[0:07] okay.

[0:08] >> okay.

[0:11] Got it.

[0:12] Okay.

[0:15] All set then.

[0:16] Good evening, ladies and

[0:19] gentlemen, and welcome to the

[0:20] city of winter spring city

[0:23] commission budget workshop of

[0:25] monday, JULY 14th, 2025.

[0:26] >> and kristen, would you call

[0:26] the roll, please?

[0:30] Mayor kevin mccann present

[0:30] deputy mayor kate resnick.

[0:33] Commissioner paul diaz

[0:34] commissioner victoria bruce

[0:34] present commissioner sarah

[0:36] baker present commissioner mark

[0:37] caruso here city manager kevin

[0:41] sweeney present city attorney

[0:41] anthony and gargi speer.

[0:44] >> if we could stand for a

[0:45] moment of silence to be

[0:52] followed by the pledge

[1:10] , I

[1:14] believe that the united states

[1:19] of america is my nation and I

[1:21] do with all liberty and justice

[1:24] for all.

[1:25] >> all right.

[1:29] I assume there are no agenda

[1:32] changes on this one topic for

[1:32] the workshop.

[1:36] And so then it was a compliment

[1:39] to MR. Sweet.

[1:40] Thank you for a well done well

[1:43] written, well explained.

[1:44] It was actually a little

[1:44] different layout from past

[1:47] years.

[1:47] I appreciate your input.

[1:48] Maybe holly, thanks for making

[1:51] it very clear.

[1:51] And although it's I'm not an

[1:55] accountant it's it was it makes

[1:55] sense and thanks for the layout

[1:59] and the detailed explanation.

[1:59] >> and with that, let's just

[2:00] read I'll turn it over to you.

[2:03] thank you, MR. Mayor.

[2:03] Commissioners, members of the

[2:06] public, thank you for your

[2:10] diligent work and engagement

[2:10] during this budget process.

[2:14] At this stage I've had the

[2:14] opportunity myself as well as

[2:15] the directors to meet with the

[2:18] mayor and all of the

[2:18] commissioners.

[2:19] The briefing prior to the

[2:22] budget workshop and where

[2:22] things stand.

[2:26] I do have a brief slide show

[2:26] overview which is a high level

[2:30] overview of what we're looking

[2:30] at for some revenue assumptions

[2:34] and expenditures breakdown for

[2:34] the f y 26 budget.

[2:38] In addition, the directors are

[2:41] with us this evening that chief

[2:42] track as well as clete sonya

[2:45] and brian dunning in to speak a

[2:46] little bit more and add some of

[2:49] their budget drivers and

[2:50] impacts for the f y 26 and kind

[2:53] of long term on the general

[2:54] fund side, the police budget

[2:57] being the largest budget and

[2:57] then the utilities being

[3:01] another major component.

[3:02] We'll wrap up with brian if we

[3:02] could just kind of go through

[3:04] after I complete my

[3:04] presentation, I'll ask them to

[3:08] give an overview of their

[3:09] budget request for f y 26 and

[3:12] then we can turn it back to

[3:12] you, MR. Mayor and the

[3:13] commission.

[3:13] I'm happy to go into any

[3:16] questions that you MAY have in

[3:17] further detail.

[3:19] But that being said, we'll get

[3:20] started with the presentation.

[3:26] >> patricia

[3:34] , thank you.

[3:35] >> so each of you should have a

[3:36] copy of this again, much of

[3:39] this is just broken down into a

[3:39] little bit easier to follow

[3:42] overview from the extensive

[3:43] budget book that everybody

[3:45] received as required under the

[3:46] charter JULY 1st of this year

[3:49] was distributed.

[3:50] You folks had an opportunity to

[3:51] digest it as well as the public

[3:54] as posted on the city website

[3:57] and through our one on one

[3:57] discussions.

[3:59] And here we are today the first

[4:00] stage or phase, if you will, of

[4:03] the budget process.

[4:04] This budget as we talk about

[4:05] through will be some

[4:07] opportunities for some

[4:08] reiterations in particular a

[4:09] couple of areas within the

[4:12] capital that will have a couple

[4:12] of opportunities to make that

[4:15] before final adoption.

[4:16] >> we're hoping to have some

[4:17] finalized numbers on a couple

[4:17] of things.

[4:19] First off, I'd like to thank

[4:22] all of the directors for their

[4:23] vigorous efforts this fiscal

[4:23] year.

[4:27] >> it's set out obviously as

[4:27] the new city manager, a couple

[4:30] of new directors, department

[4:33] heads were able to take a fresh

[4:34] view of where the budget

[4:37] drivers were really go through

[4:40] the budget as a whole on a line

[4:41] by line zero based and really,

[4:44] you know, the message to go

[4:45] back in and really look and

[4:46] make sure that we're getting

[4:49] the most efficiency out of the

[4:49] budget and the numbers that

[4:50] they're putting forward.

[4:53] We've had a number of internal

[4:56] meetings reiterations where

[4:57] things have been changed,

[4:57] amended, come back and

[4:57] reconsidered.

[5:00] So I want to thank all of the

[5:00] directors because this really

[5:03] is a team effort.

[5:04] They've spent a lot of

[5:08] countless hours and time to get

[5:08] us to here, a lot of

[5:08] preparation.

[5:11] I specifically want to call out

[5:14] the budget team in addition to

[5:15] myself led by holly queen, our

[5:16] finance director as well as

[5:19] michelle rozanski, our budget

[5:19] manager.

[5:22] And I was the benefits

[5:22] administrator as well as brian

[5:26] dunnigan, our director of

[5:26] administrative services and

[5:30] operations really led the the

[5:30] true budget team too without

[5:34] their support we wouldn't be

[5:34] here today and getting this

[5:37] budget completed.

[5:37] So we'll dive right in.

[5:41] The f y 26 budget, as I said,

[5:42] was developed through a

[5:45] rigorous, responsible process

[5:45] that ensures financial

[5:46] stability and reflects

[5:49] community priorities.

[5:53] >> no proposed increase in the

[5:53] city's operating millage rate

[5:56] remaining at 2.6 to mils.

[6:00] That's a a big achievement,

[6:00] something I'm proud of.

[6:01] I know it's something that the

[6:01] team is proud of.

[6:04] This was not easy to get to.

[6:04] You'll see that there's a

[6:07] number coming in right?

[6:08] Start with the f y 26 budget

[6:11] couple of big increases and

[6:11] we're talking about fixed costs

[6:14] that we don't have much

[6:14] discretion on and we'll talk

[6:15] about some of those things.

[6:18] Well as related to insurance

[6:19] and a couple of other drivers

[6:22] and really looking at what do

[6:23] we have some ability, the

[6:25] discretion to be able to go.

[6:26] You'll notice when we get into

[6:29] the operating budgets within

[6:29] within the general fund,

[6:33] there's really was a hard look

[6:36] at those expenses and line by

[6:36] line item and there's not a

[6:37] single increase in those

[6:40] operating expenses within

[6:40] within those budget.

[6:44] So I don't want to undermine

[6:44] the difficulty of getting us to

[6:47] a place where we're able to

[6:48] recommend keeping the millage

[6:51] rate where it's at as as we all

[6:56] know the you know, expense

[6:56] issues are far exceeding

[6:57] revenue that's not unique to

[6:57] the city.

[6:59] We went to springs and being

[7:00] able to keep pace with that is

[7:03] has been a continuous and

[7:03] difficult task.

[7:04] But we were able to and proud

[7:08] to be able to do that for the f

[7:11] y 26 budget and and present

[7:12] this before you today through

[7:16] that with that in in respect to

[7:17] that the we you know we feel

[7:18] that the city remains committed

[7:19] to delivering high quality

[7:22] services and we feel that we

[7:23] can do that given the budget

[7:26] that's presented before you.

[7:27] There's no I'd say there's no

[7:30] growth or wish list items in

[7:31] this budget.

[7:33] This budget is is really a

[7:38] budget that is real essential

[7:39] that we feel will provide and

[7:39] maintain and deliver the

[7:41] services that our residents

[7:41] expect.

[7:45] But there's no other kind of

[7:46] growth in long term vision

[7:49] beyond that and some of that

[7:50] will take place as we look at

[7:50] future conversations around

[7:53] strategic plans and direction

[7:57] that the commission is looking

[7:58] to set in making some of those

[7:58] decisions.

[7:59] You'll see it when we go

[8:00] through through the different

[8:00] budget.

[8:01] You know, there's no there's no

[8:05] projects that are unnecessary

[8:06] sorry projects that are in the

[8:07] budget and I say unnecessary in

[8:08] the sense of our level service

[8:12] in maintaining services and

[8:13] some of that has been put on

[8:14] hold as we really as a as a

[8:17] group and identify particularly

[8:18] the commission's direction as

[8:20] we look at kind of our

[8:21] strategic and master plan

[8:24] moving forward.

[8:25] The overall budget revenues are

[8:29] based upon an operating millage

[8:29] as I said, an assumption of a

[8:32] 2.62 mils total revenues in

[8:33] transfers are projected to

[8:34] increase by 25.8%, including

[8:35] appropriations from a fund

[8:38] balance.

[8:39] A total increase of 13.9% is

[8:42] projected.

[8:43] The timing of the opera

[8:45] project's solid waste rate

[8:46] increases tlb the increase

[8:50] enterprise srf state revolving

[8:53] fund loan proceeds of 5.4

[8:54] million as well as increase in

[8:57] water, sewer and stormwater

[8:59] rates is what's driving some of

[9:00] that increase that big

[9:00] increase, particularly the big

[9:04] increase in the enterprise

[9:04] revenue.

[9:04] >> and that's where that's one

[9:08] of the call those out

[9:08] specifically as it MAY look

[9:11] like there's some substantial

[9:12] particularly as it relates to

[9:13] the water and sewer utility as

[9:16] we look at, you know, where

[9:17] where is that projection coming

[9:17] from or.

[9:20] Burstein the realize some of

[9:20] the rate changes in that

[9:21] revenue being realized but a

[9:24] big portion of that is that

[9:27] enterprise $5.4 million design

[9:28] loan that is made up and

[9:31] incorporated into that revenue.

[9:32] So on the expenditure side, as

[9:35] we progress with addressing our

[9:36] wastewater reclamation facility

[9:41] infrastructure, it's just shows

[9:46] I'm sorry, do I have that's not

[9:46] as you know there goes organic

[9:49] organization wide sources of

[9:49] funds.

[9:50] This really just shows a

[9:53] breakdown by percentage of

[9:57] where where that revenue is

[9:57] coming from.

[10:00] Charges for service at 31.9%,

[10:03] appropriation from funds, 18.9%

[10:06] ad valorem tax at 12.5%.

[10:06] Inter-government

[10:09] inter-government transfers in

[10:09] from the state 10.8%.

[10:13] Other taxes at 7.3%.

[10:16] Some loan proceeds at 6.8%

[10:20] franchise other revenue sources

[10:20] smaller buckets total maybe

[10:20] 4.4%.

[10:24] Franchise fees 3.4% into fund

[10:27] transfers in 2.6% and licenses

[10:30] and permits 1.3.

[10:31] So you know, a couple of it's

[10:33] big reliance on ad valorem as

[10:37] well as some of the the state

[10:40] revenue shares that we get that

[10:44] make that up total proposed

[10:47] budget at 79.87 million across

[10:50] all funds this represents a

[10:53] 12.8% increase in expenditures

[10:54] and a 13.9% increase in the

[10:57] total budget over the f y 25

[10:57] budget enterprise fund.

[11:01] That's again a significant

[11:02] growth up 53.3% in revenue and

[11:05] then was we going to the

[11:07] expenditures you'll see the

[11:07] 31.6% expenditures again

[11:08] primarily due to the utility

[11:11] and infrastructure capital

[11:11] projects.

[11:15] >> the property tax revenue is

[11:17] projected to increase by

[11:21] 538,889, which accounts for a

[11:27] 6% with a 5.9% and 6.6% with

[11:30] 5.9% rollback less than our f y

[11:31] 25 that we're able to work

[11:31] with.

[11:34] So you can imagine, you know,

[11:34] the difficulty when you have

[11:37] limited revenue increases and

[11:40] just over half $1 million and

[11:41] realize the revenue when it

[11:44] comes to ad valorem increase

[11:47] can be a challenge with dealing

[11:48] with the other other increase

[11:49] in costs that we have as a

[11:55] community

[11:55] overall budget

[11:55] expenditure.

[11:58] >> I mentioned again behind the

[11:59] slide here represented there

[12:03] with the inclusion of the

[12:03] appropriations, the fund

[12:05] balance, the total increase of

[12:09] 13.9%.

[12:13] >> this is the organization

[12:14] organization wide application

[12:17] of funds and the percentage of

[12:17] the total where that's going

[12:20] again capital outlay.

[12:21] This budget as you'll see,

[12:22] reflects a significant amount

[12:25] of investment into our capital

[12:27] and infrastructure personnel at

[12:31] 24.7%, services at 12.2% repair

[12:33] and maintenance rtm 9.1

[12:36] utilities making up 7.5 or 7

[12:36] half percent.

[12:39] Other five and a half debt

[12:40] service at 4.7 into fund

[12:43] transfers out 2.6% and an

[12:46] appropriation to the fund a

[12:46] 1.1.

[12:47] So it just gives you an idea I

[12:49] can see that paragraph where

[12:50] the big portion of where the

[12:54] application of these funds, the

[12:54] orange there with that capital

[13:00] outlay at 32.5% personnel

[13:02] related expenses about make up

[13:03] about 60.7% of the general fund

[13:07] budget as we get you can see is

[13:10] another highlight of

[13:11] expenditure highlights which

[13:14] includes 8% health insurance

[13:18] premium increase again like to

[13:19] you know really just shows the

[13:21] vigilance and effort that was

[13:21] made.

[13:22] There's no new positions that

[13:25] have been added within this fy

[13:25] 26 budget.

[13:29] We've relooked at in some of

[13:30] the efforts and communication

[13:33] that I've made in the last

[13:33] couple of months with

[13:37] streamlining and realigning job

[13:37] duties, particularly at the

[13:41] director level with the

[13:41] consolidation of the director

[13:45] of public works into a combined

[13:45] public works and utilities

[13:46] department under the leadership

[13:49] of clete.

[13:49] I'm looking at bringing that

[13:50] and repositioning that position

[13:53] as a assistant director and

[13:53] some reallocation of additional

[13:58] shifts of responsibility is as

[13:59] it relates to that so that we

[13:59] can ensure that the duties

[14:02] themselves are realigned and

[14:03] we're getting achieving the

[14:05] most out of the staffing model

[14:06] that we have.

[14:08] I think this is a pretty good

[14:09] slide breakdown that shows what

[14:12] that looks like.

[14:13] As you can see there, the

[14:16] employees per 1000 residents

[14:19] and where that stands pretty

[14:20] flat line reduction of one fte

[14:23] overall from 2425 and where we

[14:27] stand in fy 26.

[14:31] >> so this is we're running

[14:31] lean.

[14:32] I've said that many times.

[14:35] If you look at comparable

[14:35] cities throughout the state and

[14:36] where we stand, our resident

[14:38] and our our infrastructure in

[14:42] demand, we're definitely run a

[14:43] lean tight ship and we're

[14:46] fortunate that we have the

[14:46] employees and staff that we

[14:47] have to be able to accomplish

[14:47] that.

[14:49] But many folks are wearing

[14:50] multiple hats that you don't

[14:53] see in a lot of communities and

[14:54] you know, we're doing the best

[14:56] with with what we have and I

[14:57] think we're doing a great job

[15:00] at that.

[15:00] Expenditure highlights each

[15:04] director, as I said at the

[15:05] beginning, was tasked with

[15:08] finding even small ways to

[15:08] reduce their operating

[15:09] expenditures such as moving

[15:12] appropriate expenditures to

[15:12] other more restrictive funding

[15:13] sources that were captured

[15:16] within their budget and looking

[15:20] at other funding allocation

[15:21] that should be more streamlined

[15:24] as it relates to some capital

[15:25] areas and taking those out of

[15:28] the actual budget themselves

[15:28] and addressing those as as

[15:29] capital expenditures.

[15:32] We'll talk a little bit more on

[15:33] capital.

[15:36] You can see there the again, I

[15:37] mentioned this earlier in the

[15:37] presentation.

[15:40] You know, I'm proud of what

[15:40] we've been able to build here

[15:43] and really shows that we have

[15:44] made a real strong concerted

[15:44] effort.

[15:47] You can see information

[15:48] services in general government

[15:51] on their on the operating

[15:54] budgets from 25 over to the f y

[15:56] 26 and that change at-1.8% on

[16:00] the community development side

[16:04] -9% parks and recreation down

[16:04] 2.6%.

[16:07] Police 5.2%.

[16:10] Finance just under one half 4%.

[16:13] Public works-15 and the

[16:17] executive office minus six.

[16:19] >> so overall 4.7% reduction in

[16:22] our operating expenses for the

[16:22] f y 26, which again a lot of

[16:27] effort really analyzed and

[16:27] going through every line item

[16:30] zero base and really reviewing

[16:30] the budget expenditures and

[16:34] making sure that there's no you

[16:35] know, no no funding in it.

[16:38] There or questionable or

[16:38] anything like that.

[16:42] I mean it's really there's

[16:42] budget is giving us really what

[16:43] we need to survive and just

[16:46] just wanted to stress that but

[16:47] that's probably rare that you

[16:50] would see any community that's

[16:52] presenting operating expenses

[16:53] for every one of those

[16:53] functions at a reduction.

[16:57] >> and again, that was a lot of

[16:58] effort to get us here.

[17:01] We'll talk about when the chief

[17:02] gets into his presentation of

[17:02] the police.

[17:04] You know, police salaries and a

[17:05] couple of those as I said,

[17:09] discretion area expenses

[17:09] increases health insurance and

[17:12] a number of those other areas

[17:13] where we don't have a whole lot

[17:16] of discretion to be able to

[17:17] adjust to be able to find that

[17:20] in other areas as has been a

[17:20] difficult task.

[17:24] General fund breakdown by

[17:27] percentage of the percentage of

[17:28] utilization from ad valorem

[17:34] being the largest there at

[17:40] 37.4% utility tax 15.4%

[17:40] intergovernmental 10.6% are

[17:44] some franchise fees we have

[17:44] coming in 10.2% communication

[17:51] service tax at 6.2%, revenue

[17:52] sharing at 6% and

[17:54] appropriations from funds of

[17:55] 5.1 and interphone transfers

[17:57] and at 3.1 makes up to 100% of

[18:00] the source on the general fund

[18:00] .

[18:01] As you can see, the big

[18:04] reliance is on our our tax

[18:05] base, on our local tax, on the

[18:05] ad valorem tax, making up the

[18:11] bulk of that 37%.

[18:12] >> and another way of looking

[18:15] at 25 versus 26 on the

[18:18] application from a revenue side

[18:19] of the house and from the

[18:22] source as well as the

[18:23] application of how that money

[18:26] is being expended.

[18:27] Personnel as I said earlier,

[18:30] driving not unique to

[18:31] governmental budgeting in any

[18:31] way.

[18:34] Typically I've seen, you know,

[18:34] communities, municipalities

[18:37] generally around anywhere from

[18:38] 60 to 75% on average I'd say

[18:42] probably 70, 72% is personnel

[18:45] and staff when it comes to the

[18:48] overall budget as a whole.

[18:52] Other operating at 9.2% repair

[18:54] and maintenance are around that

[18:57] 6.5% capital outlay makes up 4%

[18:58] and this is in the general

[19:01] government general fund side

[19:03] I'm sorry supplies 3.5%.

[19:08] Utilities 3.7% fuel 1.1% and

[19:11] then grants and aids just 0.3

[19:14] just under half percent gives

[19:15] the 26.6 million on the general

[19:18] fund side.

[19:19] >> general fund fiscal policy

[19:22] test.

[19:23] >> each year the general fund

[19:24] is tested to determine if the

[19:27] fund complies with the three

[19:27] internal fiscal policies or

[19:31] guidelines as follows one that

[19:31] it's sufficient recurring

[19:34] revenue exists to pay for all

[19:34] recurring costs.

[19:39] That's avoiding the use of

[19:39] nonrecurring revenues and fund

[19:41] balances to fund recurring

[19:42] costs.

[19:46] Those are usually utilized for

[19:46] savings, if you will, as well

[19:47] as one time capital

[19:50] expenditures and are recurrent

[19:53] recurring costs in any fiscal

[19:54] year that's sufficient

[19:57] recurring non recurring revenue

[19:58] available to fund non-recurring

[20:01] costs and that the 25% fund

[20:02] balance policy is being

[20:05] maintained a fund balance equal

[20:08] to or exceeding 25% of

[20:08] personnel and operating costs

[20:12] of which we are more than

[20:12] doing.

[20:12] >> you'll see within your

[20:15] budget for page 31 which lays

[20:16] out where that stands and what

[20:19] I would refer to as the

[20:22] discretionary fund balance and

[20:23] having just under 2 million, I

[20:26] think that that alone

[20:27] illustrates the financial

[20:31] health of our community.

[20:32] It's a it illustrates that it's

[20:35] where a community that is run

[20:39] fiscally, responsibly and not

[20:40] not in a position of a crisis

[20:42] by any means or anything like

[20:42] that.

[20:43] And you know, that's

[20:43] illustrated within the

[20:46] responsible fund balance

[20:46] following strictly through

[20:47] these policies.

[20:50] And in fact that 25% I think is

[20:51] actually technically required

[20:53] of 20% or three months of

[20:56] operating 90 days, if you will

[20:56] .

[20:57] And we're certainly meeting

[20:57] above that requirement as well

[21:00] as having some discretionary in

[21:04] there and that that comes after

[21:06] this f y 26 budget of what

[21:07] we're remaining with after

[21:10] after those fund balances are

[21:11] covered within this budget.

[21:15] So fiscally responsible and

[21:20] healthy at this stage before we

[21:24] turn it over to the chief, just

[21:25] a couple of other things.

[21:26] The fund balance outlook, I

[21:29] said that is projected to

[21:32] decrease by 1.35 million due to

[21:35] those non-recurring capital

[21:36] enterprise fund equity is

[21:38] expected to decline due to the

[21:39] major utility investments of

[21:40] which we've been planning for

[21:43] and have had much discussion

[21:47] regarding and other decrease in

[21:49] fund balances.

[21:50] Primarily as I said, due to the

[21:53] one time capital investments

[21:54] that's planned for use of

[21:54] reserves for long term

[21:57] infrastructure improvements and

[21:58] remain in compliance with our

[21:58] reserve policy.

[22:02] >> so all all positive and good

[22:05] things it's a matter of if I

[22:07] could I'd like to ask the three

[22:10] directors to present their f y

[22:11] 26 request and drivers and I

[22:14] think it's a good opportunity.

[22:15] I don't think in the most

[22:19] recent we've you know in prior

[22:19] done too much in this I really

[22:22] wanted to focus on those three.

[22:23] The police department is the

[22:25] largest general fund budget and

[22:29] then as I said with the

[22:29] utilities and public works is a

[22:30] big conversation.

[22:33] Brian is the director of

[22:33] administrative services and

[22:36] operations, has information

[22:37] services which includes human

[22:37] resources.

[22:41] I.T risk management as well as

[22:41] our parks and recreation

[22:47] oversight as well as our our

[22:48] tree landscaping our functions

[22:48] as well.

[22:52] So chief turned over to you if

[22:53] you want to present yourself

[22:56] thank you.

[22:56] >> thank you MR..

[22:57] I appreciate that.

[22:57] Well good afternoon honorable

[23:00] mayor, commissioners, staff and

[23:00] members of the public.

[23:01] Thank you for the opportunity

[23:04] to present proposed fiscal year

[23:08] 2026 police department budget.

[23:08] I'm proud to represent our

[23:09] department's dedicated men and

[23:12] women who work daily to keep

[23:12] our communities safe.

[23:15] >> our fiscal year 26 budget

[23:15] supports a focused strategy

[23:18] built around four priorities.

[23:18] Those priorities are

[23:21] maintaining an adequate level

[23:22] of public safety services

[23:22] recruiting and retaining

[23:26] qualified officers, investing

[23:26] in modern equipment and

[23:29] technology and improving

[23:29] overall efficiency and fiscal

[23:33] accountability.

[23:33] Before we get into that though,

[23:34] I'd like to outline where we

[23:37] have been and where we are now.

[23:40] >> agencies throughout central

[23:40] florida have faced an

[23:40] unprecedented staffing

[23:41] challenges.

[23:44] >> the recruitment pipelines

[23:44] are shrinking and competition

[23:48] for certified officers is

[23:48] increasing.

[23:48] All agencies are fighting for

[23:52] the same top candidates.

[23:54] As you all are aware, in late

[23:54] 2024 we increased our starting

[23:55] salary adjusted employee

[23:59] compression and offered

[23:59] educational incentives.

[24:00] This was necessary as we face

[24:03] an unrest that in 30% vacancy

[24:07] rate and the police department

[24:07] officers were leaving for

[24:07] neighboring jurisdictions just

[24:11] for a few thousand dollars more

[24:12] in salary and a benefit package

[24:14] that exceeded ours.

[24:15] I'm glad to report that today

[24:17] we see a vacancy of only about

[24:18] 5% and hopefully by the end of

[24:21] this week we could close out to

[24:22] 0% with some offer letters

[24:25] within central florida

[24:25] departments have raised

[24:28] starting salaries to the 60 to

[24:29] $68,000 range.

[24:32] Many of those offering

[24:32] unimaginable sign on bonuses.

[24:35] Some of these bonuses range

[24:36] from 5000 to 30,000 just to get

[24:38] hired.

[24:39] On top of those incentives are

[24:42] for education night shift

[24:42] differential and even

[24:42] relocation pay.

[24:45] Unfortunately, the only thing

[24:46] that this does is incentivizes

[24:46] qualified officers to leave an

[24:49] agency for financial gain.

[24:50] Regretfully, we have seen this

[24:54] affect our agency as well.

[24:54] >> the passion for law

[24:57] enforcement has changed over

[24:57] the years.

[24:58] One could argue a reason or

[25:01] just simply watch the news over

[25:01] the last ten years.

[25:02] Finding officers who want to

[25:04] make a career is becoming

[25:05] harder and harder.

[25:08] Staying competitive has focused

[25:09] us to think outside the box.

[25:12] The proposed budget includes

[25:13] funding that will maintain our

[25:13] competitiveness while

[25:14] continuing to provide the

[25:16] services that are expected from

[25:17] our community.

[25:20] >> as residents sees increases

[25:21] in our day to day cost, we

[25:21] experience those same

[25:24] significant cost increases

[25:25] across our critical equipment

[25:28] lines and operating expenses.

[25:29] For instance, body armor that

[25:33] was purchased in 2020 cost

[25:33] $1,158.

[25:36] Today that armor costs $1,997,

[25:40] which is a 72% increase in

[25:40] 2020.

[25:44] uniforms to outfit a new higher

[25:44] cost $335.

[25:47] That same uniform now cost

[25:47] $570.

[25:48] That's a 70% increase.

[25:49] And something as simple as copy

[25:55] paper $43 a box is now $66.

[25:58] That's a 53% increase in a

[25:58] simple office supply.

[26:02] I say this because we all feel

[26:02] the same pressures as everyone

[26:04] in our community.

[26:05] >> intelligence led policing

[26:06] has become the wave of the

[26:09] future and has proven to be a

[26:09] game changer in combating and

[26:12] solving crimes.

[26:13] Likewise, technology based

[26:16] equipment, patrol vehicles and

[26:17] safety gear have risen

[26:17] significantly.

[26:21] Despite these increases, we

[26:21] have worked diligently to find

[26:21] efficiencies to provide you

[26:25] with a decrease in our

[26:25] operating budget while still

[26:28] maintaining service levels.

[26:28] For the fiscal year 26 budget,

[26:29] the operating costs for the

[26:31] police department have been

[26:32] reduced by a little over 5%

[26:32] last year.

[26:36] We're pleased to see the

[26:36] effects of our policing

[26:37] initiatives and their impact on

[26:39] our crime rates.

[26:41] Crime has dropped overall by

[26:42] 15% from the previous year and

[26:45] additionally we saw a 9%

[26:45] reduction in violent crimes all

[26:46] while operating at critical

[26:49] staffing levels.

[26:49] Nevertheless, this success

[26:53] comes with a downside.

[26:53] For years we've been forced to

[26:54] do more with less.

[26:57] This approach takes a toll on

[26:57] the workforce and the staffing

[26:58] numbers have proved this.

[27:01] We operate with the lowest

[27:02] officer programs per resident

[27:04] rate in seminole county and I'm

[27:05] pleased to say now we see

[27:05] staffing numbers shift in our

[27:08] favor.

[27:08] I will always strive to provide

[27:09] the best policing within this

[27:11] community.

[27:11] As a resident myself, I

[27:12] invested in seeing the success

[27:15] of this agency and the city

[27:16] data shows clearly that the

[27:19] properly staffing equipped

[27:19] departments lead to tangible,

[27:20] measurable, measurable

[27:23] improvements in public safety.

[27:24] These impact the quality of

[27:24] life and harmony of our

[27:27] community.

[27:27] This is what makes winter

[27:28] springs such an attractive

[27:31] place to live.

[27:31] The police department's budget

[27:32] is responsible and forward

[27:34] thinking.

[27:35] It balances rising cost with

[27:35] efficiency.

[27:38] It strengthens officer

[27:38] recruitment and retention.

[27:39] And most importantly, it

[27:42] sustains our goal of providing

[27:43] top notch service while

[27:46] reducing the fare and presence

[27:46] of crime.

[27:49] >> the total proposed f y 26

[27:52] budget reflects a 4.3% increase

[27:52] over 25.

[27:53] This includes payroll and

[27:56] benefits, operating expenses

[27:56] and capital improvements.

[27:59] As mentioned, we reduced our

[28:00] operating costs by scrutinizing

[28:03] every line item conducting

[28:03] internal checks and balances,

[28:07] negotiating contracts and using

[28:08] grant funds to the best of our

[28:08] abilities.

[28:11] This budget is operationally

[28:11] sound to complete our mission

[28:14] but lacks any more flexibility

[28:14] .

[28:15] Key budget areas that were

[28:15] discussed earlier our personnel

[28:21] benefits which is $8.7 million

[28:22] operating costs $1.6 million

[28:25] and capital expenses of

[28:25] $640,000.

[28:26] The total police department

[28:29] budget of $10.9 million.

[28:33] >> every dollar in this

[28:34] proposal is aligned with

[28:34] maintaining services the same

[28:37] community policing standards

[28:37] that we've worked hard over the

[28:38] last several decades to build

[28:38] trust.

[28:41] Transparency and partnerships

[28:41] with our residents, business

[28:42] partners and faith based

[28:45] community leaders.

[28:46] As your police chief, I'm

[28:46] committed to leading this

[28:49] agency with honesty, integrity

[28:50] and transparency in every

[28:52] decision we make from how we

[28:53] spend taxpayer dollars to how

[28:53] we serve our residents.

[28:56] We will reflect on our core

[28:59] values excellence, integrity,

[28:59] innovation and respect.

[29:00] I will fight for our officers

[29:04] for their safety, for their

[29:04] well-being and the respect that

[29:04] they've earned.

[29:08] >> but I also hold us to the

[29:08] highest standards because

[29:08] that's what the public

[29:09] deserves.

[29:11] We are building a department

[29:12] that just doesn't respond to

[29:15] crime but also helps prevent it

[29:15] .

[29:16] A department that earns trust

[29:17] not just compliance and a

[29:19] department that serves as a

[29:19] cornerstone of what makes one

[29:22] springs safe, desirable,

[29:23] complete and free from

[29:26] tomorrow's fears.

[29:27] With that, I respectfully

[29:30] request your support adopting

[29:31] the fiscal year 26 proposed

[29:32] police department's budgets and

[29:36] I welcome any questions?

[29:37] >> you want to just roll

[29:41] through and then we'll come

[29:41] back for questions.

[29:41] Okay.

[29:48] Who's next to

[29:51] me?

[29:52] >> good afternoon,

[29:52] commissioners.

[29:53] It was good getting an

[29:56] opportunity to meet each one of

[29:56] you individually over the last

[29:57] week or so.

[30:00] And and been able to put a fine

[30:00] point on what we're trying to

[30:01] accomplish within the public

[30:03] works and utilities department.

[30:04] I will tell you that in all my

[30:07] years of experience I've worked

[30:07] on everything from special

[30:07] district government to

[30:10] municipalities and counties.

[30:11] I think winter springs is one

[30:14] of the most efficient and

[30:15] dedicated group of individuals

[30:18] working within the city that

[30:19] creates opportunities to save

[30:19] money while providing

[30:23] exceptional service.

[30:24] The only limitation is is their

[30:27] ability to do so with

[30:28] additional funding which we're

[30:28] asking for you to provide

[30:28] today.

[30:32] Although it is a tight lean

[30:33] budget, it does meet all of our

[30:34] operational requirements for

[30:38] the forecasted fiscal year.

[30:39] As I mentioned, we did spend a

[30:40] lot of time developing this

[30:40] budget.

[30:43] I picked staff springs a lot

[30:46] not only because of my newness

[30:47] here to the community but also

[30:51] a desire, strong desire and

[30:51] philosophy.

[30:52] I have to make sure that we're

[30:52] not spending any more than we

[30:54] need to to provide the best

[30:54] service delivery possible.

[30:58] With that, the budget overall

[30:59] for public works and utilities

[31:02] is very lean and efficient.

[31:06] So let me just go over a few

[31:06] top level items.

[31:09] The more important items the

[31:09] budget is pretty thick.

[31:10] It takes up a significant

[31:13] portion of the budget book

[31:13] because we're dealing with

[31:17] multiple funds and different

[31:21] expenditure accounts.

[31:21] For starters, I'm going to go

[31:25] over overall staffing changes

[31:25] with the elimination is as city

[31:30] manager sweetman charged with

[31:31] the elimination of the public

[31:33] works director overseeing the

[31:33] duties of public works and

[31:33] utilities.

[31:34] And as part of that, in order

[31:37] to be more efficient, the city

[31:41] manager and I had developed a

[31:42] job description for an

[31:45] assistant director of public

[31:45] works and utilities.

[31:49] That position will take on full

[31:49] responsibility for the

[31:50] stormwater management program

[31:52] plus play a key role as the

[31:53] capital improvement program

[31:56] manager overall capital

[31:57] projects with the exception of

[32:00] the wastewater recycling

[32:00] facilities, I will still

[32:01] oversee that directly to make

[32:06] sure we're moving forward.

[32:07] >> we've also added another

[32:10] position for fiscal year 26.

[32:10] It's an environmental

[32:11] compliance officer.

[32:14] We would be looking at that

[32:15] position as an associate

[32:15] engineering position.

[32:18] Somebody that's right around

[32:19] the city to be newly pd

[32:22] individual but they would have

[32:23] oversight and responsibility

[32:26] ownership if you will, over all

[32:27] of our regulatory requirements

[32:30] whether it be water, sewer,

[32:31] reclaim water stormwater and

[32:33] paving.

[32:34] There'll be a point of contact

[32:37] with key representatives within

[32:38] all of the regulatory agencies

[32:42] such as F.D.A., f d p st johns

[32:45] river and others.

[32:46] They'll be maintaining those

[32:49] relationships currently we have

[32:49] consultants provided or

[32:50] providing augmented staffing

[32:53] services.

[32:54] We fully expect those services

[32:57] to be eliminated and this

[32:58] individual come in and take

[33:01] over those responsibilities and

[33:02] I would might add that would be

[33:02] full time.

[33:04] Currently our consultants can

[33:05] only to the best of their

[33:06] ability provide kind of a part

[33:09] time overview, if you will, on

[33:12] specific things that come out.

[33:13] >> we are also reorganizing the

[33:16] utilities division department

[33:19] into a to create a new division

[33:20] for substation maintenance and

[33:20] operation.

[33:23] We're going to create a lift

[33:24] station maintenance operation

[33:24] division that will be staffed

[33:27] by dedicated employees that

[33:30] will be responsible for the 57

[33:31] live stations that we currently

[33:31] have in operation throughout

[33:33] the city.

[33:34] Our current contractor, our own

[33:37] contractor veolia provides of

[33:38] services as part of their

[33:39] contract and they will be of

[33:44] course falling off in SEPTEMBER

[33:45] 30th with our new contractor

[33:46] owner and contractor would add

[33:49] in current coming on OCTOBER

[33:49] 1st.

[33:50] That new contract will not

[33:53] include live station management

[33:53] services that will be brought

[33:56] in-house with our staff.

[33:57] So we've recreated that

[33:59] division utilizing existing

[34:03] staff from two of our utility

[34:04] crews to create a new division.

[34:07] Plus hiring an individual to be

[34:08] able to oversee the management

[34:10] of those individuals.

[34:15] I would note that woodard in

[34:15] current contract is actively

[34:15] being developed.

[34:19] We're taking a lot of time.

[34:20] We want to make sure we get all

[34:20] the I's dotted and t's crossed

[34:23] on that scope of services.

[34:23] Our current agreement with

[34:26] veolia is woefully inadequate.

[34:26] It is very ambiguous in some

[34:30] detail in what it what our

[34:34] expectations should be and what

[34:34] they should be moving forward.

[34:35] So we're taking a lot of time

[34:38] and effort with staff as well

[34:38] as our consultants at carollo

[34:45] to develop a very tight

[37:43] completed to date.

[37:44] >> we fully anticipate being

[37:46] able to provide at the end of

[37:50] SEPTEMBER a stormwater master

[37:50] plan draft and we'll be

[37:53] providing to you a workshop at

[37:57] that time to go over that.

[37:57] We'll also be introducing what

[38:01] some anticipated rates will be

[38:01] that you can expect to see

[38:02] depending on your adoption of

[38:04] that plan at a at the first

[38:08] meeting in OCTOBER.

[38:08] The rate study will be

[38:09] presented to reflect whatever

[38:12] the improvement recommendations

[38:12] and the operational

[38:15] requirements of those are.

[38:15] During the storm water

[38:18] infrastructure program

[38:19] presentation at the workshop at

[38:22] the end of SEPTEMBER 1st part

[38:26] of OCTOBER.

[38:26] so since that final

[38:27] infrastructure needs assessment

[38:29] will not be until late this

[38:29] fiscal year.

[38:33] Staff will be working with the

[38:33] city manager and the finance

[38:37] director to present a budget

[38:37] amendment reflecting the

[38:38] infrastructure and operational

[38:41] costs in line with the adopted

[38:42] rates sometime mid fiscal year.

[38:44] We really want to have a handle

[38:45] on that until we actually

[38:46] understand what the rates will

[38:48] produce, what you decide you

[38:49] wish to see in terms of level

[38:52] of service for the next five,

[38:53] ten, 15 years in terms of the

[38:56] stormwater program.

[38:57] But we'll be able to staff that

[38:57] appropriately provided the

[39:00] necessary equipment and it will

[39:01] be in line with whatever rate

[39:04] revenues that we receive within

[39:04] that storm water utility.

[39:07] So somewhere around the first

[39:08] the end of the first quarter,

[39:08] second quarter of next fiscal

[39:11] year probably be seeing a

[39:15] budget amendment to that that

[39:16] is not included in the current

[39:16] budget is my point.

[39:19] Utilities department.

[39:20] The operations budget is in

[39:23] line with current expenditure

[39:23] needs associated with many

[39:26] years of deferred maintenance

[39:26] infrastructure maintenance that

[39:27] was not accounted for until we

[39:30] had our recent rate study

[39:30] approved.

[39:31] I believe that was in 2023.

[39:34] We are in the second of a five

[39:35] year rate study will be doing a

[39:38] rate review or refresh if you

[39:39] will, presenting the results of

[39:41] that study with our consultants

[39:42] at tell us sometime in

[39:45] SEPTEMBER to give you an idea

[39:46] of how well we're meeting

[39:49] expenditures and and revenues,

[39:50] it's looking fairly good from

[39:50] what I've seen so far.

[39:55] And I'll leave it at that.

[39:56] And then of course, on the 18th

[39:59] of last month you were you

[39:59] received our utilities

[40:00] infrastructure program update

[40:03] in which we presented to you

[40:04] our plan five years, the ip

[40:07] program that included all

[40:08] water, sewer and reclaimed

[40:10] water excluding the costs

[40:11] associated with the two

[40:11] wastewater treatment plants.

[40:15] This is strictly cip projects

[40:18] that are needed outside of the

[40:19] fence, if you will, of those

[40:22] two wastewater treatment plants

[40:22] .

[40:25] What we presented to you was a

[40:26] five year study or a five year

[40:28] plan based on current revenue

[40:29] sources and needs and our

[40:32] ability to be able to fund that

[40:33] within current revenue

[40:33] limitations.

[40:36] What we didn't know at that

[40:37] time is that we received a

[40:40] legislative grant earmark, if

[40:43] you will, from the state for

[40:43] three different projects.

[40:44] We're in the process of

[40:47] adjusting that cerp to reflect

[40:47] maybe a.

[40:50] Well, not maybe, but it will in

[40:51] it will accelerate those three

[40:51] projects, those being the

[40:54] aerators on the water treatment

[40:54] plants.

[40:55] Three the michael blake

[40:59] reclaimed water main project

[40:59] and also a smaller bowel

[41:03] project on the line.

[41:09] Potable water main in the city

[41:10] .

[41:10] >> so as I mentioned within the

[41:13] budget book the c I p is not

[41:14] changed that much since that

[41:16] workshop.

[41:17] just as an overview, there's

[41:20] approximately 31 projects that

[41:20] we have identified between

[41:24] water wastewater and reclaimed

[41:26] water totaling around $34

[41:26] million in today's dollars.

[41:31] Over the next five years we

[41:32] anticipate 11 of those

[41:32] projects, possibly more with

[41:35] this new infusion of

[41:39] legislative funding for fiscal

[41:41] year 26 totaling about $9.7

[41:41] million for next fiscal year.

[41:45] Separately, the east and west

[41:45] water reclamation facilities,

[41:45] wastewater reclamation

[41:49] facilities for fiscal year 26

[41:52] is budgeted at $25 million.

[41:55] That includes a $20 million

[41:55] loan from us sorry up.

[41:56] A lot of unknowns out there

[41:59] right now, but we want to be

[42:00] ready in anticipation of that

[42:02] going forward.

[42:02] >> that concludes really

[42:06] everything I have on the

[42:06] current fiscal year 26.

[42:09] But I do have some anticipated

[42:10] future look ahead.

[42:11] So I'd like to share with you

[42:14] I'm currently gathering propose

[42:15] a proposal for a 5 to 10 year

[42:18] payment management plan.

[42:19] It's a data driven plan that

[42:19] will be assessing all of the

[42:22] payment conditions throughout

[42:22] the city.

[42:26] We'll be able to present that

[42:26] to you in the coming months.

[42:30] It will show our very fact

[42:30] based data driven assessment of

[42:33] all the conditions of our

[42:33] streets.

[42:34] It'll be based on payment

[42:37] management philosophy which

[42:37] sometimes can sound

[42:37] counterintuitive.

[42:38] I don't want to get into the

[42:41] weeds on that right now, but it

[42:42] will address all of our roads

[42:45] over the next five, ten, 15

[42:46] years and beyond on a cyclic

[42:49] pattern.

[42:50] And as long as funding is

[42:50] provided, so long as we're able

[42:53] to keep it going, I highly

[42:54] recommend that whatever

[42:54] transportation funds that we

[42:57] get, we invest heavily into our

[42:57] pavement.

[42:58] I think overall our pavement

[43:00] condition is fairly good

[43:00] compared to other

[43:01] municipalities and counties

[43:04] I've worked in.

[43:05] We will also have a sidewalk

[43:08] maintenance plan that will look

[43:09] at projected costs over time

[43:12] and we'll also defined areas of

[43:13] need addressing all ada

[43:15] requirements at all crosswalks

[43:19] and we'll fold that into the

[43:19] as well.

[43:22] And then of course we're also

[43:22] working on a five year

[43:23] equipment replacement plan that

[43:25] will cover all police, all of

[43:26] our heavy equipment on and off

[43:29] road vehicles and equipment

[43:30] over the next five years and

[43:33] beyond so that we can better

[43:33] plan and budget for those

[43:34] expenditures as they come up

[43:37] instead of reacting when things

[43:38] break and we don't to

[43:39] anticipate it, we'll have a

[43:41] good idea of when those things

[43:41] need that piece, those pieces

[43:44] of equipment need to be

[43:45] replaced.

[43:48] And finally, ultimately long

[43:51] term in 2027, all of these are

[43:51] 2026, 27 year.

[43:55] It's my goal to provide the

[43:56] community and yourselves with a

[43:59] dashboard, an online dashboard

[43:59] that's gis based.

[44:03] It will have a comprehensive

[44:04] view of all projects going on

[44:06] in the city.

[44:07] we can refer members of the

[44:10] community to go to that if they

[44:11] want to find out when a certain

[44:12] roads being paved, where it's

[44:14] going to be paved, how much it

[44:14] cost, what utility projects are

[44:18] going on, etc., etc. That as

[44:21] you can imagine will be a very

[44:21] comprehensive task.

[44:25] It's going to all have to

[44:25] solicit much help from various

[44:28] departments, including finance

[44:29] and operations and being able

[44:32] to put that together and get it

[44:33] in a cogent and sensible format

[44:36] where everybody can easily

[44:37] understand when they will get

[44:41] paid, when their water line

[44:41] might be replaced, when do it

[44:44] to dissipate being able to

[44:47] schedule whatever activities

[44:48] they want to schedule, thus

[44:50] reducing a lot of costs to our

[44:51] public information folks or our

[44:55] customer service folks at the

[44:55] front desk.

[44:56] A lot of this information will

[44:59] be readily available, cutting

[44:59] down a lot of inquires to the

[45:00] front desk.

[45:03] And that concludes my

[45:03] presentation.

[45:03] Be happy to answer any specific

[45:04] questions you have at the end

[45:11] of this

[45:15] .

[45:19] Thank you, kelly.

[45:24] Good afternoon, mayor.

[45:24] Deputy mayor.

[45:24] City commission.

[45:25] City manager for the record

[45:27] brian down again director of

[45:27] administrative services and

[45:27] operations.

[45:28] I'd like to provide a high

[45:31] level budgetary summary of the

[45:31] following city departments

[45:35] which include human resources,

[45:39] risk management, I.T parks and

[45:39] recreation or beautification as

[45:42] arbor as well as the city's

[45:42] three assessment districts.

[45:46] Overall, the personnel related

[45:46] expenses for the employees that

[45:47] are assigned to these divisions

[45:53] for fy 26 we're proposing a

[45:53] 6.28% decrease for personnel

[45:54] related expenses for these

[45:56] employees overall and an

[46:00] operating decrease for the

[46:00] divisions that are primarily

[46:01] funded through ad valorem.

[46:04] Which would be your H.R.

[46:04] I.T.

[46:04] Risk management parks and

[46:05] recreation and urban

[46:08] beautification reduction of by

[46:11] approximately 1.15% and the

[46:11] capital expenses proposed

[46:15] decrease by about 79.5% for

[46:18] those divisions.

[46:19] Looking at the human resources

[46:22] division of the city, looking

[46:26] at turnover trends citywide, we

[46:29] had a voluntary separation rate

[46:31] from AUGUST of 2023 to JUNE of

[46:34] 2024 reduction from 23.3% to

[46:34] 13.3%.

[46:35] So these are employees that are

[46:38] on their own voluntarily

[46:38] leaving the city for whatever

[46:42] reason to go seek employment

[46:43] elsewhere.

[46:43] In most cases not including

[46:46] retirements.

[46:47] These are so that that metric

[46:47] does not include employees who

[46:50] would be planning to retire

[46:50] from from the city.

[46:54] We have seen a slight increase

[46:56] for reporting period from

[46:56] OCTOBER 1st to current up to

[47:00] about 17.7%, which is a little

[47:01] bit higher than we'd like to be

[47:01] in that 12 to 15% range, which

[47:04] is generally accepted for

[47:04] government entities.

[47:08] However, when you take out the

[47:08] sworn law enforcement

[47:12] departures and isolate the rest

[47:12] of the government, we're at

[47:13] about 11.6% voluntary

[47:16] separation.

[47:17] So this trend reflects some of

[47:17] the challenges that chief tract

[47:19] shared in his summary with you

[47:20] all that we continue to see

[47:23] increased voluntary

[47:24] separations, particularly on

[47:27] the law and law enforcement

[47:27] side.

[47:28] The department continues to

[47:31] support employee wellness,

[47:32] safety training and employee

[47:35] recognition programs.

[47:36] So we have had some measurable

[47:36] gains specifically in the

[47:39] outcome of some of these safety

[47:39] and training programs which

[47:40] I'll discuss as it pertains to

[47:43] our workers compensation

[47:43] experience modification factor.

[47:46] Imf here in a second.

[47:47] Looking at risk management, we

[47:50] have seen an 8.4% increase in

[47:51] premiums for a general

[47:54] liability property worker's

[47:55] comp and auto coverage.

[47:56] However, we were able to

[47:59] essentially keep that cost the

[47:59] same this year because we were

[48:01] able to more accurately budget

[48:02] with receiving that number

[48:02] sooner in advance.

[48:05] During the budget cycle this

[48:06] year compared to last year.

[48:09] But I will say that overall

[48:10] insurance premiums continue to

[48:10] be one of the most volatile

[48:13] costs the city experiences.

[48:16] We've seen a 130% increase

[48:17] since f y 15 in those areas

[48:18] primarily attributed to a

[48:21] highly litigious environment.

[48:21] Major hurricanes impacting our

[48:25] area our region I should say in

[48:28] 2017, 2022 and 2024 as well as

[48:31] potential future increases

[48:32] because of statutory salary,

[48:32] sovereign immunity increases

[48:35] and caps through legislative

[48:38] sessions at the state.

[48:38] One of the areas where we had

[48:41] some positive gains has been on

[48:42] our workers compensation

[48:42] premiums.

[48:46] We've actually reduced our emf

[48:46] recently, which is the factor

[48:50] that's used to determine our

[48:50] worker's compensation rates

[48:54] which is going to allow us to

[48:54] help control if not keep some

[48:55] of those costs flat,

[48:58] particularly when it comes to

[48:58] ensuring our law enforcement

[49:02] employees which are by far the

[49:02] highest risk group of employees

[49:03] that we have to insure for

[49:04] worker's comp coverage.

[49:05] >> moving on to information

[49:09] technology, I.T. In itself, we

[49:12] did see an increase of about

[49:13] 10% in non personnel related

[49:17] operating expenses for I.T..

[49:17] Some of the drivers behind

[49:21] those increases was a

[49:21] consolidation of cellular and

[49:24] data plans for under the it's

[49:24] budget for general fund

[49:25] departments where previous

[49:28] practice was that some of these

[49:28] departments were budgeting

[49:32] their cellular and data plans

[49:32] underneath.

[49:33] G for example has a computer in

[49:36] every single car because he's

[49:36] funded through the general

[49:39] department and I.T department

[49:40] as a general fund function.

[49:41] It makes more sense to

[49:43] consolidate those dollars under

[49:43] one budget.

[49:44] It makes for a lot more

[49:47] efficiency when it comes to

[49:48] paying invoices and creating

[49:48] ppos rather than have to create

[49:51] purchase orders out of multiple

[49:54] different departments when

[49:54] ultimately they're all funded

[49:55] through the same revenue

[49:55] source.

[49:58] The other cost increase driver

[50:02] is subscription based based I.T

[50:02] products in softwares.

[50:06] The days of being able to go

[50:07] out and outright purchase

[50:10] software for support tools is

[50:10] nonexistent.

[50:11] Almost all of our software

[50:14] tools are subscription based or

[50:15] term based that are subject to

[50:18] increases either annually or at

[50:19] the end of terms when it comes

[50:19] to renegotiate or reshot for

[50:19] products.

[50:22] We're not able to just go out

[50:22] and outright buy, purchase and

[50:25] own software at a fixed cost.

[50:26] It's not something that's

[50:29] offered in the I.T.

[50:30] Market for the tools that we

[50:30] need.

[50:33] Additionally we were required

[50:37] to implement a learning

[50:37] management software with a

[50:41] primary focus on cybersecurity

[50:41] that was mandated through some

[50:42] recent updates to the florida

[50:45] state statutes.

[50:46] So that's another example of a

[50:46] cost increase that the it

[50:48] department is required to take

[50:49] on in order to remain compliant

[50:56] with statutory demands.

[50:57] >> the it department continues

[50:57] to play a strategic role in

[51:00] multiple multiple citywide

[51:00] initiatives aimed at

[51:01] streamlining not only the

[51:03] processes but increasing the

[51:03] efficiency at which our

[51:04] departments deliver services to

[51:04] our residents.

[51:08] One of the upcoming focuses

[51:08] that we're going to be looking

[51:11] at is the implementation of an

[51:12] ai tool to be integrated into

[51:12] the city's website which will

[51:15] allow residents to find key

[51:16] information on city projects,

[51:16] initiatives and general

[51:19] inquiries.

[51:20] Additional example of some

[51:20] functions that I.T department

[51:23] will continue to support will

[51:24] be ongoing gis upgrades that

[51:27] will support citywide

[51:27] functions.

[51:28] Capital investments into key

[51:30] I.T infrastructure replacement

[51:31] and components that are

[51:34] paramount to the function of

[51:35] the organization as well as

[51:35] ongoing public safety

[51:38] technology enhancements.

[51:42] Moving over to the parks and

[51:43] recreation side.

[51:46] >> what I consider our daily

[51:47] operating costs which are going

[51:47] to be your parks maintenance

[51:50] senior center recreation

[51:51] program divisions approximately

[51:54] a 10% decrease in those

[51:56] operating costs from fy 25 to

[51:59] 26 total department budget just

[52:00] over $3 million with

[52:04] approximately a $421,000 in add

[52:07] non ad valorem revenue

[52:08] projection right now which

[52:08] would primarily be generated

[52:12] from user fees for charges for

[52:14] use of services and facilities

[52:14] .

[52:15] One of the areas that you

[52:19] probably noticed a variation in

[52:22] this year's budget from 25 to

[52:22] 26 is in our special event or

[52:25] community event division.

[52:26] Previously previous practice

[52:26] for some of the smaller

[52:29] community events we were not

[52:29] budgeting any of the revenues

[52:33] or any of the expenses for some

[52:33] of the smaller events such as

[52:34] the hometown harvest for

[52:36] example.

[52:37] So that meant that once we

[52:39] collected all of the revenues

[52:40] and spent that money for the

[52:41] associated costs with those

[52:44] events we would have to come

[52:44] back administratively because

[52:47] of the way we're structured and

[52:48] the budget amendment that would

[52:49] have to be approved by the

[52:51] commission.

[52:51] It seemed like that was a

[52:54] little bit inefficient process

[52:55] to do that.

[52:56] So what we did is we began

[52:56] budgeting for both the revenues

[52:59] and the expenses on those

[53:00] events starting in fy 26.

[53:03] So the methodology is not going

[53:06] to change if we for that that

[53:06] event specifically I'll use it

[53:10] as an example if we bring in

[53:11] $15,000 in revenue for the

[53:14] hometown harvest, then we'll

[53:14] have $15,000 in expenses or

[53:14] less.

[53:17] So we're not going to change

[53:18] the philosophy of how we're

[53:20] we're managing the funds but

[53:21] we're just budgeting for both

[53:22] the revenues and expenses

[53:25] beginning this year.

[53:27] So if you see an increase there

[53:28] as far as major public

[53:32] enhancements that are in this

[53:32] budget, we do have funded

[53:36] through the park impact fees

[53:37] $100,000 for a lacrosse wall

[53:40] out at central winds park,

[53:41] which has been something that

[53:41] the parks and rec advisory

[53:44] committee has asked staff to be

[53:45] looking into for a number of

[53:45] years.

[53:47] In addition, we're looking at

[53:48] about $100,000 in ada

[53:52] enhancements in the parks to

[53:53] increase connectivity to some

[53:56] of the amenities that we're

[53:56] offering.

[53:57] Again, those two initiatives

[53:57] would be funded through park

[53:59] impact fees.

[53:59] Future enhancements

[54:00] particularly at central winds

[54:03] and other parks should align

[54:04] ideally with the recently

[54:07] adopted central winds park

[54:08] master plan and ideally be

[54:10] incorporated into the city's

[54:10] comprehensive plan specifically

[54:14] the recreation and open space

[54:15] element to best position the

[54:18] city to be eligible for funding

[54:18] in the future.

[54:22] New initiatives that the parks

[54:22] and recreation department is

[54:25] looking at in terms of employee

[54:25] training is licensing more

[54:30] employees to be trained and

[54:31] certified by the state to apply

[54:34] chemicals, pesticides and

[54:35] fertilizers in our parks to

[54:37] broaden our workforce.

[54:37] Expanding programing offers

[54:41] offerings on the recreation

[54:41] side include looking at infant

[54:44] survival swim programs, stem

[54:44] programs and exploring new

[54:45] community events, including a

[54:48] potential barbecue festival in

[54:49] the spring of 2026.

[54:52] Central one's park.

[54:53] >> moving on to the urban

[54:56] beautification ann arbor fund,

[54:57] the operating budget for the

[55:00] urban beautification division

[55:01] which again is funded through

[55:04] the ad valorem dollars saw

[55:04] about a 12.5% decrease.

[55:08] A lot of this was attributed to

[55:09] allocating some of the expenses

[55:09] with that department to the

[55:13] arbor fund, which is a

[55:13] restricted fund that can only

[55:16] be used for restricted purposes

[55:17] in the fy 26 budget.

[55:19] We do have a proposed operating

[55:22] expense of the arbor fund of

[55:23] $923,000 that's supported by an

[55:27] end of year fund balance at the

[55:35] end of f y 25 for that it's not

[55:41] at our 930, 2024 of $1.82

[55:41] million.

[55:44] Some of the potential upgrades

[55:45] citywide include landscaping

[55:48] enhancements on state route 434

[55:48] collector road median and

[55:51] traffic calming enhancements on

[55:51] the west side of the city and

[55:54] city facility and parkland heat

[55:55] scaping renovations.

[55:58] The arbor fund does continue in

[55:59] this budget to support the

[55:59] city's annual tree giveaway

[56:03] program as well as right of way

[56:06] tree replacement programs.

[56:06] Moving on to the assessment

[56:07] districts, as you well know,

[56:10] the city does have three

[56:10] special assessment districts.

[56:15] They are located at the oak

[56:15] forest water assessment

[56:15] district.

[56:18] The task will add lighting and

[56:18] beautification district in

[56:22] tuscola three, also known as

[56:22] the hawks reserve wall

[56:22] assessment district.

[56:26] Currently we do have a

[56:26] consolidated rate study

[56:30] underway to evaluate the fees

[56:30] for all three of those special

[56:31] assessment districts.

[56:34] It made most sense to have that

[56:36] study done concurrent with one

[56:37] another for all three districts

[56:41] so that we could maximize the

[56:41] buying power of having a

[56:42] consultant come in and look at

[56:44] those rates.

[56:44] The big increase that you're

[56:47] going to see in the top

[56:51] assessment expenses is the

[56:52] board met back in MAY and we

[56:56] presented an idea of potential

[56:56] upgrades to look at

[57:00] opportunities for enhancements

[57:00] throughout the community that

[57:00] are due.

[57:01] As most of you know, winter

[57:04] springs boulevard from tuscola

[57:07] road all the way to 426, we

[57:08] have center medians throughout

[57:08] the corridor.

[57:11] there's 23 separate medians

[57:11] throughout the corridor.

[57:14] A lot of those medians have

[57:18] aged out landscaping material

[57:19] that that is due to be replaced

[57:19] in the near future.

[57:22] So we went to the board, gave

[57:26] them a a existing inventory of

[57:27] their medians as well as their

[57:29] monument feature entrances

[57:30] which are on some of the

[57:30] collector roads vista willa

[57:34] tuscarora some of the entrances

[57:34] into the community shetland

[57:37] shetland in how creek drive

[57:37] gave them an overview of their

[57:38] existing conditions and then

[57:41] asked for their input on an

[57:42] approach to renovate these

[57:45] these monument features and

[57:45] medians.

[57:46] So the input that we received

[57:49] from their board was they'd

[57:50] like to see a phased approach

[57:52] of about 25% replacement per

[57:55] year for the next four years.

[57:58] So with that, this budget for

[58:02] 20 does reflect re re re re

[58:03] landscaping about five of the

[58:03] medians down winter springs

[58:06] boulevard and then about two of

[58:07] the monument features going

[58:10] into the community at those

[58:10] specific locations.

[58:14] In addition to the landscaping

[58:15] enhancements there are some

[58:18] additional capital costs that

[58:19] are going to be due for the

[58:22] make sure we get this one right

[58:23] the north fountain that has

[58:26] some other potential upgrades

[58:27] that need to happen in order to

[58:29] preserve the long term

[58:30] sustainability of that water

[58:33] feature.

[58:34] Moving on to oak forest

[58:37] currently the oak force

[58:38] assessment district, their

[58:42] revenues seem to be sufficient

[58:42] for the operating costs

[58:45] associated with maintaining the

[58:46] wall as well as their landscape

[58:47] features at some of those

[58:49] entrances.

[58:50] But we are nevertheless going

[58:53] to have their fees evaluated

[58:54] through the rate study that we

[58:55] have ongoing right now through

[58:56] mbes.

[58:57] And then lastly is tuscola

[59:00] three also known as hawkes

[59:01] reserve as part of the rate

[59:04] study which would identify

[59:05] potential funding needed for

[59:08] some additional repairs needed

[59:09] along some portions of the

[59:09] wall.

[59:11] And one thing that I think is

[59:11] important to point out

[59:15] specifically as it pertains to

[59:15] hawkes reserve is that they

[59:18] they do have their ongoing

[59:19] maintenance fund that their

[59:22] fees paid for, but they do also

[59:23] have a outstanding loan that

[59:26] they're still paying back to

[59:27] the city's general fund that

[59:30] was issued upon the creation of

[59:30] the district I believe it was

[59:31] in 2015 that they're still

[59:34] repaying back the balance of

[59:38] that loan that was issued from

[59:38] the city's general fund.

[59:41] So with that, that concludes my

[59:45] summary and any questions we'll

[59:49] keep moving on here.

[59:49] >> that's everybody.

[59:53] Yes, mayor, that's everybody.

[59:53] We're happy to entertain any

[59:57] questions and of a couple of

[59:58] other just brief updates that I

[1:00:01] can provide if the time allows

[1:00:02] for our bill and make sure the

[1:00:04] commission and of those that

[1:00:07] have questions, why not awesome

[1:00:08] .

[1:00:09] If I can I'll just start with I

[1:00:12] presented christian some

[1:00:12] documentation.

[1:00:16] >> I'd like it for the record.

[1:00:17] i think it's something really

[1:00:19] important for residents to

[1:00:20] understand and I don't know

[1:00:20] that even the directors

[1:00:23] understand.

[1:00:24] >> maybe you do.

[1:00:27] I did research the nine I

[1:00:28] stopped at nine because I just

[1:00:31] was finished and this is really

[1:00:31] important for everyone to know.

[1:00:35] The nine counties that make up

[1:00:38] central florida, there are 95

[1:00:38] municipal counties they

[1:00:48] represent 5,618,000 people with

[1:00:48] a very minor caveat.

[1:00:52] >> winters springs has the

[1:00:56] lowest military.

[1:00:57] >> the only exception is

[1:01:02] municipal cities with less than

[1:01:02] 500 residents.

[1:01:03] And they also don't have a

[1:01:06] police department.

[1:01:10] At one point, lake mary lake

[1:01:14] mary actually is the lowest

[1:01:15] lake mary when you tie in their

[1:01:18] fire fees, they park fees and

[1:01:19] their millage rate.

[1:01:21] They are the lowest in nine

[1:01:22] counties.

[1:01:25] Folks, I like to say thank you

[1:01:26] and congratulations for the

[1:01:29] work that you've done.

[1:01:30] I think that this commission

[1:01:32] for a long time has done a

[1:01:36] phenomenal job of doing

[1:01:39] incredible work with little

[1:01:43] work with little money and

[1:01:43] effectively we're doing the

[1:01:47] right thing by our residents

[1:01:48] that we're doing this while

[1:01:51] moving forward massive

[1:01:51] infrastructure issues,

[1:01:52] improving our drinking water,

[1:01:56] stormwater issues, wastewater.

[1:01:57] We're supporting our police

[1:01:59] department and staff, giving

[1:02:04] them much deserved raises.

[1:02:08] I'm with the new addition of

[1:02:09] new directors, the new people

[1:02:13] that have come on and those

[1:02:13] that are veterans.

[1:02:14] Brian and chief specifically

[1:02:16] and I'll let you kind of come

[1:02:17] back around but you're in a new

[1:02:19] role, a new city manager.

[1:02:20] This city is no longer in a

[1:02:23] reactionary mode.

[1:02:24] I believe that we are starting

[1:02:27] to move forward with plans like

[1:02:28] we were talking about in the

[1:02:31] replacement of police cars and

[1:02:32] this systematic way instead of

[1:02:34] letting 15 cars get to be ten

[1:02:35] years old and we're starting to

[1:02:38] react setting we're setting

[1:02:41] ourselves up to do things

[1:02:42] moving forward that are

[1:02:46] systematic, well-thought out

[1:02:47] and they're going to keep us at

[1:02:49] the point that the spear point

[1:02:53] at doing a lot in a fiscally

[1:02:56] responsible way.

[1:02:57] >> bottom line for the

[1:03:00] residents of winter springs, we

[1:03:00] are doing our job.

[1:03:04] We are at the tip of the spear.

[1:03:09] Any nonsense about us

[1:03:09] overspending or not doing the

[1:03:12] right thing financially to our

[1:03:12] residents, we should be the

[1:03:16] example for the state.

[1:03:17] >> I'd be real curious with

[1:03:20] time I went through nine

[1:03:23] counties, the 95 municipalities

[1:03:23] going through one at a time

[1:03:24] populations and police

[1:03:27] departments and looking at

[1:03:28] their millage rates and they

[1:03:31] continue.

[1:03:32] We are at the tip of the spear.

[1:03:35] We're doing the right thing and

[1:03:36] I think we should all be proud

[1:03:36] of it.

[1:03:39] With that, I'll open the floor

[1:03:39] .

[1:03:39] >> congratulations.

[1:03:42] And who would like to go first

[1:03:43] with the commissioners?

[1:03:43] And you're looking this way.

[1:03:45] I'll go first.

[1:03:48] just one question for each

[1:03:48] cleat.

[1:03:49] You said there was 56 slip

[1:03:49] stations.

[1:03:52] Is that what you said?

[1:03:53] 57 was open.

[1:03:55] How many of those live stations

[1:03:59] are in need of a generator or

[1:04:00] do you know off hand or you can

[1:04:03] get back to me?

[1:04:04] Yeah, I'm just curious to to

[1:04:07] know when we can get them at

[1:04:08] every live station and what the

[1:04:10] budget might be and how long

[1:04:10] that might take.

[1:04:14] The budget does include the

[1:04:15] budget does include a

[1:04:18] replacement plan for backup

[1:04:22] pumps and generators on all

[1:04:23] those live stations.

[1:04:23] Grace as starting with the

[1:04:26] master course lifts the main

[1:04:30] substations were good good that

[1:04:30] was my only question for you.

[1:04:31] It's over at least the next

[1:04:31] five years.

[1:04:31] Right?

[1:04:34] Okay, great.

[1:04:37] Brian, you you mentioned a

[1:04:37] lacrosse wall.

[1:04:38] >> yes, sir.

[1:04:38] What is that?

[1:04:41] It's a rebound wall.

[1:04:42] So it's it's a stationary wall,

[1:04:45] cinder block with a footer

[1:04:46] that's a permanent fixture at

[1:04:49] the park, potentially where

[1:04:50] we'll cross players or soccer

[1:04:53] players I suppose could go and

[1:04:54] practice throwing and catching

[1:04:57] lacrosse.

[1:04:58] And you know, it's basically

[1:04:58] like a rebound wall.

[1:05:01] So I don't know if you

[1:05:03] previously remember about ten

[1:05:04] years ago at trotwood we had a

[1:05:07] outdoor racquetball court that

[1:05:08] was behind the tennis courts

[1:05:10] that essentially was in failing

[1:05:14] condition that basically was

[1:05:14] torn down.

[1:05:15] And the pam carroll pavilion is

[1:05:18] now located its place.

[1:05:19] So one of the things some of

[1:05:20] the community members mentioned

[1:05:22] when that feature was removed

[1:05:22] was that some of the cross

[1:05:26] players use that as a rebound

[1:05:26] wall to go practice lacrosse,

[1:05:30] which ultimately does us a

[1:05:31] favor if they're going out to

[1:05:32] one of the parks and doing that

[1:05:32] because that means they're not

[1:05:35] throwing it up against the side

[1:05:35] of one of our buildings.

[1:05:37] >> and how long has that been

[1:05:38] in the works?

[1:05:41] >> well, MR. Gallo is sitting

[1:05:42] in the audience.

[1:05:43] I think he's probably been in

[1:05:46] my ear for at least 5 to 10

[1:05:49] years, but it's been brought up

[1:05:50] recently as recently as last

[1:05:53] year at the parks and rec

[1:05:53] advisory committee.

[1:05:54] I only I bring that up because

[1:05:58] I'm I was wondering about the

[1:05:58] lights for the baseball field

[1:06:00] so I know that's a big thing.

[1:06:01] Correct?

[1:06:04] You know, I didn't know or do

[1:06:05] we know if that should take

[1:06:08] precedence over a lacrosse wall

[1:06:09] or can we get you know, in the

[1:06:13] process of both because I know

[1:06:13] helping out babe ruth is a big

[1:06:14] deal.

[1:06:14] Right.

[1:06:16] And it means a lot to the

[1:06:16] community.

[1:06:20] So a little bit of context to

[1:06:20] that conversation.

[1:06:23] So there's been two different

[1:06:23] conversations that pertains to

[1:06:27] lights specifically at central

[1:06:27] wins.

[1:06:28] The first conversation was on a

[1:06:30] retrofit led conversion of the

[1:06:34] existing infrastructure which

[1:06:34] ultimately the commission chose

[1:06:35] not to move forward with this

[1:06:38] budget year that we're in

[1:06:38] currently.

[1:06:42] And then shortly after that

[1:06:42] that topic there was a group

[1:06:45] from within the community that

[1:06:46] mentioned the need to add

[1:06:50] additional lights on to the

[1:06:50] unlit practice fields on the

[1:06:53] west side of central one's park

[1:06:53] .

[1:06:53] What I'd say about both of

[1:06:54] those initiatives is two

[1:06:54] things.

[1:06:57] One.

[1:06:57] Parked impact fees definitively

[1:07:01] could not find retrofitting

[1:07:01] existing lights because you're

[1:07:05] it's not an acceptable use of

[1:07:05] those funds.

[1:07:05] Theoretically parking impact

[1:07:09] fees could be used or at least

[1:07:10] used in portion to find new

[1:07:13] lights to expand the capability

[1:07:14] of a recreational facility due

[1:07:16] to an increase in growth.

[1:07:17] But I would say that both of

[1:07:20] those initiatives at least are

[1:07:23] significantly more expensive

[1:07:24] than the construction of a

[1:07:24] crosswalk.

[1:07:28] Beyond that, I think what might

[1:07:28] be important for the commission

[1:07:31] to consider in the future is

[1:07:31] obviously the strategic plan

[1:07:32] for central winds park was

[1:07:35] recently approved I think in

[1:07:38] DECEMBER of 24 or our central

[1:07:39] winds master plan I'm sorry,

[1:07:42] which included a number of of

[1:07:43] really fascinating

[1:07:45] possibilities for for central

[1:07:45] winds.

[1:07:46] But beyond that is the

[1:07:49] commission probably should

[1:07:49] provide some strategic

[1:07:53] direction to the city manager

[1:07:53] and staff on the implementation

[1:07:54] of some of those improvements

[1:07:57] as it pertains to what your

[1:07:58] priorities are as a commission

[1:08:01] and specifically for central

[1:08:02] wins as it pertains to either

[1:08:04] retrofitting lights, adding new

[1:08:04] lights, adding new pavilions,

[1:08:05] building new playgrounds,

[1:08:08] boardwalks and events center

[1:08:09] because without that direction

[1:08:12] you know, the staff really

[1:08:16] shouldn't be trying to

[1:08:16] prioritize which projects you

[1:08:19] all want to see done first out

[1:08:19] there at central wins and then

[1:08:22] what I'd say beyond that is

[1:08:23] there's a lot of discussion

[1:08:26] about grant funding through

[1:08:27] different sources for an app as

[1:08:31] a is a is a grant that's passed

[1:08:34] through dep florida recreation

[1:08:37] development assistant program.

[1:08:38] We we could position ourselves

[1:08:38] very well to receive those

[1:08:42] funds but it is absolutely

[1:08:42] paramount that anything that we

[1:08:45] apply for through that program

[1:08:46] and specifically it has to be

[1:08:49] in our comprehensive plan and

[1:08:50] the recreation and open space

[1:08:52] element specifically because if

[1:08:53] it's not, they are going to

[1:08:53] probably disqualify you pretty

[1:08:53] quickly.

[1:08:57] They don't want one off pet

[1:08:57] projects flavor of the week

[1:09:00] projects entities applying for

[1:09:01] grant funding through those

[1:09:04] sources whether it be further

[1:09:05] out or l w c f which is the

[1:09:08] land water conservation fund.

[1:09:09] They want to know that it's

[1:09:11] part of your adopted

[1:09:12] comprehensive plan as a city

[1:09:15] and that it's also probably

[1:09:16] within a strategic plan that is

[1:09:19] a little bit more granular than

[1:09:19] just your comp plan if that

[1:09:22] makes sense or maybe how it can

[1:09:23] get us a sponsor like she was.

[1:09:24] >> she did so well with the

[1:09:26] pickleball court sponsor.

[1:09:27] >> you know, I mean there the

[1:09:30] conversation as it pertains in

[1:09:31] all seriousness to to potential

[1:09:34] private grant funding.

[1:09:35] I will tell you there are

[1:09:38] conversations that we are

[1:09:39] having right now and if it's a

[1:09:42] combination of multiple

[1:09:43] different funding mechanisms

[1:09:44] that MAY be able to fund a

[1:09:47] major initiative such as new

[1:09:47] lights out at central wins, I

[1:09:49] will I will tell you we are

[1:09:50] looking at those opportunities

[1:09:54] as well, which sometimes come

[1:09:54] with frankly a lot less red

[1:09:55] tape than we're receiving money

[1:09:58] from the state or potentially

[1:09:58] looking at multiple sources.

[1:10:01] So it's great to hear.

[1:10:02] Sure.

[1:10:02] Babe ruth will be happy.

[1:10:05] All right, chief, save the best

[1:10:05] for last.

[1:10:09] But you and I are well aware of

[1:10:09] retention and my my biggest

[1:10:13] thing is keeping our officers.

[1:10:17] So what needs do you have as

[1:10:19] far as retention is concerned?

[1:10:20] You know, bringing new officers

[1:10:24] and keeping them here, you

[1:10:24] know, trying to really keep

[1:10:28] them after training because a

[1:10:28] lot of them leave after

[1:10:28] training.

[1:10:29] We lose money there.

[1:10:30] A lot of people don't

[1:10:32] understand the areas that we

[1:10:36] lose pension, salary, uniforms,

[1:10:36] training.

[1:10:37] So what do you what do you

[1:10:40] think about needs?

[1:10:40] >> that's a great question.

[1:10:41] Thank you for that.

[1:10:44] You know, a lot of the

[1:10:45] recruitment and retention goes

[1:10:51] back to culture as well.

[1:10:51] >> I think if you offer a good

[1:10:52] working environment and a

[1:10:55] culture that people want to

[1:10:55] support, then that helps.

[1:10:58] We will always have the people

[1:10:58] that will leave for financial

[1:11:02] gain when they bring change.

[1:11:04] These are offering ten, 15,

[1:11:05] $20,000 incentives just to sign

[1:11:06] a three year commitment that's

[1:11:06] very hard or difficult to

[1:11:09] compete with some of the

[1:11:13] sheriff's departments around

[1:11:15] the state are offering up to a

[1:11:15] $70,000 incentive.

[1:11:19] That's just unheard of and it's

[1:11:19] not something that will be able

[1:11:20] to compete with as far as our

[1:11:23] salaries go, we're in the right

[1:11:23] place.

[1:11:24] We made it.

[1:11:25] We made a move at the right

[1:11:27] time and the all the other

[1:11:31] cities have followed now we do

[1:11:32] have a little bit of work to

[1:11:34] do, I think and I think MR.

[1:11:34] Manager will speak to this

[1:11:38] maybe tonight with pension

[1:11:38] benefits, but we're moving in

[1:11:39] the right direction and that

[1:11:42] would be the last thing that I

[1:11:43] could say that that we need to

[1:11:45] do or that I would like to see

[1:11:46] happen to help maintain that

[1:11:52] recruitment or retention issue

[1:11:52] .

[1:11:53] But there's some ideas that I

[1:11:56] have that you know, but we

[1:11:57] could talk about that in the

[1:11:59] future as well.

[1:11:59] Great.

[1:12:06] Who would like to go next one?

[1:12:07] I know we all had very thorough

[1:12:10] meetings and had a chance to

[1:12:10] talk to each independently.

[1:12:11] Maybe I could just simply ask

[1:12:15] is it just an open question

[1:12:15] they're putting I don't want to

[1:12:18] put you on the spot.

[1:12:19] Is there anyone in their

[1:12:19] department that feels that this

[1:12:22] project falls short in any

[1:12:25] particular way?

[1:12:26] is there something that you

[1:12:26] really felt was important?

[1:12:29] And I know that's loaded and I

[1:12:30] apologize I'll go personally.

[1:12:30] >> yeah, right.

[1:12:34] That you wanted done and yeah

[1:12:34] they're trying to get a patrol

[1:12:38] boat she want to prove it above

[1:12:38] right?

[1:12:41] >> yeah yeah she wants a boat.

[1:12:41] >> yeah right.

[1:12:42] Thanks.

[1:12:44] I'll take that as you're happy

[1:12:45] with the budget as well and

[1:12:48] your department?

[1:12:48] Yeah.

[1:12:49] Nobody's saying anything.

[1:12:53] Thanks, deputy mayor.

[1:12:53] >> in between.

[1:12:53] Oh, look.

[1:12:55] Doing okay?

[1:12:56] >> yeah.

[1:12:59] I have a question on on several

[1:13:00] of them but I'll use park

[1:13:03] impact 153 as a example so

[1:13:04] sources mean income correct and

[1:13:07] applications mean expenses.

[1:13:08] Correct.

[1:13:09] So sources we have 20,000 for

[1:13:10] park impacts and applications.

[1:13:14] We have 200,000.

[1:13:16] So that's a difference of

[1:13:17] 180,000 that will pull from the

[1:13:18] general fund and I don't know

[1:13:22] please clarify them.

[1:13:23] >> that's going to be coming

[1:13:24] from the fund balance of that

[1:13:27] fund and that's how it is for

[1:13:27] all these others as well.

[1:13:29] Correct.

[1:13:30] >> thank you for that

[1:13:30] clarification.

[1:13:37] Now why is only 20,000 dollars

[1:13:38] anticipated as as income as

[1:13:46] sources for 2026 and so so for

[1:13:47] impact fees we only we do not

[1:13:51] budget those in advance until

[1:13:51] we receive them.

[1:13:54] So the $20,000 is from the

[1:13:54] investments that we expect to

[1:13:58] receive return on the amount

[1:13:58] that's essentially in our

[1:13:58] savings account at the moment.

[1:13:59] >> wonderful.

[1:14:00] Thank you.

[1:14:04] That's clarification.

[1:14:08] >> and in addition, can you

[1:14:09] confirm other government funds?

[1:14:11] >> what exactly that means is

[1:14:15] that debt service and

[1:14:16] government sharing programs

[1:14:16] kind of thing.

[1:14:19] >> so it's basically all of the

[1:14:19] other governmental funds

[1:14:20] outside of general fund.

[1:14:23] So general fund is where your

[1:14:23] ad valorem lives other

[1:14:27] governmental funds would be a

[1:14:27] combination of your impact fee

[1:14:31] funds those such as arpa where

[1:14:31] we have a special kind of one

[1:14:32] time revenue source.

[1:14:35] The debt service funds capital

[1:14:38] projects funds anything outside

[1:14:43] of enterprise funds that make

[1:14:44] up general government services

[1:14:45] .

[1:14:48] Thank you.

[1:14:56] I'm good and honor deputy.

[1:14:56] All right.

[1:14:57] One thing to you, mayor.

[1:15:00] You were mentioning every city

[1:15:03] but lake mary like mary to me

[1:15:03] is very unique.

[1:15:07] Even altamont somewhat unique.

[1:15:09] But there is a 6535 commercial

[1:15:09] versus residential and they've

[1:15:13] got significant commercial so

[1:15:14] they get away with something we

[1:15:16] don't and 4,040% of the

[1:15:17] population that we have yeah

[1:15:20] yeah yeah.

[1:15:21] So you know there's that piece

[1:15:23] there.

[1:15:23] All right.

[1:15:24] Budget stuff right I think you

[1:15:27] answer my one conversation

[1:15:28] piece with central was master

[1:15:30] plan.

[1:15:31] I know we had the conversation

[1:15:34] here but we really didn't do

[1:15:34] anything with it.

[1:15:34] Right?

[1:15:37] We just had the conversation

[1:15:37] correct.

[1:15:38] >> so if I recall there was a

[1:15:41] presentation made by the

[1:15:42] consultant as the master plan

[1:15:45] process was winding down

[1:15:46] looking for some input from the

[1:15:46] commission.

[1:15:48] I don't think that there was

[1:15:49] any direct input at the

[1:15:49] meeting.

[1:15:50] Not to say that some of you

[1:15:52] maybe didn't interact with the

[1:15:53] consultant at some of the

[1:15:56] public engagement forums that

[1:15:56] they had.

[1:15:57] >> and then the second piece

[1:16:00] that I remember was the

[1:16:00] commission adopting the the

[1:16:04] master plan formally and voting

[1:16:07] to accept accept it.

[1:16:08] But that's kind of only the

[1:16:08] first start, right?

[1:16:11] That's that's the cornerstone

[1:16:12] on it's the building block but

[1:16:12] from there there really needs

[1:16:15] to be more of a robust in-depth

[1:16:15] conversation about what your

[1:16:19] priorities are as a commission

[1:16:19] .

[1:16:23] Where where do you see the

[1:16:24] first opportunities for some of

[1:16:24] those enhancements to take

[1:16:27] place now from a construct

[1:16:27] ability standpoint, some of the

[1:16:30] enhancements obviously if

[1:16:31] you're talking about like like

[1:16:32] a really big bite of the pie

[1:16:35] and this is I'm not telling you

[1:16:35] this would be the first white

[1:16:38] building event center with a

[1:16:39] really big parking lot your

[1:16:42] stormwater element of that plan

[1:16:43] would have to come first

[1:16:45] because there's going to be a I

[1:16:46] a substantial impact on the

[1:16:49] stormwater criteria for the

[1:16:50] park.

[1:16:50] If that were to be your first

[1:16:51] priority was to build the event

[1:16:51] center.

[1:16:54] Let's just say for sake of

[1:16:54] discussion.

[1:16:57] So beyond that I don't think

[1:16:58] commissioner, to your point

[1:17:00] there's really been any more

[1:17:01] in-depth conversation and I

[1:17:04] think it might be appropriate

[1:17:05] and I would defer to the city

[1:17:05] manager.

[1:17:06] Obviously once you all get

[1:17:08] through some of the more

[1:17:09] critical conversations as it

[1:17:12] pertains to stormwater

[1:17:13] wastewater and utility

[1:17:16] infrastructure with some of the

[1:17:16] workshops you've been doing, it

[1:17:17] might be appropriate to do it

[1:17:20] on a workshop specifically for

[1:17:20] some of the public facilities

[1:17:24] with a focus on parks so that

[1:17:25] we can get some ideas from the

[1:17:27] commission of where your

[1:17:27] priorities at.

[1:17:28] And as a staff we can kind of

[1:17:31] share with you our perspective

[1:17:31] on some of the existing

[1:17:32] conditions of some of the

[1:17:35] amenities at your public

[1:17:35] facilities.

[1:17:36] >> so with that, I appreciate

[1:17:39] you jumping right into that

[1:17:39] piece so to everybody up here

[1:17:42] but also to you down there and

[1:17:45] you city manager, that was one

[1:17:45] of those pieces and I've been

[1:17:45] here long enough.

[1:17:46] We sort of had that

[1:17:49] conversation in 2012 to build a

[1:17:52] maintenance plan.

[1:17:53] We kind of fell away with that.

[1:17:57] I think you and chris caldwell

[1:18:00] were part of building something

[1:18:01] ,but I don't think we ever did

[1:18:02] anything with that so far as

[1:18:04] did you say a maintenance plan

[1:18:05] with all of the equipment that

[1:18:08] we have so that way that

[1:18:08] doesn't just get to what you

[1:18:12] just said there, come back and

[1:18:12] check on.

[1:18:13] >> I'd have to go back and look

[1:18:14] at some of the details of that

[1:18:16] conversation.

[1:18:16] Commissioner, I would say

[1:18:16] overall, just generally

[1:18:20] speaking, looking at the

[1:18:20] conditions of some of your

[1:18:23] primarily public facilities,

[1:18:23] playgrounds in particular,

[1:18:27] we've done a tremendous amount

[1:18:27] of replacement in the last 3 to

[1:18:30] 4 years of playgrounds

[1:18:31] throughout the city, the ones

[1:18:35] that are still remaining there

[1:18:35] are in good shape, but there

[1:18:36] does need to be a conversation

[1:18:38] about replacement, particularly

[1:18:39] of the large playground at the

[1:18:40] back of central wins.

[1:18:40] I'd say that that conversation

[1:18:43] is probably tangible in the

[1:18:44] next 2 to 3 years given the age

[1:18:47] of that that playground

[1:18:47] specifically.

[1:18:51] But overall the other amenities

[1:18:51] in the parks, they have been

[1:18:54] maintained very well.

[1:18:54] Some of them are newer.

[1:18:55] Obviously we started out sam

[1:18:58] smith and I think morse park

[1:18:59] back in 2017 2018 with the

[1:19:02] replacement moved on to

[1:19:03] trotwood central wins for the

[1:19:06] sports playground.

[1:19:06] So but overall those those

[1:19:09] amenities are holding up well.

[1:19:09] They are being maintained.

[1:19:13] But you know obviously that

[1:19:13] conversation needs to be an

[1:19:17] ongoing interactive dialog so

[1:19:17] that we don't get ourselves

[1:19:18] into the position.

[1:19:20] We found ourselves back in 2015

[1:19:21] 2016 where we have numerous

[1:19:24] playgrounds at city parks that

[1:19:25] all need to be replaced at the

[1:19:25] same time, right?

[1:19:28] So with that logic in mind,

[1:19:28] what I'm looking at here and

[1:19:31] this is due to the manager this

[1:19:32] is what I would consider an

[1:19:35] infrastructure budget to my

[1:19:35] $0.02 because everything from

[1:19:38] cleat you were sharing looks to

[1:19:39] me as we're breaking down all

[1:19:39] the infrastructure that needs

[1:19:42] to be replaced, which if we go

[1:19:43] with the model of the parks,

[1:19:46] it's going to be replaced now

[1:19:47] maintained in the future.

[1:19:50] So that's what this looks like.

[1:19:50] So that's why it's such a

[1:19:53] significant dollar cost.

[1:19:54] It's because we're looking at

[1:19:54] an infrastructure project

[1:19:58] budget that personally is yes,

[1:19:58] okay.

[1:20:02] So we are looking at this kind

[1:20:02] of a budget.

[1:20:04] I'm looking at you here for the

[1:20:05] next five years or so because

[1:20:06] of those five years worth of

[1:20:08] projects or is that this for

[1:20:11] the next five years plus five

[1:20:12] years because really continue

[1:20:12] the maintenance of it is the

[1:20:15] maintenance that much cheaper

[1:20:16] more significantly cheaper or

[1:20:17] is this kind of cost as we move

[1:20:18] down much of the infrastructure

[1:20:26] plan on the on the utility side

[1:20:27] will incorporate an element of

[1:20:27] operation and maintenance.

[1:20:29] But typically we're pretty much

[1:20:30] landlocked.

[1:20:30] You don't really need to

[1:20:31] consider that unless you're

[1:20:33] expanding your your developable

[1:20:33] area.

[1:20:34] >> okay.

[1:20:37] Thank you.

[1:20:38] My other comment to everybody

[1:20:41] up here, this started with the

[1:20:44] chief actually and finance

[1:20:48] director at the time is

[1:20:49] personnel retirement and

[1:20:52] pension.

[1:20:53] My conversation started when

[1:20:57] the legislature met chief

[1:20:59] correct me if I was 24 was the

[1:21:02] 24 year or 23 year I think 23

[1:21:03] when they met and change the

[1:21:03] laws again.

[1:21:07] So I've asked for at least

[1:21:10] going on now to full budgets

[1:21:13] for us to assess and make sure

[1:21:14] that our retirement plan or

[1:21:17] pension plan is in line with

[1:21:18] others so that we're

[1:21:18] competitive.

[1:21:21] One thing missing from this

[1:21:21] budget city manager is that

[1:21:23] that is still not complete

[1:21:28] right?

[1:21:28] What for the fairness of our

[1:21:31] staff and maintaining our staff

[1:21:32] as they look around other

[1:21:32] communities?

[1:21:33] Is that something on the table

[1:21:36] for the next budget?

[1:21:39] And I know we're working on

[1:21:39] this one but that's a

[1:21:42] significant piece for me.

[1:21:43] I can speak to that chief and

[1:21:46] you can add in your input.

[1:21:46] So coming in when I first came

[1:21:47] in, obviously I know those

[1:21:50] discussions had been happening.

[1:21:50] Looking at it from my

[1:21:53] perspective coming on the tail

[1:21:54] end of salary adjustments,

[1:21:57] looking at a really a doomsday

[1:21:57] scenario down 17 officers and

[1:22:01] the risk of public safety for

[1:22:02] our community and really trying

[1:22:05] to look at talking with our

[1:22:05] H.R.

[1:22:09] Manager our leadership team

[1:22:09] through exit interviews and

[1:22:12] conversations is what's driving

[1:22:13] a lot of this and certainly

[1:22:14] salary is one component of that

[1:22:16] but we're even seeing that even

[1:22:16] on the younger generation

[1:22:19] taking more of an interest now

[1:22:20] in looking at retirement

[1:22:23] benefits and things like that,

[1:22:24] what we've done is we've had a

[1:22:25] number of internal meetings.

[1:22:28] I have executed an agreement

[1:22:31] with grace our actuarial

[1:22:31] consultant, to evaluate our

[1:22:35] current retirement system.

[1:22:38] We're talking only on the non

[1:22:39] sworn officers only impacts six

[1:22:40] individuals that are still

[1:22:43] currently employed that are

[1:22:43] pension eligible and then the

[1:22:46] rest are all sworn officers

[1:22:47] that make up our pension plan

[1:22:50] and bring that back again

[1:22:51] internally a number of

[1:22:53] conversations that presented

[1:22:53] back to the chief kind of put

[1:22:54] it back on him and say what are

[1:22:57] our top kind of five priorities

[1:22:57] doing an analysis and

[1:23:01] evaluation of what what's

[1:23:02] offered at the state as well as

[1:23:05] what all of the municipalities

[1:23:08] in seminole county are offering

[1:23:09] and what do we think might be

[1:23:09] sort of our top five benefits.

[1:23:12] So we could look at exploring,

[1:23:13] which is the initiative that

[1:23:16] we've undertaken with grace, as

[1:23:17] I said, are actuarial consults.

[1:23:19] >> the plan would be to come

[1:23:20] back when they complete their

[1:23:23] evaluation and that's in line.

[1:23:24] It's a big undertaking.

[1:23:26] It's a technical process and

[1:23:30] utilizing them it's also a

[1:23:30] credible evaluation and

[1:23:34] independent source to look at

[1:23:34] looking at those five options,

[1:23:35] you know, those options and

[1:23:38] what benefits what we might be

[1:23:38] able to tackle and what I'll

[1:23:42] say is that you're not seeing

[1:23:43] in a 26 because none of that

[1:23:43] has happened up until now.

[1:23:45] I think this is really the

[1:23:46] first movement of that needle

[1:23:47] that's to start that

[1:23:49] conversation.

[1:23:50] i don't I know it's been talked

[1:23:51] about and talked about, but you

[1:23:53] know, it doesn't there hasn't

[1:23:54] hadn't really been any real

[1:23:57] moving of that needle and

[1:23:57] direction.

[1:23:58] This engagement with grc will

[1:24:01] get us there to be able to then

[1:24:02] be able to make some fiscal

[1:24:05] decisions and you know what I

[1:24:06] would tell our you know, our

[1:24:06] employees and future employees

[1:24:09] I mean, we're committed to to

[1:24:10] evaluating and looking at that

[1:24:13] we might be able to adopt some

[1:24:14] of those options in you know,

[1:24:17] in in f y 27 this this will be

[1:24:19] done by the end of the calendar

[1:24:20] year just in time for the f y

[1:24:24] 27 budget process as we go

[1:24:24] through and look at that and we

[1:24:25] can have that conversation at

[1:24:27] that time around what can we

[1:24:28] afford.

[1:24:28] Maybe it's a phased in

[1:24:28] approach.

[1:24:32] It might be over one, two, 3 or

[1:24:32] 4 fiscal years.

[1:24:35] You know, we don't know yet.

[1:24:36] It's it's premature.

[1:24:37] But I think you know, I think

[1:24:39] we all realize that this is

[1:24:40] necessary and we really need to

[1:24:43] look at making sure that the

[1:24:43] benefits that we're offering

[1:24:43] are.

[1:24:46] Yeah.

[1:24:47] Are competitive and that's so

[1:24:48] that's where that's where that

[1:24:51] stands that has been covered

[1:24:54] through the f y 25 process as

[1:24:54] far as getting us there, the

[1:24:57] completion of that and plans

[1:25:00] for that fy 27 budget for some

[1:25:01] bigger discussions and

[1:25:01] conversations.

[1:25:01] Right.

[1:25:04] So we will work on it.

[1:25:05] Yes.

[1:25:05] Good.

[1:25:05] thank you.

[1:25:08] One more thing and this goes to

[1:25:09] special assessment test call up

[1:25:12] box reserve city attorney.

[1:25:17] I'm looking at this here this

[1:25:17] year.

[1:25:17] Right.

[1:25:18] I received some calls through

[1:25:19] the year to say we hadn't done

[1:25:20] any work on this wall.

[1:25:20] We haven't been maintaining

[1:25:25] this war and again, I was here

[1:25:25] through that.

[1:25:26] You were here through that you

[1:25:31] you go through that correct me

[1:25:33] if I'm wrong, but why should

[1:25:34] they be this low?

[1:25:38] Because this this seems like

[1:25:38] something's not if if we

[1:25:41] haven't been doing any work on

[1:25:42] it.

[1:25:42] Brian, you can tell me if I'm

[1:25:43] wrong or right, but something

[1:25:45] doesn't add up from what we

[1:25:48] originally intended to where we

[1:25:49] are today.

[1:25:53] Am I missing something from

[1:25:57] from what I can observe in

[1:25:57] looking at that hawks reserve

[1:26:01] wall, there has been some

[1:26:03] maintenance but some of the

[1:26:04] substantial costs that are

[1:26:08] associated with the wall at

[1:26:08] this point are far beyond just

[1:26:12] regular repair and maintenance

[1:26:12] cost.

[1:26:13] There are some areas where the

[1:26:16] footers are foundation is

[1:26:16] starting are starting to fail,

[1:26:20] which obviously poses a risk

[1:26:21] that portions of the wall could

[1:26:24] be in danger of falling.

[1:26:27] We've had other areas where

[1:26:31] we've had homeowners plant

[1:26:31] things along the wall.

[1:26:34] We've had people prune tree

[1:26:38] root prune trees to put in

[1:26:38] swimming pools without permits

[1:26:39] and trees fall down in the

[1:26:42] middle of hurricanes on top of

[1:26:42] the wall, which is interesting.

[1:26:46] So from from what I can see is

[1:26:50] that the operating budget was

[1:26:50] intended for some minor repairs

[1:26:53] tuck pointing things like that.

[1:26:54] But because of the age of the

[1:26:57] wall, not the entire thing but

[1:26:58] in some portions there are some

[1:27:01] significant constructed

[1:27:01] construction related costs that

[1:27:02] MAY need to be explored in the

[1:27:05] future to shore up the the

[1:27:06] structural integrity of the

[1:27:08] wall in certain locations.

[1:27:12] Significant dollars in too

[1:27:12] early to tell.

[1:27:16] >> we're still going through

[1:27:17] the rate assessment with nbfcs.

[1:27:17] We're giving them the areas

[1:27:20] that we've identified that MAY

[1:27:24] need to be have significant

[1:27:24] costs.

[1:27:25] But once we have those those

[1:27:28] projected costs and the

[1:27:28] expenses back nbfcs will be

[1:27:31] able to come back with a

[1:27:31] funding recommendation based on

[1:27:35] the number of homeowners that

[1:27:38] are within the task will have

[1:27:38] three.

[1:27:39] And also keep in mind I believe

[1:27:42] a certain number of those

[1:27:43] homeowners that back up

[1:27:43] directly to the wall do pay a

[1:27:45] little bit more because they

[1:27:45] have the the benefit of

[1:27:46] essentially a fence in their

[1:27:49] backyard and that's very

[1:27:50] similar to what we see over on

[1:27:53] oak course as well for the

[1:27:54] residents that are adjacent to

[1:27:54] tuscola road.

[1:27:57] Those those residents have a

[1:27:58] higher value because of the

[1:28:01] walls presence there city

[1:28:05] manager we keeping them abreast

[1:28:06] of all of this yeah so that's I

[1:28:07] think I was going to actually

[1:28:09] add that as brian said one the

[1:28:12] nbs rate study we're planning a

[1:28:13] a community meeting.

[1:28:14] This one's a little bit more of

[1:28:18] a challenge as I think, you

[1:28:18] know, parks reserve does not

[1:28:18] have an hoa.

[1:28:21] The city is essentially sort of

[1:28:22] serving to some degree kind of

[1:28:24] like that.

[1:28:25] And you know, unlike the others

[1:28:28] that have nearly appointed

[1:28:29] board and you know, so they're

[1:28:29] having that discussion from an

[1:28:32] advisory that doesn't really

[1:28:32] exist.

[1:28:32] So what we're planning on doing

[1:28:35] is put forth setting that

[1:28:36] conversation up excuse me.

[1:28:39] We want to understand what that

[1:28:40] is looking like.

[1:28:40] And you know, we certainly

[1:28:41] internally have been having the

[1:28:44] conversation.

[1:28:45] But rest assured there will be

[1:28:48] a community meeting in relation

[1:28:48] to this and having and starting

[1:28:51] that discussion when we have a

[1:28:52] little bit more information so

[1:28:52] that at this point.

[1:28:53] >> thank you.

[1:28:54] Thank you.

[1:28:58] Any other questions?

[1:29:05] Open floor seeing none.

[1:29:06] >> MR. Mayor, if I could just

[1:29:07] to just take another minute.

[1:29:10] One thing that in absence of

[1:29:14] leonard who was not here as

[1:29:14] well.

[1:29:14] Director of facilities and

[1:29:16] capital projects and just again

[1:29:17] ,to sort of reiterate my

[1:29:17] thinking with some of the

[1:29:20] reorganization and restructure

[1:29:21] think we have the I think you

[1:29:22] MAY touch on that as well.

[1:29:25] I think we have the right

[1:29:25] people, you know, the right

[1:29:26] team in place and the right

[1:29:28] people and the oversight of

[1:29:28] their roles.

[1:29:32] None which of you know, some of

[1:29:33] the restructuring with leonard

[1:29:36] and putting our parks and

[1:29:36] recreation urban beautification

[1:29:39] under brian and his his years

[1:29:39] of experience and oversight

[1:29:43] there I think we'll see some

[1:29:43] significant results from that

[1:29:47] in addition to being able to

[1:29:47] utilize leonard and his

[1:29:50] background and experience what

[1:29:55] walking into the city was

[1:29:55] somewhat of a real shock to me

[1:29:58] that a city of our size and our

[1:30:02] infrastructure we we don't have

[1:30:02] a facilities capital plan.

[1:30:06] When I say that regarding our

[1:30:06] building and municipal

[1:30:06] infrastructure, millions of

[1:30:10] dollars with no plan,

[1:30:10] everything has been reactive.

[1:30:13] We're placing one one window a

[1:30:15] year in this building for

[1:30:16] $2,500 instead of a

[1:30:16] comprehensive evaluation and

[1:30:20] analysis of all of our building

[1:30:20] facilities.

[1:30:23] So what you'll see in this

[1:30:23] budget is a $75,000 number

[1:30:27] coming from fund balance as a

[1:30:28] one time that will do a

[1:30:31] comprehensive dive into the

[1:30:31] evaluation of all of our

[1:30:32] municipal buildings so that we

[1:30:35] can start to plan and have an

[1:30:39] idea when it comes to projected

[1:30:39] replacement timelines on what's

[1:30:42] the expected life of everything

[1:30:42] from building envelope roofs,

[1:30:46] windows, mechanical systems as

[1:30:46] well as projected dollar amount

[1:30:50] for those replacement might be

[1:30:50] something that is a projected

[1:30:53] life of 15 years and we were

[1:30:54] able to get 20 out of it or or

[1:30:54] not.

[1:30:57] But that where we stand today

[1:30:57] is extremely reactive and we

[1:30:58] can't operate that way.

[1:31:01] So this budget does

[1:31:02] particularly when it comes to

[1:31:04] the facilities infrastructure

[1:31:05] and this will be a big

[1:31:08] component of of leonard's role

[1:31:08] and his role as director of

[1:31:09] facilities and capital projects

[1:31:12] and spearheading and seeing

[1:31:12] this through because we're

[1:31:16] having extensive conversations

[1:31:16] ,particularly on the utilities

[1:31:17] side and rightfully so.

[1:31:20] But I also don't want to be in

[1:31:21] a position we're having these

[1:31:23] conversations based on lack of

[1:31:24] ,you know, maintenance and

[1:31:24] decision making.

[1:31:27] So we need to, you know, we

[1:31:28] often don't talk enough about

[1:31:28] our municipal facility

[1:31:33] buildings, you know, as a piece

[1:31:33] of that.

[1:31:34] So I just wanted to highlight

[1:31:35] that because it is in the

[1:31:36] budget.

[1:31:36] It is something you'll see

[1:31:39] called out coming from fund

[1:31:40] balance.

[1:31:40] But I do fully believe there

[1:31:43] will be some of the best money

[1:31:44] spent in this budget as we, you

[1:31:47] know, recognizing and seeing

[1:31:48] and having the conversations

[1:31:48] like you know, like I said,

[1:31:51] replacing one window when you

[1:31:52] know every window needs to be

[1:31:54] replaced and really the

[1:31:55] reactive ness and not the lack

[1:31:58] of proactive planning for our

[1:31:59] building facilities.

[1:32:00] >> I mean and so when you see

[1:32:02] that in there I just wanted to

[1:32:03] highlight that and I know

[1:32:06] you'll leonard when is excited

[1:32:07] to get that going and in

[1:32:09] addition it really be a

[1:32:10] comprehensive plan that will

[1:32:13] become part of our cip and it

[1:32:14] will also provide an asset

[1:32:17] evaluations of all of the

[1:32:18] assets and be able to quantify

[1:32:22] and tag that so you want to

[1:32:22] share that piece.

[1:32:22] Well, thank you.

[1:32:23] I appreciate that.

[1:32:26] You know, I talked about that

[1:32:26] and this is yet another again,

[1:32:29] a for lack of a better term,

[1:32:30] it's a culture change.

[1:32:31] >> and we look at cities like

[1:32:33] oviedo that need that new

[1:32:33] police department and they've

[1:32:37] tried to put it before the

[1:32:37] residents for bond initiatives

[1:32:40] repeatedly.

[1:32:41] They're struggling and that

[1:32:42] even led to a conversation of

[1:32:45] of doing away with the police

[1:32:45] department and going to the

[1:32:48] county.

[1:32:49] What we're trying to do here

[1:32:50] that's culture change of

[1:32:52] planning for the long term and

[1:32:53] not getting ourselves in a

[1:32:56] position where we're we're

[1:32:56] we're we're we're not being

[1:33:00] fiscally responsible.

[1:33:00] We've done a phenomenal job.

[1:33:04] And again in counties I think

[1:33:04] the proof is in the pudding if

[1:33:08] we can continue to move the

[1:33:08] needle and continue thinking

[1:33:11] forward, this culture change, I

[1:33:11] appreciate it.

[1:33:12] Thank you for your leadership.

[1:33:15] Thank.

[1:33:19] Anyone else, MR. Mayor, you go.

[1:33:20] >> no, no, you go.

[1:33:22] Because I got three things and

[1:33:23] I do too.

[1:33:25] >> I have several waiting for

[1:33:25] everybody to to complete.

[1:33:26] Commissioner baker, would you

[1:33:29] like that?

[1:33:29] >> please go.

[1:33:33] I guess just to to make sure

[1:33:33] that we're setting the public

[1:33:37] record straight since a work of

[1:33:37] fiction was submitted to the

[1:33:40] clerk for inclusion into the

[1:33:40] public record.

[1:33:41] And my question I guess

[1:33:44] probably would be for the

[1:33:44] finance director since you've

[1:33:45] got the experience in kind of

[1:33:48] what what the weighted numbers

[1:33:52] here would be.

[1:33:53] Just to clarify for the public

[1:33:55] record when when someone claims

[1:33:56] that winter springs has the

[1:33:59] lowest millage rate, does that

[1:33:59] actually provide an accurate

[1:34:02] picture of the residents actual

[1:34:08] tax burden

[1:34:10] ?

[1:34:11] I'm not sure how to answer that

[1:34:13] question.

[1:34:14] I mean, is that an accurate

[1:34:17] picture of the actual tax

[1:34:18] burden be based on the

[1:34:22] valuation of the community that

[1:34:23] they live in?

[1:34:24] Are you're talking about the

[1:34:26] actual tax bill and what that

[1:34:27] individual is paying is direct

[1:34:30] correlation to the you know,

[1:34:31] the assessed value of the home.

[1:34:33] The residents they live in.

[1:34:34] >> well, I mean, just to make

[1:34:38] sure we're comparing apples to

[1:34:39] apples and not apples to

[1:34:42] slogans, I guess maybe we can

[1:34:45] help the public understand how

[1:34:50] do special assessments fees,

[1:34:50] utility rates, surcharges, all

[1:34:53] sorts of of fees and taxes, how

[1:34:57] does that affect the total cost

[1:35:00] to a resident per capita?

[1:35:01] Is that is that reflected in

[1:35:04] that village?

[1:35:04] Right.

[1:35:04] Yeah.

[1:35:08] The budget drives drives that,

[1:35:09] but it's not reflected in the

[1:35:12] military which part?

[1:35:15] >> so claiming that water

[1:35:16] springs has a lowest military

[1:35:19] doesn't actually provide an

[1:35:20] accurate picture of what the

[1:35:23] tax burden is to the residents

[1:35:24] that correct it's just ad

[1:35:24] valorem property.

[1:35:27] >> yeah.

[1:35:28] We're talking about the utility

[1:35:32] rates and other fees and raw I

[1:35:34] mean people have a tax burden

[1:35:35] and a tax burden is not just

[1:35:35] the military.

[1:35:39] We continue to hear this

[1:35:39] misinformation of a military

[1:35:43] kind of like it that some some

[1:35:45] kind of a benchmark.

[1:35:50] And again, I, I, I would ask

[1:35:50] the the any of the directors

[1:35:53] and literacy manager I'm sure

[1:35:57] you'll jump in is it accurate

[1:35:57] that there are cities with

[1:35:58] higher millage rates that have

[1:36:00] smaller budgets, maybe even

[1:36:04] fewer fees that would actually

[1:36:05] place less of a financial

[1:36:11] burden on their taxpayers

[1:36:12] ?

[1:36:12] I didn't provide those numbers.

[1:36:15] I in several county no.

[1:36:20] From comparable no I don't

[1:36:20] know.

[1:36:21] I mean he went across 90

[1:36:24] communities and you know, or

[1:36:25] nine counties I don't know what

[1:36:27] the individual breakdown that I

[1:36:30] think what you're saying paul,

[1:36:31] is that 80% of our population

[1:36:34] or 80% is is residential and

[1:36:37] 20% or so is commercial.

[1:36:38] And so the major bearings of

[1:36:39] the expenses on the residential

[1:36:42] is is that what you're saying?

[1:36:42] Well, what I'm what I'm

[1:36:43] actually saying is that it is a

[1:36:46] false narrative to say that

[1:36:49] just the military remaining

[1:36:49] flat from one year to the next

[1:36:52] reflects on the tax burden of

[1:36:52] the residents.

[1:36:52] And I think that that's

[1:36:56] intellectually dishonest.

[1:36:56] And we've heard statements

[1:37:00] like, you know, nonsense about

[1:37:00] fiscal conservatism or not, if

[1:37:04] we adopt a flat millage rate

[1:37:07] according to this budget.

[1:37:08] but at the same time our

[1:37:12] property tax collections which

[1:37:13] are over half $1 million at at

[1:37:15] this point under florida's

[1:37:19] truth in millage law, the trim

[1:37:20] law is still considered a tax

[1:37:23] increase legally speaking, yes.

[1:37:27] Okay.

[1:37:30] So having said that, you know,

[1:37:34] we've had some nice

[1:37:34] conversations and questions

[1:37:37] that have been asked about

[1:37:38] about what we're spending and

[1:37:42] and the revenue that we're

[1:37:42] receiving.

[1:37:45] And that's a good thing that

[1:37:45] we're having these

[1:37:48] conversations I'd like to bring

[1:37:49] up at least three items that

[1:37:53] that we can we can discuss.

[1:37:57] I would I would suggest for

[1:37:57] removal from the actual budget,

[1:38:01] although there are millions of

[1:38:02] dollars in the in the budget

[1:38:05] that could be trimmed to at

[1:38:09] least come in lower considering

[1:38:10] that we're not only asking our

[1:38:13] residents for a tax increase,

[1:38:13] but then we've also just rolled

[1:38:17] past a utility rate increase

[1:38:17] after raising garbage fees

[1:38:20] before that any property tax

[1:38:21] millage increase the year

[1:38:21] before that.

[1:38:24] So I mean we've you know, we

[1:38:25] continue to increase the tax

[1:38:28] burden on residents.

[1:38:32] >> you know, there's there's

[1:38:32] there's a a deeper issue that

[1:38:33] that that we would need to

[1:38:36] confront and one that that

[1:38:37] really transcends individual

[1:38:40] line items and a lot of it is

[1:38:40] what the omissions are in the

[1:38:43] budget I've heard now multiple

[1:38:47] times today said that this

[1:38:51] budget has omissions in it.

[1:38:52] There are items that are not in

[1:38:52] this budget.

[1:38:55] They do not tell the full story

[1:38:56] of what we're actually

[1:38:59] inevitably going to spend in

[1:39:00] the next year and in the coming

[1:39:00] years.

[1:39:02] So we don't have that picture

[1:39:03] based on this budget and I

[1:39:03] understand this budget is not

[1:39:06] going to go into the future

[1:39:09] years, but it does go into the

[1:39:09] current fiscal year which

[1:39:13] starts in OCTOBER.

[1:39:14] There are important costs that

[1:39:14] are being deferred.

[1:39:17] I don't want to say ignored,

[1:39:18] but you know, we're not hearing

[1:39:19] that they're going to be

[1:39:20] happening there might be budget

[1:39:24] amendments coming in in the

[1:39:25] following in the coming year.

[1:39:27] Do we have an actual dollar

[1:39:28] amount of how much is not

[1:39:31] included in this budget that

[1:39:32] we're going to have to come

[1:39:35] back as a body in the next

[1:39:38] fiscal year to add usually

[1:39:39] under the premise of if we

[1:39:42] don't pass it, something

[1:39:43] horrible is going to happen.

[1:39:46] How much are is not in this

[1:39:47] budget like a dollar amount.

[1:39:50] >> so I would say that the

[1:39:51] budget accounts for all of the

[1:39:55] anticipated expenses with the

[1:39:57] caveat as was stated by our

[1:39:58] director of public works and

[1:39:59] utilities that it would be

[1:40:01] premature and frankly

[1:40:02] irresponsible to make

[1:40:05] assumptions based on the storm

[1:40:06] water budget, on personnel and

[1:40:10] expenses and projects prior to

[1:40:10] the presentation of the

[1:40:14] committee on $1.5 million

[1:40:18] assessment that's being ongoing

[1:40:21] now for a year and a half for

[1:40:22] us to come up and make

[1:40:22] assumptions and just

[1:40:26] arbitrarily say we need x

[1:40:26] amount of people in this

[1:40:27] budget, the prudent thing would

[1:40:30] be to wait for that study as

[1:40:31] was indicated, which is going

[1:40:32] to be presented in the first

[1:40:36] meeting OCTOBER at the latest,

[1:40:36] will then tie into ralph us

[1:40:39] rate study which is an

[1:40:40] extremely comprehensive model

[1:40:40] to determine what rates are

[1:40:44] needed in order to address it

[1:40:44] and then have the bigger

[1:40:45] conversation with you folks,

[1:40:48] the commissioners some

[1:40:48] decisions that are going to

[1:40:49] have to be made around

[1:40:51] maintenance of private ponds

[1:40:52] and you know, the like.

[1:40:53] That's just one piece of it.

[1:40:55] So I would say this budget the

[1:40:55] only thing that we be looking

[1:40:58] at is from a budget amendment

[1:40:59] as far as you know, looking to

[1:41:00] increase would be the storm

[1:41:03] water.

[1:41:03] When you're talking about

[1:41:04] amendments that's we've had

[1:41:07] this conversation I think one

[1:41:07] of the only municipalities and

[1:41:10] frankly archaic is that, you

[1:41:11] know, we don't have control I

[1:41:14] don't have control at the at

[1:41:14] the fund level.

[1:41:15] Our budget is as you'll you

[1:41:18] know, as you see presented

[1:41:19] before you as a department

[1:41:22] level control extremely

[1:41:22] inefficient and not very

[1:41:23] effective, which means that

[1:41:25] needs to come back for me to

[1:41:26] sit here and tell you today.

[1:41:29] Absolutely they'll be budget

[1:41:29] transfers and budget amendments

[1:41:32] that will come back to you

[1:41:32] because that's the way we're

[1:41:33] structured and the way we're

[1:41:33] set up to do.

[1:41:36] That's not that's reallocation

[1:41:36] of money.

[1:41:40] We're looking at, you know, 18

[1:41:40] months of planning we could

[1:41:43] never possibly project where

[1:41:43] our priorities are any

[1:41:47] particular budget year.

[1:41:48] In a similar analogy, if you

[1:41:50] young you know, as a homeowner

[1:41:50] would have if you your

[1:41:54] priorities shift and your

[1:41:54] budgeted this year to replace

[1:41:58] your ac unit and your roof goes

[1:41:58] you've got to shift priorities

[1:41:59] well you need to move that

[1:42:00] money to cover your roof and

[1:42:02] that's what that's what we do

[1:42:03] here.

[1:42:06] So you know, as a budget total

[1:42:07] as a bottom line budget, no,

[1:42:09] there'll be no change by

[1:42:10] department then and priorities

[1:42:13] absolutely and no different

[1:42:17] than any government budget,

[1:42:17] especially more so here because

[1:42:18] the commission has approved

[1:42:21] those outside of the department

[1:42:24] level budget.

[1:42:25] >> so so at this point any any

[1:42:29] items that we were to remove

[1:42:32] would just go back to our

[1:42:35] general fund, call it savings

[1:42:35] if you will.

[1:42:36] So we had to prioritize in the

[1:42:39] future replacing the ac versus

[1:42:40] the roof like your example

[1:42:43] states, we would have more

[1:42:44] money for that because

[1:42:44] obviously the debt service is

[1:42:47] already there.

[1:42:48] There's some expenses we

[1:42:48] already have to have there's

[1:42:49] some there's some items that

[1:42:51] cannot move and obviously, you

[1:42:55] know, public safety utilities,

[1:42:56] public works those are core

[1:42:58] functions of government.

[1:42:59] But there are a lot of items

[1:43:02] that are here in contained that

[1:43:03] are not functions of

[1:43:03] government.

[1:43:06] They're there, you know, merely

[1:43:09] they are for for our own you

[1:43:10] know, entertainment, if you

[1:43:13] will.

[1:43:14] is it is it fair to say that if

[1:43:17] we went through the budget

[1:43:20] nicely and started trimming

[1:43:24] items, we would probably have

[1:43:25] more money for other priorities

[1:43:28] down the line that we MAY have

[1:43:29] to vote on in the coming year

[1:43:33] any any money, any expenditures

[1:43:33] that aren't spent would close

[1:43:36] out to yeah, to fund balance.

[1:43:40] That's an accurate statement.

[1:43:40] The question of whether it's

[1:43:43] needed or not is a bigger

[1:43:44] conversation because I don't

[1:43:45] know what in particular you're

[1:43:47] referencing but the budget

[1:43:47] that's proposed we feel is the

[1:43:51] budget that's needed to

[1:43:51] maintain services in our

[1:43:55] operations if we're, you know,

[1:43:59] nickel and diming a supply item

[1:43:59] in a particular budget and you

[1:44:02] know, the commission feels like

[1:44:05] we need to now instead of 500,

[1:44:05] it should be $250.

[1:44:06] I mean that's the commission's

[1:44:09] prerogative to adopt the

[1:44:09] budget.

[1:44:09] This is the proposed budget

[1:44:13] that is being recommended and

[1:44:13] we feel we need to run and

[1:44:17] operate this city and I can

[1:44:17] appreciate you attempting to

[1:44:21] minimize the cuts by showing de

[1:44:25] minimus expenses which clear is

[1:44:25] not what I'm referencing

[1:44:29] respectfully, you haven't said

[1:44:30] what it is your reference so

[1:44:32] well you know we're we're

[1:44:33] should we start because it's

[1:44:34] millions of dollars but let's

[1:44:36] just let's just keep it simple

[1:44:37] .

[1:44:37] Let's just talk about and we

[1:44:40] have a little bit of this

[1:44:40] conversation.

[1:44:43] There's a $75,000 expense for

[1:44:47] the U.S. I think you better you

[1:44:48] see I receives public funds and

[1:44:50] has a very large university as

[1:44:50] well, the largest footprints in

[1:44:54] student populations on the face

[1:44:54] of this planet.

[1:44:58] Yet our city is asked to raise

[1:44:58] taxes and increase the burden

[1:45:02] on our residents to give the

[1:45:05] ucf incubator 70 5000 without

[1:45:09] any actual roi to the city.

[1:45:13] That would be something very

[1:45:14] simple that with just a pen

[1:45:14] stroke this body could get and

[1:45:16] say hey look, you know what?

[1:45:19] Let's put that $75,000 back

[1:45:19] into our coffers.

[1:45:22] Let's keep it there in case we

[1:45:23] do have a stormwater issue in

[1:45:24] case we do have something that

[1:45:28] comes up that that would be one

[1:45:30] example.

[1:45:31] And I mean there's there's many

[1:45:34] in the budget like that but

[1:45:35] that would be what I mean would

[1:45:37] would this body consider

[1:45:40] returning that 75,000 and

[1:45:41] moving and moving on from that

[1:45:44] expense that the city has?

[1:45:48] >> can I respond to that,

[1:45:48] mayor?

[1:45:49] I believe we have an agreement

[1:45:50] and we're still in that

[1:45:52] agreement.

[1:45:52] Third year signed last year,

[1:45:53] three year contract so we can

[1:45:55] have that conversation at a

[1:45:56] fair.

[1:45:56] We can have that conversation.

[1:45:58] But we can't do that this year.

[1:45:59] >> yes, we can't because that

[1:46:02] agreement is due to funding and

[1:46:03] it's subject to funding and I

[1:46:06] am suggesting that we do not

[1:46:06] find that line item.

[1:46:07] >> okay.

[1:46:07] Yeah.

[1:46:10] That you've been heard.

[1:46:11] >> all right.

[1:46:14] So then let's let's move on to

[1:46:18] to something that is relatively

[1:46:18] egregious.

[1:46:19] I don't know which one I want

[1:46:20] to start with first if I want

[1:46:21] to start with the amount of

[1:46:25] spending in one department or

[1:46:26] if we just want to kind of keep

[1:46:29] it amongst ourselves up here.

[1:46:30] I think many of you know that I

[1:46:32] am a presidential level alumni

[1:46:33] of leadership seven all very

[1:46:34] proud to have gone through

[1:46:36] leadership several when I went

[1:46:37] through leadership summit, all

[1:46:41] that was an expense that I took

[1:46:44] on as a private business owner

[1:46:45] in seminole county with a

[1:46:49] national tax practice because I

[1:46:51] wanted to increase my companies

[1:46:51] roi.

[1:46:54] I looked at that tuition which

[1:46:55] is about $3,500 as a personal

[1:46:59] investment into myself and my

[1:47:00] company.

[1:47:03] >> it is it is meant to be

[1:47:03] leadership development for the

[1:47:06] private sector.

[1:47:07] Obviously like most functions

[1:47:10] that operate within these

[1:47:11] chambers of commerce, they tend

[1:47:15] to also get your nonprofits in

[1:47:18] and government representatives

[1:47:18] .

[1:47:19] There's a very big difference

[1:47:23] between someone who works for

[1:47:26] the city, a city staff, you

[1:47:26] know, for example yourself, MR.

[1:47:30] City manager, my classmate

[1:47:30] turlock.

[1:47:32] We went through leadership

[1:47:33] summit all together.

[1:47:34] Sort of big difference between

[1:47:40] someone who is long term with

[1:47:41] the city versus somebody who is

[1:47:45] elected and subject to

[1:47:46] obviously the whims of

[1:47:50] democracy.

[1:47:51] >> the the the the use of

[1:47:54] taxpayer dollars.

[1:47:54] We're talking about $3,500 a

[1:47:58] year for elected officials, you

[1:48:02] know, comparable appointees, if

[1:48:02] you will.

[1:48:03] >> but political, you know, for

[1:48:05] political well elected

[1:48:06] officials to attend leadership

[1:48:09] center on the $3,500 tuition

[1:48:11] that represents 30% increase in

[1:48:15] the commissioners salaries and

[1:48:15] annual compensation that look,

[1:48:16] that's a disproportionate

[1:48:19] fringe benefit.

[1:48:20] So we could say it's minimal.

[1:48:23] We could say, you know, de

[1:48:24] minimus like you were using the

[1:48:27] example of 200 at the expense

[1:48:30] I'm talking about $3,500 to

[1:48:30] benefit somebodies political

[1:48:34] career, not to actually bring a

[1:48:35] benefit to the city, a tangible

[1:48:37] again or why as a business

[1:48:38] owner I said how much you might

[1:48:41] spending on leadership seminar?

[1:48:42] How much do I intend to get in

[1:48:45] in order to my company for that

[1:48:46] dollar that I invested and I

[1:48:48] did I generate clientele from

[1:48:52] that because that was what my

[1:48:52] intention was in doing the

[1:48:52] program.

[1:48:56] Like any other marketing

[1:48:57] program, this is not a required

[1:49:00] training.

[1:49:01] It's not tied to any statutory

[1:49:03] or governance mandate.

[1:49:04] The optics and ethics you know,

[1:49:08] here are you know, I can go on

[1:49:11] with that but city funds should

[1:49:11] not be subsidizing personal

[1:49:12] resume

[1:49:15] building or networking

[1:49:15] opportunities for politicians.

[1:49:18] Obviously if an elected

[1:49:19] official believes that that's

[1:49:19] going to provide them a

[1:49:22] benefit, they are more than

[1:49:23] welcome to, you know, pull out

[1:49:24] their american express card and

[1:49:26] pay leadership seminar the

[1:49:27] tuition for that but not the

[1:49:30] taxpayers of winter springs who

[1:49:31] already have a very large per

[1:49:34] capita tax burden based on on

[1:49:38] on our population size and size

[1:49:42] of our budget to have to go on

[1:49:42] .

[1:49:43] We actually were going to be

[1:49:44] out of time here and want

[1:49:46] commissioner bruce to be able

[1:49:47] to speak to or we've got about

[1:49:48] eight minutes left.

[1:49:49] Your points made.

[1:49:50] You do not believe we should be

[1:49:53] letting elected officials

[1:49:57] participate in this year alone

[1:49:58] class.

[1:50:01] We can schedule that we can

[1:50:01] discuss it.

[1:50:02] I wouldn't be opposed to maybe

[1:50:05] setting some policies on it,

[1:50:06] but but at this point you've

[1:50:09] been hurt and this is a yes.

[1:50:10] I think maybe that might even

[1:50:13] be elected maybe to make a

[1:50:13] motion to have that removed

[1:50:16] from the budget.

[1:50:17] If there's a second, we can go

[1:50:17] there.

[1:50:18] Oh, that's right.

[1:50:18] We're not voting.

[1:50:21] It's a workshop.

[1:50:21] So the workshop and the

[1:50:22] workshop.

[1:50:23] So you've been heard.

[1:50:24] We're running out of time here.

[1:50:28] Okay.

[1:50:28] >> you've been hurt.

[1:50:28] Very.

[1:50:29] Can I just ask for a quick.

[1:50:31] Yeah, I'm well, would you mind

[1:50:32] putting all of those thoughts

[1:50:35] down for for budget for people

[1:50:36] and and discussing each of

[1:50:37] those line items that you feel

[1:50:38] are unnecessary?

[1:50:39] >> I think that would be really

[1:50:39] helpful.

[1:50:40] No, absolutely.

[1:50:43] And I and I'd love to and we

[1:50:44] can have that robust discussion

[1:50:46] on on many items.

[1:50:46] But you know, I have I have

[1:50:50] another that is quite egregious

[1:50:53] as well and it goes more into

[1:50:54] what the objectives would be of

[1:50:58] some of the things that that

[1:50:58] that we do.

[1:50:59] And I and I really do want to

[1:51:02] raise serious concerns for the

[1:51:05] general public about the level

[1:51:06] of spending that is allocated

[1:51:08] to the communications division

[1:51:09] .

[1:51:09] We pride ourselves in being a

[1:51:10] bedroom community.

[1:51:13] We have 90% residential

[1:51:13] basically.

[1:51:16] You know, we you know, the

[1:51:16] mayor just gave us a whole

[1:51:17] lecture about how fiscally

[1:51:19] conservative we are in culture

[1:51:20] ,but yet, you know, as vocally

[1:51:24] resistance we are the unchecked

[1:51:24] development.

[1:51:25] You know, why are we spending

[1:51:27] so much money to have a city

[1:51:30] controlled narrative?

[1:51:31] Because when government

[1:51:34] messaging okay, of this

[1:51:34] magnitude, we're talking about

[1:51:35] some pretty serious dollars in

[1:51:38] this budget.

[1:51:38] You're starting to blur the

[1:51:39] lines between public

[1:51:42] information and public

[1:51:42] relations.

[1:51:43] And when taxpayer dollars are

[1:51:46] used to shape perception

[1:51:46] ultimately now we're talking

[1:51:50] about something that

[1:51:50] historically resembles

[1:51:54] propaganda by definition.

[1:51:55] And we can we can we can look

[1:51:58] at the the definition itself,

[1:51:58] you know, just simple

[1:52:01] dictionary search there.

[1:52:01] >> our current budget includes,

[1:52:05] you know about $100,000 for

[1:52:08] video production for pr

[1:52:09] consulting, for rebranding

[1:52:09] initiative.

[1:52:12] So we're trying to rebrand our

[1:52:12] city.

[1:52:16] >> I guess we need pr

[1:52:17] consultants to tell us how to

[1:52:17] spin.

[1:52:20] I mean, that's what it is a pr

[1:52:21] consultant, a spin doctor.

[1:52:22] >> and we're asking the

[1:52:23] taxpayers we're asking the

[1:52:26] taxpayers to have in our budget

[1:52:31] us pay for a depart meant that

[1:52:32] is going to shape a narrative

[1:52:35] to figure out how the people

[1:52:36] should think these are not

[1:52:38] essential services.

[1:52:39] They don't fix roads, they

[1:52:42] don't improve drainage, they

[1:52:43] don't make our residents any

[1:52:46] safer basically it's literally

[1:52:46] an expense to drive a narrative

[1:52:49] and I mean just these three

[1:52:52] alone, a 30% pay increase for

[1:52:56] city commissioners funding

[1:53:00] propaganda and on top of that,

[1:53:01] you know, just just looking at

[1:53:04] the deeper issues that are that

[1:53:05] are involved not related to

[1:53:08] public safety, you know, and

[1:53:11] not getting a specific roi for

[1:53:12] the city, for example, like the

[1:53:15] incubator shows that the budget

[1:53:15] still can be leader.

[1:53:19] And I appreciate the city

[1:53:19] manager.

[1:53:23] >> I know what what what went

[1:53:24] in to at least come in at where

[1:53:27] that villages it's still a tax

[1:53:28] increase but I get it and I see

[1:53:30] where we're at as far as that

[1:53:31] millage increase number not

[1:53:35] going up but the tax burden on

[1:53:35] the residents is going up and

[1:53:38] we're asking them to fund a

[1:53:39] fringe benefit for

[1:53:42] commissioners $75,000, no roi

[1:53:45] for the for the for the

[1:53:46] incubator a an entire

[1:53:49] department just for narrative

[1:53:53] that is just I mean it's

[1:53:53] shocking honestly.

[1:53:56] So I mean I think that there

[1:53:57] are a lot of discussions to be

[1:53:57] had.

[1:53:58] I don't know how much of this

[1:54:00] is going to make it into our

[1:54:01] city commission agendas or what

[1:54:03] have you.

[1:54:04] But I definitely would like at

[1:54:04] least to bring that to the

[1:54:05] attention of the residents that

[1:54:08] there's a lot more in this

[1:54:08] budget that would have to be

[1:54:09] discussed and it's money that

[1:54:12] could specifically go to public

[1:54:12] safety, specifically go to

[1:54:16] utilities, specifically go to

[1:54:16] public works, improve our parks

[1:54:20] and none of that that I just

[1:54:20] described does that.

[1:54:21] >> thank you, sir.

[1:54:24] Thank you, commissioner bruce

[1:54:24] carl robert, where do you see

[1:54:27] pr in here?

[1:54:27] >> because I didn't see that

[1:54:29] it's in the it's in the budget

[1:54:34] for the public comment

[1:54:41] communication 45,000 is video

[1:54:42] 45,000 for video and how much

[1:54:45] for pr public bond player now

[1:54:49] does anyone know what pages is

[1:54:49] on?

[1:54:50] I'm trying to find it for me.

[1:54:57] Couldn't what's that

[1:54:59] maybe is

[1:55:00] center times on a crunch let's

[1:55:03] assume that the commissioners

[1:55:06] correct and it's 45,000 or

[1:55:06] whatever that number was

[1:55:07] $90,000 just in those expenses

[1:55:09] that I earmarked 75,000 for the

[1:55:13] incubator and another

[1:55:13] undisclosed amount depending on

[1:55:17] how many people go for class

[1:55:17] 36, 37, 38.

[1:55:21] And so on.

[1:55:22] And commissioner bruce, you

[1:55:22] have them recruitment.

[1:55:24] So what is the question?

[1:55:25] >> oh, I was just wondering

[1:55:28] where this public relations

[1:55:28] expense was because maybe we

[1:55:32] can come back and then revisit

[1:55:36] that, will find it and send it

[1:55:36] out to everybody.

[1:55:39] >> it just makes the point

[1:55:39] yeah, right.

[1:55:40] Yeah.

[1:55:40] But if they had all the

[1:55:43] financial numbers so okay,

[1:55:47] other questions here then if we

[1:55:51] are done I would ask for a ten

[1:55:52] minute recess if that's okay

[1:55:54] with everybody.

[1:55:55] Do you have a problem with us

[1:55:55] starting a couple of minutes

[1:55:58] late for the commission

[1:55:58] meeting?

[1:55:59] I think in your book we are

[1:56:02] supposed to public input,

[1:56:03] aren't we?

[1:56:03] That one?

[1:56:06] Yeah, but it's an agenda item

[1:56:07] on the agenda item and we

[1:56:07] didn't change.

[1:56:10] >> so you're marked differently

[1:56:10] .

[1:56:11] We will do that then.

[1:56:11] Ladies and gentlemen, we'll

[1:56:13] open this to public input.

[1:56:14] This is specifically about the

[1:56:14] budget.

[1:56:17] We will then after public input

[1:56:20] will take a ten minute recess,

[1:56:21] will reopen and then there'll

[1:56:24] be another public input.

[1:56:25] This is specifically about the

[1:56:28] budget workshop.

[1:56:29] >> if you want louder more

[1:56:32] comment on the budget workshop

[1:56:32] .

[1:56:33] >> I know right now is your

[1:56:33] time.

[1:56:36] Then we'll start the official

[1:56:37] meeting of parks commission

[1:56:39] meeting ten minutes later.

[1:56:46] >> so anyone MR. Go

[1:56:50] .

[1:56:51] >> good evening art yellow 199

[1:56:54] and dana first I wanted to

[1:56:54] start off by thanking and

[1:56:57] congratulating the city

[1:56:58] manager, the directors that

[1:57:01] gave the presentation asians,

[1:57:02] especially the finance

[1:57:05] committee that did all the hard

[1:57:06] work and the staff behind the

[1:57:09] scenes and all my time sort of

[1:57:10] attending these budget meetings

[1:57:13] and listening to it.

[1:57:14] >> this is probably the most

[1:57:15] informative and best

[1:57:16] presentations on the budget

[1:57:20] that I've seen so I want to

[1:57:21] thank everyone for that because

[1:57:24] I very much appreciate it.

[1:57:25] And I, I actually came here to

[1:57:29] talk about a pension study that

[1:57:32] was brought to the commission's

[1:57:36] attention last MAY of 24 that

[1:57:36] compared to seven cities

[1:57:40] pension and with the county and

[1:57:43] and the f iris regular class

[1:57:47] and I was happy to hear both

[1:57:48] commissioner resnick and

[1:57:51] commissioner caruso ask about

[1:57:52] that because I think we need to

[1:57:54] take a look at our city

[1:57:55] pension.

[1:57:58] >> we've done a lot on salaries

[1:57:59] and our pension according to

[1:58:03] this study anyway, I think you

[1:58:04] ought to take another look at

[1:58:06] it and we can do better because

[1:58:06] ultimately we worry about

[1:58:10] recruitment of the best people

[1:58:10] and retaining the best people.

[1:58:14] And part of that once we get

[1:58:14] the best people to the city, we

[1:58:17] want to keep them here.

[1:58:18] So we've got the salaries under

[1:58:22] control now we're in the

[1:58:22] ballpark.

[1:58:22] We're very competitive there.

[1:58:23] But when you look at the

[1:58:26] pension, we're not so

[1:58:27] conceivably we can spend two

[1:58:28] years training of police

[1:58:28] officer hypothetically and the

[1:58:32] next thing you know they go to

[1:58:32] a sister city because their

[1:58:36] pension plan is a lot better.

[1:58:36] So I think we really need to

[1:58:40] look at that.

[1:58:40] >> and the thing that surprised

[1:58:43] me on that is that after 30

[1:58:47] years you continue to put into

[1:58:48] the pension and if you want to

[1:58:48] stay in the city you don't gain

[1:58:51] anything by making that a

[1:58:51] yearly input to the pension.

[1:58:55] So if you have great people you

[1:58:56] want to keep them around, it's

[1:58:56] really costing them money.

[1:58:59] So we need to look at that.

[1:59:02] And I also mentioned our cost

[1:59:03] of living allowance is zero in

[1:59:06] there and I think everybody

[1:59:09] else's well, if you look at

[1:59:10] this study you'll see it.

[1:59:13] I want to thank everybody.

[1:59:14] It was a great discussion and

[1:59:17] like I and I appreciate it.

[1:59:17] Thank you.

[1:59:21] Thank you, MR. Gallo, anyone

[1:59:22] else that would like to comment

[1:59:28] on the budget, MISS Schaefer

[1:59:32] ,

[1:59:32] gina schaefer, the winter

[1:59:33] springs village.

[1:59:36] >> I was going to I don't know

[1:59:37] if I'm even allowed to ask, but

[1:59:40] I figure I'll ask anyway.

[1:59:44] Where last year on the budget

[1:59:45] there was approval for wetlands

[1:59:49] park to be have a wall built on

[1:59:51] it or whatever and I wanted to

[1:59:55] make sure that we're still

[1:59:55] getting that wall built on

[1:59:59] there, which it happened in

[2:00:03] OCTOBER but of last year that

[2:00:03] they started talking about

[2:00:04] that.

[2:00:07] But I want to make sure that we

[2:00:08] are still getting that because

[2:00:11] we do get flooded because we

[2:00:12] have big blue that sits out on

[2:00:15] the wetlands park because of

[2:00:15] the rain.

[2:00:16] It's a pump.

[2:00:19] Just to give you an f y, you

[2:00:19] MAY not even know that there's

[2:00:22] a pump out on the the park, but

[2:00:23] it's so that we don't get

[2:00:23] flooded.

[2:00:27] So I don't know if you're aware

[2:00:30] of that, but I do want to know

[2:00:31] that we're still getting that.

[2:00:34] And also in the budget last

[2:00:35] year I'm talking about not this

[2:00:38] year but we also did not get

[2:00:39] reclaimed water yet which we

[2:00:41] are supposed to be piped for

[2:00:42] reclaimed water and that was

[2:00:42] also in the budget.

[2:00:46] So can anybody say if I'm if

[2:00:46] we're getting it and we're not

[2:00:50] getting it or whatever, I think

[2:00:51] we'll have to look into that.

[2:00:53] No, I will ask.

[2:00:54] I've got it notes.

[2:00:55] I know that you and I had

[2:00:55] spoken.

[2:00:57] I have to get answers from

[2:00:58] clete and find out what's going

[2:01:00] on and then contact the the

[2:01:04] specific project that that was

[2:01:04] that was one listed two months

[2:01:05] from yeah, we're going to talk

[2:01:08] about it and what I'm going to

[2:01:08] do.

[2:01:09] Yeah, we're going to do a

[2:01:11] question and answer during

[2:01:11] public input.

[2:01:12] >> right.

[2:01:13] But I didn't think this was a

[2:01:15] question.

[2:01:16] >> I thought we are allowed to

[2:01:17] ask questions in a workshop

[2:01:20] workshop in a workshop which

[2:01:20] this is it's okay input.

[2:01:27] I believe a no I can I beg to

[2:01:27] differ.

[2:01:27] It's a workshop.

[2:01:27] Okay.

[2:01:31] It's meant to be interactive.

[2:01:31] Yes.

[2:01:31] Into.

[2:01:33] Do you know what we're talking

[2:01:34] about?

[2:01:34] I can speak specifically in a

[2:01:37] wetland park that's ongoing.

[2:01:38] There is funding.

[2:01:38] it's ongoing.

[2:01:39] Our working with pegasus

[2:01:42] engineering, our storm water

[2:01:42] consultant.

[2:01:43] Some of the issues have been

[2:01:46] around working with the

[2:01:47] regulatory folks about and they

[2:01:50] think there's going to be some

[2:01:50] costs that weren't anticipated

[2:01:54] regarding mitigation bank and

[2:01:54] some other issues that are

[2:01:57] starting to arise.

[2:01:57] But it is absolutely ongoing.

[2:01:58] It's it's continued effort.

[2:02:01] They were talking about the

[2:02:01] michael blake yes we claim

[2:02:05] extension yes that is in the

[2:02:09] budget it is budgeted for we

[2:02:11] received a state appropriation

[2:02:12] for 380,000 of which is half of

[2:02:13] our request.

[2:02:15] We requested 760,000.

[2:02:18] A project as a whole is going

[2:02:19] to be probably about 1.3

[2:02:21] million or so on the max end,

[2:02:22] the high end if you will.

[2:02:25] What we're doing is in the f y

[2:02:26] 26 budget you'll see in this

[2:02:27] budget as part of the capital

[2:02:30] plan, there is the the required

[2:02:34] match that that the city is

[2:02:34] responsible for.

[2:02:37] In addition, we're also working

[2:02:38] with st john's to try to get

[2:02:41] them so having conversation

[2:02:41] with st john's about matching

[2:02:45] our share of the match so if

[2:02:46] all things play out well we're

[2:02:49] see where we receive the

[2:02:49] 380,000 from the state

[2:02:53] appropriation and our share to

[2:02:53] finish that project.

[2:02:54] We're hoping that st john's

[2:02:57] will cover half of that but

[2:02:57] we've also budgeted for our

[2:02:58] portion as well.

[2:03:00] Okay.

[2:03:00] >> because it's continually

[2:03:01] ongoing because they said when

[2:03:04] it came from across the street

[2:03:04] from the crossings that we

[2:03:08] would definitely be plugged in

[2:03:08] and that happened like a year

[2:03:09] and a half ago.

[2:03:12] So that's why I'm asking and

[2:03:12] it's for my my development

[2:03:17] because we use regular water to

[2:03:18] water our lawns and we have

[2:03:21] always been plumbed for

[2:03:22] reclaimed water and the

[2:03:25] development is over 13 years

[2:03:25] old.

[2:03:29] >> so that's why our project is

[2:03:29] moving forward.

[2:03:31] We are fortunate to receive

[2:03:32] that state appropriation

[2:03:32] funding.

[2:03:33] It's going to be the extension

[2:03:36] from hickory grove connection

[2:03:40] to go to 434 which will include

[2:03:41] point to springs village.

[2:03:41] >> thank you so much.

[2:03:42] Thank you.

[2:03:47] Anyone else specifically before

[2:03:47] we take a ten minute break that

[2:03:48] wants to comment about the

[2:03:51] budget.

[2:03:54] Seeing none we'll start a ten

[2:03:55] minute break so you have to

[2:03:55] adjourn this meeting.

[2:03:55] >> excuse me?

[2:03:58] You're going to adjourn the

[2:03:59] workshop?

[2:03:59] Yeah.

[2:03:59] It's not take a recess.

[2:04:00] So you're going to enter?

[2:04:02] Oh, I'm sorry.

[2:04:02] Thank you.

[2:04:03] For the record, we are

[2:04:05] adjourning the workshop and we

[2:04:05] will reconvene.

[2:04:06] We will then start over with

City Commission Budget Workshop

Transcript