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00:00:57,920 --> 00:01:02,280
Okay, Ryan, you ready?

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00:01:02,399 --> 00:01:13,280
All right, we will resume uh this
September 3rd, 2026 meeting at 502, no

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00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:19,280
sooner than 501.
And um for the uh the public hearing on

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the annual budget and just looking
around the room, like to welcome all of

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Valuchia County Sheriff's deputies.
Thank you for coming. Where's all the

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firemen?

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00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:45,520
» Where? Okay, we're Hey, Joe. [laughter]
We're we're glad you're here.

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00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:51,040
Um, so uh we will open the uh open the
public hearing and I'll turn it over

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00:01:48,399 --> 00:01:54,240
first to to you or to George to county
manager.

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00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:59,759
» Get off. Appreciate it. Mr. Chair,
honorable county council. Uh I'm pleased

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00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:07,280
to present the recommended budget for
fiscal year 2627 and open up this

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00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:11,680
hearing. Uh uh this budget reflects a
full year of careful analysis beginning

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00:02:09,599 --> 00:02:19,440
with the five mini budget workshops we
had between February and April of 2026

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00:02:16,319 --> 00:02:23,040
where we reviewed core services. Uh we
followed through, if you recall, with a

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00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:29,200
5-year forecast presentation to council
on June 2nd and June 16th.

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00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:32,959
Um once again, uh we've taken a fiscally
conservative approach in this

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00:02:30,879 --> 00:02:37,280
recommended budget.
Uh it does not include the significant

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reductions in county services that would
be required if voters did approve uh

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00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:46,480
amendment three. So just want to make
sure everyone understands this is

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00:02:43,599 --> 00:02:50,800
separate than amendment three.
It did take a better part of a year to

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00:02:48,400 --> 00:02:55,519
put this uh budget together. We always
start in in January and and here we are

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00:02:53,360 --> 00:03:01,519
in in September.
Uh this bill this budget is built on uh

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00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:06,560
providing efficient reliable services,
supporting continued economic growth,

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00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:10,959
attracting and retaining quality
employees, investing in the

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00:03:08,319 --> 00:03:15,840
infrastructure our residents rely on,
and improving the quality of life for

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00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:19,840
everyone who calls Valuchia County home.
I also would like to report again that

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00:03:18,319 --> 00:03:23,360
uh for the general fund county
departments

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00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:28,560
uh they're recommended at a net budget
decrease when compared to prior fiscal

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00:03:26,080 --> 00:03:32,959
year. This marks the second year in a
row of decreases in the county uh

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00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:38,959
department budget requests. That means
that these county departments absorb the

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00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:44,239
full cost of a proposed 3% wage
adjustment, Florida retirement uh system

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00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:50,000
rate increases, health insurance
increases, corrections, staffing needs,

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00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:54,280
and all while reducing uh the combined
budget uh by $185,819.

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Um, and with that, I'm going to turn it
over to uh Ryan to go through the nuts

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00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:06,720
and bolts.
Good evening, council members. Ryan

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00:04:03,760 --> 00:04:11,200
Osowski, chief financial officer.
Before you, we have our recommended

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00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:14,200
budget, the gross budget of which is 1
bill800,271,784.

38
00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:23,360
This year, we introduced the concept of
a net budget. This aligns us with Semino

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00:04:20,479 --> 00:04:28,240
County and many other counties whereby
we take that headline number and we

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00:04:25,199 --> 00:04:34,080
reduce out duplicative uh amounts such
as interfund transfers, internal service

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00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:37,360
funds uh and we also reduce reserves.
Interfund transfers and internal service

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00:04:35,919 --> 00:04:42,880
funds are amounts that are reported
twice in the budget. Once in the fund

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00:04:39,919 --> 00:04:48,479
that uh is uh paying for such a service
and the other side in the fund that's

44
00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:54,000
receiving it. Uh it does gross up your
budget quite a bit. Um and our budget is

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00:04:51,759 --> 00:04:57,840
very complicated. It has nearly a 100
budgeted funds and by the time we add

46
00:04:56,160 --> 00:05:03,600
grant resolutions that occur throughout
the year, it is over a 100 funds.

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00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:07,759
The reserve amounts that I'm deducting
here to arrive at the net budget are our

48
00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:11,520
ending savings account balances. And
this is across the entire budget. There

49
00:05:09,840 --> 00:05:17,440
is of course the general fund reserves
which we hold for emergencies such as a

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00:05:14,639 --> 00:05:24,960
hurricane which we are not going to have
this year and uh reserves for future

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00:05:21,759 --> 00:05:31,199
capital reserves for contingency. Uh the
general fund represents uh less around

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00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:36,320
15% of the total reserve number. To make
that equivalent to somebody listening

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00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:40,479
online to what what does a reserve mean?
It means when we budget the county's

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00:05:37,919 --> 00:05:44,000
budget, we have to budget like a
household would budget for their income

55
00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:48,800
and their expenses, but what we have to
count as income is also any savings left

56
00:05:46,479 --> 00:05:51,919
over from prior years. And a lot of
those savings are left over on purpose.

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00:05:50,479 --> 00:05:58,080
They're amounts that we set aside just
in case for an emergency or to build up

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00:05:55,360 --> 00:06:01,440
for capital projects. So those amounts
carry over from year to year to year and

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00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:05,600
they're not actually amounts that are
going to be planned to be spent in this

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00:06:03,199 --> 00:06:09,840
year. So once you reduce for net uh
interfund transfers, internal service

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00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:13,400
funds and reserves, our budget for this
year is 1 bill64,798,131.

62
00:06:15,919 --> 00:06:22,000
While we're not talking about amendment
three, I do think that that helps put

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00:06:19,120 --> 00:06:28,000
into place a little bit about how the
scale of amendment 3 could impact us.

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00:06:26,319 --> 00:06:32,880
Purpose of today's agenda item, it's
required by Florida's truth and mill

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00:06:29,759 --> 00:06:35,759
section 200.065 Florida statutes. We are
going to discuss the millage rates,

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00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:39,440
their percentage increases over roll
back where applicable and the reasons

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00:06:37,919 --> 00:06:46,560
for the proposed increase over roll
back. Of course, we'll have uh public uh

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00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:50,880
opportunity to speak uh setting tenative
millage rates with the final adoption at

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00:06:48,479 --> 00:06:54,000
our second hearing and adopting a
tenative recommended budget with the

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00:06:52,479 --> 00:06:58,240
final adoption also at the second
hearing. While it's going to be at the

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00:06:56,160 --> 00:07:03,360
end of the presentation, just for
following along online, it is September

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00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:07,039
22nd that we're scheduled for our second
budget hearing.

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00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:10,160
Millage rate comparison. I have listed
on the screen uh the different millig

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00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:15,599
rates of the county. We have 10
different taxing funds and they uh vary

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00:07:13,599 --> 00:07:20,160
in purpose and size with the general
fund being the largest and the Silver

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00:07:17,199 --> 00:07:24,800
Sands Bthoon Beach MSD being a fund with
a budget of $16,000.

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00:07:22,400 --> 00:07:30,639
It pays for an electric bill for street
lights in that district. Uh it is a very

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00:07:27,759 --> 00:07:35,680
small district. Uh so they range in size
and complexity. The tentative roll back

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00:07:33,520 --> 00:07:40,160
rates are listed here on the screen. Uh
with along with our tentative adopted

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00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:44,960
rate, the tentative sorry tentative
recommended rate. The tentative

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00:07:42,639 --> 00:07:51,280
recommended rate is equal to last year's
adopted rate with no change in eight of

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00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:55,039
the 10 taxing funds. It is proposed uh
as a recommended rate at the roll back

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00:07:53,120 --> 00:08:00,639
rate in the pon inlet port authority
fund and a partial uh reduction in the

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00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:05,120
rate uh in the fire rescue district
fund. The change from roll back in all

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00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:10,400
these various funds is approximately
3.3%.

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00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:15,520
That is basically in line with inflation
right now. And

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00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:19,759
uh that inflation number is that that
I'm quoting is what you hear in the

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00:08:16,879 --> 00:08:24,960
media when you talk about uh core CPI
for urban consumers. Uh was at a

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00:08:23,120 --> 00:08:30,960
conference recently or not a conference
but a presentation and it was pointed

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00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:36,640
out that governments don't buy TVs and
apparel, they buy fire trucks and pay

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00:08:34,560 --> 00:08:40,959
for police officers. And the inflation
rate there is different than it is when

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00:08:38,959 --> 00:08:46,080
you factor in technology that goes down
in price and uh other items like apparel

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00:08:43,919 --> 00:08:51,040
that don't go up as much as perhaps
firet trucks do.

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00:08:49,279 --> 00:08:55,120
The general fund comparison to a roll
back rate uh our proposed rate is

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00:08:53,200 --> 00:09:00,959
3.20007
mills which would bring in uh an adopt

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00:08:58,320 --> 00:09:06,480
recommended budget of 200
uh 213 million822

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00:09:03,519 --> 00:09:12,360
389. The proposed the roll back rate
would be 3.107

98
00:09:08,399 --> 00:09:12,360
mills or 27,141,91.

99
00:09:13,440 --> 00:09:20,320
The difference is an additional
6,680,488

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00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:24,320
of advalorum tax revenue. This
additional dedicated revenue is

101
00:09:22,160 --> 00:09:27,600
dedicated to elected office expenditure
increases.

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00:09:25,920 --> 00:09:32,720
uh the primary one of which is the
sheriff's office uh the debt payment for

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00:09:30,160 --> 00:09:38,399
the new sheriff's office headquarters as
well as small increases in uh some of

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00:09:36,480 --> 00:09:43,040
the other elected offices. The second
largest area would be in judicial but

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00:09:41,040 --> 00:09:46,080
that is not a single line item. That's a
small increase in the clerk's budget,

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00:09:44,560 --> 00:09:50,720
some increases in software that we're
required to pay via article five of the

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00:09:48,959 --> 00:09:55,200
constitution for the public defender and
the state attorney's office. Part of

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00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:58,720
that is uh the 3% wage adjustment that
George mentioned in those areas. There's

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00:09:57,279 --> 00:10:03,920
really not a single line item to point
out in judicial, but it was the second

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00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:07,680
largest line it uh area of increase. We
also have mandatory expenditure

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00:10:05,360 --> 00:10:11,680
increases. We have to cover required
expenditure changes from the Department

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00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:17,760
of Juvenile Justice. The state sends us
a bill. We pay 50% of the cost of DJJ

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00:10:15,519 --> 00:10:21,440
and that is controlled by the state but
we have to pay whatever the bill goes up

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00:10:19,760 --> 00:10:27,360
and it goes up every year as well as
state Medicaid program and CRA payments.

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00:10:25,279 --> 00:10:31,040
Also countywide operational expenses
previously paid for by investment

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00:10:28,880 --> 00:10:35,760
income. As I mentioned during the 5-year
forecast uh we've used reserves in the

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00:10:34,160 --> 00:10:40,560
last few years which have drawn down the
size of the county's portfolio. That

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00:10:37,680 --> 00:10:44,079
means we have less to invest.
At the time that we prepared the

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00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:47,360
recommended budget, and it probably
hasn't changed too much since then, but

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00:10:45,839 --> 00:10:52,880
definitely at the time that we uh
prepared the recommended budget, we use

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00:10:49,440 --> 00:10:57,120
the Fed Reserves dot plot to project
what future investment rates would be.

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00:10:55,279 --> 00:11:00,640
And at the time, they were looking at
rate decreases over the future.

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00:10:59,279 --> 00:11:05,440
Currently, if you're paying attention to
the press, there's uh alluding to a

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00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:09,760
potential rate increase,
but that was not at the time that we had

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00:11:06,959 --> 00:11:16,240
prepared this recommended budget. Harm
general fund millage rate history.

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00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:20,720
Uh we've been at roll back for three out
of the last 10 years. We've been at

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00:11:18,720 --> 00:11:25,120
partial roll backs for three out of the
last 10 years. And I'll point out that

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00:11:23,040 --> 00:11:29,600
there is an anomaly in this chart in the
in the interest of fair disclosure. and

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00:11:26,640 --> 00:11:33,920
FY24 is when we started the separate law
enforcement fund. Nevertheless, we have

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00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:39,200
had a steady rate of decrease over the
years in the general fund.

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00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:43,279
The law enforcement fund, which funds
exclusively the sheriff's office budget,

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00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:49,640
is proposed at the same rate it was last
year, 1.5994

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00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:49,640
mills, which would bring in6,847,730.

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00:11:52,399 --> 00:11:58,920
At roll back of 1.5485 mills, it would
bring in $13,447,361,

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00:12:01,040 --> 00:12:07,839
the difference of which is $3.4 million.
And that is dedicated to fully funding

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00:12:06,320 --> 00:12:13,040
the sheriff's budget request this year
to satisfied uh countywide law

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00:12:10,959 --> 00:12:18,800
enforcement needs.
The library fund is presented at the

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00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:24,519
same rate that it was last year. Three
uh 0.3697

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00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:24,519
mills which brings in 24,697,765

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00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:32,920
as compared to the roll back rate which
would be 0.3576 mills which would bring

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00:12:29,600 --> 00:12:32,920
in 23,889,426.

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00:12:33,440 --> 00:12:42,160
The additional $88,000 of revenue is
dedicated to uh primarily staffing

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00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:47,200
issues. The library is a heavy staffing
um agency. Uh so you got the 3% wage

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00:12:45,839 --> 00:12:52,320
adjustment, increases in health
insurance, uh and then an increased

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00:12:49,600 --> 00:12:56,480
budget uh that increases with CPI for
publication purchases.

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00:12:54,720 --> 00:13:03,519
The library millage rate has been at a
roll back for uh five out of the last

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00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:07,440
seven years. And if we two of those
years includes what I'm what we're

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00:13:05,040 --> 00:13:11,519
recommending right now. So if you ignore
what we're discussing here, it was five

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00:13:09,120 --> 00:13:18,160
out of the last six years.
Uh this fund has has uh survived on the

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00:13:16,560 --> 00:13:22,800
new construction values that have come
in. However, inflation that it's

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00:13:20,480 --> 00:13:26,480
experienced in personnel and
publications and the and the rest of the

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00:13:24,399 --> 00:13:31,279
operating of the library have trended
above the amount of new construction. So

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00:13:28,560 --> 00:13:36,079
there is a need at this point to adopt a
flat rate especially considering how

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00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:40,160
many years it survived on just the new
construction values.

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00:13:38,480 --> 00:13:44,720
Busha Forever and Echko I'll cover at
the same time. They're currently

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00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:52,000
proposed at the full amount that was
part of the um voter millage uh voter

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00:13:48,480 --> 00:13:57,519
ballot initiative of 0.2 mills which
each program would bring in $13,361,10.

158
00:13:55,920 --> 00:14:05,480
If each of these programs were to go to
roll back, they would be each at.1936

159
00:14:01,279 --> 00:14:05,480
mills, which would bring in 12,933,457.

160
00:14:06,240 --> 00:14:11,000
Each program will bring in an additional
$427,553

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00:14:11,680 --> 00:14:18,160
at the proposed rate. Both programs are,
I mentioned before, they're proposed at

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00:14:16,800 --> 00:14:24,480
the maximum military that was approved
by the voters back in uh the I think it

163
00:14:21,199 --> 00:14:28,000
was 2011 2021.
The additional revenue for the Echo

164
00:14:26,639 --> 00:14:32,880
program will allow for more grant
opportunities. This council uh recently

165
00:14:31,120 --> 00:14:36,800
revised some of the the grant
requirements and we have seen during our

166
00:14:34,720 --> 00:14:41,680
most recent grant cycle an increase in
the amount that was requested. It was

167
00:14:38,320 --> 00:14:46,560
factored into the 5-year forecast. Uh
but it is above the amount that the the

168
00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:49,279
fund collects in a single year. The
additional revenue for the Forever

169
00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:52,720
program will provide for more funding
for land purchases and land conservation

170
00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:58,000
management.
As you may recall, we've talked about

171
00:14:54,320 --> 00:15:02,800
how we set a tentative um reimbursement
resolution under the IRS. If this

172
00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:06,800
program experiences significant land
purchases, each one which would be

173
00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:12,320
approved by council subsequently, we may
need to even borrow money in this fund.

174
00:15:09,279 --> 00:15:16,800
So, without borrowing money, uh if you
set it at the maximum millage, it'll

175
00:15:14,399 --> 00:15:20,720
it'll abate the need for that borrowing
partially.

176
00:15:18,720 --> 00:15:26,240
Mosquito control is proposed at the
millage rate of uh last year of 0.1573

177
00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:30,079
mills. Mosquito control is an east side
district. It is not taxed across the

178
00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:33,199
county. It's the first one uh that we've
talked about that is not a countywide

179
00:15:31,680 --> 00:15:37,440
tax. You only pay this if you live on
the east side of the county, which is

180
00:15:35,360 --> 00:15:41,600
why that mill rate doesn't bring in uh
the same amount of money that it does in

181
00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:44,600
similar mill rates. It brings in
7,316,892

182
00:15:44,639 --> 00:15:51,079
at the roll back rate of 0.1525 mills.
It would bring in 7,93,617.

183
00:15:52,399 --> 00:15:56,839
The additional difference is $223,275

184
00:15:57,519 --> 00:16:05,680
and that and more are are needed to make
up for the increased budget in chemicals

185
00:16:03,759 --> 00:16:11,680
this year
for spraying. The mosquito control fund

186
00:16:08,480 --> 00:16:15,279
has been at roll back for uh three out
of the last seven years, including the

187
00:16:13,519 --> 00:16:19,759
current year. So, three out of the six
if you're not including what we're

188
00:16:16,639 --> 00:16:24,000
proposing today.
And the MSD or municipal service

189
00:16:21,519 --> 00:16:28,720
district is another fund that doesn't uh
tax the entire county. This only is

190
00:16:26,320 --> 00:16:33,839
levied in the unincorporated area of the
county. So, if you live in a city, you

191
00:16:30,800 --> 00:16:39,399
do not pay this tax. This is proposed at
1.6956 mills, which brings in 22,445,38.

192
00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:46,440
At the roll back rate of 1.6495 6495
mills. It would bring in $21,835,64.

193
00:16:46,720 --> 00:16:55,120
The additional difference of $610,244
is dedicated fully to funding the

194
00:16:53,279 --> 00:16:59,920
sheriff's budget request to satisfy
unincorporated area law enforcement

195
00:16:57,040 --> 00:17:02,880
needs. The sheriff does uh patrol for
the unincorporated area. Unlike the

196
00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:07,199
cities who have their own police
department, this the sheriff is the only

197
00:17:04,959 --> 00:17:10,160
responder in the unincorporated area.
And therefore, part of the cost of the

198
00:17:08,559 --> 00:17:14,319
sheriff's office is allocated to the
unincorporated area for that increased

199
00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:17,600
level of service. The budget request
from the sheriff this year that was

200
00:17:15,839 --> 00:17:22,319
allocated to the unincorporated area
increased by $2.8 million. So, the 610

201
00:17:20,959 --> 00:17:25,760
is just a portion of what's funding
that. The other portion of what's

202
00:17:23,679 --> 00:17:30,400
funding that is new construction values
as well as increases in utility tax

203
00:17:27,919 --> 00:17:35,520
collections.
The MSD millage rate history uh in the

204
00:17:33,120 --> 00:17:40,960
last seven years shown on the screen, it
has been at roll back three of those

205
00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:45,600
seven years. It has been left at a flat
rate since 2024.

206
00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:51,840
In 2024 was the year that we repealed
the communication services tax and this

207
00:17:47,600 --> 00:17:56,880
fund started to experience a uh deficit
and we are continuing deficit spending

208
00:17:54,400 --> 00:18:01,600
in this fund even in this recommended
budget. Uh, as I mentioned in the

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00:17:59,840 --> 00:18:07,520
five-year forecast for this fund, it
also has a sizable reserves.

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00:18:04,559 --> 00:18:10,400
So, to recommend an increased rate, it's
not something that we would even be

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discussing at this point due to the trim
process, but just for your clarity, uh,

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00:18:13,840 --> 00:18:20,799
it has reserves that it can operate on
for a little while longer before we will

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00:18:18,080 --> 00:18:24,320
have to address this fund. But cutting
it any further would just make the rate

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00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:27,679
that we're dealing digging into those
reserves to fund recurring expenses even

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00:18:26,160 --> 00:18:34,480
larger.
Silver Sands, Bthoon Beach, MSD. Uh,

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00:18:31,280 --> 00:18:39,919
this fund is 0.0099
mills and it is a very small taxing

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00:18:36,720 --> 00:18:43,760
district, so it collects $15,661.
The difference between this and roll

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00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:46,799
back is $158.
When we're looking at what this fund

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00:18:45,120 --> 00:18:51,200
pays for, it pays for utilities for a
lighting district. The utility costs

220
00:18:48,480 --> 00:18:54,480
have gone up. If we do not get a flat
mill rate in this fund and we go to roll

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00:18:52,720 --> 00:18:57,440
back and we have to continue paying
those electric bills, the funds will

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00:18:56,000 --> 00:19:00,640
have to come from the general fund and
all county taxpayers will have to pay

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00:18:59,039 --> 00:19:03,799
for street lighting for a tiny area of
the county

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00:19:04,480 --> 00:19:10,480
budget and taxes by taxing fund. I will
not read the numbers that are on this

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00:19:07,919 --> 00:19:13,919
screen. They were in the packet. Um you
can see the gross recommended gross

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00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:17,679
budget for each fund. The net budget
concept only works when you're talking

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00:19:15,840 --> 00:19:21,039
about the total budget because remember
how I said we netted interf fund

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00:19:19,120 --> 00:19:24,240
transfers but you can't do that when
you're presenting just a single fund. So

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00:19:22,720 --> 00:19:27,600
we present the gross budget and the
amount of advalorum revenue from each

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00:19:25,919 --> 00:19:32,160
fund.
Here you have a pie chart of our net

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00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:38,640
revenues and where they come from.
The $455,500,000

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00:19:35,360 --> 00:19:45,520
of property taxes represents 42%
of our net budget. Uh fund balance is

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00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:48,880
the next largest piece and that is 192
million and that represents the capital

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00:19:47,360 --> 00:19:53,520
projects that we're going to be funding
and the savings that we're using to fund

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00:19:50,799 --> 00:19:58,400
those one-time expenditures out of a
variety of funds, most notably impact

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00:19:56,000 --> 00:20:03,360
fee funds for roads. As far as the
single largest piece of that uh charges

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00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:06,559
for service, there are lots of different
charges for service. I have a breakout

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00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:10,880
on the side for some of the largest ones
which include EMS ambulance fees,

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00:20:08,320 --> 00:20:17,600
landfill, water, sewer contracts that
the sheriff's office has with city of

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00:20:13,280 --> 00:20:20,799
Deltona, Deerry, Pearson, and Oakill.
You also have things like the airport,

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00:20:19,120 --> 00:20:25,520
which is a self-sustaining fund, but it
still makes up part of our countywide

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00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:29,520
budget, and they operate purely on
charges for service.

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00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:34,799
And uh you got some other items there
too. Got intergovernmental revenues

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00:20:31,679 --> 00:20:38,799
listed there uh as well. I will note
that the net of that fund balance gets

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00:20:37,280 --> 00:20:44,080
you to really what our recurring
revenues are in this budget, which is

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00:20:40,320 --> 00:20:49,240
about $870 million. That's what we're we
project to collect during the next year.

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00:20:49,360 --> 00:20:57,600
Net expenditures uh by type, personnel,
operating capital are all similar equal

248
00:20:55,520 --> 00:21:02,480
installments. Uh the sheriff's office
transfer is shown separately here as a

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00:20:59,760 --> 00:21:06,880
percentage of our total budget uh as
well as the other uh constitutional

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00:21:04,559 --> 00:21:10,799
offices. I like this chart a little bit
better though by function. And it does

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00:21:08,559 --> 00:21:17,679
tell you the types of areas that are
funded. Uh public safety of the entire

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00:21:14,320 --> 00:21:24,880
county budget which a lot of which is uh
capital projects, those self-sustaining

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00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:31,039
enterprises like the landfill and the
ocean center and water sewer. Those are

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00:21:28,480 --> 00:21:36,080
all in the gross budget number. And you
may remember hearing much higher numbers

255
00:21:33,120 --> 00:21:39,520
for public safety like 60%. That's when
you're talking about taxing funds. When

256
00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:45,039
you're talking about the entire budget,
it's 35%. Public works makes up the next

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00:21:42,480 --> 00:21:49,520
largest chunk at 27.9%.
And I won't read any further from there.

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00:21:47,600 --> 00:21:53,520
At this point, I'll pause for public
participation. But first, if you have

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00:21:51,679 --> 00:21:57,600
any questions from me or we can do that
after public participation, up to you

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00:21:55,520 --> 00:22:01,360
guys.
>> Any questions before public

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00:21:59,200 --> 00:22:07,600
participation?
Okay, let's uh Thank you, Ryan. Let's

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00:22:04,880 --> 00:22:10,799
start with uh like we have six people
who want to speak. When I call your

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00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:14,080
name, if you would just come to the
microphone, make sure that there's a

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00:22:12,480 --> 00:22:18,640
microphone
in front of your mouth so that everybody

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00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:23,600
here can can hear you. And people
online. Yes, there is a button on the

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00:22:21,360 --> 00:22:29,760
left side of the podium.
Have it uh go up and down if you need to

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00:22:26,400 --> 00:22:38,480
do that. You have three minutes to uh
speak on budget issues. Um the uh and

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00:22:36,159 --> 00:22:44,080
also you you don't have to give your
full address for safety purposes. Um but

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00:22:42,480 --> 00:22:48,880
if you would tell us what part of the
county you're from, then your

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00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:56,600
representative up here knows uh knows
who you are and where you're from. Uh

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00:22:51,440 --> 00:22:56,600
first up today is Russ Molton.

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00:22:59,760 --> 00:23:06,159
» Thank you, Chairman Brower, members of
the council. really appreciate your

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00:23:03,039 --> 00:23:10,159
time. Hey, I'm here to talk about
quality of life that our county manager

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00:23:08,240 --> 00:23:14,559
mentioned. You know, we're in a bubble
here, right? We're focused on county

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00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:19,280
employees and county departments.
>> Microphones.

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00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:23,200
» Yeah. Thank you. But there's a whole
group of folks outside here that

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00:23:20,799 --> 00:23:28,720
couldn't be here today. The taxpayer,
the working people of this county. I

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00:23:26,159 --> 00:23:35,039
urge you to go to roll back.
Prices are up. Gas is up. Rents are up.

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00:23:32,240 --> 00:23:38,960
Insurance rates are up. Where are
taxpayers, particularly working folks

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00:23:36,799 --> 00:23:43,600
who don't have a homestead exemption,
where's their protection? We got to be

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00:23:41,520 --> 00:23:49,120
thinking about them.
Roll back is misunderstood. It doesn't

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00:23:46,320 --> 00:23:54,000
mean a cut in budget from last year. It
actually means a slight increase

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00:23:51,679 --> 00:23:58,320
because of the natural economic growth
that you get. But let's talk about roll

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00:23:56,559 --> 00:24:03,840
back a little bit because our sheriff
Chitwood made a claim last night on

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00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:08,559
social media that chairman Brower simply
because he's pushing roll back or folks

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00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:14,720
like me pushing roll back that we want
to defund the police.

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00:24:12,159 --> 00:24:21,200
You zero it out. That's what defund
means. Well, let's take a look at the

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00:24:17,120 --> 00:24:26,799
sheriff's budget. In 2024 was $133
million.

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00:24:22,799 --> 00:24:31,600
It jumped over 150 million in one year.
In one year

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00:24:29,360 --> 00:24:36,640
with a 22% increase in the law
enforcement fund with a massive tax hike

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00:24:33,919 --> 00:24:42,960
that you all voted for and we're still
paying for

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00:24:38,559 --> 00:24:48,880
this year. It's 163 something million.
And at roll back it goes to over $168

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00:24:46,960 --> 00:24:53,279
million.
Now, I'm not a PhD in math, but I can

294
00:24:51,840 --> 00:24:57,520
tell you that's about five and a half
million dollars more than last year for

295
00:24:54,960 --> 00:25:00,720
the sheriff's department.
So, I'm concerned that we're

296
00:24:58,720 --> 00:25:05,760
misrepresenting what roll back is. But
I'm more concerned about the sheriff's

297
00:25:02,880 --> 00:25:10,400
department and Sheriff Chitwood pushing
what is obviously not true. Sheriff, you

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00:25:08,400 --> 00:25:15,039
know it's a lie
and you're hurting the integrity

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00:25:13,200 --> 00:25:20,799
and the credibility of your department
when you do it. Our deputies have to go

300
00:25:18,159 --> 00:25:26,640
out in harm's way.
They need to have the credibility

301
00:25:23,679 --> 00:25:30,320
and their boss doesn't have credibility
right now.

302
00:25:28,559 --> 00:25:36,799
So, Sheriff, I urge you to restore the
integrity of your department and speak

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00:25:32,400 --> 00:25:40,120
the truth about your budget. Thank you,
John Nicholson.

304
00:25:48,720 --> 00:25:56,880
John Don, the town of Beachside.
I hate to disagree with the gentleman

305
00:25:52,799 --> 00:26:02,880
before me, but um for the last 40 years,
I've talked against roll back. Roll back

306
00:26:00,400 --> 00:26:08,000
really doesn't cover the increase that
we go through, especially lately. All

307
00:26:05,600 --> 00:26:13,039
right. No one likes to pay additional
taxes,

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00:26:09,840 --> 00:26:17,520
but you pay for what you want.
And we want salary increases for our

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00:26:15,919 --> 00:26:21,600
employees.
We want

310
00:26:19,360 --> 00:26:28,320
uh vests for our police officers. We
want uh all kinds of things. And all of

311
00:26:25,200 --> 00:26:33,039
those things come with a cost.
You can't pay for increased insurance,

312
00:26:30,640 --> 00:26:38,240
which you must have.
You can't pay for salaries increases

313
00:26:35,360 --> 00:26:42,559
without additional money. We've been
lucky for the last 10 years that we've

314
00:26:40,960 --> 00:26:46,480
been going through a building boom.
We've had money left and right that we

315
00:26:45,039 --> 00:26:52,720
don't know what to do with and we've
been spending like a madman,

316
00:26:50,159 --> 00:26:58,720
but we've been building as well because
all those additional people

317
00:26:55,440 --> 00:27:03,279
require additional services.
And so we're lucky we have a gentleman

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00:27:01,360 --> 00:27:08,720
that is quite good with numbers and I
don't question a single thing he says

319
00:27:06,080 --> 00:27:15,200
because they're always accurate.
And what he's telling me

320
00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:22,159
is this is the best he can do and if we
want a solid year next year we can't go

321
00:27:19,760 --> 00:27:27,600
to a roll back because you saw the roll
back how much it's going to cost and I

322
00:27:25,279 --> 00:27:34,080
think one of them was uh we need 2.8 8
million and we're going to make 400,000.

323
00:27:30,880 --> 00:27:38,640
It doesn't hit what we need. So, I'm
asking you to look at it carefully. I

324
00:27:36,559 --> 00:27:43,360
know it's politically correct to go to
roll back, but I've said this for years,

325
00:27:41,440 --> 00:27:51,440
but Asher went to roll back for seven
years and when he left, we had a 27%

326
00:27:47,440 --> 00:27:56,080
increase in uh taxes. So, we really
cannot do roll back forever. Thank you

327
00:27:53,760 --> 00:27:58,559
very much,
Miller.

328
00:28:03,600 --> 00:28:09,120
Thank you, Nancy Miller. Um, Daytona
Beach Shores and Matt is my

329
00:28:07,520 --> 00:28:13,679
representative. So, I want to talk a
little bit today about public safety. It

330
00:28:11,440 --> 00:28:19,440
really is the foundation of a high
quality of life. It extends far beyond

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00:28:16,799 --> 00:28:23,520
the simple absence of crime. It's a
sense of well-being, confidence, and

332
00:28:21,679 --> 00:28:27,120
feeling safe. I want to give you a
little example of what I'm talking

333
00:28:25,039 --> 00:28:31,679
about. So during Hurricane Ian and
Nicole, we had our new public safety

334
00:28:30,000 --> 00:28:38,080
director, even though he had been with
us for several years. He was on the job

335
00:28:34,720 --> 00:28:42,399
two days when Ian and Nicole hit. I
cannot thank Sheriff Jitwood enough for

336
00:28:40,399 --> 00:28:48,799
reaching out to our public safety
director and saying, "What do you need?"

337
00:28:45,200 --> 00:28:55,760
Within hours hours, the sheriff sent
over over a hundred officers, deputies

338
00:28:52,640 --> 00:29:00,720
to Daytona Beach Shores. These brave men
and women went into our hund I'm sorry,

339
00:28:59,120 --> 00:29:06,399
27
condos, high-rise buildings that were

340
00:29:02,880 --> 00:29:11,279
deemed unsafe. Did not hesitate at all.
Backed up our officers when they helped

341
00:29:08,960 --> 00:29:16,080
with the evacuation that we needed to do
in those buildings. They helped getting

342
00:29:13,600 --> 00:29:21,279
the residents belongings out. They
helped them get to their cars into safer

343
00:29:18,480 --> 00:29:26,559
areas. They carried them along the way
if they had to. Above that, they stayed

344
00:29:24,159 --> 00:29:31,039
with our officers and our command center
for several days to make sure that we

345
00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:35,760
were safe. And many of you know the
extreme devastation that we had in

346
00:29:32,960 --> 00:29:41,679
Daytona Beach Shores. They also did
double duty by also going down to Wilbur

347
00:29:38,640 --> 00:29:46,399
by the Sea. And nobody will forget those
pictures of those houses literally

348
00:29:43,840 --> 00:29:52,080
falling into the ocean with all of their
appliances and their belongings on the

349
00:29:48,720 --> 00:29:56,480
ocean uh floor. So while they were doing
that, they were still doing their duty

350
00:29:54,320 --> 00:30:00,399
in other parts of the country, uh,
county. So I just want to tell you how

351
00:29:58,159 --> 00:30:04,640
much I appreciate those brave men and
women. They do this on a daily basis.

352
00:30:03,120 --> 00:30:09,679
They never know when there's going to be
an active shooter, a violent domestic

353
00:30:07,279 --> 00:30:14,240
dispute, a traffic stop, or criminal
activity. It's Port Orange the best

354
00:30:12,320 --> 00:30:18,399
example of that. You never know what
you're going to get. So I want to thank

355
00:30:16,240 --> 00:30:24,640
the sheriff. I want to know that he has
my support and I'm asking you to please

356
00:30:20,640 --> 00:30:30,520
accept his proposed budget. Thank you.
>> Thank you for your comments. Uh Sheriff

357
00:30:26,720 --> 00:30:30,520
Michael J. Chitwood.

358
00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:38,559
» Thank you, Jeff. I want to call you with
your

359
00:30:36,880 --> 00:30:41,279
» point order. Point order.
>> Um chair,

360
00:30:39,360 --> 00:30:44,480
» what is your point? the fact that uh
Sheriff Chitwood is a constitutional

361
00:30:43,039 --> 00:30:48,480
officer here in Valition County. We've
extended the privilege of not having the

362
00:30:46,240 --> 00:30:52,240
clock on. We do it for others. I I'd ask
if we give him the same latitude. I'll

363
00:30:51,120 --> 00:30:55,919
make that motion.
>> I'll second that.

364
00:30:53,679 --> 00:30:57,760
» Okay. All in favor?
>> I.

365
00:30:56,480 --> 00:31:00,720
» Any opposed?
>> All right,

366
00:30:59,279 --> 00:31:04,720
Jeff. I'm just going to call it what it
is. You're here to defund us is what

367
00:31:02,720 --> 00:31:10,960
you're trying to do. Okay. I got my tax
bill here. $42.65 65 is what my taxes

368
00:31:09,120 --> 00:31:17,600
went up for this year according to the
trim notice. That's $358

369
00:31:14,000 --> 00:31:21,919
a month for Lucia County administration.
They deserve kudos for what they do. And

370
00:31:19,360 --> 00:31:28,480
and you folks as well, 37th, this is
according to Tax Watch. 37th per capita

371
00:31:25,039 --> 00:31:33,919
in property tax out of 67 counties. 53rd
per capita in total revenue. 50th per

372
00:31:31,279 --> 00:31:38,240
capita in total county expenditures.
Well, I think these folks have done an

373
00:31:36,000 --> 00:31:41,919
amazing job. And when I first took over,
we had 90 vacancies, Jeff. 90. You

374
00:31:40,640 --> 00:31:44,480
didn't allow your kids to come to work
for me because you didn't like the

375
00:31:42,960 --> 00:31:47,760
salaries. Remember that? That
conversation? I'm sure you don't. No,

376
00:31:46,240 --> 00:31:52,159
» but it occurred. My training staff
remembers that very well. That's what it

377
00:31:50,080 --> 00:31:56,159
is. This is what this is all about.
Deputy River is here, shot three times.

378
00:31:54,240 --> 00:32:01,200
Did you ever reach out to his family?
No. Deputy Thomas shot in the face. Did

379
00:31:58,640 --> 00:32:06,399
you ever reach out to his family? No.
But what did you support for sheriff? a

380
00:32:03,039 --> 00:32:12,720
convicted felon convicted of attacking a
Orman Beach police officer with a metal

381
00:32:08,159 --> 00:32:17,440
pipe. Multiple arrests, okay? Multiple
bankruptcies. And you supported him to

382
00:32:15,120 --> 00:32:21,760
lead these brave men and women of this
county. That's pro law enforcement. But

383
00:32:20,240 --> 00:32:25,360
I want you to look at these faces right
here. I want you to look at these young

384
00:32:23,440 --> 00:32:29,519
folks that have come to work for us.
They're new. I hired them without asking

385
00:32:27,679 --> 00:32:33,279
for another penny. I did it within my
budget. Everything the county has come

386
00:32:31,200 --> 00:32:36,799
to me to ask to work on, we have worked
on with them to figure out a way to keep

387
00:32:35,279 --> 00:32:40,399
this county safe and keep us
competitive. Quarter payraises you were

388
00:32:39,039 --> 00:32:44,080
offering, I had people running out the
door to go to Bies to go to work. So, I

389
00:32:42,799 --> 00:32:48,720
would like you to look at them as you
move forward with your defending the

390
00:32:46,240 --> 00:32:52,960
funding project and tell them all go
back to where you came from. They all

391
00:32:50,640 --> 00:32:59,039
came here under the Dantis bill to work
in our county to move into our county to

392
00:32:56,320 --> 00:33:02,480
educate their children in our county.
That's what they're here for. And they

393
00:33:01,200 --> 00:33:04,960
think they can get the support from the
county chairman when something goes

394
00:33:03,679 --> 00:33:09,360
wrong. They're out protecting the people
who voted for you. So, you think maybe

395
00:33:07,600 --> 00:33:12,320
you would look at that and say, "Hey, we
understand what we're doing here. We

396
00:33:11,039 --> 00:33:15,440
understand what we're doing. We put one
hell of a product out there on the

397
00:33:13,679 --> 00:33:18,960
street and we'd appreciate a little bit
of support from the county chair." And

398
00:33:16,960 --> 00:33:22,240
it would be unfair to end on a bad note.
I'm going to hearken back to when I had

399
00:33:20,480 --> 00:33:26,799
90 vacancies. I'm going to hearken back
to when our dispatchers were bailing out

400
00:33:24,480 --> 00:33:31,279
for to go to work at BIES. A lot of you
on this dis got together with the county

401
00:33:28,799 --> 00:33:35,600
administration and you able enabled us
to slowly move forward to get to where

402
00:33:34,000 --> 00:33:39,440
we are now. We're competitive in the
market. We have people looking at us

403
00:33:37,120 --> 00:33:42,880
because you're competitive and Russ for
a smart man. You should be able to

404
00:33:40,799 --> 00:33:47,519
figure out what happened in 2024. We
took over the beach. Guess you missed

405
00:33:45,519 --> 00:33:50,720
that in your little presentation. So I
appreciate you listening to my anger. Uh

406
00:33:49,519 --> 00:33:53,760
but I'm just telling you, you're a
defender and you've been a defender

407
00:33:52,240 --> 00:33:57,760
since I've known you. That's why I've
never supported you because you've never

408
00:33:55,760 --> 00:34:01,039
stood behind us. You You do it because
you have to do it politically, but now

409
00:33:59,440 --> 00:34:04,080
that you're a lame duck, this is what
the true colors are. So, take a look at

410
00:34:02,720 --> 00:34:07,200
these guys when you vote tonight and
these ladies and think think of that

411
00:34:05,679 --> 00:34:10,480
what their future looks like. They
wanted to come here because of what we

412
00:34:09,040 --> 00:34:14,000
have, everything that we have.
Schooling, housing, everything that

413
00:34:12,320 --> 00:34:22,040
makes Felicia County special. That's why
these folks are here. Thank you.

414
00:34:18,079 --> 00:34:22,040
Thank you for your comments.

415
00:34:23,273 --> 00:34:28,359
» [applause]
>> Eric Eaggan.

416
00:34:30,240 --> 00:34:36,720
All right, Mr. Chair, honorable council
members, my name is Eric Egan, Dand

417
00:34:34,480 --> 00:34:42,079
Florida, assistant chief of the Valuchia
Sheriff's Office. I've served this

418
00:34:38,560 --> 00:34:47,440
community and public safety since 1985.
Starting as a fire cadet and later a

419
00:34:44,079 --> 00:34:51,599
firefighter EMT for more than 37 years
as a deputy sheriff with the sheriff's

420
00:34:49,200 --> 00:34:56,720
office. I've witnessed firsthand how
critical stable and responsible funding

421
00:34:54,240 --> 00:35:01,920
is to public safety. Tonight, I need to
speak earnestly about the harmful impact

422
00:34:59,200 --> 00:35:05,680
the proposed roll back tax rate will
have on the sheriff's office and

423
00:35:03,760 --> 00:35:09,920
ultimately on the safety of our
residents. Blue County is currently

424
00:35:08,320 --> 00:35:14,960
experiencing one of the lowest crime
rates we've ever seen. Our solvability

425
00:35:12,480 --> 00:35:20,320
rate is exceptional. Our deputies and
detectives consistently identify and

426
00:35:17,599 --> 00:35:26,000
apprehend suspects. Recover stolen funds
and fraud cases, reduce overdoses,

427
00:35:23,359 --> 00:35:31,599
prosecute overdose deaths.
We've made major strides in reducing

428
00:35:28,000 --> 00:35:35,599
traffic crashes. This outcome is not an
accident.

429
00:35:33,520 --> 00:35:40,160
This is they're the direct result of
sustained investment in our employees,

430
00:35:38,000 --> 00:35:45,040
their training, equipment, and modern
technology. A roll back would jeopardize

431
00:35:42,880 --> 00:35:49,599
all of that. It would reduce our ability
to leverage the technology that helps us

432
00:35:47,200 --> 00:35:54,079
do more with less. Technology that
allows deputies to respond faster,

433
00:35:52,160 --> 00:35:59,200
investigate smarter, and keep our
community safer without needing to grow

434
00:35:56,560 --> 00:36:04,160
the workforce at the same pace as our
population. It would also significantly

435
00:36:01,920 --> 00:36:08,800
impact our training academy which has
become a state-of-the-art highly

436
00:36:05,839 --> 00:36:13,680
respected institution recognized across
the state of Florida and the nation. In

437
00:36:11,760 --> 00:36:18,880
fact, the training academy is host to
the FBI National Academy leadership

438
00:36:16,320 --> 00:36:23,280
certification program and the Florida
State University certified public

439
00:36:20,960 --> 00:36:27,839
manager program, highlighting the
outstanding work being done by the

440
00:36:25,599 --> 00:36:32,640
sheriff's office. Cutting funding will
force us to scale back the very training

441
00:36:30,400 --> 00:36:36,560
that keeps our deputies prepared,
professional, and ready to respond to

442
00:36:34,640 --> 00:36:41,599
any threat.
Once training quality declines,

443
00:36:38,640 --> 00:36:45,920
rebuilding it takes years. Most
importantly, this roll back threatens

444
00:36:43,680 --> 00:36:49,920
the sense of security that every family,
including mine,

445
00:36:47,920 --> 00:36:53,599
feels living in Valuchia County. Today,
most criminals avoid the county because

446
00:36:52,000 --> 00:37:00,000
they know that they will be caught and
held accountable. That reputation keeps

447
00:36:56,560 --> 00:37:04,720
crime low and once lost, it will be very
difficult to regain. Council members,

448
00:37:02,240 --> 00:37:09,200
I'm asking you not to defund public
safety. Our community does not deserve

449
00:37:07,040 --> 00:37:12,960
backsliding.
We have worked too hard and our

450
00:37:10,960 --> 00:37:17,440
residents rely on the strong, effective
law enforcement presence that your

451
00:37:15,520 --> 00:37:21,760
funding supports. Maintaining our
current level of service is essential to

452
00:37:19,359 --> 00:37:26,160
keeping Blue County safe. Thank you for
your time and your continued support of

453
00:37:24,160 --> 00:37:33,225
the men and women who protect this
county every day. Thank you

454
00:37:30,960 --> 00:37:38,680
for your comment
[applause]

455
00:37:35,200 --> 00:37:38,680
Robert Manai.

456
00:37:40,960 --> 00:37:48,560
Yes. Hello. Well, I'm I'm Robert Mooney
in the land and I own two properties in

457
00:37:46,480 --> 00:37:52,800
a trucking business and I am a Valuchia
County taxpayer and my experience with

458
00:37:51,200 --> 00:37:58,160
quite uh with Chitwood is quite
different than what what was described

459
00:37:55,200 --> 00:38:03,119
here previously. Um I'm here to oppose
Chitwood and his bully tactics against

460
00:38:01,200 --> 00:38:08,160
the county chairman and the public as
he's demonstrated that made for TV

461
00:38:05,040 --> 00:38:14,079
sheriff and his theatrics and bullying
from the Holy Bible. Ephesians 6:12, for

462
00:38:11,280 --> 00:38:17,520
we wrestle not against flesh and blood,
but against principalities, against

463
00:38:15,839 --> 00:38:22,320
powers, against the rulers of the
darkness of this world, against

464
00:38:19,359 --> 00:38:26,640
spiritual wickedness in high places. I
am currently a proay litigant in federal

465
00:38:24,240 --> 00:38:31,920
court, Mooney versus Chitwood, and an
Amazon published book author, Trinity,

466
00:38:29,119 --> 00:38:36,560
all things, which presents my nearly two
decade struggle against complete

467
00:38:34,000 --> 00:38:41,760
systemic failure. What I know to be
truth and what was done to me and others

468
00:38:39,119 --> 00:38:47,359
is completely unacceptable and there
will be accountability. The truth cannot

469
00:38:44,640 --> 00:38:52,880
be defeated. Valuchia County does not
belong to Sheriff Chitwood. It belongs

470
00:38:49,520 --> 00:39:00,040
to God. I will expose and defeat this
overwhelming evil for the glory of God.

471
00:38:56,079 --> 00:39:00,040
You can't defeat me, Satan.

472
00:39:01,440 --> 00:39:04,760
Cat pant.

473
00:39:15,200 --> 00:39:20,160
Good evening, council. As a retired law
enforcement officer of the city of

474
00:39:18,320 --> 00:39:22,880
Daytona Beach, I find it especially
concerning when there are discussions

475
00:39:21,440 --> 00:39:26,320
about reducing funding for law
enforcement. I understand that this

476
00:39:24,720 --> 00:39:29,920
council has a difficult responsibility
of balancing a budget. However, I would

477
00:39:28,640 --> 00:39:33,839
ask that you remember that law
enforcement officers make decisions in

478
00:39:31,839 --> 00:39:38,560
seconds that can affect whether someone
lives or dies. They don't get hours or

479
00:39:36,240 --> 00:39:43,040
days to analyze every possible outcome.
They have seconds. Corporate executives

480
00:39:41,040 --> 00:39:46,800
earn six figures making decisions after
having time to consider consequences.

481
00:39:45,200 --> 00:39:51,520
Our deputies and dispatchers make
potentially life-changing decisions in

482
00:39:48,640 --> 00:39:54,800
real time for far less compensation. And
if they make the wrong decision in those

483
00:39:53,280 --> 00:39:59,119
few seconds, they can lose their
careers, their livelihoods, and much

484
00:39:56,720 --> 00:40:03,839
more, including their life. When Sheriff
Chitwood took office in 2017, Valuchia

485
00:40:01,839 --> 00:40:07,920
County had more than 90 vacancies among
deputies and dispatchers. At that time,

486
00:40:05,839 --> 00:40:11,839
Valuchia County ranked 46th in the state
for law enforcement pay. It has taken

487
00:40:10,000 --> 00:40:16,320
years to improve compensation, recruit
qualified personnel, and retain deputies

488
00:40:13,920 --> 00:40:20,640
and dispatchers we have today. We cannot
afford to go backward. Our public safety

489
00:40:18,720 --> 00:40:24,560
budget also supports critical resources
such as an air ambulance services. Those

490
00:40:22,800 --> 00:40:28,000
aircraft provide life-saving medical
transportation for vehicle crashes and

491
00:40:26,320 --> 00:40:31,200
other emergencies throughout Valuchia
County. They also support law

492
00:40:29,599 --> 00:40:34,800
enforcement by helping locate missing
children and vulnerable elderly adults

493
00:40:33,280 --> 00:40:38,560
and assisting with violent criminal
apprehensions and supporting fire

494
00:40:36,400 --> 00:40:42,240
suppression efforts. Law enforcement
must also adapt to emerging crime

495
00:40:40,240 --> 00:40:45,920
trends. For example, exploitation of
elderly residents through fraud has

496
00:40:43,920 --> 00:40:49,280
become a serious problem, which is why
specialized resources have been

497
00:40:47,359 --> 00:40:53,359
dedicated to addressing these crimes.
When vacancies are left unfilled because

498
00:40:51,200 --> 00:40:56,880
of budget reductions, the consequences
are predictable. Response times

499
00:40:55,280 --> 00:41:00,960
increase, deputies have to operate
without adequate backup, days off or

500
00:40:59,119 --> 00:41:05,119
canceled, overtime becomes mandatory,
and our first responders has less time

501
00:41:03,040 --> 00:41:09,839
to decompress and spend time with their
families. Ultimately, these cuts can

502
00:41:07,680 --> 00:41:13,359
cost taxpayers more. The overtime
required to compensate for staffing

503
00:41:11,440 --> 00:41:16,800
shortages can quickly offset the savings
from reducing the budget while

504
00:41:14,880 --> 00:41:20,400
simultaneously compromising officer
safety and public safety. Public safety

505
00:41:19,359 --> 00:41:24,160
is one of the fundamental
responsibilities of government. Law

506
00:41:22,240 --> 00:41:28,160
enforcement, fire rescue, lifeguards,
and emergency medical services should

507
00:41:25,920 --> 00:41:32,240
never be compromised. These are not
simply budget line items. These are the

508
00:41:30,480 --> 00:41:36,079
men and women who respond when someone
is having the worst day of their life. I

509
00:41:34,400 --> 00:41:39,359
respectfully ask this council to fully
fund the public safety professionals who

510
00:41:37,680 --> 00:41:43,359
protect the residents of Lucia County
and the visitors who come here each

511
00:41:41,119 --> 00:41:46,839
year. Thank you,
>> Kyle Tottton.

512
00:41:56,720 --> 00:42:03,839
Council, my name is Kyle Totten. I am a
IUPA business agent. I represent the

513
00:42:02,319 --> 00:42:07,440
officers, sergeants, and lieutenants of
the V Felucia County Division of

514
00:42:05,760 --> 00:42:12,000
Corrections.
We are here to speak and support on

515
00:42:09,839 --> 00:42:16,240
behalf of Chief uh Sheriff Chitwood and
his budget. We fully support fully

516
00:42:14,160 --> 00:42:20,960
funded budget. A matter of fact, we
support Sheriff Chitwood so much, we're

517
00:42:18,640 --> 00:42:26,319
asking you to consider transferring the
division of of corrections under the

518
00:42:23,839 --> 00:42:31,520
sheriff's office with all their budget.
That's how much we support him.

519
00:42:29,040 --> 00:42:35,599
um you guys start rolling, you know,
cutting budgets, you start to have

520
00:42:33,839 --> 00:42:39,520
problems and you can look over to the
Division of Corrections or you can go

521
00:42:37,599 --> 00:42:44,560
back 20 years in any part of the county
and look. I was in law enforcement in

522
00:42:41,839 --> 00:42:48,319
this area for about 30 years constantly.
Every time you have a budget cut, you

523
00:42:46,000 --> 00:42:53,040
reduce pensions, reduce medical
insurance, you have a flock of people

524
00:42:50,319 --> 00:42:58,079
leaving and they go wherever the money's
better because they have life, they have

525
00:42:54,960 --> 00:43:02,720
families, and they have things that they
want to do with themselves. So, please

526
00:43:00,480 --> 00:43:07,920
fully fund it and consider transferring
the Division of Corrections under the

527
00:43:04,560 --> 00:43:12,200
sheriff's office. Thank you.
>> Thank you. Uh Dana Mcool.

528
00:43:19,200 --> 00:43:26,079
» Good evening, Mr. Chair and council. Um
I wanted to talk about roll back for

529
00:43:23,839 --> 00:43:31,440
just a second because it's a segue into
what I'm really here to talk about and

530
00:43:28,560 --> 00:43:35,359
really I've been an elected official. I
understand the man in the arena concept

531
00:43:33,359 --> 00:43:39,359
and it's you're making hard decisions
countywide and I understand that you

532
00:43:37,440 --> 00:43:44,079
take a lot of direction from the state.
I understand that also. But roll back is

533
00:43:42,160 --> 00:43:49,839
kind of like the equivalent of political
glitter. It looks sexy. It sounds sexy.

534
00:43:47,040 --> 00:43:54,160
It becomes the invogue thing of the day
when we start around the cycle, right?

535
00:43:52,079 --> 00:43:59,119
Election cycle. And I understand the
practicality of what we're trying to do,

536
00:43:56,160 --> 00:44:02,160
but there are areas that we simply can't
touch.

537
00:44:00,800 --> 00:44:06,160
You're talking about our sheriff's
department who takes care of a good

538
00:44:03,599 --> 00:44:10,160
portion of community services that
aren't currently being covered. These

539
00:44:08,319 --> 00:44:15,200
are the gatekeepers right here for our
homeless epidemic. These are the

540
00:44:12,880 --> 00:44:19,359
gatekeepers here for our drug and
alcohol issues that we have. These are

541
00:44:17,599 --> 00:44:26,560
the people here that are seeing mental
health crises every day. And so we're

542
00:44:23,440 --> 00:44:31,839
trying to take money from this. If you
want to really cut back on the sheriff's

543
00:44:29,520 --> 00:44:35,440
budget, then let's start talking about
what we do to solve the root cause.

544
00:44:33,839 --> 00:44:40,720
You're corporate people here. Most of
you are. And if we keep putting money in

545
00:44:38,960 --> 00:44:43,920
places where it's not serving, we're
going to keep having these issues and

546
00:44:42,160 --> 00:44:49,440
we're going to keep having an escalation
in public safety funding. Right? Roll

547
00:44:47,520 --> 00:44:54,560
back is not the thing because we've not
succinctly talked about what's coming

548
00:44:51,520 --> 00:45:00,079
down the pipe with amendment three. it.
Everyone is terrified. There are now 13

549
00:44:57,040 --> 00:45:03,359
organizations terrified about this what
we are trying to do. And you know, it's

550
00:45:01,599 --> 00:45:06,960
going to get worse. The economic
climate, we're not going to have less

551
00:45:04,880 --> 00:45:10,160
crime. We're going to have more crime.
We're not going to have less addiction

552
00:45:08,640 --> 00:45:12,880
or substance abuse. We're going to have
more because people aren't going to be

553
00:45:11,359 --> 00:45:16,960
able to handle the realities of their
lives. And these are the people here

554
00:45:14,800 --> 00:45:21,680
that monitor the horror stories every
day.

555
00:45:18,720 --> 00:45:27,920
and you want to take money out of these
guys pockets, they sacrifice mental

556
00:45:24,640 --> 00:45:32,400
health, time with family, these are not
measurable. These are not measurable. I

557
00:45:30,560 --> 00:45:36,640
think it's negligible for what we're
really trying to do here. I don't think

558
00:45:34,640 --> 00:45:40,880
that this is the area that we need to be
pulling money from. I work on the front

559
00:45:38,880 --> 00:45:45,440
front lines every day with these issues
that I just told you about and we're

560
00:45:43,359 --> 00:45:51,040
working really really hard in a fiscal
responsible way to try to come up with

561
00:45:47,359 --> 00:45:55,280
ways where we can go back to a millage
rate that's acceptable so we can go back

562
00:45:53,440 --> 00:46:00,079
but we can't do that until we fix the
root cause. So please let's think about

563
00:45:57,760 --> 00:46:04,720
that as we move forward with any funding
choices along with amendment three. We

564
00:46:02,400 --> 00:46:11,560
have some really hard decisions to make
but this isn't it right here. Thank you.

565
00:46:08,240 --> 00:46:11,560
Bob Vogle.

566
00:46:15,119 --> 00:46:20,880
Sheriff Bob.
>> Sir, good evening members of the county

567
00:46:19,359 --> 00:46:25,200
council.
It's uh my pleasure to be here this

568
00:46:22,560 --> 00:46:30,880
evening in support of um our sheriff
Mike Jitwood.

569
00:46:26,960 --> 00:46:34,880
The uh I heard that uh there there's an
attempt to take $4 million out of his

570
00:46:32,800 --> 00:46:40,319
budget.
I think most of you, if not all of you,

571
00:46:37,599 --> 00:46:45,040
support Sheriff Chipwood. And I know you
have the uh big picture law uh the

572
00:46:43,359 --> 00:46:50,000
responsibility,
but in 1996, I stood here. That's 30

573
00:46:48,160 --> 00:46:54,560
years ago
and it was my third

574
00:46:52,560 --> 00:47:00,319
um election
and I had to face the county council

575
00:46:57,040 --> 00:47:06,240
just like Sheriff Chipwood had has to do
in an effort to uh get my budget

576
00:47:03,119 --> 00:47:12,640
approved. All the 12 years that I spent
as sheriff of Lucia County, I never had

577
00:47:09,200 --> 00:47:18,000
an had uh the county council disapprove
my budget or tried to cut my budget.

578
00:47:15,040 --> 00:47:24,400
They approved my budget. It was took the
first term to understand what the new

579
00:47:21,520 --> 00:47:30,400
sheriff requires because I would my
predecessor

580
00:47:26,000 --> 00:47:36,079
uh didn't uh oppose the county. Anything
that the county wanted to do, he agreed

581
00:47:32,560 --> 00:47:40,960
with it. The uh sheriff's budget, as
most of you may or may not know, there's

582
00:47:38,880 --> 00:47:45,440
two major areas in the sheriff's budget
he has little control over, and that's

583
00:47:43,280 --> 00:47:52,240
the personnel matters. you have to buy
equipment for them, the the deputies,

584
00:47:48,000 --> 00:47:55,520
the uh uh the cars, the guns, the all
the equipment they need. Then there's

585
00:47:53,680 --> 00:47:59,760
other issues too with the public
demands. The public demands these body

586
00:47:58,079 --> 00:48:05,760
cameras and things that are out of his
control. So there's very little control

587
00:48:02,079 --> 00:48:10,960
that uh he can impose uh and take away
from his budget. He understands that uh

588
00:48:08,640 --> 00:48:16,960
during an election year the county
council wants to the budget to be flat.

589
00:48:14,640 --> 00:48:22,319
They want to even go talking about going
to roll back. He knows that he cut his

590
00:48:19,280 --> 00:48:27,280
budget as as short short and as sweet as
he possibly can. I encourage each and

591
00:48:24,880 --> 00:48:34,319
every one of you to approve his budget
as it's submitted. Now, we know that the

592
00:48:30,880 --> 00:48:39,359
state requires
certain things from uh the sheriff's in

593
00:48:36,960 --> 00:48:44,559
Florida. These are mandates just like
you have mandates as a county council

594
00:48:41,680 --> 00:48:50,800
that ought that are out of his control.
The uh the state estimates that we that

595
00:48:48,079 --> 00:48:56,240
we are receiving what 1,000 new
residents in our state each day.

596
00:48:54,480 --> 00:49:03,200
Valuchia County estimates that we
receive a thou 1,000

597
00:49:00,400 --> 00:49:08,480
uh person new residents in Valuchia
County. These are out of your control

598
00:49:05,920 --> 00:49:13,920
and out of his control. Now, the
dynamics of this is that every time you

599
00:49:11,119 --> 00:49:18,669
have an increase in population, rising
in crime occurs. It's out of his

600
00:49:16,480 --> 00:49:21,200
control, out of your control.
>> [bell]

601
00:49:18,800 --> 00:49:27,440
» But I encourage you to vote in support
of his budget and uh the increase

602
00:49:25,520 --> 00:49:31,839
with that amendment number three. Who
knows which way that's going to go.

603
00:49:29,040 --> 00:49:38,240
Thank you all. Thank you, Sheriff.
Okay, that uh is the end of the uh

604
00:49:35,200 --> 00:49:45,119
public comments for this meeting. So,
we'll go into uh council discussion. And

605
00:49:42,720 --> 00:49:48,119
first up from early on was David
Santiago.

606
00:49:48,960 --> 00:49:54,960
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just wanted to I
didn't want to be the first one to come

607
00:49:53,440 --> 00:49:59,200
out the gate, but I was just so
impressed with um the the new folks that

608
00:49:57,839 --> 00:50:02,079
have just joined the department. I
wanted to just talk a little bit about

609
00:50:00,800 --> 00:50:05,040
that. And thanks for sitting up front.
If if you were told to, that's okay.

610
00:50:03,599 --> 00:50:09,839
That's still good to see you because it
was it showed um what the impact has

611
00:50:08,160 --> 00:50:15,359
been of the efforts that have happened
over the last couple years with trying

612
00:50:13,040 --> 00:50:20,640
to fix the vacancy problem that we've
had over years. So, thank you for coming

613
00:50:18,160 --> 00:50:24,400
to Valuchia County. We welcome you and
we are very grateful that you came here.

614
00:50:22,480 --> 00:50:30,160
So, I think you've joined a good force
here. Um, I also personally will share

615
00:50:28,160 --> 00:50:33,280
um I'll sit in this room because when we
have these events and a lot of sheriffs,

616
00:50:31,760 --> 00:50:38,160
you know, a lot of the white shirts that
I see back there back in 2003 is when I

617
00:50:36,400 --> 00:50:40,960
was first elected, I I did a lot of ride
alongs. I think I I got a little I have

618
00:50:39,680 --> 00:50:45,359
a little bit over a hundred ride alongs
in my tenure serving. And a lot of the

619
00:50:43,520 --> 00:50:49,520
folks that were would be sitting there
are now back there with the brass and

620
00:50:47,440 --> 00:50:53,119
the white shirt. So, uh I guess I'm
getting old, sheriff. Uh but thank you

621
00:50:51,520 --> 00:50:58,400
for all you uh that are staying around
for years. And and I'll just say this

622
00:50:55,200 --> 00:51:02,559
before we get into the details. Um
obviously we've talked over the many

623
00:51:00,640 --> 00:51:06,559
budget workshops. We had five of those
throughout the year if you remember

624
00:51:04,480 --> 00:51:11,040
because we were knowing we would lead to
this point and make some tough

625
00:51:08,079 --> 00:51:15,599
decisions. and the five mini budget
workshops. We heard from every

626
00:51:12,720 --> 00:51:21,839
department during that time. So, I'm I'm
going to be very interested in hearing

627
00:51:18,960 --> 00:51:27,760
where anybody may propose to do any
potential additional cuts that have not

628
00:51:24,800 --> 00:51:31,839
already been proposed by by staff and
from discussions that we've had with

629
00:51:29,200 --> 00:51:36,559
staff. But I'll leave it with we also
talked with core priorities. We've said

630
00:51:34,400 --> 00:51:41,599
that and how do we narrow in? There
couldn't be no more number one core

631
00:51:38,400 --> 00:51:46,160
priority than public safety. Um, and I
know there's some fire folks here, too.

632
00:51:43,599 --> 00:51:51,760
So, everybody needs them when you need
them and you expect them. And I've been

633
00:51:48,400 --> 00:51:56,800
a 35 year resident here of Valuchia. I
feel safe to you all because of you all.

634
00:51:54,480 --> 00:52:01,119
I really feel safe in Valuchia and I
welcome anywhere. When I come back home,

635
00:51:59,440 --> 00:52:06,240
if I'm outside of the area, if anything
happens to me or my family or friends, I

636
00:52:03,760 --> 00:52:09,920
know that we have a good team, whether
it's from medical to law enforcement

637
00:52:08,480 --> 00:52:14,640
that's going to help either solve the
crime or save someone. So, I'm very

638
00:52:12,160 --> 00:52:19,760
grateful for that. And um I am not
interested not interested in cutting

639
00:52:17,359 --> 00:52:24,559
your budget. So, as we go through this
process, I am making it very clear that

640
00:52:22,480 --> 00:52:29,839
my position is to continue to support
the efforts. We are a state-of-the-art

641
00:52:27,359 --> 00:52:34,559
agency. The the investments that you've
made, Sheriff, you and your team are

642
00:52:32,160 --> 00:52:37,440
very visible and you know, in the past,
I've kind of had conversations with you

643
00:52:36,000 --> 00:52:42,400
like, "Oh, we're spending money, but I
see the results of that effort and I

644
00:52:40,559 --> 00:52:48,400
think Volutions is seeing it also. So,
it's been good investments. Um, and um I

645
00:52:45,760 --> 00:52:51,200
will not be supporting any cuts to any
public safety today. Thank you, Mr.

646
00:52:50,240 --> 00:52:56,400
Chair.
>> Thank you. Welcome. So, I'm I'm going to

647
00:52:53,920 --> 00:53:02,960
go next. All of you are are here because
you've you've heard the the back and

648
00:52:58,720 --> 00:53:06,880
forth. Um, most of you uh don't like me
right now. I hope by the time I'm done,

649
00:53:05,359 --> 00:53:13,200
you're going to see that I'm your I'm
your best friend. I do appreciate the

650
00:53:09,760 --> 00:53:19,119
new people that are here. Um, you do an
an excellent job. I don't know why

651
00:53:15,680 --> 00:53:25,920
anybody in America today wants to put on
a uniform and go out and and uh try and

652
00:53:23,440 --> 00:53:31,760
protect the rest of the public. You are
heroes and I appreciate every one of

653
00:53:28,559 --> 00:53:36,960
you. I have always defended uh law
enforcement, firefighters, lifeguards,

654
00:53:34,480 --> 00:53:44,319
the EMS people. I have always we have
always held you harmless in our budget.

655
00:53:40,480 --> 00:53:48,880
Which means where we cut anywhere, we
didn't cut here.

656
00:53:46,480 --> 00:53:54,559
Here's the problem that we face this
year. Everybody's heard of amendment

657
00:53:50,800 --> 00:54:02,559
three. If amendment three passes, we're
not talking about a 3% cut in in budget.

658
00:53:59,599 --> 00:54:09,040
um not zeroing you out, not taking
millions of dollars away, slowing down

659
00:54:05,760 --> 00:54:14,559
the rate of increase of growth that the
people of Valuchia County have said we

660
00:54:11,839 --> 00:54:20,400
can't keep up with it anymore. Taxes are
too high. They want a tax reduction.

661
00:54:18,240 --> 00:54:26,480
They're having a hard time staying in
their own houses and we have to listen

662
00:54:23,680 --> 00:54:31,839
to that as well. The problem is when we
hold

663
00:54:28,000 --> 00:54:36,880
hold this many people uh harmless
is that

664
00:54:33,920 --> 00:54:44,000
sorry sheriff but your budget is out of
control. Since 2024

665
00:54:39,599 --> 00:54:47,800
your budget has gone up 30%. Since 2024
you've added 39,821,697.

666
00:54:49,760 --> 00:54:59,760
2024 isn't that long ago. So holding you
harmless hasn't increased. What I'm

667
00:54:56,240 --> 00:55:03,920
suggesting today is that not just for
this and this isn't something that I

668
00:55:01,520 --> 00:55:09,680
thought about yesterday. I have said
this every year that I've been elected

669
00:55:07,040 --> 00:55:15,440
every time we come to budget season. In
fact, every January be long before we

670
00:55:12,240 --> 00:55:18,960
ever started. I have said we need to
either go to roll back. In fact, the

671
00:55:17,280 --> 00:55:24,880
first year I said we need to just cut
10% or 5%. and we've had that. This is

672
00:55:22,880 --> 00:55:29,680
not something new to me. It's not
something that I've sprung on you. It's

673
00:55:27,440 --> 00:55:36,160
something I want to have the strongest
sheriff's department in the state of

674
00:55:32,079 --> 00:55:40,720
Florida. If amendment three passes, it's
not going to be how do we cut 3%. It's

675
00:55:38,720 --> 00:55:45,200
going to be how many of you people are
going to be unemployed. It's going to be

676
00:55:43,200 --> 00:55:49,280
how many helicopters do we get rid of?
How many of the boats did we get rid of?

677
00:55:47,280 --> 00:55:54,079
How many programs do we get rid of? How
many parks do we close down? How many

678
00:55:51,680 --> 00:56:00,319
how many libraries do we close down?
We're talking about huge cuts. I'm

679
00:55:56,880 --> 00:56:06,319
trying to avoid that and protect the
safety and the health and the integrity

680
00:56:03,040 --> 00:56:12,720
of Valuchia County. So, if we go to roll
back in in just the sheriff's budget,

681
00:56:10,559 --> 00:56:17,760
it's not it's not that you're getting
less money that you're getting uh that

682
00:56:15,280 --> 00:56:23,720
you had last year. You would get without
a roll. Without a roll back, you get a

683
00:56:20,720 --> 00:56:23,720
9,592432

684
00:56:25,040 --> 00:56:31,400
increase. With roll back, you get a
5,581819

685
00:56:33,440 --> 00:56:43,119
increase. There are no cuts. There are
no giant cuts. No defunding the police.

686
00:56:40,400 --> 00:56:48,720
Sheriff, I wouldn't do I've never called
for that. Nobody on this council would

687
00:56:45,359 --> 00:56:53,839
call for that. But if we don't start
rolling back what we're charging the

688
00:56:51,200 --> 00:56:58,880
citizens of Valuchia County, we're not
going to have a the sheriff's department

689
00:56:56,079 --> 00:57:04,160
that we have or anything that looks like
Valuchia County that we have now. So,

690
00:57:00,640 --> 00:57:09,920
I'm not I'm not picking on you guys. I
love you guys. I haven't supported the

691
00:57:07,359 --> 00:57:15,920
blue every time I ran just because it's
politics. It's in my blood. It's how

692
00:57:12,799 --> 00:57:21,440
I've raised my kids. It's how I've
talked all throughout public. I support

693
00:57:19,599 --> 00:57:26,400
law enforcement. I support our
firefighters and our EMS. That is the

694
00:57:24,480 --> 00:57:31,280
most important thing. And our
lifeguards. That's the most important

695
00:57:27,920 --> 00:57:35,920
thing that government does. That is the
essential services

696
00:57:33,359 --> 00:57:42,880
that we provide to Valuchia County. So,
what I've proposed is going to roll back

697
00:57:38,799 --> 00:57:49,040
in every fund except for uh one when we
go through it. We because if we don't,

698
00:57:46,319 --> 00:57:53,440
here's my warning to you.
If the if the citizens of Valuchia

699
00:57:51,520 --> 00:57:59,359
County, if the citizens of the state of
Florida do not see counties and cities

700
00:57:56,400 --> 00:58:05,040
doing everything they can to keep a
check on the rate of growth, to keep the

701
00:58:02,480 --> 00:58:09,920
check on their taxes and still provide
good service, they're going to vote for

702
00:58:07,280 --> 00:58:17,680
Amendment Three. And then all bets are
off. And we've got we're next year we're

703
00:58:12,640 --> 00:58:24,880
talking about a 28% 38% in uh decrease
in spending with nothing that I can do

704
00:58:19,920 --> 00:58:28,640
about it. So that's that's where we are.
Uh

705
00:58:27,200 --> 00:58:31,520
you got double dinged. That's all I'm
laughing. [laughter]

706
00:58:30,799 --> 00:58:34,559
» I figured.
>> Am I next? Yeah.

707
00:58:32,319 --> 00:58:38,799
» You are next. Councilman Don Dempson.
>> Am I understanding this right? All you

708
00:58:37,040 --> 00:58:44,640
uh law enforcement officers in the front
three rows are all new hires. Is that

709
00:58:41,359 --> 00:58:48,559
right? Man, that is awesome. Um, you may
not know I'm

710
00:58:47,040 --> 00:58:53,119
a criminal defense attorney. I used to
be a prosecutor. I've been here for 36

711
00:58:50,319 --> 00:58:56,640
years. And I I I have to say this. Um,
historically there's always been a

712
00:58:54,480 --> 00:59:02,240
shortage of law enforcement officers in
our county, municipalities as well as

713
00:58:59,200 --> 00:59:06,400
the sheriff. And um I think this is the
first time I can ever recollect where

714
00:59:04,000 --> 00:59:12,000
we've been appropriately staffed with
law enforcement officers, which is huge.

715
00:59:09,440 --> 00:59:16,880
Um and and my compliments to you guys
and sheriff and his hiring team because

716
00:59:14,799 --> 00:59:20,880
I get to deal with you guys on a daily
basis. I don't know if I've ever met

717
00:59:18,720 --> 00:59:26,559
most of you yet, but I do depositions
with with your officers, Sheriff. And um

718
00:59:24,240 --> 00:59:29,440
I get and and you run at different
levels of law enforcement officers. A

719
00:59:28,240 --> 00:59:33,280
lot of them are kind of learning the law
as they go. Some of them are very

720
00:59:31,280 --> 00:59:36,960
knowledgeable in Fourth Amendment issues
and stuff like that. And I got to say,

721
00:59:35,440 --> 00:59:42,400
and I'm not saying this just to Brown
knows you guys, but I I really am

722
00:59:38,640 --> 00:59:47,520
impressed with the sheriff's office um
because you guys do have a pretty have a

723
00:59:44,640 --> 00:59:52,160
good training uh
uh policy, I guess, or a training

724
00:59:49,680 --> 00:59:55,200
program. And so your your your hires are
great, and I don't want to see them go

725
00:59:53,359 --> 00:59:59,200
away. And I remember when the the
governor was offering the incentives and

726
00:59:56,880 --> 01:00:03,359
stuff to get northern uh law enforcement
officers to get down here and this this

727
01:00:00,880 --> 01:00:08,559
is awesome to see that we've come here.
Um I I I got to say this on behalf of

728
01:00:06,160 --> 01:00:12,880
the the chair. Um I don't take what he
was proposing as a roll back. I mean as

729
01:00:10,160 --> 01:00:18,799
a defunding the police. Um I would say
that historically um even this past uh

730
01:00:15,839 --> 01:00:23,839
in the last year we approved uh nearly a
$40 million project for the new

731
01:00:20,400 --> 01:00:27,839
headquarters. Um, so and I don't think
anybody even boked at that up here. Um,

732
01:00:26,240 --> 01:00:32,559
I was the one that boked the the
helicopters. I mean, we have a probably

733
01:00:29,920 --> 01:00:36,079
the most pristine helicopter uh air
force or whatever you want to call it um

734
01:00:34,400 --> 01:00:39,359
in probably Central Florida, which is
great. I mean, it serves its functions.

735
01:00:37,599 --> 01:00:42,960
I was kind of against it, but I wasn't
trying to defund, but it it's worked

736
01:00:40,960 --> 01:00:49,280
out. Um, so I don't want to see the
chair I don't want to see the chair be

737
01:00:45,359 --> 01:00:53,760
um accused of trying to defund um
a uh it was I was just made aware

738
01:00:52,079 --> 01:00:58,480
recently about you know the house bill
that came up 1329 that's going to

739
01:00:55,680 --> 01:01:03,920
require us on January 1st to go through
a mandatory I want to call it a fire

740
01:01:01,040 --> 01:01:09,040
drill but we have to the council at the
time has to go through a mandatory 10%

741
01:01:06,160 --> 01:01:14,079
budget reduction workshop
anticipation of uh amendment free

742
01:01:11,520 --> 01:01:17,599
because if it does pass, I mean, it's
going to be a a fire drill up here. I

743
01:01:16,400 --> 01:01:22,240
mean, there's going to be some drastic
cuts having to be made and the governor

744
01:01:20,559 --> 01:01:27,440
signed it into law that we have to
actually go through the the maneuvers to

745
01:01:24,960 --> 01:01:31,200
cut 10%. And where that's going to come,
I don't know. But there'll be a group of

746
01:01:29,520 --> 01:01:34,079
maybe some other portion of the
sheriff's or I'm sorry, not the

747
01:01:32,400 --> 01:01:38,000
sheriffs, but the county's employees
that may have to lose their job or

748
01:01:36,240 --> 01:01:42,480
whatever. It may get ugly if this
amendment three goes through. Um, so I

749
01:01:40,640 --> 01:01:45,839
don't I think the the chair is being
proactive. I think he's just trying to

750
01:01:44,240 --> 01:01:50,559
be fiscally conservative. I don't see
him as as anti-law enforcement. I think

751
01:01:48,000 --> 01:01:54,319
we're all up here pro law enforcement. I
really appreciate you guys. You guys are

752
01:01:52,079 --> 01:01:59,440
really when I deal with you guys, you're
very respectful, very polite. I've never

753
01:01:57,119 --> 01:02:04,559
come in contact with I don't think any
um bad cops on the sheriff's office. I I

754
01:02:02,559 --> 01:02:10,480
really I'm not I'm just trying to be
honest. Um but I think it's common. I'm

755
01:02:08,079 --> 01:02:14,160
going to go along with this as well. Um,
but I I

756
01:02:12,559 --> 01:02:17,839
because they have done a good job of
filling all the positions. I don't want

757
01:02:15,520 --> 01:02:21,119
to see them lose the new hires or the I
mean they're they're actually running

758
01:02:19,520 --> 01:02:25,359
really a good machine right now and I
don't want to see anything mess it up.

759
01:02:23,040 --> 01:02:30,240
But um I am worried about what next year
is going to do. So that's all I have to

760
01:02:28,640 --> 01:02:36,839
say. Thank you guys.
>> Thank you, Vice Chair Matt Reinhardt.

761
01:02:31,920 --> 01:02:36,839
» Thank you, Chair. um 1986,

762
01:02:36,880 --> 01:02:41,920
long time ago, year I started at the
jail, 30-year career, and I'm going to

763
01:02:40,400 --> 01:02:47,760
mix a little bit of apples and oranges
with that with law enforcement. I saw

764
01:02:44,880 --> 01:02:52,799
time and time again what a roll back in
any branch of law enforcement does in 30

765
01:02:50,559 --> 01:02:56,240
years.
What that man back there, which I'm

766
01:02:54,640 --> 01:03:00,079
going to give credit for, Joe Deore, our
director of corrections, what he has

767
01:02:58,079 --> 01:03:06,960
done with corrections and bringing our
staffing back up is remarkable. We have

768
01:03:02,480 --> 01:03:10,640
not done that. I commend him for that.
The same thing happens with the sheriff

769
01:03:08,480 --> 01:03:16,319
to fill those positions. So I see what
happens. It's cost of equipment.

770
01:03:14,480 --> 01:03:20,079
Every time we turn when we started, we
had this conversation the other day when

771
01:03:17,839 --> 01:03:24,319
I started at corrections. We didn't have
I I worked started at the old jail right

772
01:03:21,920 --> 01:03:29,760
across the street over in Dan. We didn't
have body cams.

773
01:03:26,640 --> 01:03:34,880
We did not have pepper spray. We did not
have tasers.

774
01:03:32,079 --> 01:03:39,039
We had nothing. Probably the result of
five knee surgeries, two neck surgeries,

775
01:03:36,880 --> 01:03:43,599
a head surgery,
but nonetheless,

776
01:03:41,119 --> 01:03:48,160
we had to. And then still taking that
roll back into account. We we would try

777
01:03:46,240 --> 01:03:54,400
to allocate for for different equipment,
more equipment,

778
01:03:50,880 --> 01:03:59,520
and we couldn't because of that. That
being said, I'm in support of what's

779
01:03:56,880 --> 01:04:04,480
being proposed and what the sheriff has
brought forth. And I think that it's

780
01:04:01,520 --> 01:04:09,280
it's reasonable.
So, you have my support. Always have had

781
01:04:06,799 --> 01:04:13,200
my support and always will have my
support.

782
01:04:10,960 --> 01:04:16,720
And I'm going to leave it at that.
Councilman Dailyaly Robbins. Thank you,

783
01:04:15,200 --> 01:04:23,760
Chairman.
Council, I want to remind everyone that

784
01:04:19,119 --> 01:04:30,720
we are a law and order state.
a state where all 67 counties have

785
01:04:27,520 --> 01:04:38,000
prioritized our law enforcement and our
public safety to the highest across the

786
01:04:34,160 --> 01:04:42,960
boards that it can possibly be. And
because of that, nationally, we have

787
01:04:40,400 --> 01:04:49,920
people fleeing
states like New York, Baltimore,

788
01:04:45,760 --> 01:04:53,280
Maryland, Chicago, Dearbornne, Michigan,
Minnesota,

789
01:04:51,680 --> 01:04:57,359
California,
and many more because they've seen the

790
01:04:55,200 --> 01:05:02,720
firsthand effects.
When you don't,

791
01:04:59,920 --> 01:05:09,119
they started a fire that they can no
longer control.

792
01:05:04,880 --> 01:05:13,920
Our businesses will decline. Our tourism
will suffer. Our law enforcement will

793
01:05:12,160 --> 01:05:21,440
have vacancies.
Crime will indefinitely rise. And our

794
01:05:17,920 --> 01:05:29,280
residents will ultimately pay the price.
Violent crime and mental illness will be

795
01:05:24,799 --> 01:05:34,960
rampant throughout Valuchia County.
and the public health and public hygiene

796
01:05:32,240 --> 01:05:39,839
on our streets will most certainly
decline.

797
01:05:37,039 --> 01:05:44,160
Everything that we have worked for as a
council

798
01:05:41,440 --> 01:05:50,319
in public safety, our parks, you name
it, across the board when it goes to

799
01:05:46,880 --> 01:05:54,079
improving our quality of life will be a
waste if we go in the opposite

800
01:05:52,160 --> 01:06:00,079
direction.
council in the public. The sheriff's

801
01:05:56,319 --> 01:06:06,319
office supports all 16 cities throughout
Valuchia County and our unincorporated

802
01:06:02,240 --> 01:06:12,079
areas areas. Whether when it's a canine
is needed, whether they need help with

803
01:06:09,520 --> 01:06:17,920
investigations or evidence collection or
crime scene processing, additional

804
01:06:14,720 --> 01:06:22,799
manpower, and we can't forget that
they're also the primary air ambulance

805
01:06:20,240 --> 01:06:27,119
service when it comes to medevac when
seconds really count.

806
01:06:25,359 --> 01:06:33,520
Whether it's an active shooter that we
see on Ridgewood several weeks ago or

807
01:06:31,359 --> 01:06:39,599
what happened this morning in in Port
Orange where thank god everybody is

808
01:06:35,920 --> 01:06:45,280
okay. Um
it should reiterate, be evident and

809
01:06:42,240 --> 01:06:50,480
solidify the fact that our law
enforcement

810
01:06:47,039 --> 01:06:54,240
needs all the help they can get. Um I
don't know if I'd go back in that uh

811
01:06:52,480 --> 01:07:00,559
profession right now for for any money
in the world. So, um, and we need to

812
01:06:57,359 --> 01:07:07,599
provide them with all the tools, uh,
that that we can and and and what has

813
01:07:03,680 --> 01:07:13,119
been submitted, I believe, is more than
reasonable at this point. I urge council

814
01:07:10,640 --> 01:07:18,559
to reject
defunding in any way, shape, or form um,

815
01:07:16,480 --> 01:07:23,680
in any capacity and vote in the
affirmative to accept the sheriff's

816
01:07:21,520 --> 01:07:27,039
office budget that's being proposed.
Thank you.

817
01:07:25,520 --> 01:07:31,119
Councilman Troy Kent.
>> Thank you, Chairman. [snorts] Sheriff

818
01:07:29,119 --> 01:07:36,079
Chitwood,
I love that you brought your tax bill in

819
01:07:33,760 --> 01:07:41,200
here today
and you read the numbers

820
01:07:39,039 --> 01:07:45,920
and the increase
because that's across the board. As long

821
01:07:44,160 --> 01:07:51,920
as you're homesteaded, that's basically
what most people are getting in Valuchia

822
01:07:48,079 --> 01:07:55,440
County. And sheriff, you and I met way
back when you were the chief of police

823
01:07:53,839 --> 01:08:01,920
of Daytona Beach and I was a city
commissioner in Orman Beach. And you've

824
01:07:58,079 --> 01:08:05,440
always been good to the entire county.
But I'm going to talk about my hometown

825
01:08:03,520 --> 01:08:12,319
a little bit, Orman Beach and Orman by
the Sea, where you and your deputies

826
01:08:08,880 --> 01:08:17,359
take great care of those people there
right now.

827
01:08:14,400 --> 01:08:22,719
And sheriff, you and I have had some
some good discussions in the past about

828
01:08:19,839 --> 01:08:29,040
making sure that your department is
fully funded because

829
01:08:26,480 --> 01:08:32,480
I can tell you, you know, my brother
retired from Simo County Sheriff's

830
01:08:30,880 --> 01:08:38,159
Department as our longest serving
sergeant and and he's retired and and by

831
01:08:35,279 --> 01:08:42,640
the way, he loves retired life. He loves
it.

832
01:08:39,679 --> 01:08:49,440
But I talked to you about him then and
about how important it is for us to give

833
01:08:46,400 --> 01:08:53,679
you all of the tools necessary to do
your job.

834
01:08:51,520 --> 01:08:57,920
And then also
people under you when you were at

835
01:08:55,279 --> 01:09:05,920
Daytona Beach. I think about Orman the
city of Orman Beach uh Chief Jesse who

836
01:09:02,960 --> 01:09:12,159
was under you. So I'm appreciative of of
that as well. But council, this isn't

837
01:09:09,120 --> 01:09:16,000
just about the sheriff's office. We've
got other departments that we you heard

838
01:09:14,159 --> 01:09:23,520
about today. I mean, from from the
library, etc., etc. And how do we as an

839
01:09:21,120 --> 01:09:29,440
elected body
approve raises like we've done

840
01:09:27,440 --> 01:09:37,120
and then say we're going to go to roll
back and and bring in less money? The

841
01:09:33,440 --> 01:09:44,560
people that elected me to serve in this
rented seat elected me to make good,

842
01:09:41,520 --> 01:09:48,640
healthy, sound decisions so that a
couple of things were going that they

843
01:09:46,319 --> 01:09:52,640
don't have to even think about public
safety. Number one,

844
01:09:50,960 --> 01:09:56,480
sheriff, I'm going to just tell you,
I've said this to you privately, but I'm

845
01:09:54,000 --> 01:10:01,600
going to say it publicly.
I have heard on on from a good good

846
01:09:59,199 --> 01:10:04,480
source that you are the most popular
elected official in Valuchia County and

847
01:10:03,199 --> 01:10:09,760
it's hard for me to say that being an
elected official

848
01:10:06,400 --> 01:10:14,640
that your approval rating is over 70%.
But in Orman Beach is closer to 80%.

849
01:10:13,199 --> 01:10:18,719
Okay, I'm going to tell you I've got
that on good accord that I' I've heard

850
01:10:16,719 --> 01:10:23,520
that. All right.
The people love that you get the bad

851
01:10:21,120 --> 01:10:27,418
guys and they love that you call them
scumbags

852
01:10:25,120 --> 01:10:32,480
because you call a spade a spade
[snorts] and you take care of what

853
01:10:29,280 --> 01:10:37,600
you've got to take care of. But council,
I can't sit here. Well, let me back up a

854
01:10:35,600 --> 01:10:42,239
moment. This is what people expect. They
expect

855
01:10:39,520 --> 01:10:47,360
uh public safety number one. They want
to make sure that they have good police

856
01:10:44,800 --> 01:10:51,920
and fire. Also, they want to make sure
you have a capable paramedic and

857
01:10:49,679 --> 01:10:58,159
ambulance to get you if you are in
trouble. Number two, they want good

858
01:10:55,040 --> 01:11:02,159
water. It's got to be great water.
Number three, your roads better not have

859
01:11:00,159 --> 01:11:07,120
potholes. They want to be able to get to
point A to point B. And that's what they

860
01:11:04,960 --> 01:11:13,199
want. Then we can talk about recreation
and things like that. But in that order,

861
01:11:10,320 --> 01:11:21,120
that is what the people that elect us
expect from us with our decision-making.

862
01:11:16,640 --> 01:11:24,960
Um, so I I certainly will not be voting
to go to roll back. And I'll just tell

863
01:11:22,719 --> 01:11:27,840
everybody, I'm not on the ballot. This
really isn't a political decision for

864
01:11:26,239 --> 01:11:33,840
me. I've got two more years before I'm
on the ballot for my last term as a

865
01:11:30,000 --> 01:11:39,920
district 4 county councilman. So, it's
not political for me. It's just how do

866
01:11:36,719 --> 01:11:43,600
we approve raises like we've done and
then say we're going to go to roll back?

867
01:11:41,679 --> 01:11:49,760
It just doesn't make sense. And with my
last 44 seconds or so, Mr. Rectenwald, a

868
01:11:47,600 --> 01:11:55,880
couple of years ago, and I hate to throw
you on the spot like this, but what was

869
01:11:51,600 --> 01:11:55,880
our vacancy rate out at the jail?

870
01:11:56,960 --> 01:12:01,280
» Yeah, you had about 70, I think, at a
peak.

871
01:11:59,199 --> 01:12:03,920
» What's our vacancy rate now?
>> Uh, I had to check, but it's down to

872
01:12:03,120 --> 01:12:10,960
just a couple.
>> Just a couple. You know what we did? We

873
01:12:06,880 --> 01:12:14,960
met privately and said, "Pay them more.
Give them more money because that's what

874
01:12:12,880 --> 01:12:19,600
they need so that you don't have these
vacancies." And what paying people more

875
01:12:17,040 --> 01:12:25,440
money means, it tells you something.
Says, "I appreciate you. Thank you. Come

876
01:12:23,040 --> 01:12:28,880
to work for us. We're not asking you to
do it just on, you know, your good

877
01:12:27,360 --> 01:12:34,239
looks. We want you to do it. We want to
thank you for it." Thank you, Chairman.

878
01:12:31,679 --> 01:12:40,400
» Councilman Jake Johansson. Thank you,
sir. Um um for for the sheriffs and the

879
01:12:38,080 --> 01:12:44,560
deputies out there, uh thank you very
much for everything. I'm not going to

880
01:12:41,840 --> 01:12:51,280
echo everybody everything else
everything everybody else said, but I

881
01:12:47,840 --> 01:12:55,520
appreciate everything you all do. Um I
have conversations with the sheriff. Uh

882
01:12:53,840 --> 01:13:02,640
not often. I try to leave you alone,
Mike, but uh occasionally. and uh uh he

883
01:13:00,320 --> 01:13:07,520
knows how much you all mean to me and my
family and and the citizens of Lucia

884
01:13:05,040 --> 01:13:12,640
County. What I do want to talk about
generally, and I I do this probably too

885
01:13:10,400 --> 01:13:19,280
often, uh get a little bit
philosophical. Um if

886
01:13:16,719 --> 01:13:23,280
if I'm going to look to do something
that's going to affect somebody in life,

887
01:13:21,520 --> 01:13:29,920
I hate confrontation. and I'd rather
have a conversation with them and and

888
01:13:26,320 --> 01:13:34,800
try to solve it uh uh not springing on
them. Uh

889
01:13:31,920 --> 01:13:39,679
couple months ago, uh we pulled some
cultural arts money and my my main

890
01:13:36,880 --> 01:13:46,719
argument was we promised it, now we're
pulling the rug out. Um uh and and so

891
01:13:44,080 --> 01:13:51,199
when it comes to the budget, I think
it's very important that if if we're

892
01:13:48,719 --> 01:13:58,480
going to do something like go to roll
back with with any fund, uh that we have

893
01:13:54,400 --> 01:14:03,360
the conversation and and maybe um maybe
if I had thought about that, the sheriff

894
01:14:01,120 --> 01:14:08,880
and I could have sat down with George
and figured out ways to get creative

895
01:14:06,080 --> 01:14:13,920
without affecting wages or or other
stuff. Um but but apparently that didn't

896
01:14:12,480 --> 01:14:18,719
happen because I didn't know what the
hell was going on till this morning. So

897
01:14:16,640 --> 01:14:24,880
um
so in the in the things that I'm going

898
01:14:21,280 --> 01:14:32,320
to talk about later uh in the budget and
and I don't know if this is my one bite

899
01:14:28,719 --> 01:14:36,480
at the whole budget apple but um I'm
going to possibly talk about SMA

900
01:14:34,560 --> 01:14:43,840
funding. Now, I've had a conversation
with SMA about SMA funding. Uh

901
01:14:41,840 --> 01:14:48,960
I'm not going to talk about TDT
restructuring, but I did have a

902
01:14:45,520 --> 01:14:55,040
conversation with uh all the uh tourism
people about TDT restructuring.

903
01:14:52,560 --> 01:14:59,600
Uh, and and there's one thing that I
haven't had a conversation about yet,

904
01:14:56,880 --> 01:15:05,280
and I'm going to try to sneak sneak in a
sidebar conversation, but it's very

905
01:15:02,000 --> 01:15:11,120
important that that we have those frank
discussions and and work those issues

906
01:15:08,800 --> 01:15:18,080
and work those relationships and work
that network just like you all do out

907
01:15:13,920 --> 01:15:23,360
out in the uh on the um on the streets,
right? If we community police and get to

908
01:15:20,560 --> 01:15:28,080
know everybody, they're less likely to
flip you off, call you pigs, and do

909
01:15:25,520 --> 01:15:32,800
something stupid behind the back of the
uh 7-Eleven.

910
01:15:30,560 --> 01:15:38,239
But if you don't talk to them and you
boss around and you show your gun and

911
01:15:36,080 --> 01:15:43,040
you tell them that they they suck and
you don't, it's not going to go well,

912
01:15:40,960 --> 01:15:48,000
right? So, we got to we got to work good
relationships. And I I think that's

913
01:15:46,159 --> 01:15:54,239
probably where we could have done a
better job. And and um uh I I think

914
01:15:52,320 --> 01:15:58,560
that's how you move forward with the
budget. It's a little bit late in the

915
01:15:55,760 --> 01:16:03,840
game like some of my partners said. We
have workshops in January, February,

916
01:16:00,640 --> 01:16:11,600
March, April, May, and June. And uh I
beg people to look at cuts then and I

917
01:16:08,080 --> 01:16:17,760
think we all went to George and
indicated where where we wanted to see

918
01:16:14,000 --> 01:16:25,360
or we could see uh a funding change and
and I know he's made or or staff has

919
01:16:20,800 --> 01:16:31,280
made some hard decisions already um on
how to save some money this year and

920
01:16:27,199 --> 01:16:37,600
next year. So, uh, uh, I I think most of
us did our job. Um, and and moving

921
01:16:34,880 --> 01:16:42,800
forward, I I still think we need to
communicate in order to collaborate and

922
01:16:40,239 --> 01:16:46,880
make things work. So, again, I
appreciate everything you all do, even

923
01:16:45,120 --> 01:16:54,800
the guys in the back that are hiding
behind the uh the video uh box there.

924
01:16:50,960 --> 01:17:00,400
and um uh I'm I'll be supporting uh at
least the um the sheriff's budget here

925
01:16:58,239 --> 01:17:03,440
tonight. Thanks,
>> Councilman Santiago.

926
01:17:01,760 --> 01:17:07,120
» Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'll be quick. I I
just as I as I heard a lot of the

927
01:17:04,800 --> 01:17:12,080
commentary or some of the commentary, I
don't I wanted to say I don't think

928
01:17:09,040 --> 01:17:16,159
considering the pending amendment three
should be part of our discussion here or

929
01:17:14,159 --> 01:17:21,120
evaluation. At least it's not a factor
for me because the voters haven't spoken

930
01:17:17,679 --> 01:17:24,640
yet. um they'll tell us in November
whether they not they support that

931
01:17:22,480 --> 01:17:30,000
amendment and then then we have all
counties all 67 counties will at that

932
01:17:27,600 --> 01:17:35,600
point have to restructure. Um I don't I
I don't think we should gut our uh law

933
01:17:32,960 --> 01:17:40,880
enforcement or public safety uh uh
budgets in [snorts] anticipation of what

934
01:17:39,120 --> 01:17:44,960
may or may not happen in November with
amendment three. So um we should just

935
01:17:43,120 --> 01:17:48,480
take this budget based on its merits and
make the decisions accordingly. Thank

936
01:17:46,560 --> 01:17:56,560
you, Mr. Chair.
Uh George or Ryan, as you go as we go

937
01:17:53,199 --> 01:18:01,679
through the different funds, does each
council member uh will they all have an

938
01:17:59,840 --> 01:18:08,080
opportunity to speak on that if they
want? Jake said he'd like to speak

939
01:18:05,040 --> 01:18:13,760
about something else.
Well, each of the uh

940
01:18:12,159 --> 01:18:17,920
I I believe I'd recommend at this point
that each of the funds be addressed

941
01:18:15,360 --> 01:18:20,080
separately as far as a mill vote.
>> Yeah.

942
01:18:18,880 --> 01:18:23,520
» So, okay.
>> If we if we want to do each one

943
01:18:21,920 --> 01:18:26,480
separately, we'll vote and then you can
discuss.

944
01:18:23,920 --> 01:18:32,560
» Yeah. And so I'll just let council let
you know J

945
01:18:29,840 --> 01:18:36,640
um since you brought it up as we get to
each fund if you want to say something

946
01:18:34,320 --> 01:18:43,000
about that fund we'll I I'll give you
that opportunity.

947
01:18:39,040 --> 01:18:43,000
» 10 minutes for each one.

948
01:18:43,280 --> 01:18:54,000
» Maybe we won't. All right. Um I'll just
close with one more thing. I I uh you

949
01:18:51,120 --> 01:19:01,520
can tell you're safe. I'm the lone voice
here um that thinks that we need to

950
01:18:56,480 --> 01:19:07,360
start uh um reducing the rate of growth
in our budget. Now, I do think it is

951
01:19:04,320 --> 01:19:15,920
absolutely plausible to consider
amendment three. And I'm going to say it

952
01:19:10,480 --> 01:19:20,000
again. Here's why. If we can't cut 3.14%
from a fund,

953
01:19:18,320 --> 01:19:24,880
» the public's going to look at us and
say, "Okay, we've we've given up. We've

954
01:19:22,000 --> 01:19:32,400
asked you, we've told you to reduce tax
rates. I've not proposed any cuts. I've

955
01:19:28,560 --> 01:19:38,080
not proposed defunding anything. Going
to roll back in any one fund, especially

956
01:19:35,520 --> 01:19:43,920
the sheriff's fund, gives you more
money, almost $6 million more than you

957
01:19:41,280 --> 01:19:52,880
had last year. Yeah, it's not nine, but
it's a it's a small decrease to preserve

958
01:19:47,600 --> 01:19:57,840
what we have in Valuchia County. So, um,
I'm just going to stop with that. You've

959
01:19:55,120 --> 01:20:02,800
you've all heard from from all of us.
You know where I stand. But I will say

960
01:20:00,080 --> 01:20:08,239
this in closing because I just heard it
again from Jake. This was just sprung on

961
01:20:05,280 --> 01:20:12,480
me this morning. That's not true. For as
long as I've been up here, I've talked

962
01:20:10,080 --> 01:20:18,880
about the need to go to roll back, the
need to cut the budget. Um, started last

963
01:20:15,679 --> 01:20:23,040
year. We need I want a 15% cut. and the
county manager said, "How about if we

964
01:20:20,560 --> 01:20:28,960
just get to roll back?" It's a constant
conversation. This is not new to me. Um,

965
01:20:26,719 --> 01:20:35,920
we've held
first responders harmless. This year, I

966
01:20:32,320 --> 01:20:42,080
want to hold taxpayers harmless while
preserving the maximum amount of money

967
01:20:38,400 --> 01:20:48,080
that you can be uh that you can operate
on next year after amendment three is

968
01:20:45,600 --> 01:20:52,080
voted on.
so that you don't have to hear me

969
01:20:49,520 --> 01:20:57,520
anymore tonight. That's it for me. I do
thank you for coming in. I do appreciate

970
01:20:54,960 --> 01:21:04,480
you. I want you to be able to go home
safe to your children every night just

971
01:21:00,480 --> 01:21:08,880
as I want for me to go home to my I
don't have any children at home anymore,

972
01:21:06,000 --> 01:21:16,880
but I do have 15 grandchildren and I
want to see them be raised safely in

973
01:21:12,640 --> 01:21:22,480
Valuchia County. I appreciate you. Um, I
am worried what happens next year and

974
01:21:20,560 --> 01:21:26,199
the year after.
Okay, Ryan.

975
01:21:30,480 --> 01:21:33,480
All right.

976
01:21:33,679 --> 01:21:39,199
Well, I have a slide on the screen with
the uh current millage rate, the

977
01:21:37,840 --> 01:21:45,360
proposed millage rate, and what the
change would be. Uh, the first fund

978
01:21:42,880 --> 01:21:51,199
that's up is the general fund. uh
hearing that there may be comments from

979
01:21:48,159 --> 01:21:54,880
council members on it before we
uh I I have a recommended motion that

980
01:21:53,120 --> 01:22:01,880
was in the packet. Just want to hear
what where we're at.

981
01:21:57,520 --> 01:22:01,880
Is there a motion for general fund?

982
01:22:03,199 --> 01:22:12,000
Uh Councilman Santiago has a question.
>> Thank you, Mr. Chair.

983
01:22:08,400 --> 01:22:14,400
On this one, the roll back is 3.107,
right?

984
01:22:12,400 --> 01:22:18,880
» Yes, it is.
What would be the uh you know you may

985
01:22:16,880 --> 01:22:24,960
have had another slide and I apologize.
What would be the uh net increase

986
01:22:21,360 --> 01:22:31,520
decrease sorry um going from going to
the brback?

987
01:22:27,199 --> 01:22:36,719
» I'll show you the exact number.
This is the slide that covers the

988
01:22:32,960 --> 01:22:40,320
difference. The difference is 6,680,488.
>> Okay, that's all I need to know for now.

989
01:22:38,800 --> 01:22:45,199
Thank you,
>> Councilman Robbins.

990
01:22:42,880 --> 01:22:52,000
I would just like to get a an idea if
council would be um interested or if

991
01:22:49,360 --> 01:22:58,159
there's any support to instruct staff uh
to hold the partial roll back for now

992
01:22:54,719 --> 01:23:02,960
because we could only go down, right? Um
and bring back a budget to reduce

993
01:23:00,480 --> 01:23:09,440
possibly uh a little silo with road
subsidies uh that we put in a few years

994
01:23:06,000 --> 01:23:14,320
ago. uh as well as looking at programs
across the board that we pay into uh as

995
01:23:12,159 --> 01:23:18,000
a county that we're funding above
statemandated uh levels.

996
01:23:16,560 --> 01:23:20,239
» Making a motion.
>> Sure. Making a motion.

997
01:23:19,440 --> 01:23:27,199
» Second.
>> Tell me the motion again to instruct

998
01:23:23,280 --> 01:23:31,440
staff to bring back a budget um
reflecting a reduction in the road

999
01:23:29,199 --> 01:23:36,000
subsidy that I believe it was me and
Troy put in a couple years ago. It was

1000
01:23:33,040 --> 01:23:40,960
about 5 million uh that we subsidized
from the general fund as well as looking

1001
01:23:38,159 --> 01:23:45,360
at programs across the board that we pay
to as a county that we're funding above

1002
01:23:43,040 --> 01:23:49,120
and beyond above and beyond the
statemandated amount.

1003
01:23:47,520 --> 01:23:52,000
» Is that specific to just the general
fund? Sorry, Mr. Chair.

1004
01:23:50,400 --> 01:23:56,719
» Just just just the general fund. That's
the one that we're on.

1005
01:23:54,320 --> 01:24:00,800
» Okay. Ryan, let me ask you because our
next meeting is on the 22nd. You have to

1006
01:23:59,440 --> 01:24:06,560
have everything ready then. There's
really not time to bring back, but you

1007
01:24:02,639 --> 01:24:10,560
could if if the motion is go to partial
roll back here, then that's what you

1008
01:24:08,239 --> 01:24:15,040
would bring back on the 22nd.
>> The motion can only be an exact uh it

1009
01:24:12,960 --> 01:24:20,719
has to be a military. So, if you wanted
us to bring back a budget that looked at

1010
01:24:17,840 --> 01:24:24,719
uh modifying the road subsidy and
programs that we fund that are above

1011
01:24:23,040 --> 01:24:29,280
state mandates that are external
programs,

1012
01:24:27,199 --> 01:24:33,440
we could do that, but I don't know the
exact impact of putting all that stuff

1013
01:24:31,360 --> 01:24:38,239
together unless you tell us you have to
get to roll back. I know that number. I

1014
01:24:35,600 --> 01:24:40,639
know that's 3.107, 107. But if you want
to do something in between, I would

1015
01:24:39,520 --> 01:24:45,760
recommend just
>> this is like the trim setting where you

1016
01:24:43,360 --> 01:24:47,600
can only go, you know, from this point,
you can only go down,

1017
01:24:46,960 --> 01:24:52,719
» right?
>> So my recommendation would be you can

1018
01:24:51,120 --> 01:24:57,440
make that motion and vote on it and
we'll bring it back, but I would vote

1019
01:24:54,320 --> 01:25:02,080
the the current my suggestion would be
to keep it at the proposed rate right

1020
01:25:00,320 --> 01:25:06,639
now. You can always lower it.
>> And I'll amend my motion to reflect

1021
01:25:03,520 --> 01:25:08,480
that. uh keep it at the current rate
>> until they bring that.

1022
01:25:07,440 --> 01:25:11,760
» Actually, it would be better if you just
kept your motion to direct us to do

1023
01:25:09,920 --> 01:25:15,280
that. We'll do that separately and then
I'll read the required statutory reading

1024
01:25:14,000 --> 01:25:20,639
that has percentages in it.
>> Sounds good.

1025
01:25:16,960 --> 01:25:26,040
» Okay. So, so then therefore the motion
is

1026
01:25:23,040 --> 01:25:26,040
Danny

1027
01:25:28,639 --> 01:25:36,880
keep it at the current rate, but to um
instruct staff to bring it bring back a

1028
01:25:34,960 --> 01:25:41,440
budget to reduce the road subsidy uh
that we do from the general fund as well

1029
01:25:39,040 --> 01:25:48,360
as looking at programs across the board
that we are uh funding above and beyond

1030
01:25:44,400 --> 01:25:48,360
the statemandated amount.

1031
01:25:49,199 --> 01:25:56,520
Okay. And there's still a second second
by Vice Chair Reinhardt.

1032
01:25:56,560 --> 01:26:04,960
Okay. Does everybody see where we are?
Chissa, would you call?

1033
01:26:02,880 --> 01:26:10,639
» Sorry. Councilman K.
>> Thank you. So,

1034
01:26:08,800 --> 01:26:14,480
Mr. Robbins, I I'll just tell you, you
know, we we talked about in the past

1035
01:26:12,080 --> 01:26:18,760
about possibly, you know, pulling money
back from the roads program, but

1036
01:26:18,800 --> 01:26:26,239
you know how much the roads are going to
be tomorrow compared to today

1037
01:26:22,800 --> 01:26:31,880
and next year compared to this year.
Council, I'm going to tell you right

1038
01:26:27,360 --> 01:26:31,880
now, I'm looking at this list

1039
01:26:32,239 --> 01:26:38,239
from general fund, law enforcement,
library.

1040
01:26:35,840 --> 01:26:41,920
I'm going to skip past, come back to it.
Municipal Service, Silver Sands,

1041
01:26:39,920 --> 01:26:47,360
Mosquito Control. I'm gonna skip Fire
Services and come back to it. Valuchia

1042
01:26:43,760 --> 01:26:51,360
Echo and Valuchia Forever.
I I could make this go very quickly

1043
01:26:49,360 --> 01:26:55,760
because I'm I'm going to make motions if
no one else does to keep all of those

1044
01:26:53,120 --> 01:27:00,000
proposed millage rates the exact same
that they were, not going to roll back.

1045
01:26:58,560 --> 01:27:07,600
The only ones I want to talk about are
possibly Leon at a 3.03% reduction and

1046
01:27:04,480 --> 01:27:11,679
fire service is at 0.68 68
uh% reduction because last year we had a

1047
01:27:10,639 --> 01:27:17,120
little bit of a hiccup with fire
services whenever staff it really wasn't

1048
01:27:14,560 --> 01:27:20,800
a hiccup but um staff recommended one
thing and then we heard something

1049
01:27:18,239 --> 01:27:26,080
different from the union and as long as
fire services and possibly on have what

1050
01:27:24,080 --> 01:27:31,280
they need then then I'm okay with with
those reductions as long as staff has

1051
01:27:27,679 --> 01:27:38,880
vetted that and we're okay with it. Um,
but I'm I'm not for what I said earlier.

1052
01:27:35,760 --> 01:27:42,880
We we gave people raises.
Mosquito control the chemicals costs

1053
01:27:41,360 --> 01:27:48,000
more.
We got to put boots on the ground in the

1054
01:27:45,120 --> 01:27:53,360
library. So, I'm I'm not I'm not for
reducing any of those things. And we've

1055
01:27:50,639 --> 01:27:56,000
got roads that need attention. So, I'm
not for looking at George and saying,

1056
01:27:54,719 --> 01:28:00,000
"I'm going to pull five million bucks
out of your roads program." Because we

1057
01:27:58,320 --> 01:28:04,000
talked about
Hey, George, hire some people and let us

1058
01:28:01,920 --> 01:28:09,280
do the job. And the state says, not so
fast, right?

1059
01:28:07,360 --> 01:28:16,639
» So, they've got fail safes in place so
that elected bodies can't do that.

1060
01:28:14,159 --> 01:28:20,159
But what I'm saying, council, is I'm
going to vote no on that because I'm not

1061
01:28:18,719 --> 01:28:27,120
for taking five million bucks out of
that fund.

1062
01:28:22,239 --> 01:28:30,800
It is what it is. And uh
I'll be making motions to keep the

1063
01:28:28,960 --> 01:28:36,080
proposed millage rate that's proposed
here of 2627 on each of each of the rest

1064
01:28:34,080 --> 01:28:39,360
of those. So
this is this is the public's meeting. So

1065
01:28:37,679 --> 01:28:44,719
we can we can be here as late as we need
to be. I'm fine with that. Um but I want

1066
01:28:42,239 --> 01:28:52,080
to make sure that not just because law
enforcement is here, but not only them,

1067
01:28:47,040 --> 01:28:57,040
but every other taxing fund receives the
support that they deserve. Thanks,

1068
01:28:56,000 --> 01:28:59,600
» Councilman Robbins.
>> And Mr. Ken, I think I I think we can

1069
01:28:58,400 --> 01:29:05,520
get there, but I think there also needs
to be some clarification, whether it's

1070
01:29:01,920 --> 01:29:10,880
Ryan or county manager, to uh explain
exactly what we did. Uh so there's no

1071
01:29:08,639 --> 01:29:15,840
misunderstandings or miscommunications
or um

1072
01:29:13,760 --> 01:29:20,480
» whatot what that what that road fund,
our additional subsidy has done, what

1073
01:29:18,639 --> 01:29:26,400
it's actually done, and and how we would
proceed forward if we did to decide to

1074
01:29:24,560 --> 01:29:31,760
uh keep it or not keep it. Is that
something you can do?

1075
01:29:27,280 --> 01:29:38,080
» Yeah. Uh at least generally uh
like you mentioned it is a road subsidy

1076
01:29:34,239 --> 01:29:44,239
because for the uh 30 years I've been
here at least the last 27. You know all

1077
01:29:41,440 --> 01:29:48,400
the roads were done uh using gas tax
impact fees and of course prop share

1078
01:29:46,560 --> 01:29:53,600
which is really impact fees ahead of
time. So it's really you get down to it.

1079
01:29:50,719 --> 01:29:59,440
And then grants, we go after grants from
the Florida DOT, federal government.

1080
01:29:56,480 --> 01:30:04,960
That's your road program. And
interestingly, I will just say uh you

1081
01:30:03,199 --> 01:30:10,800
know, I think the gas tax amount is
almost the same when I uh started 30

1082
01:30:08,000 --> 01:30:16,719
years ago. So it's been a flat amount of
gas tax, somewhere in the $20 million

1083
01:30:13,520 --> 01:30:20,800
range. Um that's your old program. So
the good news is though, it's steady.

1084
01:30:18,239 --> 01:30:25,600
You have it. It's not property tax
based.

1085
01:30:22,800 --> 01:30:32,400
There is money uh I will say about $5
million in the MSD that goes to uh Roco

1086
01:30:29,120 --> 01:30:38,639
Road, your dirt road, your side streets.
Um that's what handles that. So that

1087
01:30:34,719 --> 01:30:43,199
part is property tax. You guys uh I
think Danny, like you said, uh you and

1088
01:30:40,719 --> 01:30:48,239
Mr. Kent a couple years ago came up with
the idea of how about we subsidize that,

1089
01:30:46,480 --> 01:30:52,480
give it a little extra push. And that's
with the $5 million out of the general

1090
01:30:50,239 --> 01:30:57,760
fund. So that's the new part that was
given. It's gone into various projects.

1091
01:30:55,600 --> 01:31:02,480
It's it's either been used to do
resurfacing of roads. There's been

1092
01:30:59,760 --> 01:31:08,960
several safety projects that I they've
worked on and also uh

1093
01:31:06,960 --> 01:31:12,480
plug the gap in other funding because a
lot of times these roads are put

1094
01:31:10,159 --> 01:31:17,280
together these projects like I say with
a combination of a grant, some gas tax

1095
01:31:14,800 --> 01:31:23,120
and impact fees. So they also use that
to plug that hole. Um so that that's

1096
01:31:21,120 --> 01:31:29,440
what it is. It's not the primary source.
It's it's a subsidy to uh um try to move

1097
01:31:27,360 --> 01:31:32,719
us a little forward was the intent.
Okay.

1098
01:31:30,800 --> 01:31:36,400
» Thank you, George. And and just just so
we know, we're not going to be cutting

1099
01:31:34,080 --> 01:31:39,199
anyone's position. We're not going to be
cutting any raises that we factored in

1100
01:31:38,239 --> 01:31:42,000
out of that 5 million.
>> No, that's all project based. That's the

1101
01:31:40,639 --> 01:31:45,679
one thing about it is it's project
based. Totally separate. Yeah. It's not

1102
01:31:44,080 --> 01:31:48,880
on our day-to-day operations.
>> And I think council is just gives us a

1103
01:31:47,440 --> 01:31:53,679
little bit of an opportunity as an
option to see what we're, you know,

1104
01:31:50,960 --> 01:32:00,159
looking at. Let this marinate uh for a
week or two. And I I may not commit to

1105
01:31:56,639 --> 01:32:03,679
it, but it's an option. Uh in case this
council decides

1106
01:32:02,159 --> 01:32:07,920
um just like kind of what the public is
saying, hey, if this council decides to

1107
01:32:05,520 --> 01:32:10,400
go to roll back, here are some options.
So, thank you.

1108
01:32:08,880 --> 01:32:14,960
» I'm I'm okay with the option. We we'll
have two weeks to think about. Okay,

1109
01:32:13,120 --> 01:32:19,679
you're good with it.
>> I hear the directions. So, do you want

1110
01:32:16,639 --> 01:32:23,199
me to read the official motion that has
to be made? Because as the as the

1111
01:32:21,520 --> 01:32:28,080
manager recommended,
>> uh you can't go you can't go any uh

1112
01:32:25,840 --> 01:32:31,520
direction but down. So, right now, we'd
recommend you set the proposed millage

1113
01:32:29,600 --> 01:32:36,400
rate as listed in the agenda. And I'm
going to read that now. Uh looking for a

1114
01:32:34,639 --> 01:32:41,760
motion to move approval for tenatively
adoption of general fund advalarm tax

1115
01:32:38,800 --> 01:32:47,199
rate of 3.20007 20007 mills which is
3.23% greater than the roll back rate of

1116
01:32:45,120 --> 01:32:49,600
3.107
mills.

1117
01:32:48,239 --> 01:32:54,040
» Mr. Chair, real quick because we do have
a motion on the floor unless that was

1118
01:32:51,040 --> 01:32:54,040
withdrawn.

1119
01:32:55,360 --> 01:33:00,400
» No, sir. Don't we have I thought we had
Mr. Robin's motion with a second that's

1120
01:32:58,800 --> 01:33:04,639
still on the floor to be voted on.
>> There was a motion to direct us, but

1121
01:33:02,480 --> 01:33:10,480
I've heard the direction. So maybe we
need to resolve that. Yeah. Why don't

1122
01:33:06,400 --> 01:33:13,840
you just withdraw your motion and then U
Ryan just gave you the motion.

1123
01:33:12,800 --> 01:33:18,199
» I I've heard the direction.
>> I'll withdraw my motion.

1124
01:33:18,480 --> 01:33:24,320
» Do we have a motion for the 3.20007
mills?

1125
01:33:23,440 --> 01:33:29,800
» Motion to approve
>> with options next time.

1126
01:33:26,800 --> 01:33:29,800
Okay.

1127
01:33:30,880 --> 01:33:38,960
All right. Carissa, call the role,
please. Can you clarify who the

1128
01:33:36,080 --> 01:33:42,320
secondary was?
>> Mr. Johansson?

1129
01:33:41,199 --> 01:33:43,840
» Yes.
>> Mr. Kent?

1130
01:33:43,360 --> 01:33:45,520
» Yes.
>> Mr. Reinhardt?

1131
01:33:44,960 --> 01:33:46,960
» Yes.
>> Mr. Robbins?

1132
01:33:46,560 --> 01:33:50,080
» Yes.
>> Mr. Santiago.

1133
01:33:48,639 --> 01:33:52,639
» Mr. Dempsey.
>> Mr. Brower.

1134
01:33:51,120 --> 01:33:56,159
» No.
>> Okay. Move to the second. The law

1135
01:33:55,040 --> 01:34:00,320
enforcement fund.
>> Law enforcement fund. Advalorum tax rate

1136
01:33:58,080 --> 01:34:05,679
of 1.5994
mills is 3.29% 29% greater than the roll

1137
01:34:03,040 --> 01:34:09,280
back rate of 1.5485
mills.

1138
01:34:08,560 --> 01:34:14,639
Do I have a motion?
>> Move approval.

1139
01:34:12,320 --> 01:34:18,760
» Have a motion for approval by Troy Kent.
Second by Vice Chair Reinhardt.

1140
01:34:19,440 --> 01:34:24,400
Any questions? Chris, call the role,
please.

1141
01:34:23,360 --> 01:34:25,840
» Mr. Johansson,
>> yes.

1142
01:34:24,960 --> 01:34:27,360
» Mr. Kent,
>> yes.

1143
01:34:26,320 --> 01:34:28,880
» Mr. Reinhardt,
>> yes.

1144
01:34:27,840 --> 01:34:30,560
» Mr. Robins,
>> yes.

1145
01:34:29,360 --> 01:34:32,000
» Mr. Mr. Santiago.
>> Yes.

1146
01:34:30,960 --> 01:34:33,520
» Mr. Dempsey.
>> Yes.

1147
01:34:32,400 --> 01:34:37,040
» Mr. Brower.
>> No.

1148
01:34:35,440 --> 01:34:40,800
» And the library fund.
>> Library fund out of alarm tax rate of

1149
01:34:39,040 --> 01:34:46,880
0.3
n sorry 0.3697

1150
01:34:43,920 --> 01:34:50,679
mills is 3.38% greater than the roll
back rate of 0.3576

1151
01:34:50,719 --> 01:34:58,400
mills.
>> Move approval.

1152
01:34:53,920 --> 01:35:02,880
We have a motion to approve the uh
the mill rate as presented by uh

1153
01:35:00,880 --> 01:35:07,840
Councilman Kent and a second by Vice
Chair Reinhardt.

1154
01:35:05,840 --> 01:35:10,719
» Questions?
Chris, call the role, please.

1155
01:35:09,600 --> 01:35:12,000
» Mr. Johansson,
>> yes.

1156
01:35:11,199 --> 01:35:13,520
» Mr. Kent,
>> yes.

1157
01:35:12,480 --> 01:35:14,960
» Mr. Reinhardt,
>> yes.

1158
01:35:13,920 --> 01:35:16,880
» Mr. Robins,
>> yes.

1159
01:35:15,360 --> 01:35:18,320
» Mr. Santiago.
>> Mr. Dempsey?

1160
01:35:17,920 --> 01:35:20,880
» Yes.
>> Mr. Brower?

1161
01:35:19,360 --> 01:35:25,520
» No.
And that takes us to Valuchia Forever.

1162
01:35:23,360 --> 01:35:30,880
Valuchia Forever fund advalor tax rate
of 0.200

1163
01:35:28,239 --> 01:35:34,719
mills is 3.31% greater than the roll
back rate of 0.1936

1164
01:35:33,679 --> 01:35:39,760
mills.
>> Move approval.

1165
01:35:36,719 --> 01:35:43,880
» I have a motion to approve the 2 mills
by Troy Kent.

1166
01:35:44,239 --> 01:35:49,159
Did the second come from you from Vice
Chair Reinhardt?

1167
01:35:50,080 --> 01:35:53,760
Christa, would you call the role,
please?

1168
01:35:52,639 --> 01:35:54,960
» Mr. Johansson,
>> yes.

1169
01:35:54,159 --> 01:35:56,639
» Mr. Kent,
>> yes.

1170
01:35:55,280 --> 01:35:58,080
» Mr. Reinhardt,
>> Mr. Robbins,

1171
01:35:57,679 --> 01:36:02,880
» yes.
>> Mr. Santiago.

1172
01:36:00,320 --> 01:36:07,760
» Mr. Dempsey. Mr. Brower.
>> Yes.

1173
01:36:04,000 --> 01:36:09,840
» And then move to echo echo fund adorum
tax rate.

1174
01:36:08,400 --> 01:36:14,639
» Discussion.
>> Uh, I'm sorry, I didn't see your name.

1175
01:36:11,920 --> 01:36:18,719
Councilman on echo or the previous one?
>> Echo.

1176
01:36:15,280 --> 01:36:24,080
» Okay. Jack Johansson. Um [snorts] I'
I've noticed that uh uh quite a few

1177
01:36:21,440 --> 01:36:31,440
cities are ratcheting down their budgets
in preparation for what might happen.

1178
01:36:27,440 --> 01:36:37,199
And um uh I foresee uh based on my
experience that a lot of cities will not

1179
01:36:34,400 --> 01:36:42,880
be asking for
uh grants because they won't be able to

1180
01:36:39,440 --> 01:36:52,800
make the match for bigger uh grants. We
have a heck of a good chunk of reserves

1181
01:36:48,080 --> 01:36:59,520
in the echo program. And uh I I think
this merits possibly going to

1182
01:36:56,239 --> 01:37:06,639
uh going to roll back in the echo fund
this year uh and let it even out, let

1183
01:37:02,719 --> 01:37:12,159
the reserves wind down a little bit and
um take a look at it uh next year if if

1184
01:37:10,639 --> 01:37:15,600
required.
um

1185
01:37:13,679 --> 01:37:24,480
something to think about with with
Danny's proposal that that may net five

1186
01:37:19,679 --> 01:37:34,159
maybe uh $5.5 million and getting echoed
down um uh I think it's about a mill uh

1187
01:37:30,239 --> 01:37:38,080
that in effect as it appears would would
get

1188
01:37:35,840 --> 01:37:42,960
the same as what we would do if we went
to roll back in the general fund as far

1189
01:37:40,080 --> 01:37:42,960
as cost savings.

1190
01:37:45,600 --> 01:37:51,000
Okay. So, is there a motion for echo?

1191
01:37:51,760 --> 01:37:58,719
» Yeah, I'd like to make a motion to go
roll back and echo.

1192
01:37:56,080 --> 01:38:05,400
» Jake Johansson makes a motion to go to
roll back and echo.

1193
01:38:01,840 --> 01:38:05,400
Is there a second?

1194
01:38:06,400 --> 01:38:09,520
» I don't think you're going to get a
second.

1195
01:38:08,000 --> 01:38:14,480
» Chairman, seeing no second, I'll go
ahead and make a motion. um to approve

1196
01:38:11,840 --> 01:38:16,159
the the echo millillage as staff uh put
forward.

1197
01:38:15,040 --> 01:38:19,840
» Second.
>> Let me read into the record. The

1198
01:38:17,440 --> 01:38:24,480
Valuchia echo fund advalorum tax rate of
0.200

1199
01:38:22,080 --> 01:38:27,760
mills is 3.31% greater than the roll
back rate of 0.1936

1200
01:38:27,199 --> 01:38:30,239
mills.
>> Move approval.

1201
01:38:28,880 --> 01:38:34,040
» Second.
>> Chris to call the role.

1202
01:38:35,760 --> 01:38:41,320
» Can you tell me who seconded?
>> I did.

1203
01:38:37,840 --> 01:38:41,320
» Vice Chair Reinhardt.

1204
01:38:44,719 --> 01:38:51,199
You have another question.
>> I have of someone who would like to do

1205
01:38:48,480 --> 01:38:52,719
public comment on this.
>> The motion

1206
01:38:51,840 --> 01:38:56,440
» failed.
>> It failed the second.

1207
01:38:59,520 --> 01:39:02,480
» Mr. Johansson,
>> yes.

1208
01:39:01,600 --> 01:39:03,840
» Mr. Kent,
>> yes.

1209
01:39:02,880 --> 01:39:05,119
» Mr. Reinhardt,
>> yes.

1210
01:39:04,159 --> 01:39:07,679
» Mr. Robbins,
>> yes.

1211
01:39:05,520 --> 01:39:10,639
» Mr. Santiago,
>> Mr. Dempsey,

1212
01:39:09,600 --> 01:39:15,760
Mr. Brower.
>> Yes. Mosquito control. The mosquito

1213
01:39:13,600 --> 01:39:20,639
control fund advalorum tax rate of
0.1573

1214
01:39:18,000 --> 01:39:26,440
mills is 3.15% greater than the roll
back rate of 0.1525

1215
01:39:23,440 --> 01:39:26,440
mills.

1216
01:39:26,560 --> 01:39:36,239
» Move approval.
>> Have a motion to approve the uh uh 1.573

1217
01:39:33,600 --> 01:39:41,920
mil rate by Councilman Kent and a second
by Vice Chair Reinhardt. Any questions,

1218
01:39:38,960 --> 01:39:43,679
comments? Carissa, call the role.
>> Mr. Johansson,

1219
01:39:43,199 --> 01:39:45,040
» yes.
>> Mr. Kent,

1220
01:39:44,639 --> 01:39:46,320
» yes.
>> Mr. Reinhardt,

1221
01:39:45,920 --> 01:39:47,600
» yes.
>> Mr. Robins,

1222
01:39:47,280 --> 01:39:50,159
» yes.
>> Mr. Santiago.

1223
01:39:49,119 --> 01:39:51,600
» Mr. Dempsey?
>> Yes.

1224
01:39:50,480 --> 01:39:57,480
» Mr. Brower?
>> No.

1225
01:39:53,360 --> 01:39:57,480
» Pon Inlet Port Authority,

1226
01:39:58,159 --> 01:40:04,639
which is at the roll back rate of
0.06400.

1227
01:40:02,800 --> 01:40:10,080
The pon inlet and port authority fund
advor tax rate is at the rolled back

1228
01:40:06,800 --> 01:40:14,320
rate of 0.0640
mills.

1229
01:40:10,960 --> 01:40:18,880
» Motion I got a
>> I got a question first.

1230
01:40:16,080 --> 01:40:24,320
» Okay. Um sorry
>> we have a motion by by vice chair

1231
01:40:21,360 --> 01:40:28,000
Reinhardt. Uh no second yet. Uh Troy
Kent, you have a question.

1232
01:40:25,600 --> 01:40:33,040
» Thank you. Uh Mr. Rectald, this is one
of the two that uh staff is recommending

1233
01:40:30,320 --> 01:40:36,440
um a decrease.
Tell me why

1234
01:40:36,480 --> 01:40:43,520
we have sufficient with with what we're
proposing. We'll have sufficient funds

1235
01:40:41,440 --> 01:40:47,280
to do any of the projects that are
planned, the dredging and what that

1236
01:40:45,199 --> 01:40:49,920
comes out of that particular fund. So,
we're not going to ask for more when we

1237
01:40:48,960 --> 01:40:55,360
don't need it.
>> Second.

1238
01:40:51,600 --> 01:41:01,600
» Okay. Second is by Troy Kent.
and um Hapansson. Let

1239
01:40:59,679 --> 01:41:05,679
uh
I don't think I have to call the role,

1240
01:41:03,040 --> 01:41:08,400
but go ahead and call the role. Carissa,
>> Mr. Johansson,

1241
01:41:07,440 --> 01:41:09,840
» Mr. Kent,
>> yes.

1242
01:41:08,880 --> 01:41:11,199
» Mr. Reinhardt,
>> yes.

1243
01:41:10,239 --> 01:41:13,199
» Mr. Robbins,
>> yes.

1244
01:41:11,600 --> 01:41:14,719
» Mr. Santiago,
>> Mr. Dempsey,

1245
01:41:14,320 --> 01:41:16,800
» yes.
>> Mr. Brower,

1246
01:41:15,840 --> 01:41:21,520
» yes.
>> And that brings us to the fire rescue

1247
01:41:19,360 --> 01:41:25,360
district fund.
>> Uh might not be the exact same order

1248
01:41:24,080 --> 01:41:27,600
that's on the slides. I'm following the
order that was listed. I'm sorry.

1249
01:41:26,880 --> 01:41:30,239
Separate agenda.
>> Silver sands.

1250
01:41:28,800 --> 01:41:34,960
» I'm actually at the municipal service
district. Municipal service district

1251
01:41:31,679 --> 01:41:40,560
adarm tax rate of 1.6956
mills is 2.79% greater than the roll

1252
01:41:37,760 --> 01:41:43,920
back rate of 1.6495
mills.

1253
01:41:41,280 --> 01:41:46,159
» Sub move.
>> Move approval.

1254
01:41:45,199 --> 01:41:52,639
» Second.
>> Troy Kent. Uh move to approve the MSD

1255
01:41:49,840 --> 01:41:58,239
fund
at its current military. Second by

1256
01:41:55,440 --> 01:42:03,119
Councilman Robbins.
Uh

1257
01:42:00,080 --> 01:42:09,520
any conversation questions on this? Just
uh please verify if I'm correct on this.

1258
01:42:07,600 --> 01:42:14,000
We're already hurting in MSD.
>> The MSD fund is using reserves to

1259
01:42:11,520 --> 01:42:17,119
balance its budget uh for quite a few
years in a row now. It does have

1260
01:42:15,440 --> 01:42:20,080
sufficient reserves in our five-year
forecast to go throughout the five-year

1261
01:42:18,719 --> 01:42:25,199
period. That's why we didn't recommend
anything like a rate increase. But re

1262
01:42:22,719 --> 01:42:30,239
recommending this at a flat rate helps
not make the gap larger.

1263
01:42:27,600 --> 01:42:36,119
» Okay. Councilman Robbins Ryan, what's
our reserves in there right now? What's

1264
01:42:31,920 --> 01:42:36,119
the number? You know,

1265
01:42:42,719 --> 01:42:47,239
D, you made the second on that.

1266
01:43:04,080 --> 01:43:10,239
The recommended budget has $32 million
of reserves.

1267
01:43:08,000 --> 01:43:14,639
We are using $4 million of reserves a
year at this point. That's why we it's

1268
01:43:12,800 --> 01:43:18,960
it's a large reserve number. So even
though you're unbalanced, we're not

1269
01:43:16,719 --> 01:43:22,480
recommending to make the gap wider, but
we're also not recommending to increase

1270
01:43:20,719 --> 01:43:27,199
the tax rate to do undo the balance
because it does have a sizable reserve.

1271
01:43:24,719 --> 01:43:33,280
Thank you.
>> Okay. Motion and second still stand.

1272
01:43:31,119 --> 01:43:37,679
Carissa, please call the role on the
municipal service district fund.

1273
01:43:36,480 --> 01:43:38,960
» Mr. Johansson,
>> yes.

1274
01:43:38,159 --> 01:43:40,320
» Mr. Kent,
>> yes.

1275
01:43:39,360 --> 01:43:41,679
» Mr. Reinhardt,
>> yes.

1276
01:43:40,639 --> 01:43:44,719
» Mr. Robbins,
>> yes.

1277
01:43:42,159 --> 01:43:46,239
» Mr. Santiago, Mr. Dempsey,
>> yes,

1278
01:43:45,119 --> 01:43:50,960
» Mr. Brower.
>> Yes. And that takes us to

1279
01:43:48,467 --> 01:43:54,000
[clears throat] Silver Sand Bthoon Beach
MSD.

1280
01:43:51,679 --> 01:44:00,639
» Silver Sands Bthoon Beach MSD fund
advalorum tax rate of 0.099

1281
01:43:58,159 --> 01:44:05,440
mills is 1.02%
greater than the roll back rate of

1282
01:44:02,960 --> 01:44:08,440
0.0098
mills.

1283
01:44:09,440 --> 01:44:15,280
» Move approval.
We have a motion to approve. I think

1284
01:44:12,960 --> 01:44:18,639
Vice Chair Reinhardt beat you to it.
I'll

1285
01:44:15,440 --> 01:44:28,400
» second that. Yep.
>> To keep the uh military at 00099.

1286
01:44:25,280 --> 01:44:30,239
Any questions, comments? Chris,
>> Mr. Johansson?

1287
01:44:29,679 --> 01:44:31,520
» Yes.
>> Mr. Kent?

1288
01:44:31,119 --> 01:44:32,880
» Yes.
>> Mr. Reinhardt?

1289
01:44:32,560 --> 01:44:34,239
» Yes.
>> Mr. Robbins?

1290
01:44:33,840 --> 01:44:36,800
» Yes.
>> Mr. Santiago.

1291
01:44:35,760 --> 01:44:38,320
» Mr. Dempsey?
>> Yes.

1292
01:44:37,199 --> 01:44:46,239
» Mr. Brower?
>> No. And the last one is fire rescue

1293
01:44:42,960 --> 01:44:49,639
district fund
at 3.5990

1294
01:44:50,000 --> 01:44:56,719
mills 2.19% greater than the roll back
rate.

1295
01:44:53,840 --> 01:45:01,040
» Fire rescue district advalon tax rate of
3.5990

1296
01:44:58,480 --> 01:45:05,600
mills is 2.19% greater than the rolled
back rate of 3.5217

1297
01:45:03,840 --> 01:45:10,719
mills.
>> I see two people. I I hope I didn't miss

1298
01:45:08,320 --> 01:45:15,760
you last time, Councilman Robbins.
>> No, thank you. Uh staff, uh for the

1299
01:45:13,679 --> 01:45:20,480
decrease
there or the or the 68 change, uh we

1300
01:45:18,880 --> 01:45:26,080
heard some concerns this morning from
our our fire folks. Can you just hit on

1301
01:45:23,679 --> 01:45:31,440
um some of the projects and explain what
we've been doing there? Uh how the

1302
01:45:28,080 --> 01:45:33,040
reserves are in what situation? Um
>> Sure.

1303
01:45:31,760 --> 01:45:37,440
» or how healthy they
>> Yeah, they're very healthy reserves.

1304
01:45:34,560 --> 01:45:43,920
Also, I would just say the concern this
morning, uh, the the tender is been

1305
01:45:41,440 --> 01:45:49,119
delivered, I believe. So, the the fire
truck he was talking about, he just

1306
01:45:45,840 --> 01:45:53,679
hasn't seen it yet. Uh, there are quite
a few stations and so it's mean mean

1307
01:45:52,080 --> 01:45:58,639
they just didn't see it. But anyway, the
that that truck is here and we were

1308
01:45:56,800 --> 01:46:03,600
waiting until the truck was here before
we staffed it. So, now we're in the

1309
01:46:00,480 --> 01:46:08,560
process of hiring to staff it. And the
other concern about the logistics center

1310
01:46:05,760 --> 01:46:14,880
that has to do with the fact that
um uh right now they share a logistics

1311
01:46:13,040 --> 01:46:19,920
center with EMS. EMS is going to have
their own. So they'll be moving out and

1312
01:46:17,119 --> 01:46:26,480
and that'll leave uh the uh what they
call post two down in Orange City will

1313
01:46:22,480 --> 01:46:29,440
now be uh used as the fire logistics.
So,

1314
01:46:26,960 --> 01:46:33,600
» is this going to affect any
>> I know we've we had some concerns last

1315
01:46:31,840 --> 01:46:37,360
year, you know, and obviously we want to
do the best we can for for them and and

1316
01:46:35,520 --> 01:46:42,719
our first responders. Is this going to
affect any um payraises or equipment or

1317
01:46:41,760 --> 01:46:48,400
uh anything like that?
>> You uh well, you they're already in a in

1318
01:46:45,280 --> 01:46:52,560
a middle of a contract for their for the
majority of them. There are one uh

1319
01:46:50,560 --> 01:46:58,159
smaller group, the battalion chiefs that
we're working with right now, but they

1320
01:46:54,880 --> 01:47:02,960
will not affect that.
>> Okay, we're in good shape financially

1321
01:47:01,199 --> 01:47:07,440
and that's again what we recommended.
So,

1322
01:47:05,360 --> 01:47:11,280
» uh Councilman Kent was that was going to
be my question to Mr. Rectenwald and you

1323
01:47:09,760 --> 01:47:14,800
just answered it. We're in good shape
financially and Chief uh King is on

1324
01:47:13,840 --> 01:47:18,400
board.
>> He is. He's right there.

1325
01:47:16,080 --> 01:47:21,040
» Where is Chief King? Chief, you just
from from the audience, you could tell

1326
01:47:19,600 --> 01:47:22,880
me thumbs up or thumbs down. You're good
with this. That's all I need to hear.

1327
01:47:22,639 --> 01:47:27,280
Thanks.
>> He gets to keep his thumb. That's good.

1328
01:47:25,274 --> 01:47:32,639
[laughter]
>> I I had a feeling I had a feeling the

1329
01:47:30,400 --> 01:47:37,774
response I was going to get, but I
didn't want to get burned.

1330
01:47:34,719 --> 01:47:37,774
Pun intended. [laughter]

1331
01:47:37,840 --> 01:47:43,360
» Okay. So, I can Can I have a motion?
>> Motion to approve.

1332
01:47:42,560 --> 01:47:47,920
» Second.
>> Okay. The motion is to keep the current

1333
01:47:46,080 --> 01:47:55,040
3.5990
millage rate by vice chair Reinhardt and

1334
01:47:51,520 --> 01:47:56,239
second was by uh Troy Kent. Did I get
that voice right?

1335
01:47:55,760 --> 01:48:00,320
» You did.
>> Okay.

1336
01:47:57,440 --> 01:48:04,159
» Questions, concerns,
and call the role on the last fund.

1337
01:48:02,800 --> 01:48:05,440
» Mr. Johansson,
>> yes.

1338
01:48:04,639 --> 01:48:06,960
» Mr. Kent,
>> yes.

1339
01:48:05,920 --> 01:48:08,239
» Mr. Reinhardt?
>> Yes.

1340
01:48:07,360 --> 01:48:11,280
» Mr. Robbins?
>> Yes.

1341
01:48:08,639 --> 01:48:14,400
» Mr. Santiago. Mr. Dempsey?
>> Yes.

1342
01:48:11,600 --> 01:48:17,280
» Mr. Brower? No.
And that takes care of all the funds for

1343
01:48:16,719 --> 01:48:21,199
you.
>> Yep. The next thing is the uh

1344
01:48:19,600 --> 01:48:25,600
recommended budget amount which I've
list I've shown on the screen here. The

1345
01:48:23,679 --> 01:48:32,159
motion that I would be seeking would be
approval to adopt the fiscal year 2026

1346
01:48:28,320 --> 01:48:35,159
2027 tentative gross budget of 1 bill800
million271,784

1347
01:48:37,280 --> 01:48:43,199
which less inter fund transfers in fun
uh internal services and reserves

1348
01:48:41,360 --> 01:48:47,159
results in a net operating budget of 1
bill64 million798,131.

1349
01:48:52,960 --> 01:48:58,960
Second.
>> We have a motion to approve the

1350
01:48:55,360 --> 01:49:04,520
recommended budget by uh Matt Vice Chair
Reinhardt. Second was by Troy Kent

1351
01:49:06,159 --> 01:49:13,679
» and Councilman Santiago for a question
>> for my clarification. That is all of the

1352
01:49:11,520 --> 01:49:17,199
U funds included. Correct.
>> It's all the funds put together. These

1353
01:49:15,199 --> 01:49:23,600
are not just taxing funds. It's nearly
100 funds including n nearly 90 that are

1354
01:49:20,000 --> 01:49:28,639
not tax living funds. Thank you.
>> Any other questions? Carissa, call the

1355
01:49:26,239 --> 01:49:30,320
role, please.
>> Mr. Johansson,

1356
01:49:29,840 --> 01:49:31,440
» yes.
>> Mr. Kent,

1357
01:49:31,119 --> 01:49:32,719
» yes.
>> Mr. Reinhardt?

1358
01:49:32,320 --> 01:49:34,000
» Yes.
>> Mr. Robbins?

1359
01:49:33,600 --> 01:49:36,480
» Yes.
>> Mr. Santiago?

1360
01:49:35,440 --> 01:49:38,800
» Mr. Dempsey?
>> Yes.

1361
01:49:36,960 --> 01:49:42,400
» Mr. Brower?
>> No.

1362
01:49:40,560 --> 01:49:47,040
» All right. Now I have the easiest one of
the night. I need a motion to approve

1363
01:49:44,800 --> 01:49:52,320
the scheduling of the second public
hearing to adopt the fiscal year 2627

1364
01:49:49,520 --> 01:49:56,080
budget with Valuchia County Advax rates
and budget set for Tuesday, September

1365
01:49:54,480 --> 01:50:01,840
22nd,
2026 at 50:01 p.m. in these chambers.

1366
01:50:00,719 --> 01:50:05,360
» Motion to approve.
>> Second.

1367
01:50:03,040 --> 01:50:14,320
» Motion to approve the next meeting on
September 22nd uh from Matt Reinhardt.

1368
01:50:08,960 --> 01:50:14,320
Second was by uh Councilman Robbins.

1369
01:50:14,480 --> 01:50:21,080
questions, concern. All in favor say I.
>> I.

1370
01:50:17,840 --> 01:50:21,080
» Any opposed?

1371
01:50:22,719 --> 01:50:25,719
» Okay,

1372
01:50:26,400 --> 01:50:33,520
that's all I have.
>> And that that is all for the night.

1373
01:50:31,199 --> 01:50:41,360
Unless any council member or staff has
any closing comment.

1374
01:50:36,320 --> 01:50:44,639
No. No. Then we will adjourn at 6:51.
again. Thank you for coming