[1. CALL TO ORDER]
[00:01:28]
IN LAYMAN TERMS WHAT THAT MEANS WE DID NOT RAISE TAXES THIS YEAR. MOVING ON TO ITEM TWO, JUST TO MAKE SURE WE PHIL EVERYBODY AND WHAT WE ARE DOING THIS IS ONE OF TWO SPECIAL BUDGET MEETINGS. TONIGHT WE WILL TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET AND WE WILL AGAIN ON SEPTEMBER 19.
[3.2 PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE]
TONIGHT WE WILL GO THROUGH THIS IN YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT AND CONFIRM ONCE AGAIN ON THE 19 19TH.JUST MAKES AROUND THE SAME PAGE. LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM 3.2, THE
CLOSE MILLAGE RATE. >> YOU HAVE TWO RESOLUTIONS TONIGHT. THE FIRST ONE THAT YOU WILL CONSIDER IS THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR AND YOU WILL VOTE ON THAT. THE SECOND IS A TENTATIVE BUDGET AND YOU WILL VOTE ON THAT UNLESS YOU MAKE AMENDMENTS WHICH YOU
KNOW HOW TO DO ALL OF THAT. >> EXCELLENT.
ONCE AGAIN WE WILL START WITH THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE.
IS THAT MR. GEORGE? >> GEORGE INTERIM CITY MANAGER IN THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE IS 4.8298 AS OPPOSED TO WHAT WE HAD
LAST YEAR WHICH WAS 5.3332. >> MOVED TO APPROVE.
>> I HEAR A MOTION IN THE SECOND, ANY DISCUSSION?
>> COMMISSIONER ROSS. >> I BELIEVE THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE DOES NOT ACCOUNT FOR INFLATION, I DO BELIEVE IT IS TRUE. AND IT DOES NOT ADEQUATELY FUND THE REPAIR OF OUR AGING INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE CITY AND ONE FINAL NOTE, A LOT OF PEOPLE WONDERED WHY WE HAD SO FEW.
WE HAD A LOT OF APPLICANTS BUT SO FEW QUALIFIED APPLICANTS TO APPLY FOR THE CITY MANAGER POSITION.
I CALLED THE NUMBER OF APPLICANTS THAT WE WITHDREW OR DECLINE TO EVEN APPLY AND TALK TO THEM AND MOST OF THEM GAVE THE REASON FOR DECLINING OR WITHDRAWING AS PERSONAL REASONS BUT SEVEN MADE THE FOLLOWING OBSERVATION THAT THE CITY WAS GOING TO THE ROLLBACK RATE INTO THAT WAS A RED FLAG TO THEM BECAUSE WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO FUND OUR INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS.
SO I WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING THE ROLLBACK RATE.
>> THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WHAT WERE VOTED ON TO MAKE SURE ON THE SAME PAGE IN THE ROOM AND THOSE WATCHING AT HOME, THE FIRST VOTE IS FOR SETTING THE TAX RATE, THIS IS NOT WHAT WERE SPENDING IT ALL BUT IT'S A RATE ITSELF, HOW MUCH MONEY WE WILL TAKEN, MOTIONED TO THE SECOND. PLEASE CALL THE VOTE.
>> COMMISSIONER ASK YOU. >> BY SMEAR STURGES.
>> PASSES 4 - ONE HEADING DOWN TO 3.3 THE TENTATIVE BUDGET, ONCE AGAIN I DON'T THINK WE DID A PRESENTATION WE ALL HAVE OUR BUDGET BOOKS WERE NOT TO PRESENT THE ENTIRE BOOK BUT EVERYONE HAS SEEN THE BOOK, ALRIGHT, DO I HEAR A MOTION ON THE PROPOSED
TENTATIVE BUDGET. >> I MOVED TO APPROVE.
>> HERE SECOND. >> A MOTION IN THE SECOND, ANY DISCUSSION? ONCE AGAIN COMMISSIONER ROSS.
>> ONCE AGAIN I DO NOT SUPPORT THIS BUDGET I THINK INADEQUATELY FUNDS THE REPAIR OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE RAISES THE SALARY OF THE CITY COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE ADOPTING A BUDGET.
I WILL NOT VOTE TO SUPPORT THIS BUDGET.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER ROSS, ANY FURTHER
[00:05:02]
DISCUSSION? SEE NONE THOSE WATCHING AT HOME ALL GIVE A QUICK UPDATE, WE DECIDED IN THE LAST VOTE WHAT IT WILL BE IN THIS DECIDE HOW TO SPEND IT THE PROPOSED BUDGET ATTACHED IN THE AGENDA I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SEE THAT, FOLLOW ALONG. WITH THAT WE HAVE A MOTION IN THE SECOND. CITY CLERK CALLED THE ROLE.>> COMMISSIONER ANTUN. >> YES.
>> COMMISSIONER STURGES. >> YES.
>> COMMISSIONER AYSCUE. >> YES.
>> THAT PASSES 4 - ONE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOTE COMMISSIONERS. MOVING DOWN, BEFORE WE MOVE INTO PUBLIC COMMENT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THE PROCESS AND HOW THIS WORKS, THERE WILL BE ANOTHER BUDGET MEETING THAT WILL HAPPEN ON THE 19TH. PLEASE COME BACK FOR THAT, IN THE MEANTIME WE HAVE THREE REQUESTS TO SPEAK, LET'S START
WITH VICE MAYOR, THANK YOU. >> LING KRIEGER 1313 HICKORY.
>> I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN YES PART OF THE BUDGET. YES YOU KNOW WE DISCUSSED THIS VARIOUS TIMES AND WE MADE COMMENTS IN THE SAID ENGINE CITY IS MADE SIGNIFICANT STRIDES FOR THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN CONSISTENT WITH STATE LAW AND THE COMP PLAN.
THERE ARE A FEW ISSUES THAT I THINK WE SHOULD ADDRESS.
NUMBER ONE THIS KIND OF FITS INTO THE NEXT MEETING, YOUR GOING TO APPROVE LEGISLATIVE REQUEST AND IN THE LEGISLATIVE REQUEST FOR RESILIENCY THE TEXT STATES THAT YOU'RE GOING TO ASK FOR $12 MILLION I BELIEVE IS THE AMOUNT, THAT IS NOT A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN SHOULD HAVE FUNDED AND UNFUNDED. THE REASON I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE YES THEY START REVIEWING AND LOOKING AT GETTING THE MONEY SHOULD BE A CONSISTENCY THAT THE MONEY SHOULD BE ANOTHER. YOU $15 MILLION FOR CITY HALL NEXT YEAR AND 5.8, EVERYTHING SHOULD GO WIN.
I THINK IT'S WORTH A REVIEW. THIS IS JUST YES GOOD YES ANYONE, YOU COULD TELL ME IF YOU WANT ME TO COME BACK FOR LEGISLATIVE REQUEST. THERE IS A QUESTION IN THEIR FOR WALKOVER'S WHICH IS WHAT MY FAVORITE THINGS.
IN THE WALKOVER'S ARE TO REPLACE THE WALK-THROUGHS WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS ENGINEERING PROCEDURES IN WHICH WE ADOPTED BUT I'M NOT CONSISTENT WITH THE CITIZENS COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE THE INFORMATION. OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, ONLY ONE OF THOSE FOR NORTH IS ONLY ONE THAT WOULD QUALIFY.
I'M SUGGESTING THAT WE PUT IN ALL OF THE WALK-THROUGHS AND I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW MANY THAT WE HAVE NOW TO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, THE FACT IS BECAUSE THERE IS NEW CONSTRUCTION DUE TO GROWTH AND WE COULD ACTUALLY FUND THEM WELL WITH IMPACT FUNDS IF WE HAVE THEM.
AND I HAVE A MINUTE LEFT. I THINK THAT IS GOOD.
I THINK THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN IS GOOD BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT PARTICULARLY YES WE GO INTO THE STATE AND I'M NOT GOING TO GET INTO THE STATE LEGISLATION PROCESS OF WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR. WHEN THE STATE AGENCY START LOOKING AT OUR REQUEST AND THEY LOOK AT THE OTHER DATA, WE OUGHT TO HAVE IT ALL IN THERE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VICE MAYOR. >> LET'S CALL THE RICHARD TEAM
TO THE PODIUM. >> GOOD EVENING RICHARD DEAN 4104 DUDE WOULD PLACE, THAT IS IN THE CITY.
LET ME BEGIN BY RAISING A PROCEDURAL ISSUE TAKING A VOTE ON A BUDGET BEFORE YOU GOT ANY PUBLIC COMMENT I THINK OPTICALLY THAT IS A VERY ODD MESSAGE TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
, THIS BUDGET KICKS THE CAN ON A NUMBER OF INFANT STRUCTURE PROJECTS IN THE CITY, YES WE FOUND SOMEBODY, SOME CAME FROM RESERVE FUND TO MAKE THIS BUDGET WORK.
I THINK THAT WAS A MISTAKE AND I THINK RESERV TO FUND EVEN IF YOU HAD AN OVERAGE THAT SHOULD NOT PATCH A BUDGET, THAT SHOULD GO TOWARDS LONG-TERM INVESTMENTS IN THE CITY, THAT IS THE WAY THAT I WOULD USE RESERVE FUNDS. IT WAS SAID MANY TIME IN PREVIOUS COMMISSION MEETINGS THAT WE PUT MORE MONEY IN THE BUDGET THEN WE COULD SPEND. I HEARD THAT SAID SEVERAL TIMES.
I FIND IT ODD THAT THAT STATEMENT IS TRUE, WHY DO WE
[00:10:06]
HAVE TO USE THE RESERVE FUNDS TO MAKE THIS BUDGET WORK.SOMETHING DOES NOT EQUATE THEIR. IT'S BEEN SAID MANY TIMES THAT WERE WORKING WITH THE COUNTY SO THE COUNTY WOULD PUT UP ITS FAIR SHARE FOR THINGS IN THE COUNTY RESIDENTS USE THE BALLFIELDS, THE BEACH ACCESS. I DON'T SEE THE RECEIPTS, I KNOW THERE IS TALK ABOUT MAYBE A DEAL WITH THE COUNTY AND THE SOCCER FIELDS BUT AGAIN, TALK, NO RECEIPTS.
AND FINALLY I WOULD SAY WE DEFERRED SPENDING AND THE BILLS GOING TO COME DO WITH THESE PROJECTS.
YOU ALL KNOW WHAT THEY ARE. WE FIND MONEY IN THE BUDGET FOR 49% INCREASE IN THE COMMISSION BUDGET.
AGAIN, I SAID BEFORE, THE PAY RAISE IS DUE FOR FUTURE COMMISSION BUT THE OPTICS OF VOTING FOR A PAY RAISE AND THESE THINGS THAT ARE BEEN MENTIONED ARE NOT GOOD FOR YOUR CITIZENS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU.
WE INVITE MS. JULIE TO THE PODIUM.
>> WELCOME. >> MY NAME IS JULIE, 501 DATE STREET. YOU WILL RECEIVE AN E-MAIL EARLIER TODAY ABOUT A MEETING THAT TOOK PLACE ON SATURDAY WERE A COALITION OF ALL THE ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS AND THE CITY CAME TOGETHER TO TALK ABOUT THE CONCERNED CITIZENS CAME TOGETHER TO TALK ABOUT THE TREES IN THE CORNER OF EIGHTH AND ATLANTIC. IN THE BUDGET IT LOOKS LIKE THERE IS $300, $300,000 IN THE TREE FUND AND WE WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT THESE MONIES BE USED FOR ELEMENTS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN RELOCATING THE HISTORIC PAVERS FOR THE SIDEWALK AND THE COST OF PROTECTING THE TREE ROOTS FOR THOSE TREES.
OUR GROUP WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS NO REPLACEMENT FOR THESE TREES, THERE IS NO CASH EQUIVALENT FOR THESE TREES THERE IS NO ADEQUATE PENALTY FOR CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE TREES AND THEY MUST BE MAINTAINED AND PROTECTED AND PRESERVED IN THE CITY RIGHT AWAY. THE MOST IDEAL SOLUTION WOULD BE AN EASEMENT FROM THE WHITE HOUSE, WORD ON THE STREET MAY BE F DOT IS NEGOTIATING WITH THE WHITE HOUSE BUT THE CITY HAS INFLUENCE IN THE CITY SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN THAT DISCUSSION.
IF THE BUDGET IS INSUFFICIENT AND DOES NOT ALLOW YOU TO PAY FOR REPLACING THE HEX PAVERS AND PROTECTED THE VALUABLE ASSETS TO A TREE THEN THE BUDGET HAS A PROBLEM.
WE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE CLEAR THAT THESE SPECIFIC TREES PROVIDE THE FINDING CHARACTER FOR FERN FERNANDINA, THEY PROVIDE A SENSE OF PLACE FOR THE CORRIDOR AND THESE TREES HAVE NOT FULFILLED THEIR LIFESPAN OF UP TO 500 YEARS AND WE ARE READY FOR MONEY TO BE SPENT WE ARE READY FOR THE CITY TO COORDINATE WITH F DOT YES THIS PROJECT WILL FORWARD AND WE ENCOURAGE ANY AVOIDANCE OF SOIL AND BREW DISTURBANCES BECAUSE THAT IS CRUCIAL IN THE TREE PROTECTION ZONE AND IT MUST BE A PRIORITY AND IT MUST BE FUNDED AND WE DON'T KNOW IF F DOT IS GOING TO FUND THE AND IT MAY BE TIME FOR THE CITY TO STEP UP.
ANY DISBURSEMENT OF TREE FUNDS SHOULD BE USED FOR PRESERVATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE RIGHT-OF-WAY TREES.
WE ARE RELYING ON YOU TO DO THE RIGHT THING WHEN IT COMES TO ALL BE KNOTS GROWING HEALTHY TREES IN PUBLIC PLACES IN REDUCING THE CONFLICT BETWEEN THE ICONIC TREES IN THE HISTORIC REPLACEMENT OF THE SIDEWALK. WE ASK THAT YOU ENSURE THE LONG-TERM HEALTH AND PRESERVING THESE TREES.
IF THAT GETS INVOLVED IN AN EASEMENT ISSUE AND MONEY ISSUES
THEN WE ASK THAT THE CITY STOP. >> THANK YOU.
>> THAT WAS THE CONCLUSION OF THE CITY, WE INVITE MS. KENNY
BARNETT TO THE PODIUM. >> WELCOME.
>> PENNY BARNETT 719 OCEANPORT PLACE, I AM A COUNTY RESIDENT BUT NOT A CITY RESIDENT. BUT LIKE EVERYONE ELSE THIS IS
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REALLY HOME TO ME AND WHEN I CAME HERE THE THING THAT DROVE ME HERE WERE THE TREES I GREW UP IN MIAMI FLORIDA AND I DID NOT WANT TO GO BACK TO MIAMI FLORIDA NORTH OF MY CAREER WAS TIME TO RETIRE AND IS THE TREES AND MORE INVOLVED I GOT WITH THE TREES I REALIZE HOW VALUABLE IN AN ASSET THAT THEY REALLY ARE IN IS TRULY YOUR CHARACTER AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PAVERS, THEY ARE SO OLD AND THE HISTORIC CITIES HAVE THEM, I WOULD LIKE YOU WANT TO HAVE ENOUGH MONEY IN THE BUDGET TO MAINTAIN AND REPLACE THE PAVERS PROTECTED THE ROOTS OF THE TREES AND KEEP THEM ANOTHER TWO BLOCKS OF THE HEAVY ENTRANCE CITY HISTORIC AT THE GORGEOUS CITY AND YOU'VE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB.>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. >> THAT INCLUDES A PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THIS MEETING. BEFORE WE ADJOURN, KEEP IN MIND THERE WILL BE FURTHER DISCUSSION OF THE BUDGET THAT WILL OCCUR ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2 WEEKS FROM TODAY WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER MEETING AND CONTINUE WATER BUDGET DISCUSSION TOGETHER.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WISHES TO GET PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY ABOUT THE BUDGET? SEE NOT THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS A
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT. >> I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS THE GENTLEMAN'S EARLIER COMMENT ABOUT TAKING PUBLIC COMMENT AFTER YOU VOTED ON THE TENTATIVE BUDGET, THE FLORIDA LAW ALLOWS THE CITY COMMISSION, EVEN THOUGH YOU APPROVE THE TENTATIVE BUDGET, YOU CAN TONIGHT AMEND THE TENTATIVE BUDGET AND CERTAINLY AGAIN WE HAVE ANOTHER MEETING ON THE 19TH WERE THE FINAL BUDGET CAN BE ADOPTED AND THERE WILL BE A FINAL AMENDMENTS
BEFORE THAT BUDGET IS ADOPTED. >> PERFECT, I APPRECIATE THAT.
ALRIGHT, WITH THAT
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.