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[00:00:01]

ALL RIGHT. I WAS SITTING THERE.

ALL RIGHT. SO IT IS 5:05.

[1. CALL TO ORDER]

GOOD EVENING. THIS MEETING WILL BE CALLED TO ORDER.

MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

NANCY SIKES-KLINE HERE.

ROXANNE HORVATH HERE.

BARBARA BLONDER HERE.

CYNTHIA GARRIS HERE.

JIM SPRINGFIELD HERE.

ALL RIGHT, SO THE NEXT ITEM WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA IS GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS OR DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKER CARDS?

[2. GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS]

NO. IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK? CERTAINLY WELCOME TO COME TO THE PODIUM AND SPEAK AND YOU CAN FILL THE CARD OUT AFTER.

THE PODIUM IS HERE, SIR.

AND IF YOU'LL JUST COME AND GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND YOU'LL BE WELCOME TO SPEAK FOR THREE MINUTES.

I AM PERRY WEAVER.

I LIVE IN SAINT JOHNS COUNTY, 54 AUSTERO COURT IN COQUINA RIDGE.

AND THE REASON I'M HERE IS THE RATE FOR WATER AND SEWER.

YOU HAD AN INCREASE.

AND I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'RE HAVING ANOTHER INCREASE, BUT I THINK WE'RE UNFAIRLY BEING TAXED.

AND THE FACT THAT YOU'RE WE'RE HIGH ALREADY AND NOW YOUR TAXES IS EVEN HIGHER.

YOU UNDERSTAND THIS FORMULA? YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE.

I JUST THINK WE'RE UNFAIRLY, THE WHOLE SUBDIVISION IS BEING UNFAIRLY TAXED.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU KNOW, IF YOU UP YOUR CURRENT RESIDENTS 5% AND YOU INCREASE US 5%, IT'S MORE THAN 5%.

BECAUSE WE'RE ALREADY HIGH.

I UNDERSTAND. YES.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT.

YOU'RE IN THE SERVICE AREA OUTSIDE OF THE CITY? YES. SO THE RATE IS HIGHER THERE THAN IT IS IN THE CITY, I THINK.

IS THAT. IS THAT WHAT YOU MEAN? YEAH. I MEAN, YOU YOU ADD 5% TO US, YOU'RE HITTING US HARDER THAN YOU ARE YOUR OWN RESIDENTS.

YES. OKAY.

WOULD YOU, MR. CITY MANAGER, LIKE TO SPEAK? WELL, I JUST WANTED TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY LOWERING THE SURCHARGE FOR OUR UTILITY FEES FOR PROPERTIES OUTSIDE OF OUR CITY LIMITS, BUT INSIDE OUR SERVICE AREA.

SO, SIR, YOU ARE YOU'RE SEEING A CPI INCREASE, BUT THE SURCHARGE THAT YOU PAY NOW IS ACTUALLY BEING LOWERED BY 1%.

AND WHY WOULD YOU LOWER IT INSTEAD OF JUST REDUCING THE TERM? WELL, I'LL LET OUR ACCOUNTANT EXPLAIN THAT.

BUT I JUST WANTED TO REMIND THE FOLKS THAT WE ARE LOWERING THE SURCHARGE.

IT IS PART OF AN EFFORT TO HAVE A DEGREE IN COMPUTER SCIENCE AND INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING.

THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE, BY THE WAY.

OKAY. WELL, I THINK MR. SIMPSON CAN HELP US CAN HELP ARTICULATE THAT.

AND THANK YOU FOR COMING. WE APPRECIATE IT.

IF YOU DON'T MIND STICKING AROUND FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES, MAYBE MR. SIMPSON CAN FLESH IT OUT A LITTLE DEEPER FOR US.

ALL RIGHT. SO PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED.

HEARING NO MORE SEEING, NO CARDS, HEARING NO MORE.

[3. RESOLUTION 2023-27]

WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM THREE, WHICH IS RESOLUTION 2023-27.

MR. SIMPSON, CAN YOU POSSIBLY CLARIFY THE SPEAKERS? THE SPEAKER SURE.

BE HAPPY TO TRY.

WHAT WE HAD FOR A LONG TIME WAS A 25% SURCHARGE FOR OUTSIDE THE CITY WATER AND SEWER.

WE LOWERED THAT TO 20 MANY YEARS AGO, I BELIEVE, AND THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS WE'VE BEEN LOWERING IT 1%.

AND I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK THAT THE FEES WENT DOWN 1%, THE SURCHARGE WENT DOWN 1%.

SO ACCORDING TO MY MATH, 1% ON 19 IS ACTUALLY A 5.2% DECLINE IN THE SURCHARGE FOR OUTSIDE CITY.

AND THEN WE WOULD TURN AROUND AND RAISE IT BY 4.4%.

SO I WOULD ASK THE GENTLEMEN TO WAIT TILL HE GETS HIS FIRST WATER BILL, BUT I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE ABOUT THE SAME..

BE A WASH ALMOST..

FOR THE WATER AND SEWER PORTION, STORMWATER IS GOING TO GO UP 4.4%.

TRASH AND GARBAGE IS GOING TO GO UP 4.4%.

BUT THE WATER AND SEWER PORTION SHOULD REMAIN RELATIVELY FLAT BECAUSE OF THE 1% REDUCTION IN THE SURCHARGE.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. WE'LL GO ON. MR. WEAVER. PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED.

MR. WEAVER.

WE DO HAVE TO OPEN IT FOR THE RESOLUTION.

OKAY. THE ORDINANCE THEN PUBLIC HEARING.

OH, ABSOLUTELY. OKAY.

ONCE MR. SIMPSON GIVES HIS PRESENTATION, WE'LL WELCOME YOU BACK TO THE PODIUM.

GOOD EVENING. MARK SIMPSON, FINANCE DIRECTOR.

TONIGHT, BEFORE YOU HAVE THE FINAL ADOPTION FOR THE LEVY OF AD VALOREM TAXES FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR 2023-2024.

THE MILLAGE IS REMAINS AT 7.5 MILLS AND THE ROLLBACK RATE WAS CALCULATED AT 6.6089 FOR A 13.48% INCREASE. I BELIEVE THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING, SO WE'LL HAVE TO OPEN IT UP FOR COMMENT.

[00:05:01]

ANY QUESTIONS OF ME ABOUT ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF BEFORE WE GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT? MEAN PUBLIC HEARING, NOT PUBLIC COMMENT.

PUBLIC HEARING. OKAY.

SO THIS I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

MR.. WEAVER.

UM. YOU'RE WELCOME TO SPEAK.

AND NOT TO LABOR ON WHAT I TALKED ABOUT.

BUT I'D LIKE TO BE, YOU KNOW.

IN OTHER WORDS, HOW LONG DOES THIS GO ON THE INCREASE FOR MY SUBDIVISION? CAN WE JUST HAVE SOME KIND OF TERM SO IT ENDS AT SOME POINT? OKAY. SO I'M SAYING TO YOU.

SO I WOULD EXPECT I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS LEFT WE HAVE ON AND HOW LONG WE HOW HOW MUCH WE WILL LOWER THE SURCHARGE.

BUT AS I UNDERSTAND, WE'RE STILL CONTINUING TO LOWER THE SURCHARGE CHARGE BY 1% A YEAR UNTIL WE REACH.

WHY ARE WE GOING? WELL, WHAT? WELL, I HOPE I GET THIS RIGHT.

WE'RE TRYING TO BALANCE A LITTLE BIT SO THE CITY AND YOU'RE LOWERING US AT THE SAME TIME.

YOU'RE NOT LOWERING US IN RELATION TO THE CITY'S RATE.

IT'S ACTUALLY LOWERING OUTSIDE OF OUR OUTSIDE OF OUR CITY LIMITS AND KIND OF RAISING INSIDE OF OUR CITY LIMITS TO GET EVERYBODY KIND OF CLOSER.

HOW LONG WILL THAT LAST? THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO THAT'S WHAT I WAS ASKING.

STAFF YES, SIR.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ANY OTHER PEOPLE HERE, TOO? ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT MEAN PUBLIC PUBLIC COMMENT? HEARING NONE, THE PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED.

MR. SIMPSON.

UM, DO YOU HAVE MORE TO ADD? UH, NO, MA'AM, NOT AT THIS TIME.

DO I HEAR A MOTION? I MOVE, WE WE ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER 2023 DASH 28.

I SECOND 27.

THIS WOULD BE THE RESOLUTION 2023-27.

WHY AM I MISSING IT HERE IN MY BOOK THOUGH? UM, IT SHOULD BE THE FIRST PAGE AFTER THE AGENDA FOR YOU.

AND I DO HAVE IT.

IT'S 2023.

27, AS WE SAID.

YEAH, BUT HE DOESN'T HAVE A COPY OF IT.

A COPY OF. AND WHEREAS I DO, YOU DON'T HAVE.

THIS WAS NOT YOUR DESK.

NO, NO, I THINK I HAVE IT IN MY OTHER BOOK.

YEAH, I HAVE IT IN, IN MY OLD BOOK.

OKAY. EXCELLENT.

OKAY, I'LL REVISE. I'LL REVISE MY MOTION.

WOULD YOU LIKE US TO GIVE YOU A MINUTE? NO. OKAY. I'VE ALREADY READ IT.

ALL THIS. BUT IT WAS IN MY BLACK BOOK THEY GAVE ME.

UH, I MOVE.

WE APPROVE RESOLUTION 2023, DASH 27, SECOND RESOLUTION 2023, DASH 27, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, ADOPTING THE FINAL LEVY OF AD VALOREM TAXES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023-2024.

WHEREAS THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, HAS CONDUCTED A PUBLIC HEARING ON ITS FINAL MILLAGE RATE OF 7.50000 MILLS AND HAS DETERMINED ITS ROLLBACK RATE IS 6.6089 MILLS, AS REQUIRED BY FLORIDA STATUTES 200.065.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, THAT THE FISCAL YEAR 2023, 2024, FINAL MILLAGE RATE OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, IS 7.5000 MILLS, WHICH REPRESENTS AN INCREASE IN THE ROLLBACK RATE OF 6.6089 MILLS OF 13.48% ADOPTED AT A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, COMMENCED AT 5:05 P.M.

THIS 28TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2023, SIGNED BY OUR MAYOR.

COMMISSIONER. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

JIM SPRINGFIELD.

YES. ROXANNE HORVATH YES.

CYNTHIA GARRIS.

YES. BARBARA BLONDER YES.

NANCY SIKES-KLINE.

YES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE MOVE TO ITEM FOUR, ORDINANCE 23, 2023-28.

[4. ORDINANCE 2023-28]

MR. SIMPSON.

THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. MARK SIMPSON, ONCE AGAIN, FINANCE DIRECTOR.

BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING, YOU HAVE ORDINANCE 2023-28 ON SECOND READING, WHICH WILL ADOPT OUR FISCAL YEAR 24 BUDGET.

IT IS APPROXIMATELY $85 MILLION NET OF TRANSFERS.

AND WE HAVE REVIEWED THE REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES AT VARIOUS WORKSHOPS AND WOULD RECOMMEND PASSAGE AFTER A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE MATTER.

OKAY, COMMISSIONERS, ANY COMMENTS? QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.

SO I WILL, HEARING NONE I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN? OR THE BUDGET? BOTH. IT'S THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN IN THE BUDGET THE WHOLE FIVE YEAR.

THIS IS ADOPTS THE BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 20 2324 AND THE FIVE YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.

[00:10:07]

AND GOING BACK, CAN I GET A WRITTEN STATEMENT ON WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE WATER AND SEWER TAXES? ABSOLUTELY. OKAY.

AND YOU KNOW, I HAVE 135 NEIGHBORS WHO WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THAT ALSO.

YES, SIR. AND WE UNDERSTAND.

SO MR..

I'M NOT TRYING TO BE UNREASONABLE.

I'M JUST TRYING TO I UNDERSTAND.

YOU'RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND.

THAT'S PERFECTLY I'M TRYING NOT TO SPEND AS MUCH AS THE CITY MONEY AS THERE IS PROBABLY GOING TO SPEND ANYHOW.

THANK YOU. OKAY.

MR. WEAVER, IF YOU WOULD GIVE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION TO OUR CITY MANAGER.

UH, YES.

AND THEN HE CAN REACH OUT AND CONTACT YOU AND EXPLAIN OR STAFF PERSON.

ALL RIGHT. SO ANY OTHER SPEAKERS OR ANYONE ELSE WISH TO BE HEARD? PUBLIC COMMENT IS THE PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE CLOSED.

BACK TO THE DAIS. COMMISSIONERS.

ANY DEBATE, DISCUSSION QUESTIONS, CLARIFICATIONS.

ALL RIGHT. I HAVE A COMMENT, TOO, JUST TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HARD WORK.

I KNOW THAT'S BEEN A TOUGH UPHILL BATTLE TO GET EVERYTHING TO MATCH UP AND ADD UP.

AND AND WE APPRECIATE THE WORK OF STAFF.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. AND THANKS TO EVERYBODY.

IT'S A TEAM EFFORT AND I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT OF EVERYBODY.

AND WHAT I'D LIKE TO SAY IS THE SAME.

THANK YOU.

BUT ALSO, SOMETIMES THESE MEETINGS ARE VERY BRIEF BECAUSE MOST OF THE WORK IS BEHIND US.

WE WORK ON THE BUDGET THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND OVER MANY MEETINGS AND OVER PUBLIC MEETINGS AND WORKSHOPS AS WELL AS WORKING DIRECTLY WITH STAFF.

SO WE DO APPRECIATE ALL THAT TIME AND EFFORT TO TO TO MAKE THIS A GOOD, SOUND BUDGET THAT'S BALANCED AND PRUDENT AND COST EFFICIENT.

SO THANK YOU.

SO WITH THAT SAID, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

I MOVE TO PASS ORDINANCE 2023-28.

I'VE GOT TO READ THE WHOLE THING, SO I'M WAITING FOR A SECOND.

SECOND. ALL RIGHT.

BE PATIENT. ORDINANCE NUMBER 2023- 28, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, RATIFYING, APPROVING, AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET OR BUDGET ESTIMATES OF REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES FOR THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2023, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2024, PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF ORDINANCES AND CONFLICT HEREWITH PROVIDING FOR SEVERANCE OF INVALID PROVISIONS AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, AS FOLLOWS .

SECTION ONE, THE ANNUAL BUDGET ESTIMATES OF REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2023 2024, AS PREPARED, AMENDED AND SUBMITTED TO THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SAINT 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 2023, 2024 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 2022-2023 AND FISCAL YEAR 2023-2024 MAY BE TRANSFERRED WITHIN BY THE CITY MANAGER FOR PURPOSES OF EQUALIZATION WHEN NECESSARY.

SECTION FOUR, ALL FUNDS FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR 2023, 2022-2023 AND BUDGETED FISCAL YEAR 2023-2024 MAY OVEREXTEND ADOPTED BUDGETS TO THE EXTENT THAT ACTUAL REVENUES EXCEED THE ADOPTED BUDGET.

SECTION FIVE, ALL UNENCUMBERED APPROPRIATIONS EXCEPT FOR SPECIAL PROJECTS OR COMMITMENTS BE AND ARE CANCELED AS OF SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2023, AND THE CITY DIRECTOR OF FINANCE IS DIRECTED TO TRANSFER ALL APPROPRIATION CREDIT BALANCES TO UNAPPROPRIATED SURPLUS AND PLACED TO THE CREDIT OF ALL APPROPRIATION ACCOUNTS, WHICH SHOW A DEBIT BALANCE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2022-2023, AN AMOUNT FROM UNAPPROPRIATED SURPLUS TO BALANCE SAME AND TO CLOSE ALL SUCH ACCOUNTS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2022-2023. SECTION SIX.

IF ANY PROVISIONS 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 SEVERABLE.

SECTION SEVEN.

ALL ORDINANCES OR PARTS OF ORDINANCES AND CONFLICT HEREWITH ARE HEREBY REPEALED.

[00:15:01]

SECTION EIGHT. THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE UPON PASSAGE PASSED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, AND SPECIAL SESSION AT 5:05 P.M.

THIS 28TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2023, SIGNED BY OUR MAYOR.

COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU.

MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

I THINK THAT IS ALL OF THE MATTER OF OUR BUSINESS, BUT I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE ONE COMMENT BEFORE WE CLOSE AND ADJOURN.

I WANTED TO THANK COMMISSIONER BLONDER FOR TAKING THIS SPECIAL EFFORT TO BE HERE IN PERSON.

WE DID NEED A FULL QUORUM TODAY TO MEET THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS, AND I KNOW YOU'RE STILL UNDER REPAIR.

YES. SO YOU'RE UNDER CONSTRUCTION RECONSTRUCTION.

BUT I KNOW IT WAS A LOT TO GET HERE.

AND AGAIN, WE WILL LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU IN THE FUTURE AND A MEETING.

IT'S NICE TO HAVE YOU BACK.

THANK YOU. AND VICE MAYOR HORVATH, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE EXTRA TIME TO FLY UP HERE FROM YOUR CONFERENCE AND THEN FLY HOME, FLY BACK TO FORT LAUDERDALE, OUT OF TOWN TONIGHT TO MAKE THIS SPECIAL MEETING.

SO WE APPRECIATE THE SPECIAL EFFORT OF YOU TAKING THE TIME TO DO THAT.

SO AND THE EFFORT AND WE KNOW FLYING ISN'T THE MOST WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE RIGHT NOW IN THESE DAYS.

SO MANY, MANY, MANY THINGS.

MADAM MAYOR, MAY I SAY ONE THING? YES. I JUST APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU BEING SO INCLUSIVE AND PATIENT WITH ME.

THE STAFF DID A TREMENDOUS JOB IN GETTING ME HERE REMOTELY, AND THIS IS A SHORT MEETING, SO I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND, BUT I COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT STAFF.

SO THANK YOU ALL.

I HOPE TO BE BACK IN THE ROOM FOR ALL OF OUR MEETINGS GOING FORWARD, EVEN THE LONGER ONES SOON.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

SHOUT OUT TO THE FIRE CHIEF FOR BRINGING YOU IN AND TAKING YOU HOME.

THANK YOU, CHIEF AVILES.

WITH THAT SAID, WE WILL ADJOURN THE MEETING.

THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.