Sep 09, 2021 City Commission Budget Meeting

[1. Call to Order]

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I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY OF ST.

AUGUSTINE CITY COMMISSION TO ORDER, AND I WOULD ASK THE CLERK TO PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

TRACY UPCHURCH, PRESENT, NANCY SIKES-KLINE, ROXANNE HORVATH, HERE, JOHN VALDES, HERE, BARBARA BLONDER, HERE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, QUORUM IS PRESENT.

AS I STATED EARLIER, THE FORMAT AND THE TIME OF THIS MEETING IS SET BY STATE STATUTE, AND SO THIS IS A FORMAL STEP WE HAVE TO TAKE FOR THE FINAL ADOPTION THE CITY'S BUDGET.

[2. General Public Comments]

IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WISHES TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION NOW AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING? WE, OF COURSE, WILL HAVE TWO OTHER PUBLIC HEARINGS AS WE GO THROUGH.

WELCOME, MS. KALAIDI.

BJ KALAIDI, WEST CITY OF ST.

AUGUSTINE. THIS KIND OF COVERS ALL OF IT.

ALL SOURCES OF REVENUE REBOUNDED FROM OCTOBER 1, 2020, TO SEPTEMBER 30, 2021.

ALL FUNDS, EXCEPT SOLID WASTE WILL HAVE A BUDGET SURPLUS.

THEREFORE, THE CITY SHOULD USE A 7.2269 ROLLBACK PROPERTY TAX RATE.

THE CITY WILL RECEIVE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FEDERAL TAX DOLLARS IN THE AMOUNT OF SIX MILLION FOUR HUNDRED AND SEVENTY SEVEN THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE DOLLARS.

PAGE THIRTY FOUR OF YOUR BUDGET SHOWS HOW THE CITY PLANS TO SPEND 2.9 MILLION, LEAVING FOUR MILLION TO EARMARK TO BENEFIT ALL UNDERLYING ALL TAXPAYERS, NOT SPECIAL INTERESTS OF A FEW. PROVIDING ACCESS BY ALL TAXPAYERS TO THE CODE ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT SHOULD BE ON A PRIORITY LIST FOR THESE DOLLARS.

THE MOVE IN 2020 FROM THE FOURTH FLOOR TO THE SECOND FLOOR IS NOT SERVING THE BEST INTERESTS OF TAXPAYERS NOR EFFICIENT USE OF STAFF TIME.

PAGE THIRTY THREE OF YOUR BUDGET.

THOSE TAKING HOME CITY POLICE VEHICLES OUTSIDE CITY LIMITS OF ST.

AUGUSTINE SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO PAY A FEE AS OTHER COUNTIES REQUIRE.

THIS DECISION IN THE PAST AND FUTURE DOES NOT BENEFIT CITY RESIDENTS WHO PAYS CITY AND COUNTY TAXES.

THE OCT. 1, 2020, TO SEPT.

30, 2022 BUDGET WILL BE SIXTY FOUR MILLION SEVEN HUNDRED AND FIFTY THREE THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY ONE DOLLARS.

AS OF MARCH, 2021 TWENTY FIVE POINT FORTY PERCENT PROPERTIES DO NOT PAY PROPERTY TAXES, WHICH AMOUNTS TO APPROXIMATELY SIX HUNDRED AND EIGHTY THREE POINT TWO MILLION TAX DOLLARS THAT WE DO NOT RECEIVE.

LET THAT SINK IN, FOLKS.[INAUDIBLE] ENDOWMENT TO OH, AS FAR AS I KNOW RIGHT NOW IS OVER $70 MILLION IS MORE THAN THE CITY'S BUDGET.

OUR BUDGET IS LOWER THAN THE COLLEGE ACROSS THE STREET.

IT'S LONG PAST TIME FOR THE CITY TO COLLECT PILOTS PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES FROM THIS INSTITUTION. AND I WILL CONTINUE TO BRING THAT UP AND IT WILL CONTINUE MAYBE TO BE IGNORED. BUT THERE ARE WAYS TO RAISE MONEY IN THIS CITY INSTEAD OF JUST GOING TO THE PROPERTY OWNERS, THE RESIDENTS ESPECIALLY AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS HAVE DONE THIS, AND I THINK AS THE OLDEST CITY, WE OUGHT TO START FOLLOWING IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE'RE ON GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT WOULD WISH TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION AT THIS TIME? SEEING NOBODY ELSE, THE GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION IS CLOSED.

WE'RE NOW IN A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION 2021-35 THAT ESTABLISHES THE

[3. Public Hearing – Consideration of Resolution 2021-35, establishing the tentative millage rate for the Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Budget.]

WELCOME, SIR, HOW ARE YOU? I'M WELL, THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, MADAM VICE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS .MARK SIMPSON, CITY FINANCE DIRECTOR.

TONIGHT WE'RE PRESENTING RESOLUTION 2021-35, ESTABLISHING THE TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022.

THE MILLAGE REMAINS AT SEVEN POINT FIVE MILLS, I'M REQUIRED TO STATE THAT THE ROLLBACK RATE IS 7.2269 MILLS AND THAT THE INCREASE OF 7.5 OVER 7.2269 IS A 3.78 PERCENT INCREASE AND WILL PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL AD VALOREM TAX REVENUE OF EIGHT HUNDRED AND $2000.

THE MILLAGE RATE WAS INITIALLY TENTATIVELY ADOPTED BY RESOLUTION 2021-26 BY YOU ON JULY 12TH. THE INCREASE IN REVENUE IS GOING TO BE USED TO KEEP UP WITH THE COST OF LIVING, AS

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COST OF LIVING WENT UP ROUGHLY 5.8 PERCENT.

WE DO HAVE SALARY INCREASES IN THIS BUDGET, AS WELL AS A 1.25 MILLION DOLLAR LADDER TRUCK FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

SO WE ARE REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE PUBLICLY WHAT WE PLAN TO USE THE ADDITIONAL TAX REVENUE FOR. I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BUDGET, NO SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES, THIS IS MILLAGE, I'M SORRY, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET IN THE NEXT RESOLUTION, BUT I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE ABOUT THE MILLAGE RATE.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. SIMPSON, AT THIS TIME? OK, I'D LIKE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON RESOLUTION 2021-35 WHICH SETS THE TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE. I HAVE NO CARDS, IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WISHES TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION ON THIS MATTER? SEEING NO ONE, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.

COMMISSIONERS IS THEIR A MOTION? I MOVE THAT WE PASS RESOLUTION 2021-35.

IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT, SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY THE VICE MAYOR AND A SECOND BY MYSELF. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, MADAM CLERK, IF YOU'D PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

WAIT, JUST ONE TINY SECOND, I DO HAVE TO READ THE WHOLE THING, SO I'LL HAVE TO READ THE RESOLUTION IN ITS ENTIRETY AS WELL AS THE ORDINANCE, AND THEN WE CAN HAVE THE VOTE.

THANK YOU. RESOLUTION TWENTY TWENTY ONE THIRTY FIVE A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, ADOPTING THE TENTATIVE LEVY OF AD VALOREM TAXES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021-2022.

WHEREAS THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ST.

AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, HAS CONDUCTED A PUBLIC HEARING ON ITS TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE OF 7 .500 MILLS AND HAS DETERMINED IT'S ROLLED BACK RATE IS 7.2269 MILLS AS REQUIRED BY FLORIDA STATUTES, 200.065.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ST.

AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, THAT THE FISCAL YEAR 2021-2022 TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, IS 7.500 MILLS, WHICH REPRESENTS AN INCREASE IN THE ROLLBACK RATE OF 7.2269 MILLS OF 3.78 PERCENT, ADOPTED AT A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, COMMENCED AT 5:05 P.M.

THIS NINTH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2021.

I THOUGHT YOU INDICATED YOU HAD TO READ THE ORDINANCE AS WELL.

I DO, THAT'S THE NEXT ITEM.

WE HAVE A SEPARATE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THAT, SO WE'RE WAITING ON THE ROLL VOTE.

THANK YOU, IF YOU'D PLEASE CALL THE ROLL, MADAM CLERK.

NANCY SIKES-KLINE, YES, TRACY UPCHURCH, YES, JOHN VALDES, YES, ROXANNE HORVATH, YES, BARBARA BLONDER, YES.

THANK YOU, THE RESOLUTION, SETTING THE TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE IS APPROVED.

WE'RE NOW ON A PUBLIC HEARING AND FIRST READING CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE 2021-23 THAT

[4. Public Hearing, First Reading – Consideration of Ordinance 2021-23, establishing the proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2021-2022.]

THIS ORDINANCE RATIFIES AND APPROVES THE ANNUAL BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022, WHICH IS FROM OCTOBER 1ST, 2021 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2022.

THE BUDGET BOOK THAT WAS PRESENTED WAS MODIFIED SLIGHTLY JUST TO PROVIDE A TABLE OF CONTENTS AND PAGE NUMBERS FOR YOU, AS WELL AS TO CORRECT THE ONE GRAPH THAT WAS INCORRECT FOR GENERAL FUND REVENUES.

I ALSO ADDED A SPECIFIC LINE ITEM IN THE BUDGET FOR $10000 THAT REFERENCED SUSTAINABILITY MEASURES AS PART OF THE FEEDBACK FROM OUR BUDGET WORKSHOP.

THOSE WERE THE ONLY CHANGES MADE TO THIS BUDGET.

OKAY, THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, MR. SIMPSON AT THIS TIME? SEEING NONE, I WOULD OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

IS THERE ANYBODY THAT WISHES TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION AT THIS TIME? PLEASE COME FORWARD, MA'AM.

THIS IS ON ORDINANCE 2021-23.

GOOD EVENING, MATTY HARMS, [INAUDIBLE] OH, GEE, THIS IS DIFFERENT FROM I WAS SURPRISED I WAS READY FOR MONDAY AT THREE P.M.

AND SUDDENLY IT'S THIS AFTERNOON, SO I GOT SORT OF MIXED UP.

THAT'S OK. BUT I DID READ THE BUDGET VERY CAREFULLY.

IT'S VERY HARD TO GET A LOT OUT OF IT BECAUSE YOU CAN'T DRILL DOWN TO WHO YOU GET THE FEES FROM, AND I HOPE THAT YOU CAN DRILL DOWN TO GET TO THAT.

BUT OBVIOUSLY RESIDENTS CAN'T DO THAT.

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SO I'M SURPRISED THAT WE'RE HAVING TO USE THE RESCUE MONEY TO DO THAT.

THE OTHER THING WAS THE FIRE TRUCK FOR A LARGER LADDER, AND I WAS JUST WONDERING WHERE, YOU KNOW, WHY DIDN'T WE HAVE THIS BEFORE AND WHOSE APARTMENT BUILDING IS THAT, THAT WE NEED IT FOR? AND GEE, HAD THE FIRE CHIEF DIDN'T USE THIS BEFORE.

THAT WAS ONE THING.

THE OPIOID MONEY WILL BE COMING AS PART OF THE BUDGET FOR THE CITY AT SOME POINT, AND I SUSPECT THAT INFRASTRUCTURE MONEY WILL ALSO BE COMING AT SOME POINT.

CLIMATE CHANGE, I MEAN, STARK WARNINGS ARE ALL OVER THE NATION, ALL OVER THE WORLD.

YOU SEE THE FIRES, YOU SAW GRACE IN NEW ENGLAND, YOU SAW IDA IN NEW ENGLAND, YOU SEE MINDY IN NORTH FLORIDAK, AND I'M WONDERING, WHY ISN'T THERE MORE IN THERE THAT SPEAKS TO CLIMATE CHANGE? AND WE SHOULD BE AND WE SHOULDN'T GET LOST.

I MEAN, BEGINNING THIS BUDGET YEAR, WE SHOULD HAVE SOMETHING IN THERE OR SOME THINGS IN THERE TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE.

THOSE WERE MY COMMENTS.

I'LL EMAIL YOU OTHER COMMENTS THAT I HAVE.

I'M VERY SORRY, I DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS TONIGHT, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT WISHES TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION AT THIS TIME? SEEING NOBODY ELSE, SEEING NO ONE ELSE AND HAVING NO FURTHER CARDS, I WOULD CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND BRING IT BACK TO THE COMMISSION.

THIS IS ON FIRST READING.

THE CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE 2021-23, IS THEIR MOTION.

I MOVE THAT WE PASS ORDINANCE 2021-23 ON FIRST READING, READ IN ITS ENTIRETY AND SECOND, I'VE GOT A MOTION, I HAVE A SECOND, MS. LOPEZ, ORDINANCE NUMBER 2021-23 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ST.

AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, RATIFYING, APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET OR BUDGET ESTIMATES OF REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES FOR THE CITY OF ST.

AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1,2021 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2022, PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF ORDINANCES AND CONFLICT HERE WITH PROVIDING FOR SEVERANCE OF INVALID PROVISIONS AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ST.

AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, AS FOLLOWS SECTION ONE, THE ANNUAL BUDGET ESTIMATES OF REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES OF THE CITY OF ST.

AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2021-2022, AS PREPARED, AMENDED AND SUBMITTED TO THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ST.

AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, BY THE CITY MANAGER, AS CONSIDERED AND ACTED UPON BY SAID CITY COMMISSION UNDER AND BY AUTHORITY OF THE CHARTER OF SAID CITY AND THE LAWS OF FLORIDA ARE HEREBY RATIFIED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF SAID CITY AND THE AMOUNTS OF MONEY SET FORTH THEREIN ARE HEREBY APPROPRIATED.

SECTION TWO, THE SAID BUDGET OF REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES ADOPTED FOR THE ENSUING FISCAL YEAR 2021-2022 SHALL BE SPREAD IN FULL UPON THE MINUTES OF THE CITY COMMISSION.

SECTION THREE, THE APPROPRIATIONS WITHIN AN ACTIVITY OR SUB ACTIVITY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020-2021 AND FISCAL YEAR 2021-2022 MAY BE TRANSFERRED WITHIN BY THE CITY MANAGER FOR THE PURPOSE OF EQUALIZATION WHEN NECESSARY.

SECTION FOUR, ALL FUNDS FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR 2020-2021, AND BUDGETED FISCAL YEAR 2021-2022 MAY OVEREXTEND ADOPTED BUDGETS TO THE EXTENT THAT ACTUAL REVENUES EXCEEDED THE ADOPTED BUDGET.

SECTION FIVE, ALL UNENCUMBERED APPROPRIATIONS, EXCEPT FOR SPECIAL PROJECTS OR COMMITMENTS, BE AND ARE CANCELED AS OF SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2021, AND THE CITY DIRECTOR OF FINANCE IS DIRECTED TO TRANSFER ALL APPROPRIATION CREDIT BALANCES TO AN APPROPRIATED SURPLUS AND PLACE TO THE CREDIT OF ALL APPROPRIATION ACCOUNTS WHICH SHOW A DEBIT BALANCE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, 2020-2021, AN AMOUNT FROM UNAPPROPRIATED SURPLUS TO BALANCE SAME AND TO CLOSE ALL SUCH ACCOUNTS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2020-2021.

SECTION SIX, IF ANY PROVISION OF THIS ORDINANCE, OR THE APPLICATION THEREOF TO ANY PERSON OR CIRCUMSTANCES ARE HELD INVALID, SUCH INVALIDITY SHALL NOT AFFECT OTHER PROVISIONS OR APPLICATIONS OF THE ORDINANCES WHICH CAN BE GIVEN EFFECT WITHOUT THIS INVALID PROVISION OR APPLICATION.

AND TO THIS END, THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ORDINANCE ARE DECLARED TO BE SEPARABLE.

SECTION SEVEN, ALL ORDINANCES ARE PARTS OF ORDINANCES AND CONFLICT HEREWITH ARE HEREBY

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AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, AND SPECIAL SESSION AT 5:05 P.M.

IT WILL BE TODAY FOR FIRST READING AND THEN THE 23RD OF SEPTEMBER, 2021 FOR THE FINAL ADOPTION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MISS LOPEZ.

THE ORDINANCE HAS BEEN READ WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION OR COMMENT? SEEING NONE, MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

NANCY SIKES-KLINE, YES, ROXANNE HORVATH, YES, JOHN VALDES, YES, BARBARA BLONDER, YES.

TRACY UPCHURCH, YES.

THANK YOU. THE ORDINANCE HAS PASSED ON FIRST HEARING FIRST READING.

ITEMS BY COMMISSIONERS.

THERE ARE NINE ITEMS BY CITY STAFF.

VERY GOOD, WE WILL CONSIDER OURSELVES ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.