Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-09-02 Minutes SS MINUTES OF THE OCOEE CITY COMMISSION SPECIAL SESSION FOR TENTATIVE BUDGET HELD SEPTEMBER 9, 2002 Mayor Vandergrift called the Special Session to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Commission Chambers. All the Commissioners were present and a quorum was declared. Mayor Vandergrift announced 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 4.6564 mills which represents a 1.6925% increase in millage over the rolled-back rate of 4.5789 mills. PRESENT: Mayor Vandergrift, Commissioners Anderson, Howell, Johnson, and Parker. Also present were City Manager Gleason, City Attorney Rosenthal, Finance Director Horton, Finance Supervisor Carter, Budget Analyst Brosonski, Accountant Bishop, Human Resources Director Diedrich, City Engineer/Utilities Director Shira, Acting Public Works Director Wheeler, Community Relations/Projects Director Shira, Fire Chief Strosnider, Assistant Fire Chief Firstner, Support Division Chief McNeil, Acting Police Chief Goclon, Communications Manager Ek-Collins, Recreation Director Farmer, Planning Director Wagner, Information Systems Manager Ross, and Acting City Clerk Whitford. Finance Director Horton announced that the percentage rate increase in the tentative millage over the rolled-back rate that is necessary to fund the proposed budget is 1.6925%. She stated that ad valorem revenues were being increased by $379,547.00 to provide funding for operating expenses, programs, capital improvement projects, and the purchase of equipment and vehicles. The public hearing was opened, and Mayor Vandergrift asked for comments from citizens. City Manager Gleason thanked the finance team for their hard work in preparing the budget. Mayor Vandergrift asked if there were any amendments to the budget. Commissioner Parker. seconded bv Commissioner Anderson. moved to amend the tentative bud~et of the Citv of Ocoee distributed alon~ with the bud~et messa~e of the City Mana~er dated Julv 22. 2002. alon~ with the chan~es resultin~ from the bud~et workshoo in the followin~ manner to incoroorate and direct the finance deoartment to incoroorate into the final bud~et the necessarv amendments to imolement the City of Ocoee Bud~et Fiscal Year 2002-03 Prooosed Reomanization and Other Chan~es as distributed bv the Citv Mana~er. Motion carried 4-1. Mayor Vandergrift voted no. Following the motion and prior to the vote, the following people addressed the Commission. Max Jacobs, 2247 Mountain Spruce Street, addressed the Commission inquiring as to the process used to determine the millage rate. Commissioner Parker responded. Joe Hembrooke, 2188 A1cobe Cr., inquired as to why the meeting was not televised. City Manager Gleason responded that the camera people were free-lance cameramen and that it was a matter of cost. He stated that the final budget hearing would be televised. Ocoee City Commission Tentative Budget Special Session September 9,2002 Martha Lopez-Anderson addressed the Commission by reading a statement expressing her concerns with what she believes to be an abuse and misuse of the travel policy by the Commission. She also stated several other concerns with the behavior of the Commission members. Finance Director Horton, City Manager Gleason, Commissioner Parker, and Commissioner Johnson responded to Ms. Lopez-Anderson's concerns. Dave Ferguson, 2656 Cedar Bluff Lane, addressed the Commission regarding a loan in the amount of $50,000.00 to cover the cost of upgrading the finish on the Coventry Subdivision wall. The wall needed to be replaced due to the SR 438 project. FDOT is replacing the wall, but the residents would like to upgrade to a brick face on the wall in order to help curb graffiti. He said originally the wall was to be built at the end of the road construction and that would have allowed time to raise the funds. Now, FDOT wants the wall completed before they move on to the next phase of the SR 438 project. Mr. Ferguson stated the homeowners also request assistance in acquiring a 90-day extension which is needed. City Attorney Rosenthal advised that, regarding a loan, he was uncertain as to the legality, but if the Commission so directed he would check into the statutes that pertain. He stated the City could issue the funds as a grant. City Attorney Rosenthal said another option would be for the homeowners to petition the City Commission to adopt a special assessment program for the construction of a wall. He explained that this process cannot be done in a couple of weeks and the administrative costs for such a program would be approximately one-third. After a brief discussion staff was directed to assist in obtaining a 90-day extension to delay the completion of the wall and to check with the City of Orlando regarding their loan program, as well as investigate the special assessment option. City Manager Gleason advised Mr. Ferguson that he would be contacted and kept informed as to what was being done. There was a brief discussion about the proposed reorganizational charts with City Manager Gleason responding to questions. Mayor Vandergrift expressed concern that the proposed reorganization was too hastily done. Mayor Vandergrift asked what the Commission proposed to do with the $66,000.00 savings the proposed reorganization would bring about and suggested it be considered for a millage roll back. Finance Director Horton advised the difference in the tentative millage rate approved at the July 16, 2002, Commission meeting and the rolled-back rate is $88,980.00. Commissioner Parker suggested that the additional 20,000.00 plus could be found by cutting in some areas. All the other Commissioners and Mayor agreed. City Attorney Rosenthal advised the Commission that if they wished to go to the rolled-back rate at that meeting, they would first need to amend the tentative budget and remove funds from somewhere to equal the $88,980.00. He reminded them that if they went to the rolled-back rate at that time they could not go back up at the final budget hearing. Commissioner Parker. seconded bv Commissioner Johnson. moved to amend the tentative bud2:et to reduce the contin2:encv fund bv $88.980.00. Motion carried 5-0. Commissioner Anderson. seconded bv Commissioner Parker. moved to amend the tentative bud2:et to remove the boxin2: Df02:ram. resultin2: in the transfer and the transfer of funds from the boxin2: DfOlITam to contin2:encv in the anDfoximate amount of $69.700.00. directin2: the Finance Denartment to incomorate into the final bud2:et the chan2:es necessarv to accomnlish the fore2:oin2: and to anDfonriate from contin2:encv $10.000.00 to fund the transition of the boxin2: Page 2 of 4 Ocoee City Commission Tentative Budget Special Session September 9, 2002 orol!fam from a oublic to a orivate orOl!ram. Motion carried 4-1. Commissioner Howell voted no. Recess 8:00 p.m. - 8:10 p.m. Finance Director Horton announced "The proposed final millage rate is 4.5789 mills which is the rolled-back rate and there is no proposed percentage increase in property taxes." City Manager Gleason asked for clarification on the amount in the Contingency Fund. Finance Director Horton advised with the adjustments there will be $336,200.00 in contingency. That includes the $10,000.00 for the boxing program, but does not include the monies that are set aside in contingency for the Seniors program. Ordinance No. 2002-22 regarding Millage Rate. City Attorney Rosenthal read the title only of Ordinance No. 2002-22. J. Lester Dabbs, 619 Caborca Ct., opposed adopting the rolled-back millage rate and stated he was concerned that the contingency fund is too small for a city the size of Ocoee and not prudent. He said the contingency should be at least 1-2% of the total budget. Mr. Dabbs stated when a city gets to the point of having a twenty-nine to thirty million dollar budget there should be some type of vision statement. He said he was in favor of the reorganization plan and the removal of the boxing program. City Manager Gleason responded briefly to Mr. Dabbs' comments. Commissioner Parker. seconded bv Commissioner Johnson. moved that the Citv Commission adoot a tentative millal!e rate of 4.5789 mills for the fiscal vear bel!inninl! October I. 2002. endinl! Seotember 30. 2003. Motion carried 5-0. Ordinance No. 2005-23 regarding Tentative Budget. City Attorney Rosenthal read the title only of Ordinance No. 2002-23. Commissioner Parker. seconded bv Commissioner Anderson. moved to amend the tentative budl!et to transfer $100.000.00 from the Continl!encv Fund into the Reserve Fund. Motion Carried 5-0. Commissioner Anderson. seconded bv Commissioner Parker. moved to adoot a tentative budl!et of the City ofOcoee as distributed alonl! with the budl!et messal!e of the City Manal!er dated Julv 22. 2002. alonl! with the chanl!es resultinl! from the budl!et workshoos. as such budl!et has been amended at this meetinl!. such tentative budl!et beinl! for the fiscal vear bel!inninl! October 1. 2002. and endinl! Seotember 30. 2003. Motion carried 5-0. Mavor Vander!!rift. seconded bv Commissioner Anderson moved that a oublic hearinl! to consider the final millal!e rate and final budl!et be scheduled for Seotember 23.2002. at 7:00 o.m. at a Soecial Meetinl! of the Citv of Ocoee Citv Commission to be held at the Ocoee City Hall Commission Chambers. that the hearinl! be advertised in accordance with orovisions of Section 200.065. Florida Statutes. and Section C-37 of Article VI of the Ocoee City Charter. that Page 3 of 4 Ocoee City Commission Tentative Budget Special Session September 9, 2002 the aoorooriate Ordinances necessarv to adoot the final mill aile rate and final budllet be oreoared bv the City staff. and that all other action necessarv to comolv with the reauirements of Section 200.065. Florida Statutes. be undertaken. Motion carried 5-0. Mayor Vandergrift announced the date for the final millage and final budget hearing: September 23, 2002, at 7:00 p.m. at Ocoee City Hall. COMMENTS City Manager Gleason thanked Finance, Human Resources, and the Department Directors for the hard work done in putting the budget together. He said it was the first time that he could remember that the vote regarding the tentative budget and millage rate was unanimous. Commissioner Anderson thanked Mr. Gleason for the budget presented to the Commission. He said it was very clear and he believed the citizens appreciate the way it was done. Mayor Vandergrift stated he voted reluctantly for the budget due to the fact that he felt the reorganization process was accelerated just before budget time, but that he did vote in favor of the budget. Commissioner Johnson stated that the City's organizational structure needed to be changed and he felt Mr. Gleason had done an excellent job. He said he didn't know of a better time for the reorganization. He stated many businesses are reorganizing and cutting down and the departments did a good job in cutting down their budgets. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m. Attest: APPROVED: CityofOco~ ..4 Lk c-5~U . s. Scott Vandergrift, Mayor Page 4 of 4