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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-07-00 Minutes SS - Budget MINUTES OF THE OCOEE CITY COMMISSION SPECIAL SESSION FOR TENTATIVE BUDGET HELD SEPTEMBER 7, 2000 Mayor Vandergrift called the Special Session to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Commission Chambers. The roll was called and a quorum declared present. 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 5.00 mills which represents a 30.04 % increase in millage over the rolled-back rate of 3.845 mills. PRESENT: Mayor Vandergrift, Commissioners Anderson, Howell, Johnson, Parker. Also present were City Manager Shapiro, City Attorney Rosenthal, Public Works Director Smith, Human Resources Director Psaledakis, Finance Director Horton, Fire Chief Strosnider, Police Chief Mark, Assistant Fire Chief Firstner, Information Systems Manager Ross, Recreation Director Nordquist, Planning Director Wagner, Capital Projects/ Transportation Planner Friel, Principal Planner Lewis, Assistant City Engineer Wheeler, Building & Zoning Official Velie, City Engineer/Utilities Director Shira, Director of Community Relations/Projects Shira, Finance Supervisor Carter, Budget Analyst Brosonski, Solid Waste Supervisor Dees and City Clerk Grafton. ABSENT: None Finance Director Horton announced the proposed millage rate of 5.00 mills for the Fiscal Year 2000-2001 proposed budget is 30.04 % increase of the rolled-back rate and will generate revenues to be used for: equipment, new city programs, additional personnel and salary adjustment city wide, leasing vehicles, department operations, and debt service. The public hearing was opened, and Mayor Vandergrift asked for comments from citizens. Mr. R. P. Mohnacky, 1820 Prairie Lake Blvd. inquired about new positions in the Police Department. Director of Community Relations/Projects Shira responded police officers are having to do all the work in generating their own data, crime statistics, setting meetings and typing their own reports. The administrative positions will relieve officers of those duties. Mr. Mohnacky asked for clarification of the communications position. City Manager Shapiro explained the communication administrative position. He stated they are in need of someone who will control the communications department, deal with Motorola, also the county's dispatch system, and hiring and firing. He put the communications administrative position under the City Manager's department to see how it will operate and eventually have a division of its own. COMMISSIONERS COMMENTS Ocoee City Commission Regular Meeting September 7, 2000 Commissioner Howell stated a lot of things still need to be discussed before final decisions are reached. Commissioner Anderson reviewed the figures presented for increasing the millage and talked about staying at 4 mills, saying he believed with the growth it would be possible to do what needs to be done for the citizens with 4 mills. Commissioner Johnson had no comment at this time. Commissioner Parker said she will stay at 5 mills. She stated during the past few years the City has added roads, sidewalks, etc., and to continue this level of services to the citizens, this is the year to take care of city employees. Mayor Vandergrift asked what is the nature of an enterprise fund and if water employees are paid from the enterprise funds. Finance Director Horton explained an enterprise fund is like a private industry and the goal is to make a profit in that fund. The increase to the enterprise funds is $90,000.00+ for 5% across the board. Mayor Vandergrift said he has not changed his position and said there are other avenues to go rather than to raise taxes. He said he does not think staff took necessary steps to find other sources of revenue. He added that he thinks higher paid employees should not get the same percent increase as lower paid employees. Commissioner Parker said she respects Mayor Vandergrift for taking his stand but still feels City employees should have more. Mayor Vandergrift asked Human Resources Director Psaledakis if employees automatically get a raise each year. Human Resources Director Psaledakis explained the 4 % increase employees get on their anniversary date if they are evaluated at above operational performance. Commissioner Anderson asked with 1 mill increase how much will go toward pay and how much will be for additional services. Finance Supervisor Carter pointed out the capitol outlay and explained historical increase. Commissioner Anderson discussed fixed cost. Commissioner Johnson said it has been a long time since the employees received an across the board raise to bring their salaries in line with industry. He said what the employees give is serVIce. City Manager Shapiro advised many capital improvements come from impact fees. Page 2 of 4 Ocoee City Commission Regular Meeting September 7, 2000 Commissioner Howell asked about rebudgeted items. Mr. Shapiro said he had provided a list totaling approximately $56,000 which included an irrigation system, a hoist, OPTICOMS, and sidewalks scheduled that citizens had requested not be put in. He said this amount would go toward beginning cash in the new budget and the millage rate could go back to 4.94 mills as a result. Commissioner Howell asked if all of South Park would be done in the next budget. Mr. Shapiro advised it will be bushhogged and grubbed, then with the FRDAP grant the grass and softball field and practice field can be put in. Commissioner Howell asked about hiring five police officers and purchasing 11 police cars. Mr. Shapiro responded he would try, and he explained the way the grant works. Commissioner Howell said he went to 5 mills in the work sessions so the budget could be finished, but he was not sure 5 mills would be necessary. Motions by Commissioners for amendments to the proposed tentative budget. Mayor Vandergrift asked if there were any amendments to the proposed tentative budget. Commissioner HowelL seconded bv Commissioner Johnson. moved to put the rebudgeted items in the amount of $54.320.00 back into the budget to increase the cash carried forward according to the memorandum from Citv Manager Shapiro dated September 6. 2000. Motion carried 3-2 with Mayor Vandergrift and Commissioner Anderson voting no. RECESS 8:07 - 8:15 p.m. to recompute the proposed millage rate and rolled-back percentage Increase. Finance Director Horton announced the recomputed proposed millage rate to be 4.94 mills and the percent by which the recomputed proposed millage rate exceeds the rolled-back rate is 28.47%. This percentage is the proposed tentative percentage increase in property taxes. Ordinance No. 2000-25 regarding millage rate. City Attorney Rosenthal read the title only of Ordinance No. 2000-25 regarding the millage rate. Motion to adopt the tentative millage rate. Commissioner Parker. seconded bv Commissioner Johnson. moved to set the tentative millage rate at 4.94 mills for the fiscal year 2000-2001. Mrs. Cathy Sills, S. Lakeshore Drive, spoke as a multiple property owner in favor of the 5 mills. Page 3 of 4 Ocoee City Commission Regular Meeting September 7, 2000 There was discussion regarding giving direction to staff to find a way to reduce the millage to 4.5, but no action was taken. Motion carried 3-2 with Mayor Vandergrift and Commissioner Anderson voting no. Ordinance No. 2000-26 regarding budget. City Attorney Rosenthal read the title only of Ordinance No. 2000-26. Commissioner Parker, seconded by Commissioner Johnson, moved to adopt the tentative budget of the City of Ocoee distributed along with the budget message of the City Manager dated July 31. 2000, along with the changes resulting from the Budget Workshops (as amended in this meeting), such tentative budget being for the fiscal year beginning October 1. 2000 and ending September 30, 2001. There were no comments by citizens or Commissioners. Motion carried 3-2 with Mayor Vandergrift and Commissioner Anderson voting no. FINAL PUBLIC HEARING Mavor Vandererift. seconded by Commissioner Anderson, moved to schedule the public hearing on September 20, 2000 at 7:00 p.m. at a Special Meeting of the City of Ocoee Commission in the Ocoee City Hall Commission Chambers to consider the final millage rate and final budget, that the hearing be advertised in accordance with the provisions of Section 200.065, Florida Statutes, and Section C- 3 7 of Article VI. of the Ocoee City 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 necessary to comply with the requirements of Section 200.065, Florida Statutes, be undertaken. Motion carried 5-0. Mayor Vandergrift announced the end of the hearing and date for final millage and final budget hearing: September 20, 2000 at 7:00 p.m. at Ocoee City Hall. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m. Attest: APPROVED: City of Ocoee :1 II f <= S. Scott Vandergrift, Mayor Page 4 of 4