[Surtax Oversight Committee Meeting on October 7, 2025]
[00:00:09]
CALL THE ROLL? SUZY, WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLL? JIM BROWN HERE. MICHAEL WYNN HERE. WILL CRAMER.
YES, MA'AM. GREG FRITZ. BRAD THOMAS HERE. DEREK MILNER HERE. JOE HOLT HERE. ALL RIGHT. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. HEARING NONE. WE'LL MOVE ON. PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR OUR NEXT SCHEDULED MEETING. APRIL 7TH, 2026. SAME PLACE, SAME TIME. KEITH BRYANT, WOULD YOU GIVE US A PROJECT REVIEW? YES, SIR. GOOD AFTERNOON. IF YOU HAVE YOUR PROJECTS BEFORE YOU, WE ARE CURRENTLY WE'VE FINISHED ALL THE PROJECTS FOR THE FIRST FIVE YEARS OF THE SURTAX, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MAGNOLIA BEACH ROAD PHASE TWO. I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT THAT PROJECT WENT TO THE BOARD THIS MORNING FOR CONSTRUCTION. SO THAT WILL COMPLETE ALL ARE LISTED IN YOURX FOR THE FIRST FIVE YEARS. AND THAT DELAYED, JUST SO YOU KNOW, IT WAS DUE TO GRANTS. THAT'S PRIMARILY A GRANT FUNDED PROJECT. AND WE WORK WITH THE NAVY ON THOSE. AND THAT WE'VE HAD TO SEGMENT THAT INTO SEVERAL PROJECTS JUST TO THE COST OF SIDEWALK TODAY. JUST SO YOU KNOW, SIDEWALKS ARE GOING FOR OVER $200 A LINEAR FOOT.
VERY EXPENSIVE. AS FAR AS THE NEXT FIVE YEARS OF THE SURTAX YOU CAN SEE WE'VE COMPLETED.
WE'RE COMPLETED IN DESIGN OR UNDER CONSTRUCTION FOR ALL THE PROJECTS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE THAT'S COUNTY ROAD 388 AT US. 231. THAT'S A TURN LANE. THAT'S A RECENT ADDITION TO THE SURTAX LIST. A NEWLY IDENTIFIED NEED. ONE OF THE PROJECTS ON THE SURTAX IN 2024, THE THE STAR AVENUE AT US 231. IT'S CODED AS UNDER DESIGN. AS FAR AS THE COUNTY IS CONCERNED, THE PROJECT IS COMPLETE IN MY MIND. WE COMPLETED THE PROJECT WHEN I HANDED THE 2 MILLION OVER TO FDOT TO DO THE PROJECT. THIS IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN BAY COUNTY, PANAMA CITY AND FDOT.
THE COUNTY SUPPLIED $2 MILLION, PANAMA CITY SUPPLY $2 MILLION, AND FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PUT UP THE ADDITIONAL $20 MILLION TO BUILD THE ROUNDABOUT AND REALIGN STAR AVENUE TO TIGHTNESS PROJECTS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION. BUT THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT ON ON THE SURTAX LIST. ANY QUESTIONS? NO, THERE WAS SOME CONCERN. SORRY, JOE. THE FEMA CLAWBACK.
HAVING TO USE SOME OF THIS MONEY TO COVER THAT. ANY UPDATE ON THAT? YES, SIR. WE CREATED A LOCKBOX OF THE FEMA FUNDING THAT THE $31 MILLION. THE COURT. THE COURT DATE IS THIS MONTH. I WANT TO SAY IT'S OCTOBER 21ST. WE HAVE STAFF FLYING TO DC. THE PARTICULAR JUDGE WHO DREW THE CASE REQUIRES AN IN-PERSON CASE. SO WE HAVE STAFF MEMBERS THAT WILL BE THERE FOR THAT. OF COURSE, WE HAVE A FEMA ATTORNEY THAT'S REPRESENTING US ALSO, I HOPE I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE'LL GET AN ANSWER THAT DAY AND NOT DRAG THIS OUT. IT HAS AFFECTED WHAT WE'RE DOING. IT HAS AFFECTED SOME OF THE GRANTS THAT I COULD GO AFTER THAT I'M CURRENTLY NOT GOING AFTER. SO JUST CROSSING MY FINGERS FOR GOOD NEWS. WE ALL ARE. YEAH. A LOT OF MONEY. WELL, AND THAT WAS MY QUESTION ALSO. BUT I WAS GOING TO SAY TO IS THERE ANY ARE YOU SEEING ANY SOFTENING IN THE CONSTRUCTION COST. I KNOW YOU SAID THAT IT WAS STILL $200 A LINEAR FOOT FOR SIDEWALK. YES, SIR. WE ARE SEEING SOME. OUR UTILITY COSTS HAVE STARTED COMING IN UNDER THE ESTIMATED CONSTRUCTION COST, WHICH IS? WE WELCOME THAT IT. 2 OR 3 YEARS AGO, WE WERE SEEING THE HIGHEST COST I'VE SEEN IN MY CAREER. BUT THEY DO SEEM TO BE SOFTENING SOME. FRANKFORT AVENUE IS COMING IN UNDER COST.
THAT'S A STORAGE TANK, A WATER STORAGE TANK WE'RE BUILDING UP THERE, BUT WE'RE PUTTING TWO DEEP WELL INJECTIONS AT NORTH BAY. THEY CAME IN A FEW MILLION UNDER THE ESTIMATE THERE TO. SO IT'S WELCOME BREAK IN THE COST. KEITH, I'VE GOT A QUESTION REAL QUICK. WHAT AND WHAT CONSTITUTES REDOING THE SIDEWALKS. THERE'S BEEN SOME THAT DIDN'T LOOK THAT TERRIBLE, BUT I SEE THEM BEING TORN UP AND REDONE. WHAT ARE ALL THESE NEW ONES THAT WE'RE DOING? OR I JUST NOTICED SOME. I KNOW YOUR BEACH IS NEW ALONG THAT ROADWAY. IT'S ACTUALLY A MULTI-USE PATH.
THAT SAID, SIDEWALK THAT'S ACTUALLY A PATH. SOMETIMES YOU'LL SEE US OUT ON THOMAS DRIVE. ONE OF THE PROBLEMS YOU'LL HAVE WITH SIDEWALKS IS SETTLEMENT. WE GET A LOT OF HEAT HERE, SO YOU'LL SEE EXPANSION ON THEM. AND A LOT OF WHAT WE DO IS JUST REPAIR. ADA.
IF YOU'VE GOT AN OLDER SIDEWALK THAT WAS BUILT PRIMARILY 70S AND 80S, THEY DIDN'T FOLLOW ADA
[00:05:05]
STANDARDS AS CLOSELY AS WE DO TODAY. WE ARE REQUIRED BY DOT BY FLORIDA STATUTE WHEN WE GO IN AND DO A PROJECT AND WE KNOW THERE'S AN ADA DEFICIENCY, WE HAVE TO REPAIR IT. SO IF YOU SEE THEM RIPPING SOME OUT, THAT COULD BE WHAT THEY'RE DOING. OKAY. ONE OTHER QUICK QUESTION TO GO BACK. IS THERE ANY COMPLETION DATE ON THAT STAR AVENUE PROJECT? THEY ROBERTS AND ROBERTS DREW THE PROJECT. THEY DELAYED CONSTRUCTION A LITTLE BIT. THEY'VE GOT A PRETTY GOOD TIME TO GET IT DONE BECAUSE THEY THEY ALSO WON THE ROUNDABOUT ON 2321 AT TITUS, WHICH WAS OUR PROJECT. THE BID WAS OPENING TO. I THINK IT'S EITHER IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN LAST WEEK. I NEED TO CHECK FOR THE RESURFACING OF 2321. I THINK THEY WANTED TO SEE IF THEY GOT ALL THREE PROJECTS, BECAUSE THAT COULD CHANGE HOW THEY HANDLE MOBILIZATION AND MAINTENANCE OF TRAFFIC, BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE DOING. THE PROJECT, THOUGH, TO BUILD THE ROUNDABOUT. REALIGN STAR AVENUE AT TITUS. I ESTIMATE AT LEAST 18 MONTHS. THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD SIZED PROJECT. NO, I WOULDN'T I'VE BEEN UP THERE A COUPLE OF TIMES AND IT IS A CHALLENGE.ANY ANY OF Y'ALL WITH THE RAILROAD. OKAY. ANYTIME YOU DEAL WITH THE RAILROAD IS A CHALLENGE. I'M JUST GOING TO TELL YOU WE HAVE LEVELS OF DIFFICULTY AND THEY'RE AT THE TOP. THEY THEY SUPERSEDE THE DOT. SO THE DOT CROSSES THEIR TRACKS AT THE RAILROAD'S DISCRETION. EVERYONE CROSSES THE RAILROAD AT THE RAILROAD'S DISCRETION, OKAY? AND THEY CAN BE A CHALLENGE TO TO DEAL WITH. OKAY. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. QUESTIONS FOR KEITH. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. MIRANDA, YOU WANT TO GIVE US A UPDATE? OKAY. THE FIRST PAGE IN YOUR FINANCIAL INFORMATION HERE IS THE REVENUES. WE ARE STILL HOLDING PRETTY STRONG IN OUR REVENUES. YOU CAN SEE DOWN THERE THE TOTAL RECEIVED IS OVER 143 MILLION. FOR THE LIFE OF THE SURTAX. THERE ARE TWO MONTHS MISSING IN FY 25. AS SOME OF YOU MAY RECALL, THE STATE IS ABOUT 60 DAYS BEHIND IN REMITTING THOSE FUNDS. IT TAKES THEM ABOUT 60 DAYS TO GET US OUR TAXES. AFTER COMPANIES PAY. WE RECEIVED AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER OUR JULY PAYMENT. SO IT'LL BE OCTOBER, THE END OF OCTOBER WHEN WE RECEIVE OUR AUGUST PAYMENT. ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE REVENUE? BRENDA, JUST REAL QUICK. WHEN DOES I KNOW? WE VOTED THIS IN? NOT LONG AGO.
BUT WHEN DOES IT END AGAIN? JUST FOR A REMINDER, THIS CURRENT SURTAX IS TEN YEARS. IT ENDS IN 26 AND THEN THE NEXT ONE WOULD START A FAST TEN YEARS. I'M NOT KIDDING. WOW.
BLOWN BY. I KNOW THAT THE I TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST TIME, THE CONCERN ABOUT THE SALES TAX HOLIDAY AND ITS EFFECT, AND THEN THE REMOVAL OF COMMERCIAL RENTS. HAVE YOU ALL SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THAT YOU FEEL LIKE IT MIGHT REDUCE WHAT YOU BRING IN? WE HAVE NOT SEEN ENOUGH TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, IF THAT MAKES SENSE. THERE HAS BEEN A SLIGHT DIP HERE AND THERE, BUT NOTHING. OVERALL. I WOULD SAY OUR REVENUE IN OTHER LIKE SOME OF OUR OTHER SALES TAX REVENUE IS PRETTY FLAT. THIS WE HAVE BEEN PRETTY CONSERVATIVE WITH THE BUDGET ONE. WE HAVE TO WE CAN ONLY BUDGET AT 95% OF WHAT WE EXPECT. ANYWAYS. WE'VE BEEN CONSERVATIVE WITH OUR PROJECTIONS BECAUSE OF THOSE HOLIDAYS, AND THEN ALSO TRYING TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT FEMA LOCKBOX. BUT WE ARE GETTING MORE THAN OUR OUR BUDGET AMOUNT, WHICH IS IS GOOD. THAT HELPS US IN THE LONG RUN. BUT I WOULD SAY IF IF YOU LOOK AT OUR NUMBERS FOR 25, WE WILL PROBABLY END SOMEWHERE VERY CLOSE TO FY 24. I WOULD SAY THIS IS PRETTY FLAT. ALSO, WE MAY SEE A SLIGHT INCREASE BUT NOT SIGNIFICANT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT? THE NEXT PAGES IN YOUR PACKET ARE OUR EXPENDITURES RELATED TO PROJECTS? THERE'S QUITE A FEW PAGES HERE. WE DO PROVIDE THIS TO YOU. THE FEW DAYS BEFORE I THINK IT WENT OUT FRIDAY, SO THAT YOU CAN LOOK OVER IT AND COME WITH ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE. WE HAVE FY 24 AND FY 25. THE REASONING FOR THIS IS OUR FY 24 AUDIT WAS NOT COMPLETE
[00:10:03]
UNTIL THE END OF SEPTEMBER. THAT IS NOW COMPLETE. THIS WILL BE THE LAST TIME THAT YOU SEE THESE FY 24 NUMBERS. THE NEXT MEETING WILL HAVE FY 25 AND FY 26 TO DATE. AND JUST TO GO INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ON THAT LOCKBOX SITUATION IN THE FY 25, WE HAVE $11.1 MILLION SET ASIDE FOR THAT LOCKBOX. WE HAVE ALSO PLACED OVER $8 MILLION IN THE FY 26 BUDGET FOR THE LOCKBOX. AND THEN THERE WILL BE ANOTHER $8 MILLION IN FY 27. SHOULD WE NOT GET A FAVORABLE DECISION? THOSE NUMBERS ONE MORE TIME. IT WAS 11.1 FOR FY 25. I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT AMOUNT, BUT IT WAS OVER $8 MILLION IN 26, AND THEN IT'LL BE THE SAME AMOUNT IN FY 27. ANOTHER 8 MILLION. THEY I MEAN, IF THEY THE JUDGE RULES THAT WE HAVE TO PAY IT BACK.ARE THEY GOING TO SAY WE NEED TO CHECK NOW OR DO THEY LET YOU PAY IT BACK OVER TIME? WE ARE WORKING ON THAT. WE HOPE NOT TO. BUT WE DO HAVE THIS 11.1 SITTING THERE READY TO CUT THAT CHECK SHOULD THAT HAPPEN. AND ACTUALLY WE HAVE THE $8 MILLION IN FY 26 BECAUSE WE ARE TECHNICALLY IN FY 26 NOW. SO WE COULD GO AHEAD AND CUT FY 25 AND 26 IF NEEDED, AND THEN MAYBE WORK OUT SOME KIND OF PAYMENT FOR THE THE REMAINDER THAT ALL OR NOTHING. DO THEY EITHER GET NONE OF IT OR ALL OF IT OR WE DON'T KNOW. WE THEY COULD THEY COULD RULE THAT WE GET 5 MILLION AND THAT BE IT. IT JUST DEPENDS ON THEIR DECISION. IT'S LATER THIS MONTH.
YES. ONLY SEVEN TRIALS. I WAS CURIOUS. ABOUT. MOST ALL OF US DIDN'T GET AN OUT OF OFFICE RESPONSE. BLAMING SOMEBODY FOR THE SHUTDOWN. LIKE, OH NO, I'VE SEEN IT, I'VE SEEN IT. MY INBOX IS FULL OF THEM. WHILE HE'S LOOKING THAT UP. THAT WAS ALL THE UPDATES I REALLY HAD FOR YOU. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE EXPENDITURES, WE CAN GO INTO THOSE. THIS IS LISTED IN DETAIL BY EXPENSE. AND I CAN GET YOU ANY INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED ON THOSE. JUST ASK OUR OFFICE. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE HERE. YOU'RE ALWAYS WELCOME TO CONTACT US IF YOU'RE REVIEWING THIS IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS AND YOU SEE SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT MORE INFORMATION, EMAIL ME OR MY STAFF AND WE CAN GET THAT FOR YOU. THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NEWER, THIS IS ACTUALLY OUR PURPOSE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE EXPENSES ARE PER STATUTE, AND THEY GENERALLY ARE ACTUALLY THEY ALWAYS HAVE BEEN ON THIS ONE. YEAH, YEAH. I'M SITTING NEXT TO A LAWYER. YEAH, THAT'S ALWAYS FUN. WELL INTO THE MICROPHONE. YEAH. OH IT'S ON THE RECORD. EVERYBODY KNOWS THE HEARING IS OCTOBER 28TH. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MIRANDA AT THIS TIME? VERY GOOD.
THANK YOU. OTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE COMMITTEE. HEARING. NONE. WE LOOK
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.