Yes, my apologies. Thank you so much. We are good to go. We are good to go and we are back live. Okay, wonderful. Stephan, again, thank you for your patience. We appreciate it so much. All right, everyone, we are going to move forward. Stephan, you have the floor. Thank you, chairwoman. Um, so we'll start at the beginning again. So, uh, good morning, commissioners. Um, I will begin with a short presentation on the information I have provided to each of your respective offices, uh, regarding the current fiscal year 2025 2026 budget. List of items provided fund governance analysis uh which includes the county fund legal expenditure
authority governance description and the adopted budget amount by fund. Um I have given a separate breakdown of the fund 101 restricted fund um due to those very individual activities uh revenues and cost centers that are that are there. a governance key which indicates the category for an expenditure and the definition of each governance category. I have provided pie charts, fund summaries for the general fund, misdemeanor probation fund and transportation trust funds by expenditure category amount, percentage and pie chart graphic to demonstrate what percentage
of the budget is spent by the governing category. Also provided is a personnel staffing summary that goes all the way back to county fiscal year 2007208 to the current fiscal year approved staffing levels reflecting a net negative 26 positions in the BOC administrative operating staff since the BOC staffing reductions that occurred back in fiscal year 0708 089 and 0910
combined public safety investment since that time is an increase of 259 new positions. This includes EMS, EM, 911, fire, and corrections. The BOCC administrative operating positions have not exceeded the historical staffing that the board approved back in fiscal year 0708. This analysis is intended to answer many of the board's questions on why we spend county tax dollars the way that we do and the governance that directs the county to do so for those related
county functions and activities. The purpose of this exercise is to provide a deeper dive into the services, functions, and activities the county provides to the public in the three listed funds. Many are set in statute. Some are state mandates, county ordinances, or local or local law. Um, it could be the terms of a grant, a legal action, a debt service. It could be an audit finding as some examples. Lastly, operational expenditures. These are typically going to be small expenditures
that include paper, pens, ink, communications, and training as additional examples. You will note uh when when reviewing the provided pie charts um for the general fund uh roughly 86% of the county general fund budget is fixed. That includes statutory items, mandates, requirements, and ordinances. While there are some directives within that category making up roughly 11% or 28 million of the general fund budget could possibly be adjusted. However, some of those directives may
be related or attached to approved county policy process or best best business practice. Um, also [clears throat] included in that it could be a a contractual obligation as well. Um, the county is required to fund constitutional officers. However, that level of funding can be determined annually. The county is required to fund components of the state court system with little to no room to reduce those allocations. The county jail is required to be funded to satisfy all federal
and state codes and any statutory standards for running a jail. The county is required to fund all state code mandates uh function or activities that are identified in Florida state statute. Direction has been provided to general fund and general fund subsidized county departments to do their best to reduce their budget requests for fiscal year 20 2026 2027. Um I would entertain
any questions from the board at this time. Um or I can finish uh I do have some other things that I do want to discuss with the board but if we want to focus on just that area for now. board. Are there any questions? Perfect. Thank you, Stephan. Keep going. Okay. So, other discussion topics uh for today. So, as the board is aware, the state of Florida legislative property tax reductions um and voter referendum is something that is in process. Um, it is anticipated that there will be a special session related to the homestead property tax reduction proposal. House Bill 203,
as approved, would impact the county general fund at an estimated $79 million and the county library system would have an impact estimated at $4 million. The fiscal year 2627 adopted general fund budget is 348.5 million and the library fund is 12.3 million. Staff is not recommending any reduction reductions in property tax revenue at this time. Staff is requesting that the board not make a decision on funding received from property taxes
until the state 2026 special legislative session has ended and the financial impact to the county can be quantified. This information will be presented to the board at the July budget workshop to be held on July 23rd. staff is requesting a final decision from the board on property taxes um and property tax revenue at that time in accordance with uh chapter 200.0605 Florida statutes. And additionally, uh, staff is requesting, um, if the board would entertain a
to include a 2% pay increase for all employees to be included in the 2627 budget. The total cost of a 2% employee increase for the BCC is roughly 2.5 million. Total estimated cost to the county general fund is about 1.4 million. This amount includes uh a 2% that would be included in the misdemeanor probation fund and the transportation trust fund. Those amounts would be roughly 21,000 for the misdemeanor probation fund and 185,000 for the transportation trust fund.
Commissioners, uh this concludes my presentation um on the information that I have provided as well as um direction that staff has requested in the preparation of the fiscal year 2026 2027 budget. Board questions. Madam Chair, I'd like to start with a a comment. I think one of the most uh uh one of the most poignant pieces of information is going to be the uh the position summary and and the outlining of uh you know 15 I guess that's not true 17 18year
uh trend and the movement in the positions that the county has had. I think it's very notable um you know when you look at some of the departments I think specifically um building inspections you know there's quite a bit of reduction in personnel there I think that's a testament to uh uh good work Tim Tolbert's been here for the majority of that time I believe Jennifer Hampton has been here for the ent entire time of that stretch um you know she may be doing multiple positions jobs over there but uh you know the reduction in people there.
The flat number of people that we've had uh you know that we have in public works I think that's uh that's incredible. It's I mean it's actually a you know about a 10% reduction in public works over 17 18 years and um there's been nothing required of public works except for more work from our board. Um you know we've taken over that period of time you know hundreds of miles of roads, hundreds of ponds. Um, you know, we've asked more and more there's been, um, you know, requests and and crews for, uh, you know, for for things as, uh, like litter,
you know, things that the board didn't consider 15, 16, 17 years ago. Um so when you look at the position summary over that 17 18year period and you see that outside of the increases on two lines which are fire services and public safety there's a actually a you know a 27 person uh reduction in county staff over that period of time. I think that's an incredible uh testament to uh to prudent management as you know from the [snorts] administration level but also down
to uh to the directors each of the directors of these divisions and the division managers um you know what you see in government so often as revenue increases um you just see government grow um you know I think the services that the county has provided over this you know 15 years has uh the services have grown tremendously but the personnel the personnel have not. Um, and I think that's often one of the biggest indicators of a uh of a bloated operation is just adding as many people as you can afford to pay. And that's clearly not what uh the county's done. And and
I think you know Stephan and uh Amy Lavoy had a lot to do with that for a number of years. Um but a lot of that's come from these division managers over these departments. And when you see a 27 person reduction in an organization this size with a budget that the general fund has grown because of increased uh you know increased properties that have gotten put on the roles as well as increased values over those years. I think that's a that's a testament to the leadership not necessarily just of this board but of the uh you know of the county itself to not have that personnel creep that so frequently happens.
I would absolutely agree with that. Thank you, Commissioner Barry. Commissioner Coler. Yeah, thanks Madam Chair. Um, Stefan, I just have a couple questions because the numbers that you put out, which I agree with, are daunting. 79 million last year when we talked about a millage roll back was about 6 to 10. This would be like 12 to 14 roll backs in one year. What plan are you putting together if the legislature does this whammy on us? So, Commissioner, um I I and the county administrator have had numerous
meetings um to discuss what what we would have to do um should something like that happen. Um I can assure the board it will not be easy. It will not be pleasant. Um um and also as I've uh met with uh District 4 and we've gone over this. So, you know, while while we would be reducing homestead property or removing homestead property, the county would unfortunately have to go up on millage rates for those that are still paying property taxes to at least cover some of that loss. It that certainly we would not be uh
raising uh millage rates to cover the entire loss. I don't think that is even an appropriate thing to do, but that would have to be part of that conversation is increasing the millillage to cover at least some portion of that along with drastic draconian cuts and service cuts in services. Yes, sir. How about personnel cuts? How much? So, because that's usually where the greatest, you know, cost is in an organization is personnel. Yes, sir. So, um that is also something the county administrator and myself have had conversations about that. The first thing that we would do
is we would look um in general fund or general fund subsidized departments for any vacancies. Those would be the first ones that that would go away. Our ultimate goal would be to uh do our very best to make sure that all of our employees stay our employees um and adjust other things however we can to make to make it work. But um well the other thing when this came up before and I want it on the record, the cuts won't just be for the county, they'll be for all the constitutionals, too. There's no way that I'm going to cut the county staff and not cut the constitutionals
if we get in that situation. Hey, and you'll have the floor right back. Mike, if just a total reduction or a total elimination of vacancies, that's only going to bridge a gap a couple million dollars total. Is that give or take? Commissioner, yes, it's it's not going to be a lot, but yes, there will be some. But I mean, it's roughly roughly I would estimate somewhere in that range. Correct. In that $2 million range. Okay. I'm sorry, Mike. and you put a letter out and I think all the constitutionals respond except for the clerk. Have they responded to what if this happens what their plan is to do in their departments?
So to to be clear um I have communicated with uh comm that that direction with our our clerk's office, our property appraiser and our supervisor of elections. Um tax collector is has a formulaic budget that is set in statute. It is based on the amount of property taxes collected. So we can't really affect that budget. We do have a multi-year funding agreement with the sheriff. Uh year two will be next year. Um so ultimately that would be for this board to decide. Um I have not directly heard back from the supervisor, the property appraiser or the
clerk. Um related to just basically looking at their budget for reductions for next year. I I think it's prudent that all the constitutionals understand that if we have this kind of draconian cuts, they're going to have to put some flesh in the game. It's just a fact. Mike, specifically I have I have spoken to the property appraiser and there's I mean the issues in that office would be I mean the issues in that office would be greater than the issues in our in our in our in our organization just because of the specific impact that
the legislation would have on property appraisers throughout the state. So, I I don't think we're we're not going to Excuse [clears throat] me. I don't think we're going to get a plan back from the property appraiser of how to deal with anything right now. Just just because it's it, you know, the legislation the legislation would be specifically targeting them as much as anything. So, I don't think that it's really fair to, you know, to ask of Yeah. for them specifically.
and and not to speak to the other constitutionals and I think it would require uh you know uh if if something were to happen that was you know very dramatic. I think it would require um you know we we expect our our constitutionals to be partners and you know and partners and partnerships um you know they're built on you know they're built on trust and good faith and um you know uh uh you know we see historically our board has always seen a lot of funds uh come back from our constitutionals um you know frequently from uh you know from a number of our constitutionals
um but the partnership aspect I think would be uh would be triggered with something like that happening. And even though we do have a funding agreement in place with the sheriff, if something happened like that, I mean, you know, we can enter agreements in the best of faith, but when things like this would happen, no, no one would have anticipated that at the onset of a funding agreement. And I think it would take, you know, a conversation and a partnership even with, you know, even with him. I mean, I I think that would and and I don't think that's unreasonable. I mean, Chip has been on, [snorts] you know, he just spent a couple years on
this side of the equation as well. You know, it's not just been uh it's not just been city city law enforcement and county law enforcement. I mean, he's been on our side and um you know, you can't anticipate all the variables at the beginning of some of these. Well, and I agree with that, Commissioner Barry. And the only thing I I have talked to all the constitutionals about this except the clerk and the and the sheriff understands if we had these kind of cuts that you know obviously we went in a good faith agreement but we would have to reconsider some of that if it was at an $83 million cut that's that's insanity but um either way thank you Stfan.
Um Allison do you have an update from our lobbyists or our friends in Tallahassee on what might be coming down the pipeline? what the general feeling is, what they're looking for. Um, the only talk that I'm hearing is that there's some expectation that there is not going to be a meeting of the minds on exactly how to cope with a reduction in the property taxes. So, instead, the consideration is in the line of restricting potential uses that local governments uh can use the funds for. But the last I heard, no one has seen what that looks like. Do we have a
timeline when that might be released? The only Well, the only thing I've heard is that there might be a special session and it would probably be closer to August. They already have two special sessions coming up in April. Um, so it one for the state budget and one for redistricting. It would unless there was some last second effort to piggyback it on one of those, it would likely be closer to the the summer and even maybe close to the primary elections in August. That's the last that I've heard. Of course, he doesn't know until it's done. And so that would At what time
do do they have to have that into the state to go on to the ballot? Is that Septemberish? Yeah, I would and what I would think is that it it seems like anything that may or might happen that involves any voter involvement is likely not to actually affect you until potentially the subsequent fiscal year. That is kind of the way the timing would seem to me because you still have to have statutory things happen in order to implement whatever the voters say and that requires yet another session of the legislature and then of course they have to agree and then you
have to implement rules. So I think realistically they may come up with something but it also is likely to lag another fiscal year for you all. Okay. Wonderful. Thank you commissioner May. Yeah madam chair. I think you know it's probably going to behoove us to make sure that when uh session is resumed that we're you know joining fact and many of the commissioners from across the state and at least you know talking to our delegation and spending some time in Tallahassee because that
house bill has about eight different versions in which the Senate you know hadn't come up with one and whatever the resolution is is going to have to be passed by the governor but I and Commissioner Coley you'd be more familiar because you're more active in fact but I've certainly talked to Davin, you know, probably once a week and talked to commissioners from across the state uh because of um it's going to directly impact us, but it would uh kill smaller places like Calhoun and Washington and and Gaston uh and Jackson and all those counties. And so I know that there's a coalition
and there's a lot of talk about making sure that you know local elected um are there in in Tallahassee uh trying to plead our case. So I I think there's an uncertainty of what's going to happen. Aren't they saying that our hope is really in this on the in the Senate? I mean that's what the I mean that's where the lobbying efforts are being centered towards right in the Senate. Yeah. I mean, the House has pretty much been pretty aggressive and probably sent over, you know, the most aggressive bills. I mean, if they would pass any one of the
eight bills, uh, the versions that they have at the House, Steve, it would devastate us. I mean, and so what the hope is that it gets blocked in the Senate, but there's a lot of uncertainty in in in all budgets that are going across. So, I would just uh say nobody really knows, you know, what's going to happen. Nobody really knows when it's going to be no one really knows when it's going to be brought back and they certainly don't know when it's going to be voted but I would assume because it's an election year and election cycle uh we will get something before the primary. Noted. Thank you. Um I do have a few questions circling back to the budget just for clarification
and then making sure that we have a good grasp on what's going on. I know at our last budget um hearings we were talking about how the budget has grown because we're taking in so much grant money which is fantastic and I believe we're putting those grant dollars to wonderful use and we have got some really awesome people working on that. My question is when we bring in those grants and then we administer those grants are we recouping some of our labor and payroll cost associated with that through the grant program or does that depend on the grant? So, commissioner, so to answer the question is yes, typically we do. Um, it also uh we have administrative costs
that are included in the um in the grant write up um and in the governance of the grant. So, it basically provides for those allowances. So, all grants of the county, some will let you or allow you to take a cost allocation just for general overhead. Um and then some have administrative costs which also includes staffing. But again, ultimately it is the terms of the grant and and what the grant will allow. Okay. And then as we're talking about the grants and I know we use a lot of those to fund outside agencies to do functions that the county doesn't necessarily do.
When we're looking and I think that's wonderful, but when we're looking at the the tax dollars and the money that comes out of the general fund for outside agencies, is there room to reduce that or maybe to put more parameters on that that would be beneficial to us up here in the community? So as it relates to general fund community partners that is an annual decision of the board um the and within our community partner allocation in the general fund we have the two largest which uh is for Lake View and community health. So that is roughly um around $800,000 um
goes to those two organizations and they leverage um health dollars through the state of Florida AA um to to bring those dollars back ultimately uh providing additional health care and covering other certain health related cost for Escambia County citizens. So but but to your point commissioner so this board will make those determinations annually. Okay. And then are those two with it being health because I know things get a little wonky state statute wise with healthcare. Are those dictated by state statute or is that something that we decide on?
That [clears throat] is not dictated in statute. That is voluntary. Um ultimately uh it's for the board to gauge the public impact on an annualized basis. Um those two organizations do provide information uh and reports back to the county on on how they are using the funds and and how many uh citizens or patients were helped and and that sort of thing. Okay. And are we under contract with either one of those agencies like this is what we expect for these dollars or is it how does that work? So yes, we we
have if you will we have a partnership with them. Um the information uh is provided to the board in our quarterly uh metrics reports. Um I will say that Lake View is our mental health facility. So we actually do have a quasi state mandate or or rather they've impressed upon the county that we need to contribute something. So this is how we are doing that in a partnership with Lake View. Um, Lake View also handles Baker Act services which are mandated. So, um, this is an in addition
to um, but but no, Commissioner, we do not have, um, any any, uh, statutory authority that is dictating that we have to do community health, but I do believe we have to do something with Lake View. Okay, that makes sense. And then looking at some of the other municipalities in Florida, both state, I mean county and uh city, are there best practices for subcontracting departments that you feel like we could capitalize on that maybe we haven't explored. So I appreciate uh the the the comment. So and I appreciate the exercise that
um you directed staff to do here uh a few months ago. So um Wes, do you want to speak to that? Yeah, Madam Chair. Thank you. We utilize a lot of contracts throughout our departments, facilities. It would be facilities or parks or public works, certainly engineering. Uh there's a lot of work that we do in-house. There's a lot of work that we're not able to do in house. And those activities that makes that it's more efficient for us to sub out or contract out. We do that. Whether it be a cost or a time efficiency, certainly cost is always at the forefront.
But we have a whole list and litany of activities that we do contract out through the departments. Uh we went through that exercise and almost down to the to the penny. We could tell tell you what the efficiency would be. Like facilities can tell you how much per square foot it cost in house, how much cheaper it is to do it if we contract it out. Same with parks, same with public works. Uh, so we do utilize a lot of contracts in our daily operations. Okay. Is that a document
that we can share with the whole board, too? Because I know that we had a one-on-one with it, but I'd like everybody to have We could certainly share that with the board. Yes. Okay. Thank you. And then, um, when I went over to Chipley, one of the things that we were talking about with our friends at FDOT was the gas tax. And as vehicles get more efficient, we're still collecting the same gas tax, but people aren't buying as much gas. And then we have the electric vehicles that don't buy any gas. So knowing that some of that goes to support ECAD and then some of it also goes to support infrastructure, is there any ideas that maybe we should talk to our lobbyists about as far
as recouping something from those electrical vehicles or some sort of way that we can have help that pay for the infrastructure? Is there any ideas on that? Actually, Fax actually proposed in a document to go to the legislature just on that. So, it's already um I'm trying to remember who was running with that, but I can find out. There's actually a bill that fax using right now to try to get the legislature to put some sort of search charge on that. Okay. Wonderful. If you could um or if Allison, if you could provide us any information or updates on that. Okay.
Um and those are my questions. Commissioner Barry. Okay. Any other questions from the board or discussion? Wes, did you have anything you wanted to add? I would like us some direction on the 2%. Was that good to keep in and work with? Is the board good with that? Mr. Administrator, I for for my vote, I'm I'm good with leaving that in. It's, you know, one of the re and it's one of the reasons I was talking about personnel at the beginning of my comments. One of the reasons that we have not had to grow personnel and have uh been able to grow s and have continued uh to grow services
is by being able to retain some talented people and attract some talented people. We've had to uh you know we've had to go through exercises of increased wages and those things for years. Um it wasn't that many years ago that we had uh just a really really difficult time filling uh you know filling open positions. That has uh that has changed somewhat. I think our retention is also uh is also better. uh you know 2% is not what we've been doing but it seems like that's prudent and it um it seems prudent for this year but at least it's something and um you know it probably
keeps morale as good as it uh you know as good as it can be in the current environment. So I'm I'm you know for my vote I'm good with leaving that in there. So I do have a question. Is that 2% across the board or is that they sit down with their managers, they go through a review and if they are performing at a level that is acceptable, they get that? It's a it's a 2% across the board onetime pay adjustment. It's not a cost of living. Doesn't affect the entry level rate. It's just 2% for the existing staff. Okay. Um, is Nikki in here? Can you come up?
And while Nick is coming up with I'll be good with that, but I I'll tell you, I've said this since I've been on the board. We got people making six figures and we want to give 2% and we got people that can barely uh pay the rent that are making $145 an hour. We need to look at more to give people livable wages. And so I' I'd love to look at that. I mean, at at some point uh we have to, you know, take a little bit of a a breather and make sure that people who are working here are not the same people uh that we have to figure out how to give them Christmas toys and pay their rent uh in the summer months. So, I we have people at the lowest totem pole, someone making $15
an hour, $16 an hour, giving them a 2% is not a life-changing experience. And someone who's making six figures or double six figures getting 2% while the least of them are still struggling uh to me just doesn't seem right. And so, I'd like to look at people at the bottom uh getting a higher percentage than those at the top. Yeah, we we are we have done that in recent years and uh looking at increasing some of the pay rates and wages for some of our lower level everyday staff uh to bring them up where our goal is $156 an hour. We're almost there. We
It's been a it's been a hard hard thing. The other thing is the unions negotiating with unions uh you know it's hard to give one group this and the union comes back with you have different variables throughout the scammy county with the various unions. So it is it is a dance if you will but we certainly will be working always working in that direction. Yeah and I understand that Wes and you know I know you have and you've done a great job of doing that. I'm simply talking about the custodial staff. I'm talking about people who are desk help answers phone people who answer the phone and building inspection people who uh check books in and out at the library. I mean they need
a higher consideration. Uh sometimes the people who are the face of the county are the least paid of the county. And that's unfortunate. We wonder why we we stay on hold so long when we make calls. So, um I just want to make sure that we are in consideration of all of our employees. Um and just very quickly, so commissioners, um as the board is aware, um the voters approved the $15 an hour minimum, uh wage for um anyone who's employed in Florida. So, this next year, we are moving to the $15 an hour pay scale. And that's in September, correct? The end of
September that kicks in. Yes. Yes, Commissioner. And that's fine, but at the end of the day, you can go to Crystals and Waterburg and make $15 an hour. And I'm I know we're doing all we can, but we got to do the best we can to people working for our county. Okay, let me ask Nikki this question really quick [clears throat and cough] since I brought her up. Um 2% across the board, but then we're not raising the starting wages. How does that affect you as far as recruiting and then making sure once those people come in that we're getting them to where they need to be because I don't want to make it harder to recruit people. Generally, um that's been the county stance. the county has done the across the board for many many
years without raising the starting wages. Um so we have adjusted those bottom because we've had to for the minimum wage. Uh it does make recruitment difficult in some departments. Um I have list of positions where I can tell you I can't hardly hire and then I have list of positions where people are knocking down our door to come work for us. Um, some of that is cultural, some of that is um, private industry just pays better. And so in those positions like IT engineering
where private industry, you have to balance your work life balance and what you are looking for. And then we do the best we can in HR to to recruit and work with the departments for what they need. And we ask them each to prioritize so that we can prioritize with them and work with them. And we generally, and Stephan knows this, from an HR standpoint, we will pick one or two um positions each year countywide that we say, "You've got to do something. We cannot recruit in this particular
area. Please help us out." And we submit that with budget. And then we meet with each of the directors during their budget process. And if they have a certain position or a certain need, we may support that based on they've had to go through us for us to do those market values to look at a new position to look at adjusting a current position and then we support them individually for those individual requests. Okay. What are the top two hardest to hire for? And then the top easiest top two easiest would you say? Right now, the hardest would be um I would say corrections and then the easiest gosh
firefighters. Okay, we got uh we have a long list for that they want to do our cadet program that's very popular. Um and that's actually been been very like I said very popular when we go to um career fairs. We have a lot of people that are interested in that because not only do we pay them to go to school, we pay for school. We also do that for corrections. It's just a less popular choice. And I can't tell you why one or the other um is better, but but corrections is where we have the hardest time recruiting right now.
Okay. Wonderful. Any questions for Nikki? No, I appreciate that insight. Thank you so much. You're welcome. And any questions anytime. Y'all know my door's open. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Any other questions? Okay. Um I didn't know that Wes was wanting some more direction. I'm also fine with that as long as that we're we don't have the we're addressing pay uh compression as well board. Okay. Nope. Okay. No further discussion. I believe that will wrap up our committee meeting of the whole. We do have public forum this evening and then our regular scheduled board meeting and we look forward to seeing you back then. Thank you and again welcome back. Wes.