[ROLL CALL]
[00:00:09]
COMMISSION. WHAT? OKAY. YOU READY? YES. OKAY. SEPTEMBER THE 20TH 2ND OF SEPTEMBER, 2025.
OKAY. ROLL CALL PLEASE. MAYOR. RICH. YES. HERE, MAYOR COLLINS HERE. COMMISSIONER. CLARK. YES, COMMISSIONER. HERE. COMMISSIONER REID HERE. AND FOR THE LAST TIME TONIGHT, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEASE STAND. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND
[COMMENTS BY CITY COMMISSIONERS]
JUSTICE FOR ALL. MINA. TONIGHT. YEAH. COMMENTS BY CITY COMMISSIONERS. NONE. ARE YOU TAKING HIM FIRST OR I'M TAKING YOU FIRST? OKAY. I'D JUST LIKE TO THANK JOLIE AND THE CITY MANAGER I KNOW. AND THE STAFF, THEY WORKED VERY HARD ON THE BUDGET. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COMMISSIONER READ. I HAVE NO COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER CLARK. NONE. NONE. MR. VICE MAYOR, JUST AFTER LOOKING AT THIS, I WANT TO TERRAFORM THE WHOLE THING. START OVER. I'M. WE'RE HERE. I'M. I HAD A RED BULL. I'M READY. HE THINKS IT'S APRIL FOOL. DON'T YOU, SIR? I'M GOOD, THAT'S ALL. OKAY. I HAVE NO COMMENTS. CAN I GET A MOTION? OH, SORRY, MR. MORTON. I HAVE[APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
NO COMMENTS. NO COMMENTS. I MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA. SO MOVED. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION BY THE VICE MAYOR AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CLARK. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? MR. BRECHBILL, YOU'RE SILENT. YEAH. SEEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.[1. ADOPTION OF THE FY2026 FINAL MILLAGE (RC): RESOLUTION No. 96-2025; A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, OF MARTIN COUNTY, FLORIDA, ADOPTING THE FINAL LEVYING OF AD VALOREM TAXES FOR THE CITY OF STUART IN MARTIN COUNTY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. ]
OPPOSED? NONE. OKAY, MR. BAGGETT, READ ITEM ONE FOR CONSIDERATION, PLEASE.RESOLUTION NUMBER 96, DASH 2025, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA OF MARTIN COUNTY, FLORIDA, ADOPTING THE FINAL LEVYING OF AD VALOREM TAX TAXES FOR THE CITY OF STUART IN MARTIN COUNTY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026, PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES TO EITHER. MR. MR. I WILL TAKE IT FROM HERE. THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING IS THAT 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 FIRST OR TENTATIVE HEARING WAS HELD ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2025. THE PURPOSE OF TONIGHT'S SECOND PUBLIC HEARING OR FINAL HEARING IS TO HEAR PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATES AND BUDGET, AMEND THE BUDGET IF NECESSARY, AND TO ADOPT THE FINAL MILLAGE RATE AND CITY BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026. THE FINAL PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN ADVERTISED VIA PUBLIC NOTICE IN A NEWSPAPER OF COMMON CIRCULATION, AND AS A RESULT, WE CAN DISCUSS THE BUDGET NOW IF NECESSARY. OR I CAN MOVE ON TO ANNOUNCE THE FINAL MILLAGE RATES, WHICH THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA ROLLBACK RATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 IS 4.7014 MILLS AND WAS PUBLISHED IN THE TAX COLLECTOR'S NOTICE THAT WENT OUT TO ALL THE PROPERTY OWNERS IN MARTIN COUNTY, OR AT LEAST IN THE CITY. THE CITY IS PROPOSING A MILLAGE RATE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2026, WHICH EXCEEDS THE ROLLBACK RATE BY 4.22%. THE CITY IS PROPOSING A MILLAGE RATE OF 4.9000 MILLS.
THE PURPOSE FOR THE INCREASE IS TO FUND CURRENT OPERATIONS AND ACCOMMODATE NORMAL INCREASES IN THE COST OF THOSE OPERATIONS. I HAND IT BACK TO YOU, MAYOR, FOR ANY COMMENTS. ANY QUESTIONS SINCE LAST LAST TIME? NO, SIR. WE'VE MADE NO CHANGES TO THE BUDGET DOCUMENT. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MOVE RESOLUTION RESOLUTION NUMBER 96, 2025. SECOND, A MOTION BY THE VICE MAYOR AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CLARK. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM SEEING NONE. ARE THERE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS OF THE STAFF BY THE COMMISSION? SEEING NONE.
ROLL CALL PLEASE, MADAM CLERK. COMMISSIONER. YES, COMMISSIONER. READ. YES, COMMISSIONER. CLARK.
[2. ADOPTION OF THE FY2026 FINAL BUDGET (RC): RESOLUTION No. 97-2025; A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA ADOPTING THE FINAL BUDGETS OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, FOR FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2025 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2026; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. ]
YES. VICE. MAYOR. COLLINS. YES. MAYOR. RICK. NO. VICE MOTION PASSES. MR. BAKER, WILL YOU READ ITEM TWO FOR CONSIDERATION, PLEASE? RESOLUTION NUMBER 97, DASH 2025, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, ADOPTING THE FINAL BUDGETS OF THE CITY OF STUART, FLORIDA, FOR FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2025 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2026, PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. MR. QUICKLY, JUST OBVIOUSLY AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE WAS TO ADOPT THE MILLAGE RATE, NOT ANY ACTUAL BUDGET AGENDA. ITEM NUMBER TWO IS THE ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET. AND AS THE FINANCE DIRECTOR POINTED OUT, THERE'S[00:05:01]
BEEN NO CHANGES SINCE THE LAST MEETING. I'D LIKE TO MOVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 97 2025. I'LL SECOND THE MOTION. WE HAVE A MOTION BY THE VICE MAYOR. I THINK HE HAS A MOTION RECORD THIS EVENING. AND WE HAVE A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER JOB. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE. OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BY THE COMMISSIONERS? YES. OKAY.I'D ASK ABOUT BRYANT, MILLER AND OLIVE JUST TO FOR NEW COMMISSIONERS AND SO ON. AND I KNOW THAT JODY DOESN'T HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL, BUT JOLIE SORRY, I'M INTERESTED ABOUT JODY. I MEAN, MY WHOLE LIFE. GO AHEAD I KNOW, BUT I JUST KNOW THAT I KNOW WE HAD THE BUDGET WORKSHOP, BUT WE KNOW WE HAVE TO ALWAYS THINK IN THE FUTURE. BUT IF WE COULD AT LEAST GET THEM OVER HERE TO TALK TO US, CAN. BRYANT MILLER OLIVE IS OUR AGENCY AND THERE ARE BOND COUNCIL, AND THEY ALSO PROVIDE THE SERVICES RELATED TO THE MEETING. YOU HAD ASKED THAT AND WE SAID THE APPROPRIATE TIME WOULD BE IN THE SPRING. AND WE TALKED ABOUT IT ALREADY AND WE'RE PLANNING.
I JUST WANT TO BRING IT UP FOR PRESENTATION. IT JUST MAKES MORE SENSE TO HAPPEN IN THE SPRING. YEAH, I HEAR YOU. THE REDUCTION IN OUR MILLAGE DOES NOT THREATEN OUR BOND RATING AT THIS POINT IN TIME. NO, SIR. IN FACT, I WILL PROVIDE ALL OF YOU THE LATEST MOODY'S RATING AGAIN, WHERE THE CITY'S REPORT CARD IS VERY HEALTHY. ON THAT STANCE, WE HAVE THE HIGHEST RATING FOR STABILITY OF OUR SIZE. WHAT WE COULD GET. YEAH. WE CAN'T GET TRIPLE A BUT YOU KNOW A TWO LOWERING THE MILLAGE. WELL IF YOU DON'T GENERATE ENOUGH REVENUE TO PAY YOUR BILLS THEY COULD BE THEY COULD BE A SOURCE OF CONCERN. THEY LOOK AT WHAT THE ONGOING CONCERNS OF THE CITY ARE. AND IS YOUR FUTURE REVENUE PROJECTIONS SUFFICIENT TO MEET YOUR BOND PAYMENTS? DO YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, SUSTAINABLE PLANS FOR PROVIDING FOR THE EXPENSES AND EVERYTHING INTO THE FUTURE? AND SO MOODY'S IS THE RATING FIRM THAT RATES THE CITY. AND THEY TAKE OUR AUDIT AND BUDGET AND ALL THE OTHER AVAILABLE DOCUMENTS, AND THEY COME UP WITH WHAT OUR OVERALL DEBT RATING IS, OUR CREDIT RATING, AS YOU WOULD SO INTO THE MAYOR'S COMMENT, YOU KNOW, WE GET AN A, A TWO, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST THAT WE CAN GET AT OUR SIZE. SO THE 4.9 MILLS, MOODY'S DIDN'T MAKE ANY INDICATION TO ME BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T ADOPTED IT YET. SO AFTER IT COMES OUT, BUT I, I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO ADVERSELY AFFECT OUR BOND RATE BECAUSE OUR AD VALOREM WENT UP. SO YEAH, IT'S AS WE RECOGNIZE ACTUALLY THE PEOPLE'S BILLS ARE NOT GOING DOWN. THEY'RE JUST NOT GOING UP QUITE AS MUCH. BUT YEAH, IT'S A CONSIDERATION IN THE LONG TERM. AND THOSE WHO PRECEDED US HAVE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB. AND THE CITY IS IN TERRIFIC FINANCIAL SHAPE. AND WE NEED TO SAFE KEEP THAT GOING FORWARD. SO THANK YOU.
AND SEEING NO OTHER COMMENTS ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMISSIONER. YES, COMMISSIONER. CLERK. YES, MAYOR. RICH. YES, COMMISSIONER. REED. YES. VICE MAYOR COLLINS. YES. THANK YOU. COMMISSION SEEING NO OTHER ITEM FOR
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.