1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:29,980
Any commissioners? Of course, this is our budget meeting. And we have already opened this morning, or this afternoon, with an indication or pledge. So we do not make provision to duplicate that again. So we will move on then to our budget overview. And Mr. Hofstead, I'll turn it over to you for that. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Commissioners, as you know, this process starts for us on the staff level, usually around February, time, frame while we're building the early phases of

2
00:00:29,980 --> 00:00:34,920
of our budget that results in a series of meetings with staff and our department directors

3
00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:40,060
where we perform the department review portion of the budget.

4
00:00:40,660 --> 00:00:45,520
From there we draft a tentative budget that is brought to this board in the month of

5
00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:49,840
July through a series of workshops and based on the board's feedback from those workshops.

6
00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:53,380
We spend the month of August preparing what is the final product.

7
00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:59,120
We hope before you this evening I have a couple slides that I need to read certain language

8
00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:04,240
into the record, and then Mr. Chairman, I will turn it back over to you for action on

9
00:01:04,240 --> 00:01:09,700
the action on the tentative millage rate adoption of that millage rate, adoption of the

10
00:01:09,700 --> 00:01:13,200
MSTU millage rate, and then adoption of the final budget.

11
00:01:13,440 --> 00:01:16,300
So with that, sir, I will get started.

12
00:01:18,510 --> 00:01:23,230
The budget is proposed to you, contemplates holding the line on the property tax millage.

13
00:01:23,290 --> 00:01:28,490
This is the eleventh year we've held the line at 3.8308 mills on our county millage

14
00:01:30,010 --> 00:01:42,250
is this board knows enough so many times we are one of the handful of counties in the state of Florida, 67 counties in the last count there are about I believe five counties that have an aggregate milligrate below 4.

15
00:01:42,710 --> 00:01:47,210
We are one of those counties are aggregate milligrate is 3.9615.

16
00:01:47,210 --> 00:02:02,530
The proposed county property tax millage that's before you exceeds the rollback rate of 3.7941 by 0.97% so about roughly 1% of an increase over the rollback rate.

17
00:02:03,250 --> 00:02:15,870
It's very similar with the unincorporated MSTU, as this board knows, the MSTU is that separate millage applied to unincorporated properties in Oklahoma County for support of our stormwater division of public works.

18
00:02:15,870 --> 00:02:20,270
in our unincorporated parks division, the facilities and parks maintenance budget.

19
00:02:21,210 --> 00:02:27,870
That rate proposes 0.288 mils, if the board recalls, we did go to the rollback last year.

20
00:02:27,970 --> 00:02:32,570
We rolled that millage back, so this is the second year holding at that rollback rate.

21
00:02:32,930 --> 00:02:45,150
This year, that exceeds the rollback rate of 0.2841 mils by roughly 1.3, 1.37% increase over the proposed rollback.

22
00:02:45,150 --> 00:02:49,410
the aggregate millage that's a combination of both and you'll see that those

23
00:02:49,410 --> 00:02:54,810
numbers do not add up and that is because the MSTU millage only applies to the

24
00:02:54,810 --> 00:02:58,690
unincorporated properties in Oklahoma County, not the municipal properties.

25
00:02:59,610 --> 00:03:06,890
So collectively that results in an aggregate millage rate of 3.9615 mills that

26
00:03:06,890 --> 00:03:15,130
exceeds the rollback rate of 3.9292 mills by 0.82 percent. So again

27
00:03:15,130 --> 00:03:19,510
in roughly 1% over the proposed rollback.

28
00:03:19,970 --> 00:03:26,810
That is the language I have to read into the record for you as well, as I just wanted to advance to.

29
00:03:28,630 --> 00:03:37,830
This slide which shows the budget that's before you today is slightly higher than the budget that was presented to the board during the July workshops.

30
00:03:37,830 --> 00:03:46,610
That all-in budget, 768 million, 989,213, that is the all-in budget.

31
00:03:46,850 --> 00:03:52,750
So that is collective of all of your general fund revenues, which are your property taxes,

32
00:03:52,950 --> 00:03:57,730
your state-shared revenue, your state sales tax, and some other fees associated with that general fund.

33
00:03:58,150 --> 00:04:01,470
And then all of the enterprise funds that compile this budget.

34
00:04:01,470 --> 00:04:05,250
So you have very healthy enterprise funds, whether that's water and sewer,

35
00:04:05,250 --> 00:04:11,410
or my packet's team, tracing airports, separate enterprise fund, and then Jennifer and TDD,

36
00:04:11,870 --> 00:04:18,990
a separate fund, as you know, that survives on bed tax, bed tax collection is what supports

37
00:04:18,990 --> 00:04:20,310
our tourism department.

38
00:04:20,610 --> 00:04:28,030
So you have a host of other fees or excuse me, revenues inside that budget that are your

39
00:04:28,030 --> 00:04:47,730
Your enterprise fund revenues and then all of the savings that we've set aside in the various enterprise funds that Brad manages on our behalf on the board's behalf and all the interest earnings associated with those additional revenues and reserves.

40
00:04:47,730 --> 00:04:55,750
So collectively, again, it was 9.68 on July 7th, invariably each year the state does not

41
00:04:55,750 --> 00:05:02,670
convene the Revenue Estimating Commission until after July, June July workshops.

42
00:05:03,450 --> 00:05:08,550
And there's always some type of fluctuation with those final numbers of additional revenue

43
00:05:08,550 --> 00:05:13,230
that's coming in on the state revenue sharing side, state sales tax side.

44
00:05:13,230 --> 00:05:27,130
But that combined with the action that the board took, where you had an additional $500,000 that was applied to the school board for the school resource officer positions that had to be factored into this final number.

45
00:05:27,570 --> 00:05:38,410
So the total budget as proposed is $775 million, $85,993 collective of all of those various revenue sources.

46
00:05:38,410 --> 00:05:42,630
And with that, Mr. Chairman, that is the highlights of this budget.

47
00:05:42,850 --> 00:05:52,150
Again, the board has heard all of the plans going forward that you have approved as far as our expenditure plan for the budget going into the new year.

48
00:05:52,330 --> 00:05:59,770
So with the board's approval tonight, we will have a second public hearing on the 15th of September for final adoption.

49
00:06:00,130 --> 00:06:04,950
And once that takes place and the DR420s are signed by my office.

50
00:06:04,950 --> 00:06:11,950
This budget will go into effect October 1st, and that will be your spending plan for the coming year.

51
00:06:12,250 --> 00:06:19,610
So with that, sir, I will turn it back over to you for action, for approval of the county.

52
00:06:20,150 --> 00:06:25,670
Millage rate, the MSTU millage rate, and the final budget.

53
00:06:26,230 --> 00:06:29,150
All right, very good, thank you, Mr. Offstead.

54
00:06:29,150 --> 00:06:39,790
Before we bring it back to the board, the agenda does have the, has two public comment opportunities on it, so since it's published with two we're going to honor two.

55
00:06:40,970 --> 00:06:46,850
So we'll open the first public comment portion of the meeting. I have a speaker card for that.

56
00:06:47,590 --> 00:06:53,530
I actually have two, but Steve, I'm assuming you submitted one for the first comment section, one for the second.

57
00:06:53,530 --> 00:06:59,210
And so, if you want to come forward and use your first three minutes that we'll recognize you now.

58
00:07:00,270 --> 00:07:04,410
And if anybody else wants to speak, please turn in a card, but I don't have any others.

59
00:07:05,390 --> 00:07:06,650
Well, it's a release to the budget.

60
00:07:07,690 --> 00:07:10,990
I don't have a prepared speech this time, so I'm just going to throw out a couple of things out there.

61
00:07:11,090 --> 00:07:12,930
I was talking to Mr. Hofstead during the break briefly.

62
00:07:13,550 --> 00:07:18,150
My concern also here, as it relates to your budget, because you need to be physically responsible.

63
00:07:18,730 --> 00:07:26,070
You do not have a diving destination this far off the shore, and I think you have lots of small boats, tetrahedrons, you know, all kinds of things.

64
00:07:26,530 --> 00:07:29,250
So you're moving into a different league that you don't have.

65
00:07:29,570 --> 00:07:35,310
A risk any of course we all know is of Pensacola in their off their county, and of course this will be in federal water.

66
00:07:35,990 --> 00:07:40,750
But the concern I have is what happens if you, again, this is hypothetical.

67
00:07:41,370 --> 00:07:45,010
What happens if you, as I've been reading, and this ship is the wrong asset?

68
00:07:45,010 --> 00:07:53,290
because you're sinking in such shallow water, you're going to encourage recreational divers to go inside, not technical divers, not wreck divers, recreational.

69
00:07:53,910 --> 00:07:59,930
Recreational cannot go inside the risk. It's too deep. It's beyond that diving limit. Yours will not be. Yours will be a more shallow water.

70
00:08:00,490 --> 00:08:03,950
So what happens if people start going in and they get lost and trapped and die?

71
00:08:04,570 --> 00:08:11,670
What are you going to do as a police or your budget if people start suing the county? Because guess what? That death trap is not out there right now.

72
00:08:11,670 --> 00:08:13,130
But once you put it out there, there is.

73
00:08:13,570 --> 00:08:15,750
So these are things that I hope you're asking your staff

74
00:08:16,310 --> 00:08:19,050
to consider what is situation.

75
00:08:19,330 --> 00:08:20,570
Just because something hasn't happened,

76
00:08:20,710 --> 00:08:21,730
doesn't mean that you're a lawyer,

77
00:08:22,250 --> 00:08:24,130
doesn't mean presidents won't be set.

78
00:08:24,570 --> 00:08:26,310
And I'm not a lawyer, so I'm not even going to go there.

79
00:08:27,050 --> 00:08:29,430
But these are issues I'm concerned about

80
00:08:29,430 --> 00:08:31,230
that if you guys are addressing,

81
00:08:31,410 --> 00:08:34,130
because as I said in one of my previous speeches,

82
00:08:34,290 --> 00:08:36,530
I don't think anyone, you haven't had diver's death

83
00:08:36,530 --> 00:08:38,410
on the skipping suit, the spirit of Norfolk,

84
00:08:38,650 --> 00:08:39,990
the manor ray, or any of these other ones,

85
00:08:39,990 --> 00:08:43,970
because it literally, it's impossible for a recognition diver to get lost swimming through

86
00:08:43,970 --> 00:08:46,510
a small little thing that's like half the size of this room.

87
00:08:46,750 --> 00:08:47,570
It's impossible.

88
00:08:47,970 --> 00:08:49,930
This ship is something completely different.

89
00:08:50,670 --> 00:08:54,770
And yes, I'm not worried about the technical diver or the wreck, the wreck diver.

90
00:08:55,050 --> 00:08:56,050
They're properly trained.

91
00:08:56,150 --> 00:08:58,250
They go in with the tanks, the lights and all that.

92
00:08:58,650 --> 00:09:01,690
But what about the recreational diver that isn't properly trained?

93
00:09:01,810 --> 00:09:02,810
Yes, it is on them.

94
00:09:03,110 --> 00:09:04,010
We all know that.

95
00:09:04,250 --> 00:09:05,610
Just like driving a car, it's on you.

96
00:09:05,670 --> 00:09:07,750
If you run off the road and hit a tree, it's your own fault.

97
00:09:07,750 --> 00:09:11,390
These are issues I feel that you need to check with your staff and

98
00:09:11,390 --> 00:09:15,250
I said we examined all possible scenarios, all possibilities.

99
00:09:15,890 --> 00:09:19,670
Are we open or self up to legal action that could affect our budget or anything like that?

100
00:09:20,050 --> 00:09:25,730
These are the things that I feel that's important as it relates to this particular asset as an artificial reef.

101
00:09:26,350 --> 00:09:26,950
Thank you.

102
00:09:30,140 --> 00:09:33,660
All right, I don't have any other speaker cards for the first public comment.

103
00:09:33,800 --> 00:09:37,300
Our opportunity in the meeting is someone to close that public comment.

104
00:09:37,300 --> 00:09:41,180
and portion of the agenda and bring it back to the board.

105
00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:48,040
We do have three separate items, the tentative county wide millage rate resolution, then

106
00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:51,780
the MSTU millage rate resolution, and finally the budget.

107
00:09:52,060 --> 00:09:59,780
So commissioners, I think we probably need separate motions on each of those and we'll entertain

108
00:09:59,780 --> 00:10:00,280
those now.

109
00:10:01,640 --> 00:10:04,960
Move to approve, tentative county wide millage rate.

110
00:10:04,960 --> 00:10:11,280
All right motion to approve in a second for their discussion does in favor please single by saying aye

111
00:10:11,280 --> 00:10:16,380
Those opposed all right that passes as to adoption of the countywide

112
00:10:16,980 --> 00:10:17,300
military

113
00:10:17,300 --> 00:10:20,820
All right now the MST you milled rate commissioners

114
00:10:22,920 --> 00:10:24,920
For the MST you milled rate

115
00:10:26,420 --> 00:10:32,760
Okay, we have a motion and a second I think commissioner catch will made the motion with a second by commissioner mixin

116
00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:34,480
Further discussion on that?

117
00:10:35,360 --> 00:10:37,080
All right, those in favor, please signal by saying aye.

118
00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:38,480
Those opposed?

119
00:10:39,260 --> 00:10:45,600
All right, that passes unanimously to approving the MS2MSTU Milage Rate Resolution,

120
00:10:46,420 --> 00:10:48,980
the final item, the tenet of budget resolution.

121
00:10:49,920 --> 00:10:52,720
All right, Commissioner Cox has a motion to approve.

122
00:10:53,020 --> 00:10:53,560
Do we have a second?

123
00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:55,280
Second by Commissioner Palmer.

124
00:10:55,760 --> 00:10:56,240
Further discussion.

125
00:10:57,180 --> 00:10:59,600
All right, those in favor, please signal by saying aye.

126
00:11:00,520 --> 00:11:01,160
And those opposed.

127
00:11:01,160 --> 00:11:04,860
All right, the budget resolution passes unanimously.

128
00:11:05,140 --> 00:11:10,340
That brings us to the end of the agenda business that required action.

129
00:11:10,780 --> 00:11:13,140
We do have a final public comment opportunity in the meeting.

130
00:11:13,620 --> 00:11:15,760
I have one card from Mr. Perry, Mr. Perry.

131
00:11:16,100 --> 00:11:18,700
You'll be recognized for your three minutes, sir.

132
00:11:22,290 --> 00:11:26,570
And again, just to follow up, these are the issues that I think is important and everything.

133
00:11:27,070 --> 00:11:30,710
I'm going to relate one simple aspect that makes this ship unique.

134
00:11:30,710 --> 00:11:37,890
I've been in the maritime field for 40 to 45 years then on ships sailed over as I told you all around the world

135
00:11:37,890 --> 00:11:41,650
Every ocean every continent in the world except for the Arctic and the Antarctic, and I don't want to do either

136
00:11:41,650 --> 00:11:49,350
They live soon and everything so all the ships I've seen under construction all the ships I've sailed and none of them are coded in this level of

137
00:11:49,350 --> 00:11:53,730
Paint primer that I see and I know is on the SS United States not even close

138
00:11:53,730 --> 00:11:59,090
So that's why I say this ship was probably the wrong acid to choose when people compare it to the risk

139
00:11:59,090 --> 00:12:02,590
asking you that a hangar deck had it from yellow paint on it, it's not to the same thing.

140
00:12:02,770 --> 00:12:03,670
We were fighting a war then.

141
00:12:03,770 --> 00:12:04,990
They didn't have time to prime everything.

142
00:12:05,530 --> 00:12:09,930
This ship was primed to last forever and it exorbitant amount of this primer.

143
00:12:10,510 --> 00:12:15,370
So with that said, there could be something I want again, it relates to your potential

144
00:12:15,370 --> 00:12:19,770
budget and your potential liability, is there an issue that could occur?

145
00:12:20,870 --> 00:12:24,670
I'm not saying it's going to happen, but it could occur and these are the questions you

146
00:12:24,670 --> 00:12:28,390
need to ask, like, are we exposing ourselves here and everything?

147
00:12:28,970 --> 00:12:33,830
As it relates to diverse safety, again, I'm concerned about the recreation time.

148
00:12:33,950 --> 00:12:38,970
The one that's untrained that's going to think it's okay to go inside, not do as someone

149
00:12:38,970 --> 00:12:41,010
said, swim around the ballroom or something like that.

150
00:12:41,310 --> 00:12:43,650
Likelihood, no one's going to get lost in that.

151
00:12:43,950 --> 00:12:45,530
What happens when they go down in the hall?

152
00:12:46,270 --> 00:12:48,210
And the difference here, you've all been on the ship.

153
00:12:48,750 --> 00:12:53,150
This hall is like, okay, for those that haven't, the hall.

154
00:12:53,610 --> 00:12:57,030
It's like the upper part of the ship is like an above bound parking garage.

155
00:12:57,370 --> 00:13:00,370
I'm old enough to know that I sometimes forget what level I parked the car on,

156
00:13:00,370 --> 00:13:02,430
but you've never gotten lost in an above ground parking lot.

157
00:13:02,570 --> 00:13:04,970
There's plenty of light streaming in just like the sun would.

158
00:13:05,810 --> 00:13:09,890
But the hull and the ship be like an underground parking garage.

159
00:13:10,230 --> 00:13:14,010
The only lights are on where you find out is I have a lights on.

160
00:13:14,690 --> 00:13:18,030
And that's for technical and wreck diving, not your recreational.

161
00:13:18,230 --> 00:13:19,290
And that's the concern I have.

162
00:13:19,630 --> 00:13:22,350
And I don't want you guys to get exposed potentially.

163
00:13:22,350 --> 00:13:27,410
legal because people are not trained, start taking risks, even though it's on them.

164
00:13:28,050 --> 00:13:32,470
But still, doesn't mean they can't go and say, okay, I just lost my son, Johnny, I'm

165
00:13:32,470 --> 00:13:34,890
going to sue the county because he wouldn't have died.

166
00:13:35,010 --> 00:13:37,270
He wouldn't have dove on this if he didn't put this asset out there.

167
00:13:37,770 --> 00:13:41,570
If you would have put an asset out there with 20-foot, big rooms like this, big open spaces

168
00:13:41,570 --> 00:13:42,330
you couldn't have got lost.

169
00:13:42,530 --> 00:13:43,450
You chose the wrong asset.

170
00:13:43,910 --> 00:13:44,650
Those are the issues.

171
00:13:45,190 --> 00:13:48,670
I want you just to talk amongst yourself and talk to your staff to make sure you've thought

172
00:13:48,670 --> 00:13:52,810
about every aspect you crossed all your teeth and dotted all your eyes. Thank you.

173
00:13:52,930 --> 00:13:55,470
Are you telling us our best option now is to scrap it?

174
00:13:55,750 --> 00:13:56,970
No, I'm not saying that all.

175
00:13:58,090 --> 00:14:01,250
You have a lot of money you put into this ship, I agree.

176
00:14:01,970 --> 00:14:05,910
And I was talking with Commissioner Palmer earlier. I know everyone seems to think there's two options,

177
00:14:06,310 --> 00:14:09,350
reef or scrap. Sorry, there's always a third option.

178
00:14:09,870 --> 00:14:11,910
And that's a redevelopment project.

179
00:14:12,370 --> 00:14:17,070
But I haven't presented any of that information to you. There's stuff going on behind the scenes,

180
00:14:17,070 --> 00:14:22,190
but that's pointless. I can't convince someone to look at committing $100, $200, $300 million

181
00:14:22,630 --> 00:14:27,230
if the asset is going to be destroyed. So that's kind of pointless for me to do that.

182
00:14:27,370 --> 00:14:29,830
But doesn't mean I haven't been working on that for years.

183
00:14:30,250 --> 00:14:31,030
A lot of years.

184
00:14:31,310 --> 00:14:31,830
A lot of years.

185
00:14:31,910 --> 00:14:33,350
A lot of years that it sat on a dock.

186
00:14:33,710 --> 00:14:37,690
Yes. And it never got scrapped and always had a life saving thing.

187
00:14:37,930 --> 00:14:41,350
But this ship is unique. It's quite different. I'm not going to go into the details

188
00:14:41,920 --> 00:14:45,830
because you guys don't want to hear me about that. How this ship is unique in all aspect.

189
00:14:45,830 --> 00:14:47,470
I've told you, it's probably the most significant.

190
00:14:47,510 --> 00:14:49,270
This is what attracts us to it, which is why it's

191
00:14:49,270 --> 00:14:51,190
going to be the best artificial reef in the world.

192
00:14:51,470 --> 00:14:53,930
Yeah, but I'm concerned about the level is in chromate

193
00:14:53,930 --> 00:14:57,150
and the endangerment to recreational divers

194
00:14:57,150 --> 00:14:58,390
of getting lost inside.

195
00:14:58,930 --> 00:14:59,870
You said you've been on board.

196
00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:29,560
Did you go down the entrance? Did you go into the boiler rooms? Did you? Yes. Okay. Could you imagine trying to swim around the boiler rooms or all those pipes and in those boys? The average person, you can't, when you're down there, if you didn't have the lights on, I've been down there when there's no lights, you can't even see your hand in front of your face like it's pitch black. And if the diver goes down there, say a technical diver brings his friend on a recreational and then the light goes out and he didn't have a backup. I enjoyed your driving analogy. So I just wanted to bring up a personal choices that we get.

197
00:15:29,560 --> 00:15:34,380
Again, a lot of personal sources. So thank you all for always allowing me to come here and speak. I appreciate it.

198
00:15:34,980 --> 00:15:38,060
Thank you. All right. I have no other

199
00:15:38,780 --> 00:15:41,120
speaker cards, so that

200
00:15:41,640 --> 00:15:45,120
that brings us to the end of the public comments. We'll close that portion of the meeting.

201
00:15:46,900 --> 00:15:48,680
And we are then adjourned.