We're seeing her laptop, but they're not seeing it on YouTube. >> Hold on. Hold on. Good evening. Today is Wednesday, September 10th, 2025 at 6:02 p.m. We're having the Wilson fire assessment
hearing. We'll have a roll call. >> Mayor Goodman, >> President Hines here. >> Vice President Cox >> here. Council member Jones here. Council member Ricko, she's running late.
Council member Martin here. City Manager Sue Boddet, she's absent. Attorneys, City Clerk Latricia Wright, I am here. And all other staff. >> Thank you.
>> We'll have open opening prayer and pledge allegations by Mayor Charles Goodman. [Music] going to be choose. Lord, we come to you today, a community trying to make our way in a troubled world.
Sometimes we have to do things that we don't want to do. Sometimes we have no choice. But whatever this council decides, Lord, I hope that they use wisdom that you give them to make the decisions that they make. In your name I
ask. >> Don't let me fall. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible and with liberty
and justice for all. >> Thank you very much. >> At this time, we'll have public participation. This will be one of two opportunities in order for you to speak on anything that is not on the agenda. You'll please state your name and where
you reside. Yes, me. Yes, my name is Tim. Um, I came up here since a month ago and uh and uh about some water leaks and one of them was Southeast Second Street 329. I went by there today and took some videos
and pictures. They had fixed two leaks immediately. There's one on the side of the house there is still leaking and um y'all really should go look at this instead of just taking my work. I mean, y'all really should should be some accountability besides just me coming up
here ranting or whatever you want to call it. Um, it's not fair people be held hostage whenever they can't sell their property because uh this is the 12th time in three years you had to deal with this and
I don't know who's in charge of not taking care of this and who's in charge of them not taking care of I mean there's got to be some kind of accountability here other than seems like nothing you know uh you know finally got Grayson
taken care of in down here by the uh water tower, but you know, um just don't seem like nothing gets done. Uh not to fix the problem so it don't keep happening again. There needs to be some destruction sense up here to fix
this. I mean, you can be book smart is one thing, but sometimes you got to be out of the world smart, fix these kind of things. And uh I mean uh throwing lime rock and and asphalt on patches is not the answer either to the
water leak. That's all they did right there. You should see the mess that it looks like. It really looks bad. I mean uh and also too I'd like to ask for a records request for all the leaks and patches for the last five years in Willis.
um just for public record because uh something's got to be done. I went online and I looked about what it cost in 2023 to now and price is more than double and this kicking the can down the road for a major problem that one day is going to be a fiasco
and we're going to have to pay for this extremely more than what it is now. There's nothing else to be done about it. I mean, I I I don't know what to do, but I mean, it just don't seem like anything is getting done by the ones in charge. I'm not saying it's
y'all's fault, but the one in charge up here is getting paid 100,000 here, they got to put some boots on and go to work. Hey, I'm Joel Penn 43 North Street. Uh, over the couple of times I've been up here and y'all I said y'all haven't
addressed anything. I was in a meeting with Patricia and we went over a few things. So, thank you for going over all that. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Anyone else?
Does the council have anything? >> I just want to stop right here and say happy birthday to Latricia. >> Happy birthday, Miss Latricia. Today's her birthday. >> Any help? All right. If not, we will
move forward. We'll have resolution 2025-95. A resolution of the city of Wilston, Florida, relating to the provision of fire service facilities and programs in the city of Wilston, Florida, improving
imposing fire service assessment against assessed properties located within the city of Willist for the fiscal year beginning October 1st, 2025. Approving the rate of assessment. Approving the assessment role. Providing an effective date by Chief Lamar Steagle. City
attorney. But your turn. [Music] Resolution is in order. Thank you. >> No, ma'am. We've done all of our due diligence. We've given you all the information, put it for you, standard
has worked great great with us helping us get all that information to you and that's brought us to this point tonight. >> Thank you. Can I get a motion? I make a motion we approve resolution 2025-95.
>> I second. >> I have a motion and a second. Any discussion from the public? And >> yes, sir. >> Yes, sir. >> Excuse me. My name is Ter.
What are the rates being set at? >> Um, okay. Next question. Uh, the first one we had whenever you asked him to come in at a lower call figure below 129, what happened to all this? >> Say that again. >> Whenever Miss Miss Jones had come in
below 100 or around 100, what happened to that figure? >> Are you aware? May I speak, Madam President? >> Yes. Are you aware of the rate of the fire assessments and everything around us?
I don't expect that you are. So that's the reason I ask you. We we looked at all of my fire chief looked at all of the rates of everybody around us. Yeah, >> we have a fire department that actually aids the county and gets reimbursed for
cost, but we do do that. And the fire assessment, I have I have been holding off for years against the chief wanting to do this. And I finally said, Newberry, I just give you one one for instance,
just raise their fire assessment to $400 for each resident. Bronson has fire assessment everywhere. The county has fire assessment and we have not had it for years and years. And frankly, my
fire department is over budget and we need the help to be able to continue to provide the services that our community wants. >> Um, why is it set at 159 instead of like 129 to start? Are you not aware the
infrastructure is not here to support it all? We are 13th poorest county in the state and this state is number one in inflation. I mean you have to go people have to go out of town here to go work to make a living or like I do go do make a living
make a decent living. I mean what's what's going to support all this? I mean I'm just saying I ain't saying that they don't need it but why at 159? Why can't it be lower? It could be lower. It could be non-existent. But please address your
questions to the council president, not individuals. >> Well, I'm speaking to you. >> Well, please >> what my question is is uh with all the high water rates and electric rates going on, this this just doesn't make
sense. This don't make business sense. It really don't. Infrastructure is not here. And you know, I know it's not y'all's fault or our fault. Wendy is closing in November. And you know, I mean, all people got to do is come by and look. That's another place that looks desolate around. It's run down.
Wilson's run down. >> But they will also within four to six months will be there. >> Don't believe it. They're still working on they're still working on the warning. Until I see it, I'll believe it. But I'm telling you, Willist can't support this.
What about what about the retirees? Is there a provision for the ones that are 70 years old living on living on fixed income? >> There is. >> Have you put it in the paper where they can understand it? >> Once this passes that will be made uh available that there's form that they can fill out. They're below a certain
income level. Um and then they can have that if not entirely waved, partially waved. >> Yeah, this 159 is too much. I mean, I'm just telling you and I I feel like y'all were just like getting commission on that. Y'all are not listening to the people. Y'all not representing the the
taxpayers, the citizens. Y'all not representing us the way we should be. Not really. I mean, some people don't know. They don't come up here to get nervous or whatever. I mean, but I'm just saying it's not being thought through in a
business sense approach here. It's not being done. We got other problems going on in the city that's not being fixed. Does anyone else have comment? >> For the first thing I want to do, I've
got a couple things I want to say, but the first thing I would like to do is is to ask um I would like to ask the fire department to speak about the analysis that was done and the rate that was actually recommended. >> Yes, ma'am. >> And before
>> and then you'll know how they how we got to the rate that we did. >> And before you speak, Mr. E, was there anything else that you >> No, I'm just asking if there's anything else before. >> Well, I think it will answer part of his
question. That's the reason I'm asking, just like what the process was and how they got to what they got to. >> Good evening, Sandy Newbart with Accenture. Um, so we did an analysis of your city's fire department and the
demand for the different types of properties in your city only in your city. And so the rates were calculated based off of that. Just like the counties are calculated just based off the unincorporated area, the city of Chiefs is based off of the services that
the city of Chief bronze in the same way. Um, tonight what this resolution does is it sets your rates for next year and they are set at the same rates that were on the trim notice. $159 for residential, three cents for
non-residential per square foot and $7 for each vacant land parcel. It does provide exemptions for government and institutional taxexempt property. So that would be churches and nonprofits. um and agricultural that's a um
statutory um exemption. It also does provide a hardship for those people who um who can't afford it. It's an application process um and it is collected on um the uh the tax bill. Um your there has been research on the
other areas fire assessment. The county was at 129 last year. Just last night they voted to go to 250. So this year theirs is going to be $250 for every residential growing unit. Um the city of Bronson charges 137. They're voting on
theirs tonight. This is what they charge last year. They're not in increasing it, so we don't anticipate it to come down. And the city of Chief charges $159. So you're not you're right in line with the other fire departments in your area. Um
so this is this is to um to actually set the rates. You can go down, you cannot go up for this year and it's an annual decision. So each year you reevaluate it um make that decision. >> Thank you.
Anyone else have any comments? >> Oh, I'll just say um in in reference to what Mr. Eert said and he is right. I did ask for a lower rate. Um, I thought that since we were starting to begin with that we should start somewhere around $75. Um, because I thought it
could we could sort of ease into it a little bit. Uh, and I got outvoted, you know, that it was set. I did vote no because I wanted to go lower. Um, and that's that's still the way I feel. I am for a fire assessment, so don't get
that. Don't get me wrong on that because we do need to support a fire department. Uh, but I am not. We're starting at 159. >> And I apologize. I forgot to tell you this $159 rate will generate about $234,000.
>> Anything else from the public? >> My name is Dan Kaufman. I reside at 32 Northwest 4th Street. I'm just sitting here looking at things on this pyro assessment. I'm not necessarily saying assessment is a bad bad thing. I think time sucks in all
honesty. The whole point of it is is like I I read your budget proposal which is a little off track at this particular meeting. But I also heard at the first meeting when the assessment
come up whenever your consultant was here giving the presentation to be hired that we have about according to the census report the last one to be printed on the web was about 3,300 said 3,300 people
over little over a mile square mile. I don't have the statistic with me. I can't work to get a hold of. So, I have a few things. Um, Le County just had their meeting and
discussion of their of their fire and all that. It said right here that uh uh Bronson cent county of 600 calls fire department have received the fiscal year that Bronson received the same amount of
funding from the county as Will Gun received 399,846 and Willist received 399,885 from the county at the start of the current fiscal year.
Now, we've got fire assessment that goes on top of what you receive from the county. And I understand that a lot of the calls that you received, I don't know what the ratio was I heard that night. I don't have my head is a a large number of calls is
performed outside of the city of using Williston's fire and their personnel and everything else and they we are reimbursed for that money coming back into this into the city.
When I looked at the at your uh budget, I noticed that in the process, nowhere could I find where it actually said an amount or what it was for of what was contributed back to the city and its
general fund to go to this general fund where that money was coming from and how much it was. It was not systematically broke down and we get X file or we get X from or we spend X for EMS and on and so forth. I think in the future, one of the
things for transparency would be when you're doing a budget, you're doing things like that to get it where you can actually see where the money versus what's coming in versus what we have to pay. The last thing because I know I'm running
um on page four through your whereas on the proposal for the fire assessment, page four, the very bottom one Whereas in order to impose fire service assessments for the fiscal year
beginning October 1st, 2025, the ordinance required that the city council to adopt the final assessment resolution fiscal year with such amendments as the city council deems appropriate after hearing comments and objections of
all interested parties. In other words, no matter what I say here, if you don't like it, you can change mind or you can re-evaluate it and then talk among yourself and it doesn't become binding as to this. It leaves you the opportunity to change your mind at
whatever thing you want. And I have a little problem with it being ran that way. But on the other side of the line, I understand what horrendous job you have trying to budget. But let's take it into consideration. Um,
when I moved here three years ago, my taxes were $1,200 a year. That was my suspect on on my house, which is assessed value of of last year was $122,000.
Last year, my taxes went up to $259, which was a 78.7% increase in one year. year I moved here at 12 then I did the following year my taxes turned out to be 2500 so
I don't remember I don't really know what your assessment value I think it's somewhere between 25 about 18 and a half% that's going to be on top of my assessed value that you're going to think and I'm not like I say I don't have the numbers written down in my here
but it's going to go up I just agree agree with this gentleman over here. We can't afford this. You're getting to the point where it's bad enough that and I had no idea or never thought about it. The governor wants to do away with property taxes. I
had never thought about the fact that I never owned my home. It was nothing more than me having a a house that if I if I didn't pay the taxes, they could take my house paid for or not. I didn't know that. Thank you for >> Thank you,
>> Madame President. May I make a comment? >> Sure. >> I don't know if you are aware of it, but I just want you to know this council cannot talk amongst themselves to make a change. All of their conversations with
each other must be done in public. By law, they are not allowed to talk to their self. >> Okay. And I would just say how >> and I would ask how long you've lived in your house. >> Sarah, if you'll come back to the
>> Okay. So, um, the first year it probably would have been at the rate that the other person had it and then when >> I don't know, but I believe >> and then when you lived there, it it probably went up because you were a new owner.
>> Well, under the new ownership under >> because of Save Our Homes, it could only go up a certain percentage, >> right? But once you had a new owner, >> way below 78.7%. Way below. Well, once once it got a new owner though, the Save Our Homes kind of
went out the door because you were a new owner, you know. So, they reassessed is what they do. >> And the the other thing that I would also add is the our millage rate for the assess for the the actual
property tax has not gone up. It's been 6.75. I know at least the last three years. >> All right. What is your proposal for this year? >> 6.75. >> 6.75. Yes, sir. We stayed the same. Now, the assessed value went up. If the county assessed your home, it went up.
But our our millage rate has stayed the same. >> Well, like I say, I know that county went up 78 78.7%. >> Wow. >> That may be their whole budget. >> That may be their whole budget. I I know their millage rate. Help me with their
millage rate. >> 8.75. Also, the other thing I had discussed with you just now was the return from the fire department from Ley County and Bronson and well
Bronson's warning there. They don't feel they're getting their fair share. But she and that money is like I said my problem was I can't find it anywhere in the budget of where it was listed and broke out
what comes from where the airport has the same issue in fuel and so it's not it there are line items >> but not differential between how much it's sort of bundled among other things
it's not in other words it's items. >> Okay. And I will say that the the dollars that come to us from Levy County are for the calls that are in Ley County. >> I understand that >> that we have to support the calls that are in Wilson. >> But I'm just saying got to be a better system.
>> It is there. If if you came to the first budget hearing and I thought you did >> it had all the breakdown. Now as we go it gets more condensed. >> I read them as I go. If I don't read them online, I read I read them when I come here. >> We can certainly get it for you. because
it is there. >> Thank you, Mr. P. >> Penny, 43 Northwest 4 Street. Uh, my question is on number page 4 what he was just talking about. Uh, y'all can raise it to whatever y'all want basically. I
mean, it's just like if you're paying 159 right now and then say next year they raise it just like the county. I mean, >> I would Yeah, I'd have to have public hearings again. >> I know, but how's people going to afford that?
People can barely afford to pay their light bill here. I mean, y'all got to lower the bill or something because like this 150 is too much. I mean, like for
example, Bronson or the county gives the fire department $399,846 a year. Uh then on top of that they're going to get $250 some thousand dollar what we doing in our taxes for our
little fire department. >> Yes. Yeah, you can. I understand what he was saying. >> Yeah. None none of us take this additional assessment lightly by any stretch of the imagination, but um I'll just ask the chief, how much does a new ladder truck cost?
When do we need a ladder truck? Where will it? >> Because we have buildings that are taller than two stories. >> Where? >> Arbors. >> The arbors and the new town homes that are coming in. So, what is a new ladder truck cost? >> Uh, well, let's let's start with an engine. >> Okay.
>> We'll start there. Start start low. Engine engine. In 2018, we purchased a fire engine. $480,000. >> How long does it last? U a maximum lifespan on a fire engine is 20 years and you get everything. We're currently
getting ready to try to replace a fire engine because it is at now 22 or 23 years old. Not the newest one we bought, but we have to keep them rotating or we'll be out of fire truck. The proposed price that they have on the new fire
engine I got this week was right at $1 million. That's an engine, not a not a ladder truck. We got a ladder truck from Marian County at no charge. It did cost us some money. We had to play pay for the stickers that went on the side, but
to replace that truck right now would be right at $2 million. >> And we h we can't keep old equipment that might not work. I mean, there's there's no way for us to to take a truck and and extend it to 35 years. I mean,
the liability alone is an issue. Never mind, you know, you don't want your house burning down because something went wrong. So when when you, you know, break that down over the number of years and the replacement, plus having a place that is staffed 24/7, 365 days a year,
plus all the other equipment that goes with it, you know, the numbers are right here in the budget. It's it's an exorbitant amount of money, and it's not getting any cheaper. And just like everything else, I mean, I don't know if you've gone and priced out a vehicle lately, but what you know, right? So, you know, unfortunately, I mean, it's
truly unfortunately, but we're just trying to keep up with the current costs. Nobody's trying to milk money or, you know, No. And I know I know you're not, but I just so you know, >> the city the people that actually live in the city have >> but but Mr. Penny, like the the the the
issue is that unfortunately living in the city, you get a service and if if you dial 911, fire department comes to your house and they put the fire out and it cost you nothing to have that fire put out. And so this this is the cost of that. It's insure. It's basically the way I look at it personally. It's
insurance that I pay. pay I pay $159 a year in insurance that the fire department is going to come and they're going to have equipment that works and that is, you know, in in good condition. So, >> no way we can lower down at 75 >> at this point in time. No. um you know
just because the the the cost of inflation and the cost of replacing this equipment is such that this is the math that's been done and this is this is basically where where the chief did the math and and got us a number that made sense going forward. So
>> put it off the next year and >> well we've gotten in a lot of trouble in the past with our infrastructure in this city by kicking the can down the road as Mr. record, you know, comments and rightfully so when he, you know, speaks about the fact that that the more we push this down the road, nothing's going to get cheaper and then what's going to
happen is instead of having, you know, at 159, we're going to have to jump right in at a much higher number, which is going to come at more hardship to to people. So, >> I mean, I'm just y'all are pushing people out of town. >> So, Mr. Hy, we we understand that, but
>> throughout the year and with the budget and everything that's going on, we do take all of that. Can I speak please? >> Throughout the years, we have well, we've looked at the budget. We looked at the infrastructure. We looked at the
different things that are going on. We're also having infrastructure that's being reworked, you know. So even though we're raising prices, we're not taking it lightly. But because for so many years we have not gone up on budgets or
we have not gone up on rates, you know, we find ourselves in the position that we are today and the best we can. We are doing what is beneficial to the city. Even though it may not seem like it, but as Miss Meredith said,
it's better to start low >> than to go all the way to high because we've already voted on it and this is what we >> we can still lower it if >> Why can't y'all lower? These people cannot pay. These people cannot I mean I've got people that I've
known that I'm just saying that they have lived here for almost eight years and they are selling their house because they can't afford to live >> in this city. I they've been my best friend forever now. They they they're moving because they can't afford
we appreciate it. >> Make one more comment. I appreciate that you say that people are moving, but as we just heard, there's no there, as we just heard, there is no place that they are moving to where the fire assessment is lower than here. So, if they're moving because of the fire assessment,
they're just moving into they're moving to Bronson, it's the same price. If they're moving to Chief, it's the same price. If they move to Newberry, it's a lot more than that. So, >> Mr. Mr. Penny, you're not at >> there anymore. Please, >> one short question for us on my mind.
When I first came here, first meeting our assessment, I think Mr. Cox had mentioned along with the uh chief about a $90,000 re refurbishing of one of your fire trucks. Do you have a status on that?
When it's expected to be finished, and is it in this year's budget or was it in last year's budget? >> Mr. Yes, sir. I can answer that. I wish I wished it would have been a $90,000 refurb because it was a $160,000 refer.
Um the truck is back in service and back in the city. Um we consider it what we call the portable tanker or portable hydrant. It it has a 2,500galon water tank on it and it pumps 1,250 gallons per minute, equivalent to a regular fire engine.
>> Yes sir. It is back in service and that was by far the cheapest way we could go. >> Thank you, Mel. There's nothing else from the public. Anything from council? >> Nothing. >> Yes, Tim.
>> Mr. Eert. Just a moment. Anything else for council? >> I just state the same thing I stated before. Um, and you know how I feel. I I do believe we need a fire assessment, but I believe our first entry into it could be lowered. Um, and we can do that
tonight if that was the will of it. >> So, we have do have a motion. Anybody else? >> Yes, ma'am. Um, at the first hearing that that Miss Jones said 75 bucks. Um, and Mr. Cox wasn't for it either at the
time. Um, how did you vote on this? Did you vote for the 159? >> Yep. >> Okay. Um, and also in that meeting too, first you came out, you said $25. You about $25. People can't make their uh
property payments. And then the next thing you know, you said 150 bucks. And this don't really don't matter how high it gets for you. It don't concern you. Well, then how can you be in representative? >> Who are you speaking to? >> You. You said it. Yes, ma'am. He did. >> I think if you go back and look, I was
one of >> You were sitting right there with Mr. C >> because it was 3 to five. I mean three three to two >> in favor and if I'm not mistaken, I was one of the two. >> Miss Jones wanted 75 bucks.
>> I didn't Well, I didn't want it either, so I'm not sure. Okay. Anyway, >> and and and just hear me for a second. You said it really didn't matter how high it got to you don't concern you. Well, how can you be a true representation of the city city
taxpayers when you make that statement? >> I don't think I made that statement because it always matters to me because I am a citizen and whatever is paid, I pay it as well. But thank you. So if we
have nothing else, we have a motion and we have a second. I move to vote. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> All those opposed, nay. >> Nay. >> We are now four to one. Motion passes.
Thank you. >> Again, I vote no because not because I don't want the size to be assessment, but because I want it to start lower. All right. At this time, we'll have participation. This is the second time that you can speak on anything that was
not on the agenda. >> I don't think that we can stop. It's a public meeting. We can't stop him from being even if we don't always have nothing else. >> So there there is no one else for public participation.
We'll go to item five. >> All those in favor? Oh. I make a motion that we adjourn. >> Can I get a second? >> Anything from the aud? All those in favor say I. >> Vote.
>> Oh, you look like you want to say something. >> Okay. All those in favor say I. >> I already did. >> I. >> All those say nay. >> Motion passes 5 to zero. Have a good night. O N