Fort Walton Beach Council minutes — 11-13-12 special--fire assessment — reading text

117 Final Minutes — City of Fort Walton Beach Special Meeting of the City Council of Fort Walton Beach Tuesday, November 13, 2012 5: 00 PM 107 M,. aae seta rnak cy Fart W dkni 6occh, FL 32548 CALL TO ORDER 5: 00 PM Meeting was called to order on November 13, 2012 at Council Chamber, 107 Miracle Strip Parkway, Fort Walton Beach, FL. Attendee Name Title Status Arrived Mike Anderson Mayor Present Bobby Griggs Council Seat 1 Present joyce gossom Council Seat 2 Present Dennis Reeves Council Seat 3 Present Trey Goodwin Council Seat 4 Present Bobby Nabors Council Seat 5 Present Bull Rigdon Council Seat 6 Present Dick Rynearson Council Seat 7 Present Mr. Reeves arrived at 5: 12 pm. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The Mayor led in the Pledge of Allegiance. Discussion of Fire Assessment for FY 2013 -14 Budget Government Services Group, Inc. will present information related to a Fire Assessment, including the methodologies for calculating the assessment and for collecting the assessment. Staff will request City Council authorization to advertise a resolution of intent to pursue a Fire Assessment for consideration at the December 11, 2012 Council meeting. A resolution is required by the Tax Collector and Property Appraiser prior to January 1, 2013 in order to move forward with evaluating the feasibility of implementing a Fire Assessment for FY 2013 -14. Fire Chief Ken Perkins advised that during the FY 2012 -13 budget preparation cycle, Staff initiated discussion of possibly implementing a non -ad valorem Fire Service Assessment to provide funding for the City's Fire Department's annual operational expenses beginning in FY 2013 -14. Chief Perkins informed that currently funding for fire protection is accomplished through a collection of ad valorem taxes and a Fire Service Assessment would provide a more fair and stable method of funding fire protection services within the City. Chief Perkins continued that a resolution of intent must be adopted by City Council and submitted to the tax collector by January 1, 2013, and if there is interest from Council, the City must begin advertising the resolution of intent no later than November 19, 2012, for a public hearing on December 11, 2012. City Council ofFort Wallon Reach Page 1 Printed 1111512012 118 Minutes ta aPr t, Pr 2012 Chef Perkins introduced Camille Tharpe of Government Services Group ( GSG) who presented information relating to a Fire Assessment for the City. Ms. Tharpe presented an outline of the presentation including general information on fire assessments; fire assessment methodologies; collection methods and implementation procedures, with the uniform method of collection as the recommended method; benefits of using fire assessments; and strategies for success. She stressed that a fire assessment is not a tax and stressed the similarities and differences between the two. Ms. Tharpe informed the next step in the process, should Council decide to pursue the assessment, is to adopt Resolution of Intent ( non- binding resolution) at the Council meeting of December 11, 2012. Public hearings must be advertised in a newspaper once per week for four consecutive weeks immediately proceeding the public hearing, which would be the weeks of November 13 - 19; November 20 -26; November 27- December 3; and December 4 -10. Discussion included the services that will be affected, including the ALS Service, due to the reduction in funding for the Fire Department. Charlene Greenwald, Jet Drive, received clarification that the intent of the assessment is to create a dedicated fund for fire without using ad valorem taxes. Lee Bobo, Memorial Parkway, was advised the purpose of this meeting is to see if Council is interested in moving forward with the process and that the estimated cost of advertising for the non -binding resolution is $ 600.00. Mr. Nabors moved that Council move forward and begin advertising the resolution of intent, in accordance with the state requirements, to use the uniform method of collecting special non -ad valorem assessments for the cost of providing fire services commending in the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2013, and to approve to schedule a public hearing to consider the resolution electing to utilize the uniform method of collecting non -ad valorem special assessments on December 11, 2012, at 6 pm. Mr. Rynearson seconded motion and it failed by a vote of 2 to 5. RESULT: DEFEATED [2 TO 51 MOVER: Bobby Nabors, Council Seat 5 SECONDER: Dick Rynearson, Council Seat 7 AYES: Bobby Nabors, Dick Rynearson NAYS: Griggs, gossom, Reeves, Goodwin, Rigdon Several Council members advised they cannot support the assessment but they do not object to investigating other methods of funding. Mr. Nabors moved to look into the fire assessment with alternative means of billing. Mr. Goodwin seconded motion and it carried by a vote of 4 to 3. City Council ofFort Walton Beach page 2 printed 1111512012  119 Special Meeting Minutes November 13, 2012 RESULT: ADOPTED [ 4 TO 31 MOVER: Bobby Nabors, Council Seat 5 SECONDER: Trey Goodwin, Council Seat 4 AYES: Joyce gossom, Trey Goodwin, Bobby Nabors, Dick Rynearson NAYS: Bobby Griggs, Dennis Reeves, Bull Rigdon ADJOURNMENT: 6: 02 pm Approved: b- rx' fo (( j (K/ Io'I Mayor: Attest i City Clerk CiryC incil of Fort Walton Beach Page3 Printed 11115/ 20/ 2