WE DID IT, WE DETERMINED THAT THE CITY HAD APPROXIMATELY [00:15:01] 10,000 PARCELS. IT WAS LIKE 9800 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AND OUT OF THE 9800 PARCELS, 6500 TAX ID NUMBERS PAID LESS THAN $100 A YEAR IN IN AD VALOREM TAXES BECAUSE OF EXEMPTIONS, DEDUCTIONS OR BEING EXEMPT FOR NONPROFIT PURPOSES, ETC. WE ALSO DETERMINED THAT THE TOP 5%, AND I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE TAXES THEY PAID, BUT IT WAS LIKE 80% OF THE OF THE AD VALOREM TAXES. PROPERTY OWNERS PAID 62% OF THE TAX OF THE AD VALOREM. IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, 17% OF THE PARCELS PAID, HALF PAID HALF. BUT AND THEN THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THE TOP 10 OR 20 PARCELS PAID, YOU KNOW, SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS. BUT THAT WAS WHY WE WENT TO THE FIRE ASSESSMENT. THEN WITHIN THE FIRE ASSESSMENT, THERE WAS A FLAT PER PARCEL $123 A YEAR. ONE A 135 181081083535, WHICH IS TIER ONE. THAT'S TIER ONE. THAT'S THE TIER ONE. AND THEN THE TIER TWO WAS IF YOU GO TO YOUR PROPERTY TAX BILL THAT YOU GET IN TODAY'S MAIL OR THIS RECENTLY, AND YOU LOOK AT IT, THE PROPERTY APPRAISER WILL TELL YOU LAND VALUE STRUCTURE VALUE. WE CHOSE TO USE THE STRUCTURE VALUE FROM LAST YEAR FOR THIS YEAR. SO IT'S ALREADY A YEAR BEHIND IN ITS NUMBER. AND THAT NUMBER IS MULTIPLIED BY A FORMULA TO COME UP WITH. AND IT GENERALLY FALLS IN ABOUT $100 AS WELL, OR A LITTLE OVER $100 PER HOUSEHOLD. AT THE TIME. I THINK THE FINANCE DIRECTOR DID A BUNCH OF CALCULATIONS BASED UPON A $250,000 TOTAL VALUATION, IN ORDER TO GIVE PEOPLE THE UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE NUMBERS WERE. BUT EVEN WHEN YOU PUT $1 MILLION HOUSE ON IT, THE NUMBER OR THE PERCENTAGE IS VERY, VERY LOW. IT DOESN'T CREATE A BIG NUMBER, BUT IT'S STILL WORTH REVIEWING AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE. OKAY. YES. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? DO WE HAVE A MOTION? WERE WE IN PUBLIC? WE'RE LOOKING FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE FIRE ASSESSMENT. MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND. IS THAT RESOLUTION 71, 20, 2371? OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND WE HAVE A SECOND. DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT, MISS RUDGE? AND IF YOU WOULD PLEASE FILL OUT A GREEN CARD WHEN YOU'RE DONE. WHEN YOU'RE DONE. I'LL DO IT. OKAY. HONEST TO GOD, MR. MORTEL, WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT THIS, IS YOU GUYS CALL IT A FIRE ASSESSMENT. THIS WAS A TAX. WE WERE TAXED BY OUR OWN CITY GOVERNMENT. AND WHAT IT WAS IS THEY USED THIS DECLARATORY ACTION AND IT WAS DONE IN TWO OTHER COUNTIES. IT WAS A VERY NOT USED, BUT THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE ALLOWED THEM TO DO THIS. BUT HERE'S THE THING. WE DON'T NEED TO BE SUED TO TAKE CARE OF OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT. WE DON'T NEED TO BE SUED TO TAKE CARE OF OUR POLICE. YOU GUYS SUED US. AND WHEN HE SITS THERE AND TALKS ABOUT THIS, BLAH, BLAH, IT WAS A TAX. IT WAS EXTORTION. IT WAS A WAY TO GET US TO PAY. BUT IT WAS DONE IN COURT SO WE COULDN'T SAY ANYTHING. I DID GO TO THE HEARING. ONE GUY SPOKE, BUT IT WAS IN THE DAY. EVERYBODY IS WORKING. I TOOK MY DAUGHTER, MY 16 YEAR OLD, SHE WAS LITTLE THEN IT WAS 2014. AND WHAT THIS WAS AND THE PUBLIC, YOU MUST KNOW THIS IS A TAX. WHAT THEY DID IS THEY SUED US AND IT'S ALL LEGAL AND IT'S A NEW WAY TO CREATE REVENUE, MR. NICOLETTI SAID AT THE TIME. AND IT HASN'T IT WAS ONLY USED IN A COUPLE COUNTIES, AND THIS IS NOT THE WAY WE TREAT OUR RESIDENTS. WE DON'T NEED TO SUE OUR OWN RESIDENTS. IT'S SHAMEFUL. IT'S SHAMELESS. OKAY, SO THIS THING YOU'RE CALLING IT WAS A TAX. THEY WENT TO COURT. THEY SPENT $69,000, THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET MORE MONEY OUT OF IT. SO WE PAID THE 69,000. AND THEN NOW, AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR BILL, THAT WAS NOBODY COULD SAY ANYTHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE THEY DID IT IN COURT, BUT THEY SUED US. IT WAS WRONG. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE CHANGED. MAYBE SOMEBODY WILL GO BACK TO COURT, TAKE THAT BACK TO COURT. I DON'T KNOW, BUT IT WAS WRONG AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. AND IT WAS EXTORTION. MISS MCBRIDE, HOW ARE YOU? WOW. I, I ATTENDED ALL THOSE MEETINGS IN 2014, AND I WAS I QUESTIONED. CAN'T REMEMBER HER NAME. SHE WAS THE FINANCE DIRECTOR. AND I STOOD UP HERE AND I SAID, I'M NOT GOING TO PAY ANY MORE TAXES THAN [00:20:01] THAT. AND SHE VERY NICELY THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, SHE SAT ME DOWN AND WE WENT OVER, SHE EXPLAINED, AND SHE HAD ONE OF THE OTHER EMPLOYEES. AND THAT IF YOU SIT DOWN AND UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON AND WHERE I. WHAT THAT YOU KNOW, JUST WHERE THE MONEY IS COMING FROM, WHERE IT'S GOING, AND HOW WE'RE ALL BEING EQUALLY TREATED. AND THAT WAS THE MAIN THING. NOW, EVERYONE IN THE CITY OF STUART IS EQUALLY TREATED SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, PAYING FOR THE FIRE, THE M OR THE EMT IN THE POLICE. AND LOOK AT THE PROTECTION WE HAVE. AND, YOU KNOW, SINCE THEN WE HAVE GREAT. BUT THIS WE DO HAVE A WONDERFUL. IF SOME OF US. YOU REMEMBER WHAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT LOOKED LIKE WAY BACK WHEN. SO YEAH, BUT I WAS HERE. I WENT TO ALL THOSE MEETINGS. I THINK A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT WERE PUT INTO IT. A LOT OF EXTRA HOURS. AND IF ANYONE HAS QUESTIONS, THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY WILL ALWAYS ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? SEEING NONE. MAYOR, WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLL? VICE MAYOR BRUNNER. YES. COMMISSIONER. CLARK. YES. COMMISSIONER. RICH. YES. COMMISSIONER. COLLINS. YES. MAYOR MCDONALD. YES. OKAY. MOVING ON TO ADOPTING THE TENTATIVE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024. [3. ADOPTING THE TENTATIVE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024 (RC): RESOLUTION No. 72-2023; A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA ADOPTING THE TENTATIVE BUDGETS OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, FOR FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2023 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2024; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.] PAUL, WOULD YOU READ THE RESOLUTION? SO THIS IS RESOLUTION NUMBER 72-2023. RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA. ADOPTING THE TENTATIVE BUDGETS OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA FOR FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2023 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2024, PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. AND AS IT RELATES TO THIS ONE, I'M GOING TO GO OFF SCRIPT FOR JUST A SECOND. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY, I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS HAVING FAITH IN ME TO HAVE ME ACT AS THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER, AS IT RELATED TO THE TIMING OF IT AND WORKING ON THE BUDGET. BUT I HAVE TO SAY, THERE IS NO POSSIBLE WAY I COULD HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT JOLIE'S HELP. FINANCE DIRECTOR REALLY COMMITTED TIME, AND THERE WAS THERE WERE NIGHTS AT 830, 09:00 AT NIGHT. I SENT A TEXT TO HIM AND HE'D SAY, COME ON OVER, I'M STILL IN MY OFFICE. AND I WASN'T THINKING ABOUT COMING OVER. I WAS IN MY PAJAMAS. I WAS JUST SENDING THE TEXT. BUT HE REALLY DID HELP ME. HE WALKED ME THROUGH IT. HE WAS EXTREMELY PATIENT, AND I COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT HIS HELP. BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, THE FINAL PUBLIC HEARING TO ADOPT THE FISCAL YEAR 2024 MILLAGE RATE AND THE FINAL BUDGET IS SCHEDULED FOR MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28TH, 2023 AT 5 P.M. HERE AT CITY HALL. AND THE ADDRESS IS 121 SOUTHWEST FLAGLER AVENUE, STUART, FLORIDA. THAT IS THE LEGAL REQUIREMENT. I'M SORRY, THE 25TH. I'M SORRY. YEAH. MONDAY THE 25TH. 28TH? NO, IT'S 28 IN THE DOCUMENT. I SEE IT. IT SHOULD BE 25. SO SEPTEMBER, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25TH. THAT'S A THE MONDAY OR THE 28TH WAS GOING TO BE WRONG FOR ANYBODY THAT WAS LOOKING. BUT IT'S ACTUALLY MONDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 25TH. IT IS 5:15 P.M.. AND OBVIOUSLY IT'S OUR INTENTION TO HAVE NO CHANGES BETWEEN NOW AND THEN. DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR MOTIONS. YES, MISS EITHER JULIE OR SO THE, THE IDEA OF CALLING IT, IS IT A TYPO OR IS IT SHOULD BE BECAUSE IT'S A COMPILATION OF BUDGETS FOR EACH DEPARTMENT OR SHOULD IT JUST BE THE CITY BUDGET? IT SHOULD JUST BE THE CITY BUDGET. OKAY, WE'LL TAKE THE S OFF THE WELL, WE DO, WE DO ADOPT BUDGETS, THE FIRE AND THE FIRE AND THE BUDGET. AS I WAS ASKING IF YOU SAW THE COMPILATION. EACH FUND HAS ITS OWN ADOPTED BUDGET. THAT RESOLUTION REFLECTS YOU ADOPTING THE BUDGET FOR EACH ONE OF THOSE FUNDS, BECAUSE THEN DURING THE YEAR, IF YOU MAKE ANY CHANGES OR TRY TO MOVE MONEY BETWEEN THEM, IT REQUIRES YOUR ACTION TO AMEND THOSE BOTTOM LINES UP OR DOWN. SO EACH FUND STANDS ALONE WITH ITS OWN BUDGET, AND WE ADOPT THEM ALL TOGETHER NOW IN ONE RESOLUTION. YOU ACTUALLY ADOPT AT THE FUND LEVEL. SO TECHNICALLY IT PROBABLY IS. OUR QUESTION WAS ACCURATE BUDGET. YES. OKAY. COMMISSIONER COLLINS. I JUST WANTED TO PUBLICLY THANK THE BOTH OF YOU, MIKE AND JOLIE, FOR THE TIME AND ENERGY YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN PUTTING INTO THIS. IT'S YOU DON'T GET A LOT OF CREDIT NECESSARILY FOR MAKING CUTS AND DOING THE WORK, BUT I'M VERY PROUD OF THE CITY THAT WE'RE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES ARE RAISING MILLAGE AND TAXES. WE WERE ABLE TO STAY THE SAME WITH A LOT OF PRESSURE YOU KNOW, FROM ALL SIDES WITH EXPENSES. AND I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING AND WHAT YOU DID. AND THANK YOU. OKAY. SO DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MOTION FOR APPROVAL. SECOND, A MOTION BY VICE MAYOR BRUNNER. [00:25:02] SECOND, BY COMMISSIONER COLLINS. AND BEFORE I CALL PUBLIC COMMENT IN THE IN THE VOTE, I JUST WANT TO I JUST WANT TO ECHO THE COMMENTS OF COMMISSIONER COLLINS. THESE ARE, YOU KNOW, THE INFLATIONARY PRESSURES THAT WE'VE HAD HAVE BEEN IMMENSE. BUT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB. JOLIE, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR HARD WORK. SOME, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN HERE LONG ENOUGH. I'VE SEEN TAXES GO DOWN. I'VE SEEN TAXES GO UP, BUT I, I ALWAYS SHOOT FOR MAINTAINING A FLAT TAX LEVEL. AND YOU GUYS DID A GREAT JOB AND I HOPE WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO THAT. SO DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE BUDGET? MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT I KNOW EVERYONE'S TOSSED AROUND THE ACCOLADES, BUT INITIALLY ON I ASKED THE DEPARTMENTS TO OFFER UP CUTS THAT THEY WOULD. I MENTIONED THAT AT THE LAST BUDGET WORKSHOP AND THE DEPARTMENT HEADS ALL KIND OF ROLLED FORWARD AND SAID, OKAY, IF YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING, I WOULD TAKE THIS NOW. WE HAD TO GO BACK AND TAKE MORE THAT THEY DIDN'T OFFER UP, BUT THAT'S OKAY. WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU GOT THE BIGGEST. I TOLD YOU THE MANAGER CUT EVERYTHING HE COULD IN MY OFFICE TO TRY AND GET THIS. GOT A LITTLE CARRIED AWAY. YEAH, BUT. BUT MILTON LEGGETT DID A VERY SPECIAL JOB OFFERING UP SOME AMOUNTS FOR ME. AND TODAY IS HIS BIRTHDAY AS WELL. OH. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. MILTON. THE PURVIEW OF HAVING PAYROLL AT MY FINGERTIPS. I GET ALERTS ABOUT PEOPLE'S BIRTHDAYS. SURELY YOU DEFINITELY DID THE HEAVY LIFTING. SO ANYWAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IT'S A PLEASURE WORKING WITH THE NEW MANAGER. AND DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE BUDGET? AND IF YOU WOULD, WHEN YOU'RE DONE, FILL OUT A GREEN CARD PLEASE. NO PROBLEM. OH, MY NAME IS AL POLVERINI. I JUST GOT A QUESTION WITH THIS BUDGET THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR THE CITY OF STUART. HAVE YOU GUYS PUT ANY LINE ITEMS FOR QUIET ZONES FOR THE TRAINS? BECAUSE STUART'S A GREAT TOWN, BUT WE HAVE LITTLE KIDS OVER NEAR THE THE PARK, RIGHT. AND THEY'RE GETTING THEIR EARS BLOWN OUT. I WENT TO ORDER A SLICE OF PIZZA. THE LADY CLOSED THE WINDOW, EXCUSED HERSELF, OPENED THE WINDOW UP AND SAID, I'M SORRY, BUT I DON'T WANT TO LOSE MY HEARING WORKING HERE AT THE PIZZERIA, SO I WANT TO KNOW, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? ARE YOU ASKING BRIGHT LINE THE RAILROAD TO PAY FOR ANYTHING? BECAUSE I MADE A PHONE CALL. I WAS TOLD IT WAS GOING TO BE TAKEN CARE OF. AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, THE SAFETY STOPS OF BUILDING UP A RAILROAD CROSSINGS WOULD MAKE IT SAFER FOR THE THE DRIVERS AND THE PEOPLE CROSSING. I HAVE ALL THE STUDIES IF YOU WANT TO SEE IT, BECAUSE AS EVERYONE KNOWS IN THIS BUILDING, IF YOU LIVE IN THE CITY OF STUART, IT'S GOING CRAZY. SO DO YOU HAVE A LINE ITEM? HAVE YOU GUYS PUT THIS IN YOUR BUDGET TO SEE ABOUT THAT? OR AT LEAST REACH OUT TO THESE COMPANIES BRIGHT LINE AND SAY, HEY, LISTEN, YOU GUYS NEED TO PAY FOR THIS. IF YOU'RE GOING TO RUN THESE TRAINS THROUGH OUR CITY AND TRY TO GET SOME MONEY OUT OF THE STATE BECAUSE THIS IS FOR YOU, PLEASE RESPOND. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. SO LISTEN FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH. BRIGHT LINE, AS YOU KNOW, HAS NOT BEEN RUNNING YET. SO IT'S NOT BRIGHT LINE HORNS THAT WE'RE HEARING. IT'S FEC HORNS. NO SIR. YOU'RE THEY THEY THEY ARE TESTING AND THEY'RE RUNNING. SO, SO BEFORE LAST WEEK, THE HORNS THAT I'M ASSUMING YOU'RE HEARING WERE FROM PRIOR TO LAST WEEK AND THEY'VE BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG TIME. I DON'T ASSUME IT'S JUST A WEEK. SO I WAS TRYING TO ADDRESS THE FACT THAT IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG TIME AND THE REGULAR TRAIN, BECAUSE WHEN I FIRST CALLED, IT HAD NOTHING TO DO. WHAT THE GUY SAID, DON'T WORRY ABOUT BRIAN. YOU COME IN AND WE CAN MEET AND TALK ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT'S IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO GO BACK AND FORTH. YEAH. NO PROBLEM. OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU. OKAY. SCHEDULE. TOMORROW, WE'LL GET TO GET YOU ON THE SCHEDULE WITH MR. MORTEL. OKAY, GREAT. WELL, IF HE WANTS TO ANSWER BECAUSE HE WAS WRONG. BECAUSE IT WAS ABOUT THE OTHER TRAIN. MAYOR. SO WHAT? DO YOU HAVE A LINE ITEM FOR THE REGULAR TRAIN TO MAKE A QUIET ZONE? NO, YOU DON'T. HOW DO WE GET THAT ON? AND DO WE HAVE TO COME TO THE MEETING, GET A VOTE, GET SOME SIGNATURES. WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DO? WE NEED A LOT OF MONEY. I'D BE HAPPY TO SIT DOWN WITH YOU AND GO INTO GREAT DETAIL, BUT IT'S AN FRA, WHICH IS A FEDERAL RAIL ADMINISTRATION RULE. AND BRIGHTLINE IS NOT ALLOWED TO APPLY FOR ONE, NOR IS THE FEC. IT'S EITHER GOING TO BE THE CITY OF STUART OR MARTIN COUNTY. I'VE MET WITH MARTIN COUNTY AS RECENTLY AS 25 DAYS AGO REGARDING THIS ISSUE AND SPOKEN TO THEIR ADMINISTRATOR ABOUT IT. THANK YOU. THEY DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE ASKING FOR A WAIVER OF HORNS AT THE INITIAL STAGES OF RUNNING 80 MILE AN HOUR TRAINS, AND THEY WANT TO BE CAUTIOUS, AND THEY HAVE TOLD ME THEY WANT TO WAIT ONE YEAR TO DO SO. I'VE SPOKEN WITH BRIGHTLINE AS WELL AS OUR ENGINEERS, AND IT'S DETERMINED THAT IF MARTIN COUNTY APPLIES, THAT THE CURRENT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS AT ALL OF THE INTERSECTIONS COMBINED WILL QUALIFY FOR QUIET ZONES. HOWEVER, IT REQUIRES THE APPLICATION. NO MORE MONEY. JUST THE APPLICATION WHICH IS FREE, BUT IN A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE. THEIR CONCERN IS THAT WHEN THEY START RUNNING PASSENGER RAIL FROM MIAMI TO ORLANDO, [00:30:03] WHICH THEY HAVE NOT STARTED YET. YES, SIR. THAT THERE COULD BE ACCIDENTS. AND IF THE CITY OF STUART WERE TO APPLY FOR THE WAIVER OF HORNS AND AN ACCIDENT OCCURS, OUR FEAR IS THAT THEY WOULD BLAME US FOR THE LACK OF A HORN, WHETHER IT HAD ANY IMPACT ON THE ACCIDENT OR NOT. AS A RESULT, IF WE WAIT THE ONE YEAR WITH MARTIN COUNTY, THEN WE CAN DEMONSTRATE THAT ANY ACCIDENTS WERE NOT RELATED TO THE LACK OF HORN. WE CAN THEN APPLY AND KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING AND WE QUALIFY FOR THOSE ALREADY. SO THERE'S NO NEED TO ADD ANYTHING TO THE BUDGET, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY WHAT MARTIN COUNTY IS PLANNING TO DO FOR THE CITY OF STUART TO DO IT THIS YEAR. WE WOULD NEED TO SPEND ABOUT $900,000 ON INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS AND IT WOULDN'T BE GUARANTEED. SO WE ARE GOING TO FOLLOW MARTIN COUNTY'S LEAD. AWESOME. THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING THAT. AND I'D STILL LIKE TO SIT DOWN WITH YOU BECAUSE COME IN ANY DAY TO SHARE THE INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC THAT IF YOU PUT IN THE QUIET ZONES, THEY DO, BUT WAY MORE SAFETY STOPS FOR MOTORISTS. YOU CAN'T GET ACROSS THE TRACK. SO WHEN IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE, IT MAKES IT A LOT SAFER. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU MIKE. WHAT WAS HIS NAME? THIS IS ALBERT. OH, OKAY. WE WERE WAITING FOR. OKAY. SO. ANY OTHER ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE BUDGET? MARY, WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLL? COMMISSIONER. CLARK. YES, COMMISSIONER. RICH. YES. COMMISSIONER. COLLINS. YES. VICE MAYOR BRUNNER. YES. MAYOR MCDONALD. YES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR BRINGING A SUCCESSFUL BUDGET TOGETHER. I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND ADJOURN THE SPECIAL MEETING. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.