Jul 30, 2024 Special Meeting

[1. CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:08]

>> I AM TO ORDER.

>> COMMISSIONER ROSS. >> HERE.

>> COMMISSIONER AYSCUE. >> HERE.

>> PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, LED BY

COMMISSIONER AYSCUE. >> 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. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE ARE GOING TO KICK OFF WITH SOME HOUSEKEEPING. I RECEIVED FROM MULTIPLE CITIZENS -- THEY SPOKE ABOUT HOW THEY COULD NOT HEAR DURING THE MEETING. THEY COULDN'T HEAR DURING THE MEETING. THERE WAS A LOT OF BACK-AND-FORTH HAPPENING. I'M GOING TO ASK EVERYONE IN THE ROOM FROM HAVING YOUR OWN CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ANYONE THAT

[4.1 TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE FOR FY 2024/2025 – RESOLUTION 2024-131 SETTING A TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE FOR OPERATING EXPENSES FOR THE CITY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024/2025; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Synopsis: Establishes the Tentative Millage Rate for FY 2024/2025.]

WE WILL HEAR YOUR COMMENTS. WITH THOSE TWO THINGS IN MIND, WE ARE GOING TO GET STARTED. JEREMIAH, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO PRESENT BEFORE WE HAVE THIS DISCUSSION?

>> MAYOR, THANK YOU. I HAVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION TO REMIND US OF THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE. WE WILL GET UNDERWAY. AS A REMINDER TONIGHT, YOU WILL BE SETTING THE TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE, THE MAXIMUM MILLAGE RATE. ONCE THAT IS ESTABLISHED, YOU CAN GO BACK, BUT YOU CAN'T GO HIGHER. KEEP THAT IN MIND AS YOU MAKE YOUR DECISION. OKAY. LET'S GET UNDERWAY HERE. THIS IS THE 2024-2025 FISCAL YEAR BUDGET. MILLAGE RATE OPTION ON JULY 30TH. AS A REMINDER, WHAT WE ARE DOING IS LOOKING AT THE MILLAGE RATE. THAT TOUCHES THE TAX. THIS IS ABOUT 25% OF THE REVENUE THAT COMES INTO THE CITY. THAT GIVES YOU A PICTURE OF WHAT THOSE TAXES ARE IN THIS COMMUNITY, AS FAR AS THE REVENUE THE CITY OFFERS. AND WHAT'S BEEN PROVIDED TO YOU BEFORE. THE TOP NUMBERS ARE THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR 23-24 MILLAGE RATE. WE BUDGET FOR 96% OF THE REVENUE FOR THAT. THE 2024 ROLLBACK RATE. THE BUDGET WAS BUILT OFF OF A MODIFIED ROLLBACK RATE OF 19,444,347 DOLLARS. THE MAXIMUM MILLAGE RATE , THE OPERATING MILLAGE RATE, PRODUCES ADDITIONAL INCOME, AND THAT IS WHAT WE REQUIRE FOR A 5 VOTE. THE CURRENT MILLAGE RATE WE HAVE FOR THIS YEAR , 42898.

INAUDIBLE ] IT IS THE DOLLARS ASSESSED FOR EACH $1000 OF VALUE. THERE IS AN EQUATION THAT SHOWS YOU HOW THAT IS CALCULATED. YOU CAN SEE THIS ON THE WEBSITE FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE. WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED IS A REDUCTION OF THAT RATE TO 4.6849. DUE TO FLORIDA STATE STATUTE 200.065, ANYTHING HIGHER DOES CONSTITUTE AS A TAX INCREASE. THIS IS SOME INFORMATION THAT CAME FROM THE APPRAISER'S OFFICE THIS AFTERNOON.

FLUCTUATIONS THAT WE HAVE HAD WITHIN THE CITY. WE'VE HAD THESE NUMBERS IN THE COUNTY, AS WELL. AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S INCREASES. WE WILL SEE DIFFERENT NUMBERS, INCREASES, CONSIDERING THE CONSTRUCTION. REMODEL, NEW BUILD, AND THOSE WITHOUT. THE INTEREST THERE IS THE 2024 TAXABLE VALUE OF 9.7%.

NEW CONSTRUCTION, AS YOU CAN SEE DOWN BELOW, BUT WAS ADDED

[00:05:11]

FOOTPRINTS. WE CAN ONLY BUILD SO MUCH ON SUCH LITTLE SPACE.

WE HAVE SEEN NEW CONSTRUCTION, NEW GROWTH, AND THAT IS PROVIDED HERE, AS MS. GIBSON HAS OFTEN PROVIDED, WE ARE LOOKING AT LESS THAN 1% OF POPULATION GROWTH FORECASTED IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS. NOW, WHERE THIS COMES IN, INTO ] IT LIMITED IT TO 3%. YOU ARE CAPPED , TWO , 3%. THE TEXT VALUE ADJUSTS TO THE CURRENT VALUE ONCE IT TRANSFERS OWNERSHIP. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS DISCUSSION, THOSE ARE THE HIGH POINTS. THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, THIS COMING YEAR'S BUDGET IS REDUCTION OF THE CURRENT MILLAGE RATE BY 3% TO PROVIDE A NEUTRAL TEXT IMPACT ON HOMESTEADER PROPERTIES. NOW, TO GIVE YOU A LOOK AT WHAT WE'VE HAD IN THE LAST 20 YEARS , YOU CAN SEE LAST YEAR, WE WENT BACK TO THE ROLLBACK RATE WHICH WAS REDUCTION OF MILLAGE RATE BY 9% AND THIS YEAR, WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED IS A FURTHER REDUCTION OF THE MILLAGE RATE TO 3%. JUST ANOTHER LOOK AT IT TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE TREND HERE. YOU CAN SEE THE LAST 10 YEARS, WHERE THE MILLAGE RATE WAS AT , THE CONSERVATION MILLAGE, WHICH INCREASE THAT, LITTLE OVER 6.5 POINT AND WHAT IS BEING RECOMMENDED HERE, PROPOSED IN THIS BUDGET IS, AS YOU CAN SEE, THAT TREND CONTINUES TO GO DOWN. WE CONTINUE TO REDUCE THE MILLAGE RATE OVER THE LAST DECADE. SO WE ARE HERE TONIGHT IN THE SPECIAL MEETING, JULY 30TH, TO ADOPT THAT MILLAGE RATE POINT OF THE FOLLOWING WEEK, WE WILL GET INTO SOME PARTICULARS OF WHAT THAT MONEY THAT Y'ALL WALK IN TONIGHT, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH IT? BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME THINGS WE CAN DO. SOME THINGS WE CAN'T. MOVE STUFF AROUND.

WHAT CAN WE DO? AND THAT WILL BE A RIVETING DISCUSSION, I'M SURE, AS WE HAVE AUGUST 6TH, AUGUST 7TH, AND IF NEEDED, EIGHTH AND NINTH, AS WELL. RACE ON THOSE DISCUSSIONS AT THOSE MEETINGS, WE WILL MOVE INTO THE BUDGET WORKSHOPS. AND THE NEW FISCAL YEAR BEGINS ON OCTOBER 1ST. THESE ARE TOPICS TO DISCUSS. WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE GOLF COURSE. REVENUES CONTINUE TO NOT FALL IN LINE WITH EXPENDITURES AND SUBSIDIES REQUIRED OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND. IT'S ABOUT 30% OF THE GENERAL FUND TO SUBSIDIZE THE GOLF COURSE. WE ARE LOOKING AT ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE. SOME OF THE CONCERNS WITH STAFFING IS IT IS A RECURRING COST. IT IS NOT LIKE A CAPITAL EXPENSE WHERE IT IS A ONE-TIME EXPENSE AND YOU HAVE MAINTENANCE. THESE ARE RECURRING COSTS IN PERPETUITY. IT IS SOMETHING WE TAKE SERIOUSLY. ADDED TO THAT IS GETTING NEGOTIATIONS UNDERWAY.

THAT, AS WELL. CAPITAL PROJECTS. JUST THINGS THAT ARE BEING DEFERRED. WE WILL DISCUSS THE DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION.

THAT IS A SPECIFIC ONE WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT BECAUSE WE DID NOT RECEIVE STATE APPROPRIATION FOR THAT MOVING FORWARD. WE WILL TRY AGAIN NEXT YEAR HOPEFULLY, BUT WE HAVE FUNDING TO GET STARTED, BUT NOT TO CONTINUE. WE CAN DO THAT, AS WELL. ADDITIONAL ITEMS TO DISCUSS AT THE AUGUST SIXTH WORKSHOP, AND POTENTIALLY THE AUGUST 7TH WORKSHOP, NOT RIGHT NOW, BUT THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU. IT PROVIDES SUSTAINABILITY NOT JUST FOR THIS YEAR, BUT MOVING FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? IF NOT, I'LL TAKE MY SUIT.

>> ANY QUESTIONS? >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. JEREMIAH, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ON THERE, WE ARE PLANNING ON AUGUST 5TH, SIXTH, SEVENTH, EIGHTH, HOWEVER LONG IT TAKES, DAY AFTER DAY, 5:00. EVERY DAY. BUT WE HAVE A REGULAR MEETING ON AUGUST 6TH.

WE HAVE A WORKSHOP. WE HAVE AN HOUR TO START WORKING ON IT.

>> I'M TRYING TO MAKE SURE I LAY THIS OUT AND I'M PREPARED.

>> AUGUST 6TH AND SEVENTH. WE HAVE EIGHTH AND NINTH IF

NEEDED. >> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

>> COMMISSIONER AYSCUE. >> I WAS GOING TO BRING THIS

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WITH THE EIGHTH BE A PROBLEM? >> YOU WOULD SAY THE 8TH IS THE

NEXT AVAILABLE. >> CORRECT. WE START AT 5:00

POINT >> IS THAT OKAY WITH YOU GUYS? BACK. MAYBE MORE THAN THAT. WE ARE GOING TO GO INTO YOUR VACATION AND YOUR TRIP, I THINK, THE FOLLOWING WEEK.

>> I DON'T THINK SO. WE ARE A LITTLE BIT FARTHER AWAY FROM THAT. WE ARE STILL DOING BUDGET WORKSHOPS BY THAT TIME -- INAUDIBLE ] SOMETHING HAS RUN --

>>

>> DEFINITELY. >> I'M GOING TO FOREWARN YOU THAT I ENDED MY MARKED UP COPY OF THE BUDGET TO THE CITY MANAGER TODAY, AND HIS COMMENT WAS, WHAT PAGE IS

? >> WHAT TIME ARE WE GOING TO CALL IT ON THIS MEETING? WHAT TIME DO Y'ALL WANT TO CALL IT?

>> SHOULD WE SET THAT TIME NOW?

>> YEAH. >> 5:00 UNTIL WHEN? 10:00?

11:00? >> LET'S PLAY IT BY EAR. IF WE GET TO 10:00, WE WILL START TO CLEAR THAT OUT.

>> I'M JUST THROWING THAT OUT THERE NOW.

>> I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP WHILE WE ARE ON THE SUBJECT.

>> OKAY. WITH THAT IN MIND, WE'VE GOT OUR BUDGET WORKSHOPS. WE WILL WORK OUT THE MEAT AND POTATOES OF THIS ONCE WE GET THE RATE SET. WE NEED TO HEAR EMOTION AS TO WHAT THE MILLAGE RATE WILL BE. BEFORE THAT, WE SHOULD HEAR FROM PUBLIC COMMENT. LET'S START WITH MR. RICHARD DEAN. COME ON DOWN, SIR.

>> GOOD EVENING.

I WANT TO MAKE THE POINT THAT I WOULD ENCOURAGE US IN FUTURE YEARS TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY. WE ARE WALKING IN MILLAGE RATE BEFORE WE'VE DONE THE BUDGET. PEOPLE SAY, WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IT THAT WAY. I WOULD SAY, WE USED TO SMOKE IN THEIR PLANS.

SEATBELTS WEREN'T MANDATORY, AND THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO COULD VOTE WERE WHITE MALES WHO OWNED PROPERTY. SO CHANGE IS SOMETIMES IMPORTANT TO IMPROVE THINGS. WE'VE GOT ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN TOUCHED ON EARLIER ABOUT FIREMEN. THE COMMITMENT TO HIRE THEM. THAT IS NOT IN THE BUDGET. I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE ISN'T IN THE BUDGET THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO COME BACK TO AND ADDRESS. I THINK WE CAN MAKE BETTER DECISIONS IF WE HAVE A PROCESS WHERE , YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK ANYONE WANTS TO RUN THE BUSINESS THIS WAY. WE WOULD DECIDE WHAT IT IS WE HAVE TO WORK WITH, AND THEN, FINALIZE OUR BUDGET. FINALIZE OUR BUDGET , THE TAX RATE. I THINK YOU SHOULDN'T PLACE ANY BLAME HERE ON STAFF. PART OF THIS IS FURTHER FALLOUT FROM THE CITY MANAGER DUMPSTER FIRE THAT HAS THROWN OUR WHOLE SCHEDULE OUT OF WHACK. AND I THINK THAT WE'VE GOT TO REALLY RETHINK HOW WE DO BUSINESS. I ALSO WANTED BETTER DECISION-MAKING. AND I DON'T WANT US TO GO BACK TO THE DAYS OF KICKING A CAN, DEFERRING NEEDED MAINTENANCE. WE ARE NOT GOING TO DO A BEACH WORLD, BUT IT'S THINGS LIKE THAT THAT SORT OF CONTRIBUTE -- THE MAYOR AND I WERE IN A MEETING RECENTLY -- A CITIZEN SAID HIS VIEW OF THE CITY WAS THAT THINGS WERE ERODING, THAT THE CITY DIDN'T LOOK AS NICE AS IT DID FOUR OR FIVE YEARS

[00:15:01]

>> THANK YOU, MR. DEAN. LET'S GO AHEAD TO COMMISSIONER

AYSCUE. >> COULD YOU CLARIFY THE REASON THAT THE FIREFIGHTERS AREN'T IN THE BUDGET?

>> YES SIR. EARLY ON WHEN THE BUDGET PROCESS GOT UNDERWAY, THE APPLICATION FOR THOSE THREE FIREMEN POSITIONS WERE APPLIED FOR. PART OF -- YOU CAN'T -- YOU ARE DISCOURAGED, IN SOME CASES PROHIBITED, FOR ASKING FOR FUNDING ASSISTANCE AND THEN PROVIDING IT FOR YOURSELF. SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE WITH GRANT APPLICATIONS, GRANT AWARDS. SO I MEAN, THOSE POSITIONS WERE NOT IN THE BUDGET. NOW, THERE ARE PROVISIONS WITHIN THE CITY BUDGET.

ADJUSTMENTS CAN BE MADE. THOSE ARE THINGS WE NEED TO ADDRESS IN THE BUDGET WORKSHOP . SPECIFICALLY, THAT TOPIC OF

DISCUSSION. >> WE WOULD HAVE TO PULL THE

GRANT. >> CORRECT. THAT WOULD BE THE

APPROPRIATE WAY TO DO IT. >> WE CAN FUND THEM, BUT WE

HAVE TO PULL THE GRANT. >> THAT WOULD BE THE APPROPRIATE THING TO DO. YEAH.

>> SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY FOR EVERYONE WATCHING AT HOME AND EVERYONE HERE, IT'S NOT THAT WE DIDN'T FUND THEM. WE CAN'T LEGALLY FUND THEM WITHOUT PULLING THE GRANT, AND THEN WE CAN FUND THEM AT THAT POINT.

>> RIGHT. AND YOU WOULD LOSE YOUR CHANCE OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IF YOU SECURE THE GRANT, WHICH WE DON'T KNOW

THAT WE WOULD. >> QUESTIONS ON THAT?

>> I ALSO HAVE FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS, BUT I WILL LET YOUR FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS GO FIRST. COMMISSIONER ROSS.

>> I DON'T THINK THAT'S TRUE. CAN WE LEGALLY FUND THOSE

POSITIONS? >> I HAVE NOT READ ANY OF THAT GRANT. I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER.

>> SO WE DON'T KNOW ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

>> IT IS PROHIBITED. IF YOU WERE TO DO IT, THEY WOULD SAY, WE DON'T GRANTS, IT'S STRONGLY DISCOURAGED. WE HEAR THAT A LOT WITH GRANT APPLICATIONS. IT IS DISINGENUOUS TO DO THAT.

>> ABSOLUTELY. >> AND NUMBER TWO, WHAT ARE THE CHANCES OF US GETTING THE GRANT?

>> THE LAST NUMBER I WAS GIVEN WAS AROUND 30 SOMETHING

PERCENT. >> THE LAST NUMBER I WAS GIVEN WAS LESS THAN 5%. SO IT IS SMALL. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER ROSS. JEREMIAH, THAT SAME NIGHT WE APPLIED FOR THAT, WE VOTED HERE TO DO IT. WE VOTED TO DO A SIMILAR GRANT, BUT FOR POLICE. DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO

THAT APPLICATION? >> IT WAS PULLED. IT WAS A LOW PROBABILITY OF WINNING THAT GRANT. THAT WAS PULLED. IT

DIDN'T GO FORWARD. >> ABSOLUTELY. ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WAS PULLED WAS BECAUSE -- THE REASON WE HAVE THAT LOW PROBABILITY -- I COMMUNICATED WITH THE GRANT WRITER. ONE OF THE BIG REASONS IS THAT IN THAT SAME MEETING, WE DISCUSSED HOW WE HAD TO FUND THOSE. HOW WE HAD TO COMMIT TO FUNDING SOMETHING THE SAME NIGHT, I WILL USE THE SAME WORD THAT MR. GLISSON USED. I MIGHT NOT USE THE WORD ILLEGAL, BUT I WILL USE THE WORD DISINGENUOUS. YOU CAN'T APPLY FOR A GRANT, SAY THAT WE NEED THE MONEY, AND THEN ON THE OTHER HAND, HAVE THE MONEY. THAT IS CALLED SUPPLANTING. WE CAN'T BE DOING THAT BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO MINIMIZE OUR CHANCE OF GETTING THESE GRANTS. FROM MY IMPRESSION OF WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THAT NIGHT, THE PEOPLE WHO WOULD ISSUE THE GRANTS WERE INFORMED THAT WE WERE DISCUSSING HOW WE WERE GOING TO COMMIT TO FUND IT, AND WE HAD THE DISCUSSION. IT CERTAINLY WASN'T THE OPTIMAL WAY TO HANDLE APPLYING FOR THAT GRANT.

I THINK THE REASON WE DIDN'T APPLY FOR IT IS BECAUSE OUR CHANCES WENT TO ALMOST 0 WHEN THE PEOPLE ISSUING THE GRANT FOUND OUT THAT WE WERE JUST GOING TO FUND IT ANYWAY IF WE DIDN'T GET THE GRANT. THAT WAS THE DISCUSSION. THE PROBLEM IS, TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION IS NOT DOING US ANY FAVORS. HAVING THIS DISCUSSION TONIGHT IS ALSO NOT DOING US ANY FAVORS. THERE IS A REASON WHY THAT PERCENTAGE WENT FROM 30 DOWN TO 5, BECAUSE WE ARE DISCUSSING THAT BEFORE THE GRANT IS EVEN ISSUED. I WOULD MAKE AN ARGUMENT THAT I THINK WE SHOULD GO FOR THE FEDERAL GRANT. IT IS OUR BEST CASE SCENARIO, TO GET MONEY. WE LIKE WHEN THE FEDS HELP US OUT. SO WE SHOULDN'T BE MINIMIZING OUR CHANCES THERE. AND THEN FINALLY, I WILL JUST ADDRESS THE FINAL LINE. IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY -- THAT SAME CITIZEN THAT WAS TALKING -- WHEN HE SAID, THINGS LOOK WORSE THAN IT DID FOUR YEARS AGO, I KEPT ASKING, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? HE SAID PERKS SPECIFICALLY. I SAID, PERKS? WE DRILL DOWN TO ONE EXAMPLE THAT HE PROVIDED WAS THAT THE BASKETBALL COURT HOOP NETS WERE BAD, SO I IMMEDIATELY CALLED

[00:20:10]

DO YOU HAVE? >> I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY ON THE POINT OF HOW THE BUDGET IS DONE, JEREMIAH, WHEN DO WE GET NUMBERS IN TERMS OF WHERE WE KNOW MONEY IS GOING TO BE?

>> IT COMES IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PHASES. CAN YOU HELP

WITH THAT? >> SO WE GET PRELIMINARY NUMBERS USUALLY AROUND JUNE 1ST AND THEN WE GET THE FINAL

NUMBERS JULY 1ST. >> AND WHEN ARE WE LEGALLY REQUIRED TO GIVE THE STATE OUR MILLAGE RATE? WHEN ARE WE

LEGALLY REQUIRED? >> AUGUST 4TH. THEY HAVE A FULL CALENDAR AND IT GOES BY DATE, AND IT STARTS JULY 1ST.

>> OKAY. SO WE WOULD GET NUMBERS FROM THE PROPERTY APPRAISER'S OFFICE, JUNE, JULY-ISH. THAT IS THE TIME WE ARE WORKING ON THE BUDGET. AND TRYING TO GET IT SET, BUT OUR DEADLINE IS AUGUST 4TH TO GET THEM THAT PRELIMINARY. WE WOULD HAVE TWO MONTHS TO DO BUDGET, BUDGET WORKSHOPS, EVERYTHING ELSE, INTERNALLY. NOT JUST WITH COMMISSIONERS, BUT INTERNALLY, WITH DEPARTMENT HEADS, AND THEN AUGUST 4TH, WE HAVE TO STATE OUR TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE. SO THE ANSWER IS, THAT'S WHY WE DO IT THE WAY WE DO IT. WE HAVE NO CHOICE. WE ARE LEGALLY BOUND TO DO THE PROCESS THE WAY IT IS DONE. SOME MAY NOT LIKE IT.

STATUTORILY, WE HAVE TO DO IT THAT WAY. THAT IS REALLY THE REASON WHY IT IS DONE THE AYSCUE.WAY THAT IT IS DONE. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR.

>> PERFECT, MR. AYSCUE . YOU HAVE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB

PREPARING THIS. >> I APPRECIATE IT.

>> OF COURSE. WITH THAT IN MIND, LET'S GO AHEAD AND CALL UP VICE MAYOR

. >> I REMEMBER THIS VERY WELL. I WANT TO MAKE A COUPLE OF POINTS. I THINK IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU ALL LOOK AT THE FIVE-YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN. THAT IS A KEY ADDITION. IN YEARS PAST -- NOT RECENTLY -- THE STATE REQUIRES YOU TO IDENTIFY ALL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, FUNDED AND UNFUNDED. YOU HAVE TO MAKE SERIOUS DECISIONS ON WHAT YOU WANT TO DO. AND THE BUDGET COMES OUT OF THE BUDGET WORKS OPTIONS. THAT MONEY WILL HAVE TO COME FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE. WHEN YOU START DEFERRING THINGS, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU WANT TO DO FOR THE NORTH BEACH PARK.

THAT IS PROBABLY $8 MILLION PLUS PROJECT THAT IS MARGINAL AT BEST NOW. SO CONSIDER THOSE THINGS CAREFULLY. I DON'T GET TOO EXCITED ABOUT POLICE AND FIRE. I THINK RIGHT NOW, ACCORDING TO ALL THE DATA, THEY MEET THE LEVEL OF SERVICE AS PRESCRIBED BY THE COMP PLAN. SO POLICE AND FIRE TAKE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TAX MONEY. SO TO MAKE THAT THE POPULAR THING TO DO -- I DON'T THINK THAT IS ALWAYS NECESSARY.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHEN THEY PERFORM AND HOW THEY PERFORM, AND YOU LOOK AT ALL THE MUTUAL AGREEMENTS WE HAVE WITH EVERYBODY FOR EMERGENCIES, BUT I THINK THE KEY IS THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, AND WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DEFER, AND YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO COME OUT OF THAT. THAT MILLAGE RATE HAS TO WORK FOR THIS PROJECTS. THANK YOU.

>> VICE MAYOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE INVITE MS. CHILOLOKI

TO THE PODIUM. WELCOME. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR BEING. -- BEAN . AS A CITIZEN, IT IS APPEALING TO ME TO NOT HAVE MY PROPERTY TAXES RISE. I THINK THAT IS A GREAT THING. WHAT I WOULD SAY AS AN INDIVIDUAL IS THAT IS A GOOD AND SOMEONE WE LOOK AT THAT NUMBER IN AGGREGATE OF WHAT THE CITY WOULD LOSE IF WE ARE NOT PROPERLY FUNDING THE BUDGET. I THINK THERE ARE SOME ISSUES. I KNOW ALL OF YOU , WITH THE EXCEPTION OF COMMISSIONER ROSS , ARE RUNNING CURRENTLY ON A MODIFIED ROLLBACK RATE TO KEEP THINGS WHERE THEY ARE POINT

[00:25:03]

THAT IS NOT SUSTAINABLE. THAT SHOULD BE FUNDED AND IN YOUR BUDGET. SO IF THERE ARE OTHER GRANTS AND THINGS WE CAN GET, MAYBE THEY WILL PAY FOR A FIRE TRUCK OR POLICE CAR OR SECURITY VEST OR UNIFORMS OR WHATEVER, BUT NOT PEOPLE. THOSE ARE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE THERE. WAGES -- ARE FIREMEN AND OFFICERS CANNOT AFFORD TO LIVE IN THE CITY. NOT EVEN CLOSE.

THEY ARE MOVING AWAY, OUT OF OUR CITY, WHICH IN A COMMUNITY POLICING PLAN, IS WHERE YOU WANT PEOPLE LIVING. YOU WANT THEM PART OF THE COMMUNITY. YOU WANT THE FIREMEN TO BE ABLE TO LIVE HERE. IT'S NOT JUST THE NEGOTIATIONS AND THE CONTRACT THEY HAVE GOING ON RIGHT NOW THAT ARE GOING TO BE FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS. IT IS NOT JUST IN THIS BUDGET. IT IS PLANNING FORWARD FOR THOSE WHO WE ARE GOING TO HIRE. WHEN WE HAVE A CHIEF WHO IS LIKELY TO RETIRE IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS FROM THE FIRE TO PROMPT, THERE'S GOING TO BE MONEY THAT NEEDS TO BE FUNDED IN THAT AREA TO PROVIDE THE LEVEL. THESE GUYS ARE GOING TO SERVE US THE BEST THEY CAN, WHETHER THEY ARE FULLY STAFFED OR NOT, BUT WE ALSO HAVE RULES ABOUT HOW MANY GUYS CAN BE ON A FIRE TRUCK. WE ARE NOT CURRENTLY MEETING THAT.

WITH THE COMPETITION IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS CLOSE TO US, WE ARE GOING TO BE LOSING PEOPLE. THE COUNTY IS ABOUT TO BE IN A DIRE SITUATION, I UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE THEY HAVE BETTER RATES IN JACKSONVILLE AND OTHER PLACES. THEY ARE HAVING HUGE SIGNING BONUSES. WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH GETTING PEOPLE.

MUCH LESS KEEPING THEM. SO I JUST IMPLORE YOU -- YOU CAN GO HIGH AND THEN MAKE YOUR BIG STAGE ENTRANCE WITH A LOWER RATE WHEN THE BUDGET IS FINALLY DONE, BUT DON'T START LOW WHEN

WE HAVE NO WAY TO RECOVER. >> THANK YOU, MUSKOGEE. ALL RIGHT. THAT IS ALL THE REQUESTS I HAVE. DOES ANYONE ELSE IN THE ROOM WISH TO MAKE THEIR VOICE HEARD ON THIS? ALL RIGHT.

SEEING NONE, I HAVE A MOTION. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR MS. BACH.

SEEING THAT WE ARE A MAN DOWN WITH THE COMMISSION, WE HAVE

FOUR PEOPLE. SO HOW DOES -- >>

>> I WANT TO MY QUESTIONS. WHAT ARE THE RULES BASED ON FLORIDA LAWS? FLORIDA LAW IS WHAT DICTATES HOW THINGS PASS. FOR INSTANCE, KEEPING THE MILLAGE RATE FLAT, THAT TAKES FOUR VOTES. IS THAT TRUE WITH FOUR PEOPLE?

>> THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING. DID YOU DO THAT CALCULATION? IF THE MILLAGE STAYS THE SAME , ARE WE LOOKING AT --

>> I'M ASKING -- SO IT TAKES A SUPER MAJORITY TO KEEP IT THE SAME? WHAT IF WE ARE A MAN DOWN? DOES THAT MEAN IT IS THE SAME? DOES IT TAKE FOUR VOTES?

>> I DON'T KNOW OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. LET ME LOOK TO SEE IF THE QUORUM DEFINITION CHANGES. I NEED TO TAKE A RECESS. I NEED

TO LOOK AT IT. >> I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT QUESTION TO ANSWER BEFORE WE GET STARTED WITH OUR VOTES TONIGHT. I HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION. IF WE ARE DOWN TO

FOUR, WHAT DOES THE TIMING -- >> MOTIONS DON'T PASS WITH

TIME. >> EVEN IF IT IS A REQUIRED

MOTION DUE BY AUGUST. >> CORRECT.

>> IF WE CAN'T GET OUT OF A TIE TONIGHT, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE TO HAVE ANOTHER MEETING. AUGUST 4TH, WHICH IS SUNDAY.

>> I SEE HOW IT GOES. WITH THAT IN MIND, I NEED TO MAKE SURE I KNOW THE QUORUM RULES. IF IT

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU.

>> ONCE AGAIN, GOOD EVENING. I AM RECALLING THIS SPECIAL MEETING OF THE FERNANDINA BEACH CITY COMMISSION TO ORDER. AS I ALLUDED TO, THIS OPERATES ON DIFFERENT RULES. THIS IS NOT A NORMAL VOTE. THIS IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT IN TERMS OF HOW MANY VOTES WE NEED. I'M GLAD WE HAD OUR CITY ATTORNEY LOOK

[00:30:01]

>> SO THE STATE STATUTE PRESCRIBES THAT IF YOU GO 110% OR MORE OVER THE ROLLED BACK RATE, YOU NEED A SUPER MAJORITY VOTE. THAT MEANS NOTHING TO ANY OF US. THE NUMBERS ARE WHAT COUNTS. TODAY, THIS YEAR, OUR MILITARY IS 4.8298. I THINK THAT IS WHAT YOU ASKED. IF WE KEPT THE CURRENT MILLAGE, 4.8, 298, WHAT WILL WE NEED FOR A VOTE? A MAJORITY. A MAJORITY OF THOSE SITTING HERE. IT IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE THREE POINT

>> NOTED. I APPRECIATE THAT, MS. BACH. WITH THAT BEING SAID, THE FLOOR IS OPEN FOR A MOTION.

>> MR. ASK YOU. -- AYSCUE. >> THE PROCESS THEY USED --

>> ARE YOU MAKING A MOTION OR ARE YOU GIVING A SPEECH?

>> A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH. >> IT SOUNDS LIKE A MOTION. I WILL ALLOW THE MOTION TO CONTINUE.

>> OKAY. >> I'LL MAKE A MOTION.

>> THE FLOOR IS STILL HELD BY MR. AYSCUE.

>> I WILL MAKE A MOTION FOR THE MODIFIED MILLAGE RATE.

>> YOU ARE RECOGNIZED TO CONTINUE YOUR SPEECH.

>> THE SYSTEM THEY HAVE COME UP WITH, AS JEREMIAH EXPLAINED, IT IS A SIMPLE ROLLBACK OF THE MILLAGE THAT DOES NOT INCREASE PROPERTY TAXES FOR HOMESTEADED PROPERTIES. HOWEVER, IT CAPTURES QUITE A BIT MORE, IN FUNDING IN CERTAIN OTHER AREAS THAT WILL ALLOW THE CITY TO DO MANY OTHER THINGS. YOU KNOW.

NEGOTIATIONS. THAT IS A GREAT POINT TO BRING UP. WE BROUGHT UP THE POLICE. WE BROUGHT UP FUNDING FIRE. WE BROUGHT UP ALL THOSE THINGS THAT THIS MILLAGE RATE WILL ALLOW US TO DO. IT IS MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT. ALSO, DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION, I WAS SHOWING WE ARE GOING TO PUT OUR OWN SKIN IN THE GAME. IT IS GOING TO HELP US WHEN IT COMES TO SAYING, LISTEN, WE'RE GOING TO FUND THIS. ALL THOSE REASONS ARE THE REASONS WHY I THINK WE SHOULD BE GOING WITH THE MODIFIED ROLLBACK RATE, JUST AS THE COUNTY DOES FOLLOW THEIR LEAD ON THIS ONE BECAUSE IT'S A REALLY GOOD PLAN, AND I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYBODY ELSE IN THE COUNTY UPSET ABOUT IT. THAT'S IT.

>> THANK YOU, MR. AYSCUE. >> MR. ROSS, YOU ARE

RECOGNIZED. >> I BELIEVE THIS COMMISSION AND MANY OF THE PREVIOUS COMMISSIONS COME ALL THE COMMISSIONS I'VE SERVED ON IN THE LAST YEARS, HAVE MADE PROMISES WE ARE NOT KEEPING. THE CITY COMMISSION HAS PROMISED THAT IT WILL PROVIDE CERTAIN LEVELS OF SERVICE AND CERTAIN -- AND CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE. SO WHAT ARE THEY COMMITTED TO? WE HAVE TO FUND AND MAINTAIN 5.9 MILES OF BEACHES. THE CITY HAS TO MAINTAIN 43 BEACH ACCESS -- REMOVE BEACH ACCESS -- FOUR HAVE NOT BEEN REPLACED. HERE AFTER YEAR, WE SAID WE WOULD REPLACE THEM. WE HAVE NOT DONE THAT. WE HAVE THREE WATERFRONT PARKS IN POOR CONDITION. WE HAVE THE EQUIVALENT OF TWO SUPER WALMARTS WORTH OF DECKING. OVER 55,000 SQUARE FEET THAT IS IN POOR CONDITION.

WE HAVE 69 MILES OF PAVED ROADS. AND WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE NEXT THREE OR FOUR YEARS IS THAT IN THE LATE 90S AND EARLY 2000'S, THERE WERE SIX SUBDIVISIONS THAT WERE BUILT. SEASIDE, EGAN'S LANDING, OCEAN OAKS, SEASIDE PLANTATION, AND NATURE'S GATE .

ARE GOING TO BE FEELING WITHIN THE NEXT 3 TO 4 YEARS, OR 2 TO 3 YEARS. THEY ARE ALL GOING TO HAVE TO BE REPLACED SIMULTANEOUSLY. THERE'S BEEN ABSOLUTELY NO PLANNING FOR THIS. WE PLEDGED TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE GOING TO MAINTAIN THE ROADS, BUT THERE IS NO WAY WE CAN DO THAT. WE

[00:35:02]

ON AVERAGE, WE TAKE CARE OF MAYBE ONE PARKING LOT PER YEAR.

IF YOU GO TO OUR PARKING LOTS, YOU SEE THEIR CONDITION. WE HAVE 20+ MILES OF SIDEWALKS IN POOR CONDITION. WE HAVE OVER 200 STREETLIGHTS, INCLUDING SOME OWNED BY THE COUNTY. WE HAVE A STORMWATER SYSTEM. IT IS FAILING MANY OF OUR CITY RESIDENTS. WE DO HAVE AN AIRPORT. THE AIRPORT IS SELF FUNDING. WE HAVE A SEWER SYSTEM THAT BASICALLY FUNDS ITSELF, BUT OVER THE HORIZON OF THE NEXT 10 YEARS, BY 2032, IT'S GOING TO TAKE ANOTHER $10 MILLION, 10 MILLION+ DOLLARS TO MAINTAIN ITS FUNDING. IT REQUIRES THAT OUR SEWER SYSTEM, THAT THE WATER FROM IT ALL BE ON LAND, AS OPPOSED TO GOING AS FAR AS IT DOES NOW.

INCREASE THE IMPACT FEES AND DECREASE THOSE FEES. WE CUT OUR FEES, BUT OUR FUNDS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE PAID. THE WATER SYSTEM AND THE SANITATION SYSTEM ARE BOTH SELF FUNDING.

WE HAVE A HISTORIC CEMETERY. IF YOU GO TO OUR HISTORIC CEMETERY, IT IS ERODING AWAY IN THE ANCIENT SECTION. THE GRAVES ARE FALLING APART. WE DO NOTHING TO TAKE CARE OF THAT.

THE LIGHTHOUSE. THE LIGHTHOUSE IS A $2 MILLION LIABILITY TO BE REPAIRED. WE'VE COME UP WITH ABOUT 650,000, BUT THAT LEAVES US FAR SHORT. THE HISTORIC DISTRICT DOWNTOWN. THE HISTORIC DISTRICT IS ONE OF THE ECONOMIC ENGINES OF THIS COMMUNITY. IF YOU WALK UP CENTER STREET, YOU'LL FIND OUT -- YOU LOOK AT THE SIDEWALKS. YOU LOOK AT THE CURBS. THEY ARE FALLING APART.

THE LIGHTING SYSTEM THERE -- YOU GET ONE GOOD STORM THAT FALLS UNDER WATER -- AND SO -- WE'VE GOT ABOUT $1 MILLION TO DO THE FIRST PHASE OF THAT. THE FIRST PHASE IS SCHEDULED TO COST $2.2 MILLION. THIS BUDGET DOES NOT HELP US GET THROUGH THAT. WE HAVE CITY HALL HERE THAT IS FALLING APART AND HAS BEEN FOR YEARS. IT GETS BEING PUT OFF YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR. WE HAVE GRANDSON THERE. THE MLK COMMUNITY CENTER IS IN POOR CONDITION. YEAR AFTER YEAR, WE SAY WE ARE GOING TO FIX IT, BUT WE DON'T. I HAVE WORKED IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM IN THIS COMMUNITY. AT NIGHT, THERE'S OFTEN ONLY THREE POLICE OFFICERS BECAUSE WE CAN'T FUND A FULL CREW. PLEASE HAVE COME TO US AND SAID THEY NEED AT LEAST A -- THEIR RECOMMENDATION IS THREE FULL-TIME POLICE OFFICERS AND TWO PART-TIME POLICE OFFICERS.

OUT A FULL CONDITION BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE.

WE ARE IGNORING THAT IN THIS BUDGET. I WILL POINT OUT THAT I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO TALK ABOUT THE FIRE AND EVERYTHING, BUT I WILL JUST TELL YOU THAT AT THE FEBRUARY 20TH 2024 CITY COMMISSION MEETING, COMMISSIONER AYSCUE SAID HE WAS COMMITTED TO HIGHER THIS YEAR AND TO GET THREE FIREFIGHTERS AND OUR CITY MAYOR SAID, IT'S ALL ABOUT FIRST RESPONDERS. WE ALWAYS TAKE CARE OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS. WE ARE FOCUSED ON PUBLIC SAFETY. SO I BELIEVE THAT WHAT I HAVE BEEN TOLD ABOUT THAT GRANT, TALKING ABOUT, THE LIKELIHOOD OF GETTING THAT IS SMALL, BUT OUR NEED IS NOW. AND SO I THINK WE SHOULD BE NOT GOING AFTER A GRANT. WE SHOULD FUND THOSE AND FIGURE OUT HOW WE ARE GOING TO DO THAT. ALSO, WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE IS OFFERING TO HAVE $64,000 A YEAR AS A NEW FIREFIGHTER. WE OFFER 48,000. I THINK THOSE NUMBERS ARE CORRECT. WE HAVE TROUBLE. AND SO THIS BUDGET DOES NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THOSE DISCREPANCIES. WE HAVE THE GREEN WAY THAT WE FUND. WE HAVE 10 PARKS THAT WE FUND. I'VE BEEN TO THE PARKS. SOME OF THEM ARE IN GOOD CONDITION. SOME OF THEM NOT SO. WE HAVE A SKATEBOARD PARK IN THE COMMUNITY NOW. THAT IS NOT IN THIS BUDGET. WE HAVE PICKLE BALL COURTS. WE HAVE OUTDOOR BASKETBALL COURTS. WE HAVE TOP COURTS. WE HAVE TWO SWIMMING POOLS. ONE NEEDS SERIOUS REPAIR. WE HAVE TWO FITNESS CENTERS. WE HAVE BEACH VOLLEYBALL. WE HAVE AN AUDITORIUM BUILDING THAT IS BASICALLY THE PEOPLE THAT WE HIRED. WE OUGHT TO TEAR IT DOWN BECAUSE IT IS IN SUCH BAD

[00:40:06]

THAT ARE NOT HOMESTEADED, WHICH IS 43% OF THE RESIDENTS IN THIS CITY, ALL COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL SERVICES. THEIR TAXES GO UP 45% BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT HOMESTEADED. UNDER THIS SCENARIO, SOME TAXES ARE GOING UP. I BELIEVE OUR SERVICES ARE GOING DOWN. WE ARE NOT PROVIDING THE POLICE AND FIRE THAT WE ARE PROMISING. WE ARE NOT TAKING CARE OF INFRASTRUCTURE. FINALLY, WE CAN TAKE CARE OF THE CURRENT MILITARY. WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN IS THAT YOUR TAX BILL WOULD GO UP 3%. IF YOU'RE HOMESTEADED. IF YOU ARE NOT HOMESTEADED, IT GOES UP SIX OR 7%. WITH THAT, WE CAN FUND THREE FUN -- FIREFIGHTERS. WE CAN FUND THREE POLICEMAN POINT WE WILL HAVE MONEY LEFT OVER TO DO MANY OF THE MAINTENANCE THINGS THAT WE'VE NECESSITATED OVER THE YEARS. WE CAN PREVENT THE CONTINUED DETERIORATION OF CITY INFRASTRUCTURE. SO I SUPPORT OPTIONS ARE. I WILL ONLY VOTE FOR KEEPING THE MILLAGE RATE THE SAME. I THINK THAT IS THE FISCALLY APPROPRIATE THING TO DO, TO KEEP THE COMMITMENT I MADE AND THAT THE CITY COMMISSION HAS MADE, TO MAINTAIN SERVICES AND MAINTAIN THE INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH WE ALL HAVE HEARD OVER AND OVER AGAIN IS DETERIORATING. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, MR. ROSS. ANY OTHER COMMENTS?

>> OH. I DID WANT TO MAKE ONE OTHER COMMENT.

>> YES SIR. >> IF WE GO TO THE QUOTE ROLLBACK RATE, THE INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR IS ABOUT $580,000. IF WE GO TO THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE, IT IS INCREASED BY $1.1 MILLION, AND IF WE GO TO KEEP THE CURRENT MILLAGE RATE THE SAME, IT IS ALMOST $2.3 MILLION. SO THE DIFFERENCE IS ABOUT $1.1 MILLION BETWEEN THE CURRENT MILLAGE RATE AND THE QUOTE PROPOSED RATE.

WITH THAT MILLION DOLLARS, WE CAN DO A LOT OF THINGS.

INCLUDING FUNDING OUR POLICE, FIRE, AND OUR DOWNTOWN, WHICH IS OUR ECONOMIC DRIVER OF OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, MR. ROSS. JEREMIAH, I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS FOR YOU. I KNOW YOU'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE BUDGET AS PROPOSED. IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET, AS WELL. MY FIRST QUESTION IS, WHAT IS THE -- IF WE GO TO MODIFIED AS PROPOSED, WHAT IS THE TOTAL BUDGET NUMBER? I KNOW IT IS AROUND $175 MILLION. SOMETHING TO THAT EXTENT. IS THAT CORRECT?

>> IT'S A LITTLE BIT HIGHER. IT'S ABOUT 223 MILLION. ONCE YOU TAKE OUT YOUR TRUST FUNDS. YOUR PENSION FUNDS AND THE LIKE, THAT BRINGS IT DOWN TO 131 MILLION POINT

[00:45:01]

>> UNDERSTOOD. SO ALL IN, WE ARE OVER 200.

>> THAT IS ALL OF YOUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS, WHICH IS A GOOD PORTION OF THAT BUDGET. WHEN YOU GET DOWN TO IT EVERYONE IS CONCERNED ABOUT, WHICH IS WHAT THIS CONVERSATION HAS BEEN DENIED, THE GENERAL FUND, THAT IS THE FUND FUNDED THROUGH TAX DOLLARS. PEOPLE SAY, MY TAXES GO TO WHAT? THAT IS WHAT IT IS. THAT IS ABOUT $21 MILLION -- OF THE $20 MILLION. THERE IS OTHER MONEY THAT COMES IN TO THE GENERAL FUND FROM STATE REVENUES, AND SALES TAX. THAT IS PART OF THE GENERAL FUND, AS WELL. PAULINE, PLEASE JUMP IN ANY TIME, BUT THE BUDGET IS AROUND 31 MILLION. WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT HERE AND NOW IS THE PORTION THAT PERTAINS TO IMPACT. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MILLAGE RATE, IT IS JUST ABOUT THAT. IT'S JUST TAXES IN THAT MODIFIED MILLAGE RATE MULTI ROLLBACK RATE WOULD

BRING IN 20.2 MILLION. >> EXCELLENT.

>> SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M CLEAR ON THIS. LAST YEAR'S GENERAL FUND WAS $1.1 MILLION LESS THAN WHAT WAS PROPOSED TONIGHT. TONIGHT, WE ARE ADDING $1.1 MILLION ON TOP OF WHAT WE SPENT LAST YEAR. IS THAT CORRECT?

>> THAT IS CORRECT. A PART OF THAT IS COMING IN FROM NEW REVENUE, NEW GROWTH, NEW CONSTRUCTION. THE REST IS COMING UP FROM -- WE ARE STILL REDUCING THE MILLAGE. WE ARE NOT REDUCING IT BACK AS FAR AS THE RESET WE HAD LAST YEAR.

>> ABSOLUTELY. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT. I

APPRECIATE IT. >> I HAVE A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION.

>> YES. COMMISSIONER ROSS. >> IS PART OF THAT MONEY COMING FROM ROLLING IT OVER? NOT SPENDING ADDITIONAL?

>> YEAH. THERE ARE PROJECTS THAT ARE ROLLING OVER THAT IS IN THIS. BUT IT IS FUNDED OUT OF THIS YEAR.

>> WE HAVE PROJECTS THAT CARRY ON IN ROLLOVER. WE LET THE COMPTROLLER KNOW WHAT PROJECTS WOULD BE ROLLING OVER. THOSE DOLLARS ARE HERE NOW. THAT DOES CARRY OVER INTO NEXT YEAR. NEXT YEAR, THE WORK THAT WE PERFORMED -- IT IS FUNDED OUT

OF THIS YEAR. >> AND THAT MONEY IS PUT INTO NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET. THE ROLLOVER.

>> YES. >> OKAY. JEREMIAH, TO BE CLEAR, THAT WOULD BE A WASH BECAUSE THERE WAS ROLLOVER MONEY FROM

THIS YEAR POINT >> WE ALWAYS HAVE ROLLOVER

MONEY. >> I HEAR WHAT YOU ARE SAYING, COMMISSIONER ROSS. THAT DOESN'T REALLY MEAN WHAT I

THINK YOU THINK IT MEANS. >> IT WELL, IT DOES MEAN WHAT I THINK IT MEANS BECAUSE THE ROLLOVER RATE, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT ROLLS OVER IS VERY SIMILAR HERE. LAST YEAR, IT HAPPENED TO BE A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY, AND THIS YEAR IT IS

LESS, BUT STILL SIGNIFICANT. >> I UNDERSTAND, BUT THIS YEAR, IF IT'S LESS, WOULD AND THAT PROVE THE OPPOSITE POINT?

>> I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

>> OKAY. WHAT HAVE YOU GOT? >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'M GOING TO MAKE THIS BRIEF AND SAY I CAN GO OVER THREE OR FOUR OR SIX OR 10 POINTS AND POINT OUT HOLES IN MR. ROSS'S THEORY THAT WE ARE UNDERFUNDING THE CITY. I WOULD START BY NUMBER ONE. THE AUDITORIUM THAT HE SAID WAS DILAPIDATED AND SHOULD BE DEMOLISHED, WE HAD SOME NUMBER OF 260 OR $350,000 , AND WE COMPLETED THE REPAIR WITH CITY FUNDING THIS YEAR FOR HOW

MUCH, JEREMIAH? >> WE'VE DONE A NUMBER OF

PROJECTS. >> I'M TALKING ABOUT THE

STRUCTURAL REPAIR. >> WE DID THE ASSESSMENT AND WE

WERE GOOD FROM THERE. >> WE DIDN'T NEED TO SPEND HOW

MUCH? >> CHARLIE, REMEMBER, WE HAD --

>> I HATE TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT THIS EVENING, SO WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS JUST WILL BE PREPARED FOR THE NEXT MEETING, AND I WILL HAVE A LIST OF ANSWERS FOR EVERY ONE OF THESE QUESTIONS. NUMBER TWO, WE FUNDED HOW MUCH MORE PAVING EVERY YEAR? WE HAVE INCREASED OUR PAVING BUDGET ALMOST EVERY YEAR. AM I CORRECT? JUST FROM

MEMORY. THIS IS ALL MEMORY. >> THE LAST TWO YEARS, THE FUNDING FOR ROADS IS THE HIGHEST.

>> IT'S GONE FROM 700 TO 900, TO HOW MUCH THIS YEAR?

>> 750 THIS YEAR. >> SO WE WILL PROBABLY MAKE IT EIGHT OR 900 NEXT YEAR. I'M JUST THROWING THAT OUT THERE.

SPIT BALLING. CITY PARKS, DIDN'T WE GET HALF $1 MILLION IN A NEW PLAYGROUND AT CENTRAL PARK? AMAZING. WE HAVE A BUDGET FOR A NEW -- IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, FOR ANY RESTROOM AT HICKORY STREET? WE'VE GOT HOW MUCH MONEY OF FUNDING FROM THE COUNTY TO REDO THE WHOLE ENTIRE CENTRAL PARK IN THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF? HOW MUCH MONEY WAS THAT, JEREMIAH ?

>> I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER AVAILABLE.

>> I CAN SORT IT OUT PIECE BY PIECE, ITEM BY ITEM. I DISAGREE WITH MR. ROSS'S ANALOGY THAT WE ARE UNDERFUNDING THE CITY. I

[00:50:06]

YOU, JEREMIAH . >> AND I HEAR YOUR POINT, VICE MAYOR STURGIS. THE WORLD IS NOT DOOM AND GLOOM. THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT NEWS. THIS LAST BUDGET WE PASSED, IT WAS THE BIGGEST BUDGET IN OUR CITY'S HISTORY. THIS AGAIN WILL BE AN EVEN BIGGER BUDGET. THE BIGGEST BUDGET WE HAVE EVER PASSED. IT IS OVER $1 MILLION MORE THAN THE YEAR BEFORE. THERE'S A LOT OF GREATNESS BUT A LOT OF GREAT THINGS IN IT. WE ARE GOING TO HASH OUT EXACTLY WHAT'S IN IT COMING OUT NEXT WEEK, BUT TONIGHT, LET'S SET THE STAGE. LET ME TALK ABOUT WHAT WAS WITHIN THAT BUDGET LAST YEAR, SINCE WE ARE STILL TALKING ABOUT THAT. LET'S TALK ABOUT THE BIGGEST BUDGET IN THE CITY'S HISTORY FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND FOR POLICE AND FIRE AND FOR PARKS AND ROADS. IT HAS THINGS THAT THE PEOPLE NEEDED, AND WE GOT THAT DONE, SO ONCE AGAIN, WE ARE GOING TO GET THAT DONE AGAIN TONIGHT. SO WITH THAT, I'VE HEARD A MOTION AND A SECOND. I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY THAT CAME HERE TONIGHT TO GET THIS DONE WITH US. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

>> COMMISSIONER AYSCUE. >> YES.

>> WITH THAT, THAT IS RESOLUTION 4.1. BEFORE WE GET TO 5 TO ADJOURN, I WOULD LIKE TO BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT SOMETHING. WE CAN'T VOTE ON SOMETHING WITHOUT IT BEING ON THE AGENDA. THIS IS NOT A VOTING ITEM. I WANT TO BRING UP SOMETHING FOR DISCUSSION THAT I SAW ON FACEBOOK. AGAIN, I CAN'T INTERACT WITH IT. SUNSHINE LAW. IT WAS A VERY GOOD IDEA. VICE PRESIDENT STURGES, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TALK ABOUT YOUR IDEA IN RELATION TO THE SKATE PARK?

>> THANK YOU, MANFRED I THOUGHT IT WAS SO AWESOME THAT WE HAD A LOCAL COMPETE IN THE OWN PICS. I SUPPORTED HER ON A SIGN. I'M GOING TO DO A GOLD SPONSORSHIP MYSELF FOR THE PARADE, I'M GOING TO BE OUT OF TOWN FOR THE EVENT, BUT I'M SITTING THERE, LOOKING AT IT ON TV AND GOING, WHAT COULD WE DO, WHAT COULD WE DO TO MAKE THIS RECOGNITION THE ANYTHING? THE FIRST THING THAT CAME TO MY MIND WAS TO NAME THE PARK WHERE SHE LEARNED HOW TO SKATEBOARD AFTER HER AND JUST SAY, MAKE THIS -- WHETHER IT IS OLYMPIC OR OLYMPIAN. I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT ACHIEVEMENT, AND I THINK THIS COMMISSION HAS BEEN WORKING -- WE DON'T PUBLICIZE EVERYTHING THAT WE TALK ABOUT IN OUR PRIVATE MEETINGS, AND I DON'T MEAN PRIVATE -- I MEAN PRIVATE WITH STAFF, INDIRECTLY, LIKE WHEN I SPEAK TO STAFF, OR HE SPEAKS TO STAFF SEPARATELY. BEHIND THE SCENES, WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO WORK ON COMING UP WITH THE FUNDING TO TRY TO EXPAND THE SKATE PARK AND MAKE IT INTO A NICER SKATE PARK, WHICH I THINK IS THE WAY TO GO. WE CLOSED THE ROAD OFF LEGALLY. SOMETIME THIS PAST YEAR. AND I THINK WE WILL GET THAT RECOGNITION. AND I THINK IT WILL HAPPEN WITH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FUNDING. WE WILL FIND THE MONEY, AND WE WILL BUILD AN ADDITION AND MAKE IT A NICER PARK. I LIKE THE IDEA THAT SKATEBOARDERS -- FRIENDS OF NINA -- THEY ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH GETTING THEIR OWN FUNDING TO TRY TO HELP, AND SO BASED ON THAT, I THINK IT WILL BE A GREAT PERK. IT WILL BE A GREAT EXTENSION.

WE HAVE A LOT OF YOUTH -- IT IS BETTER TO SEE THEM OUT THERE SKATEBOARDING, BIKING, TAKING PART IN ONE OF OUR ACTIVITIES IN ONE OF OUR PARKS, THAT ALL THE OTHER ITEMS THAT THEY COULD BE DOING. I SUPPORT IT. I WANT TO NAME IT. I'M GLAD THAT YOU BROUGHT THIS UP PUBLICLY. I JUST MADE A POST ABOUT IT. I AM PERSONALLY NOT TRYING TO MAKE ANY VENTURES. I'M JUST THINKING THAT AS A COMMISSION, WE SHOULD NAME IT AFTER HER.

AND I DID GET REMINDED BY SOMEBODY WHO ORIGINALLY HELPED FUND THE PARK THAT IT DID HAVE A SIGN WITH DONORS WHO DONATED ORIGINALLY, AND THE SIGN GOT VANDALIZED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY WHEN IT WAS PUT OUT THERE. SO WHOEVER THOSE ORIGINAL DONORS ARE AND WHATEVER IT WAS, JEREMIAH, I WANT YOU TO DO SOME RESEARCH BECAUSE THERE WAS A SIGN THAT THE CITY HAD OUT THERE. AND I PERSONALLY REACHED OUT TO EVERYBODY THAT MADE A POSITIVE COMMENT AND I SENT THEM A PERSONAL MESSAGE AND SAID, I APPRECIATE YOUR ENTHUSIASM. I LOOK FORWARD TO HELPING THE SKATEBOARDERS PROMOTE AND MAKE A BETTER PERK FOR US AT FERNANDINA BEACH. WE HAVE DISCUSSED WITH DARREN IN PRIVATE MEETINGS. I HEARD SOME DISCUSSIONS. WE TALKED ABOUT THE LIGHTING. THE LIGHTING WAS A CONCERN IN THE PARK FOR

[00:55:01]

SKATEBOARD PARK. >> OF COURSE.

>> TONIGHT, HERE'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO. THE AUGUST 6TH MEETING IS THE NEXT. WE ARE ON A TIGHT TIME WINDOW HERE.

THE 16TH IS THIS PARADE. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THIS DONE AHEAD OF THAT, SO THIS IS A TIGHT TIME WINDOW. WE WOULD NEED TO VOTE ON THIS ON THE AUGUST 6TH MEETING COMING UP.

THAT AGENDA IS PUBLISHED. NO MATTER HOW WE SLICE IT, IT WILL TAKE A SUPER MAJORITY TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA. THAT ONLY GIVES STAFF 10 DAYS NOTICE TO BE READY BY THE PARADE, IF THAT'S WHEN WE WANT TO DO IT. WE NEED TO COMMIT IT WITH THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO MAKE SURE ALL OF THAT IS OKAY, BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO TONIGHT -- THERE'S ONE SPECIFIC THING. I WOULD LIKE TO GET CONSENSUS FROM THE COMMISSION THAT WE ARE READY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE NAMING THIS PARK AFTER HER. WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT AGAIN, AND DO A FORMAL VOTE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE DIRECTION TO STAFF. IF THERE'S NO, THAT WE WANT TO START THE BALL ROLLING WITH NAMING IT AFTE POE PINSON.

>> I HAVE NO OBJECTION. COMMISSIONER ROSS DOESN'T WANT TO DO IT TONIGHT. COMMISSIONER ROSS, WE ONLY NEED A MAJORITY TO GO AHEAD AND START THE PROCESS OF NAMING IT AFTER POE PINSON. SO THE THREE OF US. WE WILL GO AHEAD INSERT THE

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.