will start. >> All right. Good afternoon. We are I think I'm turned off here. Here we go. Um, today is Tuesday, January the 20th, 20 26 and I ask Councilman Scottish lead us invocation in the pledge.
>> Father, we thank you for this day and we thank you for all your many blessings. Lord, we pray dear Lord that you will be with us this day. God, give us guidance, uh, wisdom, clarity, and let us come to the table with a humble heart, Lord, to figure out the best way to move forward with the city's business as the rest of
this year, Lord, that you bless us with and the many years to come. We ask all these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. >> Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> All right. Um, I'll toss it to you, Kobe. I know that uh Thank you, Councilman Scany had uh made some comments prior to
setting up his meeting. But, uh, if you want to run with it, uh, I'll pass the ball to you. >> Okay, mayor. Thank you. Um, so I guess ultimately for the conversation today for the budget workshop, I think first there was that kind of initial information to be provided back in terms
of property taxes and homesteads in the city. And after that, um, I think I think you know the conversations opened up to whatever the council would like to discuss and moving forward through this process and uh, uh, for the next meeting whenever that is to be set. So, first um
the question was in terms of uh for property taxes. So, the city currently has 3,945 parcels within the city limits. Those come to a total taxable value of 445,000
I'm sorry, 445,918,796. So, um, that's taxable value and these numbers are for fiscal year 26. So, your fiscal year we're in right now, these are what we budgeted off of. Terms of homesteaded parcels of the 39
of the 3,945, 1,08 of those are homesteaded parcels. The taxable value for those 1,088 parcels is 87,715,164. So if you were to take the amount of
87,715164, and it's going to take me a second, make sure I get my math right here. Um, believe you divide that by a th00and. That should come up to a
value of $482,433. So, in terms of revenue for the city, property tax revenue, um, those 1 88 parcels represent $482,000 of our um 2.5 $2.6 million expected
collection. So at 100% we are a little over 2.6 million. State law you can only budget 95% of the expected collection. So we budgeted for fiscal year 26 a little over 2.5 million uh in property tax revenue. So, of that 2.5 million,
uh, these one, this 1,088 parcels represents $482,000. >> And of that 2.5, how much went to CRA? Just so we're >> this year, the city's allocation to be exact. One second here. >> Like I rounded the 400 up, the 482 up to
500. So that gives us 2 million, but of that 2 million, then a certain portion goes to the CRA. I believe >> our fiscal year 26 contribution was $1,111,645 >> minus a half. Okay. [snorts] Thank you. >> That $482,000
that's money going to the city or we share that with the CRA? That dollar amount just represents the value of the homesteaded parcels in the city limits. So I think the question was let's say let's say it goes on ballot and they say you know eliminate property taxes for homesteaded properties parcels assuming
it happens that quick then that would cut $482,000 out of our AVOM revenues. >> Okay. >> Whether we give it away or whether we use it would go away potentially if they eliminate property tax.
>> Okay. Homemstead only. >> Kobe, did you put this on a Excel or anything like a presentation that you're going to pull it up or do I need to keep writing? >> No, I'm about to try and do it real fast and we have conversation. >> Thank you. So, I mean, as I'm working on it, we can
if questions are u related to that or anything else, we can move forward and I'll let us up there. Kobe, what was that 95% number again at 2 million? >> We budgeted this year. Um, so you would take the CRAAS which is
1,111,645 >> and then in our revenues for general fund we budgeted 1,413,65. So if we add those two together, that would give us what our estimated collection for the year. >> I gotcha. Okay. [clears throat]
>> And what's the sum the sum of those two? >> 2.5. >> 2.5 >> that >> that we gave to the CRA. >> No, sorry. 2.5 is our collection total collection for the city and then we divvy that between general fund and CRA
>> and out of that 2.5 the CRA got 1.1. >> Yes sir. >> Gotcha. >> What's the total general fund? uh one point is1,413,65. >> Sorry, what's the total revenue for the general fund? >> Oh, general funds total revenue including everything grants, other
revenues, etc. for fiscal year 26 is 14,728,468 really quick. That's the budget amount for general fund. >> Yes. Okay. Right here. Not come up when I Yeah, it's not coming up here, Michael. But on there on the
side, they'll pull it up. But yes, fiscal year 26 general fund revenue 14,728468. That includes transfers in >> correct. [clears throat] >> And you're talking about 2026, right? >> Our current budget year. Yes. >> Okay. Because I'm going I'm looking at
on my machine uh actuals, what actually was audited and came in or under audit >> for 26 or 25? >> 25 and four. I'm I'm looking at the because I would like to see because what we budget is not re necessarily reality.
So I want to also discuss reality >> what we adopt. >> Yeah. >> So it is reality >> but just because we adopt it doesn't mean we're going to have it come in or realize it. So I just want to you know
when it's appropriate I want to look at re uh realization numbers. Well, I think I mean the earliest we'd have now is fiscally 24 because we haven't even started >> well 25 the auditors already have been provided the majority of the transactions. So unless
>> we just won't have the audited find we won't have the audit completed until June. >> Right. But the values I don't suspect are going to significantly change one way or the other from what we provided >> for the closeout documents for that. >> Yeah. Raphael, could you make some copies of
these too, please? >> Thank you. Kobe, when we're looking back at the the budget, when uh Councilwoman Heftlin is talking about the actuals, how close were the actuals to the budgeted numbers for year 24?
Um, I'd have to I'd have to get with uh I'd have to get with Danielle and get the audit. Get the actual closing docks. >> Do we have it right there? >> We don't. So, >> I mean the 24 budget. >> So, we have the 24 budget. Well, this is 25. Let me hold on a second. You might be right >> because it says actuals on.
>> So, here's So, last year, so our current document, we have the actuals for fiscal year 23, actuals for fiscal year 24, and then the adopted for fiscal year 25, and then the current year budget. So these are the adopted I mean these are the actuals for fiscal year 24 what actually
occurred what we collected in revenues and then you would have >> 13 million >> for 20 uh for 24 do you have >> 24 actual was 14 million10,497 right here. Yes, >> I have a I've got a clarification question, Kobe, because what you're
looking at, were those adjusted for uh journal entries that the auditors had made you all make? >> I we had to go back and look. I mean, we put these numbers in when we did the budget last year. So, yeah, >> they could have we may not have been done with audit by the time we created the document.
>> And speaking as of today, like we're not there like when we've already done the adopted budget. I my mind tells me no, that wouldn't be those would not be adjusted. >> Uh >> again, that's that's a finance question. The auditors, I'm not sure when we provided the 14 million number if that
was prior to the audit being completed or after the audit being completed. [snorts] >> And the reason why I'm asking is like what councilwoman Heftlin said compared to Councilman Beerbomb is that we we have to budget for something not knowing what actuals are going to be in the
coming year. I mean, the market changes, the cost of lumber and electrical wire goes up and down and and gasoline. So, I was just curious how close we were to the budgeted amount during that year. Were we very far off or is it pretty close? Are we conservative in our
numbers? Because realistically, it's all a guessing game whenever it comes to it. [clears throat] >> If you don't mind, I'm going I'm going to go run upstairs and get a copy of the actual audit for 24. I'll be right back. >> Okay. I mean, yeah. I mean, I can wait till
she gets back, but we've had this conversation. I mean, the actuals the problem with that is is we are having to budget now. We won't know what we actually spent until a year from then. Um, so that's that's the issues we may we may be able to look at come let's say
we get the audit turned in for fiscal year 25 in you know May right before we get into the budget process. Um, and it may say that well you know we spent $500,000 less than what we expected. There could be a litany of reasons for that, right? We might have had positions
go vacant for x amount of days and then we might have had projects not get done in time that we had to carry over in the next year because we're not going to have time to procure that or pieces of equipment we can't procure in time. So there's a litany of reasons as to why those might not match. Um, so hopefully,
you know, you want the city to get into the position that we budget and then end the year when we do our supplemental budget, we go back and clean it up because that's when we know the journal entries that were made, changes, movements within the budget, from amendments from a department level or the council makes an amendment. Then we
go back in there and that'll tell you if you were, you know, if you were what what you were in comparison to what you budgeted, what was your actuals in comparison. You know, hopefully at that point when you get there, you would say, "Okay, you know, we didn't spend 300,000 of what we collected, that money would then be put into unrestricted fund
balance for reserves to the city or at that time we do a supplemental budget." Uh, the council can say, "Hey, that 300,000, we need that for X project or whatever and then you can move it and bring it forward into the current year." >> Um, I agree. I mean, I understand it. I I just I was curious how close it was
based off what she was saying. The other thing I'm curious about too is we look at a lot of the growth that that is coming south of I 10 and then along Walton Road, but realistically if homesteaded properties go away, I think it's like one year before you actually claim the exemption depending on how
they play play that into the legislation if it goes through. So we may gain one year, but realistically the following year we may have nothing to show for that if if they once they levy their homestead exemption. So there's a lot of theoreticals and what
else here? >> Yeah. >> Uncertainties >> there are that you can't rely on for the following budget years at all. >> Thank you. >> And these are uh these were provided to me for Mr. Greger Prop appraiser. This
is the numbers we just spoke about on the first page of parcels. uh with the number of parcels that are homestead and those values associated. And then the second one is a table showing you the city's uh change in taxable property value since 2020 to 2025.
And we we haven't in the past um moving into this fiscal year 27 when we get those trim notices uh from the property appraiser. One of the things you can look at in there and I believe it's line five. I'll have to verify the exact line
number, but it will tell you, you know, you'll have that increase from last year to the coming year. So 26 to 27. And there's a line in there that'll tell you if the increase is, you know, $50 million. It'll give you the value that is associated with new development. That
line's in there. It bust it bust those up from appreciation of existing and then it has a line for new development that came in. So it does show that. We can look at that coming up whenever we receive those numbers in June. I think while y'all were thinking, can I
just throw something out there? uh 2024 September of 2024 actual general fund revenue totals 10,160,000. Our expenses were 11.8. >> So we were short.
>> Yes. And that's where and then down underneath that of course that's where the reconciliation comes in. So you would have had to make up the difference. >> Yeah. We did a supplemental budget >> with transfers in or I'm sorry. >> Yeah. We would have did supplemental budget at the end of this year.
>> So there was a deficit of >> Mhm. >> 1 million there 1.6 million basically and I'm just rounding 1.6 million. So then there's another little section at the bottom here where transfer ends would have made up the difference or uh
any re you know any savings fund balance that we would have had >> and we made that up by you said transfers. >> Yeah they would have corrected it after that fact that's when you would have the supplemental budget we would have done at the end of >> there was some sale of fixed assets that made up a portion of it
>> there were uh transfers in of $3.8 $8 million and transfers out of $3 million. So basically that variance was a million29,000. >> So when you say transfers, does that mean it came out of water and sewer? >> I guess >> I assume
>> other funding sources. >> It doesn't it doesn't specifically say so it's just a combination here on this one particular page. >> Yeah, I think I can look this. So see that's a big difference and that's why that's why I believe real you
know actuals does come to play with this because we budgeted would you say we budgeted into 24 14 million or 16 million >> 14 million >> so that's a $4 million difference. [clears throat] >> So that's why I always like to watch what actually occurs.
>> But it's always a year behind. So you can use it as a as a a guide but you can't budget based on those. You always budget based on what is predicted. >> It is. But that's why I'm saying like when we get a finance director, they need to do this
on a monthly basis. when we were saying what skills we really wish for that person to do for us. This has to be I believe and this is why it needs to be reconciled every single month and variances have to be shown because it's
a predict you know our history is going to predict what we're going to do in the future and then we're going to know certain things what the legislaturator is doing and we're going to have to make some things are going to be estimates don't get me wrong I'm not trying to say that but I'm saying actuals also come into play with the budget
>> so you're asking pretty much for real time information. >> Well, when we get a when we get a finance director, yes, that was one of the things that we tried to negotiate amongst ourselves when we were developing their job description, what was important, what wasn't. >> It's kind of important to have real-
time information. >> It is. We can just get closer and better to what we need to do. We're not going to be perfect at it, but >> but it just seems like there's a lot of guesswork. Well, I think it's I think it's the
right person but also being fully staffed >> finance department from what when we increased the positions. I believe the council increased positions in fiscal year 24. So that was one prior to me but I'm pretty positive we added an additional person in that >> and you haven't been fully staffed in finance since April of 2024.
We've been down a person ever since and then since then we've periodically been down two at a time as of now. Uh but we've always been one less than what we should be. If you go back to two and three years ago,
we were told that how how many people are in there right now? >> Technically, there would be five. Yeah. >> Yeah. Three years ago, we were told that we should have a minimum of eight in the finance department. >> Yeah. >> And that was by an outside consulting
firm. >> Yeah. Yeah, I mean I would I would say at some point down the road my conversations with uh Miss McDaniel, Miss Mooney and um since being acting having those committees, at some point in the relatively near future, we're going to need to look at splitting the
functions of of accounts payable and payroll. Um because that's a lot on one person. That's something we spent a few weeks ago going through the entire billing process from step one all the way to the very end and see how can we cut out steps. what are some things we can do with Tyler to reduce steps because it's a very time consuming
process right now on the billing side. Um so we're going through stuff like that to look and see how we can kind of lean up some of those processes but at some point we're going to need to look at splitting those functions between two people rather than one. >> So that recommendation of 10
>> I think it was eight >> eight >> and that was that was when utility billing was part of finance. So if we split it now, what would we >> They counted them unrelated. They didn't count utility billing when they were talking about finance. No. >> Yeah.
>> But still, that's that's a big difference from what >> Well, because because most of your auditing firms want a lot of separation of duties, >> right? >> So that's that's where from their perspective that it comes in is they they don't want you >> comingling some of those
responsibilities from a from an audit perspective. >> Yeah. But as Kobe just pointed out, there there's a lot of responsibility between AP and payroll and that sort of thing. >> So to me, what we see in finance is
indicative of just about every other area of the city. We've got demands, more and more demands on people. People are wearing many, many hats, right? >> And the pressures there to to grow these various departments and we've got to figure out where to pay for it from.
For me when when we hear the numbers like 2.5 million in total collected revenue you know that represents you know 1.4 million going to the general fund that represents 9.52%
of the revenue for the general fund. But our property taxes represent 9% of the general fund. Now, if we were to take that entire 2.5 million and put it into the general fund, it would actually be closer to 16 or 17%.
And to me, when we want to talk about growth, because I've heard that a lot that what happens when growth comes? Well, we have we have this here that shows, for example, in 2023, we had 21% growth.
>> [clears throat] >> So, we have a hard number that we can point at and say this is what growth dollars and centswise looks at. And that number is the $1.1 million that's going to the CRA. So, for me,
the $1.1 million doesn't balance out the $2.8 to $3 million that we're we're having to transfer. So when we look to the future, I can't reconcile growth being a way to help pay for
things because we already have numbers on growth and we are we already see it in our budget. It's a number we can actually point at and say is real. So growth isn't going to help us in the future. It's it's a nice to have, but it's not going to help us pay for things
is my point. Are you basing your growth number on >> budget or on? >> He's talking about taxable. Okay. Okay. >> Taxable value this past budget budget season when we were talking about
having to cut all these positions. Um, was finance one of them affected by this? >> No sir. >> Was that a no? >> No sir. There were three departments that we did not uh I guess you could say negatively affect. Uh that was finance, fire, and police. Fire we did make some
movement around. That's why Miss Seagler's now with an admin and we have assistant fire chief. But in terms of total number of positions that perform that service, we did not negatively affect finance, fire, and police. >> Hold on though. I I I think, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think what you're
talking about is the presentation that we originally received back in March of last year where he said, "Okay, we've got to cut $2.8 million. Here's how we're going to cut it." That did affect >> Oh, yes. >> That did affect all the departments, >> correct?
>> Including finance. >> Correct. that yes that exercise did the exercise did what we actually did and in reality [clears throat] what we did in the budget didn't we did not affect those three departments um those are three of them there were other ones that we didn't touch either because they didn't have the positions to to affect
but yes the exercise he's referring to yes and that exercise every department contributed in exercise >> co Kobe at the beginning of before we even started all of this you said the values were at 87 million. Did I not?
>> No. So that's the So on this sheet here. >> Well, what does the 87 represent? >> There are 1,08 homestead parals in the city limits, the total taxable value of those 108 equal 87,715,164 of taxable value.
>> The 1,000 homesteaded properties, not the whole 4,000. Uh how many total is there? 3,000 or 4,000? 3,945. >> Okay. >> The total tax was 40 445 million >> for what year? >> This is fiscal year 26. This is a
current year. >> So 2026 the total value was how? Give me that number again please. >> 445,918,796. >> Thank you. >> That's going to be less than last year. So last 2025 according to this
>> 479 >> was 479. >> Yeah, >> that's what Mr. Greger gave me. So something >> that's why I was scratching my head. That's why thank you [clears throat] for clarifying >> unless uh yeah
that number may represent adjusted. Um, [clears throat] I'll have to look. That was this Mr. Greger gave it to me. So, he I'm sure he's got it. It just that may represent adjusted taxable value. So, you had the taxable value, then there's an adjusted number. He doesn't reference adjusted on
here, though. though. >> You know, if you look at the 2020 number, like I I even dug up the 2019 number. The the 2019 number was 239 443868
is what I dug up. And you look at we're at 479. So that's that's a almost 100% increase in six years. That's that's an incredible amount of increase. >> But that's just the increase the
estimated increase in values, right? >> Correct. But that doesn't translate directly into >> collections >> into general fund dollars. So cost are outweighing growth.
>> Costs are outweighing growth. Mhm. By far. >> Mhm. So, where do we go from here? So, one of the reasons why I asked to go ahead and kick the budget workshop off early is anticipation of homestead tax
reforms that could possibly go through or we going to make up the difference in the $482,000 knowing that everything else continues to grow with that. So, our total operating costs are going to continue to climb. And currently, we're transport
we're transferring 1.7 1.7 million from water, 819,000 from sewer, 180,000 from gas, sanitation takes care of itself, but realistically those costs, we are
robbing Peter to pay Paul under that scenario. So, when we talked last year during budget prep about we want to reduce these transfers, our expenses continue to climb, but the revenues aren't they're only going to decrease at this point. So, where are we going to
make up those budget shortfalls long term? And I'm not just talking about this year or next year, but the many years after. So, I'm I'm looking at having some forethought into the budgetary process for many years to come, knowing possibly what could offset
this in the beginning and how are we going to make that up. So, that's what I wanted Kobe to come here today was to explain that to us because many of the many of times we sit back and discuss the agenda the week before and go to talking about, well, what are your recommendations on this? What are your
recommendations on that? It boils down to how are we going to fund government? How are we going to keep it going forward? So, the one the one thing that everybody is looking to hear today is fire department again, but that's a serious question about this. How can we
free up some room in this budget to give the city room to breathe and still provide those same services to our citizens? So, I want Kobe to tell me how we're going to make all this work if we don't do something like this.
>> So, I think to add to that, what was Kobe? Can you remind me what was the number that we had agreed to for three years that we were going to cut when we we kind of discussed a lot of this earlier? >> So I mean we were looking at uh you had you had a 2 um that's one two tech two
technically $2.7 million transfer the and to get down to 10% based off of last year's budget numbers for general fund uh you 10% was 1.2 million. So you would effectively need to cut 1.5 million to get your your total across the board
utility transfers to 10%. Uh if you were to do that over three years that's $500,000 a year. Now the first year of that is gone because we had to fix the carry forward issue. The city we were carrying forward money every year uh
roughly $600,000 a year to fund general operations. So we had to cut that out. So, one of those three 500,000 blocks, dollar blocks got used to fix that issue. That's if you do over three years. If you stretch it over five, obviously that
gets less. Say 1.5 divided by five. >> So, if we do if we lose another half a million dollars to property tax reform, that's that's effectively doubling what we've got to cut.
>> Yeah. I mean, if you if we were to lose half a million dollars to property tax to that, then unless you go to cut out $500,000 of the general fund because you got to have revenue to cover it, then you'll need to increase transfers by $500,000. If you want to continue, you're going to
continue to fund the same level at which we have fiscal year 26. And again, 75% of our expenditures, if we're going to have to reduce expenditures, the eat the the where all the money is or where all the meat is
are in people. So, here we are again. >> And it's a bad cycle. And I don't think this has been created over a course of many, many years. I'm not saying that it's our >> fault that we created it, but we are here now. We've got to figure out how to do it. Now for the transfer ends that
that might be a solution temporarily. I mean I mean it's a wonderful goal to want to reduce those by whatever that arbitrary number was 10% or whatever but I don't know that that's realistic with what we're facing. Plus we're going to
be asked to cut another half a million dollars out of what we now collect in advorum tax dollars to use for the general fund. So, I agree with my fellow councilmen that
it's a predicament and I don't have the answers. I know that, but we've got to figure out how we're going to do it because the majority of our meets in the people. >> I I I go back to mayor remembers this. My first year, we went through the
budget line by line over at the Civic Center and we we spent hours going through the budget line by line and we whittleled it down to $700,000 in transfers. >> And in in six years, we find ourselves
back at 2.8 $2.7 million. So it it can get away from you real real quick. that that's been my whole point because I've lived it. Um and I councilwoman, I agree with you. This is
something that has built up. When I when I talk to people personally, I say that this has been going on for decades. >> This isn't this has this isn't something and and here's what's interesting. When I first came on the council, Mel, the city manager at the time said, "Well, I'm from Illinois. We do it up in
Illinois. I've come down here to Florida when I was at um wherever he was from over Mexico Beach. You know, I was told that this is just normal. You just transfer money from the water and sewer fund and that's just normal. But what always didn't sit right with me was
whenever I was looking at our infrastructure. I got a tour of the plant just like all y'all did when you came on. I saw just like you did. I saw old aging infrastructure and I kept thinking to myself, if we keep transferring money out of this fund, how
are we going to pay for all this? How how are we going to pay for it? Like our our CIP has over $22 million worth of projects just in water and sewer alone. We can't pay for that if we're taking $2 million out of their budgets every year.
Hence the arguments about why is our water and sewer bill so high? Every time that we talk about that and every time that everyone complains about it, this is why. So, and like you said, this is not our it's not something we created. This was created
years and years and years ago, probably three and four decades ago. But are we going to do something about it? Are we going to kick the can? >> Okay. So, I've got some that's where we're at. >> I've got some options to share. And these might look what I'm going to suggest might not be popular, but I just think they're options. We need to look
at them. we can throw them, you know, out if it doesn't work for us. But we've got a lot of properties. So, I think Kobe, don't you have that upcoming for us to all sit here and chat about all these properties and are there any that we might be able to divest in order?
Now, that's only going to be a one-time temporary solution. That is not, don't get me wrong, I don't I understand that, but we've got to get to a place where we can at least figure out next year, >> you know, and we've got to look at this long term, but we've got to do it in
baby steps. How are we going to do it through 26? How are we going to, you know, f, you know, finish up 26? >> Honestly, I started looking at what you were talking about a few maintenance back and that's start looking at leasing properties. So, I talked to Kobe about what would it look like if we started
renovating some of these office spaces like old city hall until it's ready to sell or the Chelco building out here. If he put his maintenance crews with inmate labor, could they wind up getting in there and make the building usable again and start generating some revenue rather it just sitting there until we get to
the point to where we could sell? But realistically, can you depend on that? So when it gets back to the I >> I'm liking that but it it's just can you depend on it for budgeting? >> Will will we be able to generate the revenue because we're looking at doing the same thing and are doing the same
thing with airport space. So >> and then weigh out do we generate more monthly revenues than what we would in sales in the end. Is it worth it to keep it and continue to lease or is it worth it to sell it and then cut our losses? But um I think that and you brought that
up a few months ago. It's not something that that's new. You know, >> the other thing that might be worthwhile to take a look at and I've actually talked to Chief Hurley about this is operations. We need to look and and it might not be millions of dollars that we're going to
save, but I hear that when they go around and they do this at my building. So, if I if my staff and me leave at 5:00, there's a police officer that checks on my buildings and they notice things and they leave notes. But I've heard that here that, you know, they'll
go around and there will be lights on in these buildings and you know there might be ways operational that we can save whether it's through fuel consumption through Do you have some chief? Could I invite the chief up to the mayor? >> Chief,
>> will you share some of those with us please? >> Sure. I am by no means a financial guru. I was raised by Wayne Hurley, who most of you know can be frugal at times, but that's why he's been successful in his life and I I've kind of learned from
that. Um but yes, to your point, there is there are certain ways and I know the school board office um seven eight years ago they they went through and leaned out a lot of things by putting controlled thermostats on on certain
buildings um motion sensor light. So if you walk in that back room back there, the light will automatically turn on. When you leave, 30 seconds later, it turns off. Um chances are, you know, Little rooms like that get overlooked and left on for
a couple days until somebody says, "I didn't turn that light out." Just small steps like that, we can reduce um our electrical cost on certain things. There's some things that you probably want lit up 24/7, but there's others that we could probably do without. Um, I
know that I've gone through several [snorts] nights and some of you all have been with me where we have city facilities that every light in the house is on and the AC's just blowing wide open. Unless you designate one person to go
turn the lights out every day, you know, chances are on a Friday, it's going to burn all weekend. Holiday weekend's going to burn another day. So, little steps. I I even priced out the um receptacles. They're $20 a piece to put
a motion sensor one on. To me, I think every department in the city needs to look at their facility that they they operate and say, you know, our investigative room where we where we talk to interrogate suspects. It's a room that we we don't use a whole
lot, but it could probably benefit from one of those light switches. um we we try to turn it off thing, but I've caught it on a few times and it's like, you know, it's just it's it's a waste. Um little things like that. And then some other things that I was looking at,
um we go over that in a minute. U our our financial accounts. So [snorts] we we pay monthly for our Microsoft 365 account. Um, two weeks ago, Richard came to me and said, "Hey, if we pay this all
in one lump sum, we'll get a reduction on the total cost." So, I said, "We're trying to save money." So, yeah, let's check with finance, make sure we have the money in the account, and we will go ahead and pay it off. Well, we're already a quarter into this budget, and we don't have the full revenue to cover
this next year's lease. But that's a cost savings that we could look at on individual accounts. If we can get a reduced rate by paying it all up front, there's no I've looked at the city. There's no big pot. There's there's not half a million dollars sitting over
here. It's it's small pots that we're going to have to start tapping into and be more efficient. So, by looking at our financial accounts and what what bills are coming due each month, if we can reduce that by paying one lump sum once a year would would help. Um, I don't know how many other accounts we have
like that with the police department, but that's something I'm going to look into because it's saving money. I think it was about $1,400 it would save a year just on that one account. Um, which isn't a big amount, but it's still 1,400 bucks. So, um, so looking at things like
that, um, looking at our vehicle and building insurance, I know a couple years ago I found that we were still insuring vehicles from 1996 and had been since that point. Um, I got with Lisa, we got I'm pretty sure we got all that
corrected, but we need to put some safeguards in there where each year when we renew our our insurance accounts that it's got what we're wanting to insure on it instead of just wasting, you know, $800 a year on a vehicle that we ain't owned in 10 years. Um, you that's the
kind of stuff that you got to dig down and you got you got to look. But I think each department director and employee, they need to look at that kind of stuff and say, "How can we do that?" One of the big things I I talked to y'all about, you know, our our gas. We're buying non-ethanol gas for our vehicles at 15 cent more a gallon
regular than regular ethanol. The police department does not need non-ethanol gas in those vehicles. Um I don't know if that's where y'all want me to go look for a gas tank. I'll find us one through Egglund and we'll we'll put it up there. I understand the importance and the
usefulness to run it in small engines, but I think we're running a lot more big engine gas than we are small engine at this point. So, you know, that's that's an immediate cost savings that we could do the next time we purchase fuel. >> What would your estimates on annual savings just based off
>> police? At 15% rough number being 15 cent more a gallon, it would save me $10,000 a year in fuel cost. >> Where are you getting 15% from? Well, if it's 15 cent more a gallon than what we're >> at a gas station
>> than what our wholesale cost is >> 15. >> Non- ethanol gas is a lot more expensive at a gas station than 15 cents. It >> it is, but at the wholesale cost, we're only [snorts] paying 15 more cent a gallon. >> Yeah, I was going to say I sure wouldn't want gas. >> If you were doing it [laughter] at
Sepho, you'd be paying $2 more in a gallon. So, yeah. you know, but that that's that's the kind of cost that we can, you know, it I understand small engines, but you know, >> talk about the what we uh >> Yeah.
>> put in out here by the fire station. >> Yeah. >> Goes in all our patrol cars, all our fleet vehicles. >> Okay. >> Public works vehicles. You know, that's an instant cost savings that we could we could do today or next time we >> And we do that, right? >> How often do we purchase a year?
>> Yes. >> Do you know Andrew, >> mayor, is okay if Andrew comes up. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Andrew, come up so everybody can hear you. >> I was just I was asking how often do we purchase in bulk for out there? >> About every two weeks.
>> Wow. >> We we try to stay we try stay above half a tank because anytime you get below half a tank, you get moisture, condensation, that kind of stuff. Um, I'd actually looked into the non-ethanol several years ago and the ethanol to save city money years ago. Um, of
course, we looked back into it again when the topic came up. There's actually a 5% decrease in fuel economy if you go non ethanol versus ethanol. You get better BTUs the way it burns um, with ethanol. Then you have issues with small
engines. [clears throat and cough] So now we're going to have more repair costs. And you also have to have a pump on any kind of storage tank like that so that it can constantly circulate or it'll separate the alcohol from the gasoline. >> When you talk about small engines, are you talking about mowers and things and
versus patrol cars and other vehicles? any any of your small engines are not really built for >> but how often my next question would be how often do we fill up those smaller engine items versus all the fuel
that we use for the patrol cars for the big trucks that are running around town the knuckle boom >> yeah the I I would have to sit down and look at the actual gallons that we use versus I mean it's not going to be near what PD PD uses more than anybody >> and they and
And this is just for me to better understand what you're what we're talking about is do we fill up those lawnmowers using the same fuel tank that we use for fueling up our vehicles? >> Yes, because we only have one because we have to do inspections and state inspections and stuff like that on those
storage tanks. >> And is there reports that you could just go back and look at in particular to see how many gallons we use for, for example, in 2024 for >> small engines versus everything else? put on a spreadsheet. >> Oh, okay. >> By department.
>> Could you please uh Kobe authorize him to send that around to us because I don't think that we'll have it for today, but I would like to know that for the next time we >> Can you Can you also include what the price per gallon is for ethanol versus non-ethanol? Like what what we're
purchasing it for? >> It's about a 15 cents difference wholesale cost. He's close to wholesale cost per gallon and what we >> And do we negotiate that price a year in advance or are you just paying the price
every two weeks? Whatever the going rate might be current market price. >> Yeah. And would we be better off to negotiate a bulk purchase for an annual amounts worth but only get but only is not going to do that
>> but only get it in >> the cost but only so much. Yeah. that we can set a fixed price. >> We could get screwed up. >> I'm sure, but there's other government entities. >> Uh, have we looked into sharing
>> uh with with the county or with the sheriff or is they've got the largest vehicle fleet, the school board, where do they put the their fuel somehow? We >> Well, they store their Walton County. So, we have an interlocal, too. And in our lo interlocal agreement, we have to
carry the same fuel that Walton County, Okaloosa County, and Freeport and all them carry because if a hurricane hits, then >> you all share. >> We share fuel. >> Now, what about the school board? When you say county, I'm assum I I
picture county board, county commission, the same interlocal. >> Say it again. Sorry. >> I'm assuming that the um county the school board is on with the county in that interlocal. We don't have a local. >> No, we don't.
>> Yes. >> So maybe I I'm just pointing it out. So maybe there's some leverage there that we could all >> I'm curious what the annual savings would look like, but I want I think you're right. >> I think it was like we kind of did a little bit of math previously. Um and
I'm wanting to think it was like 12 or $1,500 a year. It wasn't a whole lot of >> Now that's completely different than his 10,000 for just his division. >> You're talking um the maintenance hours because and then the
>> your small Yeah. your small engine stuff like that cuz what happens? It gets in those tanks and it separates and it adds water because alcohol pulls that water out of the air. >> You're gonna wind up wasting a lot getting rid. >> So you're gonna be out here broke down with water, your fuel [clears throat] and that kind of stuff. >> So what size is the tank?
>> 6,000 gallons. 6,000 [clears throat and cough] >> and we only have one. >> We have Well, we have one for diesel and one for >> gasoline. Could that be used for um regular gas and and might have a smaller tank for the non-ethanol?
>> We Yes, we I mean we would have to get a whole another [clears throat] tank to use for non-ethanol. So, >> with a circulation plant, I >> I'm kind of tracking with you, but but this leads me to because being the computer nerd that I am, you know, I've looked up stuff when it comes to like
home automation and that sort of stuff and it at one point it led me down a rabbit hole of looking at like if I were to go through and replace all my lights with smart switches, right? Those smart switches were 70 or $80 and I think we pay here on average 14
cents a kilowatt hour. So, for me to pay for those smart switches in my house, but then for them to, you know, automatically turn off like when I'm not home and all of that, all that functionality, I would I would basically never pay back
the cost of those switches because at 14 cents a kilowatt hour, I already have in my entire house either fluorescent or I have LED. So the the cost for the electricity for that light, whether it's fluorescent or LED, is is
so dimminimous compared to the cost of that switch that I'm never going to recoup my money in that smart switch. So don't get me wrong, I'm all for being conservative where we can be. We, you know, we should turn off lights, turn
off air conditioners, see what we can do to save money every which way we can. But how much of that moves the needle? And then if we're spending 20 40 $50 on a switch to turn off the lights automatically, what's the payback on
that for in a in a in a room? >> It it may be measured in decades because that that light switch only consumes, you know, a few kilowatts, you know, a a year. I I'm all for it. I I guess my my
comment to to chief would be I I think I think these ideas are great. So why don't we as a council bless him to implement some of these at his level and then he can show us in his budget. Hey, here's where I implemented all these switches. Here's where I
implemented this stuff and here's an actual budget decrease in in my in my stuff. >> I'm good with that. >> Yeah. Well, and you know, it's you're absolutely right. If you if we went and replaced all the switches right now,
we'd be, you know, $30,000 in the hole. You know, I I I get that. But, you know, as maintenance happens and stuff like that, that's when you start replacing those instead of going to a regular one. >> And and honestly, I figured they were I $20 was about the
average price I hung. I figured they'd be cheaper than that, but >> they're about $20 a piece. >> Yeah. >> Where you can go buy a regular light switch for 98 cent low. So yes, I I I totally agree with you could efficient yourself in the hole even further. So, but just being mindful in turning out
the lights. If you had one person designated a week in your department to go around and make sure when everybody left that the lights were out, that would it would help. >> Like I said, I it ain't a big pot of money, but if we reduced our electric bill
$1,500 a year, that's you know, >> every bit helps. you know, quite a bit of savings over over a period of time. So, um, >> and I think as a council, we should not just empower the chief to do that. Every department head should be responsible, Kobe, in my opinion,
>> to do the same analysis and function that he's doing because every every dollar is going to help. It's not going to solve the long-term problem that was thrown at our laps, but it is going to dwindle a little bit here and there. It's going to chip a little bit off of
the block that Uh and maybe we can >> um [clears throat] the other is um you know facilities maintenance. Uh, I figure, you know, we we've got x
amount of people that do cleaning and I I'm not advocating for them to lose their job by no means, but um last year there the budget I kind of scratched my head because I saw where the airport was budgeting like 15,000 for cleaning of the airport and
I'm thinking, well, gosh dang, we got people that can clean. Why are we doing that? But honestly, if you broke it down and had a private company come in, you might have better results. And without having to pay insurance and taxes and
all that on employees, that might be a place, you know, where if you shuffle those employees to a different department, um where there's open vacancies, that might be a way to reduce some some costs there, too. Um, I know I reached out to a private cleaning company that cleaned some of the local
businesses around here. Um, and gave me a quote and I think you would probably come out cheaper in the long run by doing that. Um, that's just something you got to run your numbers. And I don't I'm not digging into other employees, how much they make and all that. It's not my my job, but it might
be something to look at. Um, one of the other things that I was looking at is annexation. um voluntary annexation. There's a couple pockets um in the city that I think that we're
missing out some sales tax revenue on. Highway 90 and 331 North for one. You got the Tom Thumb. Um people coming out of Alabama, that's basically one of the first stops on a store and you know to get gas or snacks or whatever. Um when
something goes bad, they're we normally get dispatched to it anyway because we're we're right there. So, they're already getting a lot of the benefit of being near the city without having to give us any tax revenue. Um, right there in that whole little square, you've got
three commercial properties that are not in the city but are surrounded by the city. It's peninsula. Um, I would think if you approach some of them business owners and say, "Hey, if you'll annex in, you know, you'll get better fire, better police, better whatever services,
but it's going to take somebody to go out there and have that relationship and and talk to them about it." Um, number two, the Dollar General on Highway 83 at Walton Road. Um, we board utilities under, but we didn't make a Manx into the city. That's sales tax revenue.
They're contiguous. You know, that's that's something we should have looked at. the funeral home in right there? >> No, they're not. Um, but it is continuous because it runs across the street. So, um, the hospital, um,
North Doctor's Medical Center, I know a couple years ago they were interested in annexing in they are contiguous on the back side of that property, but having two hospitals in our city would position us better for growth and development also. Um, that's what people look for
when they want to come here. So they don't see one in the city. They just which we just had a ribbon cutting earlier for one. But you know those are ones I think if you if you had the right approach and went and talked to the actual property owners and business owners, you could probably get them to to buy into it.
>> So Chief, I I will throw one opposite viewpoint on annexation. I I was all for annexation when I first took sat on the council. However, now looking at what could possibly go on with um homestead properties, it makes me think a little
bit different because of one thing. We we generate higher utility rates for those properties outside versus the properties inside. So even like with the Tom Thumb, they're on the corner of 83 or not 83, 331 and 90. I would I would want to see a study done on the the
sales for that facility versus what we're generating for utilities there as well and things like that. it. >> Yeah, >> you do bring up some good points. >> I said it's it's just stuff to look at that that you can see. Um, but I think if each department would would
>> look down and dig down and how can we and include myself. I'm not immune to it. If I'm going to say it, I'm going to do it, too. You know, how can we how can we look at our our expenditures and how can we help help this process, help y'all make these better decisions?
Because I know it ain't it's tough being up here with y'all. Y'all are in a bad spot, but we all got to lean on each other and and work through this whole process. We'll get through it. I promise you. But we all going to have to sacrifice just a little bit from time to time. So, um, you know, I I wouldn't
mind even seeing a small committee of us that would look at each individual department and some of the stuff and say, you know, how can we look at, you know, as as a team, you know, me and Andrew and and the rest of them, you know, how can we look at being a little more efficient in what we do?
>> Do we >> should we perform continuous improvement initiatives throughout the city? >> I beg for that. [laughter] >> Okay. So, um, here's I believe it was governor ask you, and that's been a while back. >> Yeah. >> Um, he implemented this program. Don't
hold me to the governor, but statewide he empowered every employee in the state of Florida that if you come up with a cost-saving initiative and just using a hypothetical number,
if your idea results in saving the state $100, [clears throat] you get $10. In other words, it was 10% of what is that? So that's still in effect. >> Correct. >> How? I don't know.
>> I don't believe so. >> And he had every employee in the state of Florida looking for ways to save money. And I'd really like to know if that's still a part of state government. And if it is, we could empower every one of our
employees uh to brainstorm ways of saving money. I don't coming from the state for this job, I'd never heard of it. Um, but I know that they had joked about one of the lieutenants decided to save money and only buy one one show wiper for the the driver's side, not the
passenger side. And that was [laughter] but I I remember them joking like that. So it was probably was something, you know, 90s somewhere around there, but I don't know that there anymore. But >> I guess we could ask Shane Abbott if that's still in effect. I can do that.
>> Yeah. Kobe, you know, we've been talking to is it ABM, the company that does all the utility savings? >> Correct. They do perform energy audits >> and uh and um what they do is they'll come in, they'll look at every facility, every building,
everywhere you got lights, motors, air conditioning, you name it. They they go in there and they can tell you where a lot of waste is. And of course you hit pretty good on just lights being left on. I >> my dad, he was one of the world's worst,
but if you left the light on, probably got your fanny warmed up. Mhm. >> But uh and I I see lights everywhere and I think oh uh but yeah I don't know if somebody fix to come in a meeting after I leave or why they're on but u there's a lot of things we can do but I was just
going to say make sure that the council was aware that we've talked about this and they thought that their cost can be picked up rather early in the process of payback >> but uh have you [clears throat] talked anymore with them? No, I mean we they've
came before. Um at the time the council wasn't something the council wanted to move forward with. Um you know last year a bunch of time we talked about city hall things that need to be done here. Um that's something we've had conversations with Jeremy at PFM our financial adviser about. That's one method is having an energy uh they don't
call it energy out they call it a uh energy assessment I guess is the technical term for it. Um basically you do exactly that. They come in look at it. They see where you can find savings and then you get a loan. you work with them to secure a loan and then energy savings you get that full thing u so that's one way of looking at finding a
way to to renovate the building for the issues we have the other one's just going out and getting procuring debt for that so I reached out city of Tallahassee they've done one of those recently so I'm still trying to work with the procurement director over there to get their bid documents see how they did it but you can have an energy assessment conducted and then from that
you could you could get construction dollars to do work and add in all the changes to lighting and AC stuff like Mr. >> Yeah. >> Uh the county actually did it in 2018 and I think they adopted it in 19. So you might even just reach out to uh
>> Mr. Kellenburgger. >> Uh and then um Rapalis, can you update us because you know they're doing that five-year plan and you know we need to consider whatever is going to be in their plan. Isn't that in February? cuz when we do
this budget, we really need to take a look at that, too. Cuz I think it would enhance what we're doing here by knowing what it is that we've got to >> make sure if if we're going to adopt something that this is our plan, we need to make sure that we're funding those
plans. >> February 4th. >> February. >> February 4th. February 4th is our full day workshop schedule with the consultant. So, >> all of us, right? Like 8 to five or something, wasn't it? >> Yeah. And so the goal to that was to have it hopefully they would within
February 1 of March complete our strategic plan bring that to us to review and provide feedback or adopt and then our budget workshop and either you know hopefully late March will be centered around that right because you then take those how many priorities council creates um you budget to that.
That's one of the things part of the reason for this strategic plan is moving forward every year. Your budget aligns with strategic plan and something very I've learned very clearly from going to conferences and my networking is if it's not in the strategic plan or isn't a mission of that, we don't do it. That's
very successful cities and counties. If it's not a part of that strategic plan, we don't spend money on it. If you can't tie it back or show how this advances that initiative, we don't do it. Well, and I think that'll provide all of us up here too some guidance to help when we have to >> set those budgets. >> Correct.
>> So, thank you. Now, are they going to give us something before that session occurs or are we all >> February 4th? Yeah, >> the fourth. So, they've already collected data from uh >> they did a a stakeholder meeting a few months back, right?
>> Okay. And then they've done survey information from staff. So, they work working on all that. Then they'll take the council's feedback from that full day. They'll talk about some of that feedback they received, go through everything, and then they from there they will create those priorities and that document. And at some point, hopefully late February, early March,
they would come present on it and then have it adopted. >> Okay? But they'll give it to us in advance of asking us to >> adopt. >> I'm going to have it more than three days to evaluate what >> you know, I'll give y'all plenty of time to review if you have any question before we ask y'all to adopt Mr. C's plan. Yeah.
>> Understood. Thanks. Um, Chief Hurley, thank you for for thinking about all that stuff. I mean, it really really makes me think. I appreciate it. Um, the school district did an energy audit thing several years ago, and I'll have to look back at what
that was. Um, but they saved a they saved a fortune >> u by by investing in that. Um, I think the fuel thing is definitely something we need to look at, you know, and and and saving whatever. You know, you you and I talked you you mentioned $25,000 a
year possibly for the could who knows what it is. And that's the thing, we don't know until we look at these things. But there definitely a need to uh have the non-ethanol for small engines. That that only makes sense. But you know buying both if it makes a big difference for us whether it's $10,000
his department 25,000 whole 50,000 whatever it is it it is that much to dismiss it because it's not a big chunk like it's not $500,000 in one lick you know we need to run a lean mean machine I think uh and that's that's that's responsibility I think and if we look at
all these things we can do that simp simply asking employees to turn a light off they're in this with us you know and and I think they're they're very willing to do that if we just take a hard look at all these things. Um, you know, I would say on, you know, it it's hard to
anticipate and budget on things we don't know. And and that's just a that's just a part of budgeting, right? And then looking after the fact and have a better picture of what we did, you know, that that's that's all good. We don't know what our property tax we don't know
what's going to happen with property taxes for certain, but we're anticipating and we want to budget on the fact that they're going to go down, potentially go down, but so is the counties, right? >> Their revenue is going to go down, too. So, if we just on the surface think,
well, go back to the fire department. if we think, okay, they're going to be able to handle this, but they're going to they're going to endure the same effects of budget uh property tax reductions as we're going to. So, I don't know. We haven't heard that part from them where
they are. I I've heard they need to build four stations, don't have the money for it, whatever. I don't know until we have those meetings, right, that we've we've talked about and see where the that is even feasible for them to do that. I don't know. Um but to you
know to think that we we don't have future sources of revenue. Um well we also don't have reductions in property taxes at this point. We don't have either one of those things in our hand. You see so we we can anticipate and and look for ways to to generate more
revenue. We talked in the last meeting about uh increasing impact fees. [clears throat] We have in this budget uh 12,900 and some odd dollars of of of fire fire impact fees. That's not much money for a city our size with the growth we're
having. And I wouldn't want them to be punitive to discourage development, but I don't think so. I don't think that's going to happen. Um there's plenty of communities all over this state that have higher impact fees that are still growing leaps and bounds. It hasn't
slowed them down uh any. So these so a lot of these these companies these development are used to paying impact fees. I'm not saying exorbitant. I'm saying reasonable reasonable to help ourselves out. Our citizens shouldn't be bearing the burden of that entirely.
I don't think so. Right. We could ask taxpayers um if if they feel like they should fund all all impact of new developments without some help from the developers. Uh paying some of those in impact fees.
Uh we also talked about a fire assessment, right? And and we're we're waiting to go to the county about that. We also have discussed asking the county a asking the sheriff's department or county commissioners. You know, our our
city residents are paying taxes and the county has not been pay uh providing fire service in this city. So, we have talked about should we be getting some money from the county for that and and the conversation came up in that meeting
that well, no one's ever asked for it. The city's never asked for it. Well, we're about to do that. So, we have some possibilities for finding potentially some help with some of this this stuff. So, I don't want to see us just jump off
a ledge out out of fear and and and not handle responsibly these things that we put in action and moving forward to figure out what can we realistically do, what will the county help us with, what can we do for ourselves with fire assessment and and which is way behind
times, you know, for a city of our size to not have a fire assessment. Um, so we're trying to figure out how to do these things ourselves. And our residents like our employees flipping off light switches. They have to decide that they have a responsibility to help
as well uh to help fund this stuff and uh not to run people off and and rent a bunch of U-Haul people and move out of Deiniac. That's not what we want to do and increase things to that level. But we do need to communicate and and and market the fact that hey, our city is
growing and and we need help from every entity, including each residents and citizen in in this city to help fund these things. >> Dan, um you got a calculator handy? >> One on your phone. Um, so
[snorts] speaking of fire assessment, just as a arbitrary exercise, uh, the county, I believe, does $75, uh, per resident uh, for fire impact and Liberty does how much?
>> I don't know the exact number. Um, >> approximately, >> well, I threw out a number and I can and I was told that was wrong. So, uh, I'm not sure. It's somewhere between, I think, 50 to 125, give or take, between the two. I don't know the exact number. I don't even I don't know if they have a website to even look that up. I'd have
to look it up. >> About maybe 125. Is that Did I hear you say that? Maybe. >> And then Argal. Do we know Argal? >> No, I don't. >> Okay. So, let's just let's just say if we mo if we p if we model after the
county, that's a $75 um fire impact fee. And that's on the low end, but it's something. Um, I'd asked you, um, since everybody at this dis has
a specialty and a wheelhouse, uh, Todd, I asked you if you would consider looking into what would be the a reasonable a reasonable something that's not going to hurt our business owners
uh, as far as an increase on fire assessment goes. U,, what do you think that would be? I I don't know yet. I'm still in the process of having conversations with some of the downtown business owners. Unfortunately, I was out and sick last week, so I haven't had a lot of
opportunity to uh to make some of those contacts yet. >> Okay. So, um >> I I I will say this, for me personally, I'm already writing a check for $4,800 for my building downtown. >> And that's to pay for what? That's all
my property taxes for my building downtown is $4,800. Under the under the current assessment, that will add another $1,200 to me >> under the current assessment. >> The county assessment, that will add
another $1,200 to me. >> That's based on square footage, right? >> We don't have to go by the county assessment. >> I I understand that. Do you think the county assessment is fair? >> The county e any of them unfortunately
are very heavy on commercial because we have so many homesteaded properties in DeFuniac and in the north end in general. That's that's why it is the way that it is is because so many of those properties are homesteaded.
So they're they're artificially low on the value. Whereas a commercial building like mine, there's no cap on it. So, just in the four years that I've owned my building, my my taxes have gone up 200%. Since the first year I I purchased my
building, 200% increase on my taxes. >> And how much of that is city and how much is county? >> I I don't remember off the top of my head, but that we're at 5 and a half mills and the the county is at 3 56 or 65 or something like Yeah, something
>> 36 something >> and the school board and >> city >> all that other stuff too. So >> would the council consider uh not in such a way to hurt our
business but in such a way that it would be barely noticeable with a minimum of uh the $75 for residents. Is that something the council would entertain? And if it's something that you wouldn't, I'm just going to turn the page and move on. I'm not going
to sit here and harp on it. I'm just trying to brainstorm ideas. >> I think we discussed that last week at our meeting, didn't we? >> I mean, I think it's I think it's worth having a conversation. I don't think there's anybody that's not willing to have that conversation and say, "Yes, here's the dollar amount that I feel like is is
appropriate for me to pay." I think you're going to get a wide range of answers. I I know just in the conversations I've had, I've had some people say, "I don't care what it costs. I'll pay whatever it costs." And I've already had some conversations with some business owners that are like, "Well,
that's a lot of money." So, I'm I'm going to have some of those conversations. I hope to have you some more information, but it's going to take me a little bit of time just to because I'm going to reach out personally to them and and discuss it with them. >> Okay? And remember, we'll probably h
we'll have to decide amongst ourselves whether we're going to implement it or not implement it. And you're not not everybody's going to be happy with the decision that's going to be made. But it is a but it is a revenue source. >> But I also believe that the math you're not I mean I think you're trying to do
the math backwards. I think you're trying to come up with a reasonable amount where I think there's more to the calculation that goes beyond us being able to do reverse math in this instance. I don't I think it's a little more complex >> because I think >> for the calculation >> I think reality numbers would be such a
sticker shock. >> It might it might be but you know we're not going to know what it is up here. Uh >> well I think I mean I think we got pretty close the other night and we went over it. Again you're going to have to hire a consultant to do this. To even get to that point you have to hire a consultant to do a study because the
study is what's going to dictate the rate. >> Yeah. You're going to have to say in there what you're comfortable with, not comfortable with what you can handle can't handle. But ultimately you're gonna have to we're g have to provide to that consultant expected in cost for services, operations, capital. That's how they're going to come up with the rate uh to collect on. It's not just an
arbitrary number we can just set, >> right? >> You have a study backing it. >> So um while we're brainstorming ideas, you came up with an idea one time about um the city's road department. Was
>> I I didn't come up with an idea. I was just sharing how did >> the county >> fire no how did the firehouse become the target of our reduction? I was wondering how did they get to the top of the list versus maybe like subbing out some of
our public works division to the county because they do that every day too. >> Okay. >> And you know public safety >> right >> is it appears to be a priority to the citizens. So, you know, I was just trying to figure out who is in that
range of same type of budget numbers. So, I I wasn't doing that. I was just sharing that. I didn't understand and I had to ask Kobe, how did the fire house get to the top of the chopping block versus somebody else first or second?
So, is the is the city road department uh the only municipal road [clears throat] department in Walton County? Uh Freeport doesn't have one. The county takes care of that. Paxton doesn't have one. The county >> I've not analyzed it like that. So, I
can't I don't know that to be a >> whether that to be true or false. >> I think he's right from what I've heard. Correct. >> See, I don't even know because I've not looked at their financials to know. >> So, would it behoove the city to fall in line with letting the county
do what Paxton and Freeport's doing, and that's to take care of their roads. >> I was I was told by sitting county commissioner that we would not get the Freeport deal, >> but but could we ask? I mean, it's supposedly we would not get free deal
because it is one sweetheart of a deal and and they would never give that up for anybody else. It's my understanding that the city of Freeport turns over every dollar of local option gas tax and then the county county paves up to two miles of road a year.
>> That's my understanding of of that agreement. That's as far as I know. I don't know any more than that. >> And how much is our share of local option gas tax? >> $380,000. So, real quick, just on streets and storm water over here. If you look here on this thing, if you'll look down there, you'll see where it says streets and storm water. You're going to see
personnel cost. You're gonna see operating expenses. You're going to see grants. It runs linear. >> I need some binoculars. >> I'm sorry. I [laughter] forget I'm looking at one right. >> So here, right personnel
>> 387 operating 375 grants $1.8 million. >> Um so a budget of 2.6 million of which 1.8 8 million is grant related, either grant dollars or the match that we put up from a um onetime local option gas
tax revenue. So, I'm just saying if you go through this will break down every department between personnel, operating, grants, debt, um transfers, capital outlay, and then it's got reserves, and it's got your budget. So, you can go through and look at every department and
what it costs the city, and then you can back out things that, you know, have offsets. >> Yeah. How many miles of road did we pave last year? >> Zero. >> I was just going to say >> we might have capped a couple hundred feet, but
>> we don't that's again that's part of the part of the thing, right? Um in terms of a capital improvement fund at the city, we don't have one. Um the only time you budget to do any of this if we get a grant money like Twin Lakes Drive. Um the only money you have set aside right now for roads and sidewalks is about
$530 $580,000 in the account of local option gas tax money from years ago that's just sitting there that we use some of that this year from some equipment for the pavement evaluation. Um but every dollar we collect in local option gas tax goes into salaries at the moment because we don't set that aside.
>> Amy, >> uh can I just point out uh Mr. Harrison, I just wanted to respond to something you had mentioned. I watched a portion of Tuesday's board meeting from the county and Mr. Glidewell specifically
is is brought up the fact of how are they going to adjust for a potential decrease in the the homesteaded properties and theirs represented I don't know what the value is but uh it was 17%. So countywide
I'm sorry what >> 33 million >> so there you go. So, and what do they got? A $400 million a year >> 320 320 325. >> So, >> and that's they were 17%. But >> yeah, >> can I just ask one more thing? How much
interest have we earned now that we've authorized you to deposit that because that's another source we've never had before. >> Uh, I can get the number from Danielle. We budgeted to to collect an interest in the general fund which >> was it double digits? >> Um,
what do you mean double digits? like 20,000. >> Oh, no, no, it was more than that. Um Okay. That's what we used to pay the um library repairs with was pretty much the interest. >> I can't remember. I just remember he said this was in bearing account and let's move all of this money over. >> So the money we the interest we
collected in fiscal year 25 because we budgeted basically no interest to be earned. >> The money we did earn as an that revenue that's what we used to pay for the library. So if you remember we used a CD from utility. We paid the CD back. This year we budgeted in expectation of
interest earned on accounts in the general fund right here. So under total interest income $150,000 on general fund accounts. >> So that's money that you know that every little piece like this that we do helps.
>> That's already so that's factored in. >> No, I I get it. And and it'll be interesting to see what we're really earning. So what what month are we in now? Six. How much have >> Well, the new fiscal year we're in four. We're in January. The new fiscal year. >> December four. Thanks. >> Yeah. March is March is the halfway
point. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I know. It's like time just escapes me anymore. It's like time is just going by so quickly. >> Be interesting to know how much we burn. >> So, a couple things [clears throat] we talking about, you know, potentially shedding $5 fire assessment rate or
whatever. I think, you know, all that's really premature until we find out and ask that question that's never been asked of the county. What can y'all do to return some money for city taxpayers uh for fire fire protection? Um, and if
they're willing to do that and and you know, we don't know that until we ask, but but not until we know that, we don't we don't know how much help we would get from them, if any. And that would help determine whatever that fire assessment rate is if we moved forward with that.
And I will say one thing about, you know, the square footage impact on business, you know, but with growth, population growth, more people moving here, more businesses coming here, the more people are here, the more they're spending in our local businesses. So, I
anticipate the I mean, just from what I do with with our business and kettle corn sales, the larger the the population at a concert or at whatever event we're doing, the more money is flowing around
and the more my revenue is going to be and I know that. So, with with our as our city grows and the population grows, business revenue is going to grow as well to hopefully help offset this. Again, cities all across this state are doing it. All across the country are
doing it. Uh we're no exception. We can make it work so that it doesn't put people out of business uh or make residents lose their home. That is not what I have in mind at all with this. I'm looking for the best way possible if we get help from the county that helps lower that assessment if we have to do
that assessment. Um so I'm just, you know, we got we got to look at everything, you know, and I I anticipate the business revenue will go up and offset that. If I were if I owned a bit a brick and mortar downtown, I' I'd have the same concern, but I'd also look back and see how much my revenue has grown uh
and how much I might anticipate to grow to offset any potential fire protection costs. Oh, >> Mr. Mayor. >> Go ahead, >> Kobe. We ran the figures on what the county's fire assessment fee is, their current assessment in the
nonincorporated areas based on 12 cent per square foot for commercial and $75 per residential household. Didn't it come up to $470,000 roughly? >> No, it was just shy of 500 even. Just like 498, I think. So, it's right around
500,000 give or take. >> Okay. Yeah, you know, it looks like me on the uh what Todd was talking about a while ago on based on square footage of his commercial building, you know, you know, some commercial buildings may be more like a warehouse.
Some of them may have 10 thriving businesses in the same size building. Wonder how they break that out. >> I have five businesses in my building >> be one roof one. >> And I was just hit I think I was hit for less than $3,000 a year.
>> I don't know. I I've looked at some of my neighbors on the next block and for some reason I'm I'm one of the highest. [laughter] >> I mean, it seems like there ought to be more consideration than just square footage. >> I don't know. And when I've when I've had conversations with them that the
rebuttal that I get is, well, recent property sales justify what we're the rate we're charging you, so good luck. >> Well, and there can be, right? So, there could be there could be multiple for there's a whole litany of formulas to be had. again that consultant go through and the formulas because the formula can
be different for everyone. Yeah, >> we need something >> in terms of citywise and people are but you you'll click you'll select one formula for the city >> and that's the thing about I'm sorry that's the thing about our our growth is is um
property values are have been going through the roof right in in Walton County and that's driving up uh our our property taxes you know so business owners property taxes has gotten high, but we still have to
provide protection somehow. Uh, fire, fire and and police. So, I mean, go ahead. Yeah. >> I But I I go back to what I was saying earlier. We we have a real number to point at when it comes to growth, right?
2019 to now, it's a 100% increase in the the the taxable value >> that we get to collect on 100% growth. And we can point at that number. That number is real. It's in our budget. We can point at it. It's it's $1.1 million.
And that that doesn't offset I C Council Sker said it earlier. That doesn't seem to offset all of our expenses. >> It doesn't seem to keep up the growth that we're seeing. doesn't seem to offset the the cost that we see as a
city in terms of growth of of materials of you know everything else. >> Yeah. But I'm I'm referring to businesses though as far as you know your annual taxes for your property downtown is going up homeowners you know taxes
have been going up o over the years because of increased you know real estate values property values. >> Correct. Yes. So those costs have been going up and then it makes us have to hesitate. Well, we don't want to we don't want to create any more burden, but we have this fire dilemma, you know,
we have this police dilemma. How how are we going to continue to do this? Well, it's not our fault that this is one of the fastest growing counties in in the country, right? And real estate price. So the the cost of everything is is is r is rising and and we can't sustain I
mean the city that's what I said in that last meeting. the city has sustained with general fund uh funding of the fire department all these years and and it has outran us and and we just we we have to you know if we keep it we have to we have to figure out ways to do it without
hurting people any more than necessary. >> Yes. >> Um Kobe, will you find out next time are you going to be talking to the property appraiser anytime soon or? >> Uh I mean I can we will >> I'm curious what with what Mr. Beerbomb was saying that there's a value
adjustment board where a person who wants to contest his value of his assessed taxable value can go before the value adjustment board and and plead their case. And but I'm curious
with the fire assessments if if one is set are is that part of that process too or because I don't think it is. I think that >> so there's so I I that brings up a very good point because one of the things I want to point out at the theater okay nonprofit
organization doesn't pay property taxes if we adopt an assessment the theat's property the assessment bill will be $2500. Okay based on the square footage of the theater and then the the building next
to it. That's more than what the theater paid in insurance for that building last year. And we actually decided to drop insurance because that it was just getting too expensive. So the theater right now as a nonprofit doesn't pay insurance on that building. If it burns down tomorrow,
it it's just going to be gone and we won't have any way to replace it because it the co cost just kept getting astronomical. And so as a board, we voted to not renew the insurance on it anymore. and we're now placing an assessment on a nonprofit like that that could be extremely burdensome. I mean,
if we're having to pitch insurance because we can't afford it and then as a government entity, we're going to come in and place a $2,500 assessment on on a building like that because that that's a valid point. >> Your your churches, your nonprofits, all
those people will have to pay it. It it will be the equivalent of the schoolboard assessments. They don't get they don't get any breaks on them. And then uh if if I can real quick go back to Councilman Harrison, your your comment. I I'm I'm I'm in a holy agreement with
you. This property tax discussion is more about how property values have risen and less about how we as a local entity or at a county level have been um reckless with our taxing and with our
spending. Right. And and I I personally disagree with the way it's being framed at a state level when it comes to these property this property tax conversation because it it at least in from what I can see here locally, we're not being
reckless with our spending. It's just like you said, it's it's because assessments have just steadily gone up and up and up and up and up. And I can tell you that I had a conversation with the property the current property appraiser and he told me that basically
prior to him they weren't being done correctly. It was his opinion that the the one prior wasn't doing it correctly. It held the values low. So that's why we saw in that one year we saw a dramatic bump because he came in and said, "I've
got to I've got to make all this right." So I I I wholeheartedly agree with you and I think that's a conversation we need to have with with the wider public is this state level conversation about property tax is not being framed fairly and correctly. >> It's making it's making it tough on
everyone. I I will say I had a conversation with Representative Abbott today about insurance and there's you know I think you all saw the email seep from Liberty Partners maybe 17 new providers coming into the state of Florida homeowners insurance business
insurance or whatever and uh they feel certain they're going to it's going to allow the market to work itself out um and they're not going to make a whole lot of uh changes in insurance regulations doesn't sound like but u They're expecting that there's going to
be some reductions in in in homeowners and and business insurance as a as a result of that. Um I will also say I I was in Tallahassee this morning. I don't know if you all have have heard um the um Representative Abbott presented uh
House Bill 4057 uh to the Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee involving the Harbor Field property and it made it through uh the first committee uh this morning and um I I was there for that. He got up and presented
it. it was unanimous vote. Um, and he feels certain that it's just going to float right on through. Um, and so it looks very hopeful that we will acquire that property from the state. Uh, which as he said in his presentation of it,
that it will open the city up for grant money to help fund fire uh, construction or redo our buildings, community center, whatever we need to do. um extremely valuable property. But um I just want to pass that along to you, >> Amy. >> Um I just wanted to share too, you know,
one thing that we got to keep in mind when we're doing this process, not whatever we decide upon at the end of the day, but the process itself, remember, it's cyclical. So as properties go up, at some point they're going to drop as well. You know, that
happened in 2008. So we got to keep that in mind long term when we're with whatever we're doing. We've got to come up with a plan. What do we do when the property values >> steady out? What do we do when they start to fall? What do we do when they drop significantly?
>> Because I don't see cost dropping with it. >> Exactly. So again, it's just it's a it's a bigger [clears throat and cough] picture that we got to figure out. >> And real quick, mayor, to kind of expand on what council mom said to your question, the the waiver, there's not really a waiver for anyone. I mean you
could go to create exceptions but when you start creating exceptions for one next year there'll be another next year be another. Now there is from what I can see there's hardship waiverss for people not for businesses not for nonprofits but for people who meet the you know income level of hardship the same one
they use for HUD and section 8 things of that nature. So um that's something to consider too in this is for us to and again the consultant will work on that with us to understand how many people can we expect to come ask for that waiver because when you w start waving fees one that's dollars two the staff time how many people are coming what's
the process look like and and getting that paperwork done and completed because that runs to the clerk's office and we got one clerk so um that that is something that does occur I've seen most of them is a hardship waiver process >> and you know what that's going to be a hardship because we're in a hardship
we're trying to fix a problem. And I don't think right off the bat we want to just start giving exemptions or waiverss or hardships. I think we need to have it in place for a period of time before we do that. But uh to Mr. Beerbomb's comment. Could you please call the
property appraiser cuz I would be now interested in knowing how many churches and how many nonprofits actually own businesses within this own property, commercial property within the city because I would like to know how many we're going to be faced with because those would be the people that would
come first knocking on the door to say, >> well, I need a waiver or I need a heart I need a hardship because a waiver is not available because I'm a commercial or I'm a but we're all going to be in the same boat. So, I just don't think we ought to just start handing those out right away.
I think we all just have to bear the burden of what it's going to cost. >> That's right. >> Well, yeah. >> I think there's Kobe. I think there's one penny left and forgive me because I keep forgetting every time. It's almost like you can't collect that penny. But
what was the one penny that's left out there that we're not leveraging >> for the sales tax? There was uh there's two options from what Clay's explained to me. I don't know. The second >> one dealt with fire. One of them is for public safety. So you can So you got one penny left the county does to implement
and you can do it for one of two things. One of the things I don't remember what he said. I don't think I don't think it applied to us. Um but the other one's public safety. But again, you would have to go through the referendum process through the board of county commissioners. That would be something. >> It would be the same exact process as
they did as we tried to do back in 2022. I believe >> the infrastructure tax. >> Infrastructure tax. Same process, same referendum, all that. It would just be for public safety instead of infrastructure. But that's something the board of county commissioners has to vote on and initiate and put on the ballot >> for countywide. It would be for the
city. >> Correct. It would be a countywide one cents for public safety. >> But with faced with a 33 possible $33 million offset, that may be something that they would be willing to leverage at that point too that we could benefit from if implemented countywide. You know
what I'm saying? So, sheriff's current budgets take they got to cut $33 million one way or at other. So, do we take some of these revenues offset them with another penny to offset that cost? But for us, that would be a penny gain compared to what we have today because
we're not leveraging it at all. And if the citizens are willing to fund fund this program, then that's maybe what we need. >> So, a sales tax is certainly better than than a property tax because then everybody pays including including visitors, >> tourists. >> Tourists. That's right.
>> So, back back when that penny was on on the referendum and and failed, >> what what would the revenue from that projected revenue have been to the city? >> $1 million is what what we were >> million. So, >> annually
>> based on what our figures are. >> Well, if it's one cent, if it's the same as what we currently collect for sanitation, we collect about 3 million and 1 cent sales tax. >> Yeah. But the way that that particular one was structured, okay, >> I was told that it was going to end up being right at a million dollars.
>> Okay. >> When for for that one in particular, >> yeah, there may be some different language. Yeah. >> And so it could it could be used for fire. >> Chief, we need some >> it could be used for fire. >> Again, we haven't really delved into it, but the city attorney says it's for public safety. So I'm assuming that that
could be split revenue between police and fire. Well, to me, I mean, that's much more preferable to me than a fire assessment or or if we did still in in addition had to do a fire assessment, it could be minimal. It could be a lot lower. And with the sales tax, we've got
millions of people coming through every year that help with that. And uh with that penny, that would be that would be wonderful. When and how do we have to start that process if we want to investigate? >> The way we did it last time is we had a joint meeting with with the county board of county commissioners and all the municipalities at the community center.
>> That was an unprecedented >> something that we want to pursue in the near future or what I mean >> we can ask them. That's what >> the way it got defeated last time. >> Ask if we don't ask it. >> I mean >> remind me what happened last time. That was where they wanted to pay for
infrastructure with a penny and they said, "Well, you already got funds budgeted." >> They said it was going to be a county flush fund and and it got >> defeated tax concept. >> Okay. >> Bay County and Okaloosa County. Bay County, Oklahoma County is the same thing. So, you go see they have they
have they got it passed. They've done it for a number of years and they have programs for it. Um, that's what it would have been here. >> Yeah. And I I can say because having just come from the TPO meeting, I I see it all the time at the TPO meeting where where Okaloosa County is like, "Yeah, we got $300,000 we can put towards that
project." Boop. To the top of the list it goes every single time because they've got that 1 cent sales tax where they can and it's not just the county that does it. All those municipalities over there do it. I was thinking about this because we we drove through Fort Walton this weekend on the way to Sam's.
They're spending almost half a billion dollars on rightaway acquisition for around the mound down there on 98. [clears throat] >> Half a billion dollars. >> I think we'd be successful in getting it if if we could agree up here on, hey,
this is what it's going to be. >> We all we all agreed to it last time and and it it was roundly defeated. >> I don't I don't I don't know if I just wasn't into the mix of what was going on. I remember the slogan. That's what I do remember. But um >> it was misinformation again. It's just
like every time somebody thinks somebody thinks this is used for nefarious reasons, so don't do it. And then it all gets thrown down. But it would have been good for this county. >> Yeah. It had to be 22 because I was the clerk. So it had to be the general fund the general election in 2022.
>> Well, you didn't take you didn't come off till April 23. >> Well, I didn't come here till 20. That's what I mean. I mean, I was in the county and I do remember the slogan, but I don't recall the everybody fighting about it. >> I believe it was November 22, >> but I think our time. >> I had a question on one thing, but I just noticed on the test [laughter]
Tesla pumps. >> Say it again. >> On the Tesla pumps, do we have a contract for >> We do. We have a rental. >> When does that >> lease agreement? We renew They renewed that last year. >> So, we're getting $550 for the square footage they take up. >> I'm trying to You said Tesla, correct?
>> Tesla pumps. Yeah, because it >> it's $7,200. How much? >> 7,200. >> Well, that's what we budgeted. >> That's what we that's what our >> If you divide that by 12 months, that's 550 a month, maybe 600 at that point. >> Mhm.
>> That's to me, they they take up a lot of real estate, which they bring they bring, you can tell the Tesla people from the the normal people, like you can tell who they are walking downtown, and they they do visit the shops, and I will give you that. It it has worked out for that. But I think we could
>> let's not bite the hand that feeds them. >> I'm saying but picking up good we're feeding them too. So um if you looked at kilowatts per >> we don't pay for the energy >> one cent a gallon tax that we're collecting maybe we should figure out a
little bit better there. But I digress. So um [gasps] one thing that's been kind of hard for me to wrap my head and and maybe y'all can help me out with this. So you have enterprise funds, sewer and water, and they they generate and make money.
Their cost is paid out of what what they generate, right? Like so all their employees are paid out of that. All right. Um so once again, I think we're all a team. We're all here to help each department
out. But even with that, I think that they could absorb some of our cost. um for our dispatch. >> Easy tiger. >> I'm just I'm just if if we're looking at 2.8 million. >> So we make a billing. We make it's not
known billing. It's just the admin fee. The admin fee that we send. So the admin fee is in excess of the transfer. >> Um and that is for this fiscal year >> it was $653,000. Okay. >> So that's an admin fee. That's on top of
the $2.7 million transfer. They're separate. Okay. So, so walk me through this. >> $3.4 million that we take out of utilities. >> Well, I understand, but but we provide them a service, too. So, I'm just I'm not again I'm not pointing a finger at anything. I'm just trying to understand
it myself. So, say they have a 40hour work week, right? 168 hours in a work in a week. That's 128 hours that they're not at work. So that's 120 hours that we answer their phones when they're not at
work. So if you took that, that's uh if you took 128 time 15, that's $1,920 a a week be $99,840 over a year that that we provide answering service and and
dispatch for them when we get a call for a gas leak or whatever. I don't know if that's something that could be absorbed in some of that that helps that. I don't know. I like I said, I'm I'm a little uneducated on that. I was looking for some guidance and thought on that. >> I mean, technically, it already is. I
mean, you could you could go and say that it's that's already occurring >> because you're sending, like you just said, $3.4 million from water, sewer, and gas over to the general fund. So, it's already being I mean, we can slice pie however we like, but it's already happening. Well, and I guess that's kind
of my my thought is, you know, it's well PD's budget's gone up to this. Well, if you knocked out 99,000 for this and 10,000 for fuel, I just reduced my budget by $100,000 plus. But I, you know, I know it's it's apples and apples, but is that something that would
help out with with some of that? I don't I mean, no, we just I mean, we would just further the problem we already have because you would go from having a $2.7 million transfer or you'd go from having a $653,000 admin fee to a $753,000 admin fee. So, you would go from 3.4 million
to 3.5 million. >> Okay. Like I said, I'm I'm a little ignorant of that. That's why I was I was asking. So, >> so in layman's term, I think what you're saying is basically at one point in time, we have to support what we give to the auditors. He has to show a
calculation. So he does take into consideration >> what finance does. >> Yeah. >> For these other self- sustaining entities. And then >> out of that he's got some formula that >> we agreed upon and the auditors agreed
upon that generate $600 and some thousand dollar to offset what you do on the times that >> Well, I said I I don't know if that's being captured or not. It is being captured from what I'm hearing him say in the tune of 600,000 plus. >> Yeah, like I said and I'm I'm
>> plus they pay for their own people. >> Yeah. >> Under their own revenue sources. So, >> I said I didn't know if it would make a difference or not, but >> Yeah. Yeah, >> but that is something Kobe does make a good point as to if our costs continue to increase, we might have to look at
that to make sure the formula doesn't need adjusted again upwards to accommodate for other things that may have occurred this year last, you know, you added two more people or or or we got more grants and we have to look at that to increase that admin fee. So
there may be ways to maybe just >> can you just have staff maybe look at that? Yeah, I mean Danielle has the the formula breakdown everybody charged to it. So we go through this year we have to do it again and go through and see exactly. >> I mean >> majority of of this position's total
cost employee is paid out of those funds the way she does percentages. So there's a lot of there's a lot of people's positions getting pretty much funded through utilities >> and I understand that. I just I think there might be you make a good point because there might be to adjust the dispatch position then yeah
>> you know I don't know. So if we were So if we were to say reduce $100,000 but add the increase the billing billing admin fee $100,000 we would cut out. We wouldn't leave it. Couldn't leave it. >> Couldn't leave it. Cut it out. >> Yeah. Like I said, I don't know how >> it shifts it to from general fund though
to >> the other entity that can afford it. >> So thank you. >> Okay. All right. I want to ask you this Kobe. We uh and then Kobe in the near future we're going to have a workshop on
fire and CRA. So we haven't so I mean I know council scar brought that up. We haven't set one for either one yet. I know Rob and I talked they sent tech email back yesterday. We're going to get with him try to find a time in February for that one. Um we already have February 4th as a dayong workshop for
strategic planning. Um we've got you know we've got our meetings that are already set for general business. Um, so we could set one for the before the first meeting of the month and we can set one before the second meeting of the month. >> Okay. All right. Because I was going to I don't have it on here. I was going to give the public an opportunity, but we
don't want to go down those two roads tonight. We don't want to go down CRA. We don't want to go down fire department because we're not prepared. [clears throat] So with that, I'm going to open the floor for public comment. Uh, real quick before we adjourn this meeting, Melinda Henderson, resident of the city.
Your conversations have been interesting and enlightening. The only thing I have to add was please try to look for more grants. Frequently you look at a grant and you say this won't work because of this, that, and the other. But sometimes
there's a way that you can twist what you want to match the grant criteria. You might have to do a little bit extra, but you know, it's worth it to get what you need. Um, the other thing is
efficiency. I think each department and each employee should be challenged to look at efficiency. If one employee has to get up and go to a copy machine with every transaction they do,
that's a lot of money because they're going to get dissatisfied. You're going to have turnover and there's nothing more expensive than turnover. [snorts] Um, so that could be put in their hands. The big machines could be put somewhere
that need big machines and people that only need small machines could be using those and it might be a cost efficiency. If there's anything that you've thought of that needs more automation in terms of computer uh or anything, now's the
time to do it. Even if it costs a little money, it'll save it for next year. >> So, >> thank you. So, to that point, mayor, real quick, Dr. Anderson. Um, so one of the things we did today that we've been Jesse and I have been working over the last few weeks is a workflow project management software. So we we did that today. That's something we'll be
implementing over the next few weeks. Hopefully cut down on a lot of this having to follow up back and forth, a lot of emails going back. So we're trying to cut some of that out. Um, put everybody in one central location and hub to share information. So that's something we hope will will help with that extremely. The other point to that
grants, I wholeheartedly agree. The problem we're running into, we're going to continue to run into is we currently have 23 grants. That's a lot of reporting. That's a lot of compliance. That's a lot of project management that's spread out amongst their various departments. So, we have one grants
coordinator and then each director is having to manage a project. So, there's a lot going on on the grant side. So, I mean, we this morning we had a debate whether we're going to apply for one through the Florida Wildlife Commission or not if we have the bandwidth to manage it. We're getting to that point. We have so many going on. There's a lot
of deadlines. associated with that. So, wholeheartedly agree with Grant. Free money is free money where we get to the point where we have we're going to be topping out on our ability to manage them properly. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Donna Arnold, I checked while y'all were busy talking and the fire assessment for
um Argyle is $100 a year. Fire assessment for Liberty is $75 a year. And as far as I can tell, the only people not paying a fire assessment when you pull up their tax bills are the citizens of Defunia because we are a
municipality. The city, I mean, the county board of county commissioners explained it to me like this. The fundamental reason for a city being incorporated and being a city is that they provide enhanced services. They
give the um people services on a higher level than what the county does. So, we need to keep that into mind when we're making these decisions. But I think that our citizens here inside the city and I'm not a I don't live here, but I own
properties here. So, we don't pay that fire assessment, but pretty much everybody else does in Walton County. You either pay it to Walton County, which they're looking to raise theirs. You either pay it to Argal or to Liberty. >> As far as you know, it's all churches and nonprofits as well. I I didn't look
at a church, so I would have to see. I don't know about nonprofit because in a lot of ways they're sometimes considered a business. Oh, yeah. And they have to pay their cost, their cost of doing business. >> They just can't make a profit. And like with the taxes, >> you know, I hate it, but they'll have to
pay their stuff just like we all do. >> They can't be exempt from that. It'll just eat into their cost of doing business. >> Thank you. >> Anyone else before we adjourn? All right. Well, we will uh close the floor and we will call this meeting
ajourned. >> Thank you.