Sep 03, 2025 Special Meeting

[1. CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:13]

>>> THIS WILL BE OUR SPECIAL MEETING FOR SEPTEMBER 3RD. THIS WILL BE OUR TRIM STATEMENT,. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE LED BY COMMISSIONER

MINSHEW. >> AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH

[4.1 TRUTH IN MILLAGE STATEMENT (TRIM NOTICE)]

AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. >> WE WILL NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. TAKE US AWAY FOR OUR TRUTH STATEMENT.

>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. FIRST THING TONIGHT IS TO READ THE TRUTH AND MILLAGE STATEMENT. I WILL ASK TO READ THIS FOR US.

>> THIS PROPERTY TAX IS THE CITY COMMISSION AND CITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH. THE ROLLBACK RATE IS 4.3632 PER 1000 OF ASSESSED VALUE. THE PERCENTAGE INCREASE IS 7.37% OF THE ROLLBACK MILLAGE RATE. THE OPERATING MILLAGE RATE TO BE LEVIED AS 4.649 MILLS FOR 1000 ASSESSED VALUE.

[4.2 PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE - RESOLUTION 2025-156 DECLARING AS REQUIRED BY SECTION 200.065, FLORIDA STATUTES, THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025/2026; AUTHORIZING ADMINISTRATIVE CORRECTION OF SCRIVENER'S ERRORS; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Synopsis: Adopts the proposed millage rate of 4.6849 for Fiscal Year 2025/2026.]

>> THANK YOU. TONIGHT, I WILL GO THROUGH A RECAP OF THE SLIDES WE DID IN OUR FIRST BUDGET WORKSHOP. I WILL DO IT QUICKLY, BUT FOR THOSE NOT HERE, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD RECAP. AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION, I WILL TALK ABOUT THE NEXT STEPS. BY FLORIDA LAW, YOU HAVE TO ADOPT YOUR MILLAGE FIRST, THEN THE BUDGET, SO AFTER THE SLIDES, WE WILL GO INTO COMMISSION DISCUSSION ON THE MILLAGE. ANY PUBLIC COMMENT, MAKE YOUR DECISION, THEN THE FLOOR OPENS FOR ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE BUDGET, THEN YOU MAKE YOUR DECISIONS ABOUT THE BUDGET AND MAKE YOUR MOTIONS, THEN CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND END THE MEETING. STARTING OFFER TONIGHT, WE ARE HAVING OUR FIRST PUBLIC HEARING. YOU WILL CONVERT YOUR MILLAGE FROM THE PROPOSED MILLAGE THAT WENT OUT ON THE TRIM NOTICES TO I A TENTATIVE MILLAGE, THEN ONE MORE OPPORTUNITY TO ADJUST IF YOU DECIDE, WHICH WILL BE THE SECOND PUBLIC HEARING. ANY BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS TONIGHT BY THE COMMISSION, THEN YOUR SECOND PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE ON SEPTEMBER 16TH AND THE NEW FISCAL YEAR BEGINS OCTOBER 1ST. ALL OF OUR FUNDS COMBINED EQUAL $240 MILLION. THESE ARE BALANCED AND WE LEFT A SURPLUS OF ABOUT $500,000 IN THE GENERAL FUND. THERE IS A REDUCTION OF FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT POSITIONS OF 17. ONE OF THOSE IS THROUGH ATTRITION AND THE REMAINDER THROUGH UNFILLED POSITIONS. WE ARE CONTINUING OUR CAPITAL PROJECT IMPROVEMENTS AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND AND OTHER CAPITAL FUNDS, WHICH TOTALS ABOUT $28 MILLION. THE GENERAL FUND BY ITSELF IS $44 MILLION, UP TO ABOUT 6%. ALL CURRENT PROGRAMS THAT THE CITY OPERATES ARE FUNDED IN THE RESERVES FOR THOSE FUNDS THAT REQUIRE THEM HAVE BEEN MET. WHEN WE LOOK BROADLY AT ALL FUNDS TOGETHER, 59% OF EXPENDITURES GO TOWARDS PERSONNEL, WHICH IS APPROPRIATE IN A GOVERNMENT AND WE ARE A SERVICE INDUSTRY AND WE ARE NOT MAKING WIDGETS, SO OPERATING COSTS AND CAPITAL COSTS ARE SMALLER COMPARED TO PEOPLE WHO ARE PERFORMIG SERVICES. DEBT IS FAIRLY SMALL AT 2%. WE GET INTO THE FUNDS BY CATEGORY. THE GENERAL FUND FUNDS THE GENERAL OPERATIONS OF THE CITY ADMINISTRATIVE, POLICE AND FIRE, STREETS AND PARKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS WOULD BE THE BUILDING FUND, ANYTHING THAT HAS A PARTICULAR DESIGNATION THAT CAN BE SPENT ONLY IN A CERTAIN WAY. WE HAVE DEBT FUNDS, CAPITAL FUNDS FOR BUILDING CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND ENTERPRISE FUNDS. THOSE ARE FUNDS THAT RUN A BUSINESS. THE WATER FUND IS A BUSINESS, SORE FUND IS A BUSINESS, THE STORM WATER FUND IS A BUSINESS. THOSE ARE SOME OF YOUR ENTERPRISE TYPE. WE HAVE INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS THAT SUPPORT OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS. THE FLEET DEPARTMENT IS AN INTERNAL SERVICE FUND, UTILITY BILLING IS AN INTERNAL SERVICE FUND. THEY ONLY EXIST TO SUPPORT OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY'S OPERATIONS. HONESTLY, THE LARGEST PART ARE THE PENSION FUNDS. WE REALLY DON'T HAVE DETAILED BUDGETS ON THOSE, BECAUSE THOSE ARE BY AND LARGE INVESTMENTS HELD IN

[00:05:05]

ENTERPRISE FUNDS, GOLF, WASTEWATER, STORM WATER AND MARINA. I WILL POINT OUT THAT GOLF AND MARINA RELY ON TRANSFERS FROM THE GENERAL FUND. THERE IS ARE THE ONLY GENERAL FUNDS THAT ARE NOT STANDING ON THEIR OWN TO EAT AT THIS TIME.

WE TALKED BEFORE ABOUT REASONS FOR THOSE AND HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THAT TRANSFER AND GET THEM STANDING ON THEIR OWN TWO FEET. CAPITAL EXPENDITURES, WE HAVE THE CAPITAL 300 FUND, WHICH IS $11 MILLION. CAPITAL EXPANSION IS OUR IMPACT FEES. FOR INSTANCE, WATERFRONT PARK. SOMETIMES THEY ASK, WHY CAN THEY NOT BUILD THE WATERFRONT PARK AND PUT THAT MONEY TOWARDS SOMETHING ELSE? YOU CAN'T FOR GENERAL MONEY OPERATIONS. YOU CAN ONLY USE IT FOR THE EXPANSION AND REPLACEMENT OF THOSE ACTIVITIES BUDGETED IN THE IMPACT FUND.

THAT IS $4.5 MILLION. THE ARBOR FUND, HAVE SOME MONEY LEFT. 2.3 MILLION WILL ALL GO TOWARDS STORMWATER WORK, THEN THE WASTEWATER IMPROVEMENTS CAPITAL FUND WITH ABOUT $10 MILLION.

MOST OF THAT, WE WILL CONTINUE TO HOLD AND RESERVE AS WE WORK TOWARDS THE MAJOR RECLAIMED WATER PROJECT IN THE COMING YEARS. SOME PROJECTS WE WILL BE DOING IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT. IS $6 MILLION TOWARDS THE SEAWALL, BUT BOTH ARE FUNDED BY THE STATE. WE HAVE JUST OVER $1 MILLION FOR STREET RESURFACING AND SIDEWALK REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT. $200,000 IN MLK IMPROVEMENTS, $150,000 FOR BEACH WALK OVER, $1.3 MILLION IN VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT. YOU WILL SEE THE FLEET REPLACEMENT PLAN COMING TO YOU IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, WHICH WILL BE REPLACING ALL OF THOSE VEHICLES TO BE REPLACED. $2 MILLION WORTH OF SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS AND STORMWATER DRAINAGE THAT I MENTIONED. SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS, LITTLE FUNDS AND UNIQUE ANIMALS AND CEMETERY FUND, TREE FUND, CONSERVATION FUND. MOST DO HAVE RESERVE HELD IN THEM, THEN I DO LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THE CEMETERY HOLDS THE LARGE RESTRICTED RESERVE OF 1.5 MILLION, WHICH IS THE PERPETUAL CARE AND MAINTENANCE FUND THAT WE DON'T USE ON ROUTINE BASIS.

INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS, FLEET, UTILITY BILLING, UTILITY ADMINISTRATION. THOSE SUPPORT OTHER DEPARTMENTS OF THE CITY.

FLEET, WE WILL TRUE UP RIGHT NOW AND SHOWING THAT IT NEEDS ABOUT $300,000 FROM THE GENERAL FUNDING BALANCE, BUT THEY BUILD DEPARTMENTS DIRECTLY FOR ANY FLEET WORK THAT THEY DO, SO THAT WILL TRUE UP AS THE YEAR GOES FORWARD. GENERAL FUND, WHICH IS REALLY WHERE WE SPEND MOST OF OUR TIME FOCUSED. THAT FUNDS MOST OPERATIONS THAT PEOPLE SEE ON DAY-TO-DAY BASIS. $44 MILLION IN EXPENDITURES FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR, WHICH DOES SET ASIDE OUR $6.7 MILLION IN RESERVES, WHICH IS 20% REQUIRE RESERVE. AFTER WE SET ASIDE THE RESERVE AND MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS CAPITAL, GOLF, MARINA AND FLEET, THAT STILL LEAVES US ABOUT $500,000 IN EXCESS. WE WILL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A MOMENT. WHEN WE BREAK DOWN THE GENERAL FUND AND LOOK AT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THAT LARGELY, 40% IS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. THE 18% IS PARKS AND RECREATION, 16% AS GENERAL GOVERNMENT, WHICH WILL BE HUMAN RESOURCES, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, FINANCE, ADMINISTRATION. 10% TRANSFERS, 11% -- IS NOT PARKS AND REC? 11%? THE RESERVES MUST BE ABOUT 15%. CONTINGENCY, WE HAVE 5%.

NEXT STEPS, WE ARE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE

[00:10:02]

ANY MOTIONS TO AMEND WHAT HAS BEEN PRESENTED? WE HAVE RECOMMENDED MOTIONS TONIGHT, AS WELL. ANY ADDITIONAL DIRECTION YOU WANT TO GIVE US BEFORE HEARING NUMBER TWO? AT THIS POINT, I WILL STOP THERE. LET ME MENTION THE SLIDE BRIEFLY. IT DOES IMPACT THE MILLAGE. HER NEXT ACTION WILL BE RELATED TO THE MILLAGE. IF YOU CHOOSE TO, YOU CAN LOWER THE MILLAGE RATE.

THAT WOULD BRING THE GENERAL FUND TO IN EXCESS OF $628,000 ONE OF THE OPTIONS IS TO LOWER THE MILLAGE. IF YOU LOWER IT, IT WILL TAKE IT TO 4.5730. I WILL STOP THERE, SO WE CAN CONTINUE WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE FOR US.

>> COMMISSIONER QUESTIONS FROM FOR MS. CAMPBELL. SEEING NONE. I HAVE ONE QUESTION. IF WE LOWER THE RATE, HOW DOES IT GO FROM

510 TO 628? >> I HAVE A DOCUMENT TO GIVE YOU TONIGHT WITH A NUMBER OF ADMINISTERED OF ADJUSTMENTS. I CAN NO LONGER MAKE THESE AMENDMENTS MYSELF. THE BUDGET HAS BEEN GIVEN TO YOU AND IT IS NOW THE COMMISSIONS BUDGETS.

THINGS CONTINUE TO GO IN THE FLUX. DEPARTMENT HEADS HAD TO TURN NUMBERS TO ME ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO, SO THINGS WILL CONTINUE TO FLUCTUATE SINCE THAT TIME. IF YOU SUPPORT THESE ADJUSTMENTS, IT WILL INCREASE THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE TO 608 -- 628,000 BASED ON SOME ADDITIONAL REVENUES THAT WILL BE COMING IN, EXPENDITURES THAT AREN'T GOING TO BE HAPPENING, THEN YOU END UP WITH A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY THAN WE ORIGINALLY ANTICIPATED. WHY DON'T I GO AHEAD AND PASS THESE OUT? 628,000 IS YOURS TO DO WITH WHATEVER YOU LIKE.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THIS LIST ON THE SCREEN IS ALL OF THE FUNDS THAT HAVE ADJUSTMENTS. SOME OF THEM ARE MINOR, LIKE $779 AND SOME ARE LARGER, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE NET CHANGE TO THE FONT THERE IN BLUE LETTERING AND I CAN PUT THAT ON THE SCREEN FOR THE AUDIENCE TO

SEE, AS WELL. >> THE VICE MAYOR HAS A

QUESTION. >> I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, BUT THE PERCENTAGE TO ROLL THE MILLAGE BACKUP WHAT THE COUNTY DOES, I KNOW THAT IT WAS AN OPTION AT ONE POINT IN TIME, THE MODIFIED ROLLBACK RATE. WHAT IS THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT?

>> I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE USING TO CALCULATE THAT ON. WE COULD CALCULATE IT FOR YOU BEFORE THE FINAL HEARING, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE ONLINE

RELYING ON. >> WE COULD PROBABLY DO IT ON

THE PHONE. >> RIGHT NOW, WE WOULD BE AT

4.50 INCIDENT 4.649 . >> IS IT MODIFIED FOR HOMESTEAD PROPERTIES? IT IS A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT.

IT'S NOT JUST TAKING 3% OFF THE TOP, BUT ONLY HOMESTEAD PROPERTIES AND EVERYBODY ELSE DOESN'T GET THAT ADVANTAGE.

>> EVERYBODY ELSE GETS IT. COMMERCIAL IS STILL 3%. IT IS 3% MILLAGE, WHICH ALLOWS THERE TO BE A TAX NEUTRAL FOR HOMESTEAD PROPERTIES, BUT STILL 3% PRODUCTION IN COMMERCIAL AND

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IT WOULD BE 3% REDUCTION, WHICH WOULD BE TAX NEUTRAL FOR HOMESTEAD PROPERTIES AND 3% REDUCTION FOR COMMERCIAL. THAT IS WHAT I'M LOOKING TO DO. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT NUMBER LOOKS LIKE IN TERMS OF WHAT THAT NUMBER IS.

>> I THINK I HAVE THAT FOR YOU. RIGHT NOT FOR .689 MILLS, WE HAVE $1.8 MILLION IN INCREASED REVENUE. IF WE GO DOWN TO 4.65 MILLS, WE WOULD BE GENERATING AN ADDITIONAL 1.74 MILLION IN REVENUE, SO THAT'S A DECREASE OF $150,000 IN MILLAGE REVENUE.

YOU COULD GO DOWN TO 4.65 AND DEDUCT $150,000 FROM 628,000.

>> 4.54 WOULD BE ABOUT $300,000.

>> 4.54? THAT WOULD TAKE YOU DOWN TO 1.2 MILLION, SO WE WOULD HAVE TO CUT $600,000, SO ALL OF THIS WOULD GO AWAY.

>> THERE ARE OTHER CALCULATIONS THAT THE COUNTY DOES. THAT IS

WHERE I AM WITH IT. >> I CALCULATED 4.5730 , BUT WE ARE IN THE BALLPARK. IF YOU WANT TO LOWER THE MILLAGE BY THIS AMOUNT, $600,000, THEN YOU CAN GO DOWN TO 4.73.

>> I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT. YEAH. I WOULD HAVE TO PULL OF THE ORIGINAL. I THINK THAT WAS IT.

>> LET ME MENTION THE OTHER ITEMS. YOU CAN PAY DOWN DEBT AND WE CURRENTLY HAVE $26 MILLION IN DEBT. THE FIRST THREE STORM WATER AND GOLF COULD BE PAID OFF COMPLETELY AS INDIVIDUALLY AND NOT TOTALLY BUT YOU CAN PICK ONE OF THEM TO PAY OFF. THERE ARE SIX OTHER DEBTS IN EXCESS OF 628,000 AND YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO PAY THOSE COMPLETELY. YOU CAN LOWER THE MILLAGE RATE AND INCREASE EXPENDITURES, LIKE CONTINGENCIES OR LAND ACQUISITION. YOU COULD INCREASE THE RESERVE FROM 20% TO 21%. WE COULD MAKE FURTHER EXPENDITURE CUTS OR ANY COMBINATION WITH

THESE ABOVE ITEMS CALCULATED. >> DO WE KNOW WHAT THE INTEREST RATES ARE ON THE THREE DEBTS THAT WE COULD COMPLETELY --.

>> 101,000 AND MAXIMUM INTEREST RATE IS 3.3%. THE STORMWATER DEBT IS 184,000 AND THE INTEREST RATE MAX IS AT 4%. THE GOLF

COURSE THAT IS 591,000 . >> WE SEE THAT WE ARE PUSHING FORWARD POTENTIAL EXPENDITURE OF OUR TRAILS TO GO GRANT. THESE GRANTS THAT WE ARE EXPECTING THAT DIDN'T MAKE IT TO THE LIST IN SESSION OR WERE THESE MATCH GRANTS?

>> BOTH. THE STATE PORTION OF THE TRAILS TO GO GRANT WOULD BE $150,000 IN OUR PORTION WOULD BE ABOUT $225,000, BUT BECAUSE DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, BOTH OF THOSE GO AWAY, SO IT'S

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>> I HAVE NO ADDITIONAL REQUEST TO SPEAK. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION REGARDING SOME OF THE PROPOSED EXPENDITURE CUTS OR MODIFICATIONS AS THE AMENDMENTS PROVIDED?

>> DO WE WANT TO TALK MORE ABOUT -- NOT EXPENDITURE CUT, BUT IN AD OF SOME AIR-QUALITY? ABOUT $55-$80,000 FOR AIR-QUALITY MONITORS. WE WOULD INVITE THEM, BUT CONTRACT WITH A COMPANY TO MONITOR FOR US, THEN THEY WOULD LIAISE WITH THE EPA FOR US.

ANYONE? >> OKAY, SO FIRST OF ALL, HAS REACHED OUT TO THE EPA AND WE ARE GETTING FOUR ADDITIONAL -- HELP ME, JEREMIAH, P SOMETHING. P.M. TO FIVE MONITORS, WHICH MAY NOT MONITOR ALL DETAIL THAT SOME FOLKS WOULD LIKE TO HAVE, BUT IT IS MORE THAN WHAT WE HAVE TODAY. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN IS TO PUT THOSE MONITORS IN PLACE THAT ARE NOT COSTING US ANYTHING. LET'S GATHER DATA FOR A YEAR AND LET'S SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. WE CAN PUT THESE MONITORS IN PLACE, BUT THERE IS NO PLAN AROUND IT. WE HAVE THESE MONITORS AND NOW WHAT? IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IT WOULD BE BETTER TO USE THE MONITORS THAT ARE COSTING US ANYTHING AND USE THAT TIME OVER THE NEXT YEAR TO PUT TOGETHER A PLAN ABOUT WHAT THE AIR-QUALITY IS TELLING US AND IF WE ARE TO DO ADDITIONAL AIR MONITORING, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WHAT WOULD HAPPEN? HOW WOULD WE INTERACT OR REACT TO THAT DATA? OTHERWISE, $55,000, BECAUSE SOMEBODY ASKED US TO AND WITHOUT ANY CLEAR PLAN ABOUT HOW IT GOES FORWARD. I DON'T OPPOSE IT, BUT I DON'T THINK WE ARE READY FOR IT. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS, LET'S FIGURE OUT WHAT WE ARE GOING TO GET WITH THE NEW STUFF AND FIGURE OUT IF WE WANT TO GO DEEPER OR MORE DETAILED, THEN HOW WOULD WE DO THAT AND WHAT WOULD WE DO WITH THE DATA? THAT

WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION. >> DO WE KNOW WHEN WE ARE

GETTING THEM? >> WE DO NOT. THEY ACCEPTED OUR APPLICATION AND THEY ASKED FOR AIR-QUALITY SENSOR LOAN PROGRAMS. WE SUBMITTED FOUR AND I SENT AN EMAIL TO THEM TODAY AND WE DON'T KNOW WHEN WE WILL RECEIVE AGAIN.

>> MAYBE SOMETIME IN THE SPRING ONCE WE HAVE THEM, ABOUT SIX MONTHS WORK DATA, THEN MAYBE WE CAN DO A WORKSHOP.

>> GREAT. COMBINED AIR-QUALITY WATER QUALITY WORKSHOP TO GO WITH THE ST. MARY'S AND SOME IDEAS FOR WATER QUALITY.

>> I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.

>> I WAS JUST GOING TO AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER BRITT SAID EVERYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE SAID.

>> ALL RIGHT. I SEE NO OTHER REQUEST TO SPEAK. WE WILL MOVE

INTO ITEM 4.2. >> I WOULD JUST SAY ABOUT THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE, I THINK WE SHOULD KEEP THE RATE THAT HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED BY THE CITY MANAGER. $600,000 SOUNDS LIKE A LOT, BUT WE ARE IN FACT FACED WITH MULTIPLE LAWSUITS. WE ARE FACED WITH SIGNIFICANT INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THAT ARE NOT YET CLEARLY DEFINED OR FUNDED. IF AT THE END OF THE YEAR WE HAVE -- I THINK THIS MONEY SHOULD GO INTO CONTINGENCY, SO THAT AT THE END OF THE YEAR IF WE HAVE MONEY LEFT OVER, THEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT THINGS WE NEED TO DO FOR THE NEXT YEAR IN TERMS OF REDUCING MILLAGE OR KEEPING IT THE SAME. WE SHOULD ALSO TALK ABOUT BUYING AIR-QUALITY MONITORS, PUT SOME MONEY IN CONSERVATION FUNDS. I JUST THINK

[00:25:05]

FORWARD. >> I AGREE.

>> WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT'S COMING. WE HAVE LAWSUITS AND THE WHOLE WATERFRONT, DOWNTOWN INFRASTRUCTURE. GRANTS HAVE NOT BEEN FUNDED AND IT'S NOT FUNDED IN THIS BUDGET. WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS ON OUR PLATE, ALTHOUGH IT WOULD BE NICE TO SAY, LET'S JUST GET BACK WHATEVER WE HAVE, THEN IF WE NEED DOLLARS, THEN WHAT HAPPENS IN ORDER TO FIND THAT, THEN WE GO INTO THIS YEAR'S CAPITAL PLAN, THE CAPITAL BUDGET PLAN, THEN WE CUT THAT TO GET THE MONEY. THE THING THAT WAS PLANNED TO HAPPEN THIS COMING YEAR GETS PUSHED OFTEN THIS IS WHAT CONTINUES TO HAPPEN IN THE CITY PUT EVERYTHING'S KEEPS GETTING PUSHED. I'M IN FAVOR OF KEEPING IT THE WAY IT IS FOR IT IN RESERVE AND SEE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING.

CONTINGENCY. THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS PRETTY

>>, COMMISSIONER. VICE MAYOR, THEN COMMISSIONER.

>> LET ME ASK ONE MORE QUESTION. THESE ARE REOCCURRING FUNDS THAT YOU FOUND SURPLUS OF BY AND LARGE?

>> YES, SIR. ANYTHING IN THE GENERAL FUND TYPICALLY WILL BE A

RECURRING FUND. >> $600,000 WILL RECUR NEXT

YEAR. >> CORRECT, WE HAVEN'T HELD OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING MEETING FOR NEXT YEAR. WE HAVEN'T IDENTIFIED GOALS FOR THIS YEAR, BUT THE COMMISSION COULD MEET IN JANUARY AND SAY ANY PROJECT. THAT WOULD BE REOCCURRING. IF IT DOESN'T GET ALLOCATED FOR SOMETHING ELSE.

>> I'M STILL GOING TO STAND BY. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE NUMBERS AT LEAST FOR NEXT MEETING BREAD WITH THE ROLLBACK OF 3% WOULD LOOK LIKE AND WHAT THAT NUMBER ACTUALLY IS IN TERMS OF DOLLAR AMOUNT TO BE ABLE TO ROLL THE MILLAGE BACK TO THAT PERCENTAGE.

IT IS A TAX NEUTRAL PLAN AND WE ARE NOT RAISING TAXES OR LOWERING THEM EITHER. NOBODY IS GETTING A BREAK IN TAXES, EXCEPT FOR THE HOMESTEADED PEOPLE WHO AREN'T GETTING A TAX INCREASE.

IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING AROUND THE STATE -- I KNOW THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM IS GOING TO BE PROPERTY TAXES. PEOPLE IN THIS STATE HAVE BEEN SCREAMING SO LOUDLY THAT THE STATE OF FLORIDA LEGISLATURE WILL HAVE TO STEP IN AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT PROPERTY TAXES, BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS NOT RAINING IN THEIR SPENDING AND NOT RAINING IN THE MILLAGE RATES AS THEY CONTINUE TO GO UP AS PROPERTY TAXES CONTINUE TO GO UP AND THAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. I'M KIND OF LOOKING AND GOING, THIS IS THE REASON WHY., BUT IF THE VOTER APPROVED TAX INCREASE, THEN WE STEP BACK AND SAY, GOOD. LET'S MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME PROJECTS., BUT I'M GOING TO STAY AND LISTEN. I'M NOT LOOKING TO TRY TO DECREASE TAXES. I'M JUST TRYING NOT TO RAISE THEM. I WOULD APPRECIATE IF STAFF COULD BRING THAT NUMBER BACK AT THE SECOND MEETING TO SEE WHAT THE REDUCTION AND MILLAGE OF 3% WOULD LOOK LIKE KIND OF EXACTLY WHAT THE COUNTY DOES. THAT IS WHERE I AM. I UNDERSTAND AND I GET WHERE EVERYBODY IS COMING FROM AND I'M NOT UP HERE TO ARGUE. I'M JUST STATING MY POINT.

>> I DO AGREE THAT PROPERTY TAXES ARE SIGNIFICANT. MY SISTERS IN NEW JERSEY HAVE SIMILAR TAXES AND ARE SHOCKED THAT MY TAXES ARE SO HIGH, BUT HAVING MOVED 26 YEARS IN THE ARMY AND PART OF THE REASON WE RETIRED YEAR IS BECAUSE THERE IS NO INCOME TAX OR INCOME TAX ON A FEDERAL PENSION, WHICH MY HUSBAND RECEIVES. WHEN WE WERE STATIONED IN TEXAS, WHEN YOU ARE MOVED WITH THE MILITARY, YOU ARE NOT -- ALLOWED TO MAINTAIN RESIDENCY WHEREVER YOU WANT. IT WAS UNTIL WE WERE FORCED TO IN MARYLAND TO CHANGE IT AND SUDDENLY WE HAD INCOME TAX. I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE SQUEEZE IN FOR THE STATE BUDGET, THE LACK OF INCOME TAX, BUT THAT'S A DIFFERENT DISCUSSION.

I AGREE. WE SHOULD HOLD ONTO THE SURPLUS BECAUSE OF THE THREE

[00:30:05]

>> THANK YOU. WHILE I DO STAND WITH MORE CONSENSUS ON THIS BOARD, I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU ARE SAYING AND I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SEEING THOSE NUMBERS TO EXERCISE TRANSPARENCY AND PLAY WITH WHETHER OR NOT IT IS FEASIBLE. I SEE NO OTHER

[4.3 TENTATIVE BUDGET - RESOLUTION 2025-157 ADOPTING THE TENTATIVE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025/2026; AUTHORIZING ADMINISTRATIVE CORRECTION OF SCRIVENER'S ERRORS; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Synopsis: Adopts a tentative budget for Fiscal Year 2025/2026.]

TAKE US TO ITEMS 4.3. >> I WOULD RECOMMEND READING THAT, TO MAKE SURE IT'S CLEAR. WE NEED TO DO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE MILLAGE AND READING OF THAT TITLE, THEN ADOPT THE MILLAGE AND DO ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE BUDGET AND ANY AMENDMENTS THAT YOU WANT TO MAKE LIKE ON THE SUGGESTED SHEET, THEN WE GO FROM

THERE. >> TAKE US AWAY, MISPRINTS.

>> RESOLUTION 2025-156 DECLARING AS REQUIRED BY SECTION 200.065 , FLORIDA STATUTES, THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025-2026, AUTHORIZING ADMINISTERED CORRECTION OF SCRIVENER'S ERRORS AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

2025-156 THAT YOU ARE CONSIDERING AND YOU CAN TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT, THEN MOVED TO APPROVE OR TAKE ANY ACTIONS THAT

THE CITY MANAGER HAS OUTLINED. >> THANK YOU. I AM NO SPEAKER CARDS. ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK FROM THE AUDIENCE, YOU CAN COME TO THE PODIUM AND FILL OUT A CARD AFTER. SEEING NONE. DO I

HAVE A MOTION? >> I MOVED TO APPROVE RESOLUTION

2025-156. >> I HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND.

ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE. PLEASE START THE VOTE. THAT MOTION PASSES 4-1 AND WE WILL MOVE TO 4.3 FOR OUR

TENTATIVE BUDGET. >> I WILL READ THIS ONE BY TITLE. RESOLUTION 2025-157. RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION AND FERNANDINA BEACH ADOPTING THE TENTATIVE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025-2026 AUTHORIZING ADMINISTRATIVE CORRECTION OF SCRIVENER'S ERRORS AND PROVIDING FOR AN

EFFECTIVE DATE. >> THANK YOU. DO I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE TENTATIVE BUDGET?

>> I HAVE ONE QUESTION. DO WE NEED A SEPARATE MOTION TO APPROVE CHANGES, THEN APPROVE THE OVERALL BUDGET?

>> YES, IF THE COMMISSION IS COMFORTABLE, YOU CAN ADOPT THEM AS A SLATE OF AMENDMENTS IF THERE ARE ANY THAT YOU WANT TO CALL OUT INDIVIDUALLY, THEN YOU CAN HANDLE THEM ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS, THEN WE WOULD APPROVE THE BUDGET AS A TENTATIVE BUDGET AS

A WHOLE. >> DO I HAVE MOTION?

>> MOVED TO APPROVE STAFF PROPOSED CHANGES TO FISCAL YEAR 2026 -- 2025-2026 TENTATIVE BUDGET, WHICH WOULD TAKE THE

SURPLUS TO 628 . >> MOTION.

>> SECOND. >> ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE. PLEASE START THE VOTE. THAT MOTION PASSES 5-0.

THAT TAKES US TO ITEM FIVE. OUR PUBLIC COMMENT.

>> I THINK YOU STILL NEED TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION 2025-157 AT YOUR PLEASURE, OF COURSE , AS AMENDED BY THE PREVIOUS MOTION.

THE TENTATIVE BUDGET WILL BE AMENDED IF YOU CHOOSE TO ADOPT

RESOLUTION 2025-157. >> DO I HEAR A MOTION? ANY ADDITIONAL COMMISSIONER OR DISCUSSION? PLEASE START THE

[00:35:07]

I HAVE NO REQUESTS TO SPEAK, BUT IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO

[Additional Item]

IF WE HAVE NONE, I BELIEVE WE HAVE ANY FURTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS?

>> ONE MATTER I WANT TO BRING BEFORE THE COMMISSION. IT IS WELL-TIMED WITH YOUR DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE BUDGET. WE HAD A DECISION FROM THE FEDERAL COURT ON THE APPEAL WITH MOTION TO DISMISS HAS BEEN DENIED, SO AT THIS POINT, LITIGATION COUNSEL IS LOOKING AT THIS MATTER AND WE WILL BE UPDATING YOU AS SOON AS POSSIBLE ONCE WE HAVE YOUR OPTIONS AVAILABLE. I JUST WANT TO BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION AND IT HAPPENED YESTERDAY

AFTERNOON. >> THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE. NO PUBLIC COMMENT. WE WILL ADJOURN.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.