So, did you get one of these? call this workshop to order. The date is August 28th um 2025. The time is approximately 10:05. I would ask Commissioner Moore if you would please lead us in our invocation.
Let's stand if you raise them. Bow our heads. Dear heavenly father, once again we want to thank you for waking us up to a brand new day. We thank you for your grace and your mercy. We ask that you be with us today. Help us to make the correct decision. And
Lord, help us to agree and disagree in unity and love. And Lord, we ask that you bless this day for this is the day that you have made and we will rejoice. All these blessings we ask in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. Pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of
America and to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Madam clerk if you would please do a roll call for us.
You always here say you are here. So even if you don't feel you're here, please say you are here. Yes. Present. Commissioner William BJ Lorie present. Commissioner Linda Moore here.
Commissioner Cynthia Burton here. Mayor Michelle Miles present. City Manager Derek Martin here. Finance director Steve Conklin here.
HR director Sheila Walker. I thought my Sheila was here. And I have guest director Dave Frank. I think we're good. Hey, welcome everyone here today. Okay,
this is a workshop to um again public hearing or not a hearing but a public workshop to go over our um budget and we're going to look at our general fund today. Correct. I'm going to turn it over to
Martin and Good morning, Mayor. Good morning, commissioners. Thank you for coming uh so early today and starting this process with us. Um we actually have went through um all of the budgets u line items
individually line items that had markups before and we've um we of course have changed those markups to match um some of our discussions that we had. Um I will point out a couple things today. Um we are going to be combining our FICA um
with um what's FIA with the uh Medicare Medicare. Yes. Um and only on the special occasions uh for the people that we we pay or otherwise offset their cost for we will have those line items separated in our final uh budget that has not been completed yet. Um all we're
doing is just going to combine them into the into one lump sum um and then zero out the other line item. Um as discussed we went through we made our notes um based on the conversations we've had in our previous workshops. Um we have provided you a budget based on the
8.7164 max rate which is our roll back rate. Um and uh we do have a zero uh net zero budget so we're balanced with our expenditures and revenues. Um one thing that we did provide today um because we
are short of time um is all of our CRA the BPP the better place plan and all of our enterprise funds. If we have time, we would like to just go through them cursory review. All of those have been updated since our last meeting um to reflect the decisions uh made as a
collective group. And uh those are all balanced budgets as well. Even though we had u some revenues uh and expenditures that showed us in the positive on the enterprise funds, we did balance them out at at zero um just to uh to to to
have a zero line on there. I I wasn't quite sure before it looked like there was a lot of positives left, but we want to make sure that we uh we just have a a flat zero budget on it on there. Um other than that, we can start at the top. I did have a couple guests come in today. Um I don't want to take their
time up, so if you would mind, Madam Chair, if we could let them come and present. Those are uh uh individuals here with Brown and Brown. We also have FMIT. Um, these individuals have worked tirelessly on getting us some savings for the city for our workers comp and general liability. They're here to
present and show what those savings are and to answer any questions that you all have moving forward in this process. If you will uh come up with that need to know this because this is part of our budget. So, thank you and welcome. Thank you for coming to
Crescent City. If you will come up, present and uh introduce yourselves to the commission. Hi everyone. I'm Molly Grande with Baron Brown Insurance. I'm Melanie Steagel. I'm an employee benefits advisor with Brown Brown.
So, as Derek mentioned, we're here today to provide some cost savings on the property casing and employee benefit benefits programs of the city. Um we're going to just briefly go through a quick overview of our company before we show you those cost savings. So we are both with Brown and Brown Insurance and we
are in the public sector side of it. So our public sector team is kind of like a mom and pop shop. We're about 25 employees as a part of the larger Brown and Brown Corporation which is 16,000 employees. We are the number one public entity broker in the state of Florida
where we place about $400 million of insurance pro uh premiums for those entities across the state. Um can you go to the next one? Thank you. We'd like to give this visual to kind of show everyone the type of entities we work with. We do cities, counties, special districts, school districts, a little
bit of everything. And our client base consists of entities ranging from the size of Hillsboro County, which is$2 billion dollars in total insured value, to small entities such as Mount Dora, the city of Belleview, the city of NASCAR, a little bit of everything. All of our clients receive the same type of
service and the same type of efforts when it comes to marketing and cost savings. Um, no matter the size of them. You can the next one. This is the team that all of our clients have access to. Um the blue is going to be the brown and brown team and the green is going to be
preferred governmental insurance trust. Now this is exclusively for the property and casualty side of the house. In the audience here I actually have Jeremy Lort. He's a representative of preferred. Um and then our brown employees are both our property curing and employee
benefits team. So the city would have access to every single person within this team. Um, we have dedicated account managers for both sides, dedicated account executives for both sides, as well as loss representatives, claims representatives. There's never going to be a time where the city's going to have
any service issues. So, now for the fun part, the cost savings. So, we were able to provide about $76,000 of premium savings. So, that was 35% of the expiring insurance program. You'll note this is pretty
significant savings. This is not a standard uh renewal that you'll see year-over-year and I think there's a couple reasons for that. One of them being it has been quite some time since the city has done a competitive quoting process. I believe it's been about 10
years and also I think maybe the agent on the account wasn't looking too closely at providing the savings for a city of this size. So, one thing that we can assure you is when we have an account, you know, we're not a representative of the insurance carrier.
We don't work for preferred. We work for Brown and Brown. So, it's always in our interest as an extension to the city and as taxpayers to provide the most costefficient program and the most comprehensive coverage. So, I'm confident that if the city did choose to move forward with us, if there was a
competitive quoting process, which we do recommend every few years, um pricing would not come crashing down. Our proposals are always priced very fairly and very competitively. So, that's just something I wanted to note for you guys and also point out some of the coverage advantages that we have. We are offering
a 2-year rate guarantee on this program. So, that's not a 2-year policy. You're not locked into this policy, but you are locked into these lower rates. And while the rates cannot go up, they can come down. So, I think that's a fantastic benefit. Um, we also have full property
limits. So, that's up to your total insured values, which is almost $15 million. That's for all your property and contents across the city. And our auto limit of $1 million, includes all autos. So, if you have a claim on an unscheduled audit or if you have
take-home vehicles, um, we will go ahead and cover that claim. Preferred is really, really great about putting coverage on for items that are missed on the schedule. So, that's pretty common with public entities. Sometimes there's a building, you know, that the entity didn't even know they owned or they were
supposed to have a lease on it. Um, a vehicle that just missed administratively on the schedule. Um, we're always great at carving out coverage for those. Um, and we also recently enhanced our cyber liability, our cyber crimes, half a million dollars, which is one of the highest you can find in the marketplace. That is
covering social engineering and fraudulent blood transfer, which is the most common cyber um cyber event that occurs and for public entities. And the last thing that I want to talk about for profiting casually is not just the pricing, but what you um have
included as having us as your broker. Um, I put 60,000 of premium savings. We're actually at about 75,000 um, since we have gone through underwriting, which is fantastic. Um, we pride ourselves on not just being transactional insurance agents. We're not just here to provide a
quote. We're here to provide the city with risk solutions, a cost of risk program where we're looking at where the city's risk tolerance is. Is there anything that we can self-insure? What do exposures look like year-over-year? And what do the city's budget constraints look like? We also have a
very comprehensive loss control and safety program that the city would have access to. This includes um up to $5,000 reimbursement for safety initiatives which we can also help the city carve out and um put into place. We offer contract review and training as well as
certificate of insurance review and recommendation among all these other things. We're very big on our legislative updates. I'm sure many of you are aware that the sovereign immunity to caps were looked at earlier this year and we expect them to be looked at again this year. So as a part of our early budget process is we do
provide estimates based on if those bills were to pass what that would look like for the city. We also do free property appraisals. We have an asset management software that would be included as well as free site assessments and a turnkey disaster recovery program called preferred
priority. Thank you. Okay, I'm going to go ahead and hand this over to Mel. She's going to go over the employee benefits piece of our proposal. Thank you. Good morning, everyone. Good morning. Um, so we did um put sent to the market and I apologize that it's
very small. I can send this over electronically as well. Um, but we did get some quotes from United Healthcare. The city is currently with Florida Blue. Um, and there are four options that are included in this presentation. Um the first one um that I want to show first
has the largest savings. Um it is a savings to the bottom line of just over $7,500. Um I will point out the biggest difference is um the deductibles are slightly lower. We do we do try to match
apples to apples as closely as possible um while also enhancing benefits if possible. Um, we understand that insurance is very personal for employees and so obviously off offering the best coverage also is assisting the city in
uh retaining talent and um attracting new employees. So what I will say is that these this option one they do have both plans have a little bit lower deductibles. Um the city does currently offer four plans. The reason there's
only two illustrated here is that there's only enrollment in two plans. And so it does actually make sense for a group your size to offer two plans. Um once you get past that, it can get a little bit to handle administratively.
Um but I will say that this is 3.8% below what the renewal was for Florida Blue for the city's current coverage. So again, a savings of about $7,529. What I will point out also is that United Healthcare does have a very good
network in this area. Um we did explore hospitals as well. Um all of the hospital systems, Advent Health, Halifax, HCA, Baptist. So everything kind of north, southsoutheast, east, west um is all considered in the network
as well as there are many providers um that match the Florida blue network in this area. I'll go to the next one. Um again, I apologize. I know these are small. Um this option two is about 2.2%
savings, just over $4,400 in savings. Um, again, one plan matches the $2,000 deductible of one of the current plans and the other one is 3,000, which is just slightly lower than the 3200 that does have enrollment. Um, one of the
differences, I say it's a difference. Um, one of them does say say it's an HMO with out of network coverage. All that means is it's written on an HMO platform. Um, typically with an HMO, you would need to find your provider and
state that ahead of time. This HMO does not require that and there is out of network coverage. Um, so it is very comparable to the PO. The only difference with this HMO is that you must be a Florida resident to enroll in it, which if they're working for the city, then I would assume that that is
the case. Um, option three is again a still a slight savings. It's 7% savings from the renewal, just over $1,400. Um, one of the plans does have a slightly higher has a $3,500 deductible
as opposed to the current $3,200. The other one does have a $1,500 deductible as opposed to 2,000. So, there are some some differences. Um, the co-pays for office visits are slightly lower. Um, chiropractic with Florida Blue, their
chiropractic co-pay follows a specialist. So it's it is a little bit higher with United Healthcare. Their chiropractic co-pay actually follows the primary care. So in this case with these plans would be 25 and $30 respectively as opposed to 85 and 60. And again
slight savings. And then option four is a is slightly higher. It's a8% increase. So just it would be just over $1,600 um additional to what the city is currently paying. So what I would say to
you is that this is an exercise that our team does regardless of the size of of our client probably every two years at least. Um for a group your size, United Healthcare and Florida Blue are the two major players. Um Sigma and Etna don't
like to go below 25 or 50 depending on um what that looks like. And so again, this is going to be the major two that are available to your groups. But again a full marketing is something that our team regularly does. Can I ask a question?
Sure. Um and so that's savings on our side. Does that mean the the portion of the employee plans is also going to be cheaper? There are and and we can mix and match these plans. Um because I think there was one plan that was slightly higher
than there's health plan 18102. There are some plans that are slightly higher than that. Um, but there are, like I said, we can mix and match these to where both plants would be lower. Yeah, absolutely. Our hard savings want employees to save
money, too. And can I just real fast just for some clarification? Um, Sheila, would you explain, can you just for come up for just a second and just make sure that we all understand how the insurance works for our employees as far as what
they pay and what we pay. Um, right now the city gives each employee and only the employee um $1,110 towards their plan and that is only for
the employee. They give nothing for family. And so the difference the employee pays and so right now let's say the city say it's about 80% that they contribute towards the um the employee
cost. So the city's contributing about 80%. So that's what I think we need to look at too is you know what impact like Commissioner Lorie said what impact is this going to have on correct the employees. Correct. Um and also from a family
coverage. We have a lot of them that really struggle with the family coverage and they can't even provide the family coverage because it's too costly. Yes. Um so that's something I know that we would be looking out for. So we go through this exercise please. Thank you. Does that help? Yes.
Commission. So and this is I guess for Sheila or the city manager. Um, do when does our employee insurance renew? Do we have to renew it every year? Yes, we do.
And when does it renew? We do. Uh, we start in October. The new plan rolls over November the 1st. So, so the fiscal year. Okay. And then ask one more question. Sure. So, um, usually if we're thinking
of making a change, um, does that get reviewed with the employees ahead of time? Do they usually get a chance to take a look? Um, in the past, we've always, um, get all of the new quotes and then we pass it on to the employee.
So, um, they get a, um, chance to look at it and decide which plan would work for them as well if they need to switch or stay with stay where they're at. And that's those those options that we provide, not not necessarily the cover the the insurer,
right? I guess what concerns me at this point um the liability insurance is our biggest cost and biggest potential savings. The part one of this presentation um I'm a little bit concerned like where
are we in the process? Would our employees have an opportunity if we make the switch? would they have a chance to comment? Because I personally um am not comfortable making a decision for
other people based on what I've heard briefly and you know I'm not able to read on the screen and I think that's something that as we go forward that um and of course we've got to make this decision within the next month. I I would think that I would
I would hope that you you know um Derek that you would hold a a city a city benefits meeting with all the employees to go over this so that they can weigh in on that. And I will say too that that's something that our team assists with as well. Um,
we typically work with our clients and especially if changes are being made. We like to hold meetings prior to open enrollment even beginning and walk through what changes there are and what that means and answer any questions so that the employees understand. put
together a benefit guide that has all of the benefit, excuse me, all of the benefits all included in it and walk through that with them so that they have ample time not only to ask us questions but to chat with spouses and and all of that to make sure that it's it's what
their family needs. Okay. And and we've had that discussion today is just to bring it up to you all so you know that we are actively working on it. The workers comp and general liability is a little different. I would like some direction on that from you all uh today. But yes, we will.
But on the employee side, which is a is a different Yes. And we we discussed having them come in, you know, if that was something that we would move forward with because changes changes, you know, and for so many for so long so many people, you know, Florida Blue has been Yeah.
Um when you switch over to United, it's for a lot of people there's that uncertainty. So, we just want to make sure that our employees are comfortable and that um I guess this also works over at um at the uh at St. Augustine
Hospital. That's I've drawn black flat plat. Yes. So, United they accept United because so many of our population here do go do go there. I I have provided healthcare and I I've never had a provider that was in any network between
Daytona and the hospital I go to even extress family care right here in town. So we do have a very robust network and United also provides supplemental for the dental and the eye and so they can be they have access. Absolutely. Okay. Absolutely.
We have any other questions on this? Yes, Commissioner. So what is our um final date that we have to decide whether to stay with the current employee healthcare coverage or go with a special plan even
we should have a meeting today but we got we got blue cross and blue right we still have and so we still need to have a meeting so we got time to do that yes ma'am when's the deadline she's asking When's
the deadline? Middle of September. We can do the middle of September. September to the end of September. Okay. My comparison is going to be what we have today versus whatever we choose, whatever the renewals are and and the options that they're providing as well.
And then so we'll take a look at those and then from that as a team, we'll have the meeting with the employees and have them look at all of them and we'll consider them from there. You can provide those sheet. Yes. And I I'll I'm sorry we that that was something added and so we'll I'll
get them to you all today so you can have a big blown up picture. So because I mean that does come up that if you're going to provide that then we need to look at everything and always you know anything we can do to assist our our employees and healthcare in itself is just so expensive.
Well, and just employees need to hear about it and then they need time if they have a family to discuss that with their spouse because that's pretty critical. Um so then what I would just um run through
real quick is also what's included with uh the services that Brown and Brown offers. So um the premium savings obviously there are again some some different plan options on the table. Um and again this is something that we do every year even if you don't look to
change carriers we always look at alternate plan options because almost every year the carriers have to file their plans with the state and so there are sometimes some changes sometimes they come out with enhancements. um marketplace solutions. We have full
market access to where we look at not only the medical but the dental, vision, life. Um and sometimes it's worth bundling and sometimes there is savings if it's not bundled. Um so we always look at those options as well. And then just the benefits consulting. Um we do
have a dedicated service team. Um we can talk through some contributions. I know um sometimes those change based on what the costs are. Um, I've had some clients that have gone from a fixed contribution to a percentage because it would just
change based on the rates every year. Um, also wellness initiative support um because that has proven to be um to prove that it can be beneficial to either bring your claims down or just
overall have a healthier population. And as Molly could have stated as well, we do have a public entity focus. Um, we do have an internal legislative and compliance team that does periodically provide us updates of what's coming down the pike. Um, we do provide benchmarking so you can see what those entities
around you um are offering so you can be sure that you're in line with that. And then just as we are today, excuse me, presence at board meetings, uh, council meetings and commission meetings, workshops, and then the value added services. Um most of this too not only
for employees such as the open enrollment support, the customized benefit guide and other um references and resources, but we do offer some uh benefits also some services for your HR team. And we do have uh a free HR portal
that does offer some compliance articles, um some health and wellness articles. if you decide you want to look at a health savings account, there are some uh employee communications in there that kind of help them understand that as well. And then we do have a free
employment law resource. While typically most entities do have access to um an attorney uh fully and fully is something that we actually pay for and provide for all of our clients. That is an 800 number that you can call. just pick up the phone if you have something that's
urgent and you can um get some some attorney advice and guidance for those those times. And then we do have again frequently compliance guidance. Um we do go through a compliance checklist um typically every year if there are some changes at least every other year to be
sure that the city is in compliance with the ACA and all of the legislation that's necessary. [Music] Thank you. Thank you. I I want to go back to um I want to go back to our
liability if we can. Sure. I think one of the one of the concerns that that I had when we were going into this and of course again change is difficult. um with FMIT and we've had this over the last couple of years where
we've needed the um legal resources because either a commissioner has something has happened with one of us um and we've need uh we've you know had to have attorney representation and I don't know where that comes in in your policy.
Where would that come in in your policy? And of course, we've had, you know, a few attorneys that have been kind of assigned to us that we've familiar with and worked with. And so, um, and that's through FMIT. So, how how does your how does this cover how do you cover that?
Sure. So, preferred's not dissimilar. They also have a pre-approved panel of council for both workers compensation and the liability lines. Um, I can provide you with both those list. There likely won't be overlap between our council and the FMIT council. However,
you're not necessarily stepping in stone if there's a particular litigation or special litigation that you're looking for a particular attorney on. Um, we're always open to consider um given the circumstances. Um, if you have a particular HR workers comp or an EEOC
issue, we can always recommend a firm from our panel. Um, even you know, liability is a pretty easy one um that we have um a lot of our attorneys handle. Um and what we've had like is one of us in doing our duty a
commissioner um has if they're if there a lawsuit is is brought against them. How does that how does that work as far as coverage? Yeah, same thing. So we cover um the defense to defend any of our public officials against whatever's um you know
being claimed against them. Um we will uh give you the choice between two of our panel council that we would recommend. We have firms Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa. Um again, if you have a specific preferred attorney um that you would like us to consider, we will
always do that as well. But we are covered as you are absolutely covered. We are covered. And I think the the bigger question I want to make sure that the the commission knows when when the discussion came up, we wanted to make sure that the coverage was apples to apples.
And that was something that you assured me that the coverage was apples to apples. So I want to make sure you all know that that that was considered when when we went this route. All the coverage is exactly the same if not with some enhancements on our end
because the one the one thing is is you know when you sit up here and you put yourself out here as long as you're performing within those confines that you you know sworn those oath that o you swore to take. Um, we don't want people not to run for fear that because there
are people out there that will sue for whatever reason, not to run just because of concern about that um to serve their community. So, that's that's a big that's a big issue I know for all of us. Yes, Commissioner Dvito, you had a question. Um, I have actually
an observation. Question two. Um, first my first question is um I'm assuming that the quote takes into account our loss and claim history. Correct.
Okay. Because we paid a claim this year. We're going to do a full underwriting analysis of the entire program which is the loss history. And then also I'm not sure I heard this correctly. So in terms of ongoing lawsuits that how do you coordinate
benefits when we switch carriers? So any claims that are currently open or being handled by the current carrier FMIT will continue to be handled by FMIT until they're closed. And then any new claims that arise during a policy term with us we would be handling.
Okay. And would we be obligated um to pay like some kind of continuing coverage to FMIT if that No, there's no more customer. Okay. All right. Because for professionals they do. So, okay. Um I think that was
all. Thank you. Okay. Commissioner, do you have any other questions? No. Appreciate this. And and so that we know that there we do have two separate things I'm talking about too and
is here. And so once we hear from him, I we can also mix and match. We can do the health care review with you and stay with me if we want to just um um recognize.
Yes. Okay. on the um screens that you should on one of the very first ones there was a list of the item and then there was a comparison of the costs to go with round or FMIT and I think you went about halfway down
the list and you stopped short there was a line item that said 2% what is that that 2% um on the PowerPoint yes yes so that is a credit that I'm providing again for full transparency as you know everyone on our team is um I
get paid via commission on the insurance program so I have removed 2% out of my own commission to provide the city with additional savings okay and that was my other question is how do you get paid okay so you're taking um
you're taking a cut in order to provide a competitive to help provide a competitive more okay is that standard Yeah, I would say so. It just depends. Um I'm not sure where the FMIT renewal came in. Um I did try
to provide as much savings as I possibly could. Um and I just wanted to give it a little bit more of a bump typically um on our package policies pay anywhere between 10 and 12% and the workers compensation is between 7 and 9%. So you know we always have transparency and
some legal room on our end. How long have you represented um let's say like Mount Dora? How long have you represented Mount Tour? We've had Mount Tour for at least 5 years and that's one that our Cleveland office handles. Um we've also had plenty of our accounts since our inception 30
years ago. Um city of H City for example we've had since the early 90s. City of Davenport as well. Um we have really established long relationships with many of our clients. That longevity well we know Brown's been around for a very long time. for
any of those that have grown up in this area. Um, okay. Well, thank you. We have no other questions. Thank you. Thank you. I would just like to mention um Tyler does this presentation. Um, if the board would consider both, then maybe um consider voting at the next board
meeting if there's time. We would on September 10th. We don't have to on September 10th. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I'm going to take my plaster. Yes, no problem. If you could please come up, sir. Absolutely. Thank you so much.
Hello, Tyler. Hello. Good morning. They all know you didn't introduce yourself anyway. Yep. So, I'm Tyler with the Florida League of Cities. I'm just going to hand out a uh hand out real quick. I didn't bring a flash drive or anything. Sorry.
Thank you. Thank you. I have one. First off, thanks for having us here this morning. Normally, we go to battle at like 5 6 o'clock at night. So, I do apologize if I'm not fully caffeinated yet. usually takes 12 hours for caffeine
to fully kick in. Um, but again, my name is Tyler Dan. I do work with the Florida League cities. Um, I do represent a lot of municipalities here in Putham County. Just to mention a few, the county itself, um, the Port Authority,
Interlockan, Palm Coast, Mona Park, WA. Um, there might be a few more. Those were just the ones off the top of my head. But I do want to go over who the Florida League of Cities is and who FMIT is. So in 1922, the Florida League of Cities was created to help cities
maintain home rule. And this is in the forefront of everything in municipal government today. So I do just want to hit that point home because home rule is being attacked everywhere. Um and so in we're going to jump forward 50 years. 1976,
the League of Mayors comes to the Florida League of Cities and says, "Hey, we're really struggling to place our workers compensation insurance. We need assistance." So, the Florida League of Mayors comes to the Florida League of Cities, forms the Florida Municipal Insurance Trust in 1976.
Uh, and then since 1976 through today, we've been the largest municipal insurance trust in the state of Florida. um and providing the best in-house services to municipal government. Um there are a few things that I want to highlight within our proposal, but
there's also a couple things that I'd rather just start with that are different. Um Molly did mention that she secured you a $500,000 limit on site out around $15,000. So 15,000. Yes, ma'am. To be exact, it's $14,979.
15,000. Okay. If we if you're talking about the 8.43, we have to take out $33,843 or $840. So 34,000. Yes, ma'am. total. In total. Okay. Because those those figures were
actually passed out before. Correct. And mayor, I have a question. Yes, commission. Um was my understanding when we adopted this village um that we some of us did this just as a precaution
because there were so many unknowns the last time we went through the general fund and that's this is an extra meeting. My understanding was that we were going to try to not um
use the higher but that was just that's why I asked those figures. So as you're going through this, we need to look at where we need to cut if we want to come into those, but at the same time, we need to go where our roll back is and then work down from there. Got it. So, and I have a question about
the back page, the very last page that we were handed. And I guess there were there were two separate budgets that were sent out recently. So the difference in the budgets uh were only because of a rounding error and it was
literally dollars. What we did was we went through the entire budget. Um it was brought to my attention about differences in some totals. So the reason why was because if you um take decimals out to the thousands, there were cents in and the u the program was
either rounding up or down and it was changing and skewing totals especially when we went to our our our budget worksheet. So we we fixed that and that's what we sent out. That's the second. Okay. So if my notes are on the original one that I was handed, I'm not that far off.
No dollar more or less than. Okay. So my questions are about the very last page 19 where it shows total expenditures and then excess deficiency of revenues over expenditures.
Okay. So the very last line um for unodudited 2024 is that saying that 2024 has a deficiency of $339,000 943.
Uh currently right now in this in this spreadsheet I would say yes but it's not true because we have we're going through our audit and they are moving some things and and Steve can talk to that a little bit more. Plus we had
plus we had uh uh allocations from the uh enterprise funds that uh in 2024 we did not believe we had the the um you know the funds to transfer. So we just did a preliminary amount um talking with Julian and and with the auditors we we
may we may revisit that for for the uh end of 2024. So that's going to be I think we talked about it yesterday at 230,000 237 237 correct 237900 um approximately okay that did not get um
transferred over from the from the enterprise funds but the general fund took a hit on right but that's a big okay so but there's really no way to recover that we discussed that in the enterprise fund workshop right I mean that's just kind of we could ask for it
to be a loan but there's no way we and um so that money from the enterprise fund. So my question is when there's a deficiency in the 2024 year of um
go ahead and explain it if you would to Steve exactly what's happened because there was a carry I my understanding there was a carry forward because I asked the same question that covered a good portion of of that. Yeah. from it we're going back two three
four years there was a carryover and just the the flow through from I guess it was 2021 I guess is where you know Julian we're looking at that that carry forward kind of covered the current carry forward so basically where we had a carry for I believe last
year like 318,000 I believe was was even with this even with this correct even with that that yes supplementing supplementing correct okay so because there's a number of pieces of paper that we've been given. And that was my next question. Um, we
there's paperwork somewhere in here that I just looked at this morning and last night that says we had a carry forward of approximately 300,000 and we allocated about 140 something of that. Correct. Correct.
And so does this mean there is still a true balance in the carry forward? Yes. Currently, right now, there's a a true balance of $173,000. When we have our meeting on the 10th, we do have um documents that you don't have
yet that we created that shows where we believe those should go. You all ultimately can decide. Um but we are proposing using around 110,000 of the carry forward to take care of some of the items that were unforeseen and that's what we tackled mostly were the
unforeseen uh items that were not budgeted for uh or or underbudgeted and things happened. So, oh unforeseen items in what budget year? This budget year. This correct? This this current budget year, not this one. We're looking at the current one we're sitting current.
Okay. Because then moving on down the columns on page 19. Um it says our amended budget is 108,224 under carry forward what we budgeted and then wait. I need to hear from the
city manager and staff if that's adequate. If it's not, then commissioners chime in. The the amended budget that's there right now only covers the money that was utilized. And I can go in it was probably around uh $145,000.
Two two things in there was some building repair and maintenance. The other was wage increases of the 7%. 83 83,000 something. The total amount is 145455, right? You don't have that in in this, but that
is reflected inside of the 2024 amended budget. When we come to you all in uh September 10th, we have a new amended budget that we're proposing to utilize $110,000 of the leftover 173,000. That would leave us
approximately 62,000. And I think it would be smart for the city to leave a buffer until we are done with our full audits and then we will have a more u rounded idea of exactly what that number is going to be. And Commissioner Devito, I too um in
seeing that number had um heart complications. Um but my understanding is is that they um as they're going through the audit, we had two different people also doing inputting. And so there's quite possibly some things got
inputed also and they're making sure that that was done correctly. And then also what you have is some of these um it's my understanding too is that some of these like for some of the grants that we've had to pay that we had to pay
and then it's a reimbursement. So it would come into this year. Um and so they're trying to make sure that that that those numbers are all where they're supposed to be. Correct. we we still have more money coming, but for transparency purposes, this is
where it sits. Um, but I know that that was my understanding. So, I'm not going to Yeah, my concern is number one that as we're going through um formulating on on 26 budget that we don't um have any huge holes that are
going to need to be filled that we're not aware of. And then it would be helpful to know like um do we have any possible available funds? And the city manager is saying the $62,000 that is currently unallocated, he's
recommending that we leave as a buff. And that is exactly what I wanted to know. Where do we stand with the prior year funds? Yeah. because as it is right now where we've had that carryover year over year this last year, you know, because we
went with the with the roll back rate um and we reduced, you know, we had pretty bare bones and we ran into some situations that as we go forward as you're looking at this budget, keep that in mind because we don't want to be in that situation next year. But
but also there was something I asked and our finance director gave an answer, but I I don't think that um I don't think it's everything we need to know. I asked about the $500,000 that
was supposedly in reserve to purchase a firet truck. And Steve, I think you said um you thought the money had been allocated in different um accounts and just used.
I didn't say used. It it was moved from one one one account to another and I haven't been able to find it yet. We will we will locate it. So, so right now was done I think last year the year before. So I'm I'm I'm I'll take a look at that when everything went in full cash. Is
that when Well, that was my thought. Yeah, that that was probably about that same time. Yeah. And it's just kind of hard because uh some sometimes you we were having trouble finding some of our documentation. So,
and where we are now, um, and I think, um, just for anybody listening, somebody asking how do we get here? We've had a series of, um, as we all know, finance directors, finance, um, everybody struggles with finding one and we've
been struggling for some years. And then when you do get one, everybody has a different way of it's kind of like back in the old days when we had, you know, with a secretary. Every time you change the secretary, the whole filing system changed because they filed things
differently. Um, and so that's I think that's where we are right now. And they're trying to between me and Julianne have been working hard to try to figure that all out. Yes. And just to be specific, when our longtime finance director, WD Peacock, retired, um I
think we had Steve is now our fourth finance director. We had someone from um we had someone at an individual fill the position. She was not familiar enough. Then we hired a firm, a clarion. They did not do a good job for us or many
other cities. Then we hired an individual with a CPA but unfortunately he did not disclose that he had issues in his background so he did not stay and now we are fortunate to have um Mr. Con. But yes there has been um turnover and
my thought is that um if anybody could help with the paperwork for finding out where the fire truck funds might have been it would be Miss Peacock. I mean, she was the one who originally seated that I don't know for sure.
Okay. Yeah, we are we're we're aware and we've had discussions. We we're also again in need looking at the budget. We're we're very tight and Miss Peacock does cost money. It's not free. So, we we're cognizant of that and we're going to work through to find those funds. But Miss Peacock has been um and I will
say that she's been very helpful. She's come in and she's helped us. um she had chose she wanted to retire. She had announced that some time ago and the city continued to to carry her along. Um and as we do, please don't go. Um but
she has been very generous with her time and um we're we're most appreciative that she has that she's helped out especially um in our in our fire pensions um and so anyway, let's go. We need to get on with this with this budget.
Yes. So, moving on on the budget, um just as a caveat or or just an added statement, um we went through all of the notes that we created together on the last uh the last f or the first round. Um made every change that was requested by the commission in regard to uh some
of our budgeted items, uh notes that needed to be added. Um and so we can go from the very top and work ourselves down like we did before if you'd like. Um we do again have a balanced budget. it is set at the 8.71. Um there are some
items that are significantly lower um and some items that uh are maintained the same and a few that are significantly higher. Um some items we decided, you know, that we would combine with others uh to make it a little bit more easier for uh reading and just like
we're going to be doing with the FICA um as well as the the Medicare which will be in the next round. And mind you too, our our next round on September 10th, we will have some tables and pie charts and some and a presentation for you all to simplify this so we don't have to um see
all the line items so we can take it from the top. Um starting out at our revenue taxes. Um again the advalorum is based on the 8.7164 U with 5% taken out. um our delinquent
adorum tax we have a $5,000 um for $1,500 increase. The next next line item question with Steve, but um Steve, if you'd like to talk about these the option six cents gas tax, that would be I would appreciate that. Yeah, we just based those off the uh the
previous year. We hadn't gotten any of our state um we're still waiting on some of the state estimates. So, and you can see our actuals through July, which we only have two months left. We're at $43,000. We based uh the budget at $60,000. I don't think we're quite going to get there. We should be
conservative in that sense. So, we we put $49,000 for that line item. Um the next line item, uh another another uh uh gas tax. Um this one again, if you're looking at our actual year to date in July, we received $28,000. We
budgeted 40. Um if you go back to the unodudited version of 24, we had $32,000. Um we we put 33,000 in there just to be conservative. Okay. We have any questions as as we go through this. Um do we have any
questions? There's not any questions then we probably from sake of time. Yeah. Um mayor I do have one question. Yes. So all of these revenues that are listed here are any of these passroughs or are they actually part of our available revenue for expenditure?
Most of the passroughs are going to be in your enterprise funds. Correct. And I I did send back and I apologize. I just we're trying to get everything ready. I sent back the email and I gave everybody a copy of the email of those questions. All of those questions were answered um in that email
and you have the print out of that. Everybody has that. So um to try to speed the process up, but we can always talk about it if you if you need to. Um well, yes. So So in other words, is available? Correct.
the water utility tax credit as our actual July is 40,000 throughout and we're increasing the water rate. It's 10% of the water sales. Don't you think we can bump that up from 35? We probably could, but we still wanted
to be conservative. We wanted to basically talk to you all as a group and see if you wanted to plan. I I'm I'm not because if you look at the unodited from the year prior I know we're doing the increase but that's 35 right at 35 and so
well yeah we're at 35 in 2025 and so we're at we've already taken in 40 right now so why are we at 35 when a year ago two years ago it was 35 290 right you know
and it's a 5% increase each year and we get 10% of that the water sales so I mean, we've already passed that for this year. I think that needs to bump it up. What I'm looking at is I want to stay at 8.4. And I know you do. And I know you do.
I think we should. I really think that should be our priority because I know that the roll back rate that I mean $39,000 is not that much money. And if we're really underestimating and lowballing like the water utility tax, that's something that could make up for
that $39,000. I just don't want to have I want to we already have one of the highest mill rates in the state. I don't want to increase it. Well, and I'm going to say, Commissioner Roy, to that that if if that's what we're looking at, then we need to be looking at our expenses and how we can back out our expenses because this is an
unknown number. This is a hope for this. Well, it is kind of you never I know, but but you always with what money's coming in. When I do budgeting, I always look at not making as much as I think I'm going
to make and then on my expenses. Um, and so I'm very comfortable with where we are and then that's just if if we make more than we make more. I think we can go in our expenses and cut out our expenses. Commission. So, well, to
me, I think um you're both right, but the timing is different. I agree with the mayor that we should not balance our budget based on the revenue side. And you know, a projection is just a projection. I think we should balance it
as the mayor said on the expense side. If the revenues come in higher, there is nothing to prevent us from restoring an expense that we have cut. As we have talked about in prior years, for example, um if we gave less in salary
increases, we can always restore if we get additional if revenues um come in higher or whatever it is that we cut back on. We can restore that. I don't I don't see that as a problem. Am I right? I mean, am I correct that we can do
that? Yes. And that's what we do when we usually adjust our budget because there's an overage usually and that's what we've been doing. But just just for an example, when you look at our administration fees, if we have a shortfall in any of those,
which we had last year, that's an example right there. That's 300 200 over $200,000 that somehow or another we're going to have to figure that we're going to have to find that revenue somewhere else because
that and that's what scares me more than anything is that right there. And that's why I'm saying as conservative as we can possibly be with our revenue. Um that's where I that's where I would and and
neither of us are wrong. we just have a difference of opinion. And so that's where I would say I would go to Yes, mayor. At this point being um just a few weeks away from first reading,
I think we have to address the expense side and not try to fill around for the revenue side because there's nothing around here. I mean, as we go through it, is there anything else in here that And when you look at the revenue before we get to the expenses, is there
anything else in the revenue that anybody has? Um, oh, heartburn, we know Commissioner Lori feels like that should be increased. Commissioner Lori, is there anything else in here that you see so that we can get to the expenses?
Yeah, [Music] that's just I think we've already brought that in $40,000 this this year actually and we're raising rates 5%. Why would we ever budget less than that $35,000? That just
a cushion. It just it it provides us with a cushion. Okay. I mean, that's not efficient budgeting if you're really undercutting your revenues. Well, Right. That's just a difference of opinion. I think that's conservative budgeting,
not budgeting is getting as close as possible. And I believe they've gotten us as close as they possibly can. But again, it's it's those administrative fees um that that concern me that depend on anything
can go wrong. It only takes one thing to go wrong and and it well you don't and you don't have a a cushion a cushion you could be in trouble in a hurry. So and that's what this budget uh if we tried to do was to be as conservative on the revenue so we could try to build in
a cushion. I do understand what Commissioner Lori is saying. I don't disagree in part. No, I don't disagree with him either. But but in this season where we are with the budget, it would be nice to have a good buffer. We don't know what's going to happen next year. Um, we feel that we put the money where it needed to be. We
cut a lot out already. Um, where we thought we could cut. There are some concerns that we have um and we'll talk about that when we get there um that uh that that we're going to have to work through as a team.
Okay. So, are we ready to go to expend revenues? So um one comment I had was on the administrative um fees on very last page alliance 30 somethings um if we are going with
salary increases um I noticed they use the 2025 budget map to determine um what would be the administrative contribution for 26 so I would think they would need to be adjusted they're done on a percentage so
what are you She's talking about land 235. 235. I'm saying whatever. Um those are I believe primarily based on salary and expense. So we've always used the same numbers. If you look at the numbers last
I think the same we've basically used the same I mean that's what it is that it's supposed to be sharing the overhead. So we're actually charging rent to the other departments. I know that and for the other employees. Yeah. And it but you're saying should they be adjusted upwards based on
the additional costs that the overhead if the overhead goes up it when I first came into office in 2018 there was they used a percentage of the amount of administration that was used. So if administration expenses go up, then that
percentage should be applied to that higher amount as opposed to just taking a flat fee that we repeat from the last year. That's how I understand it works. And it might not be a huge amount, but it's like it's supposed to be a shared
cost, so it should be um to me actual cost. And there originally it was a percentage. That's my income. Well, how can you tell them? Well, the city administration had formula. They never told me exactly what
formula was, but they had Patrick did. Um, that was uh the only concern I have, it's not a secret. It's based on time. The only concern I have with that, Hold on a second, please. Um the only
concern I have with that is that um some of our enterprises the state of the enterprise the state of the time and so but we are some adjustments and hopefully next year we will see a big difference. Okay. All right. Just that's an observation. I
didn't say we should change it any particular way. There's no way to know right now what it will be. Okay. So if everybody's okay with the revenues, let's go to one two. Let's start with our um let's start with our city city commission. Okay. So, starting up top of the
salaries um of course stays the same. Yes, correct. We we basically held to our amended budget. Um we went up on the retirement for former commissioner that was pension payments. Um so we had to go
up on that to to cover that and really stay unchanged. Um, I think this year we're going, Stephen and I are going to work um and to have special reports on um these conferences and trainings, how we go about them for uh getting the
credit card to the hotels, getting the bills from you all, how that's all handled, that's going to be changed this year. We're going to be policy driven and a procedure on how that happens so we don't have issues like what we had with commissioners not having the right documentation to get savings or other
things like that. The other thing too is the other side of it is that you all need to know what you're spending. So we don't spend over what the allotted amount is and that's really important as well. And we said that last year people need to know what they're spending. I don't know why people are not keeping track of it.
Okay? I mean you should always know what you're spending. So there'll be a report with our financial report separate for each commissioner this upcoming FY. And that's what that's what our that's what we're proposing to do. And and my recommendation, I'm I'm just going to throw this out there. My recommendation
is that since since we want to bring this down, that we could um take our take our conference training each each one of us and take it down to just 500. That should provide mileage for anything or if there's anything you can do
online. A lot of communities are having to really scale back right now. Um and that would be a 5,000 savings right there. So, we we already 5,000. Um, and I agree with that process. I agree with it,
you know. Um, well, I would say that I don't think I did the percent of the budget that we spent on the commission training or the commission as a whole. It's very small. And I I think it is a very important
investment to make sure that commissioners get training. Um if you don't have that training, you're supposed to set policy for the city. You're not as educated as you could be and that education is
very helpful to the city. Um I think that is a very false economy and Commissioner Moore has never been to email. I was just going to say that for new commissioners is very important. You you're an oldtimer. How long you been here? But also I mean
well I'm sorry. I don't want to think that's relevant because things change and for example do you I don't think we okay I don't think all our commissioners have attended. Um, I didn't get to go to the first one
because of CO, but anyway, I think training for commissioners is a good thing and I think it is a false economy. We don't that 1,500 does not pay for anything besides the
annual conference really. um when you add which I believe and and I do say and I and I um that for us to be to go to that to be trained
um the price that it charges I I I just don't I'm not in I'm not in agreement that how much it costs for a community to go out there and be trained. um we pay our membership dues and so that that always just that just concerns me with
some of the cost of these and what are we bringing away what's what's our takeaway and okay so I have response to that um we don't typically discuss what our takeaway is I think that would be helpful um I do go every year and I pay
for a lot of my own training costs and every year that I go I learn something knew and I make important um connections. I find important information. It was the legislative conference that I went to, I believe
that I paid for personally where we first got the heads up that there were changes, significant changes to what we could use the American um recovery act funds for. That was first heads up and that was because I went to ARPA and that
gave us advanced notice on that. There are things about managing um okay I'm not we need to move on that I don't need and I get that much out of it but maybe maybe $500 isn't enough. Maybe we
can go down the middle and say a thousand. Okay. And that gives them that gives back $2,500. And now I'm looking at something else. And I have a question on this. Says eight private organizations. Yes. Um I guess you rebudgeted that down to
2660. I don't know why we came up with such kind of an odd number, but um who are these private organizations that this last year? Um we recently just approved money going over to the library um the school uh yes the ladies the
ladies group um for helping kids with the book bags. So there are um organizations that pink out pup. So what we've done in the past it's usually been about $2,000. Okay. The library has always gotten usually 500. This year we divided that up. Um,
and so what was left, we had put an additional 5,000 in last year because it went to the span. Correct. So that's what took care of that. Correct. And I was going to say that the Christian service center that's that was our contribution. We did 300 to
them. I think 300 to them, 300, and 100 to pink out. Yes, ma'am. Okay. So we we should make maybe we should bring that down to 2,000 or whatever. We can we originally went back to the thousand but when we were balancing the budget I the number was very drastic on the decrease and I
thought that as a city of course there are some things that we'll need and we would put a little buffer in. So the balance that we put in there was leftover when we were trying to balance it. So we we brought it up to 2660. That's why the numbers a little awkward. So the advertising costs too are, you
know, we we've gone the year to date in July there is 734 bucks and we budgeted 5,000 based on other years. We're not anywhere near $5,000 for this year.
Correct. Budget advertising, but all of our budget advertising usually that's when that big chunk comes. Yes. this next this next month that will be Thank you. I guess yeah. So this this month is is where the
the big Okay. Correct. crunch of that comes from and and Mike in 2024 we were at 5315. So we would already you know at 5,000 we could possibly have a deficit there. I just keep hearing someone saying that we shouldn't give our folks a large as
large a raise as we'd like to. And I I really would not like to cut that. Okay. I would like to try and give them that raise. We are still very low on our pay scales around here. Um, food's going up. I don't know if you've done any grocery shopping lately. Uh, everything is
moving up. You know, it's not just food, but gas, um, uh, electricity, uh, everything to maintain a home and maintain a house and feed your family's going up and and, uh, so I really would like to, um, move forward with those.
That's included in here. Yes, that's included. And and so therefore, you know, we're going to have to make some cuts. And in one cut, let like let like let like let like let like let like let like let like let like let like let me say um 500 bucks maybe isn't enough for the for for our education, but maybe we can go to a,000 something like that. That gives us
200 or $2,500 back into the budget uh to help. And then again, you know, it's kind of silly, but it's 660 bucks on that, you know, private, you know, giving funds to private people. Okay. So, I mean, there's going to have to be little things.
Little things. I think even if we were to drop that down to if we needed to this year, a thousand um just like we did 100 to pink out 900. Yeah. 300 300 300 commission. How do we feel about that?
We have an issue there and we have an issue locally. Um you know, we gave the five the 5,000 to our viable unit. as all communities I think all the communities contributed to that several well there um some of you may be
aware and have gotten the email they're continuing to make appeals for the operation of it and they don't yet do feral cats and someone will have to pay for the cost of spaying and neutering feral
cats. So apparently they aren't where they need to be and well they're just kicking it off and so they're starting with the dogs. I I know that hopefully move the cats into it. Okay. But it the their pricing does not their pricing and the planning does not
include feral cats. And one of the huge issues that we have in Crescent City, I believe it's right here in this block where city hall is feral cats. And my suggestion would be that we allocate some funding and try to make an
arrangement with them to start addressing the feral cats that are in the middle of town. Well, Jenny Jenny Oakwood works very hard. She works very hard on feral cats. Uh I help her with that. There are a few people that trapped the cats already. I
believe most of the cats that were back here have been trapped. Um, yeah. And and she works with um primarily it's an organization really out of Gainesville. I went up and and looked at that with her not so long ago. Um, which
is a very reasonable uh price to to go up. A lot of times it's free up there in Gainesville. But I just want to say half the battle is to get people out there to track the cats. And you know, instead of feeding them, track them. Trap them and
then and and keep them and and Jenny will say, "Hey, we we can take 10 cats today." And she will take them. She also works with flagger cats. Okay. Does she make those for free? She she will take them and and believe me, she she she is very dedicated to
getting those counts down. And Jamie will work with us on that and gets grants. I know she does. She's constantly getting grants and looking for grants for that to assist to assist with it. But even Fly Cats, I think at one point, are they 15 for a feral or 20 for a feral?
I think they're 20 now. Yeah, 20 for a fair. I know the one in Gainesville, I believe, is free. So, I believe that one is free. Yeah. And uh and that's kind of a neat place if you ever get a chance to visit that. But but uh the other thing with with Jamie, the other thing that she does which is very important or ARC I
should say does is they give lowcost uh shots and things like that. I mean she does a lot. So, so, so, okay. So, I don't want to get I don't want to get down into the weeds with this, but if we want to keep 2,000
in there and then if we can dedicate some of it because I I do believe Interlocking, they make a large contribution to our um animal control. Animal control. No, they I clarified that with that. They stopped that. No, they haven't stopped that, but it's
not a contribution. What they do is they pay for services rendered. In other words, if animal control picks up animals, they they pay for specific things that serve their community. They don't just write a check
for 5,000 or 10,000. Okay? They dedicate an amount of money and they pay only for those services that are provided to their community. And there's a big difference. It doesn't just go into the general fund budget and account.
Well, it's to assist with over and it's to assist specifically to get some clar and get some clarification on that. How they how they do that and how they can actually um is it when they pick a dog up, it's to take care of that dog. I mean, how is it?
It's I think they get a bill. And so, what I was proposing wasn't criticizing Jenny Oakwood. What I was saying is we have feral cats right now that we've taken care of the ones that are out of residents pockets and people are getting
tired of it. So I was suggesting that we dedicate some for the cost of spaying and neutering some of the barc um I so we so we want to keep that at 2,000. Do we want to bring that down to 2,000 or do y'all want to keep it at
2616? I don't know where the 660 came from. If you if you go to $2,000 and $1,000 on the um on the travel and the the classes, it it brings you up to 3160 of extra money put somewhere else. Yeah, I've got a live document here so I'm
able to make those changes. Okay. And I don't I don't agree with those changes. I think we're cutting off our nose to spite our pace. Okay. But before I leave we we leave this page, I would like to point out about commissioner one training for an
audited 2024. That's me. Um I did not go over budget. um the 2121 um I applied for reimbursement for um attending the um a community
redevelopment conference and those funds were supposed to come out of the community redevelopment budget. That was what we decided when we passed the last budget. The check was allocated to the general fund when the check was taken out of the general fund. Um, and I did
not catch that check, but it was for that 2024 budget, we had decided that training for CRA issues should come out of the CRA and it wasn't done. It wasn't done properly. So, that isn't the
2121 isn't correctly reflected. If you take $600 out of it, I'm within the 1,500 um that we had to spend for training that year for the And we don't know where you are this year. Have you submitted any of your bills for this year? Have y'all
submitted your bills for the um conference? Well, I don't know where they stand, but I won't go over. Okay. I'll recommend it. Okay. But I did not go over in 2024. So, Commissioner, before we before we move
on off this page, we've got um some of our commissioners that feel that we should drop it down and and some of you that feel that we should not. So, where are we what are we going to do with this? Commissioner Moore, you got any input on that? No. Why haven't you [Music]
I can't do that. I barely pay my bills with Rachel and everything else. I I'm the sole supporter of my entire household. to go and travel and spend any money to lobby or do any of those things. I can't afford that without the
city paying for some of it. Well, and so that's why we said a,000 if we dropped it down to a,000 or if we dropped it down to 1,200, would that still would that still allow you um to do that? I won't be able to go to the conference.
I mean, I use honestly I mean when I when I drive, when I travel, I mean, I get an income from being the mayor and I and I kind of look at that's what I use. That's what I use. I don't use money. I don't use our
household funds. Um it's it's, you know, that's what that's what I use. Um so that's where um you know, do we want to drop it to 1,200? Do we want to drop it to a,000? or do y'all want to move on and see if there's someplace else we can drop it in other areas?
I think something that would be helpful too in this budget season, maybe not for this year, but for next year is if if if you all know exactly which ones you're going to be going to to create some sort of ledger with where you're going to go, car rental, hotel, whatever to give us an idea.
Rent cars. Well, you know what I mean. You need to there may be somewhere that you go that you fly or something that you have to rent a car. We don't fly. Okay. I'm going to Washington DC this year just let you know.
Okay. So what are we doing with this? Well to me I think 1,200 is the minimum but frankly it's we raised it to 1500 because 1,200 wasn't really adequate to co to cover in conference. Um and I just
don't think that I think you want to have educated commission. want to keep it at 1500, but I'm going to just say this. If we're going to keep it at 1500, and I understand what everybody says, and you're absolutely right, being educated and knowing what's going on is vitally
important. It's important for everybody. It's important for our staff. Our staff is foregone because oftentimes we don't have enough budget to get them trained, but we go and get trained. So, but y'all are also at the same time wanting to reduce our millillage. So, I think we're
we're not willing to sacrifice on our expenses. So, I'm just that concerns me. So, let's move on and we're going to keep it at $1,500. Keeping it at 1500 and putting beh So, you just saved $660. Correct.
Somebody keeping track of that. We have it. Let's move on to the next page, please. expenditures for city manager. You did none. Yeah. No soup for you. Um those mainly stayed unchanged from
our last meeting. Um I did make a reduction in the Christmas bonus or we brought it back to the same because before we up that we brought it back to the 2025 amended budget. Um I'm sorry, not amended budget, the adopted budget.
Um the okay the FICA the Medicare pension these items um of course are created by a percentage. We went in and and took out the percentage because of the rounding
issue but these numbers are based on I believe 6.2 for um 6.2 for FICA. Yes. 1.45 for 1.75 um for the Medicare. Yeah. Okay. 7.6 65 total. Okay. Yeah. And then we have
for your Yeah. And then 8.5 or in in this one actually 10% for the the pension. Yeah. FICA is 6.2 and the Medicare was 1.45. 455. Yeah. Yeah. And so and then that's the other thing too for the pension. So you're at 10% but the other employees are at 8.5. Yes.
and and I'm not sure, we'll talk about it um later, but I would I would like to ask the commission for permission to take Christina's pension and take it to the 10 as well. Her duties are almost as equal as mine at this point right now. She's handling a lot of work uh with the
CRA and with the downtown partnership and we have a plan to really bolster that up. She's also handling a lot of the direct employee interaction and that's the plan moving forward and I just think it's fair for her as an assistant city manager to be able to get 10% as well.
Okay. Um would you give us a cost estimate how much how much that would cost? What would you have to add into this? Yes, ma'am. And I think as we go forward too, I'd really like us to revisit um especially as we have um with the um Florida retirement.
Yes. If you could just revisit that conversation. Absolutely. Commissioner, do everyone agree with that? I like that. Yeah. Especially as we bring on new employees. Um it would be a benefit. That's that's a benefit to them. Yeah. And I think it's a smart thing for
the city commission as a whole to look into that and for us to to move forward in that direction. We'll get all the information to you. I've been in a city where it was taken out and it really hurt a lot of people and and it also stifles people coming in. That's one huge draw that you can have is say, "Hey, you come work for us, you can be
here for your career and retire with us." Especially if you've already been within the Florida retirement system. Correct. Correct. Um, moving down the line, um, their notes, of course, we added some things in there. You'll see the currently shopping healthc care still. We've
talked about that today. Um, workers comp. We have brown and brown in there. We based our estimate uh, and and our allocations on Brown and Brown. Now, I don't have it in my computer here, but Steve um in conjunction with Sheila has a spreadsheet that they've created that
actually does the allocation and spread um and that's what they utilize for this um uh this exercise. So, again, if you all decide that we're going to go with uh FMIT, this is going to be adjusted and that does not reflect the couple thousand. I believe they came in uh
probably $6,000 lower than than Brown and Brown. And we didn't have that quote until literally 5:00 yesterday. So this 32,836 is what they off the sheet that they got from FM. Oh yeah, the the FMIT is not that's what
the amount is for his total, right? No, no, for the workers comp. Which line item are you at, sir? Right. It's not I was just asking what the Oh, okay. What was Brown's vote for the workers part of
Oh, I I don't have that breakdown. I have the total the total cost. I'm sorry about that. I'll get that for you, Commissioner. Thank you. So, along lines of what Commissioner Lori was asking, they for the insurance items on this first page and this is just the city manager
section of the budget. So these insurance items are based on the savings from the quote that was given to you by Brown Brown. Yes, ma'am. Okay. So in other words, they're not based on current year. They do reflect a significant savings
um but they are brown savings, not um whatever was provided by FMT. Yes, ma'am. And they had um I don't think they gave us figures for the healthcare and workers comp, did they? They did not just liability. Correct.
Okay. We're We are waiting on updated numbers. Sheila's been working on that pretty extensively to get our updated healthcare numbers from I believe Blue Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Okay. She just shared with me those have come in and I guess those have come in and they are they are lower.
Oh, great. They are lower than they have been. Not sure as far as So, she was going to do a comparison, but um I believe that's what she said is they have come in lower. Good. Very good. So, mayor in the hall um we're fortunate with the low revenue
year insurance is actually um not so bad this year on line 81 auto property general insurance and that's a very small part of the total for the whole city the one in the city manager budget the figure of 3202 so that's based on the brown court
that's based on it looks to me like it was based on the um just for as a placeholder it was based on the um budget from last year because it's right there at about a dollar less than last year. Correct. That is correct. Until you get that. Yes. Okay. Correct.
Okay. So, that might be adjusted up or down, right? Because for some areas of the budget, um there would be it would be significantly less. This is just very small part. Okay. Um I
had a question also about line 79. Um it says they're budgeting for this year $500 less than last year. Um but there's, you know, of quite a list of
memberships relating to League of Cities, the Chamber of different departments. Is that $1,000 going to be sufficient for all those costs? Yes, ma'am. I I believe that it will. Um we put in u operating costs and supplies
this year uh at an increase if you combine them. Of course we have operating supplies for uh our office and we've also um moved some of those funds. But um with that being said um I believe that we have a little bit of cushion to be able to pay for a little extra if we
need it. But what I want to tighten it up is as much as possible. We only spent uh year to date I believe right at a,000 or a little bit over $1,000. about the last two previous years you spent 1,500. So I think that I think Commissioner Devito is correcting that you would want
to budget for 500. Is that correct, Commissioner? Well, I think even if we have a cushion somewhere else, we should budget for actual. Okay. Okay. So if we bump that up 500. So we're now at $66 savings. You keeping up with that? Yeah. Oh yeah, it's live. I'll tell you
where we're at. So if we come up $160 right now. Line 7778. Um, you have 1,500, you've brought it to 2500. Then you've got 2,000 from last year. You brought it to 2,000. I didn't
quite understand combined operating and office supplies. Move to supplies line above. We originally did that and when we balanced it out, we put money back in there. That note just needs to be updated. So, yes, you would update that note so it's not confusing because I have that
on mine. Okay. We have M. had the other only other thing that I saw on here is right here where it says IT support contracts. We've already expended $7,400 this year and we're only budgeting 5,800
um for this next year and the year prior we were at 6911. So Steve and I talked about that and we believe that that's a um allocation error um that's going to be figured out
during this uh this audit process. I mean I don't believe that that's that's a correct number. Well the year prior it came in at 6911 and I know that's not Yeah, we're gonna have to go back and
dig in that a little more. [Music] Um, right. So, cuz Mayor, you're saying here today actual is already up to 7477. Yeah. And so, our finance director was saying
that's an allocation issue. It could be. We need to get into that specific line item. We and and honestly we've talked about this on many occasions. We have not been able to get back to the IT to because of all the the plates we have spinning and working on
this budget. Um we have not been able to get that RFP completed for you all to look at. So we may be stuck with our it I'm pretty sure we're going to be stuck with it because we had an out in that contract I believe and I think we we have we may be outside of that. I've got to
get done. We also may still be in the window where we can and if we can as soon as this exercise over we're going to jump over to that and get that started. Okay. And the biggest thing is that we have their numbers in here um budgeted. Some
may be higher in other areas, but um we're going to have to hold them accountable for for the work that they're doing and make sure that they're keeping keeping us safe. Okay. Anything else on this page? Do you want me to up that to the
actuals? Mayor Commission. We can find somebody. We're going to be working on it. And we actually have been working on it. The biggest issue was that we could not find uh our RFP, the filing system. um uh is
going to be changed this upcoming year. We've talked about that, but we could not find the original RFP that uh Wanda bid for our current IT contract. It's nowhere to be found. Um Mel was gracious enough to reach out and to a counterpart and get us the one that Palaca recently
used back this summer when they hired their IT. I just haven't. It's in there somewhere. It's got to be in there. It's there somewhere. You've gone through all those files, all the file cabinets. Haven't gone through the paper. just to you got to go through the file cabinets. It might not be on the computer. So, you're going to have to go through those
file cabinets. It's got to be there somewhere. Okay. And if not, we've got a copy of it in it should be in an agenda form that we've got a copy of it. It would save a lot of time for sure because that that contract would have come for us and and like I said, we do have the digital copy of the of what Paka put
together. Uh we just need to modify that. Okay. Let's move on to page two. Yes. or page whatever this page nine. Commissioner Devita, who is Wanda? Who is Wanda? I don't know.
She's our pension plan administrator. Oh, okay. The employee pension Wanda camp. Okay. All right. So, we're going to move on to the expenditures for finance. Um, again, all salaries uh in here have 5%
increased cost of living increase. Um, we went back on some of these items. I I wait, let me just Sorry. Before you say that, there's a difference between cost of living increase and performance-based. Last year, the 5% was performance based based
on um appraisals. Okay. And so something that I I was thinking about with this just knowing where we are is how is that I mean, how does that how would that work? You need to have a scale that if you become if you're a
four and five then you get that five that 5%. If you're a three then maybe you get 2.5%. Exactly. You know there's an incentive there not that you get a performance appraisal regardless of what's on it you're going to get a 5% increase. You've got to have
there has to be some incentive there too. Okay. Um for performance. So I think that I we've put in there 5%. I think that that's um you know in comparison to a lot of communities that's very generous but at the same time we also know where we are in the workforce and our salary
range. So I I I would like for you um to entertain to work with Sheila on that and Christina and and see how you can do that and put some policy in place. Yes. Um commission, do you agree?
Yes, sure. Well, um I've never gotten when I had performance appraisals, um it was always based on where you scale, how you scale and that I think that's what's been done in the past. Um we're saying that our
salaries are not competitive, but did we not just do an adjustment to put the salaries within the range that were shown by the salary study? We just did an $83,000 increase that was 77%.
And that was supposed to put the all the salaries within the range that was recommended by the salary study. So I I don't know that it's accurate to say that our salaries are not where they should be for the
area. We just did that for this year and Mr. Gohart assured us that the budget could support that. Um, and it does. I mean, and so far it has, but I think that um because I really I struggled with this. I I did struggle
with this. Um, and I did I I spoke to someone about it and um, and I felt better afterwards in that first off, you need you want to have an incentive. Um, second off secondly,
we've got some people that will be um that are retiring out and we've got to make the city desirable place to come. Exactly. And this keeps us this keeps us competitive. And that's most important because you're only as good as your
employees. And and we want those employees that are skilled and that are high performers. And um and that's what we hope for. And I think as long as we continue down this path, but I do believe it does need to be performance-based. And
you know, I brought this up over a year ago that it needs to be performance-based. And it's I'm happy to hear that. Hopefully that's the way we're going to go. Um I believe in it. So anyway,
so yeah, take a look. Do we have anything anything else on on this page? Um that still I don't know what the answer was. A question that I had was what where are
we with the audit contract and we are in the last year right the fiveyear contract. Okay. So here was my questions and here's the answers that were emailed
just before the meeting started. So, the audit cost um the city manager is telling us year-to- date actual cost is 54,100. We don't know what that was over the original contract price, you know,
because they give us the contract price for them. Um if they have to spend more time, then we have to pay for it. Correct. Correct. And and we'll find that contract. I didn't give the time commission. Okay. the um patrol 23 the bottom fee is supposed to be 47,300
but that's for the year ending September 30 2023 the year ending September 30 2024 was supposed to be $49,700 and then for this upcoming year 2025 it would be 52,200 is what their engagement letter says and
that is the last year on here so we might go back and get another it seems that there are two uh it says the population this engagement with the audit for the year ending September and that's a mistake here but it says September 30 2026 new engagements can be entered for up to two
additional hydro periods so we just need to give a jump change more about that and and we're already just in this just right here we're at 64,469 here that's just on this that's just on the
finance on the finance section that's okay so I don't That's the thing too and and we need to keep that in mind as well because numbers kind of skew back and forth and people have different don't understand that that what was done the year prior
oftent times we're still paying for it this year we paid up until I think March for the prior year audit March of this year. Yeah. Okay. But I still um I'm with Commissioner Devito. Have we have we allotted enough money in here at 10,400
for an audit that could possibly come in? I mean, even in even in 2023, you have you paid out 11,970. Um, you're still lower than that. And I don't think anybody's performing at a
rate that they were three years ago. So, sorry, did I interrupt? No. Okay. So my one of my questions is for out of feast line 105 year July actual isif $50,000 more than
we budget for this line item. Is that part of our um safety cards too? Well, is that part of our $180,000 projected um shortfall for the current year budget? Yes, it is. Okay. So that's part of the shortfall.
Yes. Um, I'm going to while we're here, I know Commissioner Burton, you needed to leave. Are you still okay for right now? About a half an hour. Okay, I'm going to take a break. I know. Commissioner, don't you need to take Okay, I'm gonna take a couple minutes.
Rachel, did you bring us all? Okay, we're back. I was going to wait. We're back in session. Would you please turn the microphone? Yes, ma'am. Yes, Commissioner D. Okay. So, I'm reading
I'm reading the responses to some of the questions I had and we were on the line for audits and talking about the overage. Um, so one of my questions was in what line are the charges for the CPA services and
it says charges for the CPA services are allocated in the audit line in various departments. Yes. So whatever department's got an audit line item is where Julianne has been allocated to. I'm not really comfortable with that. I think that needs to be separated out
so that we have an understanding of what's being what's in our audit and what's being. Okay. Right. Because the everyone agree. Yes. Because we approved that. That's a contract that we approved. And was it a contract that we had for them?
No. actually right but there anyway and as needed but actually if she's going to be ongoing I think that issue needs to come before us as well but certainly not and what about WPOT now that's also
another issue where's being paid where's that being uh put I believe that's in professional services up in professional services I have that on my sheet as well in finance that's where that's where we're going to put that Julian We move down to professional services in the in
theocate. Yeah. Specific funds. So which line is that now? Uh 106 other finance. Yeah. Right. And so what is what goes into that now? Professional services. Is that
for Miss Peacock for assistance with the um pension? That's what she's been helping us. That's what she's been helping with. Correct. The pension. Debbie Peacock. Yes. Okay. So is that a 106? It should be. Yes. But Miss Clay is not in there. No, she's correct.
She's just in the department. Yeah, she's been allocated. So that's our audit numbers, too. And as we go back into contract negotiations or if we have to do anything with that, we need an actual figure. Yes, ma'am. Okay. Do we have any other questions on
this page? Okay, that was it. All right. So, we'll move on to expenditures uh for legal um contractual fees. We of course um changed that to
match the contractual set fee, which would see, but it looks like we've just matched it to the budget of 48,000 for 2025. Uh other legal services, um we added 10,000 in there. Um, I I'm not sure if
the money for our internal investigation is going to be coming out of the budget this year, if we're going to be completing that work before the end of this FY. Um, so we're proposing to have $10,000 in the next year's budget, 2526.
Um, we have a known cost of 7,500. Um, but a $650 unknown hourly cost u that that that we could be hit with uh in that investigation. So, we put 10,000 there. Um, outside counsel. Um that's been Commissioner Lori. Is that
done? They missed their deadline to appeal to another bill. Do we need to leave that in there, Mayor, or do we take that out? Um you have to have outside legal counsel.
Yeah. And he always has that bumper anyway. Okay. Okay. Perfect. We we did drop it down $500. Um it's at 2500 3,000 on our 20 budget. Yes. I would have asked Mr. Holmes about
that because we're we're not really in we're not fully in control of that. That's his recommendation. Um and as well yeartoday actual is going to be more than 175 because that is where the payment for Mr. 's attendance at the
federal mediation was allocated. Correct. So that that's that's kind of we budget. Yeah. I thought that was about $4,000 that we used.
They upped they up their fee. Yeah. Um and I think we reduced that something like that happened. we use the outside, right? But it depends because if there's something they feel they don't have the expertise for, well, um um
and I don't know where you allocated that out of either because that should have shown up somewhere in the actual payments for that 20 that 20 was it 27 25 or however much
for just recently approved and he got his check. He submitted that in January of last year. When January of which of this this current year, I'm sorry. He just submitted it in January of this
current year, but we just paid it. Paid what? The bill for him to go to Jacksonville. Wait a minute. We just We just voted on it this summer. I I understand that. He submitted his bill. Got it. Okay. Got it. Got it. Got it.
It'll show up in our allocation and we'll we'll make sure that it's allocated properly. Okay. It looks to me like it's already been it's put into his contractual fees because his contractual fees are an even number. So, and that was not
Oh, that's that's not what we voted. Didn't we vote to take it from um outside the It's just an allocation. Eric, we'll get it fixed. It's an input. Yeah, it's an input. Yeah. Fair. Okay.
Bring it on to the next. Y. All right. So, we've got expenditures, utility billing, customer service. Um, again, this shows our 5% increase. Um, we I reduced down the uh the overtime uh
to $400. We had 500 a lot. We want to use 334. Give me one second, commission. I'm sorry. I I need to change this back. I was looking at the uh cents earlier. I forgot to put a flat number. So, okay,
now I can see it. It's a lot easier. Look like millions of dollars. Um um was it on the print out that way, too? Yeah. Okay. I apologize. It's fine. It'll be fixed. Um we go through our calculations again. FICA, Medicare,
retirement, those are set calculations based on the salaries. um health care, uh life insurance. We do um believe there's going to be a savings. It's not going to be significant. As you heard this morning, um the one from Brown to
Brown was a $7400 something $7,000 savings. That would be um calculated in the spreadsheet that Steve has and then distributed uh equally. Um employee testing uh we kept that same price in. That's a zero net
change on that. workers comp. Um, this is something Steve and I had talked about. Um, this was an old claim from the end of 24 that wasn't build until this year. That's why that number skewed. We went back with going uh with a a conservative covering the normal
cost of the $870. That's typical in that line item. So, we have $1,15 in there. Went up just a little bit. Um, person uh professional services that we went up to what we've allotted so far this year. Um
that was for employee search. Um we put $300 in that budget line item telephone and internet. I know we are we are strapped with who we have with that. But looking at the bill, it is very
significant. Um, I'm going to be looking into seeing if there are any alternatives and that even means trying to talk to different providers to come in through our area and working with Putnham County because it's bigger than just us. It's the whole southern Putin
that needs new uh services whether it's highspeed internet um or telephone that has business. Yeah. With them. They're in the area. They have their fiber already. Yeah. They brought all their fiber. Okay.
And what Karen was going through Sun at the state better prices on those contracts. So whatever you do, you might want to look into I don't know she left any and I don't she was in the process of doing that. I'm not sure if it actually
went through but our this ministry system is ridiculous. Yes, it is. and we're going to do an all above the approach um to that u and so we'll be getting history, we'll be getting current and looking at anything in the future as well. And we'll be trying to save money where we can
because I mean the phones aren't working no once is ridiculous and they don't work all the time. Mine went out twice yesterday while I was on the phone. Right. Right. I mean it's just well it's with our internet as our
internet provider too because I just our internet's up and down here and I'm like I don't have that problem at home. Why is it here constantly six months? I think we have honestly had an issue with the internet in here since I've
been here almost every meeting and Mel can attest to it. it for whatever reason it just goes down and she's wired. Yes. Correct. Thank you, mayor. Wired. The commission authorized um the city to
use Sun as our ending. That's the statewide state of Florida telephone system. Mhm. Um the prior clerk um had worked on that and apparently if they are used as our inter intermediary, we are not supposed to have these outages
and apparently they will run interference for us. I don't know if we get a better price. I don't remember that number. We did. Um so I would think that was teed up and we gave the authorization. I would think that would be a primary place to look
because they are there for that purpose. Do you know when you all did that authorization around last year? It was it was I think at the end of 2024 it should it should be in a meeting.
Yeah. Michael Brhard and you'll start there. We'll just start there. So let's go. Let's move on if you can. We've got you've got right underneath that a force postage. That's something that we need to figure out and and if even if we have to
do some sort of an incentive for those people that want to have um their their their bill electronically yes sent to them. Yes, we need to look at we've really got we spent a tremendous amount of money on it. It was the first thing I saw in the
budget. I'm like what's going on here? So I, you know, you're right there and we have a lot of people um that are seniors here in our community. They they don't do electronic. Um but we're going to look at all the above approach on that for communication. Um when it comes
to getting that information out and if we can save it all, we're going to try. Yeah. Now, now doing this electronically though, are you going to have pain online for electronically? We do that part. Yeah. But you charge, you have a charge for that, don't you? Yeah, I mean there's a small I pay online and there's a charge if you
do it by a check. You can either do it by a check and it's a lesser amount or if you do it by credit card there's a there's a search charge just like with everybody everywhere you go now somewhere and there was a $2 charge. The reason I brought it up was that's why they want you to mail it to them
then they can drop it off. Well, they can still come in. They can still come in and pay it. They can still come in. Yeah, they can still come in and pay it. Um, and you know that's and some people I think have even set up an automatic.
Yeah. The same price. Um, just I just So there's options. I just know that people Yeah. They want to avoid that. So they can still drop the check off. Um,
but liability insurance, you have that at 5964. Um, looks like last year it was 1672 and audited. Correct. 1,800. We've Why that number?
181. I I was a little taken 128. Yeah. 128. I was a little taken back by the number. Of course, we we had discussions about this. This is the the U based on the spreadsheet allocation. Uh, I can't go back and tell you why it
was budgeted, 1800. Steve may have more information. Um, but I know that originally, uh, if you go back to 23, it was budget at 5,000. I also can't talk about the allocation. We've discussed on looking at some of these items, um, on allocation to make sure that the that
these items have been allocated properly and not misallocated. But, um, that is the number that came out for this the equal share spread and and for that that uh, that's going to match what we're allocating this year according to your estimates. Correct. And and this is off of Brown
and Brown's current. Um Okay. Just as a 231% increase. Yeah. Um yeah, last year when we did the budget, I didn't know there was an allocation spreadsheet that you plug a number into and it would allocate it amongst the departments. So, okay. Vehicle repair and maintenance,
you've got um they put 2,000 in there. Of course, none of them except for Cory. What's Cory's what is coming under the meter reader. I believe that's what this is possibly for. That's for Cory's truck.
For Cory's truck um or the the vehicle. Um, you know, one of the things that we're going to look at this year is is possibly entering into a um, and I'm going to bring it to you all once it's complete, but u a proper maintenance uh, program.
We don't have that now. And I understand that great in the future, right? Right now, we got to look at today. Okay. So, we can allocate more dollars there. I saw where there was nothing this year. if you went back and looked at the prior unodudited 24 and 23, there was nothing
there. I just felt like the the budget was super tight, so we could squeeze that those monies out of there this year as well. And if we needed to pull from somewhere else, we put a little bit more in public works and other vehicles, we could we could do that if we needed to this year. It would seem to me that he's obviously
he's feeling he that truck is being serviced. He do you know anything about Cory's truck? Still still new. How's it being serviced? Oil change and all of that. Oh yeah, he he takes it to shepherds when it needs it. If we're busy, he'll take it to them. If
not, he'll get withdrawn. So, he's put under that, but other than that, still it's okay. Oh, yeah. Okay. Well, then you should be okay with then you should be okay with that. Equipment repair and maintenance. Yes. Uh equipment repair, maintenance.
This is a line item that has not had any money gone through it this year, but I was told of course it's for the handheld um meter reader annual fee. Steve may be able to talk a little bit more about that um for the building department how that's allocated or why there's not any
money in there this present time. I don't know if that's something that's built at the end of the year, but we were this is again one of those five items that we were going to investigate to see uh what the allocation issue is there. 3,000 was in the previous budget. Um, in this instance, uh, being that
it's the meter reader, uh, I went ahead and put 3,000 back in the budget again. And those are one of those items. If we need to take money from there and put it into vehicle repair, maintenance later, we can we can do that as well.
Okay. Um, it support. Um, yes, this is that current uh, contract cost share. Um, again, this is our current IT uh contract and this is the share for for them. We've expended six
$6,556 today through July. Um, anticipate a little bit more. We put $6,800 in the budget to cover $8,000 was last year. So, it is a a small decrease. 11:59
and in the prior I believe had again we're going to bid it out but but we don't know that we're going to get a better that we're going to get that we're going to get anything better. So it's still those unknowns that we've got there. I'm almost wondering if we would not be it
might be more advantageous to us at this point in time that because we don't have onsite anymore that we do a a part-time rather than pay this for the it would look into is that we have a part-time
part of that that fee is also just our Microsoft 365 subscriptions that would have to continue and that would and that would because it's but isn't that in our hardware is that our hardware license. No, that goes in with the So, they're mixing
it. So, mayor, if you do a part-time position like about that and I know we talked about that at different times. Um, a firm has multiple people and
multiple expertises and they keep you up to date. It's it has gotten to be um multifaceted to involve I understand. It's like hiring a lawyer. I understand. Um so that's a little bit difficult, but
um you know that's the the cost has grown and the need. Well, and the cost here is growing and it doesn't seem as if we're getting that same well margin level. So, okay. Anything else on this? Just
want to bring attention, maybe you saw it or not, in that IT support back in 24, the audited $11,900. That included uh items for Edmonds and training and other things that we did. So that that's I didn't want that to skew your ideas of of what the budget was. It originally
was $7,100, $8,000 last year, and the numbers were coming down a little bit lower on that. When what line item is that? Same line item. We were discussing the MIT support line 32. You out of here, Commissioner? Yeah, pretty much. I
Thank you. Okay. So, you're saying 132 included Edmonds, $11,000 in the 2024. Got it. Yes. I just wanted to bring if you were looking at that as a as a decision maker
for you. I just wanted to explain what that was. um office supplies. Uh we went down $2,000. I think we're just going to have to be smart with the money we have. Um I think we're going to have to try to save on paper. Uh and this is collectively as
a group. I think we can do that. Um so I did cut that. We only spent $1,500 this year. So so far and I believe that that we can get by with $2,000. Um gas and oil. That's for the car.
All right. So then, so then there's that. We have 3,000 budgeted. We've only used 1,648. I put 2,000 in there and dropped that down from the last year's budget of a thousand. So uh and then we have membership um training um at $1,000,
which I went up on that as well. Where do our cleaning services come out of? City Hall. So is that a city hall? I was trying to see what that was under city hall. like I think we'd pay like 9360 I believe. So yeah, I think the total bill is like 180. So I believe it's
Yeah. 9360 city hall share of that. Okay. I believe. Okay. So let's move on to planning and zoning. All right. Planning and zoning. Um yeah, we had uh Zeb Coen charges and the other professional services back um and
24 unudited. We budgeted last, excuse me, last year 5,000. We haven't covered anything. We haven't used any funds out of that. I put that at $0. Um I added the money uh into the um other line item
um for Zeb Cohen. I've got a note still here which we're going to work on that to break out uh Zebco cost and versus any type of consulting fee from CPH or Midtower. Um but we we did increase the cost um for Zepoen from the original
budget of 45,025 um to $50,000 and you'll see 18. That's just because we had some leftover monies when we were u balancing everything out. Um they've expended $47,000 I believe. Is that all Zebco or is that CPH? We
have to take a look at that. It's okay. It's a it's both. So right now it is both. We're going to have that. Um, yeah, you need to break those out so that we know for engineering services and for planning and okay, I mean should be
I guess is there other professional services and other and usually they're tied into a grant unless it's something that we have to look at from our perspective. But I just it's just weird that other
professional services under zoning. I would just think that be professional services, right? I had that too. That's who our contract is with. So yeah, I I and we can make that change. I we we kept it where it was historically, right, and where it was
utilized. But we can we can of course make those changes. That's that's not a problem. And always when you're doing these, look at this as if somebody else is looking at it. Look at it as if somebody else is looking at it. Yes, ma'am. like that. And we take the recation line out since we're done with that.
Yeah, that should we have to have it in there for how many how many years? But it's done. I think it's done. What is it? I'm a little confused. I know. And that was the fee for that.
So that fee probably that fee is I think what happened is that fee came in under other. Yeah. I think the fee is misallocated because I don't think we paid for it prior to so you're going to want to look at that.
Okay. There I think there's something wrong there. And then mayor I have one more question. General we talked about bidding um it and bidding the auditor. Um, when was the last time we bid our
planning and zoning service issues? I I don't have an answer to that, ma'am, but I I will I will get into the uh into the historical file. When does our contract because I asked that question. I know he's on vacation. I asked the question, is there going to be a fee increase?
What's the fee increase? And have we incorporated that in here? Yeah. And I and I reached out to Rebecca Codle, but she doesn't know. and uh and he and he's not replying to emails, but as soon as I he's on vacation right now. Yeah. Right. Well, one of my concerns is you know, we as we asked them a while ago,
do you when they did the land development code and um do you have expertise in historic preservation? And I think they said no, didn't they? Yeah. Special, right? I think they said no, they don't
have that. But just in general, um, and that's something that is apppropo across the city, but just in general, I think it's been quite a while since we hired him and we haven't done a bit. Yeah, it was Charles that hired him.
How was I think about four years anyway, but Mark was the director of the planning department. He was the one doing all the work. With Rebecca, she's a planner, long enough planner, too. Wouldn't that be a lower per hour
charge? Yeah. Yeah. I'm saying that same with Rebecca. Rebecca's been doing all the work now. I think Mark has just been here holding her hand, but in the future, Rebecca's been doing this for us. Correct. Mark does Pearson. He they do Pearson
because they do because I was sitting in Pearson in one of their council meetings a couple of weeks ago and he was sitting right in the front. I was like that's kind of him. I mean now that I think Rebecca's hop on board and she's doing the staff reports now for all of our
compments and stuff like that. So I mean I would think that it' be less lower to charge. It's not the director it's planner one. I don't know which way that goes. Well, they have a schedule because when they send the bill, they show you they're
charging. They charge less for saying that she's going to be doing most of the work. So, it's not going to be as expensive as having the cost to it. Okay. Let's move on to 12. I mean to 13. Okay. How much will we cut so far?
80 $160. Okay. Um, so we're on city hall. Yes. Sorry, just getting my scrolled back up.
Workers come off city hall. Yeah. Just a way out of it. So, we'll start out um city hall workers comp. Um of course, that $4,800 was reallocated uh percentage to a separate fund. Um Steve can talk about that if you'd like to
address that. Yeah, I just took the 4,800 and divided by how many accounts get charged for workers comp and just applied it to that. Okay, sounds good. Uh, under professional services, um, the number, just so you all know, year
to date is very high. That includes the $25,000 for Paul Weaver for the historical 50,000,000 50,000 total just to date, I believe, of that time. And I'll let you pay back. And just so you all know, I'm
in the process of completing the task with the DOSs to get us reimburseed the 50,000. Everything's been submitted. They're waiting on one more document for me. Um and and I was going to work on it as soon as we're done with this, but I've been in contact with our state grant specialist, and they're they're perfectly fine.
I know there's a deadline, so please get that submitted so that we don't we can't lose out on that. Yes. Paul. Yes, ma'am. Um uh 65,000 for Robert Taylor. That's our design for the fire station. Um, so in this line item,
professional services, we don't know what we're going to have. Of course, these are expenditures. Um, we we put in $20,000. Go back to audited 23, we had 14,000. Unodited, we had um 24 we had 42, but only um uh in 25 we had 23,000. So, we
figure we could skim that just a little bit and take some out of there. If you all feel we need to have more in there, we can definitely have that conversation. Um the audit uh again this was attorney fees and pension plan actuary reports for the audit. Um this
was Julian services as well. Um but they're also located audit expense account for city hall gas water. Um so I believe those are split. Correct. Correct. And those are we're going to move Julian out and refer to professional services. Correct. Mayor I have a question about
professional services up above. Okay. So for Robert Taylor for the fire department building that was not all paid for by grant. No, it's been paid for right now in a general fund because that's an appropriations that we're getting. He
got I believe 125 from ARPA the initial 125. Exactly. Yeah. And then this additional amount of money is what's have is what we've got and they've got to submit um but that's the legislation that we received. Was that let go? We got a million dollars appropriation.
Right. The question I have about that is I think some of his costs weren't reflected. They weren't covered by the appropriation and I have some memory that we might have said some of his fees should be taken out of their place.
I think we discussed trying to use the appropriation. Maybe that's where we put was that the fire came out. It came out of work but didn't the initial 12. Is that better place or or ARPA? Well, I'd have to take a look. It's We're going to have to look at So,
the concern is with the fire department with the fire station, right? First off, there's going to be new conversation that's probably going to come up in September. It has to come up in September, right? Um but with the fire station, um it was
we basically said to Mr. Taylor, all in a million dollars. it kept coming and and he was still coming over and I think that's what you're talking about is that of his service because I specifically asked there was something else he needed to do
and over saying you need to come in under a million and see what happens is of course we haven't that hadn't even that hasn't been bid out and so we really don't know with those construction costs we're hoping they would come in under what he's estimating right um probably won't but that's for a
conversation But some of this monies some of these monies when we do receive the the appropriations it will it will come out of that. We just going to have to figure out how how much. Well, two two things. Um one I think at
one of our last budget workshops we did ask for an ARO expenditure report did we not? We talked about the deadlines and then we asked for a report. Oh, sorry. I have I just didn't send it to you. I'm sorry. Okay. they might be in some of this. So, I think I think that would help us
clarify what we've paid for because one of the original purposes was fire. Um, so the mayor may be absolutely correct. And then she might not be um but mayor and commissioner Lori, am I
right about this? If we need to pay for services relating to the fire station that are place canvas infrastructure providing that infrastructure just want to be clear on that and so this is all in progress is what we're saying
yes okay all right so moving on down uh pension consultant this is for um this is uh was this for the Wanda Wanda okay and So, of course, you know, we brought over um what we had
last year. We we've been up a little bit this year. We don't anticipate having the same uh next year cost. So, we didn't bring that budget in where we had last year. Telephone internet, that's another one. Um this was al this was allocation. We
decided um we hadn't paid that much this year. Uh and we're almost done with the end of the year. So, we backed that number down a little bit and we're going to be working on on that as well. Utilities, we're almost here at 105. Do you feel comfortable with that?
Yeah, we we we've talked about that. Uh we are I'm going to come to you all. I have an idea. We've talked about it. I know Mel, myself, uh mayor, you've had had issues in here working. The lights are very hot. They're not updated. We've talked about possibly putting in some
things utilizing some of the funds that you all had already approved to upgrade our actual city building and infrastructure, our AC, our lights. These will be energy efficient as well. And so hopefully we can bring some of those utility bills down. That's that's the And there's also a program that Duke Energy does. I know that it's not our
provider beyond this that they go in and they can upgrade all your lights and advertise the payments and comes out of your power, the money you're saving kind of thing. Yeah, they do. There's it's one of those things I saw at the FLC conference. Yeah, I mean they have programs, but um
I wonder they do they do that specifically with government municipal customers just because you know they know where Yeah, FPL may have similar programs. I think so. Yeah, I I think we could probably But again,
there's there's I'm going to stress to do any of that is going to cost some money, too. Sure. But we need to look at today where we are today. Yes, ma'am. And knowing that we want to um take care of that in the future. That's that's
great. But for today, you're still comfortable with 10 five for our utilities. I'm comfortable. Yes, ma'am. Okay. Um mayor, I have one question about utilities. Just real quick, um the city pays quite a few water bills for
parks and facility and other facilities. Um is that is utilities just electric or is there some water? Sure. And I don't have to know right away. I'm making a note of that. City does tell you the water bill. Yeah,
we we have a whole list. Every every address the city has, whether it's a park or um the the water tower or whatever, they all pay their water bills. Hopefully, we don't pay taxes. I wouldn't think so.
It would just go back to us. No, I don't think we do. Okay. Just a question. rental and leases 20,000. Looks like we've paid 423 so far this year. What's that? What are we What
a It's probably that copier machine, things like that. Okay. Um and we keep moving down. um liability insurance, same as before. Building
maintenance and repair. Um I believe that um that money for building maintenance and repair came in. Um correct me if I'm wrong, $70,000. That was portion that was part of the budget. That was part of the budget amendment
that was the any of the upgrades that we did for the office for the painting. We've moved the painting out of that to the better place. Correct. Um, right. I still want to budget for 15,000. Um, we have older buildings. We have things that are going to be unforeseen. Uh,
things for buildings that we may not even be utilizing that others are renting right now. Just unforeseen. So, while the budget was $8,000 before, I I figured we'd go ahead and and uh and double that um and put it in at 15,000.
We already know. So Keith um for the county um office 15%. So what are we doing there as far as I said how much are you estimating that's going to end up? Well Patrick has all the quotes on it
and that's really all I know right now. But I will tell you this. The roof is leaking again. Yeah. In a different spot. In a different spot. So Patrick text me this morning. I got Satillo going over there to try and look at it, see what's going on. But if it
keeps on, we might put a new route. I was just going to say I think at some point we need to bite the bullet and we're going to have to I would have Satella just tell us what's the best what's the best thing to do. I'm going to get with them in South State and um
and see if we can maybe do some type of roll roofing over what's there and just maybe help. But it's we're looking at around $2500 if we take the unit off the roof because
we're going to go with split split units. Okay. And I think the split units I don't have the figure on it. Patrick does. I think they're about 10 grand total. Yeah. Installed. Yeah. So we're looking at probably about 13,000. Yeah.
Okay. And that's for, you know, Satillo to go up there and take the curb out, refix the roof. Okay. We'll take the old AC off and get rid of it, and they will disconnect the gas and turn it off. Okay.
Too bad we can't do a CR thing ourselves. All right. Moving down. Equipment equipment repair uh and maintenance. They had 2,000 in the budget. We used 1300 this year. I just put 2,000 back. Uh miscellaneous repair. I'm sure that
that's for um I'm sure that's for either copers or other things that have gone arai that they use that for. Um going down the line, uh advertising general, this is general advertising. I
know I I deducted that. We haven't used uh not even 2,000 this whole year. Uh 24 it looked like there was used 3162. We had seven in the budget for last year. Um I reduced that down significantly uh
by $5,000 to 2,000 um to $2,000. Uh on other this was another one. Um the number is skewed because that uh was an expense for red, white, and boom. Um it's a pass through expense. Can you
notate that somewhere so that the the how much was received and where it went into? So there's a notation there to reimburse for that. So it doesn't look So if somebody's looking at this in the future, they don't think that we paid Yeah. Although when that we have
received reimbursement, it's all been miscellaneous. Commissioners, do you agree with that that we have to we need some note there? Yes. Okay. Clarity is very important. Yeah, we will put that in there. So again, I cut that a little bit. Um, or I
I'm sorry. I I uh I cut that a little bit from the last year's budget of 5,025. We have an overage there. So, that's going to show an overage at the end of the year. So, I mean that we're going to have that overage, but we're going to have an overage also in those miscellaneous revenues that were
received because that's where that money was deposited into. Correct. Correct. Okay. IT support. Um, same as before, IT licenses, the operating supplies we go down. We have 3,300 um, budgeted. Um, operating supplies I feel that we could
uh, tighten up on as well. Uh, I reduced that by $1,300 for a budget of 2,000. We spent $2,500 a year to date in that. And again, that's just going to be me working with our staff to be cognizant of what we're what we're spending, what we're doing. Um, it's
and you know what operating supplies are going to consist of. That's the biggest thing is you got to know what operating supplies what what we're talking about when we're talking about operating supplies and what it consists of. Okay. So you'll know what to be approved on. Yes. Um accountability software
we're paying for admin and then the information management system service. Yeah. We're going to have to please get rid of that. I don't think we can. You have to keep the old one for a very long. How long is long? I mean, it's
I'm sure it's recordeping. There's about seven years or longer. Why wasn't there Why isn't there a way to mitigate or to what's it called? Migate it or output it in the paper? I mean, seems
my understanding was that at the time, I guess that there was not enough money to to bring all the information over. That's what I was told. So that's why we're we're still keeping that. And then Jos did get the uh the cost reduced I think by half. I was going to say the cost has been
reduced services are provided. It's not the same services. So that has been significantly reduced. Yeah, I think it was reduced by half I think. Yeah, but yeah, we've been paying for that. We knew we were going to have to that it was going to correct. IMS.
Um moving down office supplies, we kept it the same. We've only used 2,000 uh out of that account this year. We budgeted 25 last year. I'm proposing $2,500 as well. Um and then Steve, you want to talk about the transfer to the CRA?
Yeah, that's just basically the the um cost that we're going to have to uh money we're going to transfer to the CRA based on our 95% allocation. [Music] Those are the 10% fin.
That's our portion. Okay. Do we have any other questions here? Uh, next we'll move over to our expenditures for law enforcement. As you all know, um, they did a contract extension of the existing. They've they they're under the same situation we are right now with the
budget. Yeah. And so I Derek, you know, um I don't want to take away from you, but I I I think that that needs to be recognized that our sheriff, he did that very last. Make sure you thank him because they have
they've done this really kind of at a loss year after year. Um good reason in October. So they're paying up. Yes. and and this year I don't think there um my understanding in talking to the the chief is that there probably
there might not be. So um so I mean well I always say I will say thank you for letting us know because yes we want to thank him. I always say we are contributing our part. It's I think it's to their advantage to have
the additional staff at South Pinum. Um, but the other thing is I think we have to be aware that at some point this is going to this is going to go up and we have to plan for that. And we truly thought this year walking into that thinking that we would
definitely have to see some sort of an increase. I personally am extremely appreciative of both the chief, the major, and the sheriff that they they see that the investment they've made here in our community um
and the importance of it. So, are we ready to move to fire? Yes. All right. So, expenditures for fire. First line item, executive salary. That's going to be for our fire chief. That is the new uh salary for the current chief. Um staff salaries of course we've also included that 5%
increase. Um Christmas bonus we reduced that back down to what was previously um in the 2025 budget to $200. Employee incentives um uh right now um the uh
county is providing uh most of their certifications and qualifications they can get through the county free of cost. Um, however, not to take away from the incentives up there, there are volunteer incentives at the bottom, um, if you go
down to line item 192, um, we had $30,000 in the budget last year. I'm increasing that $5,000 to, um, 3500. Uh, total 35,000. 35,000. You understand what those are, but that's for the volunteers. That's for their
incentive pay. Correct. Correct. Um, so then we'll bounce back up. um all of the FICA, Medicare, the pension, fire share, all of that. The equation Steve put together a spreadsheet and allocated uh properly for that life insurance as well. Um you
know, this is something that we've talked about with Miss Sheila. This is something separate. We're anticipating uh hopefully getting the savings there as well. Um but we we put in for what we had in the budget last year, we've only expended $428 out of uh out of the $700
budget. So, we put $700 in there. All the other departments just um so moving on. Don't we have though? I'm sorry. I don't mean to interrupt. We do have one person that has life insurance through the police. She's in her 90s. Yes.
And she is carried on I know she's carried on that policy. And so is that covered in does that come out in in where does that come out in? Uh we we do have that here because I've seen it. But do you remember? No, I'll talk to Sheila. Okay. Yeah.
Because I know she was quite concerned about switching over that that we still were able to provide that to that one uh retired office and she paid and and it's and she's keeps that she keeps that very current annually year to year. Yes.
All right. So, moving down building repair and maintenance. Um we had 25 in the in the budget um last year. Um, this is more, I'll be honest with you, a little bit of a cushion line item. We're looking at um a couple issues. Now, I know this year we've got some leaks over
there. I recently got some quotes um the chief sent I believe it was last night. Um he had three companies uh that he contacted, only one of them actually came out. The other two, one didn't call him back and the other one never showed up after they scheduled an appointment.
Was a quote. How much was quote? I don't remember. Madam Chair, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I I I don't know. I'd have to go back to his email. That's just what he had said. It was in quick passing before I came in here. I was checking it this morning. Um so I I'll get answers to that. But this
$2,500 of course it's just for miscellaneous repair. We're going to be we're going to be working on getting a new building in, but uh time frame of that I'm not even sure of. So I think we should still hold um true to what we had budgeted last year. We've only used in this line item $270. I think $2,500 is
fair um to to budget as an expense on that. Vehicle repair and maintenance have put $7,000. Um we've gone over that budget this year. I'm not quite sure if that's an allocation um error. We had $5,496 and 23. Uh the whole sheep was saying
that we needed to go up on that in the gas oil and tires because of cost. Okay. That's gas oil tires down here though. Well, that means also we're talking about vehicle maintenance. Yeah, I thought we kept I kept seeing that in this report. Well, he wants a new vehicle, too. So,
and I think that's a discussion that we definitely would have in the general budget in the general fund, though. We're definitely not going to put that in here. We originally were, but we we tightened it up. We were looking at possible lease options. I don't believe that the better place plan will allow us
to do a lease option, but I also um was told I'm getting kind of conflicting stories on the unit itself and I'm being told that the unit itself, our fire rapid response unit is will be fine for the next couple years. Okay. So, yeah, we took that out of the
budget. Um equipment repair maintenance 2,000 for that again. Um then we get down to the volunteers. I told you about that. We're at $35,000. this other um I I had a placeholder in here. This is where we originally had um
new fast response vehicle. Um the note on the side, do not do not worry about that. It's going to be removed. Um this 500 is going to be a $500 placeholder for incidental or other unforeseen items that come up. It supports
that it sorry that's your knee. I dropped my phone. Oh, I thought maybe when he said that your knee just came back and hit this knee reaction. Um, so operating supplies, $2,000.
They've expended um $8.99 so far this year. I will tell you that most uh of the operating supplies are being um um graciously given to us from the county. Um county has a big foothold uh here in help helping that fire station down here
and we're very grateful for that. Um, so I put 2,000 back in the budget again, um, for any incidental operating supplies that they may need. Gas, oil, tires on the next lineup. Line item 198, put at $2,500. We've expended 2,000 so
far this year. Um, I anticipate uh trying to tighten that up a little bit, but with a vehicle that's aging, we're we're probably going to spend it. So, we uh, you know, we've only expended 2,000 so far this year. 2022, I think 25 will be fine. Um, I did add a little bit of
more money. Um, a doubled or a little bit over doubled the budget from last year. We haven't utilized it as much. These are going to be for above and beyond courses that have to do with mitigation, safety hazard, things that the that um that'll be needed um that
maybe the county doesn't provide. They should be providing most. had said that they would, but um I believe us making sure that we have proper training um in for our fire department is important. Um hopefully yeah, hopefully we have new new people
coming in as well for volunteers are going to need um extra above and beyond training because honestly while the county does maintain most training, there's some that that's probably not provided. And these individuals that are volunteers are basically taking the same
same certifications as someone getting paid. So there's a lot of lot of money and effort in that whether it's even driving somewhere and doing it. That's what this fund that's what these monies will be be there for to help out. Now Chief P will host us several times
to kind of see what they do and he's he has explained that this is um um when you come up to when you look at um where was it? So year to day in the 185
pension buyer city share we have in the past we have not we have been very fortunate and not had to contribute but this year because of the the the more activity we've had with our volunteers. It's my understanding is that's driven
it up because there's an increase there. But I do believe did we not receive that that's not the total amount that we received a refund. But they're not approved. Yes, there was a refund. So that's not the total amount. That is not the So I would like a notation somewhere
when you say talk to Sheila that we have a notation about how much of that was refunded back to the city. Um and then also when we're talking about the fire the fires department um
as we go forward with our I know with our with our new appropriations and with everything going on with this um we're going to have to have some a pretty deep conversation. I think the commission um as soon as as soon as we possibly can. I think we
probably need a workshop before we go into um I don't even know if we can do I would hope we can even do it possibly before September 10th just so that we if we can just to have I don't know if you'd be ready for that or as soon after September 10th in September we need to have a workshop
to talk about where we are with the fire station what options we have before us um we've got legislation you we've got the appropriations clock ticking from the first amount Um, and you know, the commission's going to have to really
look at some things. We might even have to do a site tour. Um, so I I was I would ask that you put that together. Yes. And we've been slowly working on a couple things for that. Keith has been um elevating that and uh and working on some other alternatives. So, we'll put
something together. I think we can have something together in the next week or two. Right. Okay. And that's something too that um that we as a commission need to to think about too is if we were to ever um how we could partner if we could partner at
all with the county. Yes, ma'am. Um and I know JR Jr. I would draw be a a a res a strong resource to talk to and how that partnership would work and how it benefits the you know how it benefits
both us and the county because they're running calls and right now I think there a lot of the the Georgetown station is running calls all the way on the south end and we're much closer. Yes. Um so I think they said it's 70% 60%. It's a really high number. So
it's up high. very thankful for the county. So, that's something that we should at least explore that and have that conversation. Yes. Um, would you like Mr. Grimes to be here as well? I'll make sure that that happens. You all good with that, Commission?
Yeah. Because I think that we need to keep a line of communication open. It hasn't really been in the last, you know, recent past. So what you're what you're getting what you're seeing and it's across the board now and we we're hearing that in the industry is that we
rely so heavily on our fire on our volunteers. Yes. And volunteers are training. They're having to do the same amount of training that a firefighter a a you know class one firefighter is having to do. And that volunteerism is kind of going away.
And we're seeing that all across the board as our new users coming in and and what they're willing to volunteer when they actually want those benefits. They want that pay, right? And so we got to be we have to be positioned for where we need to be in the future.
Also with the increased need for training, working people can no longer afford. It used to be that people lived around town could just jump out and go help. Yeah. But now when you have to have how many weeks and hours of training um they have
to work their regular jobs and can't get the time off. You're you're really no longer a volunteer. You're kind of a um trained professional who doesn't get paid. And I believe many of our volunteers come from outside the county and they're
already in the profession. Well, no, we've got so we've got several of them. Um but Jeff, Eric, they live right here in town. But there are Duke, I think he lives right here in town, but some of them do. Some of them
the the percentage is not not what it used to be and Chief Highel really helped this along and that was through that volunteer incentives have really strengthened that. So, mayor, one more thing I wanted to say
that when we opted out of the county tax MSTU, right? The Yes, there was the MST, the taxing unit, which only people would pay at home pay. So, that was that brought
in them um about $70,000 revenue that went to the county, right? To me, another issue to discuss with the county. Yeah, it was about 60 or 70 would be if it went into their general fire operations if
we went back in um to that tax and that would be an additional um that would be an additional amount that those separate it would be anu it's a separate thing so I don't know we
didn't discuss it at the time would it be possible to make sure that at least a portion of those funds were allocated for Crescent City area needs. I don't know if they can do that. That would be one. And then the second thing I would like to revisit, I know the county
doesn't want to do a municipal service benefit unit. Um I believe we could do our own. That would mean that every um parcel would pay whether they pay out or not, right? But it would mean that everyone would pay something towards fire I think
fire rescue. The sticking point there was um Bobby Pickkins when he was our attorney with Hson Young said that the cost of developing an ordinance would be
$70,000. At that time we didn't feel we had $70,000. Yeah. Um I mean kind of like you have to spend money to bring in that revenue, but um I would like to inquire as to whether it
actually would cost us $70,000 to have our own MSBU because we between the city and the county, we lost $70,000 a year of revenue that used to support county fire services. That's a lot of money. We did. But what's also happened, it's
my understanding, and you'll see that through and just like what Derek said a moment ago, is that the county is still contributing upwards of about 60,000 towards our fire. But that's what I mean, they're still helping us. They're still helping us. And at some point, they're going to say,
"We're done because we can't do it anymore." Okay, but that's why I want to ask the question if we Okay, so that's something to ask Don about how we would need to do. And so we'll bring Don into this conversation. We bring Don into the conversation too.
There's two different things or doing so we would do an individual MSVU which would have to go really it would have to go to the um has to go to the ballot and and it' be on 2026 and you have to do a study and that's
where all that money was and all that. It's like with every study. I don't know why I didn't get a degree in studying. But it depends what you're studying unfortunately. Um but uh anyway,
I mean you know fire services are not free. No. No, they're not and they're necessary and and Okay. So let's move on to code enforcement. Code enforcement. Not a lot of changes here. We had a 5% increase. Um, I took
back and reduced the Christmas bonus back to what the Christmas bonus was um, last year. Um, I'm not sure why it wasn't extended. Um, I thought they were expended. They just weren't allocated on. Yeah, I'm not I'm not 100% sure, but
Steve and I are going to work on that and u I'll pretty much tell you if it wasn't, you probably would have known. It's just where they put it. if they lumped it into just one big sum where they put it, right? Um FICO, Medicare, retirement, all that. Same telephone, the same
story. It the same gas and oil. We had $1,500 um last year. Um she has a single uh single I guess it's a truck, fulls size truck. Uh it's not a cab. What do they call that? Cab. What's a single cab? Regular cab.
Regular cab truck. Um they've expended so far on that truck this year $1,000 a little over a thousand. Um I put 1,500 back in the budget for that was really uh mainly a main stay on on this particular budget. Didn't have um a
whole bunch of of changes. Um operations and abatement got $2,000 in there. They had 2,000 in the budget last year, 2,300 so far. Put 2,000 again in the budget. Um membership and training. Um there are
different uh Florida code enforcement associations I would like the code enforcement officer to be able to get into membership. Um that's what that's going to pay for and for also possibly some training to get up to date to see what other cities are doing and how they're I thought we were she's hosted on
they've been there so we've talked about it and I I asked her about this and and you know we we talked about it. I'm not sure again why the funds haven't been used this year, but I'm one to say, "Hey, you need to go and get certified. You need to get updated. You need to have the latest and greatest
at your fingertips." And and she's on board with that. So, I I put the 15 or the 1600 back in there um again this year for utilization. So I asked um also so this is um I asked Derek and and and he I guess you can
pass that on to Pam to get from us how interlocking and how pac how they deal with their magistrate. You can't charge for magistrate services. Um however you can charge and administrate by statute you can't charge for those. However you
can charge for administrative services. um you just can't charge for the magistrate services. So if you're administrative services when you think about all of that and I believe the lack of charge is $250 off the bat for administrative the administrative
services for code enforcement are low very low and so and then it would be $25. So you've got to have before you on September 10th we're going to have our fee schedule and so hopefully we'll have that information by then. So, if we need to go ahead at this
time when we're doing that and say automatically, I mean, if it's $250 and then $25 per hour for anything over and above however many hours and that to see if that can help cover some of our costs so that we're not eating those costs
because you get somebody come to the magistrate and you know, do we fees on enforcement? I'm sorry, sir. Do we have fees, our fee, and our schedule fees? We we do have we do have some fees in there and and I did um I did get this
last night and and I read it this morning. I was going to print it out and and share it actually with everybody, but I'll tell you now. So, the findings were um she did speak to the clerk of special magistrate, the city of Palaska and town of Interlock. Go ahead. I'm sorry. Pala, city of Pala, when a
case goes before the commission for a lean or fine reduction, there is a standard fee of $250. And if the lean is less than 50,000, they reduce the lean to 2500. If the lean is more than 50,000, they reduce the lean to 5,000.
Um, they have a form similar to our affidavit of cost for administrative cost. The city of Black is working on an ordinance that has set fines for going before a special magistrate. The town of Interlockan, they have an ordinance and a fee schedule. She's attached that fee
schedule uh um in this email. I'll forward it to you all to take a look at that. Um, they charge a violator a fee of $100 per special magistrate hearing, but only when the case is being presented to the town commission for a lean reduction. In a in a particular
case, um, if a particular case is heard, um, not sure why I'm reading without my glasses. Um, at two special magistrate hearings that they would be held responsible for $200 plus the reduced lean. So, I'll forward this over to you all as soon as we get
done. We can't charge for the magistrate, but we can charge administrative. Yes. By statute, you can't charge for the magistrate, which is going to become if it's going to become before us for lean reduction, there needs to be some compensation for the time that we're all sitt
$500. It's $500. Where do we have that? I know we budgeted for it last year. I It's $500 every other month, I believe. So, I'd have to talk to Pam about that. Yeah. 250 an hour minimum.
I know she said I think it's in there somewhere. Yep. I'll take I'm going to Let's make sure that it's somewhere. Okay. And speaking about schedule, our BTR or business tax receipts
need to be increased. He did. I told him that has to go up. Yeah, because we rolled it back during co and then it's changing laws and it's going bump up 10% once or something. No, it's it's 5% I think but every other year you can only do it every other
year. So this is the year to do it. We didn't do it last year. We did it. And that's on our feed schedule. That's good. All right. Um so we move on. Are we good with the Are we good with the uh code enforcement?
Okay. So, the next one's going to be public works. Um Keith is here with us to answer any specific questions. Um we haven't um we haven't gone uh line item by line item except for the first time that we did, but I asked him to be here. Um I know that as a group, collectively,
we talked about having a breakout of the cost. Um, when we go into our first reading, I will have a full breakout um and and costs as far as the salaries and the allocations for public works and how those work. Um, we just haven't had
time. I know that uh um Sheila's been working on a couple other things, but we're going to get together and make sure that you guys have that breakout um and and we'll have something put together for you all to be able to read that. Now you have in your Christmas bonuses where you've gone up to 500 on
this or there's five employees. See where you had where 200 and then you've gone up to 500 over $300 increase. So did you not reduce that increase from 100 to 300? See I don't think it doesn't look like you've changed that.
What might that is on it 218? Yeah, you you might be right. I might have overlooked that one. Um, that's going to save and we can change that. We go back to How many do you have under streets? Is it three or two? Should be two.
Two. Two. Two. Okay. So, we'll go back to 200 time equivalent. Yeah. Okay. So, we just now save $300. Where are we? We are at $460. All right. Okay.
Um, I have a question. Yes. A couple. Okay. Line 223, workers comp. Um, that is significantly over budget.
So, um, is that part of our um, excess of expenditures of revenues for this year? Is that included in that? Yeah, we're talking about the allocation. I'm talking about how much we spent 14,000,
right? Yeah. Um, Steve, do you want to talk to that? No, we're going have to take a look and see see what that is. Okay. Okay. Because it's 14,000 this year. It's twice what was allocated. So, I'm just I'm hoping that that's been
included in the calculation of um deficiency for this year. And then so we have 9 thou almost $10,000 for the coming year. So hopefully you have some
feeling that that's going to be sufficient. Yeah, that's per the the uh round of the spreadsheet allocation. Got it. So, but we're we're quite a bit over budget this year. And then my uh the next line down 224. Um we're $8,000
up in expenses for street lights. Um do we get reimbursed for any of that? So, and we're still less than I mean look where we are currently. So, in this particular item for streets that this is not the reimburseable
portion. So, when you're thinking about the reimburseable portion for the lights, that's the contract that we have with the FDOT that says, hey, you have 150 lights. Keith and his guys, hey, call us, fill out the paperwork, they come out and FPL fix it, fixes it, and and we get we get that money back at the
end of the year. that is reflected in um in our revenues. We we made sure that we added that in there. That's gone up from $27,000 to around 46 or something something to that effect because of the additional lights. This line item at 224 is actually the power bill. It's the
power bill we're getting from FPNL. Okay. So, if let's put that power let's put that. Okay. Just for clarification. And on yours on the line item, I put FPNL billing. Um, but I'll put I will put Yeah, I'll put power. Okay. So, are we
expense? Are we paying more because the bills have gone up or because of the new lights on US7? Because the new lights. So, we're paying $8,000 more. And I'm sorry, I probably spoke too soon, but I imagine that there's also
increases in energy cost as well. Correct. So, you're going to have it's a little bit of play of both. You got more lights and your power you're paying for is probably a little bit higher this year. Can you on that? I think what we end up paying for is the
security lights that are scattered around town. The security lights. Yeah. Like the, you know, in the parks and stuff, right? We end up having to pay for those. I'm pretty sure we're not paying for the ones on the Highway 17, are we? That was in that new agreement that just
come in for 46,000. Okay. And hopefully all the lights are fixed. I think they were out there working on them. They were working on them. Yeah, we get charged so much for every street bike that's on Main Street, right?
Prospect. So, it's for those lights, but not the new ones that we installed here. I had an old note in there that was going off of. Yes. But do we have I mean Keith. So So my next question is have we increased street lights on
other than the ones other than the ones on 17? No ma'am. I've actually eliminated some over the past years. I mean we eliminated all of them out of the park except for the two big flood lights and the one by the bathroom. So,
let's look at I mean the let's just I guess we just need to look at that and make sure so that something's if make sure everything's allocated because that's a pretty big jump and we're not even done yet. Yeah. And it's been pretty consistent 33 and
34, you know, within about $500. It's going to change that cost per night. Yeah. It usually stays about the same where it goes up. We'll we'll we just have a quick sidebar. We do have that building separate. So when the power comes in, it'll say street lights
and and separated out. I'm going to get with him and Sheila and we'll get a breakdown of that and make sure that we look at it. But to me, looking from the outside, not having any of the background, it just looks like maybe the energy bill's gone up. And that's a lot. It is a lot. It is a lot. I don't I don't know it's gone up that
much. And I don't know either too if these lights are LEDs or if they're old H hallogens. So that was my next question. Keith, everything was switched over to LEDs a couple years ago. Yeah, I thought that we were. So I just want to make sure that they
even the lights down 17 that changed LEDs. Those are all LEDs. Okay. Okay. Okay. So yeah, let's look into that and see if we can get any cost savings there for sure. Or if something's something's a something's a right. Traffic light. So that's what we're
paying for this traffic light service here is the 6 is the well we paid 71 this last year and I asked about that for the allocation. Um you can look at our bills before we were 6175 then it went down to 5,048. We budgeted
5,000. I was really unsure and clear on on why that differential was there and it was higher but I put 6,000 in the bud in in the budget and increased that by $1,000. Um, that's something that uh that I have a note to go back with Steve to kind of investigate to see exactly
what those allocations were and why it was higher than than what we budgeted. We have a reimbursement on that. Do we get a reimbursement on how much is that reimbursement? I have it on my desk. It's it's not much for the maintenance of it. Yes, correct.
That's what I wanted. That's what I'm asking though for the power is I guess we have to incur all of that. Correct. traffic. Just came home last night and it was for last. There was a car in the hotel. That's one of the So, do
Okay. For for the record, as someone who lives a block off of the highway, we have traffic going through constantly cross money to you're saying turn off the traffic. I don't think that's power.
So, so get back to the budget. Um on on on the light itself though, um I have reached out. I have two contacts. The DOT splits those bills. So, you have one that handles lights, traffic lights, one that handles the roadway lights. I've already been in contact with the road
lights. We have that updated. Charles actually um before he left updated that contract to include the new lights. I'm still waiting to hear back from the contact for an old uh estimated contract that we had for I think it's right around three or $4,000 that they
reimburse us for that traffic light. Okay. And that's for the maintenance. So, soon as I get that back, I'll be letting you all know. Okay. Um, all right. Moving on. So, liability insurance. Again, this was something u we have a significant savings here, but again, we have more public works than
others. Um, this is spread out through that spreadsheet that, uh, that's, uh, provided by finance, and so feel real comfortable with that number. Um, it does show some savings there. Um, vehicle maintenance and repair. Um, we had $1,000 in the budget last year. We
have $3,000 in 23. We had an audited $844. Don't ask me about that. Um, but a,000 last year. We incurred $3,700 in cost so far this year at public works for vehicle repair and maintenance. I
anticipate because of the age of our trucks and equipment that we are going to have that same amount. So, I budgeted $4,000 this year, which is an increase of $1,000 from last year to cover those costs. um as we see what our needs are and you'll see later um in the better
place plan we have some requests for equipment but we need to be very strategic about the funds that we decide to use and work with public works director to figure out exactly the needs um and I think we'll be able to possibly uh bridge the divide there for some of the things that are needed uh equipment repair and maintenance again this was
one that was a little bit over the board we had less than 4,023 we had more than 624 we budgeted $4,000 this year, but we're we've only expended half of that. So, I went back to the $4,000 for equipment repair is what we budgeted
last year. That shows zero um uh change on that. Where we get to the items that would increase more than anything in here, I put on sidewalks, but this really uh is is uh more for um repairs
for road, sidewalk, curb. This is has to do with streets, right? So the number is an off number because that was a balance number. We had to mo move some funds around. So it's a weird looking number, but we put that in there. For whatever reason, there wasn't anything allotted before. We are going to try to get um
grants to pay for a lot of these things that we're going to be doing, but I think $10,000 um is a smart number to go into uh to put in for public works for fixing some of our sidewalks, curb repair, um and possibly even even roadway. Um
those concrete grinders that you use on sidewalks to get very they they're work but they're very expensive. Um you borrow one because I mean I know from driving down the sidewalks how rough they are. People are going to I mean trip and fall
down. Another thing that's utilized, and I'm not sure if he's used it before or saw it at some of like APWA things or whatever, but they'll go in and they'll hydraulically lift and and and foam fill underneath the sidewalk, right? So, they kind of jack it up and make it even and
and then you don't have to grind and all that stuff. But it just depends on on what he's comfortable with. And I mean, but yeah, there there's a lot of tech out there. you know, along the cities and well I I passed the thing we have to be the thing we
have to be cognizant of with our street with our sidewalks is their liabilities. Yes. It's a liability. Absolutely. Well, very important. Hold on. Because our ordinance says that we are supposed to designate streets um
we're supposed to designate streets where the homeowners are responsible for the sidewalk. And the last I heard um I think that the homeowners are primarily responsible for the sidewalks. I don't think we have an ordinance that
designates the streets. No, but I think with the I think from the liability standpoint that if that sidewalk is broken up or something happened to it well homes because when you look at our ordinance it puts a lot of
responsibility on the homeowner which um I'm not really sure that's fair. I think 5050. It's not I don't think it is. But that's that's our we need to look at our ordinance. But as well, we took on as a city the portions
of the sidewalk that are the multi-use trail, right? We signed responsibilities with that we would be responsible for maintaining those and some of those have been broken and one of them I think a
home a property owner was responsible for. They had a semi-truck drive over it um for demolition or whatever. Not semi, a large truck. And there are some broken pieces in front of the um old Miller
Middle School that are very recent. They have to be recent. So um I guess what I'm saying is the sidewalk cost thing, not the curves, sidewalk, um under our ordinance are more nuanced. And then under that contract with D, it is us. It
is us. And regardless of whether it's us or not, Morgan gets hold of it. It's everybody. Well, so and then that's going to be challenge. What is maintenance? Is it keeping it is it keeping it,
you know, clean? Is it pressure washing it? Or is it coming in there, grinding it up, pulling it out, and laying it the city put that burden on them? Yeah. So, so it's always and you know that in in the court of law it's I don't know. I think we should a a ask
us to hold this b look at our ordinance and and see what it says because um but when we the multi-use trail is many many hundreds of feet that for sure it's goes from south to town and that wasn't a plug for anybody out
there that's there's multiples and I apologize that I just said one but there's multiples out there that are just waiting for a phone call. I think the sidewalks are in very good shape for me. I have no problem with them. They're
they're doing better than they were. Well, if if you stay on that where the path was was redone, but on our older sidewalks, they really are. And I I won't I can't run on them because you catch your foot on them. Yeah. You know, if something happens and um So, and again, this is this is a little bit
of a catchall. has repairs for sidewalks because that's what but you said it can include streets and streets curving. We have some broken curving and some other things um to deal with um operating supplies. Let's go to operating supplies. I'd like you to go back, mayor. I apologize. I I glanced over. It must
have been one of those times I took my glasses off. Um if we can go back up to uh line item 227 for tree maintenance. Yes, ma'am. Um that was an increase in cost. This is for maintenance of trees, trimming and or removal. Um, one thing that I've noticed, uh, going in the city
is that coming down our main corridor, our palm trees are not properly trimmed. Um, they should be cut every year. You can decide as a group, um, how, what time frame you want to do it. Uh, some people decide hurricane cut, some people do a 93, some people go a little higher,
a 102. Um, those are things that we'll have to decide as a group and because I definitely want to do do a lot. uh palm trees along 17 some of some of these and even correct correct. Um the other thing is I
noticed that in the city um and and and not to bring it up, Commissioner Burton's not here, but u at Commissioner Burton's house, there's a huge invasive tree that's uh that's actually taking up um a really big portion of the rideway and it's and it's damaged the sidewalk,
the driveway, and now it's damaging the roadway and the curb. when you drive you feel a huge bump. That's actually an invasive tree and it's it's not a good tree to have. Um it's a camper tree and they I know they trimmed it had it trim had to be trimmed back some
time ago but really I mean it has taken that whole that new sidewalk brand new sidewalk is it's like this now and it's only going to get worse. Um that tree is a rapid growing tree. Uh so it's going to damage our roadway here soon and and we also have utilities uh
in that area as well I believe unless they did move across the street. Okay. So the water line moved but okay I can help you out there. Um, number one from the palm trees, um, I would suggest that we refer that issue to the tree and garden board. Um, because they're
supposed to give recommendations on the vegetation and our rights of way and there are people there with more expertise. Um, well, why haven't they? Because I I drive down the road. I mean, I drive down the road and see it all the time. They haven't been asked. we have to give
on that directive if this I think so because it's a huge project here but if this if the ending at 15 minutes so and the other thing is um the the
camper tree is a very sticky wicket um you might want to consult an arborist about that because um number one that provides shade for that whole there's no other trees there's no other shade on that part of the street and as well the
costs to remove the roots of the camper tree are very very significant. If you will speak to Mr. Sukal who did the remediation on these oak trees and is a certified arborist tree risk assessment
he can give you an estimate of the cost to remove a large camper tree. They are not fast growing when they are that size but they are very very costly to remove. Correct. And I and I think and I think as a collective group and and I haven't looked and I apologize at all of our
ordinances, but we should be allowing homeowners to rectify these problems prior to them actually becoming a problem. And if and if and if and if our our code specifically states and gives
um specifics on these invasive trees and allows a a pathway for a homeowner to remove them without um interference from the city, then we should probably look into that because then we wouldn't be dealing with the cost being on our problem later. Right. Unless it's on our right. Unless it's on our rightway.
And that one's on the right. Correct. You got the one off of lake that is that's dropping. And I agree they provide shade, but we should be looking at trading those trees out with a tree that can grow and be healthy for the community as well that's not invasive.
Okay. Well, and just the the other thing trimming the trees, um, we are not providing the expert trimming to our heritage oaks that we need should be done by an arbor certified in tree risk assessment. And we have trees in Eagle
Lion Park. um they need to have an expert tend to them or we are likely to cause ourel loss of trees and expense. Yes. Because they are they are not prepared for hurricane season. Um and I have a recommendation from Mr. Libby that I got
for free but um that I'm happy to share with you around the treatment. Please, I would appreciate that. And this is our first stab at I mean, we're we're going to try to do this in in phases to where in the next few years we we we are continuing to trim trees and have a program for that. Well, we haven't done anything
appropriate for probably 10 to 15 years. We're very very behind and we are very at risk. Okay, I'm going to move on. Let's go to 232 is a whole another that's a whole another 232 operating supplies 5,000 in the budget.
We've utilized um 1685. Um Keith probably a little upset. I did reduce this down a little bit, but I was just trying to balance everything out. We have 3,40 bucks. Is that is that significant? I mean, is that that's a significant decrease? Operating supplies, we had um 5,000 in
the budget. We utilize 1685. This year I dropped the overall budget to around a little over $3,000, but last year we were at 5,500. We spent 5,500. Um, what's covered in those operating supplies, Keith? Do you know
how they allocate them? It would probably be Helen how they're allocated. So, I'm not sure. Part of that don't fail to pay for the paper and yeah, printing paper and stuff like that. Operating I'm thinking operating supplies are, you know, the different things that the guys need, fertilizers
and everything that they use, herbicides. Um that to me is what for public works and streets if they have to do any of that um you know along the roadway out here in the medians you know whatever they're having to do and and we do have if you go down below
on the street repair supplies we we did put in $5,000 in that budget. We've only expended $528 this year in that line item. Um that's for miscellaneous paint patch repair and stuff like that. Mary Okay. Yeah. That's on. Where are we on our striping? Because
And it should have been in the budget. It should have been in the budget last year. I'm not sure. I got to look where we put that, but we allocated money in the budget last year and we are a year out. We approved that in September of last year. Yes, ma'am. And our streets are still not striped.
Yes, ma'am. Um I've tked Keith to get a couple of quotes. Um, we did we did receive only one quote, but I've asked them to go out for actual bid. I should have another one on my computer right now. Okay. And then I've called another company.
So, you'll have three bids. Okay. Here shortly. I know there was 13,000 or whatever it was budgeted, but where did it go? Well, and that's where I'm wondering where that money is. So, we need to find where that is. 16,500,
I think. Okay. Um, mayor, and along those same lines, did we not vote to have stop signs added on Central Avenue? Yes, we did. That's supposed to. They're on there now. We're just waiting for signs from the sheriff's department.
I just can't put stop signs up and then nobody know it. Well, I guess what I'm saying is um I'm not talking about whether what you've done or not done, but is do we have do we need to have money in the budget or did we spend those have already been bought? Okay, so those are purchased. They're
there, but you have to give those caution for those people that are continuously driving those. And we requested from the county their their U sign board and they had an exercise that you you all heard recently and so I believe they've just been busy,
but we I'll I'll call um Major US today and see where he's at with that. Let's go let's go over to um if we can to 18. We running out of time. uh we going to parks and racks and again you got your um Christmas bonus
Christmas that down to $200. Um, so that's an extra $100 that we've No, we put employee incentives in here. No, that's that's overtime. Sorry, I know you got it. Yeah, it was $30.
Um, employee incentive, you said. Yes, ma'am. So we we didn't have anything in that line item that is for the guys to um get some certifications. Well, not not actually when we first started doing points of this. It was for like buying t-shirts and stuff like
that. It's cool, you know, junk to give everybody so that they take it home and and make them feel good. It's a shirt like you're wearing the one he's currently wearing does not breathe at all. hot. And that's something too, and I don't
know if it's in the in the budget here, but we've got we got to find it somewhere. Our guys need up to-date shirts that they're out there working in. They need those those wicking ones. Most of our shirts are just like this,
but the long sleeves so they're covered, you know, and and they look like they look uniform and they look neat. It's it's pride we take in our employees and pride we take in our city. Yes, I agree. I brought in saying that for four years and I'm still saying I I brought in samples from Atlantic
Beach with the public works department uses there and we'll we'll be looking into it. Um it's on my radar. Is there anything else on here that um we got contractual services here. It
says 10,000 we spent this year. Investigate contract possible renegotiation RFQ for new bids. What was that for? Because we only we only budgeted for $1,500. I believe $7,300 of that was the
installation of the burnt uh replacement uh kids playground that got burned. Well, that's down here. So, we've got the $12,838. We didn't include that in there for replace burn equipment. Well, one one I believe was for labor was for the install and one was for the
actual physical equipment. I know the install was expensive, but both of those we got and I'd like a notation there, Steve, if you could so that we know that there was a reimbursement, insurance reimbursement, there was for installation and for the
actual equipment. Yes. Like we just paid $1,200, but we got reversed for ma'am. I have a question. Yes. So for contractual services line 247, what was that for? That's what we're just talking about.
Okay. Well, then we went down to the burn park because he said he thought it was the burn part in Yeah, I think $7,300 of that is is for the installation of the burnt UL. Well, I guess what um it says
investigate contract possible renegotiation RFQ for new bids. I've already asked that. Okay. So, I asked him to look into what it is because he said he's not sure what that what that was for. Okay. Sorry. Because I said that probably should have been down here for the replacement and
park equipment. It should have been combined with that. And then we asked them to make a notation as to how much insurance we're trying to wrap up. Um, mayor, outside of the budget, I have one thing that we should talk about
before we go. We're on the last page. We're on the last page. So, so far from our changes, mayor, we've saved $760. Okay. Yeah. And we can reallocate that wherever you want. Or we can leave it as
as extra. But that still doesn't get them down to where they want to go down to. That does not get us to a lower rate. The only option we would have would be to use our reserve. Yeah.
And labor. Labor. Labor. Is that 5% 3%? That's not going to make I don't think that's I don't know how much of a difference that would make. Pull that up right now. Well, 5% is approximately 50
something,000. We can't manage that because he has a contract for his hi but the problems we run into is we've added a higher level position and then
you know we did the salary adjustment and we talked about this at the last meeting so we're talking about 5% on top of that I think the figures provided us salaries are approximately 1.1 million Right. Or we can use the rest of our
carryover to if there is to keep it. Well, we know we have more carryover. There's $68,000 left in use that to and keep us save that $39,000. I just I really really really strongly
would like us to consider not increasing our tax rate. I know. I understand. But, you know, I know it's a hard year, but we worked very hard to bring that down. We have 10 years, I know, but we work hard,000.
If I put that $39,000, we're almost out of time. And I want to let you all know. So, at the 5% and and I believe I sent this this morning. If I didn't, it's part of your paperwork. Now, we're at $59,422. At 3% it would be additional cost of
$35,653. So a savings of $23,000. So that's almost there. We need 33,000 34 34,000. I mean if you were to go to the 8.5 which has been our historic which
has been our historic number. Keep in mind and I and I understand but this is what you're telling us as the roll back. So this is where we are from last year. Okay. We only had a 1.44% increase.
Um and and that's really what that's really what is is is hurting us. Um, but it's still at the end of the day when when our residents look at their tax bill, we have increased their tax rate regardless whether they're paying more or not, whether their value went up or down. My house, my value went up.
Okay. I don't think any of the three houses went up. My value went up. Okay. I mean, most there are a lot of houses that the value went down. Um, but still it's that the principle of the matter that it's 7.84 and we were at 7.4
before and it's only $39,000. I just don't understand. Well, then you know what? If we're going to do that, we can do that. If you want to do that, we can cut that. I mean, we've gone through this budget line by line. And so, my recommendation is that if you need that extra savings and
that's where you want to be, then by golly, we're going to have to cut ours. We'll have to cut our training. I mean, I'm saying we've looked at this and we've brought it down to as bare bones as we possibly can at 3%. And so I'm fine with us if we have to cut our savings down to 500. Um
I'm fine with that. I know that y'all are not. But that being good to Tallahassee and to lobby on behalf of the city is what has gotten us a million dollars last year and $2 million this year $700,000 in super projects.
Yeah, that's true. Senator Lee even said that present city made a good a good story for themselves and represented themselves well in Tallahassee. There was three of us up there and that was one of the things that I do with that training. So, I'm not going to argue with you. I also
know that that that Michael had a tremendous amount to do with that um when he was here and talking to them and dealing with them and explaining to them. So, with that said, uh find the money, figure it out. We've
sat here. That's our responsibility to find the money. Where else do you want to take it out at? I don't know to take it out. I think if we adjust the water utility rate, that's $11,000 right there. I mean, it just makes that's why I'm saying we're really cutting those revenues down. And I I know you we're
not balancing revenue, but I'm just saying that that's not a realistic number. If you're having a 5% increase in rates and that number has to go up and we're already at that number right now and drop and I just hope that if that happens we don't have anything catastrophic happen
to the rest of our expenditures that we look at our expenditures from this year commissioner and without getting said about it look at our expenditures for this year and where we are And a lot of those expenditures are higher than what we budgeted for last year.
But we're also having we're having to balance because we have a carryover from last year. Yeah. Yeah. Did you not say that we're using 110 for that 110,000?
I will say okay if I could I'm sorry just want to point out that um that the employees are phenomenal. I've been here three months. I know. Let me finish real quick. I'm sorry sir. Steve here to my left is has worked
tirelessly. Nell has worked tirelessly. They're the lifeblood of the city. Keith last month got got employee of the month. I think it's Christina's been working hard. I could go on and on. Everybody here is spread out doing multiple jobs and doing a great job. And
as a city manager, it's my recommendation that we continue to invest into the lifeblood of what runs our city because that's what's going to collectively give the best services to the residents that are paying for those services. If we discount the people that work here, it optically doesn't look
good for the new people possibly coming in, for the retirees that are going out. It doesn't look good for the people here from around. That is my opinion. I totally understand where you're coming from. Nobody wants taxes increased, but you do have to look at the collective of the whole situation. And my opinion and
my recommendation is to continue to invest into the employees here. And I will just say that I have never once said that any of these employees do not work their butts off. And I know that. And I'm not saying don't give them a raise, but I'm saying we did 5% last year. We did seven 7% in the middle of
the year and then doing another 5% now. 3% is not that big, but keep the tax rate down. And I mean, I just to me it just seems I just don't want to be I think we've budgeted, mayor, at the at
the old rate that it was 8.519. I think that's what there the original what's been lasting for a while here. I believe we have a balanced budget rate on that that still holds 5% that we can we can propose to you all. I just need direction because we're going to leave this meeting item here. We we need to
know which which budget we're working off of. I don't want to simultaneously work off of two. And I really would like direction from the commission on that. And I'm hoping that as we go into next year that we'd be able to re that we'll be able to reduce it like we did last year because we won't get that 1.4.4 4%
increase. I mean, even Palaca, I think, got 3.4 something. Um, all the other municipalities got that more, but we did not. And so, I'm hoping next year we'll go back to our standard, um, things will change. Home prices will go up and um,
we'll have better development. Um, and we can we can do that. But if if you can figure it out, if you can come up to I'm not willing I am not willing to without I'm not willing to to vote on a budget
that we've reduced the revenue um or increase the revenue to where we have no asurances and and I think that that's we have to be very careful about that because the last thing any of us want is as we go
into next year I apolog I apologize to everybody um as we go into next year to have a shortfall. But but when we're looking at the the water utility tax is one of our most consistent revenues is something that one of the only four revenues that
$10,000 that's still not going to get you to where you need I think you can find there's some still some fluff in there. Okay. And if you want there's always there's always I just think that it it does not behoove
us and it does not serve our residents properly to raising the tax rate. Keep keep in mind you keep saying that but we're actually going with a roll back rate but that doesn't mean that's just a lot of their values. Did
you say your value went down? No, mine went up. Yours went up. Okay. I'm going to go ahead at this point. Commissioner G, you had something else you needed to say? Yes. Um just like to bring our attention um immediately the week following our
September 10th meeting is the legislative delegation meeting. If there's anything we want to ask for we need to have personally I think we need to have another workshop before we have our very full September 10th meeting. I really do. Um we need to think of what
our priorities are for our legislative delegation. And you may have seen in the paper that the county ride solutions private, I'm sorry, ride solutions got one year of funding. One year. One year and it is going to serve South
County apparently and Commissioner Moore, you were um very much behind us, but it's only from October to the end of the next fiscal year. So my thought is that we should advocate for funding to
ride solutions as well. I think we need to advocate um for funding for the historic preservation grants because those can affect um structures in our city such as New Lodge if we ever want
to apply for that. Um, but just before September 10th, we need to have whatever it is we want to ask for. And that would be bringing back funding for those historic grants because this last year they slashed those. That's so
commission before we before we adjourn. Um, do we feel we need another workshop before September 10th? Uh, I I believe so. because we were we were hoping to go over um the the enterprise fund CRA and BBP. Um we would like to do that. I will uh get with our
clerk Melanie Ames and we will work together to find a date and I will send out the gone. She's gone till the 8th or the 9th. U earlier the better. I would like the eight if you're all available.
I'm available. Sure. Um I'd like to avoid the hours of 1 to 3 because that's the woman's club. But if I have to then I will just do what I need to do. Do you want [Music]
be here by 3? Commissioner, I can be here at 2:30. Oh, then let's do 2:30. Okay. Um, for staff purposes, if we can do it at 2:30. Absolutely. So, when it goes to 10 o'clock, um, right? And then, mayor, very quickly, do we
have any update on the window? I do not have any update on that. I'm still waiting, Larry. You're still working on it. I know. So, I just left it. Okay. Okay. I do not have I do not Larry that's I've
he's I know that he's he's working on trying to get that for me and I'll follow back up with him. I'll follow up. One announcement the partnership excent mix at 210 Central Avenue. Everyone's invited. Please attend. Everyone would
love to see us. Okay. You and everyone. Okay. Is that good? Anything else? With that, we're going to adjourn. Thank you all very much for being patient with us. We've been here since 10.