I'm gonna call the meeting of the Budget Advisory Committee for March 20th to order. Roll call please. Chair Bergman here. Vice chair Hall here. Miss Hale's here. And Miss Howard
here. Okay, we'll begin with new business. I believe, Ron, you have some updates for us. Yes, I do. Let me see here. I just want
to apologize. It's been like 3 or 4 months since we had a meeting. And I think the last month, I had already a planned vacation. But it's also been really busy. The last six months
are my excuses and stuff. Between the hurricanes Milton and Helene. The financing for the land and the purchase of the land in December, and usually
our year end time is busy enoug. Just with that alone with the auditors here and stuff and getting all the paper out of the work, the work schedules in and getting the audit put together. But here we are. What I thought
I'd give you is an update. I don't have my usual 40 slide presentation, so hopefully you don't mind, but I really didn't have time to. But I thought,
hey, I'll give you something shorter. Maybe you don't have to punish you and put you through all those 40 slides or whatever they usually are, but. So just a brief update on how 2024 is
ending up and the auditors are still working on it, still sending in information. They need stuff. We're putting the audit book together, but that's why I say it's still unaudited. But right now this is just
showing you the revenues, the cumulative comparing 2024 to 2023. Our total revenues are 34,573,000. At the end of nine,
30, 24, it's an increase of 999,000 over 2023, or 3%. The expenditures same graph as the other one, but showing the monthly and cumulative totals
for 2024 comparing to 2023 total general fund expenditures is 34,488 909, an increase of
1,269,000 over the 2023 actual expenditures, or an increase of 3.8%. And then I thought I'd prefer nine 3024 just break down
those revenues by the different categories at 999,000 increase just going across ad valorem in blue there an increase of 1.4
million. Utility taxes an increase of 9000. I won't go through all of them, but I just highlighted some of them. The one in sort of a bronzy. And
what this is, is comparing, as you can probably see, comparing 2023 to 24, the change the budget for 2024 and then on the far right column the actuals to budget. So for permanent fees,
permits and fees, we saw that go down a little bit between franchise electric franchise fees and building permit fees. In blue there for the charges
for services, we saw an increase of 316,000. That's mostly due to fire and EMS fees we receive. Good portion of that is due to we have another unit that the
county is paying for the fire department. In a little sort of a grayish blue color, about the same as the other ones. I should have changed that, but the
interest is up $345,000 compared to last year, which is good. We try to keep I try to keep as little bit as cash flow wise in in the checking account. We get
an interest rate on there about 3%. But I always try to move stuff into the either the state pool or by an agency to, you know, we were up at 5.5% on some of the interest rates, but
they've gone down to about 4.5% now. Miscellaneous. In the green color there, we saw in we had less surplus equipment sales in
2024. We had a good I think they were cleaning out a bunch of equipment in the in the Fleet Yard back in 2023. So that's why we saw a decrease there. So
that's trying to break down the revenues or the comparison. 23 to 24. The increases. And on the far right column you can see that most of them are over 100%,
which is good. This is just showing the revenues for the general fund and what, you know, taxes being the highest percentage at 55%. The top ten
revenues of the general fund. Property tax revenues 1.4 million. Again showing 2023 of 24. The change the budget and then the actuals. The budget in
the far right column. The only thing we've been following and trying to notate is like in the brown brownish color there, you've got half-cent sales tax, revenue sharing. We've seen the
sales tax receipts. They started to decline about midway through last year. And that's why you're seeing those like a -56,000 for the Half-cent sales tax and
50,000 a negative. It went down for the revenue sharing. We also saw building permit fees go down about 46,000 from 23 to 24.
Getting into expenditures of the general fund, breaking them down by category. Again, the actuals 23 compared to 24. The change the budget and then the actuals
to budget. Personnel costs went up 2.4 million, an increase of 10.88%, mostly due to salary and benefit increases. But we also had six new positions added in
2024 operating, we had a decrease of 7.1%, but that is mostly due to we had to do an accounting entry for when we changed some of our leases and our what's called our
subscription based I.T arrangements. We had to post a $1.2 million expense for that so we could amortize it off, but we also had to offsetting revenue for the same amount. If you can
follow that. I'm sorry, I know I think we've talked about that before. Yeah. Last last meeting I think capital we had more capital went down. I mean we had
more capital expenses in 2023. We had the cemetery, mausoleum, roof, public safety building fund, boat repair, city hall renovations, and then the
planning department and the old PD department. And this is just showing the for the general fund, the expenditures by category. And of course personnel services are the
biggest percentage. It's at 71%. And here I'm just trying to break down at nine, 30, 24, the fund balance of the general fund, breaking down the different categories between the
non spendable, the restricted, the committed and the assigned going through them. We at in the green column we got what they what the balance was at the end
of 2023. And then the blue column, what they are right now in 2024. There's some items we were required to do accounting
wise. Prepaid items 18,000, leases 219,000. Those donations at nine 3024 373,000. Cemetery
Perpetual Care 655,000. Tree Bank 401,000. Right away 448,000. Sidewalks 45,000.
Compensated absences almost like 1.3 million. And then our disaster reserve of 50,000. And then restricted for reserves
used in the budget 586,000. Sorry. Then. Insurance 202,000. Cemetery exclusive easement
720,000. That money is now going to be used towards the fire station 70 rebuild and we're transferring that. And this current year to the penny fund
to pay for that. We got a maintenance reserve of 302,000. Public safety 345,000. Money for the library 100,000. And then
encumbrances of 259,000. Now the good thing down there. Unassigned fund balance. We it's going up 400, 480, 1000. It's
going to increase it to 27%. Excuse me. The minimum at 20%, which is a fund balance policy would be the 6.9 million. So
we're about 2.2 million above at the 9.1 9,158,000 unassigned fund balance we've gone up to. We're about 2.2 million over
that minimum 20%, minimum of 6.9 million going into February of this current year, 20 through
February 28th of 2025. Sorry, some of the same slides you just saw for the previous year, but only the, you know, comparing 2024 to 2025 and then the change
and the budget and the actuals, the budget. Property taxes increase in blue of 987,000 and mostly due to the taxable value
increase of 9.06%. Building permits in goldish color, they're up 259,000, mostly due to we got money for Anclote
Harbors in January. In the let's see, in the yellow intergovernmental we have a decrease. And that's again that was carrying over this so far this year for the half cent
sales tax and revenue sharing, where we're still seeing a decrease in those fees. And then that's the charges for services,
increase in the EMS fees, plan checking fees related to encode harbor and performing our ticket sales. Interest earnings is down
a little bit since our rate of return is down. Trying to see if anything else of note there, but that's basically just trying to show the comparisons at February
28th from last year to this year. Where's the comparison of like expected? Is that the on the right, the fiscal year actuals to budget percentages?
Yes. That's where we are right now that compared to actuals at February 28th to the budget. But for the whole year budget not like prorated for the year to date. Like you know what I'm
saying. Is it 88% where we are because the end of the budget year is September, September 30th. So are you saying we're that much on course for year to date? That's where we are right
now. At February 28th, we've received 88% of the budget. Okay. By the end of the year, we should be 100% or just a little bit over. I'm hoping that's like
88% we've received, even though we have way more than 12% of the year to go. Yeah, okay. That's what most of the money between November, December and January, we get the bulk of it, do the
rest from February through June we get about 300,000 a month, but we get the bulk of it in. But then all these other numbers that are low, that's just because we're only this many months into the year. Well, some
of them, but depending on if it's the different half-cent sales tax, the state money we get from the state we've only got this is February is five months through the year. Some of these we've only got four months
of receipts so far. So we're like one month behind there. Thank you. Sure. And again for
that February 28th 2025. The top ten revenues. Of course you know property tax 985,000 more. Again it's showing in the brownish color there where we're down on
the half cent state half cent tax and the and the revenue sharing. And then in the yellow we're showing where the building permit fees came in from Anclote Harbors what we have seen we're
tracking the half cent and the revenue sharing. The good news is you know, the first months through October, November, December, we saw still seeing declines. But the last 2 or 3 months we've started to see it
being positive numbers. So I'm hoping that's going to be the trend through the rest of the year. We're going to start seeing positive numbers on the receipts of the sales tax.
Expenditures and the general fund through February 28th. You know, personnel an increase of 15.5%, mostly due to salary and benefit increases, but also the
hurricanes Hurricane Helene and Milton, operating expenses, an increase of 8.9%, mostly some cost increases, but also supplies and stuff that was
needed for the hurricanes, which is 100% reimbursable. As soon as we get everything in and get reimbursed by that, hopefully by the end of the fiscal year.
Capital outlay decreased because we're in fiscal year 24, we had a high water vehicle and community center generator at this point in time, but there is some capital budgeted in the
general fund, and some of it just hasn't been expensed yet. I just thought I'd mention I mentioned called harbors. This is the money we received from Anclote Harbors for the
apartments on 19, just breaking it down by the impact fees police, fire, general government transportation, sewer, water. Impact a total of, you know,
almost a little over 1.7 million of impact fees which go to their separate funds and are really designated to be used for any new capital growth. And then
down below we've got water connection fee, we got permit fees, planned checking fees, technology fee and so on. So we received $2,259,323 for from
Anclote Harbors for that project. Just getting into the budget schedule, I guess I'm sort of going down the agenda items here. That's fine. That's
fine. I guess I should have stopped it. Do you want to go to the next? You got some questions? We can back up with questions after you finish your presentation. Okay. Sorry, I should have said that before. This is the schedule so far for
the budget. The departments are really finishing up putting in their budgets right now. Now, once they get them in finance, will compile all these requests. We'll project the payroll
balance of funds as best we can. April 29th I I'm hearing that I think they're going to want a CIP workshop. The board is May 1st. We'll get the budget to the
city manager for his review and go over it on May 5th through ninth is planned. The city manager would meet with the departments, May 15th. The first meeting with budget advisory. As
far as here's the budget go over it all the assumptions that are within the budget on May 22nd would be the first meeting with the departments, and then May
29th would be the next one. May June 3rd. This is a meeting where we usually go through the department. Tarpon connect. And they they tell the city they
want citizens and the survey. What what do you want to see the city do? What capital projects and so forth. And then we usually have the board meeting, which the board will go over all
these requests from, from the residents. And June 5th is another meeting with the departments. It's if needed with the Budget Advisory Committee. I
just since we're revenues are probably going to be, you know, I want to say short might be not as plentiful as maybe plentiful is the word. But when the
previous years when last year we had a, you know, A99 percent increase in taxable values and year before 11.63 and the year before that was 13.96. I just
like here's a graph of the property tax revenues we've had. And then on the bottom that's in the in the orange bar shows the increase in revenues from the
previous year. I call I call the property appraiser. They're they really don't I think want to say what they think the property taxable value is going to increase. But I talked to a couple other finance directors
and they thought they heard well it might just be 3% tax increase, taxable value increase. And one person said well I think we're hearing that properties along the waterfront
they're bringing down, you know, the values of those. So I've got 3% in this example here, which 3%. Every 1% is about $150,000
of revenue to the general fund. So I've got over in the far right there, you know, estimated at the 3% taxable value increase. We additional we revenue of 450,000. I guess the
good thing it's a positive number. It's not negative. So I guess I hate to say it's sort of early now. We're only in March April usually about the middle of May. The property appraiser
does meet with our finance group and he'll tell you where we're at and stuff. So it's too early. Same graph as a property tax, a
half-cent sales tax. And you can see in 2021 and 22, I think everybody after Covid was going, going out and wanting to travel and do things. We had some sizable increases in 21 and 22,
but then it started to decrease. In 23. We only had $43,000 increase. And then in 24 we're we're down 56,000 from the previous year. And this year I'm
estimating it's an estimate that would be down 26,000 from the previous year. But I guess maybe trying to be a little bit positive. I got in the last year on the far right that maybe
we'll have eventually, since it is we're having seeing positive numbers the last couple of months, maybe it'll increase and I've got it increasing 41,000
for 2026. Sort of the same thing for the revenue sharing where we had the big numbers in 2122 decrease in 23, down to 31,000
increase. And then in 24 we had a decrease of 50,000. I've got it at no increase for 2025 and then an increase of 24,000 for
26. And the penny sales tax, which is not in the general fund, it's in its own fund. But again, 21 and 22, we had good sales tax receipts. And then in
23 we only had saw $63,000 increase. And 2024 we went down $1,800. And I'm projecting that maybe we'll see a $25,000
increase in 25. And then possibly if it keeps increasing, maybe in 26, we can increase a
penny. Penny tax 74,000. And that's all I had. Questions. I have a question more for next
budget planning. Maybe I'll wait to see. Does anybody have any questions on what was covered? Before I take this on, I have some general questions, some about what you've covered. You go ahead. Okay. I, I was kind of
wondering about this over the last couple of months. Sales tax and penny for the penny fund. Is that actual dollars collected in Tarpon Springs? No. So it's just
our pro rata share. Like, how does that work? It flows through the state. And then they have basically some population indicators that they use and then what that goes to the county. And then the county's
got their distribution formula where 50% of it, most of it goes to the county. And then the rest, the rest of the other 50% is broken down between the cities. So if Tarpon Springs has
an increase in businesses charging sales tax, that isn't as impactful to our bottom line as if we add residents. Well, if you're talking if you're talking
sales tax versus property tax, yes, I guess you'd have to try to figure out which one is I'm talking about sales tax. I'm sorry. Yes, I'm talking like I thought penny fund that 1%. Is that not where that comes from?
The Pinellas 1%. Yes okay. That's what I'm talking about. So when sales tax, the 1% that that business collects as the additional state is 6%, the
county is 1%. How is that 1% funneled to the city of Tarpon Springs through the county? And is it the actual sales that occur in Tarpon Springs, or is
it no pro rata okay. No, it's they've got a population formula they use. Right. Yeah. So we could add 20 businesses that are collecting more revenue and that wouldn't necessarily impact the money's not whatever. If
somebody goes and buys something down there that same say, $10 a tax they paid is not directly going to come to the city. Okay? It's based on how much population, the population they
figure out. And hopefully the whole thinking about when I was paying my sales tax this month and I have to call out how much of that was the 1%. And so I thought to myself, like, is it? And so it's not. And that's
interesting to me. It's going into the whole pot of money from the county. And then they use that population indicators to distribute it to the various cities. So I guess the flip side is at least we get a I mean,
they all go up. That's great. We'll all get oh, I know I get it, but I'm just saying, like when we when we add to our business environment, I'm sure it must help some in the mix of things I'm going to have. I'm
going to do some research on that because I'm curious to know, like really, what is the actual impact? And then my other thing is that you mentioned, so FEMA, do we have like a status
or an expectation there or. Well, it's all 100% reimbursable. I say that now because they look at all our expenditures, especially overtime expenses, and hopefully they're all allowable ones. But
right now they're working on the overtime ones and the supplies that we had, we haven't paid the debris removal yet. But in fact, the funny thing is I just got
the invoices finally today. I just haven't had a chance to look at them. So maybe I'm just scared to open it up to see how much they are, because I think we were looking at maybe $8 million worth of debris removal
and everything else between the overtime and supplies, maybe another 2 million for that. So we're up roughly around $10 million worth of expenses on related to Hurricanes Helene and
Milton. And I'm going to continue to worry until the money's in the bank and moved into a different account, and it can't be taken back. I'm just going to continue to worry about that, just given the environment
right now. And things are just radical things happening. And, you know, just there's some I'm going to worry about that until we have it. You want the money in its own little bank account
or I'm sorry. No, I'm just saying like, yeah, like where it can't be taken back or whatever. Like, just crazy things happening. The last question I
had was when there's an increase in project costs. Speaking of current environment and construction costs are expected to go up thanks to tariffs and things like that. Is there a path when there's something
that's already approved and part of the budget and the cost is increasing, right. So we've we've approved it. We've decided we're going to move on it. There's clearly increasing
costs. How is the decision made that we will continue with the project without a reapproved like is there a decision made there? Well, hopefully we use it. We have a contingency built into the project. So what we try
to do is hopefully that keeps within that contingency. And most times they do within that, you know, if it's a 10% contingency that's added in when we go out to bid for these projects, do we have projects
that we're actively working on right now where we're not within the 10%? We've pretty much kept within the within the percentage, and it might not be 10%. It might be, depending on the project admin director
thinking we might need a little bit more than that. But yes, but pretty much yeah, but not not too often. If we do, we got to go. We'll go before the board to say we're gonna need some more
money for it. So if it exceeds the 10%, then it goes back before the board got to go before the board. And they say, Ron, where are we going to find the money? And we. There's a project that I thought was more
than that. And so I didn't know that was the path that it took. Hopefully it's within the contingency. If not, we got to go back before the board to get the extra money. Okay. That was
just kind of a process question for me. I was kind of curious about it. No problem. That's all I have. Okay, so I know you're probably super busy and you're not there yet, but in planning
for this budget, are you sort of making an assessment of what expenses might be impacted by tariffs? All of them. Okay. All right. So the answer is yes I
knew it was no no I mean you probably getting to something that I've been mostly focused on the audit right now and finish that up. But I started thinking about the budget. But you know, you know, I worry a lot. And I'm
thinking we're not going to have the revenues in the general fund like we've had the last couple of years. Right. And so I'm thinking, you know, if we have hopefully, well, hopefully we had more, but say we have $1
million in additional revenue between, you know, what I showed here, maybe the 450,000 from property tax. Hopefully that's more that's usually the main item we control that we our main
source of revenue. You made a great point that some of the houses, the values of some of the houses may go down on the water. That's what that's what another city told me, that the that some of the values were
going down. He talked to somebody at the property appraiser and some along the waterfront. They were valuing them down. So he they gave him a number of 3%. But I don't know how that's with the, the impact
of the waterfront. Yeah. Okay. So I'm just worried that we're not going to have quite the revenue in the general fund when we're working on the budget to offset the cost increases. Say
we have $1 million of additional revenue. So how are you thinking about tackling that, or are you just thinking about adding like, what's your thought process on that? Well, so we had $1 million
of additional revenue, but I started thinking about the expenses that usually the big ones we have police and fire union contract. That could be like a $350,000 increase. Roughly their pension
contribution for police and fire. They might be looking at another $150,000 for. We've got to contribute to the police and fire pensions, health insurance increase at 10%. You're looking
at a 300. We need $300,000 for the health insurance increases at 10%. Hopefully it doesn't come in at 10%. Last year it was at 8.7%, but hopefully. But
property insurance increase it might be about 70,000 if it's if it's an increase. And then I just put down other operating of 500,000. So pretty much we're wiping out that that revenue
increase of $1 million. Right. And that's not even getting into like general employee increases. Right. And then maybe just supplies and some. You know, my thought is usually, okay, we're
having trouble balancing the budget. What comes out first the capital. So we maybe leave in whatever capital we really need. But then, you know, like last year we said we had no new
positions, so we had no new positions in last year's budget. The four years before that from, you know, 2021 to 2021, 22 to
24, we had the general fund had 24 new positions. We had six and six and 26 in fiscal year 24 and six in fiscal year 23. You know, those 24 positions at, say, an
average cost of 80,000, you're getting close to almost 2 million of recurring costs for those positions. So I'm I'm hoping maybe no new positions,
but we'll see. But we'll see. Unless, you know, I try to tell departments what I've been telling them, unless you can figure out some way of funding them, if you know there's a revenue source we can get, or are you maybe can cut some
expenditures somewhere else, that makes sense. Limit capital, new positions. I don't know if it gets down to freezing positions. So even this year
maybe say, okay, we're going to freeze position so we don't fill some positions. I'm saying these things. But behind me my boss is back here, so I should, you know. So yeah, we're just thinking out loud, you know, I'm
just, you know, you freeze some positions, maybe you try to save the money. Maybe you save try to save money. This year, we reserve it off and use that in next year's budget. Maybe ask departments. Okay. We need you
to cut back 1%. So maybe we get $300,000 we can put towards next year's budget and or when we're working on next year's budget for 2026, we they okay. They put in some maybe whatever their
budget is, we say, can you cut 1 or 2% out of your budgets next, next year, that might be 300,000 to 700,000 of expenditures. I'm
trying to think I wrote down little notes here, but I know this is unpopular but a millage rate increase. But, you know, okay, I had to throw that out
there. And that's in the mix of I've always, you know, for the last ten years we haven't used reserves to balance the budget, except for reserves that are from restricted funds like
perpetual care donations, tree bank fund and stuff. So and I worry about the fiscal year 2027 budget too, because there's a couple other things for that
budget in 2027. We've got, you know, Scott got the Safer grant for three employees. They're going to come. The grant is going to be gone. So then the general fund is going to have to
absorb those three positions in 2027. That's about $350,000 per Safer grant. It can't be renewed. Or I think they'd have
to go out for another 1 or 3. So they waited. Everything's going. I don't see what we're doing that grants right now. You know, the other thing of concern is
the fire union, the police and fire union contracts. Their last year is 2026. So 20 2027 is going to be the first year of their when they go back for
negotiations for their for their three year contract. If it's like the first the last one we just did, they front loaded a lot of their increases in that first year. So I'm not sure if that's going to happen this
year, but I don't know if that's Andrew. If I sort of got on my little soapbox, it sounds like yeah, I mean, you're obviously
trying to plan for it. And 27 is a year where a number of large things are happening. Some uncertainty, I mean, with the
revenues and. Yeah, but yeah, in terms of increases, yeah, I definitely see the concern there. When you think about that
dirty word millage increase dirty phrase, I should say. Is there anything that guides that besides just the proposal and it goes before the board and they vote like, is there anything in
any of our plans and reviews and charters and all of that that kind of guides the steps for what you entertain before you go to that? Like, is it a process
of like departmental reviews or anything else like I do? I do wonder sometimes if the we've gotten to this, it's easy to happen. And I and I only say it because I see it in my own main
business that has more people, not the store. They're all perfect, but at the other one where they're not. You get to this place where when times are good, you just you have a lot of
people, right? And you could do less. You could do more with less, like you could do those things. You could work a little smarter or get a certain tool or whatever you can do to shrink. Because with personnel service
being like 77% of all of it, to me that makes sense. You figure out really the positions that you need, and maybe there is something that we're doing that to like, do the people get to say, have a chance to vote per
se or like speak to rather than an increase? Because I hate the idea of any kind of onus on the residents when things are getting not great, your house value is going down. And so you're going to raise my millage
rate. That's really not not good. Is there a path to where you really take the hard look? Is there a process for that where you really figure out, or maybe everybody agrees that, okay, we can live with I don't
know that it takes longer to get somebody on the phone somewhere because they don't have as many people, you know, something like that. Like is there or is it just kind of a we just do what we do and then we have this many
and we just freeze and but we still have all these other positions that maybe we haven't even had filled for a year, you know, like, what does that look like? Well, I think you mentioned that one of the last meetings, like looking into
efficiencies within. Departments, you know, you mentioned it seems like a few years ago I used to be in the general fund. We used to have maybe 7 or 8 vacant positions.
Now we don't I used to count on some of those because that's money that's freed up in those positions. I think people like being here. So they're not leaving. They're not leaving, and that's good. But that doesn't always mean that you
need all the people like. Or do you maybe even if you kind of do like, I don't know if there's just what is that the who does that. Well, I think that's one look at each department and says, okay, these are the things
that you're doing. These are the job descriptions. These are the tasks being done. You know, that might be something we can't do anymore. Like sometimes we just can't have all the nice things we have to. Well, I think that's
when it comes down. When the when the city managers meet with the department heads going through their budgets and seeing their increases. Okay, I wonder who's I don't know if it's going to be. Yeah. Okay. So when does
that happen. The millage or. Oh. Of the of the ceiling of the situation. I think we have that the first week of May when we get the budget done towards the end of April, presented to
Charles in the first week of May, he would with the department kind of does that conversation. And. Yeah. And do you give him some guidance on what you're trying to get
accomplished on that, like, or is it just I'll just tell me we'll go over. Okay. What's in the budget? The assumptions, you know, with the health health insurance increases, we can probably go through and say, okay, this line item is
increasing. We can have the tables for them and say, okay, this and this person's budget, you know, they're budgeting this much, but they only had this much last year. Here's the increase. Why is this increase? It probably work with the directors, maybe before the
meetings whatever to say. You know, you need to have some reasons why you're increasing this line item. Okay. Thank you. Sure. On that. Personnel
services percentage 71%. How does that compare? That's what we're projecting at nine 3024. How does that compare to prior years? It seems like it's creeped up a little bit, but I don't know. No it's been around.
In fact, I think I've seen other presidents at 72 or 73%. I think we've always consistently been above 70 right in the low 70s
are. Can we get that for the next meeting? Just a three year just like that. See this graph
for the past three years? And the FEMA monies, all the expenditures and the expected reimbursements, all rated related to fiscal 25, that's all
fallen in 25, right? Some of it there is some from Helene because Helene was in the last couple days of a of September. So there is some maybe a couple
hundred thousand dollars worth in the previous fiscal year, 2024. But the balance is in 2025. But what we have reflected
so far in 25 to date is just some of the overtime that was spent in other I think we because you said we don't have the debris pickup in these numbers yet. Right. But by year
end, you'll have a good idea of FEMA and you're going to book a receivable for that. Right? And yes, I'm probably going to look at the invoices and we charge the debris to the sanitation
fund. So you won't see it in the general fund, but we'll show it in the sanitation fund. But the owner will be compensated for the overtime. So yes. You book that the general fund. Yes. The bulk of it is general fund.
You'll have some water and sewer, but the good portion is
the general fund. Any other questions? One, one, one more for me. So switching gears to the investment policy,
just remind me we're invested in CDs and the pools or just remind me of what our investments are in. We have, of course, a checking accounts. Right? We can
do CDs. I don't have any CDs right yet. Treasury bills. Okay. Federal agencies. And we have the state pool at the state of
Florida. Okay. All right. Thank you. That's. Anything else? Yeah, I have nothing that's on
the agenda. Can you put up that tentative schedule for the budget? Yes. I want to ask the other committee members how
those dates work for them in terms of whether we're going to have enough people available. So. What are the dates it would add? So we usually budget
advisory June. Yes. So it would be the 15th, 22nd, 29th and possibly the possibly the fifth, 15th, 22nd, 29th. I'm good for
those dates. Me too. Okay. Yeah I think 29th could be a problem because tentatively I'm supposed to be out of town, but that's not confirmed yet. Okay, okay, I
think I'm okay. Yeah. So anything else on the items one through four on the agenda? Did
you want me one, two, three I don't know. We haven't done the fund balance. Oh okay. Yeah. 131 through three. All right. Let's
move on to item number four then. What this is and I'm sure if you
all have copies of it. But this is our fund balance policy of the city. What we were trying to
revise. And I've got it in red down here is adding a 5% required reserve for the Marina
and the golf course fund. Currently the other enterprise. There has never been a minimum fund balance for the Marina and the golf course fund. Back when
they did this policy years and years ago because they were in a in a negative position. My thought was maybe it's good and just to have a small percentage out there so people are making
sure they're looking at it so it doesn't get to the point, like last time where it was, you know, the golf course got the $1.3 million in the negative.
Marina is a very small fund. It's only like a budget of 150,000. But it was in the negatives too. But now they're both in a positive. Now the Marina is going down a little
bit this year because they had an increase in the flood insurance policy. But we're still it's still a positive number. So I was just entertaining if you if we wanted to revise the fund balance
policy and add in the Marina and golf course. What is it now? Is it nothing now? It's nothing. But we're still not doing any transfer from golf course to
general fund, right? Correct. We used to, but when it was one we gradually decreased that transfer because it didn't make sense. It was just it was just adding to the negative number.
But it's in the positive now right? Yes.
Feelings. Yeah. I think that's a good idea to know that they're in the positive, to set aside 5%. That's reasonable. And if you all agree I'll I'll get it
on it goes on a resolution and I'll put it before the board of directors, the commissioners and stuff. Do you need a formal motion from us? Yes. That would
help me make a motion. Could you just zoom in? I'll make the motion, but I just want to read it one more time. I think the copy you emailed is like with the changed, right? Like so
yours is read marked. But this one, I think, is this the new way, the one that we got? Okay, that's probably good. So we're changing. Water sewer fund with the okay. So we're taking out
with the exclusion for fiscal year budget. Yeah. They used to exclude the Marina and golf course. But now we just want to want to include it okay. Yes I'll make a motion. We have a
second. Second. We have a roll call please. Miss Howard. Yes, Miss Hales? Yes. Vice chair. Hall. Yes. Chair. Bergman. Yes.
Anything else? Ron? That's it. Okay. We need to talk about the election of the chair and vice chair of this committee going
forward for the next year. The current makeup of the committee. I know at one time there was a three year term limit. Now that I understand, there's not. So
I'm trying I'm trying to get okay here. There's three. You serve three years, but there's no limit. I mean and I reread the resolution. So the if we go
by the code right now it's up to ten years. So I know the three year impacted me. Yeah. The three year impacted me when I was on code enforcement. Yeah. That one. They do that one, two
three year terms. This has no limit on the difference because it's advisory versus not. No. I just think that's the way they wrote it in the resolution when
they. Established the board. So you also indicated there were some possible applicants for this board. I don't have I have someone in mind, but they're currently on another board, but
they're termed out of that board. So Irene and I were going to call them. Okay. So but we've been advertising I know that I was watching Code Enforcement
last Tuesday, and the chair did announce it, that we need volunteers for all boards. It's just we've been advertising and
it's just been really difficult. Where are you? Academy. Yeah. So we have it. We have it on social media. We have it in the paper. It was in the paper. I think you mostly get them from Citizens
Academy. Yeah. And we I know and we put the applications out there at graduation. Yeah. And I got one. That's it. Yeah. So
yeah. And we even did an email, a mass email to all the former members and stuff too. Yeah. So which members of the current committee are at the end of the
three years? We got to find out if they want to stay on. We have it's actually you and Cassie, but you all have been serving on here. Yeah, but we were off last
year. We agreed to stay on. So I think we're on for another three years. Yeah. So and everybody else is coming up. Well I'm sorry it is. No Christine's not.
What I can do is if I get at least one more app from a new person to do a thing to the board. And have you moved up to
a regular member, and then at least we'll have two new. Not that you're new, but I'm saying you can be a regular and then have another. I'm just if you
know anybody, I'm I'm begging everybody. They just won't do it. I'll ask around. Well, that
means we need to talk about chair and vice chair, who is interested in either position for next year. Are you saying you're not interested in remaining in position? I didn't
say that. Well. I'm just checking. Do you have interest to remain? I have no objection to remaining as chair for the next year. But after next year,
I'm probably dropping off this committee. Okay. Hey. I retired ten years ago this month, and I've been volunteering on code enforcement here for the last ten years. It's time for a new
venture. So I'm here until budget time next year. But I have no I have no problem remaining as chair. If that's what the committee wishes, we'll
make that. It ain't broke. Don't fix it. Now, what about vice chair? That's currently you? Yeah, I'm happy to do it again. Unless anybody else would like
to go do. No. I'm good. I'm happy. I got enough to do. I'll be here, but that's okay. All
right. Any public comments? On the. Nervous? When you throw something at you, Ron, you can
relax. So as the as a commissioner, vice mayor and future mayor, I want to just say thank you for volunteering,
giving your time. And it means a lot. So that's it. Thank you. Thank you. But I did have one more thing. Just one more. So
there have been a few, a few people on the board of commissioners who have talked about that. Commissioners aren't making enough money. So would
you please I think we've talked about it. Okay. So would you please incorporate into your process a recommendation of
compensation for the board if they provide any additional information about what not enough money means? I don't know, you can talk to him. Okay. Okay. It came before this board
many years ago. Okay. And we made the recommendation. And that board at that time voted it down, right? I mean, we'd be happy to do it again, but we. Would you mind doing it? Do it.
Would you mind doing it for me? No, I don't mind at all. But we need and we'll listen. I promise I'll listen. So yeah, I mean, I, I don't care personally. Yeah.
I've expressed, I've expressed that from the diocese, but we need to be provided with the comps from the other city so we can make a recommendation. We could we could update it. Okay.
Yeah. Please. So anyways I just want to say thank you. That's all. Okay. Thank you. Any other public comments I'll echo what
you said. Georgiana Francis, 15 Athens Street. Thank you for volunteering. So what I like to do is share on, you know, social media. And I just copy the link
to the page for the Citizens Academy and the application. I'll do a screenshot of it, you know, just to make it easier and just basically, you know, and I tell people, you don't have to
go through Citizens Academy because the more like blocks we put up, you know, and I a lot of times Citizen's Academy is great, but a lot of we have a ton of intelligent, educated
people here in Tarpon that can help fulfill these roles. And again, I, I will say this again that mailers work. You guys see
the budget. So you know how much it costs to send things out. Again, with the water bill, I think I get a water bill once a month and then a reminder maybe twice a month. I, you know, so
or you can stick it in there, the utility bill, whatever. I mean, we need to get if, you know, we actually need to publish these things. The last voter turnout again is, you know, is terrible. So if we're
going to say that we want these things, we can find it in the budget, and any of the commissioners can actually propose that, that we do that too, if we really want these volunteers. But we have to they're out there. We just need
to, you know, share it and do that because otherwise it all comes down on you guys. And then when somebody criticizes the board, you know, then you nobody wants to be up here. And you
know, recently the Planning and Zoning Board was, you know, intimidated by sitting elected official. So we need people up there, you know, that helped our board come together. But we've
been together a while. So it can happen at any board. So we just have to just get more people. And there are three appointments this this week. So it's looking a little bit better. But I would
encourage just share it on your social media and tell your friends, especially with people leaving. Thank you. Any other
public comments, board and staff comments? Future agenda items other than the commissioner increase? Yeah, and I have one
more on those comps though, not just the salary that they're paid, but I'd like to know also what benefits that they receive with total package. Yeah. Total package. Oh yeah. Like health
insurance. Yeah. Because I know we offer the health insurance. So to have it comparable we need to know what they do at this point. Any other future agenda
items with none. We'll adjourn the meeting at 250. Thank you. We're going to stay on. Here.
Cassie. Cassie, it's not broke. We're not fixing it. It's still on. The only thing that would
like, if we wanted to talk about the. I think it might be good to do that before we get into the departments to do that agenda item for the compensation. If it's going to be a component of
this year in any way, it's going to be. That might be a lively discussion by April. Might be our best yet. Okay. Yeah, I think we need to have it and discuss the comps schedule for
the commissioners on maybe just get from you high level what assumptions are going into the budget? Okay. Do you want me to send them a nap? Yeah. Send me
his email. Michelle, what would be the date for the April meeting? We're just so, you know, we're off the record, so I may not be here. Actually, April
17th. Yeah, I won't be here. I would want you. Everybody here. I mean, that's a good one. So. We just recently had a meeting.
Christy, you remember board of commissioners? Like a few months ago. We did the whole study. It's got the benefits, all the other cities. But we're just trying to get a date for when we're going to have it on our
agenda. Yeah, but we can look at it. Yeah. Already. Could we just move that one until. Oh, I can't wait a minute. No I can't do the 24th. Nevermind. Forget what I was going to say. Do you think
we could squeeze it in? One of the four meetings that we have is the. Well, so I think it'll just make it more likely that we need that extra meeting. Like where's right, right. You know what I mean? Like yep, yep.
Because they usually are tight. Yep, yep. You're right. Which is fine. We could always put it as that extra meeting. You know, the one on May 15th. One the first, the first, the first meeting. The. Oh that's good. Oh
that was yeah. That's the May 15th one doesn't involve the department then. That's good. We could we could discuss at that point the budget with you and that'll be perfect. Yeah. Let's let's put it on the May 15th
then for that okay. Meeting in April. We won't have a meeting in April. Okay. The December 17th agenda. So May 15th, we'll
have that on the agenda. And it'll just be your preliminary before we get into the departments. In the subsequent weeks, we'll have the budget ready for you, give you an update of the assumptions in the budget. Hopefully the we have
enough revenues and expenditures from we'll get it together, but we'll tell you where we're at and get the budget ready for you. And those will be the budget to work off with to meet
with the departments. Okay. That'll be good. All right. Back at it again. Thank you. The
smile on your face. Thank you, thank you, thank you Ron.