ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO. SORRY. OKAY.
[1. CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:03]
WE'RE GOING TO CALL THIS CITY COMMISSION SPECIAL BUDGET WORKSHOP TO ORDER.MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. NANCY SIKES-KLINE.
HERE. BARBARA BLONDER. HERE. CYNTHIA GARRIS. HERE.
JIM SPRINGFIELD. HERE. JOHN DEPRETER. HERE. ALRIGHT.
THANK YOU. OKAY. I JUST HAVE TWO HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS. ONE IS OBVIOUSLY, WE TOOK A LITTLE BIT OF A LONGER BREAK THAN WHAT I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED.
IS THAT CORRECT? MY CALENDAR SAYS 1:00. MAYBE THERE ISN'T AN END.
THERE'S NO END. OKAY. SO LET'S HAVE A DISCUSSION.
WHEN DO WE. WHEN SHOULD WE EXPECT TO END? 3:30 [LAUGHS].
I CAN TELL YOU. I CAN TELL YOU THIS. I CANNOT PARTICIPATE TOMORROW IF IT GOES INTO EXTRA TIME.
SO I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE END WHEN WE'RE FINISHED.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH CONTINUING THROUGH UNTIL WE'RE FINISHED TODAY? THE ONLY THING I DO HAVE A 2:30, AND THAT'S MY ONLY STOPPING POINT. THAT WOULD BE MY STOPPING POINT. SO WE'LL JUST KEEP GOING NO MATTER WHAT.
IF WE DECIDE WE NEED TO TAKE A BREAK, WE'LL TAKE A BREAK. BUT OTHER THAN THAT.
OKAY, PERFECT. SECOND ITEM IS ALSO JUST LIKE I DID.
3.A 3.B. WOULD LIKE TO HAVE 3.B FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AFTER THE PROPOSAL BEFORE THE COMMISSIONER SPEAK. SECOND. ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
AYE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR THE INDULGENCE.
WITH THAT SAID, WE HAVE A PUBLIC. THE NEXT ITEM IS GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS.
[2. GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS]
DOES ANYONE WISH TO SPEAK? I DO HAVE ONE SPEAKER CARD FOR GINA BURRELL.GINA YOU HAVE THE CHOICE OF NOW OR AFTER THE PROPOSAL? AFTER THE DISCUSSION. IT DEPENDS ON HOW LONG YOU WANT TO BE HERE.
BUT YES, PROBABLY IF YOU DON'T PLAN ON SPENDING HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS HERE.
SHE IS RIDING WITH YOU [LAUGHS]. YES. THANK YOU.
[INAUDIBLE] THIS HAS TO DO, DOES NOT HAVE TO DO WITH THE BUDGET.
I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE WORKSHOP YESTERDAY.
AND MAYBE WE WON'T NEED A TASK FORCE NEXT YEAR.
THANKS A LOT. THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE THAT. ALL RIGHT.
WITH THAT SAID, NO MORE PUBLIC COMMENT. ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK? SEEING NO ONE. PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED. PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED.
WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM THREE, WHICH IS THE BUDGET.
[3. FY 2026 BUDGET REVIEW & DISCUSSION]
AND MISS BURNS, YOU ARE ON DECK. WELCOME. GOOD MORNING.GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.
TODAY WE ARE DISCUSSING THE FY 26 BUDGET. I'D LIKE TO TURN YOUR ATTENTION TO PAGE TWO OF YOUR BOOK HERE, WHICH DEPICTS THE FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS. I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT A FEW THINGS.
I DON'T THINK YOU CAN HEAR ME. CAN YOU PULL YOUR MICROPHONE CLOSER? HEAR ME NOW? OKAY. WE'LL START WITH THE GREEN ARROW.
THE MILLAGE RATE STAYS AT 7.5 MILLS. THIS RESULTS IN A 1.7 MILLION NET ADDITIONAL AD VALOREM REVENUE COMPARED TO LAST YEAR, WHICH OUR NET AD VALOREM REVENUE INCREASE WAS 2.3 MILLION.
SO IT'S GOING DOWN. OUR ROLLBACK RATE IS 7.3513, AND EACH 10TH OF A MILL REDUCTION RESULTS IN A $352,998 REDUCTION. REGARDING UTILITY RATES, WE ARE ASKING FOR A 2.3% INCREASE RELATED TO THE CPI. ALSO, I'D LIKE TO NOTE THAT THE OUTSIDE UTILITY FOR WATER AND SEWER, THE SURCHARGE IS CURRENTLY AT 17%. WE'VE REDUCED THAT BY 5% TO 12%.
THIS IS WE'VE BEEN REDUCING THAT SINCE THE PAST TEN YEARS FROM 25%.
NOW IT'S DOWN TO 12 IN THIS BUDGET. WE DID THIS BASICALLY THE BIG CHUNK OF IT WAS BECAUSE THE LEGISLATURE IN THE PAST FEW YEARS HAVE BEEN TRYING TO TAKE THAT SURCHARGE AWAY FROM US. SO WE'RE TRYING TO BE PROACTIVE AND REDUCE IT INCREMENTALLY AS WE GO ALONG.
[00:05:04]
IN YOUR MIDDLE SQUARE, THE THAT'S JUST IT'S A NEUTRAL POSITION.THAT MEANS THAT WE HAVE NOT ADDED ANY NEW POSITIONS TO THIS BUDGET.
WE STILL REMAIN AT 408 EMPLOYEES. AND GOING INTO MOVING INTO THE RED ARROW THERE'S A $50,000 INCREASE TO PAVING, RESULTING IN $900,000 IN THE BUDGET FOR PAVING OUR ROADS.
AND IN YOUR BUDGET BOOK IS THE PAVING SCHEDULE FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
WE HAVE PERSONNEL COMPENSATION INCREASE BUILT IN A GENERAL GENERAL WAGE INCREASE OF 2.5%, IN ADDITION TO $0.50 AN HOUR PER EMPLOYEE. AND THEN THERE IS A POSSIBLE ADDITIONAL 2% BASED ON MERIT BASED ON YOUR ANNUAL EVALUATION.
IN ADDITION, WE'RE NO LONGER CHARGING FOR RESIDENTIAL PARKING.
THAT'S NOT IN YOUR BOOK BUT I JUST PUT A SLIDE IN HERE RELATED TO THE AD VALOREM TAXES.
THIS WAS IN YOUR REVENUE MANUAL. IT JUST SHOWS, LIKE, EXCUSE ME.
IF WE REDUCE THE MILLAGE BY ONE TENTH OF A MILLAGE, THE $35 REDUCTION.
WHICH PAGE IS THIS ON? IT'S NOT IN YOUR BOOK.
I JUST INCLUDED THE SLIDE. THIS WAS PRESENTED IN THE REVENUE WORKSHOP.
AND SO WE TALKED ABOUT IT IN DETAIL THEN. BUT WE LIKE TO BRING IT FORWARD AGAIN JUST AS A REMINDER OF WHAT IT WOULD DO TO THE TOTAL CITY BUDGET INTRODUCTION AND BASED ON THE VALUE OF A HOME AND WE'VE GOT SOME EXAMPLES UP THERE.
YOU CAN SEE WHAT IT WOULD EACH 10TH OF A MILL WOULD DO TO AN INDIVIDUAL HOMEOWNER'S PROPERTY TAXES.
AND THAT WAS THE WHAT DID YOU SAY. HOW MANY. IN THE HIGHLIGHTED AREA WAS A $35 DIFFERENCE, $35 DIFFERENCE TO A HOMEOWNER FOR EACH 10TH OF A MILL REDUCTION.
SO JUST TRYING TO PUT IN PERSPECTIVE WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. I'M SORRY, I CAN'T SEE IT VERY WELL. $35 PER YEAR, PER YEAR. INCREASE IN THEIR TAXES. EACH 10TH OF A MILL WOULD BE A $35 DECREASE OR DECREASE.
EITHER WAY, YOU'RE CORRECT. THANK YOU. OKAY. AND IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO ME THAT YOU PROVIDE A COPY OF THAT TO US.
YEAH. AND I WOULD ECHO THAT I'M ALREADY GETTING QUESTIONS FROM MY NEIGHBORS.
SO THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO HAVE THAT HANDY.
OKAY. MOVING ON TO PAGE THREE. THAT IS WHERE DOES OUR MONEY COME FROM OR ALL OF OUR REVENUE SERVICE BUDGET WIDE, RIGHT NOW THERE'S 54% OF THAT IS FOR CHARGES OF SERVICES, WHICH IS RELATED TO OUR UTILITIES AND BASED ON USER CHARGES FOR ANYTHING THAT THIS SLICE OF THE PIE HAS BEEN INCREASING YEAR OVER YEAR, WHICH IS A GOOD THING SINCE WE'RE TRYING NOT TO RELY SO MUCH ON TAXES. SO MORE MORE PEOPLE ARE HERE THAT GET THE SERVICES, THE LESS IT'S PROBLEMATIC ON US. NOT PROBLEMATIC, BUT LESS ON TAXES. DO YOU MIND PROVIDING A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL? COULD YOU KIND OF FLESH THAT OUT A LITTLE BIT? THE CHARGE FOR SERVICES.
THE TOURISTS MAYBE LIKE YOUR PARKING, YOUR WATER USAGE, EVEN OUTSIDE THE CITY, WATER AND SEWER, ALL THE SURCHARGES THERE. AND I'LL ADD TO THAT A LITTLE BIT.
ANYTHING THAT PEOPLE PAY FOR DIRECTLY, I WOULD SAY SO WHEN THEY'RE PAYING FOR PARKING, WHEN THEY'RE PAYING FOR THEIR WATER BILL, THEY'RE PAYING DIRECTLY FOR THE SERVICE THAT IS PROVIDED.
THERE ARE MANY THINGS IN OUR BUDGET THAT WE CAN'T TIE DIRECTLY, AND WE WOULDN'T TIE DIRECTLY.
ROAD PAVING, FIRE AND POLICE SERVICES. YOUR CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY AND FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
WE OBVIOUSLY CANNOT ALLOCATE THOSE EXPENSES TO A CHARGE FOR SERVICE, BUT ANYWHERE THAT WE CAN, WE HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTING TO DO THAT OVER THE YEARS.
AND THE MAJORITY OF THIS, OF COURSE, IS ON YOUR UTILITY BILL FOR WATER, SEWER AND SOLID WASTE.
IT'S NOT AS EASY TO DO AS THE THINGS WE MENTIONED.
IT'S JUST NOT ABLE TO DO IT QUITE AS MUCH. DOES THAT HELP KIND OF FLUSH OUT THAT?
[00:10:04]
THANK YOU. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WAS HOPING BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE RECOGNIZE THAT WE'RE IN A PRETTY GOOD POSITION.I THINK THAT AM I CORRECT IN SAYING LOOKING AT THE 31% IN TAXES, THAT'S PROPERTY TAXES.
I ASSUME THAT WE'VE SHIFTED FROM THE BULK OF OUR REVENUE TO CHARGES FOR SERVICES AND AWAY FROM PROPERTY TAXES. YES. WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT CITYWIDE, AGAIN, WHEN WE GET WHEN SHE GETS A COUPLE PAGES LATER AND JUST THE GENERAL FUND, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SEE THAT. OKAY. LET'S TALK ABOUT A PIECE OF THE PIE.
YEP. AS WE WERE DISCUSSING, THE TAXES AT 31% OF THE CITYWIDE BUDGET HAS STAYED THE SAME SINCE LAST YEAR.
THIS ALSO INCLUDES A TIF FOR THE CRA. THEN DOWN BELOW IS JUST THE DETAIL BY REVENUE SOURCE.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON EACH REVENUE SOURCE.
I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT IN TOTAL, THE BUDGET YOU CAN SEE HERE IS 99,305,000.
THAT IS NET NETTING TRANSFERS. WE DON'T WANT TO COUNT THE THINGS THAT EACH FUND PAYS TO EACH OTHER.
THAT WOULD BE OVERSTATING. SO $99 MILLION IS WHERE THE CITY BUDGET STANDS RIGHT NOW IN TOTAL.
I HAVE A QUESTION. CAN YOU GIVE US SOME EXAMPLES OF WHAT MISCELLANEOUS REVENUES MIGHT INCLUDE.
FIRST OFF, THAT WOULD BE YOUR INTEREST OR INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS.
ANY OTHER REVENUES THAT WE JUST DON'T HAVE A SLOT FOR? IT COULD BE WE GET REIMBURSEMENTS SOMETIMES FROM SOURCES SUCH LIKE WORKERS COMP.
WE GET REIMBURSES THERE. THAT'S IT'S JUST MISCELLANEOUS REVENUE.
JUST SOMETIMES IT'S LIKE A ONE TIME REVENUE SOURCE.
WE ALSO PUT OUR RENTS AND ROYALTIES THERE. THEY JUST DON'T REALLY FIT IN ANY OTHER CATEGORY.
AND ALSO I JUST WANT TO REMIND ANNUALLY THAT THE TAXES, THE 31% IS 50% BUSINESS, ABOUT 50% RESIDENT.
THE AD VALOREM TAX. CORRECT? YES, IT'S ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT HIGHER ON THE RESIDENT, I THINK.
BUT IT'S CLOSE TO THAT AND WE CAN PROVIDE THAT BREAKDOWN IF NEEDED.
I DON'T WE DON'T HAVE IT IN THE BOOK. BUT YES, LAST TIME LAST YEAR I THINK IT WAS 56, 44, BUT I'M NOT SURE. I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT. OKAY.
LET ME MOVE ON TO THE CITYWIDE EXPENDITURES. WE HAVE PUBLIC SAFETY AT 21%, WHICH IS INCREASED BY 1%.
THAT INCLUDES YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, FIRE DEPARTMENT, CODE ENFORCEMENT AND BUILDING CODE ENFORCEMENT, GENERAL SERVICE. GENERAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES INCREASED A BIT BECAUSE OF THE CRAS.
WE, JUST THEIR GENERAL GOVERNMENT. SO WE PUT THEM THERE.
THE FISCAL ENVIRONMENT INCLUDES ALL YOUR UTILITIES, THE STORMWATER FUND, THE SOLID WASTE, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, ENGINEERING AND FACILITIES.
TRANSPORTATION INCLUDES YOUR PARKING, STREETS, MOBILITY VEHICLE, PARKING, GARAGE, AND YOUR CULTURE AND RECREATION FUNCTION IS YOUR MARINA, BIC CENTER AND GIFT SHOP, GROUNDS EVENTS IN THE GALLIMORE CENTER.
CLARIFICATION. PUBLIC SAFETY, THAT 21%, THE POT OF MONEY THAT THAT COMES FROM IS LARGELY PROPERTY TAXES, RIGHT? YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. EVERY PIECE OF THAT, EXCEPT FOR THE PORTION FROM FIRE ASSESSMENT FEES, WHICH THE GOAL HAS BEEN TO GET TO 50%, AS WE TALKED ABOUT.
AND WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET IS A PLAN TO REASSESS THAT PROFESSIONALLY, LIKE WE HAD DONE MANY YEARS AGO, TO SEE WHAT THOSE RATES SHOULD BE, TO KEEP US AT THAT 50% RATE.
BUT YES, ALL POLICE, MAJORITY OF FIRE BUILDING AND CODE ENFORCEMENT ARE FUNDED BY PROPERTY TAXES.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO SHOUT OUT TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THEIR CLASS RATING BEING SO HIGH. AND HERE'S JUST A LISTING, A DETAILED LISTING OF THE BUDGET BY FUNCTION.
[00:15:04]
BEFORE WE MOVE ON. CAN YOU SPELL OH, OH, OH? OF COURSE.THIS IS A WORKSHOP, SO WE'RE A LITTLE BIT MORE CASUAL.
AND SO WE HAD A QUESTION FROM THE MISS KALAIDI ABOUT PAGE NUMBERS.
SO COULD WE BE SURE AND MENTION PAGE NUMBERS.
ALSO MISS BURNS, IF YOU COULD COME GET CLOSER TO THE MICROPHONE.
I'M HAVING TROUBLE HEARING YOU, SO I'M SURE THE PUBLIC WILL BE TOO. THANK YOU.
FOR THE PUBLIC. THAT WAS PAGE FOUR, THE, WHAT'S ON THE SCREEN IS IS PAGE FOUR IN THE BOOK? OKAY. NEXT PAGE ON PAGE FIVE IS JUST PERSONNEL SUMMARY FOR 2026. AND IT SHOWS THAT THERE IS NO CHANGE IN POSITIONS.
ON PAGE SIX WE GET INTO THE GENERAL FUND. AS YOU CAN SEE, THE TAXES ARE 58% OF THE PIE OF REVENUES.
THAT IS NOT JUST AD VALOREM TAXES. THAT ALSO INCLUDES UTILITY TAXES THAT WE COLLECT FROM FPL AND YOUR PROPANE TAX AND YOUR NATURAL GAS. IT ALSO INCLUDES THE COMMUNICATION SERVICES TAX THAT WE COLLECT.
BUT I'LL JUST JUMP IN AND SAY OF THAT 29.6 MILLION IN TAXES, 25.2 OF IT IS AD VALOREM.
SO YES, THE OTHER TAXES THAT SHE MENTIONED ARE IN THEIR AD VALOREM.
IS THE BULK, AS YOU ALL KNOW. YEAH.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THE REVENUES. I DO HAVE A QUESTION.
OKAY. I HAVE A QUESTION. OH. ALL RIGHT. PULL THIS OVER.
GOING BACK TO YOU SAYING THE REVENUES ABOUT THE FIRE AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
DOES THAT INCLUDE THEIR RAISES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE? WHAT DOES THAT INCLUDE? THE REVENUE, THE EXPENDITURES? IT DOES INCLUDE THE RAISES AND SO FORTH. OKAY.
YES. THE RAISES THAT WERE HIGHLIGHTED IN THAT ARROW ON THE FRONT PAGE IS CITYWIDE.
CITY EMPLOYEES. THAT IS WHAT'S BUILT INTO THIS BUDGET FOR YOU HERE.
ALL DEPARTMENTS AND ALL STAFF. OKAY. AND THAT'S THE TWO THE 2% PLUS TWO POINT FOR THE WHAT, MERIT? SO IT'S TWO AND A HALF GENERAL WAGE INCREASE PLUS A $0.50 AN HOUR, WHICH IS HARD TO CONVERT TO A PERCENTAGE BECAUSE IT WOULD BE HIGHER IF SOMEONE IS AT A LOWER SALARY AND A LOWER PERCENTAGE IF THEY'RE AT A HIGHER SALARY.
ALSO, MERIT BASED ON EVALUATIONS UP TO 2%. FOR AN AVERAGE EMPLOYEE, THAT COULD BE APPROXIMATELY 6%.
AND THAT'S APPROXIMATE BECAUSE THAT FLAT INCREASE MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
AND ALSO MERIT EVALUATIONS MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
I WAS JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE COMPATIBLE WITH THE FIRE STATION AND THE POLICE STATION FOR THE COUNTY SO THAT WE DON'T LOSE STAFF GOING TO BE JUMPING AND LEAVING THE CITY TO GO WORK FOR THE COUNTY BECAUSE THERE'S MORE REVENUE.
SO IF WE'RE IN THE 6% RANGE, WE FEEL LIKE WE ARE CLOSE THERE.
WE HAVE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT. OUR HEALTH AND WELLNESS BENEFIT.
WE DO NOT WANT TO LOSE PEOPLE EITHER OVER THAT.
IT IS OBVIOUSLY MORE EXPENSIVE TO ONBOARD SOMEONE NEW.
WE WANT THEM TO, WE WANT THEM TO STAY. THANK YOU.
AND ALSO, AS AN FRS RETIREE AND SOMEONE THAT SERVED ON THE FIREMAN'S FUND RETIREMENT FUND.
THEY HAVE A MUCH BETTER RETIREMENT PLAN THAN WHAT THE COUNTY HAS RIGHT NOW WITH FRS.
JUST A TOTAL OF CONTRIBUTIONS THEY HAVE TO MAKE AND THE ACTUAL BENEFITS THEY GET FROM IT.
[00:20:07]
YOU KNOW, LIKE THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. AND IT'S GOOD WHEN YOU SEE A POLICE CAR IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT IS CLOSE BY.IS THAT CORRECT? WE CHARGE IF SOMEONE LIVES OUTSIDE OF CITY LIMITS.
IF THEY LIVE INSIDE CITY LIMITS, THERE IS NO CHARGE.
IT ESCALATES BASED ON HOW FAR AWAY FROM CITY LIMITS THEIR RESIDENCE IS.
THERE IS A BIWEEKLY CHARGE, YES, FOR REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE OF THE VEHICLE AND GAS TO HELP OFFSET THOSE EXPENSES, DEPENDING ON HOW FAR OUT THEY ARE. THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT. I THINK WE'RE ON PAGE SEVEN NOW. YES.
PAGE SEVEN IN THE BOOK, WHICH IS OUR, EXCUSE ME, GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES BY FUNCTION.
AND THE LARGEST PIECE OF THE PIE IS PUBLIC SAFETY.
SECOND IS GENERAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES. IS THE TAXES PAY A LARGE PART OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY PIE.
SO I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT ON THAT COMPARED TO LAST YEAR, THAT PIECE OF THE PIE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY WAS 38%, NOW IT'S 40. GENERAL GOVERNMENT LAST YEAR WAS 26% AND NOW IT'S 24.
SO I THINK THAT'S BASED ON THE BUDGETS THAT WE HAVE WORKED ON IN THE PAST.
ALSO, GOING BACK TO THE PERCENTAGES OF AD VALOREM VERSUS TOTAL BUDGET AND GOING ON WITH MISS BLONDER SAID ALMOST 50% OF THE BUDGET IS PUBLIC SAFETY AND 50% OF THE BUDGET IS AD VALOREM.
SO YOU COULD LOOK AT IT AS ALL OF OUR AD VALOREM TAXES ARE GOING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO ALL THOSE POINTS ARE REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND.
AND SINCE WE'RE ON THIS TOPIC, WHICH I THINK IS SUPER IMPORTANT, IT WAS RELAYED TO ME THAT SOMEBODY HAD MADE A POINT AT THE LEAGUE OF CITIES MEETING THAT WE WANT TO BE SURE WHEN SOMEBODY DIALS 911 THAT THEY GET A RESPONSE.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S AT RISK HERE WITH THE STATE MAKING DECISIONS ON PROPERTY TAXES.
THANK YOU. ON PAGE EIGHT WE START WITH THE GENERAL FUND DETAIL.
PAGE EIGHT IS THE REVENUES. I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT YOU MIGHT SEE INCREASE A LARGE INCREASE IN DECREASE, ESPECIALLY WITH PUBLIC SAFETY CHARGES FOR SERVICES AND OUR RENTS AND ROYALTIES.
THERE'S A DECREASE THERE AND AN INCREASE IN PUBLIC SAFETY.
WE WERE CHARGING OFFICER CONTRACTS WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD AND FLAGLER COLLEGE.
THEY WERE SITTING IN RENTS AND ROYALTIES, AND THAT WAS NOT THE APPROPRIATE PLACE.
SO WE JUST MOVED THEM UP TO PUBLIC SAFETY. SO THAT'S WHY THAT LOOKS DIFFERENT.
IT LOOKS LIKE WE IT LOOKS LIKE WE UPPED THAT BY 26%.
BUT REALLY IT WAS LIKE A SHIFT IN. IS A HOUSEKEEPING ITEM.
WE HAD THEM IN RENTS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.
I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT THAT'S WHERE THEY WENT.
PROBABLY BECAUSE THEY PAY US EVERY EVERY MONTH. EVERY QUARTER.
AND FORTUNATELY, MISSY AND HER TEAM LOOKED AT THAT AND WERE LIKE, WHY DID YOU PUT IT THERE? I SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, I DON'T KNOW. THAT'S WHERE IT'S ALWAYS BEEN. THAT'S MY ONLY EXCUSE. SO SHE JUST MOVED IT TO THE PROPER CATEGORY. STILL IN THE GENERAL FUND. NO DIFFERENCE IN THE CONTRACTS OR THE OFFICERS, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
JUST TO HOW WE'RE ALLOCATING THE REVENUES. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON PERCENTAGE CHANGES ON THE REVENUES? THAT'S JUST COMPARING THE ORIGINAL BUDGET TO THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
YOU'LL SEE IT MORE. YOU'LL SEE MORE DIFFERENCES IN THE EXPENDITURE SIDE.
FOR THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, IT INCLUDES ANY ENCUMBRANCES THAT WE HAVE, ANYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING THAT IS ROLLED OVER FROM A PREVIOUS YEAR BUT NOT YET COMPLETED. SO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THOSE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ORIGINAL AND REVISED, NO, THAT ORIGINAL, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR CURRENT YEAR DOLLARS AND HOW WE'RE SPENDING THEM REVISED MAY BE LARGER THAN THAT FROM PREVIOUS YEARS COMMITMENTS, AND WE ASSUME THAT WE WILL SPEND ALL THOSE PREVIOUS YEAR COMMITMENTS AND ARE PROPOSED.
SO JUST A QUICK BEFORE WE GET THERE, EXPLANATION OF HOW THESE GRAPHS OR HOW THESE CHARTS WORK.
[00:25:08]
MOVING ON TO PAGE NINE. WE HAVE A LARGE PERCENTAGE INCREASE IN THE COMMISSION'S BUDGET.THAT'S BASICALLY DUE TO WE HAVE 20,000 IN THE BUDGET FOR A [INAUDIBLE] AND WE HAD SOME OTHER ASKS THAT WE INCORPORATED INTO THE BUDGET AND THEN DID YOU INTEND THAT? I DON'T HAVE SLIDES. THEY'RE JUST TOO SMALL. THEY'RE TOO HARD TO READ ON THE SCREEN. OKAY, SO THOSE ARE IN YOUR BOOK, BUT WE JUST KEPT THE ONES THAT WERE EASY TO SEE FOR THE SCREEN. THIS IS PAGE NINE JUST AS A REMINDER.
AND THE YES, THE COMPASSIONATE VILLAGE. SOME OF THE COMMISSION REQUESTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WE HAVE PUT IN THIS THEY GO IN THE CITY COMMISSION BUDGET THE HOME AGAINST SAINT JOHN'S IS THERE, THE HOMELESS COALITION. WE ALSO HAVE A NEW CONTRIBUTION IN THERE FOR PORT IN THE STORM.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE LINE JUST BELOW CITY COMMISSION AND CITY MANAGER AND YOU SEE A DECREASE, THE CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE WITH SAINT FRANCIS HOUSE HAS BEEN REDUCED BY TWO BEDS.
AND POLICE ADMINISTRATION WE TALKED ABOUT THIS WHEN WE WENT OVER THE BUDGET.
I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING. AM I NOT VERY CLOSE? SO WHEN WE WENT OVER THE BUDGET, I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT THEY TOLD ME I DID NOT KNOW THIS, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DO I GUESS, CONTRACT WITH THE SAINT JOHNS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR DISPATCH SERVICE.
WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR HOW MANY YEARS NOW? OH, GOODNESS. MAYBE THIRD. I'D HAVE TO ASK CHIEF MICHELLE IF SHE REMEMBERS HOW MANY YEARS.
EITHER THE THIRD OR THE FOURTH. YES. AND NOT FIVE.
NOT TEN, BUT CORRECT. KIND OF. IN THE EARLY YEARS, SHE SAYS THREE YEARS.
SO THIS MAY BE OUR THIRD. THAT MAKES SENSE. THAT I WAS TOLD THAT THE COST OF THE DISPATCH SERVICE FOR SAINT JOHN'S COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS $985,000 PLUS. THAT IS QUITE A LOT. THAT'S CORRECT.
WE USE THAT PERCENTAGE AGAINST THEIR ACTUAL EXPENDITURES EACH YEAR.
SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE COME ABOUT WITH LIGHTLY.
WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, ESPECIALLY IN THE INITIAL DEVELOPMENT OF THAT CONTRACT, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD SOMETHING EACH YEAR TO LOOK AT AND GO BY.
BUT IT HAS GONE UP TO ALMOST $1 MILLION THIS YEAR.
IT'S A VALUABLE SERVICE. BUT YES, I'M NOT QUESTIONING THE SERVICE.
I JUST THINK THAT, I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING THAT IT. IT SHOCKED ME THAT IT WAS THAT MUCH.
SO, AND I ALSO I WANT TO POINT OUT I WAS JUST LOOKING AT SOME OF THE HIGH PERCENTAGES.
SO THAT'S A LONG TIME COMING, AND I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH.
I KNOW THE NEIGHBORHOOD WILL ALSO APPRECIATE IT.
SO YAY. YES. CAN I CAN I ASK ONE QUICK CLARIFICATION, PLEASE? SO UNLESS I'M WRONG, YOU SAID THE SHERIFF WE'RE PART OF, WE HAVE A ROUGHLY A $2 MILLION BUDGET, AND THAT'S ROUGHLY SHARED BETWEEN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE SHERIFF'S. NO, THERE'S JUST IT INCLUDES OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
NOW, OF COURSE, SALARIES ARE NOT IN THIS BUDGET.
WE HAVE ALL SALARIES TOGETHER IN THE CHART, BUT THAT'S OPERATIONS.
THAT INCLUDES A CONTRACT WITH SAINT JOHNS COUNTY FOR PROVIDING DISPATCH SERVICES.
SO WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY PAYING COUNTY EMPLOYEES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
WE PAY SAINT JOHNS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE A SET AMOUNT EACH YEAR.
OKAY. FOR OUR PORTION OF DISPATCH SERVICES. OKAY.
THANK YOU. CAN I GO BACK TO THE THE REVENUE AND THIS IS GOING TO BE AN ARCANE KIND OF OFF THE WALL QUESTION, BUT AND YOU PROBABLY WON'T BE ABLE TO ANSWER IT, BUT I'M THINKING HERE ABOUT MOBILITY AND THE TRANSIT LANE ON SAN MARCO.
AND I'M CURIOUS HOW MUCH, ON AVERAGE DOES EACH PARKING METER IN THE CITY BRING IN IN TERMS OF REVENUE? BECAUSE WE HAVE FREE PARKING SPACES ALONG SAN MARCO.
[00:30:04]
WE DON'T HAVE METERED PARKING SPACES, AND THAT SEEMS LIKE IT MIGHT BE A MISSED OPPORTUNITY.WELL, EVERY SPACE IS DIFFERENT DEPENDING ON, YOU KNOW, WHERE IT'S LOCATED IN THE CITY, BUT YOU KNOW, SPACE CAN BRING IN UP TO, YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS A DAY.
PARKING LOT CAN GENERATE YOU KNOW, $16,000 A MONTH.
IN PEAK SEASON, IT CAN BE HIGHER THAN THAT. SO THERE'S A LOT OF REVENUE IN PARKING.
AND THAT STRETCH OF SAN MARCO IS JUST SIGNED AS ITS TWO HOUR MINIMUM PARKING OR MAXIMUM PARKING.
SO IT'S MEANT TO HAVE PARKING TURNOVER, BUT IT'S NOT PAY TO PARK.
AND IT'S NOT REALLY ENFORCED IN TERMS OF THE MAXIMUM TIME LIMITS.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO ENFORCE PARKING WITHOUT IT BEING METERED BECAUSE WE USED TO GO AND MARK TIRES, BUT WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO, WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO CHALK TIRES ANYMORE.
SO IT'S HARD TO. WELL, IT'S JUST SOMETHING I WANTED TO PUT OUT THERE TO GET US THINKING ABOUT THAT AND, AND KIND OF POSITION US IN A BETTER PLACE TO MAKE A CASE TO GET A TRANSIT LANE.
CAN I CAN I ASK ONE QUESTION AND SORT OF MAKE A COMMENT? ALL OF US IN THE CITY PAY COUNTY TAXES, AND IT'S ABOUT 40/60 SPLIT RIGHT NOW.
SO IN OUR 40% COUNTY TAXES, WE PAY FOR THE SHERIFF.
SO WE ARE ALREADY PAYING FOR DISPATCH. YOU ALL HAVE HAVE THAT IS THAT PART OF THE NEGOTIATIONS? THAT WAS PART OF THE INITIAL CONVERSATION A FEW YEARS AGO.
AND UNLESS THE CITY ATTORNEY WANTS TO COME UP, I.
WE DIDN'T MOVE VERY FAR IN THAT DIRECTION. I DON'T KNOW HOW ELSE TO SAY THAT.
I WOULD LIKE FOR HER. SHE DOESN'T HAVE TO COME UP, BUT IF SHE HAS ANY MORE, I'D LOVE FOR HER TO COME UP AND EXPLAIN WHY WE MISSED THAT OPPORTUNITY. SORRY THERE IS NO MISSED OPPORTUNITY AND THERE WAS NO MISSED BRINGING UP THAT VERY POINT. AND YOU CAN CONNECT THE DOTS HOWEVER YOU WISH FROM THAT POINT FORWARD.
I DON'T WANT TO DISPARAGE ANYBODY, BUT IT JUST SEEMS THAT IN NEGOTIATIONS, WHEN WE'RE ALMOST PAYING TWICE, IT JUST SEEMS UNFAIR. THANK YOU FOR MAKING THAT POINT.
YES. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON DETAILED LINE ITEMS IN THE GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES? I DO WHENEVER, BUT I'LL WAIT UNTIL THE END. OKAY.
YEAH. WHY DID WE GET RID OF OUR DISPATCH IN THE FIRST PLACE? BECAUSE WE HAD A GOOD DISPATCH. YES. WE DID NOT WISH TO.
WE HAD A VERY DIFFICULT TIME IN THOSE YEARS FILLING POSITIONS.
AND THE COUNTY WAS ACTUALLY HAVING TO HELP SUPPLEMENT US JUST TO MAKE SURE WE WERE FULLY STAFFED.
THOSE POSITIONS ARE VERY HARD TO FILL AND WE HAD A HARD TIME.
WE ALSO KNEW WE NEEDED TO DO SOME UPGRADES TO OUR DISPATCH, WHICH WAS A COST.
THAT'S NOT WHY THAT WAS REALLY NOT THE REASON WHY IT WAS STAFFING.
THERE WAS ALSO AN ISSUE WITH ONE OF OUR TRAGEDIES AND A FAMOUS HIGH SCHOOL IN FLORIDA THAT RESULTED IN A CHANGE IN LEGISLATION THAT WANTED UNIFIED DISPATCH. AND I'M NOT GOING TO GO INTO THE TRAGIC EVENTS, BUT I THINK WE ALL REMEMBER THEM WHERE ONE LAW ENFORCEMENT WASN'T SPEAKING TO THE OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND THAT CAUSED THE CHANGE IN LAW THAT THAT ESSENTIALLY SAID YOU SHOULD HAVE UNIFORM DISPATCH. THANK YOU. I HAVE TOURED THAT CENTER, AND IF YOU HAVEN'T TOURED IT, YOU OUGHT TO GO OUT THERE.
IT IS A VERY, VERY DIFFICULT JOB. THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT IS WORKING WITH SAINT AUGUSTINE HIGH SCHOOL ON A ACADEMY AND INFORMALLY. THEY'RE OFFERING JOBS TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS COMING OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL AT A REALLY GOOD SALARY IF THEY CAN MOVE IN.
IT'S EXTREMELY DIFFICULT JOB. AND IF YOU EVER GET A CHANCE, GO OUT AND VISIT IT AND WATCH THEM WORK.
IT'S PHENOMENAL. I WOULD IMAGINE IT WOULD TAKE A VERY UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL TO LAST IN THAT POSITION.
VERY CHALLENGING EMOTIONALLY AND PHYSICALLY. AND JUST THE HOURS.
SO IT IS AN AMAZING CENTER. YEAH I THINK EVERYBODY NEEDS TO GO.
I'LL ALSO ADD THAT THE FEEDBACK THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED IS THAT IT DOES WORK WELL FOR THE OFFICERS.
[00:35:02]
SO IF THAT EVER CHANGES, OF COURSE WE'LL, YOU KNOW, WE'LL LOOK AT OTHER OPTIONS.BUT THIS SEEMS TO BE THE BEST SOLUTION THAT WE COULD HAVE RIGHT NOW.
JUST A QUICK QUESTION ON YOUR NOTE. I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP. WHO DO WE CONTACT TO GO OUT THERE? I'D LIKE TO GO OUT THERE. WE, I DIRECTLY TALK.
I'M SORRY TO GET OFF BUDGET, BUT. I CAN MAKE THAT ARRANGEMENT FOR YOU.
THANK YOU. OKAY. IS THIS A GOOD TIME FOR ME TO BRING UP WHAT MAY LEAD TO A LENGTHY DISCUSSION? OKAY. AND THIS IS IN REACTION TO AND I WANT TO BE CLEAR WHAT PEOPLE ARE REFERENCING WITH REGARD TO THE MEETING YESTERDAY.
THIS IS THE THE MEETING THAT THE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS CALLED IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME FOR A WORKSHOP THAT THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS SPOKE ABOUT AND ASKED FOR PRESENTATION OF NIGHTS OF LIGHTS.
AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, WHAT THE QUESTION I HAVE IS THERE WAS A REQUEST FOR, IF I UNDERSTAND IT CORRECTLY. AND PLEASE HELP ME IF I DIDN'T FOR THE CITY TO PROVIDE ESSENTIALLY A LINE ITEM DETAIL FOR OUR REQUEST FROM THE TDC, WHICH IS THE COUNTY HAS TO APPROVE FOR EACH OF THE CATEGORIES THAT WE HAD ALREADY PROVIDED.
AND WHAT THOSE CATEGORIES, WHAT EXACTLY THAT WOULD INCLUDE.
AND SO I'M ASKING IF YOU ALL ARE RESPONDING TO THAT REQUEST BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING THAT WE HAVE ALSO IN FRONT OF US AND THAT OUR TAXPAYERS, OUR RESIDENTS ANYBODY WITH AN INTEREST CAN SEE EXACTLY WHERE THE CITY IS ALREADY GOT SKIN IN THE GAME AND HAS CONTRIBUTED EACH YEAR TO THE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS IN A SIGNIFICANT WAY SHOULDERING MUCH OF THE MONETARY FINANCIAL BURDEN, AS WELL AS THE TIME OF THE STAFF THAT HAS GONE INTO THIS.
WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE AS MUCH DETAIL AS WE POSSIBLY CAN, INCLUDING CONTRACTS WITH ALL THE PROVIDERS THAT WE HAVE FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHT, THE SHUTTLING CONTRACTS, THE LIGHTING CONTRACTS, THE RESTROOM CONTRACTS ALL OF OUR OVERTIME DETAILS.
WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE ALL OF THAT INFORMATION AND A MUCH MORE DETAILED WAY TO THE SAINT JOHNS COUNTY, AND WE'LL HAVE THAT IN PLACE FOR THEM BY THEIR MEETING ON TUESDAY.
THE CITY'S BUDGET? YES. OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU.
AND I'LL JUST ADD ON TO THAT POINT, THIS BUDGET INCLUDES OUR PREVIOUS YEAR'S COMMITMENT, AS WELL AS THE ADDITIONAL 125,000 FOR SHERIFF'S OFFICE RESOURCES.
IT INCLUDES WHAT WE'VE BEEN SHUTTLING IN THE PAST.
IT DOES NOT BUILD IN THE ADDITIONAL LEVEL OF SERVICE REQUESTS THAT WE HAVE MADE TO THE TDC, THE ADDITIONAL SHUTTLES, THE ADDITIONAL RESTROOMS, THE WE YES, BARRICADES.
WE HAVE ALSO APPLIED FOR A GRANT, AND WE'RE HOPING THAT BETWEEN THE TWO, WE ARE ABLE TO PURCHASE THOSE ON OUR OWN INSTEAD OF RENTING THEM FOR EACH EVENT, DRIVING ACROSS THE STATE TO BORROW THOSE. WE FELT LIKE NOT ONLY FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS, BUT TO HAVE THOSE WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO THE CITY.
SO THAT IS INCLUDED BUT THE OTHER ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED ARE NOT IN THIS BUDGET.
JUST WANT TO MAKE EVERYONE CLEAR THAT IF THOSE DOLLARS DON'T COME IN THOSE ADDITIONAL DOLLARS, THE OFFSETTING EXPENDITURES ARE NOT CURRENTLY HERE.
AND SO IT NEEDS TO BE CLEAR TO I GUESS AN ADDITIONAL REQUEST IS IF WE DON'T, THE CITY DOES NOT RECEIVE SOME OF THE REQUESTED FUNDS AND THEY GO BY CATEGORY BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME DIFFERENT INTERPRETATIONS OF WHAT THE FUNDS CAN BE USED FOR, AS WE HEARD YESTERDAY. SO I'D LIKE TO SEE ALSO, AND I THINK YOU'RE PROBABLY ALREADY AHEAD OF ME ON THIS, THAT IF WE DON'T GET FUNDING FOR BATHROOMS, FOR EXAMPLE THAT, WHAT THEN HAPPENS, WHAT CAN WE GO FORWARD WITH IN OUR BUDGET. SO. YEAH. WHAT WOULD WE BE MISSING IF THOSE FUNDS DON'T COME IN? RIGHT. AND SO WE PLAN ON MAKING A REPORT TO THE CITY COMMISSION ABOUT THAT VERY ISSUE.
[00:40:07]
IF WE DO NOT RECEIVE FUNDING FROM THE COUNTY, WE WILL SHOW YOU WHAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE AND WHAT WE BELIEVE IS THE LOGICAL USE FOR THOSE FUNDS. AND YOU CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT VERY ISSUE.I THINK IT WAS POINTED OUT WELL YESTERDAY THAT THIS IS NOT FUNDING FROM THE COUNTY.
THIS IS FUNDING FROM TAXES THAT ARE CHARGED TO TOURISTS THAT STAY IN SAINT AUGUSTINE, WHERE WE GET $200,000 A YEAR FOR NIGHT OF LIGHTS, AND WE CONTRIBUTE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO THE TDC FUND.
AND WE JUST FELT LIKE WE OFFERED UP A REASONABLE REQUEST FOR FUNDS.
THE AMPHITHEATER SEES ABOUT 225,000 GUESTS A YEAR.
THEY GET $3 MILLION FROM THE TDC. WE SEE 20,000 PEOPLE A DAY FOR 60 DAYS AND WE GOT 200,000.
WE ALSO GET ABOUT 650,000 IN THE VIC A YEAR. YES.
JUST FOR ME, I WOULD. I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION.
GOOD CONVERSATION. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEE WHAT THEY DO ON TUESDAY AND THEN WHAT OUR RESPONSES.
I CAN'T HEAR YOU. OH. I THINK IT SHOULD BE STATED TO RESTATED THAT THE PARKING GARAGE REVENUE ALL OF THAT REVENUE IS DIRECTED INTO CATEGORIES THAT WE ARE ALREADY FUNDING.
THERE IS NO PROFIT. IN OTHER WORDS, IN THE PARKING GARAGE REVENUE.
AM I RIGHT? CORRECT. WHEN WE GET TO THE VIC, YOU'LL SEE BROKEN DOWN.
NOT ONLY THAT, THE VIC REVENUES COVER, OF COURSE, SALARIES, OPERATIONS, MOST IMPORTANTLY, REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE, CONTINUED REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE OF THE STRUCTURE.
A SINKING FUND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN CONTINUALLY REPAIR AND MAINTAIN THE STRUCTURE, BUT ALSO THE TRANSFERS THAT YOU ALL HAVE AUTHORIZED IN YEARS PAST, WHICH ARE FOCUSED ON HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND MOBILITY.
AND OUT OF MOBILITY IS WHERE WE SPEND OUR MONEY FOR SHUTTLING.
BUT YES, THE GARAGE FINALLY IS MAKING ENOUGH REVENUE SO THAT IT CAN NOT ONLY PAY FOR ALL OF ITS OPERATIONS, BUT CAN TRANSFER TO THOSE KEY COMPONENTS THAT YOU ALL HAVE FELT LIKE THE VISITOR IS COMING FOR.
WHAT'S YOUR WISHES? PERSONALLY, I WOULD JUST CONTINUE THIS REVIEW.
OKAY. EVEN THOUGH I THINK IT'S FASCINATING AND VERY IMPORTANT FOR US, I THINK MAYBE IT'D BE BETTER IF WE JUST DO THIS AND THEN AFTER AFTER THAT WE HAVE COMMISSIONER COMMENTS AND WE CAN STICK TO IT. THAT WOULD BE MY PREFERENCE. COMMISSIONER DEPRETER, CAN I ASK YOU TO YOU KEEP TURNING YOUR HEAD AND SO I DON'T THINK YOU'RE BEING HEARD VERY WELL. YEAH, I WOULD JUST SAY SORRY ABOUT THAT.
IN TERMS OF PROCESS, I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND BELIEVE ME, I GOT SOME OPINIONS ABOUT IT.
ALL RIGHT. AND LET'S CAN WE TRY MAYBE TO HOLD OUR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS IS THAT I DON'T WANT TO STOP ANYONE FROM FEELING FREE TO SPEAK, BUT LET'S TRY TO SPEED ALONG.
IT'S ALREADY 10:30, AND I KNOW WE NEED TO BUILD IN A BREAK SOMEWHERE.
IT'S A WORKSHOP. NO, NO APOLOGIES. PLEASE. WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
SO. THANK YOU. IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE ON PAGE TEN.
WE'LL JUMP BACK IN AND WE'LL SPEED UP. WE'LL SPEED UP UNTIL YOU TELL US TO SLOW DOWN.
OKAY. GO FOR IT. OKAY. ON PAGE TEN, THAT'S IT.
ENUMERATES OUR CAPITAL EXPENDITURES AS WELL AS OUR TRANSFERS IN AND TRANSFERS OUT.
THANK YOU. FOUR MONTHS OF OPERATING REVENUES, WHICH TRANSLATES TO $966,000, WHICH BRINGS THE SURPLUS DOWN TO JUST OVER 20,000, WHICH WILL GO BACK INTO RESERVES. THESE ARE, OF COURSE, ALL PROJECTED, BUT THIS IS OUR BEST ESTIMATE AT THIS MOMENT.
THE YEAR IS NOT OVER YET. ALL RIGHT. LEAVING THE GENERAL FUND.
IF EVERYBODY'S OKAY WITH THAT. MOVING ON TO UTILITY.
THAT'S A VERY TIGHT GENERAL FUND BUDGET. THANK YOU.
YES. PAGE 11. NOW, ON PAGE 11, WE START WITH OUR UTILITY FUND.
[00:45:01]
THE REVENUES ARE CHARGED US FOR SERVICE, WHICH OF COURSE IS OUR, YOU KNOW, WATER SEWER REVENUES.AND THE MISCELLANEOUS REVENUES AGAIN ARE YOUR INTEREST THAT WE RECEIVE FROM OUR INVESTMENTS.
ON PAGE 11 IS A CHART FOR THE EXPENDITURES, WHICH IS ALL UNDER FISCAL ENVIRONMENT.
IN THIS CASE IT WOULD BE MORE TRANSFERS OUT THAN TRANSFERS IN.
AND AS SHE GOES TO THE NEXT PAGE, I'LL HIGHLIGHT WHY THE UTILITY FUNDS TRANSFERS LOOK SO HIGH.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY TRANSFERRING TO THEMSELVES FOR THE MOST PART.
SOME OF IT, OF COURSE, IS TRANSFERRED TO THE GENERAL FUND FOR ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT PAGE 13, AND IF YOU LOOK AT NON-OPERATING REVENUE, WHICH IS ABOUT A QUARTER OF THE WAY DOWN ON THE PAGE, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT JUST A FEW LINE ITEMS. WATER CONNECTION FEES, SEWER CONNECTION FEES AND FORCE MAIN OVERLAY CHARGES.
I SKIPPED THAT ONE. THERE ARE THREE NON-OPERATING REVENUES HERE THAT AS CUSTOMERS PAY FOR THEIR CONNECTION FEES, WE ACTUALLY TRANSFER THOSE TO A SEPARATE NON-OPERATING RESERVE ACCOUNT FOR THE UTILITY FUND.
AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE, THOSE PLANTS WILL HAVE TO BE EXPANDED, POTENTIALLY.
WE DON'T WANT TO ASK THAT CUSTOMER TO. WE DON'T WANT TO INCREASE THEIR RATES OR ASK THEM TO PAY FOR THAT WHEN THE TIME COMES TO EXPAND, WE ARE SETTING THE FUNDS THAT THEY PAY FOR AT THE TIME OF CONNECTION TO BE USED TO PAY FOR THE DEBT SERVICE ON FUTURE PLANT EXPANSION.
SO THAT TRANSFER OUT JUST MEANS WE'RE NOT USING IT FOR OPERATIONS.
WE'RE NOT USING IT TO RUN THE PLANTS FOR STAFFING OR FOR DEBT SERVICE.
WE ARE SETTING THAT ASIDE, WHICH IS A BEST PRACTICE THAT WE STARTED OVER TEN YEARS AGO.
WE'RE REALLY GRATEFUL THAT WE DID. WE ALSO, JUST AS AN ASIDE, I KNOW YOU WANT US TO GO FAST, BUT WE ALSO SOMETIMES USE THAT ACCOUNT FOR INTERFUND LOANS BECAUSE WE KNOW WE DON'T NEED IT RIGHT NOW FOR FOR SHORT TERM INTERFUND LOANS.
SO WE, YOU MAY SEE INTERFUND LOANS IN THE PAST SOLID WASTE GENERAL FUND.
WE SOMETIMES USE THAT WHEN POSSIBLE. SO IT'S BEEN BENEFICIAL FOR MANY REASONS.
ALL RIGHT. GREAT. ANY QUESTIONS ON UTILITY FUND.
ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON. ARE YOU STILL IN UTILITY? I LIKE THAT. OH, OKAY. HERE WE HAVE A PROJECTED SURPLUS UTILITY FUND OF 2.3 MILLION. THAT'S ONLY AN ESTIMATE, AS WE KNOW NOW, THAT WILL BE PUT BACK INTO WHAT WE CALL RENEWAL AND REPLACEMENT RESERVES, WHICH DOES HELP MAINTAIN IT AND HELP MAINTAIN OUR SEWER AND WATER PLANTS AND EVERY LINE IN THE GROUND AND EVERY LIFT STATION THAT YOU ALL SEE. SO THERE'S A LOT THAT YOU DON'T SEE THAT GOES ON THERE.
YES. NEXT, ON PAGE 16, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE STORMWATER FUND.
THE BIGGEST TAKEAWAY HERE IS THAT BETWEEN OUR ORIGINAL BUDGET AND REVISED BUDGET, THERE'S LARGE CHANGES, AND THAT IS DUE TO THE GRANTS WE RECEIVE FOR THE PROJECTS THAT WE'VE GOT GOING ON, LIKE OUR LAKE.
MARIA SANCHEZ. WE HAVE ONE PROJECT. WE ALSO HAVE SOME ARPA PROJECTS THAT ARE IN THERE.
THOSE ARE OUR NORMAL OPERATIONS. THE OTHER, OF COURSE, ARE GRANT FUNDED.
SO THIS IS A LITTLE FUND AND IT DOES A WHOLE LOT.
SO. AND THERE'S EVEN A LITTLE SURPLUS PROJECTED TO GO BACK WHICH IS EXCITING.
AND I JUMPED AHEAD THERE TO PAGE 18 WHICH SHOWS THE DETAIL.
MOVING ON TO PAGE 19, WHICH IS OUR SOLID WASTE FUND.
THERE'S NOT THEY'RE EVEN GOING TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF SURPLUS TO GO BACK INTO THE RESERVES.
[00:50:03]
THIS YEAR WE DO NOT HAVE A TRUCK IN THE WORKS BECAUSE WE ORDERED LAST YEAR. OH, YEAH. GET A LITTLE CLOSER. YEAH, WE ORDERED ONE LAST YEAR. IT JUST ARRIVED. SO THAT'S EXCITING.AND IT IS A CHALLENGE. IT'S BIG, HEAVY EQUIPMENT THAT HAS TO BE MAINTAINED.
THAT GOES THROUGH A LOT. IT REQUIRES A LOT OF STAFF OPERATORS DRIVING THE TRUCKS, THOSE ON THE BACK OF THE TRUCKS, MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE'S SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING IS GETTING PICKED UP.
THAT DOESN'T EVEN MENTION WHAT THEY DO AFTER STORMS. WE OF COURSE HAVE CONTRACTUAL SERVICES THAT HELP AS WELL, BUT THE INITIAL BOOTS ON THE GROUND TO HELP GET THOSE THINGS CLEARED, THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT AS PART OF THAT CREW.
SO THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT FUND, AND IT IS THE MOST CHALLENGING ONE FROM OUR OFFICE TO BALANCE, BECAUSE THEY HAVE A LOT OF NEEDS. AND THE GOAL IS TO KEEP THE REVENUES IN LINE WITH OUR, YOU KNOW, OTHER OPERATORS WHO HAVE SOLID WASTE SERVICES.
THERE IS A 2.3% CPI INCREASE IN HERE. AND THE BUDGET IS BALANCED.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO MELISSA HERE AND TO THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT FOR WORKING WITH US ON HOW CAN WE ADJUST CONTRACTUAL SERVICES, LOOKING AT VEHICLES, LOOKING AT ROUTES, WHERE ARE THE INEFFICIENCIES? WE'VE HAD, YOU KNOW, GREAT CONVERSATIONS ON HOW TO KEEP THIS FUND DOING EVERYTHING IT NEEDS TO DO.
JUST A QUICK COMMENT. AS PART OF MY TOUR, OF COURSE, BEING A COMMISSIONER WAS GOING OUT TO THE YARDS AND SEEING ALL THE EQUIPMENT, ALL THE STUFF IT TAKES TO RUN THIS. SO I DO APPRECIATE THAT.
PARTS, ORDERING PARTS, YOU GET DIFFERENT CARS AT DIFFERENT TRUCKS, DIFFERENT TIRES.
SO I DO APPRECIATE IT. YES. I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT AGAIN THAT OUR SOLID WASTE HAS NOT SEEN AN INTERRUPTION OF SERVICE, UNLIKE SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORS. AND WHEN PEOPLE, WHEN I TALK, WHEN I THINK ABOUT PAYING DOUBLE TAXES, AS WE PUT IT. BUT YOU KNOW, PAYING CITY TAXES TO I'M, I CAN'T SAY I'M HAPPY TO DO IT, BUT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT'S MONEY, BUT I THE LEVEL OF SERVICE LONG BEFORE I GOT ON THE CITY COMMISSION I'VE BEEN PROUD OF FOR A LONG TIME.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE PUT TO THE TASK AGAIN IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM.
IT'S JUST BOOM. IT HAPPENS. SO AND IT'S NOT JUST BECAUSE I'M VICE MAYOR.
THAT HAPPENED BEFORE I EVER GOT ON THE COMMISSION, TOO. YES.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. VERY WELL SAID. THANK YOU.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS ON SOLID WASTE AS WE KEEP MOVING? OKAY. MOVING ON TO THE MARINA, WHICH IS STARTS ON PAGE 23.
IN THIS BUDGET THIS YEAR, WE HAVE BATHROOM DESIGN MONEY IN THERE AS WELL AS A TRUCK.
SO THEY KEPT TRACK OF IT LAST FISCAL YEAR AND CAME TO US AGAIN AND SAID, WE NEED A TRUCK.
AND WE'RE LIKE, YES, YOU'RE RIGHT. SO WE PUT A TRUCK IN THE BUDGET.
YES. AND I'LL HIGHLIGHT IN THE THE REVISED AND THE PROJECTED, YOU'LL SEE SOME DIFFERENCES.
THERE WAS SOME SOME GRANT SPENDING, SOME FEMA REIMBURSEMENTS.
SO THOSE OF COURSE ARE NOT PROJECTED TO BE IN THIS YEAR WE HOPE.
NO NEED TO DO ANY MORE REBUILDING BECAUSE OF STORMS. BUT THERE'S ALSO SOME DESIGN MONEY AS WELL IN HERE TO LOOK AT THE CENTRAL DOCK AND REFURBISHING, REFURBISHING THAT. SO SIMILAR TO WHAT WE SAID ABOUT THE PARKING GARAGE WE WANT.
THE MARINA IS A GREAT REVENUE SOURCE. IT DOES A GREAT JOB.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MARINA, WE'RE TAKING CARE OF IT AND GOT TO HAVE A GOOD MARINA IF YOU'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO COLLECT DOCKAGE FEES. SO IT ALL TIES TOGETHER AND THEY DO GREAT WORK, AND I'VE EVEN GOT A LITTLE SURPLUS GOING BACK PROJECTED AS WELL.
AND IF I COULD JUST ADD THERE AGAIN. FRONT FACING PARKING GARAGE.
AND I THINK WE PRESENT A VERY GOOD LOOK ON ALL OF THOSE.
YES. ALL RIGHT. MOVING ON FROM THE MARINA. AND WE GOT HERE QUICKLY BACK TO THE VIC.
[00:55:05]
ON PAGE 26 IS WHERE THAT ONE STARTS IN YOUR BOOKS.ON PAGE 29. WE'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THE THE TRANSFERS WHICH BEGIN ACTUALLY ON PAGE 28.
AND THEN WHAT DOESN'T COVER ALL THE EXPENDITURES WE TAKE OUT OF THE VIC? AND WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE OTHER SOURCES TO HELP WITH THE MOBILITY.
SO THE TRANSFER FROM VIC HAS GONE DOWN. THAT INCLUDES THE DOT PAYING FOR THE STAR CIRCULATOR FOR THE WORK THAT WE DO FOR TRAFFIC SIGNALS. SO WE DO HAVE OTHER TDC REVENUES THAT COME IN FOR SHUTTLING WE PUT HERE, THE VIC PAYS TO MAKE THE MOBILITY FUND MOBILITY FUND WHOLE.
WE ALSO HAVE, OF COURSE, THE SIDEWALK PROJECT AND MOBILITY THAT WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER.
THAT IS NOT FUNDED FULLY BY THE VIC. WE'RE USING MOBILITY FUNDS, OUR MOBILITY REVENUES ON THAT ONE.
ANYWAY, BACK TO THE VIC MOBILITY FUND IS STILL, TRANSFER IS STILL IMPORTANT.
WE LIKE TO BREAK THOSE TRANSFERS OUT SO YOU CAN SEE THEM IN OUR WORLD, THEY'RE ALL CONSIDERED OTHER TRANSFERS, BUT WE KNOW THAT EACH ONE IS VERY SPECIFIC, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE SHOW YOU ALL AND THE PUBLIC WHERE ALL OF THOSE FUNDS ARE BEING TRANSFERRED, AND FOR WHAT REASON. HISTORIC PRESERVATION IS GOING UP.
JUST AS A REMINDER, THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND ARCHEOLOGY DEPARTMENT OVER THE YEARS HAS GONE FROM ONE FULL TIME AND ONE PART TIME TO NOW THREE FULL TIME POSITIONS. AND THIS IS, THERE'S NO, THERE ARE CHARGES FOR SERVICES THERE.
BUT WHAT WE CHARGE DOES NOT FULLY PAY FOR THE STAFFING THAT WE HAVE FOR THEIR OPERATIONAL COSTS.
WE MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS TO FOR THE FLORIDA AWARD, WE MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS FOR HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
ALL THOSE THAT WE TALK ABOUT THAT'S PART OF THIS TRANSFER COMING FROM THE VIC.
IT'S BEEN A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT REVENUE SOURCE.
AGAIN, WITH THE LOGIC BEING THE VISITORS COMING HERE FOR HISTORY, THE VISITOR, THIS IS THE ONE WAY WE CAN ASK THE VISITOR, ASK THEM TO HELP CONTRIBUTE TO OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND ARCHEOLOGY.
ALSO ON THAT PAGE 29, THE GARAGE SINKING FUND.
I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT AGAIN, WE'RE INCREASING THAT EACH YEAR.
WE HAVE A GOOD PLAN FROM OUR CONSULTANT ON HOW TO MAKE SURE WE'RE MAINTAINING THAT GARAGE AND PUTTING THE DOLLARS IN THAT WE NEED TO EACH YEAR SO THAT IT LASTS LONGER THAN ANY OF US. YEAH, BUT I'LL BACK UP TO THE FRONT PAGE AGAIN. SHOWS REVENUE THAT COMES INTO THE GARAGE, OPERATING EXPENSES.
THE HACRA MAKES A LARGE TRANSFER FOR THE VIC DEBT.
IT'S NOT THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE VIC DEBT, BUT IT COVERS THE PARKING GARAGE DEBT.
SO NOW THAT THE VIC AND IT'S RELATIVELY NEW THAT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY COMING FROM THE HACRA COVERS THE VIC DEBT, WE THOUGHT WHEN THAT WAS ESTABLISHED 20 ISH YEARS AGO, WE.
I'M NOT SURE WHEN THE HACRA WAS ESTABLISHED, BUT A WHILE AGO.
TWO THOUSAND. OKAY. 2000. THANK YOU JAMIE. 25 YEARS.
WHEN THAT WAS ESTABLISHED, WE THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD BE ABLE TO PAY THE DEBT SERVICE ON THE GARAGE FULLY SOONER THAN IT HAS BEEN ABLE TO, BUT WE ARE THERE NOW, SO THAT'S A GOOD THING.
AND THAT IS PART OF WHY THESE TRANSFERS, THE OTHER ITEMS THAT WE BROUGHT UP ARE ABLE TO HAPPEN.
SO IT ALL WORKS TOGETHER. IT'S A GOOD THING. IT'S A GOOD STORY.
SO BEFORE WE GO ON, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I HAVE HAD SOME INPUT AND SOME QUESTIONING ABOUT, I'VE HAD SOME CITIZENS QUESTION THE EXCESS FUNDS, SO TO SPEAK.
AND I'VE GONE OUT AND EXPLAINED AND ARTICULATED AS WELL AS I CAN THAT THE.
YES. WE AGREE AS A POLICY THAT WE ARE CARRYING A COST OF TOURISM IN THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, OUR TAXPAYERS, OUR RESIDENTS, OUR BUSINESSES, WE ALL CARRY A COST.
[01:00:03]
THERE IS A COST TO TOURISM. AND ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, SO TO SPEAK, EVEN THOUGH WE CAN'T COLLECT AN ADMISSION FEE INTO THE CITY, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK, WELL, OH, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, NIGHTS OF LIGHTS, YOU KNOW, THEY HEAR THIS NUMBER, THIS REALLY BIG NUMBER FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY THAT, OH, THE CITY'S MAKING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.WILL THE CITY GOVERNMENT DOESN'T. WE DON'T HAVE A WAY, REALLY, TO COLLECT THAT, TO COLLECT AN INCOME TO OFFSET THAT COST OF TOURISM. SO WHAT WE'VE TALKED TO THE COMMUNITY, WE'VE HAD THESE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY AND WE'VE SAID, WELL, WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CHARGE ADMISSION OR GET A DIRECT BENEFIT OFF OF NIGHTS OF LIGHTS OR ANY OF THE TOURISM THAT WE GET.
BUT WHAT WE CAN DO IS WE CAN USE THE GARAGE REVENUES TO ANSWER AND FUND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE YOUR CORE, WHAT YOU'VE TOLD US ARE YOUR CORE VALUES, AND THAT'S HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND ARCHEOLOGY AND MOBILITY.
SO THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT. THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT.
WE ALREADY HAVE DECIDED BY A POLICY, AND MAYBE THIS COMMISSION WANTS TO CHANGE THAT.
WE DON'T WANT TO CONTINUE TO SPEND ON ARCHEOLOGY.
SO OR MOBILITY FOR THAT MATTER. SO I JUST WANT TO I WANTED TO ARTICULATE THAT SO THAT IT'S THERE IN OUR INSTITUTIONAL MEMORY, THAT IT DOESN'T GET FORGOTTEN, THAT THIS IS OUR WAY OF PUTTING OUR HAND OUT INTO THAT STREAM OF DOLLARS THAT THE TOURISTS BRING IN THROUGH OUR VIC AND OUR GARAGE REVENUE TO PAY FOR WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO OUR RESIDENTS.
WE GET TO CAPTURE THAT. SO IN OUR THIS IS REALLY VERY HARD TO CAPTURE FOR OUR GOVERNMENT.
IT'S LIKE THE LIGHTNER MUSEUM WINDOW PROJECT.
THE ROOF PROJECT. THESE ARE THE WATER WORKS. THAT IS JUST A WONDERFUL, THESE ARE GREAT CIVIC ASSETS.
AND THE PECK HOUSE THAT WE HAVE, THE, THESE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE WHEN WE SAY PRESERVATION DOLLARS GETTING SPENT, IT'S TAKING CARE OF OUR VERY UNIQUE, MAGNIFICENT, IRREPLACEABLE, SPECIAL ARCHITECTURE.
SO IN OTHER THINGS TOO. BUT I JUST WANTED TO REALLY ARTICULATE.
I DON'T WANT THAT TO BE LOST IN THE DISCUSSION.
SO THANK YOU FOR INDULGING ME. I THINK THAT WAS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO BRING UP AND I'M GLAD YOU HIGHLIGHTED IT MS. BREIDENSTEIN AND THANK YOU, MAYOR, FOR SAYING THAT, BECAUSE THOSE RESOURCES ARE NOT JUST IMPORTANT TO OUR RESIDENTS.
THEY BRING TOURISTS AND THE TOURISTS LOVE THEM.
THEY ARE, OF COURSE, PART OF THE ENTIRE BUDGET.
AND YOU ONCE YOU PASS THE CRA BUDGETS AT OUR SPECIAL MEETINGS IN SEPTEMBER, WE THEN KNOW THAT YOU HAVE PASSED IT AS A PORTION OF THE TOTAL BUDGET. SO THAT'S PROCEDURALLY HOW THAT WORKS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THOSE, YOU JUST HAVE THE SUMMARY PAGES IN HERE.
AND I KNOW SHE CAN ANSWER MORE QUESTIONS FOR YOU IF NEEDED.
AND THEN I'LL JUMP TO WHAT I FEEL LIKE. WELL, LET ME BACK UP FIRST.
ANYTHING ON SPECIFIC NUMBERS, ANY OF THIS DETAIL? I MEAN, A LOT OF WORK WENT INTO THIS, OBVIOUSLY, AND MELISSA AND I HAVE EVERY SINGLE LINE ITEM THAT MAKES UP ALL OF THESE.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU WANT US TO LOOK AT, YOU DON'T SEE IT.
YOU HAVE A QUESTION. WE CAN PULL THAT UP NOW OR LATER.
IF YOU DON'T, WE'LL MOVE INTO WHERE WE HAVE ATTEMPTED TO TAKE EVERYTHING IN THIS BUDGET THAT WE FEEL LIKE SPECIFICALLY GOES TO A STRATEGIC ITEM FROM THE STRATEGIC PLAN. WE DON'T ALWAYS CAPTURE THEM ALL.
THEY MAY BE IN HERE, AND WE DIDN'T BRING THEM OUT TO A BULLET POINT.
BUT YOU CAN SEE ON PAGE STARTING ON PAGE 34 THE ITEMS THAT WE HAVE SPECIFICALLY LISTED.
I KNOW THAT SOME OF YOU HAVE SAID, OH, I DON'T SEE YOU KNOW, SUCH AND SUCH.
IT SHOWS PAST PAVING. IT SHOWS THE PAVING PLAN.
STEPHEN SLAUGHTER AND HIS TEAM, OF COURSE, ARE ALWAYS FLEXIBLE AND NIMBLE ON THAT.
AND BUT THERE IS A PLAN. AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE PAVING WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE OVER THE YEARS.
BUT OF COURSE, WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO SO. I'LL LET YOU ALL WITHOUT READING ALL OF THESE.
[01:05:06]
FOR THE PUBLIC, THEY'RE ON PAGES 34-36, SORRY, 34, 35 AND 36.I WOULD ASK YOU TO LOOK AT THEM AND THEN WE CAN GO THROUGH THEM.
HOWEVER, HOWEVER YOU WOULD LIKE TO. I'M HAPPY TO READ THEM POINT BY POINT.
I DO HAVE FOR THE PUBLIC. OH, OKAY. I DON'T KNOW THE PROTOCOL.
THIS IS A FUN PART. THIS IS MY FIRST TIME, SO I DON'T KNOW.
THIS IS THE FUN PART. SO ANYWAY, SO I LOOKED AT THE STRATEGIC ACTION ITEMS. FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU BOTH FOR THE WORK YOU DID.
I KNOW THAT WE HAD OUR OWN OUR MEETING WHERE I HAD TO ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
AND SOME OF THE QUESTIONS I ASKED YOU BROUGHT UP HERE.
SO I DIDN'T REALLY FEEL LIKE I HAD TO CONTRIBUTE AS MUCH. BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT ONE ON ONE TIME, FOR THAT HOUR. IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE, REALLY. SO AS SPECIFIC TO THIS PAGE I WAS LOOKING AT THIS RESILIENCY TO ME IS A BIG ISSUE, AND I THINK I HAVE BROUGHT THIS UP BEFORE UNDER I WOULD PROPOSE FOR US TO DISCUSS UNDER OBJECTIVE PROTECTIVE RESILIENCY.
WE HAVE DITCHES AND CULVERT MAINTENANCE AND IMPROVEMENT.
I KNOW I BROUGHT THIS UP BEFORE AND I KNOW THAT PUBLIC WORKS HAS BEEN LOOKING AT THIS.
WE MAY HEAR MORE FROM THEM IN THE FUTURE. DO WE DO HAVE A LOT OF NATURAL DITCHES AND CULVERTS, AND I THINK BECAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY THERE IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO LOOK AT THEM AND MAXIMIZE WHAT WE HAVE AND IDENTIFY IT MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE CLOSELY.
SO THAT WOULD BE MY SOLE CHANGE TO THIS HERE.
ALL RIGHT. WE'LL ADD THAT. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER ADDITIONS? I KNOW I'VE TOLD YOU MINE. YES. THE MIDDLETON HOUSE, WE WILL ADD UNDER ARTS EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY.
THAT PROJECT IS ONGOING AND IN DESIGN. AND JUST FOR THE GROUP.
AS A REMINDER, THE PROCEEDS FROM THE SALE OF THE PROPERTY ON DAUPHIN DRIVE ARE WHAT WE ARE USING FOR THIS AS MUCH AS WE CAN, OBVIOUSLY. AND THEN ONCE WE KNOW FULL CONSTRUCTION COST, WE HOPE TO ALIGN THAT TIMING WISE WITH CONSTRUCTION OF THE FIRE STATION.
BUT WE'RE HOPING THE TIMING WORKS THERE. SO THERE ARE NO NEW REVENUE BUDGETS IN THE MIDDLETON HOUSE PROJECT, BUT THAT IS CONTINUING WITH THE PROCESS THAT PROCEEDS THAT WE RECEIVED IN PREVIOUS YEARS.
I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION. IS THAT OKAY? YES. I FOLLOW UP AFTER YOU.
OKAY. I'M SORRY. THE I&I ELIMINATION PROJECT.
WHAT IS THAT? JUST REAL QUICK. AND STEVEN COME UP.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT AND MANY OF THESE MAY BE THINGS THAT YOU'VE SEEN YEAR OVER YEAR.
IT MEANS WE'RE DOING THEM CONTINUOUSLY OR THEY'RE MULTI-YEAR PROJECTS.
BUT I&I IS SOMETHING WE'RE VERY PROUD OF, STEVEN AND I LOVE TO TALK ABOUT.
GOOD MORNING. ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING. I&I STANDS FOR INFILTRATION AND INFLOW.
IT'S A TERM THAT'S USED IN OUR GRAVITY SANITARY SEWER COLLECTION.
IT'S A, IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO ELIMINATE.
AND SO VERY HIGH LEVEL. OUR WATER TREATMENT PLANT.
I'M SORRY. OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, OUR LIFT STATIONS, OUR GRAVITY MAINS, OUR FORCE MAINS, THEY'RE ALL DESIGNED IN SIZE TO CARRY A SPECIFIC AMOUNT OF FLOW.
IF YOU INCREASE THAT FLOW, SAY, THROUGH WET WEATHER EVENTS, THROUGH INFILTRATION OR DIRECT CONNECTIONS WITH DOWNSPOUTS OR PUMPS AND PEOPLE'S BACKYARDS CONNECTED TO OUR GRAVITY SEWER, IT INUNDATES OUR SYSTEM AND IT CAUSES SANITARY SEWER OVERFLOWS.
SO WE'RE SETTING ASIDE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY EACH YEAR.
WE HAVE A PROGRAM, I HAVE AN ENGINEER DEDICATED TO THIS, AND WE ARE DOING CCTV INSPECTIONS.
WE ARE DOING GROUTING, WE ARE DOING PIPELINING, ALL FOR THE ELIMINATION OF I&I.
AND WE HAVE BEEN SEEING AN IMPROVEMENT IN THAT.
GOOD QUESTION. THANK YOU. GREAT QUESTION. I HAVE A SEMI-RELATED, BUT THE RIDERSHIP ON THE CIRCULATOR. I'VE NOTICED I'VE TAKEN IT SEVERAL TIMES.
I'VE NOTICED IT'S VERY SMALL AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE MAKING EFFORTS TO IMPROVE IT, BUT I ALSO DON'T WANT TO ASSUME, HAVE THE PUBLIC ASSUME WE'RE GOING TO KEEP FUNDING THAT AT THE END OF THE FIVE YEARS WHEN IT'S NOT REALLY DURING A SERVICE ANYWAY? SO I'D LIKE FOR US TO LOOK AT WHAT ARE WE DOING TO IMPROVE THE SERVICE, OR IS THERE A DIFFERENT MODEL FIVE YEARS FROM NOW, IF WE WANT TO TAKE IT OVER, THAT MAY BE MORE EFFECTIVE.
[01:10:01]
MAINTENANCE. THAT'S WHAT I WROTE DOWN. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KIND OF TACK ON TO THAT BEAUTIFICATION AS WELL.SO IT CAN'T JUST BE ABOUT LET'S GO CLEAR DITCHES.
IT'S I KEEP I HAVE THESE REQUESTS FOR BEAUTIFICATION AS A PART OF THAT.
SO I WANTED TO BE SURE THAT'S INCLUDED AS WELL.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE PART OF IT. I THINK THEY'RE ALMOST THEY'RE ALMOST INSEPARABLE IN A WAY, BECAUSE IF YOU CLEAR IT OUT, THEY'LL BE. SO I SUPPORT THAT, RIGHT? AND THEN I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THE $900,000 IN PAVING THE PAVING PLANS IN THERE.
IT'S REALLY WONDERFUL BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT OUR CITIZENS SEE AND IT IMPACTS THEIR DAILY, EVERYDAY LIFE. JUST LIKE THE VICE MAYOR SAID, THE SOLID WASTE WORKERS TOUCH OUR RESIDENTS TWICE A WEEK AT MINIMUM, MAYBE THREE TIMES A WEEK SOMETIMES. SO THEY'RE OUR FACE, AND I THINK OUR STREETS ARE OUR FACE, AND THAT SHOWS HOW MUCH PRIDE WE HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY. I THINK $900,000.
I WISH WE COULD HAVE FUNDED IT AT THAT LEVEL FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS.
I THINK YOU CALLED IT A SINKING FUND, BUT AND IT'S IT'S, I KIND OF NOT DONE MY WORK ON THAT, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE KIND OF DEVELOPED. THE POLICY BEHIND IT NEEDS TO BE DEVELOPED.
MONEY HAS ALREADY STARTED TO BE PUT INTO THAT FUND.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'M COMMITTED TO WORKING ON THIS YEAR TO DEVELOP SOME KIND OF AT LEAST A POLICY AND A MISSION AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE KIND OF BASIC THINGS SO THAT FUTURE GENERATIONS WILL KNOW WHAT IT'S FOR.
I WANT TO BE SURE THAT THESE THINGS ARE IN THE RECORD, SO.
OR AT LEAST IN YOUR MINDS AS YOU CARRY ON. AND THAT SAID, I, DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD.
AND WE WE DIDN'T ADD ANY MONEY INTO 4TH OF JULY OR ANYTHING FOR THAT KIND OF A CELEBRATION, DID WE? IF MELISSA WISSEL IS BACK THERE, I'M NOT SURE SHE IS.
I KNOW THAT WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING OR COLLABORATING WITH OTHERS ON THAT CELEBRATION.
IT MAY BE EMBEDDED IN OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT FUND.
LET'S SEE. GOOD MORNING. MELISSA WISSEL, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR.
YES, WE DO HAVE SOME FUNDING EMBEDDED IN THE BUDGET.
WE WILL BE COLLABORATING DURING THE HISTORY FESTIVAL IN MAY OF NEXT YEAR.
AND WE HAVE DOCTOR ROGER WHITE WILL BE. SMITH.
AND THEN WE'VE ALSO DESIGNED THE SUMMER CONCERTS.
THE FRONT END OF THE SUMMER CONCERT SCHEDULE IS GOING TO BE MORE AMERICANA, CELEBRATORY TYPE MUSIC.
GREAT POINT. ANYTHING ELSE? I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
ARE INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS? I DON'T WANT TO MISS THAT OPPORTUNITY.
SO IS THIS A THE TIME TO SPEAK ABOUT IT? YES.
NO. YES, I THINK SO. IS IT? YES. OKAY. WELL, I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT I WROTE THESE DOWN A WHILE AGO, AND I HAVE TO JUST SAY SOME OF THESE HAVE ALREADY BEEN ACHIEVED JUST BY THE PROCESS.
SO WE COULD GET TO CATEGORY FOUR OR CLASS FOUR.
SORRY. THAT'S ALREADY HAPPENED. VERY INTERESTING.
WHAT? WE NEED TO GET TO THE NEXT RATING. BUT FOR NOW, THAT'S BEEN ACHIEVED.
INITIATE A STUDY OR UPDATE ON OUR NATURAL DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE TO MAXIMIZE DRAINAGE, WITH DEFINITE EMPHASIS ON WHAT THE MAYOR HAD SAID WHICH IS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S DONE ESTHETICALLY AS WELL AS POSSIBLE AND NATURALLY AS WELL AS POSSIBLE.
I HAD A LIGHT WHEN I WAS CAMPAIGNING THE FOLKS DOWN IN THE DOWN BY ALEGRO AND PLANTATION DRIVE WERE
[01:15:03]
COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE LIGHT AT THE CORNER OF MIZELL AND PLANTATION ROAD IS VERY DARK AT NIGHT AND PEOPLE ARE TURNING, AND IT'S KIND OF CONFUSING AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE'RE MOVING AHEAD WITH THAT, WITH FPL0 I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT LANDSCAPING.I THINK SOME OF THE RESIDENTS IN SOUTH DAVIS SHORES, THE LANDSCAPING AT THE COQUINA LIFT STATION, I DON'T THINK IT'S A BIG ITEM, BUT SOMETHING AROUND THAT I THINK THAT IS A THAT IS NOT APPROPRIATE.
I MEAN, WAY TO LEAVE IT, I THINK THAT'S LEGITIMATE.
ELIMINATING FEE FOR THE RESIDENTIAL PARKING PROGRAM THAT'S ALREADY HAPPENED.
AND THEN JUST FOR ME LOCALLY, IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS IS HAPPENING ALSO IS SUPPORTING THE RED COX PARK PLAYGROUND IMPROVEMENTS, WHICH MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT'S UNDERWAY TOO.
YES, THERE IS MONEY IN THE FACILITY'S BUDGET FOR THAT SPECIFIC PROJECT THAT IS ON THE LIST FOR NOT ONLY SAFETY, BUT JUST RENEWING AND THE LIFT STATION LANDSCAPING.
WE HAVE A LINE ITEM IN OUR GROUNDS BUDGET THERE AS WELL.
THANK YOU. EXCELLENT. THAT'S IT FOR ME. YEAH.
THAT'S IT. OKAY. ANYONE ELSE BEFORE WE CONTINUE? YEAH. I JUST WANTED TO BRING UP A MINOR POINT AND THEN ANOTHER POINT AS WELL.
MINOR, I'VE BEEN WALKING AROUND DOWNTOWN FOR 23 YEARS, I THINK, OR MORE.
AND IT DAWNED ON ME THAT ALL OF OUR, THE CROSSWALKS THE SIGNS THAT ARE ON THEM THAT SAY WHICH BUTTON TO PUSH, LOTS OF THOSE HAVE BEEN RUBBED OFF OR WHATEVER HAVE WEATHERED.
AND IT'S ALSO CONFUSING IF YOU ARE FROM OUT OF TOWN AND DON'T KNOW WHAT THE STREET NAMES ARE.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, PRESS THIS BUTTON TO CROSS KING STREET.
THERE'S YOU CAN'T EVEN SEE THE KING STREET. AND YOU DON'T MAY NOT KNOW WHAT KING STREET IS.
SO I THINK IN OTHER CITIES I'VE SEEN JUST ARROWS INDICATING WHICH DIRECTION THAT BUTTON GOES TO.
I'D LIKE TO. THAT'S AN ABILITY THING. I THINK THAT WOULD HELP PEOPLE A LOT.
AND SECONDLY THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES SENT A, THEY SENT AN EMAIL TO EACH OF US REGULARLY, AND THEY HAVE A AN OPTION THAT I BELIEVE THE MAYOR THROUGH MELISSA TOLD ME ABOUT THAT THERE'S A PROPERTY TAX EDUCATIONAL TOOLKIT, AND I BELIEVE MELISSA AT THE MAYOR'S DIRECTION, AGAIN, WAS COMMUNICATED TO ME FROM MELISSA, IS, NOT THAT THE MAYOR AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT IT.
I WANTED TO BE CLEAR, THAT THERE IS AN EFFORT TO GO AHEAD AND ADD SOME OF THAT INFORMATION TO THE CITY'S WEBSITE SO THAT OUR TAXPAYERS HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF BECAUSE I'M CERTAIN THAT 99% OF THEM ARE NOT LISTENING TO THIS.
AND SO DON'T REALLY KNOW WHERE THEIR PROPERTY TAX IS, HOW THEY'RE USED.
SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT. THAT'S EXCELLENT.
AND I, DID YOU WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT? NO, WE INTEND TO DO THAT.
WE, I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA AND WE'RE WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT.
YES. AND WHEN I WAS AT THE CONFERENCE, WE DID I DID REQUEST THE DATA, THEY'RE OFFERING THE SERVICE OF CITY BY CITY, INDIVIDUALIZED DATA TO TO PLUG INTO THE TOOLKIT WHEN YOU USE IT.
SO THEY DID RESPOND AND SAY THAT THEY WOULD BE BUILDING THAT DATA SET FOR US.
AND, BUT IT WOULD TAKE A WHILE. SO WE'RE KIND OF JUST WAITING TO GET IT.
I HAVEN'T RECEIVED IT YET. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU.
I HAVE A FEW THINGS. ONE IS THREE YEARS AGO, WHEN I WAS RUNNING FOR OFFICE, THE NUMBER ONE TOPIC, IF YOU ALL CAN REMEMBER, WAS HOMELESS. BUT IN THE THREE YEARS THAT ISSUE IS NOW NOT GONE AWAY, BUT IT IS MUCH LESS THAN IT WAS. AND IT WAS A COLLABORATION OF MANAGEMENT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, OF MODIFYING SOME POSITIONS, BUT ALSO HAVING US HELP SUPPORT THESE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE ARE IN THIS BUDGET.
AND WE DON'T WE DON'T GIVE A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY TO THEM.
BUT EVERY LITTLE BIT OF MONEY HELPS THOSE ORGANIZATIONS HELP US, HELP THEM, THE HOMELESS.
AND IT HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE. AND I'M PROUD OF US FOR CONTRIBUTING TO THOSE ORGANIZATIONS.
AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING. AND THE NEW ORGANIZATION THAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO HELP FUND IS SOMETHING THAT IS VERY NEEDED BECAUSE THE NUMBER ONE GROWING POPULATION OF HOMELESS ARE ELDERLY.
[01:20:06]
SOME SERVICES. THE ONE THING THAT I HAVE FAILED TO MENTION OVER TIME, MEETING WITH THE MANAGER IN THE LAST MONTHS OR SO, AND THAT IS CITY GOVERNMENT 101. I THINK I MENTIONED THIS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN WE WHEN WE ALL RAN FOR OFFICE, WE ALL HAD THE SAME KIND OF QUESTIONS. WHAT DISTRICT DO YOU REPRESENT? HOW LONG IS YOUR SERVICE? WHY ARE YOU CALLED COMMISSIONER, NOT COUNCILMAN? WHO RUNS THE CITY? PEOPLE DON'T KNOW HOW THE CITY WORKS, AND IT'S DIFFERENT FROM THE COUNTY, AND IT'S DIFFERENT FROM JACKSONVILLE. AND SO IT'S TO ME, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE DEVELOP A WAY TO HAVE SOME KIND OF A COMMUNICATION WHERE SOMEBODY CAN GO EASILY OR WE CAN REFER THEM AND SAY, HEY, GO ON THE WEBSITE AND DO THIS.AND I KNOW THAT WE JUST HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL TRAINING PROGRAM FOR THAT VERY PURPOSE, TO TEACH PEOPLE IN DETAIL, WAY MORE DETAIL THAN THE GENERAL PUBLIC GENERALLY NEEDS TO KNOW.
BUT FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO BE ACTIVE, IT'S CRITICAL INFORMATION TO KNOW.
AND I STILL WISH WE COULD HAVE A WAY TO PUBLISH THAT, EITHER IN A SMALL BROCHURE OR IN A WEBSITE, SO THAT WE COULD GUIDE PEOPLE TO THAT, AND NOT THAT I DON'T WANT TO GET ON THE PHONE AND TELL THEM HOW IT'S DONE.
BUT I DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING, AND I HAVE TO CALL AND ASK SOMETIMES.
WELL, MAYBE WE COULD CREATE A CITIZEN'S ACADEMY HANDBOOK THAT WE COULD ALSO INCORPORATE INTO THE CITIZEN'S ACADEMY, BUT ALSO PUBLISH ON OUR WEBSITE WITH ALL THOSE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND BASIC KNOWLEDGE OF CIVICS 101.
RIGHT. LET'S WORK ON THAT. WE CAN DO THAT. YEAH, IT'S REALLY SAINT AUGUSTINE 101 BECAUSE OUR CIVICS IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN EVERYBODY ELSE'S. BUT I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.
WE ARE AND STUFF. SO I THINK THAT'S A FANTASTIC POINT.
ANYONE ELSE? DID YOU HAVE MORE? OH, OKAY. OKAY.
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR ADDRESSING THE HOMELESS.
THAT WAS SOMETHING, AGAIN, THAT JIM INDICATED THAT WE DID HEAR A LOT ABOUT THE HOMELESS POPULATION.
AND WE HAVE BEEN BLESSED TO GO TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS TO HEAR ABOUT THE NEED.
ALSO WE TRAVELED TO VERO BEACH AND WE SAW A DIGNITY BUS.
IT'S NOT ON HERE, BUT I WANT US TO BE ABLE TO CONSIDER THAT IF OUR HOMELESS INCREASE MAYBE NEXT YEAR ALLOCATING THE 150,000 JUST IN THE EVENT THAT THERE'S A RISE OF HOMELESSNESS THAT WE CAN PARTNER WITH ONE OF THESE LOCATIONS TO OVERSEE THE BUS, BUT THE BUS BELONGS TO THE CITY SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS, BECAUSE IT HAS 20 BEDS IN IT.
SO THAT'S WHY THERE WAS A DECREASE IN THE BEDS.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WENT THERE DRUNK, ROWDY, WHATEVER.
AND ONCE THEY TRESPASSED SOMEONE, THEY CAN NO LONGER TAKE THEM BACK TO THAT LOCATION.
SO THEY'RE JUST OUT THERE WANDERING AT A DIFFERENT LOCATION.
THE MOVEMENT IS DIFFERENT. SO WE'RE ALREADY IN HURRICANE SEASON.
IT WOULDN'T DO ANY GOOD TO TRY TO PURCHASE THAT AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME.
BUT IF WE OBSERVE THE INCREASE IN THE SPRING AND THE NUMBERS GO UP, THEN WE COULD MOVE FORWARD.
SO THE FELLOW COMMISSION CAN SEE THE BUS INSTEAD OF US ALL TRYING TO TRAVEL TO VERO BEACH.
AND WE CAN ALSO INVITE SOME CHURCHES AND DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS TO SEE THE BUS, BECAUSE MAYBE THEY MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER BUYING A BUS AS WELL AND PUTTING IT ON THEIR LOCATION. AND I THINK IF WE DO THAT, THAT WE'RE IN A BETTER POSITION FOR HOMELESSNESS.
SO WE COULD BETTER HANDLE OUR HOMELESS SITUATION SO IT DOESN'T GROW AGAIN.
THAT IS YOU'RE CORRECT. THAT'S CURRENTLY NOT IN THE BUDGET NOW.
YES. TO CLARIFY. OKAY. 27. OKAY SO WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT.
WE HAVE A PUBLIC WORKS PRESENTATION, OR WAS THAT FOR INFORMATION ONLY? THIS IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY. MR. SLAUGHTER PRESENTED THIS BACK IN MAY.
[01:25:03]
ANYTHING THAT'S CURRENT YEAR, IT'S JUST HERE FOR YOUR INFORMATION AND FOR YOUR REFERENCE.OKAY. SO YES, AND THAT IS THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
SO DO WE HAVE QUESTIONS ON THE PRESENTATION AND ANY ITEMS ON THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN? I'LL JUST SAY IT WAS VERY HELPFUL ON MY WALKS TO HAVE THE PAVING SCHEDULE, BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN YOU WALK WITH RESIDENTS IS, WHAT'S MY STREET? AND TO BE ABLE TO HAVE IT THERE AS AN ACCESS.
THESE ARE ALL THESE PHYSICAL THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT THE RESIDENTS WILL APPRECIATE.
SO I THINK IT'S VERY HANDY AND I'M GOING TO KEEP IT. THANK YOU FOR PUTTING IT TOGETHER. I´LL JUST ADD, YOU KNOW, TECHNICALLY THIS IS PART OF THE BUDGET.
SO WHEN YOU ALL HAVE THE HEARINGS IN SEPTEMBER AND THAT BUDGET IS APPROVED, IT WILL BE THE BUDGET THAT WE JUST WENT THROUGH, INCLUDING THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN. IT'S A VERY INTEGRAL PART, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S ALL ADOPTED BY YOU ALL.
OKAY. CAN I MAKE A QUICK POINT? YES. I JUST WANTED TO REMIND ANYBODY WHO MIGHT BE LISTENING OR WANTS TO KNOW WHERE TO ACCESS THESE DOCUMENTS THAT THEY ARE ONLINE ON THE CITY'S AGENDA AND MINUTES WEBSITE PAGE SO THEY CAN ACCESS THEM IN FULL THERE.
WE'VE HAD THE PRESENTATION AND WE ALWAYS HOPE THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ATTEND AND ARE INTERESTED IN OUR BUDGET BECAUSE THIS REALLY IS, THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF OUR JOB IS PRESENTING.
IT'S OUR MOST IMPORTANT RESPONSIBILITY TO PRESENT THE BUDGET.
AND IT DOES EXPRESS OUR VALUES. IT EMBODIES OUR STRATEGIC PLAN AS WELL AS OUR CORE VALUES.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO US. SO WITH THAT SAID, I SEE MISS KALAIDI IS HERE.
MISS KALAIDI, YOU'RE WELCOME TO SPEAK. THANK YOU.
BJ KALAIDI WITH CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE. IT'S BEEN A VERY GOOD PRESENTATION.
VERY GOOD. YOU ALL DID GOOD YESTERDAY, SITTING AT THE MEETING WITH THE BCC ABOUT NIGHTS OF LIGHTS.
AND I HOPE THERE WILL BE SOMEBODY. I DON'T KNOW THE TECHNICALITIES, BUT SOMEBODY SHOW UP ON TUESDAY AT 9:00 WHEN THE ITEM NUMBER IS NUMBER ONE, ABOUT THE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS AND WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE US OR NOT GIVE US.
BECAUSE WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW AND WHAT YOU TALKED ABOUT WHEN MR. BIRCHIM GOT HIS FRIEND MS. BREIDENSTEIN TO HELP HIM ANSWER THE QUESTIONS, WAS VERY GOOD IN MAKING THAT PRESENTATION THAT YOU PRESENTED. SO THE MORE DETAIL AND IF YOU CAN, I KNOW IT'S A HOLIDAY, TODAY'S THURSDAY AND YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO DO, MR. BIRCHIM SO BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, IF YOU CAN GET SOMETHING TO PUT TOGETHER AND SEND TO THEM AHEAD OF TIME, EVEN IF IT GOES IN THE RED FOLDER. BUT THE ONE THING I WANT TO BRING UP AGAIN, IN CASE ANYBODY WILL EVER LISTEN TO THIS, THERE'S A REASON NOBODY COMES. I'M SORRY THEY DON'T.
BUT THE ONE THING I WANT TO KEEP ON SAYING ON THE CIP, I'M GLAD ALL THAT DOCUMENTATION IS GOING TO BE IN, BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE THE CITIZENS WITH THEIR TAX DOLLARS TRULY UNDERSTAND THIS, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE GOT THREE C CRAS. THAT MONEY IS NOT USED TO PAVE, AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PAVING DONE, AND IT'S OUT OF THE TAX DOLLARS WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, NOT FROM THE CRA MONEY. I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE STRESSED BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T PAY ATTENTION.
AND THEN IF THEY MAY ASK YOU A QUESTION TO LET THEM KNOW HOW OUR TAXES HAVE BEEN AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE TO IMPROVE THAT BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT THE TOURISTS TO COME INTO A POTHOLE. SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS KALAIDI. I THINK WE HAVE [INAUDIBLE].
DOESN'T GO ON. THE LIGHT DOESN'T COME ON. WE'LL PULL THAT DOWN, [INAUDIBLE].
[01:30:04]
OH, IS THAT IT? YES. OKAY. [INAUDIBLE]. FULLERWOOD AREA.I DON'T KNOW IF THE CITY'S PLANNING ON. I KNOW WE STILL HAVE SEPTIC TANKS IN THE CITY, AND I WAS WONDERING DOWN THE LINE, YOU'RE GOING TO TRY TO GET THEM ONTO THE CITY SEWER SYSTEM? I KNOW A FEW YEARS AGO, WHEN RICK SCOTT WAS OUR GOVERNOR, HE VETOED SEPTIC TANK INSPECTIONS.
SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO DO IN THE FUTURE.
I KNOW THERE'S SO MANY OTHER THINGS, BUT I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TOO.
THANKS A LOT. THANK YOU [INAUDIBLE]. ALRIGHT.
DOES ANYONE OKAY, SO I DON'T BELIEVE I SEE ANYONE ELSE FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT WISHES TO SPEAK.
THEREFORE, PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE CLOSED AND WE'RE BACK TO THE DAIS, AND I'M ASKING FOR ANY FINAL REMARKS OR COMMENTS. CAN I RESPOND TO MISS [INAUDIBLE] POINT? PLEASE, PLEASE DO. THERE HAS BEEN A STUDY DONE BY, I BELIEVE, UF AND NOW I'M FORGETTING IT.
THE LIGHTHOUSE PARK AREA. AND MISS BEACH IS NODDING HER HEAD.
ALSO, FLAGLER COLLEGE HAS A COUPLE OF PROFESSORS WHO ARE WORKING WITH THEIR STUDENTS TO ASSESS WATER QUALITY IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY, IN PARTICULAR TO LOOK FOR SIGNATURES OF SEPTIC TANK LEAKAGE INTO OUR WATERWAYS.
AND THEN I HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION, IF THAT'S OKAY.
IN THE CIP. MISS BEACH, YOU'VE BEEN SITTING HERE ALL DAY SO FAR, SO I'M WONDERING IF YOU COULD TALK TO US JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ADAPTATION PLAN BASED ON THE VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT, IF THAT'S OKAY WITH THE REST OF THE BOARD? SURE. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU, YES. SO WE HAVE GRANT FUNDING TO COVER AN ADAPTATION PLAN.
SO IT'S ESSENTIALLY THE SECOND PART OF THE VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT THAT WE JUST FINISHED LAST YEAR.
SO IT'S A CONTINUATION OF THAT. SO IN THE VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT WE WENT THROUGH A PRETTY RIGOROUS EXERCISE LOOKING AT ALL OF OUR CRITICAL ASSETS AND INFRASTRUCTURE AND PRIORITIZING THOSE AS FAR AS RISK FOR FLOOD. THERE WAS A NUMBER OF MODELING THAT WAS DONE FOR THAT TO ASSESS THAT RISK.
AND WE DID A PRELIMINARY ADAPTATION PLAN AND VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT.
IT'S BASICALLY CIP TYPE PROJECTS THAT WE COULD THEN GO BACK FOR FUNDING TO THE STATE TO IMPLEMENT.
SO NOW THE ADAPTATION PLAN IS A MORE ROBUST VERSION OF THAT PRELIMINARY ADAPTATION PLAN THAT WILL BE GOING THROUGH AND LOOKING AT IT FROM THE STATE'S PERSPECTIVE AND MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS FOR IT. SO WE DO HAVE FUNDING TO COVER THAT.
IT'S GOING TO BE UP IN THIS NEXT YEAR. WE DID HAVE A KICKOFF MEETING AND IT'S IN PROGRESS, SO. THANK YOU. AND HOW DOES THAT DOVETAIL WITH THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS BACK BAY STUDY? SO WE HAVE A NUMBER OF STUDIES GOING ON. AND THEY'RE ALL PART OF LIKE A PIECES OF THE LARGER PUZZLE.
WHEREAS THE ARMY CORPS BACK BAY STUDY IS MUCH MORE HOLISTIC AND CITYWIDE.
SO IT'S LIKE A LARGER SCALE AND MORE COMPREHENSIVE, BUT IT HAS.
WE ACTUALLY COORDINATED WITH THE ARMY CORPS WHEN WE WERE DOING OUR VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT, A LOT OF THE DATA FROM THE VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT WAS BEING USED BY THE ARMY CORPS. SO WE'VE BEEN COORDINATING ON THAT TOO.
AND SO AN EXAMPLE FOR THE ADAPTATION PLAN MIGHT BE THE COURT THEOPHELIA PROJECT.
YES, EXACTLY. IT'S LIKE THOSE TYPES OF PROJECTS, WE ESSENTIALLY IDENTIFIED HOT SPOTS IN THE CITY AND IDENTIFIED THOSE IN OUR PRELIMINARY ADAPTATION PLAN. AND THEN NOW WE CAN TAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME AND DETAIL AND KIND OF GO THROUGH THE METHOD THAT THE STATE REQUIRES TO FLUSH THOSE OUT, COME UP WITH SOME CONCEPTUAL LEVEL PROJECTS THAT WE COULD THEN WRAP INTO OUR CIP POTENTIALLY, AND THEN SEEK FOR FUNDING. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL THAT HARD WORK.
I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION WHILE YOU'RE HERE, HAVE YOU TAKEN A LOOK AT THE AREA AROUND FORT MOSE AND RAMBLA AND ALL THAT? BECAUSE I'VE TALKED TO THE RESIDENTS THERE AND THEY SAID THAT THEY'RE EXPERIENCING RED WATER AND ALSO THERE'S NO DRAINAGE THERE.
SO I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO. I HOPE THAT THAT BECOMES PART OF YOUR ADAPTATION PLAN.
SO WE DO HAVE IT IN THE VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT. I LOOKED AT THAT NEIGHBORHOOD SPECIFICALLY, I THINK, WHEN WE WERE GETTING QUESTIONS ABOUT DRAINAGE AND KIND OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD IN PARTICULAR. WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT CITYWIDE, IT IS A MUCH HIGHER ELEVATION.
SO THINK OF THE VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT IS LOOKING AT STORM SURGE, RAINFALL DRIVEN FLOODING, A NUMBER OF OTHER TYPES OF COMPOUND FLOOD EVENTS.
SO IT'S ACTUALLY A MUCH LOWER RISK FOR FLOODING THAN A LOT OF PARTS OF THE CITY.
BUT THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THE RAINFALL FLOODING ISN'T AN ISSUE.
SO IT HAS AN ANALYSIS DONE. SO WE DO HAVE DATA ON THAT AREA, AND I BELIEVE IT IS IN THE CIP FOR THAT NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WE ARE KIND OF IN THE VERY EARLY STAGES OF SCOPING THAT. THAT'S VERY GOOD NEWS.
[01:35:02]
THANK YOU. SURE. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS CONCERNING THAT SUBJECT? THANK YOU. SO IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GETTING READY TO WRAP IT UP.AND I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE STAFF.
YOU GUYS DID A GREAT JOB. WE APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT WENT INTO IT.
THIS ISN'T JUST POP UP THIS WEEK. SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
AND I THOUGHT THE COMMENTS WERE EXCELLENT FROM EACH COMMISSIONER.
I KNOW THAT EVERYBODY'S SORT OF BROUGHT UP, YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS CAMPAIGNING FOR OFFICE AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL REMINDED OF OUR CAMPAIGN PROMISES AT THIS TIME.
AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT AND THOSE MENTIONS.
AND I WANT TO ESPECIALLY, WELL, WHEN I WAS CAMPAIGNING FOR MAYOR, RESILIENCY WAS SO IMPORTANT.
I THINK YOU WERE ON THAT BALLOT AND YOU WERE ON THAT BALLOT.
AND I WANT TO SAY THAT I WANT TO RECOGNIZE YOU FOR MOVING THAT BALL FORWARD.
IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US BECAUSE IT AFFECTS OUR LIVES.
ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE OF US THAT HAVE ACTUALLY LOST OUR HOMES OR HAD OUR HOMES DAMAGED SUBSTANTIALLY, SO TO SPEAK. THE LEGAL TERM IS DAMAGED SUBSTANTIALLY.
SO IT'S A GROUP EFFORT WHERE I THINK WE'RE A GREAT TEAM.
AGAIN, I WANT TO ECHO THE THOUGHTS OF MISS KALAIDI.
I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHOWING UP AT THE WORKSHOP YESTERDAY AT THE COUNTY.
I THINK IT´S IMPORTANT. I DIDN'T HEAR ONE PERSON SAY THEY WERE OPPOSED.
MAYBE I DIDN'T HEAR THEM, BUT I DIDN'T HEAR ONE PERSON FROM THE COMMUNITY COME AND SAY THAT THEY WERE OPPOSED TO SPENDING THAT MONEY ON NIGHTS OF LIGHTS. SO MOVING THAT FORWARD, I APPRECIATE ALL THE EFFORTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE REALLY, REALLY BUSY BETWEEN NOW AND TUESDAY GETTING THE DETAIL OF INFORMATION. AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE CONTINUE.
WE WILL BE MEETING THE CITY MANAGER, AND I WILL BE HAVING A MEETING WITH SARAH ARNOLD THIS AFTERNOON, AS WELL AS JOY ANDREWS. SO PLEASE REST ASSURED THAT WE'RE NOT TAKING OUR FOOT OFF THE GAS.
WE'RE STILL CONTINUING TO WORK ON THAT ISSUE AND FIGHT AS HARD AS WE CAN.
I WILL SAY THAT WAS NOT MENTIONED. I DON'T RECALL IT BEING MENTIONED YESTERDAY.
I DIDN'T SEE ANYONE REPRESENTING THE TDC AT THE WORKSHOP YESTERDAY, WHICH I FELT WAS KIND OF STRANGE, BUT MAYBE NOT. BECAUSE I'M DISCOVERING THAT I DON'T KNOW THEIR PROCESS AS WELL AS I THOUGHT I UNDERSTOOD THEIR PROCESS TO BE.
BUT THE REQUEST FROM THE TDC TO THE BCC WAS A UNANIMOUS VOTE, INCLUDING THE CHAIR OF THE TDC, WHICH IS IRVING KASS. SO I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF PUT THAT OUT AS AN INTERESTING NOTE.
AND WITH THAT SAID, WE ARE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.