Fort Walton Beach Council agenda — 09-28-2010 Regular — reading text

carried unanimously with Holmes, gossom, Reeves, Minich, Nabors, Rigdon, and Rynearson in favor. RES. 2010 -23: ADOPTING THE TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE FOR FY 2010/ 11 The Mayor read the resolution by title. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF FORT WALTON BEACH, FLORIDA, ADOPTING THE TENTATIVE MILLAGEE RATE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2010 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2011; AND SETTING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. The Finance Director noted the 2010 gross taxable property value for operating purposes is $ 1, 213, 149, 471, a decrease of $95, 906,544 or 7. 3% from the 2009 final gross taxable property value of $1, 309, 056, 015. Staff requests Council adopt Resolution 2010 -23 to adopt the tentative millage rate for the fiscal year 2010/ 11. The Mayor stated the tentative millage rate for the City of Fort Walton Beach for FY 2010/ 11 is 4.5383 mills, which is 0. 00% below the rolled -back rate of 4. 5383 mills. The rolled -back rate is the millage rate that will provide the same ad valorem tax revenue as was levied during the prior year. The Mayor stated the reason for setting the millage rate at 4.5383 mills is to provide sufficient revenues to balance the General Fund budget. RES. 2010 -23: ADOPTING THE TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE FOR FY 2010/ 11 coot. The Mayor opened the public hearing for comments on the tentative millage rate. He said he will invite speakers in rotation of support and opposition and each speaker will be permitted to speak once for three to five minutes. Special Council 9 -8 - 10 RES. 2010 -23: ADOPTING THE TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE FOR FY 2010/ 11 comet. Duane Charlie Barber, Jr., 239 Brooks Street, retired City employee with 32 years of service in the fire department, spoke in support of the proposed millage rate. He mentioned his family' s need for the ALS services three times in the past year and expressed his hope there are no cuts in emergency service. Kabe Woods, 240 Brooks Street, agreed with the priority established to maintain fire and police service but spoke in opposition to the proposed millage rate. He expressed his opinion there are other items that can be trimmed and urged Council to try harder to cut a little more this year. Nancy Reynolds, 25 Driftwood Avenue, spoke in support of the firemen as important employees of the City. Mike Goleno, 218 Miracle Strip Parkway, expressed understanding on the position for the police and fire but spoke in opposition to the proposed millage rate. He expressed the opinion that the number of employees in recreation is higher than for other services and did not think it fair the citizens pay higher taxes to support low recreation fees. He urged Council to make cuts and stay within the original millage rate. Chris Gibson, 249 Brooks Street, expressed appreciation for the fire and police departments and spoke in support of the proposed millage rate in order not to lose any protection. Henry Kelley, 344 Oakland Circle, on behalf of the Fort Walton Beach Tea Party spoke in opposition to the proposed millage rate and urged Council to ask staff to find more cuts, to take a serious look at consolidation of services, to stop paying outsiders for work that should be done in- house, to get creative on employee hours and furloughs, and take a hard look at parks and recreation. He also questioned why park rentals had to go through the Hedrick Center and could not be done at City Hall; why the inmate program to pick up trash has increased costs to the City when a corrections officer is paid to manage inmates and the seven employees who were to be removed still remain on the payroll; why there is a lot of unused space in City Hall facilities while paying rent in other locations; and whether enough rent is charged to groups to use the Municipal Auditorium. He said there is a lot that can be cut and the Tea Party is suggesting that Council do just that. Brad Bynum, 82 Waynel Circle, spoke in support of the proposed millage and said he has seen how the library staff has come together to do more with less. He said the thought of furlough or cuts is the ultimate lack of appreciation and thought the City needed to take good care of what they have. Clayton Vind, 505 Samana Way, Niceville spoke in opposition to the proposed millage rate and questioned where it would end if every year it keeps going up. He stated they have to get control of it at the local level. Bob Rettie, 317 Sudduth Circle, offered a CD titled " Making Government Accountable: Reform Lessons from New Zealand" by the Honorable Maurice McTigue that he believed would help the City be constructive. Brick Pirello, 34 Ferry Road, spoke in opposition to the proposed millage rate and questioned it at a time when everyone is suffering. He suggested Council consider doing something that would help the people. Jeff Caulfield, 129 Lake Lorraine Circle, Shalimar, commercial property owner in Fort Walton Beach, spoke in opposition to the proposed millage rate and thought there are other things Council can look at in the budget to cut. Vince Bruner, 239 Yacht Club Drive, spoke in opposition to the proposed millage rate in light of the slow economy, high unemployment rates, an increase in foreclosures, an increase in bankruptcies, and the recent deep water horizon spill. He said it is not the right time for a millage increase and ask Council to be resourceful to keep the millage at or below the same level as last year. Gene Large, 17 West Lake Circle, Mary Esther, Battalion Chief Fort Walton Beach Fire Department, spoke in support of the proposed millage increase and expressed that all Department Directors were given direction to look hard at where there could be cuts. He said he took offense at comments made that the employees, management, and Council have not tried their very best to make cuts.  Special Council 9 -8 - 10 RES. 2010 -23: ADOPTING THE TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE FOR FY 2010/ 11 cont. Shannon Stone, Navarre resident, Battalion Chief Fort Walton Beach Fire Department, spoke in support of the proposed millage and believed Council has made the right decision as in past meetings the citizens have said this is what they want to maintain City services. He expressed his understanding that the roll forward rate will bring in the same amount of revenue and he knows the Department Directors worked closely with the City Manager ,and staff to make cuts. He said he would like to see services maintained at the same cost to the citizens. Jeff Main, 75 Waynel Circle, said he would support the proposed millage this year. He expressed his opinion the Directors failed to give the City Manager a budget they could work with and thought they could have found more places to cut. As no one further wished to speak the public hearing was closed. Mr. Nabors moved to adopt Res. 2010 -23 to set the tentative millage rate for the City of Fort Walton Beach at 4. 5383 for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2010 and ending September 30, 2011. Mr. Minich seconded motion and it carried by a vote of 5 to 2 with Holmes, gossom, Minich, Nabors, and Rynearson in favor and Reeves and Rigdon opposed. The Mayor stated the tentative millage rate for the City of Fort Walton Beach is 4.5383 mills for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2010 and ending September 30, 2011, which is 0. 00% below the rolled -back rate of 4. 5383. He advised the proposed millage is subject to a second and final public hearing that will be held here at the City of :Fort Walton Beach Council Chambers on Wednesday, September 22, 2010 at 5: 30 p.m. RES. 2010 -24: ADOPTING TENTATIVE BUDGET FOR FY 2010/ 11 The Mayor read the resolution by title. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF FORT WALTON BEACH, FLORIDA, ADOPTING THE TENTATIVE BUDGET' FOR CERTAIN EXPENDITURES, EXPENSES, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND CERTAIN INDEBTEDNESS FOR THE CITY OF FORT WALTON BEACH, FLORIDA, FOR THE YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2010 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2011; AND SETTING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. The Mayor noted Counciil gave staff five items to take into consideration on the preparation of the budget: to keep public safety (police and fire) whole; to keep as many services as possible; to keep as many employees as possible; to provide an employee compensation incentive if possible; and to keep the millage rate below 5 mills. The Finance Director noted the fiscal year 2010/ 11 proposed budget of $35, 708, 090 is $ 358, 601 or 1. 0% less than the adopted fiscal year 2009/ 10 budget. Staff requests Council adopt Resolution 2010 -24 to adopt the tentative budget for the fiscal year 2010/ 11. The Mayor stated the tentative budget for the City of Fort Walton Beach for FY 2010/ 11 is $ 35, 708. 090, which is $ 358, 601 or 1. 0% less than the adopted FY 2009/ 10 budget. The Mayor opened the public hearing for comments on the tentative budget. Chris Gibson, 249 Brooks Street, encouraged Council to direct the Mayor to go to the League of Cities to force the County to provide services the citizens pay taxes for or to give the money back. Council received confirmation there is money available in contingencies to fund the Economic Development Council on their request for $14, 000. Special Council 9 -8 -10 RES. 2010 -24: ADOPTING TENTATIVE BUDGET FOR FY 2010/ 11 cont. Council received further clarification that staff has been reduced by 19 employees who took the retirement incentive which saved the City $ 1. 4 million; that over the last three years staff has been reduced nearly 20 %; that in lieu of pay increases staff is proposing vacation hours on a sliding scale corresponding to the employee' s evaluation; and services citizens would lose if the millage was reduced were the possible closure of the library, museum, and senior center, a reduction in public safety, and furloughs for employees. Brick Pirello, 34 Ferry Road, questioned why in the current economic situation that something cannot be done to save money. Jeff Main, 75 Waynel Circle, suggested Council look at a reduction in pay by a certain percentage for everyone that makes over $ 50, 000. Chris Gibson, 249 Brooks Street, commented the citizens pay to support the library but the County gives very little for their citizens to use the library. She suggested an increase in recreation fees for county residents and to save money to do away with the least used course ( Pines or Oaks) at the golf course. Nancy Reynolds, 25 Driftwood Avenue, commented the activities at the recreation center are more expensive than what she could get downtown and suggested the fees get more competitive. She thought the City does not use what it has in ways that could generate more money. Henry Kelley, 344 Oakland Circle, received clarification that the five employees in the CRA were current employees transferred from the general fund to the CRA fund. Mr. Kelley suggested taking a hard look at the fireworks budget as it may be the time for the City to stop paying for that, and questioned the use of tax dollars to support the Chamber of Commerce and whether enough is being charged to groups to rent the auditorium. As no one else wished to speak, the public hearing was closed. Mr. Rynearson moved to approve Res. 2010 -24 to adopt the tentative budget for the City of Fort Walton Beach for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2010 and ending September 30, 2011. Ms. gossom seconded motion. Mr. Minich moved to amend the budget by transferring $ 14, 000 from contingencies