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Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=VrBSDFTC8kA

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Mike, you ready? Ready. Good evening. We will call to order our Tuesday, July 7th, 2026, city of Leburg fiscal year 202627 budget workshop meeting number one to order. Would you please stand for the

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invocation? Heavenly Father, we gather this evening for the first budget workshop for fiscal year 2027. We thank you for the opportunity to serve our community. We ask for your wisdom and guidance as we review the financial needs of our city and make decisions that will shape its

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future. As we discuss the requests presented, help us to be thoughtful, transparent, and accountable for every dollar spent and remain committed to serving with honesty, fairness, and excellence. All this we ask in his precious name. Amen.

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I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> All right, good evening. So, we are

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going to go over the schedule tonight. We're going to talk about the general fund summary, a little bit of what we're doing with the general fund for 27. talk about Bikefest, which we've already talked about before, but we're going to recap that civic funding and then the various department recaps if there's any

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questions on the various departments. So, getting into the budget summary, here's your general fund revenues. Um, the budget, the general fund is up 2.9 million. Um, some of the important ones to note would be miscellaneous. Kind of

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weird to be up 25%. That's the interest earnings that we get. So, our interest has been good. we were able to increase that revenue line. So that's 300,000 of that 400,000 increase. Um 18% on fines and forfeitures. That has to do directly with the school zone cameras, court fees

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that we pay when they go to court and then additional just the fines. We're able to increase that revenue. So that's why those two are up. Just important to note on that, but otherwise um in total it's 2.9 more than 26. And then we have a graphic of it. And

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you can see again other sources which are your transfers and searchcharges, the taxes which are the property taxes, adalorum, utility taxes and communication service taxes make up most of the general fund. And um here's the electric transfers. As

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you know, we've been working to reduce the transfer for from electric to the general fund. Um we are holding it steady. You can see from 25 to 27 at 1.6 million. You do see the percentage fluctuate because I recalibrate it each year based on charge for services and

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things like that. But we hold the dollar amount at 1.6 million. If we were to start upping that transfer, then we might have to look at the electric rate, you know, because the the electric fund can't afford much more than that at this point. So, we try to hold that low. It's probably one of the lowest around that I know of. So, it's a good amount, but

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definitely a benefit to the electric utility, but the general fund only gets 1.6 million, which is a low percentage. And then here is our SWAT analysis. So the strengths would be that we have a strong public safety division. The we're

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proposing the roll back rate which is 3.3783. And as we'll show you the graph for the general fund has healthy reserves. The weaknesses would be that Leburg and we're going to show this is low with growth. Even even though everyone says we're growing fast, we're actually one

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of the lowest if not I believe the lowest. Um so it's going to take time to bring revenue in from advalorum especially with some of the constraints that we're going through. Um the CIPs in this would be a weakness because we don't have a lot of CIPs. So there is an additional revenue for general fund

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CIPs. We use discretionary sales tax currently mostly. And then after public safety which are 60% of the general fund or 26.4 million the revenues are strained at that point. There's not a lot of excess money. Um, we did to get

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this balanced freeze nine police positions. So, that is included. Um, even though we cannot get them at the moment, it seems to be hard to get. We have quite a vacancy list. There are nine officer positions that are frozen to get this balanced. >> Brandy, just a quick question. Um, I'm

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curious, you caught me off guard with slow growth. I'm curious what the basis is of that. Is that year-over-year? Is that compared to other cities? >> Let me bring it up now or you want to go? Yeah. >> Okay. My bad. My bad. Let's get to it. That we'll go to that soon. You can understand my intrigue on that one. >> Yeah. No, it was interesting. Yeah, I

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can. Actually, it's coming up. I think it's the next one. Let's see. Yep, it's the next one. There we go. Sorry. So, we are actually Yeah, the average is 9.39%. This is the June 1 taxable value from the property appraiser. We're at 4.75%. I just averaged the cities and the

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average for the cities was 9.39. So, our property tax value only grew 4.75%. Yeah. And remember your property tax value number has two components. So resale. So somebody who's homesteaded forever, they bought their house 192

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and now they sell at the market value. So that's a new growth. And then plus new construction. So that's all part of the number which is the lowest growth rate. >> Yeah, it was an interesting chart that we put together. So Yep.

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And then um here is your general fund cash reserves as of April. Um it is important to note we kind of add the arrow because you can see it looks like we have a lot of cash but we constantly are getting it in advorum comes in then it tapers down. We pay the debt. It's like a cycle that goes on. So when you

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look at what's really above the reserve, you're only looking at three to four million that you really have to play with because a lot of this is just bringing it in to then turn around and pay it back out. So if you wanted to do a big capital project, there's not a ton of extra money in there. So we just want to bring that to your attention.

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And here is the um taxable value. So that's the value that we have here based on the value. So the 26 was 3.8 taxable value 4.1. So the value increase was 290 million. And then the breakdown by the

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CRAAS which is always hard to guess. Um you can see the GLC surprised me went up 11% Carver height 7 highway 4414 and then general fund was eight. So it's at the taxable value dollar amount. Here's our millillage comparison. The

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roll back rate as I said is 3.3783. We are currently at 34752. Um the change if you were to maintain you would gain an additional 383829. We are not proposing that. Um, and we will be bringing you the DR420 on the

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July 13th meeting which will propose the roll back rate of 3.3783. And the budget was also the draft was developed that way. This is um we always try to show you what it would be for a homeowner. So you can see the various amounts of a home.

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So 100,000 up to 550,000. If you do the roll back rate, we estimate that it would be an increase of 44, which makes sense. The roll back rate should bring in the same amount of money. Um, all the way up to $245 um for a $550,000

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home. And yeah, that's and these assume, I believe, the 3%, you know, going 100 then 103. So, and then if you were to maintain, then it would be a $10 increase for $100,000 home. And then a $550,000 home

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would be $57. Just kind of showing the difference between the roll back rate and maintaining the rate and what it does to a homeowner. Here is the millillage comparisons for um last year because we don't know what everyone else is going to do. Um we've included uh where the Lake County BCC

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would be. That's the upper one. They would fall. That one falls at 5.8223. So they're between Mount Dora and Groveland. Ours will be with the roll back rate um will actually be still where we are but a little bit less than on the table. It'll be 3.3783.

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We'll still be second at the bottom. This is a comparison of the fire fees around the area. Um we have the 176 is proposed for fiscal year 27. It's in the 26. It's the 170. So that is a 3% increase, but you can see we're still in

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the bottom tier of anyone around us. >> Let me interrupt here. This year I think the budget did have we have to recalibrate um our fire assessment fee. So fire assessment law fee law is that you you have to calibrate what you can

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recoup as far as fire assessment fees. So right now at 176 under when we adopted the fire assessment fee 13 years ago um we're about 80% but so 80% of the value of what you can

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collect. My guess is when we recalibrate that that 176 is that that our ability to collect more based on call volume and our current cost that's going to open up the spring. So that that 176 is going to

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go from 80% and get lower so that if you do need to increase fire assessment fees in the future, you can do that. Although I do believe there's legislation this year to cap the fire assessment fee at an increase of 5%, >> but that's year

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and I believe we did the last study in 2020 is what I remember. So it's every five or so years that you need to redo it. So >> yep, but that is in there for next year. Here is just the transfers and the utilities charges which represent 19% of the

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general fund. So you can see 1.6 electric gas is the one 1295 then the rest of them fall out there. Um the search charges which are the 10% those make up the 2.6 million for a total of 8.3 that we're bringing in the general

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fund. The intergovernmental um which is federal, state and local funding is 4.5 million. And then you'll see the taxes, search charges, revenues. So the total amounts 83% of the 43710 make up these big sources right here. Just another way to show the different

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big sources that we have. Okay. So the budget highlights for police and fire. Um police salaries include um 8% which is agreed upon. So that one's good. 8% and then the closing allowance um is going from 1,000 to,500 and then the pension change was minimal

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and that was 7,208. The current draft budget includes 8% for the firefighters. Um we do have a shade meeting on Thursday um to figure out if that's where we'll end up, but this budget does include 8% and to get this plan we have froze again nine positions

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which is 869,000 or 9 96,607 each. So that's how we got that balanced. citywide. The rest of the employees we did 4% for the rest of everyone else. We are increasing the base contribution for

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the 401 from 5% to 8%. And um also the matching program we will do that as well for 3%. Um last year we assumed everyone would take it. So when we actually looked at how many people took it, we had some savings. to that and that allowed us to and the GE pension, you know, staying the same, allowed us to

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bring up that um 401 contribution to 8%. Because not as many people took the match, so that freed up some money. So, we thought, well, let's give it back to people directly instead of having to do the match. >> Randy, what percentage took it? I'm just curious how many >> about 2/3.

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>> Yeah, it wasn't that many people. >> It was surprising when we looked at how many. Yeah, it was only I mean to be honest it's only 300,000 that we're paying into the match um in 27. So in the the 8% cost us like 2 million. So

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um we are increasing this is big the city contribution to the health insurance fund by 29%. So that is a benefit to the employees. There is no change to health insurance right rates for the retirees. As you know for two years we've been coming to you and saying we need to transfer money. We

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need to transfer money. um we've been using a lot of reserves for that. We're just realizing that the costs are not going down and so at this point we need to go ahead and just budget it properly. Um so you will see the rates change but only on the city side that's the only one that's getting the increase. So

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that's a 1.98 very all across all funds that is affecting by us increasing that contribution. It is interesting because I look at each month um the employees seem to be the the biggest claims. So for our years it was kind of the retirees or whatever but it's definitely just regular employees.

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We actually only have about 30 retirees that are in the health insurance plan. So it's just citywide. So we are also proposing two additional holidays which is Leburg Bikefest the Friday after and um New Year's Eve. So that's another benefit for the employees. So those will

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be coming to you. I believe Melissa was trying on the 13th meeting as well to get that changed to add those for next year. In this whole budget, there are nine positions added which includes finance getting an accountant, two customer service specialists for customer

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service, meter readers, two utility service technicians, a buyer for um purchasing it has an IT security admin, electric has a groundsman, and wastewater has a plant tech apprentice. So there's a total of nine bring us to

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559 positions. We can move on to bikefest unless there's any other questions. So this is just a recap of what we presented at the city commission meeting like a month ago. I believe we did that. So um without recognizing the incind services which would be overtime payroll

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[clears throat] equipment um the city made had a profit of 58,711. If we included the incind services it would actually be a loss of 71492. Um the options we proposed were to add it to the 116 that we already have. So

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the new fund reserve would be 175 for bikefest. We could pay the incind services clear out the 58. It wouldn't cover all the inkind services, but we could give that back to mostly the general fund. You could just put that back in there or use it on civic funding. We're not proposing that staff prop recommends either options one or

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two. So that's just kind of a recap of what like fest looks like. >> Just can you give me an idea of the inind services when they say city personnel which like departments? uh public works, police, >> police, fire, overtime, and then other

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kind of cleanup, dumpsters, service, that kind of stuff. >> Would it entail the other um the assistance from the other officers that came on board as well? >> Uh no, the other the the um No, the other agencies that come in and help us, they don't charge us for that.

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>> Okay. Okay. I sort of trying to get a idea of what that meant. Okay. >> Yeah. Just a uh a comment on that. Uh my preference would be to put it into kind of a rainy day item. >> That's how the budget That's how the budget's written, you know, which would be

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>> Yeah. I didn't know if you needed uh >> Okay, that's number one. Number one, right? >> If you all pick number one, that's how the budget's drafted. If you wanted to go to number two, then we could pick up, you know, about 60 grand in revenue. >> I would like future bike fest to be able to pay some of those services, but I

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think we need a a little buffer in case like that rainy day fund. >> Agreed. >> Yeah, I agree. Thank you. >> Civic funding, you'll remember last year we moved that to the general fund. It's reflected in the miscellaneous division. Um there's 233810

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in the general fund miscellaneous division. Um the cemeteries are most of it at the 161760. The rest remained unchanged other than the art festival. I last year asked for an additional 20. So I removed that and put it back to the 10,670 at normal

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funding. So these are included in the 27 budget. >> Do do we allow additional organizations or these a standard that we just accept every year? >> So the the process on that has been pretty consistent the last few years. So you

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know when I first started about 13 years ago, there was a big program that we advertised and got in all sorts of applications for it. That became cumbersome. I think the commission didn't like having to choose and split hairs. Uh so we stopped doing that

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process and we kind of picked a core group. Then that core group has kind of gotten whittleled down to this. So this is probably I'm going to guess that this has been the standard civic funding major organizations probably for the last three or four years at least

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and and the commissions have seemed to grab onto this process and so it's been pretty set now for for some time. Mhm. Just curious because I know that um with the schools that will be changing and combining with the middle school going

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to the high school, I'm not sure where they will be far as a need for um equipment and uniforms and things like that because there's another school with a band, another school with sports. I'm just curious to see if this is the only

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group to keep as is or do we open it up? But I'm not sure how that's going to work with the two schools combining as one far as the funding. >> We're not funding either one of those schools. >> No, I'm just No, but I'm saying far as a booster. That's what I'm saying. For the high school.

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>> Well, if something would be needed for >> Yeah. But the two schools combining are middle school. >> Yeah. They have a band and they have sports and they have events. >> But we're not giving either one of them money right now. >> What boo? >> The booster is a high school booster. >> It's just for high school. I know

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there's a boost. So they don't have a booster at the elementary. Oh, okay. >> Right. It's just the house. >> So they couldn't have a booster. >> I don't know if they could. >> That's what I'm asking. I don't know. >> They've never had >> We've never support We've never had >> I'm saying I know we haven't. I'm That's

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why my question was are we opening up to other organizations? I'm just keeping that. >> The answer is no. Okay. >> We're we're we're doing the standard. If you all want to change that, this would >> I'm just asking a question. with the two schools combining. We don't know what is going to be expected from I mean what

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we'll get from that. So, okay. And now we can move into the general fund divisions. Um here's a recap of all the expenses for the various divisions. Um most of them the one I did want to talk about we talked about more is finance. That has

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to do with um purchasing and the cost allocation because we have to recalibrate it each year. So it just shifts around based on POS. So even though it's 100 showing 192,168 of that is because we had to redo the cost allocation which we check every year. So it goes around back and forth. So but

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you can see the big ones being it and um fire they're two of the big ones there. So all of it it comes up to 7.2%. So So then if we have any questions starting with city commission there's

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any questions? No questions there. Executive. So this would be the public outreach and lakefront TV. So this just isn't just Lakefront TV. You have um for like the newsletter, a little bit of Pam, I think is in there because she does some of the outreach or most the

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outreach. Um there might be other costs in there just having like memberships and things like that, but it's not all Lakefront TV. a big portion of it is. But >> just curious, what's the total for Lakefront TV? >> Lakefront TV >> 270

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>> 23 273. Okay. >> Yeah. The the budget assumes the I their contract ends. I'm pretty sure they have an option that continues. So the fiscical year 27 budget assumes lakefront TV at the contractual 5%

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increase which would be option number one. [snorts] Okay. And the administration division. Not much change there. Stop me if you want. Um city clerk same

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thing. Not much of a change. You're going to see some of these changes really are the health insurance. I mean, a big portion of it. City attorney, we were actually able to decrease that some because the expenses weren't just hitting what I was budgeting. So, I went ahead and

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decreased that a little bit. So, that's why that number went down. Miscellaneous. So, miscellaneous has the vacation the vacation buyback. So when people buy some buyout time, that's where that we show some of this just to

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build it in. Um you will also see that in the other uses, that's where we do the reserve for the cameras. So we have to show all the revenue coming in, but if we don't spend it all on school crossing guards or projects, then we have to reserve it because that's the way that program works. So there is 255,000 that is going into reserve

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because I can't offset it with an expense. So that's how that works. And you'll see the civic funding is also in this division. also are the payment to the villages for the fire assessment fee. So, this has a lot of the extra. >> Could a portion of that money be donated to the schools?

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>> You you have to you can look that later. I was trying to kind of help out. >> I just see money sitting idle. >> I know. I realize it's a stretch. >> You can check on it, but >> they're very specific on what you can use the school zone camera money for. So, >> and I wasn't talking about 255,000. I

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just meant, [laughter] you know, five or 10,000. Yeah. Okay. And this is um so then we'll get into finance and then we'll get to accounting. So this includes a new accounting 2 position and also there was a reduction in

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auditing just the expenses weren't as high as well. So we're able to decrease that number. Customer service. Um there are two new positions in here, but since this is mostly paid by the utilities, you don't see the huge increase, but there are two um customer service positions that the

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utilities pay. So meter reading, this also has two technicians. Again, this this is fully paid by the utilities, so they're getting that increase. Yeah, >> procurement. Uh, this one has an adding a buyer

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position. Again, this is recalibration of the cost allocation that we have to do yearly. So, that's why the general fund is actually paying more this year than it did in 26. So, could go the other way next year. You just till you run it, you're not sure. the warehouse. Slight decrease. Moving on to human resources.

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Not much there. It's $952,000 increase. It um their capital costs went up. So they have that's mainly where their increase is um on various things. um we are able to use discretionary sales tax for that.

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So that is a funding source for those the capital outlay. And this does this one does increase at a one position an IT security admin position but after the cost allocation that's where you're at. GIS

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not much of a change there. We get into police. So, this is where you'll see um the 8% for police um the other changes that we made and then like I said freezing the nine positions. So, that's how we balanced it out.

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>> I just had a couple questions and um regarding the SRO program, could we get a breakdown of what we get paid for that and then compare all the surrounding schools, what those agencies get paid? Maybe the city manager or the deputy city manager could get us a report on that.

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>> Thank you. And let me just speak to the freeze for a second as well. So, we'll double check on the SRO stuff. We'll report back to you. We'll get a um email out to you this week. Uh on the freeze for the officers, you know, we if you break into the budget detail, we show in

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the people plan the 85 officers. But on the next page, when you go over into the money, police, and salaries, we budget that nine less. So kind of what our our plan last year was, hey, if if budget numbers are looking different, if there's a variance and we can start

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sneaking some more officers in during the course of the year, we can do that because the people plan allotss 85. You allowed me to use some judgment based on if we can get them in, we'll do it. Um, so the same thing. So last year we

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didn't add more officers. I don't know if that was more out of just we not finding enough people more than the money issue. Um I since uh Chief Hicks, Deputy City Manager Hicks passed the

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reigns to Chief Iozi, you know, we've set a pretty high standard on the type of folks that we want to bring in. Uh Chief Io has continued that pattern and I think that's a good one. So, long story short, the way we have the budget proposed is if we can squeak them in and

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the numbers look right, we'll we'll surpass the freeze. Um, and of course, I'll report to you if that occurs, but we've got the budget set up so we don't have to do any major shuffling or direction from the commission to exceed the freeze. The mayor asked um

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whispered here in my ear um you know, how long is the freeze? I I don't know is the answer. you know, hopefully um numbers get better and improve and we can squeeze them in. Um but I that's really that's the that's how we

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got everything balanced is is that is the freeze. >> How many I mean a couple years ago we were short. I did we get caught up on police? Did the numbers change? I'm just trying to >> So on that note, roughly we've we've always tried to target 72 officers. When

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the villages came on board, we used that $3 million to increase firefighters, I think two positions or three positions. And then we bumped up the police force in the budget that first year, which I think now is three fiscal years years

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ago, from the 72 sworn officers to 85 sworn officers. That's what we program that first year. Us keeping up with that number is a totally different scenario. So I think when we increased, you know, we always

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seem to to bounce somewhere between 72 and 66 to 65 officers. I think right now we're sitting at 73 or four officers. So we're getting better. Um but that's kind of the history of where we're at.

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So we're we're we're we're typically running we we typically haven't met our our quota if that's the right word. >> But so I take it you and Chief Izza think these numbers are adequate. >> Well that's a long story. >> There's no agenda with there's no

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agenda. >> I think if you I'm going to I'm going to say no. I think if if you opened up the checkbook and and cut other sources and increased the millage rate, you know, I think they would tell you flat out they would like

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100 officers. So, we've got 85 programmed and we're trying to get the cream of the crop to be a member of the LPD and and I think because of our personnel choices, we hang out around 75. I I don't think we've ever broke and

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maybe we saw 77 for a day, you said. So, um, but typically we've been hanging out somewhere between 75 and 77. If you said, "How many officers do you want, chief?" He would probably tell you somewhere around 100. And and and and there's the number. It's

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it's it's about a hundred grand an officer. So, you're looking at another almost $1 and a half million dollars in the police department to get a 100 officers. >> I think they do a great job. Um, yeah,

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I'm I'm fine. I was just curious about, you know, I could remember I could not remember the numbers. Now, >> I gave you the police department answer, not mine. [laughter] So, but I think that that would be the one that's probably >> I do like the comments I hear on focusing on quality applicants and all that.

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>> I think that's I think um look, I think our police department per I'm gonna I'm gonna be just blunt. I think our police department uh performs above the standard in the region. I think we have one of the best police departments um in Lake County, if not the region. I think

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we handle some of the hardest calls and we're the busiest and our folks in blue do an awesome job. >> Yeah. >> So, you know, I would my answer is because of their great performance, we're able to keep it at that number. So, I like the number because, you know,

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I'm the numbers guy. Um, but but really I'm not going to say we're doing a disservice, but you asked the question and if you pin down the police department, what number would they want? I think a hundred would come out of their mouths and Rob's back there nodding. So, >> and one more comment, then I'll let I'll

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let Jim Jimmy talk. Um, >> well, I I guess so far I've been in agreement with everything I've heard so far in budget, but I could support, you know, a few more police officers. I just I just we don't have to make that decision right this minute. I just throw that out. There's, you know, my thoughts. I mean, nine seems like a lot.

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>> My only question is, uh, basically we're going kind of same policy as last year. We froze positions. So, uh, as Leburg grows, as you know, I'm assuming there are more calls for police officers. Are

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our metrics, are our response times impacted negatively by by slowing that growth? Uh, you know, that's that's what would concern me. >> I think that's a two-edged sword answer. I think the answer is is are our

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response time slower? Yeah, probably a little bit. Is our slower response time still within reasonable response? Yes. So, that's something we got to keep a bead on and manage. So, um, I think one of our successes over the last decade

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has been pushing the needle on the general fund and kind of running it at the red line, meaning trying to get max performance for minimum dollars. And we've become, I think, really good at that. And that's why you've got this budget at a roll back rate. I think we've been extremely conservative. The

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general fund's focus is on public safety, which is not atypical to Florida municipal corporations, and we're able to share some of the wealth with some of the other departments. So, I think our SWAT analysis really lays it out. I think, you know, we do good, we do

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better. Finding that extra $1.5 million to do a major expansion to the police department, that that would that would be a tricky nut. >> And I was just looking at you, for example, splitting that right there. So, you know, I mean, I recognize it's another

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>> and 500. And remember, so just getting to So remember, you've got you've got about a million869,000. So you've got about a million deficit just getting to 85. So then if you would want to go the next distance, you've got another 1.5 million. So you're really

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looking at a $2.5 million deficit to get 100 100 people police force. Um, so I I the choice we've made has been to to keep the taxes down and and deal with

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the service levels that we have. And I think I would give us high marks on that. If we would want to do better, then we've got to make some other harder decisions. And that would be cutting back in other general services and probably increasing the millage rate. I

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mean, we could probably, you know, look at different positions, you know, like for example, there's some finance positions to cut. Like you could cut the buyer and that would get you 75 grand, but that's not going to get you 75 general fund dollars because the utilities pay for that. So, when you're

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looking at expanding services in the general fund, say to provide more police services, then you got to get a poundfor-pound cut in the general fund. And finding that dollar is really hard. And if we found it for you, it would already be in there.

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>> So, as we add or possibly move one policeman in at a time or would it be two at a time? >> Probably one at a time. You know, we we weren't successful in adding above again this year because I think the officer

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pool you we didn't get the the candidate that we want moneywise. We were kind of okay. But I think I think we need to continue to kind of roll with this program. The goal is to get to 85. Um you you know if we I think if we sustain

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75 or a little bit above 75 for the year that would be actually a pretty good pretty good >> No, you answered my question. I do appreciate it. There there was I wasn't mandating anything. I was just you know that is a very important service. I all of a sudden I perk up and go, you know,

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it's the first, you know, >> enough said. You answer my question. I respect what you're doing. >> And and the and the the crime areas that we focus on hasn't changed and and yet our crime data is going down. So, you

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know, so we're actually a safer community from our crime data and we focus kind of on the same areas. So, we've got a interesting dynamic there. So I really I kind of think at this stage for fiscal year 27 we've got a good proposal for you. I think more

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officers is probably going out of the want phase into maybe a need phase but unless we want to make really hard choices then we're okay.

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>> Yeah. Just a question again. Excuse me. >> So, uh, the funds that would be available to say if we said we want to hire five more officers and you're say that's half a million dollars. So, uh,

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if we, you know, currently we're doing 10% in transfers from what, like water and >> wastewater, I forget the name. water, sewer, gas, >> solid waste, 10% electric's the lowird,

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>> but we wanted to pay back because we've kind of been tapping electric pretty hard if I'm remembering my reasoning. >> You know, I here's where we've gone with the electric fund. We can talk about this some Thursday, too. Um, but I I you

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know, we we set the charter at 6%, so we're actually underneath the charter requirement. I don't see you're getting a challenge on that because you're actually underneath. But with all the other things the electric department has seen with rise in cost for wire and personnel and con, you know, all that

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stuff, that's really taken those transfer dollars away because I think it's been critical that we hold our electric rates steady. >> Yeah. So I I I don't I don't think you you don't see any more money coming out and then throw in, you know, some of the things the state legislature has done to

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control enterprise fund transfers on municipal corporations. I don't I don't I think gone I'm going to say it directly gone are the days of the 80s and the and really that that's that about the turn of the century the 2000 is when that changed. So, you know, back

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in the day when when utilities were had more rampid growth and we didn't have TVs that used the less electricity and lights that were done. I mean, there's a major hole in the utility bucket from a growth standpoint basically because we become more efficient. So, so other

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that's forced investor owns to to to look outside to get. So, long story short, I'm could be short and here I am talking again, but I don't think you have the room in the electric fund to go back to those customers and say pay more

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dollars to fund the general fund. >> You don't have it. You don't have it in the transfer. >> Yeah. And then the water and waste water, they're only >> that's a regressive tax. Um and and I I don't think that's a smart financial move.

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>> Brandy, what percentage was the 1.6 million? >> It's 2.84%. >> Okay. I was just trying to compare it to the 6%. >> Yeah, he is right. Water and waste water are not >> and the other Let me and let me throw this one out too. Not to belver the point, but what's really super critical about the 2.8% 8% is is if Leburg didn't

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have an electric utility and we look like most other municipal corporations in the state of Florida, we would be lying on a franchise fee. So that franchise fee is 6%. So what actually that 2.3

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number represents is 6% of corporate electric sales. So, if you didn't have the utility, you would have a 6% franchise fee, and you would be bringing in that 2 point that $1.6 million in a

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franchise fee from a co-op or an investor on utility. So, that that's why that's a really good number because your city is operating as if it didn't have an electric transfer. But, but mind you,

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I let me say this and then I'll end it. There are so many other benefits to the electric utility besides the transfer. You control your rates, you respond to storms, you control your infrastructure. And so this is that that's not a policy of let's sell the utility. You you would

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never I think want to sell the the utility. But what we are doing and what we should be very proud of is we're managing the electric department as if it was its own investorown utility. And so when the state legislators and the governor start picking on municipal electric utilities, Leburg should really

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be an example of how to run your municipal electric utility. >> You made reference of want versus need for police and that's based on the numbers. That's what you're stating. Yes. >> Of where the crime is. >> Yes. >> Okay. And that's from including this

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year's activity and things that have happened or just over a range of the last like five years, 10 years. >> Well, I think our crime statistics overall are on a downward trend. So, I think that's a good thing. And we're doing so we're good at doing more with

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less. So, you asked the question, not you, but the question was asked, could we use more police officers? >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Thank you. Okay. >> Do you ask me, do you want more for

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these officers? No. >> Unless you want to make some hard decisions. >> And I know we beat >> And that's why And that's why we're at where we're at. >> But your 869 number is assuming that we hired nine people October one had them all year long. So if you do hire some

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good candidates over the year, trickle them in over time. It's it wouldn't be >> I'm trying to squeeze them in on you. >> Okay. No, I got it. I was trying to compliment you. >> Yeah. You know, the the difficult thing >> difficult question. >> Okay. Want to move on to fire? Are we

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ready to go? Oh, sorry. Police education receipts. Um, this fund I snuck in there next to police. It's just um money that we received that they have to spend back out and like education type things. So, this is an 11,000 um that they need for 27. It was 8,000 the year before and this is all restricted funds. So, they

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can only use it on certain things. Moving on to fire. Um so fires increases 1.2 million. Um the 365560 is for a new self breathing um self-contained breathing apparatus that we need to replace. It is using

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discretionary sales tax. So it's got its own funding source. So the other increase is mainly in the personal services. So it currently includes the 8%. So anything else? >> Let me let me interrupt on fire just for

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a second. So, back to police, all those numbers include the CBA that you approved. >> Okay. >> The fire, we are still in CBA negotiations. We have a shade meeting set up for Thursday to give you guys an update. I'm not going to publicly

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discuss that because um under the state statutes, we can have a closed session. In that closed session, um I know Commissioner Canel, you asked for some data on that. I'm going to give you that data at the meeting because that data falls underneath the sunshine law. So,

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I'll give you that data and information that we'll use to get direction from you on how we finish off our bargaining and then you give that back to me and we can actually destroy that data because it's part of the CBA and it's it's part of the the shade that the statutes allow

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us. So if I start sending stuff out um to have a shade meeting, I'm almost in violation of the rules of the shade meeting. So I that data will will get out to you guys >> Thursday at 5:00 pm. you know, we'll have a closed door and then we'll just

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so so more information on where the fire's at and suggestions, but the draft for this is the the initial proposal that we provided the CBA in the negotiations. So, um, more on that on

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Thursday. >> Okay, moving on to public works, the street maintenance division. Any questions here? This is largely funded with gas tax, so it's got a funding source. Not all of it, but a good portion of it.

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Uh, moving on to facilities maintenance. Um, really no change here other than insurance cost probably is the only personnel services and the increase. Grounds basically the same budget as well. uh administration. This is the pretty it

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went down a little bit. Um it does include the 100,000 for the beautifification committee. Um we did that in 26 so it's in here for 27. >> Question Brandy. Any big budget items for like equipment purchases through public works or anything like that? >> Nothing this year. >> No. >> Okay. >> No. And and we'll hit that in the fleet

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fund too. We'll give you the list of all the equipment. >> Are we are we caught up on employees on grounds? I know like the last year or two you had trouble filling those spots. I don't want to open up a can of worms. I'm just curious. You already answered my question. >> I [clears throat] I think the whole police discussion apply that to grounds as well.

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>> Moving on to PNC planning and zoning. Uh minimal increase here, but again it's in personal services being the increase in the insurance housing. Everything's the same pretty much except the increase in personal services again.

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Library um library has one capital item which is to um retrofit the building for a generator in case they need a generator during storm. Um that's 30,000 but it is funded with discretionary sales tax. So it's not like cutting it. It has a

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funding source. So, recreation um programs. Um there is a um turf machine that is in there for the 64. Again, that's funded with discretionary sales discretionary sales tax.

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>> And the and the turf machine is a machine for the the new >> championship field at Susan Street. >> We're buying another one. >> No, this is a special one to maintain the turf. >> The turf. The not grass, the turf. >> The artificial turf. >> The artificial turf. Yes.

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>> So, it's not the little machine that paints. >> Yeah. >> I don't >> It's Yeah, some sort of turf machine sweeper type thing. >> It It keeps the artificial turf nice. >> Um, moving on to aquatics. Um, aquatics

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does have two capital things, which would be the shade structure to go over the pump area. Travis has been trying to cover those pumps to extend the life of the pumps. So, we finally got this into the budget. I think he's asked for a couple years of this. And then touch pads for the swim meets are in there for 14,000. But those again are being funded

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with discretionary sales tax. >> Are those meets uh city meets or is it people renting the facility? >> I both. >> Is it both? Okay. >> And high school. >> And I had heard about the high school. Yeah. >> I have >> You said you said the high school.

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>> Okay. Can I collect the recreation? Does that include I mean I didn't see any equipment. Is anything budgeted for equipment for the kids? >> Play equipment. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. No new play equipment this year. I think we have a maintenance line in

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there. >> No, no, no. The play the equipment for the younger football teams with um with um like >> Oh, yes. >> No. Yes. Yes. >> Yes, it is. There's money in there. >> I didn't see the line. Okay. It's

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probably it's an operating >> what is it? Yeah, >> we do helmets and shoulder pads 5,000. >> So you got 10 grand in. >> Wow. Okay. >> Question Travis. Do we charge the schools anything to use our facilities? >> No. Okay. Thanks. >> Um moving on to the marina. Um same

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budget, not much of a change there. And then the last one would be um bikefest which the budget decreased due to outsourcing alcohol. Again um that changes the way that we budget this division. So that is the general fund.

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So I think Thursday we are back with some special revenue debt service capital projects electric gas and airport. >> Yeah. Thank you, Randy. >> No problem. Anything >> and staff. >> Yeah, that's that's the that's the

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program for you. So, any questions you have. Again, a lot of credit, I think, goes out to the department head team and and Brandy for um putting all this together. I guess I don't know, this is my 14th budget. So, everybody's kind of pretty good at the process and um it's

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actually made my life a little bit easier because everybody's cutting stuff before I have to yell at them. [laughter] So, so >> I would just say for the public, if you're looking for this budget, it's on the city's website. >> Yeah, just so you know. Thank you. um my

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city budget and then adopt uh proposed fiscal year 2627 budget. >> I think it's impressive. We have the lowest millage rate excluding Mont Bird. >> Um and electric rates are very good. Uh

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fire fees. I I compliment y'all doing a great job on it. >> Any other questions? Motion. Motion to adjurnn. Second.