Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutBudget Minutes 07-13-2010BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ST. LUCIE COUNTY, FLORIDA BUDGET WORKSESSION UNRESOLVED BUSINESS 2010 Date: July 13, 2010 Convened: 2:30 pm. Adjourned: 4:28 p.m. Commissioners Present: Chairman, Charles Grande, Doug Coward, Chris Craft, Paula A. Lewis, Chris Dzadovsky Others Present: Faye Outlaw, County Administrator, Lee Ann Lowery, Asst. County Administrator, Dan McIntyre, County Attorney, Marie Gouin, OMB Director, Joseph E. Smith, Clerk of the Circuit Court, Millie Delgado-Feliciano, Deputy Clerk Follow up items: Transit Mr. Drummond addressed the Board and stated he had been requested by the Board to look at providing a different proposal regarding the hours of operation for the county's transit system as well a figures regarding ridership during certain hours. He advised the Board during the hours of 7:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m. they had approximately 30,000 riders and; during the hours of 3:OOpm. -6:00 p.m. they have 24,000 these would be the riders lost. He stated during the hours of 7 am-8 am they had approximately 8,500 trips and the hours of 4pm-6pm there were approximately 13,500 trips. He indicated the best time to break the trips would be in the middle of the day. Mr. Drummond proposed starting the system from 8:00 a.m.-6 p.m. with one hour of at noon, and they would only lose the 8,500 trips and still pick up the 13, 500. There would be a reduced number of drivers. These hours would produce a $559,000 shortfall. The Community Services Director advised the Board the current millage on this MSTU is .0833 and they would need to increase it by .0388 bringing it to .1221 or $3.99 per household for a $150,000 assessed value, with a homestead exemption. She advised the Board there would also be an increase in the fare and this will be brought to the Board for approval. This proposal continues service to the Treasure Coast Mall and then they would need to transfer to the Martin County system. Martin County will honor the transfer to their system and we would honor their transfer to ours. Com. Coward expressed his concerns with those residents utilizing the system to go to work and the increase of the millage. He believes the millage rate should provide that one hour of service. Com. Dzadovsky stated he supports a small increase in the millage and the increase in user fees To meet the shortfall. Com. Craft stated he felt this was a good compromise. Com. Lewis stated she was not so worried about the fee increases but was concerned about those who utilize the system to get to work between the hours of 7 am and 8 am. 1 Com. Coward requested having the figures reviewed one last time to address the additional hour and the concern with the costs. He asked them to modify it any way they wished, but to have it cover the employment trips between lam -8am. He would like to see what the additional cost would be for that hour. Mr. Drummond stated they would look for the figures in terms of the early hour and the one hour lunch and return to the Board. Com. Coward asked if these figures could be presented by 5:00 p.m. today. Mr. Drummond stated they would attempt to have them by then. The County Administrator advised the Board she had provided 4 dates for the Sheriff to review pertaining to the discussion of the jail. Those dates were 8/25 or 8/26; or 9/1 or 9/2. She will advise the Board as soon as she hears from the Sheriff. Street lighting Districts The County Administrator addressed this item and stated they were converting from ad- valorem tax assessment to a special assessment method of collection. The Management and Budget staff advised the Board how this would be presented on the trim notices. Sea Turtle Monitoring Staff revised the proposal to have this done in house with the exception of the survey. It was the consensus of the Board to have this function and all associated tasks performed by an in house employee with the exception of the survey which they can contract out for $5,000. Fenn Center The Parks and Recreation Director advised the Board that staff had re-evaluated and projected that the expenditures will be $500,000 this year and this amount can also be budgeted for next year. The original projected amount was $639,000. The $500,000 is being used to support the existing budget. Law Enforcement MSTU The Board was advised the road patrol deficit for FY 11 will be $824,785. The current millage rate is 0.3736 and it would need to be increased by 0.1367 (or $13.67 per household for a house $100,000 in value for unincorporated residents). This would increase the millage to 0.5103. On the fine and forfeiture side you would increase the millage by 0.3736. For the city residents it would be an increase of $37.36 fora $100,000 of property value. Increasing the millage would provide for the deficit and also it would provide $2,311,449 for the School Resource Office program. Com. Craft stated he was concerned with the possibility that the other two cities would not agree to a countywide MSTU for the road patrol. The other options are: a) take from other MSTU's however this will create more layoffs b) increase the Law Enforcement MSTU c) or do a county wide millage adjustment on the Fine & Forfeiture Fund d) or fund with one time money 2 The County Administrator stated she requested a reduction in the Sheriff's budget, but factored in the millage increase. The cities will need to agree to this voluntarily and they would need to have a public meeting and adopt it by ordinance. Staff does not believe this would be achievable this year due to the time constraint. They need to have discussion with the new city manager and this may take some time. Com. Craft stated he would like to have a letter from the cities and use the one time money to fill in the $824,785 and negotiate with the cities to share the burden. The County Administrator recommended leaving in the millage increase based on the 27% and then move the money from Fine and Forfeiture fund due to the fact they cannot change the millage later. Com. Coward stated he was not prepared to change the millage and asked staff to bring back the issue; he would like to look at other options. He is not comfortable at this point and would not be in favor of voting for it. Environmental lands There is a need to have a millage increase for one year by .0124 bringing it to .0583 this would pay off the debt service. They do have funds left in the project fund. They have bonded out $15.3 million and have not gone out to borrow the balance of $4.7 million. The general public authorized bonding up to $20 million. Com. Craft recommended utilizing the unspent dollars they are having a problem keeping up with what they have at this point. The ERD Director stated they have 4.5 million left in the fund and the reason they have not expended them is because they do not have the FCT match and also because of the lack of willing seller of the parcels they have identified. They have plans to purchase some parcels. Com. Grande asked what the amount the increase would raise was. Staff advised him $173,000 would be raised. The total principal and interest payment outstanding would be $1,516,838. Com. Grande stated at the very least we could expend $173,000 to avoid a millage increase. Com. Coward stated he does not wish to mix voter approval and non-voter approval. Staff requested the Board give her the opportunity to go back and obtain the accurate figures, at this time they are not sure what Bond Counsel will recommend. Law Enforcement MSTU The Assistant County Attorney provided information and stated ideally they would want the cities to have their public hearings to adopt the ordinance prior and she does not believe they have enough time. Com. Dzadovsky asked if they could put in the millage increase and if the cities did not approve they could then pull it out. The Assistant County Attorney stated this is a question the Property Appraiser would need to answer and addressed what this may be telling the taxpayer. 3 I~~r .~... ~r It was the consensus of the Board to continue this session tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. Com. Coward addressed the SRO program and stated he would like to continue to provide the base funding of 1.2 million and would like feedback from the balance of the Board regarding the 1.6 million supplemental dollars they funded last year but is not in the budget this year. The 1.2 plus the Sheriff's amount will cover 2 deputies at the high school and rotation at the elementary. Com. Craft stated they must keep in mind there is road patrol in the area of those School zone and they can be called and they can respond. Com. Dzadovsky stated those deputies could also stop by the schools while they are patrolling their zones. Com. Craft stated this is something that can be continued tomorrow if the Board has concerns. Com. Dzadovsky addressed the .25 increase the School Board is requesting and questioned where they would be using those monies collected. Com. Coward recommended funding the program at their base amount of 1.2 million. The transit representative advised the Board with regard to the transit system, it would cost an additional $70,000 to cover the hour and this would make the deficit $629,000. The County Administrator advised the Board the new millage rate would be .1269 for the transit system based on the $70,000 increase. There being no further discussion, the meeting was adjourned. 4