[ROLL CALL]
[00:00:03]
LAST NIGHT. IT'S OPEN ON MONDAY. PLACE SO WE WILL BE THIS SPECIAL COMMISSION MEETING OF THE 26TH OF AUGUST WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. PLEASE MIKE. MIKE'S NOT ON. MIKE'S ARE ON. MIKE'S HERE. HELLO? TESTING, TESTING. TESTING HEARING IS. I DO A ROLL CALL. OKAY. ROLL CALL. ROLL CALL. ROLL CALL. SORRY VICE MAYOR. RICH HERE. COMMISSIONER CLARK. YES. COMMISSIONER COLLINS. HERE. COMMISSIONER. JOB. HERE. COMMISSIONER REED. HERE. NOW WE CAN DO THE PLEDGE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. WHO WILL BE
[1. OATH OF OFFICE - LAURA GIOBBI, GROUP II AND SEAN REED, GROUP IV]
ADMINISTERING? MR. BAGGETT WILL NOW ADMINISTER THE OATH OF OFFICE. OH, AND JUST FOR EVERYBODY HERE, THE. THIS IS AN INFORMAL SWEARING IN SO THAT THE COMMISSIONERS CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE TWO NEXT MEETINGS. BUT THERE'LL BE A MORE FORMAL PRESENTATION WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND PICTURES DURING THE MEETING AT 530. MR. PLEASE STAND RIGHT HERE. I DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR.I DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR. SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I WILL SUPPORT, HONOR THAT I WILL SUPPORT, HONOR, PROTECT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT. CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE STATE BOARD OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE STATE OF FLORIDA. DULY QUALIFIED. THAT I'M DULY QUALIFIED TO HOLD OFFICE UNDER THE CONSTITUTION. UNDER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA. UNDER THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF STUART, AND UNDER THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF STUART. THAT I WILL WELL AND FAITHFULLY PERFORM, AND THAT I WILL WELL AND FAITHFULLY PERFORM THE DUTIES OF STEWARD. COMMISSIONER, THE DUTIES OF THE CITY OF STUART. COMMISSIONER. UPON WHICH I'M ABOUT TO NOW, ON WHICH I'M ABOUT TO ENTER. SO HELP ME GOD. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. SO THIS IS A SIMPLE MATTER. THIS MEETING. THIS FIRST
[2. PRESENTATION OF FY2025 BUDGET]
MEETING IS A PRESENTATION BY OUR BUDGET MANAGER. PLEASE GO AHEAD. I ALWAYS LET THE BOSS START FIRST. I, I AM GOING TO HAND IT RIGHT OVER TO YOU ANYWAY, FOR THE NEW COMMISSIONERS, THIS IS JULIE BAGLEY. OUR OUR LEWIS. I GUESS TO BE MORE FORMAL. OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, HE IS GOING TO PRESENT TO YOU THE CURRENTLY BALANCED PROPOSAL THAT YOU HAVE AT IT. COMMISSION AND NEW COMMISSIONERS. WELCOME. NOW YOU'RE IN FOR IT. THERE'S NO STEPPING AWAY FROM IT NOW. OKAY, SO LAST TIME WE MET WAS THE PHASE WHERE THE DEPARTMENT HAD MADE THEIR REQUEST. AND SO AFTE, WHEN WE CAME TOGETHER, THE DEPARTMENT REQUEST OUTWEIGHED THE REVENUES THAT WE WERE AWARE OF. AT THAT TIME, INCLUDING MY PERSONAL PROJECTIONS ON REVENUES. WE WERE AT ABOUT A MILLION. TWO CHANGE, MILLION. THREE. SO AFTER THAT MEETING, WE WENT BACK AND WE HAD SOME BRUSH UP MEETINGS WITH SOME OF THE DEPARTMENTS TO GO OVER SOME ENTRIES. WE FOUND SOME ADDITIONAL PUTS AND TAKES BEFORE THE MANAGER HAD TO GET HOLD OF IT, AND ALSO SOME OF THE STATE REVENUES THAT I WAS WAITING ON CAME IN ALL OF THE STATE REVENUES THAT ARE PRESENTED TO US BY TALLAHASSEE THAT WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER HAVE NOW BEEN ENTERED INTO THIS BUDGET NARRATIVE. THIS ITERATION OF THE BUDGET IS PRESENTED TO YOU BALANCED. SO TYPICALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS THE DEPARTMENTS ASK AND I'VE LIKENED IT TO A GAME OF GO FISH WHERE THE DEPARTMENT SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE ASKED FOR. I SAY THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE AND WE FIND OUT HOW SHORT WE ARE.THERE'S ONLY BEEN LIKE ONE TIME WHERE THEY CAME BACK AND WE HAD ENOUGH MONEY AND WE HAD SOME EXTRA. SO THIS IS USUALLY A SESSION BETWEEN THE MANAGER AND MYSELF. AND IT'S A LIVING, BREATHING DOCUMENT THAT CHANGES RIGHT NOW AS WE'RE DOING THIS PRESENTATION. I'M SURE THAT THERE IS A PERSON WHO'S REACHED THEIR ANNIVERSARY DATE. A POLICE OFFICER HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, PROMOTED OR A FIREFIGHTER HAS BEEN CERTIFIED. SO IT'S ALWAYS CHANGING BY THE MINUTE. BUT THIS IS OUR LAST, BEST SHOT THAT WE DID. AND SO THIS BUDGET, UNLESS YOU MAKE CHANGES TO IT WOULD BE THE BUDGET THAT WE WOULD ROLL FORWARD AND PRESENT AT THE FIRST TRIM REQUIRED HEARING ON SEPTEMBER 9TH. WE TRY TO COINCIDE THOSE STATE STATUTE REQUIRED MEETINGS TO BE WITH
[00:05:02]
YOUR REGULAR MEETINGS, RATHER THAN HAVING A SPECIAL MEETING IF POSSIBLE. HOPEFULLY THAT MAKES IT EASIER FOR EVERYONE. BUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT TODAY IS HOW THE MANAGER, DIRECTED ME TO GET THIS BUDGET TO YOU TODAY WITH THIS AMOUNT HERE. SO WHERE WE STAND IS ACTUALLY THIS YEAR, THE CERTIFIED TAXABLE VALUE HAD COME IN IN TIME FOR THAT LAST BUDGET WORKSHOP. SO THAT HASN'T CHANGED. OUR JULY 1ST CERTIFIED TAXABLE VALUE IS 3.5 BILLION, BASED ON OUR MILLAGE. THE COMMISSION DIRECTED US TO NOT CHANGE THAT MILLAGE. WE KEPT THE MILLAGE AT FIVE AND THAT GENERATED $17 MILLION IN AD VALOREM FOR THE BUDGET. NOW THAT'S THERE'S A FORMULA WE REQUIRED TO BUDGET 95% AT LEAST. AND SO THIS IS THE 95% NUMBER. I DON'T I DON'T MANIPULATE THAT.THERE IS A WAY, YOU KNOW, SOME SOME FINANCE DIRECTORS SOMETIMES WILL GO TO 96% TO SHAVE OFF THE ROUGH EDGES. BUT THAT'S WHERE WE ARE. SO THE AD VALOREM IN THIS BUDGET IS 17 MILLION. I PRESENTED THIS GRAPH LAST TIME TO SHOW WHERE THE TAXABLE VALUES HAVE HAPPENED WITH STEWART. SO AFTER THE RECESSION AND THE FALL AND THE TWO CALL OUT NUMBERS ARE THERE TO BASICALLY SHOW IT TOOK US FROM 2008 TO 2022 TO GET BACK TO OUR PREVIOUS TAXABLE VALUE. AND NOW HERE WE ARE TODAY AT THE 3.5 BILLION. THIS IS THE HISTORY OF THE MILLAGE IN STEWART. AND YOU KNOW TO ONE OF THOSE THINGS TO SAY IN 2001 TO 2025 THE CITY OF STEWART HASN'T INCREASED ITS MILLAGE BY EVEN ONE FULL MILL.
SO WE HAVE DEFINITELY WATCHED AS THEY WOULD SAY, TOE THE LINE. SO IT'S BEEN A PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD RIDE. AND WE'VE HAD FIVE MILLS NOW FOR THE LAST FOUR TAXING YEARS IN A ROW, AND THIS IS WHERE THE BUDGET HAS GONE, COINCIDING WITH IT AS FAR AS THE AD VALOREM NUMBER. AND SO IT DOES NOT MAKE UP OUR ENTIRE BUDGET, BUT IT IS THE ONE REVENUE SOURCE THAT YOU, AS THE COMMISSION, ACTUALLY CONTROL. AND THIS IS THE CHANGE IN TAXABLE VALUE FOR THE CITY. AND YOU CAN SEE HERE AS WE REACH THOSE THOSE YEARS, AND THEN AFTER THE RECESSION, THE CITY'S TAXABLE VALUE. ACTUALLY YOU KNOW, DECLINED LIKE NOT ONLY WENT DOWN BUT REDUCED. AND NOW WE'VE HAD A, YOU KNOW, A SOMEWHAT SLOPE. EARLIER TODAY I WAS SPEAKING WITH ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE MATH OF THE SLOPE. AND SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THE TREND WAS GOING UPWARD. AND NOW I ONLY BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF EVERYONE ON THIS LAST AT THE LAST BUDGET WORKSHOP, WE'VE ACTUALLY SEEN A DECLINE IN THE TAXABLE VALUE INCREASE. SO THE TAXABLE VALUE DID GO UP. BUT IN KIND OF A ROLLING BACKWARD FORWARD. SO WE'RE STILL ABOVE WHERE WE WERE. BUT I WOULD JUST BRING ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT WE NEED TO WATCH THAT THE TAXABLE VALUE INCREASE DID NOT KEEP PACE WITH WHAT IT HAS IN THE PREVIOUS THREE CYCLES. AND THEN JUST TO ZOOM IN SO YOU CAN SEE, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS AN INCREASE THAT IT IS NOW SORT OF GOING DOWNHILL, I WOULD WANT TO WATCH THIS FOR NEXT YEAR'S TAXABLE VALUE AS WELL. BUT OF COURSE THAT BRINGS US TO THE CR, BECAUSE THE CITY'S TAXABLE VALUE AND ITS MILLAGE, ALONG WITH THE COUNTY'S MILLAGE, DRIVES WHAT IS WHAT IS CONTRIBUTED TO THE TAX INCREMENT FINANCE IN THE CRA TRUST FUND. SO THE CRA IS ORIGINAL. BASE VALUE IS 299 MILLION. THE CURRENT TAXABLE VALUE FOR THE CITY. AND THIS IS A SUBTLE NUANCE. THE CITY AND THE COUNTY HAVE DIFFERENT TAXABLE VALUES BECAUSE OF CERTAIN EXEMPTIONS, BUT OUR TAXABLE VALUE IS 883 MILLION.
THAT GIVES US A $500 MILLION INCREMENT. AND THAT MEANS THAT THE GENERAL FUND AT FIVE MILLS WOULD OWE THE CRA $2.7 MILLION. AND AS A SIDE NOTE, TO FUND THE CRA TRUST FUND, THE COUNTY PAYMENT TO THE CRA AT THEIR CURRENT MILLAGE THAT'S BEING PROPOSED IN THEIR BUDGET WOULD GENERATE $6.3 MILLION OR, SORRY, $3.5 MILLION, BRINGING THE TOTAL TIF CONTRIBUTION TO 6.3 MILLION.
SO THE CRA WILL RECEIVE 6.3 MILLION. A NEW TIF FUNDS FOR 2025. WHERE THE 2025 BUDGET HAS BEEN AND I OFTEN WARN THEM, YOU KNOW, SO GIVING ACCESS TO YOU THE COMMISSIONERS NOW KNOW THAT YOU HAVE ACCESS TO THE BUDGET DOCUMENTS AND THOSE THOSE REPORTS AND DOCUMENTS ARE LIVE.
AND A LOT OF THE DEPARTMENTS LIKE TO GO IN AND KEEP LOOKING TO TRY AND SEE WHAT THE MANAGER HAS CUT OR GIVEN THEM. AND ALL ALONG THE WAY, MY, YOU KNOW, MY EMAIL TEAMS PHONE GOES OFF. AT ONE TIME, GENERAL FUND WAS $4 MILLION IN THE HOLE AND MIKE, YOU KNOW, CALLS ME IN A PANIC.
I'M LIKE, JUST HOLD ON. JUST THIS IS HOW THE RIDE GOES. IT'S NOT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE $4 MILLION OUT OF BALANCE. SO YOU KNOW, IT'S PUTS AND TAKES AS WE DO THE UNION NEGOTIATIONS AS WE FIND SOME CAPITAL REQUESTS THAT WERE LEFT OUT, MAYBE NEED TO GO IN AS REVENUES CHANGE AND SHIFT.
SO IT IS A IT WAS A WILD RIDE, BUT BASICALLY WE BROUGHT IT DOWN TO A BALANCED NUMBER WHERE WE FEEL CONFIDENT THAT REVENUES AND EXPENSES COULD EXIST AT THIS POINT, BALANCED WITH EACH OTHER
[00:10:06]
FOR THE 2025 YEAR, WE HAVE ALLOCATED ALL THE AVAILABLE SOURCES THAT WE CURRENTLY WOULD GO TO. WE DID NOT USE FUND BALANCE TO BALANCE THIS BUDGET, SO THE MANAGER DID NOT DIP INTO SAVINGS ACCOUNT. TO BALANCE THIS, WE FOUND IT EITHER THROUGH PROJECTED OPERATING REVENUES OR OTHER OPERATING REVENUE SOURCES THAT WE HAVE. THERE IS NO DEBT FINANCING IN THIS. WE HAVEN'T PROPOSED TO BORROW ANY MONEY TO MAKE THIS BUDGET BALANCE. AND IF THERE ARE ANY GRANT OPPORTUNITIES OR OPS IS LARGER THAN THE MANAGER'S CONTINGENCY, WE, OF COURSE, WOULD BRING BUDGET AMENDMENTS BEFORE THE COMMISSION AS NEEDED, AS I SAID, THOSE STATE REVENUES HAVE COME IN HALF-CENT SALES TAX, LOCAL OPTION, GAS TAX, MUNICIPAL REVENUE SHARING, COMMUNICATION SERVICE TAX. THOSE HAVE ALL COME IN THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT. FISCAL IMPACTS ARE REFLECTED IN THIS. SO THE IF AND THE PVA CONTRACTS HAVE LANDED AND THOSE NUMBER EFFECTS HAVE BEEN ROLLED IN HERE, INCLUDING ALL THE SUBSEQUENT BENEFITS RELATED TO IT. AND THE MANAGER RELATED TO THOSE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS. AND FOR THE NONUNION EMPLOYEES, THE MANAGER HAS PROPOSED A COLA IN THIS BUDGET, AND IT IS BALANCED WITH THOSE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS AND THE COLA THAT THE MANAGER PROPOSED. HOW DO WE GET THERE? WELL THE MANAGER MADE THE FOLLOWING PUTS AND TAKES. SO THAT'S WHAT WE CALL THE ADDITIONS OR THE PUTS AND THE REDUCTIONS OR THE TAKES. THERE WAS A LAST MINUTE REQUEST TO ADD A REPAIRS FOR THE RUSSELL HOLLOWAY TRACK REPAIRS AND MOST DEPARTMENTS HAD SOME KIND OF CUT. I MEAN ALMOST EVERY DEPARTMENT HAD SOMETHING TAKEN FROM IT. THERE WAS A DIRECT $186,000 WORTH OF CUTS. THE MANAGER ELIMINATED TWO FTES TOTALING ABOUT 175,000 FULL TIME EMPLOYEE. YEAH. OH, SORRY. YES.FTE FULL TIME EQUIVALENCY. SO THAT'S AN ACTUAL FULL TIME POSITION AT 2080 HOURS. WE SPLIT ONE FULL TIME EQUIVALENT POSITION INTO TWO DEPARTMENTS. SO TWO DEPARTMENTS ARE FUNDING ONE PERSON. SO THEY'RE GOING TO UTILIZE THAT EMPLOYEE TO FILL SOME GAPS CREATED BY THE CUTS.
WE ALSO TOOK SOME FULL TIME POSITIONS AND BUDGETED THEM FOR HALF THE YEAR. AND COVERING THEM WITH PART TIME INSTEAD. HOPEFULLY WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO THAT UNTIL WE HAVE TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS AT PART TIME, AND THAT'S ALWAYS AVAILABLE. THE MANAGER ALSO FROZE POSITIONS, SO THERE'S FOUR POSITIONS THAT WERE VACANT THAT THE MANAGER FROZE AND SAID, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GOING TO FILL THOSE UNLESS YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED THEM. SO THEY'LL HAVE TO BE A SONG AND DANCE REQUEST TO THE MANAGER DIRECTLY TO FILL THEM. AND SO THOSE THOSE POSITIONS AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, JUST A GENERAL IF YOU NEED TO FILL ONE OF YOUR VACANT POSITIONS, YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE TO JUSTIFY IT. AND SO THAT NETTED OUT TO ABOUT $887,000 IN CUTS THAT THE MANAGER TOOK TO THE LAST LINE. I BROUGHT IT IN AS CLOSE AS I COULD, YOU KNOW, TO THAT, AND SAID, WELL, YOU GOT TO GET ME THE REST OF THE WAY. WE WERE STILL ABOUT JUST SHY OF A MILLION OUT. SO AFTER THOSE CUTS, WE COULD SMOOTH OFF THE ROUGH EDGES. AND RIGHT NOW THE, THE 2024 ADOPTED FTES WERE 313 POSITIONS, THE MANAGER HAS INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET 17 NEW REQUESTS. BELOW IS THE DETAIL OF THAT. THERE'S THREE POLICE OFFICERS PER THE COMMISSION'S STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WAS ADOPTED. THE FUTURE YEAR, FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN, A POLICE DISPATCHER, 12 FIREFIGHTERS AGAIN, THAT IS PER THE STRATEGIC PLAN ADOPTED BY THE COMMISSION.
AND, YOU KNOW, MILTON LEGGETT AND HIS DIVISIONS HAVE DISCOVERED THAT WE SPEND AN AWFUL LOT OF TIME HIRING OUTSIDE HVAC. SERVICES TO OUTSIDE CORPORATE. SO THIS IS ONE WE'RE BRINGING A FULL TIME HVAC PERSON INSIDE WOULD HELP MANAGE THOSE AIR CONDITIONERS AND AVOID REPLACING MORE UNITS AS POSSIBLE, AND GET AS MUCH LIFE OUT OF THE TAX DOLLARS AS AS WE CAN. AND SO THEN, ALONG WITH THE TWO CUTS, THAT BRINGS US DOWN TO THE POSITIONS FOR THE 2025 BUDGET AT 328, THAT INCLUDES GENERAL FUND, WATER, SEWER, CRA, SANITATION AND STORMWATER. THE FUNDS THAT ALL HAVE EMPLOYEES UNDER THEM, THE POSITION IMPACT SO OF THE NEW POSITIONS ADDED THE FOUR POLICE POSITIONS TOTAL UP TO AND AS I SAY, TAX TAG TITLE. THIS IS BENEFITS NOW, NOT EQUIPMENT, NOT, YOU KNOW, THEIR UNIFORM OR THEIR RADIO OR WHATEVER, WHATEVER EQUIPMENT THOSE EMPLOYEES NEED IS, IS NOT IN THIS NUMBER, BUT THIS IS JUST THE ACTUAL FISCAL IMPACT, INCLUDING FRS, FICA. ALL THE THINGS THAT WE PAY ON EMPLOYEE WAS 372,000 FOR THE POLICE, 1,000,001 FOR THE 12 FIREFIGHTERS AND 80,000 FOR THE BUILDING MAINTENANCE. IT'S NOT THEIR SALARY, THAT'S JUST THE SALARY PLUS THE BENEFIT PACKAGE. AND THEN AS YOU CAN SEE, THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE PIE. SO FOR THOSE I'M SAYING EARLIER, AD VALOREM IS ONLY 32% OF GENERAL FUNDS BUDGET. SO THIS TAX PIE LIKE HALF OF GENERAL FUNDS REVENUES COME FROM TAXES. AND OF
[00:15:05]
THAT THAT'S THAT'S NOT THAT AD VALOREM IS HALF OF GENERAL FUND. REVENUE IS ONLY 32% OF GENERAL FUNDS REVENUE. SO THE REST OF THOSE TAXES ARE THE COMMUNICATION SERVICE TAX, THE HALF CENT SALES TAX, ALL THOSE OTHER KINDS OF TAXES THAT ARE CHARGED AROUND THE CITY AND BY THE STATE AND COLLECTED ON OUR BEHALF, AS WELL AS CHARGES FOR SERVICES, INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES, MISCELLANEOUS JUDGMENTS AND FINES BEING TICKETS AND PARKING FEES, FALSE ALARM BILLS. THOSE ARE ALL ROLLED INTO THAT PIE. AND THEN HERE YOU CAN SEE THE CHANGES. SO THERE ARE SOME INCREASES IN THE THING. HOWEVER THE TOTAL 2025 BUDGET IS LESS THAN THE TOTAL 2024 BUDGET. BUT THAT'S BECAUSE WE HAD SOME LARGE CAPITAL ITEMS IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET. SO I WOULDN'T PLAY THAT SHELL GAME WITH YOU. IT IS LOWER, BUT ONLY BECAUSE WE JUST DON'T HAVE SOME OF THE LARGE CAPITAL EXPENDITURES FROM LAST YEAR RUNNING THROUGH PERMITS, FEES AND SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS. THAT INCLUDES THE FIRE ASSESSMENT AND ALSO THE BUILDING PERMIT FUND.BUT BY STATE STATUTE, THE BUDGET FOR BUILDING PERMITS IS EQUAL TO THE COST OF COLLECTING THOSE PERMITS. SO JODI AND HER DEPARTMENT UP THERE FOR COLLECTING, BUILDING PERMITS, WHATEVER THEIR BUDGET IS, WE MAKE THE REVENUE EQUAL TO THAT AMOUNT. INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES ARE THOSE KINDS OF TRANSFERS FROM THE STATE AND TALLAHASSEE. THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT. REVENUES THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER, BUT MAKE UP A LARGE PORTIONS OF OUR BUDGET AND THEN CHARGES FOR SERVICES THAT INCLUDES THINGS SUCH AS THE SEWELL'S POINT CONTRACT AND OTHER PROTECTIVE INSPECTION FEES. THOSE SORTS, JUDGMENTS, FINES AND FORFEITS ARE THOSE ORDINANCE VIOLATIONS, FALSE ALARMS, PARKING TICKETS, MISCELLANEOUS REVENUE IS EVERYTHING FROM REFUNDS FROM INSURANCE ON A DAMAGED VEHICLE THAT WE MAY COLLECT TO INTEREST EARNINGS ON OUR INVESTMENTS. AND THEN OTHER SOURCES. ARE THOSE TRANSFERS IN FROM OTHER FUNDS, FROM FUND BALANCE. IF WE EVER DID DIP INTO SAVINGS AND THEN DEBT SERVICE EXPENSES. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THOSE LARGE TRANSFERS IN LAST YEAR INCLUDED TRANSFERS FROM OTHER SOURCES TO FUND CAPITAL PROJECTS AND SOME DEBT FINANCING. SO NOW YOU CAN SEE, ACTUALLY, I WOULD SAY THAT THE 25 YEAR AT 4 MILLION HAS RETURNED TO A SORT OF NORMAL STATE AND ACTUALLY LAST YEAR WAS ACTUALLY A LITTLE OFF THE REGULAR MARK. SO THERE YOU CAN SEE AT THE BOTTOM THE 25 BUDGET IS LESS THAN LAST YEAR'S. HERE'S WHERE THE PERSONAL HERE'S WHERE THE OPERATING IS MADE UP AND IT'S PIE. SO AGAIN PERSONAL SERVICES IS THE LARGEST PORTION. WE ARE A SERVICE INDUSTRY HERE.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF EMPLOYEES TO SERVE THE PUBLIC AND TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT WE DO. OUR OPERATING EXPENSES INCLUDE THOSE SUCH AS THE FUEL, ELECTRICITY, THE PAPER, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING THAT'S GOING ON THAT THE CITY CONSUMES ON AN ONGOING BASIS. CAPITAL OUTLAY. AS I SAID, THERE'S BEEN A DECREASE IN THAT CAPITAL OUTLAY PURCHASE. WE DON'T HAVE AS MANY LARGE TICKET ITEMS IN THIS YEAR. DEBT SERVICE I WAS MEETING WITH ANOTHER COMMISSIONER EARLIER TODAY, AND OTHER THAN LITERALLY THE LEASES FOR COPIERS AND RADIOS AND THE WELLS FARGO BUILDING, WHICH THE LEASE PROPERTY FUND IS COVERING BY THE RENT COLLECTED ON THE WELLS FARGO BUILDING GENERAL FUND IS, FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, DEBT FREE. AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AN A RATING FOR A CREDIT RATING ON OUR BONDS AND THEN GRANTS AND AIDS. THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT WE GIVE OUT. SO YOUR TRANSFERS THAT THE COMMISSION IS DIRECTED TO GO TO DIFFERENT PSEUDO ORGANIZATIONS AROUND TOWN THAT NUMBER IS SMALLER BECAUSE WE HAD SOME ARPA GRANT PAYMENTS OUT BUDGETED LAST YEAR THAT AREN'T IN THIS BUDGET. THOSE PAYMENTS HAVE NOW BEEN ALLOCATED. AND THEN OTHER USES, THOSE ARE OUR TRANSFERS OUT TO OTHER FUNDS OR INTO RESERVE ACCOUNTS. WE SET ASIDE A RESERVE FOR OUR SELF-INSURANCE ON THE HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN, AND THE MANAGER SETS ASIDE MONEY FOR CAPITAL PROJECT RESERVES AND THE OTHER LIKE TO HELP US STAY SOLVENT IN THE FUTURE. AND YOU KNOW NOT I WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND THAT WE RUN, YOU KNOW, BY THE SKIN OF OUR PANTS. SO THAT'S WHERE ALL THE EXPENDITURES ARE ALLOCATED OUT TO IN THE PIE. AND THEN HERE PROVIDED ARE THOSE NUMBERS THAT YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE HEAD TO HEAD CHANGE IN NUMBERS. AGAIN, THAT GRANTS AND AIDS WENT DOWN BY 500,000. THAT WAS PART OF THAT ARPA ALLOCATION. THE CAPITAL OUTLAY NUMBERS YOU CAN SEE GREATLY REDUCED FROM 8 MILLION TO 3 MILLION DEBT SERVICE. THAT'S JUST THE INCREASE FOR REGULAR INTEREST PAYMENTS, GRANTS AND AIDS. I'M SORRY, I ALREADY TOUCHED ON THAT ONE. AND THEN OTHER USES, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY BANKING A LITTLE MORE OF THOSE TRANSFERS AND RESERVE FUNDINGS. I ALSO PROVIDED THE SAME LOOK FOR EACH OF THE FUNDS THAT ARE PRESENTED IN THE OPERATING BUDGET. SO THE LANDFILL MANAGEMENT, THAT IS THE
[00:20:01]
PORTION OF THE LANDFILL THAT WE LEASE OUT TO, A COUPLE OPERATING BUSINESSES LOCATED ON THE SITE, AND WE CONTINUE TO GENERATE REVENUE FROM THOSE RENTALS, AS WELL AS THE MONITORING OF THE EXPENSES FOR MAKING SURE THAT ANY KIND OF PLUME OR ANYTHING UNDERNEATH THE LANDFILL IS MONITORED AND MANAGED AS NEEDED, WITH LABORATORY TESTING AND OTHER SORTS OF REMEDIATION EFFECTS. AND THEN THE CDBG, THE CITY IS STILL CURRENTLY PARTICIPATING THROUGH THE CRA IN A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM FOR HOUSING AND SOME REDEVELOPMENT PROJECTS. SO WE ARE REQUIRED BY THEIR LAWS, THE FEDERAL LAW TO KEEP A SEPARATE FUND FOR CDBG. BOTH REVENUES AND EXPENSES. THE CRA ITSELF, THIS FUND THE. YOU'LL SEE THE 3,000,005 I HAD REFERENCED THERE COMING FROM THE COUNTY AS AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUE. AND THEN DOWN THERE IN THE OTHER SOURCES, THAT 20 MILLION INCLUDES THE PAYMENT FROM THE CITY ALONG WITH THAT OTHER SOURCES, BECAUSE COMMISSIONER ASKED ME ABOUT THIS, THERE ARE PROJECTS THAT ARE IN THE CRA THAT HAVE BEEN ONGOING AND SO EACH YEAR THE CRA IS A STANDALONE FUND. ANY TIF REVENUES THAT THE CRA COLLECTS, IF THEY'RE NOT SPENT, GOES BACK TO THE CRA FUND BALANCE, BACK TO THEIR SAVINGS ACCOUNT. AND SO HERE THE CRA DIRECTOR IS REFLECTED. THESE ROLLOVER PROJECTS BEING FUNDED FROM THAT SAVED MONEY FROM THE PRIOR YEARS AND NOT UTILIZING JUST THE CURRENT YEAR REVENUE TO PAY FOR IT. SO WE ARE USING SOME OF THE NEW $6 MILLION TO FUND THIS YEAR'S PROJECTS, BUT WE'RE PULLING OUT OF THAT FUND, BALANCE THE MONEY TO FUND THE PROJECTS FROM THE CURRENT YEAR AND THE YEAR BEFORE THAT ARE STILL ONGOING. AND THEN ON THE EXPENSE SIDE, YOU WOULD SEE, HERE'S THE EXPENSES WHERE THEY'RE GOING, INCLUDING THOSE OPERATING, WHICH SOME OF YOU MAY NOTE THAT THERE IS A DESIGN EXPENSE IN THERE OF 800,000 TO GO IN THERE, SOME CAPITAL OUTLAY FOR THOSE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THAT I MENTIONED ARE ROLLING OVER FROM LAST YEAR. GRANTS AND AIDS OUT. THE CRA PARTICIPATES IN A LOT OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PROGRAMS AND HELPING WITH REDEVELOPMENT PROJECTS. AND THEN DOWN THERE IN THE OTHER USES, THE 4 MILLION INCLUDES TRANSFERS BACK TO GENERAL FUND FOR SOME PROJECTS THAT PUBLIC WORKS AND STUFF HANDLES FOR THE CRA, AS WELL AS A TRANSFER TO THEIR FUND BALANCE OF UNUSED FUNDS OUT OF THE NEW $6 MILLION, THE LEASE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CATEGORY. SO THOSE PROPERTIES THAT THE CITY OWNS AND HAS LEASED OUT FOR VARIOUS PURPOSES, WHETHER THOSE LAND OPERATING LEASES, THIS IS THE CULMINATION OF THOSE RENTAL PAYMENTS FROM THEM. THE COMMISSION CAN SEE IN THE DETAIL LINK I SENT THEM EXACTLY WHO THE PAYERS ARE AND WHAT THEY'RE PAYING AND WHAT THEY ARE, INCLUDING OUTDOOR DINING, RENTALS, SOME COMMERCIAL RESTAURANT OPERATIONS THAT THEY PAY US LEASE FOR THE PROPERTY AND OTHERS, AS WELL AS IN THE EXPENSE TO MAINTAIN THOSE PROPERTIES AND ALSO THAT TRANSFER DOWN THERE THAT OTHER USES INCLUDES THE PAYMENT BACK TO GENERAL FUND TO MAKE THE DEBT SERVICE PAYMENT ON THEIR BEHALF.SO WE ARE STILL CASH NEUTRAL IN THAT WE ARE STILL GENERATING ENOUGH REVENUE FROM THE RENTALS AT WELLS FARGO TO COVER THE DEBT SERVICE PAYMENT ON THE WELLS FARGO BUILDING. SO THAT'S STILL A NEUTRAL IMPACT FOR US. AND THEN THE POLICE SPECIAL REVENUE CATEGORY, THE POLICE COLLECT FUNDS FROM SEIZURES OF BUST THAT THEY MAKE AS BEST AN APPROPRIATE WORD I CAN USE. OKAY. YEAH. SO VARIOUS INTERDICTIONS ON THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S BEHALF. AND WHEN THEY SEIZE CERTAIN, YOU KNOW, ASSETS, THEY'RE ALLOWED TO KEEP SOME OF THAT ALSO, $2 OFF DIFFERENT RESTITUTION PAYMENTS GOING THERE INTO WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE LAW ENFORCEMENT TRUST FUND AND LAW ENFORCEMENT EDUCATION FUND. AND THOSE ARE MONITORED SEPARATELY, ALONG WITH FEDERAL FORFEITURES AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T REALLY BUDGET TO BUST PEOPLE. WE DON'T REALLY ANTICIPATE, YOU KNOW, MAKING LARGE DRUG DEALS. SO WE SIMPLY ARE SHOWING THE REVENUE COMING OUT OF ITS FUND BALANCE THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT. SO WE'RE PULLING THAT $84,000 OUT OF ITS FUND BALANCE FROM PRIOR COLLECTIONS AND PRIOR YEARS TO COVER THIS YEAR'S REQUEST. THOSE INCLUDE INVESTIGATIVE COSTS AND OTHER EQUIPMENT NEEDED TO DO THAT. AND THEN IN THE WATER SEWER FUND, YOU'LL SEE THAT THEY HAVE PRIMARILY CHARGES FOR SERVICE. THAT IS THE ACTUAL SALE OF WATER, THE TREATMENT OF SEWER, INCLUDING IRRIGATION LINES AND RECLAIMED WATER, WHERE WE PROVIDE BACK IRRIGATION SERVICES TO LARGE CUSTOMERS, SUCH AS GOLF COURSES FOR THE RECLAIMED WATER, AND THEN ALSO THEIR FUNDS FROM THEIR IMPACT FEES AND INTEREST EARNINGS THAT THEY'RE ALLOWED TO USE FOR THE OPERATION OF THE PROGRAM. AND MISCELLANEOUS REVENUES FROM VEHICLE ACCIDENTS OR INSPECTION FEES THAT THEY DO AND THEN WHERE THEIR INSPECTIONS GO. SO THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS ARE HEAVILY REGULATED AND THEIR FEE STRUCTURE IS BUILT SO THAT IT'S DESIGNED TO FUND THEIR PEOPLE AS WELL AS THEIR FUTURE CAPITAL REQUESTS AND PROJECTS. SO, THIS THIS CURRENT BUDGET REFLECTS THE
[00:25:05]
RATE INCREASE THAT WAS BROUGHT BEFORE THE COMMISSION, AS WELL AS THE SANITATION FUND, THE SANITATION FUND HERE AS WELL REPRESENTS THE REVENUES GENERATED FROM THE COLLECTION OF BOTH RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL GARBAGE, SOME RECYCLING. WE RUN RECYCLING COLLECTIONS FOR COMMERCIAL VENTURES AS WELL AS YARD TRASH COLLECTIONS AND THOSE BILLINGS FOR THAT. AGAIN, THOSE RATES ARE HIGHLY REGULATED AND THEIR INTEREST, EARNINGS AND PULLING FROM THEIR FUND BALANCE AS WELL. FOR SOME TRUCK REPLACEMENTS AND VEHICLE REFURBISHMENTS IN THIS YEAR'S COMING BUDGET, WHICH YOU SEE IN THEIR CAPITAL OUTLAY REPRESENTS SOME. IT'S A RESIDENTIAL SIDE LOADER. PETER. IS THAT WHAT IT IS? YEAH RESIDENTIAL SIDE LOADER. YEAH, I KNEW THE ANSWER.I WAS JUST GIVING YOU A CHANCE TO SHINE, MAN. THAT'S ALL. SO. YEAH. NO. THAT'S IN THERE AND YOU'LL SEE THAT. AND THEN LASTLY, STORMWATER IS OUR STORMWATER MAINTENANCE FUND, WHICH BASICALLY COMES DOWN TO BAFFLE BOXES AND GUTTER RUNS, THINGS LIKE RETENTION PONDS, ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF WHERE WE TRY TO COLLECT AND ALLOW THE WATER TO BE TREATED NATURALLY THROUGH EITHER OUR CREEK PROJECTS. HANEY CREEK, POPLAR CREEK, ALL OF THOSE RUNOFF COLLECTIONS WHERE WE TRY TO ALLOW THE ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL LIVING SHORELINES AND WHAT HAVE YOU TO TREAT THE WATER BEFORE RETURNING IT TO THE RIVER. TRY AND PREVENT THE COLLECTION OF HUMAN ACTIVITY INTO THE ENVIRONMENT BEFORE IT GOES IN. THERE BASICALLY DRIVEN AGAIN ON OUR MONTHLY UTILITY BILL FOR, WATER, SEWER, GARBAGE, THOSE SAME CUSTOMERS PARTICIPATE IN THEIR STORMWATER FEE BASED ON THEIR IMPERVIOUS AREA. SO ANY PART OF THEIR, YOU KNOW, PROPERTY THAT'S PAVED AND WHAT HAVE YOU AND GENERATES RUNOFF. THERE'S A CALCULATION TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH OF THAT STORMWATER FEE THEY PAY. AND THEN ANY GRANT OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE GO INTO THE MAINTENANCE OF THOSE STORM DRAINS, RUNOFF AREAS, RETENTION PONDS AND THE CREEK RUNOFF SYSTEM AS WELL. AND SO AT THIS POINT, I SUSPECT THERE'S QUESTIONS, BUT THAT'S THE NUMBERS. AND EACH OF YOU HAVE ACCESS TO THE DETAIL UNDERNEATH. ANY QUESTIONS COMMISSIONER FORBES? MY ONLY QUESTION OR IS MY MIC ON. YEAH. YEAH. MY ONLY QUESTION OR CONCERN WAS FOR THE BRIGHT LINE FOR US PAYING FOR THE DESIGN PORTION OF 800,000IN THE CRA BUDGET, THAT'S MY ONLY CONCERN IN THE BUDGET. I JUST GOT IT ON FRIDAY THOUGH, SO I HAVEN'T HAD A WHOLE LOT OF TIME TO GO THROUGH IT. I CAN RESPOND TO THAT. THE $800,000 IS NOT ACTUALLY BEING SPENT AT THIS TIME. IT'S JUST BUDGETING IT INTO THE BUDGET SO THAT IT'S A DIFFERENT RESOURCE OR OPPORTUNITY AS IT RELATES TO BRIGHT LINE, IN LIEU OF LIKE THE INITIAL INTENTION WITH BRIGHT LINE WAS TO MOVE FORWARD THIS SUMMER AND DO DESIGN AND, INSTEAD OF GOING OUT AND BORROWING THE MONEY IN ADVANCE OF THE DESIGN, JULIE AND I PUT TOGETHER THIS BUDGET SO THAT WE COULD PAY FOR DESIGN UP FRONT AND THEN DETERMINE HOW MUCH IS ACTUALLY NECESSARY TO DO THE PROJECT, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, THE NUMBERS THAT WERE PRESENTED BACK IN DECEMBER WERE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN THE COST OF THE PROJECT WOULD EVER BE. AND AS A RESULT, BY HAVING THESE FUNDS AVAILABLE, WE DON'T HAVE TO GO OUT AND BOND THE PROJECT ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT THE BUILDING BEING SMALLER AND THE NO PARKING GARAGE AND NO OTHER STUFF, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WENT OUT AND BONDED $30 MILLION, YOU'D START PAYING ON $30 MILLION RIGHT AWAY. SO WHAT WE WANTED TO DO IS DEFER THAT UNTIL FEBRUARY OR MARCH OR ANYTIME. SO WE COULD, NUMBER ONE, GET THE DESIGN FINISHED, SEE WHAT IT ACTUALLY LOOKED LIKE, FIGURE OUT WHAT THE ACTUAL COST IS GOING TO BE SO THAT THE AMOUNT THAT NEEDS TO BE BUDGETED COULD EITHER BE REVIEWED INTERNALLY TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT WE COULD FIGURE OUT A WAY TO MAKE PAYMENTS ANNUALLY AS IT CAME DUE. HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEEK OUTSIDE FUNDING, LIKE FROM THE STATE AND OTHER PLACES, AS WELL AS, WORKING WITH THE COUNTY. IN THE EVENT THAT THE MONEY DOESN'T NEED TO BE USED FOR ANY PURPOSE ON BRIGHT LINE, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE SPENT PUTTING IT IN THE BUDGET JUST MEANS THAT IT'S RESERVED SO THAT IT'S AVAILABLE TO BE SPENT LATER. IT DOESN'T ACTUALLY MEAN THAT IT'LL BE SPENT OR NOT. IT COULD BE CARRIED OVER TO NEXT YEAR. IT COULD BE NOT SPENT AT ALL. AND RETURN TO THE POOL AT THE END OF THE YEAR. FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, MISTE THERE ARE SOME ORGANIZATIONS THAT TO APPLY FOR A GRANT OR TO APPLY FOR INTENT TO REIMBURSE. IF YOU WERE GOING TO BORROW MONEY LATER, THEY WANT TO SEE THE NUMBER IN YOUR BUDGET. LIKE IT WAS JUST SOMETHING YOU PULLED
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UP TODAY. SO BY HAVING THAT COMMITMENT IN PAPER AND HAVING THE COMMISSION MAKE THAT COMMITMENT OFTEN UNLOCKS THOSE FUTURE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER, FOR NOW, COMMISSIONER JOB. I HAD A QUESTION REGARDING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, BUT I DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO WRITE DOWN WHAT SECTION THAT WAS IN. THERE'S $226,645 FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. THAT'S CITY MANAGER'S BUDGET. IT'S A GOOD QUESTION AS WELL. IT COULD BE. IT COULD BE, IF IT'S I DON'T KNOW WHICH DEPARTMENT IT IS, BUT THERE'S MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS. IT'S LIKE IN THE CITY LEGAL DEPARTMENT. WE RESERVE, I THINK, $75,000 A YEAR FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. AND THEY NEED IN THE EVENT WE HAVE A CONFLICT OR NEED TO HIRE OUTSIDE COUNSEL IN THE PUBLIC WORKS, WE HAVE MULTIPLE ENGINEERS AND MULTIPLE, NEEDS FOR OUTSIDE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR THAT WE HAVE TO PAY THAT WOULD FALL AS A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AND OUTSIDE SERVICES THAT WE'D HAVE TO PAY THE MARTIN COUNTY MEDICAL DIRECTOR TO KEEP THE LICENSES FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. IN THE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE BOTH CAP TECH AND KIMLEY HORN, WHO DO INDEPENDENT REVIEWS OF SUBMITTALS, RECEIVED FROM OTHER PEOPLE THAT WE BUDGET TO HAVE THEIR FUNDING AVAILABLE TO BE ABLE TO DO THOSE OUTSIDE REVIEWS. SO I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT THIS PARTICULAR ONE IS, BUT YOU AND I CAN TALK ABOUT THAT TOO, BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT TIME. ONCE WE IDENTIFY THE LINE, SET ASIDE FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES IN EACH DEPARTMENT. WELL, AND NOT EACH DEPARTMENT, BUT THE BIGGER DEPARTMENTS LIKE, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC WORKS OR THE ROADS, WATER UTILITY, SEWER. AND THEN IN DEVELOPMENT, IT'S THE ENGINEERING FIRMS THAT HAVE TO REVIEW DESIGNS AND ARCHITECTURAL PLANS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND THEN I MENTIONED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. IT'S OBVIOUSLY THE, THE MEDICAL. SO IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, OUR EMTS HAVE TO PROVIDE ESSENTIALLY MEDICAL CARE. AND THEY HAVE TO DO IT THROUGH A LICENSED MEDICAL DOCTOR. AND THE MEDICAL EXAMINER FOR THE COUNTY SERVES AS THAT PERSON. BUT WE HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT SERVICE. BUT IN EACH ONE, IT DEPENDS ON WHICH DEPARTMENT IT IS. BUT THERE'S SEVERAL OF THOSE. SO COMMISSIONERS, AS WELL, SIMILAR TO THE 800,000 THAT THE MAYOR SPOKE ABOUT OR THAT THE MANAGER SPOKE ABOUT.FOR THE BRIGHT LINE, THIS IS A BUDGET. AND SO THEY THEY'VE PROJECTED THAT THEY MIGHT NEED PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ON A PROJECT OR SOMETHING. THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO GUARANTEE THAT WE'RE GOING TO SPEND THAT MONEY. THIS IS JUST TO SAY THAT IT'S SET ASIDE AND RESERVED FOR THAT.
SO IT DOESN'T GET SPENT ELSEWHERE. HOWEVER, THERE IS MOST OF THESE NUMBERS ARE BASED UPON HISTORIC EXPENSES AND THINGS AS WELL. SO IT'S NOT LIKELY IF IT'S $226,000, I CAN GUARANTEE IT'S NOT GOING TO BE ZERO. SO YEAH, THEY'RE GOING TO SPEND SOMETHING. YEAH, IT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING. THEY'RE GOING TO SPEND SOMETHING. RIGHT, MR. MAYOR, YEAH. SO I'M JUST GOING TO ASK COMMISSIONER JOB IF SHE WAS DONE. OH I'M SORRY. YES, I AM OKAY. THANK YOU. FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO SAY I'M SO HAPPY YOU ARE SITTING NEXT TO ME AGAIN. COMMISSIONER CLARK, I MISSED YOU WAY DOWN THERE. I THINK. COMMISSIONER CLARK, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YES.
COMMISSIONER SEAN, I APPRECIATE YOU, BUT THANK YOU. ARE YOU STANDING UP? YES. WE CAN'T SEE ANYTHING OVER THERE. WE'RE, LIKE, TALKING TO THEM, SO WE GOT TO GET THAT I TO. I THINK THAT'S A GOOD POINT. YEAH. BLOCKING OUR VIEW. YEAH. WE DON'T SEE ANYTHING EITHER. YEAH. WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON THAT, YOU CAN SWITCH WITH COMMISSIONER, SO. YEAH. SO ANYHOW, I'M JUST SO I KNOW THE DECLINE. YOU CAN DO THAT OVER THE 24 YEARS OR WHATEVER THAT SHOWED UP AND DOWN 2008. AND THEN WE'RE IN THE DECLINE. BUT AS WE GO ON TO OUR FINAL BUDGET APPROVAL AND EVERYTHING, WE'RE STILL HOPING TO BE AT FIVE MILLAGE RATE. YES, MA'AM. I MEAN, YOU TOLD ME TO MAKE IT WORK TO STAY RIGHT THERE. YES, MA'AM. YEAH, YEAH. OKAY, LET'S LET'S SEE. YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES WITH THE VALUES AND SO O, BUT. YEAH, SO WE'RE STILL WITHIN THAT RANGE AND WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THAT. ALL RIGHT. NOT IN THE RANGE. WE'RE RIGHT ON IT. RIGHT ON IT. WE UNDERSTAND. COMMISSIONER COLLINS DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I DID I HAD A COUPLE. JOLIE THE, I BELIEVE IT WAS IN THE CITY COMMISSION SECTION, BUT I MIGHT BE WRONG.
IT'S FIVE, EIGHT, 581. WHAT'S THE SECTION? I DON'T KNOW IF THAT HELPS YOU TOGGLE IT UP REAL QUICK. THAT'S THE GRANTS AND AID SECTION. I WAS JUST CURIOUS WHAT AIDES TO OTHER GOVERNMENTS, I SAW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BOARD AND STEWART HOUSING AUTHORITY, BUT 585818 OTHER GOVERNMENTS AND THEN AIDS TO PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS, THAT IS AIDS TO OTHER GOVERNMENT. MAIN STREET
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THAT 70 K THE STATE OF FLORIDA DICTATES WHO THESE WHAT THESE ACCOUNT NUMBERS ARE. AND SO IT'S SIMPLY THAT IF IT'S NOT THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY A GOVERNMENT OR NOT, IT'S JUST THAT THEY ARE THAT'S THE CATEGORY. WHETHER THEY'RE WHETHER THEY'RE CLASSIFIED AS THAT. AND SO WE PUT IT UNDER ORGANIZATIONS BECAUSE IT'S A ORGANIZATION RIGHT HERE VERSUS A GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHED WITH SOME OTHER THING. SO ACTUALLY, STEWART, I THINK THE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BOARD IS PROBABLY MORE OF AN ORGANIZATION THAN A GOVERNMENT. SO THESE TWO ARE INTERCHANGEABLE. THAT'S NOT WE'RE NOT VIOLATING ANYTHING BY MOVING BETWEEN THESE TWO OBJECTS. COMMISSIONER. I'M JUST ASKING FOR CLARIFICATION ON WHAT IT IS. IS 58581 MAIN STREET BECAUSE I SAW 57 FIVE AND THEN IT WENT TO 70 K. NO. SO WHAT'S IN FIVE, EIGHT, FIVE, ONE IN THE COMMISSION IS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BOARD FOR 50,020 THOUSAND TO THE STEWART HOUSING AUTHORITY. PERFECT AND THEN IN 582 YES IS 200 TO DOWNTOWN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, 500 TO FIND 70,000 TO MAIN STREET AGREEMENT WHICH CRA GIVES US THE 70,000 FOR THAT. SO THAT'S A WASH TO GENERAL FUND ANYWAY. YEP. 28,000 IS THE MOU BETWEEN CITY OF STEWART AND UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IFAS 5000 FOR SHARED SERVICES NETWORK, WHICH WAS WITH MARTIN COUNTY, 250 TO THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND 1200 TO I SEE NAACP. YES SIR. AND THEN THE DIFFERENCE IN THE AIDS TO PRIVATE THAT WAS THE ARPA MONEY THAT 603 950 WAS THE DIFFERENCE. YES, SIR. SO THAT THAT WAS VERY LARGE LAST YEAR BECAUSE OF THAT. SO OKAY. AND THEN I WAS JUST GOING THROUGH THE DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, POLICE FIRE, 10TH STREET, SOME OF THESE DIFFERENT BUCKETS, THE REGULAR SALARIES AND WAGES WITHIN FIRE RESCUE REPRESENTED A 20% INCREASE. THAT WOULD BE 12 NEW EMPLOYEES. YEAH, YEAH THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT IT'S AMAZING. YOU GUYS WERE ABLE TO MAKE THIS WORK. YEAH YEAH. BUT WE ALSO WE KNEW IT WAS COMING OBVIOUSLY SINCE THEY STARTED CONSTRUCTION OF STATION THREE. BUT IT WASN'T LIKE THERE WAS A BIG PILE WAITING TO FROM WHAT I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, THAT'S AMAZING.YEAH WELL, YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE MY GOATEE, SO WE SHAVED EVERYTHING, THAT'S WHY. YEAH, WE SHAVED EVERYTHING. AND THEN GENERALLY, IT ALL, IT ALL COMES DOWN TO PRIORITIES. COMMISSIONER AND THAT WAS ONE. AND THE MANAGER SAID, MAKE IT WORK WITHIN THE POLICE. THAT WAS ANOTHER ONE THAT THAT I FOUND, MADE MY EYEBROWS GO UP. WAS THE FLEET VEHICLE LEASES ARE GOING FROM 346 TO 590. THAT WAS A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT STEP, TOO. RIGHT. SO WHAT HAPPENS IS IT'S BEEN OUR LONG TERM PLAN TO GET INTO A LEASE ROTATION SCHEDULE. SO LET ME TELL YOU WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING. THANK YOU FOR THE LAST PRIOR FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS. NOW EACH YEAR WE WERE SPENDING IN GENERAL FUND ALONE. WE WERE SPENDING 400 TO $500,000 A YEAR REPLACING VEHICLES AND THEN ALSO BANKING AWAY 300 TO $400,000 A YEAR FOR FUTURE VEHICLES THAT WE WERE GOING TO BUY. AND SO WHAT HAPPENS IS WE VERY PROUDLY, VERY PROUDLY, WE HAVE A PROUD, LONG TRADITION OF THIS, OF DRIVING A VEHICLE UNTIL THE TIRES FALL OFF. OKAY. AND THEN WE SELL THAT VEHICLE ON.
THERE'S A WEBSITE CALLED GOV DEALS, AND WE SELL THESE VEHICLES FOR $200 FOR 500 BUCKS.
ENTERPRISE LEASE FLEET MANAGEMENT HAS APPROACHED SEVERAL GOVERNMENTS IN THE AREA, LIKE PALM BEACH GARDENS. SOME OF THOSE AND WHAT HAPPENS IS THEY TAKE YOUR VEHICLES AND NOW THEY SAY, OKAY, WE'LL PROVIDE YOU WHAT'S CALLED THE WHITE FLEET. SO YOUR PURSUIT VEHICLES, YOUR YOUR PICKUP TRUCKS, YOUR F-150S, THAT KIND OF THING. OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT VEHICLES, THE PLANNING INSPECTION VEHICLES. AND THEN WHAT THEY DO IS YOU SAY, WELL, YOU'LL RUN IT DURING THE LEASE SLASH WARRANTY PERIOD. AND THEN AT THE END WHEN THE VEHICLE STILL WORTH SOMETHING, YOU TRADE THAT VEHICLE IN AND YOU NOW HAVE A DOWN PAYMENT TOWARDS REPLACING IT TO BUY DOWN THE COST OF THE NEXT VEHICLE TO KEEP IT THAT WAY. WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD SOME OF OUR EARLY ADOPTERS HAVE SEEN SOME SUCCESSFUL THINGS WITH THAT. I HAVE BANKED AWAY $207,000 IN PAYMENTS FROM THE SALE OF THOSE VEHICLES TO OFFSET THE COST OF FUTURE VEHICLES. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS ONE OF THOSE VERY HIGHLY INTENSIVE VEHICLE DEPARTMENTS. THEY HAVE MILEAGE AS WELL, NOT JUST MILEAGE. I'M SAYING THEY HAVE 64 POLICE OFFICERS, I THINK. RIGHT, CHIEF? SOMETHING SOMETHING LIKE OR 64 EMPLOYEES IN TOTAL WITH 40 SOMETHING PATROL. RIGHT. SO THERE'S, YOU KNOW, 40 VEHICLES ON THE ROAD AND WE STILL HAVEN'T REPLACED ALL OF THOSE VEHICLES YET AND PUT THEM INTO THE LEASE ROTATION PROGRAM. BUT THAT EXPENSE YOU'RE SEEING THERE IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHAT YOU'RE NOT SEEING IS MY GIANT TRANSFER TO FUND BALANCE TO FUND HIS FUTURE VEHICLES TO BE REPLACED. SO WHEN I CAME TO STEWART IN 1995, WE LITERALLY WERE PULLING UP IN THE PARKING
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LOT. ONE COP WOULD GET OUT AND ANOTHER COP WOULD GET IN AND DRIVE OFF IN THE SAME CAR.THAT'S NOT THAT'S NOT AN EXAGGERATION. AND SO THOSE VEHICLES WOULD HAVE 300, 000 MILES ON THEM, YOU KNOW, TWO NEW TRANSMISSIONS, MULTIPLE THINGS. AND THEY'RE LIKE, WE'VE BEEN DRIVING THIS CAR 20 YEARS. I'M LIKE, YEAH, WE GET EIGHT MILES TO THE GALLON. AND I PUT TWO TRANSMISSIONS IN IT. SO THESE CARS HAVE A LOWER MAINTENANCE EXPENSE. SO WE ARE SEEING OUR MAINTENANCE EXPENSE DROP ALONG WITH THAT. SO I THINK WHEN THE PROGRAM IS FULLY ADOPTED AND NOW THIS NEXT YEAR IS THE FIRST REALLY BIG YEAR, I THINK THE FIRE AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT WERE THE FIRST EARLY ADOPTERS WHO'VE SEEN THE VEHICLE TRADE IN AND GET MONEY BACK TOWARDS THE NEW ONE. THIS IS GOING TO BE OUR FIRST ROUND OF REALLY BIG VEHICLES ACROSS MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS THIS YEAR TO TRADE THAT BACK IN, AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'LL USE. WE'LL USE THOSE TRADE IN VALUES TO BUY DOWN THE PAYMENTS ON THE SUBSEQUENT VEHICLES THAT REPLACE THEM. SO IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS LIKE IT LOOKS LIKE AN INCREASE, BUT IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO JUST HAVE FAITH AND RIDE THE PROGRAM FOR IT TO BE LONG TERM, SUCCESSFUL. AND THEN I HAD A BIT OF AN ASK WAS ALONG THE LINES OF RESERVING MONEY, NOT NECESSARILY SPENDING IT, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN CONVERSATION ABOUT AN ENVIRONMENTAL ATTORNEY, AND IF THERE WAS SOME CONSENSUS FROM US THAT THAT MIGHT BE A DIRECTION WE WANT TO GO INTO, THIS YEAR I THOUGHT NOW MIGHT BE A GOOD TIME TO BRING UP RESERVING 200, 300, POTENTIALLY FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL ATTORNEY. PUT THAT IN THE IF THE IF THE IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE I HEAR THE DESK COMMISSIONER IS SAYING PARALEGAL AS WELL. IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A FULL TIME POSITION FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL ATTORNEY, YOU'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT 300 FOR THE ATTORNEY, AND JUST BECAUSE THE IF I SAID THE ATTORNEY CHARGED 200 FOR THEM TO LEAVE THEIR FIRM, FRS CONTRIBUTION IS 35%, AND THEN YOU HAVE SOCIAL SECURITY, HEALTH INSURANCE, MEDICARE AND OTHER EXPENSES RELATED TO IT. SO IT'D PROBABLY BE AROUND 300 FOR THE ATTORNEY, I CAN OBVIOUSLY THIS BUDGET THAT WAS PRESENTED IS BALANCED, BUT I CAN SIT DOWN WITH THE FINANCE DIRECTOR AND GO THROUGH AND CUT THINGS TO MAKE THAT BE THERE. IF IN FACT, IT INCLUDES A PARALEGAL, OBVIOUSLY THE NUMBER NEEDS TO BE HIGHER, MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE AT THIS POINT, LIKE I WAS GOING TO SAY DO THE 300 UP FRONT AND THEN WE CAN WE CAN DO A BUDGET AMENDMENT AT THE TIME ANYWAY, IF WE FIND IT. SO IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU WANT TO ADD A PARALEGAL, WE CAN ALWAYS DO THAT AT MID-YEAR OR DO WHATEVER ANYWAY AND COME BACK TO VISIT I.
BUT, I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND 200 JUST BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THE TO GET A HIGH QUALITY ENVIRONMENTAL LAWYER TO LEAVE A PRIVATE PRACTICE 150 OR 125 ISN'T GOING TO GET THE JOB DONE.
SO, YOU KNOW, I WOULD RECOMMEND HAVING IT A HIGHER NUMBER. AND THEN I'LL JUST HAVE TO SIT DOWN WITH JOEY BETWEEN NOW AND SEPTEMBER AND SQUEEZE IT OUT. MR. MANAGER, I CAN SAY WITH A HIGH LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE THAT A $200,000 ATTORNEY OR $190,000 ATTORNEY WOULD COST YOU 300,000 OUT THE DOOR TAX TAG, TITLE TAX. OKAY, SO. OKAY, SO IF THERE'S A CONSENSUS FROM THE COMMISSION TO PURSUE, THERE'S NO CONSENSUS HERE. I WOULD PREFER TO PUT THIS FOR A D AND D THERE ARE I ATTEND THE MOST MEETINGS BY FAR WITH ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS. AND IF ANY ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP SAW THAT THE CITY OF STUART HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO FORWARD WITH A SUIT, THEY KNOW THAT THEY CAN COME TO ME AND THAT I WOULD DO EVERYTHING I COULD TO CREATE THAT OPPORTUNITY. I SEE THIS AS A LITTLE BIT OF A DISRESPECT TO OUR NEW ATTORNEY. ONE OF MY VERY FIRST MEETINGS WITH MR. BAGGETT, I BOUGHT GIL SMART AND EVE SAMPLES IN, AND WE SAT DOWN AND WE TALKED AND IT WAS IT'S NOT VERY COMPLICATED. MR. BAGGETT IS WELL AWARE THAT THERE IS NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT TO THIS COMMUNITY. TO ME. AND I KNOW TO YOU, MR. COLLINS, THAN THE FIGHT FOR CLEAN WATER. IF I DIDN'T KNOW YOU PERSONALLY, I WOULD SEE THIS SUGGESTION. I WOULD THINK YOU'RE WORKING FOR BIG SUGAR BECAUSE THEY WOULD LIKE NOTHING BETTER THAN THE CITY OF STUART TO WASTE THEIR TIME, ENERGY AND RESOURCE AND THROW A MONKEY WRENCH INTO THE LOATHSOME AGREEMENT WE JUST FINALLY GOT SIGNED. THEY'RE SAYING THAT THE DISCHARGES TO THE RIVER COULD BE CUT 98 TO 99%. THEY WOULD LOVE FOR SOMEBODY TO COME IN AND GO, OH, NO, THIS IS NOT RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO SUE YOU OR SOMETHING. I
[00:45:06]
MEAN, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO TO SUE. I'VE ATTENDED MANY OF TODAY. MR. COLLINS I DON'T I JUST DON'T WANT TO GO DOWN THIS ROAD HERE. I'VE BEEN TO TWO ANNUAL MARINE RESOURCES COUNCIL MEETINGS WHERE ALL THE MOST ACADEMICS IN THE STATE COME AND TALK ABOUT THIS, AND IT'S RUN BY WHO? OH MY GOSH, JIM MOYER, HE LIVES IN THE CITY OF STUART. I'VE BEEN HIS CLOSE FRIEND FOR 30 YEARS. I HAVE ATTENDED THE EVERGLADES CONFERENCE TWICE, 500 PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR CLEAN WATER FOR DECADES IN SOME OF THE MOST POWERFUL ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS. I DON'T BELIEVE YOU HAVE ATTENDED THOSE, MR. COLLINS. EVERY PERSON I SEE THERE, I GO. I'M FROM THE CITY OF STUART. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE BEST OPPORTUNITY FOR STANDING. IF YOU SEE ANY ABILITY FOR US TO GO FORWARD IN A LAWSUIT, PLEASE TELL ME. I'LL DO EVERYTHING I CAN. WHO'S THAT? RUN BY? OH, OUR OWN MARK PERRY, WHO I'VE KNOWN FOR 40 YEARS AND MARK KNOWS VERY WELL THAT I WOULD DO ANYTHING. I JUST. I DO NOT SEE THE NEED FOR THIS NOW IF THE OPPORTUNITY ARISES. IN FACT, WE TOOK A VERY GOOD STEP RECENTLY WITH EVE SAMPLES AND SHE CAME DOWN AND WE SIGNED ON TO. IN WHAT MANNER, MR. BAGGETT, DID WE SIGN ON? COULD YOU I MEAN, WE'RE SERVING AS A FRIEND OF THE COURT, I GUESS IN THE APPELLATE LEVEL AND WHAT SHE SAID. AND SHE'S RIGHT. SHE SAYS THIS IS THE BEST OPPORTUNITY THE CITY WILL HAVE TO GAIN STANDING. I AM ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT THE ONLY PERSON IN THIS ROOM WHO IS ENGAGED IN A SUIT AGAINST, GOVERNMENTAL BODIES LIKE THAT IS MYSELF. I SUED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT 25 YEARS AGO. IT TOOK ME TWO YEARS TO JUST TO GET STANDING AND LOTS AND LOTS OF MY OWN MONEY. NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMEBODY ELSE'S MONEY HERE. AND I GOT A THREE JUDGE PANEL TO COME DOWN FROM WASHINGTON AND WE HAD THREE DAYS OF HEARINGS. THERE WERE 25 LAWYERS ON THE OTHER SIDE. THE HEAD OF THE FIRM FROM MIAMI CAME UP TO ME AND SAID, THANK YOU, CAMPBELL. YOU SENT TWO OF MY KIDS THROUGH COLLEGE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SO MUCH MONEY. OH, AND THEN I SUED WALMART. SO I AM NOT NAIVE ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES TO FOR THE LITTLE DAVID OF STUART TO GO UP AGAINST THESE GOLIATHS. THIS IS NOT THE TIME WE HAVE LOATHSOME WERE INVOLVED WITH EVE SAMPLES. THE CASE WAS APPEALED BY BIG SUGAR WHICH IS MY POINT.IT'S EXACTLY WHAT BIG SUGAR WANTS. IT'S APPEALED TO THE 11TH DISTRICT. THEY'RE GOING TO HEAR IT IN NOVEMBER. LET'S JUST LET THIS RUN A LITTLE. MR. COLLINS, YOU BRING ANYBODY TO ME WHO SAYS, HERE'S WHO WE CAN SUE, AND HERE'S THE MANNER BY WHICH WE CAN ACCOMPLISH IT, I WILL 100% SUPPORT IT. IT DOES NOT EXIST RIGHT NOW. I'M SORRY. WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT? I'D LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT. EXCUSE ME. I'M SORRY. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A COMMISSIONER JOB. YES. OKAY.
FIRST, THIS WAS NEVER ABOUT DISPARAGING OUR ATTORNEY. WE KNOW THAT LEE IS BUSY WITH OTHER THINGS WITHIN THE CITY. SO TO SPLIT HIS TIME AND ENERGY TOWARD SOMETHING ENVIRONMENTAL WOULD BE UNFAIR TO OUR ATTORNEY. IT HAD ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH HIS ABILITIES. HE'S A GREAT CITY ATTORNEY, AND HE DOES A GREAT JOB, BUT HE HAS A JOB AND HIS FULL TIME. OKAY, SO THAT'S NUMBER ONE. NUMBER TWO, YOU'RE RIGHT. THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS HAVE GUARANTEED THAT THEY WILL NOT RELEASE ANY WATERS. BUT THAT'S ONLY BASED ON RAINFALL. IF IT REACHES A POINT, THEY WILL HAVE TO RELEASE IT. AND SO ALL OF THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE WOULD BE REVERSED. WE WOULD NOW BE DEALING AGAIN WITH ALGAE AND WHATNOT BEING PUT INTO THE RIVERS. SO I JUST THINK IT WAS SOMETHING THAT MAYBE COMMISSIONER COLLINS BROUGHT UP FOR DISCUSSION. THAT'S ALL.
WELL, IF WE WANT TO PUT IT ON FOR A D AND D AND GET GIL SMART AND MARK PERRY AND FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, WHAT I CAN DO IS I'LL. I'LL SIT WITH THE FINANCE DIRECTOR AND BRING BACK FOR THE SEPTEMBER MEETING, BOTH SO I CAN BRING BACK A BUDGET WITH IT IN IT. AND THE BUDGET WITHOUT. WE CAN DO A MEETING PRIOR TO OR DISCUSSION PRIOR TO AS IT RELATES TO IT, BECAUSE AS IT RELATES TO PUTTING IT IN THE BUDGET, WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO IT AT THE FIRST MEETING IN SEPTEMBER. SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE TIME FOR TO GO DOWN THE PATH. BUT I WILL BRING BACK SOMETHING SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS IT EITHER WAY AT THE NEXT
[00:50:01]
MEETING. AND TREAT IT AS AN AGENDA ITEM. THAT WAS THE NATURE OF MY ASK, WAS TO SEE IF YOU COULD FIND IT. AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, MR. BAGGETT WOULD NOT PURSUE THIS LITIGATION. HE WOULD HAVE TO HIRE SOMEONE. IT WOULD BE A SEPARATE FUND. AND AT CONSIDERABLE EXPENSE. SO NO, I NEVER THOUGHT THAT MR. BAGGETT WOULD PURSUE THIS, BUT HE WOULD KNOW THAT THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY AND HE WOULD COME BEFORE US AND SAY, WE NEED TO HIRE AN ENVIRONMENTAL ATTORNEY TO PURSUE IT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR OUR BUDGET DIRECTOR? SURE. I HAVE A QUESTION ON THE WHOLE BRIGHT LINE THING. SO IT BEING IN THE CRA BUDGET RIGHT NOW, IS THAT BASICALLY GRANTING OUR CITY MANAGER OR CRA TO SPEND THAT MONEY RIGHT AWAY, AS SOON AS THIS BUDGET WOULD BE APPROVED BECAUSE IT'S APPROPRIATED IN THERE, THE YES AND NO. FIRST, IT'S NOT LIKE I'M GOING TO WRITE A CHECK FOR $800,000 TO ANYBODY, BUT ASSUMING THAT THE COUNTY ADOPTED THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT AND THAT THE BRIGHT LINE PROJECT MOVED FORWARD, AND THAT THE RFP IN SEPTEMBER, HOT QUALIFIED ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS THAT STARTED AND WERE HIRED TO DO THE INITIAL DESIGN. IN OCTOBER, WE RECEIVED A BILL FOR $45,000. THEN THE COUNTY AND THE CITY WOULD BE SPLITTING THAT BASED UPON THE BREAKDOWN IN THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT. ASSUMING THAT OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND THE PEOPLE THAT I WOULD BE HIRING TO DO THE REVIEW ON BEHALF OF THE CITY, AS DESCRIBED IN THE AGREEMENT, SAID YES, THAT WAS A REASONABLE CHARGE FOR THAT, THEN WE WOULD PAY THAT $38,000 BILL MOVING FORWARD. BUT IF IT GETS APPROVED IN THE BUDGET ON THE SECOND MEETING OF SEPTEMBER, THEN IT WOULD BE AS THE BILLS ACCRUED OR AND AGAIN, THIS HAS COME UP AND WE HAVEN'T DECIDED HOW WE WANT TO DO IT YET. THERE WAS ALSO SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT EITHER GETTING CONVENTIONAL FINANCING OR EVEN DOING A BOND ISSUE. AND USING FUTURE CRA REVENUE TO PAY THAT OFF. THAT WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE A DECISION FOR THE COMMISSION TO DECIDE. THIS MONEY IS LITERALLY JUST SET TO PUT US IN A POSITION TO NOT MAKE A DECISION REGARDING ANY BONDING OR ANYTHING ELSE UNTIL AFTER DESIGN WAS COMPLETE. COMMISSIONER. THE APPROPRIATION DOES TWO THINGS. IT DOES AUTHORIZE THE EXPENSE, BUT IT ALSO AUTHORIZES YOU, EVEN YOU.THE COMMISSION AREN'T ALLOWED TO JUST SPEND MONEY WITHOUT AN APPROPRIATION. SO THAT'S WHY IT'S CALLED APPROPRIATION, NOT AN EXPENSE. SO THIS IS GIVING YOU THE AUTHORITY, BUT YOU THEN HAVE OTHER LEVELS OF PROTECTION IN PLACE. SO WE HAVE A PROCUREMENT POLICY THAT THEN THE MANAGER DOESN'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO GO JUST TO SIGN A CONTRACT TO SOMEONE FOR 800,000.
SO THEN YOU WOULD THEN BE PRESENTED WITH THE CONTRACT TO APPROVE, AND THERE WOULD BE THINGS LIKE THAT. SO IT PUTTING IT IN THE BUDGET, IT COVERS YOU AND HIM. BUT THEN THERE'S STILL MULTIPLE STOP GAP POINTS ALONG THE WAY. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, MR. REID? I JUST DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE IN THE BUDGET. I THINK THEY SHOULD BE PAYING FOR IT. THAT'S MY BIGGEST CONCERN. YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SPENDING MONEY AND STUFF, 800,000 IS A LOT OF MONEY TO BE GIVEN AWAY TO A PRIVATE COMPANY. SO THE DISTINCTION FOR ME IS IT'S NOT A CURRENTLY OR SINCE DECEMBER 13TH, THE CITY OF STUART HAD BEEN OBLIGATED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FUNDING. SO IF IN FACT, MARTIN COUNTY ADOPTS THAT INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT EITHER TOMORROW OR AT THEIR NEXT MEETING, THEN IF I DON'T BUDGET IT AND WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH THE MONEY OR WE'RE IN BREACH OF CONTRACT, I'VE BREACHED MY FIDUCIARY DUTY OF PRESENTING A BUDGET TO MEET THAT OBLIGATION.
SO THE QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT BRIGHTLINE, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST LIKE IF IT WAS A IF IT WAS MEMORIAL PARK, IF SOMEBODY SAID, WELL, I DON'T THINK PARKS, PARKS DON'T DON'T MAKE MONEY, THEREFORE WE SHOULDN'T BUDGET MONEY TO MAINTAIN THE PARK. WELL, I'VE GOT $300,000 IN THIS BUDGET TO MAINTAIN SAILFISH BALL FIELDS, EVEN THOUGH 12 TO 15 KIDS FROM STUART USE THEM. BUT IT'S STILL. I KNOW THAT THE COMMISSION HAS DIRECTED ME IN THE PAST TO MAINTAIN SAILFISH BALL FIELDS. AS A BASEBALL FIELD. I HAVE GOT TO PUT THE MONEY IN THE BUDGET OR ELSE THERE WON'T BE THE FUNDING TO MAINTAIN THE BASEBALL FIELDS. NOW IF IN FACT THE COMMISSION ALONG THE WAY SAID TERMINATE BRIGHTLINE AND BRIGHTLINE GET TERMINATED, THEN I WOULDN'T SPEND THE MONEY JUST AS IF YOU SAID TERMINATE THE SAILFISH BALL FIELDS AND SAID STOP PROVIDING BASEBALL AT SAILFISH PARK. EVEN THOUGH THE $300,000 IS BUDGETED FOR SAILFISH PARK, THAT MONEY WOULDN'T GET SPENT. BUT I CAN'T MOVE FORWARD IN THE NEXT YEAR. FACING AN OBLIGATION THAT I KNOW
[00:55:05]
EXISTS AND NOT BUDGETED BUDGETS FOR ANY OBLIGATIONS WE HAVE AND RIGHT NOW THAT'S AN OBLIGATION WE HAVE THAT I CAN'T JUST IGNORE. SO WOULD IT BE A BIG DEAL IF THAT MONEY STAYED IN THE GENERAL FUND THEN, UNTIL WE FOUND A GENERAL FUND? IT'S NOT. THAT'S CORRECT. SO IT WILL NEVER GO TO THE GENERAL FUND. WILL NEVER GO. GOTCHA. OKAY OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ADDITIONAL QUESTION. COMMISSIONER GOP. REGARDING THE BRIGHT LINE, AND THIS IS FOR YOU, MIKE, I UNDERSTAND ALL THAT YOU'RE SAYING. DO WE HAVE ANY RECOURSE IF MARTIN COUNTY GOES ALONG WITH THE CURRENT INTERLOCKING AGREEMENT? DO WE HAVE A RECOURSE AS THE CITY? WHEN YOU SAY RECOURSE, IF THE IF MARTIN COUNTY GOES ALONG WITH IT AND ADOPTS THE AGREEMENT, THEN WE WOULD BE FOLLOWING THE AGREEMENT. UNLESS WE TERMINATED IT. I MEAN, IF WE TERMINATED IT, DEPENDING ON WHAT THE OBLIGATIONS ARE UNDER THE AGREEMENT, WE WOULD BE THE YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE TO PAY MY MORTGAGE, BUT IF I STOP PAYING THE MORTGAGE, THERE'S PROBABLY IN EFFECT, YOU KNOW, THE BANK WOULD PROBABLY START CALLING ME. BUT IF IN FACT, MARTIN COUNTY ADOPTED THE AGREEMENT AND THEN WE BACKED OUT, WE WOULD BE BREACHING THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT. TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I DON'T THINK STUART'S EVER BREACHED AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BEFORE. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN, BUT THEY COULD SUE US. NO, I WAS JUST ASKING, DID WE HAVE RECOURSE TO GET OUT OF THE CONTRACT? OKAY. SO ARE THERE OTHER METHODS TO GET TO BACK OUT OF IT? IF THE COUNTY. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, LET'S COMPLICATE IT, BECAUSE IF THE COUNTY DIDN'T ADOPT IT, THERE MIGHT BE METHODS THAT ARE DIFFERENT TO BACK OUT OF IT. IF THE COUNTY DID ADOPT IT, THEN HONESTLY, I WOULD PROBABLY DEFER TO LEE OR DEFER TO OTHERS AND, YOU KNOW, HAVE IT REVIEWED OR OR OR LOOKED AT. IT'S PROBABLY THIS DISCUSSION PROBABLY BE BETTER AT THE END OF THE GENERAL CITY COMMISSION MEETING JUST BECAUSE WE'RE STARTING TO RUN LATE AND IT'S NOT REALLY A BUDGET QUESTION AS MUCH AS IT'S A POLICY ISSUE, BUT WE CAN DISCUSS IT FURTHER. OKAY. THANK YOU. WELL, WE HAVE A FEW MOMENTS HERE BEFORE WE HAVE TO BEGIN OUR NEXT MEETING. SO I'M ADJOURNING THIS MEETING. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I'M SORRY. OH,[APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
I'M PUBLIC COMMENT. I'M SORRY. MAY I ALSO GET A APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA? ALL IN FAVOR? HI. HI.THANKS. FOR THAT ONE. ON THE PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC. IT'S MY FIRST MEETING. I'LL GET
[COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC]
IT. GREAT. VELENA JONES, A 40 YEAR RESIDENT ON NORTH RIVER BEACH, I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHAT THE INCOME IS FROM THE SUNSET AGREEMENT AND THE REST. IT WAS LIKE 430,000 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IT STARTED AT 365, AND IT'S BEEN INDEXING AT ABOUT THREE PER YEAR. SO IT'S WELL OVER FOUR NOT INCLUDING TAXES. THAT WAS 424 297. THAT'S THE RENT. AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT THEY PAY THE AD VALOREM TAXES ON THE PROPERTY. YEAH. 424 TWO 9424 297 THE COMMISSIONER IS CORRECT.THAT'S THE RENT THEY GENERATE. AND THEN WHATEVER THEIR CONTRIBUTION IS TO THE COMMUNITY FROM PROPERTY TAX AND SALES TAX AND OTHER STUFF. BUT THE LEASE AGREEMENT WITH US IS 424. ANY IDEA WHAT THE ACTUAL INCOME IS? NO NO MA'AM. THAT'S PROPRIETARY INFORMATION. THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE WILL NOT LET ME KNOW WHAT A PRIVATE COMPANY MAKES. THANK YOU. CAN I ADJOURN IT
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.