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MANDATORY BUDGET MEETING. SO THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED, AND I'M CALLING TO ORDER THE SPECIAL COMMISSION MEETING. TENTATIVE MILLAGE AND TENTATIVE BUDGET OF THE STUART CITY COMMISSION FOR THE 8TH OF SEPTEMBER, 2025. A FEW MINUTES LATE. ROLL CALL, PLEASE. MAYOR
[ROLL CALL]
RICH HERE, VICE MAYOR COLLINS, COMMISSIONER CLARK HERE. COMMISSIONER DOBY HERE.COMMISSIONER REID HERE. PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. 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. AND WE'RE
[COMMENTS BY CITY COMMISSIONERS ]
GOING RIGHT TO COMMENTS BY CITY COMMISSIONERS. COMMISSIONER REED, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS REGARDING THE BUDGET MEETING? SURE. JOLIE I KNOW IN THE CITY COMMISSION BUDGET, IT'S 25,500 AIDES TO OTHER GOVERNMENT. WHAT WAS THAT FOR? JUST A MOMENT, SIR. IF THIS IS THIS IS COMMENTS BY COMMISSION. IF IT'S COMMENTS BY COMMISSIONERS, IF WE COULD WAIT. YEAH. IT'S GENERALLY RIGHT. SEPARATE FROM THE MATTER AT HAND. COMMISSIONER JOB, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMISSIONER CLARK. NO. MR. VICE MAYOR, I HAVE NONE. MR. MARTEL. FIRST I NEED TO ADDRESS[COMMENTS BY CITY MANAGER ]
SOME MATTERS. BY 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, AND TO TENTATIVELY ADOPT THE MILLAGE RATE AND CITY BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2026. THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN ADVERTISED VIA THE NOTICE OF PROPOSED PROPERTY TAXES MAILED BY THE PROPERTY APPRAISER'S OFFICE. NOW, IN RESPONSE TO COMMISSIONER REED'S QUESTION, I. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE $25,000 SPECIFICALLY IS THAT WAS BUDGETED, THAT WAS PROPOSED TO JOLIE, BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT ON THE BUDGET AS A WHOLE. I'M ASSUMING IT'S PROBABLY A CARRYOVER FROM LAST YEAR AS IT RELATES TO THE BTB BOARD, THAT WE'D ALWAYS GIVE $25,000 TO THE BDB. NO, SIR, THAT COULD BE A CARRYOVER. HE'S SAYING NO, BUT I HAVEN'T. BUT I'M ASSUMING WELL, JUST REAL QUICKLY IF I CAN COMMENT, ASSUMING IT WAS, IT WOULDN'T BE US GIVING THE MONEY TO THE BTB ANYWAY. IT WOULD JUST BE A BUDGETING OF MONEY THAT COULD BE AVAILABLE TO GIVE TO OTHER AGENCIES. THAT WOULD STILL REQUIRE COMMISSION ACTION AND APPROVAL AND A RESOLUTION, UNLESS IT WAS SPECIFICALLY AUTHORIZED BY THE BOARD TO DO SO. AND HE CAN PRESENT THE BUDGET AT THIS POINT. IF YOU GUYS ARE INTERESTED TO HEAR THE WHOLE BUDGET OR IF YOU DON'T WANT TO, BUT WE'VE ADJUSTED THE BUDGET TO RE BUDGET THE FOUR ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEES, AND THE BALANCE WAS THEN REDUCED DOWN, AND IT THEN RESULTS IN A MILLAGE RATE OF 4.9 INSTEAD OF FIVE. SO IT'S A REDUCTION IN THE MILLAGE RATE. AND THEN THE DIFFERENCE IS OBVIOUSLY ADDRESSED BY WAY OF THE FOUR EMPLOYEES. OKAY. SO ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS. AND WELL[APPROVAL OF AGENDA ]
JOLIE'S HERE AND READY TO GO OKAY. GO THROUGH I WOULD NEED A MOTION I'M SORRY FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA. OH SORRY. YES OKAY. SO MOVED. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION BY THE VICE MAYOR AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CLARK. DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, I. MOTION PASSES COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON NON AGENDA RELATED ITEMS. DO WE HAVE ANY? MADAM CLERK DO NOT HAVE ANY I WOULDN'T OKAY. CAN'T IMAGINE.[COMMISSION ACTION ]
OKAY. MOVING ON TO COMMISSION ACTION. SO DO WE NEED A MOTION MR. WE NEED A THE THE ATTORNEY TO READ THE TENTATIVE MILLAGE RESOLUTION. RESOLUTION NUMBER EIGHT SEVEN DASH 2025, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, ADOPTING THE TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026, PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. AND MAYOR, MAY I MAKE. YES, COMMISSIONER CLARK, ARE YOU GOING TO READ FURTHER OF THE RESOLUTION? NO, I WAS JUST COMMENTING THAT THIS IS WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT. THE CAN I MAKE A MOTION BEFORE WE START THE DISCUSSION? YES. MAY I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 87 DASH 2025. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CLARK AND A SECOND[00:05:05]
BY THE VICE MAYOR. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS FIRST ITEM AS REGARDS THE BUDGET? MADAM CLERK, I HAVE NO COMMENTS. MAYOR. NONE. QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BY THE COMMISSIONERS.MR. BOGLIOLI, DO WE HAVE TO VOTE? IF I COULD IF I COULD JUST. OKAY, BRIEFLY. ALL RIGHT.
THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA ROLLED BACK RATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 IS 4.7014 MILLS AS WAS ADVERTISED ON THE NOTICE SENT OUT BY THE TAX COLLECTOR PROPERTY APPRAISER. THE CITY IS PROPOSING A MILLAGE RATE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR OF 2026, WHICH EXCEEDS THE ROLLBACK BY 4.22%.
THE CITY IS PROPOSING A MILLAGE RATE OF 4.9 MILLS, WHICH IS A REDUCTION FROM LAST YEAR'S MILLAGE RATE OF 5.0 MILLS. THE PURPOSE FOR THE INCREASE FROM THE ROLLBACK RATE TO THE 4.9 RATE IS TO FUND CURRENT OPERATIONS AND ACCOMMODATE NORMAL INCREASES IN THE COST OF THOSE OPERATIONS, AND NOW WE CAN GO FORWARD WITH ANY DISCUSSION BY THE BOARD AS IT RELATES TO THE MILLAGE RATE OF 4.9%. OKAY. JUST FOR THE PUBLIC, MR. BOGLIOLI, AGAIN, JUST GIVE US THE TOTAL OF OUR BUDGET AND THEN GIVE US THE DIFFERENCE IN WHAT IT WAS AT 4.75. WHAT IS IT AT 4.9 NOW, JUST FOR THE PUBLIC. AND THEN ALSO ANY POTENTIAL FOR THAT DIFFERENCE IN NUMBER, ADDING THE FOUR JOBS THAT WE DISCUSSED WITH AT THE LAST TIME AND HOW MUCH POTENTIALLY THE TOTAL CUT IN, IN, IN JOBS OR SALARY WOULD BE IF YOU IF YOU HAVEN'T FIGURED IT OUT LIKE THAT, YOU DON'T HAVE TO JUST GIVE ME WHATEVER. JUST GIVE THE PUBLIC WHATEVER SUMMARY YOU HAVE. ALRIGHT, LET ME TRY AND GO THIS. FIRST OF ALL, I DON'T WANT TO IGNORE COMMISSIONER REED'S QUESTION, SIR, THE CITY MANAGER WAS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT IN THE STATEMENT THAT THE BUDGET IS A BUDGET AND EVEN THOUGH IT IS A LOT MORE ZEROS THAN AT HOME, IT IS STILL A DOCUMENT THAT WE ADOPT WHICH THE CITY STAFF UNLIKE. AND I SAY THIS EVERY TIME, SO I HOPE AT SOME POINT IT STICKS RIGHT TO REPETITION. IT STICKS. UNLIKE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THOSE GOVERNMENTS ABOVE US, WE'RE REQUIRED TO ADOPT A BALANCED BUDGET. WE ALSO CANNOT SPEND ANY MONEY NOT APPROPRIATED BY THE CITY COMMISSION. SO AND IN ALL MY TIME AT THE CITY, THE MAYOR JUST PARTICIPATED IN SELECTING OUR EXTERNAL AUDITORS. EVERY YEAR WE ARE AUDITED BY OUTSIDE CPA FIRMS WHO LOOK AT OUR FINANCIAL RECORDS, LOOK AT OUR BOOKS. AND ONE OF THE TEST IS, HAS THE CITY STAFF EXCEEDED WHAT WAS BUDGETED BY THE CITY COMMISSION? AND WE'VE NEVER EXCEEDED WHAT WAS APPROPRIATED FOR US. NOW, IN PAST YEARS WHERE WE HAD A HURRICANE, THE COMMISSION ADOPTED THE THEY AMENDED THE BUDGET TO GIVE US MORE MONEY BECAUSE OF THE HURRICANE. BUT ESSENTIALLY, WE ARE TIED TO THE AMOUNT OF THE BUDGET THAT YOU ADOPT. HOWEVER, AS WE DID THIS YEAR, THERE ARE ALWAYS BUDGETED ITEMS THAT WE WIND UP NOT SPENDING OR WHATEVER. JUST BECAUSE IT'S IN THE BUDGET DOESN'T MEAN IT'S GUARANTEED TO BE SPENT. THE COMMISSION CAN TAKE ACTION AT ANY TIME TO AMEND THE BUDGET OR NOT RELEASE A A PAYMENT. AS YOU KNOW, WE TOOK ACTION TO NOT GIVE ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WAS IDENTIFIED IN THE BUDGET TO ONE OF THOSE EXTERNAL GOVERNMENTS. SO YOU'RE $25,000 QUESTION. I, I DON'T WANT TO SHOOT FROM THE HIP IF I DON'T HAVE TO BUDGET. IT'S A BALANCED BUDGET AND IT'S JUST A LINE ITEM APPROPRIATING IT. YEAH. YOU YOU ACTUALLY SPENDING IT? WELL, YOU HAVEN'T SPENT IT YET. YOU'RE JUST GIVING ME THE AUTHORIZATION TO CUT THE CHECK. SHOULD YOU NOT STOP ME? RIGHT. IF YOU DON'T STOP ME FROM CUTTING IT AND I GET AN INVOICE FOR IT, I'M GOING TO CUT THE CHECK FOR IT. SO THAT WAS AN APPROPRIATION TO STUART HOUSING AUTHORITY, FLORIDA INLAND NAVIGATION DISTRICT, AND THE SHARED SERVICES NETWORK WITH MARTIN COUNTY. THAT'S WHAT MADE UP THE 25,000 IN THAT ACCOUNT THAT YOU ASKED FOR. SO THE ITEMIZED DETAIL I PROVIDED TO YOU SEPARATELY, AS I AS I SAID BEFORE, WE ADOPT A LINE ITEM BUDGET FOR THE PUBLIC, BUT THOSE ITEMIZATION DETAILS ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU INTERNALLY ON THE ON THE NETWORK. SO HERE'S HOW WE GOT HERE. SO AT THE LAST MEETING, THE CITY AND I'M HOPING TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION AS WELL, COMMISSIONER CLARK MANE BALANCED BUDGET AT 4.75 MILLS.
AND AT THAT BUDGET WE WERE AT 47 MILLION. SO WE HAD GONE AS HIGH AS 49 MILLION DURING THE DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS. AND THEN WE CAME DOWN TO 47 MILLION BY CUTTING THE MILLAGE AND MAKING VARIOUS ADJUSTMENTS TO OPERATING CAPITAL PERSONNEL. ALL THOSE ALL THOSE CUTS THAT WE DISCUSSED ON THE THE LIST OF ONE THROUGH FOUR CUTS AND ADJUSTMENTS TO THE BUDGET. AND THEN AT THE LAST BUDGET, WE SAID, OKAY, HERE WE ARE, BUDGETED AND BALANCED. WE'D LIKE TO ADD FOR FIREFIGHTERS. AND WHAT DOES THE MILLAGE EQUAL FOR THAT? JOLIE AND I SAID
[00:10:06]
48733 WAS EXACTLY THE NUMBER. HOWEVER, TO COMMISSIONER JOB'S POINT, COMMISSIONER REED'S POINT. YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN I'VE REALLY BEEN PUT TO TASK IN THIS BUDGET BY THE COMMISSION. ONE OF THOSE REVENUE PROJECTIONS I HAD MADE THAT THE STATE HAD NOT RELEASED YET. THEY RELEASED BETWEEN THAT MEETING AND THIS MEETING, AND IT CAME IN LOWER THAN WHAT I HAD PROJECTED. SO I HAD TO REDUCE THAT REVENUE. SO AGAIN, WE HAD TO RE BUDGET, REBALANCE ALL THAT STUFF. AND THEN OF COURSE THEY RELEASED THE LAST NUMBER I NEEDED ON FRIDAY. BUT THE AGENDA ITEMS ALREADY ATTACHED. SO WE'LL COME BACK TO THAT ONE LATER THAT THAT ONE CAME IN ON ON MARK. SO I WAS OKAY ON THAT ONE. BUT THE ONE THAT CAME IN LOWER. SO I ACTUALLY WOUND UP HAVING TO JUST I, WE GOT SO CLOSE TO 4.9 MILLS, IT WAS LIKE 4.899. I JUST SAID 4.9 MILLS. SO THAT'S HOW I ARRIVED AT THE 4.9 MILLS. AND THAT IS WHAT HAS BROUGHT GENERAL FUND IN AT THE 47,000,009.341 80. HOW MUCH LOWER WAS IT? DO IT SIR. HOW MUCH LOWER WAS IT? THE FUNDS COMING IN LIKE $23,000. YEAH. YOU KNOW. OH THE NUMBER THEY GAVE ME. OH LIKE 300,000. IT WAS LOWER BECAUSE IT WAS THE 300,000. IT WAS, IT WAS LIKE COMMUNICATION SERVICE TAX. I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE AT ONE FOR IT CAME IN AT LIKE ONE, TWO. AND SO I WAS LIKE OKAY.BUT YOU KNOW, WITH ALL THE CHANGE. SO THESE ARE VERY SMALL, BUT I'LL, I'LL UPSIZE THEM. SO THIS IS THE SUMMARY OF ALL FUNDS HERE. LET ME GET OVER HERE AND MAKE THIS BIGGER FOR EVERYONE. SO THAT THAT'S WHERE THE FUNDS WOUND UP BEING. THIS IS JUST TO SHOW THAT THE REVENUES AND EXPENSES, WHAT WE CALL APPROPRIATION IN THIS BUDGET. SO THE COMMISSIONER READS, THE APPROPRIATION IS AN AUTHORIZATION TO SPEND THE EXPENSES WHEN WE ACTUALLY CUT THE CHECK. SO WE HAVEN'T ACTUALLY CUT IT. BUT ON THE BEAN COUNTER SIDE, WE ALWAYS CALL IT REVENUES AND EXPENSES. SO THAT THIS BUDGET NOW IS REFLECTED AT 4.9 MILLS. THE FOUR ADDITIONAL FIREFIGHTERS HAVE BEEN ADDED AND WE HAVE ADJUSTED ADDITIONAL EXPENSES AND REVENUES AT THE LAST MINUTE TO REBALANCE AGAIN AT THE 4.9 MILLS TONIGHT. WHAT WE'RE INTRODUCING IS WHAT IS CALLED THE TENTATIVE MILLAGE AND THE TENTATIVE BUDGET. THAT TENTATIVE MILLAGE WILL NOW BE ADVERTISED IN THE NEWSPAPER. THE FIRST MILLAGE OF NOT TO EXCEED FIVE WAS SENT OUT ON THE PROPOSED TAX BILLS. SO EVERYONE SAW THAT AND SAID, OKAY, THE HIGHEST WE CAN GO IS FIVE MILLS. AND HERE'S WHAT YOUR BILL WOULD BE AT FIVE. NOW WE WILL ADVERTISE IN THE NEWSPAPER AND ON OUR WEBSITE THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY PROPOSING 4.9 MILLS.
AND THEN SHOULD THAT MAKE IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE SEPTEMBER 22ND MEETING, THEN THAT IS THE MILLAGE THAT WILL APPEAR ON EVERYONE'S FINAL TAX BILL. IT WILL BE LESS THAN THE FIVE MILLS ADVERTISED ON THAT PROPOSED TAX THAT WENT OUT FROM THE PROPERTY. APPRAISER'S OFFICE. OKAY. ALONG WITH THAT, THE CITY COMMISSION CITY MANAGER AND I WERE DISCUSSING TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION. AND SO TO GET TO THIS 47 MILLION, WE NOW HAVE RELEASED OUT ON. SO I PROVIDED THESE REPORTS THAT SHOW. WHERE THE REVENUES FELL. AND SO YOU CAN SEE HERE THE TALE OF THE TAPE. BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN AT 48. OH THIS IS THE OLDER ONE I'M SORRY.
IT'S 49. I SENT YOU OUT THE CORRECT NUMBER AFTER THE OLD ONE. THIS WAS 49 AND NOW WE'RE LAST YEAR WAS 48 AND NOW THIS YEAR IS 47. SO IT'S ACTUALLY A A NICE GLIDE PATH DOWN. AND THIS IS WHERE THAT BROKE OUT. AND SO WE'RE ON THAT. WE'VE ALSO PROVIDED AND THIS IS NOW AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC IS THE CITY'S TENTATIVE BUDGET IN TOTAL HERE. SO BASICALLY THIS IS A DETAIL FOR ALL THE THINGS YOU'D WANT TO KNOW. OUR BUDGET PROCESS WHERE WE'VE GONE, OUR ALL FUND REVENUES AND APPROPRIATIONS WHERE THEY FALL. THESE ARE INTERACTIVE GRAPHS FOR THE PUBLIC AND THE COMMISSION AT LARGE TO FOLLOW AND DRILL INTO THE DETAIL. WE PROVIDE THESE NUMBERS AND THEIR HISTORY HERE OF WHERE THEY CAME FROM, HOW THEY WENT. THESE ARE THOSE BY REVENUE ACCOUNT NUMBERS THAT EVERYONE'S ALWAYS INTERESTED IN GETTING TO, AS WELL AS THE APPROPRIATIONS BY CATEGORY. SO JUST ABOUT ANY QUESTION YOU WANT CAN BE ANSWERED HERE, INCLUDING, LET'S SAY, IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE BUDGET MESSAGE THAT WE TRANSMIT WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE, AND WE DISCUSS THE 4.9 MILLS IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. IF YOU'RE A NON-NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKER, YOU CAN ACTUALLY GO RIGHT HERE AND SAY, WELL, MY NATIVE LANGUAGE IS SPANISH. AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE CITY'S BUDGET IN SPANISH. THIS WEBSITE AUTOMATICALLY TRANSLATES THE WHOLE BUDGET INTO SPANISH FOR YOU, SO IT'S VERY USEFUL TO THE PUBLIC AND EVERYTHING'S HERE. THIS IS THE SAME WEBSITE THAT WE THAT WILL BE PRESENTED FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE BUDGET PRESENTATION AWARD THAT WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE. AND IN DISCUSSING THE, THE, THE PRESENTATION TONIGHT AND HOW WE GOT TO THE 4.9 MILLS, THE CITY
[00:15:03]
MANAGER ASKED ME TO CLARIFY SOMETHING, AND WE WERE SPEAKING TO THAT A MOMENT AGO. IN THIS PROCESS, I HAD MADE A REFERENCE DURING ONE OF THE WORKSHOPS THAT IN CHANGING THE DENTAL RATE, IT HAD MOVED A PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT THAT HAS ONE EMPLOYEE IN IT BY $3 AND 70 SOMETHING CENTS. AND I HAD TO REBALANCE THAT, THAT DEPARTMENT. WELL, THAT SAME $3 GOES THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE BUDGET TO EVERY DEPARTMENT. AND SO, SO ANYTIME I MAKE ONE OF THESE CHANGES AND SO THERE'S LOTS OF PERCENTAGE NUMBERS THAT I HAVE TO APPLY TO THE WHOLE POPULATION OF EMPLOYEES. AND THE COMMISSIONERS ARE CONSIDERED EMPLOYEES. AND SO WHEN I PUT A NUMBER ACROSS THE BUDGET TO MAKE THE HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUM THE CORRECT NUMBER THAT WE'RE GOING TO PAY CIGNA AND THE CORRECT NUMBER THAT WE'RE GOING TO PAY FOR OUR PROPERTY CASUALTY LIABILITY INSURANCE, AND THOSE OTHER NUMBERS FOR EMPLOYEE MERITS.BACK TO COMMISSIONER REED'S POINT IS, JUST BECAUSE IT'S IN THE BUDGET DOESN'T MEAN IT'S GOING TO BE PAID. IT'S A NUMBER THAT NEEDS TO BE CALCULATED, BUT THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THAT IT'S GOING TO ACTUALLY BE DISPERSED OR PAID FROM THE CITY. SO IT'S ONLY AN APPROPRIATION TO DO SO. AND USUALLY IT'S FOR MY BENEFIT TO MAKE THE NUMBERS WORK. SO IF THEY SAY WE HAVE TO CUT $1 MILLION PREMIUM FOR INSURANCE, I APPLY A PERCENTAGE TO EMPLOYEES THAT MAKES THAT NUMBER REACH THE MILLION DOLLARS THAT'S NECESSARY. SO NO ONE CAN GO TO ANY OF THE REPORTS THAT WE PROVIDE AND LOOK AT SOME DEPARTMENT AND SAY, THIS DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET WENT UP. SO THEY MUST HAVE HAD AN INCREASE. OR IN THESE, YOU KNOW, IN THIS PARTICULAR BUDGET, NO ONE CAN GO TO THEIR BUDGET, LOOK AND SAY, OH, THIS MUST BE WHERE WE ELIMINATED POSITIONS IN THE BUDGET. IT'S IT'S NOT THAT ZEROED IN ON THINGS. DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING? SO THERE'S PERCENTAGES THAT THAT HAVE BEEN APPLIED TO MAKE THE NUMBERS WORK. SO JUST BECAUSE YOU SEE AN INCREASE IN A PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE WAS A RAISE. AND CERTAINLY IN THINGS SUCH AS A MERIT INCREASE IN THE UNION CONTRACTS, THEY STILL ACTUALLY HAVE TO HAVE THEIR PERFORMANCE REVIEW AND DO WELL ON THEIR PERFORMANCE REVIEW TO EVEN RECEIVE THE MONEY THAT WAS BUDGETED BY THAT PERSON. SO I HOPE THAT CLARIFIES SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE GOING AROUND LIKE, OH, I SAW THIS WENT UP OR I SAW THAT WENT DOWN. IT'S IT'S A VERY, YOU KNOW, OVER 200 PEOPLE, 27 DEPARTMENTS, EIGHT FUNDS ALL COMING TOGETHER TO MAKE A CONTIGUOUS DOCUMENT THAT BALANCES IN BOTH WAYS FROM THE MINUTIA OF NUMBER OF SAFETY BOOTS TO THE BIG STUFF OF BUYING A FIRE TRUCK, SO THAT THAT'S HOW THIS WENT TOGETHER. IF THAT DIDN'T ANSWER ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS, I'M OPEN TO ANY MORE OF THEM AT THIS MOMENT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF JULIE? THANK YOU AS ALWAYS. YOU EXPLAINED IT. YES, MA'AM. I THINK WE CAN PROCEED TO ROLL CALL, PLEASE.
YEAH. PUBLIC COMMENT. PUBLIC COMMENT. PUBLIC COMMENT. OH. DID WE? YES WE DID. WE ASKED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS. OH, YEAH, WE DID. ONE MORE TIME. ONE MORE TIME. I DON'T HAVE ANY.
GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE. COMMISSIONER. YES, COMMISSIONER. CLERK. YES, MAYOR. NO. VICE MAYOR. COLLINS. COMMISSIONER. REED, I HAVE A QUESTION. ACTUALLY. POINT OF ORDER. WOULD I SAY THAT ONCE WE START THE VOTE, WE HAVE TO. WE HAVE TO CONCLUDE THE VOTE. CITY ATTORNEY, WHAT'S YOUR OPINION? I THINK THE MAYOR'S RIGHT. THEY CLOSED THE CONVERSATION AND THEN STARTED VOTING. DO YOU NOT HAVE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT ON A MOTION, THOUGH, OR NO? YES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. RIGHT AFTER A MOTION AND A SECOND WERE MADE. OKAY. YES. DID YOU GET THAT? YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO, MR. BAG, WILL YOU READ ITEM TWO FOR CONSIDERATION, PLEASE? RESOLUTION NUMBER 88, DASH 2025, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, APPROVING THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 TO 26. NOT AD VALOREM ASSESSMENT ROLL FOR FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES, FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS. DIRECTING CERTIFICATION OF THE ASSESSMENT ROLL TO MARTIN COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
MR. MAYOR, FOR PURPOSES OF THIS ITEM NUMBER TWO, I WANTED TO ASK. WELL I'LL, I'LL, I'LL ASK FOR MOTION TO TO APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 88 DASH 2025 ASKING FOR A MOTION OR MAKING A MOTION. MAKE A MOTION. AND IT'S BEEN SECONDED. SO I CAN NOW ASK A QUESTION. WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CLARK AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER JOB. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? ASK A QUESTION. OKAY. HOLD ON. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT, MADAM CLERK, ON THIS? NO PUBLIC COMMENT. SEEING NONE. OKAY. QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BY THE COMMISSIONER. FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T READ THE AGENDA ITEM OR OR SEE IT, I JUST WANT TO. YEAH. FOR THAT THAT ALSO AND IN LIGHT OF THE COMMENT THAT WAS MADE EARLIER, I JUST WANT TO CHECK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THE
[00:20:07]
CITY MANAGER IF THEY'RE COMFORTABLE, IF ALL THE ATTACHMENTS WERE ATTACHED TO THIS ITEM. WOULD YOU LIKE TO RESPOND TO THAT QUESTION SPECIFICALLY? BUT FIRST BEGIN YOUR EXPLANATION OF I'M COMFORTABLE WITH THE ITEMS THAT ARE ATTACHED TO THE CITY ATTORNEY TO TO. IF I COULD ADD, THIS IS ACTUALLY RIGHT ON THE HEAD. COMMISSIONER REED, THERE'S A DOCUMENT ATTACHED TO THIS THAT I NEED TO SIGN THAT I CAN'T SIGN UNTIL THIS MEETING.YOU APPROVE IT AT THIS MEETING, SO I WILL PROBABLY SIGN THAT DOCUMENT TOMORROW WHEN THE CITY CLERK GETS IT TO ME. SO THEN I DON'T I DON'T KNOW WHEN YOU WOULD SEE THE DOCUMENT THAT I'VE SIGNED. UNLESS DOES THE SIGNED VERSION GET ATTACHED TO. RIGHT. OH, NO. NO, SIR. I'M JUST SAYING WE WE ACTUALLY HAVE A POINT IN, IN CASE RIGHT HERE THAT I WILL WIND UP SIGNING THIS DOCUMENT PROBABLY TOMORROW. SO THEN I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE SAYING LIKE A DOCUMENT REPOSITORY WHERE MY SIGNED VERSION WOULD GO WOULD BE IN LASER FISH UNDER THE RESOLUTION.
RIGHT? IT WOULD BE IN LASER FISH THAT YOU HAVE ACCESS TO. WE CAN PROVIDE THAT TO ANYONE WHO ASKED FOR IT. YEAH. YOU CAN YOU CAN GET THAT. COMMISSIONER, I WAS TOLD I HAVE TO COME DOWN TO CITY HALL TO GET ACCESS TO LASER FISH ACCESS. NO. YEAH, WELL, YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO IT TO TO JUST LOOK THROUGH IT. YOU PROBABLY DO, BUT COULDN'T SET UP A VPN OR ANYTHING OR. I DON'T I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE THAT'S A PROBLEM WITH IT IS, IS THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER RECORDS ON LASER FISH THAT INCLUDE SOCIAL SECURITY, NUMBERS OF EMPLOYEES, ADDRESSES OF POLICE OFFICERS. AND SO IF SOMEONE WAS JUST GIVEN OPEN ACCESS TO IT, THEY COULD STUMBLE INTO RECORDS THAT ARE CONFIDENTIAL. YEAH, I'D IMAGINE IT CAN LIMIT THAT STUFF FOR LIKE HR, WE YOU DON'T KNOW UNTIL YOU SEE THE DOCUMENT LIKE IT HAS TO BE REVIEWED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY BEFORE IT GOES OUT IS WHERE IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO. WE DON'T WE DON'T HAVE IT. THAT SOPHISTICATED LASER FISH. THE CITY ATTORNEY WOULD BE SITTING THERE WITH ME ON LASER FISH.
WHAT THEY WERE SAYING TO YOU IS, WELL, HONESTLY, SOMEONE WOULD PROBABLY BE SITTING WITH YOU WOULD BE WHAT WOULD YOU BE LOOKING FOR? JUST JUST MAKING A STATEMENT. RIGHT. BUT YES, THAT WOULD BE THE APPROPRIATE WAY TO DO IT. OKAY. MR. MAYOR, IF I MAY, MR. BAGGETT, GO BACK. WHAT WAS MENTIONED BEFORE, A LOT OF TIMES CONTRACTS ARE ATTACHED TO THE AGENDA IN A PROPOSED OR NOT FINAL FORM, BECAUSE WE'RE REQUIRED TEN DAYS EARLIER TO HAVE IT ATTACHED TO THE AGENDA.
A LOT OF THE RESOLUTIONS WILL HAVE EITHER THE MAYOR OR THE CITY MANAGER SIGNING THIS, THE DOCUMENT, SUBJECT TO THE APPROVAL AND FINAL APPROVAL OF THE CITY ATTORNEY. A LOT OF TIMES I'M NEGOTIATING CONTINUOUS TERMS AND AMENDMENTS TO THE AGREEMENT BEFORE IT'S FINALIZED THAT I'M COMFORTABLE WITH CERTAIN LANGUAGE. SOMETIMES THAT HAPPENS SHORTLY BEFORE THE MEETING. IT SOMETIMES IT MIGHT EVEN HAPPEN AFTER THE MEETING. THE MAYOR DOES NOT SIGN THE CONTRACTS BECAUSE NORMALLY OUR MEETINGS GO VERY LATE AT NIGHT. THEY DON'T SIGN THEM. THE MAYOR DOES NOT SIGN THE DOCUMENTS THAT NIGHT. IT'S THE NEXT TIME THE MAYOR IS AVAILABLE AND THE DOCUMENT IS FINALIZED. I STILL SOMETIMES NEGOTIATE BACK AND FORTH ON DOCUMENTS TO GET A FINAL VERSION WITH ANOTHER LAWYER ON ON CERTAIN CONTRACTS.
BUT I WILL SAY, AS MARY JUST MENTIONED, THAT ONCE THE DOCUMENT IS FINALIZED, IT'S ALWAYS ATTACHED TO THE RESOLUTION AND SAVED IN OUR RECORDS AND LASER FISH. SO IF, IF WHEN YOU'RE GOING BACK, LIKE IF YOU GO BACK SIX MONTHS FROM FROM TODAY AND GO BACK TO A RESOLUTION THAT WAS A APPROVING A PARTICULAR CONTRACT, THAT CONTRACT WILL BE SAVED WITH THE RESOLUTION IN OUR, IN OUR DOCUMENTS, IN A RECORDS. OKAY. DOING GOING BACK INTO THE NUMBER TWO. IT'S CALLED NON AD VALOREM ASSESSMENT ROLL. AND IN 2014 THE CITY COMMISSION WAS IN A BUDGET CYCLE. AND IT WAS JUST AFTER COMING OUT OF THE RECESSION. AND THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT RAISING A MILLAGE RATE. AND IT WAS EVALUATE TO TO HELP OFFSET THE COST OF PUBLIC SAFETY, BECAUSE PUBLIC SAFETY OBVIOUSLY COSTS MORE THAN 100% OF THE AD VALOREM. AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT IF WE INCREASED THE MILLAGE RATE BY A ONE MILL MILLAGE POINT OF FULL MILL, THAT 65% OF THE PARCELS AT THE TIME WOULD PAY LESS THAN $100 A YEAR IN TAXES AND WOULD NOT BE IMPACTED AT ALL BY THE MILLAGE RATE INCREASE. AND SINCE THE MILLAGE RATE INCREASE WAS SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSES OF GENERATING FUNDS FOR FIRE SAFETY OR TO OFFSET THOSE COSTS, WE HIRED BOND COUNSEL AND THEY ASSISTED US IN ISSUING BONDS TO PURCHASE SOME FIRE EQUIPMENT. AND IN SO DOING, WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO ADOPT A FIRE ASSESSMENT.
[00:25:03]
AND THE FIRE ASSESSMENT HAD A FLAT RATE PER PARCEL OF, I THINK, $123 PER PROPERTY PARCEL.AND THEN THE WAY THE BALANCE OF THE ASSESSMENT WAS SET UP IS, IT WAS ACTUALLY DONE WHAT AMOUNTS TO BE TWO YEARS IN ARREARS. IT USES. LAST YEAR'S ASSESSED VALUE OF THE PROPERTY ON THE PARCEL TO DO THE CALCULATION OF THE VALUE FOR THE ASSESSMENT AND THE PROPERTY APPRAISER'S VALUATION FROM LAST YEAR'S WOULD ACTUALLY BE THE YEAR BEFORE'S. SO THAT'S HOW THE VALUATION IS DONE. AND I DON'T REMEMBER THE PERCENTAGE THAT'S APPLIED TO THE THE TWO TIER SYSTEM IS A 135, $108.35 IS THE FLAT AMOUNT OF TIER ONE. AND THEN TIER TWO IS $1.30 PER EVERY $5,000 OF MARKET IMPROVEMENT VALUE. AND AS I ALWAYS SAY, THIS IS COMMISSIONER CROSS COPS. EVERYONE NEEDS SOME SKIN IN THE GAME. COMMENT. SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF EXEMPTED PROPERTIES FOR, FOR EXAMPLE, CITY OF STUARTS ASSESSED VALUE IS HIGHER THAN JUPITER ISLANDS, BUT WE HAVE OVER $800 MILLION WORTH OF EXEMPTIONS ON OUR ASSESSED VALUE, WHICH ACTUALLY MAKES OUR TAXABLE VALUE LESS THAN JUPITER ISLAND. AND SO A LARGE NUMBER OF THOSE PROPERTIES, INCLUDING SOME VERY HIGHLY ASSESSED PROPERTIES IN STUART, PAY NEARLY HARDLY ANY TAXES BECAUSE OF THEIR VARIOUS EXEMPTIONS. AND SO THE FIRE ASSESSMENT IS A WAY TO COLLECT FUNDS FROM THOSE PROPERTIES AND PAYERS WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, EITHER COMPLETELY EXEMPT OR SOMEWHAT EXEMPT. SO YOU HAVE TO INTO THE MANAGER'S POINT TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM BEING ABLE TO CHALLENGE THIS YEAR'S ASSESSMENT. IT'S ACTUALLY BASED ON WHAT WAS YOUR TAX BILL TWO YEARS AGO ESSENTIALLY. SO WE LOOK AT THAT PARCEL, AND FOR EVERY PARCEL, WHETHER IT'S FIVE FEET WIDE OR 5000FT WIDE, YOU PAY THE 135. AND THEN ON THAT MARKET IMPROVEMENT VALUE, WHICH THE PROPERTY APPRAISER PROVIDES, YOU PAY, YOU DIVIDE THAT BY 5000 AND THEN MULTIPLY THAT BY $1.30. AND THAT'S HOW THE FIRE ASSESSMENTS CALCULATED. AND THE RATE DID REMAIN THE SAME. THIS YEAR WE HAVE NOT CHANGED THE RATE. THE RATE HAS BEEN THE SAME SINCE IT WENT INTO EFFECT IN 2014. AND AS A RESULT, THAT'S WHY IT'S CONSIDERED A NON AD VALOREM ASSESSMENT. THAT ASSESSMENT IS IN PLACE AND WHAT THE COMMISSION IS VOTING ON IS THAT WE COLLECT THAT $1 $108.35 PER PARCEL AND $1.30 FOR EVERY $5,000 IN VALUE OF THE ASSESSED VALUE AS. AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, TO VALIDATE THE WHOLE THING. THE BOND COUNCIL BACK IN 2014 ACTUALLY HAD IT GO IN FRONT OF A CIRCUIT JUDGE AND HAD A BUNCH OF NOTICE. THIS JUDGE DID AN ACTUAL TRIAL AND THEN HAD A DATE OF 30 DAY APPEAL AND ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT METHODS TO NOTICE IT AND ADDRESS IT. MR. VICE MAYOR, THERE'S BEEN NO CHANGE SINCE LAST YEAR IN THIS.
CORRECT? CORRECT. NO, SIR. SAME. SAME RATE AS LIKE I SAID, 2014. WE'VE HELD IT STEADY AT THE RATE. THANK YOU. IT'S NOT AD VALOREM. SO IT'S A IT'S A SPECIFIC AMOUNT. RIGHT. OKAY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE LONG RATE. SURE, SURE. THE COMMISSION HAS THE ANSWER. NO I'M TALKING ABOUT NOT RIGHT. THERE'S A CEILING BY WHICH. YEAH. WELL WE HAD TO DEMONSTRATE IN THE TRIAL THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE COST. WE HAD TO WE HAD TO DEMONSTRATE A NEXUS BETWEEN THE COST OF PROVIDING PUBLIC SAFETY OR FIRE SERVICES AND THE NUMBER OF PROPERTIES IN THE CITY, WHICH IS WHERE THE $108.35 CAME IN. WE ALSO HAD TO CREATE THE FORMULA AND MAKE A REASONABLE WAY TO VALUE THE STRUCTURE, BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE IS WE'RE CHARGING $1.30 FOR EVERY $5, $5,000 OF MARKET VALUE FOR THE STRUCTURE ON TOP OF THE REAL ESTATE, BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY WHAT THE FIRE IS PROVIDING THE SERVICE FOR IS TO THE BUILDING NOT BURNING DOWN, BUT THE COST OF FIRE SAFETY GOES UP. WELL, SO SO HERE'S THE VERY INTERESTING POINT. AT THE TIME THAT 135 WAS ESTABLISHED AND THE DOLLAR 30, THE INTENT WAS TO COLLECT 23% OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGET TO TO HELP ALLEVIATE THE BURDEN ON AD VALOREM TAXES, SO THAT 23% OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGET WAS ON A $5 MILLION BUDGET BACK IN 2014. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGET NOW IS AROUND 12 MILLION,
[00:30:03]
AND WE'VE NEVER CHANGED THE RATE. SO WHAT WE'RE COLLECTING NOW IS CERTAINLY NOT 23% OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGET TODAY. IN THE FUTURE, IT'S PROBABLY THE AVENUE YOU'RE GOING TO LOOK AT. YES, I THINK SO TOO. I MEAN, THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THEY STILL HAVE GREAT EXEMPTIONS ON THEIR PROPERTY, BUT A FIRE WOULD STILL PUT THEM IN JEOPARDY. RIGHT. AND THAT'S WHERE WE WANT TO ADDRESS THE 14, PAY THE GOING RATE FOR THE FIRE, THE COST OF SAFETY. YES.COMMISSIONER CLARK, DO WE HAVE A SCHEDULE WITH THE MILLER, BRYANT AND ALL THESE PEOPLE TO UP TO? WE HAVE TO ASK. WE HAVE TO DO IT. IT WAS SET IN STONE AND WE'VE NEVER BROUGHT BACK AN INCREASE. NOW, I WILL SAY IT'S BASED UPON 5% OF THE MARKET VALUE. SO ALL OF THE SAME PEOPLE DIDN'T PAY THE AMOUNT THE PEOPLE WERE PAYING FOR THE SECOND TIER. WHATEVER YOUR PROPERTY WAS APPRAISED AT IN 2014, I'M PRETTY CONFIDENT TO SAY THAT EVERY SINGLE PROPERTY IN THE CITY OF STEWART HAS GONE UP SINCE THEN TO A HIGHER NUMBER, SO THE SECOND TIER HAS HAD AN INCREASE. IT'S JUST A SIGNIFICANT IT'S NOT A VERY BIG NUMBER AS IT APPLIES TO THAT MARKET VALUE. SO IT'S NOT A HUGE INCREASE TO THE OVERALL BUDGETING AMOUNT. THANK YOU.
YES, SIR. ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. YEAH I MEAN I'M JUST THINKING FOR FUTURE WAYS TO RAISE THAT BECAUSE EACH YEAR THE COST OF PROVIDING THE SAFETY GOES UP. AND THAT WOULD HAVE TO GO TO REFERENDUM. IT WAS NOT REFERENDUM, BUT IT WAS A SERIES OF, OF HEARINGS THAT BECAUSE IT'S CALLED THE UNIFORM COLLECTION METHOD, THERE'S A NUMBER OF JUST LIKE TRIM, HOW WE HAVE TO HAVE TWO MEETINGS. THERE WOULD BE A NUMBER OF PRESCRIBED ADVERTISEMENTS AND HEARINGS. YOU'D HAVE TO ADVERTISE THE THE THING. SO NOW WHAT HAPPENS IS EACH YEAR AS PEOPLE RE PARCEL THEIR PROPERTIES, IF THEY DO SPLITS OR COMBINES OR WHATEVER, THAT THEY RECEIVE. A LETTER FROM BRYANT, MILLER, OLIVE OR BOND COUNCIL WELCOMING THEM TO THE FIRE ASSESSMENT. YOU KNOW, YOU'RE RIGHT. I JUST SPOKE TO SOMEONE ON THE PHONE TODAY THAT SAID, I JUST BOUGHT A AND I HAVE THE FIRE ASSESSMENT. SO, YOU KNOW, ORIGINALLY THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT SENT OUT 9000 LETTERS TO ALL THE PARCELS ADVERTISING THIS, AND WE HAD A SERIES OF PUBLIC HEARINGS, AND THE COMMISSION DECIDED ON THAT 23% NUMBER OUT OF AN ARRAY OF NUMBERS, YOU KNOW, 50%, 10%. AND THEY SETTLED ON THAT 23 IN THE MIDDLE AT THAT TIME. AND YES, TO THE TO THE MANAGER'S POINT, TIER ONE HASN'T CHANGED. AND EVEN THOUGH TIER TWO HASN'T CHANGED BECAUSE OF PROPERTY VALUE INCREASES, IT DOES INCREMENTALLY MOVE UP SLOWLY EACH YEAR. COMMISSIONER REED IS THERE. JULIE, IS THERE ANY WAY LIKE BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT NOW FOR PEOPLE THAT UTILIZE THE FIRE RESCUE SERVICES OR POLICE, I GUESS, LIKE I PAY PROPERTY TAXES AND I PROBABLY WON'T REALLY UTILIZE THE SERVICES. SO IF WE, YOU KNOW, WENT ACROSS THE BOARD TO ALL CITY RESIDENTS, IT'S ALMOST LIKE, YES, I'M PAYING FOR IT. I LOOK AT IT AS BEING PUNISHED THOUGH. BUT HOW CAN YOU GO AFTER PEOPLE THAT UTILIZE SERVICES MORE THAN OTHERS, LIKE FOR THE. SO AS IT RELATES TO THE FIRE SERVICE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS NOT ACTUALLY CHARGED FOR PICKING YOU UP. IT'S A CHARGE FOR THEM BEING AVAILABLE. THE ONE IOS OR ISO RATING. AND THE INSURABILITY ISN'T BASED UPON THE FACT THAT THEY ACTUALLY PICKED YOU UP. IT'S BASED UPON THE FACT THAT THEY'RE AVAILABLE TO YOU IN THE EVENT LIGHTNING STRIKES YOUR HOUSE AND SETS IT ON FIRE, THEY CAN COME SPRAY IT WITH HOSE.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE CAR INSURANCE. WE PAY IT HOPING NOT TO HAVE A CLAIM. IF YOU'RE UNLUCKY ENOUGH TO BE A HOUSEHOLD WITHOUT A FIRE HYDRANT OR A FIRE SERVICE LINE NEAR YOUR PROPERTY, YOU ALMOST CAN'T GET HOMEOWNER'S INSURANCE. SO THE FACT THAT IF YOU HAVE THAT FIRE INSURANCE, THAT FIRE LINE IN THE IN THE HYDRANT CLOSE ENOUGH TO YOUR HOUSE TO BE REACHED ARE ISO ONE RATING ACTUALLY REDUCES MOST HOMEOWNERS PROPERTY INSURANCE BECAUSE MOST OF THE INSURANCE COMPANIES PARTICIPATE IN THAT ISO RATING. SO THERE WAS A GOVERNMENT I APOLOGIZE, I CAN'T NAME THE CITY, BUT THEY STARTED DOING A PAY FOR FIRE SERVICE. AND WHAT HAPPENED WAS PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T PAY, THEY DIDN'T ANSWER THEIR FIRE CALL, BUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO GO WATCH IT ANYWAY TO KEEP THE COLLATERAL DAMAGE DOWN, BECAUSE THEIR NEIGHBORS HAD PAID THE FIRE ASSESSMENT. YEAH, THE FIRE WAS STILL ROLLING OUT, EVEN IF IT WASN'T FOR A FIRE. WHAT IF IT'S FOR JUST, I GUESS, ANY SERVICES? SOME ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES PAY A DISPROPORTIONATELY LOW AMOUNT OF FIRE BASED UPON THE DISPROPORTIONATELY HIGH NUMBER OF CALLS THAT GO TO THEM. YOU CANNOT YOU CAN'T GO AFTER SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I HONESTLY, WE'VE NEVER GONE DOWN THAT PATH. BUT VINCE AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT IT THIS YEAR A COUPLE OF
[00:35:01]
TIMES JUST BECAUSE OF THAT. IT'S NOT EQUITABLE. ONE MORE THAN I PROBABLY WILL IN MY LIFETIME. WELL, ALSO, YOU GOT THAT RIGHT. YEAH. EVEN IN A YEAR. WELL, COMMISSIONER REED, ALSO TO YOUR POINT, THE INDUSTRY STANDARD. BRYANT MILLER, OLIVE, OUR BOND COUNSEL, DID AN EXCELLENT JOB OF PULLING TOGETHER A LOT OF[00:40:30]
RESOURCES AND. DATA, KIND OF LIKE IMPACT FEE CALCULATIONS. AND LIKE POLICE, YOU COULDN'T THEY COULDN'T PROVE THAT POLICE PROVIDED AND AND AND IMPLIED BENEFIT AND A VALUE ACROSS THE BOARD. RIGHT. SO POLICE REALLY THEY COULDN'T PROVE THAT JUST HAVING POLICE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD MADE EVERYTHING BETTER. BUT THEY COULD PROVE THAT HAVING FIRE SERVICE AND FIRE RESPONSE HAD AN IMPLIED VALUE TO EVERYONE. SO THAT'S WHY WE DIDN'T START DOING LIKE A POLICE ASSESSMENT AND A STREET SWEEPING ASSESSMENT AND EVERYTHING. SO FIRE IS THE ONLY ONE THAT THEY COULD REALLY APPLY THAT LOGIC TO. I WAS JUST THINKING LIKE STRATEGICALLY BECAUSE BUDGET ITEM? IF I COULD JUST SAY IN CLOSING COMMENTS, I OKAY, WE TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. MR. MARTEL, THE FINAL PUBLIC HEARING TO ADOPT THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 MILLAGE RATE AND THE FINAL BUDGET IS SCHEDULED FOR MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2025 AT 5:15 P.M. HERE AT CITY HALL. THE ADDRESS IS 121 SOUTHWEST FLAGLER AVENUE, STUART, FLORIDA. OKAY, COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS BY THE VOTE. WHAT DID YOU ROLL CALL. NO THEY DON'T OKAY. WE'LL GO RIGHT TO ROLL CALL. THAT'S FINE. WHAT YOU TOLD ME. YEAH. COMMISSIONER CLARK. YES, VICE MAYOR COLLINS. YES, COMMISSIONER. J.O.B. YES, COMMISSIONER. YES, MAYOR. YES, THIS THIS SAME INFORMATION THAT THE MANAGER IS REQUIRED TO READ THAT BECAUSE THE STATE OF FLORIDA GETS OUR MINUTES AND ALL THAT, THIS SAME INFORMATION WILL APPEAR IN THE PAPER, AND WE SHOULDN'T HAVE ANY CHANGES BETWEEN THE 22ND AND NOW. WE CAN ADJOURN THE SPECIAL. SEEING NO OTHER ITEMS FOR OUR CONSIDERATION* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.