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>> PLEASE BE SEATED. THANK YOU.
I CALL TO ORDER THE JULY 26, 2022 SPECIAL MEETING OF THE FERNANDINA BEACH CITY COMMISSION REGARDING MILLAGE RATE. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
THANK YOU. AS ALWAYS, PLEASE SET YOUR CELL PHONES TO AIRPLANE MODE, SILENT OR ENTIRELY OFF.
WE APPRECIATE IT. LET'S STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. ALL RIGHT, ITEM NUMBER FOUR,
[4.1 TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE FOR FY 2022/2023 – RESOLUTION 2022-133 SETTING A TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE FOR OPERATING EXPENSES FOR THE CITY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022/2023; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Synopsis: Establishes the Tentative Operating Millage Rate for FY 2022/2023.]
4.1, TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE FOR FY 2022/2023.SOMEONE READING THIS INTO THE RECORD FOR US?
[INAUDIBLE] >> COMMISSIONER ROSS.
QUICKLY MOVED TO APPROVE ADOPTING THE CURRENT MILLAGE RATE FOR THE UPCOMING TENTATIVE BUDGET AS THE MAXIMUM RATE THAT
WE HAVE ADOPTED. >> CAN YOU STATE THE RATE FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE? FOR THE MOTION.
THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES A MILLAGE RATE OF 5.3330.
>> THANK YOU. >> DO I HAVE A SECOND?
>> SECOND. >> I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. DISCUSSION?
COMMISSIONER. >> I'M GOING TO OPPOSE THIS FOR TWO REASONS. I THINK EITHER ONE OF THESE ALONE WOULD BE A GOOD ENOUGH REASON TO AVOID THE TAX INCREASE. HERE THEY ARE, I WILL GO ONE, THE BUDGET I BELIEVE HAS A LOT OF THINGS THAT COULD BE -- OF GOD THROUGH THIS WITH MY NUMBER TWO PENCIL AND I'VE IDENTIFIED $1 MILLION IN ITEMS THAT I DON'T BELIEVE AND I THINK WE ALL MIGHT AGREE ON SHOULD NOT BE IN THE BUDGET.
AND FOR THAT REASON I WANT TO DISCUSS THOSE AND TALK ABOUT HOW CAN WE PULL THOSE THINGS OUT AND GET BACK DOWN TO A MORE REASONABLE LEVEL. IF WE CUT THE MILLION DOLLARS WE CAN GET BACK TO AVOID SUCH A TAX INCREASE IS WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR. NUMBER TWO, AND THIS REASON ALSO ALONE, WOULD BE ENOUGH. IT IS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WITH THE OPERA FUNDS COMING IN, $3 MILLION, OVER $3 MILLION WHICH WE ESTABLISHED LAST MEETING, HAS NO STRINGS ATTACHED. WE CAN PUT IN THE BUDGET AND WHERE WE CURRENTLY HAVE IT I BELIEVE, IS THIS GOING TO HELP FACILITATE THE BUDGET? THAT $3 MILLION IS REALLY, SOMETHING THAT WORRIES ME. BECAUSE IF WE RAISE TAXES THIS YEAR AND WE TREAT THIS $3 MILLION IS SIMPLY PART OF THE BUDGET, WE'RE GOING TO BE IN A WORLD OF HURT NEXT YEAR WHEN WE DO NOT GET THAT $3 MILLION. AND WE WERE LOOKING AT OURSELVES LIKE WHAT HAPPENED? I CAN SEE THE FUTURE FOLKS AND WHAT THAT WILL BE, WILL HAVE TO RAISE TAXES ONCE AGAIN NEXT YEAR TO COVER THE LOSS OF REVENUE.
LET'S TREAT THE MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LIKE IT WAS, A BONUS, AND LET'S SPEND IT WISELY.
I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO RAISE TAXES THIS YEAR.
I WILL BE VOTING NO. >> ANYBODY ELSE?
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME? >> YES VICE MAYOR.
>> OKAY. I AM SUPPORTING THIS AND HAS SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS WITH THE BUDGET, WITH EITHER ONE OF THE FIRST TWO, WE WILL WORK THAT OUT.
I'M CONCERNED WITH THE CAPITOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
I'M CONCERNED WITH THE HEADCOUNT, I'M CONCERNED WITH THE BUDGET AND VARIOUS OTHER THINGS.
I WILL POINT OUT AS CRAZY AS IT SOUNDS, -- I DO BELIEVE THAT THIS COMMISSION HAS THE ABILITY AND THE SMARTS, TO ADJUST IT WEATHER GOES TO ADJUSTMENT MORE TENTATIVELY, IT COULD GO HIGHER. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
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PROVIDE SUFFICIENT MONEY TO DEAL WITH THE MAINTENANCE.I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THE IMPACT TO THE TAXPAYER, I GOT 20 EMAIL TODAY AND I THINK MOST OF YOU GOT THEM.
TAXPAYERS, IS ALSO THE OTHER ISSUE, BOND ISSUE THAT COUNTY WILL PRESENT AN SCHOOL DISTRICT PRESENT IN CERTAIN RISK IN THE COUNTY. BUT I DO BELIEVE WE CAN EFFECTIVELY WORK THROUGH WORKSHOPS AND COME OUT WITH A GOOD VIABLE BUDGET. I THINK THERE IS THAT IN THE BUDGET AND BUT I AM NOT SURE THAT EVERYTHING ELSE IS IN THERE. THANK YOU.
I ECHO THOSE COMMENTS. HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE A LARGE AMOUNT OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE, IT'S BEEN MENTIONED, I HAVE MENTIONED IT, MANY EMAILS TO CERTAIN PEOPLE.
HOWEVER, THE CASE IS, CANNOT TACKLE THAT IN ONE YEAR.
AND, BUT WITH RISING COST OF EVERYTHING, JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE SEES IT, THE RISING COST, THE CITY SEES THE RISING COST AS WELL. SO, HOWEVER THAT MAY BE, I DON'T WANT TO TAKE THIS OFF THE TABLE.
THE BUDGET, THE CITY MANAGER HAS PRODUCED.
YET TONIGHT, I AM NOT WILLING TO TAKE IT OFF THE TABLE TONIGHT. SO, I WILL BE VOTING TO KEEP THIS BUT WITH AN EYE ON IT, THAT WE CAN POSSIBLY GET TO THE RATE IT'S A POSSIBILITY. I WILL LEAVE THAT OPEN.
COMMISSIONER ROSS. >> THIS IS TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSIONERS THOUGHTS IN REVERSE.
FIRST OF ALL, -- IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET PER SE.
IT IS FOR PROJECTS FOR THE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE THAT WE HAVEN'T TAKEN CARE OF IN YEARS. IT IS A ONE-TIME EXPENSE AND THAT HELPS WHITTLE AWAY AT THE I WOULD SAY, UNDER INVESTMENT FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON IN THE CITY.
IT IS A ONE TIME, HAS NO EFFECT ON THE CURRENT BUDGET RATE.
IT IS INDEPENDENT AND I THINK THAT MONEY NEEDS TO BE SPENT FROM THE CAPITAL PROJECTS. NUMBER TWO, I CAN'T READ WHAT I WROTE. $1 MILLION WORTH OF CUTS, I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING ALL OF THOSE MILLION DOLLARS IN CUTS.
BUT THIS IS THE MAXIMUM RATE, AND WE CAN ALWAYS COME BACK DOWN AND MAKE A PERSUASIVE ARGUMENT.
THEN WE CAN ALWAYS ADJUST TO SOMETHING ELSE.
AND I THINK TO BEGIN WITH, IT SHOULD STAY AT THE PROPOSED
CURRENT MILLAGE RATE. >> OKAY.
MR. STURGIS. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR.
MAYBE I DID NOT GO INTO LONG DETAILS ABOUT, AND I WILL NOT SAY ANYTHING BUT AFTER RUNNING A BUSINESS IN IS-- THE GOVERNME NOT A BUSINESS BUT WE CAN CHIP AWAY THE DEBT, THE $20 MILLION WORTH OF DEBT, OF PROJECTS THAT ARE OVERDUE.
AND SOME OF THEM CAN WAIT, THEY DO NOT ALL HAVE TO BE AT ONE TIME. BUT THE REAL REALITY IS, AND THIS IS PART OF THE DISCUSSION I DO WANT TO TAKE AT LEAST 20 SECONDS AND MENTION. WE NEED OTHER AVENUES OF REVENUE THAT COME FROM -- REVENUE THAT DID NOT COME FROM THE RESIDENCE THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN CARE OF AND I WE WILL NOT HANDLE THAT RIGHT NOW AND WILL NOT HANDLE THAT IN THE NEXT TWO, THREE OR FOUR MONTHS BUT IT IS ON THE HORIZON AND IT DOES NEED TO BE TALKED ABOUT. WE CANNOT BURDEN OUR TAXPAYERS WITH ALL OF THIS. ALL THE EXTRA DEBT AND THINGS THAT PREVIOUS COMMISSIONS, AND I WILL NOT CALL ANYBODY'S NAME AND I DO NOT NEED TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT ALL THE RECORDS.
UT PREVIOUS COMMISSIONS, DID NOT LOOK AHEAD INTO THE FUTURE.
AND OR DID NOT CALIBRATE FOR THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
THE REASON I SAY THAT IS OR SHOULD NOT BE WAITING EIGHT YEARS FOR A NEW FIRE TRUCK. THAT IS NOT HOW YOU RUN.
WE DO NOT RUN BACKWARDS. WE TRY TO THINK AHEAD AND GO OKAY, IF OUR FIRE TRUCK GOES INTO USE NOW, HOW ARE WE GOING TO PAY FOR ANOTHER FIRE TRUCK IN 15 OR 20 YEARS WHEN THAT ONE GOES OUT? ANYWAYS, I THINK WE HAVE A LOT
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OF TALK AND DISCUSSION AND IT IS POSSIBLE TO GET TO THE ROLLBACK RATE, I JUST THINK THAT WE ARE IN A PREDICAMENTFROM PREVIOUS COMMISSIONS. >> COMMISSIONER ROSS.
>> OF OUR NEXT WORKSHOP.E'LL TALK ABOUT ALTERNATE WAYS OF RAISING MONEY. SO, THAT CAN BE PART OF THIS DISCUSSION. THAT IS THE ONLY ITEM.
>> COMMISSIONER. >> THANK YOU.
I HAVE A QUESTION BEFORE IF THAT IS OKAY.
COME IN DOLLARS, HOW MUCH MORE IS 5.333? THEN THE ADJUSTED ROLLBACK RATE AND FORWARD ROLLBACK RATE? THE ADJUSTABLE RATE IS $963,000 AND 5.3330 IS 1.8 MILLION.
>> THANK YOU, THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT.
COMMISSIONERS TO RECAP WHAT WAS JUST SAID IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE ADJUSTED ROLLBACK RATE, WE LOOK AT CUTTING IS $100,000 FROM THE BUDGET. AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, I WENT TO THE BUDGET AND HAVE IDENTIFIED $1 MILLION THINGS THAT I BELIEVE WE DO NOT NEED AND I BELIEVE THAT ONCE WE TALK ABOUT IT, AND THIS IS IN PLACE, IT IS NOT PERMITTED TO GO THROUGH THOSE BUT NEXTWEEK WHEN WE DISCUSS , I THINK THAT WE WILL ALL AGREE ON THE ITES THAT I'VE BROUGHT FORWARD.
WHAT I WANT TO DO IS ISSUE -- IS THE VICE MAYOR SAYS, HE SEES A LOT AND I SAY, LET'S BRING THAT FORWARD.
IF YOU GO HOME, SHARPEN YOUR PENCIL, BRING A LITTLE BIT BACK, WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT THE BUDGET AND LET'S DISCUSS THAT. LET'S SPEND SOME TIME AND GO TO THE BUDGET. LET'S FIGURE OUT WHAT IS NOT NECESSARY, AND LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS.
I WILL LAY DOWN THE CHALLENGE. I WILL BRING A MILLION, WHAT CAN YOU BRING? LET'S DO IT!
>> COMMISSIONER ROSS? >> WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO SHARE THAT BEFORE THE MEETING AT LEAST 48 HOURS? LET EVERYONE SHARE WHAT THEY WANT.
>> WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO THAT ON AN EMAIL SYSTEM?
OKAY CITY MANAGER. >> THERE YOU GO.
>> YES SIR. >> I WANT TO POINT OUT, I THINK WHAT I'M SAYING IS EXACTLY WHAT -- WE ARE GOING TO GO THROUGH THIS AND FIND -- I WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT THIS WILL BE THE FIRST YEAR PROBABLY, WHERE WE WILL ACTUALLY HAVE FIVE YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
BEFORE THE WORKSHOPS I BELIEVE, AND IT WILL GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY LOOK AT WHAT WE NEED TO DO AND WHEN WE NEED TO DO IT. THERE HAVE BEEN DISCREPANCIES OR INCONGRUITIES IN THE NUMBERS THUS FAR AND WE WILL GET THIS CLARIFIED. I BELIEVE WE CAN COME UP WITH EITHER SAVINGS OR LIKE I SAID, DON'T ASSUME WE DON'T NEED MORE MONEY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR. ANYONE ELSE?
>> WE WILL WAIT FOR THE LAST SHOE TO DROP AND THEN WE WILL
SEE. >> ALL RIGHT, JUST FOR THE PUBLICS KNOWLEDGE, THIS PROCESS IS THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE.
BECAUSE REALLY, WHAT WE DON'T TALK ABOUT IS WE DON'T TALK ABOUT THE CITY MANAGERS BUDGET. WE WAIT TO DO THAT NEXT WEEK.
WE ARE SETTING A TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE , WITHOUT REALLY GETTING DOWN INTO THE WEEDS. AS COMMISSIONER BEAN SAID, HE SEES MILLION DOLLARS I'M HOPING TO HEARING THAT.
I THINK WE ARE ALL OPEN TO HEARING PROPOSALS, SO THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT IT IS. IT IS A TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE.
UNTIL WE START DEBATING THE MERITS, WHAT THE CITY MANAGER HAS BROUGHT BEFORE US. SO, THIS VOTE IS JUST TENTATIVE. IT IS NOT THE FINAL MILLAGE RATE AND THE FINAL ITEMS IN THE BUDGET ARE YET TO BE DETERMINED. I AM OPEN TO ALL IDEAS, I AM OPEN TO THIS MILLAGE RATE, AND HOME OPEN TO LOWER MILLAGE RATE. BUT I WANT TO HEAR EVERYONE'S THOUGHTS BEFORE DETERMINING WHAT THE FINAL BUDGET IS.
SO WITH THAT, IF THERE ARE NO MORE COMMENTS, WE WILL CALL THE VOTE ON THE TENTATIVE VILLAGE RATE, AND THEN WE WILL MEET
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NEXT WEEK. MADAM CLERK? HAS BEEN SET AT 5.3330. ALL RIGHT.COMMISSIONER ROSS, YOU HAD SOMETHING YOU WANTED TO CLOSE THE MEETING. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
>> THANK YOU. MORE THAN 10 MONTHS AGO IN EARLY SEPTEMBER 2021, I RECEIVED A CERTIFIED LETTER.
NEVER A GOOD OMEN. THE LETTER WAS FROM THE COMMISSION OF ETHICS FROM THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
THE LETTER INCLUDED A SIX PAGE, SINGLESPACED COMPLAINT, FILED BY ONE CHRISTOPHER -- IS PRESIDENT OF NASSAU TERMINAL LLC. UNDER OATH, HE LISTED MORE THAN 10 ALLEGED VIOLATIONS OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
THE ALLEGED VIOLATIONS ALL RELATED TO MY INTERACTIONS WITH THE PORT OF FERNANDINA. I LITERALLY COULD ENGAGE IN A PATTERN OF HARASSING, -- AND IMPROPER CONDUCT.
DIRECTED AGAINST -- AND NASSAU TERMINAL SPIN AN EXAMPLE OF THIS IMPROPER CONDUCT, WAS A FILE FOR MY PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS. THE ALLEGED WAS I LIVED 2 1/2 BLOCKS FROM THE PORT, THERE WOULD BE A QUOTE DIRECT FINANCIAL BENEFIT TO ME PERSONALLY.
IF THE PORT CLOSED. HE STATED MY MISSION WAS TO CLOSE THE PORT AND IF THE PORT CLOSED, MY PROPERTY RATE OR PROPERTY VALUE WOULD SOAR. BY THE RULES OF THE EXCESS COMMISSION, I WAS ENTITLED TO BE REPRESENTED BY AN ATTORNEY.
I DID NOT HIRE A LAWYER AND I REPRESENTED MYSELF.
OVER 10 MONTHS, THE COMMISSION CONDUCTED A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION THAT INCLUDED MY MEETING WITH A FULL-TIME INVESTIGATOR, INTERVIEW OF THE CITY ATTORNEY, INTERVIEW OF -- CHAIRMAN REVIEW OF MULTIPLE DOCUMENTS AND MORE.
ON FRIDAY, I WENT TO THE ETHICS COMMISSION MEETING TO SEE THE FINEST COULD LIST THE FIVE GUYS THE COMMISSION UNITS EITHER DISMISS THE COMPLAINT FOR LACK OF LEGAL SUFFICIENCY OR FOUND THERE WAS NO PROBABLE CAUSE THAT I MISUSED MY PUBLIC POSITION TO OBTAIN A SPECIAL BENEFIT FOR MYSELF OR OTHERS.
ALL COMPLAINTS WERE DISMISSED. UP UNTIL THIS POINT, THE COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION HAVE REMAINED A CONFIDENTIAL PROCEEDING.OMORROW, THE ETHICS COMMISSION WILL POST THE FINDINGS AND RECORDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CASE WILL BECOME PUBLIC. MANY OF THE STATEMENTS THAT HE MADE UNDER OATH WERE NOT TRUE. I CAN ONLY SPECULATE AS TO WHAT MOTIVATED HIM TO FILE THE COMPLAINT.
HE RECENTLY SOLVED HIS INTEREST IN THE PORT AND I WISH HIM WELL IN HIS FUTURE ENDEAVORS. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.