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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-13-93 SS MINUTES OF THE CITY OF OCOEE BOARD OF CITY COMMISSIONERS SPECIAL ~ SESSION FOR BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING HELD September 13, 1993 CALL TO ORDER Mayor Vandergrift called the special session to order at 7:00 p.m. in the commission chambers and upon calling the roll declared a quorum present. PRESENT: Mayor Vandergrift, Commissioners Combs, Foster, Johnson and Woodson. Also present were City Manager Shapiro, Assistant City Attorney Duke Woodson, Administrative Services Director Beamer, Finance Manager Poston, Personnel Director Psaledakis and City Clerk Grafton. ABSENT: None PUBLIC HEARING. Mayor Vandergrift announced that this was a public hearing on the tentative budget and proposed millage rate for the City of Ocoee, and that notice of this hearing was contained in the Notice of Proposed Property Taxes mailed by the Property Appraiser. Mayor Vandergrift also stated that the City Commission has previously set a proposed millage rate of 4.00 mills which represents a 3.571 % increase in millage over the rolled-back rate of 3.8621 mills, and he called on the City Manager to briefly discuss the percentage rate increase in millage over the rolled- back rate necessary to fund the budget and the specific purpose for which ad valorem tax '-' revenues are being increased. City Manager Shapiro advised that the millage rate of 4.00 will cover the balanced budget and includes a 3 % cost of living increase, a return to the merit system, 3 firefighters on October 1, 3 additional firefighters April 1, 3 police officers, 1 detective, a clerk for City Clerk department, Economic Development Coordinator, 3 people in P. P. T. D., several trucks, some park projects and general work in the streets/sidewalks. Administrative Services Director Beamer added that included also are the awards of $500 to each employee who worked for the City prior to the budget reduction of February 1992 who will have continued to work with the City until October 1, 1993, the $5,000 for park benches, $5,000 for creating/publishing/distributing the city newsletter, and reclassification of the City Clerk from Grade 16 to Grade 17 with a 5 % pay increase. COMMENTS BY CITIZENS. Mr. R.P.Mohnacky, 1820 Prairie Lake Boulevard, made the observation that the cost of living increase should not be a percentage of a person's salary, but rather a lump sum distribution with an equal amount going to each employee. Mr. Mohnacky then raised the following questions. (City Manager Shapiro's responses are underscored). 1) Are the added personnel actually needed or just going by some other city's average? Several departments have been understaffed for some time and these employees are going where they are needed to do the iob. ~ Ocoee City Commission Budget Public Hearing \...- September 13, 1993 2) What is a liaison police officer? An officer who works closely with the schools in order to provide direct contact with the students. 3) What is the prime purpose of the Economic Development Coordinator? This person will bring an opportunity for a better grade of employment for citizens. 4) Are you sure the computers listed are needed and are you training people to use them? The only computers listed are those for actual present need to keep up with growth. The plan is to compile a full computer program for use in the new building but that is not in this budget. 5) What is a Concurrency Analyst? This person is the policeman for the system development in growth management. 6) Re: the cost of asphalt...Is there a better grade of asphalt you could use so the potholes will not have to be repaired so often? Maybe for paving but not for resurfacing. Comments by Commissioners. There were no comments made by the Commissioners at this time. Motions by Commissioners for amendments to the proposed tentative budget. There were no amendments made to the proposed tentative budget. Therefore there was no need to recess to recompute the proposed millage rate. ~ Motion to adopt the tentative millage rate. Commissioner Johnson. seconded bv Commissioner Combs. moved to adopt a tentative millage rate of 4.0 mills for the fiscal year beginning October 1. 1993 and ending September 30. 1994. There were no comments from the citizens. However, a discussion ensued at the table regarding whether retaining 4 mills constitutes an increase in taxes. On roll call Commissioner Combs voted "ave." Commissioner Foster "ave." Commissioner Johnson "ave. " Commissioner Woodson "ave." and Mavor Vandergrift "no." Motion carried 4-1. Motion to adopt the tentative budget. Commissioner Foster. seconded bv Commissioner Johnson. moved to adopt the tentative budget. There were no comments from citizens or Commissioners. On roll call Commissioner Combs voted "ave." Commissioner Foster "ave." Commissioner Johnson "ave." Commissioner Woodson "ave." and Mavor Vandergrift "ave" Motion carried 5-0. Motion to schedule the public hearing on September 27, 1993 at 7:00 p.m. in the community center to adopt the final millage rate and budget. Commissioner Woodson. seconded bv Commissioner Combs. moved to schedule the public hearing on September 27. 1993 at 7:00 p.m. in the community center to adopt the final millage rate and final budget. Motion carried 5-0. Mayor Vandergrift closed the public hearing and announced the time and date of the public hearing to adopt the final millage and the final budget. ~ Ocoee City Commission Budget Public Hearing ~ September 13, 1993 '-' ~ ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 7:25 p.m. APPROVED: Cit~Oc ..,::) " S. Scott Vandergrift, Mayor