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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-29-05 Minutes SS MINUTES OCOEE CITY COMMISSION - SPECIAL SESSION September 29, 2005 at 7:00 P.M. SPECIAL SESSION - FINAL BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING I CALL TO ORDER Mayor Vandergrift called the special session to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Commission Chambers of City Hall. City Clerk Eikenberry called roll and determined a quorum was present. Roll Call: Mayor Vandergrift, Commissioner Anderson, Commissioner Howell, Commissioner Johnson, and Commissioner Parker. Also Present: City Manager Frank, City Attorney Rosenthal, and City Clerk Eikenberry. I PUBLIC HEARING Mayor Vandergrift announced that this was an advertised Public Hearing to finalize the budget and adopt a final millage rate for the City Of Ocoee. The City Commission has previously approved a tentative millage rate of 4.95 mills, which represents a 20.27% increase in millage over the rolled-back rate of 4.1158 mills. A. rector of Finance on the pe o fund the budget and the specl 1 reased. in millage under the roll-backed hich ad valorem tax revenues Finance Director Horton said the budget is balanced on a 4.95 millage rate, which represents a 20.27 % increase in millage over the rolled-back rate of 4.1158. Ad valorem tax revenues are being increased to provide funding for operating expenses, personnel, capital improvement projects, and the purchase of equipment and vehicles. 1. Comments by Citizens. Max Jacobs, 2247 Mountain Spruce Street, says he is concerned that the City is not bringing accountability and tax relief to the residents of Ocoee through the budget process. He said that the residents should have justification for the new budgeted positions, telling them how it is going to improve their services. Commissioner Johnson raised a question as to whether or not Mr. Jacobs should be allowed to continue, since he had gone over the allotted time. Commissioner Anderson, seconded bv Mavor Vanderarift, moved to allow Mr. Jacobs to continue speakina. Motion carried 3-2. with Commissioner Johnson and Commissioner Parker opposed. Mr. Jacobs said he felt the Commission should vote on the rolled-back millage rate. Ocoee City Commission Special Session - Final Budget Hearing September 29, 2005 2. Comments by Commissioners. Commissioner Parker said that growth is a big factor in this City, you cannot keep delivering the same serviced to a larger number of people without expanding the employee structure. The Assistant to the City Manager has been discussed since Ellis Shapiro was City Manager. She said our Community Relations Department has done everything they have been asked to do, and she is certain they will continue to do so. Our budget process has gone the way that every budget process in every community has gone, and the public and the Commission have had access to the budget for a few months and have had ample time to meet with staff and ask questions. Commissioner Anderson said he does not feel we are addressing the police and fire issues in a pro-active manner, he is not in favor of some the new budgeted positions, he is not happy with the methodology of the salary survey, and he would like to see the money from some of the new positions placed into contingency and use them for projects or an increase in the COLA. Commissioner Howell said he is not in full agreement with the salary survey, and there are new positions that may not be needed. He said he agrees with 80% of the budget, but disagrees with some areas. Commissioner Johnson said he doesn't like being told he doesn't have accountability, when he works hard to understand all that is going on. He trusts the City Manager to do his job. All Commissioners have to make difficult decisions according to what they feel is right, and residents should not accuse them of not being accountable, just because they have a different OpInIOn. City Attorney Rosenthal explained the order in which the budget process must follow, in that the first thing addressed would be to any and all amendments to the proposed tentative budget, by changing or deleting specific items that were previously adopted in the tentative budget. He also advised that this budget does not obligate or require the Commission to adopt the salary survey, the funds will be placed in contingency, and the salary survey will come back to the Commission as a separate action. 3. Motions by Commissioners for amendments to the proposed tentative budget. Commissioner Anderson. seconded by Commissioner Howell. moved to amend the adopted tentative budQet to eliminate the followinQ positions and all eQuipment related to such positions. and to remove fundinQ associated therewith from the budaet: Assistant City Manaaer. Code Enforcement Supervisor. Parks and Recreation Operations Manaaer. Park Ranaer. Community Relations Administrative Aide. and addina back the Assistant to the City ManaQer position. No vote was taken at this time due to further discussion. Commissioner Howell asked for a RECESS to recalculate the effect of this motion on the tentative budget and proposed millage rate. Page 2 of 7 Ocoee City Commission Special Session - Final Budget Hearing September 29,2005 After the recess, Finance Director Horton advised the effect of eliminating five positions and adding back one position, as stated in Commissioner Anderson's motion, results in a $190,580 difference, dropping the millage rate to 4.83 from the current 4.95. Commissioner Howell said he agrees with the previous motion, except the Assistant City Manager. If we do pass a motion to delete positions, he would like to see the money go into the contingency fund. Commissioner Anderson said he was trying to come up with something that would reduce the millage rate back to last years rate, and placing money in contingency would not do that. Discussion occurred between Finance Director Horton, City Attorney Rosenthal, and the Commission regarding what steps would be necessary to bring the millage rate back to last year's rate of 4.5789 with regard to projects and additional contingency that were added to the budget and adopted at the tentative budget hearing, which brought the millage rate up from 4.5789 to 4.95. Vote was taken on previous motion. Motion failed 1-4. with Commissioner Howell. Mayor Vanderarift. Commissioner Johnson. and Commissioner Parker opposed. Commissioner Johnson. seconded by Commissioner Parker. moved to amend the adopted tentative budaet. to remove all of the capital proarams added at the tentative budaet hearina and remove the additional $159.000 placed in continaency at the tentative budaet hearina. leavina the budaet as oriainally presented by staff. Motion failed 2-3. with Commissioner Howell. Commissioner Anderson. and Commissioner Parker opposed. Commissioner Parker said she thinks those additional projects added were things that really needed to be done, and things we have been promising the residents. Rosemary Wilsen, 2019 Shady Maple Circle, said she did not previously understand that the City Manager's proposal to bring in an Assistant City Manager and eliminate two other positions is actually creating a cost savings to the City of $7,000.00. She said she is in favor of making those changes, now that she understands that. She said she still has doubts about the Assistant Parks and Recreation Director (Operations Manager). She thinks we should not eliminate the capital projects to reduce the budget, because they are items that are really needed. Mayor Vandergrift said those additional capital projects would be done eventually, eliminating them from the budget this year does not mean they will never happen. They should go through the CIP process. Commissioner Parker said the items on the capital projects list, such as traffic calming and street lighting, are things that the residents asking for right now. They do not want to wait 3 years for them. Page 3 of 7 Ocoee City Commission Special Session - Final Budget Hearing September 29,2005 Commissioner Howell. seconded by Commissioner Anderson. moved to amend the adopted tentative budaet. to delete the Code Enforcement Supervisor. Parks and Recreation Operations Manaaer. Park Ranaer. and the associated eQuipment. and place the money into continaency for salaries or other proiects. Motion failed 2-3 with Mayor Vanderarift. Commissioner Johnson. and Commissioner Parker opposed. Jim Sills, 205 South Lakeshore Drive, said a lot of time has been spent putting this budget together, including the additional projects, why don't we just pass the budget at 4.95 mills and move on. The funds are in contingency for the wage and class study and that can be decided later. The budget comes annually, if the positions don't pan out, they can be eliminated while they are still on probation. We are not a small town anymore and we can't think like a small town. He is a taxpayer, but he feels the budget should be adopted at 4.95 mills with all projects included. Rosemary Wilsen, said the Commission shouldn't "nickel and dime" everything; something has to be approved because it is the final budget hearing. She believes the Park Ranger position is needed to keep our Parks safe and secure. Commissioner Parker. seconded by Commissioner Johnson. moved to make no amendments to the adopted tentative budaet. and to adopt Ordinance No. 2005- 012. settina the millaae rate at 4.95 mills for the FY 2005-2006. Vote was taken after discussion. City Attorney Rosenthal advised that motion would be considered on the basis that there had been no amendments to the adopted tentative budget. Therefore, the proposed millage rate is 4.95 mills, which represents a 20.27% increase in the millage rate over the rolled-back rate of 4.1158 mills. City Attorney Rosenthal read the title of the ordinance. Mayor Vandergrift said he felt the salary survey has errors, and he thinks we should do an inside survey. He would like to take the $247,000 and roll back the budget and millage rate, and do a new survey and go from there. He said that as long as there are 12 police officer positions vacant, it does not make sense to place six more positions. He would like to pursue Robocops and other technological means for law and traffic enforcement. Police Chief Goclon said he could hire 12 officers tomorrow, but it would not be the type of officers you would want in the City. We need to make tough decisions now, about how to entice better quality officers, or we will pay the price in the long run. Weare in the process of hiring people with the new qualification requirements that eliminate college requirements and eliminate two years prior military or law enforcement experience. Mayor Vandergrift said he would like to give the money for the positions in the budget and look into alternatives if the positions are not filled. Mayor Vandergrift also stated he does not have a problem eliminating the $490,000 worth of CIP projects because they have not gone through the due process of the Capital Improvements Page 4 of 7 Ocoee City Commission Special Session - Final Budget Hearing September 29,2005 procedure. He is not sure about some of the assistant director positions, and he does not agree with the purchase of the stump grinder. After the discussion. a vote was taken on the previous motion. Motion failed 1-4. with Commissioner Howell. Commission Anderson. Mayor Vanderarift. and Commissioner Johnson opposed. Commissioner Johnson. seconded by Commissioner Parker. moved to amend the adopted tentative budaet. by deletina two items from the list of four proiects that were previously adopted: Street Liahtina at $175.000 and Downtown Parkina at $98.000 for a total of $273.000. Director of Finance Horton advised of the recomputed proposed millage rate if this motion passed, which would be a 4.7788 proposed millage rate, which represents a 16.1086 % increase over the rolled-back of 4.1158 mills. Vote was taken after the recalculation. Motion failed 2-3. with Commissioner Howell. Commissioner Anderson. and Mayor Vanderarift opposed. Commissioner Parker. seconded by Commissioner Johnson. moved to amend the adopted tentative budaet by removina $159.000 from continaency. Motion carried 4-1. with Commissioner Anderson opposed. Commissioner Anderson. seconded by Commissioner Howell. moved to amend the adopted tentative budaet by deletina Parks and Recreation Operations Manaaer. Code Enforcement Supervisor. and the Park Ranaer positions. and reclassifyina a Code Enforcement Officer to Code Enforcement Supervisor at mid-year. No vote was taken at this time due to subseQuent amendment. Commissioner Parker said she can live with the change in the Code Enforcement, but feels the two additional positions in the Parks and Recreations are necessary because that department is the most directly impacted by the growth of the City. Commissioner Anderson. seconded by Commissioner Parker. amended the motion to amend the adopted tentative budaet. to leave the Park Ranaer position in the budaet and to add the Parks and Recreation Operations Manaaer in at mid- year. Motion carried 5-0. Director of Finance Horton advised of the recomputed proposed millage rate if this motion passed, would decrease the budget by $236,285.00, changing the proposed millage to 4.8018 mills, which represents a 16.6674 % increase over the rolled-back of 4.1158 mills. Vote was taken on the oriainal motion. as amended. Motion carried 5-0. Mayor Vandergrift clarified that the intent of this motion and amendment was to hire a Parks and Recreation Operations Manager in at mid-year, leave the Park Ranger position in the budget, Page 5 of 7 Ocoee City Commission Special Session - Final Budget Hearing September 29, 2005 eliminate the Code Enforcement Supervisor position, and reclassify a Code Enforcement Officer to Code Enforcement Su ervisor at mid- ear. B. Announcement by Director of Finance of the recomputed pro lage rate and the percent by . ch the recomputed proposed millage rate exc the rol -back rate. This percentage e proposed final percentage increase in property taxes. City Attorney Rosenthal announced that the recomputed proposed final millage rate is 4.8018 mills, which represents a 16.6674 % increase in millage over the rolled-back of 4.1158 mills. 1. Motion to adopt Ordinance No. 2005-012, setting final millage rate. Commissioner Howell. seconded by Commissioner Parker. moved to adopt Ordinance 2005-012. establishina the millaae rate for ad valorem taxes of 4.8018 for the Fiscal Year 2005-2006. City Attorney Rosenthal read the title of the ordinance. ORDINANCE NO. 2005-012 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF OCOEE, FLORIDA, ESTABLISmNG A MILLAGE RATE FOR AD VALOREM TAXES FOR THE CITY OF OCOEE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2005, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2006, STATING THE PERCENTAGE, BY wmCH THE MILLAGE RATE EXCEEDS THE ROLLED-BACK RATE COMPUTED PURSUANT TO SECTION 200.065, FLORIDA STATUTES; PROVIDING FOR MILLAGE ADJUSTMENT; PROVIDING FOR COLLECTION OF TAXES; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. a. Comments by Citizens - none b. Comments by Commissioners Commissioner Parker - said she felt that they were presented with an excellent budget. This was a long process, but they have come to compromises that address the resident's needs, and took care of some of the concerns. Commissioner Johnson - agrees with Commissioner Parker Commissioner Anderson - said he would like to see the salary survey money that is put into contingency, apply public safety money (police, fire, communications) to their departments, and take all the remaining money in contingency and put in toward increasing the COLA to 3%. Commissioner Howell - said he would rather discuss the salary survey at the next workshop; we need to look at items such as pay for higher-ranking people in the fire department. Mayor Vandergrift- said we have watched democracy in action, heard from the public and the Commission, and came to a compromise with dialogue and debate and a lot of patience. He thanked the Commission and staff for their patience. c. Vote on motion to adopt Ordinance No. 2005-012, setting the final millage rate. After discussion. a vote was taken on the previous motion. Motion carried 5-0. City Attorney Rosenthal announced that the name of the taxing authority is the City of Ocoee. The rolled-back millage rate is 4.1158 mills. The percentage by which the proposed millage rate Page 6 of 7 Ocoee City Commission Special Session - Final Budget Hearing September 29,2005 exceeds the rolled-back rate is 16.6674 %. The millage rate adopted by ordinance 2005-012 is 4.8018 mills. 2. Motion to adOpt Ordinance No. 2005..013, adopting finalblldget. a. Comments by Citizens - none b. Comments by Commissioners Commissioner Johnson said this is one of the most interesting budget processes he has ever participated in, but it was good that everyone could compromise and come together to accomplish this. He apologized to Mr. Jacobs for trying to keep him from speaking beyond his allotted time earlier this evening, and said everyone is entitled to speak their opinion. c. Vote on motion to adopt Ordinance No. 2005-013, adopting the final budget. Commissioner Parker. seconded by Commissioner Johnson. moved to adopt Ordinance 2005-013. adoptina a final budaet for the Fiscal Year beainnina October 1. 2005. and endina September 30. 2006; the final budaet, as amended. will be attached to this ordinance as Exhibit "A". Motion carried 5-0. City Attorney Rosenthal read the title of the ordinance. ORDINANCE NO. 2005-013 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF OCOEE, ORANGE COUNTY, FLORIDA, ADOPTING A FINAL BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2005, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30,2006; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. I C. Announcement by Mayor Vandergrift of end of budget public hearing. The meeting adjourned at 9:55 p.m. Attest: APPROVED: City of Ocoee 5)~"/ //t)! Page 7 of 7