On the agenda

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

   Pledge of Allegiance

   The Pledge of Allegiance was recited followed by a moment of silence.

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   [00:00:15] You could please stand for the pledge in a moment of silence. [00:00:21] I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, [00:00:28] one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

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3. 3

   Moment of Silence

   Moment of Silence.

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   [00:00:37] Thank you.

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4. 4.a

   ↳You arrived here from a search for “Records Management System (RMS)” — transcript expanded below

   Approve Axon Enterprises, Inc. Records Management System (RMS) Purchase Agreement and Statement of Work Agreement

   approved

   Council approved a five-year Records Management System (RMS) purchase agreement and Statement of Work with Axon Enterprises, Inc., as the first step in integrating the city's CAD/RMS systems with the Pasco County Sheriff's Office. Signing before September 30th secured a $119,000 savings over five years; annual appropriation is $31,360 with an aggregate of $156,800.

   • motion:Approve the Axon Enterprises, Inc. RMS Purchase Agreement and Statement of Work Agreement. (passed)4–0

   🏢Axon Enterprises, Inc.🏢Pasco County Sheriff's Office👤Chief Cochin👤Debbie Manns#Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD)#Five-year contract: $156,800 aggregate / $31,360 annual#Records Management System (RMS)

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   [00:00:45] This item is acts on enterprises and record management systems purchase agreement and state of work agreement. [00:00:58] Yes sir, Mr. Mayor, members of the council. [00:01:00] As you're aware, the city has taken some preliminary steps to move into a record management system and a computer aided dispatch system with the Pasco County Sheriff's Office. [00:01:18] And it is an integration project and our police chief Cochin is prepared to present an agenda item which talks about a five year contract, which is the first step in the project. [00:01:37] Chief Cochin. [00:01:38] Thank you, Ms. Manns. [00:01:39] Honorable Mayor, council members. [00:01:41] So this is, like the city manager said, the first step towards integrating both our CAD and RMS system with the sheriff's department and all the other cities in Pasco County. [00:01:51] The reason we're bringing this portion of it, the RMS portion of it, we kind of fade in and out. [00:01:56] So bring it a little closer. [00:01:58] Thank you. [00:01:59] Can you hear me now? [00:01:59] Yeah. [00:02:00] So the reason we're bringing the RMS portion to you tonight is because there's a significant savings. [00:02:06] If we signed a contract before September 30th, we negotiated with them for months, but they wouldn't come off it for any of the agency. [00:02:12] So it's a significant savings in the amount of $119,000 over five years. [00:02:18] So we wanted to bring this to you tonight. [00:02:21] There is an escape cause that if you don't fund it, the contract's null and void. [00:02:25] So to us, this is a very prudent move to sign this contract and get this portion of the RMS program going tonight, get this contract signed. [00:02:36] The annual appropriation is in the amount of $31,360. [00:02:42] The aggregate over five years is $156,800. [00:02:50] All right. [00:02:51] Any public comment? [00:02:53] Seeing no one come forward, we'll bring it back to council. [00:02:59] I'll move the approval. [00:03:00] Do we have a second? [00:03:01] Second. [00:03:02] Does anybody want to start with anything? [00:03:06] No, I think that it's critical that we have the best technology in place. [00:03:14] Yeah, I agree. [00:03:14] And we need to make sure we can coordinate and be able to work with other agencies and groups for this stuff. [00:03:22] Yeah, just to make sure I understand, this was an agreement. [00:03:25] We were moving towards this anyway, and we were trying to negotiate our own deal and not getting the deal we want. [00:03:36] But we had an opportunity then to join with the county's contract to get the savings. [00:03:43] Is that what happened here? [00:03:45] Yeah, so it's kind of all together, but it's separate. [00:03:47] So we have our own contract, but the systems are all integrated once everybody implements. [00:03:51] And that process, the implementation phase, will move along pretty much the same for everybody. [00:03:56] So we'll be on one system once all of this is implemented. [00:04:00] So this is our contract pricing with them. [00:04:02] Pasco has theirs. [00:04:03] Dade City has theirs and so on. [00:04:05] So the fact that we're doing it together, that's where we will see a savings than if we were to do it at a later time. [00:04:09] Okay. [00:04:10] Thank you. [00:04:11] I think you answered both questions that I had. [00:04:15] So all those in favor? [00:04:17] Aye. [00:04:18] Those opposed? [00:04:19] So it's 4-zip. [00:04:20] Going on to the second item, it's approval of the 2023-2025 Pasco County Law Enforcement Officer Mutual Aid Agreement. [00:04:29] This is an agreement that we have had in place since 1994. [00:04:35] It is a three-year agreement and it is an operational agreement which provides the city additional resources when they're necessary. [00:04:44] And Chief Cochin will represent the agreement to you this evening. [00:04:49] Thank you, Ms. Manns. [00:04:49] Honorable Mayor, Council Members, this is an essential agreement between Pasco County Sheriff's Office and all the municipal agencies. [00:04:57] We have a similar one with the City of Tarpon Springs, but that's a different one. [00:05:00] These are essential and they're governed under state law. [00:05:03] So when we have natural disasters or we need to do criminal investigations or we have special events such as Chaska, we have other agencies come in and help us and we do the same. [00:05:12] So these mutual aid agreements are essential really to expand our operational ability and to be able to effectively operate to serve our citizens. [00:05:20] So we ask that you approve this tonight.

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5. 4.b

   Approval of the 2023-2025 Pasco County Law Enforcement Officer Mutual Aid Agreement

   approved

   Council approved the 2023-2025 Pasco County Law Enforcement Officer Mutual Aid Agreement, a three-year renewal of the expiring agreement that allows for expanded police support during man-made or natural disasters.

   • motion:Motion to approve the 2023-2025 Pasco County Law Enforcement Officer Mutual Aid Agreement. (passed)4–0

   #2023-2025 Pasco County Law Enforcement Officer Mutual Aid Agreement

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   [00:05:22] It's a three-year agreement. [00:05:23] The one that we currently have is expiring this month, so we need to get this one signed and going. [00:05:29] Thank you. [00:05:32] Well, the application of this mutual aid is typically when the unthinkable occurs, like a man-made disaster. [00:05:41] It increases our police force to whatever we need. [00:05:46] Is there any other public comment? [00:05:50] Seeing no one come forward, we'll bring it back to Council for approval. [00:05:53] Move we approve. [00:05:54] Do I have a second? [00:05:55] Second. [00:05:57] All those in favor? [00:05:57] Well, go ahead. [00:05:58] Do you have any comment? [00:06:00] Could also be a natural disaster, right? [00:06:02] Could be. [00:06:03] We've seen a few of those. [00:06:04] Yeah, I didn't feel like you were going to indulge me in a good number of examples, so I just provided one. [00:06:10] You got half of them. [00:06:12] Thank you. [00:06:17] All those in favor? [00:06:18] Aye. [00:06:18] Aye. [00:06:19] That's four zip.

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6. 4.c

   Discussion Regarding the Pasco County Legislative Delegation Meeting

   approved

   Council discussed the upcoming Pasco County Legislative Delegation Meeting on October 2nd at the PHSC West Pasco campus. Since the city manager is already attending, Councilmember Peters was appointed to represent the city and present its legislative priorities, which include property tax protection, sovereign immunity, residential zoning, and enterprise fund transfers.

   • motion:Designate Councilmember Peters to represent the City at the Pasco County Legislative Delegation Meeting. (passed)

   🏢PHSC (Pasco-Hernando State College) West Pasco Campus👤Deb👤Matt👤Pete👤Peters👤Yeager#Pasco County Legislative Delegation Meeting#enterprise fund transfers#property tax protection#residential zoning#sovereign immunity

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   [00:06:22] Third discussion regarding Pasco County Legislation Delegation Meeting. [00:06:27] This year, the Legislative Delegation Meeting is to be held on Monday, October 2nd at the West Pasco campus of the PHSC building, the Performing Arts Center, and it is to begin at noon. [00:06:48] And what I'm asking you for this evening is to appoint a representative from amongst yourself to be present, as I'm unable to be there, to represent the city's priorities. [00:07:02] This year, among the priorities, I believe, should be property tax protection, perhaps sovereign immunity, because that was a bill that failed last legislative session and likely will be reintroduced. [00:07:21] This section, some matters related to residential zoning and probably enterprise fund transfers within budgets. [00:07:34] And the agenda item then is just to appoint a member to represent themselves in any projects that the city might be seeking support on for a legislative appropriation. [00:07:51] Representative Yeager called, his office called me and has gone ahead and put me on the schedule, so if someone else would like to attend with me, you're welcome to volunteer. [00:08:08] Mayor, you know, I'm available on Monday, and I definitely have an interest in this. [00:08:13] You can count on me being there. [00:08:14] Okay. [00:08:16] Matt? [00:08:17] Pete? [00:08:18] I won't be able to, but the request was to appoint someone, Mr. Peters, should we appoint the mayor to be the representative, or since he's already on there, should we appoint you and get two for one, or what? [00:08:32] Yeah, that sounds like a great idea. [00:08:34] Yeah, so I'd motion, like Peters, to be designated. [00:08:40] My second hand, right hand, left hand, a team. [00:08:44] Yes. [00:08:45] Okay, I'll second that. [00:08:46] All those in favor? [00:08:50] Aye. [00:08:50] Aye. [00:08:52] Okay, just a little, Deb's going to get with me tomorrow, and we'll get some scheduled on it, things that she wants to talk about.

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7. 4.d

   Final Public Hearing - Resolution No. 2023-17 Adopting Final Millage Rate & Resolution No. 2023-18 Operating Budget & Capital Improvement Program

   approved

   Council held the final public hearing on Resolution 2023-17 adopting a final millage rate of 8.400 mills (a decrease from the prior year and 2.95% below the rollback rate) and Resolution 2023-18 adopting the FY2023-2024 operating budget and capital improvement program totaling $98,361,930. The millage resolution was moved and approved; council also moved to approve the budget resolution with extensive comments about future priorities. Public comment included concerns about city manager spending, salaries, and CDBG grant administration.

   Ord. Resolution No. 2023-17; Resolution No. 2023-18

   • motion:Motion to approve Resolution 2023-17 adopting the final millage rate of 8.400 mills. (passed)
   • motion:Motion to approve Resolution 2023-18 adopting the FY2023-2024 operating budget and capital improvement program. (passed)

   🏢Guardian CRM🏢Pasco County Property Appraiser's Office👤Angela👤Debbie Manns👤Jack Mariano👤Marla Jones👤Mr. Davis👤Mr. Peters👤Ms. Dunn#CDBG (Community Development Block Grant)#Capital Improvement Program#Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA)#FY2023-2024 Operating Budget#Florida Statute 200.065#Resolution 2023-17#Resolution 2023-18#Solid Waste Collection Services Fund#TRIM notice

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   [00:09:03] Great. [00:09:03] Okay, so the next item is a final public hearing on resolution number 2023-17, adoption of the final millage rate, and resolution number 2023-18, operating budget and capital improvement program. [00:09:20] The first resolution is resolution number 2023-17, a resolution of the city of New Port Richey of Pasco County, Florida, adopting the final millage levying of ad valorem taxes for all non-exempt real and personal property in New Port Richey, Pasco County, Florida, for fiscal year 10-1-2023 to 9-30-2024, providing for an effective date. [00:09:43] Mr. Mayor, members of council, as you're aware, Florida statute 200.065-2C1 prescribes that council adopt the millage rate prior to adopting the 2023-2024 budget. [00:09:59] A notification regarding the public hearing has been provided to every property owner in the city through the Pasco County property appraiser's office. [00:10:10] The notification in the form of the truth in millage trim notice was mailed the week of August 24th, 2023. [00:10:20] Action requested is to adopt resolution 2023-17. [00:10:27] The name of the taxing authority is the city of New Port Richey. [00:10:31] The tentative millage rate of 8.400 mills is 2.95% less than the rollback rate of 8.6480 mills. [00:10:46] Total ad valorem revenues that will be generated are estimated to be $7,563,247. [00:10:59] That is approximately $749,138 more than what was generated in ad valorem in fiscal year 22-23 due to the increase of property values. [00:11:16] The millage rate is 8.400 and is 0.05000 mills less than the prior year's millage. [00:11:31] Although the statute requires discussion regarding the percent increase over the rollback rate and specific purposes for which ad valorem is being increased for the record, in our case, neither apply. [00:11:46] At this time, an overview will be provided of the proposed budget. [00:11:51] After the close of the presentation, it is requested that the mayor invite public comment on the millage. [00:11:58] With that being said, Ms. Dunn is prepared to present the fiscal year budget. [00:12:06] Good evening, City Manager and Council. [00:12:13] Before you is the second proposed budget for fiscal year 2023-2024. [00:12:23] I've highlighted here the total by fund. [00:12:27] The total budget being presented to you this evening is $98,361,930. [00:12:35] The general fund makes up a large portion of that at $32,227,870. [00:12:44] And another larger area would be our water and sewer funds consisting of $28,348,300. [00:12:52] And then our community redevelopment agency at $11,665,720. [00:12:59] Again, here's another layout of how it's broken down. [00:13:08] So you can see here the general fund and the water and sewer fund make up the most areas of our operating budget. [00:13:18] Within the general fund, the largest areas that you'll see presented to you would be the police and fire and also our public works department. [00:13:36] Those divisions make up the largest of our budget. [00:13:40] In total for the general fund, we're presenting as $32,227,880. [00:13:48] As City Manager Manns presented, our proposed millage rate this evening is 8.4 mills. [00:13:57] And other key areas I'd like to highlight for you are the proposed positions. [00:14:03] Before I go into that, I know we are presenting four proposed positions, new positions into the budget. [00:14:08] Not necessarily are they all new. [00:14:10] We also have a few positions that were frozen. [00:14:13] So overall, there were no additional positions to the budget. [00:14:19] But the changes that we're reflecting here, we're adding a grant writer position, which is full-time. [00:14:23] We're adding a firefighter full-time position. [00:14:26] However, this position is only budgeted for six months for the fiscal year. [00:14:32] We are changing an information specialist position from a part-time position that it's currently budgeted at to a full-time position for the coming year. [00:14:43] And we've added a crossing guard to one of our corners that was needed. [00:14:50] And that's a part-time position. [00:14:52] We've frozen positions in the coming budget. [00:14:56] We have two patrol positions in our police department. [00:15:00] to part-time patrol positions that were also frozen and [00:15:04] one of our code enforcement positions was [00:15:07] As only budgeted for six months out of the current out of the new year, and we've also frozen to reserve firefighter positions [00:15:19] Other key areas that we'd like to highlight [00:15:21] we have included a proposed salary adjustment first for general employees and also a [00:15:28] proposed coal adjustments for our union employees and [00:15:32] We have an addition of a solid waste collection services fund which is funded solely by the special revenue funds [00:15:41] That are paid into that division or that into that fund [00:15:47] Our capital improvement program [00:15:50] That was presented to you [00:15:52] totals twenty four million three hundred ninety five thousand nine hundred dollars this [00:15:57] Has been adjusted slightly from the first presentation [00:16:02] Our water and sewer we did add a portion of the of a utility [00:16:10] project [00:16:12] 500,000 to the coming fiscal year and a small adjustment to the street improvement fund of [00:16:20] 32,000 [00:16:21] for additional LED crosswalks [00:16:24] the general fund [00:16:26] We have proposed one million two hundred thirty five thousand and project the stormwater fund consists of nine hundred and sixty [00:16:34] thousand dollars in projects and [00:16:36] within our capital improvement fund [00:16:39] our parks and recreation [00:16:41] projects consist of one million nine hundred eighty five thousand [00:16:45] Dollars and our public safety and public facilities consist of four million eight hundred and sixty thousand dollars [00:16:52] Transportation is two million fifty five thousand and redevelopment three million four hundred fifteen thousand [00:17:03] That was a brief overview I'm prepared to answer any questions that you might have [00:17:08] And then we can open up to public comment and approve the resolutions after [00:17:14] I [00:17:18] Don't have any questions. I would like to make a comment [00:17:22] Once we get a motion made [00:17:25] I just have one question. It seemed like you have a new fire [00:17:28] Position fire fire position, but you have to frozen so I didn't understand that frozen are part-time or reserve firefighters [00:17:37] the positions generally [00:17:39] Aren't filled for the entire year so freezing to them that are currently vacant is what we've chosen to do [00:17:45] But we did add one full-time firefighter position [00:17:49] Budgeted for six months, so it's currently vacant and that makes sense, but it didn't when you just read down them, right? [00:17:56] All right [00:17:58] With any public comment, please come forward [00:18:01] You [00:18:07] Stay you name an address for the record [00:18:15] Yeah [00:18:31] A lot of excitement in the month of September, but I didn't see all the videos online and I saw the budget [00:18:37] And I was just curious [00:18:38] It was a section where it said I believe it was like forty or fifty thousand dollars for department heads [00:18:45] Salary, do we know the salary of the city manager and city attorney is that public? [00:18:51] Record that we can have and I know she got a 9% raise [00:18:55] Not sure why but I don't know what their salaries are. We know what yours are. They're most definitely available [00:19:18] Tim won't be the best way to get for them to get the [00:19:20] Contact [00:19:23] You could probably contact finance right couldn't they contact your department to get that information [00:19:29] It is in the budget the budget the proposed budget is [00:19:33] Okay, the library also has a copy if anybody wants to look at it [00:19:38] All right [00:19:46] We spent a lot of hours working on the budget, thank you [00:19:50] No, I'm just saying number. Yeah, no problem [00:19:55] Anybody else like to speak [00:20:20] All right, thank you. All right. I'll give you 10 seconds to start talking. Oh boy. You guys are look you guys look really excited tonight [00:20:28] Marla Jones [00:20:31] So just to answer Angela's question [00:20:35] She makes about probably 150 plus [00:20:38] Every couple years she seems to get a raise [00:20:41] And she's a little bit more than that. So she's a little bit more than a hundred and fifty plus [00:20:46] Probably a hundred and fifty plus [00:20:48] Every couple years. She seems to get a raise [00:20:51] Doesn't do the job but gets the race and you can thank your City Council for that [00:20:56] Because they give her the raise every time it comes up [00:20:59] They also give the city attorney a raise every time that comes up [00:21:03] We've all seen his conduct and we all seen her conduct. Don't take my word for it make a public records request [00:21:10] Now towards the budget [00:21:13] That's what we're talking about [00:21:14] So since we're not having box pop tonight, you guys get to change the rules and make it as you wish [00:21:19] You don't want to hear from the concerned residents. So you want to try to itemize it to what you want us to discuss? [00:21:25] So let's do it [00:21:28] There's a lot of things in the budget that we want to talk about for instance. I know the city manager has some [00:21:37] non [00:21:38] Miscellaneous expenses that she's allowed to spend without coming to you for approval [00:21:43] I think whatever that is the public should have a right to know because it's our money [00:21:48] She's spending and it's pretty clear that none of you give a damn what she does and none of you will ever hold her accountable [00:21:56] That is pretty evident [00:21:57] I've been coming here for four years asking you to do the jobs that you're elected to do and all of you have failed [00:22:03] miserably [00:22:05] Sometimes some of you reach out to us you act like you care, but at the end of the day actions speak louder than words [00:22:13] also [00:22:16] You need to start doing more for the residents and the business owners in this community [00:22:20] Too much of your conversations are with developers and people that can do things for you that who knows a [00:22:28] lot of conflicts of interest [00:22:30] exist [00:22:32] Right up here [00:22:33] We've been saying it [00:22:36] So we want to know where this money is going anything miscellaneous that the city manager is able to spend without coming to you [00:22:42] We want to know how many law firms is the city manager paying without coming to the City Council or to the public? [00:22:47] We want to know [00:22:50] Now I also want to point out mr. Davis [00:22:53] You pick and choose who you want to respond to the last time I was here speaking at this diocese [00:22:58] You would not speak back to me [00:23:01] This is a business item now [00:23:03] Let it be known this is a business item about who you want to speak to and mr. [00:23:08] Peters if you could just relax and let me and chopper have our discussion [00:23:11] I understand you get a little uneasy sometime, but I have time and I'm going to speak whether you like it or not, sir [00:23:17] And also appreciate you staying on the anyway on the top anyways like I said [00:23:21] I'm on the top of the budget just like you did with Jack Mariano. I'm reclaiming my time [00:23:25] Okay, this isn't the County Commissioner meeting sir. Let me speak. You're not going to run down my time [00:23:30] And you in matter of fact just speaking of that you in front of Harris to see right now at the County Commissioner's meeting on [00:23:35] September 19th you and the mayor both embarrassed us, and that's why you didn't get what you wanted [00:23:42] Thank you does anybody else like to speak on the topic of the budget itself [00:23:56] I have a couple of questions about the budget [00:24:00] back in March I asked for public information and received a letter from Debbie man's as [00:24:06] To why I couldn't get all that information [00:24:09] today, I received a [00:24:12] email from [00:24:15] Guardian CRM, which is a [00:24:20] Administrator for the CDBG funds I applied for this this grant back in January [00:24:31] Much of my documentation was put in the lockbox that somehow all of my banking information all of my tax information [00:24:39] Disappeared at I [00:24:40] understand by phone, and I'm going to read this to [00:24:45] That they have requested to the state of Florida and the people who govern this grant [00:24:52] that these [00:24:54] Important documents that there would be a better way to [00:24:58] Protect them [00:25:04] Pull the mic down towards your face since you're turning away from [00:25:08] And the state has required [00:25:14] Is this not working out I hear [00:25:18] Then reclaim my time [00:25:21] By by open government laws to reclaim my time we'll give you another minute ma'am [00:25:38] Open government laws [00:25:40] Okay, one of the things the state is requiring that those [00:25:45] documents be put in a safe place rather than in a room with no surveillance and no lock on the door and [00:25:52] Anybody can go in [00:25:54] But I got a letter today [00:25:56] That these grants have been held up for six months because the city manager does camp [00:26:03] Managed to get the proper documents that the state is requiring [00:26:07] I have it here. I'll be glad to give a copy of it that we can [00:26:12] At the bottom of this one of the things that the state is required and the Guardian CRM for these grants that have been held [00:26:19] Up for over six months. There are 13 houses that are waiting to have roofs repaired [00:26:26] Damaged electrical wiring all kinds of things. Let me read this one of the things that they need [00:26:31] This has to do with the budget [00:26:34] copy of the general accounting budget to indicate where [00:26:38] CDBG funds are incorporated in the city's overall budget as [00:26:44] housing [00:26:45] Incentive [00:26:47] CDBG budget line item we can't find it. We can't even find the budget. This is required by the state and [00:26:55] in order to [00:26:56] Continue with this grant in which people are desperately in need [00:27:00] Including me and we can't get it out of the city management's office [00:27:05] Neither can we get any accounting as to what's going on with the money? [00:27:09] We still do not have the financial fiscal report from September of [00:27:15] 22 I [00:27:17] Sent a four-year request back in March. Not one of those line items has been [00:27:23] met only [00:27:25] excuses from the city manager's office [00:27:30] That just read report that you are a part of the whole [00:27:38] Thank you, anybody else like to speak on the item of the budget [00:27:45] Seeing no one come forward bring it back to council for approval [00:27:51] Well, we have two items to approve could we get these laid out in the proper order here, please [00:27:56] yeah, so the the first item is the [00:27:59] Resolution that I read 2023 17, which is the adoption of the millage. So that's the first motion that you would need [00:28:06] I'll make a motion to approve on the millage a second [00:28:10] All right. Go ahead [00:28:12] Your comments, please [00:28:13] right [00:28:14] I think it's important to recognize that the millage rate has dropped and that the announcement indicated that this does not represent an increase in [00:28:22] tax and [00:28:23] main reason of that is because much of the tax growth in the city has been contributed and moves over to the CRA which is [00:28:30] The next budget that we have but it does reflect a continuation of a drop in millage rate [00:28:36] Which has been requested by the City Council and and that we have [00:28:40] As minor as small as it is. We keep peaking our millage rate down [00:28:45] that also being said I want to [00:28:48] Confirm that the millage is a state mandated process and that the public hearings that we're in now are state [00:28:56] mandated and so consequently [00:28:58] We are in a position that to tonight that because the millage rate has been advertised and because we're here [00:29:06] we've got to do this and [00:29:08] The millage is just one small part or one part [00:29:12] It's not a small number, but it is one of many elements of revenue in the city [00:29:16] so that being said I'm satisfied with the millage rate and [00:29:21] That's why I've made the motion [00:29:25] But I appreciate everyone the staff, you know making that change and lowering that millage it's the right thing to do [00:29:35] Thank You mayor [00:29:37] Yeah, this is this is not a [00:29:40] It's as my fellow council member said this is a not necessarily a small number and it's one that [00:29:46] We all see every year on our tax bills [00:29:49] We see it right and this is the third year that we've been able to decrease the millage rate [00:29:55] that we all [00:29:57] Get to enjoy [00:30:00] But the point I'm trying to make here is that it didn't necessarily all come that easy. [00:30:06] It did take some work within the budget and to make ends meet. [00:30:13] City's not unlike each of your household budgets where, you know, [00:30:17] there's typically a limited amount of income and you've got to make your expenses to hit your expenses. [00:30:24] And I want to point out that I think that the city has done a good job in trying to hold the expenses and trim where they could. [00:30:34] Obviously, there's expenses you saw already that some increases that that have to happen. [00:30:40] And, you know, I know most of you probably don't spend a lot of time on the Sunday papers. [00:30:45] Even, you know, how many of us get Sunday papers anymore where all the public notices out there. [00:30:50] But I just not pay a lot of attention to it until the past few years. [00:30:53] But you read the other cities, whether they're local here in Pasco County or they're down in Pinellas County or Hillsborough County, [00:30:59] the different different municipalities and counties about what's happening to their budgets and what's happening to their millage rates. [00:31:08] And almost to everyone that you that I've witnessed and I've been able to read and find there's been a bump up. [00:31:15] And so I think that, you know, just reflects what's happening in our general economic, you know, stressors and how much work we've. [00:31:26] The city here has done to keep that millage rate down. [00:31:30] I'm not necessarily with some of the things that we know that's on the horizon. [00:31:36] I'd like to say we're going to be able to continue this downward downward cut, but I'm not so sure that will happen next year. [00:31:42] We'll just have to wait and see. [00:31:44] But I've had residents tell us from time to time that we pay a lot of taxes in the city. [00:31:48] You know, we pay these millage rates. [00:31:51] We still pay so much more. [00:31:53] And I just wanted everybody to understand that, you know, just how that works. [00:31:59] The millage rate includes the fire services department. [00:32:05] If you were in a county, you'd get the county millage rate, which we pay, too, because we're in the county, right? [00:32:11] We don't have to pay the 3.7 or whatever they're increasing that to this year for the fire millage. [00:32:16] That's part of our 8.4 percentage rate. [00:32:20] And we have excellent and superior, you know, response to fire and police here in the city compared to that of other jurisdictions nearby. [00:32:31] You move on to, you know, what the city provides, the services, whether it's the recreation services and the public library and so forth. [00:32:43] For the parks that we have, I think that we do an above average job of a city of our size to provide those amenities. [00:32:52] If you were to move into another development, we talk about some of the shiny developments that happen along 54 and other parts of the county, [00:33:00] out East County and so forth. [00:33:02] Most of that new business construction who are trying to develop a town and a city-like field, you know, appearance and feel in those developments, [00:33:14] they say, well, they just pay county taxes, too, but they pay CDD fees, which is shown up on their property tax bills and is typically a fixed fee or a fixed amount that's budgeted and applied. [00:33:28] But if you turn around and would apply that and make that into what would that millage rate be, in many cases, you'll see that it'll be 9, 10, 11, 12 percent. [00:33:40] So and then so they pay the county taxes like us. [00:33:44] They pay the fire department charge was another 3.7 or so. [00:33:49] And then they pay the CDD, which is almost like another 10. [00:33:53] And you understand that all of a sudden, wait a minute, maybe what we pay in taxes is not that much after all. [00:33:59] We'd like to see it lower and we will continue or at least I will continue to to guard your money and how it's spent here on the city. [00:34:08] But understand that those pressures that you feel in your own household, we feel as a city as well. [00:34:15] So I'm happy with the slight decrease we're able to have this year and we'll try to hold it to line the best we can going forward. [00:34:24] I just want to say one other thing that just for your knowledge, this isn't just happening this week or in the last two weeks. [00:34:30] This is accumulation of over three months of work, not only by staff, by city council. [00:34:35] We've met numerous times each month since July just to work on every every department in this in this in this city to try to work with numbers and try to get the numbers down so that we can lower the millage rate. [00:34:47] So it's just not accumulation of a last week or two. [00:34:51] We're trying to pass it. So anything else? [00:34:55] Get all those in favor. [00:34:57] Aye. [00:34:59] Aye. [00:35:01] Aye. [00:35:03] Aye. [00:35:05] Aye. [00:35:07] Aye. [00:35:09] Aye. [00:35:11] Aye. [00:35:13] Aye. [00:35:15] Aye. [00:35:17] Aye. [00:35:19] Aye. [00:35:21] Aye. [00:35:23] Aye. [00:35:25] Aye. [00:35:27] Aye. [00:35:29] Is there is there anybody like to in public? [00:35:30] Like to make comments on this? [00:35:33] See no one come forward. [00:35:35] We'll bring it back for approval. [00:35:38] Mr Mayor, I'm with every the approval of the second Sake. [00:35:43] All right. [00:35:44] What Yeah, I wanted to get my comments in under the motion. [00:35:51] If you'll bear with me, I just a few things I'd like to go over and, and my comments are intended to you my colleagues, because this is one of the major roles that we have to play a city council members but I'm going to take a moment and read back to the city's [00:36:15] charter [00:36:18] and recognize that the composition of the city council provides that we are in charge of all of the activities of the city. [00:36:30] We are the powers vested to the city council, all powers of the city under our charter are vested, except as otherwise by law, or by the charter, and that the city council shall provide for the exercise thereof, and for the performance of all duties and obligations imposed on the city by law. [00:36:56] This is one of our most major obligations this budget. And as much as we have to show the tax millage rate. [00:37:06] We also have this budget to put forward. [00:37:09] And we have to submit it within a timely fashion. [00:37:14] We have had many discussions about certain line items in the budget. [00:37:19] What, and we are at the deadline and so I made a motion to approve it, and I'm making that motion without making changes, but I want to take this moment to talk about some of the issues items within the budget that I would like for us to continue to discuss as the year goes on. [00:37:37] Before that, I also want to make clear that there are items in our charter, which indicate that we are obligated to allow the city manager to fulfill the budget. [00:37:52] And I know some, maybe a month or so back, we got a reminder from the city manager of our role not to direct any staff, not, and in our charter, it tells us we are not allowed to individually speak to, or direct, we could speak to, but we cannot direct any member of the city staff to do anything, either publicly or privately. [00:38:18] And so for whatever reason, I saw that come back to us, and so I accept that role, but I also expect that the position that we have as leaders and the makers of the budget should also be respected. [00:38:33] In that regard, this budget did come to us sliding into home base, so to speak. [00:38:39] The document in front of us has four pages of preface. [00:38:44] Generally speaking, in a budget opening area, there's a lot of analysis that talks about the budget and how it's performed. [00:38:53] So looking back at former budgets and comparing this one, there's an awful lot of preface that doesn't exist here, and also the budget was delivered to us today with that preface at the moment to approve it. [00:39:08] So that all being said, we've had plenty of time to talk about it, and I'm not complaining about that. [00:39:14] So let me share one more time with you some of the items that I think need to be considered as we go forward. [00:39:22] First, the budget is revenues and expenses, as you know, and we've done the property tax. [00:39:28] One of those other revenues is the sales tax. [00:39:33] And just to speak, the sales tax is something we talk about a lot up here because that is what our business community collects on our behalf and provides back to us through our sales tax revenues. [00:39:47] And those are going up, and those represent a healthy city, and a lot of what we do is to try to help to make the city healthier and its business community healthier. [00:39:56] And I think we can all celebrate what's been a great sort of resurgence of our downtown and our city's success from that commercial standpoint. [00:40:05] Those commercial property owners also pay property taxes as well. [00:40:09] So they're a very important component of our revenue. [00:40:13] Some of our other revenues are, of course, the Penny for Pasco, and that was voted on by the public for the purpose of infrastructure, for us to add and improve. [00:40:23] These are opportunities for us to make our city better, and I think this budget does give that a chance by delivering money to some of the projects that we have budgeted for the current year. [00:40:35] In addition, our fees, and we did just recently increase fees pretty much across the board to bring them up to other common fees, I guess, but they are going to have an impact on the resident. [00:40:49] And there's one fee that I had asked my colleagues to consider and that they have agreed to talk about. [00:40:54] I think Kelly had, and she's not here today, but others of you were willing to look at our recreation department. [00:41:01] And I want to once again suggest that we should not sit idly about the opportunity for us to work in partnership with the county. [00:41:11] Our county, I happen to be in a role in Dade City where we just completed our budget, and so I'm involved deeply in that. [00:41:20] In Dade City, their fire department is no longer with them. [00:41:24] It's run by the county. [00:41:26] Their library, the Emory Library, is run by the county. [00:41:31] But the city just recently celebrated the reopening and a renovation of that library, and they've assisted in it, and the county has a good relationship there. [00:41:40] The recreation department is primarily run by the county. [00:41:45] They don't have much in the way of a recreation department. [00:41:48] But, again, the Pasco County recreation team presented last Tuesday all of the events that they're putting on for the residents in the cities of Dade City and participating with them in that. [00:42:03] So my point is we already have a good opportunity to look at our neighbors in Dade City to say, you're working nicely with your city over there, and so we could use some help here, [00:42:14] because our library and our recreation center serves at least half of the people that come to it, I'm sure, are not inside the city residence. [00:42:23] And so we do have some revenue opportunities. [00:42:26] I know the city manager is pursuing them, and I know it's important for all of us to continue to support that effort. [00:42:32] To that fashion, the library system has, in the county, been expanding into other areas. [00:42:41] It's not just books on the shelf anymore. [00:42:44] As you know from our own library and the great success we've had here, I have proposed and asked you all to consider the purchase of the Finnish American Club. [00:42:54] And I see some members, I think, of the Ritchie Orchestra who have expressed an interest in having a place to rehearse. [00:43:02] I've also spoken with Del Deschamps and some of the folks in the food area who would be interested in using the kitchen in there as a cannery or something like that. [00:43:14] So for us to look at our own residents and their needs and provide a space for them to try to develop programs that would help, I think, is a worthy effort. [00:43:24] So I hope that I can continue to have us consider that. [00:43:30] We would have to buy that from the general fund, which I'm bringing it up now, because the zoning doesn't allow for civic clubs. [00:43:37] But certainly a library, the use of a library as an extension would solve two problems, one which you can't park here during Tasty Tuesdays. [00:43:49] And so it would give an opportunity to expand that program, which is very successful, and help us to support this Milan Pack, which we are one of two cities in Florida, [00:43:58] Miami being the other city that's a member of the Milan Pack, which is really an effort to try to support locally grown food, farm to table. [00:44:09] And it's been very popular in St. Pete. [00:44:12] It's popular among people who want to move to those kind of places. [00:44:15] So I think the price is somewhere in the $400,000 or less zone. [00:44:20] And is there a need to secure that facility? [00:44:24] And potentially, if it's not used, sell it back to the CRA and let them develop it later. [00:44:31] But I think there's a need. [00:44:32] There's been a request, and I want to acknowledge it, that I'm ready to move forward on that. [00:44:38] That's the other project I'll wait for the CRA to discuss. [00:44:42] But that's on the revenue side. [00:44:44] There's one other revenue item that I notice is not in the budget. [00:44:47] And I'm not trying to change it again because I think we can revisit it. [00:44:52] But we can enhance our revenues through interest income. [00:44:56] The general fund's interest income budget is $240,000. [00:45:00] I suspect that we have more than $10 million in the bank. [00:45:06] Interest rate right now is 5%. [00:45:08] That's $200,000. [00:45:11] There's a potential for the city to make those investments with FL-Class, another one of [00:45:15] the municipal held funds, and that's what we're doing in Dade City, because as the stock [00:45:23] market hasn't done well, the interest rates have, and now there are secured interest rates [00:45:28] in the 5% range, which would take us up from the 1 point some percent. [00:45:32] So we always have to look for money. [00:45:34] There's some money to be made out there to help, and I'm looking forward to the results [00:45:39] of not only going out for a bank to see how much money they'll give, but please to revisit [00:45:45] the ability for us to have safe and secure revenue that will be substantial and can help [00:45:51] in some of those matters. [00:45:54] On the expenditure side, well, there's one other fee, of course, which we're not going [00:45:58] to solve tonight, but the solid waste discussion, I think, is headed for the water bills, how [00:46:07] that will work, and again, I want to share my experiences with you because they're activating [00:46:14] that. [00:46:15] They're doing that in Dade City. [00:46:16] They do collect through that means. [00:46:18] They do not collect the commercial revenue through that. [00:46:22] They have the vendor bill the customer and give the percentage back to the city. [00:46:27] So there are some potential ways to simplify that, but I look forward to us having a meeting. [00:46:33] We have time until January, and I'll share everything I know with the city manager and [00:46:38] with you all to see if we can't do something to make sure that people don't come clamoring [00:46:44] in here to say that our money-saving ideas turned into doubling their costs, which I [00:46:49] don't see any reason why it should, and I think we have to look at some particular cases [00:46:54] to see who's got great deals and what expectations they have, but certainly the city has the [00:47:00] opportunity to still generate its revenue that it does from the utility tax that we [00:47:08] always charge on that and to do a better job of cleaning up, so I did support that. [00:47:14] On the expenditure side, I just want to add that the transfer that's being made over to [00:47:21] the CRA this year went up $100,000, and that transfers for administrative. [00:47:27] So from $303,000 for administrative services from the city's general fund to the CRA, that's [00:47:34] an increase of $100,000, so we have a $400,000 support to the redevelopment agency, which [00:47:42] is administrative, which would really cause us to make sure that we can, I guess, quantify [00:47:52] that and support those expenses as truly being spent on that side of the table. [00:48:01] With that all being said, it's important that we have discussions with the public about [00:48:07] these issues and that I have asked many times for us to talk about capital improvements [00:48:14] well in advance of the budget. [00:48:16] The capital improvement plan was delivered to us during the budget without us having [00:48:21] any discussion, so back to the beginning. [00:48:24] The charter says we're the ones that set what we're going to do and the priorities. [00:48:30] City managers' job is to implement that budget, and it's our job to make sure that we incorporate [00:48:35] and include the public in those conversations. [00:48:38] I'm sure that's our intention. [00:48:40] The clock moves faster. [00:48:41] It's like getting older, it's like a roll of toilet paper. [00:48:44] The closer to the end, the quicker it goes around. [00:48:47] And so for me, I've told my colleagues, I feel like I'm in the playoffs now. [00:48:51] I've been doing this a long time, Chopper, and all of us have been here in town a long [00:48:55] time. [00:48:57] We have a great opportunity here. [00:48:59] I want to make sure that we do what we do in a positive way, that everyone can get behind. [00:49:06] So, I'm happy to approve the budget, and I look forward to continuing to work on it. [00:49:11] Mike? [00:49:12] Wow. [00:49:13] So, yeah, Councilman, I certainly agree with you on the interest income. [00:49:22] I know we've talked about that in meetings before, and I think that's already being looked [00:49:26] at and underway, so I look forward to that revenue being improved. [00:49:34] We spent a lot of time on the line items, and we reviewed that in past meetings, and [00:49:39] the capital improvement budget, we'd like to see sometimes that happen, make a decision, [00:49:49] and the next month it happens. [00:49:51] It's just not the way it works. [00:49:52] A lot of the capital improvement budgets we've seen, we set out with like a five-year plan, [00:49:57] and it takes steps to move towards that, and as we do that, we've had opportunities to [00:50:02] review and make modifications or adjustments and suggestions. [00:50:07] I just look back, and I don't see, you know, I go back to years prior to even prior to [00:50:15] me being part of this Council, about how well the city has done in that regards. [00:50:22] You think about, just look around the city, and just go back five, six years ago, where [00:50:27] we are, what we had, and where we are today. [00:50:31] And it's amazingly just how fast things have changed. [00:50:38] I complain sometimes we move at the speed of government, it's like, can we ever get [00:50:42] it done? [00:50:43] But it does, like as you say, time marches on, and it happens before you know it. [00:50:49] And I think that just about every one of us in this room who's had an opportunity to live [00:50:57] and enjoy this city over the past six, seven, eight, nine years have seen remarkable change [00:51:03] and improvement. [00:51:04] And we can do better, and we will continue to do better, but it takes everybody's effort. [00:51:10] So I look forward to working through this budget, I look forward to the capital improvement [00:51:15] projects to get underway, and we'll see some of those shortly, I'm sure. [00:51:21] I want to thank everybody, all the staff, for their hard work in putting this together [00:51:26] and get it before us. [00:51:27] It's always a fun time of year, everybody gets to meet, lots of meetings and discuss [00:51:32] it, and you know, trying to get it prepped for final, but I think we've got a good budget, [00:51:39] and I look forward to seeing it roll out this year, and thanks everybody for everything [00:51:44] they've done. [00:51:45] I just want to add one little thing about the growths downtown and the growth where [00:51:49] this city's going. [00:51:51] And of course you look at the budget, you look at the number as it grows, but it's grown [00:51:54] because the city's grown. [00:51:56] Not necessarily in square mileage, but in residents downtown and also with the growth [00:52:03] of commercial businesses. [00:52:05] Nine years ago I did a walkabout from City Hall right here, right down Main Street to [00:52:10] 19, and from the Circle down to the gas station. [00:52:14] There was 140 commercial opportunities, and about 80 were being used. [00:52:18] Now there's close to 200 commercial opportunities, and 190 being used. [00:52:23] So this is what you've seen in the growth downtown, and this is what you see here in [00:52:26] this budget, is what we've changed in the amount of money that's coming is allow us [00:52:32] to continue to slowly lower the millage rate and also be able to grow the town. [00:52:38] So although we're doing a lot of growth down 19 towards Magnuson and Widow Fletcher's, [00:52:45] we have a lot of work to do between Main Street and 19, a lot of empty boxes. [00:52:50] So go out and sell the city, not only in the downtown, but sell it out on 19 for us. [00:52:55] So anything else? [00:52:57] All right, a move for approval. [00:53:01] All those in favor? [00:53:03] Aye. [00:53:04] Aye. [00:53:05] Those for Zip. [00:53:10] Now we're going to go ahead and read the Operating Budget and Capital Improvement Program. [00:53:17] I don't want that together. [00:53:19] Oh, that we're together, okay. [00:53:21] Okay, I'm sorry. [00:53:22] That's all right. [00:53:23] All right, you want to have communications to the end of the next meeting?

   This text was generated automatically from the meeting video. It is not a verbatim or official record. For exact wording, consult the video or the city clerk.

8. 6Adjournment▶ 53:26
9. 5Communications