[00:00:07]
>> PLEASE BE SEATED. CALL TO ORDER THE FEBRUARY 15 2022 CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
>> MAYOR LEDNOVICH, VICE MAYOR KREGER, COMMISSIONER ROSS, COMMISSIONER STURGES, COMMISSIONER BEAN.
>> HERE. >> ALL RIGHT, HOUSEKEEPING PERSONAL DEVICES. IF YOU CAN PUT THOSE ON SILENT. AIRPLANE MODE OR COMPLETELY TURN THEM OFF, THAT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. ACCORDING TO MY NOTES, WE ARE STILL UNDER CDC GUIDELINES, SO PLEASE TAKE ANY MEASURES YOU DEEM NECESSARY TO PROTECT YOUR HEALTH. AND THE HEALTH OF OTHERS. AND OUR
[3.1 MOBILITY AND ACCESS]
DECORUM, UM, WE SHALL STILL NO BLOOD. [LAUGHING] ALL RIGHT, ITEM 3 DISCUSSION. I HAD MOBILITY AND ACCESS ON THIS AGENDA, AND THE REASON I HAD IT IS BECAUSE THE COUNTY HAS FUNDED A PROJECT ON 14TH STREET, AND ALL OF US KNOW 14TH STREET, THAT SOME OF IT IS COUNTY, SOME OF IT IS CITY.AND I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE WERE GOING TO HANDLE THE GAPS. BECAUSE THEY ARE GOING TO ADD MOBILITY AND WE WON'T HAVE MOBILITY, SO, THE DISCUSSION WAS, WHAT WAS OUR PLAN TO FILL IN THE GAPS. I DO NOT HAVE THE MAP OF THE IMPROVEMENTS THE COUNTY WAS GOING TO DO, SO I'M GOING TO
[3.2 FISCAL YEAR 2022/2023 INITIAL BUDGET PRESENTATION PROCESS]
SKIP THIS DISCUSSION. ALL RIGHT? AND WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM 3.2, THE INITIAL BUDGET PRESENTATION PROCESS, AND THIS IS PLACED ON THE AGENDA AT THE REQUEST OF COMMISSIONER BEAN, SOB& COMMISSIONER BEAN, YOU HAV THE FLOOR.>> COMMISSIONER BEAN: I DO APPRECIATE THAT AND I'M GLAD WE GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THIS VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE TONIGHT OF THE PROCESS OF HOW WE LOOK AT THE BUDGET. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WEIGHS ON MY MIND AND SOMETHING THAT WEIGHS ON THE PEOPLE'S MIND. FROM THE PEOPLE OFFERNANDINA BEACH, THEY PRESENTED TO ME AN IDEA THAT I BELIEVE IS ONE THAT WE CERTAINLY SHOULD CONSIDER , AND SOMETHING WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT AND JUST TALK ABOUT, BECAUSE IN CASE THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME ABOUT HEARING HOW WE DO THE BUDGET IN FERNANDINA BEACH AND YOU AREWATCHING ALONG AT HOME, THE BABY DO THE BUDGET HERE IS THAT THE CITY MANAGER EVERY BUDGET CYCLE , WE WILL START TALKING ABOUT IT, AND AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER, WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO APPROVE IT THEN. A FIRST PASS OF THE BUDGET, THEY WILL BRING A BUDGET TO US, THEN AFTER WE DISCUSSED, WE DECIDE WHAT WE LIKE, WHAT WE DON'T LIKE ABOUT THAT BUDGET, WE MAKE SOME CHANGES, AND THEN WE VOTE IT UP OR DOWN, SO THAT'S THE WAY IT WORKS. THE CITY MANAGER BRINGS A BUDGET FORWARD AND BE VOTE ON IT. NOW, WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW IS THE PROBLEM. WHEN THE CITY MANAGER PRESENTS THIS BUDGET, EVERY YEAR, THE BUDGET LEADS FROM THE POINT OF A TAX INCREASE. THE BUDGET STARTS WITH THE FULL TAX INCREASE THAT WE CAN DO. IT PSTARTS WITH THE FULL TAX INCREASE. AND THAT'S SOMETHING I THINK SHOULD BE BACKWARDS.
IT SHOULD START FROM A PLACE OF NO TAX INCREASE, AND THEN WE CAN DISCUSS WHAT WE ARE GOING TO ADD TO THE BUDGET OR DON'T.
BUT THAT'S A CONVERSATION THAT I THINK WE SHOULD BE HAVING.
INSTEAD OF TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE ARE GOING TO CUT, LET'S BE IN A POSITION WHERE WE CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT WE ARE GOING TO FUND, AND THAT'S WHERE I WANT TO DO IT. LET'S START FROM A BUDGET B THEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT FROM THERE.
>> SO, I HAVE A FEW THOUGHTS. CAN YOU PUT THAT AT THE TOP? SO, TO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROCESS WILL ACCOMPLISH. AND TO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THE MONEY COMES FROM AND HOW THE MONEY IS SPENT. AND TO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT FUNDING THE PROMISE THE CITY COMMISSIONERS GAVE TO THE STAFF ABOUT RAISING SALARIES AND BENEFITS AND WHAT EFFECT THAT WILL HAVE ON THE PROCESS AND THE BUDGET. AND SO, THAT'S FROM THE SYNOPSIS OF WHAT WE ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT.
>> IT'S A GOOD SYNOPSIS. >> GOOD. THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE? SO, THIS IS, UM, WHAT YOU SAID BEFORE, THIS IS A QUOTE FROM THE NEWS LEADER, BUT IT SAYS NOW IT IS ALL UNKNOWN.
WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE DIFFERENCE WITH THAT. A LOT OF THINGS ARE KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROCESS AND A LOT OF THINGS ARE KNOWN, A LOT OF THE NUMBERS ARE KNOWN, AND WHAT THE IMPLICATION OF THOSE NUMBERS ARE. THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE? SO, BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT THE PROCESS OF THIS, LET'S TALK ABOUT WHO USES THE CITY. AND IS BASICALLY THE PEOPLE LIVE HERE, AND IT'S
[00:05:03]
SNOWBIRDS AND SONGBIRDS, THE PEOPLE WHO COME HERE AS VISITORS, AND IT'S THE DOWN ISLANDERS, IT'S THE PEOPLE LIKE, UM, WHAT IS HIS NAME? MR. NICHOLS WHO WRITES THE COLUMN, WHO LIVES IN THE COUNTY, BUT IS ALWAYS CRITICIZING THE CITY FOR WHAT IT DOES. AND IT'S THE DAYTRIPPERS. AND IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT WE'VE BEEN PAYING FOR ALL THESE YEARS AND YOU LOOK AT 2000, THEN YOU GO TO 2019, YOU WILL SEE THAT THERE'S A HUGE INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE USING THE, UM, BEACH INFRASTRUCTURE, OUR ROADS, OUR POLICE, OUR EMS WHO COME HERE, WORKING VERY LITTLE, IF ANYTHING. SO, THAT'S PART OF OURPROBLEM THAT WE HAVE , ALL THESE PEOPLE USING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND NO WAY TO GET REVENUE FROM THEM. NEXT SLIDE? AND THIS IS THE PER CAPITA EXPENDITURE. WHAT THIS BASICALLY MEANS IS HOW MUCH MONEY THE CITY SPENT PER PERSON FROM THE TAXES THEY TOOK IN , DIVIDED BY THE POPULATION. IT WAS $2982 A PERSON. AND IF OU NOTICE, IT WENT DOWN. SO, OVER 10 YEARS, BUT THE CITY HAS SPENT PER PERSON HAS GONE DOWN. AND SO, I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND. NEXT, PLEASE? SO, WHERE DOES THE REVENUE SOURCES FROM THE GENERAL FUND COME FROM? NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE? SO, 35 PERCENT OF OUR REVENUE COMES FROM THE GENERAL FUND, WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS NOT THE WASTEWATER FUND, NOT THE UTILITY FUND, NOT THE MARINA, NOT THE GULF COURSE, BUT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE GENERAL FUND, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S PAID FOR BY THE PROPERTY TAX. 35 PERCENT OF THAT COMES FROM, UM, WHAT'S CALLED OTHER THINGS THAN THE PROPERTY TAX. AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUE IS THINGS LIKE, UM, THE STATE AND FEDERAL GRANTS, THE STATE SALES TAX, WHICH IS 60 PERCENT OF THAT, OF WHICH THE CITY GETS SALES TAX, BUT IT'S BASED ON THEIR POPULATION AND THE ENTIRE POPULATION, SO WE CAN HAVE ALL THE SALES TAX WE WANT IN THE CITY AND WE ARE STILL NOT GETTING THE REVENUE FROM THAT.IT ALSO INCLUDES THE PAYMENT THAT THEY ARE NO LONGER PAYING US AND STATE REVENUE SHARING. THE SALES TAX IS THE SMALL COUNTY SURTAX, THE GAS TAX, AND INSURANCE TAX. FRANCHISE FEES COMES FROM FPU. WE HAD A CHANCE TO INCREASE THAT FEE THIS YEAR, AND THE CITY COMMISSION DECIDED NOT TO DO THAT. CHARGES AND SERVICES, UM, BASICALLY ABOUT 60 PERCENT OF THATCOMES FROM THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT , AND THE REST COMES FROM OTHER SOURCES. MAINLY BEING THE AMBULANCE FUND FOR TRANSPORTING PEOPLE , AND FROM ME, UM, OCEAN HIGHWAY B& EXCUSE ME, THE OCEAN RESCUE SERVICE. SO BASICALLY, THAT $8 MILLION HAS BEEN PRETTY STATIC OVER THE LAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS, SO WE CAN ANTICIPATE IN THE COMING YEAR , THAT $8 MILLION WILL BE ABOUT WHAT WE ARE GOING TO GET, MAYBE A LITTLE MORE AND MAYBE A LITTLE LESS. THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO, LET'S TALK ABOUT PROPERTY TAX AND WHAT THE ROLLBACK RATE WHICH IS WHAT COMMISSIONER BEAN IS REFERRING TO , IS NO TAX INCREASE. AND THAT MEANS THAT WE GET THE TAX REVENUE THIS YEAR, 15.3 MILLION, PLUS WE GET AN INCREASE FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION AND ANNEXATION, AND THAT'S ABOUT .3 MILLION, WHICH IS ABOUT $300,000. SO YOU CAN SEE THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO GROW OUR WAY B GROWTH IS NOT GENERATING ALL THIS MONEY THAT'S GOING TO PAY FOR ALL USE SERVICES. SO, THE TOTAL OF THE, 8 MILLION FROM BEFORE AND 15.6, YOU COME UP WITH 23.6 MILLION, AND THAT'S A PLUS OR MINUS NUMBER. NEXT ONE? SO, THE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE CURRENTRATE , WE KEEP THESAME RATE , THAT'S WHAT WE'VE GOT, THIS WOULD BE THE INCREASE THAT WE GET IF THE TAXABLE VALUE OF ALL THE PROPERTY IN THE CITY GOES UP 9.6 PERCENT. IT'S PREDICTED TO GO UP SOMEWHERE BETWEEN SEVEN AND 11 PERCENT. SO, THIS NUMBER COULD BE LESS, THIS NUMBER COULD BE MORE. BUT IT'S IN THE BALLPARK OF THAT. SO, THE TOTAL FOR THAT IS 17.5 MILLION, ADD THAT TO 8 MILLION, AND I CAN'T SEE, IT COMES OUT TO 25.5 MILLION. SO, NEXT SLIDE. SO, IF WE MAINTAIN THE CURRENT RATE, THAT'S THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE WE GET, AND IF WE GO THE ROLLBACK RATE, THAT'S THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE WE GET. AND AGAIN, THESE AREESTIMATES, BUT THEY ARE FAIRLY CLOSE. AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THAT IS ONE $0.8 MILLION. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE . SO, WE ALSO MADE SOME ASSUMPTIONS. THE FIRST ASSUMPTION IS THAT THE MARINA AND GOLF COURSE WILL NO LONGER
[00:10:02]
GET A SUBSIDY. THISYEAR, THE MARINA , THE GULF COURSE GOT ABOUT $100,000 AND THE MARINA GOT A LOT MORE THAN THAT. UM, FOR NEXT YEAR, THIS MARINA, THIS ASSUMES THAT THE GULF COURSE WILL BE SELF-SUFFICIENT AND IT ASSUMES THAT IT'S GOING TO PAY FOR ALL ITS CAPITOL EXPENSES. SO, ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED OUT THERE, ANY NEW ADDITIONS WILL NOT COME OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND. AND THE SAME THING GOES FOR THE MARINA. THE MARINA NEXT YEAR IS THREE BIG EXPENSES. ONE IS $715,000 FOR DEBT AND PRINCIPAL. ANOTHER WE PAID THIS YEAR FOR HURRICANE INSURANCE. AND ANOTHER IS ABOUT ANOTHER $200,000. THAT COMES OUT TO 1.3 MILLION DOLLARS. SO, EVEN IF THE MARINA MAKES $1 MILLION IN PROFIT THIS YEAR, THERE IS STILL $300,000 SHORT. BUT I'M NOT INCLUDING THE AND ALL THE NUMBERS HERE. SO, THE NEXT THING IS WE ARE ASSUMING THAT THE CITY WORKFORCE NUMBER STAYS AS WHAT WAS BUDGETED IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. ASSUMING THAT THAT'S A GOOD WORKFORCE, BUT THEY'RE ALL DOING THEIR JOB, HAS ENOUGH PEOPLE, IT'S NOT INCREASING IT, AND IT'S NOT LAYING ANYBODY OFF, AND IT'S NOT FILLING POSITIONS. IT ALSO ASSUMES THAT THE OPERATING EXPENSES, WHICH WERE APPROVED BY THIS COMMISSIONAS BEING REASONABLE, WE GO UP BY FIVE PERCENT , BECAUSE INFLATION. AS YOU ALL KNOW RIGHT NOW, INFLATION IS MORE THAN FIVE PERCENT. BUT USING THAT AS AN ASSUMPTION. THE FINAL ASSUMPTION IS THAT THE ITEMS THAT ARE IN THE FIVE-YEAR CAPITOL BUDGET, WHICH IS APPROVED BY THE CURRENT CITY COMMISSION, SO WE HAVE ALREADY AGREED THAT THESE ARE THE THINGS WE ARE GOING TO FUND NEXT YEAR, OUR CAPTAIN THERE. SO, GO TO THE NEXT ONE. AND SO, THEY SMEAR CREDITORS SAID, AND I AGREE WITH HIM, WE NEED TO PAY, WE HAVE PROMISED THE FORCE, AND WE ALSO, I BELIEVE, I THINK THE VICE MAYOR CAN SPEAK TO THAT HIMSELF, IS THAT WE ARE GOING TO KEEP THE WORKFORCE THE SAME OR WE ARE GOING TO DECREASE IT, SO THAT'S CERTAINLY A CONDITION THAT CAN DRASTICALLY CUT THE WORKFORCE, WE WILL CUT THE NUMBER WE ARE ABOUT TO TALK ABOUT. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO, UM, THIS IS ALL THOSE NUMBERS ADDED UP. AND SO, HERE ARE THE SALARY AND BENEFITS, THEN COMES THE 18.8 MILLION. AND 60 PERCENT OF THAT GOES TO THE POLICE AND EMS SERVICE AND 20 PERCENT GOES TO PARKS AND RECREATION, AND THE REMAINING 20 PERCENT GOES TO EVERYBODY ELSE FOR SALARY AND BENEFITS. REMEMBER, I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT THE GENERAL FUND. AND THEN IF YOU LOOK AT THE OPERATING EXPENSES, WHICH WERE A THIRD OF THE SALARY AND BENEFITS, AGAIN, THE POLICE, EMS, STREETS AND SIDEWALKS, PARKS AND RECREATION IS 20 PERCENT, 20 PERCENT OF OUR OPERATING EXPENSES. AND, UM, ACTUALLY, 24 PERCENT. AND THE REMAINDER IS 37 PERCENT. AND THEN FINALLY, WHAT THEY TALKED ABOUT, 2.2 MILLION DOLLARS, WHICH WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT LASTB& THIS YEAR, IT WAS THIS COMMISSION, AND THOSE ARE THE NUMBERS THAT COME UP. SO WHAT YOU NOTICE HERE, UM, ONE OF THE REASONS THAT IT COSTS MORE TO LIVE IN THE CITY IS IF YOU LOOK AT PARKS AND RECREATION, IT'S 20 PERCENT OF THIS, IT'S 24 PERCENT OF THIS NUMBER, AND IT'S ALMOST 50 PERCENT OF OUR CAPITOL BUDGET. UM, AND IF YOU ADD ALL THESE NUMBERS UP, THIS IS THE NUMBER TO GIVE THE RAYS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, THIS IS WITH A FIVE PERCENT INCREASE IN THE CURRENT OPERATING BUDGET, AND THIS IS THE CAPITOL BUDGET THAT WAS ALREADY APPROVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION, WHICH CERTAINLY CAN BE CHANGED. IT COMES UP TO $26.7 MILLION. NEXT. SO, WHAT THAT BUDGET DOESN'T INCLUDE AN WE HAVE NO VIABLE FUNDING SOURCE THAT I KNOW ABOUT IS THE BEACH WALKOVER'S, WHICH WE'VE BEEN PROMISING FORYEARS, WE TOOK A BUNCH OF THEM OUT. WE NEVER REPLACED THEM , WE DON'T HAVE ANY WAY OF FINDING THEM. CITY HALL, WE HAVE NO WAY OF REPLACING CITY HALL OR REPAIRING IT. WATER IMPROVEMENTS WILL COME MOSTLY FROM GRANTS. REPLACING THE FAILING LIGHTS AND SIDEWALKS DOWNTOWN. THE LIGHTS ARE AT THE END OF THEIR USEFUL LIFE, THEY NO LONGER MEET THE WIND STANDARD, WE CAN'T FIND PARTS TO FIX THEM, BUT WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO VIABLE FUNDING SOURCE TO REPLACE THAT, AND THAT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 15 AND $20 MILLION. MARINA DREDGING, WE HAVE NO ONGOING WAY OF PAYING FOR THAT. FLOOD PROTECTION, WE HAVE NO VIABLE ONGOING WAY OF PAYING FOR THAT, EXCEPT BY GRANTS. SIDEWALKS, VERY POPULAR IN THE PARKS AND REC SURVEY THAT WAS DONE, WE HAVE NO WAY OF FINDING THAT, EXCEPT OUT OF THE CURRENT BUDGET, WHICH THE, I THINK, HAVE ENOUGH TO PAY ABOUT A COUPLE HUNDRED FEET OF SIDEWALK. THE CAPITOL[00:15:01]
IMPROVEMENTS OF THE GULF COURSE, THEY ARE ALSO GOING TO COME OUT OF THE ENTERPRISE FUND, BUT GOLF COURSES B IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO MAKE ENDS MEET THERE. PURCHASING ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE LAND, CONSERVATION FUND, WE HAVE NO WAY OF FUNDING BACK. THE ATLANTIC RECREATION BUILDING RENOVATIONS, UM, THERE'S NO WAY OF FUNDING BACK. THOSE BUILDINGS, WE ARE GETTING A REPORT, IT'S BEING DONE, IT'S GOING TOSHOW US WHAT IT WILL COST, BUT IT'S IN THE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. AND REPAIR PARK INFRASTRUCTURE, ALL THOSE THINGS , WE HAVE NO ONGOING VIABLE FUNDING PLAN, EXCEPT WHAT COMES OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND. NEXT. SO, THAT BEING SAID,>> SHOULD I READ OUT LOUD FOR EVERYONE?
>> SURE. >> I'M NOT ACTUALLY GOING TO DO
THAT. [LAUGHING] >> OKAY, GOOD. NEXT SLIDE.
SO, THAT COMES OUT OF THAT QUOTE. SO, HERE'S THE CURRENT RATE. AT THE CURRENT RATE, IF WE KEPT THE CURRENT RATE, WE WOULD HAVE $25 MILLION IN REVENUE, 26.7 AND WE ARE AT ONE POINT TO MILLION SHORT. IF WE GO THE ROLLBACK RATE, THERE IS THE REVENUE, THERE ARE THE EXPENSES, 3.1 MILLION DOLLARS SHORT. 1.2, SO EVEN AT THE CURRENT MILLAGE RATE, IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFICULT TO FUND THE SAME THINGS THAT WE DID THIS YEAR WITH THE INCREASE THE ALL FIVE CITY COMMISSIONERS PROMISED TO THE CITY EMPLOYEES. NEXT, PLEASE. SO, I DID COME UP WITH $2 MILLION WORTH OF CUTS, UM, BECAUSE EVERYBODY SAYS YOU CAN'T CUT ANYTHING IN THE BUDGET, I SAID, SURE, YOU CAN. THE FIRST THING WE CAN CUT OUT IS COMMISSIONER HEALTH INSURANCE. $8000. THE FIVE OF US ALL SAID WE ARE HERE TO SERVE. NOBODY SAID WE WOULD GET PAID, SO WE CAN CUT OUR SALARY. THE GULF COURSE SUBSIDY, $100,000. THE MARINA ACTION WAVE INSURANCE, $362,000. WE WOULD BASICALLY DO WHAT THEY'VE DONE HERE FOR YEARS, WHAT'S CALLED GOING THERE AND HAVE NO INSURANCE AND USING FEMA AS A WAY OF PAYING FOR IT, LIKE WE DID THIS TIME. AGAIN, DREDGING, $200,000, WHERE DOES THAT COME FROM? THE NONPROFITS THAT WE FUND EVERY YEAR, $100,000 FOR THE NORTH BEACH WALKOVER, WHICH IS ENOUGH BUDGET, $360,000. IT'S AT THE END OF ITS USEFUL LIFE AND, UM, NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. AT THE LAST MEETING, PAUL LORI WAS UP HERE AND HE GOT ON THE THING AND HE SAID WE NEED TO FUND THE SKATE PARK RAMPS, THAT'S $50,000. THE FENCING OF THE BUCCANEER FIELD, I'VE BEEN ON THIS COMMISSION NOW FOR FOUR YEARS, IT COMES UP EVERY YEAR. COMMISSIONER BEAN EXPLAINED THOSE EXPENSES, THEY ARE NOT REPAIRED, AND WE PUT IT OFF EVERY YEAR, $200,000. THE TENNIS AND PICKLE BALL COURSE, HOW FOR MANY OF THE PLAYERS ARE NOT FROM THE CITY, THEY NEED TO BE RESURFACED, $60,000 FOR A CENTRAL PARK PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT, WHICH WE WILL TALK ABOUT LATER TONIGHT, IS IN THERE FOR $200,000. THE CREEK PARKING LOT HAS BEEN WASHING OUT FOR YEARS, $60,000. WE PAY THEM $10,000 A YEAR BECAUSE OF THE STATE GRANT WE GAVE THEM. OUR LOBBYISTS, WHO I THINK DO AN EXCELLENT JOB, BUT IT'S $85,000 A YEAR. MAIN STREET IS 40,000. THE CEMETERY, WE SUBSIDIZE THAT, AT LEAST 100, MAYBE $200,000 A YEAR. AND LIBRARY, WHICH I DON'T UNDERSTAND AM I JUST LEARNED ABOUT THIS, WE PAY FOR THE BUILDING, THE COUNTY PAYS TO PAY FOR THE PERSONNEL, BUT ALL THE OTHER LIBRARIES IN THE COUNTY, THEY PAY FOR BOTH, BUT THAT'S ANOTHER STORY. MAYBE WE SHOULD GIVE THE LIBRARY TO THE COUNTY AND JUST LET THEM PAY THE WHOLE THING. BUT ANYHOW, ALL THESE THINGS THAT ARE WORTHWHILE, AND THAT I THINK SHOULD BE FUNDED TO GET TO A $2 MILLION CUT, YOU HAVE TO CUT THESE. BY THE WAY, WE ARE STILL A LITTLE OVER $1 MILLION SHORT, EVEN WITH ELIMINATING ALL THESE PROJECTS. NEXT. SO, LET'S TALK ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY. FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY. IN OTHER WORDS, KEEPING THE BUDGET.
LIVING WITHIN OUR MEANS. SO, THE OPERATING BUDGET AND CAPITOL IMPROVEMENT SHOULD BE DEVELOPED WITH A CLEAR FOCUS ON LONG-TERM SOLVENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY. WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING WITH THE ROLLBACK RATE IS NOT SUSTAINABLE OVER THE LONG TERM. IT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE OVER THE SHORT TERM, 3.1 MILLION DOLLARS SHORT. BUT WE NEED TO COME TO A CONSENSUS OF WHAT WE WANT, THE PRIORITIES OF THOSE THINGS, AND HOW WE ARE GOING TO FUND IT IN THE LONG TERM. COMMITMENTS TO CONTINUE SHOULD BE SUPPORTED. WE HAVE MADE A COMMITMENT TO THE CITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH EMPLOYEES THAT WE ARE GOING TO FUND THEM A REASONABLE WAGE AND BENEFITS.
[00:20:01]
AND WE HAVE TO HAVE A SOURCE OF REVENUE TO PAY FOR THAT. AND THEN FINALLY, NONRECURRING REVENUES AND RESOURCES SHOULD NOT BE USED TO FINANCE CONTINUED OPERATIONS. I GOT A COUPLE EMAILS THAT WE SHOULD USE THE CARE FUNDS ORWHAT IS IT B& THE RESCUE ACT FUNDS . NO, THAT IS A ONE-SHOT DEAL AND WE SHOULD NOT BE USING THAT KIND OF MONEY THAT'S BEEN PUT INTO CAPITOL RESOURCES. BECAUSE NEXT YEAR WILL, AND THAT MONEY WILL NOT BE THERE. SO, NEXT. SO, BEFORE WE GIVE THE CITY MANAGER DIRECTION ABOUT THE ROLLBACK RATE, I THINK IT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COMMISSIONERS TO TELL HIM , AND THIS GOES NOT ONLY IF YOU'RE GOING TO GO THE ROLLBACK RATE, BUT TO A REGULAR RATE, TO THE CURRENT RATE, OR ANY OTHER RATE, THERE'S CERTAIN QUESTIONS THAT I THINK THE CITY COMMISSION, AND I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THESE TONIGHT, WHAT THEY ARE PERTINENT TO GIVE HIM DIRECTION, BECAUSE AFTER ALL, THE CITY COMMISSION WAS ELECTED TO GIVE POLICY AND GIVE DIRECTION, SOB FIRST QUESTION. IS THE CITY COMMISSION COMMITTED TO FUNDING THE PROPOSED SALARY BENEFIT INCREASE DISCUSSED IN THE JANUARY COMMITTEE? I'M COMMITTED TO THIS AND I WOULD LIKE TO COME BACK TO IT LATER AND MAKE SURE EVERYBODY ELSE IS COMMITTED TO THAT. NUMBER TWO, ARE WE COMMITTED TO MAINTAINING THE CURRENT NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES OR ARE THEY RECOMMENDING LAYOFFS. ONE OF THE WAYS TO CUT THE EMPLOYEE COSTS IS TO CUT THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES.IT'S A SERVICE INDUSTRY. WHEN I'VE GONE THROUGH THE NUMBERS.
I THINK WE ARE AT A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE, I THINK IT'S REASONABLY EFFICIENT. COULD IT BE BETTER? IT COULD ALWAYS BE BETTER. BUT I THINK CURRENTLY, IF YOU'RE GOING TO CONSIDER WHETHER WE ARE GOING TO SAY TO THE CITY MANAGER, YES, WE THINK YOUR WORKFORCE IS AT THE RIGHT LEVEL , OR CITY MANAGER, YOU NEED TO CUT 20 TO 40 PERCENT OF THE WORK STAFF TO GET TO THESE NUMBERS. BUT I AM PERSONALLY FOR KEEPING WHAT IT IS NOW.
NUMBER THREE. ARE WE COMMITTED TO FUNDING THE POLICE AND EMS FIRE SERVICES TO MAINTAIN THE CURRENT LEVEL OF SERVICE? AT THE CURRENT LEVEL OF SERVICE, THIS IS ALMOST 50 PERCENT OF OUR BUDGET. 50 PERCENT, SO ANYTHING ELSE OUT OF THAT 3.1 MILLION DOLLARS IS GOING TO COME OUT OF EVERYTHING ELSE, BECAUSE IF YOU WANT YOUR FIRE AND YOUR POLICE TO STAY THE SAME, IT'S 50 PERCENT OF THE BUDGET. I MEAN, YOU GO BACK THROUGH THOSE NUMBERS, THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT THAT IS. NEXT, PLEASE. AND BY THE WAY, I AM FOR FUNDING THEM AT THE CURRENT LEVEL OF SERVICE. IS THE CITY COMMISSION COMMITTED TO MAINTAINING THE CITY ROADS AT THE CURRENT LEVEL OF SERVICE? THE CITY IS FAMOUS FOR GOING OUT AND GETTING STUDIES. WE'VE GOT A GREAT STUDY. THE COUNTY WAS BRAGGING ABOUT THEY GOT THE SAME STUDY. AND WHAT IT IS, THEY WENT THROUGH ALL THE ROADS IN THE CITY AND WE DETERMINE WHAT CONDITION THEY WERE IN AND HOW MUCH MONEY IT WOULD TAKE TO FIX THEM AND KEEP THEM AT THE SAME LEVEL OF SERVICE. NOT MUCH BETTER, NOT MUCH WORSE, BUT ABOUT THE SAME, MAYBE A LITTLE BETTER. AND THAT TURNED OUT TO BE $900,000 A YEAR. HOW MUCH TO BE SPENT FOR THAT STUDY? 40, $50,000? YEAH, WE SPENT $50,000, WENT TO ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S EXPERTS, THEY CAME BACK WITH AN OPINION, 900,000 YEAR. SO WHAT DID THE CITY COMMISSION DO LAST YEAR? WE CUT IT TO 400,000. SO, I AM COMMITTED TO KEEPING THE ROADS THE SAME AT $900,000 A YEAR, AND THAT'S ACTUALLY A DISCUSSION IN THE NEAR FUTURE. NEXT. AND FINALLY, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, ONE OF THE MAJOR REASONS THAT OUR TAX BILLS ARE HIGHER THAN THE COUNTY, IS THE REFUND PARKS.
WE FUND PARKS AND RECREATION, AND THAT IS A LARGE PERCENTAGE, AS HE SAW THE NUMBERS, 50 PERCENT OF THE CAPITOL BUDGET, UM, 24 PERCENT OF THE OPERATING BUDGET, AND, UM, I FORGOT THE NUMBER FOR THE PERSONNEL. SO, I'M COMMITTED TO GOOD PARKS AND RECREATION SERVICE. AND TO FUND THAT COSTS MONEY. SO, I WOULD LIKE FOR THE CITY B& OH, NUMBER SIX. SO, WE TALKED ABOUT PRIORITIES. SUPPORTING THE PROCESS AND B& SO, WHAT SERVICES AND FUNDING IS THE CITY COMMISSION RECOMMENDING TO ELIMINATE OR CURTAIL, OR WE CAN FLIP THAT. WHAT ARE THE COMMISSIONERS WILLING TO PAY TO REACH THE LEVEL OF FUNDING PROVIDED BY THE ROLLBACK RATE. AND I THINK THAT'S A FAIR QUESTION TO ANSWER BEFORE YOU TELL B AND IT'S FOR QUESTION TO ASK BEFORE YOU GOING TO THE ROLLBACK RATE OR MAINTAIN THE
[00:25:02]
CURRENT RATE, WHAT DOES THIS CITY COMMISSION, WHAT ARE THEY COMMITTED TO FUNDING, WHAT'S THEIR PRIORITIES, AND WHAT ARE THEY WILLING TO ELIMINATE. I THINK I'VE MADE IT CLEAR WHERE I STAND. I WILL BE VOTING B TONIGHT, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE PROCESS. UNDER OUR CURRENT CHARTER, IT SAYS THAT THE CITY COMMISSIONER B& THE CITY MANAGE WILL PROVIDE A BUDGET, AND ON THE CITY COMMISSION WILL REACT TO THAT. I BELIEVE THAT'S IN OUR CHARTER, AND WE SHOULD MAINTAIN THAT PROCESS. IN THE INTERIM, WE ALSO NEED TO DO IS PANSWER THOSE SIXQUESTIONS AND MANY OTHER QUESTIONS , TO GIVE WHAT WE BELIEVE, AS THE CITY COMMISSION, WHAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE AND WHAT WE ARE WILLING TOSPEND. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: ALL RIGHT, I HAVE A POINT OF ORDER. AS USUAL, FOR COMMISSIONER ROSS, VERY WELL RESEARCHED, WELL PRESENTED. BUT A LITTLE OFF TOPIC. AND IT'S OFF-TOPIC BECAUSE THE TOPIC IS PROCESS.
IN THE PROCESS OF HOW THE CITY MANAGER PRESENTS US WITH A BUDGET B& AND THEN WE REACT TO THAT BUDGET. AND I THINK WHAT COMMISSIONER BEAN IS ASKING FO , AND WE HAVE RECEIVED EMAILS OF IT, IS WHY DON'T WE START WITH THE ROLLBACK RATE BUDGET? AND THE REASON, IN MY DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY, IS SECTION 71 OF THE CHARTER. WHICH OUTLINES A LIST OF EXPENDITURES AND REVENUES.
OKAY? AND ESSENTIALLY, IT SAYS THAT THE CITY MANAGER WILL SUBMIT AN ESTIMATE OF THE EXPENDITURES AND REVENUES OF THE CITY FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR. EXPENDITURESAND REVENUES , SO WE SUBMITTED AN APPLIANCE WITH THE PROCEDURES SET FORTH. THE ESTIMATES AND BUDGET, AND CONSTITUTING THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE CITY MANAGER. AS TO THE AMOUNTS NECESSARY , IT WILL BE APPROPRIATED FOR THE ENSUING FISCAL YEAR, SHALL BE SUPPORTED WITH INFORMATION, GIVING YOU THE REASONS. THEREFORE IN SUCH DETAIL AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO AFFORD THE CITY COMMISSION A COMPREHENSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF THE NEEDS AND REQUIREMENTS OF THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS AND DIVISIONS OF THE CITY GOVERNMENT FOR THE ENSUING YEAR. THAT'S WHAT THE CHARTER SAYS. THAT'S HIS MANDATE AND THAT'S WHAT HE FOLLOWS. NOW, HAVING READ THAT, AND I HAVE HAD AT LEAST TWO LENGTHY CONVERSATIONS WITH BOTH THE CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY, BECAUSE AS OFTEN HAPPENS, THE CHARTER IS AT ODDS WITH ITSELF. SO, YOU CAN READ SECTION 71, IF YOU GO TO SECTION 29, SECTION H, INSTRUCTIONS TO THE CITY MANAGER, IT SAYS UNDER THE CITY MANAGER, TO PERFORM SUCH OTHER DUTIES AS MAY BE PRESCRIBED, UNDER THIS CHARTER, OR AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION. AND MY QUESTION B& IN MY MONDAY MEETING WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THE CITY MANAGER, WAS IF THIS COMMISSION'S INSTRUCTING THE CITY MANAGER TO PRESENT US WITH THE ROLLBACK RATE BUDGET OR AN ADJUSTED ROLLBACK RATE BUDGET IN ADDITION TO HIS NORMAL BUDGET, UNDER SECTION 71, IS IT REQUIRED TO FOLLOW THAT INSTRUCTION? AND CITY ATTORNEY, HE SAID THE COMMISSION TRUMPS ALL OTHER B& ALL RIGHT? SO THAT IF YOU WAN TO CHANGE THIS PROCESS , IT WOULD REQUIRE A VOTE BY THE THREE COMMISSIONERS. TO INSTRUCT THE CITY MANAGER TO DO EXACTLY WHAT I JUST SAID. SO, I SEE LIGHTS ON. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW WITH B& I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THE WEEDS OF WHAT WE ARE FUNDING AND NOT FUNDING. WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IS THE PROCESS OF HOW THE BUDGET IS GOING TO BE PRESENTED TO US, AND THEN WE WILL TACKLE WHAT'S IN THE BUDGET, WHAT WE ARE GOING TO FUND, WHAT WE ARE COMMITTEDTO, ETC. SO, VICE MAYOR , PLEASE FOLLOW THAT
INSTRUCTION. >> VICE MAYOR KREGER: I WILL FOLLOW IT, BUT I WANT TO BE IN THE WEEDS LITTLEBIT, TOO.
NUMBER ONE , I FULLY BELIEVE THAT IT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CHARTER AS THE CITY MANAGER TO PROVIDE US A BUDGET TO MEET
[00:30:03]
THE NEEDS OF THE CITY. AND I'M GOING TO GO A LITTLE FURTHER WITHOUT GOING TOO FAR, THERE IS NO WAY THAT THE ROLLBACK RATE WILL FUND THE CITY, JUST NO WAY AT ALL. YOU START LOOKING AT THESE NUMBERS, YOU LOOK AT THE $20 MILLION DEFERRED MAINTENANCE FOR FACILITIES, THE $20 MILLION WE WANT FOR DOWNTOWN, THE $20 MILLION WE WANT FOR STABILIZATION, UM, AND THE CAPITOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, WHICH WE HAVE DEFERRED FOR YEARS, THAT'S WHY THERE'S $20 MILLION IN THERE. I'M NOT SO SURE THAT WE DON'T NEED TO HAVE A TAX RAISE. TO SUPPORT THIS.WE ARE AT, IN MY MIND, WE ARE AT THE TIPPING POINT OF WHERE WE ARE GOING TO BE SOON. AND ALL THIS TALK ABOUT GRANTS AND ONE-TIME STUFF IS CRAZY, WE ARE NOT GOING TO GET THAT MUCH MONEY. SO, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, A BUDGET THAT'S PREPARED BY THE NEEDS OF THE CITY. I'M NOT GOING TO GET INTO CHIPS QUESTIONS, WE CAN GET INTO THAT LATER. WE NEED TO SUPPORT THE CITY, WE NEED TO BRING OUR FACILITIES UP TO STANDARD, THAT'S OUR ROADS AND ALL. AND I'VE GOT A LIST OF STUFF. I THINK WE DO, YOU KNOW, I AM CERTAINLY COMMITTED TO PROPER FINANCIALS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AND POLICE AND FIRE.
BUT I ALSO BELIEVE WE NEED TO LOOK AT PRODUCTIVITY IN DIFFERENT AREAS TOSEE WHERE WE CAN IMPROVE. BUT , BUT THE BUDGET TO ME SHOULD BE WHAT WE NEED TO RUN THE CITY. OVER THE YEARS, YOU KNOW, I HAVE WATCHED HOW WE CUT THE CAPITOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, AND WE PUT OURSELVES IN THIS POSITION. WE NEED TO GET OUT OF THIS POSITION. SO, IS NOT OUT OF
THE WEEDS. >> COMMISSIONER BEAN?
>> THANK YOU, I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU THAT THIS, I PUT IT ON THE AGENDA TO TALK ABOUT THIS PROCESS, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT, IT'S ABOUT THE PROCESS. WE ARE NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE ARE GOING TO FUND, WE ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE ARE GOING TO DO IT,BECAUSE THIS IS ALL GREAT DISCUSSION TO HAVE. I, LIKE ALL OF US, SET UP THE WORKSHOP AT OUR BIG GIANT RETREAT , FULLY IN FAVOR OF MAKING SURE THAT OUR CITY STAFF GETS WHAT THEY NEED, GETS THE RAISE THEY DESERVE, AND I BACK THAT UP TODAY AS WELL. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT HAPPENS AND IT WILL HAPPEN. BUT FOLKS, THIS DISCUSSION TODAY IS ABOUT WHAT WE ARE GOING TO FUND. WE HAVE A WHOLE MONTH-LONG BUDGETING CYCLE FOR THAT AT THE END OF THE YEAR. THIS IS SIMPLY HOW ARE WE GOING TO BUDGET, BECAUSE THIS IS ALL GREAT DISCUSSION. LET'S HAVE IT WHENIT'S TIME TO HAVE IT. LET'S NOT BOG DOWN THIS DISCUSSION WITH TOPICS THAT SIMPLY AREN'T PART OF THIS , OF THIS TOPIC. THANK YOU.
>> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: COMMISSIONER STURGES?
>> COMMISSIONER STURGES: I COME TOA VERY QUICK AND EASY POINT ABOUT THIS. IF THIS IS ALL ABOUT THE PROCESS OF OUR CHARTER STATES , THAT DALE WAS SUPPOSED TO BRING THIS BUDGET TO US, AS THE CITY MANAGER, SO WE INTEND THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THE CHARTER STATES, THEN WE HAVE TO EITHER CHANGE OUR MIND AND CHANGE THE CHARTER BECAUSE CURRENTLY, THAT IS HOW WE OPERATE. WE FUNCTION NOT AT AN ADJUSTED ROLLBACK RATE, RE-FUNCTION AT WHAT DALE BRINGS TO US. SO, IF WE WANT TO LOOK AT IT, A DIFFERENT BUDGET AND DIFFERENT CYCLE, AND DIFFERENT CALCULATIONS, BRINGING THE ADJUSTED ROLLBACK RATE, AND ADDING THINGS AS WE SEE APPROPRIATE, WE NEED TO CHANGE OUR PROCESS, IF THAT'S THE CASE. BUT WE WOULD NEED TO CHANGE THE CHARTER, THAT'S ALL I SEE. SO, NOT THAT WE CAN'T DO THAT, WE CAN, WE JUST NEED TO. AND IS NOT THE EASIEST METHOD TO WHAT WE NEED TO GET TO, A BALANCED BUDGET. AND THIS PROCESS DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH SUPPORTING THE EMPLOYEES WERE NOT SUPPORTING THE EMPLOYEES, THIS IS ALL ABOUT THE BUDGET. SO, UM, I'M IN FAVOR OFSUPPORTING ALL THE EMPLOYEES, I BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE NO CUTS . AND I'VE ALWAYS BEEN THAT WAY. I THINK OUR CITY STAFF DOES A GREAT JOB AND I WANT THEM TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT JOB, SOB& THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
>> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: THANK YOU, SIR. COMMISSIONER ROSS?
>> COMMISSIONER ROSS: SO, WITHOUT GETTING INTO THE WEEDS, THE NUMBERS SAY IT ALL. THE NUMBERS SAY THAT I NEVER ASKED SOMEBODY, B& I ALWAYS WORK WITH A DIFFERENT CREW, SO YOU NEVER KNOW WHO YOU'RE GOING TO WORK WITH. AND I WOULD NEVER ASK SOMEBODY TO DO SOMETHING THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE. UM, AND YOU ARE SAYING ROLLBACK RATE, THEY'RE GOING TO SPEND ALL THE TIME AND
[00:35:03]
EFFORT THAT IT TAKES TO DO THAT. WHY? WE MADE A PROMISE AND THAT PROMISE WAS 2 MILLION BUCKS. I'M SORRY, YOU CAN'T GO TO THE ROLLBACK RATE AND FUND A $2 MILLIONB IT CAN'T BE DONE WITHOUT CUTTING OUT ALL THE THINGS THAT EVERYBODY HERE DOESN'T WANT TO CUT OUT. SO, ASKING THE CITY MANAGER TO DO SOMETHING THAT CAN'T BE DONE JUST BECAUSE IT'S POLITICALLY EXPEDIENT, I THINK IS ABSOLUTELY WRONG. NEVER ASK SOMEBODY TO DO WHAT CANNOTBE DONE . UNLESS YOU'RE TELLING THEM IT CAN'T BE DONE. OKAY, WHY ARE WE SPENDING ALL THE TIME AND EFFORT OF THE PEOPLE SITTING HERE IN THE ROOM COMING UP WITH A BUDGET THAT CAN'T WORK? I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT.SO, AND COMMISSIONER STURGES, I AGREE WITH WHAT THE CHARTER SAYS, IT DOES SAY WHAT IT SAYS, YOU HAVE TO READ THE WHOLE THING. WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT LAWS, YOU READ ALL THE CLAUSES TOGETHER. AND, UM, WHEN YOU READ THE CLAUSES TOGETHER, YES, WE GIVE HIM DIRECTION, BUT HE GIVES US ABUDGET, AM I CORRECT? WHEN YOUREAD THE LAWS, YOU READ EVERYTHING TOGETHER.
>> YOU READ THEM TOGETHER BUT IF YOU'RE ASKING ME TO WEIGH
INB& . >> NO . [LAUGHING] I WILLKEEP YOU OUT OF IT. I WOULD AGREE . AND I WILL NOT ASK THE CITY MANAGER OR THE CITY TIME FOR WHAT I THINK IS A FOOLS ERRAND,
>> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: COMMISSIONER BEAN.
>> COMMISSIONER BEAN: THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. IF YOU WANT TO GO B LET ME JUMP IN. BUT FOLKS, AS I STATED WHEN I STARTED THIS DISCUSSION, IS THIS CAME FROM THE PEOPLE.
THIS IS AN IDEA THAT WAS PRESENTED TO ME BY MULTIPLE PEOPLE. IT'S NOT POLITICALLY EXPEDIENT. THIS IS WHAT I SEE AS DOING THE ROLE OF THE PEOPLE, AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS. IT'S ABOUT THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE. AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS. I WOULD DISAGREE, MIKE, WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT IT CAN'T BE DONE YET. THE NUMBERS I TRUST, THE NUMBERS I WANT TO SEE COME FROM THE EXPERTS, AND THE EXPERTS AREN'T OUR CITY STAFF.
AND THAT'S WHERE THIS BUDGET COMES FROM. I NEED TO SEE ACCURATE BUDGET NUMBERS, AND THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING FOR.
YOU HAVE A PROCESS THAT LETS US TAKE THIS JOB AT IT, DO THIS EXERCISE. I WORKED AS AN ENGINEER, AND AS AN ENGINEER, WE WOULD NEVER DO IT THE WAY WE CURRENTLY DO THIS BUDGETING PROCESS. AS AN ENGINEER, WHEN WE WANT SOMETHING FUNDED, THE WAY IT WORKS IS YOU PUT TOGETHER A PROJECT AND YOU PITCH IT TO MANAGEMENT, AND RIGHT NOW, IT'S NOT HAPPENING WHERE YOU PITCH AND YOU ASKED SOMETHING TO BE FUNDED, EVERYTHING IS FUNDED BY DEFAULT WE HAVE TO WEED THROUGH AND FIND OUT WHAT SHOULDN'T BE. AND THAT'S SIMPLY THE BACKWARDS WAY OF DOING IT AND THAT'S SIMPLY WHY I AM ASKING FOR THIS BUDGET CHANGE. BUT I CAN READ THE ROOM AND I CAN SEE THREE THAT ARE NOT ON THE TABLE, SO THAT'S OKAY.
>> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: COMMISSIONER ROSS?
>> COMMISSIONER ROSS: I TAKE A LITTLE OFFENSE AT THAT. I THINK WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME TEAM, OKAY? I DON'T READ THE ROOM, I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO READ THE ROOM. BUT I DO KNOW THAT, UM, I THINK WE ALL NEED TO BE ON THE SAME TEAM. WE NEED TO HAVE A CITY MANAGER WHO IS GIVING US SOMETHING THAT HE BELIEVES IN AND IS FUNDING THIS. YOU SAY THE EXPERTS.
THE EXPERTS HAVE SPOKEN. THOSE NUMBERS CAME OUT OF THE BUDGET FOLKS. THESE HAVE BEEN THE LAST THREE YEARS. YOU EXPECT THEM TO COME UP, YOU EXPECT THE POLICE TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING DIFFERENT THIS YEAR, THAT THEY NEED LESS CARS, THEY NEED LESS POLICEMAN, LESS RADIOS? THEY BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEARS, AND THEY ALREADY KNOW, THE EXPERTS HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN, IT IS IN THOSE BUDGETS. AND I WENT BACK THROUGH ALL THE BUDGETS AND LOOK AT THAT. I SPENT A LITTLE TIME ON THIS AND I LEARNED A GREAT DEAL. ABOUT THIS. AND ALL THESE THINGS EVERY YEAR COMES OUT THE SAME, WHY DOES IT COME OUT THE SAME? BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY FIGURED OUT THEY NEED OVER THE YEARS. THEY DO WHAT'S CALLED ZERO-BASED BUDGETING. I THINK THAT'S WHAT IT'S CALLED. THEY KNOW WHAT THEY NEED TO RUN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. THEY ARE EXPERTS, THEY BEEN DOING IT FOR YEARS. IF YOU'RE GOING TO LISTEN TO THE EXPERTS, THEY'VE ALREADY SPOKEN IN THE LAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS. I TOOK THEIR OPERATING BUDGET, WHICH WE ALL APPROVED, WE AGREED THAT'S WHAT THEY NEEDED TO RUN THE CITY. WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN LAST YEAR AND THISYEAR THAT ARE OPERATING BUDGET IS ALL THE SUDDEN GOING TO MAGICALLY GET BETTER? I MEAN, IT'S NOT. THEY MAY BE A LITTLE MORE EFFICIENT , THEY MAKE LITTLE HERE, BUT EVEN AS YOU CUT 10 PERCENT OF THE OPERATING BUDGET, THAT'S $600,000. THIS 3.1 MILLION DOLLARS. YOU ARE AN ENGINEER, IT'S IN THE NUMBERS. THE NUMBERS WERE UP ON THE WALL. SHOW ME HOW I'M WRONG. THAT'S WHAT I LIKE TO
HEAR. >> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: WE ARE
[00:40:02]
GETTING IN THE WEEDS AGAIN. WE ARE TALKING PROCESS. AND THAT IS COMMISSIONER BEAN'S POINT, IS HOW THE PROCESS WORKS.BECAUSE WE'VE ALL GOTTEN THE SAME EMAILS. ABOUT WHY DON'T YOU START AT THE ROLLBACK RATE. I CAN RECALL AT LEAST THREE.
SO, LET ME FINISH. CAN I FINISH?
>> COMMISSIONER ROSS: FIVE EMAILS, NOT THREE.
>> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: OKAY, FIVE.
>> COMMISSIONER ROSS: OUT OF 13,500 PEOPLE.
>> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: OKAY, AND I RESPONDED TO ALL FIVE OF THOSE FOLKS, AND MY QUESTION TO THEM WAS WHAT SERVICES OR DEPARTMENTS DO WANT TO DEFUND? IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH ROLLBACK. THE RESPONSE WAS NOTHING SPECIFIC. AND WE HAVE A POPULATION OF 14,000 PEOPLE. 13,999 WHO ARE SMARTER THAN ME.
AND I WILL ALWAYS ASK DEPARTME. ME. PLEASE. GIVE ME YOUR BEST ADVICE. SO, AND I'M NOT GOING TO ATTACK THE WORD EXPERTS, BUT THEY ASKED FOR THIS, BUT THEN THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO COMMIT WHERE IDENTIFY WHERE THEY BELIEVE THE BUDGET CAN BE CUT, AND WE CAN LIVE WITH REDUCED SERVICES, STAFF, SO, I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT. THE OTHER PROBLEM I HAVE IS I'M IN MY FOURTH YEAR IN THIS COMMISSION, I SPENT A YEAR ATTENDING CITY COMMISSION MEETINGS. AND QUITE FRANKLY, WE HAVE KICKED THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD FOR YEARS. YEARS. I AM THE VICE MAYOR NEEDS TO TURN THE TIPPING POINT. AND FOLKS, THAT'S WHERE WE ARE AT, WEARE AT A TIPPING POINT IN THIS CITY . WE ARE AT THE POINT WHERE WE HAVE AGREED TO A $25 MILLION BOND ISSUE.
BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE MONEY. TO DO THE NECESSARY THINGS TO NOT UPGRADE THE CITY, TO GET THE CITY BACK TO NORMAL. JUST BACK TO NORMAL. THIS BUILDING IS NOT NORMAL. OKAY? THE STREETLIGHTS ARE NOT NORMAL. SO, WE ARE ASKING FOR A BOND ISSUE TO DO THAT. LET ALONE A BUDGET, SO, UM, PROCEDURALLY, I WILL REMIND THIS COMMISSION THAT AS I READ IN THE CHARTER SECTION H, YOU CAN PLACE THE RESOLUTION, IT TAKES TWO COMMISSIONERS TO PLACE A RESOLUTION ON THE AGENDA, CORRECT? OR THE MAYOR. I WILL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, I'M NOT DOING IT. SO, IF TWO COMMISSIONERS WANT TO PLACE RESOLUTION ON THE AGENDA, TO INSTRUCT THE CITY MANAGER TO ALSO PRESENT US WITH ROLLBACK BUDGET OR AN ADJUSTED ROLLBACK BUDGET, YOU ARE AT LIBERTY TO DO SO, ALL RIGHT? THAT'S THE END OF MY COMMENTS. VICE MAYOR?
>> VICE MAYOR KREGER: YEAH. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PROCESS AND BUDGET PRESENTATIONS, AND I WILL TELL YOU, I THINK THAT CONSISTENTLY, UM, WE'VE UNDERESTIMATED, THAT HAS PUT US INTO THE POSITION THAT WE ARE IN MANY CASES, SPECIFICALLY WITH THE CAPITOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN OF WHAT WE NEED TO DO, WHETHER IT IS FUNDED OR UNFUNDED, PER THE STATE LAW, THEN PRIORITIZING THAT. AND I WANT TO TELL YOU, THOSE NUMBERS, IF WE DO IT RIGHT, ARE GOING TO BE MASSIVE. BECAUSE IF WE INTEND TO GET GRANTS FOR BIG MONEY FOR SOME OF THESE STABILIZATION RESILIENCY IS, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO B& THOSE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE IN THE BUDGET. SO, I CHALLENGE THE CITY MANAGER, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE A CAPITOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, AND I THINK WE ARE GOING TO SEE SOME VERY INTERESTING NUMBERS THAT WILL ULTIMATELY BRING US OUT IF WE CAN PROVE IT. AND THAT MAY INCLUDE, IN MY MIND, A TAX INCREASE. TO GET THE CITY
BACK TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE. >> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER
STURGES? >> COMMISSIONER STURGES: THANK YOU, MAYOR. JUST BRIEFLY, I DON'T WANT TO GO TOO FAR INTO THE WEEDS, BUT I THINK THAT THIS PRIOR SIN CITY COMMISSION DID KICK SOME THINGS DOWN THE ROAD. I THINK THAT THEY PROBABLY HAD TO KICK THINGS DOWN THE ROAD. I DON'T THINK THEY ALL INTENTIONALLY SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE ARE JUST GOING TO FORGET EVERYTHING WE HAVE AND JUST FORGET ABOUT IT.
SO, I DON'T WANT TO BEAT THOSE PRIOR CITY COMMISSIONERS UP TO GOD. THEY HAD A DEAL WITH WHAT THEY HAD A DEAL WITH. HOWEVER,
[00:45:03]
THE CASE THEY NEED TO RUN A SOLID BUSINESS, AND SOMETIMES GOVERNMENT DOESN'T RUN A SOLID BUSINESS , YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT YOUR INCOME IS. SO, EVERY TIME, AND I'M ONLY GOING TO BRIEFLY STEP INTO THIS SUBJECT, EVERY TIME WE TALK ABOUT ANNEXING ANOTHER PROPERTY OR BUILDING MORE APARTMENTS FOR THE CITY, OR PROVIDING MORE HOUSING FOR THE CITY THAT COULD TAKE A FEW TREES DOWN, WE GET BEAT UP BY ENVIRONMENTALISTS, WHO I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE CARE ABOUT ON THIS BOARD, THAT WE DON'T WANT AN X. YOU DON'T WANT ANYMORE CITY RESIDENTS. WELL, I'VE GOT NEWS FOR YOU. ALL THESE CITY RESIDENTS WHO AREN'T CITY RESIDENTS, ARE ON OUR ISLAND, AND THEY ARE GETTING OUR SERVICES ALREADY. THEY ARE ALREADY GETTING OUR SERVICES, THEY ARE USING OUR SERVICES ON A DAILY BASIS. AND THEY ONLY PAY COUNTY TAXES, SO EVERY DAY THAT WE ANNEX ANOTHER PIECE OF PROPERTY, READ AN AGREEMENT THIS EVENING FOR ONE, IT WILL EVENTUALLY GET ANNEXED IN THE CITY, IS A VISIT BIGGER TAX BASE. THEY ARE ALREADY HERE, THEY ARE ALREADY USING OUR SERVICES, THERE'S NO REASON WHY WE SHOULD BE ANNEXING A COURSE OF ACTION AND GETTING A BIGGER TAX BASE TO RAISE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE HAVE TO WORK WITH. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.>> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: COMMISSIONER ROSS?
>> COMMISSIONER ROSS: I WILL NOT BE ASKING FOR RESOLUTION.
>> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE ON THIS? YOU GOOD? COMMISSIONER BEAN? ALL RIGHT, ANYTHING ELSEB& THOSE 10 MINUTES LEFT. ANY OTHER TOPICS WE NEED TO DISCUSS?
>> COMMISSIONER ROSS: IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE OTHER SLIDES I WAS GOING TO PUT AT THE END OF THE MEETING. CAN YOU PUT THOSE ON? THIS IS REALLY COOL. THIS IS A POSITIVE THING. THIS IS A POSITIVE THING. THIS REALLY SHOWS WHAT WE CAN DO AS A COMMUNITY. I WAS GOING TO PUT THIS IN MY COMMISSIONER COMMENTS. GOUT. SO, THIS IS THE RIVERWALK THAT WE'VE BEEN BUILDING NOW AND THESE ARE JUST A COUPLE PICTURES. CAN YOU TURN THE LIGHTS OUT? THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, UM, THIS IS WHERE THE WALL IS NOW, AND THERE'S GOING TO BE AN 8 TO 10 FOOT SIDEWALK, RIVERWALK GOING ALONG THROUGH HERE, THIS IS THE SHORE, THIS IS GOING TO BE GRASS, GRASS IS GOING TO BE PLANTED IN THESE ROCKS. SO, THIS IS PARKING LOT C AND D DOWN HERE. AND THIS IS IT LOOKING SOUTH, THAT'S WHERE, UM, GO FORWARD. THAT'S WHERE ATLANTIC SEAFOOD IS, AND YOU CAN SEE THERE'S GOING TO BE A NICE RIVERWALK. AND WHEN YOU STAND OUT HERE AND LOOK AT THE VIEW, IT'S UNBELIEVABLE. AND THE WHOLE WALK GOES FROM THERE ALL THE WAY AROUND TO FRONT STREET, ALL THE WAY AROUND. THE NEXT ONE? AND THIS IS A VIEW FROM THE WATER, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT RIVERWALK AND THE VIEW OUT HERE AND ALL THIS IN HERE IS GOING TO BE PLANTED GRASS. AND THIS WILL ALL BE GRASS EVENTUALLY, IT WILL TAKE ABOUT A YEAR OR TWO TO DO THAT. AND THAT RIVERWALK WILL GO ON AROUND HERE. AND THE NEXT ONE. AND THAT'S JUST WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE. AND ALL THIS GRASS IS SALTWATER TOLERANT, IT WILL GROW IN HERE. SO, I THINK THAT'S A REALLY NEAT THING, HATS OUT TO OUR CITY ENGINEER WHO HAS BEEN DOING THIS, AND I JUST THINK IT'S A REALLY NEAT PROJECT. AND IT SHOULD BE DONE SOMETIME LATER THISSPRING. SOB .
>> MAYOR LEDNOVICH: WELL DONE. I WAS OUT THERE YESTERDAY, DRIVING MY CAR. IT IS VERY VERY COOL. AND IF YOU'RE GOING TO IMAGINE THAT WALKWAY EXTENDING NORTH YOU CAN WALK
THE ENTIRE RIVERFRONT, >> COMMISSIONER ROSS: WE NEED TO GET ALL THE PROPERTY AROUND THE RIVER. [LAUGHING] > MAYOR LEDNOVICH: THAT'S TRUE. ALL RIGHT, IT'S 10 MINUTES TILL. IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE WE NEED TO DISCUSSB WE ARE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.