[0:27] Yes,

[0:30] public.

[0:44] Dave, just so you know, chat is being a little difficult and not giving us the

[0:50] final. So I'm about to, I'm about to be serial killer. I'm just on a piece. So just give

[0:56] me two seconds. I'm just some scissors and some glue. And I'm going to have to

[4:12] do frozen

[4:15] Mark.

[4:16] Tom, you need to unmute yourself.

[4:20] Couldn't hear anything for a while.

[4:22] Can you hear me all right?

[4:24] Yes.

[4:25] Okay.

[4:25] Go ahead and introduce yourself.

[4:29] Tom Friot.

[4:30] Excuse me.

[4:30] Tom Friot with Eisner Amprah.

[4:33] I'm serving as the interim town finance director.

[4:36] Thank you.

[4:37] If I may, Mayor.

[4:38] Just a couple preliminary comments.

[4:40] Senator, you go ahead.

[4:41] Thank you, Mayor.

[4:41] Good evening, Mayor Commission.

[4:43] As you recall, the Commission's workshop on August 26th.

[4:47] There was some discussion about obviously the budget, but more importantly, the budget schedule and the public hearing schedule.

[4:54] At that time, the town manager and I were asked whether the commission's public hearing schedule could be extended.

[5:01] Later in the month of September to give the Eisner ampere team and your town manager an opportunity to work through further some of the various aspects of the budget.

[5:10] There were some issues regarding unrealized revenue, as well as some other budgetary challenges

[5:16] that your professional staff and consultants were working through.

[5:20] As a follow-up to that discussion, our office reached out to the Department of Revenue.

[5:24] We had some brief conversation with our colleagues up in Tallahassee that administer the trim,

[5:30] the truth and knowledge process, as it relates to rescheduling our budget hearings.

[5:34] Today's hearing, as we know, was scheduled, excuse me, was noticed on the trim notice that

[5:39] went out by the property appraisers office about month or six weeks ago around numbers.

[5:43] There are some constraints as it relates to rescheduling the budget hearing.

[5:47] There was talk about rescheduling our first hearing to September 23rd.

[5:51] That is not a legal option under the statute and under the DOR guidelines.

[5:56] We do have the option of continuing this evening, this afternoon's hearing, to September 15th.

[6:03] The hearing has to occur as a matter of law before Friday September 18th.

[6:07] I know there's been some conversation with the town manager as it relates to continuing this evening's budget hearing to September 15th by the appropriate motion.

[6:17] And if that was a commission's well and intent, I would ask for separate motions, one on item 6.2, and one on item 6.3 to continue this afternoon's budget hearing to the 15th of September.

[6:28] But one, actually two things I want to put on the record.

[6:31] One is there are circumstances beyond the commission's control that may warrant a continuance.

[6:36] Those have been fleshed out in some detail at the workshop on the 26th.

[6:41] We know there are certain things beyond the control of anyone in this room, that your finance

[6:45] team and your manager are working through, that may indeed warrant a continuance to the 15th

[6:50] of September.

[6:51] The other issue is the meeting to the extent the commission wanted to recess this afternoon's

[6:56] meeting.

[6:57] We would not be adjourning.

[6:58] As a matter of law, you cannot adjourn a budget hearing.

[7:01] You can, however, recess a budget hearing.

[7:03] There's a legal distinction and difference under the Department of Revenue Rules and Guidelines and under Chapter 200, which is the Truth and Millage Statute.

[7:12] I would ask if the Commission's intent was to essentially recess the meeting now to next Tuesday to give your professional finance consultants and staff an opportunity to finalize a tentative and proposed budget and

[7:26] an old rate to bring to you for your consideration, a motion on those items would be appropriate.

[7:30] Again, it would be a motion to recess the first hearing on the millage and a motion to recess the first hearing on the budget.

[7:37] They would be separately advertised, there's specific advertising requirements.

[7:41] They'd be advertised as a notice of continuance.

[7:44] It would not be a reset hearing, it would not be a adjourned hearing, it would not be a new hearing.

[7:47] It would be a continuation of the hearing that's taking place right now.

[7:51] Your clerk has the form of the ad, we've worked with her on that process as well as the time constraints and

[7:55] the deadlines for the posting of that notice.

[7:58] With that mayor, I'll defer to you and your colleagues.

[8:01] If it is, in fact, the commission's well in intent, I would just ask for separate motions on item 6.2 and 6.3 in particular to recess the hearing and continue those conversations at the first budget hearing, which would potentially take place on the 15th of September.

[8:15] Thank you, mayor.

[8:16] Okay, so the intent of this is to establish a new military?

[8:21] No.

[8:22] Well, you got a couple options.

[8:24] One is you can consider these items tonight as a matter of substance, in which case I would

[8:28] defer to your finance professionals if the commission's intent at the recommendation

[8:32] of your manager and finance team is to continue and postpone, again, I don't want to use

[8:37] the word adjourn.

[8:38] The adjourn has a different meaning.

[8:40] But to continue this evening's hearing, it would be a motion to recess your first budget

[8:45] adhering, continue to September 15th and provide direction to your clerk to publish the required advertising.

[8:56] Town manager, what are we looking at, military wise, what are we missing to come up with this number right now?

[9:04] Well, the military, we would not be, David Sigerson, interim town manager, we would not be changing the military that's in this document.

[9:14] We're just continuing, we would just be recessing this meeting and continuing to the 15th where we would, that would give us a little bit more time to try to work on the budget and try to erase the deficit that we're facing currently.

[9:32] Okay, so we can't increase the the military no, so, but okay, so magically within the next

[9:47] seven days, roughly, yeah, handful, whatever it is, there's no way we're coming up with

[9:57] 10.5 million dollars. That would be correct.

[10:03] We're going to, well, I'm not, I don't want

[10:10] to say what I think we need to do at this point. I know we've had these discussions, but

[10:15] so yeah, there's a lot of ground that needs to be covered and it may, let me just put it

[10:22] This way we may have to cancel or delay some major infrastructure projects, not the ones that are currently ongoing.

[10:33] One that are in the pipeline.

[10:38] So,

[10:43] I guess I'm a little confused on the fact that by setting the milledrate and concluding this meeting today with the vote leaves us at 8.5% which we're not going to change anyway.

[10:59] What would be the point of?

[11:01] Well, we still, yeah, I understand your question, the military is not going to, it's not going to change.

[11:06] I mean, you could, I guess theoretically they get vote on the military now.

[11:10] The issue is, I get how to afford a manager and to finance folks, is there a balanced budget in your back up this evening?

[11:19] In other words, the public has a right to comment on a proposed budget which needs to be presented to the commission in a balanced format.

[11:26] right? Right? And the event that there is, we don't have the completed budget from the

[11:32] last one that was presented, it's changed. Correct. That's my understanding as well.

[11:37] That is correct. Tom, you want to comment? Is that correct? Yes. That is correct. We've

[11:44] gone back through with the met with every department head and to find ways to identify

[11:51] budget over not overrun, it's just savings for fiscal 27 and we're going through the process

[11:57] of compiling all that now and we're viewing it to make sure that what the proposed

[12:03] changes were are now being reflected in the revised budget.

[12:10] Are we going to have that information in 10 days?

[12:13] That's not 10 days, it's six days.

[12:16] Six days.

[12:19] I'm sorry. I didn't hear it. It was our question. He said, are we going to have that information in six days?

[12:30] Well, we will have a compiled budget revised from what was presented on August 26. I believe you have 26.

[12:43] So yes, we will have a revised budget.

[12:47] Yes, we should have that before the 15th and hopefully we'll have it before the end of the week, but that's going to, you know, that's going to be hard to make that deadline, but that's for shooting for us by the end of the week.

[13:03] Do you need a motion to postpone the meeting?

[13:07] We're still trying to figure out where we're at here and get the big picture of everything.

[13:12] So 6.2 is going to stand as stated with the military to 8.5.

[13:19] 6.3, we're waiting on the budget to be completed, to be presented to us.

[13:25] So we're going to continue this meeting to the 15th at the budget hearing on the

[13:32] The continuance of the first public budget hearing,

[13:38] so I get the words right here, we will have the proposed budget available to the public.

[13:45] Correct, correct.

[13:46] And then we can finalize the vote on the first budget hearing on the 15.

[13:53] That is correct.

[13:54] That's what we're trying to accomplish.

[13:56] Okay, understand?

[13:58] Yep.

[13:59] Understood?

[14:00] Here's an issue.

[14:01] you. I am not going to be available on the 15th. I may be available to be remote, but

[14:07] I will not be able to physically be here in person on the 15th.

[14:12] We will be here, but in 15, we are leaving for the Washington DC, right? Yeah, we're

[14:18] flying for that day. So we're going to leaving a little early.

[14:23] The hearing needs to occur after 5pm, 5.01, but it needs to be after 5pm. We need a physical

[14:30] You need a physical quorum of three, and I'm going to offer one other, one other comment here, any

[14:35] Millage rate above the rollback rate, but less than 110% beyond the Millage rate.

[14:44] Okay, so one more time, sorry, I may have support, is going to require a fourth-fifth vote.

[14:49] Any Millage rate beyond 110% of the rollback rate will require a unanimous vote.

[14:55] 8.5mm is less than 110% of the roll.

[15:00] But above the rollback rate, you will need a four-fist vote to adopt that. So these are the two most important meetings that we have in Pembroke Park every single year. You two fly out with 15. Wait, wait, what time do you guys fly out? Last flight?

[15:17] What time is that roughly? Like 10 p.m., are you taking like a late late? So you can physically be here? I can try to reschedule my flight.

[15:30] I don't know that I can.

[15:32] I will see what I can do an accomplished tomorrow.

[15:36] But here's my question right now for this too.

[15:41] Are we looking to entertain a changing of the military?

[15:46] I thought we-

[15:47] Commissioner Mohamed, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

[15:49] We're keeping the military the same.

[15:51] So if we're keeping the military the town attorney, can we vote on 6.1 and then do our

[16:01] the first public hearing on the

[16:03] millage and the budget taking

[16:04] place concurrently?

[16:06] Concurrently, okay.

[16:06] I would not want to split up with

[16:08] other words, if you're going to

[16:09] continue the budget, continue the

[16:11] knowledge.

[16:11] Again, I don't know if you're going to

[16:13] have to be at 501.

[16:17] It would have to be after 5 p.m.

[16:19] So, 501 p.m. on the 15th.

[16:22] Here's the thing in preparation of

[16:25] This I sent the the advertisement to be published Saturday and I already approved it so I have to see

[16:32] I have to check with them now if I can pull back that advertisement to change the time what time do you have it set up six

[16:39] Because originally that's what was what I had we had discussed previously

[16:46] But if I need to I'll do what I have to do see if you can get it changed. Oh send the email right now 501 PM

[16:52] I'll send that you know right now. That way they have ability to make their flight. I'm going to do what I can to change my flight

[16:59] Do we need a quorum of three three three, but you need four voters

[17:03] Four voters one person remotely because you need and again, and I don't know how the commission's gonna vote

[17:09] You need an affirmative vote of four to pass the milledrate as proposed. Okay, assurance that everyone will be here to stay in

[17:17] In physical form unless you're in hospital or

[17:22] somewhere? Yes? Yes. I'll be here, but why is there a problem with voting for 6.2 now?

[17:35] Yes, we don't want to discuss that.

[17:38] The statute contemplates. Yeah, the statute contemplates a public hearing on the

[17:56] All right, I'll be there 501 p.m. on the 15th, as long as you can get it changed, if not, it will be 6 p.m. on the 15th, and we'll just all be here an hour early.

[18:08] Okay. Ladies. Yes. Okay. I will do everything I possibly can to shift things around and be here. If not, I will be the one remote caller coming in.

[18:21] Okay.

[18:22] It is okay. Only one person can do the June. So.

[18:29] You need three bodies in the room, but four votes to pass the military.

[18:34] Okay, we'll have four.

[18:35] In other words, a three to one vote will not get you there.

[18:38] You need four affirmative votes to pass the military.

[18:40] Got it.

[18:43] Understood, Mr. Rhodes, you got it.

[18:45] All right.

[18:46] Okay.

[18:48] Then so directed.

[18:49] And we will.

[18:50] Can I frame a motion for you?

[18:52] Sure.

[18:52] Item 6.2.

[18:53] Go ahead.

[18:54] I would ask for a motion to recess the first public hearing on the tentative

[18:59] milled rate and continue that hearing to September 15th at 5.01 PM with

[19:05] direction to your clerk to provide the appropriate advertising in accordance

[19:09] with the trim manual say that I will entertain a motion as stated I will say so moved

[19:16] So moved.

[19:17] There you go.

[19:23] I'm sorry, just to clarify, if I can't get a change to 501-6 o'clock, so the motion

[19:29] has to say that as well.

[19:30] Wouldn't it?

[19:30] Yeah, it's again, as stated, yes, that's consistent.

[19:34] All right, roll call.

[19:36] Roll call.

[19:37] Clerk Commissioner Hodgkins.

[19:38] Yes.

[19:39] Vice Mayor Kisham.

[19:40] Yes.

[19:41] Mayor Jacobs.

[19:41] Yes.

[19:42] Commissioner Mohammed.

[19:43] Yes.

[19:44] Acting clerk commissioner Morissette.

[19:46] Yes.

[19:47] Motion carries.

[19:49] And if I may mayor on item 6.3, I would just.

[19:51] Before we go I want to say something to Tom.

[19:56] I want to I like to clarify something regarding the team members providing to us.

[20:02] What we are saying that they are not the doesn't have government experience.

[20:07] and for our in that situation we really need the people who has government

[20:12] experience with the municipality and the government. So can you look at with

[20:16] that and send us like change the members and give the experiment and

[20:21] experience people so it will be helpful for us because our employees are

[20:27] Okay, absolutely, thank you.

[20:32] Yeah, so item 6.3 mayor, I would just ask for a motion to recess the first public hearing on the tentative budget for the upcoming fiscal year and continue the first hearing to September 15th at either 501 or 6pm subject advertising as directed to your clerk.

[20:51] Assistant with the Department of Revenue Truth and Millage Manual.

[20:54] I will entertain a motion that's stated.

[20:56] I'll make a motion to do as stated.

[20:59] Second.

[21:00] Second.

[21:02] Roll call.

[21:03] Acting clerk commissioner Mohamed.

[21:06] Yes.

[21:08] Commissioner Mohamed.

[21:09] Yes.

[21:10] Clerk commissioner Hodgkins.

[21:11] Yes.

[21:11] Vice Mayor Kisham.

[21:12] Yes.

[21:13] Mayor Jacobs.

[21:14] Yes.

[21:15] Motion carries.

[21:16] So at this point, the meeting will continue to Wednesday or till Tuesday, September 15th, at either 5.01 or 6.00.

[21:27] And your second?

[21:30] And your second?

[21:31] And your second and final budget hearing remains advertised for September 23rd, as stated.

[21:38] So, no adjournment?

[21:49] We have a special magistrate hearing Wednesday, September 16th, 2026 at 9am, final public budget hearing Wednesday, September 23rd, 2026 at 6pm, workshop commission meeting Wednesday, September 23rd, 2026 at 7pm, or immediately after the final budget hearing, regular commission meeting will be Wednesday, October 14th, 2026.

[22:12] six at 7 p.m. There are two events scheduled.

[22:15] There are food giveaways Saturday September 26th at 2026 at 9 p.m.

[22:22] And a food giveaway Saturday October 17th, 2026 at 9 p.m.

[22:29] And you're not adjourning, the meeting will be continued to the 15th.

[22:32] Meeting post-posed or continued?

[22:34] Continued.

[22:35] Continued.

First Public Budget Hearing Meeting

Transcript