budget hearing. Uh if you would join me uh in prayer and then uh we'll jump into the pledge. Uh dear heavenly father, father once again Lord we just thank you for your love, your grace and your mercy. Father as we Lord God enter this budget season we just pray ask for wisdom and
knowledge Lord God as we make decisions Lord God concerning Lord God the people of Guff County. Father we just thank you for each and every one that's here today. Lord we ask that you continue to watch over us all Lord God. continue to keep our families safe from any hurt, harm, and danger. Father, we love you. We appreciate you. We give you praise,
glory, and honor. In Christ's name we pray. Amen. Please join me in the pledge. >> I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, liberty and justice
for all. >> All right. Good morning to everyone. Welcome to the special meeting on dealing with the uh budget. Uh we'll go ahead on jump right into item A. Mr. Hammond. Mr. Chairman, I'm going to let Cherry give a couple preliminaries and
then we'll we'll start through the book. >> Yes sir. The initial U proposed budget um that is our uh first balance budget we have presented to you. I just want to like I tell you every year just let you know it's presented today as a working
working document to help us prepare for the proposed uh tenative budget. So there will be a lot of changes between now and um the book that's put together for our first hearing. So some of those changes are going to include things like insurance cost changes. We are still
waiting on estimates to come in from various sources. Uh revenue estimates. The state hasn't published any of their revenue estimates yet and we're still trueing up and recalculating local estimates, that kind of stuff. So, those will change throughout. Grant
estimates will also change throughout. Uh cash carry forward estimates, we continue to update those and true those up. Um, we'll also again as we look at history, you know, communications, utilities, service
contracts, those type things we work on during this month and getting those revised, uh, allocation changes. Um, and then just, you know, other light item adjustments, transfer ends, those type things. So, there will be a lot of changes between now and proposed tenative. But, um, what we're looking at
right now, um, if the millage rate stays the same as currently proposed, that's 5.6 six uh mills for countywide. That's 0.5 for each of our four fire control districts. We're not loving any of the MSTUs this year. Um and we have to
certify to the property appraiser by August 4th on whatever we decide today will be our maximum millages. We can always come down. We just can't go up. >> All right. Thank you, ma'am. Mr. Hammond. >> All right. So what we propose this year, this will be the first year in seven
years that I'm not proposing a tax decrease. We're proposing to keep the millillage the same. Uh there's some discussion between me and Sher as to whether you need four votes today or you need four votes in September. But in order to go above the roll back rate, which you will this time if you accept
the proposal, we will have to have a supermajority vote. Also, in the future, if you go, is it 10% above, you have to have a unanimous vote. And we will get into that situation with some of these smaller fire districts. It did not happen this time, but some of them, even though it was just a few thousand
dollars, that that that because the increase was not new growth, uh it could exceed the roll back rate, but because of the unknowns that Sherry's talking about, you're taking your uh health insurance uh bids at your next board meeting in uh August. So
we'll have a lot better uh understanding then and we should have some of the state shared revenues that haven't come in. I think we've made conservative estimates on those uh and and a few more expenses the the final the setting of late official salaries and things to
that nature. Now Sher, you've included all the retirement changes in the proposed budgets. >> Yes. FRS had retirement rate changes as of July 1st. So those have been included in the budget. So the sheriff and the jail u got the brunt of that change
because there was a which was a probably a good change. They they brought back a portion of the cola for high-risisk folks. So the sheriff jail and I guess Jod's budget had had a increase. Most of the others stayed the same or just a little bit of a of a decrease in the
rates but I think it was about a 10% increase on on high risk that went up. So uh if you look I guess on the handout. Let me see if we can find the page. We'll just go ahead and start in the book if that's good, Mr. Chairman. >> Yes, sir.
>> So, we can start on page three. We're proposing to leave the millillage the same. It's an 8.85% increase over last year, which will generate $24,218,872. On page four, this is all the funds together. General
fund just under 60 million. Uh and then finally forfeite grants, disaster fund, uh TDC fund, capital project fund, uh the grand total of all funds including the fire districts, uh 144,828,000.
That is down from last year. uh mainly because some of your bigger projects like the burn project is is or will be complete by the end of the of the fiscal year and there's no uh MSTU to be collected this year. On page five, again, no change, hold the
line at 5.6 and hold the line at half a mill in each of the fire districts. And the proposal is 5.94% over the roll back rate. I gave you a uh a list of the constitutional officers.
Those those all combined is an increase of a million5. And we'll do them individually through the book if that's good. Uh page 13. This is revenue side. A couple positives and a couple that
that are unknown. Uh your new money generated this year is a million968. Building permits they had tapered off and and they have picked back up a little bit. So that that is an a good increase uh in revenue on that side.
fees collected by the tax collectors. A good good increase there come down to ambulance fees. So the good deal is the fees come up. The bad deal is that we're losing a lot more than the fees went up. But again, uh we were able to
fund the other half of what Jody asked for last year in this budget. So the the other captain position is in this upcoming budget. The cheat sheet is on 14 and then we'll start on page uh 15 with actual budgets.
Just a few changes. We we made an estimate of of increases in in elected official salaries across the board of 5%. Uh we made a guesstimate on insurance changes that
would be 10%. Overall, the board of commissioners budget went up 6.51. Most of that was uh insurance changes and estimated estimated retirement and and uh
salary increase. My budget had a big jump 31, but it's because we're transferring Clay, who's going to be Clay's number two, to uh the admin budget, and that that was effective of May of this year, but he will be in our budget completely next
year. No, no increase uh in in employees as far as no new positions. We can take clerk to the board now. um on your cheat sheet and go over what the changes were. We had a new position.
We had some health insurance changes, 4% raise for all staff, which was across the board. Uh we're going to be starting some record digitization which we have to do because we're drowning in paperwork and they are the biggest ones
drowning in paperwork but uh and we're we're uh funding the the retirement leave payout this year and we're going to do that across the board with all the constitutional officers this year. So total increase 12.63 63. A couple of
those one-time things. If the clerk has anything to add to that, nothing right now. Mr. Chairman, do you have any questions for me? Questions? Commission? Good. Thank you, sir. >> The property appraiser.
>> His was 8.03. If he's got anything to add. Um mainly he he had a new position and bas basically some insurance changes. Uh, >> and we did and the same with all the others. We 4% staff increase.
>> Tax collector. >> Mike, can I let me ask you a question? that new position is that going to be basically someone in case this thing passes in November that because everybody and the brothers coming down here in December to your office.
>> Well, they got that was it the month of December to get in and beat the fiveyear plan. Sorry, >> they got the month of December to declare. If not, they're five stuck for five. Okay. >> Subject to legal review.
Uh tax collector. She was on the good list this year apparently because she had a lot of changes. But but uh I think we we've uh settled on this. This is 14.78. It's 4% across the board. Uh she had some salary adjustments that that we agreed was very
necessary. Uh no new positions. Uh we're opening that we will office where they can do driver's license and things that there which is going to be a godsend not only for the folks on the north end of the county but also to get the traffic out of the courthouse. That's you know when you go in and see the 50 people
waiting to to get in at that kiosk. So that ought to help all the way around. Um, anything to add is actually here. I also want to thank >> sheriff um 4% raise again. His new F FRS
rates pretty high. Uh we're finding the overlap for his new finance officer. Uh we agreed to drop the I think we agreed but we agreed to drop the baiff position because that kind of worked itself out and that so that helped us get down uh a
little bit more for fuel and then some adjustments on grants and whatnot. So 555790 total, but some of that was for one time things like uh consoles and stuff like that. I'm good. Appreciate you.
>> All right. Uh and then the last one is the supervisor elections. Uh and it was a 2% uh change. I think we we have one election this particular time. So, uh 4% staff increase and a little bit of change for
FRS rates. Very minor. She's here. Not risk management, uh, pay increase, retirement, insurance, the main ones. And this is our employee incentive, I'm assuming. Casey, the 15.
You haven't seen your budget. Okay. Well, it's good. Oh, I'm sorry. P >> page 17. I I'm off my cheat sheet now. We're back to to page 17. >> And that has been a great program. We we've got to come up with something different this time. But but the only
positive about anything related to insurance ever has been our uh experience mod that has come down from a 1.2 two or maybe 1.2 something to we're either one or maybe even could go to less than one this particular time. That
means a 30% reduction in our in our cost when we bring those down. >> It's below one now. So we went from a paying 130% of the premium just a few years ago because of losses to now we're paying less than 100%. So
long-term when you pay as much as we do in payroll workers comp, that is a that is a huge yearly savings. So that that that program has worked out very good for us. The insurance department uh is a is a pretty big increase. Um
a lot of this is payroll changes and it could have been worse had the governor not vetoed the uh sovereign immunity bill. it was going to go up. Our liability insurance was going to go up 50 to 60%. Uh we're hoping that that
this may even get better when we get the numbers, but we still don't have those numbers. So, we've we've made some assumptions for for some for some increases, especially on the life health and and dental side. But at the end of the day, as bad as that this was, it could have been worse had he passed that
or had he signed that bill to to double basically the the amount of exposure that we would have to to civil lawsuits. On page 18, value adjustment board, no change on uh the next item, the audit uh
went up 4.66% and I'm not sure if that's what's in our contract or that's just >> we don't have it yet. We're ju we're just estimating OM uh mainly just pay raise changes and
insurance on page 19. Uh county engineer just a fractional change. It actually went down $540. Holding the line. That's exactly right. That's actually even better than holding
the line. Clay wins the prize so far. uh county attorney, he's holding the line. That's just uh insurance change. Um planning and zoning that is pay adjustments, insurance and
retirement changes. And again, we we kind of well we're not kind of anything. We we we've merged that. Doug has uh when he took over as building official, he's doing two two things. I mean, we've had that over the years several times. When I was at the
building department, I run building and planning and then we split it when I left and kind of combined it back and then we split it again. So, now we've combined again and it seems to be working fine. So, as long as he don't drowned and and work, we're we'll be good with combining those departments. So, the efficiency is we're we're one
less employee and he's got another hat. GIS on page 20. It's a reduction and again this is part of the salary change that when Clay came over to admin that came out of this budget
it. Mainly salary changes insurance and retirement. We've handled the supervisor elections courthouse complex. It's a 3.14% increase.
County services is a 6.82% increase. We've handled the sheriff fire coordinator. It's a 6.63% increase. And most of that was
retirement contribution change. >> Some allocation because he's paid out of three or four different pots, including a grant pot. Fire services, no change. And this is our our contract with the state on the we pay so many cents per acre for the
forestry, state forestry acreage didn't change, so the price didn't change. The jail had a 10.5% uh increase. Most of that was retirement, insurance, and pay changes. We did have increase in repair
and maintenance of grounds. Again, when we get to the capital fund, you'll notice that we've started uh budgeting longterm for the inevitable at some juncture that we'll have to have a major renovation or new facility at some
juncture, long after I'm gone. County probation again mainly the retirement changes and uh leave building department uh it's a 15.74% uh change the building department is
paid for by fees uh a lot of these were the changes uh in building official some retirement changes emergency management this is the local match and it was an 8.62% 6 2% increase and probably that
sum of that same and that's out at zero. Honeyville Community Center it's a 40.16% increase but that's really a misnomer because it's a low number we we put in
there to do u yearly to do the floors and you'll see that $4,700 is what skewed that number. Also, we had to change a little bit on the repair and maintenance. In theory, it pays for itself, but it doesn't. So, when they rent the
building, it goes into the pot, but but there's more usage than there are renters, but it does help a little bit. 911 is 8.8% increase. Most of that is salary and and uh
retirement. There's a big change in overtime uh because we had a we had to change the the way we did those payrolls. We were doing it an old way and now the federal government labor laws required us to do it a little bit
different way. So we've changed that EMS. So I told you we got a 100,000 more in fees but we got 253,000 more in cost. So this is mainly that that extra captain position. I don't know if you some of you pay closer attention than
others do how busy they are. Uh it has been an unbelievable summer. Jody, you want to talk about your call volume or I can just tell you um we run 300 and I want to say 336 calls for the
month of June. So um yesterday at times they were which happens every day. Now during the summer most especially we're we're at status zero which means there's no ambulance coverage in the county. So so
the brightest thing I can say is that we're projecting that we're going to lose a million7 on EMS this year and that is without us having to use county tax dollars to purchase ambulance. So it's a
It is a major cost and it is desperately needed. So it's just the cost of doing business. >> Michael can is Jody is there is it's not going to get better. We know that because if call volume is going to continue to go up because more people going to move here. So if you got a
master plan I' I'd love love to see you come up with a three to five year plan. I mean you're a younger guy. you gonna be here while I hope uh looking at a three to five year plan because if our population goes with this new thing, people that are not full-time residents are going to try to become full-time residents and count differently. Can you
kind of put that in your ballpark? I know you've been want this cat in a position for what, two years now. So, can you talk about that or some future talk about that? >> Yes, sir. We do have a kind of a long-term plan or I do in the back of my mind is all dependent on obviously is it
it cost everything health and medical unfortunately has a expensive price tag to it. Um we do the best we can with what we have to do with right now and we're doing a remotely good job of of keeping up with it. Um but in the I think each year we we're growing from
the previous numbers is about 20% call volume each year. So, um, looking forward, you know, for the next couple years, we will, with the captain coming on 247, that's going to help us tremendously be able to keep somebody available. And it it kind of gives us a
a a different outlook on how we can pull up extra trucks and extra personnel when we need to. So, we do have two or three other things in the in the works that I think we'll be okay for the next two to three years before we have to make any drastic changes. Um, but the cost of ambulances are ex, you know, they
they're constantly going up. We have two grants, I think, out right now for just trying to get ambulances. The equipment obviously cost a lot and it's not getting any cheaper. So, we're constantly working on grants and things to try to improve that. Um, but
unfortunately, it just it's expensive. And I guess the the transport thing when you take them out for three to five hour with the traffic on 98, it probably decreases your call your call capabilities with that traffic flow from
here to the hospitals in Panama City over a period of time. We we don't think about it, but it adds up because if you if it's an extra 30 to 45 minutes one way and 30 to 45 minutes the other way, that's that extra bit of time that that ambulance is out of service here. So, we
talk about other things that we can do as commission. You know, we talked about that road. It it's it's imperative because that's taken away a resource from us. So, thank you, Jody. >> We did go out of county for the month of June. um from scene straight out of county I
think was at least 100 calls and then of course you throw another 60 transfers on top of it from the hospital. So you're going out of county more than you're staying in county >> and your drivers can attest because I've talked to them the difference in the traffic >> and it's just not now during the summer
>> with the it's it's still bad during the during the whole time on on 98 there. I know you running into some issues on the uh u with the hospitals in Panama City far as delays. Have we addressed that? U
>> I think the nuke that I launched last week with the letter got a quick response and I I don't know if they've set up the meeting, but but we we sent G Coast a letter that said we will no longer transport to G Coast until you get your crap together. and the CEO responded the next day uh on Friday when
I was out of town, but I don't know if we've got a meeting set up, but we're going to meet with him this week is the game plan. >> I haven't heard anything from him back on that, but I did meet with Bay Medical, which is not as bad as HCA Gulf Coast um on the wall times. I met with him yesterday, had a very good
productive meeting yesterday afternoon with them, and I think we've come up with a solution to that problem at at Ascension Sacred Heart Bay. Um, so if we can just get G Coast on board to kind of get us moving and getting back into the county, then you know we'll we'll see what happens. >> Okay. Thank you.
>> There is movement on >> two judges. I mean the the bottom line is there's a lot of factor we're talking about the factors here that that play into your length of of the calls, but bottom line is 336. That's one call every 128 minutes. So every two hours
your your station is half empty. That's correct. And like I said yesterday, you know, and some days you sat there half a day and won't have anything and then within five or 10 minutes you're you're empty. You have nothing. Um so it happens more
often than we like to talk about, but there is a lot of times where >> that's just the average. I mean I know I know when it happens it it goes ary very fast. >> Just yesterday we were responding back from Panama running lights. They lit it up. I think it's Sandy Creek on Highway 22 coming back because they had a call holding in the county. So it's that
happens pretty frequently. So, um, it is, you know, the distance is what kills us. It's not necessarily the call volume. It's more the distance that we're having to travel. >> Yeah. So, and we need to and we're going to talk about it later in the in the
meeting about the potential problems coming in the f in the future, but but one of the the asinine things that the state has put out and again, it's from from bureaucrats that have no clue how local government works and have no clue how
unique different counties are. You you can't it's not apples and apples when you talk about full-time population when ours triples on any given weekend. and and we'll know more when we get the June and July numbers. I I heard a rumor about the city was talking about about
flock camera uh traffic on unique vehicles. That was just an astronomical number. But if you if you hold us, okay, your population's at 16,000 or 17,000, whatever it is today. No, really, it's 80,000 on Fourth of July weekend. And again, you can back it up by the number
of EMS calls and and it used to drop off drastically in the in the shoulder seasons. it. Well, it doesn't drop off that much anymore. It's just a different in fact, we have a different clientele that we may have more because it's an older population in the winter time than we do in the summertime. And and it's
and it's a more serious call, heart attack instead of a stingray bite or whatnot. But going forward, that that case has got to be made that they've got to have some equalizer for you. You can't compare us to a county that's
15,000 at at the Alabama line. You got to compare us to somebody that's 80,000 on the Gulf Coast. >> I agree. It's a 1.5 multiplier. That's what I that's what I put in the back of my mind. You can't say it because there are some times when it's not. You're 16,000, but you can swell to 40,000
because of your residences. We're us and Franklin are the lowest in the state as full-time, you know, homestead people. You multiply that 16 times 1.5 and that should give you your services what you should be staffing your EMS sheriff
stuff like that those things that's the multiplier because they're here half the time basically so they're going to take half the services that's just what I we have these budgets it makes sense to do that all right moving on on page 26 uh search
and rescue no change medical examiner it's our contract increase and it's just a 2.07% increase. A extension services 8.35. Most of that was salary and uh insurance changes. >> Mr. Hammond.
>> Yes, sir. >> On the a extension, is that that's you in the back back there? Could uh could you make sure you're here next Tuesday? I'd like to talk about a couple projects in a extension if you don't mind. Thank you. >> We're doing we're doing it Monday. >> Monday. >> I'm sorry. Monday. Next Monday. Thank
you. >> Conservation management uh 3.65% increase and that includes aid to outside agency. Which which one is this? Repairing or is this the >> that one is Duplo?
>> Duplo. Okay. Beach maintenance no change uh aid to uh private organization. That's the G County Transportation that's being run by the provider. It's at 5%. All, and I think Sherry's already said this, all the outside agencies that made request
for larger increase, they were capped at 5% this year. The uh downtown redevelopment uh Northport St. Joe DRRA, it went up 15.83%, but we don't have a choice. It is what it is. EDC.
Uh it was a 28% increase that that has a remember we had a part-time employee that transferred back full-time to the golf course and this we have the new employee in this one. So that's the balance. So that's the the the difference in that a difference of
$37,000. Veteran service up 3.21. Animal control up 4.84. 84 Humane Society. This was again uh they had requested more 5% increase total
budget of 79,170. But if you combine the two you see those numbers that's at two 220,000 for animal control/humane society health department. No change.
The big reduction there was that they had some uh donated funds that we had been carrying on the books for a long time, more than 10 years uh from the Ward family uh and they chose to spend that this year on a transfer switch or something for a generator I believe is
what they so they zeroed that out. That was fine. It was not tax dollars. It was donated fees. So it's a it's a pretty good percentage reduction but in the end it's really no change. Indigent care hikra again the state sets
that so we don't have a choice over it. Medicaid our contribution for Medicaid this year is $285,04. Again it's a state uh set unfunded mandate that we don't have a choice. We're reducing the uh mental health
service by 10,000 and that's just based on usage over the last couple years. Unfortunately, it is what it is. If it goes up, we got a lot of problems. We had to pay more. If it's down, we save a little bit. All right. on public assistance on page
30 U aid the government agencies that top piece will be to the city of Weiwall that was there half of the senior citizens money which is a 5% increase for the total budget over last
year total budget 62,800 half for the city of we and half for the senior citizens here in Port St. Um, Guff ARC, the citizens, it went up 5% and that again $45 increase.
Libraries went up 5%. So total is 163010. And that is board contribution. That is not the grant portion. And I don't know if we have that final state number for the grant portion, but it is what it is. whatever that is
>> to 5%. Okay, that's grant uh aid to other organization that is your summer program the 56 250 no change negligible amounts and state attorney public defender court related stuff.
Article five, most of the next page on 32 uh is forfeite stuff. Uh that's seizure money from the sheriff. That's inmate welfare. Again, that not has no effect on your budget. Page 35, secondary road and bridge. uh
shows a little bit of increase and that is the that is the leftover money after the the typically the leftover money after the bonds are paid and uh so so we're proposing a fund balance of 3.1 million for next year in that
ma control on page 36 that's a pretty good increase Public works overall had a negative this year. Went down 144,000. Good work, Mark.
You went you in now. Yeah, you you caught Clay and and took off. Uh St. Joe Fire Control 42 on page uh at the top of the page. The overall uh fund went up 9.1% in revenue.
>> What page you on? page 42, I'm sorry. And you can see how that's broken down. Uh, a couple of them have pretty good increases, but again, remember, we we don't borrow money anymore to buy fire trucks or anything. We don't have any short-term debt, so that they have to
reserve their money. So, some of them, like the beaches bought a truck this past year. White City's buying a truck next month. Some of those went down. this the split is still the same 3030 2020 but because of their uh cash reserves or cash carry forward whatnot
they they all change. So and you can see that broken down a little bit at the uh at the bottom. So so total fund is 5.5 million but new money is only a million four.
some they've got a lot of reserve in that in in those accounts. Page 43, they break down the different funds beaches. We have set aside $200,000 for contingency if if we don't
get funding for our to finish out our fire academy. And that on page 43, you'll see at the top infrastructure in red, that's what that is. We hope not to spend that. Uh but if we have to, we have to page 46. Uh
this is Tuplo Fire Control. It was a 5.62% increase for the fund. And then you see how that's broken down. And again, same thing. They they don't have as big a reserves, but some of those have reserves. New money is 118,000
uh all all told 309 over street it was a 12.73% increase for the funds 6.68% 68% increase. Again, only $2,000. We'll skip 51. We'll skip 52. We'll skip the ship funds unless Sherry
wants to talk about any of them. Got a bunch of grant funds. And again, if you want to p turn to page 55, that just gives you kind of a list of the things that are proposed from emergency preparedness right on down volunteer fire. And then you get some of
the bigger ones, scrap, scop All right. On page 61, we have zeroed out this this fund will go away after this year if you approve the budget. It's this has been a fund since 1985, I believe.
Industrial Park Fund, page 62, showing a 34% increase. BPE fund. We're zeroing out. This is the money we spent on the breakwaters. Correct. >> Yes, we are zeroing this one out. It won't go away though because as we have
pot three and pot one funding come through, this this fund will remain. But as of right now, we don't have anything active. And we've got a we've got an upcoming NYP after we get through with this month. I think
county development fund on 123. This is what I call the sand fund showing a 6% increase. We also have a a couple of new departments under this for the time being until we decide what we're going
to do with them including sewer wastewater hospital fund on page 66 uh 680,000 a 9.87% increase. This is your sales tax for indigent
care. And we'll talk more about that in a few minutes. Uh 67, that's a 911 grant fund. Okay. Yeah. 127, the disaster fund. Uh
we're about where I wanted to be five years ago with this. After Hurricane Michael, the board directed that we build up a disaster fund and we have been incrementally increasing this over over time. U so this is a good thing. It's a it's a
little bit of an increase. Page 128 U TDC funds again they're trending up but but overall it was only a 1.63% increase uh at this time. We may update
those numbers as the June and July numbers come in, which I expect to be off the chart. But, uh, anyway, we're we're trending up, not down, and that's positive. General Parks 75. Uh, Sherry's made some adjustments to
individual parks. I think I've given y'all all a list of the proposed uh next year's deal. Um, and I might have to get Sherry to explain it, but we have we've we've done it a little bit different this time. We've
split up the match and the TDC money in two different funds, but the amount that you have to for your parts would be the same just in two different funds basically with and I've given you those numbers with your carryover. Most of you did not spend your money this year because we didn't get the letter and the
policy done until late and part of that was my fault, but at the end of the day, you didn't lose anything except time. Uh gas fund on page 79. It's up a bunch. I'm
assuming this is just a because we got a new road bond, but Jerry >> 79. >> Yes. So this is 203. So this is your debt service fund. So your gas tax revenues coming in here and this is where we pay your um bond debt out of each year for
the gas tax. >> MSTU is going away. Uh what day? November 1 or October 30th? >> November 1st of 26. We will make the last payment. >> Okay. Which is a good thing. capital projects fund. Uh again, that's going up. Uh I'll
hit the high points of what we're doing with the capital fund this year of of what we're changing. Page 82 is the list of items. Uh some of these are placeholders that that we don't intend to replace or not going to buy, but we just leave them in there because we have
to from time to time. Uh you'll notice just on page 82, the $250,000 reduction is for the canopy over the uh gas pumps that we may or may not ever get, but hopefully before I retire that we'll get, but we're working on it. Uh but
that we're assuming that we're going to be paid that by September 30th. I don't know if that's the case or not, but we're reducing that. But we're getting a couple new trucks. We're buying a scissor lift and a trailer in that particular fund. Uh
again, we got the 106,000 for the uh console uh on detention corrections. We're buying moors. We trying to ramp up in the event we get some new folks. And we've it's time again. We've gotten out of the habit of buying the moors. We're buying a van and buying a trailer. The
jail we're buying a van and the jail passes their older van on down. So, we'll use that as at public works or wherever we need it. Uh building department. We're buying a drone
and a vehicle emergency man emergency management. We We have 25,000 in there to finish out the safe room that we have at the co-op. We've got a room at the co-op that that they're building a new uh safe complex and emergency management
911 has got an office in there. So, we we we were responsible for the finishing of that room. EMS. We have a amulet in here that we don't want to have to buy, but in the event we didn't get the grant, we will have to do it because we need to keep on
a good schedule about keeping our ambulances fresh. But we also have the match uh for the grant in here. Water infrastructure stay the same at a million solid waste. We've got a rolloff track truck match
and a rolloff container. We have a future vacuum truck for the sewer department in here. We probably will not buy that this particular year, but it's in the fund. Uh beach maintenance, uh it adjusted a little bit. Let's see on road street.
We had a truck or two trucks, jackhammer for the excavator, a multure head skid steer which I think we might have already bought is that to clean the park. You saw what a great job they did at theirs on a chemical site that was but it was a smaller head. So
this one is 8 foot. What is it? six foot and we're getting too many excavators and trading the ones that we have currently. So, a little bit better. All right. If you'all here, here we go. So, on the bottom of that page 83, this
is your match for the for your park TDC money and the match for the uh cart paths at the country club. And then we have 100,000 in for the courthouse equipment. Anything that could go wrong, which seems to every
year something does go wrong. So, chiller, boiler, elevator. Did we get the elevator on Friday? >> I was hoping it might be getting closer because they were bringing stuff out and putting it in their truck instead of taking stuff in their truck to go in. But, God bless. That's the project will
never end. But, but we're closer. on 84. That's the assumption of what we'll have left at the uh on September 30th in that fund. Oak Grow Water and Sewer. One day we're going to figure out a way to close that out, but we're still working on that. Uh golf club fund uh
trending good. Solid waste is trending good often. If y'all stop buying big tractors, we'll be really trending good. Water water fund is trending good.
And and and that's where we are on our proposed uh questions and then I will move on to other items. >> Thank you, sir. Commissioners, any questions for Mr. Hammond or Miss Heron?
M >> Michael, good news. Uh water systems ready to run. Amen. So, >> Amen. as we speak. >> Yep. Yep. So, we should be turning that on any time. >> Uh, commissioners, I have something I
I've been talking with uh Blake about on the uh parks and u not this year, but for next year, maybe looking at when we start doing these matches and stuff like that. Uh, I had a bill for $600 for just toilet
paper because I've got I think I count on 12 12 restrooms in three. Isn't that about right? And so I asked Blake to kind of look at it and and see if we want to possibly take take some of the reoccurring costs off of our stuff because that, you know,
that's like electric, water, stuff like that. And then as we do projects because the park equipment is so expensive now. It is swing sets are $20,000. People don't understand. I didn't understand it coming in this. It's so expensive for that equipment that we have in there.
And then we have some parks like you take I know Honeyville with $5,000 just to do the floor and flags at Beacon Hill Park. And when you have White City and Gaskin Park the the docks that just wiped me out last year putting new docks there. But it had to happen. I mean, you have somebody fall through it. So, I
guess what I'm asking is looking forward maybe as a board, can we look at a way to maybe designate the size of parks and a percentage of how how those parks get those extra funds? Not the reoccurring funds, but the other tight funds. Sherry, I know you got regulation in there.
>> So, we're we're kind of already doing that, but in the reverse. So, the point of fund 131 was to have our regular parks operations. So that is actually the intent and the purpose of fund 131. Now with last year, we had put the
$50,000 for infrastructure in there with the intent of y'all using that like as the match with the TDC option. So we've now taken the non-reoccurring funds out of there. So 131's full purpose is for your operations. It's to pay your utilities and all of that. So we need to
leave that as is, but the match money is no longer in there. So, you still have um general funding for repair and maintenance and supplies and holding those equal. So, that's still in there. We did bump that up a little bit. I think it was 10, now it's 15 or
something like that. I can look back. But the large projects that are going to be your infrastructure projects that are going to qualify for that TDC funding, we've taken that out so that it's no longer um in that fund 131 so that we can keep
that separate. So when you have a project that's going to qualify for that TDC uh public facility funding, the match is not in your 131 so that you don't have to worry about that anymore. >> I and I got that. I guess what I was going is a step further saying if you
have these are these are tier one parks they're they're large large square footage they have a lot of usage they have a lot of expensive stuff there then you take middle middle the tier type parks which may just have a playground and a restrooms and then you take a small one which I got one that just just
restroom and but you get charged for all that so as it going forward that that tier three I probably won't need anything for that unless a somebody tears toilet up you know not very often >> but when you get a tier one and you need to get a piece of equipment every year in a tier one park. That's $20,000.
Pretty big thing. I mean, you just paid it out there. So, you know what I'm talking y'all talk know what I'm talking about. What thoughts on that? Not today, not in this year's budget, but maybe we sit down in January, we have some ideas of how we can make that work so it's fair across all the parks in the county
and that whether you're a large park or small park, you don't just get them at one place, you know, you can that way helps you rotate them around. So any thoughts on that? I mean going forward, >> are you talking more on the playground equipment type? >> Yeah, the equipment stuff. Yeah, the stuff that we really know that we need that we can say we're going to budget.
You know, this year I got to do this one this year. >> Let me ask a question. The FURD app? >> What about what about the FURD app grants? >> So FURD app has not been funded by the state for the last two years. >> Well, that's what I'm saying. So >> it's gone away. That's
>> and and I know we got a one guy at Stone Mill and I think you got one for Newark. John Homestead. >> So, so you just put on another part. So, that means that Selenas may not get as much because you got to take because that when you see that equipment cost, we know that's expensive. >> But if you're looking for full equipment
replacement, those are items that you know if there you're talking big dollars, you're talking large equipment, you're talking infrastructure. Those are items that would qualify under the TDC public facility, right? >> Um, >> but repair maintenance, but equalization. And so it's fair across
all parks though based on your size and and and how that money is given out. I guess that's that was my >> So and we have a little bit of that. The numbers aren't as high as what you're asking for, but we do have So right now for all your large parks, um you have 5,000 repair and maintenance and 2,000
of supplies. You know, we did up those numbers so that your larger parks that are listed out have that number. your smaller ones are going to have like a thousand um in repair and maintenance and only like 200 in supplies. And that's looking at history and what we're spending and those kind of things. So
the numbers aren't as high as what you're talking about, but the concepts somewhat already there. >> Yeah. If if we did something like that, could we mandate a amount that we roll over every year for each person? I mean, that's going to be the only fair way to
>> Yeah. If you do that, if we did something like that, I don't know. In my mind, I'm just >> So So does uh every commissioner spend that? >> No. >> So have we been rolling that over? >> So the way that it has been separated is
by district. So just to be candid, it's not it's not currently by park, it's by district. So yes, if you have one district that has a whole bunch of parks and you have a district that only has a couple, but
maybe they're higher, if you're holding it equal by district, then that's not going to work. But you there are certain costs that we have to cover. So the way we tried to set this up was the things we have to pay in rent, the agency fees we have to pay to the state, the
utilities, whether anyone uses the park or not, those costs exist. they're not going to go away. So, the way we set this up was to cover the everyday cost that we have no choice. We got to pay the water bill, we got to pay the sewer bill, all of that. And then we built in
those a minimum repair and maintenance budget. And then what we did for the excess was put it in your district budgets so that all of you had the same pot of money available to use within your parks. So by wanting to use it by
district and trying to make sure that the everyday cost of our parks got covered, that's how this fund was set up. >> So So we can't take politics out of politics and we tried about I I guess probably five years ago to to handle the
the reoccurring cost like for example Beacon Hill Park. We know it's going to cost 25 or $30,000 to replace the flags every year. So we took that out of the big pot. Where it gets really difficult is and I like the concept of the major parks because there are a couple. So I
would say not well I don't live there today but maybe in the next few days I'll get back to White City. God bless. Uh White City Park is probably the busiest park in the county if you talk about every day whatever. But it doesn't cost us near as
much because we're not on sewer. Selenus cost us a ton because we're on sewer. And now the windmark parks because for some reason idiots steal water. They break stuff things all this kind of stuff because it's >> We caught them somewhat, didn't we, Mark? Yeah, >> they were stealing water >> because some you have a park that's not
on water and sewer or not on sewer for for example, it takes a fraction to run. >> If you get a park on water and sewer and you either have a break or a problem, I mean, we're getting thousand water bills on some of these parks and you won't spend $1,000 in a year on other parks, literally. So again, there there there
there needs to be a deep discussion about how we do this, whether we whether we take all of the discretionary stuff out and just give y'all new construction money and just do all the repairs and maintenance from one budget and not do it district related
anymore. Again, y'all need to tell us how you want to do it because we've tried to do it fair, but everybody still wants the same cut of the apple and and that it won't work that way because it's it's not it there are there are less used parks that cost us more because
they're on water, sewer, whatnot. And there are much more used parks that cost us less because they're not. So it's not you can't just say that it's this is a big park and it's generating a lot of things because again we may spend more literally on Cape Palms because it's
water and sewer than we do on on a park that gets used much more year round. So there is a better way to do it than we're doing it though. >> So I I just maybe after after the tour seasons maybe in September October you'll have better numbers and and we'll
come back. Does that sound? we take a look at. >> Yeah. >> Uh, is this the point where we're going to talk about I know we the city turned in some some request. Do we talk about that now or do we need to wait on that? >> You you ask away or talk away. Either
way, whatever. >> I don't have that sheet with me. I don't have that sheet with me, but >> I'm trying to see if I can find my 500 more. >> You got that. >> You got that's it. So, in the city of St. Joe, I I know what what they asked for and stuff. Um
>> a,182,000. >> Yes. Uh but let me ask you this, commissioners. Y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y'all got this. I didn't It's right in the front of my D. >> Sorry about Thank you, Spike.
So the Can we maybe change about where we put these? Like you we didn't put traffic cameras for for Port St. Joe, but I do feel that Jake needs help financially
out with Windmark on the beach. It it is a nightmare out there. And the number of people that are there now, we've had a sub I mean a substantial jump and I know that they're getting more advalorn tax dollars out there, too. But a lot of
these are tourists that are coming in there. Matt, jump in here anytime. You know what I'm talking about. What would you say is the because you live right there in the middle of it. What would you say is the increase that they have right there >> just around your area? >> It's tremendous. I know on my road there
are probably let's call it 50 to 70 houses and I would say that 10 to 15% are actually full-time residents. And and so what's happening is is these houses and jump in there if
I'm saying these houses are renting for 140 $50 a night with three families. They're packed because it's the cheapest thing on there. They're cheaper than the hotel rooms. So what's happened and and they're getting three golf carts and it it has become untenable out there for
them. So I would like to somehow find a way to help their department out just the police department. I don't want to say designate it for cameras but board members. It it is it has become bad out there. Um and I think they the city in goodwill we should give them a little bit. I don't I don't know what that
dollar amount is but they asked for 75 for for uh cameras. What if we half that and give it for patrol? If you're referring to TDC dollars, it's on a reimbursement basis and it must be
documented and meet a reimburseable >> allowable expenditure. >> It's also going to take funding from somewhere else >> because because we're at the MAC. Are we at maximum? >> Sure. What do you think? >> I know you don't like to lose any
dollars. >> They have three people on now and I do too. Yeah, I know you got the same you got to cover the whole county. I got you. >> I I guess somehow that little area sheriff because we get in jurisdiction and I understand
jurisdiction. You don't want to cross over there. But when it gets out of city proper, it's not being covered as much. I'll be I mean I'm not trying to blast Jake or anything else. We talked about it. It's just the sheer numbers. How I want to see it work. So I don't money is money
how it's spent that I'm just trying to say I know that's their jurisdiction probably if we had to redo it now I think there'd be a member on this board would annex that thing into the city because it's you you skip over and get out there and it it's a nightmare for them it's a nightmare for their fire
departments but it it is what it is. So how do we do that? Can can before we meet again can you and Jake get together and try to work something out in that area? I don't I mean I I don't know what to say. We got to do something out there. >> We work great together. I know you do. I
know you men work great together and women, you know, but I don't know. >> You want to ride, Jacob? Check >> out of my budget. No, >> I'm good. I'll pass. >> Well, hey, let me ask this commissioner and and we're talking about the city.
It's not I mean I'm not bashing the city or but what Mitch what has the value gone up in the last the city's values on property? Can you you have something you can >> M Mr. Bur? Come on up to the microphone
so we'll make sure we get it on record. >> I would assume a large part of that 8.8% is coming from here. I think they've had a tremendous increase on value. The city has in >> city went up
8.8% plus I think their raise half. >> So they're going to raise the millage a half a mill this year. >> That's what I received from the city. >> Okay. And if there's that many rentals,
if this passes in November, they won't be hurt near as bad there either. >> No. >> And and and they bu I mean, Mitch, you know, look at the rooftops out there. Just those new condos, those are four section, right? Those are four and they're sold. A lot of those things are already sold. And I I guess sheriff,
what I'm trying to say, it's a little cat and mouse game because your guys are really knocking the socks off of it on St. Joe Beach and they go right down that new section and like not playing with us. I'm serious. And I know what the commissioner I mean it's putting a tremendous impact on the infrastructure. I mean it there's no
doubt about that. But >> guess >> 68% of that >> is in the city. >> And how is there a way you can quantify on down to windmark? Can you put it by zones or not? Oh, I know. I know. I understand.
>> So, you're saying 68% of that value is >> is in that is in the city. >> Because you got that one out there, the foam right by in your zone crossing the high >> Jones homestead, right? John, >> they did annex that. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. So those the new Horton homes are >> and out here they're they're they're fixed to put another 20 or 30 down there that are going to be either halftime or fulltime. So okay I well sheriff can y'all and I'd like I'm not trying to say
that. I just know that when it starts getting out that way right where you start stop and he starts it's it's a problem right there. >> We need help from Windmark. Okay. And >> and regulating some some of the roads and >> and please if you if if y'all get together on that, we'll put it to them
if that they need to be involved too. I I agree. >> Yeah. >> So, thank you. >> So, talking about that, if you turn to the last page of the handout, Cherry did this. >> I got one more. Michael, I'm sorry. Oh, I'm sorry. >> The core stage, core part stage, does anybody know about that $50,000?
So they asked for everything under the sun, but but we didn't fund the stage as far as we we give both cities 50,000. We fronted the city of Weeballs theirs a couple years ago for the lights and so they they've lost out for the next two years on their 50,000. But but we give
them it started out as as for a splash pad that they didn't build, but they used it on pickle ball and then they used it for something else. I mean, we don't care as long as it's legitimate expense. We don't care what they spend it on, but we're just funding them the annual 50,000 that the board had policy has been to to give them 50,000. They
can spend it on whatever they want. They they asked for 300,000 for core bathroom, 200,000 for ballpark improvements, 100,000 for another pickle ball court at Frank Pate Park and 300,000 for the stage. Of all of those requests, we just funded 50,000. >> I got you. So just because it weigh that
$50,000, it was at the bottom of that line. So if they wanted to do it for the pickle ball courts they're going to redo, they could use it for that. Okay. >> And we did fund uh the concession stand on 10th Street half of that >> in the middle of the year. That's right. Correct. >> Yeah. >> So what we funded was their general
parks 50,000 30,000 for fireworks uh 111,000 CRA doings and the 50,000 uh agreement that we have for that community match fund. So we just put undesated or whatever by that if it just
>> No, that's fine. As long as that >> my me and Sandy also have I know it's not city really. It's county school board and city but the soccer fields. Yeah. >> $60,000 we have to resaw those. So >> So back to the tax and the doings and I
didn't know they were going to raise a millage. God bless. But at the end of the day, and I hate that we weren't able to do it since it's my last one, but you've cut your millage rate for the last six years in a row after coming out of Hurricane Michael. Had we not cut the millage rate
the last six years, they haven't moved theirs up any. So, their values have almost tripled since Hurricane Michael. They haven't moved any. Your millage was 7.1 at Hurricane Michael. It's 5.6 today because y'all cut 310. 310 310. If you
were still at 7.1 mills, you'd be generating $30,76,000. So you would be generating tremendously more than you are about $8 million over current. Now, you're going to have an increase next year that's going to be push it to 24. But if you just had held
the line and hadn't cut taxes, you'd be generating a tremendous amount of money. And over that period of time, you're talking about an extra 25 $30 million in that time that you have saved by cutting the millage rate every year. So that's the difference between holding the line
and and cutting. So you're a lot your your taxpayers a lot better off today because the last six years y'all cut. Bottom line between the two cities, we're proposing that the city of Port St. Joe gets 241764
and the city of Weiwall gets 61400. Understanding that we had fronted the city of Weiwall for the lights for their 50,000. So it's apples and apples. It'd be 111400. Anything else or I go on to other items?
>> Yeah, you can keep rolling. >> All right. So, in this handout here, I need y'all to approve the reserve um for future capital outlay, future projects, and it and it goes through year 3132. And it also includes fire departments at
the top. I need this is part of the budget. So I need y'all to approve this plan. Any questions, commissioners? So, for example, I'm not picking on Jody here. If we need anything, we probably need an ambulance. That's why I want to
use this example. In our budget, we have 250 and 150, I think, was the numbers. I can go back and look at the into the into the book there. So the 150 was a grant match and the 250 was the actual ambulance itself. >> 3350. Okay. So both of those aren't
going to be spent. Hopefully we get a grant match only spend 150, not the 350. >> Correct. >> Yeah. >> Jody, I don't know if you know the last pricing estimate we got on one. I don't even know if 350 would be sufficient.
So to use your example, so yes, it's not quite apples and not and oranges because that is in this current year. It's not in the future. >> So this would be 2930 and we're reserving that amount of money for the 2930 year.
>> Correct. >> But that what I'm saying is >> that probably won't buy an amate 2930, >> right? But if we do get a match, it might be only half of that amount for 200,000. >> Absolutely. And it would and it would just stay in the capital reserve plan for either another ambulance or
something else in the capital plan. >> I just want to make sure that was that's way make sure I was thinking right to make sure everybody knew that. >> And it can be amended in any time in the future too, right? >> Correct. >> Make the motion. >> I think so. I got a motion by
Commissioner Bridg. I'll I'll second. >> Second by Commissioner Hus. Any further board discussion on this capital outlay reserves? Anyone in the public? Any opposition to the motion?
Motion pass 5 and0. >> I'll have to say that I was the last one that was talked into this. Uh Sherry, clerk at the time, Becky Norris, uh I think Ronda Woodward, Ralph Robertson,
everybody wants to do a capital fund. We didn't have 15 cents to rub together after the 2009 2010 meltdown. We had laid off a bunch of folks and uh this has turned out to be to put Guff County on a great financial path. This has turned out probably to be the most
important thing the board has done because we don't borrow money to buy a dump truck. We don't borrow money to buy a firet truck and we don't borrow money to buy law cars and what all this kind of stuff. So not it was really difficult when we started it. It is a godsend now
that we have it. All right, we ready to talk about non nice things. Uh, I do think that that every county needs to to be proactive about educating the public on what they're going to be
voting on in in November. Everybody wants a tax cut. You know, everybody wants somebody else to pay, but taxes are the price of civilized society. And each local government, each local county, each state has to decide
how much government that they want. There are certain things that people can't provide for themselves. Law enforcement, jail, EMS, although you couldn't contract EMS, most folks can't provide that. Roads, drainage,
uh water and sewer, fire protection, mosquito control, things to that nature, public health, things that that the average person can't do for themselves. I'm all for the individual doing as much for themselves as they can possibly do, but there are certain things that
governments have to provide. And because there was a rush with the state and it started with the governor's office and it and again his plan didn't get implemented, it would have been better had his plan been implemented because at least there would have been a separate fund even though it was asinine for each
county to have to go beg the state every year to fund things. the plan that that that that came out didn't didn't have anything to do with with reality when it comes to local government. And and the sad thing is most of these folks that that voted on
this are going to be out of office long before it hits the fan. The governor's riding off in the sunset, you know, because of term limits, you know, these eight years and they're gone. Uh they didn't include essential items to make the world go
around. And until the end, they didn't have the clerk in there. They didn't have the supervised elections in there. They didn't have the property appraiser in there. They did protect the sheriff. They protected the jails. They protected fire to some degree. But there's more to county government than than what you think in what passed. And again, there's
going to be legal interpretations on what they have severely limited your ability to fund certain things. And I'm going to go through some of these items that that potentially that you could cut. There's also some potential things that you fund today that are not going
to be allowed without some either court interpretation or some changes to to the legislature. They have not considered certain things. I know what they're trying to eliminate some of these stupid programs. Uh I'll give you an example. I didn't know but but if you're a Miami date commissioner, you get private
security. You're you're special. So, you know, they fund the drag shows and they fund all these crazy items. subsidize rent for in some counties to for for folks. So, those are things that we
would think that's crazy up here, but again, every everybody's different, but we need folks, especially bureaucrats in Tallahassee, to understand how the real world works and and for them not to put mosquito spraying in a required deal. I
mean, I I was actually shocked when I saw the actual number. I thought that grants paid for more than that, but I'm going to go through a list of potential cuts. I want to say this is a worst case scenario. I don't think we're going to be in a position where we're going to have to lay anybody off. I mean, our our
cuts are pretty substantial, but they're not catastrophic. Everybody to our north, it is nuclear fallout. I mean, there's no way that they're going to be able to pay their constitutional officers, much less general government services in a place
like Calhoun, Liberty, Jackson, Homes, Washington, and even Wakulla County. Walculla County, remember, it's they don't have that much beach. They've got some waterfront, but it's a bedroom community for Tallahassee. They got a lot of homesteads. >> So, they're going to have to do a lot of
adjustments or there's going to be a lot of crying and pain and nashing of teeth. But but again, I think everybody needs to be on the same page where where you can vote intelligently about what you're doing because this is going to be a massive transfer of burden
to second homes, businesses, unimproved property. So, you may say, "Well, I don't have a second home. I don't have a beach house. I don't have a business. I don't have whatever, but but I've got a lot somewhere." Well, guess what? That that ain't going to be covered. So, somebody's got to pay the bill.
Uh I'm sorry Sherry, I missed the text. >> We're good. Okay. So these are potential things that could be cut because you've got to cut uh based on our current projections at least a million8 and it pro that pro number will probably go up.
So first on the list ARPC dues. Uh again in the grand scheme of things it's it's not a not a requirement. uh repairing stakeholder courthouse security. We spend a chunk on courthouse security. Uh again, we can make the argument the
state needs to pay for that. Uh search and rescue extension, we only pay a portion of that, but extensions $152,000. Tupelo uh soil and water, Tri County A Center, Big Ben Transportation,
EDC, Veteran Services, Animal Control. I mean, you think you might need animal control, you get a rabid dog, but it didn't make the cut of essentials. And again, that's just state not understanding how local government works and and the and the just the the brass
tax. Humane Society, Humane Society, and a couple of these are probably in the in the deal that we will not be able to fund under the current rule. It's not an essential government service. And I think you could finangle it where
they could handle animal control and make it work. But today, just like giving money to the citizens, giving money to the senior citizens, all these outside NOS's that the county has been giving money to, many of them great programs
aren't going to fall under the fact that that you can spend tax dollars on those things in the future unless they change the law or we get a different interpretation. Health department, again, you think health department is a essential service. You don't want diseases
spreading across the deal, but that, you know, we have to pay for some of those things. I've said the two senior citizens, the ARC libraries, they're not specifically in there. I think we definitely make the argument since we own the building and whatnot that that's the case and we contract
with another county to run it, but it didn't make the essential deal. Couer source summer program. You know how much we spent on mosquito control? And guess what? probably the second number one call we get after drainage.
Now, I didn't hear the damn skater truck last night or whatever. And they had to go look and say, "Oh, the GPS said they come by at 1259, but you just didn't hear them." $459,000. You cut mosquito spraying and your phone's going. Yeah.
Park improvements. This is what Avalor tax is in more than a quarter. They ain't talking about your match. uh a very difficult decision that's coming and Clay and I've had long discussions about this. Uh you're you're
coming up on the end of your indigent healthc care commitment to Sacred Heart and theou that that both cities have that that goes toward that. Uh I can definitely foresee in the future where
that has to be repurposed that that half cent sales tax for inent care has to go away and it has to be half cent sales tax to pay for the north end fire departments for lack of a better thing that that are going to be wiped out by this change. And some of these other programs that you're not going to be
able to keep up. Remember, we need three or 4% of growth just to keep pace, just to pay for insurance increases and fuel increases and salary increases and all those things. When you start going negative,
then hard decisions have to be made. So, so that's that's one that you know, Sacred Heart's been a great partner with GV County, but when we write that last bit of that 21.5 million commitment, you may have to repurpose that sales tax. And of course the two cities will
benefit from that because they'll get their cut. But at the end of the day that would in this year if it were to go away, which it won't, could help your budget a,560,000. >> Really? >> Well, we take something out. But the gist is because there because it's
already paying for the diialysis and it's already paying for the for the uh transfers on the ambulance. inist. That number is going to continue to go up and and again that's going to be a big step that y'all are going to have to make a decision
probably in the next two or three years. So if you cut all of those things, you'd save 2.8 million. If you did the the reverse on the hospital in the future, you could increase a million three of that 1.56.
And then at the bottom, we put some unfunded mandates. The things that were in the essential list that you have, you have to have a county commission. You have to have a clerk. You have to have a property appraiser. You have to have a tax collector. You have to have a supervisor of elections. You have to have lights and stuff on at the
courthouse to to run those things. You have to have a sheriff. You have to have the state forestry deal that would save so many cents an acre. You have to have a medical examiner. You have to pay for medical examiner transports and cremations for the uh unclaimed bodies.
Uh you got the CRA on the Northport St. Joe that you can't get away with. You have to pay the hikra, the healthcare responsibility act. You have to pay state medicaid. I think that number is even higher. You have to do the Baker Act for the mentally ill. You got court administration, state attorney, and public defender. And most of that's just
minor communications. But of those other things, you've got 2.355 million in in and mandated things that you don't have any control over. Any questions on that? I I guess that's >> You got more good news. >> Yeah.
>> Well, I mean that just that's if it passes. I mean that's that's if it passes. if this thing passes and it might it's at 60 what 4% at poll first time but that that's the highest it goes down but when we we heard the the guy that used to be a senator so he was he's
been in the mix before tell how bad it is so they had special session special session special session nothing got done come back in two hours they come up with what's going to be on the ballot how can you put something that major on a ballot in two hours that's that's that's the
number one thing uh another thing is not trying to just be negative about it. It do we need tax breaks? Absolutely. And uh former commissioner or former representative Griffith had the best idea I think I've heard forever. Of course, he was a county commissioner
before he became a a state representative. Why not make it mandatory a state mandate that you have tax relief, but leave it up to your local community, your local property appraiser right now? Mitch, how much do you have in leverage to do something?
Mitch, I want all 65, if you're 65 and older, I want your tax bill cut in half right now. Can you do that? >> And that's that's where the the problem is. They don't have to put it in the Constitution. Legislatively, they can pass it. It's a mandate. Every county, you come up with something to cut your
taxes to your citizens and you send it in for us approval and that then that's fine. That's what we we could get to. So our local people decide we can't do without mosquito control, right? So we're not going to go beyond that point in this county because our our citizens
don't want it, but our citizens may want it. If you're 65 and older, we want to diminish in tax. We want to go down that way. And that's something that we could do through local referendum. Every c our county could do that. So that was that's my two cents from where I sit. Not I mean I thought that was a great plan. It
got no traction on the floor. Um, but this thing that's out there now would you can see what it's going to do. I hope everyone sees what this could do just to Gulf County across all the count every county. We're not the only ones doing this, folks. We're everybody across the state's doing this right now. They're showing people what's going to
be cut. So, um, I hope the the word gets out. >> The other fallacy is it's a it's a lie. The elimination of and and that you're renting your house and you're renting whatever the eliminates tax. So I just used my tax bill last year for example
unincorporated GV county twothirds of my tax billboard schoolboard tax is not changing a bit. So the best case scenario is my taxes go down a third and then I lose all these other services and that's I think the public needs to understand when it started out the governor made his announcement it was
like the elimination of homestead property tax period. You will never have to rent your home again if you own your home. You know it's it is free. Well, that's not what was passed by the legislature and and it's very disingenuous. They always seem to do it when they're manipulating the the state retirement tax and whatnot that they
always understand that they have to pay half the the the schoolboard bill. You know, that's you know, you got the local required efforts, state does the other half. That's the fallacy is that state could not afford to do what they wanted to do themselves because they couldn't
afford that 15 billion or whatever a year hole that they would be creating if they eliminated this the school tax. So because the school taxes already don't have the extra homesteads extra uh exemptions I don't know what they call it but your schoolboard value is much higher. I think it's like a billion
dollars higher than ours. And so they're generating more with basically the same the millage rate. But uh you know if if it passes and people get a tax bill next year, they're going to say, "Oh hell, my taxes only went down a third. They're supposed to go away." They gonna say, "Oh, you were fooled."
>> Well, and two, there's there's three things that are are common, too. In the state of Florida, onethird of the people rent. Okay? One third are renters. So you got 60 60 something percent right there. of those the average home age of
buying a home now is 40 years old. Most times you buy your first house, you got a mortgage and it's usually a 25 30-year mortgage. So when are they paying a mortgage, they don't own their house. >> That's right. >> So there's a there's a few that top 10% maybe 15% may own it out of that. So you you put that across the state of
Florida, even the retirement communities and all. It's a different thing when they start talking about how it's going to affect us and stuff like that. So there's I I think there's a better way. I I really do. We do need tax relief. Swear we we know it. I've talked to Mitch and I know my father's talked to
him for years. Beat him to death at 91. We talked about it. Give the man the ability through our community and referendum to make tax cuts that are appropriate for our county. >> Commissioner P, you said 64% that was the latest poll that that would pass.
>> Yeah, that started at 64, but according to what was said, you know, 64, the first poll is always the highest. comes come out the highest and as people start looking at information it only tends to go down and so it has to get 60 60% to
do it. So we got there's 4% that it goes down uh and you know margin of error and all that kind of stuff. So just hopefully >> hold on a second. >> Oh I'm sorry. >> Yes ma'am. Yes ma'am. Go ahead. I totally agree with
the public. Not that you put more money in your pocket because I'm a homestead and I'm not walk away with more money in my pocket.
might be taking a little bit walking over here to the left and taking out and it's not even our counties got beatest of what you said so that I can get it
out to the public and get it into the information is not you're not getting a true picture of what's really happening and you're going to hurt the services in this county that we respect and want to put pressure on y'all get me more money
for the puppy give me more money for the library books not get me less and and what you need in this county might be totally different what they need in Leon County or I think you've done a pretty good job.
So, if you would give me a list of that, sir, I would appreciate it. Can I get it from your office this week? >> Sherry's probably got a copy. >> Appreciate you. >> Do we want to do that? We want to get this out of it. I mean, that this is a
hard and fast list. I think you put some time. >> Yeah, we can put it on the website, too. But yeah, Sherry's Sherry's got that and I don't I don't mind. >> She's back there in the back, too. We we've got one request that didn't make the
>> I don't ask thoughts. >> We we got one request that didn't make the book which you wanted good days. This is a $50,000 request and I know that that probably all of y'all have been contacted. >> Michael, before you go on, let's go back to that putting this out. I think we
need to make sure we put verbiage on the top of that piece of paper. He's he's got it in there. Non-essential cut options. Look, can we clarify it a little bit more if you know to to protect it? You know, we're not trying
to just throw smoke out there that this is really based on what is in that legislation. This is, you know, I mean, kind of spell that out that top line before we put it out for the public consumption. Can we do that? I don't put records down, but I mean before we put a statement out. >> Yeah, we can try. They'll it'll always
and again, we don't want to cause panic. We want to cause that that that this was not included in the essentials by the state and that some of those are are obvious oversightes, but but a lot of things that the county and and we're different than Bay and we're different than Franklin that do that that the
county funds like senior citizens and we've done it since I think 93. Uh we thought it was important for senior citizens to have a hot meal every day for meals on wheels. And that's uh I don't see that as a liberal or a waste or whatever you want to call it type deal, but those things are not in the
essential deal and and could be argued that that's not legal to be funded if if this thing passes. So we just need to draw attention to that. So I'll I'll work with Sherry and Clay and whatever and we can get something put out. We'll get something this week. Yeah.
Yeah. >> And it it does say possibilities and it also says options. Options. >> Correct. So, I mean, >> you don't have to do all like Well, put it on there because again, I thought it was a little crazy not to include as many veterans as Florida has percentage-wise. We have the
most veterans of any state in the in the country. For them not to put veteran service officers on the the the required or necessary deal was was a slap in the face. I doubt very seriously you going to cut out your veteran service officer, but it was just on the non-essential list.
So, it would be a possibility. >> And and we are at 1.8. The first projection on on the 26 27 the first round the one the first round would be 1.8. Is that right >> based on last year's numbers? >> Based on last year's numbers if which is
only going to go up to so we're right here with these non-essentials is 2.8. If we're starting at 1.8 8, but it's probably 1.9, maybe two. And then if January, if December gets here and and the wheels fall off and they all start doing it, it's going to continue to go
to possibly 2.1 2.2. So we're all almost to the 2.8 of cutting everything. Correct. Is that about >> I'll just give you numbers of January 2027 the homestead exemption goes to 150
in our office just los 2027 Now is that including the the the 10 to five that >> Yes, sir. >> That is included. Okay. So, >> Florida County,
>> that's just the first year. >> Yes, sir. Second year. As a little bit higher. This is all we don't know what we have today. >> And two caveats I'd give. one I'd say
there's going to be a whole lot of people rushing to his office to claim Homestead to get in under the wire and that's going to be a nightmare for him to figure out. The other thing >> we're getting numbers >> what is the law on that far as something
to think about is being able to rent a house. You can't rent a house and claim it as homestead. Am I correct? Not unless you break the law and there's a lot of folks that do and and and that'll encourage more law breaking too. So the other thing is >> got to be some that have to be police
which cost which cost money >> you know because a lot of people bought these houses too as rental income. >> That's right. >> So you can't you can't rent that house and claim home >> and and some people bought it as rental income and plan to retire here and eventually claim homes. But the problem is they going to speed that up which
will skew the numbers the wrong way. The other deal is this, and I think we agree on this. There's not a chance in hell that fiveyear damn moratorum is going to stay. In fact, it's already settled law. They tried it in the what late 80s or or early 90s. >> So, so at the end of the day, it will
get much worse much faster. Now, the the only positive you wanted positive news, Guff County is either the second or third least affected in the in the state because of the percentage of non Homestead homes. That's only as good as
they don't come down here and start claiming homestead at a at a higher rate. But I think it's G, Franklin, and Walton are the are the least affected. >> Frank, Franklin 67, we're 66. >> Okay. So, we're second. But again,
it it it there will be a huge change in the way Guff County does business going forward if this passes. >> Absolutely. $17,000 solution office one way or the other.
I think we need to educate I think it's important. >> So more or less rough numbers 5% the first year for us 10% of our budget within two years from now of this budget right here today using today's yesterday's numbers. >> Correct.
The city wall is at like 25% I would assume already. >> Your fire departments are skewed on the north end horrendously bad >> because because again it's a transfer of the burden. You're transferring it from
somewhat everybody to businesses and second home owners. I mean that's a and again you transfer it to the business. There's a lot of business owners, small business owners downtown. Who gets to pay that bill? the people that are buying stuff from their business. And it doesn't matter if it's a hamburger or if
it's a t-shirt or if it's groceries at the at the piggly wiggly. >> I just wanted to also point out, you know, we are in a good position in the fact that we will be we will have less impact, but the restrictions the restrictions are the killer in this.
So there are a lot of things we talked a lot today about parks. We talked about all the things that are really important to Gulf County. They're not included in the allowable expenditures. So, of our general fund,
only $9.4 million comes in from any other source and not all of that's available. Not all a lot of that is restricted and it can't be used on these other things. So, as bad as it is to lose the income, the
restrictions is really the part that I think people need to pay attention to. And I think that's what people are missing. What is going to be restricted that you can spend money on? And >> true.
I'll give you one that won't make the cut next year, but they might get in under the wire. Uh I know y'all I I guess every one of y'all had the bay savers contact you. Uh the number doubled because I don't think they got the state appropriation, but so the
rumor on the street is the city's agreed to match our deal and instead of 25 it's 50. So I did not include anything for them in the budget. So if y'all want to u you need to tell us.
>> Uh I read the email from Mr. Neil, but um he reached out to me. He done reached out to me several times in reference to um the Bay Savers request and before that you know Dr. May came before came to the office several times in reference
to U Bay Savers. Um I have no problem with if we can find the funding to help them. The city of Port St. Joe's is going to match it. Also, they're also reaching out to um Franklin County, Bay County, and other uh entities. And I and
I kind of told Mr. Keith that he probably want to reach out to those other entities also and see if they'll kick in the money for the U study also. But I have uh no issue because um like I say, Dr. May came way a while ago before
us in reference to this stuff that was coming down the pike. So, I have no issue with uh helping them out. Um, like I say, it's only a one-time uh funding, so I have no problem with it. >> Uh, is and I talked to him as well. I I don't either because anytime this is
just a study, and the study that it will produce can help in uh not just with uh future plans on there, but it can help us with we had some issues with uh up on the inter coastal. We've never had a fish kill on the inter coastal. Uh
that was last year. and Lake Wimiko. I know Commissioner Mackmore, you know, they've got some hydrilla issues up there. So, all of this could help. It's not just turbidity. My understanding is it's going to be a whole study of what's going on, what's coming down. And I'd like for it to go all the way down. It
should go all the way down to the bay, I would think he said, to where it comes out the bay there so we could see possible contaminants that are coming out. That's that's where I would like to for make sure it does that, too. So, I'm good with it as well. Sure. I I have I have a question. Um is
there any way, Jeremy, that this could be paid for out of TDC funds? I mean, this it's a study of more or less St. Joe Bay, which is a huge attraction for a tourist. >> I know over the years we've looked into
the use of those dollars. Um and I will certainly do it, look at the language of it and come back to you next week and we can talk about it on Monday. um in terms of feeder uh repairarian rivering the lakes the rivers and all be adjacent to
our parks we've had interpretations over the years where we've been able to do that um and I'll look at you know the state language and see how we can apply it towards that bay um if it's something that we can do I'll certainly give you that interpretation that recommendation >> I want to take a look at it >> we do have two part we have white city
and high view >> on the base yeah you need what you you need anything from us. >> Sounds like it sound like I can count to three. So, we'll we'll we'll include it in the next book. Uh
I need y'all to set the maximum tenative millage for the general fund and for the fire districts. and and understanding that it's going to take a supermajority vote in September to levy this and even if things come in
better and we're able to do a little trimming, we will not be able to do enough trimming to meet the threshold where you don't have to have a super majority. >> All right, commissioners. which is of the board in reference to the proposed 5.6 county operating
military. Mr. >> Chairman, I'll throw something out there. >> Yes, sir. >> Um I'll go I'll go ahead and make a motion to keep the 5.6 mills uh where we are today. We can always like Sherry said earlier, we can always go down. We can't
go up. Um I'm I'm hesitant to cut it any this year because our insurance was was horrific last year. Um and we don't know what it's going to be this year and we won't know for another month. So in between now and September, there's going to be a lot of work that's going to be done uh just on the on the insurance
side of things. Um we also don't have anything back on the constitutional officer salary from the state yet. I know it always comes in almost like the night of best of my recollection. So, it seems like so, uh, we don't know what that's going to be yet either. Um, and we've we've
estimated that, but we don't know the final numbers. Um, and we don't know what the state revenues are either. So, on the on the on the flip side. So, all those are they're estimates. Um, obviously everybody here on the county has tried to to make good estimates on
that, but the insurance to me is the biggest kicker. Um, I'll I'll make a motion to keep the millage rate at 5.6 mills. >> All right. Thank you, sir. So, I got a motion by Commissioner Husman, >> second for discussion. >> Second by Commissioner Mcronone. You have the floor. >> Uh, I would love to see us at least cut
a tenth of a meal. We've cut every year, and I know it's next year. I I I don't foreseeing us being able to cut at all if that does pass. But, uh, if we do hold the line here at 56, we we still can the numbers come in better on
insurance. We still can cut down the road before the final. So, uh, I'm I'm fine with, you know, if we want to hold today, we still can reduce it down. >> And I and I'm good with it, uh, with it at 56, but instead of
I do know that it's always good. You've done a good job of saving and having for an emergency. We live where uh, we within two weeks we could have a storm to wipe us out. We've lived through it. We know that and we learn from that. And so, we set a good contingency back. This
might be our last chance to set a contingency back and to build make I know we have one to make sure that we are prepared in all fronts in case there is a storm or some major event which we it's not if it's when. So we're we're prep prepared for that because after this year there will be no opportunity I
see to cut mills rate plus put money back and it's going to it's going to be cutting programs and stuff like that. So I'm good with it staying where it is. just if it does come back better, good. Put it in reserve. >> And we're still possibly running a very huge risk keeping it the way that it is.
I think it's a big risk for us because we don't know the insurance. And last year, we we did a very, in my opinion, I thought we did as much we possibly could do >> to get the insurance down as much per household for all the employees. Um, I think we did a a great
job on that and I'd like to do it again. We just need to make sure we But at the same time, we do need to to make this decision today at the 5.6. So that's that's my recommendation. >> Thank you, sir. >> Chairman, I'm good with that, too. You're >> good. >> I don't I don't want us to get to a
place where we cut oursel and then next year, year after, we like we got to raise everything, jump it back up. So, I'd rather be safe than sorry. >> And if the insurance comes in good, we can still cut. >> Yeah. And I'm good with that, too. Let let me add I think the staff and the
board uh over the several years that I've been uh county commissioner has done a fantastic job with uh reserves. Let's just say saving um for rainy days. And uh I I believe that we
are in if if we do have a bad storm, we are in great shape to continue to operate. Um I have confidence that um Michael and Sher has been um saving for rainy days. Uh and and hopefully a rainy
day is not coming. Um but I'm good with the 5.6. What scares me um if we do hold the line or if we do drop it is the once that if if that bill passes and hope it does not pass. um if it does pass, it
scares me that we going to have to look those people in the face and tell them, "Hey, we cannot we cannot help you anymore long, you know, any longer." And and that's that's scary. And I know a lot of outside agencies depend on us. Um and man, I'm just wondering what are they going to really do if that day
comes. So hopefully it doesn't come. Hopefully it doesn't pass. Um, like I said, we're good for I think we're good to get through this year uh with helping those agencies, but if if it does pass, it's scary because they rely they rely on that little bit of money to help uh
support this community, help support Guff County. And so that's the scary feeling about if it passes, you know, and I'm I'm pretty sure you all wear that same burden that I'm wearing as we all wondering, you know, what's going to happen if it does and and how we look
our constituents in the face and tell them we can no longer fund what we've been funded in the past. We can no longer fund G ARC or whatever it might be, senior citizens. That that's that's tough. We got to take I feel it's our responsibility as commissioners, as
human beings to take care of the veterans, to take care of the senior citizens, to take care of the of the uh G ARC people, those people who really depend on us and need us. So, uh it's scary, but hopefully it doesn't pass. I feel good since Commissioner Print says
it's at 64. It's got to be 60% to pass. So, hopefully it it doesn't make it to the the 60% mark. But that is the scary feeling about it. But I'm good with the 5.6 and and hoping that like I said, we've been good stewards. Staff has been great with with the funding. Um so
hopefully we'll I mean we it won't rain. It'll be a better day. So if it don't pass, we going to celebrate. But if it does pass, it might be a rainy day, but I think we going to be I think we'll be fine. And we just going to have to we just have to cut here and there and just to to make it work. But I'm good with
5.6. So, I got a motion by Commissioner Husman to hold at 5.6. Second by Commissioner Mcronone. Any further board discussion? Anyone in the public? Any opposition to the motion? All right. Motion pass five. I I just want to reiterate one thing
because no nobody was on the board when when we had the meltdown after 08 and 09 and we wound up laying off I think 14 people and it was catastrophically horrible for the ones that got let off and it was catastrophically horrible for me and Don that had to let the folks go.
We are not going to be in a position I'm not going to leave Clay in a position where we're going to have to lay folks off. They may be per repurposed. They may be in a different deal. Some of the counties around us have instituted hiring freezes. I I'm not doing that because it's it's it's not always the same. If Jod loses a paramedic tomorrow,
I've got to fill that position. We just can't. Again, if it's we we don't have a lot of fluff to say that, oh, we don't need that laborer. We don't need that grass cutter. We don't need whatever. But but if the sheriff loses a deputy's got to fill it, if the if the EMS loses an EMT, we got to fill it. If the jail
loses a correction officer, we got to fill it. So, we're going to be prudent going forward, but we're not in a position where we're going to have to lay folks off. So, I don't want anybody that works for the county to be stressed to that deal. They may not be in the same position they're in, but but we won't be in the position of when we lost
half of our tax base after the the meltdown where we have to to slash and burn. Can I get a motion from uh the board to set the fire districts at half a mill each? >> So, move second. >> All right. Motion by Commissioner Cron, second by Commissioner Pid. Any further
board discussion? Anyone in the public on this? Any opposition to the motion? All right. Motion pass five. >> We got a recommendation at the bottom of that first page uh for your first uh budget hearing. That'll be at 501 and
it'll be on the trim notice. And I'd suggest if we set that one, we go ahead and set the the last one as well. Sherry's recommending the Wednesday um 99. If we don't want to do that, it is church night. Uh we can do it Tuesday uh
the day before. It needs to be the the 9th or the eth. Labor Day is late this year. >> All right. What's the board? Uh 501 on 99 or y'all want to do it on 98 the
Tuesday? I'd rather >> 98 2026 >> at 501. Need a motion on it. >> Michael. Yes, sir. Please. >> Mhm. >> All right. Entertain a motion set that first hearing on 98 2026. Got a motion
by Commissioner Mcronone. >> I'll second. >> Second by Commissioner Michael Moore. Anyone in the public on this hearing date? Any opposition? Motion pass. Five and0. >> All right. For your last uh meeting, the board meeting's on the 22nd. We could do
the 21st or we could do the 22nd. We'd just be meeting twice that same day. It doesn't bother me either way. >> It's got to be 501, right? >> Yes, sir. But but what I'm saying is if you do it on the on the board meeting day, you going you're going to be meeting at 9:00, then you gonna be
meeting at 5:01. I'm good either way. >> Me, too. >> Y'all want to come back twice? >> It's fine with me. >> Good. >> Be pretty much be here anyway. >> All right. So, on the 22nd, let's we're
going to have our regular scheduled board meeting and then we'll come back at 501. >> All right. >> All right. I entertain a motion we set that date. Those two dates. Got a motion by well one date. Got a motion by Commissioner Mackmore. >> Second. >> Second by Commissioner Husby. Any
further board discussion on this? Anyone in the public? Any opposition? All right. Motion pass. >> Good. All right. Constitution officers, y'all good? Mr. Terry, you good? Sheriff,
>> good. Thank you, sir. >> Mike, you had anything else? >> I think we're good, sir. >> I thank everybody for coming out to the first budget. Remember the board meeting next week is Monday. >> Board meeting on uh uh Monday,
>> whatever the day is, 27th. >> 27th. Oh, before we go, I got one uh one announcement. I almost forgot about this. Uh, somebody's uh celebrating their birthday on tomorrow. Uh, >> I don't know how old he's turning. How old are you turning? >> Oh, but
>> 52 years old. >> Did they tell you they shot me this morning? Literally, >> that's part of >> Hey, cause somebody have a heart attack, get shot. >> And this may be your Let me say what? So, this is the proposed budget uh presented today. This may be your last one on this part.
>> Oh, it is my last. >> Yes, sir. >> It's not a B. It is my last. >> You might they may be lined up outside waiting on you, you know. >> So if Clay, you get that dumpster fire next year, they have to cut it all.
>> Trying not to leave him a dumpster fire, sir. >> Yeah. So with that being said, the ladies want to sing happy birthday to you. >> Didn't Casey send you that? >> She did. She did. >> She told me to. >> I appreciate y'all. Happy birthday to
you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, dear Michael. Happy birthday to you. >> I entertain a motion to adjourn. >> Motion.
>> Motion by Commissioner H. Second by Commissioner Bridgen.