On the agenda

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

   Pledge of Allegiance

   The Pledge of Allegiance was led, followed by a moment of silence in honor of servicemen and women at home and abroad.

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   [00:00:18] We have quorum, so we're going to go ahead and start. [00:00:19] If everybody could stand, join me in the Pledge of Allegiance and remain standing for a moment of silence in honor of our servicemen and women at home and abroad. [00:00:25] I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

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3. 3

   Moment of Silence

   Moment of silence observed.

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   [00:00:40] Thank you. [00:00:41] You may be seated.

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4. 4.a

   ↳You arrived here from a search for “Historical Society” — transcript expanded below

   Final Public Hearing - Resolution No. 2021-55 & Resolution No. 2021-56

   approved

   Council held the final public hearing and adopted Resolution 2021-55 setting the final millage rate at 8.500 mills (4.88% less than the rollback rate) and Resolution 2021-56 adopting the final FY2021-2022 operating budget of $73,356,890 and capital improvement program. Council also adopted Resolution 2021-50 providing a comprehensive table of fees for FY2021-2022. All three resolutions passed unanimously.

   Ord. Resolution No. 2021-55; Resolution No. 2021-56

   • motion:Adopt Resolution 2021-55 setting the final millage rate at 8.500 mills for FY2021-2022. (passed)
   • motion:Adopt Resolution 2021-56 adopting the final operating budget and capital improvement program for FY2021-2022. (passed)
   • motion:Adopt Resolution 2021-50 providing comprehensive table of fees for FY2021-2022. (passed)
   • direction:Council expressed interest in inviting funded outside entities (Historical Society, theater) to present updates to council periodically. (none)
   • direction:Council discussed potentially modifying council member salaries by ordinance, requiring legal review and special meetings within ~20 days. (none)

   🏢Historical Society🏢Pasco County Property Appraiser's Office🏢Richey Suncoast Theater👤Councilman Davis👤Crystal Feist👤Debbie Manns👤Dixie👤Mr. Altman👤Mr. Driscoll👤Mr. Murphy👤Mr. Peters👤Pete#American Rescue funds#CRA Fund#Capital Improvement Program#City Charter (council salaries)#EV Cruise In (October 2)#FY2021-2022 Operating Budget#Florida Statute 200.065#Main Street Conference#Resolution 2021-50#Resolution 2021-55#Resolution 2021-56#Street Improvement Fund#Truth in Millage (TRIM) Notice#Water and Sewer Fund

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   [00:00:46] We have the final public hearings for a pair of resolutions. [00:00:54] Mr. Driscoll, how do you want to read those and then do the public hearing together and then vote each? [00:01:01] Conduct the public hearing together, and I can read them as the hearing proceeds. [00:01:07] When you're ready to vote, I can read them each in turn. [00:01:11] Okay. [00:01:12] Why don't you start off by reading them? [00:01:13] Okay. [00:01:14] That will get us going. [00:01:15] All right. [00:01:16] So, Resolution Number 2021-55 is the first resolution. [00:01:21] This is a resolution of the City of New Port Richey of Pasco County, Florida, adopting the final levying of ad valorem taxes for all non-exempt real and personal property in New Port Richey, Pasco County, Florida, for fiscal year 10-1-2021 to 9-30-2022 and providing for an effective date. [00:01:40] And the other resolution is Resolution Number 2021-56. [00:01:45] This is a resolution of the City of New Port Richey of Pasco County, Florida, adopting the final operating budget for fiscal year 20-21-2022 and the capital improvement program for fiscal year 20-21-2022 and providing for an effective date. [00:02:00] Thank you. [00:02:01] If I could let the City Clerk know, Mr. Peters has joined us. [00:02:06] And go ahead. [00:02:09] Florida Statute 200.065, Section 2, Paragraph C-1 prescribes that Council adopt the millage rate prior to adopting the 2021-2022 budget. [00:02:26] A notification regarding the public hearing has been provided to every property owner in the City by the Pasco County Property Appraiser's Office. [00:02:37] This notification in the form of the Truth in Millage Trim Notice was mailed the week of August 13. [00:02:45] Action requested is to adopt Resolution 2021-55. [00:02:52] The name of the taxing authority is the City of New Port Richey. [00:02:57] The tentative millage rate of 8.500 mills is 4.88% less than the rollback rate of 8.9148 mills. [00:03:11] Total ad valorem revenues that will be generated are estimated to be $5,844,570. [00:03:22] That is approximately $312,000 more than what was generated in ad valorem fiscal year 2020-21 due to the increase of property values. [00:03:41] The millage rate is 8.500 and is 0.25000 mills less than the prior year's millage. [00:03:52] Although the statute requires discussion regarding the percentage increase over the rollback rate and the specific purposes for which ad valorem is being increased for the record, in our case neither apply. [00:04:07] At this time, the City's Finance Director, Mrs. Crystal Feist, will provide an overview of the proposed budget. [00:04:15] After the close of the presentation, it is requested that the Mayor invite public comment on the millage. [00:04:23] Good evening. [00:04:26] So as City Manager Manns mentioned tonight, the purpose of tonight is to conduct our final public hearing to adopt the final millage rate and to adopt our fiscal year 21-22 operating budget and capital improvement program. [00:04:41] The budget being presented tonight or proposed tonight has not changed from what was proposed September 9th at our first public hearing, so I have no changes to go over. [00:04:51] So what I'll do as far as presentation is just to give a recap of a summary of what our budget will look like. [00:05:03] So in total, the budget being proposed comes in at our total $73,356,890. [00:05:14] And it's comprised over several funds. [00:05:17] And you'll see that the largest fund is our general operating fund, which has a proposed budget of $25,732,690. [00:05:28] And the second largest is our water and sewer, coming in right under at $24,292,660. [00:05:38] Next is the CRA fund, $5,963,210. [00:05:44] And then next is street improvement, coming in at $4,441,820. [00:05:51] And actually, I'm sorry, larger than those two, we have our capital improvement fund, which houses our large construction projects, has a proposed budget of $8,213,450. [00:06:06] The other funds, general debt service, street lighting, stormwater, and central garage make up the remainder of the budget. [00:06:20] This slide just provides a visual of what that composition looks like. [00:06:29] You'll see, again, stormwater, water and sewer, and general fund are our largest operating funds for the city. [00:06:40] Some key highlights that we've gone over throughout our work sessions and as part of what was presented during the first public hearing include a proposed millage rate of 8.5 mills. [00:06:53] No change from what was previously presented. [00:06:56] And this is what we've used to, we've incorporated this into the budget being proposed tonight. [00:07:03] Personnel changes that we're proposing. [00:07:07] There's one position that we're proposing not to fund in fiscal year 22. [00:07:12] There are nine positions added, which equal 8.73 full-time equivalents. [00:07:18] And there's two positions that we're proposing to increase from part-time to full-time. [00:07:24] And finally, our capital improvement program, as presented previously, totaled $18,502,500, and there's no change to what was already presented to you. [00:07:41] And so, at this point, we'll just take questions and then allow the mayor to open up for public comment. [00:07:48] Questions? [00:07:51] Hearing none, this is a public hearing. [00:07:53] We'll open it up for public comment if anyone wishes to address either the millage rate or the budget. [00:07:58] Whatever Pete paid Dixie to get up and talk, I'm doubling it. [00:08:06] Seeing no one come forward, we'll close the public hearing and bring it back to council. [00:08:14] Mr. Driscoll, if you could read Resolution 2021-55. [00:08:19] Yes, this is Resolution number 2021-55, a resolution of the City of New Port Richey of Pasco County, Florida, [00:08:25] adopting the final levying of ad valorem taxes for all non-exempt real and personal property in New Port Richey, Pasco County, Florida, [00:08:32] for fiscal year 10-1-2021 to 9-30-2022, providing for an effective date. [00:08:39] Entertain a motion? [00:08:41] Move approval. [00:08:42] Second. [00:08:43] To the maker? [00:08:44] Nothing more. [00:08:45] Mr. Murphy, I believe you were the second. [00:08:47] I'm good. [00:08:48] Mr. Allman? [00:08:49] Well, as we've all talked about it, and there's no one here clamoring at the door to object, [00:08:55] and we are at the final hour, and I have no questions. [00:08:59] Mr. Peters? [00:09:00] No, Mayor. I have nothing. [00:09:03] I'd like to thank Crystal, you and your staff, and the department heads, and the city manager [00:09:08] for making this come together with a decrease in the millage rate again. [00:09:13] So I appreciate that. [00:09:15] If there's no further discussion, all those in favor, please signify by saying aye. [00:09:19] Aye. [00:09:20] Opposed, like sign. [00:09:22] Motion passes. [00:09:23] Mr. Driscoll, if you could read Resolution 2021-56. [00:09:26] This is Resolution 2021-56, a resolution of the City of New Port Richey of Pasco County, Florida, [00:09:31] adopting the final operating budget for fiscal year 2021-2022, [00:09:36] and the capital improvement program for fiscal year 2021-2022, and providing for an effective date. [00:09:43] Do we have a motion? [00:09:44] Move approval. [00:09:45] Second. [00:09:46] To the maker? [00:09:47] Nothing more. [00:09:48] To the second? [00:09:49] No, sir. [00:09:50] Mr. Murphy? [00:09:51] I'm good, thank you. [00:09:52] Mr. Allman? [00:09:53] I feel maybe the briefest of summaries, which is that this budget is balanced thanks to the American Rescue funds, [00:10:03] which have provided funds to help us to catch up for some of the shortage of revenues that we've had in previous years, [00:10:13] and that it is also supplemented by the sale of a substantial piece of the City's property from our sewer plant facilities out there [00:10:23] to the tune of about $800,000. [00:10:26] It would have been a preference of mine that that $800,000, which came from an asset, would go back into an asset, [00:10:33] but it is going into operational. [00:10:36] But fortunately, because of the American Rescue funds, we've got a lot of extra money to put into assets as well. [00:10:42] So I understand that the City Manager and the staff have done their best to bring our tax reduction to us, [00:10:50] so I'm satisfied with that and hope that we can continue to reduce taxes, [00:10:54] because the taxes in the City at their current level still will be beneficial to our future for us to see those taxes reduced at some time. [00:11:10] I also just feel that it's important to say that a lot of what we're doing in the City to our City's recreation facility, [00:11:19] and continued improvements, several hundred thousand continuing to be put into our facilities, [00:11:26] whether it be fire or recreation or City Hall or wherever, [00:11:32] the funds that our City residents pay to put into our facilities are shared without compensation to our fellow county residents who live around here. [00:11:44] And, you know, we're going to be having a meeting soon with the county commissioners, and, you know, [00:11:50] they get a much bigger paycheck and they got a lot bigger numbers, but we're part of their operation. [00:11:56] And I'm hopeful that somehow through improved relationships, which I think we have been headed that way, [00:12:04] that we can get them to understand that our citizens are paying for the improvements of libraries across the county, [00:12:10] but we're giving our library services for free to the residents who live around our city, [00:12:17] that the county has had historically relied on our city as the only place to get library services, [00:12:24] the only place to get recreation services before it passed its bonds [00:12:29] and began to build the county infrastructure for those cultural facilities. [00:12:34] And yet we continue to persevere in trying to make our facilities tip top. [00:12:43] So whether it's behind this dais or out in the public, [00:12:48] it's my intention over the years ahead to make sure that that message gets through to the general public, [00:12:54] because I think the city has got so much support for it right now [00:12:59] and so many people that are endeared to our downtown, to our shopping, to what we have here, [00:13:04] that I think we have a lot more political clout than perhaps that we have wielded in the past. [00:13:13] So I'm happy to see us doing our part, despite the fact that money is coming out of our residents' pockets [00:13:20] to build infrastructure in libraries and parks and fire stations around our county, [00:13:30] and we aren't getting any of those dollars back into our city as we should. [00:13:36] It's a shame. It affects and causes us to have to look department to department to have the funding we need. [00:13:45] But we're running good, and we're in the right place, and it's a good... [00:13:52] So I'm not trying to badmouth our budget, [00:13:57] but only suggest that somehow we are the donor of facilities more than we're the receiver, [00:14:09] as from the person living outside the city asking us to fix their drainage at the last meeting. [00:14:15] But I know I went into a rabbit hole there, but I had to say it. [00:14:20] Thank you, Mr. Altman. [00:14:22] If there's no further discussion, all those in favor, please signify by saying aye. [00:14:26] Aye. [00:14:27] Opposed, like sign. [00:14:28] Motion passes. [00:14:29] Next is Resolution 2021-50. [00:14:33] This is Resolution number 2021-50, a resolution of the City Council of the City of New Port Richey, Florida, [00:14:38] providing a comprehensive table of fees for fiscal year 2021-2022, [00:14:43] modifying certain fees, providing an effective date. [00:14:46] Ms. Manns. [00:14:47] Yes, sir, Mr. Mayor. [00:14:49] This is an annual review of our existing fee schedule as part of the review the staff [00:15:00] consider the fee schedules of other municipalities. We always try to hit it [00:15:06] right about in the middle. We don't want to be at the highest end of the fees. We [00:15:10] don't want to be at the lowest end. We try to be right about in the middle. All [00:15:14] of the different departments do review their fees and Mrs. Feast is prepared to [00:15:21] review the comprehensive fee schedule with you tonight. The only thing I do [00:15:25] want to note is that the fee schedule before you this evening does not include [00:15:31] any building department fees and that we will be bringing that particular [00:15:37] schedule before you at your meeting on October 5th. [00:15:43] So the changes that we're proposing come from the Recreation and Aquatic [00:15:50] Center, Development Services, Fire, and Police, and they have been highlighted in [00:15:56] blue and yellow in the agenda packet that you received. And so, you know, other [00:16:03] than filtering questions, we just ask that you adopt the resolution presented. [00:16:07] Very good. Open up for public comment. Seeing no one come forward, bring it back [00:16:12] to council. Move for approval. Second. Mager? Nothing. The second? No. Mr. Altman? I'm [00:16:20] satisfied. Ms. Peters? I'm fine with the mayor. That case, if there's no further [00:16:26] discussion, all those in favor, please signify by saying aye. Aye. Opposed, like [00:16:31] sign. Motion passes. We'll hit communications. I just have two quick [00:16:37] items for you. Had a brief conversation with the Executive Director, or whatever [00:16:46] you call her, of the Ritchie Suncoast Theater and offered her what we had had [00:16:55] previously done, which was an open standing invitation if they would like [00:16:59] to address council at some time and let us know what they're up to. She took it [00:17:05] under advisement. I suspect that she'll be contacting our city clerk at some [00:17:10] point to try to get on an agenda so they can share with us some of the stuff [00:17:14] they're doing. And if you haven't looked at their schedule right now, they've got [00:17:17] a full schedule between now and the first of the year with all sorts of [00:17:22] programs, stuff that a lot of us have wished they would do for a long time. So [00:17:28] it's it's an exciting time there and I thought everybody would enjoy having an [00:17:32] opportunity to hear about it firsthand. The other item was just a news blurb [00:17:38] that came across my my desk today. The country of Norway has officially [00:17:47] resolved that they are going to eliminate the sale of gasoline-powered [00:17:54] cars by 2025. That sounds very ambitious compared to what we're doing here in the [00:18:03] United States. Interestingly enough though, if the current trend line [00:18:07] continues on their conversion to electric vehicles, they will be [00:18:12] essentially 100% EV by April. So it can be done and I'll remind you we have our [00:18:21] EV cruise in coming up on October 2nd. Any other communications? In that case, I [00:18:29] do. Oh, go ahead. Yeah, I think it was last week, I know it was, a few days ago in [00:18:36] fact, when we had the report on the Main Street Conference and one of the [00:18:43] comments that I made after it was that I would like to have us as a collective [00:18:48] body being able to discuss the progress of the various entities that we support [00:18:54] through our City Council budget. So that is particularly the Historical Society. I [00:18:58] know they've been through some or maybe they're going through some changes as [00:19:03] well and there was an opportunity in which Councilman Davis was able to [00:19:08] discuss, you know, kind of on-the-fly things that were going on. I've talked to [00:19:15] the City Manager about that request because I didn't hear any objections [00:19:21] and if I may paraphrase you, we have like an MOU which requires them to send us a [00:19:27] quarterly report, which he does pass on. So just to make sure that it was clear, I [00:19:34] appreciate getting their reports, but I would really appreciate, as you just [00:19:39] mentioned, this segues off of your comment with the theater, that we [00:19:43] have this occasion for the folks that are working on the outside to support [00:19:47] our goals that we're paying for. Be nice to have them come in and allow us to [00:19:53] interact with them, perhaps at a CRA meeting, which is not this body, but I [00:19:58] don't know whether it has to be formalized in terms of a change of the [00:20:02] MOU, but every year it's back to the till they come for us to [00:20:09] support them. So I think just a friendly invitation almost to see if we could [00:20:15] get them here versus trying to make some legal requirement. It's not punitive, it's [00:20:21] just an opportunity for us to talk and see what's going on. To underline that [00:20:25] fact, we heard for the second time of all of the great responses that we got [00:20:31] about our city at the conference, but what we didn't hear was anything that [00:20:35] was a takeaway from the conference of what we learned at the conference or [00:20:39] what we want to apply from what we learned at the conference and how we [00:20:42] want things to, how we want to participate. So I would love to have [00:20:46] those conversations. I think they're more healthy for us to have them as a group [00:20:50] than for having folks to come and talk to us individually and work through the [00:20:54] back. I would agree completely. We can definitely invite them on a quarterly [00:21:00] basis or whatever to address us. That would be wonderful. [00:21:05] Whenever they feel like they have something to tell us, we come [00:21:11] cheaply and that leads to my second comment, which is that I looked at the [00:21:17] charter and it appears it's perhaps too late even now or close to being too late [00:21:23] for us to be able to change the salaries. Mr. Mayor, you had agreed with me. Some of [00:21:29] us are going out of office and I think the charter allows for us to do the [00:21:34] change, but it requires it to be done six months before, you know, the election [00:21:38] has occurred or before folks come into office. So if there's a willingness for [00:21:44] us to modify that, I think we ought to. I think it would help to bring more [00:21:50] candidates and I think it's only fair considering how hard all five of us work [00:21:54] and I've seen all of us at many activities and doing the best we can for [00:22:00] the city. The $300 we got in 1988 is just not right for 2021 or 2022. Not even [00:22:10] close. Okay. So I don't know if I can get a consensus, but I don't know if the city [00:22:15] manager needs one, but I'm in favor of seeing a modification. It would have to [00:22:21] be done by ordinance. I'm not interested in it. I took this position totally in a [00:22:27] volunteer position. If it was nothing, they paid my gas money to go to Dade [00:22:31] City, I'd be a happy guy. [00:22:38] You have basically 20 days to do it, so it probably is doable. It may [00:22:45] require, it obviously will require a special meeting, at least one. It may [00:22:49] require two, depending on how we separate the meetings for advertising purposes. So [00:22:53] if it's something that you do want to pursue, we would need a consensus now to [00:22:57] pursue it and probably would be wise to give us the numbers, although you could [00:23:03] save the numbers, I suppose, for the first reading. I don't have any [00:23:08] thought on that at this point. I would also like a legal opinion on how it [00:23:15] would work. My reading, and I'm no attorney, would be that each individual [00:23:23] member of council would have to stand for reelection before their salary would [00:23:28] go up. I'm not sure that I would read it that way, but I'm just looking at it [00:23:35] closely for the first time, so I'll certainly look at that even closer. Take a [00:23:39] look at it because it's, I term out in a year and a half, so if I don't get a [00:23:45] raise, it's no big deal. But it is low and the fact that it hasn't been dealt [00:23:51] with since the 80s is sort of silly. I don't think a hundred dollars or two [00:23:58] hundred dollars is going to change the participation of the city residents that [00:24:03] would come up here and sit up here. [00:24:06] Community Development District managers make as much money as we do, and quite [00:24:13] frankly, there's a lot of research that we need folks that will research and [00:24:18] that will participate and that will, you know, go to the next level. This city has [00:24:25] got a CRA, which it didn't have in 1988, which has its own separate legal entity,

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5. 4.b

   Resolution No. 2021-50: Annual Review of Comprehensive Fee Schedule

   discussed

   Council discussed the annual review of the comprehensive fee schedule, including council member compensation comparisons to other cities like Zephyrhills and Tarpon Springs, and noted that Mosquito Control District commissioners earn more than NPR council members. Due to timing constraints (final approval needed by October 12th), council authorized staff to schedule a special meeting to consider the matter.

   Ord. Resolution No. 2021-50

   • direction:Council directed staff to schedule a special meeting to consider the comprehensive fee schedule prior to the October 12th deadline. (none)

   👤Manns#Comprehensive Fee Schedule#Mosquito Control District#Resolution No. 2021-50#River Road neighborhood meeting

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   [00:24:32] which is the second, third largest, the third largest entity we have. It's [00:24:39] fine to be modest and to say you don't want the money, but, you know, we need to [00:24:44] be able to be a modern city and I think it's only appropriate that we at least [00:24:50] match some of the other communities around us, whether it be Zephyrhills or [00:24:54] Tarpon Springs or other cities. So I say yes. [00:25:01] Let's at least discuss it, if you can research the details. The one [00:25:10] issue to me that seems odd is that none of us make as much as a commissioner on [00:25:16] the Mosquito Control District, which meets once a month. It's just crazy. [00:25:24] So the challenge that we have is your next meeting, regular meeting, is October 5th. [00:25:29] This has to be approved and final by October 12th, so that will be impossible [00:25:34] for us to do unless we schedule a special meeting prior to that date, and [00:25:39] we may have to have a special meeting October 12th in order to meet [00:25:41] advertising requirements, but we could look at that more closely. So are you [00:25:45] authorizing us to set a special meeting to consider this? I would think that [00:25:49] would be appropriate. At least get the discussion out of the way, one way or the [00:25:55] other. Okay, yep. Mr. Mayor, and City Manager Manns, October 12th is the [00:26:01] neighborhood meeting for River Road that's already been scheduled at 6. And [00:26:08] that is the one item issue. We will proceed accordingly. Okay, thank you. If [00:26:17] that case, I would entertain a motion to adjourn. Thank you.

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6. 5Communications
7. 6Adjournment