Fort Walton Beach Council minutes — 05-15-07 special minutes — reading text

auditing the taxes from the the Department of Revenue sent a preliminary letter notifying the City they are million 28 month vendor and advised the City may have been over paid by approximately $ 1. 7 over a in June or July. She period, but the final overpayment will not be known until the audits are complete time the said legislation was passed that would allow the City to repay over the same period of for next year. Staff overpayment was incurred and the repayment will be approximately $ 715, 000 recommendation is to appropriate portion a of fund balance to compensate for the overpayment; rather 825, 000 another$ 715, OOO, that the budget be cut by $ 825, 000 and use the than cut the budget $ plus fund balance for the payback. Fire Assessment Fee facilities, The City Manager went over a fire assessment fee that can be levied to fund fire services, for ALS Services. She said the study cannot be done programs benefiting property, but cannot be used be in- house as a legally defensible analysis is needed. Staff recommends a fire assessment rate study There discussion the advantages of a fire assessment fee; the budgeted for Fall 2007. was some additional revenue it would generate; and the cost recovery system currently in place. Golf Fund Rates with a five The City Manager recalled Council adopted a revised five year get well plan for the golf course year fee schedule plan with automatic increases built in to be effective June 1 of each year. She mentioned the golf fund will have fewer revenue dollars this year and some equipment and capital been because of the revenue shortfall. She noted the external auditors purchases have delayed recommended the scheduled rate increases should be continued. She mentioned the Golf Club Administrator would like to maintain the rates to build goodwill with the players, increase participation, increase and stabilize the number of rounds. She recommended Council maintain the scheduled rate effective June 1. She wished to know if the rates should be increased effective June 1 as scheduled, and if Council is not interested in doing it then they would have to amend the adopted rate plan. was requested There was an exchange of views on whether or not to maintain the rate increase; and it that the Golf Club Administrator give a presentation on proposals to increase participation. increase Jim Frazier, Golf Club Administrator, stated experts say if you start to lose money, you rates, will loose participation. He is working on some innovative ideas to participation but if you raise you increase participation at the golf course. The City Attorney advised a resolution would need to be passed before June 151 because the rates were set by resolution. The Finance Director suggested the effective date be changed from June 1, 2007 to June 1, 2008. The City Manager noted Council will need to revisit the whole fee schedule because there are issues that would now be stacked in the 2008- 09 year. She acknowledged a resolution will be brought forward to Council.  281 5- 15- 07 Special Council Outside Aaencv Fundina The City Manager mentioned the outside agencies funded that perform some sort of service to the City. She mentioned a letter was sent to each of the outside agencies expressing concern about the tight budget for next year and encouraged them to talk with their legislative representatives about the fact that some of their funding may be limited from local governments given the current parameters. She noted the agencies will make a presentation at the budget meetings in August. Fire Services Consolidation Shannon Stone, Fire Department Captain and President of the Professional Firefighters Association, mentioned a service provided free of charge through the Intemational Association of Firefighters as long as the firefighter locals being affected in the area all request it together to perform a Graphical Information Study to evaluate the fire services within the area, and merging fire services, fire based EMS Services and/ or manning issues. He said they would specifically look at consolidating the four specific fire departments of Mary Esther, Okaloosa- Island, Ocean City-Wright, and the City of Fort Walton Beach. He said they plan to come before Council to gain support along with support of the Fire Board Commissioners of the other districts. Library Co-OP Dr. Pullen mentioned information was received that the City expenditures have not been reported property to the Co-Op so more money was given to the City than it had coming. He said at the Co- Op meeting a motion was made that the County Finance Officer work with the City's Finance Officer to come up with actual final figures on what the City should have received; and rather than giving back the amount of money that was overpaid, they would just not fund the City until the difference is made up. He said the difference is the City has been overpaid between $ 80- 100, 000, and this quarter the City will not receive $ 27, 000 they expected. He said in addition, the Co- Op may have to pay back to the State 50, 000 because of the improper reporting. The City Manager mentioned the City provided to the Co- Op detailed expenditures but in addition they required the City complete a form which says the expenditures are X and subtract Y the amount received from the Co- Op to arrive at a new total Z. She said the form was not as clear as it could have been and the form is being changed because there was some confusion. She said Mr. Gorin indicated they will send the County Finance Officer to verify the expenditures so the City' s obligation is unknown at this time. She will advise Council once the County Finance Officer has met with the City' s Finance Director. The Finance Director mentioned the submission made for the current year has been corrected. General Public Kabe Woods, 240 Brooks Street, encouraged Council to reduce the tax burden; find the priorities of the City; prepare a budget with a 15% reduction; reduce the budget without affecting existing personnel, service levels or core activities and use the opportunity to aggressively recalibrate the personnel to retain the best people; expand user fees; look for activities to stop, what should not be done or can be privatized or outsourced; use the unreserved or undesignated funds to pay for the communications services shortfall; and pursue the fire assessment fee. r-- ADJOURNMENT Being no further business, the meeting adjoumed at 9: 15 p. m. APPROVED: ~ JrJ '/ MAYOR: L9..( ddm