Fort Walton Beach Council agenda — 10-14-08 regular agenda — reading text

Manager, and everyone works for the City Manager except for the City Attorney who is a contracted officer; that the person who runs the City should hire the employees. The City Manager explained ultimately the City Manager is responsible for all the hiring and firing, the Department Directors, aside from the City Clerk and Finance Director, recommend who they want to hire and fire. She could not think of a time she did not agree with their recommendations. 288 Council Workshop 9- 16 -08 Section 20 Departments to be supervised by a director The City Manager recalled there was discussion on the verbiage that there shall be a director of each department and whether or not a manager could be a department head. It was commented it does not make a difference, it is just a matter of consistency throughout, and it has not produced any problems. There will be no further action on this section. Section 53 City officers, appointment and compensation Discussion ensued an exchange of views that the Finance Director should work directly for the City Manager since the City Manager works closely with the budget and finance; that there are enough checks and balances that the City is safe with enough safeguards for accounting purposes; with the day -to -day operations and span of control that position needs to be under the City Manager; that the City Clerk should not be under the City Manager because the City Clerk is the direct liaison with the City Council; the City Attorney should be kept as an independent Charter Officer; that the Finance Officer should be hired and fired and work directly for the City Manager; that the Charter appears to work in the past and keep it the way it is, need some type of control and balances; issue is the span of time for the structure to change to reflect the current day -to -day operations; it makes more control; managerial sense to have the finance position under City Manager; and the recorder position was unknown. The Mayor noted the City Attorney gave the opinion that Section 53 can be changed by ordinance. He suggested an ordinance be prepared with updated language and to address the recorder, then debate can continue and Council can make amendments. Kabe Woods, 240 Brooks Street, voiced support of the idea of the Finance Director working directly under the City Manager, and suggested Council consider having an Internal Audit function that the Management Advisory Group recommended as it is a very useful tool. RECAP The City Manager recapped what she believed she heard regarding action items: 1) The City Attorney will bring forward on September 23rd an ordinance to change the provision about voting in Section 8 2) At another time bring forward an item regarding the start times and number of meetings. 3) Remove civil service provision, the archaic language in Section 15. 4) Bring forward an ordinance to amend Section 53 to remove the recorder position and to change that reporting relationship 5) Bring forward an item on the filing fee and the canvassing board language in Section 60 (b) & ( e). ADJOURNMENT Being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 6: 55 p.m. APPROVED: ATTEST: MAYOR: CITY CLERK ddm  MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING 289 OF THE CITY OF FORT WALTON BEACH, FLORIDA BUDGET FOR FY 08/ 09 SEPTEMBER 22, 2008 INTRODUCTION A special meeting of the City Council of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, was held on Monday, September 22, 2008, at 5: 30 p. m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, with the following members present: Mayor Mike Anderson Councilmen: Mike Holmes, Virgil Miller, Dennis Reeves, Bill Garvie ( arrived at 5: 32 pm); Dr. Wayne Pullen, Jim Hartwell, and Mike Minich Also Present: Joyce Shanahan, City Manager; Helen Spencer, City Clerk; Brandy Wunker, Finance Director; Toni Craig, City Attorney; and Department Directors PURPOSE The purpose of the Special Council meeting is to adopt the tentative millage rate and the tentative budget for Fiscal Year 2008/09. CALL TO ORDER The Mayor called the meeting to order. PLEDGE The Mayor led in the Pledge of Allegiance. PUBLIC HEARING — FINAL MILLAGE The Mayor stated the millage rate for the City of Fort Walton Beach for Fiscal Year 2008 -09 is 4. 3361 mills, which is 7. 5% below the rollback rate of 4.6883 mills. The rollback rate is the millage rate that will provide the same ad valorem tax revenue as was levied during the prior year. The Mayor continued the reason for setting the millage rate at 4.3361 mills is to provide sufficient revenues to balance the General Fund budget. The Mayor opened the public hearing for comments on the millage rate. Matthew Gaetz, 301 Brooks Street, spoke in opposition to the proposed millage rate and the add -back items into the budget that he felt were non -essential, such as fireworks and additional police vehicles, thus increasing the millage rate. Mr. Gaetz noted that when people have less, government should have less, and that government has a choice to make by choosing what is and is not essential and by doing so the increase in the tax rate can be avoided. He advised he collected more than 250 signatures from citizens who opposed the proposed millage rate, and distributed a few more petitions he received this evening prior to the meeting. He thanked Council for their hours of time spent on the business of the City, and although he disagrees with the millage rate, it is a respectful disagreement. Julianna Scott, 11 Stafford Circle, spoke against the proposed millage rate stating that if families and individuals have to do more with less, then government should follow suit. Kabe Woods, 240 Brooks Street, stated that spending and revenues are down, and felt that the additional monies for the add -back items can be squeezed into the budget and paid for without raising the millage rate. As no one else wished to speak, the public hearing was closed. 290 Special Council 9 -22 -08 RES. 08 -04: ADOPTION OF MILLAGE RATE The Mayor read the resolution by title. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF FORT WALTON BEACH, FLORIDA, ADOPTING THE MILLAGE RATE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2008 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2009; AND SETTING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Mr. Minich moved to adopt Res. 08 -04 setting the Final Millage Rate for the City of Fort Walton Beach at 4.3361 mills for the Fiscal Year beginning October 1, 2008, and ending September 30, 2009. Mr. Hartwell seconded motion. The Mayor asked for Council comments. Mr. Minich clarified several comments for the public including the fact the position of fire captain that was added back to the budget is not a new position; the position was there last year and it was retained. He also explained that the City lost four police officer positions and four vehicles, and that with the funding the police vehicles were added back. He also stated the 1 % increase for City employees is due to the fact the City lost 24 employees and the employees are being asked to do more with less. In closing, Mr. Minich stated the proposed millage is commensurate for the citizens of the City to continue to receive the services they have. Mr. Hartwell stated he feels comfortable leaving the millage rate as proposed and that less government is less service and it is important for the City's first responders to have the vehicles and supplies they need to protect the citizens of the City. Dr. Pullen advised he would not support the millage rate as proposed because there are other monies that can be used to cover possible shortfalls. He also stressed that the budget can be changed if needed, throughout the year, but once the millage rate is set it cannot be changed. Mr. Garvie informed he could not support a raise in the millage rate because, in his, words, `the area is hurting.' Mr. Reeves said he is for keeping taxes down if possible and appreciated the comments from the citizens this evening. He read most of the petitions and thanked the citizens for their input. Mr. Miller stated he would vote against the proposed millage rate and that the Staff recommendation should be endorsed. Mr. Holmes advised he would support the proposed millage rate. He said quality of life for the citizens is what is being considered, and he has not had one call regarding lowering the rate but has had many people tell him they like the services they receive from the City and wants those services to remain. The Mayor called for the vote on the motion and it failed by a vote of 3 to 4 with Holmes, Hartwell, and Minich in favor and Miller, Reeves, Garvie, and Pullen opposed. Mr. Reeves moved to adopt Res. 08 -04 setting the Final Millage Rate for the City of Fort Walton Beach at 4. 1986 mills for the Fiscal Year beginning October 1, 2008, and ending September 30, 2009. Mr. Minich seconded motion and it carried unanimously with Holmes, Miller, Reeves, Garvie, Pullen, Hartwell, and Minich in favor. The Mayor advised the millage rate for the City of Fort Walton Beach is 4. 1986 mills for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2008 and ending September 30, 2009, which is 10. 5% below the rollback rate of 4. 6883 mills.  C O R R E C T E D Corti Special Council 9 -22 -08 RES. 08744ADOPTION OF MILLAGE RATE The Mayor read the resolution by title. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF FORT WALTON BEACH, FLORIDA, ADOPTING THE MILLAGE RATE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2008 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2009; AND SETTING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Mr. Minich moved to adopt Res. 08 -44 setting the Final Millage Rate for the City of Fort Walton Beach at 4.3361 mills for the Fiscal Year beginning October 1, 2008, and ending September 30, 2009. Mr. Hartwell seconded motion. The Mayor asked for Council comments. Mr. Minich clarified several comments for the public including the fact the position of fire captain that was added back to the budget is not a new position; the position was there last year and it was retained. He also explained that the City lost four police officer positions and four vehicles, and that with the funding the police vehicles were added back. He also stated the 1 % increase for City employees is due to the fact the City lost 24 employees and the employees are being asked to do more with less. In closing, Mr. Minich stated the proposed millage is commensurate for the citizens of the City to continue to receive the services they have. Mr. Hartwell stated he feels comfortable leaving the millage rate as proposed and that less government is less service and it is important for the City's first responders to have the vehicles and supplies they need to