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1. 1Call to Order - Roll Call▶ 0:00
2. 2

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   Review of Proposed Departmental Budgets for FY22-23

   discussed

   Staff presented FY22-23 departmental budget proposals for the Library, Recreation & Aquatics, and Police departments during a work session. Library Director Feigart described a 9% reduction in operating costs and solar savings; Interim Recreation Director Terri Moore presented Recreation and Aquatics budgets including a new Recreation and Parks Supervisor 3 position and capital projects. Mayor requested data comparing city vs. county library/recreation usage to inform service area negotiations.

   • direction:Council directed City Manager and Library Director to prepare data comparing city resident vs. county resident usage of city library and recreation facilities, and city resident usage of county libraries. (none)

   📍Sims Park🏢American Red Cross🏢CES🏢Duke Energy🏢Florida Department of State, Division of Library and Information Services🏢Friends of the Library🏢National Recreation and Parks Association👤Bill Maytum👤Debbie Feigart👤Debbie Manz👤Joan👤Mike Wells Sr.👤Terri Moore#100 Year Anniversary#Aquatics Budget#Canopy and shade replacement#Capital Improvement Plan (CIP)#Chasco Fiesta#FY22-23 Budget#Gymnasium resurfacing#Library Budget#Library Strategic Plan#Line item 41210 - Regular and Exempt Salaries#Line item 41299 - Personnel Services#Line item 43428 - Internet Reference Services#Line item 43441 - Water Safety Instruction#Line item 44011 - Travel and Training#Line item 44311 - Electric/City Facilities#Line item 44341 - Gas#Line item 44799 - Printing and Binding#Line item 45246 - Ads and Marketing#Line item 45249 - Library Supplies#Line item 46299 - Building Improvements#Line item 46399 - Other Building Improvements#Line item 46431 - Access Control System#Line item 46672 - Library Materials State Aid#Part-time Aquatics Coordinator position#Penny for Pasco#Police Department Budget#Pool resurfacing - dive well and plunge pool#Recreation Budget#Recreation and Parks Supervisor 3 position#Restroom renovation - Recreation/Aquatic Center#Solar rooftop array#Summer Library Challenge

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   [00:00:15] We have three budgets to present to you this evening. [00:00:19] The library budget and the recreation and aquatics budget and the police department budget. [00:00:27] And we're going to kick it off with the library budget this evening. [00:00:30] And we have Ms. Feigart in front of you this evening to present the budget. [00:00:36] Thank you, City Manager Manz. [00:00:39] Good evening, City Council and Mayor. [00:00:44] As you can see from the library's fiscal year 22 achievements, this has been quite a busy [00:00:50] year and whether on one floor or two, library staff remain committed to providing our community [00:00:58] with access to essential informational resources. [00:01:03] We've had increasing demands for services, classes, and events at the library, and in [00:01:10] anticipation of receiving many more of these type of requests in the future, I've requested [00:01:17] approval to expand one of our currently unfilled part-time information specialist positions [00:01:26] from part-time to full-time. [00:01:28] And you will see this addition reflected in the personnel services in line item 41299. [00:01:35] Also, there were changes in social security, FRS, health insurance line items, and these [00:01:45] changes are directly related to the increasing costs of providing these benefits to staff. [00:01:53] Overall, although the budget request for personnel services has increased, the library's total [00:02:01] operating cost has reduced by $26,430, or approximately 9%. [00:02:13] And so I'm now going to go over a few areas of the most significant changes in this year's [00:02:19] budget request. [00:02:21] And I'll start with the internet reference services, which is line item 43428, and it's [00:02:31] a small increase of $1,500 approximately, and this reflects the increasing cost of online [00:02:40] services and databases, as well as the increased usage of these resources since the pandemic. [00:02:50] Next off, I want to point out line item 44311, electric with city facilities. [00:03:07] You'll notice a $3,000 decrease or reduction in this area. [00:03:12] So even with the increasing cost of energy, I do expect to see a greater reduction in [00:03:19] the facilities energy bill. [00:03:22] We're in the process of calculating cost savings from our solar rooftop array, and that went [00:03:30] live on December 28th. [00:03:32] So we've not yet had a full year to make those comparisons, but I do want to report to you [00:03:40] that today the solar array has reduced our energy consumption by 34.3 megawatt hours. [00:03:49] This year, 4.49 megawatt hours this month alone. [00:03:56] Today, we've produced 132 kilowatt hours, and at 4.05 p.m., when we were having all [00:04:02] those storms, we were producing absolutely zero. [00:04:06] So I'm checking those stats all the time, and I find them very interesting. [00:04:12] But so far, we've saved 54,869 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions into our atmosphere since [00:04:23] we turned those solar panels on. [00:04:27] The next line item that I wanted to point out to you is 45249 for library supplies, [00:04:37] and that's a significant reduction, and I'll explain why. [00:04:42] Our friends at the library organization wanted to assist with purchasing some much-needed [00:04:50] furniture for the children's room and the teen room to help us with our renovation. [00:04:59] They wanted to be a part of it. [00:05:01] So to ensure that they received the best rates made available through piggybacking on the [00:05:08] state contract, the library did make the initial purchase, and then the friends of the library [00:05:15] organization reimbursed the city in full by cutting us a check. [00:05:21] So you'll see that reduction. [00:05:24] That's really part of why there's such a large reduction in that area. [00:05:28] And then finally, I wanted to bring your attention to 46672 for library materials, state aid. [00:05:39] And you'll notice that there's quite a sizable reduction in that area as well, and I want [00:05:45] to explain that these funds are accrued from grant awards that result from the library's [00:05:51] annual application to the Department of State's Division of Library and Information Services [00:06:00] annual application for a grant. [00:06:04] To be used, purchases must meet very specific requirements in relation to the library. [00:06:13] And last year, I requested funding be set aside from those funds to hire a consultant [00:06:22] to conduct the library's strategic plan, as well as to assist with funding that helps [00:06:30] us specialize in some of our special events that we offer during our summer library challenge. [00:06:38] And so the funds in this line item have been reduced in fiscal year 23, because we will [00:06:46] have completed our strategic planning process. [00:06:50] Those funds will no longer, we won't be using them. [00:06:54] We're hoping to save them as long as possible. [00:06:58] And what you see in front of you is more in line with our usual request to assist us [00:07:04] with special programming and special events. [00:07:08] So in addition to these more significant changes, there are some smaller ones throughout the [00:07:16] budget, but it remains relatively the same as a previous year. [00:07:22] But I'm happy to answer any questions that you might have. [00:07:26] How much did you say you were saving on the solar? [00:07:31] 30-something megawatts? [00:07:33] Yes. [00:07:34] To date, since they turned it on, let's see. [00:07:38] And I checked those numbers today, Mayor. [00:07:41] 34.3 megawatt hours this year. [00:07:48] That's a lot of power. [00:07:52] This year from when the solar went into, how long a period are you talking about? [00:07:57] Well, January 1st. [00:07:59] Duke Energy came and flipped the switch on December 28th to actually turn it on, so it [00:08:05] was a couple of days worth. [00:08:07] Nice. [00:08:13] A question I have, which is in pursuit of next year's budget. [00:08:18] So here we are, a month away, not the time for all kind of changes to occur, but I discussed [00:08:29] the stresses that the city's general fund is going to have on revenue streams as we [00:08:34] move forward if our redevelopment program continues as it is. [00:08:41] And one of the issues has been, of course, the service area agreements, and our service [00:08:47] area and our count of city residents served by our library versus county residents that [00:08:53] come and use our library, to which we open our arms to them for. [00:09:01] I think it would be helpful for us to understand what we as residents of the city are paying [00:09:08] into the county library fund as a whole. [00:09:11] Maybe this is a finance department calculation, but because we contribute to the county library [00:09:18] system as well as our own city library system, and we also have a payment that we make on [00:09:25] capital improvements that we're making to them, I think it's my intention whether, hopefully [00:09:33] with the support of my colleagues here, for us to really try to drill down and understand [00:09:39] the economics of our city as it respect for the services we provide to the urban area [00:09:46] around us. [00:09:47] We talked for many years about annexation. [00:09:50] That's a difficult road to take because folks have to vote in, and then they see what our [00:09:56] tax rate is, so Gulf Harbor's not going to vote in, but how many Gulf Harbor's residents [00:10:02] are going to the county library instead of to our library? [00:10:07] Some of our biggest fans and members of our committees, like the Preggs, I'm sorry, that [00:10:14] were in the Historical Society there, I think with your library, they live in Gulf Harbor's. [00:10:25] One of our library members, Joan, who had gone again to travel, Joan was also a non-city [00:10:33] resident, but a county, but a city business, and she was on our library board, and there [00:10:39] was a point, just to maybe mention it to you, because it was when we first remodeled the [00:10:48] library, the first time, that the county was, Commissioner Mike Wells Sr. and others were [00:10:54] finally putting a library issue on as a referendum to pay for county libraries. [00:11:01] They promised us, we had a joint meeting, they promised us we wouldn't be taxed because [00:11:05] we had our own library, but we were taxed anyway, and they said, oops, we made a mistake. [00:11:11] And then, after that happened, there was some discussion with the county about joint efforts [00:11:18] with us, and our independence is fierce, depending on whatever department that we have in the [00:11:26] city. [00:11:28] And so I've been constantly trying to find, as Bill Maytum did from what we read about [00:11:33] him the other day, ways for us to get better resources to fully provide not only to our [00:11:41] residents, but the residents we're already serving. [00:11:43] Same story for the rec center. [00:11:46] I think we need to have good statistics, and I would ask you, Debbie, to see if we could [00:11:54] start trying to gather that information. [00:11:57] I mean, I could do it, any of us could do it, but it would be helpful for the city to [00:12:02] understand just how giving we are, and how much we are serving others, and how much we're [00:12:10] also paying to be part of something that, you know, we only in a small way benefit from [00:12:16] if we have to go to that other library. [00:12:18] So when the time comes, I fully hope that we can have some service areas, and we can [00:12:25] get those collections back from not only our taxes that we pay in, but also the taxes from [00:12:31] whatever area it might be. [00:12:33] I mean, even the county commissioners say we should make the lines from Trouble Creek, [00:12:42] Rowan Road, or wherever they say that it should be, and we should clean up our borders, but [00:12:46] that's never going to happen under the current law. [00:12:51] But there is a provision, and I know we've talked, and it's been let's talk with the [00:12:56] county, but it's time for us to get some statistics, I think, so we could have a meaningful [00:13:01] understanding. [00:13:02] Do we know how many of our city residents use county libraries? [00:13:07] I'm sure that we could obtain that information as well. [00:13:11] Yeah, I think it would be good to know, then know if I'm making a sensible argument or [00:13:16] else I'm... [00:13:17] Right, because if we have a lot using county libraries, then it wouldn't make sense, but [00:13:21] if we don't, then it definitely would make sense. [00:13:24] We do have some other things where the county has dinged us for, to with animal control, [00:13:35] claiming that that's not part of their GR budget, but it's something separate, so they [00:13:43] charge us for it, but by that same token, you know, fair's fair if a bunch of people [00:13:49] from the county are using the library, or if the county wants to get the city-type rates [00:14:00] for county residents to use the rec center. [00:14:04] I think we've got some... [00:14:06] If we have the numbers, we can talk intelligently about it. [00:14:09] And that's really the first step, even before sending a letter or asking requests, is to [00:14:15] understand, so that's not for this budget, and I'm sorry to get off track, but I'm just [00:14:19] saying now is the time for us to start thinking, because I fully intend to support the budget [00:14:24] this year that's presented by the city manager, and I know she's doing the best she can to [00:14:29] make it all work. [00:14:30] I know the numbers are tough, but I think we really have to understand that we have [00:14:34] to work on next year's budget right off the bat, because we can't continue to... [00:14:39] Not going to continue to get money coming in, in the bailout sense that we've had in [00:14:46] the post-COVID time. [00:14:48] Mrs. Feast and I will prepare that data for you. [00:14:53] Okay, thank you. [00:14:56] Thank you. [00:14:59] Thank you. [00:15:00] Thank you. [00:15:01] Thank you. [00:15:00] Mr. Mayor, Council, the next budget that we have for your consideration this evening is the Recreation and Aquatic Center, and I'll ask our Interim Recreation Director, Ms. Terri Moore, to join us at the table. And there she is. [00:15:17] Good evening, Mayor, Council, members. I am pleased to present the Recreation and Parks budget this evening. I've had to fast track a short period of time, but it's been a good exercise, I'll say. [00:15:37] And what I'll do is go line by line, well, not line by line, but point out the significant increases and decreases in the budget. [00:15:49] The first is under Personnel, item 41210. It's regular and exempt salaries. You'll see an increase of $60,000. That is the addition of the Recreation and Parks Supervisor 3 position. [00:16:10] It's a full-time position. Adding this position fills an existing gap to the next level of management as part of the department's succession plan goal and objective. [00:16:22] The next item is a slight increase in contractual instructors. We've added new programming, two new programs this past year, and we see an increase in people returning and participating, I'll say post-COVID, although we're still in it, but we are seeing people more comfortable in participating. [00:16:49] The next line, 44011, is Travel and Training. You'll see an increase there. The objective is professional development with a young staff, making that investment there with a goal of adding two, three actual professional certifications. [00:17:14] One, marketing certification for the part-time marketing position, as well as certified parks and recreation professional certifications. Those certifications are awarded through the National Recreation and Parks Association. [00:17:30] Slight increase in 44341, which is gas. That's to be expected with the increase of those types of utility services. [00:17:46] Printing and binding, we have a reduction there. That is 44799. With the objective of looking at EFLIP book, which is an electronic brochure booklet type. [00:18:17] We have a slight reduction in recreation supplies, and that's supplies that we use, basketballs, nets, arts and crafts supplies, that sort of thing. [00:18:39] Ads and marketing, 45246, there's a slight reduction there. That's it. Can I answer any questions? I will. I'll explain 46299, building improvements, and special purpose equipment when I explain the CIP. Any questions? [00:19:10] So our building improvements and special purpose equipment, those improvements are combined restroom renovation at the recreation center and aquatic center, since those are adjoining restrooms. [00:19:34] Resurfacing the gymnasium floor, painting the gymnasium walls, replacing the gymnasium wall divider, and retrofitting the bleacher system. The bulk of those improvements would be the restrooms, as I understand, close to 300,000. [00:19:55] And then special purpose equipment, that is our fitness center equipment, replacing three pieces per year as part of a replacement program. That could include treadmills, ellipticals, and other fitness center equipment. [00:20:19] And then the access control system upgrade, that is upgrading our control access, and I believe that was put in by IT. [00:20:32] And I'll additionally note that we did receive notice on Monday of our estimate for Penny for Pasco funds, and it was lower than what we projected. [00:20:50] And so we will have to make some revisions in our funding recommendations for Penny for Pasco, and some of the recreation projects that we are advancing to you are funded in part with Penny for Pasco funds, so there may be some changes before the final budget. [00:21:11] I have a question. So on this, so the access control upgrade, you don't have that included in here though, right, because it's under IT budget? [00:21:19] It is included in here. It's a 20,000 under 46431. [00:21:24] Was that not part of what we're doing, the upgrade with IT with the access system? Is that not included in there? It's on both? [00:21:31] So the piece that City Hall, so we try to budget it by public facility, so if it's the recreation facility, it would be in their budget. [00:21:38] So it's separated out. [00:21:39] City Hall would be in IT's budget and so forth, yeah. [00:21:43] This is an employee access system, is that correct? [00:21:46] Correct. [00:21:49] Thank you. [00:21:54] Any questions with regard to the recreation budget? If not, I'll move on to aquatics. [00:21:59] The aquatics budget, we have added a position and that is a part-time aquatics coordinator. [00:22:12] That position will serve in a part-time capacity during our high season. [00:22:23] The addition of the part-time aquatics coordinator and the fluctuation in the number of part-time and temporary positions is due to the amount of turnovers in the fiscal year. [00:22:34] You'll see between part-time and temporary, the part-time wages were reduced, but yet the temporary wages were increased. [00:22:45] When there's a turnover in Lifeguard 2 positions, which is part-time, the new vacancy is posted as a Lifeguard 1 position, which is a temporary position. [00:22:54] So that's why you'll see the fluctuation between those two. [00:23:01] Moving down to 43441, water safety instruction, there's an increase there. [00:23:08] We've certified this past year and will continue to certify water safety instructors. [00:23:15] It adds credibility to our swim lesson program and other certifications in that line item are related to Red Cross certifications required. [00:23:34] Slight reduction in contractual services, we contract with CES, which is a vendor that has oversight of chemical controllers and those sorts of things. [00:23:57] With the aquatics coordinator, he is skilled in replacing some of those parts. [00:24:03] We felt we could reduce that budget a bit. [00:24:08] Maintenance and grounds, there's an increase there. [00:24:13] That is replacing the roping and landscaping and canopies on the pool deck. [00:24:27] Then I'll explain other building improvements, 46399, and the special purpose equipment under the CIP. [00:24:38] If there's no questions, it's related to the aquatics budget. [00:24:42] CIP. [00:24:43] The $100,000 appropriated in 46399, that is for pool surfacing and that is resurfacing the dive well. [00:25:14] Sorry, I can't recall the other, but it's two pools. [00:25:19] And then the plunge pool, actually. [00:25:24] And then the $25,000 appropriated is for canopy and shade replacement, which are shade structures. [00:25:37] Any questions? [00:25:39] We're going to bring you the slides in the following year. [00:25:44] Only question I have, and it always seems to be consistent with our budgets, is the operating budget and the capital improvement budget within it for coming from the departments. [00:25:58] There's Taco Penny for Pasco or some other funding sources that fund some of these things. [00:26:03] But your five-year capital improvement plan is really a two-year capital improvement plan, and I know you haven't been here very long. [00:26:13] I don't know, is that a threat? [00:26:15] Is that something we are going to encourage to try to be thinking out these full five years as we go forward? [00:26:24] Actually, the capital improvement program budget that we'll present to you later expands out further with other recreation program projects. [00:26:37] And it's just these two that are in the budget that are only two years. [00:26:44] And I'm familiar with it, and I'm trying to get an understanding of it in the sense that this is department requests and department needs that are somewhat immediate, [00:26:56] and you've identified them and you want to get them in the capital improvement plan. [00:26:59] And then the larger separate document capital improvement plan, as it has those elements that would be part of your strategy as a department head, [00:27:11] you look somewhere else to find that. [00:27:15] And it's extra work, really. [00:27:17] I mean, it's – and it's not – I'm not thinking of it as a criticism as much as I am about the ownership of these projects as they come through by the departments [00:27:28] and recognizing that if they're on your five-year plan, then it doesn't become whatever team of capital improvement strategy that you have to get them accomplished. [00:27:45] It doesn't get lost on you just being in the maintenance and someone else being in the enhancement side of things, [00:27:54] whether it's the dog park or whatever else we anticipate working on. [00:28:01] Oh, and that's the parks where this is really recreation, so there's a little bit of gray area between those two in there. [00:28:13] I understand the point that you're trying to make, and I think the five-year plan is just a better tool for identifying multi-funding source projects, [00:28:24] and that's how we organize it, just for sake of simplicity, I guess, or complexity. [00:28:34] And I have one more question. Sorry. [00:28:37] The canopies and shade replacement here, is that the same or different ones that are under the maintenance and ground? [00:28:44] That's a good question. [00:28:46] So the maintenance and grounds, that's immediate repairs for the roping and some of the canopy repairs that are more immediate. [00:28:54] This is to actually replace the structure, so they are different. [00:29:00] Yes, I have one more question, too, related, and I don't know that I see it here, [00:29:05] but the activities in Sims Park that we have, the free concerts, some of those activities. [00:29:11] I mentioned it last week. [00:29:13] I just wanted to keep bringing this up to my colleagues here, but in search of ways that we can merge not only our city efforts, [00:29:27] but our city efforts, our sponsored events efforts, and our non-sponsored events requirements. [00:29:35] So, I mean, we've got stuff going on just about every weekend. [00:29:37] It seems somebody's renting a piece of the park, and there's all that rental revenue and all that stuff involved, [00:29:43] all of which requires time and effort of some sort. [00:29:49] We've reached a point where we ask for legal or, I mean, police or other types of coverage. [00:29:56] I guess just a clarification, the movies in the park and the concert series, [00:30:00] to be 44, 965. [00:30:02] Yeah. [00:30:02] Yes, it is. [00:30:05] So thank you, because I really, with our 100 year anniversary, [00:30:09] and we have some other things that can activate our town [00:30:14] that we do. [00:30:16] I mean, the city's rec department and our concerts [00:30:19] and free movies bring as much of a crowd [00:30:22] sometimes to have an event and then release [00:30:26] to the business community as some of the big events. [00:30:30] Which really are more of an opportunity [00:30:33] to bring out the towners who wouldn't come here otherwise [00:30:36] to discover us. [00:30:37] But for our local residents that really watch and do that, [00:30:42] activating the park and the Sims Park, [00:30:45] and particularly with the business community, [00:30:47] I think there's some strategy we want to talk about. [00:30:50] We have a bunch of other parks as well, [00:30:51] and what kind of activities are beneficial [00:30:57] and we're trying to get towards. [00:31:00] But I have, and I'm hoping that we'll [00:31:03] continue to talk about ways in which we can improve [00:31:07] the quality, not only of our own events, [00:31:10] but of the events that are coming here. [00:31:13] In some way, offering a more of a partnership approach [00:31:16] to them from the, if you, this is [00:31:19] how much it's going to cost you, and if you have a rain out, [00:31:22] we're going to go after you with a bill and send you the bill. [00:31:25] I'm trying to work on the Chasco Fiesta Committee [00:31:29] to come back to the city with some kind of a proposal [00:31:32] that will say, we'll share in the profits. [00:31:34] And if you can put it into an event fund or something [00:31:37] that can help to support your movies and your other things, [00:31:41] and see if we can't get a more collaborative approach to it [00:31:44] than worrying about how we're going to pay for things. [00:31:49] But we'll see how that goes. [00:31:51] But I'm still around for another two and a half years. [00:31:53] So I'm going to keep at it, because I think it's worthwhile. [00:31:59] Also, and Mayor, you may remember a guy, [00:32:03] you've seen the truck around Jackson's, AC, [00:32:06] Mitch Jackson is probably a classmate of yours, [00:32:08] I bet, or somebody from around there. [00:32:10] But Mitch used to be in the Wednesday night jam sessions [00:32:15] that they had, at one point at Sullivan's, [00:32:17] and then they moved to the Village Pub. [00:32:20] And these are local artists who would play music [00:32:22] on a Wednesday night, and they would just [00:32:25] assemble folks who would come from out of town. [00:32:28] I think the blues societies do that quite a bit, too, [00:32:32] where musicians. [00:32:32] Mullen's Music's doing that, too. [00:32:34] Yeah, and Mullen's Music, as well. [00:32:36] And I think for our city to really pursue [00:32:38] being a music city, we have that great band shell, [00:32:41] and we've got a lot of folks interested. [00:32:44] I would like to suggest that maybe we [00:32:46] start thinking about programming things [00:32:49] like a jam session for a certain period of time. [00:32:53] They have no place to do it. [00:32:55] He's kind of a rock music. [00:32:57] I think they got chased out of the park [00:32:59] when they were doing it way back in the old days, [00:33:02] when the music wasn't as well received, I think. [00:33:07] But I think that the stimulation of the business by the city [00:33:16] is recognized in the things we are doing. [00:33:20] But I would hope that we can keep [00:33:23] working on ways to interface with our economic objectives. [00:33:29] With any luck, we'll actually be able to start programming stuff [00:33:33] on Cavalier Square in another year. [00:33:37] That'd be a great place for some of those jam sessions. [00:33:39] And for some of these jam sessions or something, [00:33:43] you get some shade out there, and it's [00:33:45] good acoustics there, too. [00:33:46] Yeah, and that would be something to look for. [00:33:50] So just sort of hold that thought [00:33:52] until we get a little further along on the railroad square [00:33:55] development. [00:33:55] Yeah, I think we do. [00:33:58] I'll speak to that a little bit as far as events. [00:34:00] We're taking a hard look at that and what we're offering [00:34:04] and how we're offering it. [00:34:06] I think there was a year lapse, and we're getting back [00:34:11] on track with events. [00:34:13] We're looking at a six and six right now with six concerts [00:34:19] and six movie series or movies in the park. [00:34:24] So we're taking a hard look at that [00:34:26] and evaluating that and what we're offering. [00:34:30] One of the things that the library did pre-COVID [00:34:35] was there were some, I hesitate to call them concerts, [00:34:41] but small musical events in the little amphitheater [00:34:47] right next to the bridge, which unless you've been over there, [00:34:51] you may not even realize is there. [00:34:55] But we had, and in fact, she came back [00:34:58] and played in the library just a couple months ago. [00:35:03] There was a lady that did her own folk and other type music [00:35:09] that actually played out there. [00:35:12] It was a Wednesday evening or something like that. [00:35:15] And you see the sunset going down [00:35:19] and the colors on the river and everything else. [00:35:23] It was an absolutely magical evening. [00:35:26] And it was a relatively low cost, low impact [00:35:30] type of program. [00:35:33] I see some real opportunity to do more things. [00:35:38] And to your point, as far as partnerships, [00:35:42] as well as grant funding for concert series [00:35:46] that's available from different organizations and funding [00:35:52] sources. [00:35:53] We've had that talk recently. [00:35:56] The mantra has been for a long time [00:35:58] here to do the same thing over and over the same way. [00:36:02] And it's just time to break that chain. [00:36:04] And you've got, in addition to the big band shell, [00:36:08] which for bigger events is just fine, [00:36:11] you've got that little concert area by the river. [00:36:16] We've got Cavalier Square. [00:36:20] There's some things we could do, like you say, [00:36:22] to mix things up a little bit. [00:36:25] Nice to see that some of the different places [00:36:27] and so everything's not just at the band shell at Sims Park. [00:36:31] Absolutely. [00:36:32] This is the 100th anniversary of Gulf High School, [00:36:35] as well, again this year and with the alumni. [00:36:38] One of my classmates, Bobby DeLellis, [00:36:43] pretty famous CPA for the stars in the musical genre. [00:36:48] But he's a step in for the All-American Rock and Roll [00:36:52] Band or something that has some of the old guys. [00:36:56] And I talked to somebody about it [00:36:58] would be nice if the city had, even on an annual basis, [00:37:03] like a Gulf High reunion sort of concert or something. [00:37:07] And maybe also highlighting some of the musicians and folks [00:37:11] that come from our own city. [00:37:14] And so I talked to a few people. [00:37:17] I'll pass that along back to the city manager [00:37:19] to pass along if I can. [00:37:21] But it's always a good story. [00:37:23] I mean, when you see the Olympics, [00:37:25] it's always some kind of story. [00:37:27] Even the Ninja Warriors show has got [00:37:29] me crying sometimes with some of these people [00:37:31] that are coming back from the edge. [00:37:33] We have a few great musicians from our area here, too. [00:37:39] OK, well, we've totally gone off the rails there. [00:37:41] But thank you very much for your time. [00:37:43] Thank you. [00:37:45] Yeah, thank you. [00:37:47] The final budget we have this evening [00:37:49] is the police department budget. [00:37:50] And I'll ask Chief Bogart to come forward. [00:37:54] And I think there's room for the deputy chief up here, [00:37:56] as well, as long as Councilman Murphy isn't going to be here. [00:38:02] So I'll ask her to join us, as well. [00:38:07] I specifically wanted to have Deputy Chief Latona here, [00:38:11] because she helped me put together this budget. [00:38:14] And she went line by line through every part of it. [00:38:17] And I think it's just great exposure for her. [00:38:20] And if I stumble on something, I expect her to pick me back up. [00:38:25] I forgot my readers tonight, so I'll do my best. [00:38:28] I'll be the backup. [00:38:33] Thank you. [00:38:35] I'll start off with the police supervision [00:38:40] portion of our budget, which, just so that you understand [00:38:45] the pieces of our department, this [00:38:47] would be myself, the deputy chief, and my assistant, [00:38:52] as well as anything that affects the department as a whole. [00:38:57] We've been trying to migrate that into my budget [00:39:01] so that we can track it better. [00:39:04] Some things were scattered around, [00:39:05] and each department had the same thing in it. [00:39:08] And so it made it hard to properly track. [00:39:12] And I think that'll make sense as we go along. [00:39:17] Just to mention some of our accomplishments for 2022. [00:39:23] And of course, that year's not over with yet. [00:39:24] But I would be remiss if I didn't mention [00:39:30] that recruitment and retention has been a challenge, [00:39:34] as it has been for many of the other departments in the city. [00:39:38] We've been down five to seven officers [00:39:41] throughout the entire year. [00:39:43] And even to this point right now, we're down nine. [00:39:49] The positions, some of the positions are filled, [00:39:53] but the officers are in training, [00:39:55] which in essence means that they are with another officer [00:39:58] and they don't count in the actual productivity [00:40:03] because they have a trainer 100% of the time with them. [00:40:06] And we have two officers in the academy that we have sponsored. [00:40:11] So our department has responded to calls for service [00:40:20] or self-initiated activity to 31,000 calls this year. [00:40:26] That was for about 2 3rds of the year so far. [00:40:34] This year has been a good year for us in terms of technology. [00:40:39] We're having this wonderful wave of productivity [00:40:42] out of the technology department, [00:40:44] which is an area that we have been incredibly lacking tools [00:40:49] that are now being put in place. [00:40:53] And I'm just incredibly excited about that. [00:40:56] Some are not completely done. [00:40:58] But as we speak this week, we are replacing, [00:41:04] and I really hope the mayor and councilman, councilwoman, [00:41:10] if you would stop by the police department [00:41:12] and see our dispatch center, it is going to be fantastic. [00:41:19] All new consoles, you approved that in this year's budget. [00:41:23] We're in the middle of getting it in place [00:41:24] and everybody's pretty excited about it. [00:41:26] I just know when you get it put in, [00:41:29] we'll definitely come over and take a look. [00:41:31] I really would love to have you see it. [00:41:33] I'm just thrilled every time I walk by it. [00:41:38] And we are hopefully through the course of the rest of this year [00:41:44] trying to update the wiring throughout our entire department. [00:41:47] Technology has advanced so much and our stuff was so dated. [00:41:51] It was 20 years old wiring. [00:41:53] It just doesn't work with the equipment [00:41:55] that we now are getting on board. [00:41:58] It couldn't even travel through the wires. [00:42:00] And mayor, you would understand that a lot better than me. [00:42:03] But IT is doing a fantastic job with that. [00:42:07] And very shortly, we will finally have an activated [00:42:11] Wi-Fi system. [00:42:12] And in our world, our world, that is critical. [00:42:16] And we've been years without it. [00:42:17] So there's a lot of that type of thing behind the scenes [00:42:22] that we've been focused on. [00:42:26] Going forward, we are going to continue [00:42:29] to do what we have been doing. [00:42:31] I don't want to say we have an aggressive approach to crime. [00:42:35] We have a very proactive, enthusiastic approach [00:42:39] to solving crimes and to going after criminals. [00:42:43] And I think we do a good job of interacting [00:42:47] with the neighborhoods, with the businesses. [00:42:49] And I'm sure you do, too, for the most part. [00:42:54] I think you probably hear a lot of compliments [00:42:56] about the officers, their courtesy [00:43:00] and the rest of that stuff. [00:43:01] So with that, I kind of wanted to start this off [00:43:03] by covering that base. [00:43:06] And now I'll go into the nuts and bolts for my department. [00:43:12] The, I should say, your department. [00:43:17] Under police supervision, we have the total personnel [00:43:22] services. [00:43:23] All of that, all of those numbers [00:43:25] are juggled by the finance department [00:43:28] based on the number of people that we have. [00:43:30] So those numbers sift out. [00:43:32] They are what they are. [00:43:33] It's not where we're adjusting things, raising things, [00:43:36] lowering things. [00:43:36] So I'm going to move past those unless you [00:43:39] have a specific question on those. [00:43:43] Now moving down into the operating, [00:43:46] I'm sorry, the operating costs. [00:43:53] I have just a few. [00:43:56] I'm going to hit the significant changes because I [00:43:59] don't have a lot of those. [00:44:01] And if you see something when I pass over it [00:44:05] and you want to go back to it, just please tell me. [00:44:08] But there is a $4,000, about a $3,500, [00:44:13] about a $4,000 jump for employee physicals. [00:44:16] That's something that's done on a calendar basis. [00:44:18] Every two years, our officers are [00:44:20] going through a life scan as part of our union contract. [00:44:25] And it has already identified officers [00:44:32] with a serious medical condition. [00:44:34] We think it might have saved one here just a couple of weeks [00:44:37] ago. [00:44:41] And so we budget for all positions in the budget, [00:44:44] whether they're filled or not. [00:44:46] Correct. [00:44:46] And it's just how it falls timing-wise [00:44:48] of when they go for it. [00:44:50] So the next thing that shows any kind of a significant change [00:44:56] is 3499, which is contractual services. [00:45:00] And you'll see that we're at $6,000. [00:45:05] It was, that category moves around a little bit. [00:45:11] And we moved one of the significant accounts in there [00:45:14] to another division because that's [00:45:17] where it more appropriately belonged. [00:45:20] And I'm sorry, we moved from another division [00:45:25] into this division, one of the bigger ones. [00:45:28] Right. And we pulled, so we pulled some in. [00:45:35] That will show up later when we hit those divisions, [00:45:38] that that was where something has gone down. [00:45:45] Our data lines, the more technology we use, [00:45:49] the more data lines we need. [00:45:51] And I think the cost of those just continues to rise. [00:45:56] So there was a significant jump in that. [00:46:01] And if you'll just scroll down, you'll see that there is [00:46:09] virtually, and the next thing I see [00:46:12] with a price tag change is 5231, clothing and wearing apparel. [00:46:18] And I can tell you that just one officer's uniform [00:46:23] and what falls into that category runs quite a bit [00:46:27] of money, and that's only changed by $500. [00:46:37] Operating supplies, we had 3,000. [00:46:41] It looks like it's going to be 2,000 more [00:46:44] than our amended budget. [00:46:46] But consistently, operating supplies have been [00:46:49] up in the, you know, $3,000 and $4,000 range. [00:46:52] We do, we try not to waste things. [00:46:55] We're frugal in the supplies that we use. [00:46:58] So unless you have a question, I'm going to move off of that area. [00:47:23] Mr. Wall, he's getting there. [00:47:25] Where we've got areas, and there were a couple of them [00:47:28] on the last page, where we're over budget. [00:47:30] We're going to do a budget amendment between now [00:47:31] and the end of the year. [00:47:39] The next area is police support services. [00:47:42] I don't know that that name really describes that area [00:47:48] that well, but what it includes is the record section, [00:47:52] communications, our internal affairs, training, purchasing, [00:48:00] and our internal interdepartmental MIS system, [00:48:07] and our victim advocate. [00:48:11] Again, our communications, dispatch and service, [00:48:14] approximately 31,000 police [00:48:16] and 6,000 fire-related calls for service. [00:48:20] So that is a busy center. [00:48:22] At all times, there are at least two people working in there, [00:48:25] and then oftentimes, during the daytime hours, [00:48:29] there'll be a supervisor. [00:48:31] However, whenever there's a vacancy, that supervisor is used [00:48:36] to fill in some other, for the dispatchers. [00:48:45] I want to mention the crime scene technicians [00:48:51] and what they have done this last year. [00:48:54] Part of what I was becoming quite worried [00:48:56] about is storage of evidence. [00:48:59] We have a limited storage area. [00:49:02] We're required by law in however many cases. [00:49:05] The more cases we do, the more evidence we bring in, [00:49:08] the more storage we need, and it becomes a real problem on where [00:49:12] and how to store that and store it properly, [00:49:15] because we have perishable evidence [00:49:17] and some evidence we have to keep indefinitely [00:49:20] because it involved very serious crimes. [00:49:25] So they worked so hard and completely cleaned up that area [00:49:29] and organized it, and they just, [00:49:31] they did a tremendous job with that. [00:49:34] Our victim advocate, I think, is second to none. [00:49:37] She, a single person, provided resources and services [00:49:43] through the course of two-thirds of the year so far, [00:49:46] a little more than two-thirds when these numbers came [00:49:48] up, to 885 victims of crime. [00:49:52] That's a lot. [00:49:53] She responded to 10 death investigation scenes [00:49:57] and assisted with next-of-kin notifications, [00:50:01] and she also did next-of-kin, provided information [00:50:07] and resources to 40 other death investigations [00:50:11] that could have been by overdoses [00:50:13] or natural death and things like that. [00:50:20] To where we're going, can't wait to get this comm center up [00:50:24] and running with the technology that'll be in there. [00:50:29] I think it'll be incredible. [00:50:32] And I'm going to move on to the full budget. [00:50:49] Personal services, it's what it is. [00:50:54] Unless you have a question on it, I'm going [00:50:56] to move into the operational. [00:51:02] The only figure that jumps out with a significant change is [00:51:10] at 5,225, software licenses and support. [00:51:15] And where we anticipated, well, and have had in our budget, [00:51:21] it was 37,244 this year, going into the next year, [00:51:26] we're dropping back down to 1,208, and that was [00:51:29] because we moved to. [00:51:31] We moved Southern Software to Division 61, [00:51:34] which is our CAD and our MDT services. [00:51:38] That's the stuff that the officers, the technology [00:51:41] that the officers have in their vehicles. [00:51:47] So with that, unless you've got a question. [00:51:50] Oh, and I do need to mention the next thing is the capital [00:51:55] for their, our technicians, crime scene technicians need [00:52:02] an evidence drying chamber for generally bloody clothing [00:52:07] and things like that so that it's properly dried [00:52:10] and doesn't become contaminated by poor drying conditions. [00:52:13] You don't just hang it out on a hanger and let it dry. [00:52:16] And then a fuming chamber is, there's a vapor that's [00:52:25] like superglue that will, it raises fingerprints [00:52:31] like on firearms and things like that, on metals, [00:52:34] and it doesn't, and they don't have one. [00:52:36] So right now, we take things down to FDLE in Tampa. [00:52:41] And so by having this chamber, it'll save us that trip. [00:52:44] That's one when you get one and you decide to do the, [00:52:48] like around with it to test it. [00:52:49] That is one I would love to see. [00:52:51] That sounds neat. [00:52:53] Yeah. [00:53:01] With that, unless you have a specific question in that area. [00:53:06] I don't think so. [00:53:09] Division 63, this component, this is the detective division. [00:53:23] It's going to, it consists of a sergeant, corporal, [00:53:26] and we have a number of officers in there. [00:53:30] And some are actually, they're not, the positions show is [00:53:35] in here, but they really are in another area. [00:53:43] These, the investigators in CID, they are the ones [00:53:49] that do the follow-up investigations [00:53:51] for the investigations that patrol initiate. [00:53:54] In our department, patrol does a lot more investigation [00:53:58] to a higher level than many other departments. [00:54:01] What they can't get to, it requires a lot of follow-up. [00:54:05] That's what goes to the detectives. [00:54:06] And certain crimes specifically go to detectives. [00:54:11] We are involved in many task forces around the Bay Area [00:54:16] as well as statewide task forces. [00:54:18] Gang, a gang task force, and every time we have the Bike Fest [00:54:24] and some of these other things here, you'll see that there's, [00:54:27] you'll see the guys walking around with MAGTF on their, [00:54:30] that's, well, those are all specially trained. [00:54:33] Some are, and some from other departments. [00:54:35] We work with other departments [00:54:37] when they have events like we sometimes have. [00:54:41] And we do work very closely with the sheriff's office [00:54:44] through the, through CID. [00:54:51] Currently have, because we are, Schwetman shut down, [00:54:57] we have two SROs. [00:54:59] Budget, personnel costs are what they are. [00:55:16] And travel and training, the very first one there is 4011. [00:55:23] It's up a little bit, but you'll, [00:55:26] and you'll see that last year's budget was down. [00:55:29] It was 3000, was our estimated, [00:55:31] the amended budget for this current year, [00:55:35] and it's going up to seven. [00:55:39] These investigators and the SROs [00:55:42] require considerable amount of training. [00:55:45] COVID shut everything down, [00:55:47] so we are getting back to a normal. [00:55:50] They have, they, it's not going to be all online, [00:55:54] although some of the things that they'll be dealing with [00:55:57] or some of the training they'll get is online. [00:56:01] The next one where there's a change [00:56:04] is that's just a small, relatively small amount. [00:56:08] The lease on automobiles, [00:56:14] it's what it costs now that we're leasing vehicles. [00:56:17] And in this case, we moved. [00:56:20] There's two, a truck and two hybrids [00:56:23] are being moved from Division 64, [00:56:25] which is Cote, which is Patrol. [00:56:28] They're being moved into this area, their lease expense. [00:56:34] Thanks. [00:56:38] And because our vehicles are in much better condition [00:56:42] now than they were a few years ago, [00:56:44] we keep seeing our garage maintenance costs [00:56:49] dropping every year, [00:56:51] and so we're putting $1,000 there, [00:56:55] and that's what we're hoping we can meet and keep it at. [00:56:59] And if you look down through the rest of the numbers, [00:57:02] the only one that changes is computer supplies, [00:57:04] and we think by the time the dust [00:57:06] settles with the computers that we have now, [00:57:08] because we've upgraded a number of them this year, [00:57:11] we think that any repairs or maintenance [00:57:14] or replacement will be significantly less. [00:57:17] So that's been lowered. [00:57:19] And with that... [00:57:20] May I make a comment? [00:57:21] Oh, certainly. [00:57:23] So thus far in the divisions for personnel services, [00:57:27] Chief hasn't proposed any new positions, [00:57:29] so the changes that you've seen [00:57:32] is just a matter of prior years, merit increases, [00:57:35] and the change in retirement contribution rates. [00:57:39] In this particular budget, you do see a decrease, [00:57:43] and that's the result of a reduction in overtime [00:57:47] and the contribution rate [00:57:52] for the police pension fund [00:57:54] did decrease slightly for next fiscal year, [00:57:56] so that is a result. [00:57:59] That is why you see a decrease there. [00:58:03] Looking at numbers, if we could revisit [00:58:05] back to police supervision real quick, [00:58:07] there's a number there. [00:58:09] Either the Chief has got a leaky toilet [00:58:12] or else his supervision number of $67,000 for water and sewer. [00:58:18] That's a typo. [00:58:20] I circled that on mine and I said... [00:58:23] We're going to say, well... [00:58:24] Councilman Oltman is going to find that. [00:58:26] He's got 60 grand now somewhere else. [00:58:30] I'll take that. [00:58:30] I told you. [00:58:42] The next division is police patrol, Division 64. [00:58:47] Patrol has been incredibly busy. [00:58:51] They are out there hustling, [00:58:53] and I think we all get a chance to see that frequently. [00:58:58] Our arrests, the crime solving that they're doing, [00:59:02] and the patrol, the highly visible activity [00:59:07] that you're seeing Friday and Saturday nights downtown. [00:59:11] These cops are on their game, [00:59:13] and we do specialized assignments when we can [00:59:18] where we can incorporate patrol in that, [00:59:20] but with our shortage as it is, [00:59:23] we are very careful in when and how we do that [00:59:25] because of limited... [00:59:28] We don't have a lot of free time. [00:59:32] And we're going to continue what we've been doing [00:59:36] in Sims Park downtown, [00:59:40] and work on the hotspots as much as we can [00:59:43] when school is in session. [00:59:46] We actually, officers are filling in now [00:59:48] on some of the crossing guard locations [00:59:52] because we can't get crossing guards, [00:59:55] and so we're having a presence in those school areas. [01:00:00] It's because of the speeders and that type of activity. [01:00:07] See, your crossing guards usually are older. [01:00:14] Seasoned. [01:00:15] Yeah. [01:00:17] I can say that. [01:00:23] The elementary schools and that, they always had the little, [01:00:27] the kids that get to wear the crossing guards and help them get on the bus and move. [01:00:32] I'm guessing that you have an age requirement, but the number of hours needed and the folks [01:00:38] that are looking for that work, I guess they might be in school at that time. [01:00:42] I don't know where the hours are, but what do you have available for the youth, you know, [01:00:50] in terms of doing some of these functions? [01:00:55] You don't. [01:00:56] Or is it possible? [01:00:57] Or do you not trust them? [01:01:00] I personally would tell you, and having been a school crossing guard when I was an itty [01:01:04] bitty boy, it is, there's too much liability, too much danger, and if anyone got hurt, we [01:01:14] would never forgive ourselves. [01:01:16] But our problem with the crossing guard issue is the school changed their bussing hours [01:01:22] and it shortened the hours. [01:01:25] And it's extended to two miles now before they'll bus you, so they just changed that [01:01:29] as well to make more people walking. [01:01:31] Multiply the problem, so the folks don't want to dress up, you know, who's going to go dress [01:01:35] up and go out and work for one hour? [01:01:39] And do it twice a day, it just, it's a problem. [01:01:43] And the thing with using the kids, I mean, I can tell you just from putting on the parades, [01:01:47] that when we try to use the kids to help us at the intersections, people don't listen [01:01:51] to the kids. [01:01:53] And then the kids are coming over and they're like, they won't listen to us. [01:01:56] So that's a big part of the problem, too. [01:01:59] You're dating yourself, Peter, to remember safety patrols when we were growing up. [01:02:03] I was a safety patrol. [01:02:04] Oh, they're still doing it. [01:02:05] Yeah, they still do that. [01:02:06] Inside the school to get the kids to the bus. [01:02:09] The little ones who were tied to the bus. [01:02:13] On the buses and out on the crosswalks. [01:02:15] We have it Jefferson and Central, but that was back in the 60s, and there's been a lot [01:02:23] of changes since. [01:02:24] Let's move on. [01:02:25] We have some loyalists that serve. [01:02:32] We're looking at bumping up their pay. [01:02:34] We're looking at minimum call-in hours. [01:02:38] We're looking at a couple of different options to retain the staff that we do have. [01:02:43] So we're not without options. [01:02:46] Debbie and I have been talking about that, trying to come up with some strategies for it. [01:02:54] Okay, again, I'm going to start right with operational and contractual services. [01:03:10] There's software that we use for the off-duty. [01:03:37] Obviously the extra-duty jobs get posted there, and it's a software that we subscribe [01:03:44] to, and it's crucial for managing that process. [01:03:51] We just moved it to another area. [01:03:58] The lease on our automobiles is what it is. [01:04:01] It's part of the plan between Public Works and Finance and our department. [01:04:07] It's working tremendously. [01:04:10] The reduction there is because we did move vehicles from this division to a previous [01:04:19] division. [01:04:23] Again, 4624, the maintenance on technical equipment, that's significantly lower. [01:04:34] We're anticipating, with the new equipment, not having nearly the headaches and nightmares [01:04:40] of trying to keep our equipment operational. [01:04:56] Fuel is anyone's guess at this point. [01:05:04] As you're migrating to hybrids and electrics, that will go down a little bit. [01:05:14] If you hold next year's fuel costs to what you have for this year's estimate, it will [01:05:19] be a miracle. [01:05:21] We're trying to encourage the officers to be sure that they're not letting their cars [01:05:27] sit. [01:05:28] They're idle if they're out. [01:05:29] Because it is so hot with those uniforms and the vests and everything. [01:05:33] It's pretty easy to leave your car on, so we're encouraging them, as much as we can [01:05:39] within reason, to turn it off. [01:05:41] If you're there for a short time, they'll be back in your car. [01:05:44] With the hybrids or the electrics, either one where they can run on battery to keep [01:05:49] the air conditioning going while they're stopped, that'll help. [01:05:55] But yeah, we are in Florida and you guys are wearing black stuff with tactical vests and [01:06:05] everything else. [01:06:06] That has got to be hot as hell in August. [01:06:08] It's hot. [01:06:09] It's really hot. [01:06:15] Not as bad as the guards at the London Palace. [01:06:17] I saw somebody giving someone water. [01:06:19] I saw that, too. [01:06:20] Yeah, well, they've got those big wool hats on, too. [01:06:23] At least we don't make our officers do that. [01:06:29] And like computer supplies, we've dropped that $10,000. [01:06:36] We think that our new computers, all the laptops the officers have, are going to save us a [01:06:41] few bucks there. [01:06:43] And automotive parts, we still have some older cars, so we have to have some money in there [01:06:51] for repair. [01:06:52] When are those out of the service? [01:06:59] The next couple of years? [01:07:01] We're waiting on 60 of these to come in, but their computer chips are behind. [01:07:07] It's nine months. [01:07:08] I don't know when they're coming. [01:07:10] On order. [01:07:11] Robert's on top of it. [01:07:12] Yeah, I figured the chips was doing. [01:07:15] But in our five-year rotation, we're coming up on year four? [01:07:27] Next year will be year four. [01:07:28] You lost the whole year. [01:07:29] So eventually, we get those antiques off the road. [01:07:34] That was where I was going with that. [01:07:38] I just, unless you have a question, I see nothing else that I would want to mention except capital. [01:07:51] And that, what you'll see there is, you know, we are under contract with our body cameras. [01:08:00] It's a lease arrangement. [01:08:04] And the in-car cameras, you can see that those costs are stretched out. [01:08:08] And our tasers, which, by the way, we now have issued to almost all of our officers. [01:08:15] There's only a few remaining, but they are state-of-the-art tasers. [01:08:20] So thank you, the officers. [01:08:22] Thank you. [01:08:24] They're a very effective tool. [01:08:27] If you have no questions, I'll go to the next one. [01:08:30] If you have no questions, I'll go to the next one. [01:08:36] Road enforcement. [01:08:39] As you know, they are very, very busy. [01:08:43] And I can't say enough good about how hard they, and what effort they have put into trying to help our city become more attractive [01:08:55] and clean up those neighborhoods. [01:09:03] Okay, the operational section. [01:09:09] If you look down there, the contractual services is the only one that had a significant. [01:09:18] Oh, and the vehicle leases. [01:09:25] Our contractual services, it ends up that we, in most cases, end up billing someone for that service that we have to do, [01:09:34] like we have to contract to have somebody go out and mow a property, [01:09:38] then we bill and that money would come back. [01:09:43] The leases on the automobiles are what it is. [01:09:53] It's what it runs. [01:09:59] Animal control. [01:10:01] I have it in some folder. [01:10:04] Let me get back to it there. [01:10:06] Oh, I jumped right over that. [01:10:07] I didn't mean to. [01:10:08] I had a checkmark there, too. [01:10:09] Animal control. [01:10:11] We've watched it steadily go up in cost, and so this year it was going to be quite a bump. [01:10:19] So we really dug into it to find out why is that happening, [01:10:24] and it ends up that the contract that we went into several years ago [01:10:29] when we turned over our animal control responsibility to the county, [01:10:34] it was an agreement that was different than any other city has. [01:10:40] Ours was based on they would just figure out what came from New Port Richey. [01:10:46] We all know the New Port Richey zip code is everywhere in this area, [01:10:51] so I think that it made it nearly impossible for them to track what they were actually servicing [01:10:58] for New Port Richey. [01:11:00] What the other jurisdictions have for contracts is theirs is based on population, [01:11:06] percentage of population to the county, [01:11:09] and their rate is significantly less, [01:11:14] enough to where we've met with the representative from animal control. [01:11:18] We've talked about it. [01:11:19] He would like to see us get under the same contract, [01:11:22] the same type of contract that the other municipalities have. [01:11:26] Unfortunately, we didn't find out about that until as the budget was getting close [01:11:30] and we haven't had a chance to work out that agreement, but he's in agreement with it, [01:11:35] but it is something that has to go in front of the county commission. [01:11:39] So that is we're going to be working in that direction, [01:11:43] and then I think you would see, well, I know you would see a reduction, [01:11:48] but it also would be fair. [01:11:51] The status of our current contract, have we looked at that? [01:11:55] We looked at the term of the contract. [01:11:57] Is it a long-term contract? [01:12:01] What do you mean? [01:12:02] I'm not understanding the question. [01:12:04] Is the contract good proof, or is it automatic renewal? [01:12:09] It's been an automatic renewal. [01:12:11] I think it expires. [01:12:19] Well, regardless. [01:12:20] We have an issue with them, which can go back in time as well. [01:12:25] I mean, the excuse that they can't keep track of it [01:12:28] and they're overcharging us is not a good excuse. [01:12:31] We did this with the garbage haulers. [01:12:34] When they were telling us that they weren't serving as many customers, [01:12:38] it was the opposite thing. [01:12:39] They weren't paying us. [01:12:41] I think we did a little audit and we found out they owed us some money. [01:12:45] And they did pay us. [01:12:47] Especially if they're doing the other cities all the same way except for us. [01:12:50] Why would ours be done different? [01:12:52] It makes no sense. [01:12:54] I don't know because I wasn't involved. [01:12:56] I was here when all this happened, [01:12:58] but I wasn't involved in the negotiation of how we would do it. [01:13:02] It was handled. [01:13:03] I think you guys were so desperate because you'd been put into the business [01:13:07] of taking care of the animals that you were ready to sign anything. [01:13:12] No, I'm just kidding. [01:13:13] But, I mean, it was a difficult circumstance, I recall. [01:13:17] I think that may have been before Debbie got here too. [01:13:22] I don't think enough homework was done to figure out what others. [01:13:26] There were some real advocates that wanted us to have a kennel [01:13:29] and wanted us to go full in on animal control. [01:13:33] We are pursuing getting another contract. [01:13:41] With your comments, I think we'll have to look at that part of it too. [01:13:46] I didn't look at going backwards because I don't know how. [01:13:50] Well, whatever the contract says, [01:13:53] maybe get our lawyer to look at it and tell us if we've got the right to audit [01:13:59] their determination. [01:14:01] When that contract says New Port Richey, [01:14:03] I'm sure it is intended to be within the city of New Port Richey. [01:14:10] I don't know that the records would actually reflect. [01:14:12] It would just simply be New Port Richey. [01:14:15] I must have to GIS every single pick. [01:14:21] We'll have to look at that and see if there's some remedy available to us. [01:14:26] Yeah, because if we do it by the number of residents [01:14:28] and a percentage based on the number of residents within the city, [01:14:31] I mean, that would be the way to do it. [01:14:33] That would be fair if you just disregard whatever the headcount is [01:14:38] that they think they have. [01:14:39] Yep. [01:14:41] We'll explore that. [01:14:42] And then ask them where the funding comes for the non-city residents [01:14:46] and what fund that comes out of. [01:14:48] If it's coming out of the general fund, it is a duplication. [01:14:53] It's a double tax to us. [01:14:55] Mm-hmm. [01:14:57] Yeah, we'll pay for it and send it to somebody else. [01:15:00] County Sheriff, whenever I, John Gallagher was our city manager before he became the [01:15:05] county administrator, and he fought hard against double taxation until they hired him, and [01:15:11] then he didn't remember anything about it. [01:15:14] But it was always an argument that the budget department could make that, well, that money [01:15:21] comes from a different place, or we're not charging you for that, because they were getting [01:15:28] some federal or some state money, or using gas, they could use some of their gas tax [01:15:33] money or something else. [01:15:35] And that may be the case, if they're allocating their gas tax money or some revenue share [01:15:40] or something, that may be the theory, I don't know. [01:15:44] That was the excuse last time. [01:15:51] The last section is what we call the Special Traffic Enforcement, and that's our red light [01:15:58] camera program. [01:16:01] And with that, the numbers just, I don't see any significant changes worth discussing. [01:16:15] Those speed cameras aren't legal, because we had some people here last night that were [01:16:21] been all over us, installing those all up and down the street. [01:16:27] I'll note a typing error for Florida Retirement System that I will correct. [01:16:33] Yeah. [01:16:34] Those are good corrections, though. [01:16:46] Questions? [01:16:47] I conclude my presentation. [01:16:48] Thank you. [01:16:49] I have a general comment about public safety and perceptions that goes, triggers off of [01:16:56] what the mayor said about last night's meeting and the town hall thing that you had, and [01:17:04] listening to downtown businesses trying to talk about how people are flying down the [01:17:10] road. [01:17:11] And I'm sure there are always examples of that, I'm not sure how, anyway. [01:17:17] But the perception of safety as it comes to traffic enforcement and driving and all those [01:17:28] things, I just want to make sure that we have looked at ways to minimize the crime [01:17:43] and the sense of unsafe. [01:17:46] I got a forwarded message today from someone on our national news that Highway 19 is the [01:17:51] most dangerous highway in the- [01:17:53] Somebody said it to me last week sometime. [01:17:56] I mean, it's another one of those sort of perceptions that are not good. [01:18:02] There was a statistic thrown out that our percentage of crime in the city makes us one [01:18:08] of the most crime-infected cities. [01:18:10] So it seems like the more successful you are in making arrests and doing things with crimes, [01:18:20] the crime rate shows it goes up, and the more people think it's a dangerous place to live [01:18:26] and it can be a self-fulfilling prophecy in the sense of our overall goals. [01:18:33] And that's part of why I think over the next year it will be helpful to come up with other [01:18:42] solutions. [01:18:43] We had millions of dollars that the state DOT has allocated for us for safety. [01:18:48] They got you on TV before they came to talk about that mid-block crossing. [01:18:53] And I told my colleagues that I went and talked to the district secretary, and they [01:18:58] showed me this big chart, which I left copies for everybody for, that still has more mid-block [01:19:04] crossings. [01:19:05] I've talked to some experts who have told me sometimes the real problem is lighting [01:19:11] that the DOT looks at, the lighting for a driver to go down the highway, but they're [01:19:16] not necessarily paying as much attention to the lighting for the pedestrians or well-lit [01:19:22] areas where people are crossing to see them, especially in the middle of the night. [01:19:27] And the other part is the statistics part. [01:19:29] When are they getting hit? [01:19:31] And a high percentage is happening at night as well. [01:19:34] So I would love for us to follow up the proposal that came to us that we rejected with some [01:19:42] real knowledge, Mr. Mayor, that would come back and say, we have some ideas and we want [01:19:49] your support and we want your money and we want to make some improvements. [01:19:51] I would absolutely agree with that. [01:19:55] The article that hit the national news was posted on voxbop.com on Monday morning early, [01:20:10] and actually I didn't see it before I posted my NPR note on Strode's and then had to go [01:20:14] back and add a link to it. [01:20:17] Maren Kogan had been in town for several days. [01:20:21] She talked with me. [01:20:22] I drove her around town. [01:20:25] She talked with Frank Starkey. [01:20:28] She has talked to a number of experts on traffic safety. [01:20:34] Her concentration was on US 19 specifically. [01:20:40] The probably preeminent national expert on the issue is a fellow by the name of Charles [01:20:48] Marone, and he is a former engineer for traffic engineering. [01:20:59] His description of US 19 was a strode on steroids. [01:21:05] The road is unsafe by design. [01:21:09] Let me repeat that. [01:21:12] The road is unsafe by design. [01:21:16] The Department of Transportation has a mission in life, and I don't criticize them for it, [01:21:26] but their goal is to get people from one place to another as quickly and safely as possible. [01:21:33] What has happened over the intervening 60 years since I've been around here, and Pete [01:21:41] I'm sure remembers much the same thing, is that Highway 19 has been converted for street [01:21:52] type use. [01:21:54] You've got curb cuts everywhere, and the combination you go from two lanes to four lanes to six [01:22:02] lanes to eight or nine lanes now, you've got curb cuts all over the place. [01:22:07] You've got extra wide US highway type lane widths. [01:22:14] You've got a 45 mile an hour speed limit, and as your own people showed you when you [01:22:20] did the traffic enforcement with the county a couple years ago now, all you had to do [01:22:26] was pick the people that were going 60 or more, and you were staying busier than you [01:22:32] had any way of dealing with anybody that was speeding less than 15 miles an hour over the [01:22:38] speed limit. [01:22:39] The road is a disaster, and that's what the article talks about. [01:22:44] I took the other side of it, knowing that her article was coming out, and talked about [01:22:51] the strodes we've got in New Port Richey. [01:22:55] You want to know why they're speeding on Central Avenue? [01:23:00] It's how wide, Robert, 40, 50, 60 feet wide over here? [01:23:07] You've got Grand Boulevard that's got four 15 feet lanes. [01:23:13] That's 60 feet wide on a street that by rights ought to be 20 feet wide. [01:23:19] People come across the bridge, and it's natural. [01:23:23] They just hit the gas, and it's not just Central, it's not just Grand Boulevard, it's [01:23:29] almost every single street in this city was designed by traffic engineers to have people [01:23:38] speed down the road. [01:23:40] The only way you're going to stop that, well, you've got several options. [01:23:46] One of which, you could put speed bumps every 100 yards, which is a disaster. [01:23:52] We could double the size of the police force, and put the new half of the police department [01:23:57] all on traffic enforcement. [01:24:00] One of the guys last night suggested that we could change the city name to Waldo, to [01:24:06] go along with that. [01:24:10] Or we can start fixing these roads. [01:24:16] Turn them back into residential streets, the way they belong. [01:24:20] Cut the speed down by designing them so that people aren't tempted to speed. [01:24:25] It's just natural. [01:24:26] You get out on a nice wide road, you hit the gas. [01:24:32] I haven't taken you for a ride in my car or let you drive it, but you don't hear the noise, [01:24:35] and you look down at the speedometer, and it's like, oh my God, how did I get going [01:24:38] this fast? [01:24:41] Because the roads are designed for the speed, and it's a mess. [01:24:48] US 19 is. [01:24:50] It's an extraordinarily dangerous road. [01:24:53] People are crossing it at night. [01:24:54] They're crossing it with dark clothes. [01:24:58] There are no places to safely cross. [01:25:02] You've got a crosswalk at Main Street. [01:25:05] The next one's at Grand Boulevard. [01:25:08] That's ridiculous. [01:25:09] I don't know that we necessarily need one at Green Key. [01:25:13] That's a little close to Main Street. [01:25:15] But I'll guarantee you, we need at least one or two somewhere between Main Street and [01:25:19] Grand Boulevard. [01:25:23] The roads are just, they're not safe, and if we can get overpasses or anything else [01:25:28] to get people separated from that traffic so much, the better. [01:25:32] Well, Mr. Mayor, on that note, and as we're in the budget, this is a crossover to public [01:25:40] works, to police, but the safety word is so critical. [01:25:45] So the idea that we've been called out nationally, not us, but our community, for its lack of [01:25:53] safety on the highway, and the fact that the DOT had felt a little egg on their face because [01:26:00] they came to us with a plan that wasn't well received by the community. [01:26:05] But they have money there. [01:26:06] So I would recommend and plead almost that we allocate some resources to hire, you say [01:26:14] a national expert, to hire someone to do a safety evaluation of our city that can include [01:26:21] lighting up our own neighborhoods that are dangerous, looking at the problems that we [01:26:26] have in the city to incorporate that in the roads. [01:26:30] Because I think that from that we could get, we could show we're being proactive to safety. [01:26:37] Because when I sat in that meeting, the safety director was there with the gentleman that [01:26:42] was here that day at the city hall, along with the secretary of the district. [01:26:51] And she was very adamant about the importance of saving lives. [01:26:55] And so we do too. [01:26:58] So we don't want to be, well, you know, trying to value or devalue the lives of pedestrians [01:27:05] who maybe can't or don't have another way to get to the Dollar General or whatever it [01:27:10] is that's creating these enticements for people to cross in the wrong place. [01:27:15] But there are probably better, we really need some experts to come back, I think, and say, [01:27:21] you know, let's look at this. [01:27:24] I know there are former police, retired police that are nationally, some from Ohio that someone [01:27:32] told me about, if we, whether we put out for a proposal or we do something that's within [01:27:36] the reason of it, I would really love, Mr. Mayor, for us to react to what happened. [01:27:42] Because it's been, what, two months or I think it was, you were just here for, was that your [01:27:49] first meeting? [01:27:53] So it's incumbent on us to have a follow-up, I think, and for the follow-up, I think we [01:27:58] should get some strong help. [01:28:04] Yeah, and we need some folks just, you know, look at the thing and not look at it from [01:28:13] a road engineer's viewpoint. [01:28:17] We don't need to figure out how to get these cars to go any faster down US 19 than they're [01:28:22] already going. [01:28:23] I'm not talking about just 19. [01:28:25] I like your idea to say, let's look at our city and show that we're a city that's committed [01:28:30] to safety. [01:28:31] Look at Tarpon Springs. [01:28:32] That's why they haven't gotten rid of all the brick roads, right? [01:28:34] Because that, you have to drive slow. [01:28:36] It works. [01:28:37] That's why they keep it. [01:28:38] But, you know, 19 is the one that got the national attention. [01:28:43] But I would, and I'm telling you, I agree with you because of what I wrote and published [01:28:48] myself this past Monday, the problem is not just US 19. [01:28:56] It is systemic. [01:28:59] In our entire city, if you go around and you look at the roads, how many of them have ten [01:29:06] feet lanes, which is what the vast majority of them ought to be? [01:29:13] I could name you any number of state streets just a couple blocks or a few blocks south [01:29:19] of here, and the things are as big as the center section of our council chambers. [01:29:28] You've got, and you can see it because you've got people, they've got alleys so they can [01:29:33] park in the back, and yet we've got places where people conceivably could park at the [01:29:41] curb on each side of the street and still have two full lanes down the middle. [01:29:47] And this is a residential street. [01:29:50] It's crazy. [01:29:51] It makes no sense whatsoever. [01:29:55] And so you wonder why people are speeding down there and you guys get phone calls and [01:29:59] I get phone calls. [01:30:00] got one today from somebody complaining about Van Buren again. You're not going to stop [01:30:09] it unless we do something to fix those streets to slow people down. [01:30:12] We don't have all the points we need for any kind of grant or application. What we don't [01:30:16] have is a full staff of employees in every department that are not already busy on projects [01:30:24] that we've already given. And I think if we can get help to get us back on the right side [01:30:32] of this argument, I'll bet that there'll be some really innovative things that we can [01:30:35] apply for with the Infrastructure Act. Narrowing the street gives us opportunity for drainage [01:30:42] along the edges, sidewalks that are big enough for two people to walk next to each other [01:30:47] on. Or some of the larger vegetation or something that would help with our drainage issues as [01:30:58] well. And I'll admit I've gotten wider since when I was a kid, but we really ought to have [01:31:05] sidewalks that are big enough for two people to walk, two 20-22 size people to walk side [01:31:12] by side down the sidewalk together. I just like to walk my two dogs side by side on the [01:31:16] sidewalk. One has to be in the road, now you've got to decide which one goes in the road. [01:31:21] And then you've got places like Central where you don't even have sidewalks. And the thing [01:31:27] is massively wide. I was thinking we could put the carnival there at Chasco down Central. [01:31:35] We have some residents there that might take issue with it. But it's something we can do [01:31:43] something about. Chief, if you've been here last night, the discussions from the business [01:31:52] community about let's start somewhere by getting Grand Boulevard under control, I think was [01:32:01] extraordinarily productive. They had great ideas and they were pushing, okay, what do [01:32:11] we need to do to get the speeds down? They talked about a four-way stop at Missouri. [01:32:18] Thank you. I keep trying to call it Nebraska. Nebraska is railroad square. But they talked [01:32:24] about that. They talked about putting something like what we've got just on the other side [01:32:29] of the bridge with the sign in the middle that makes you shift and turn as an entry [01:32:38] way into the downtown. All that stuff ought to be on the table as we take a look at it. [01:32:45] More reason for safety experts to help us to identify infrastructure and, you know, [01:32:55] that there are those out there that are ready and willing. [01:33:00] At least one of Ms. Kogan's experts was at, I think, Florida International. They're right [01:33:06] here in central Florida. So, you know, we look at it. [01:33:11] Yeah, let's find the best one. But it's a crossover between safety and the sense of [01:33:19] feeling safe, which is also the lighting and the sense of openness, which we need to have [01:33:25] to be inviting, which we can do before we start tearing up our sidewalks downtown and [01:33:32] moving sidewalks out to create new sidewalks where we just built them. [01:33:37] Because we've got a whole bunch of projects, and I know that might be an ambitious idea, [01:33:42] but I don't know that we can accomplish cutting out turn lanes. We do have a certain volume [01:33:48] of traffic that has to get through, and we have to be, you know, respectful of that. [01:33:54] I know the DOT would like to bring a bridge across Delaware, Illinois, one of those roads, [01:34:05] because Main Street can't handle the east-west. And that's going to be maybe, well, probably [01:34:14] just as hard as it was when we lost the 4-1 vote. I guess whose vote was the one vote [01:34:20] to put the Massachusetts bridge across your community? Not you, necessarily, but... [01:34:26] I wasn't there yet. [01:34:28] Yeah, but the folks that were opposed to it didn't want to be affected by the folks on [01:34:35] the east side. Little did they know, they were going to start coming in from the west [01:34:40] to invade their community. But the bridge was subjected because it would connect that [01:34:47] part of the city to Massachusetts. [01:34:51] There's some things that we can do. At this point, you can't do it without spending millions [01:34:59] of dollars on property. [01:35:00] But we've got to do everything we can to keep our city still functioning with the traffic [01:35:05] getting through, is the point I'm making. [01:35:12] There's one other communication. I was contacted by somebody who has something to do with the [01:35:20] 100th anniversary of Gulf High School, wondering if it was possible to put a banner across [01:35:24] a street somewhere celebrating that. And that's coming up in the middle of September. I don't [01:35:33] recall the exact date, but it's that middle weekend in September. So I'm going to send [01:35:39] it in your direction. [01:35:40] Thank you, Mayor. [01:35:41] Are those old banners still there on Main, not too far from 19? We had banners at one [01:35:47] point. There's a way to attach them, I think, all the way across. [01:35:52] If we can find out what dimensions they'd need for that, that might be pretty cool. [01:35:57] And it is the 100th anniversary, so it's not like we're just doing this for anybody. [01:36:01] Do you have any other things tonight? [01:36:06] I'm going to go get some more ideas from the land. [01:36:12] Councilwoman? [01:36:13] Nope, nothing. [01:36:14] Miss Manson, anything? [01:36:15] Nothing this evening, Mr. Mayor. [01:36:17] Crystal? Chief? Anybody? [01:36:19] Thank you. [01:36:20] In that case, we will adjourn.

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3. 3Communications
4. 4Adjournment