Fort Walton Beach Council agenda — 11-26-2007 special agenda — reading text

possible ways to fund this position or perhaps consider coordinating warehouse efforts with the County. However, of this position. significant changes in property tax levy could prompt elimination Staff suggests reviewing this position during the FY 2008-09 Budget Process. Recommendation # 24 - Eliminate a position in the information technology with department - estimated savings $ 70, 000 annually. Staff currently disagrees this recommendation. However, significant changes in property tax levy could c prompt elimination of this position. Staff suggests reviewing this position during the Page 3 of 5  FY 2008-09 Budget Process. c Recommendation # 29 - Reduce the number of sworn positions in the Police with Department from 55 to 50, saving $ 245, 000 annually. Staff currently disagrees this recommendation. However, significant changes in property tax levy could prompt elimination of some positions. Staff suggests reviewing. these positions during the FY 2008-09 Budget Process. Recommendation # 39 - Close the Senior Center to save approximately $ 78, 000 annually. Staffexpresses limited agreement with this recommendation. Although we concur that a long range plan must be developed to address the ongoing expenses, staff is exploring partnering with other non-profits, staffing the center with mostly volunteers with the exception of the center manager and reducing hours. Staff suggests that we continue to explore alternatives and revisit the issue during the FY 2008-09 budget process. Recommendation # 40 - Reduce Library hours from 64 to 50 to save $ 32, 000 annually. Staff expresses limited agreement with this recommendation. Although we concur that a long range plan must be developed to address the ongoing and possibly expenses, staff is exploring staffing the library with more volunteers reducing hours further, if funds are not available. Staff suggests that we continue to explore alternatives and revisit the issue during the FY 2008-09 budget process. Recommendation # 44 - Privatize the Museum for savings of $ 130, 000 per year. Staff expresses limited agreement with this recommendation. The primary concern with this recommendation is the safeguarding of the museum artifacts. Although we concur that a long range plan must be developed to address the ongoing expenses, c. staff is exploring partnering with other non-profits, staffing the museum with mostly volunteers with the exception of the educational staff and director and reducing hours. Staff suggests that we continue to explore alternatives and revisit the issue during the FY 2008-09 budget process. Staff believes that many of the major report recommendations were addressed in the formation of the FY 2007- 08 budget. In total, 37 positions were eliminated or frozen in the budget or were accomplished as mid- year changes before the end of FY 2007. In addition the FY2007- 08 FY 2006- 07 budget; budget was reduced by $ 1, 023, 486 ( or 2. 70/0) a decrease from the adopted and ad valorem taxes were reduced by 9. 60/0 from 4. 6458 mills to 4. 1986 mills. in As you may know, there is a constitutional amendment, to be decided by Florida voters 000, provide time January of 2008, to double the homestead exemption on values over $ 50, one- portability of the homestead exemption, eliminate the first $ 25, 000 of tangible personal commercial and investor property at 100/ Staff has property taxes and cap increases in 0. estimated that the doubling of the homestead exemption may result in an estimated $ 420, 000 in lost revenue and the cap of commercial and investor property may result in $ 204, 000 in lost revenue. We do not know the amount of impact from the tangible personal property taxes or portability . In addition, the legislature will meet in the spring of 2008 and they may look to place additional correct. Also the Taxation and Budget caps on local government revenues, if rumors are Reform Commission, impaneled every twenty years, to review taxation and budget issues, will c conduct their last public meeting on December 5th at Okaloosa Walton College. Once the public Page 4 of 5  comment portion of their meetings is completed the commission will meet and make c recommendations that will likely appear on the November 2008 ballot. These initiatives could impact both local and state government. Conclusion: . Staff recommends that personnel reductions and facility closings be considered for and during the FY 2008- 09 budget process. The constitutional amendment will have been decided, the legislature will have met and the TBRC will have completed their recommendations; and staff will have significantly better information on which to predict our revenues for the coming fiscal year. There continue to be many fiscal challenges facing the City relating to reduction in property taxes and possible statewide revenue caps on municipal governments. Council will need to determine, with input from our citizenry, priority of services and level of satisfaction with current service delivery levels. Once that determination is made, then a systematic approach to implementing the recommendations that support those objectives can be accomplished. Staff suggests that Council review, in a systematic process, recommendations that have not been acted upon and provide staff direction on how it wishes to address those issues. Dr. Don Long of Management Advisory Group, Inc. will be present at the November 26th meeting to address any questions that may come up. c Recommendation: Staff respectfully requests that Council consider the recommendations of MAG, Inc. in the Alternative Service Delivery Study and provide staff with guidance and direction to enable us to prepare an implementation plan by: 1) Accepting recommendations as submitted. 2) Accepting recommendations with modifications. 3) Rejecting recommendations. . Respectfully submitted: It/ li/ O?- J. e anahan, City Manager Date Attachment: Appendix A - Staff Recommendations and Comments - pages 1- 13 Appendix B - Original list of MAG, Inc. Recommendations - pages 14- 23 Appendix C - Dept. Director Responses - pages 24- 64 c Page 5 of 5 o ID fir m I J 6 6 0:> 0:> I) I) I 1 1 I) m J. t) I I I I) I\..) I) I) ct> I) a. t) en f, fJ en t) f, fJ m en en z o CD J. W  8 '^ d i i ~ d ~ oS " 0 0 it Q) '~ ~ ' G ~ ~ E . s 0) 1;) i! g~ ~ . 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