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IF YOU WOULD PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. COMMISSIONER CROSBY.
YES, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER. RAFAEL. YES, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER. CARROLL. YES, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER. PEACE. YES, MA'AM. CHAIRMAN. MOORE. YES, MA'AM. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE INVOCATION TONIGHT BY MR. ASHLEY STUCKEY. AND THEN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE BY JOHN DIGGINS WITH VETERANS SERVICES.
IF YOU WOULD PLEASE STAND AND JOIN. PLEASE JOIN ME.
I ASK YOU TO GRANT WISDOM AND YOUR GRACE, LORD, IN THE DELIBERATIONS AND THE THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE DONE, ALL BE DONE IN DECENCY AND IN ORDER. AND WE JUST THANK YOU FOR OR THIS PLACE CALLED BAY COUNTY.
IN CHRIST'S NAME. AMEN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[1. FY 2026 Budget – First Public Hearing]
SO WE'RE HERE FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET, THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING.ARE WE READY? YOU READY? THE FLOOR IS YOURS. GOOD EVENING.
BEFORE YOU ARE THE MILLAGE RATES THAT WE SET BACK ON JULY 15TH? THESE MILLAGE RATES ARE AS FOLLOWS. THE GENERAL FUND 5.4362.
MOSQUITO CONTROL. 0.0 OR I'M SORRY 0.2000. AND MS2 FIRE IS 1.5030, FOR A TOTAL COMBINED MILLAGE RATE OF 7.1392.
THE AGGREGATE ROLLBACK RATE FOR THESE IS 5.9982, AND THE AGGREGATE MILLAGE RATE IS 6.1594, AND THIS IS A 2.69% INCREASE OVER THE ROLLBACK.
AND AGAIN, THESE ARE THE MILLAGE CEILINGS THAT WERE SET BACK IN JULY.
AND I TURN IT OVER TO THE BOARD FOR DISCUSSION.
AND THEN WE WILL HAVE TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING HEARING BEFORE A VOTE.
ALL RIGHT. TURNED OVER TO THE BOARD. SO WITH THAT OPEN IT UP TO THE BOARD.
WHO WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN? YEAH. ALL RIGHT. I KNOW SOMEBODY WANTS TO BREAK THE ICE OTHER THAN ME. CHAIRMAN.
SHALL WE HEAR FROM THE AUDIENCE FIRST? ABOUT OUT OF TURN.
I'LL GO. THE ICEBREAKER IN THE ROOM. AGAIN, NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE. GOOD. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS ARTHUR ARAKELIAN, A 32 SEVEN LA VALENCIA CIRCLE.
PANAMA CITY BEACH, 32413. AND LIEUTENANT COLONEL, USAF RETIRED.
AND WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED? THAT'LL WORK. ALL RIGHT.
OKAY. OKAY. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I'VE NEVER BEEN TO ONE OF THESE MEETINGS. KIND OF SURPRISED.
IT IS SURPRISING THAT I THOUGHT THERE WAS GOING TO BE A LOT MORE PEOPLE HERE FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS, BUT I'LL JUST. I'M JUST TRYING TO. I TRIED TO KEEP THIS AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE, BUT I GOT DOWN HERE IN
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96 FOR TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE FROM MASSACHUSETTS, AND SO I'VE BEEN MY HOME WAS BUILT IN THE BEGINNING PART OF 97 SINGLE FAMILY HOME, THREE BEDROOM, TWO BATH, TWO CAR GARAGE AND JUST YOUR AVERAGE AREA ON THE BEACH AND.AND I JUST REALLY AS I, AS I'M LOOKING AT THIS, I'M GOING, OKAY, I STARTED GOING OVER THIS STUFF WHEN I GOT THE LATEST ESTIMATED BILL FROM 1998 TO 2018, JUST BEFORE HURRICANE MICHAEL.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS AND THESE NUMBERS ARE READILY AVAILABLE ON THE OTHER SITES OUT THERE FOR, YOU KNOW, ZILLOW, REALTOR.COM, WHATEVER. YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS THE HISTORY, IT TOOK 20 YEARS TO GET TO 50% INCREASE IN MY PROPERTY TAX, WHICH WAS ABOUT AN AVERAGE OF 2.5% PER YEAR.
OKAY, NORMAL POST-HURRICANE MICHAEL. YOU GUYS WENT FROM 2020 TO IF THIS CURRENT AMOUNT IS PASSED FOR THIS, THIS ONE WILL REPRESENT A 50% INCREASE IN FIVE YEARS. IT TOOK 20 YEARS TO GET TO 50% JUST BEFORE HURRICANE MICHAEL.
IT'S AN AVERAGE OF 10% PER YEAR. WHEN IS THIS GOING TO STOP? WHEN WHEN DOES WHEN DO THESE INCREASES START PEELING BACK? AND I KNOW I GOT A LITTLE BIT OF TIME LEFT, BUT HONESTLY, THAT'S ALL I'M REALLY TRYING TO ASK HERE IS THESE TAXES ARE GOING UP.
I MEAN, JUST AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT YEAR OVER YEAR POST-HURRICANE MICHAEL.
BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A BED, TAX AND EVERYTHING ELSE. WHY ARE THE SINGLE FAMILY HOMEOWNERS GETTING HIT SO HARD? THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK? ALL RIGHT. SAYING NONE. HAD YOUR ONE ICE BREAK.
WHY ARE YOU LOOKING AT ME? I'LL I'LL I'LL I'LL TALK A LITTLE.
MULTIPLE TIMES I'VE DISCUSSED WITH STAFF POSSIBLE WAYS TO SAVE MONEY ON THE BUDGET EACH YEAR.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US GO TO QUARTERLY REPORTING.
I THINK ONE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE IS I'M I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE ARE UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHERE WE ARE YEAR TO DATE ON OUR BUDGET, QUARTERLY, ON A ONE ON ONE WITH ALL OF US SO THAT WE CAN, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A SITUATION WHERE WE MIGHT SEE A SAVINGS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR OR THE FIRST QUARTER OF THE YEAR, SO WE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT SAVINGS.
OR IF WE SEE OURSELVES GETTING OUT OF THE BOX AND OUR EXPENSES GOING UP IN ONE OR MORE AREAS WE CAN PUT SOME EMERGENCY FREEZES IN PLACE SO THAT WE DON'T GO OVER BUDGET.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE PERCENTAGES, SOME OF THEM OR THEY'RE NOT AS THEY LOOK ON THE PAPER, I THINK WE COULD TAKE EACH INDIVIDUAL ITEM AND GO DOWN AND SAY, WILL THIS INCREASE BECAUSE OF A CERTAIN REASON? AND IT AND IT MAKES GOOD COMMON LOGICAL SENSE.
BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US DO IS GO TO EVERY.
SINGLE ONE OF THESE DEPARTMENTS THAT WE SEE HERE AND TRY TO INCENTIVIZE THEM IN SOME SORT OF A WAY TO GO IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AND SEE IF WE CAN GET A 10% SAVINGS IN EACH DEPARTMENT.
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AND I THINK SOMETIMES WE GET WE LOOK AT IT AND WE SAY, WELL, WE'VE, WE'VE CUT EVERYTHING WE CAN CUT.IF YOU JUST TAKE I JUST WROTE DOWN A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHO'S RUNNING THE DEPARTMENT OR I THINK THAT EVERYBODY THAT WORKS HERE IS DOING INCREDIBLE WORK.
BUT I DO THINK THAT IF THEY'RE NOT IF WE DON'T CHALLENGE THEM, THEN THEY'RE JUST GOING TO STAY SORT OF YOU KNOW, IT'S THIS IS THE WAY IT'S ALWAYS BEEN, AND WE NEVER THINK OF ANOTHER WAY THAT WE CAN DO SOMETHING TO SAVE THE MONEY.
AND I JUST WANT TO PICK ON WORKMAN'S COMP FOR A MINUTE, AND IT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH WHO'S RUNNING THE WORKMAN'S COMP OR THE INSURANCE OR GETTING THE BEST DEAL, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THEY THEY FIGHT HARD TO GET THE INSURANCE DOWN.
BUT I JUST HAD A WORKMAN'S COMP AUDIT. SO I WAS FAMILIAR WITH A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT IT LOOKS LIKE WE COULD DO OUR IF WE WORKED ON CLAIM REDUCTION. NOW, YOU SEE ALL THESE BIG COMPANIES, CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES AND OTHER COMPANIES DO SAFETY PROGRAMS AND THEY DO TARGET INCENTIVE PROGRAMS. NO ACCIDENTS. YOU SEE IT IN FIVE DAYS? NO, NO ACCIDENTS IN TEN DAYS. AND THEY PUT IT ON A BOARD AND THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY THEY TURN IT INTO SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO MAKE PEOPLE PROUD TO MAKE THE 10% REDUCTION DEDUCTION IN THEIR IN THEIR PORTION OF THIS BUDGET.
AND I THINK IF WE FIGURE OUT AND SOMEONE'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE SMARTER THAN I AM TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO IT, TO MAKE IT A CHALLENGE TO EACH, EACH SINGLE ONE OF US THAT WORK HERE.
IF OUR CLAIMS FALL, OUR CLAIMS ARE 2 MILLION TO 1,000,008.
A 10% SAVINGS WOULD BE $200,000 ANNUALLY, JUST 10% IF WE HAD THAT MANY.
THAT LITTLE BIT OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T GET HURT, THEY YOU REMIND YOUR BUDDY, PUT YOUR PUT YOUR GLASSES ON, PUT YOUR HEART HEAD ON. DON'T YOU KNOW YOU LEFT THE FLOOR WET? WHATEVER. WHATEVER THE REASON THAT THESE FOLKS ARE GETTING HURT, THAT ARE CAUSING THIS EXCESSIVE INCREASE IN WORKMAN'S COMP ADJUSTING OUR, OUR DEDUCTIONS. SO SOMETIMES WHEN WE WE DO HAVE GOOD RESERVES, WE CAN LOWER OUR DEDUCTIONS.
OUR OUR PREMIUM WOULD GO LIKE FROM FOUR, 50, 10%.
THAT'S GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, 10% ON ON 450 OR DOWN TO 405.
SO ONCE YOU START ADDING UP THESE DIFFERENT TEN PERCENTS.
THE EXCESSIVE PREMIUM SAVINGS COULD BE 60, 65, $90,000 A YEAR JUST ON STUFF THAT WE WON'T MISS, 10% THAT WE WON'T EVEN MISS. LET ME JUST TALK ABOUT THE I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION, THE MAINTENANCE AND CONSTRUCTION.
I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO CREATE A FACILITIES DIVISION WITH MAINTENANCE AND CONSTRUCTION TEAM.
NOW, I'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS FOR THE WHOLE TIME I'VE BEEN UP HERE.
CONTRACTORS MARK UP. TYPICALLY, THEY ADD 15 TO 25%, AS EVERYBODY KNOWS, ON OVERHEAD, PLUS 10 TO 20% ON PROFIT ON TOP FOR LABOR AND MATERIALS. IF WE HAD OUR OWN TEAM BY USING COUNTY EMPLOYEES FOR SMALL PROJECTS.
AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT BUILDING, YOU KNOW, BIG BUILDINGS, I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT PAINTING MINOR RENOVATIONS, POURING SOME SIDEWALK THAT'S CRACKED, SOME ROOF REPAIRS, THAT SORT OF THING.
IF WE PAID THE DIRECT WAGE PLUS THE BENEFITS, LET'S JUST SAY IT'S $100,000.
SMALL BUILDING REPAIR. AN OUTSIDE CONTRACTOR WOULD CHARGE AN ADDITIONAL $25,000 IN OVERHEAD PROFIT.
WE COULD DELIVER THE SAME PRODUCT FOR 70,000.
IT'S YOU KNOW, WE ALSO WOULD SAVE ON MATERIALS WE'RE GOING TO SAVE.
WE DON'T HAVE TO PAY SALES TAX. IT IS THE SMALL PROJECTS OR IN-HOUSE.
IF WE USE IN-HOUSE CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE TEAM, WE'RE GOING TO REDUCE THE COST.
IF WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY SITUATION, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A TEAM IN PLACE THAT'S READY TO GO.
ELECTRICIANS, PLUMBERS, WHATEVER, WHATEVER IT IS THAT WE FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO HAVE ON OUR TEAM.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE READY TO GO. AND IT'S IT'S IT'S PROVEN WE CAN SAVE UP 10 TO 15% ON THE SALES TAX AND AND ON MATERIALS. WE ALREADY HAVE OUR OWN MAINTENANCE SHOP.
WE HAVE ALL THE EQUIPMENT. WE HAVE HEAVY EQUIPMENT, WE GOT LIGHT EQUIPMENT.
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WE'VE GOT HAND TOOLS. WE'VE GOT EVERYTHING IT TAKES TO DO IT.IF WE JUST START THINKING IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
OVER FIVE YEARS, YOU COULD SAVE EASILY $500,000 JUST OFF THE CUFF.
AND WHAT I'M SAYING IS YOU START ADDING UP THE INSURANCE THIS, THIS OTHER 500,000, AND BY THE TIME YOU GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT, YOU'VE SAVED YOU SAVED A LOT OF MONEY. AND I JUST I THINK WE'RE SO USED TO DOING THINGS THE SAME WAY.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US GET GET OUR THINKING GOING IN IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
SO I'M STRONGLY OPPOSED TO RAISING TAXES, BUT I NEVER WANT TO PUT I NEVER WANT TO RISK THE SAFETY OF OUR STAFF, ESPECIALLY OUR FIRST RESPONDERS OR OUR CITIZENS WHO DEPEND ON THEM.
24 SEVEN. OUR FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY IS MY HIGHEST PRIORITY.
AND I'M I'M SERIOUS ABOUT ABOUT BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF THE MONEY WE HAVE GOT.
AND EVEN THOUGH WE HAD A LOT OF GAINS, WE WE DID GET MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM, FROM THOSE FROM THOSE THINGS THAT HAVE BENEFITED BAY COUNTY TREMENDOUSLY. BUT NOW WE HAVE WE HAVE GOT OURSELVES IN A SITUATION THAT WE NEED THIS EQUIPMENT FOR FIRE. I MEAN, THAT'S THAT'S THE BIG THING. THAT'S THAT'S THE DISCUSSION, REALLY.
IT'S A LOT OF MONEY AND IT'S A LOT OF EQUIPMENT.
I, I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE A MULTI YEAR PLAN WITH ZERO ADDITIONAL TAX, ZERO TAX INCREASE.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT COULD HAVE BEEN BOUGHT OVER THREE YEARS OR FIVE YEARS, BUT SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT MAYBE THREE TO 4 OR 5 YEARS BEFORE WE EVEN GET IT. MAYBE NOT FIVE YEARS, BUT WE COULD WAIT ON A FIRE ENGINE UP TO FOUR YEARS BEFORE WE EVEN GET THE FIRE ENGINE.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US DO A PARTIAL INCREASE THIS YEAR AND AND MAYBE GET SOME GRANTS. I KNOW THAT LYNN HAVEN JUST GOT A BRAND NEW FIRE TRUCK ON A GRANT.
I'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT WE CAN, WHAT WE CAN PUSH FOR.
AND I THINK THAT'S JUST HOW I FEEL ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW.
I'M WHAT I'M WHAT I'M TELLING YOU IS THE SMALL THINGS, LIKE THESE OTHER THINGS THAT ADD UP, I NEED I NEED EVERYBODY TO GET TO SAY, YEAH, LET'S DO IT.
AND LET'S, LET'S GO AHEAD AND FORMULATE A PLAN.
LET'S HAVE A QUARTERLY MEETING TO SEE WHERE WE ARE ON THE BUDGET EVERY TIME.
LET'S THEY'RE DOING THIS BUILDING CONSTRUCTION DIVISION IN BREVARD COUNTY, CITRUS COUNTY, WALTON COUNTY SAINT JOHNS COUNTY, INDIAN TRAIL.
IT'S WORKING. IT WORKS. AND WE NEED TO INVESTIGATE.
WE NEED TO INVESTIGATE THE PLACES THAT ARE ALREADY THINKING OUTSIDE OUR NORMAL, WHAT WE NORMALLY DO, AND LET'S FIND OUT HOW THEY DID IT, SEE WHAT THEIR PITFALL WAS SO WE DON'T DO IT.
AND LET'S TRY TO START GETTING THIS BUDGET TO GO IN THE OTHER DIRECTION.
THINK. WHO ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK NOW, CLAIRE.
FIRST OF ALL THANKS TO STAFF, THANKS TO ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS, ALL THE CONSTITUTIONALS.
IT TAKES INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE TO PUT ALL THIS TOGETHER, ALL THE BUDGET FROM WHERE WE FIRST STARTED HAVING OUR ONE ON ONES, I THINK WE'VE GONE ABOUT 16 MILLION DOWN ON WHAT THE ORIGINAL BUDGET WAS.
I GOT UP HERE 2016, AND IN 2016, THE VOTERS VOTED FOR THE HALF CENT SURTAX.
HALF CENT SURTAX AS A PROMISE THAT IF THAT GOT APPROVED THAT WE WOULD REDUCE MILLAGE.
SO IN 2017 WE ACTUALLY GOT THE ABILITY AND WE REDUCED THE MILLAGE RATE.
SO IN 2017 THAT RATE ACTUALLY WENT DOWN. IT DOESN'T CHANGE YOUR ASSESSMENTS, BUT THE PROPERTY APPRAISER CAN ON A HOMESTEADED PROPERTY CAN RAISE YOU 3% EVERY YEAR FOREVER UNTIL HE GETS TO A POINT WHERE IT DOESN'T REACH, YOU KNOW, IT REACHES THAT CEILING. 2017, WE REDUCED THAT MILLAGE.
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WE THEN WENT THROUGH HURRICANE MICHAEL. WE WENT THROUGH COVID, WE WENT THROUGH WILDFIRES.WE HAD ALL THESE SCENARIOS, PERFECT OPPORTUNITIES TO HEY, WE NEED MORE MONEY.
LET'S RAISE MILLAGE RATES. WE DIDN'T DO ANY OF THAT.
BUT WE WERE FORCED TO IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, WE RAISED THE MILLAGE ONE TIME.
SO AS THIS BODY UP HERE, THERE'S THERE'S BEEN ONE DECREASE AND ONE INCREASE.
WE'D BE GLAD TO MEET WITH YOU AFTER THIS MEETING, SIR, AND I APOLOGIZE.
SO BUT WE DID HAVE ACCESS TO ARPA FUNDS. WE HAVE USED THOSE TO PURCHASE SOME FIRE EQUIPMENT.
IN THE PAST, WE WERE BLESSED TO HAVE THAT. THOSE FUNDS ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE.
AS CLARE SAID, THE FIRE EQUIPMENT, THAT'S THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AS FAR AS THIS BUDGET GOES THE MILLAGE RATE, WE'RE KEEPING IT FLAT YET AGAIN. BUT THE SEPARATE MSU FOR FIRE IS WHAT WE'RE ANALYZING.
OUR FIRE TRUCKS 22 TO 27 YEARS OLD. THIS EQUIPMENT IS GETTING OLD.
WHEN WE HAVE AN ISSUE AT OUR HOME, WE PICK UP THAT PHONE.
WE EXPECT SOMEONE TO SHOW UP, AND IF THEY HAVE TO CALL WHITE'S WRECKER TO GO TAKE THAT FIRE TRUCK SOMEWHERE ELSE, THAT'S A PROBLEM. AND WE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T GET OURSELVES INTO THAT SITUATION.
I AGREE WITH THE IDEA OF, YOU KNOW, IF WE DON'T START DOING LITTLE STEPS, WE'RE GOING TO BE SITTING UP HERE LIKE THE BOARD UP HERE PRIOR TO ALL OF US, WHEN THEY HAD TO INCREASE THOSE UTILITY RATES BY 50%.
AND WE CAN'T GET TO THAT SCENARIO. SO WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT A WAY HOW TO ORDER EQUIPMENT OR BUY EQUIPMENT, WHETHER IT'S RAISING THE MILLAGE SLIGHTLY, WHETHER IT'S LEAVING IT AS IT IS.
SOMETHING'S GOT TO GET CUT SOMEWHERE IF WE DON'T RAISE IT.
BUT WE DO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ADEQUATE EQUIPMENT OUT THERE THAT'S ON THE STREETS.
SO A FEW YEARS AGO, WE SELF-INSURED. THAT HELPED LOWER SOME COSTS.
I MEAN, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT THINKING OUT OF THE BOX THAT ALLOWED US TO LOWER SOME STUFF.
BUT AS WE ALL KNOW, WE'RE ALL IN BUSINESS. COSTS KEEP GOING UP.
WE DO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT MAYBE THERE ARE SOME OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OUT THERE THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE INSTEAD OF PURCHASING EQUIPMENT, WE CAN LEASE EQUIPMENT. I THINK THERE ARE SOME OPPORTUNITIES OUT THERE.
WE'VE GOT GREAT STAFF. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE DONE SOME SMALLER PROJECTS.
FRED'S LED THE TEAM AND DONE SEVERAL PROJECTS.
I'M IN ALL THESE YEARS, I'VE NEVER SEEN THE BUDGET GO DOWN.
IT ALWAYS SEEMS TO GO UP BECAUSE WE KEEP ADDING PERSONNEL, WE KEEP GROWING THIS COMMUNITY.
NEXT YEAR WE'RE GOING TO TOP 200,000 PEOPLE. SO WE GOT TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE SAME SERVICES THE PARKS, THE ROADS, OUR UTILITIES. THERE ARE GREAT THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED, AND I THINK WE'VE DONE A GREAT JOB OVER THE YEARS TO TO MAKE THOSE INCREASES AS MINIMAL AS POSSIBLE. WE'VE HAD MANY TIMES WHERE A CERTAIN DEPARTMENT NEEDS TRUCKS OR EQUIPMENT.
TWO FIRE TRUCKS OR, YOU KNOW, TWO PIECE OF EQUIPMENT TO MAKE SURE THEY STILL ON THE ROAD.
SO FORTUNATE. WE'VE GOT INCREDIBLE PEOPLE THAT KEEP THINGS GOING.
AND YOU'RE OLD. NO, YOU'RE NOT OLD. I'M KIDDING.
BUT ANYWAY, JUST JUST SOME THOUGHTS THAT I'M WITH YOU.
NOBODY WANTS TO RAISE TAXES. I'M UP HERE BECAUSE I NEVER WANT TO SEE TAXES RAISED.
I WANT TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE. WE ALL DO.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE UP HERE. BUT ANYWAY, THAT CONTINUES THE CONVERSATION.
ALL RIGHT. WELL CLAIRE, I AGREE WITH CHALLENGING THE DEPARTMENTS, AND I THINK THERE'S ROOM IN EVERY DEPARTMENT TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS WITHOUT CUTTING SERVICES. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S 10%.
IN MY MIND, THAT MEANS LIVING WITH OUR WITHIN OUR MEANS.
THAT MEANS MAKING EVERY DOLLAR GO AS FAR AS IT POSSIBLY CAN MAKE IT GO.
ON THE GENERAL FUND AND ACTUALLY ON ALL THE FUNDS.
ONE ISSUE THAT WE HAD A DISCUSSION WITH STAFF ABOUT IS PURCHASING.
IT JUST SEEMS TO BE A DISCRETION EACH DEPARTMENT HAS ON DISCRETION ON HOW THEY BUY AND WHERE THEY GET THEIR PRICES ON THEIR EQUIPMENT OR FURNITURE OR WHATEVER IT IS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR. AND I THINK THAT THERE IS SOMETHING THERE THAT WE COULD DO BETTER.
I THINK WE COULD BUY BETTER. I THINK WE COULD SAVE MONEY THERE.
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THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY GUARANTEE THAT WE'RE GETTING THE BEST PRICE ON THE THINGS THAT WE DO BUY. I THINK THAT WOULD BE A BIG THING.I LIKE THE QUARTERLY REPORTING. I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA SO THAT WE KNOW WHERE WE'RE AT.
THERE'S CAMPAIGNS ON SAFETY, AND I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH THAT.
I DON'T KNOW AS MUCH ABOUT IN-HOUSE CONSTRUCTION, BUT I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD LOOK, IF THAT'S A POSSIBILITY. I THINK THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE SHOULD LOOK INTO. AND WE'LL GET TO THE MCU.
OF COURSE, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT. AND I KNOW THAT WE NEED EQUIPMENT.
I DON'T THINK WE CAN FIX LAST 10 OR 12 YEARS IN ONE YEAR.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S I DON'T THINK THAT'S REASONABLE.
IF THIS DOESN'T GO AND LEAVE THE MILLAGE WHERE IT IS, AND THAT'S WHERE I STAND.
I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF RAISING TAXES AT THIS TIME.
AND BUT I STILL WANT TO GIVE THEM THE EQUIPMENT.
AND I'VE BEEN ASSURED THAT THAT'S A WE HAVE A WAY THAT WE CAN DO THAT.
SO THAT'S THAT'S WHERE I STAND. SO EVERY ONE OF YOU HAVE SAID EXACTLY HOW I FEEL. TODAY'S MEETING IS ABOUT THE BUDGET, BUT IT'S MORE ABOUT THE MSTU.
I RAN NOT TO INCREASE YOUR TAXES. I STAND AND BELIEVE THAT WE CAN'T FIX EVERYTHING IN ONE DAY.
WE CAN DO IT LONG TERM, BUT OVERNIGHT. NO WHEN IT COMES TO OUR BUDGET, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU TO MIRANDA AND SUSIE FOR PUTTING UP WITH AN OLD COUNTRY BOY THAT'S GOT A LOT OF QUESTIONS. ABOUT $702 MILLION. YOU GUYS DO A TREMENDOUS JOB, AND SO DO ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS.
AND I APPRECIATE YOUR HARD WORK. THERE ARE THINGS WE CAN DO DIFFERENT.
YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT THIS BUDGET LINE BY LINE, AND YOU LOOK AT THINGS AND YOU, YOU QUESTION, DO THINGS REALLY COST THAT MUCH? WELL, I PICK UP THE PHONE AND I CALL, AND THEY'RE NOT.
YOU CAN BUY THEM LESS. THERE'S WAYS THAT WE DO THINGS.
PLUG IN A STATE CONTRACT NUMBER AND IT SPITS OUT 20 GRAND, FOR EXAMPLE.
YOU KNOW, AN IDEA THAT I HAD IS MAYBE WE SET A THRESHOLD, A CAP.
IF SOMETHING COST OVER $10,000, THAT HAS TO HAVE THREE QUOTES TO GO ON OUR SYSTEM.
WE CAN GO BACK AND REFERENCE THAT QUOTE. NOW, I KNOW SOME OF THESE ITEMS ARE TEN, 12, 15, 18 MONTHS OUT BEFORE WE ACQUIRE THEM. MAYBE WE FIGURE A NUMBER THAT GOES IN THERE, BUT THERE HAS TO BE A CLEARER PATH, IN MY OPINION, THAN JUST A NUMBER. YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS AND YOU TALLY THEM UP.
IT'S A LOT OF MONEY. AND I'D LIKE TO HAVE A BETTER IDEA.
LIKE YOU SAID, CLEAR EVERY QUARTER. WHERE ARE WE? WHERE ARE WE GOING? HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET THERE? I ALWAYS SAY THAT, AND I THINK IT'S IMPERATIVE WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH THE PEOPLE THAT WE REPRESENT MONEY.
AND SO THAT'S JUST KIND OF AN IDEA THAT I'VE BEEN TOYING WITH IN MY HEAD.
MR. CHAIRMAN, CAN WE INCREASE THE MSTU. CAN YOU TELL US THE THE AMOUNT OF THAT INCREASE AND THEN WHAT THAT DOLLAR VALUE IS? I CAN THE AMOUNT OF THE INCREASE IS 0.123 MILLS.
SO THAT IS 0.123. IT WOULD GO UP TO 1.503. AND IN PREVIOUS YEARS IT'S BEEN AT 1.38. SO IT IS A INCREMENTAL INCREASE OF LIKE I SAID, THE 0.123.
WE DO AND I DON'T HAVE THEM ON THE SLIDES, BUT WE, WE PRESENTED THEM TO YOU DURING BUDGET, ONE ON ONES FOR THE AVERAGE HOME IN BAY COUNTY.
THAT'S ABOUT $27 A YEAR. WE HAD FOUR EXAMPLES FOR YOU DURING YOUR ONE ON ONES.
AND THERE WAS A YOUNGSTOWN ADDRESS. IT WAS $10 A YEAR INCREASE.
DUE TO THIS MILLAGE INCREASE, THERE WAS A RIVER CAMPS HOME, WHICH WAS $98 A YEAR DUE TO THIS MILLAGE INCREASE. SO IT VARIES BASED, OF COURSE, ON THE, THE TAXABLE VALUE.
BUT THE AVERAGE HOME WE WERE LOOKING AT AROUND $27 A YEAR INCREASE.
AND WHAT'S THAT TOTAL VALUE. THE THE TOTAL VALUE FOR 123.
WHAT IS THAT IN MILLIONS. OH SO THAT'S ABOUT 1.6 MILLION TO THE FIRE FUND.
[00:30:03]
ARE YOUR THOUGHTS, MR. CHAIRMAN? WELL, I WAS GOING TO SAY. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING OF MIRANDA? WE VALUE YOUR OPINION, SIR. SO TO THOSE ENDS AND KIND OF THE BROKEN RECORD OF, I THINK EVERY ONE OF US GOT HERE BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE STEWARD OF FUNDS AND LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING.ONE OF THE THINGS I SPECIFICALLY ASKED FOR WAS WE WERE GOING THROUGH THIS WAS A LIST OF THE EQUIPMENT THAT WE HAVE IN OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT AND ALSO WHAT'S BEEN PURCHASED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
I WILL SAY THAT STAFF BROUGHT BEFORE PRIOR COMMISSION, AND COMMISSIONER CARROLL AND I WERE ON THAT COMMISSION AT THE TIME, BUT IT WAS DURING COVID AND WE AT THAT TIME DID NOT LOOK AT A REQUEST ON SOME OF THESE THINGS FOR EQUIPMENT AND DIFFERENT THINGS, AND I WILL ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THAT'S THERE. BUT WHAT I'M LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW IS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, WHAT WE DID, INSTEAD OF RAISING THAT, WE DID HAVE MONEY AVAILABLE THROUGH ARPA.
AND SO WE PURCHASED FROM 2022 THROUGH LAST YEAR, 2024, WE PURCHASED $4.3 MILLION WORTH OF EQUIPMENT, EMERGENCY SERVICES, EQUIPMENT WITH ARPA FUNDS.
SO UNDERSTAND THAT STAFF DID GET CREATIVE AND DID WORK THROUGH THOSE THINGS.
BUT I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU THIS IS A LIST OF WHAT WE'VE GOT RIGHT NOW.
AND THIS RELATES TO THE ISO RATING. SO I'M I'M GOING TO DO WHAT Y'ALL LOVE ABOUT ME.
BUT WHAT WHAT MIRANDA JUST TALKED ABOUT THE AVERAGE INCREASE OF $27 ON THE UNINCORPORATED BAY HOUSE.
WE HAVE A TANKER, 1999, A TANKER, 1999, A TANKER, 2002, A TANKER, 2004, A PUMPER, 1997, A TANKER, 1998. PUMPER. OUT OF SERVICE 1996 A PUMPER, OUT OF SERVICE, 1991. A RESCUE, 2001. A TANKER, 1998. A PUMPER, 1995.
A PUMPER OUT OF SERVICE 2002. A PUMPER OUT OF SERVICE 1994.
A PUMPER, 2003. A HAZMAT, 2003. A PUMPER, 2003.
AN AERIAL, 2007. A PUMPER, 2022. WE GET BACK INTO IT AND THEN A TANKER.
OUT OF SERVICE, 1999. AND A TANKER, 1998. AND GOD HELP US, A PUMPER, 1989.
THAT IS THAT IS A LOT TO BITE OFF. AND FOR THOSE OF Y'ALL IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE LISTENING OR DOING THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS, AS MY WIFE CALLS ME ON THE PHONE, SORRY, HONEY, I'LL GET TO YOU LATER.
BUT TO THAT, THAT $27 INCREASE, THE WAIT IS ANYWHERE FROM 2 TO 5 YEARS FOR THE EQUIPMENT.
THAT'S THE REALITY THAT WE FACE AS A COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW, WHERE WE ARE JUST GOING TO OWN IT, GOING TO SAY THAT OUT LOUD. BUT FROM THAT STANDPOINT, THOSE VEHICLES THAT I JUST LISTED REVOLVE AROUND WHAT'S CALLED AN ISO RATING. AND IT'S THE WAY THAT IT'S GAUGED AND IT'S THE WAY THAT IT'S WEIGHTED.
BUT THAT DOES AFFECT US POTENTIALLY. I'M HOPING IT'S NOT GOING TO DO.
STAFF IS PUTTING THE MONEY IN. AND I'M NOT SAYING THIS TO TRY TO TO TRY TO FEARMONGER OR ANYTHING, BUT IF WE HAVE A GOD HELP US, WE DON'T. BUT CATASTROPHIC FAILURES ACROSS A COUPLE AND SOMEBODY AND WE'RE NOT ABLE TO SHOW UP, THEN WE ARE GOING TO BE AFFECTING INSURANCE RATINGS ON HOUSES.
THE OTHER THING OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, I'VE, I'VE TALKED TO A LOT OF OUR BOOTS ON THE GROUND, NOT EVEN LEADERSHIP, BUT THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND, THE ONES THAT THAT MOST FOLKS DON'T TALK TO.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THEY HAVE SAID IS WE NEED NEW EQUIPMENT.
WE NEED NEW EQUIPMENT. WHAT WE'RE RIDING IN IS OLD.
I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH IT. I DON'T FEEL SAFE WITH IT.
AND AND THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO.
AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE ACKNOWLEDGE AS WELL.
WE DO A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS. ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE VOTED ON EARLIER THIS YEAR, AND IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I RAN ON, WAS WE HAVE A RESERVE POLICY IN PLACE NOW.
WE HAVE RESERVE POLICY IN PLACE FOR THE GENERAL FUND TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH FUNDS.
[00:35:02]
WE HAVE A RESERVE POLICY FOR THE MSTU. IF WE DON'T VOTE TO DO THE INCREASE, WE ARE GOING TO GO BACKWARDS ON THAT RESERVE.WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE MEETING IT. AND SO TO WHAT CLAIRE MENTIONED, AND IT DOES MAKE SENSE.
AND I WAS GOING TO SAY THE EXACT SAME THING. WE NEED A CAPITAL PLAN OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS.
WE NEED SOMETHING THAT SHOWS AND MAPS OUT A STRATEGY.
AND IF THE VOTE IS NOT TO DO THE INCREASE, THEN WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT IS WE NEED TO INCORPORATE WHAT WHAT REQUIREMENTS WE HAVE ALREADY OVERLAID ON THAT STAFF AS IT RELATES TO THE RESERVE POLICY, THAT THEY HAVE ENOUGH FUNDS BECAUSE THE WAY IN MIRANDA, PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG ON THIS, BUT THE WAY AND I ASKED AND I WENT OVER THIS AGAIN TODAY IS IF WE DO NOT DO THE INCREASE AND WE DO AND WE LAY OUT OUR STRATEGY, WE ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE MOVING BACKWARDS BY $250,000.
YES, THERE ARE ABOUT THE THE PLAN B OPTION THAT WE HAVE FOR YOU IF THIS IS NOT PASSED, WOULD BE REDUCING OUR RESERVES AND FIRE SERVICES BY ABOUT 200 TO 250,000 BELOW WHAT THEY WERE WHEN THE RESERVE POLICY WAS PASSED IN NOVEMBER.
SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE FOR US TO BE COGNIZANT OF AS WE WORK THROUGH THIS AND AS WE'RE DOING THESE THINGS, THAT WE ARE FULLY INFORMED IN THE DECISION THAT WE'RE MAKING.
AND AS AND I'VE SAID TO SEVERAL OF Y'ALL ON DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, WHAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY GUIDING LIGHT AS I SIT IN THIS SEAT IS CAN I GO HOME, PUT MY HEAD ON MY BED AND GO TO SLEEP AT NIGHT KNOWING THAT I WORKED THROUGH? I WAS INFORMED, AND I DID WHAT I BELIEVED TO BE THE RIGHT THING FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
AND AS LONG AS I CAN DO THAT, AND I FEEL EACH OF Y'ALL ARE THE EXACT SAME WAY WITH THAT.
SO. AND I KNOW FOR US, IT'S NOT ALWAYS THE SAME THING, AND THAT IS PERFECTLY FINE.
TO ME IT'S ABOUT THE FACT OF HAVING THE DISCUSSION.
I'VE HAD ONE PERSON MAKE A COMMENT TO ME BEFORE ABOUT SOME OF THE STUFF WE'VE DONE UP HERE, AND THEIR COMMENT IS, IT'S A VERY EXPENSIVE DISCUSSION YOU'RE HAVING IN PUBLIC. AND I WAS LIKE, IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE NOT TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION.
WE WILL BRING THESE THINGS FORWARD IN FRONT OF THE PUBLIC, AND WE WILL PUT ON, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WAY OF SAYING IT, OUR BIG GIRL AND BIG BOY BRITCHES. AND WE WILL TALK THROUGH THINGS THAT AREN'T COMFORTABLE TO TALK THROUGH.
THEY REALLY AREN'T. IT'S IT'S NOT SOMETHING I THINK ANY OF US REALLY CHERISH ABOUT HAVING TO DO THIS, BUT NONETHELESS, WE ARE HERE. AND WE'RE DOING THAT TONIGHT.
AS PART OF THIS YOU KNOW, CLAIRE, YOU MENTIONED ONE THING, AND AND I LIKE YOUR IDEA.
ONE THING I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO KIND OF LOOK AT, AS WELL AS WE GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS, IS CAN WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE CROSS TRAINED? I CAME FROM A PLACE BEFORE WHERE THINGS GOT STAFFED UP.
WE DON'T NEED TO STAFF UP AND PULL DOWN BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING THIS IS, ARE WE GOING TO BE HAVING SOMEBODY THAT IS, FOR LACK OF A ONE NOTE WONDER AND THAT THEY CAN ONLY DO ONE THING AND WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, STATE RETIREMENT BENEFITS, INSURANCE AND ALL THESE OTHER THINGS CAN WE HAVE IF WE DON'T HAVE ONE OF THESE WORK RELATED PROJECTS, CAN THEY BE SERVING IN OTHER AREAS? CAN WE FLEX? CAN WE DO CAN WE COVER THOSE THINGS. AND THAT TO ME IS ONE OF THE OTHER SIDES OF THE KEY OF BEING A GOOD STEWARD IS MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE CROSS TRAINED.
I DO KNOW FROM TALKING WITH THROUGH SOME OF THESE THINGS, YOU KNOW, IT IT IT IS GOOD FOR US TO GET INFORMATION, TO GET MORE DETAILS, TO BE ABLE TO BREAK THINGS OUT AND TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHERE THINGS ARE AND BE ABLE TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING.
ONE OF THE COUNTERS OF THAT IS UNFORTUNATELY, AND YOU KNOW, I KNOW ROBERT HAS SEEN THESE AS HE'S CHAIRMAN AND I'VE I'M, I'M, I'M AN AIR QUOTE THE JOY OF SEEING THESE THINGS.
AND IT'S NOT ANYTHING THAT USDA HAS DONE WRONG.
[00:40:04]
BECAUSE THOSE SUBS HAVE HAD TO HOLD FOR THIS LONG WHILE WE'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH THE USDA.THOSE ARE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED, AND YOU'VE GOT THOSE ISSUES THAT WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO FACE.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE WE NEED TO BE COGNIZANT OF.
EACH ONE OF US HAS OUR OWN PRIVATE BUSINESS THAT WE DO, AND WE OPERATE AND WE'RE ABLE TO GO I'VE.
I'VE ALWAYS TOLD MY CLIENTS WHEN I WAS A SENIOR LENDER FOR A BANK AND NOW IN PRIVATE PRACTICE, WHEN I'M TALKING WITH BUSINESS OWNERS, YOU NEED TO BE LOOKING FIVE AND TEN YEARS DOWN THE ROAD AND EVERYTHING YOU DO.
I THINK WE ALL KNOW FIVE AND TEN YEARS IN, IN A BUSINESS AND OUR PRIVATE BUSINESS, WE'VE ALREADY SEEN FROM TPO AND OTHER THINGS THAT'S 20, 30, 40 YEARS. THE THINGS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW IS, AND I'LL BE BLUNT, EVERYTHING I DO IS THROUGH THE LENS OF MY DAUGHTERS AND PLANTING ACORNS. NOW THAT HOPEFULLY THEY'RE GOING TO GET THE BENEFIT OF AND BE ABLE TO MOVE BACK HERE TO.
BECAUSE IF Y'ALL THINK ABOUT A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW, IS EXACTLY THAT, THIS STUFF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FROM FIRE SERVICES AND MSTU, WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING THINGS AND WRITING SOME THINGS, AND I THINK IT MAKES SENSE FOR US TO HAVE A CAPITAL PLAN IN PLACE, JUST LIKE THE RESERVE POLICY, TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THESE THINGS.
BUT THE OTHER THING IS, IS THE THE FIVE OF US ALSO NEED TO BE COGNIZANT OF WE DO NOT NEED TO MICROMANAGE THE PROCESS ONCE WE UNLEASH, AND WE AUTHORIZE THESE PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO ACT, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO TRUST THEM TO DO THOSE THINGS AND LET THEM DO THEIR JOBS AS WELL, AND NOT ALWAYS NITPICK EVERY SINGLE THING. AND I'M NOT SAYING WE DO, BUT THAT'S THAT'S THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS.
I THINK THAT ALL OF US NEED TO BE COGNIZANT OF IS YES, AS POLICY MAKERS, WE NEED GOOD INFORMATION TO MAKE OUR POLICY DECISIONS, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO BE ABLE TO ALLOW OUR EXECUTIVE AND OUR ADMINISTRATIVE TO BE ABLE TO EXECUTE AND BE ABLE TO DO THOSE THINGS.
AND WE DO LOOK AT THOSE COURSE CORRECTION. WE HAVE THOSE ONGOING CONVERSATIONS.
AND FROM THAT STANDPOINT, MORE FREQUENT CONVERSATIONS, I THINK WOULD ALLOW US TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
SO FROM THAT, THAT WOULD BE FROM THE CHAIRMAN'S PERSPECTIVE RIGHT NOW.
SO WITH THAT A COUPLE MORE THINGS BEFORE WE. YES, MA'AM.
WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE PLANNING YEARS AHEAD, AND IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
RESERVE FUND, YOU KNOW, FOR ROOF, MAJOR COMPONENTS EVEN PAINTING, YOU KNOW, THE OUTSIDE OF THE SHERIFF'S BUILDING THAT'S GOT TO BE PAINTED, ALL THESE THINGS THAT COULD USE THIS IN-HOUSE STAFF.
SO CROSS TRAINED PEOPLE 100%. I CAN RUN A BACKHOE, I CAN RUN A BOBCAT.
I CAN CHANGE A TOILET. I CAN PUT A LIGHT FIXTURE UP.
SO I KNOW THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT EXIST THAT ARE PROBABLY MUCH BETTER AT IT THAN ME.
I SAY WE FIND THOSE FOLKS AND THEY WILL NEVER STOP WORKING.
BECAUSE ONCE WE ESTABLISH THE THINGS THAT ARE BROKEN IN OUR BUILDINGS AND WE START DOING SOME DEFERRED MAINTENANCE ON THOSE, THEN WE'RE GOING TO SAVE A LOT OF MONEY IN THE LONG RUN, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO GET THINGS FIXED BEFORE THEY GET IN REALLY, REALLY BAD SHAPE. SO I THINK PULLING A TEAM TOGETHER AND HAVING THE FIVE YEAR PLAN ON EVERYTHING THAT GOES ON UP HERE OR REALLY MUCH LONGER IN SOME CASES, LIKE WATER AND SEWER, WHICH I THINK WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, A GREAT, GREAT PLAN.
THE ISO RATING. SO I KNOW BOB IS IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THE OTHER CITIES ABOUT DOING, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE A FIRE OR SOMETHING, WE HAVE BACKUP WITH OR WE HOPEFULLY WE DO.
I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT WE HAVE BACKUP. SO IF WE GET IN A BAD SITUATION, THEN I WOULD HOPE THAT WE HAVE THE OTHER CITIES THAT WOULD BACK US UP, JUST LIKE WE WOULD WOULD BACK THEM UP.
[00:45:09]
SO HOPEFULLY THAT IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING ELSE.I AM THE I DO NITPICK, I ACTUALLY DID, YOU KNOW, A SPREADSHEET ON EVERYTHING THAT WE THAT'S IN THIS BUDGET AND I, I, I WAS LOOKING ACTUALLY FOR A NEW PICKUP TRUCK.
SO I LOOKED AT EVERY PRICE OF EVERY TRUCK IN EVERY BUDGET AND EVERY EVERY DEPARTMENT.
AND SO WE TALKED ABOUT THAT. AND WE'RE GOING TO GET HOPEFULLY ON A REDUCTION IN COST ON BUYING OUR EQUIPMENT BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO WHATEVER WHATEVER YOU DO TO BUY A FLEET OF VEHICLES AT A BETTER PRICE AND GIVE EVERYBODY THOSE NUMBERS.
SO I DO THINK THAT WE ARE THE MORE THAT WE BRING UP, THAT WE NITPICK THIS AND THAT WE BRING UP TO STAFF, BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU LOOK AT THIS STUFF AND YOU LOOK AT IT FOREVER AND EVER AND EVER, AND YOU JUST DON'T SEE IT ANYMORE, BECAUSE I DO IT WITH MY OWN BUDGET, AND I CAN HAND IT OFF TO ONE OF THE LADIES IN THE OFFICE, AND THEY'LL JUST GO RIGHT DOWN AND SAY, WELL, WHAT ABOUT THIS? SO I THINK THAT IT IS GOING TO HELP TO YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO JUST DISAGREE, BUT I SAY WE NEED TO LOOK AT EVERYTHING ON HERE.
AND I HAVE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE BEING FROM CONSTRUCTION THAN SOMEBODY ELSE.
AND SO I MIGHT SEE SOMETHING THAT SOMEONE ELSE DOESN'T SEE.
SO I THINK WE SHOULD BRING EVERYTHING UP. I KNOW THAT WE NEED TO REPLACE ALL OF THAT EQUIPMENT THAT'S ON THIS LIST. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT WE NEED TO REPLACE IT ALL.
I THINK THAT PROBABLY IT'S GOING TO GO FURTHER THAN THAT.
WHEN YOU DO AN ACTUAL PLAN OF ALL OF THIS EQUIPMENT, I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT SOME OF IT IS IS GOING TO CREEP UP ON US FASTER THAN A FIVE YEAR PLAN. SO I ENCOURAGE WHOEVER'S SMARTER THAN I AM TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT THE LIFE OF THESE TRUCKS.
YOU LISTED THEM ALL OFF. THEY'RE THEY'RE ALL OLD.
SO THE ONES THAT WE JUST HAVE ON THE LIST ARE IS PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE ENOUGH.
BUT WHEN WE GET DOWN TO SOME OF THIS AS, AS WE, WE SAY, NITPICKING THE FURNITURE AND FIXTURES AND MICROWAVES AND MATTRESSES AND THAT KIND OF THING. I THINK THERE'S PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WOULD LOVE TO DONATE DIFFERENT THINGS TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT WANT TO BE A PART OF OF THAT PART OF IT. SO I THINK IF WE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN LOOK AT WE'VE GOT GREAT PARTNERS.
OH, YEAH. YEAH. SO AND AND YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM THE CREDIT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, BUILT WITH THE YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S ALL IT'S ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER.
AND I KNOW, I KNOW THAT THE EQUIPMENT NEEDS TO BE BUILT.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE US DO IT IN A WAY THAT DOES NOT SAY, FOR INSTANCE, HIS TAXES HAVE GONE UP.
EVERYBODY THAT OPENED THEIR TRIM NOTICE IS GOING TO SEE AN INCREASE, SOME MORE THAN OTHERS.
SOME MAYBE HE FORGOT ABOUT AND THEN HE THEN HE SAW IT.
AND THEN THEY THEY'RE GOING TO IT'S GONE THROUGH THE ROOF ON THEM.
RIGHT. BUT THEY MAY NOT HAVE GOTTEN THE RAISE THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE GOING TO GET THIS YEAR.
YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY MAY HAVE UTILITY COSTS THAT ARE UP.
THEY MAY HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE THAT ISN'T PAID FOR BY THEIR COMPANY ANYMORE.
ALL THESE OTHER THINGS THAT I WANT US TO REMEMBER THAT PEOPLE ARE HAVING TO GO THROUGH.
IT'S NOT JUST THE $27. IF I THOUGHT THAT WAS THEIR ONLY INCREASE, THEN I WOULD JUST.
I KNOW IT WOULD SURPRISE YOU ALL, BUT I WOULD JUST BE QUIET.
THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. I HAVE THE SAME SENTIMENTS.
YOU KNOW, I, I LOOK AT MY BILLS EVERY DAY, AND I KNOW YOUR BILLS ARE GOING UP TO YOUR FOOD, BILLS GOING UP, YOUR FUEL, YOUR INSURANCE, YOUR GAS.
HERE WE LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS AND IT TERRIFIES US.
BUT I THINK ABOUT THE LITTLE GUY BECAUSE I'M A LITTLE GUY.
I WORK HARD, JUST LIKE MOST OF YOU IN THIS ROOM, AND SO DO WE ALL.
SO WE'RE VERY MINDFUL OF THIS. AND IF ANYTHING KEEPS ME UP AT NIGHT, IT'S IT'S MAKING SURE THAT WE ADHERE TO WHAT WE SWORE TO DO AND THAT'S TO TAKE CARE OF OUR COMMUNITY. SO WE DO THIS WITH ALL GOOD INTENTIONS.
AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS BOARD IS WORKING HARD FOR YOU AND SERVE THESE PEOPLE.
SO. A LOT OF FOOD ON HIS PLATE. THE ONLY OTHER THING I WANT TO ADD IS, YOU KNOW, IF THIS WERE ALL JUST IN ONE GENERAL FUND, IT'S EASY.
BOB CAN SHIFT, MOVE, PUSH. BUT WHEN YOU'VE GOT THESE SEPARATE INDEPENDENT FUNDS, WE CAN'T JUST,
[00:50:01]
YOU KNOW, MOVE ONE TO THE OTHER. YOU KNOW, THEY'VE GOT TO WORK INDEPENDENT. AND THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, STAFF DOES PUTS SO MUCH TIME AND EFFORT INTO MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU FOCUS ON WATER AND MAKE SURE WATER IS WORKING ADEQUATELY.AGAIN, IF IT WASN'T INDEPENDENT FUNDS, IT'D BE EASY.
SO. VERY TRUE. ALL RIGHT. WELL WITH THAT.
WE HAVE A DECISION TO MAKE. RAY. THE VOTE RIGHT NOW.
MIRANDA, IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE READ AGAIN SO EVERYBODY KNOWS.
THE GENERAL FUND IS AT 5.4362 MILLS. MOSQUITO CONTROL AT .2000 MILLS.
MSTU FIRE AT 1.5030. TOTAL MILL FOR ALL OF THE FUNDS IS 7.1392. THE AGGREGATE ROLLBACK RATE IS 5.9982, AND THE AGGREGATE MILLAGE RATE IS 6.1594, AND THIS IS A 2.69% INCREASE OVER THE ROLLBACK RATE.
CLARIFY THIS 1.503 INCLUDES THE .123 INCREASE.
IT DOES. IT INCLUDES THAT INCREASE. OKAY.
WHAT IS THE BOARD'S PLEASURE? MR. CHAIRMAN, IF I COULD, WOULD IT HELP IF MIRANDA EXPLAINED WHAT IT IS YOU'RE BEING ASKED TO DO? YES, SIR. WE ARE ASKING YOU TO APPROVE ALL OF THESE MILLAGE RATES TOGETHER.
WITH THE PERCENTAGE INCREASE OVER ROLLBACK WE DO AS WE HAVE DISCUSSED, ONE ON ONE WITH YOU, WE DO HAVE ANOTHER OPTION. SHOULD THIS NOT BE APPROVED.
BUT IT IS ONE APPROVAL FOR ALL THREE. ALL THREE.
MILLAGE RATES. GENERAL FUND. MOSQUITO CONTROL AND FIRE.
STRAIGHT UP OR DOWN? VOTE ON THIS AS PRESENTED.
RIGHT. YOU ARE NOT VOTING INDIVIDUALLY. IT IS ALL AT ONCE.
HAPPY TO MAKE THE MOTION. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WAITING ON.
I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE DO NOT INCREASE THE TAX THAT WE LOOK AT PLAN B.
I'LL SECOND THAT. WE HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND.
COMMISSIONER BRADFORD. YES. COMMISSIONER CROSBY.
YES, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER. CAROL. NO. COMMISSIONER.
PEACE. YES. CHAIRMAN. MOORE. BASED ON PROMISES AND COMMITMENTS I MADE TO THE TEAMS THAT WORK IN THOSE IS FIREHOUSES. MY VOTE IS NO. ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT, THE MOTION PASSES THREE, TWO.
AND SO IT DOES NOT GO FORWARD AS IT SITS. AND SO AT THIS POINT IN TIME, BASED ON PROCEDURAL MATTERS, WE HAVE A SECOND OPTION FOR YOU. AND SUSIE WILL HAND OUT THE DOCUMENTS THAT REFLECT THE MILLAGE RATE AT THE CURRENT YEAR RATE FOR ALL THREE.
THANK YOU. SHE'S DOING THAT. WE WE HAVE DISCUSSED THIS WEEK AND LAST WEEK IN ONE ON ONES WITH YOU THIS OPTION TO KEEP THE MILLAGE RATE FOR FIRE SERVICES AS IT IS FOR THIS YEAR, AND BY DOING SO, WE WILL REDUCE THAT CAPITAL PURCHASE TO 6.7 FROM THE 13 MILLION THAT WAS IN THE PRIOR MILLAGE RATE. SO AGAIN, WE WILL BE REDUCING THAT BY ALMOST HALF.
WE WILL TAKE THE DEBT SERVICE OUT OF FIRE SERVICES RESERVES.
AND WHEN WE DO THIS, WE WILL HAVE A RESERVE OF 1.7 MILLION FOR THE FUND.
[00:55:03]
THIS IS BELOW THE RESERVES THAT WERE IN PLACE WHEN THE RESERVE POLICY WAS PASSED BY THE BOARD IN NOVEMBER.SO WE WILL BE REDUCING THE RESERVES BELOW THAT POINT.
BUT WE WILL GET HALF OF THE EQUIPMENT THAT IS BEING ASKED OF.
SO THE THE RATES BEFORE YOU GENERAL FUND STAYED THE SAME AT 4362.
MOSQUITO CONTROL STAYED THE SAME AT .2000 MS2.
FIRE IS AT 1.38. AGAIN, ALL OF THESE ARE THE SAME AS THE CURRENT YEAR, FOR A TOTAL MILLAGE RATE OF 7.0162. THE TOTAL AGGREGATE MILLAGE RATE IS 6.1067, AND THE AGGREGATE ROLLBACK RATE IS 5.9982. THERE IS A THERE IS A 1.81% INCREASE OVER THE ROLLBACK RATE WITH THIS.
CAN YOU REPEAT THE TOTAL AGGREGATE MILLAGE RATE? THE TOTAL AGGREGATE MILLAGE RATE IS 6.1067. I WAS LOOKING AT ONE ON MY SCREEN.
I KNEW THERE WAS A NUMBER OFF. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME.
YOU GOT A GOOD PAPER? THAT'S RIGHT. ALL RIGHT.
CORRECT. ALL RIGHT. AND THIS IS BUYING HALF THE EQUIPMENT.
THIS IS BUYING HALF OF THE EQUIPMENT. I DO HAVE THAT.
WE ARE GOING TO PURCHASE THE SAME NUMBER OF BRUSH TRUCKS.
AND WE ARE GOING TO GET TWO PUMPER TANKERS, ONE PUMPER, ONE TANKER AND ONE LADDER TRUCK.
VERSUS WHAT WAS IN THE PREVIOUS BUDGET. TELL US WHAT WAS TAKEN OUT ON THE, THE I CAN TELL YOU THERE WERE FIVE PUMPER TANKERS, SO WE WILL BE DROPPING THAT DOWN TO TWO.
WE WILL BE TAKING THREE OUT OF THE BUDGET. WE HAD ONE PUMPER ENGINE, SO THAT WOULD REMAIN WE HAD TWO PLATFORM LADDERS AND WE WILL BE GETTING ONE WITH THIS HALF, SO THAT'S CUT IN HALF.
THERE WAS ALSO A HEAVY DUTY RESCUE TRUCK THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE PURCHASED IN THIS.
AND THEN THERE WAS THE FOUR BRUSH TRUCKS. THEY REMAIN IN THE HALF.
AND THE PUMPER ENGINE IS A TANK. AND IT'S THE DUAL SERVICE.
NO, MA'AM. IN THE URBAN AREA WHERE WE NEED TO HAVE A STRICT PUMPER, IT'D BE A TRADITIONAL, A TRADITIONAL ENGINE IN THE RURAL AREA WHERE WE CURRENTLY TODAY HAVE AN ENGINE AND A PUMPER.
THE GOAL IS TO DOWNSIZE THE FLEET AND REPLACE THAT THOSE TWO VEHICLES WITH ONE.
AGAIN, THE MAIN PRIORITY THERE IS THOSE VEHICLES, WHEN THEY WERE PURCHASED ALL THOSE YEARS AGO, PREDOMINANTLY VOLUNTEER, WHO MAYBE HAD ONE PERSON DRIVING.
NOW YOU HAVE MULTI-PERSON FULL TIME CREWS IN THOSE STATIONS.
THEY CAN'T ALL GET ON THE SAME APPARATUS AND GO.
GOING GOING FORWARD. YES, MA'AM. AND SO MY QUESTION IS THIS.
IF YOU FIND THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO BUY ANOTHER FIRE TRUCK A USED FIRE TRUCK AT A DISCOUNTED RATE, AND IT WHAT WHAT SAYS IT IN STONE? ARE WE SAYING IN STONE? THESE ARE THE EXACT PIECES OF EQUIPMENT THAT WE HAVE TO BUY.
OR CAN WE GIVE THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY AND POSSIBLY COME UP WITH A DIFFERENT SCENARIO IN WHAT WE PURCHASE? SO THERE THERE IS NOTHING THAT YOU DO IS SET IN STONE, BEING THAT WE CAN ALWAYS COME BACK TO YOU AND ASK TO MODIFY THAT.
YEAH. SO SO WE ARE THIS IS A COMBINATION OF USING REVENUE FROM THE TAX USING GRANT FUNDS.
WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE MAY, BECAUSE OF THE DELIVERY TIME, GO OUT AND TALK TO SOME OF THESE COMPANIES THAT LEASE THESE APPARATUS. WE MAY GO TO THEM IMMEDIATELY AND SAY, HEY, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S COMING IN OFF LEASE THAT MAYBE MAKES MORE SENSE TO GO GET AT A CHEAPER RATE NOW THAN WAITING 24 MONTHS OR 48 MONTHS? THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT ARE IN PLAY. BUT FOR US TO PULL THE TRIGGER, TO GO DO THAT STATUTORILY, I HAVE TO HAVE AN APPROPRIATION. I HAVE TO GO WITH MONEY IN MY HAND TO THE VENDOR BEFORE I CAN.
I CAN'T DO IT ON THE COME, IF YOU WILL. I'VE GOT TO, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE GOT TO KNOW THERE'S A COMMITMENT, AN APPROPRIATIONS COMMITMENT. AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE ARE OPTIONS. AND SO NOTHING IS SAYING THAT WE CAN'T WORK HARD TO GET SOME GRANTS.
[01:00:07]
AND WE HAVE SPOKEN WITH OUR REPRESENTATIVES ABOUT SERIOUS WITH HELPING US GET THE GRANTS.SO THERE'S NOTHING SAYING THAT WE. FIRST OFF, IF WE HAD ALL THE MONEY, WE ORDERED ALL OF IT TODAY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE IT IMMEDIATELY. CORRECT.
AND SO IF WE ARE ABLE TO GET THE WHAT IS WHAT WE FEEL LIKE IS AN EMERGENCY VEHICLES TODAY THAT WE WE GET THOSE AND THEN WE WORK ON EVEN THOUGH LIKE WE SAID CHAIRMAN, I DO BELIEVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO FIND THAT WE HAVE EVEN MORE EQUIPMENT THAT WE NEED IN ONCE WE DO THIS, ONCE WE DO THIS STUDY THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, I DON'T KNOW WHO DOES IT, BUT ONCE THAT'S DONE, I THINK THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER HEAVY LIFT ON EQUIPMENT.
AND SO IF WE CAN JUST CONCENTRATE ON WHAT WE NEED NOW WITH THIS MONEY AND THEN WORK TOWARDS GETTING THESE GRANTS AND START THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX SOME, YOU KNOW, YOUR IDEA OF THAT, THAT ONE FIRE TRUCK THAT WASN'T, YOU KNOW, MAYBE NOT THAT COULD GET US ANOTHER FIVE, SIX, SEVEN YEARS AND WE COULD AFFORD IT.
WAS WAS GREAT. AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN WE CAN MAKE SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPEN.
I MEAN, SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO BUY A USED TRUCK AND GET GET WHERE WE NEED TO GET.
SO THANK YOU FOR GOING THROUGH THIS PLAN B AND COMING UP WITH ANOTHER SUGGESTION FOR US ON THAT.
I APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK YOU GUYS HAVE DONE.
I KNOW I'VE CALLED YOU A MILLION TIMES THAT I'LL APOLOGIZE A LITTLE BIT THERE.
SHE DOESN'T UNTIL TOMORROW WHEN SHE CALLS AGAIN.
TILL TOMORROW. WHY WAIT TILL TOMORROW? ALL RIGHT.
SO WITH THAT, MR. CHAIRMAN, IS TO THE POINT OF ORDER.
WITH THIS, YOU WILL ALSO NEED TO HAVE ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING.
SO WITH THAT AND WITH THIS NEW ALLOW THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
IF THERE'S ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS, PLEASE COME FORWARD. STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I WOULD USE YOUR LINE OF PLEASE LINE UP SINGLE FILE ONE AT A TIME.
I DON'T GET TO SPEAK AGAIN, DO I? YES, YES YOU DO.
IT'S A BRAND NEW PUBLIC HEARING. SO. YES, SIR.
OKAY. NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. ABSOLUTELY.
ARTHUR ARAKELIAN 327 LA VALENCIA CIRCLE, PANAMA CITY BEACH, FLORIDA.
32413. IT'S VERY INTERESTING. TO HEAR OR TO BE HERE TONIGHT AND TO HEAR ALL THIS. I'VE NEVER AGAIN I'VE NEVER BEEN TO ONE OF THESE MEETINGS BEFORE.
I NEVER FELT COMPELLED TO BE HERE UNTIL I STARTED LOOKING AT NUMBERS.
I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, HOW DOES SOMEBODY LIKE ME TAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE ACTIVE ROLE WITH WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING FOR THE COUNTY IN A JUST IN A CITIZEN CAPACITY? IT I KNOW OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE YOUR OVERSIGHT FOR WHAT IT IS THAT YOU ALL DO WITHIN YOUR BOARD.
IS THAT A TRUE STATEMENT OR DOES EVERY IS EVERYTHING DONE WITH WHO I'M LOOKING AT RIGHT HERE? THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE COUNTY. SO IT'S MY IT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY STATUTORILY TO RUN THE COUNTY ON A DAY TO DAY BUSINESS.
SO THE 700 PLUS EMPLOYEES, MINUS HIS STAFF, ALL REPORT TO ME.
OKAY. THEY ARE POLICY MAKERS. I HATE, YOU KNOW, I APOLOGIZE FOR GIVING THE CIVICS LESSONS, BUT IT'S THE SAME THING. OKAY. THEY ARE. THEY ARE THE LOCAL VERSION OF THE LEGISLATIVE BODY.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE. AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE HAVE COUNTY AND STATE EXECUTIVE OR JUDICIARY.
SO THEY SET THE POLICIES, THEY APPROPRIATE THE FUNDS.
[01:05:03]
PLANS. SO I WOULD SAY TO YOU, IF THERE'S A SPECIFIC AREA THAT YOU'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT, AND I'LL JUST USE IT AS AN EXAMPLE, LIKE PARKS AND RECREATION, THE THE COUNTY HAS A PARKS ADVISORY BOARD.THE PROJECTS OUT OF THAT MASTER PLAN THAT THE PUBLIC HAS PARTICIPATED IN AND HAVE BEEN HAS, HAS VOTED ON, HAVE BEEN ADOPTED, THAT THEN TURNS INTO APPROPRIATIONS FOR DIFFERENT.
BUT ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE PUBLIC DOCUMENTS, PUBLIC CONVERSATIONS.
THE PUBLIC CAN BE INVOLVED IN SHAPING THAT. I GUESS THAT WAS THAT'S REALLY WHAT I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT.
DOES THE AVERAGE PERSON LIKE MYSELF LIKE TO CONSIDER MYSELF THE AVERAGE PERSON? TO DOES THE AVERAGE PERSON I MEAN, CAN WE HELP IN ANY WAY WITH WHAT IT IS THAT YOU ALL DO? I MEAN, IT'S I MEAN, I'M SITTING HERE. I MEAN, I HAVE I DON'T REALLY HAVE A BUSINESS BACKGROUND.
AND IT JUST I JUST FEEL LIKE THERE'S. I HAVE SOMETHING TO OFFER HERE.
I'M JUST NOT SURE WHAT IT IS. ONE THING, IF I MAY, REAL QUICK AND I JUST ASK COMMISSIONER RAPHAEL IF HE WANTED TO SHARE BECAUSE HE ACTUALLY SAID IT AFTER OUR COMMISSION MEETING THIS MORNING.
BUT IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE, AND IT WOULD PROBABLY HELP YOU SEE WHERE YOU COULD POTENTIALLY PLUG IN IS WE ACTUALLY HAVE A CITIZENS ACADEMY WHERE YOU WILL SEE EVERY ASPECT OF WHAT WE DO, AND THEY WALK YOU THROUGH AND YOU'RE ABLE TO LEARN AND SEE IN A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENS.
I WOULD I WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED IN THAT. YOU CAN GO ONLINE TO THE WEBSITE AND ACTUALLY SIGN UP.
IT STARTS THIS MONTH. IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM. OKAY.
YOU'LL LOVE THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT. VALERIE WILL HAVE A SPOT AT AND AND I AND I'M LOOKING.
I'M KIND OF LIKE LOOKING AT THIS FROM THE STANDPOINT. I KNOW THIS IS ON A VERY LARGE SCALE. I MEAN, YOU'RE DEALING WITH A COUNTY. YEAH, I'M LOOKING AT IT FROM THE OBVIOUSLY IN LA VALENCIA, WE HAVE AN HOA. AND AND YOU KNOW, THE HOA HAS TO BE RUN ACCORDINGLY.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, ACCOUNTS ARE BEING FUNDED PROPERLY.
THINGS ARE BEING PAID FOR PROPERLY. THE BUDGETS ARE BEING DONE TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THINGS ARE GOING PROPERLY FOR THE HOA AND THAT THERE'S WE'RE NOT WE'RE NOT BEING SURPRISED AT THE END OF THE YEAR WITH LIKE THIS HUGE, YOU KNOW, ASSESSMENT FOR SOMETHING. NOTHING SHOULD BE REALLY A SURPRISE.
AND SO IT'S I'M JUST TRYING TO RELATE THAT TO ON A BIGGER SCALE ABOUT WHAT YOU ALL DO BECAUSE, I MEAN, IT'S KIND OF SIMILAR. IT'S LIKE YOU HAVE YOU MENTIONED BEFORE LIKE A FIVE YEAR PLAN, A TEN YEAR PLAN. YOU HAVE TO GO ACCORDINGLY. AND IF AND LIKE WHAT YOU GUYS WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT, IT SEEMS LIKE LIKE WITH THE FIRE TRUCK STUFF OR THE TRUCKS THAT YOU NEED, IT SEEMS LIKE YOU WIND UP KICKING IT, THE KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD THAT YOU'RE ONLY ABLE TO GET SO MUCH RIGHT NOW, AND YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT GETTING MORE LATER.
AND AND THAT HAS TO BE PLANNED FOR. AND I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW HOW YOU ALL HAVE TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH ALL THAT, WHICH MAY EXPLAIN MORE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT I'VE GOT THERE.
ONE IS THE COUNTY'S FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH KIND OF MAPS THAT OUT.
IT'S NOT AS DETAILED AS THE THOUSANDS OF PAGES THAT GO ACTUALLY GO INTO THE THE BUDGET ITSELF, BUT IT'S A 30,000 FOOT OVERVIEW. SO IT'S A GOOD BE A GOOD STARTING PLACE AND THEN PICK THE PHONE UP AND CALL ONE OF US OR EMAIL US.
WE'RE OKAY. AND I'M SORRY, WHAT'S THE SITE AGAIN THAT I NEED TO GET TO? IT'S THE BAY COUNTY, BAY COUNTY, FLORIDA WEBSITE.
IT'S IN THERE SOMEWHERE. WE'LL GET IT FOR YOU BEFORE YOU LEAVE.
OH OKAY. YES, SIR. I'LL MAKE SURE YOU GET IT. THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE IT. ABSOLUTELY.
HE REALLY WANTS YOU TO SEE THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT. I'LL GO WITH YOU. ALL RIGHT WITH THAT? ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY. SEEING NONE, I'LL CLOSE THE FLOOR.
AND IT IS NOW BACK TO US. MIRANDA, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE TELL US WHAT YOU'RE ASKING US TO VOTE ON.
[01:10:05]
JUST SO WE ALL KNOW WHAT THEY ARE. THE GENERAL FUND IS 5.4362.MOSQUITO CONTROL IS 0.2000. MCU FIRE IS 1.38.
THE TOTAL MILLAGE RATE OF THESE COMBINED VILLAGES IS 7.0162.
THE TOTAL AGGREGATE MILLAGE RATE IS 6.1067, AND THE AGGREGATE ROLLBACK RATE IS 5.9982. THIS IS A 1.81% INCREASE OVER THE ROLLBACK RATE.
AND THESE RATES ARE THE CURRENT YEAR MILLAGE RATES WITH NO INCREASE.
SAY IT ONE MORE TIME. MISS MIRANDA. THESE ARE THE CURRENT YEAR MILLAGE RATES.
NO INCREASE. TALK TO YOU ABOUT TO MAKE HER GO THROUGH THE NUMBERS AGAIN.
IT'S LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE LIVING DANGEROUSLY NOW.
I'LL JUST SAY ONE THING. YES, MA'AM. I DON'T THINK WE CAN SAY THE CAN WAS KICKED DOWN THE ROAD.
WE CAN PUT IT LIKE THAT. BUT I THINK WHEN WE HAD HURRICANE MICHAEL, THAT LITERALLY JUST DESTROYED OUR COUNTY AND COVID AND THE WILDFIRES AND ALL OF THESE OTHER THINGS THAT HAPPENED, THERE'S NO GOOD TIME TO RAISE THE TAX.
WE ALL KNOW THAT. BUT THIS WAS WHY THIS HAS KIND OF BUNCHED UP ON US NOW.
RAISING TAXES DURING HURRICANE MICHAEL OR COVID WAS JUST IT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT I WASN'T UP HERE.
BUT I'M GOING TO HAVE TO SAY YOU GUYS WERE NOT DID NOT HAVE THE APPETITE FOR THAT.
SO AND WE DID DO BECAUSE WE PURCHASED 4.3 THROUGH THE ARPA, THE AMERICAN RECOVERY ACT.
WE USE THOSE FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO, TO WORK ON THIS MATTER AS WELL.
BUT THERE'S YOU ARE LIMITED IN WHAT YOU CAN DO IN SERVICES.
AND AS WE KNOW WHAT POTS OF MONEY WE CAN USE FOR DOING WHAT SERVICES WE ARE TRYING TO ADDRESS.
I JUST DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO THINK THAT IT WASN'T ON THEIR MIND THAT THIS THAT THIS NEEDED TO BE DONE, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT IT WAS JUST BY HAVING MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS WITH EVERYBODY ON THE STAFF THAT IT WAS JUST WAS IT'S ALL IN THE TIMING, RIGHT? WELL, THE CHALLENGE AFTER THE HURRICANE IS ALL THE ASSESSMENTS WENT DOWN, SO ALL THE VALUES WERE DECREASED. SO THERE WAS A LOT LESS INCOME. YEAH. SO NOT TO MENTION JUST THE, THE HARDSHIP AND. OKAY. WITH THAT, THE CALL, THE QUESTION IS DO WE GET A MOTION TO APPROVE NO INCREASE ACROSS THE BOARD FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL 2026 YEAR? I MAKE A MOTION SECONDED MOTION A SECOND. IF YOU WOULD PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COMMISSIONER RAPHAEL.
YES, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER CROSBY. YES, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER. CARROLL. YES, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER. PEACE. YES, MA'AM. CHAIRMAN. MOORE. YES, MA'AM. ALL RIGHT.
WITH THAT, DO WE HAVE. I THINK THE COMMISSION HAS TALKED ABOUT ALL THEY NEED TO, BUT I WILL OPEN THE FLOOR ONE MORE TIME IF THEY NEED ANY MORE COMMENTS. YES, SIR. WE STILL HAVE TO HAVE A BUDGET ADOPTION HEARING.
I KNOW, I'M HAVING FUN. MIRANDA. ROUND TWO. ACTUALLY.
ROUND THREE. ROUND THREE. SO WHAT YOU SEE BEFORE YOU IS THE RATE OR THE BUDGET. IF IT WAS ADOPTED TONIGHT, WITH AN INCREASE I HAVE THAT I WILL CALL OUT THE AMOUNTS AS THEY HAVE NOW CHANGED.
FOR THE FY 26 YEAR, WE ARE LOOKING AT A TOTAL OF ALL FUNDS FOR THIS IS ALL OF OUR FUNDS TOGETHER.
IT WILL BE $734,395,844. SO THAT TOP NUMBER UNDER THE FY 26, THAT'S WHAT THAT IS NOW IS A 13% INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR, NOT THE 14.7 TEAM LISTED HERE.
THE TRANSFER STAYED THE SAME. AND THE TOTAL ALL FUNDS LESS TRANSFERS IS $699,313,607. THAT IS A 13.85% INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR. AND THE REDUCTION OF THIS IS DUE TO THE FIRE EQUIPMENT THAT WE ARE TAKING OUT, THAT $6 MILLION OR SO WORTH OF FIRE EQUIPMENT.
[01:15:03]
ME. THE SPECIAL REVENUE THAT IS WHERE OUR FIRE SERVICES FUND IS, IS IN THE SPECIAL REVENUE CATEGORY.THAT CHANGES TO 11,417,000 AND $111. AGAIN, THAT IS DUE TO THE REDUCTION IN APPARATUS THAT WE JUST MADE TO GO TO THE LOWER MILLAGE RATE.
THESE ARE YOUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS. THE PROJECTS, NONE OF THIS CHANGED.
SO THIS THIS IS WHAT IT WILL BE WITH THE MILLAGE RATES ADOPTED.
AND THEN OUR AUTHORIZED POSITIONS. WE ARE GAINING OR WE ARE ASKING TO GAIN AROUND 30 POSITIONS NEXT YEAR ACCORDING TO THESE NUMBERS.
WE DO HAVE CHANGES COMING TO YOU THAT WE HAVE MADE IN THE LAST FEW DAYS.
THEY WILL BE REFLECTED IN THE NEXT SET OF BOOKS THAT YOU GET.
THIS NUMBER WILL BE DECREASED BY FIVE.
AND AS WE HAVE ALREADY MENTIONED SINCE WE FIRST BROUGHT THE BUDGET TO YOU IN JUNE AND YOUR ONE ON ONES, WE HAVE SEEN A REDUCTION IN OF 16 MILLION OF EQUIPMENT AND PROJECTS AND PERSONNEL, THOSE REDUCTIONS ALREADY MADE. WE ARE CONTINUING TO MAKE THOSE THAT HAVE COME TO US IN THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS.
SO WE WILL BRING YOU MORE AT THE NEXT MEETING.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU. I'M HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
AND THIS WILL NEED TO HAVE ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE BUDGET.
THAT OPEN THE FLOOR TO THE PUBLIC. ANYONE WISH TO COMMENT ON THE BUDGET? I'M DONE. YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT. THAT LEAVES IT TO THE COMMISSION.
ANY DISCUSSION OR. MOTION TO APPROVE THE BUDGET AS PRESENTED.
SECOND. MOTION. AND SECOND. IF YOU WOULD PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
MOORE. YES, MA'AM. ALL RIGHT. THAT IS NOW OFFICIALLY IT.
AND WITH THAT, WE ARE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.