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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-09-98 Approved Tentative Budget Public Hearing dated 09-09-1998 MINUTES OF THE OCOEE CITY COMMISSION SPECIAL SESSION TENT A TIVE BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING HELD SEPTEMBER 9, 1998 CALL TO ORDER Mayor Vandergrift called the Special Session to order at 7: 10 p.m. in the Commission Chambers. The roll was called and a quorum declared present. Mayor Vandergrift announced that this was a public hearing on the tentative budget and proposed millage rate for the City of Ocoee. Notice of this hearing was contained in the Notice of Proposed Property Taxes mailed by the Property Appraiser. The City Commission has previously set a proposed millage rate of 4.00 mills which represents a 1.755% increase in millage over the rolled-back rate of 3.931 mills. PRESENT: Mayor Vandergrift, Commissioners Anderson, Glass, Howell and Parker (arrived at 7: 12 p.m.) Also present: City Manager Shapiro, City Attorney Rosenthal, Public Works Director Smith, Fire Chief Strosnider, Police Chief Mark, Personnel/Employee Relations Director Psaledakis, Finance Director Horton, Recreation Director Nordquist, Planning Director Wagner, Building/Zoning Official Flippen, Community Relations/Projects Director Shira (arrived later), Finance Supervisor Carter, Budget Specialist Strickland and City Clerk Grafton. ABSENT: None PUBLIC HEARING Finance Director Horton announced that the purpose of the 4.00 mill tax rate for Fiscal Year 1998-99 was to generate revenues to be used for: . the implementation of the modified Indianapolis Plan for the Police Department . continued upgrading of the computer system . additional personnel and reclassification city-wide . leasing vehicles to continue upgrading the rolling stock throughout the City, and . new equipment Mrs. Horton referred to a memorandum dated September 3, 1998 that listed replaced items in the budget according to directions given at the workshops. The public hearing was opened, and Mayor Vandergrift asked for citizen comments. Mr. R. P. Mohnacky, 1820 Prairie Lake Blvd., asked how this meeting was going to work. Mayor Vandergrift said he could ask questions throughout the meeting. Comments by Commissioners Commissioner Anderson asked about items carried over. Finance Director Horton explained that these items are in the current budget but would not be completed before the end of the fiscal year and the money would be carried over to the next fiscal year. Budget Specialist Strickland explained the breakdown of the rebudgeted items. COEE CITY COMMISSION SPECIAL SESSION September 9,1998 Mayor Vandergrift noted that some of the replacement pages had the date they were printed and added to the budget and suggested that all future updates include such information. Commissioner Anderson asked about the Community Center connection to the sewer system and why not also make connections for the citizens. City Manager Shapiro said the City would have to pro-rate the cost to the citizens and most could not afford it. Commissioner Anderson said he noticed a sharp decrease in the price of computers and asked what would be done with the remaining money that was budgeted. Mr. Shapiro said if the price of the computers goes down from what was budgeted the money would be reallocated in the budget. Mayor Vandergrift said he had recommended that all the streets in Foxfire be resurfaced and wanted to know if they would be included in this year's budget. Mr. Shapiro said there was one street to be resurfaced in Foxfire this year and planned to start doing more resurfacing after purchasing the equipment (Barber Green-resurfacer). Mayor Vandergrift said it was possible the City is giving up the wrong things such as grass mowing, garbage collection, etc., and suggested doing a cost estimate including the labor. Mayor Vandergrift suggested making bike paths or trails for sidewalks, that repairs to the brick streets be done with bricks, and that busses be prohibited from using N. Lakeshore Drive. Mayor Vandergrift said he would like to see the money allocated to do a space study for the Police Department used to build the new station instead. Mr. Shapiro said that the study was to find out how much space was needed for the next 5-10 years. Mayor Vandergrift suggested that the City choose to pay a lump sum bonus for COLA (Cost of Living Allowance) for those who earn over 50,000 annually. Mayor Vandergrift presented a paper he had distributed to the Commission proposing the financing of some of the larger items. Such action would reduce expenditures this year and make it possible to roll back the taxes. City Manager Shapiro responded and recommended not financing anything as it would ultimately increase the cost to the taxpayers. He explained that the only reason the City is leasing vehicles is because of the condition of the fleet and he plans only to do this until the fleet is built up. Commissioner Anderson reiterated comments he had made during the budget work sessions: (1) when a person changes job grades they should get the 5% raise, (2) suggested standardizing the purchasing of the big ticket items, and (3) how many years would the City be leasing vehicles. 2 COEE CITY COMMISSION SPECIAL SESSION September 9,1998 Comments by Citizens Mr. R. P. Mohnacky asked about the grass that was spoken of earlier, and recalled that for several years he had suggested growing a short grass. Mr. Shapiro explained that it was the grass mowing that was contracted out. Mr. Mohnacky asked about the police grant. Mr. Shapiro said that the City would just be getting the 15 police officers on this grant over a longer period of time. Mr. Mohnacky asked about the Police Take Home Car Plan. Mr. Shapiro explained how the plan would work. Mrs. Frances Watts asked about the police officers who did not live in the city limits as to the Take Home Car Plan. Mayor Vandergrift said that only the officers in the city limits would be included at present. Commissioner Howell said he had been told that the Committee had been chosen and given instructions to not come in with a plan that would work. Mayor Vandergrift, seconded by Commissioner Anderson, moved to open up a line of credit to the extent that the budget could be reduced $56,000 in order to go to the roll back millage rate. City Attorney Rosenthal said in order to do that Commission first would have to readjust the proposed budget. Finance Director Horton said she did not have enough information to adjust for this change. A lengthy discussion regarding the procedure to accomplish Mayor Vandergrift's wishes resulted in the following motion: Mavor Vandergrift. seconded by Commissioner Anderson. moved to amend the tentative budget of the Citv of Ocoee distributed along with the budget message of the City Manager dated July 29. 1998 along with changes resulting from the Budget workshop in the following manner: delete the first six items in the Mavor's memorandum to the City Commission dated August 28. 1998 totaling $96.450 and add the appropriate line item in the budget for financing costs. Commissioner Glass said he would waive discussion but was dead set against financing as the City would be paying an additional amount in interest of approximately $4,000. He said it would also be too easy to become overextended. Commissioner Parker concurred with Commissioner Glass, as the citizens she had discussed this with had asked that the Commission not roll back the millage. Commissioner Howell said he was split on the issue because he had one citizen that wanted the millage roll back, the remainder want the improvements and problems taken care of. He said he admires Mayor Vandergrift for his effort. but cannot support this. 3 COEE CITY COMMISSION SPECIAL SESSION September 9,1998 Commissioner Anderson said he was going to go along with the Mayor. He said they probably would not use the line of credit. Mayor Vandergrift said that for the past 10 years, with the exception of 1 year, they have increased the taxes, and he thought, for the small increase of the interest payment, it would be worthwhile to give some citizens a tax break. There were no comments from citizens. Motion failed 2-3 with Mavor Vandergrift and Commissioner Anderson voting yes. City Attorney Rosenthal announced that, based upon the action, the proposed final Millage Rate is 4.00 mills which represents a 1.755% increase in millage rate over the rolled-back rate of 3.931 mills. This is the proposed percentage increase in property taxes. Read Title of Ordinance No. 98-21, Adopting Millage Rate. City Attorney Rosenthal presented the Ordinance by title only for the first reading. Commissioner Glass, seconded bv Commissioner Parker, moved that the City Commission adopt a tentative millage rate of 4.0 mills for the fiscal year beginning October L 1998 and ending September 30, 1999. Mayor Vandergrift asked for comments from citizens and Commissioners and there were no comments. Motion carried 3-2 with Mayor Vandergrift and Commissioner Anderson voting no. Read Title of Ordinance No. 98-22, Adopting Budget. City Attorney Rosenthal presented the Ordinance by title only for the first reading. Motion to adopt the Tentative Budget. Commissioner Glass, seconded bv Commissioner Parker, moved that the Citv Commission adopt the tentative budget of the City of Ocoee distributed along with the budget message of the City Manager dated July 29, 1998 along with the changes resulting from the Budget Workshop (as amended), such tentative budget being for the fiscal vear beginning October 1, 1998 and ending September 30, 1999. Motion carried 5-0. Prior to calling for the vote, Mayor Vandergrift had asked for comments from both citizens and Commissioners and there were none. 4 COEE CITY COMMISSION SPECIAL SESSION September 9,1998 Motion to Schedule Final Public Hearing Commissioner Glass. seconded bv Commissioner Anderson. moved that a public hearing to consider the final millage rate and final budget be scheduled for September 23. 1998 at 7:00 p.m. at a Special Meeting of the Citv of Ocoee City Commission to be held at the Ocoee Citv Hall Commission Chambers. that the hearing be advertised in accordance with the provisions of Section 200.065. Florida Statutes. and Section C-37 of Article VI ofthe Ocoee Citv Charter. that the appropriate Ordinances necessary to adopt the final millage rate and final budget be prepared by the City staff. and that all other action necessarv to complv with the requirements of Section 200.065. Florida Statutes. be undertaken. Motion carried 5-0 Mayor Vandergrift announced the end of the hearing and the date of the final millage and final budget hearing: September 23, 1998 at 7:00 p.m., at Ocoee City Hall. The meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m. APPROVED City of Ocoee ,,5'~-:,~U~ -g: Scott Vandergrift, Mayor 5