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09-24-2007 Final Budget Public Hearing CITY OF OCOEE FINAL BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING Ocoee Commission Chambers September 24, 2007 AGENDA 7:00 P.M. I. CALL TO ORDER - Mayor Vandergrift Mayor Vandergrift called the Final Budget Public Hearing to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Commission Chambers of City Hall. City Clerk Eikenberry called roll and declared a quorum present. Mayor Vandergrift announced that this is 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 4.6251 mills which represents a 7.7546% increase in millage over the rolled-back rate of 4.2923 mills. Roll Call: Commissioner Hood, Commissioner Anderson, Mayor Vandergrift, Commissioner Keller, and Commissioner Johnson. Also Present: City Attorney Rosenthal, City Manager Frank, City Clerk Eikenberry II. PUBLIC HEARING Summary of Legislative Action. City Attorney Rosenthal said the maximum millage rate which may be levied by the City by regular majority vote for the 2007-2008 fiscal year is 4.077 mills, such maximum millage rate having been determined pursuant to Section 200.185(3)(a), Florida Statutes. This is part of the amendment package adopted by the 2007 Florida Legislature. This maximum millage rate may be increased to the rolled-back rate of 4.2923 mills by a two-thirds vote of the City Commission. The establishment of a millage rate between 4.0778 mills and 4.2923 mills requires a two-thirds vote of the City Commission. This maximum millage rate may be increased to the non-voted millage rate that was levied in the 2006-2007 fiscal year by a unanimous vote of the city commission, such rate being 4.6251 mills, as reduced at the Tentative Budget and Millage Hearing. The establishment of a millage rate between 4.2924 mills and 4.6251 mills requires a unanimous vote of the City Commission. A. Briefing by Director of Finance on the percentage increase in millage under the roll-backed rate necessary to fund the budget and the specific purpose for which ad valorem tax revenues are being increased. Finance Director Horton advised that the percentage increase in millage over the roll-backed rate that is necessary to fund the proposed budget is 7.7546; ad valorem tax revenues are being increased by $770,573.00 to provide funding for operating expenses and programs, capital improvements, and the purchase of equipment and vehicles. 1. Comments by Citizens. Mayor Vandergrift opened the Public Hearing. There were no comments at this time. Ocoee City Commission Regular Meeting September 24, 2007 2. Comments by Commissioners. The Mayor’s proposed reductions. Mayor Vandergrift said the Commission has before them a proposal that he made that only requires a super majority vote, not a unanimous vote. He said in his model, no personnel positions are deleted; some positions are being held until mid year; new programs were cut and capital programs were cut. He said the Governor, who put us in this position, is having a shortfall in the state budget but they are not cutting programs, they want the cities to make all of the sacrifices. City Manager Frank clarified that there two handouts before them, the one in the portrait mode is the new one that is being suggested by the Mayor. The handout in the landscape mode is the one showing where they left off after the last tentative budget session. Commissioner Hood asked for clarification on the spreadsheet as far as items that were zeroed out. City Manager Frank said that the “0”s on the spreadsheet meant there was no reduction recommended with what has been presented at the previous meetings. City Manager Frank also corrected two errors on the spread sheet: The item for Central Park should show a reduction of $200,000, not $100,000 as shown (taking it from the proposal of $300,000 to $100,000). The item for the road paving program should show a reduction to $100,000 (not $200,000 as shown) Commissioner Hood clarified that the Christmas Light Decorations have no reduction and remain at the $40,000 that was proposed. Commissioner Anderson said if we are looking at wants vs. needs, we should compare the money for Holiday Lights vs. paving jobs and Central Park repairs that we are cutting. City Manager Frank clarified that the $40,000 is the pay for rental of the holiday decorations. Mayor Vandergrift stated that some of the paving can be moved to next year. Commission Hood asked why the soccer field money is cut. City Manager Frank said we had a $75,000 matching field of Dreams grand, but the County is not doing the grant program this year, so that can be removed from the budget. Commissioner Hood asked questioned the proposal to have OGTV only have live coverage for the Commission Meetings. Commissioner Keller said the list includes many items that the Commission should consider cutting, they are not suggesting the Commission cuts everything on the list. We need to look at the items and decide where to make the cuts. He said he is concerned about putting off infrastructure issues such as the road paving because we may have less money next year to work with. He asked if we really need to spend $240,000 for the clinic this year when we have pressing infrastructure issues. Discussion pursued regarding the savings in the cost of health care that could be realized from the clinic. Commissioner Anderson asked about the formula 7:16 pm City Attorney Rosenthal said that there is already a new formula for next year so we know what that will be, assuming that the legislature makes no more changes. In the statute, they enacted special procedures for 2008-2009, which you calculate the maximum millage rate, which is the roll back rate Page 2 of 3 Ocoee City Commission Regular Meeting September 24, 2007 3. Motions by Commissioners for amendments to the proposed tentative budget. NOTE: RECESS to recompute the proposed millage rate and rolled-back percentage increase, if required. B. Announcement by Director of Finance of the recomputed proposed final millage rate and the percent by which the recomputed proposed millage rate exceeds the rolled- back rate. This percentage is the proposed final percentage increase in property taxes. 1. Motion to adopt Ordinance setting final millage rate. a. Comments by Citizens b. Comments by Commissioners c. Vote on motion to adopt Ordinance setting the final millage rate. 2. Motion to adopt Ordinance adopting final budget. a. Comments by Citizens. b. Comments by Commissioners. c. Vote on motion to adopt Ordinance adopting the final budget. C. Announcement by Mayor Vandergrift of end of budget public hearing. III. ADJOURNMENT Page 3 of 3