[1. Call to Order]
[00:00:06]
>> READY. CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
THIS IS A CITY OF FORT PIERCEPIERCE AND BUDGET WORKSHOP MEETING. THIS IS MONDAY, JULY 14TH, PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
>>> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC, FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
>> COMMISSIONER GAINES. COMMISSIONER JOHNSON.
[4. Approval of Minutes]
>> OKAY, FIRSTITE ON THE AGENDA, APPROVAL OF THE MEETING OF THE 9TH DAY MEETING.
>> SECOND. >> CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE.
>> YEP. MS. COX, DO WE HAVE ANY WORD FROM COMMISSIONER GAINES?
>> I JUST RECEIVED A TEXT. HE SAID HE'S RUNNING ABOUT FIVE MINUTES LATE.
>> THANK YOU WE WON'T EXCUSE ME ABSENCE BUT WELCOME HIM WHEN HE GETS HERE.
>> I INTERJECT. I HAD ON MY SCHEDULE PRIOR TO THE SCHEDULING OF THIS MEETING A FOLLOW- UP MEETING WITH MY ONCOLOGIST FOR MY LATEST CANCER SCANS AT 1:45, I'LL HAVE TO EXIT 1:30 TODAY. I JUST WANTED YOU TO BE AWARE.
>> WE WANT YOU TO BE PART OF THE BUDGET WORKSHOP SO WE'LL DO
[5. Additions or deletions to agenda and approval of the agenda.]
WHAT WE CAN.>> OKAY. NEXT WE HAVE ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA AND APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
>> ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS OR A MOTION TO
>> MOTION AND SECOND. CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE.
>> ANY PERSON WHO WISHES TO COMMENT OR ADDRESS THE BOARD COME FORWARD. I THINK I SEE NO MOVEMENT.
[7. Consent Agenda]
WE'LL MOVE ON.>> ANY ITEM THEY WOULD LIKE TO PULL.
>> THERE WAS SOMETHING I NEEDED TO PULL HERE OR JUST HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ON.
MOTION. >> APPROVE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
>> THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND.
CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE. >> COMMISSIONER BRODERICK.
>> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. >> YES, MA'AM.
[G. Approval of the construction contract with R.K. Contractors, Inc. for Little Jim Camp Sanitary Improvements, Bid No. 2025-008, in the amount of $390,648.22.]
>> ITEM 7G. APPROVAL OF THE CONTRACT FOR R.K. CONTRACTORS FOR LITTLE JIM CAMP SANITARY IMPROVEMENTS. BID NUMBER 2025-008 IN THE AMOUNT OF $390,648.22.
>> BEFORE WE BEGIN ON THIS ITEM, I HAVE RECUSED MYSELF FROM THIS ITEM IN THE PAST AND HAVE TO DO SO AGAIN TODAY.
>> THANK YOU. SORRY I DIDN'T CALL ON YOU FIRST. GO AHEAD, COMMISSIONER.
>> THAT CONFIRMS MY THOUGHT. I THOUGHT WE PREVIOUSLY VOTED ON THIS AND APPROVED THIS BACK SEVERAL MONTHS AGO.
$400,000 EXPENDITURES STICK IN MY MIND SO I'M CURIOUS AS TO WHY THIS IS APPEARING AGAIN ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
>> YOU APPROVED THE STAFF -- YOU APPROVED THE AWARDING OF THE BID. THIS IS ACTUALLY THE CONTRACT THAT NEEDS TO BE IN PLACE FOR THEM TO ACTUALLY DO THE WORK.
>> NO CHANGES ON THE COST. EVERYTHING IS IDENTICAL TO THE BID THAT WAS APPROVED AND THIS IS JUST RATIFYING THE CONTRACT.
>> SO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION?
>> THEY OTHER QUESTION, I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO PROVITE G.
>> SO WE HAVE -- CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE.
>> COMMISSIONER TAYLOR WILL ABSTAIN AND MAYOR HUDSON.
[A. Resolution 25-R52 approving the Grant Agreement 25SRP28 between the City of Fort Pierce and Florida Department of Environmental Protection for the Wastewater Resilience and Adaptation - Phase II project in the amount of $28,061,358.00 for the grant term of July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2027.]
>> OKAY. SO, WE MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION 25- R52, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE AUTHORIZING THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION STANDARD GRANT AGREEMENT FOR THE WASTEWATER RESILIENCE AND ADAPTATION, PHASE 2 PROJECT.
PROVIDING FOR A CLAUSE REPEALING ALL RESOLUTIONS AND CONFLICT HEREWITH AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
>> ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? IS THERE A MOTION?
>> A MOTION AND SECOND. CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE.
[00:05:01]
[B. Resolution 25-R53 approving the assignment of Grant Agreement 25SRP28 City of Fort Pierce for the Wastewater Resilience and Adaptation Phase II project to the Fort Pierce Utilities Authority.]
>> YES, MA'AM. >> MAYOR HUDSON.
>> ALL RIGHT. NEXT WE HAVE RESOLUTION 25- R53, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE FLORIDA AUTHORIZING THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION STANDARD GRANT AGREEMENT FOR THE WASTEWATER RESILIENCE AND ADAPTATION FAZE 2 PROJECT PROVIDING FOR A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE REPEALING ALL RESOLUTIONS AND CONFLICT HEREWITH AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
>> THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND. CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE.
>> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. >> MA'AM.
>> MADAM MAYOR, BEFORE WE MOVE ON I WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT AT THE OUTSTANDING WORK AT THE TEAM OF FUA FOR SECURING THIS LATEST GRANT.
THIS IS ONE OF MANY THEY'VE SECURED, BUT THIS IS TRULY OUTSTANDING WORK ON THEIR BEHALF.
>> ABSOLUTELY. I THINK -- THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. I AGREE WITH YOU.
THAT GRANTS DEPARTMENT, THEY HAVE NOT ONLY DONE A LOT TO GET THE MONEY FOR THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT BUT OTHER GRANTS AS
WELL. >> I MENTION TOO THE DIRECTOR THAT I WOULD STEAL HIS GRANT WRITING TEAM.
IT DIDN'T GO OVER WELL. I JUST SAID, ONCE THEY GET DONE WITH THE ADDITIONAL MONEY ON THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT WE NEED HIM
NOTICED. >> I WOULDN'T SEE IT HAPPENING ANY TIME SOON. LET'S PUT IT THAT WAY.
>> YEAH, WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FPUA.
[A. Annual performance evaluation - Linda Cox, City Clerk]
WELCOMED COMMISSIONER GAINES.>> WELCOME COMMISSIONER GAINES.
>> OKAY, THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE ANNUAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF LINDA COX, CITY CLERK.
>> SO, IF NOBODY ELSE WILL START I'LL START.
HERE'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO SAY, I WANT TO SAY THAT I HAVE WATCHED THIS -- THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE OVER THIS PAST YEAR, WORK UNDER DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES AND JUST CONTINUE WORKING AND I THINK THAT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CITY CLERK, ESPECIALLY WHEN SHE WAS ACTING CITY MANAGER AND THEY CONTINUED TO DO THEIR EXCELLENT WORK. IT WAS SEAMLESS.
THERE WAS NO INTERRUPTION. ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO SAY FROM MY PERSONAL POINT IS THIS JOB IS A REALLY IMPORTANT JOB. KEEPING PUBLIC RECORDS UP TO DATE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE LAW FIRMS OUT THERE THAT WOULD JUST LOVE TO TRIP YOU UP. THAT'S WHAT THEY DO AND TO MUNICIPALITIES, AND SO I THINK THAT THIS JOB HAS REALLY INCREASED IN IMPORTANCE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CLERK IS MAKING SURE THE AGENDA IS PUBLISHED AND MAKING SURE ALL THE ADS GET IN AND THE ADS GET IN ON TIME, AND THEN ALSO TAKE CARE OF ALL OF OUR SCHEDULES AS WELL AS TAKING CARE OF EVERYTHING SO THAT THE CITY -- EVEN OUR CITY ATTORNEY LOOKS AT LEGAL THINGS BUT SO DOES THE CITY CLERK, SO -- AND I THINK THAT THIS COMMISSION HAS IN THE PAST WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THAT ALL THREE CHARTER OFFICERS ARE EQUALS, AND THEY ALL REPORT TO US, AND I WANT TO SAY LAST BUT NOT LEAST THAT IF YOU -- SOMETIMES WE TAKE IT FOR GRANTED, AN OFFICE THAT'S RUNNING WELL, BECAUSE THERE'S NO PROBLEMS, SO YOU DON'T -- YOU TEND TO JUST KIND OF OVERLOOK ALL THE GOOD THINGS THAT HAPPEN BECAUSE IT'S RUNNING WELL.
AND I NOTICED THAT WE GOT A SALARY SCHEDULE IN PREPARATION FOR THE BUDGET WORKSHOP, AND I WOULD LIKE A CONSIDERATION OF AN INCREASE FOR THE CITY CLERK BEYOND WHAT THE NORMAL STAFF INCREASES ARE, SO THAT'S -- I'D LIKE TO ASK MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS TO CONSIDER THAT. THAT'S WHAT I HAD TO SAY ABOUT THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE AND WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO NEXT.
>> I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TOO,
>> I WISH THE ENTIRETY OF CITY GOVERNMENT RAN AS EFFICIENTLY AS THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE DID.
WE HAVE ZERO ISSUES THAT COME OUT OF THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, AND WE JUST HAVE EFFICIENCY OF OPERATION ONGOING CONTINUOUSLY AND THAT'S DUE TO THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CITY CLERK.
I THINK THAT PRETTY MUCH ENCOMPASSES MY THOUGHTS AS FAR AS THE JOB THAT'S BEING PERFORMED BY LINDA, AND I DID TAKE A LOOK AT THE SALARY STUDY, AND CANDIDLY, I WAS STUNNED TO FIND THAT SHE IS TENTH OR 12TH ON THE DEPTH CHART OF
[00:10:06]
COMPENSATION. I AM A FIRM BELIEVER AND I KNOW THIS CAN BE A CHALLENGE BUT I'M A FIRM BELIEVER IN SEPARATE BUT EQUAL, AND IN OUROUR CHARTER ARRANGEMENT, ALL THE CHARTER OFFICER, THE CITY MANAGER, THE CITY CLERK, AND THE CITY ATTORNEY REPORT DIRECTLY TO THIS BODY, THERE IS NO INTERMEDIARY, THERE'S NO MANAGEMENT LAYER ON TOP OF THAT. EACH ONE OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS AND STAFF PERSONNEL REPORT DIRECTLY TO THE COMMISSION. SO, ANY CONCERNS OR ISSUES THAT THEY HAVE NEED TO BE BROUGHT HERE TO THIS BODY TO BE ADDRESSED. HAVING SAID THAT, I BELIEVE THAT THE COMPENSATION PACKAGE CURRENTLY BEING PAID TO MS. COX IS NOT COMMENSURATE WITH THE JOB RESPONSIBILITIES.SO I BELIEVE THAT THIS NEEDS TO BE MODIFIED.
SHE'S PAID LESS THAN DEPARTMENT HEADS.
SHE'S PAID LESS THAN A VARIETY OF SENIOR STAFF AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, DEPUTY MANAGERS, ET CETERA, SO BEFORE THIS DISCUSSION IS DONE I BELIEVE I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THAT CONCERN.
>> I CONCUR WITH COMMISSIONER BRODERICK AND THE MAYOR, SEEING THAT LIST OF SALARIES THAT CAME OUT IT WAS GLARINGLY OBVIOUS SHE'S NOT EVEN AT THE LEVEL OF MOST OF OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS, WHICH AT THE VERY BASE OF WHAT SHE DOES SHE IS A DEPARTMENT HEAD OF THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, AND A CHARTER OFFICER AS WELL, SO I WOULD 100% SUPPORT AT LEAST GETTING HER COMPENSATION ON PAR WITH THE REST OF OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS. THAT BEING SAID, I HAVE ZERO COMPLAINTS OR EVEN -- I DON'T EVEN HAVE ANY CONSTRUCTIVE
CRITICISM. >> IT'S HARD TO FIND.
>> IT WAS KIND OF AN INTERESTING ROLE FOR ME BECAUSE WHEN I CAME ON, YOU WERE THE ACTING CITY MANAGER, SO I HAD A DIFFICULT TIME SEPARATING THAT ONCE YOU WERE NO LONGER THE ACTING CITY MANAGER AND KIND OF -- BECAUSE IT WAS -- I WENT TO LINDA FOR EVERYTHING MY FIRST FEW MONTHS AS SHE WAS THE CLERK AND THE CITY MANAGER.
BUT MY ONBOARDING WAS ABSOLUTELY SEAMLESS.
MY CALENDAR HAS BEEN FLAWLESS. EVEN HAD A COUPLE BUSINESS OWNERS REACH OUT TO ME DURING THE NEW TYLER LICENSING THINGS AND WE'RE HAVING SOME PROBLEMS AND THOSE WERE FIXED EASILY, AND EFFICIENTLY AND I APPRECIATE ALL OF THAT AND I SAW THE -- YOU MENTIONED THE COMPUTER YOU SET UP THERE TO GET -- FOR BUSINESS OWNERS TO WORK THAT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S A BIG TRANSITION PERIOD FOR A LOT OF OUR BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME, SO I APPRECIATE THAT PROACTIVE APPROACH. THAT'S ABOUT ALL I GOT.
THANK YOU. I'VE BEEN VERY HAPPY AND LOOK FORWARD TO YOU BEING HERE FOR A LONG TIME. EVEN THOUGH YOU'VE ALREADY BEEN HERE A LONG TIME.
>> YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN OLD SAYING, IF IT'S NOT BROKE, DON'T FIX IT, AND THE ONE THING I DON'T HAVE WORRIES ABOUT SITTING THIS THIS SEAT IS THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE. THEY DO WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO. SHE DOES MORE SOMETIMES THAN SHE'S SUPPOSED TO DO AS FAR AS TAKING COMPLAINTS AND HEARING COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS, YOU KNOW, SHE WILL TRY TO GET IT DONE.
AS COMMISSIONER TAYLOR SAID, SHE ALSO KEEPS ME ON TRACK WITH MY CALENDAR AND MY APPOINTMENTS AND MY BOARDS AND EVERYTHING ELSE I'M ON AND I THINK I BEAT HER TO THE PUNCH THIS MORNING WHEN I WAS RUNNING LATE FROM -- HAD A CLIENT AND WAS RUNNING LATE BEFORE I GOT HER TEXT ASKING ME WHERE I WAS, I TEXT HER AND CITY MANAGER SAY I'M FIVE MINUTES OUT, I'M COMING SO I DIDN'T FORGET, SO I SENT HER THAT TEXT, SO I HAVE NO COMPLAINTS OUT OF THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE. AND I HAVE NO PROBLEM.
I ALSO LOOKED AT THE SALARY RANGES.
I HAVE NO PROBLEM IF WE MAKE THAT RIGHT, SO THAT'S WHERE I
STAND, MADAM MAYOR. >> THANK YOU, SIR.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU, MS. COX FOR YOUR STAFF AND THE PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS YOU'VE SET IN YOUR OFFICE.
YOUR OFFICE AND YOUR STAFF IS DOING AN OUTSTANDING JOB, WELL RECEIVED. I APPRECIATE THEM AND YOUR HARD EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TRAIN IS RUNNING SMOOTHLY ON THE TRACK WHEN IT COMES TO APPOINTMENTS AND WHEN IT COMES TO RECORD REQUESTS AND ANY OTHER SUPPORT THAT I WOULD NEED AS A
[00:15:03]
COMMISSIONER, SO, THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE TO BUILD THAT TEAL AND ALSO TO CONTRIBUTE TO THAT TEAM AND EVEN BRINGING ON NEW PEOPLE TO CITY HALL ONON YOUR TEAM, SO JOB WELL DONE. THANK YOU.>> COMMISSIONER BRODERICK, DO YOU WANT TO CHIME BACK IN FOR -- ON THE --
>> MY OBSERVATIONS -- LET ME JUST GET BACK TO THAT PAGE. IS I BELIEVE SHE SHOULD BE COMPENSATED IN THE RAKE OF THE HIGHEST PAID DEPARTMENT HEAD WHICH IS THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE.
SLIGHTLY ABOVE THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER POSITION, AND I BELIEVE THAT'S COMMENSURATE WITH A CHARTER OFFICER'S POSITION.
>> YEAH, MADAM MAYOR, SO, CERTAINLY I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A QUESTION THAT THERE NEEDS TO PROBABLY BE SOME RIGHT SIZING AND ALIGNMENT.
THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT JUMP BASED ON WHERE WE ARE.
NOT SAYING THAT SHE'S NOT COMING, WHERE DOES THIS COME - FROM? AS FAR AS THE BUDGET IS CONCERNED AND, SECONDLY, I'D LIKE TO ALSO KNOW WHERE MS. COX AND HER TITLE RANKS WITH THE OTHER FL CITY CLERKS AS A WAY TO MAKE SURE SHE IS IN THE RIGHT CATEGORIZATION WHEN IT COMES TO THAT. WE HAVE USUALLY DATA THAT COMES FROM THE FLC, WHICH LISTS PROBABLY ALL OF THE CITY CLERKS IF THERE HASN'T BEEN A SALARY STUDY OF THAT, I'D LIKE TO KNOW. WE PLAY BE WAY OFF ON A NUMBER OF THINGS. I'M NOT JUST THINKING HERE BUT DOWN THE LINE WHERE WE HAVE TO GO PERHAPS, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE ARE FOR OPPORTUNITIES HERE AND THERE AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MAKING SURE WE PROTECT OUR VERY BEST AT THE TOP AND THEY AREN'T GETTING POACHED AWAY, SO CAN ANYONE PROVIDE ME ANY DATA ON THAT THIS MORNING?
>> I CAN'T PROVIDE DATA, BUT I CAN SAY THAT FROM MY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE TREASURE COAST LEAGUE AND THE CITY CLERK, THEIR JOBS ARE ALL OVER THE MAP. SO, EVEN IF YOU COMPARED THE SALARIES, SOME OF THEM HAVE VERY DIFFERENT DUTIES, SOME OF THEM HAVE MORE OR LESS. SOME OF THEM, SO I -- I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE A GOOD PIECE OF INFORMATION BUT YOU WOULD HAVE TO TAKE IT WITH A GRAIN OF TAUGHT, BECAUSE CITY CLERKS ARE ALL OVER THE MAP.
I DON'T KNOW. MAYBE MS. COX, DO YOU HAVE ANY INPUT ON --
>> I DON'T HAVE THE DATA HANDY. WE'D HAVE TO LOOK AT IT BECAUSE THE REPORTING STRUCTURE FOR CITY CLERK, LIKE YOU SAID IS ALL OVER THE MAP.
SOME REPORT TO CITY MANAGERS. SOME ARE THE CHARTER OFFICERS, BUT I DON'T HAVE --
>> THERE'S A COUPLE THAT ARE ELECTED.
>> THERE ARE A COUPLE THAT ARE ELECTED,
YES. >> AND IT'S EXACTLY THAT GRAIN OF SALT I'M LOOKING FOR IS TO FIND THE COMPARISON OF MRS. COX OUT THERE SO I HAVE THAT DATA SO WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE -- WHAT WE'RE SETTING THE STANDARD AS, RIGHT, AND SO NOT TO SAY THAT SHE IS NOT DESERVING, BUT, YOU KNOW, MY QUESTION IS, OKAY, WE'RE AT A CERTAIN POINT NOW, THAT'S THE SIGNIFICANT JUMP FROM WHERE SHE'S AT NOW, MY OTHER QUESTION IS WHERE ARE THESE FUNDS COMING FROM? SO I THINK -- I DON'T KNOW IF WE'LL GET ALL THE WAY THERE TODAY.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM HAVING A CONVERSATION.
I JUST -- WE OWE IT TO THE PUBLIC TO HAVE LIKE ANYTHING, WE'RE IN BUDGET TALKS.
EVERYBODY IS COMING AND PUTTING THEIR BUDGETS OUT, AND WE ONLY HAVE SO MUCH MONEY, PERIOD.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I HAVE AT LEAST LOOKED AT IT TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING AND JUSTIFICATION FOR A JUMP THAT SIGNIFICANT.
>> ANY OTHER INPUT FROM ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS?
>> YOU PULLED THE MIC TOWARD YOU.
>> FORMULATING MY THOUGHTS. I THINK THAT'S A LEGITIMATE CONCERN. I THINK AT A MINIMUM IT SHOULD BE COMMENSURATE WITH THE REST OF OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS AS A DEPARTMENT HEAD.
AND I THINK THIS IS A BUDGET WORKSHOP, SO WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO WORK IT IN THE BUDGET TODAY WHERE WE CAN GET THAT MONEY.
I MEAN, I THINK WE CAN AT LEAST ON A CONSENSUS HEAR THAT A
[00:20:03]
RAISE IS APPROPRIATE, AND WE CAN KIND OF GIVE SOME DIRECTION ON THE PERCENTAGE.COMMISSIONER GAINES, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD?
>> I MEAN, THAT'S -- THAT IS A LEGITIMATE QUESTION, BECAUSE AS YOU -- THE PUBLIC -- IF YOU LOOK IN THE AUDIENCE THERE ARE DEPARTMENT HEADS HERE WHO ARE PROBABLY LOOKED AT THE BUDGET AND WANT TO KNOW ARE GOING TO ASK FOR RAISES AND MORE MONEY, SO I WOULD RATHER SAY, HEY, LET'S LOOK AND SEE WHERE WE ARE, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE LEAGUE OF CITIES BUT SHE DOES DESERVE AN INCREASE FOR ALL THE WORK AND THE PUBLIC REQUESTS ALONE THAT I GET THROUGH MY EMAIL SO LET'S LOOK AT IT AND I WILL SAY LET'S LOOK AT IT ASAP SO WE CAN --
>> SO WE ARE THINKING THROUGH THE DAY, I THINK I'M THE ONLY ONE THAT WAS HERE WHEN MS. COX WAS HIRED, AND THE PREVIOUS CITY CLERK WAS A FAR DIFFERENT JOB DESCRIPTION THAN WHAT IT BECAME OUR CURRENT CITY CLERK, AND SO THAT -- WHAT HAPPENED TO -- AT THAT TIME WAS SHE WAS HIRED AT THE LOWER END OF THE SCALE BECAUSE IT WAS A FAR DIFFERENT JOB DESCRIPTION THAN IT HAS COME TO BE MUCH MORE IMPORTANT NOW IN THE CITY AND IN ALL CITY, QUITE HONESTLY, THE CLERK -- IN ALL CITIES BECAUSE OF STATE LAWS THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED AND THE HEAVY RESPONSIBILITY OF PUBLIC RECORDS AND THE SCHEDULING AND THE SUNSHINE KEEPING US -- KEEPING US STRAIGHT ON THE SUNSHINE LAW, SO I'LL CLOSE THAT OUT THROUGHOUT THE -- WE'LL BE THINKING ABOUT THIS THROUGHOUT THE DAY IN TERMS OF WHAT WE CAN DO TO FIND THAT MONEY, WHATEVER MONEY -- WHATEVER WE AGREE ON AS AN INCREASE.
SO, UNLESS ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANYTHING TO ADD WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM.
[B. Annual performance evaluation Sara Hedges, City Attorney]
>> OKAY. NEXT WE HAVE THE ANNUAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF SARA HEDGES, CITY ATTORNEY.
>> I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO START.
>> I DID HAVE THE DUTY AND THE PLEASURE OF SITTING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF HIRING A NEW CITY ATTORNE ATTORNEY, AND, CANDIDLY, I THOUGHT THE CANDIDATE THAT WAS GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THAT POX WAS INHERITING A DEPARTMENT THAT WAS IN TURMOIL, PUTTING IT MILDLY. MASSIVE UNDERSTAFFING, A LOT OF DISENFRANCHISEMENT, ET CETERA. IT WAS GOING TO TAKE NOT ONLY A SOLID LEGAL MIND BUT A SOLID MANAGERIAL MIND TO GET THE DEPARTMENT BACK ON TRACK AND WHEN SARA WAS INTERVIEWED, I'M OLD.
SHE'S YOUNG, SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE IN EXPERIENCE AND TIME LINES AND ALL THAT.
MY PRIMARY CONCERN IN ENGAGING SARA IN THE POSITION AND I REMEMBER DISCUSSING THIS WITH HER DIRECTLY WAS HER SEASONED APPROACH TO HER MANAGEMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT AND I HAD SOME CONCERNS AND I RELAYED THOSE TO HER. I HAD NO CONCERNS ON THE LEGAL FRONT. I THOUGHT THAT SHE WAS A VERY ASTUTE, BRILLIANT LEGAL MIND THAT WOULD REPRESENT THE CITY WELL, AND HER TENACITY WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY SOLD ME ON SARA FOR THIS POSITION. HER TENACITY IN REPRESENTING THE CITY'S BEST INTERESTS TO ME IS REFRESHING, CANDIDLY, AND SHE WORKS VERY HARD TO KEEP ME IN BETWEEN THE GUARDRAILS AND I KNOW SOMETIMES THAT CAN BE A BIT OF A BEAR, BUT SHE TAKES CARE TO MAKE SURE THAT SHE COUNSELS ME APPROPRIATELY SO I DON'T GO OUTSIDE THE GUARDRAILS, AND I'VE BEEN PLEASANTLY SURPRISED, NOT SURPRISED, BUT PLEASANTLY OBSERVANT OF THE RECONSTITUTION OF YOUR DEPARTMENT.
I THINK YOU'VE WORKED VERY, VERY HARD TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.
I THINK THAT WAS PROBABLY YOUR PRIMARILY OBSTACLE WHEN YOU CAME INTO YOUR POSITION. I FIND WORKING WITH YOU TO BE A PLEASURE, ALTHOUGH WE'RE DEALING WITH COMPLICATED ISSUES AND THORNY ISSUES THAT ARE MOSTLY A DETRIMENT TO THE CITY, BUT YOUR MANAGEMENT OF THOSE, AND YOUR FRAMING OF OPINIONS AND SEEKING OUTSIDE HELP WHEN NECESSARY IS A TESTAMENT TO YOUR -- NOT YOUR
[00:25:05]
LEGAL CAPABILITIES BUT YOUR MANAGEMENT CAPABILITY, AND THAT WAS WHERE I HAD MY BIGGEST CONCERNS, AND I THINK THAT YOU'VE STEPPED UP TO DEAL WITH THOSE CONCERNS VERY PROFESSIONALLY AND ARE REPRESENTING -- AND YOU ARE REPRESENTING YOUR OFFICE IN AN OUTSTANDING CAPACITY.I COULD NOT BE MORE HAPPY WITH YOUR GROWTH INTO THE POSITION, YOUR MATURITY IN THE POSITION AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE, AND I JUST HOPE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE OUR CITY ATTORNEY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS TO COME BECAUSE YOU JUST GET BETTER BY THE WEEK.
I MEAN THAT SINCERELY. I SEE YOUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, YOUR MANAGERIAL DEVELOPMENT, YOUR MANAGEMENT SKILLS ARE ALL BEING HONED OVER TIME, AND IT'S ALMOST A JOY TO PARTICIPATE AND WATCH THAT PROCESS TAKE PLACE. YOU HAVE A VERY, VERY BRIGHT FUTURE. I JUST HOPE IT REMAINS HERE IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE BECAUSE I WOULD BE DEVASTATED TO LOSE YOU.
SO, I THINK YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB. I REALLY CAN'T SAY ANY MORE THAN THAT. THAT'S
ENOUGH. >> WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO NEXT?
>> MADAM MAYOR, I'LL GO. SO, MS. HEDGES, THANK YOU SO MUCH, AGAIN, FOR YOUR PROFESSIONAL STANDARD YOU'VE SET WITH YOUR DEPARTMENT.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH YOU ON OUR WEEKLY MEETINGS TO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE WE ARE FROM A LITIGIOUS STANDPOINT IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE.
I WAS HERE WHEN YOU WERE ACTUALLY HIRED AS THE ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY, AND THEN WHEN YOU MADE THE LEAP TO PUT YOUR HAT IN THE RING FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY AND SO I HAVE TOO SEEN PROGRESSION WITH THAT OFFICE.
I WOULD AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER BRODERICK ON THE POINT THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF THORNY ISSUES AND A LOT MORE STILL ON THE TABLE THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS AS A CITY AND I APPRECIATE YOUR PROFESSIONAL APPROACH TO IT, AND LOOK FORWARD TO THAT CONTINUING AS WELL AS THE GROWTH OF YOUR OFFICE AND, LIKE I SAID, THE PROFESSIONAL STANDARD THAT YOU'VE SET THERE AND ALSO RECENTLY BRINGING ON A NEW ADDITIONAL ATTORNEY THAT WILL COMPLEMENT AREAS THAT YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED THAT YOU NEEDED THAT FURTHER SUPPORT IN, SO THANK YOU FOR BEING THE LEADER THAT YOU ARE AND DOING THAT.
>> I WAS HERE WHEN MS. HEDGES WAS THE ASSISTANT -- I WAS HERE WHEN SHE WAS ASSISTANT AND I WAS HERE WHEN WE HIRED HER AS THE CITY ATTORNEY.
I'M PRETTY SURE I'M THE ONE THAT GIVES HER THE MOST GRAY HAIR SITTING UP HERE ON THE DAIS, SO WHAT THE PUBLIC AND THE PEOPLE WATCHING THIS DON'T SEE IS ALL THE STARES I GET WHEN I PULL UP TO THE MIC, BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS. SHE'S KEPT ME -- SHE'S KEPT ME, YOU KNOW, IN LINE AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, YOU KNOW, AND I -- BEHIND CLOSED DOORS WE'VE HAD OUR TWO ATTORNEYS KNOCKING HEADS GOING AT IT BUT THE ONE THING ABOUT IT, ONCE WE LEFT THOSE MEETINGS, YOU KNOW, IT WAS STILL PROFESSIONAL AND WE MOVED ON. I KNOW WHAT SHE'S GOING THROUGH IN HER OFFICE. I KNEW WHAT SHE WAS STEPPING INTO WHEN SHE TOOK OVER AND I REMEMBER ONE OF THE THINGS LIKE I ASKED MR. CHESS AND SAID TO OTHER MANAGERS, ARE YOU SURE YOU KNOW EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON, SO SHE'S BEEN HERE. SHE'S CONTINUING TO FIGHT, YOU KNOW, SOME MIGHT NOT LIKE HER WAYS, BUT HER JOB IS TO PROTECT THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE AND THAT INCLUDES ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES OF FORT PIERCE, SO I'M HAPPY THAT WE FINALLY GAVE HER SOME HELP, LOOKING FOR THAT HELP AND FROM READING WHAT I DID WITH YOUR NEW -- I DON'T WANT TO GIVE HER THE WRONG TITLE -- WHAT IS THE TITLE, IS IT JUST IS IT -- I DON'T MESS UP --
>> COMMISSIONERS, IT'S SENIOR ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY.
SHE IS IN THE AUDIENCE. I WASN'T GOING TO PUT HER COMPLETELY ON THE SPOT BUT SHE IS HERE.
>> SHE MIGHT AS WELL GET TO KNOW ME.
I WILL PUT ATTORNEYS ON THE SPOT BECAUSE I'M AN ATTORNEY, SO -- AND FOR THE BOARD, THE REASON
[00:30:01]
I ASK FOR THE CORRECT TITLE IS KIND OF FUNNY IN OUR LINE OF BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE THAT IN FRONT OR HAVE WHATEVER IN FRONT IS KIND OF A BADGE WHERE YOU WORK TO EARN IT.YOU ARE DON'T COME INTO A LAW FIRM OR POSITION AND GIVE YOU THE TERM SENIOR EVEN IF YOU GOT 30 YEARS IN THE BUSINESS, YOU HAVE TO EARN THAT SO THAT'S WHY I ASKED THE QUESTION AND THAT'S WHY I WANTED EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND THAT JUST TO BE TITLED SOMETHING SENIOR DOESN'T MEAN THAT AGE, WHATEVER IT MEANS THAT SHE KNOWS WHAT SHE'S DOING AND EARNED THAT TITLE. THAT'S WHY I ASKED THAT QUESTION, SO LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR MEETINGS, LOOKING FORWARD TO THE STARES I GET DURING MEETINGS.
SHE IS THE -- SHE IS THE FIRST ONE, AGAIN, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, SHE CAN'T -- SHE CAN'T -- SEE, THAT WAS ME, I'D -- IF THAT WAS ME RIGHT NOW I'D BEEN GETTING A TEXT MESSAGE FROM HER, LIKE, REALLY, ARNOLD, BUT THAT'S HOW IT IS, SO IT'S -- THE CITY HAS A LOT OF LEGAL CHALLENGES THAT ARE RIGHT AT OUR DOOR. I'M JUST GOING -- Y'ALL DON'T WANT TO SAY IT, I'LL JUST SAY IT, A LOT OF LEGAL CHALLENGES RIGHT AT THAT DOOR SO MS. HEDGES, I HOPE YOU HAVE REALLY TOLD YOUR NEW EMPLOYEE WHAT SHE STEPPED INTO.
AND, AGAIN, I LOVE THE ONE-ON- ONES WITH THE DIFFERENT ATTORNEY BRAINS GOING AT EACH OTHER. SO MANY TIMES I WAS FIGHTING BETWEEN TWO ENGINEERS ON THIS AND THE ONE OVER HERE ENGINEERS AND, YOU KNOW, COMMERCIAL REALTOR DOWN THERE I HAVE NO IDEA AND CURTIS IS ALL OVER THE PLACE WITH THE MARKETING AND EVERYTHING. SO WITH ALL THAT SAID, LET'S CONTINUE TO HAVE OUR MEETINGS. LET'S CONTINUE TO HAVE OUR NO HOLD BACK DIALOGUE S AND, AGAIN, AS ATTORNEYS WE HAVE A DUTY TO STAND ON PRINCIPLE AND A LOT OF THAT IS ING IN TODAY'S SOCIETY WHERE I SEE ATTORNEYS THAT ARE EITHER AFRAID OR JUST DON'T WANT TO STAND ON PRINCIPLES, AND THE OATH THAT WE TOOK MATTERS TO ME, AND YOU WON'T SEE IT, BUT I WILL THAT ANYTHING WE DO HERE BUT DON'T DO HERE CAN LAND US IN TALLAHASSEE OR ORLANDO, WHEREVER THE CLOSEST ONE IS AND I THINK WE ZONED FOR ORLANDO -- IF WE GET CALLED TO TALLAHASSEE, JUST MIGHT AS WELL GET READY TO TURN IN YOUR CARD BECAUSE THEY MAKE YOU COME TO TALLAHASSEE, YOU'RE IN TROUBLE, SO WE'RE GOING TO ORLANDO, BUT JUST CONTINUE TO STAND ON PRINCIPLES, CONTINUE TO REMEMBER THE OATH THAT WE ALL TOOK.
IT'S BEEN THE SAME OATH FOR A HUNDRED YEARS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
SO -- AND CONTINUE TO PROTECT THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE AND THE STAFF AND US UP HERE SO MADAM MAYOR.
>> WELL SAID, EVERYBODY. DITTO.
I'VE BEEN -- I'LL SAY, LIKE WHEN I FIRST STARTED, YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST -- IT WAS ME AND SARA AND OUR WEDNESDAY MEETINGS SO THAT WAS MY FIRST INTRODUCTION INTO BEING A CITY COMMISSIONER AND BEING HERE AND IT'S -- I'VE GOT NOTHING BUT POSITIVE THINGS TO SAY ABOUT YOU AND YOUR TEAM.
I THINK YOU'VE BEEN A GREAT SOUNDING BOARD FOR MERE AS I'M STILL LEARNING WHAT I DO HERE AND MY JOB IS AND I KNOW I'VE TAKEN UP A LOT OF YOUR TIME, PHONE CALLS AND I APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO KIND OF COACH ME ON WHAT I CAN AND CAN'T DO AND USUALLY YOU'RE TELLING ME WHAT I CAN'T DO.
I RESPECT THAT. KIND OF COMING IN AS A NEW GUY GUNS ABLAZING BUT CALL THE ATTORNEY FIRST TO SEE IF YOU'RE ALLOWED TO DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO AND SHE'S BEEN VERY GREAT AT THAT, KEEPING ME IN CHECK AND, SO YOU'RE LITIGIOUSLITIGIO US TO A FAULT.
YOU'RE VERY CAUTIOUS AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE CITY NEEDS.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF SILLY THINGS OVER THE YEARS AS AN ORGANIZATION, AND I THINK YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB TO KEEP THAT TO A MINIMUM AS MUCH AS YOU CAN.
I APPRECIATE YOUR ABILITY, I THINK COMMISSIONER GAINES
[00:35:03]
TOUCHED ON YOU'RE NOT ALWAYS COMING IN SAYING I HAVE THE ANSWERS AND YOU RECOGNIZE WHEN YOU NECESSARILY MAYBE DON'T AND ARE WILLING TO LOOK IT UP AND MAKE A PHONE CALL AND GET THE CORRECT ANSWER AND I REALLY RESPECT THAT.I THINK THAT'S A RARE QUALITY IN AN ATTORNEY.
I'M NOT DISPARAGING YOUR PROFESSION OR
>> A LOT OF ATTORNEYS WILL COME IN ACTING LIKE THEY KNOW EVERYTHING AND I RESPECT YOUR ABILITY TO RECOGNIZE THAT WHEN YOU DON'T NECESSARILY, EVEN THOUGH MOST OF THE TIME YOU SEEM TO.
SO, I'M VERY HAPPY WITH EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING IN THERE AND I KNOW THE ATTORNEY POSITION CAN BE A DIFFICULT ONE. I THINK YOU'VE GOT ONE OF THE TOUGHER JOBS IN THE CITY. AND YOU DON'T MAKE A LOT OF FRIENDS IN THAT JOB, BUT I CONSIDER YOU ONE AND I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE AND CONTINUE TO DO AND YOU'VE ONLY THREATENED TO LEAVE A COUPLE OF TIMES AND I HOPE THOSE WERE JUST BASELESS THREATS, AND I HOPE TO SEE YOU HERE FOR A LONG TIME AND I WILL DO MY BEST TO KEEP YOU HERE AS LONG AS I'M HERE.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO.
>> OKAY. I'LL WIND UP WITH I -- WHEN I THINK OF SARA, I THINK SHE'S A FIERCE -- SHE'S FIERCE -- SHE'S FIERCE IN PROTECTION OF THE CITY AND SHE IS -- I'M GLAD YOU'RE FULLY STAFFED. GREAT JOB.
AND I, AGAIN, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT I THINK THIS COMMISSION IS LOOKING AT OUR CHARTER OFFICERS AS EQUALS AND ALSO IT'S KIND OF A CHECK AND BALANCE FOR -- SO WE HAVE -- WE HAVE KIND OF DIFFERENT VIEWS ON THINGS, AND SO I THINK SARA DOES A GREAT JOB OF WORKING FOR THE COMMISSIONERS AND THE CITY. I THINK IT IS A DIFFICULT JOB BECAUSE IT'S NOT A PUBLIC- PACING ONE, AND THE PUBLIC DOESN'T SOMETIMES UNDERSTAND THAT THAT SHE'S, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU HAD, WELL, I CALLED YOUR CITY ATTORNEY AND SHE WON'T CALL ME BACK. WELL, THAT'S BECAUSE SARA KNOWS WHERE HER PRIORITIES LIE AND WHAT SHE'S SUPPOSED TO DO AND WHAT HER JOB DESCRIPTION IS AND WHAT SHE'S -- SO SHE IS -- SHE'S VERY, VERY PROTECTIVE OF THE CITY, AND FOR THAT I AM REALLY GRATEFUL, AND SHE'S ACCESSIBLE. I WAS HERE WHEN WE HAD OUTSIDE COUNSEL, AND THAT ATTORNEY HAD HIS OWN LAW PRACTICE AND CAME INTO THE CITY, USUALLY SOMETIME AROUND NOON OR 1:00 ON MOST DAYS, SO ACCESSIBILITY WAS KIND OF ON HIS TERMS, NOT ON OUR TERMS, AND SO AS A COMMISSION WE DECIDED THAT WE WOULD BRING THE ATTORNEY IN- HOUSE AND SO THAT HAS BEEN A WORK IN PROGRESS AND I THINK YOU'VE HONED IT TO A REALLY FINE DEGREE. I'M GLAD YOU'RE FULLY STAFFED WITH THE TWO OTHER ATTORNEYS THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ALSO WHEN WE HAD AN OUTSIDE ATTORNEY WAS HIS OFFICE WAS CALLED THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE, BECAUSE THINGS WENT IN THERE BUT NEVER CAME OUT, SO WE WANTED FOR OUR CITY ATTORNEY TO BE RESPONSIVE AND PROACTIVE AND QUICK ACTING AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING TOWARD THAT AND I THINK THAT WE'RE THERE AND I TOO AM GLAD WHEN YOU RECOGNIZE THERE ARE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE BY OUTSIDE COUNSEL -- AND YOU'RE NOT AFRAID TO SAY THAT AND YOU'R NOT -- I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT YOU, MS. HEDGES, IS YOU HAVE A VERY DELICATE WAY OF TELLING A COMMISSIONER WHEN THEY ARE THINKING VERY CRAZY THOUGHTS AND YOU HANDLE THAT WELL, AND SO OR WANT TO DO CRAZY THINGS.
BELIEVE ME, COMMISSIONER BECK USED TO SIT IN THAT SEAT AS AN ATTORNEY AND HAD THE SAME ISSUES YOU DID AND WOULD SAY, I'M AN ATTORNEY, BUT I HAVE A CITY ATTORNEY, SO I'M GOING TO DEFER TO MY CITY ATTORNEY WHO -- HE USED TO HANDLE IT THAT WAY, SO -- AND I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE -- AND THIS MOSTLY FOR MS. COX AND MR. CHESS THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE SEEN IN MY YEARS HERE AT THE CITY IS THERE'S ALWAYS TENSION BETWEEN THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THE CITY MANAGER. THERE'S ALWAYS PUSHBACK, BECAUSE THE CITY MANAGER WANTS TO GET THINGS DONE, AND THE CITY ATTORNEY WANTS TO SAY, WAIT A MINUTE, LET'S THINK ABOUT
[00:40:01]
THIS AND THERE'S ALWAYS TENSION. AND SO WHAT -- SO THAT'S THE NATURE OF THE BEAST, AND THE CITY CLERK CAN GET IN THERE TOO WHEN THERE ARE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION, AND I SAY TO MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS, I APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE I THINK WE'LL GET A BETTER PRODUCT FOR THE CITY WHEN WE HAVE THREE CHARTER OFFICERS WHO ARE EQUAL, WHO CAN PUSH BACK ON EACH OTHER AND SAY, NO, I THINK IT SHOULD BE DONE THIS WAY AND THAT WAY AND SO I'M JUST SAYING IT'S THE NATURE OF THE BEAST AND THE WHOLE STAFF NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND THAT AS WELL AS THE COMMISSIONERS NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT, SO ANYWAY, GOOD JOB MS. HEDGES AND NOW THAT YOU'RE FULLY STAFFED, WE'RE BACK IN BUSINESS.>> ALL RIGHT AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU
DO. >> I DO HAVE A FOLLOW-UP COMMENT ON THAT.
>> CITY CHARTER IS CRYSTAL CLEAR ON THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CITY CHARTER OFFICERS, AND THEIR RESPONSIBILITY AS TO WHO THEY REPORT TO AND THE ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT OF THEIR INDEPENDENT OFFICES.
I SHARE YOUR OPINION THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE PUSHBACK IN ALL DIRECTIONS, HENCE, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I BELIEVE THAT THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, THE CITY CLERK NEEDS TO BE COMPENSATED COMMENSURATE WITH NOT ONLY THE SERVICES OF THE CITY CLERK, BUT HER PARTICIPATION AT THE SENIOR LEVEL OF DECISION- MAKING ASSISTANCE TO THE CITY COMMISSION.
THAT TO ME IS ONE OF HER VITAL ROLES IN HER JOB AS A CHARTER OFFICER. PUTTING THAT ISSUE ASIDE BECAUSE I KNOW WE'LL ADDRESS THE COMPENSATION ISSUE ON THE CITY CLERK, I DO GET CONCERNED AND IT'S GOING TO BE UP TO THE THREE CHARTER OFFICERS TO WORK THIS OUT, ABOUT INTERLOPING INTO EACH OTHER'S AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY, AND THE CHARTER IS CRYSTAL CLEAR ON THIS SO I DO NOT WANT ANY CHARTER VIOLATIONS THAT ARE GOING TO BECOME PROBLEMATIC FOR THEM IN RUNNING THEIR INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTS AND ATTEMPTS TO MANIPULATE OR CONTROL THE OTHER CHARTER MEMBERS OR CHARTER OFFICERS' DEPARTMENTS, NOR -- LET'S PUT IT THIS WAY, I THINK EVERYBODY JUST NEEDS TO REVIEW THE CHARTER AND UNDERSTAND THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CHARTER IN THEIR OPERATION OF THEIR DEPARTMENT AND JUST -- THAT'S THE DOORSTOP IS THE CHARTER. IF THOSE ISSUES COME TO THE CITY COMMISSION, IT'S NOT GOING TO END WELL. I'M JUST GOING TO SAY IT BLUNTLY. IT'S NOT GOING TO END WELL, SO IF YOU WITH THE CHARTER REQUIREMENTS ARE, LET'S ADHERE TO THE CHARTER REQUIREMENTS AND LEAVE IT OUTSIDE THE DOOR AND NOT HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE IN ANY CAPACITY.
>> WELL, MADAM MAYOR, REAL QUICK, COULD THE DAIS IS NOT THE DAY TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION SO I'M NOT GOING TO GO, BUT I CAN ALMOST GUARANTEE THAT FIVE OF US UP HERE CAN READ THE CITY CHARTER AND COME UP WITH FIVE DIFFERENT OPINIONS, SO AT ONE POINT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BRING THAT TO THE CITY COMMISSIONER AND DISCUSS THESE ROLES AND EVERYTHING IN THIS CITY CHARTER SO NOT TODAY, WE GOT BUDGET TALKS TODAY, SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO BRINGING IT TO THE FIVE OF US TO DISCUSS THESE ROLES IN THE CITY CHARTER.
[A. Presentation of Proposed FY 2025-2026 General Fund Budget]
WE'RE DONE WITH MS. HEDGES. THANK>> OKAY. NOW IT'S TIME TO MOVE TO THE BUDGET WORKSHOP PORTION OF OUR MEETINGSO WE HAVE THE PRESENTATION OF THE PROPOSED FY 2025/'26 GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
>> YES, MADAM MAYOR AND COMMISSION, WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT HERE THE FY '26 OPERATING BUDGET AND FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME WE'LL HAVE FY '26 TO '30 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN THAT DETAILS ALL THE PROJECTS AND I THINK THAT'S CRUCIAL FOR ME AS WE MOVE FORWARD SEEKING ADDITIONAL GRANT FUNDING AND MISS MORRIS WILL GO THROUGH THE DETAILS AND SHE HAS A FEW SLIDES ON OUR
OKAY. >>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> GOOD MORNING, MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU AND WE'RE PRESENTING OUR FISCAL YEAR '25/'26 BUDGET, AND WE ARE PLEASED TO SAY THAT WE HAVE BALANCED IT AT 67, $537,211 WHICH IS 2 MILLION 869, $107 INCREASE OR 4. 1 -- 4. 4% FROM THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR'S BUDGET THAT WE HAVE.
WHICH ALL OF YOU BY NOW WE DID HAVE AN INCREASE IN OUR
[00:45:06]
ESTIMATEDS PROPERTY TAX VALUES OF $4.88 BILLION, WHICH WAS A 10. 46% INCREASE.AS A RESULT OF THAT, WE ARE PROPOSING AND HAVE STRUCTURED THIS BUDGET WITH NO CHANGE TO THE MILLAGE RATE SO KEEPING THE MILLAGE RATE AT 6. 9% IS WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING AND WHAT WE HAVE DRAFTED THIS BUDGET UTILIZING.
AS A RESULT OF NO CHANGE TO THE MILLAGE RATE AND THE INCREASE IN OUR PROPERTY TAX VALUES, WE WILL SEE $2,778,920 INCREASE IN OUR AD VALOREM REVENUE.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PROJECTING. BASED ON THAT AND DUE TO ECONOMIC INDICATORS IN OUR HISTORICAL TRENDS, SEVERAL REVENUE ITEMS WE WENT IN AND WE EVALUATED AND DECREASED QUITE A FEW OF THEM, SOME REMAINED UNCHANGED AND THERE ARE SLIGHT INCREASES, BUT AS MANY OF YOU ARE AWARE, WE'VE GOT POTENTIAL AD VALOREM CHANGES THAT MAY SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECT MUNICIPALITIES. WE'VE GOT POLICY UNCERTAINTY AROUND TRADES AND TARIFFS WHICH IS CHANGING THE INCREASED COST OF OUR OPERATING EXPENDITURES AS WELL, AND THEN THERE IS IN OUR ECONOMIC INDICATORS THAT WE STUDY THERE'S A PROPOSED 35% PROBABILITY OF A RECESSION OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS IN SOME WAY OR FORM, AND SO IN DRAFTING THIS BUDGET, MR. CHESS AND I WORKED HARD TO TRY TO KEEP THINGS STATIC, NOT DO MUCH MOVEMENT OR INCREASE, BUT JUST CHANGE IT AS NECESSARY BASED ON SOME OF THE EXPENDITURE COSTS THAT WE ARE SEEING, SO WE DID ADJUST OUR OPERATING -- OUR REVENUE POTENTIAL REVENUE AND THE OPERATING EXPENSES AS WELL TO ACCOUNT FOR THAT.
WE ARE STILL RESTRICTING THE 600,000 FOR CAPITAL THAT'S GOING TO BE USED IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR AS WELL, SO THAT WILL BE RESTRICTED OUT OF OUR REVENUE AND THAT WILL BE USED FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR FOR CAPITAL. BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO OUR EXPENDITURES ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR YOU JUST WANT TO
WAIT TILL THE END. >> YES QUESTIONS?
>> GENERAL. BACK TO THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, AND I APPRECIATE THE APPROACH TO TRYING TO BUDGET BUT ALSO FORECAST, CAN YOU SPEAK TO ANYTHING AS FAR AS INTEREST RATES THAT YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED THAT POTENTIALLY WE ARE AT -- HOW DO I SAY THIS -- THAT COULD POSSIBLY IMPACT? I KNOW WE HAVE THINGS LOCKED IN IN A CERTAIN INTEREST RATE. ARE THERE VARIABLES WE HAVE TO BE CONCERNED WITH?
>> NO, ALL OF OUR DEBT IS FIXED
>> AND WE ARE AT THE LATTER END OF IT BUT ALL OF OUR DEBT IS FIXED SO THE INTEREST -- INFLATION OR INTEREST RATE CHANGES WON'T AFFECT THAT. BUT IT WILL AFFECT ANYTHING THAT WE'RE BUYING MOVING FORWARD.
>> FOR THE -- AS FAR AS VENDORS AND WHAT THEY'RE CHARGING AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, SO WE DO HAVE TO TAKE ALL THAT HAVE INTO CONSIDERATION, THE HOUSING MARKET AND THE CHANGES THERE THAT WILL, YOU KNOW, POSSIBLY AFFECT OUR AD VALOREM AND SOME OF THE OTHER INCREASES AS
RIGHT. >> AS I WAS LOOKING AT AND YOU'LL SEE IN THE BUDGET SOME OF OUR STATE SHARE REVENUE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE STATE TELLS US HOW MUCH WE ARE POTENTIALLY GOING TO GAIN AND IT'S A DECREASE THERE AS WELL AS WHEN I LOOKED AT HISTORICAL TRENDS, YOU KNOW, BASED ON WHAT WE WERE COLLECTING IT HAS DECREASED AS WELL AND TOURISM IS POSSIBLY DOWN AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
I KNOW AS I WAS READING AND LOOKING AT THE ECONOMIC OUT -- IF FORECAST AND ALL, THERE IS, YOU KNOW, THE MOVEMENT AS FAR AS PEOPLE REMIGRATING OR, YOU KNOW, NEW RESIDENTS COMING IN, IT'S SOMEWHAT DECREASING AS WELL, SO TAKING ALL OF THAT INTO CONSIDERATION WE KNOW WE GOT THE BUILDINGS BUT ARE -- THEY'RE BUILDING BUT ARE THEY GOING TO BE OCCUPIED AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, SO WE HAVE TO TRY TO CONSERVATIVELY NOT HAMPER OURSELVES WITH NOT DOING ANYTHING BUT CONSERVATIVELY TRY TO PLAN FOR ANY DOWNTURN THAT MAY HIT THE MARKET.
>> YEAH, I HAVE TWO COMMENTS. PART OF MY BUDGET REVIEW FELLOW COMMISSIONERS WAS BECAUSE I SAT ON THE TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE WE SAW INCREASE OF TAX DOLLARS AVAILABLE AND THAT CONCERNED ME, RIGHT, BECAUSE FUEL TAX WAS ONE OF THE MAJOR WAYS THAT CITIES, COUNTIES, GOT REVENUE AND WITH THE UPSURGE OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND THERE'S NO RIGHT NOW WAY OF ACCOUNTING FOR THAT, WE DON'T GET FUEL TAX OUT OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES OBVIOUSLY BUT THEY DEMAND A LOT BECAUSE YOU
[00:50:01]
HAVE TO BUILD ELECTRIC STATIONS SOON ROADS. >> WHICH CAUSE DETERIORATION OF ROADS AND FUEL TAX HELPS TO REPLACE THAT SO, YOU KNOW, I'M WATCHING THAT AND I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THIS POTENTIAL AD VALOREM CHANGE AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE ARE WITH THE LATEST WITH THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE ON TRYING TO PROVIDE SOME RELIEF TO HOMEOWNERS WITH THAT BUT THE PUBLIC HAS TO KNOW THAT IF THAT COMES ABOUT, THEN WE COULD SEE A DECREASE IN OUR ACTUAL BUDGET, BECAUSE AS YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF IT DEPENDS ON AD VALOREM.
THAT'S HOW WE FUND IT SO THOSE ARE TWO THINGS I WANTED TO KEEP IN FRONT OF US AS WE GO INTO THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN AUGUST AND LAST- MINUTE CHANGES BECAUSE WE MAY HAVE TO COME BACK AND TWEAK OUR BUDGET, ESPECIALLY THE FUEL TAX. I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUEL TAX IN THE STATE OF
FLORIDA. >> DID YOU SAY DECREASE?
>> YEAH, THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING WITH EFFICIENT FUEL
>> AND ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT I THINK REALLY SCARES ME IS ALL OF THE CHATTER AROUND THE AD VALOREM CHANGES WHICH THE AD VALOREM IS OUR MAJOR REVENUE SOURCE AND MOST MUNICIPALITIES IT IS, AND OUR CURRENT GOVERNOR RIGHT NOW WANTS TO SOMEWHAT ELIMINATE THOSE AND HAS SOME BACKING AS TO THAT AND SO THERE'S SEVERAL OTHER CHANGES THAT COULD POTENTIALLY AFFECT US, AND SO I KNOW THE LEAGUE IS FIGHTING REALLY HARD TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, DOESN'T CHANGE AND THERE'S A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE RALLYING BEHIND MUNICIPALITIES, SO IT DOESN'T, BUT IF IT GOES TO REFERENDUM MOST CITIZENS DON'T REALIZE WHAT THEIR AD VALOREM TAX DOLLARS DO.
ALL THEY SEE IS I DON'T HAVE TO PAY THEM ANYMORE.
WE'LL HAVE TO PAY IT SOME OTHER WAY BUT THAT HASN'T BEEN OUTLINED AS WELL YET BUT WE ARE TAKING ALL OF THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AND KEEPING AN EYE ON
IT. >> IT WILL BE IN THE SAME BOAT AS OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, SO, YEP.
>> I GOT ONE COMMENT ON THE AD VALOREM.
I UNDERSTAND THE GOVERNMENTAL INTERFERENCE IN THAT ARENA THROUGH THE STATE, AND THE POTENTIAL DEVASTATING EFFECTS OF THAT, HOWEVER, THE ADDITIONAL CONCERN THAT WE NEED TO CONTEMPLATE AND NONE OF US HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL, BUT THE REAL ESTATE MARKET IS AN ADJUSTMENT.
WE'RE ENJOYING A 10% INCREASE IN AD VALOREM TAXES BASED ON A 10. 5% INCREASE IN VALUATION OF ASSETS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, REAL ESTATE ASSETS PRIVATELY OWNED THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE BEING A PARTICIPANT IN THAT INDUSTRY EVERY DAY, WE'RE SEEING THE DOWNSTROKE OF THIS THIS YEAR SIGNIFICANTLY.
AND I MENTIONED IN OUR BUDGET PREPARATION MEETING WE ARE INCORPORATING A 10. 5% INCREASE IN THE 2026 BUDGET. WE BEST BE PREPARED TO GIVER -- GIVE THAT BACK IF NOT MORE IN THE '27 BUDGET. NOBODY HAS A CRYSTAL BALL, BUT THE MARKET INDICATORS ARE CRYSTAL CLEAR TO ME BECAUSE WE'RE DEALING WITH THIS EVERY DAY THAT IT'S ALREADY SET IN MOTION, IT'S AFFECTING VALUATIONS, RENTAL RATES WHICH AFFECTS INCOME PROPERTY, VALUATIONS, ET CETERA. IT'S ALL -- IT'S ACROSS THE ENTIRE GAMBIT OF THE REAL ESTATE INJURY AND HASN'T SET IN. PEOPLE ARE STILL LIVING IN A FANTASY LAND WITH THEIR THOUGHT VALUATIONS AS TO WHAT THEIR PROPERTIES ARE WORTH. THOSE DAYS ARE COMING TO AN END QUICKLY. SO, AS WE GET INTO THE EXTRAPOLATIONS OUT FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS, I HAD SOME CONCERNS WHEN I SAW THE PROJECTS WHERE WE WERE LOOKING FOR THOSE NUMBERS TO REMAIN STATIC AND NOBODY HAS A CRYSTAL BALL AND I CERTAINLY HOPE I'M WRONG, PERSONALLY I HOPE WE'RE WRONG BECAUSE IT AFFIXES MY BUSINESS DRAMATICALLY BUT SIMILAR TO MY BUSINESS IT AFFECTS THE OPERATIONS OF THE CITY AND THE INCOME GENERATED TO THE CITY. SO PUTTING ASIDE THE STATE TINKERING WITH ALL THIS, THE MARKET CONDITIONS I THINK ARE GOING TO BE MORE GOVERNING TO OUR INCOME STREAM IN THE YEARS AHEAD. SO I HAVE SERIOUS RESERVATIONS AS TO THE CONCLUSIONS REACHED GOING OUT PAST FISCAL YEAR '26. WE'LL SEE THAT AS WE GET FURTHER INTO THIS.
>> SO, AS WE LOOK AT OUR EXPENDITURE COST, THERE ARE EIGHT NEW POSITIONS, NET EIGHT NEW POSITIONS BEING ADDED TO THE GENERAL FUND PERSONNEL COUNT.
THREE OF THOSE ARE IN THE CITY MANAGER'S DEPARTMENT AND YOU SEE WHAT THOSE THREE POSITIONS ARE, REALLY IT'S TWO, BECAUSE ONE IS BEING MOVED FROM CODE ENFORCEMENT UP TO THAT DIVISION BUT IT'LL BE THREE IN THAT DEPARTMENT.
ONE NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR IN I.T. , TWO IN POLICE,
[00:55:01]
SHOULD HAVE BEEN ONE AFTER WE REDID THE SPREADSHEET BECAUSE JASON LAST MINUTE PLEAD CHANGES SO THERE'S ONE IN PUBLIC WORKS AND THE ENGINEER WE'RE ADDING THE CITY ENGINEER BACK AS AN EMPLOYEE COUNT.THIS BUDGET IS BUILT WITH A COST OF LIVING INCREASE FOR ALL BARGAINING AND NONEMPLOYEES -- NONBARGAIN EMPLOYEES AT 5% AND I WILL NOTE THAT INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET IS A 5% FOR COMMISSIONERS, YOU ALL HAVE TO VOTE ON THAT AS TO WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANTED TO REMAIN IN, IF NOT, I WILL TRACH IT OUT AND WE WILL RE- ADJUST THAT BUT WE DID INCLUDE IT IN AND YOU ALL JUST HAVE TO TELL ME WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT ME TO TAKE IT OUT. FOR OUR SWORN OFFICERS, WE INCLUDED A COST OF LIVING FOR THEM, MOVING THEM IN THEIR CURRENT STEP THAT IS IN PLACE RIGHT NOW, PLUS THE ADDITIONAL 5% THAT ALL OTHER EMPLOYEES ARE TO RECEIVE AS WELL.
AND OUR POLICE BUDGET IS $20,748,041 AND THAT'S 30. 72% OF OUR GENERAL FUND TOTAL BUDGET.
>> MADAM MAYOR, I GOT A COUPLE QUESTIONS HERE.
COST OF LIVING INCREASE IS 5%. HOW -- WHAT IS THE BASIS OF DETERMINING THE 5%?
>> WELL, WE LOOK -- WE TRY TO ALWAYS CONSIDER WHAT THE CPI, CURRENT CPI IS, AND MAKE ADJUSTMENTS BASED ON WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE CURRENT EMPLOYEES ARE IN TERMS OF WAFRJS AND TRY TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENT FOR THAT.
>> I THINK THAT THE -- ISN'T THE CURRENT CPI RUNNING AT --
>> SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT REAR LOOKING INDICATOR.
I UNDERSTAND THE SWORN OFFICERS' CURRENT STEP, THE POLICE BUDGET, IF MEMORY SERVES APPROXIMATELY 23 MILLION THIS YEAR.
>> TOTAL -- THIS IS THE TOTAL, 20, 748,
THIS IS ABOUT A 10 OR 12% DECREASE FROM THIS YEAR'S BUDGET?
>> NO, IT WAS 2. 5% INCREASE. IT WAS 2. 5% INCREASE.
AND WHAT IT IS IS IN THEIR PERSONNEL SERVICES, EVEN WITH THE RAISES, BECAUSE OF THE CURRENT NUMBER OF VACANCIES THAT THEY HAVE, WHEN THEY LEAVE, I DON'T PUT THEM -- IF THEY LEFT AT THE TOP OF THE SCALE, I DON'T LEAVE IT IN THE BUDGET AT THE TOP OF THE SCALE. I PUT IT AROUND MIDPOINT BECAUSE WE KNOW IN MOST INSTANCES WE AREN'T GOING TO BRING ANYBODY IN AT THE VERY TOP OF THE SCALE, AND SO THAT'S MONEY THAT CAN BE UTILIZED SOMEWHERE ELSE.
SO WHAT WE DID WAS WE JUST MOVED THE -- ALL THOSE VACANCIES WE PUT AT MIDPOINT AS OPPOSED TO TOP OF SCALE OR WHEREVER THEY LEFT IF THEY WERE REALLY HIGH, WE PUT THEM AT MIDPOINT EXCEPT FOR IN I THINK, YOU KNOW WE DIDN'T DO A WHOLE LOT WITH THE CHIEF OF POLICE BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT POSITION WILL COME IN AT BUT FOR ALL OF THE OTHER VACANCY, OFFICER VACANCY, WE MOVED THEM TO MIDPOINT AS OPPOSED TO KEEPING THEM AT SOME OF THE RANGES WHERE THEY LEFT. ALSO, WE INCREASED -- WE WENT IN AND MADE ADJUSTMENTS TO INCREASE THEIR OVERTIME LINE ITEMS AS WELL, BECAUSE THAT NUMBER WAS REALLY HIGH AND SO WE MADE SOME ADJUSTMENT THERE.
BUT THEN ALSO IN THEIR OPERATING EXPENSES, BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT'S BEING UTILIZED, THOSE HAVE INCREASED SO WE INCREASED OPERATING EXPENSES BY ABOUT 400 -- I THINK IT WAS $447,000 OR SOMEWHERE AROUND THERE BUT I KNOW IT'S $400,000 SO WE INCREASED THEIR OPERATING BUDGET TO ACCOUNT FOR THAT AND THEN THERE'S A 746 I THINK IT IS CAPITAL EXPENDITURE THAT IS GOING TO HAVE TO GO TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AS WELL SO WHEN WE ADD BACK IN THE PORTION THAT'S GOING TO CAPITAL, IT'S REALLY OVER WHAT IT WAS LAST YEAR, BUT THAT'S WHERE THE MAJOR DIFFERENCE SEEN IS IN THE PERSONNEL COSTS BECAUSE OF CURRENT
VACANCY. >> WE'RE NOT ELIMINATING
POSITION. >> AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE ADDED TWO POSITIONS.
>> LET'S ASSUME THEY HAVE IN THE AREA OF 20 VACANCIES CURRENTLY IN SWORN OFFICERS.
THOSE 20 POSITIONS ARE PROTECTED IN THE BUDGET FOR NEW
HIRES. >> WE DID NOT DECREASE THEIR PERSONNEL COUNT, SWORN OFFICER COUNT OR ANYTHING AT ALL.
>> OKAY. ON THE POLICE, THERE'S -- I JUST HAVE -- I JUST WANT TO SAY I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT BEING LESS THAN IT WAS LAST YEAR FOR WHATEVER REASON. I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
AND I ALSO AM AWARE OF AND I WOULD LIKE MAYBE MS. HEDGES TO RESEARCH THERE. THERE IS A STATE LAW YOU
[01:00:02]
CANNOT DECREASE YOUR POLICE BUDGET.>> BY 5% AND I KNOW THAT IT'S -- I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING OURSELVES IN TROUBLE HERE, AND -- BUT I'VE JUST -- WE CAN GO ON WITH THE PRESENTATION BUT I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE BOTTOM LINE BEING LESS THAN IT WAS PREVIOUSLY. SO YOU CAN GO ON WITH YOUR --
>> JUST FOR CLARITY IT'S 5% IN OPERATING EXPENDITURES, THAT'S WHAT --
>> RIGHT, IT'S OPERATING AT 5% AND OPERATING EXPENDITURES AND PERSONNEL, I CAN BUDGET THEM SUPER HIGH IF YOU WANT ME TOO, HOWEVER, THAT'S BUDGET MONEY THAT YOU CAN'T UTILIZE ANYWHERE ELSE BECAUSE THEY'RE STUCK IN THOSE POSITIONS THAT YOU KNOW YOU AREN'T GOING TO BRING -- IF SOMEBODY LEFT AT THE TOP OF THE SCALE AND YOU KNOW THE NEW OFFICER, NINE TIMES OUT OF TEN, WON'T COME IN AT THE TOP OF THE SCALE.
I DON'T KNOW -- YOU WANT US ADJUST THAT UNLESS WE PUT IT IN EXPENDITURE COSTS SOMEWHERE.
>> WANT TO BE CLEAR, THE OPERATING EXPENSE FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ACTUALLY WENT UP BY --
>> I KNOW, IT'S 25%, IT WENT UP
>> AND TRYING TO MAKE CLEAR IS THAT FOR THE VACANT POSITIONS IF WE BUDGETED THEM AT THE HIGHER LEVEL, AND THOSE POSITIONS AREN'T FILLED, IT'S LIKE WE'RE FREEZING FUNDS THAT WE CANNOT USE, SO WHAT SHE DID, SHE BUDGETED THEM AT THE MIDRANGE SO WE CAN HAVE SAVINGS TO GO TOWARDS OPERATING. EITHER WE'RE GOING TO PUT THOSE POSITIONS AT THE HIGHER RANGE AND REDUCE THE TECHNOLOGY NEEDS AND OPERATING WHICH WE INCREASE BY 475 OR WE'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY MIDRANGE THEM SO WE CAN HAVE THE UPON FOR THE OPERATING NEEDS, IN ADDITION, THERE'S $767,000 OF CAPITAL FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THEY DID NOT HAVE BUDGETED LAST YEAR WHICH IS A NEW INCREASE FOR THEIR CITY SO WANT TO BE CLEAR, OVERALL IT WENT UP BY $1.5 MILLION IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
>> I WANT TO BE CLEAR WITH THAT.
>> BUT IT'S STILL A DECREASE OF 5% BOTTOM LINE IN THE PERSONNEL BUDGET, OF 5%, IS THAT RIGHT? DID I CALCULATE THAT RIGHT, 5%? YEAH.
>> SO THE QUESTION, MADAM MAYOR, THAT DECREASE AS YOU'RE SAYING, IS IT BECAUSE OF THE ADJUSTMENT YOU MADE BASED ON WHEN YOU BRING AN OFFICER IN AT A POSITION SO, YOU KNOW, THE WAY I THINK OF IT, IF IT'S BUDGETED AT 100,000, YOU'RE NOW BUDGETING IF THAT PERSON LEFT AT 100, YOU'RE NOW BUDGETING THAT POSITION TO REHIRE AT 50, THAT'S THE MIDPOINT, SO THAT DECREASE FROM WHEREVER IT ACTUALLY WAS TO FORECAST AND BRINGING ON A NEW OFFICER AT THIS LEVEL IS THE DIFFERENCE, AND IT APPEARS AS THOUGH IT MAY BE A DECREASE IN THE NUMBERS, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY NOT.
IF THE POSITION IS STILL THERE.
>> RIGHT, SO IT GOES FROM 176 TO 178 AND SHE DID -- OF PERSONNEL SO THEY'RE ADDING TWO.
BUT THE MONEY GOES DOWN AND THEY'VE EXPLAINED -- I UNDERSTAND YOUR REASONING AND I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, I UNDERSTAND.
I'M JUST STATING THAT THE OPTICS OF IT IS NOT A GOOD LOOK TO ME.
>> AND ONCE WE FINALIZE -- THIS IS THE PRELIMINARY.
AND ONCE WE GO BACK AND DO THE FINAL BUDGET AND PUT IN ASAS YOU'LL SEE WHEN WE DO THE CAPITAL, THOSE CAPITAL PURCHASES FOR THE DEPARTMENTS, YOU'LL SEE ANOTHER $767,000 DOWN HERE IN CAPITAL IN THEIR BUDGET, SO ACTUALLY THEIR TOTAL BUDGET IS GOING TO BE MORE THAN WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY THE ORIGINAL BUDGET.
>> OKAY. AS IT RELATES TO THE RETIREMENT CONTRIBUTIONS THERE IS AN INCREASE OF 1.17% FOR GENERAL AND 2.21% FOR POLICE. AS IT RELATES TO HEALTH INSURANCE, THERE'S A 1. 5% INCREASE IN THE PREMIUM COSTS WHICH I WILL SAY IS EXCELLENT BASED ON WHO OUR OTHER NEIGHBORING AGENCIES HAVE SEEN AS WELL AS THE AVERAGE FOR THE -- THE NATIONAL AVERAGE AS TO INCREASE SO PRM AGAIN I WOULD SAY HAS BEEN A GREAT AVENUE FOR US AND IT WORKS GREAT FOR OUR INSURANCE COSTS, AND THERE IS NO CHANGE IN OUR DENTAL INSURANCE PREMIUM SO THERE'S NO INCREASE IN PREMIUMS FOR DENTAL INSURANCE.
>> MADAM MAYOR, I WOULD COMMENT ON THE MEDICAL INSURANCE. I'VE HAD THE EXPERIENCE OF UNFORTUNATELY UTILIZING OUR COVERAGES EXTENSIVELY AND HAVE FOUND THE CARRIER TO BE OUTSTANDING IS THE ONLY WAY I
>> THE BENEFIT TO THE CITY EMPLOYEES OF THAT PARTICULAR PORTION OF THEIR COMPENSATION PACKAGE IS TRULY A GEM, AND I KNOW WHEN EMPLOYEES ARE 25
[01:05:04]
YEARS OLD THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT HEALTH INSURANCE, THEY JUST -- WHAT'S IN MY PAYCHECK.WELL, THEY SHOULD BE APPRECIATIVE OF THAT BENEFIT THAT THE CITY PROVIDES, BECAUSE IT IS TRULY
>> OUR OPERATING EXPENDITURES HAVE INCREASED OR SEEING AN INCREASE FROM THIS FISCAL YEAR TO THE PROPOSED OF $1,472,227. AGAIN, THAT WAS ALL DEPARTMENT WERE RE- EVALUATED AND LINE ITEMS WERE ADJUSTED ON AN AS- NEEDED BASIS SO WILL SEE AN INCREASE OF THAT $1.4 MILLION.
THE CAPITAL OUTLAY THIS YEAR WHICH IS PHENOMENAL AND MOST OF THAT INCREASE THAT WE ARE SEEING IN OUR AD VALOREM WE'RE UTILIZING OR TRYING TO HELP AND PUT TOWARDS OUR CAPITAL COSTS SO OUR CAPITAL OUTLAY IS INCREASINGS BY 726,366 FROM THIS CURRENT YEAR OR $1.9 MILLION IF THAT IS GOING TO BE CAPITAL.
WE SAW A SLIGHT DECREASE IN OUR DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS OF 288 BUT IT'S A DECREASE ALL IN THE SAME.
>> AND OUR NON- OPERATING EXPENDITURES DECREASED $520,000. SO, AGAIN, THAT'S OUR BUDGETED -- OUR BALANCED BUDGET THAT WE ARE PRESENTING, SO BEFORE WE GO ON TO OUR DEBT, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS AS IT RELATES TO THE EXPENDITURE LINE ITEMS?
>> IS THE EDC CONTRIBUTION IN THERE?
>> AND HOW MUCH DID WE -- HOW MUCH WERE WE SUPPORTING THE EDC?
>> DID NOT INCREASE IT. IT IS THE -- LET'S SEE, GO TO PAGE 50. $40,000 THAT WE DO ANNUALLY EVERY YEAR.
>> GOOD, OKAY, I WANT TO MAKE SURE --
>> MAYOR HUDSON, I HAD A DISCUSSION YESTERDAY OR TEXTING WITH PETE TE.SCH. WE'RE MOVED WITH THE SOUTH KINGS CONWAY CORRIDOR PLANNING --
>> -- JOBS CORRIDOR, HOWEVER YOU WANT TO REFER TO IT.
IT'S AN INTEGRAL IMPORTANCE TO OUR FUTURE GENERATION OF TAX REVENUES AND THE PRODUCTION AND INCREASE OF QUALITY JOBS WITHIN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE, AND IN TEXTING WITH HIM RELATIVE TO THAT INITIATIVE WHICH FUA IS ALSO CONTRIBUTING TO, HE INDICATED THAT THE NEXT INSTALLMENT TO KEEP IT MOVING FORWARD WAS APPROXIMATELY 60 TO 65,000, SO I'M JUST TELLING YOU WHAT THEIR PROJECTED NUMBERS
ARE. >> IF THEY CHARGE US FOR THIS SERVICE OVER AND ABOVE THIS.
>> THAT'S CORRECT. WE FUNDED THAT IN THIS YEAR'S OPERATIONS AND CANDIDLY I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO FUND IT MOVING FORWARD.
THIS IS OF CRITICAL MASS IMPORTANCE TO THE FINANCIAL FUTURE OF THE CITY, HONESTLY, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE AND NOT FUNDING THIS AND BASICALLY PULLING THE PLUG ON THAT INITIATIVE AT THIS TIME I THINK WOULD BE A MASSIVE MISTAKE.
>> HMM, WELL, THAT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE SOMETHING WE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT. IS THAT SOMETHING FPRA CAN CONTRIBUTE TO?
>> LAST YEAR IT WAS A TOTAL OF 62,000.
IT WASN'T THE 40,000 PLUS THE 62.
IT WAS A TOTAL OF 62,000 IS WHAT WE PAID THE
>> WE WOULD NEED ANOTHER 25,000 TO MAX THAT OUT, BUT, AGAIN, I BELIEVE IT'S A CRITICAL IMPORTANCE THAT WE CONTINUE THAT INITIATIVE.
MAKE A NOTE OF THAT, MS. MORRIS.
>> AWE ALL ARE IN AGREEMENT. WE WILL FIND SOME MONEY OR DECREASE SOMETHING AND INCREASE THAT.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF THE GENERAL OR ANY OBSERVATIONS? I'VE GOT SOME GENERAL OBSERVATIONS BUT I'LL WAIT TILL AFTER YOUR NEXT PRESENTATION. ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
>> YOU'RE GOING TO WAIT? OKAY.
>> WELL, AS WE LOOK AT OUR DEBT LIMIT, I KNOW, MAYOR, YOU LOVE TO SEE THIS SLIDE.
>> TO SEE WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF OUR DEBT AND YOU SEE HERE WHAT OUR ANNUAL PAYMENTS ARE FOR GENERAL, WE HAVE OUR INTEREST PAYMENT, PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST PAYMENTS THERE AND WHERE WE ARE AT -- ONCE WE MAKE THOSE PAYMENTS WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF THE BALANCES THAT REMAINING, THAT $5.1 MILLION SO WE'RE ABOUT 13.6 MILLION FOR GENERAL IN TERMS OF WHAT'S REMAINING IN FPRA THERE IS A 21 MILLION
[01:10:04]
TOTAL OF 53 -- WE'VE GOT -- WEAVER'S GOT AVAILABLE CAPACITY OF ABOUT 53 MILLION IF WE NEED IT TO TAKE ON ANY DEBT AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE ABOUT 20% OF OUR MARGIN.>> AND THAT'S REALLY REMARKABLE WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THETHE TO REDUCE THE DEBT BECAUSE WHEN I STARTED IN 2012, IT WAS 97 MILLION.
>> MAYOR HUDSON, QUICK QUESTION. THIS IS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I ANALYZED THE DEBT STRUCTURE OF THE CITY, AND JUST FOR PUBLIC CONSUMPTION, THE MAJORITY OF THIS DEBT IS GOING TO ROLL OFF WITHIN THE NEXT FIVE
2032. >> BUT WHERE I HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE EFFORTS OF YOURYOUR DEPARTMENT, JOHNNA, IS THAT WHEN INTEREST RATES WERE LOW, YOU WENT OUT AND REFINANCED EVERYTHING AT RIDICULOUS LY LOW INTEREST RATES TO SAVE THE CITY AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF MONEY IN INTEREST PAYMENTS TO PLOW INTO DEBT REDUCTION.
SO, I CONGRATULATE YOU ON HAVING THE FORESIGHT AND THE CAPABILITY TO GET THAT DONE.
THE ROLL- OFF OF OUR DEBT IS GOING TO GIVE US THE ABILITY TO DIVE INTO THE CAPEX SIDE OF THIS WHOLE SCENARIO, WHAT THE CITY NEEDS FOR IMPROVEMENTS FOUR OR FIVE YEARS FROM NOW. SO NEED TO KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON THAT BECAUSE THAT ROLL- OFF OF THAT DEBT AND CONTEMPLATION OF POTENTIAL PORE DEBT LOAD FROM THE MARINA AND EXPANSION INITIATIVES WILL BECOME CRITICAL. CRITICAL MASS FOR US TO MANAGE MOVING FORWARD. BUT I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB WITH THAT.
WE MANAGE DEBT IN MY OFFICE, IT'S MY MAIN JOB IS MANAGING DEBT.
AND I'VE SEEN WHAT YOU'VE DONE THERE AND I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR YOU. YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB.
>> YEAH. WHEN YOU HAVE TO PAY DEBT, THEN YOU CAN'T PAY FOR OTHER THINGS AND THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO WHAT WE'VE DONE AND GOOD JOB, JOHNNA.
>> COULD YOU GO BACK, THE DEBT IS TWO BALANCES, GENERAL AND FPRA DEBT, RIGHT
UH-HUH. >> SO, THIS RECENT CONVERSATION ON THE SUNSETTING FPRA IS CONCERNING TO ME AT THIS POINT SO TORE THOSE THAT ARE OUT THERE, THERE ARE LEGISLATURES OUT IS THERE THAT ARE NOT IN FAVOR OF FORT PIERCE -- OF REDEVELOPMENT AGENCIES ACROSS THE STATE, AND SO WHERE ARE WE IN -- IF RETIRING THIS DEBT VERSUS THEIR POTENTIAL SUNSETTING BECAUSE I THINK THEY'VE SET A TIME FRAME THAT THEY WANT ALL -- REDEVELOPMENT AGENCIES SHUT DOWN WHICH IS THIS IS A MAJOR MECHANISM THAT WE ARE UTILIZING TO REVITALIZE THE PART OF OUR CITY THAT REALLY NEEDS IT, RIGHT, SO ARE YOU IN LINE WITH THAT? CAN YOU ESPOUSE ON THAT ANY AT
ALL. >> WELL, I KNOW WITH THE CONVERSATION THAT'S BEEN HAD, THAT IF DEBT IS TIED TO IT, YOU KNOW, ONCE THE DEBT HAS EXPIRED, BUT IN THE EVENT THAT THEY SAY, OKAY, NO LONGER, WE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE ON THAT AND MAKE THOSE DEBT PAYMENTS, WELL, RIGHT NOW IN OUR TIFT WE SEND 6 MILLION TO FPRA AND WOULD NO LONGER BE ABLE TO DO ANY MORE FPRA PROJECTS BUT THAT 6 MILLION WOULD HAVE TO GO TOWARD PAYING ANY OF THOSE DEBT COSTS THAT WE HAVE.
>> WHILE THAT DEBT REMAINS IN EXISTENCE?
>> YES, 2032 IS THE YEAR THAT IT'S EXPIRED AS WELL, SO 2032 IS FOR ALL OF OUR DEBT, MARINA, FPRA AND GENERAL --
>> THE LEGISLATURE HASN'T SET A HARD
>> AND THAT'S THE PART I WANT TO MAKE THE PUBLIC AWARE OF, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS NEW LEGISLATURE WILL COME BACK WITH NEXT YEAR. WE'VE GOT TO KEEP OUR EYE ON THIS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS VITAL THAT WE HAVE THIS INSTRUMENT TO HELP US IN THIS CITY TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, DO SOME PROJECTS, I MEAN A LOT OF THE MAJOR PROJECTS WE HAVE IN THE FPRA ARE AS A RESULT OF THIS AND IF WE LOSE THIS OPPORTUNITY, BECAUSE THEY SIMPLY DON'T UNDERSTAND IT, AND THAT'S -- THAT'S -- WE'VE GOT TO MAKE
SURE. >> OTHER CRAS HAVE MISBEHAVED SO WE GET PUNISHED FOR IT.
>> WE GOT CAUGHT IN THE NET. WE WILL GET CAUGHT IN THE NET WITH EVERYBODY ELSE, OBVIOUSLY, BUT IT'S SUCH A CRITICAL PIECE AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE BRING THAT UP, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE FPRA IS POISED HOPEFULLY WE CAN DO A FEW MORE PROJECTS BEFORE WE HAVE TO SUNSET THIS.
>> AND, AGAIN, YOU'LL SEE HERE WHERE WE WERE, WHAT OUR -- WHERE WE WERE LAST FISCAL YEAR AND WHERE WE ARE THIS FISCAL YEAR SO WE ELIMINATED OR PAID DOWN 4.8 MILLION OF THAT DEBT BALANCE AND AS THE MAYOR WAS SAYING IN 2005 -- '12, WE WERE AT $95 MILLION AND NOW WE ARE FOR OUR BALANCE IS 41 MILLION SO WE'VE ELIMINATED THAT 54 MILLION
[01:15:01]
IN DEBT IN THOSE YEARS.>> I REMEMBER THE FORMER FINANCE DIRECTOR WAS QUOTED IN THE PAPER AS SAYING, THE CITY CANNOT NOR CAN IT IN THE FUTURE PAY THIS DEBT.
>> OH, BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE PROJECTIONS AND GETTING -- ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING YOU ALL WANT TO DISCUSS BEFORE WE LOOK AT OUR FORECAST OUTOUT TO --
[B. Five (5) Year Financial Projection]
>> ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY. PROCEED.
>> WELL, AS COMMISSIONER BRODERICK SAID, WE WENT THROUGH AND WE DID OUR PROJECTIONS AND I SHOULD HAVE LEFT THE 2026 FORECAST THAT WAS IN BECAUSE IT WAS -- AS WE WERE LOOKING AT IT, IF WE WERE TO NOT -- IF WE WOULD NOT HAVE EXPERIENCED THE GAIN THAT WE HAD GOTTEN IN OUR AD VALOREM WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABOUT $200,000 OFF FROM WHAT WE HAD FORECASTED AS TO WHAT WE HAVE IN THIS FISCAL YEAR, SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS PRETTY ADMIRABLE NOT, YOU KNOW, AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE GAIN, BECAUSE IT DID BENEFIT US, BECAUSE WE WERE GOING TO POTENTIALLY HAVE A SHORTFALL HAD WE NOT, YOU KNOW, EXPERIENCED THE GAIN IN THE AD VALOREM THAT WE DID SO THAT WORKED OUT -- HAS WORKED OUT GREAT FOR US SO WE SEE WHERE WE WERE WITH OUR ACTUAL, WHERE WE ARE CURRENTLY ARE THIS FISCAL YEAR AND WHAT THE PROPOSED IS.
FOR 2027, WE WENT IN AND IT'S A SLIGHT -- IT'S ABOUT A 1.
4% ANNUAL CHANGE OVER ONE OVER THE OTHER, NOT AS DRASTIC AS WE GO OUT IN THE FUTURE YEARS, BUT BECAUSE OF WHEN WE EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW, OUR AD VALOREM, IT WILL BE FOR REALLY IT'S THE PRIOR YEAR THAT WE, YOU KNOW, SEE ALL OF THAT AND SO WE'LL PROBABLY EXPERIENCE IT SOME THIS YEAR HOPEFULLY NOT, BUT THE MAJOR, MAJOR EFFECT OF '27 -- 2027 WE'LL SEE IN 2028 SO WE HAVE ADJUSTED THE REVENUE LINE ITEMS IN ACCORDANCE TO THOSE.
AND EXPENDITURE COSTS, YOU'LL SEE THESE BIG MAJOR INCREASES OR DECREASES DOWN HERE, MOST OF THIS IS CAPITAL, BECAUSE WE HAVE PROJECTED OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, ALL OF OUR CAPITAL BUDGET IS INCLUDED IN THAT AS WELL AND SO YOU'LL SEE THE CAPITAL NUMBER INCREASING, BUT WE HAVE MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS AS WELL, BUT OUR OPERATING EXPENDITURE COST IS, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY INCREASING AS WELL BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T HAVE THE REVENUE, YOU STILL HAVE THE COST OF DOING THE BUSINESS AND YOU HAVE TO DO IT AND SO NOT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT GOING AND CUTTING ANYTHING, KEEPING EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, THE SERVICES BUT ALLOWING FOR ANY INCREASE IN COST, WE WILL SEE SHORTFALLS IN OUR BUDGETS AS IT RELATES TO THE POTENTIAL REVENUE AND THE EXPENDITURE
COST. >> MADAM MAYOR, I GOT A QUESTION.
>> SO, ON THE FIRST LINE ITEM, PERSONNEL, BARGAINING, NONBARGAINING WE'RE KEEPING A STATIC NUMBER 2027 THROUGH 2030.
WE'RE NOT EVEN CALCULATING ANY COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENT.
>> WELL, BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW -- WELL, LET ME -- I SAT THROUGH -- SITTING THROUGH 2008 TO '12, YOU REALIZE THAT IT'S BEST NOT TO CHANGE IT UNLESS YOU CAN, BECAUSE OUR EXPERIENCE, NO INCREASES FOR THOSE TIMES, WE HAD FURLOUGHS, VOLUNTARY SEPARATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, SO IN PROJECTING THIS BUDGET I'M GOING TO SAY, OKAY, WE KNOW OUR REVENUES ARE DECREASING AND SO WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO THAT AND SO IF WE ARE ABLE TO KEEP IT STATIC, IT'S STILL A GREAT THING, AND NOT HAVE TO FURLOUGH OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. SO, YOU KNOW, HAVING TO MAKE CHANGES IN EXPENDITURE COSTS AS WELL AS PERSONNEL COUNT WHEN THINGS GET BAD IS A REAL REALITY, SO --
>> I UNDERSTAND THE LOGIC. I GET
IT. >> BUT WE'RE INCREASING PERSONNEL BY EIGHT TOTAL OR EIGHT -- I HAD TEN BUT IT'S REALLY -- IT'S EIGHT BECAUSE SOME ARE MOVED
RE-ADJUSTING. >> SO, WHAT I'M WONDERING IS, IF WE CONSIDER THIS, THEN WHAT WE'RE DOING IS INCREASING AND WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO LAY OFF PEOPLE IF THIS -- IF THIS PROJECTION IS ACCURATE.
>> IF WE ARE FULLY STAFFED IN ALL AREAS, YES.
WE CARRY A LOT OF VACANCIES THAT WE BUDGET FOR AND SO ANY TIME YOU'RE RE- EVALUATING AND GOING THROUGH POSSIBLE CHANGES AND CUTS LIKE THAT, THE VERY FIRST PLACE IS TO START WITH
[01:20:02]
THE VACANCIES AND SO IF WE CONTINUE ON TREND AND WE'RE FUNDING ALL OF THESE VACANCIES, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO FUND THEM WHEN YOU ARE PROJECTING THEM IN THE INITIAL BUDGET, AND IF THEY DON'T GET FUNDED FOR WHATEVER REASON, THAT'S MONEY THAT YOU'VE HAD IN PERSONNEL COSTS THAT YOU COULD NOT USE ANYWHERE ELSE, BUT YOU'RE WAITING TO SEE THAT, SO, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AND IF WE START WITH THE VACANCIES AND NOT GO THERE BUT WE WILL ADJUST, YOU KNOW, AS NEEDED,BUT. >> MADAM MAYOR, IF I MAY, IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO BE FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING INTO OUT YEARS AND YOU THINK OF, LIKE, RAINY DAYS OR RECESSION, I MEAN, YOU KNOW OUR OPTIONS, EARLY RETIREMENT INCENTIVE PROGRAM, FURLOUGHS, YOU CAN FREEZE POSITIONS AND ULTIMATELY ELIMINATE VACANT POSITIONS AND DEFER CAPITAL TO NONCRITICAL SAFETY TYPE OF PROJECTS SO THERE ARE MECHANISMS THAT WE HAVE THAT WE CAN DEFINITELY PUT INTO PLAY WITHOUT HAVING TO, YOU KNOW, LAY PEOPLE OFF, LAY PLEAUS OFF, BUT IT'S GOOD TO BE CONSERVATIVE WITH THE OUTYEARS BUT KNOWING WE HAD FOUR OR FIVE SOUND OPTIONS WE CAN IMPLEMENT SO WE CAN CUT SAVINGS AND STILL BALANCE THE BUDGET WITHOUT LAYING ANYONE
OFF. >> TRUE, AND IN 2010 AND 2011, THE CITY HAD A BUDGET COMMITTEE ON WHICH I SAT, AND THEY WERE DEALING WITH EXACTLY THAT VERY THING AT THAT TIME BECAUSE THE BUDGET HAD INCREASED AND THE THE STAFF HAD INCREASED AND ALL OF A SUDDEN BECAUSE OF THE DOWNTURN, ET CETERA, WE WERE DEALING WITH FURLOUGHING AND GETTING PEOPLE TO TAKE EARLY RETIREMENT AND IT WAS PAINFUL. IT WAS VERY PAINFUL.
AND SO TO ME LIKE PEOPLE HAVE SAID, PEOPLE DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN, BECAUSE THEY THINK THE GOOD TIMES ARE GOING TO ROLL ON, RIGHT? AND SO THEY HAVE SHORT MEMORIES AND DON'T REMEMBER, SO I DON'T WANT US TO GET SO FAT AS A BUDGET THAT WE CAN'T FUNCTION IN THE LEAN
TIMES, BECAUSE -- >> ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY.
>> MADAM MAYOR, SO THANK YOU, MISS MORRIS, THIS IS THE EX- EX- EXPENDITURE SIDE.
GO BACK TO THE REVENUE SIDE. MAYBE I'M LOOKING AT THIS WRONG, RIGHT? THIS IS A PROJECTION SO WE'RE NOT PROJECTING INCREASES ACROSS -- WELL, I SEE THE DECREASES IN PROPERTY TAX WHICH GOES TO YOUR EARLIER POINT, I THINK, RIGHT, COMMISSIONER BRODERICK, YOU'RE TALKING THIS IS FORECASTED SO YOU FIGURED THAT INTO YOUR MATRIX BUT THIS UTILITY TAX LINE, I'VE BEEN TEMPORARYING AT THAT FOR AWHILE. WHAT IS GOING ON THERE BECAUSE YOU WOULD THINK EXPANSION OF SERVICES, NEW BUSINESSES, ET CETERA, WE WOULD SEE AN INCREASE ACROSS UTILITY TAX JUST ON THE SHEER NUMBER AND VOLUME, NOT EVEN A PRICE INCREASE BUT THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE BUILDING STUFF IN FORT PIERCE.
>> CORRECT, CORRECT. AND WE JUST HAD A MEETING WITH JAVY AND MICHELLE TO DISCUSS THAT AS WELL, BUT WHEN WE'RE BUDGETING, WE'RE ONLY BUDGETING ON WHAT OUR HISTORICAL TREND IS AND WHAT WE
>> IN FACTORING THAT IN, BUT ANY TIME YOU'RE IN AN ECONOMIC DOWNTURN, PEOPLE AREN'T BUYING HOUSES.
OR THAT'S SOMEWHAT STATIC. THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE FORECLOSURES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE SO YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER ALL OF THAT POTENTIAL DOWNFALL AND NOT INCREASE WITH ALL OF THAT IN MIND AND SO WE ARE CONSERVATIVELY SAYING BASED ON OUR CURRENT TREND, IF, YOU KNOW, ALL THINGS REMAIN STATIC AND THERE'S NO BIG BOOM, BECAUSE WE DID HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH JAVY AS IT RELATES TO GROWTH AND HOW DO THEY CAPTURE THAT AND BECAUSE WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR TRANSFER, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE -- THEY WENT IN AND I GOT THE DOCUMENT AND ALL OF THE ADJUSTMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO NO LONGER THOUGH WITHOUT DEBIT OR CREDIT THERE'S SOME AUTHORIZED DEBIT AND CREDITS NOW, SO THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT AFFECT THAT TRANSFER AND SO EVEN THOUGH THERE'S SOME GROWTH, WE DON'T CAPTURE SOME OF THAT UNTIL THE LATTER YEARS BECAUSE THERE'S A CAPITAL COMPONENT AND THINGS OF THAT THAT ARE BUILT INTO THAT THAT HAVE BEEN ALLOWED UNTIL A CERTAIN YEAR TO BE ADJUSTED OFF OF THAT AND THINGS LIKE THAT, SO --
>> IT COMES FROM OUR UTILITY AUTHORITY AND THOSE UNINCORPORATED AREAS AND HAVE THE FRANCHISE FEES THAT COME FROM FP & L AND THINGS SO, YEAH.
>> ANOTHER THING THE LEGISLATURE LOOKS AT
TOO. >> ABSOLUTELY, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. I MEAN, SO IT COULD ACTUALLY REVERSE AND YOU BRING THAT POINT UP, MAYOR MAYOR, BUT THEY WERE UP AGAINST THE CITY -- CITIES THAT OWN UTILITY COMPANIES AND THE AMOUNT OF TRANSFER AND WE'RE CONSERVATIVE COMPARED TO SOME OF THE OTHER BIGGER CITIES IN
[01:25:03]
THEIR ALLOTMENT SO LEGISLATORS WERE LOOKING AT REALLY STRIPPING THAT AND I DON'T -- WE HAVEN'T EVEN -- WELL, WE HOPE THAT THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN, THAT WOULD COMPLETELY EVISCERATE OUR BUDGET AT THIS POINT, AND WE'RE -- I THINK THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE ON A HAIRLINE WITH THAT BECAUSE IF THIS LEGISLATOR COMES WITH THAT LEGISLATION WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO CUT BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE MISSING, WHAT, 6 MILLION, 8 MILLION BUCKS.>> 13% OF THE OPERATING BUDGET
GONE. >> YEP, AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO. WE HAVE TO ALWAYS TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION ALL THE POTENTIAL THAT COULD HAPPEN WHEN WE'RE CREATING WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, PUTTING OURSELVES IN A CONSTRAINT TO WHERE WE CAN'T
RIGHT. >> SO WE MAKE THE ADJUSTMENTS WITH ALL OF THAT IN MIND AND TRY TO MOVE FORWARD AND WE'LL ADJUST AS WE NEED TO WHEN WE GET TO THOSE POINTS.
>> QUESTION ON THE REVENUE SIDE AS WELL.
ARE YOU ALL SET, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON? I'M NOT SURE WHERE IN YOUR MATRIX THIS IS LOCATED BUT ON PAGE 60 OF OUR BUDGET PACKAGE WAS A REFERENCE TO SOLID WASTE CHARGES THAT HAD -- PAIGE 60 OR 62.
>> ON THE REVENUE? THEIR REVENUE.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO?
>> YEAH, JUST FIND IT HERE. I WILL A GET IT EXACTLY FOR YOU.
>> SOLID WASTE IS LIKE 71, 70.
>> IT WAS A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT
YES. >> IN THE PROJECTED REVENUE.
>> YES, DO INCREASE IN REVENUE.
>> YOU OUTLINE WHERE THAT -- WHY THAT IS?
>> WELL, THAT IS OUR ENTERPRISE IF YOU WANT TO PIVOT TO ENTERPRISE THEN WE CAN, JASON IS HERE. HE WILL BE COMING BEFORE YOU WITH AN INCREASE, ASKING FOR AN
INCREASE. >> THIS IS BASED ON A PROJECTED INCREASE IN -- HAVING A --
>> WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR THE DETAIL ON THAT BECAUSE WE'RE EXPENDING THAT MONEY LIKE WE'RE ALREADY RECEIVING IT.
>> WE HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN APPROACHED.
I'D BE CURIOUS. THIS IS A DIRECT -- I'M NOT GOING TO SAY IT'S A TAX TO HOMEOWNERS OR BUSINESS OWNERS BUT IT DOES FALL UNDER THAT SAME CATEGORY. A CHARGE THAT THE CITY CHARGES AND I'M KIND OF CURIOUS BECAUSE IT IS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE TO THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE OVERALL REVENUE STRUCTURE OF THE CITY.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO JUMP AHEAD TO
>> GOOD MORNING, MAYOR DAM MAYOR.
>> I HAVE A FEELING YOU KNEW THIS QUESTION WAS COMING SOONER OR LATER.
>> I FIGURED. I DIDN'T KNOW AT WHAT POINT BUT I UNDERSTAND IT SO WHEN I LOOK AT OUR -- THE REVENUES OR EXPENDITURES HOW I MAKE IT IS BASED OFF WHAT OUR EXPENDITURES ARE AND WHAT ARE OUR NEEDS SO LOOKING AT OUR SOLID WASTE DIVISION I SAW THAT WE NEEDED -- WE HAD OLD VEHICLE, PRIMARY DRIVER OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS TO TRY TO GET OUR VEHICLES UP TO WHERE THEY SHOULD BE.
RIGHT NOW OUR AVERAGE YEAR IS FIVE YEARS ON OUR SOLID WASTE COLLECTION VEHICLES AND THE LIFE IS FIVE YEARS, SO OUR AVERAGE IS AT THE END, SO WE HAVE TO START BRINGING THOSE UP TO SPEED. HOW WE LOOK THE AT DOING THAT IS UTILIZING LEASES BECAUSE IF WE END UP PURCHASING THEM OUTRIGHT, IT WOULD BE THAT MUCH MORE, SO WE ARE GOING INTO FIVE- YEAR LEASES AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR THE VEHICLES SO HOW I ENDED UP DEVELOPING THAT I PUT ALL OUR COSTS IN, LOOKING AT PUTTING THOSE FIVE -- WHAT WENT UP ON OUR COSTS AND PERSONNEL SIDE, PUTTING THOSE -- THE FIVE ADDITIONAL POSITIONS FOR THE GRAPPLE TRUCK DRIVERS INSTEAD OF GOING OUT THERE BY THEMSELVES AND YOU TAKE ALL THOSE DIFFERENT CONSIDERATIONS, TRYING TO GET OUR BEACHES RIGHT, BECAUSE A VEHICLE THAT BROKE AND TRYING TO GET THOSE MACHINERY RIGHT, MARCHING EVERYTHING TOGETHER, IT BASICALLY ALSO THERE WAS A STUDY THAT WAS DONE, THE STUDY THAT WAS PERFORMED IN 2023 AND WE ADOPTED THE CHARGES IN 2024 SUGGESTED THAT WE HAVE AN INCREASE IN 2025, WHICH THERE WAS NEVER THAT INCREASE, AND
[01:30:03]
WE DIDN'T FULLY MATCH WHAT WAS -- WHAT WAS SUGGESTED, BUT AS WE GET IN THERE NOW WE'RE CLOSE TO WHERE WE ARE NOW, WHAT WAS PROJECTED WHICH WAS BASICALLY 20% ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE AND THEN IT'S -- GO FROM 2904 UP TO $34 ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE. NOW, AS WE CONTINUE TO GET MORE AND MORE, YOU KNOW, BUILDINGS THAT COME IN AND DIFFERENT WAYS TO GET REVENUE, THEN WE'LL START DOING BETTER, BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE VERY CLOSE -- I THINK WE HAVE, WHAT, LIKE 600,000 IN OUR -- IN OUR FUND, IN OUR ENTERPRISE FUND FOR SOLID WASTE SO WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE SOME KIND OF FLEXIBILITY, BUT I DIDN'T PUT, LIKE, A BIG CUSHION.THIS IS TO COVER THE COST OF WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM THE COMMISSION AS A WHOLE OF WHAT YOU'RE EXPECTING AND ME TRYING TO MATCH THAT WITH PERSONNEL AND MAKE SURE OUR EQUIPMENT GETS UP TO DATE.
>> THIS IS LIKE A DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR REVENUE EXPENSE?
>> NO NET REVENUE GENERATION FOR THE CITY.
>> I THINK AFTER MY CALCULATIONS, IT WAS SOMETHING LIKE $130,000 JUST BUFFER THAT WAS THERE, SO WE DON'T HAVE, LIKE -- WE DON'T HAVE A LANDFILL. WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING LIKE THAT BUT YOU NEVER KNOW IF THEY WERE TO INCREASE TIPPING FEESFEES WASTE, THE WASTE MANAGEMENT OR IF THE COUNTY WERE TO DO ANYTHING WITH THEIR -- THE SOLID WASTE ON THE BULK PICKUP BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE TAKE THAT OUT THERE.
BUT IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THAT CUSHION AND THERE COULD BE A TRUCK FOR SOME REASON BLOW AN ENGINE, WHATEVER IT MAY BE --
>> I AM NOT BEING CRITICAL. I WAS JUST QUESTIONING WHY THIS LARGE INCREASE IN REVENUE WHICH DOESN'T REALLY DICTATE TO A REVENUE PLUS SCENARIO FOR CITY OPERATIONS OTHER THAN PUBLIC WORKS AND I'M NOT FAULTING THAT.
WE NEED PROPER EQUIPMENT, YOU KNOW I'M AN ADVOCATE OF THAT. I'M NOT A HUGE FAN OF LEASING ANYTHING. I PREFER TO PURCHASE BUT THAT'S HALF MILLION DOLLAR TRUCKS IF NOT MORE SO I UNDERSTAND THE LOGIC.
I THINK YOUR PLAN AS YOU'RE DESCRIBING IT IS ACCURATE TO COVER THOSE COSTS DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR ON THE REVENUE SIDE THROUGH THE CHARGING STRUCTURE THAT WE WOULD BILL BACK TO THE CONSUMER. SO I DO AGREE WITH YOUR APPROACH.
>> THAT'S EXACTLY -- YOU'RE WELCOME.
>> SO DON'T -- YOU DON'T HAVE TO GET DEFENSIVE ABOUT IT. I'M NOT DROPPIN GRENADES TO SAY THAT THAT'S WRONG, IT'S JUST THAT WE HAD NOT HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THIS SO I LOOKED AT IT AND SAID WHERE DID THIS COME FROM?
>> I -- I AM PLANNING ON BRINGING THIS FORWARD ALSO BUT THIS ISN'T -- SO YOU KNOW, THIS ISN'T JUST A POSITIVE FOR THE SOLID WASTE DIVISION BUT ALSO IS GOING TO BE GIVING BACK BECAUSE CURRENTLY HOW WE OPERATE AND AS SOME OF YOU KNOW THIS, YOU KNOW, LIKE ANYTHING THAT'S ON THE GROUND WE'RE SUPPOSED TO CHARGE
DON'T. >> WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BUT HOW DO WE GO ABOUT DOING THAT AND SO WHAT WE'LL END UP BE DOING IS THAT WE'RE GOING -- I'M GOING TO BRING FORWARD TO YOU AND EVERYONE VOTES ON IT AND WE KIND OF WORK IT OUT IS, YOU KNOW, THE FOUR YARDS -- CUBIC YARDS OF YARD DEBRIS AND TWO CUBIC YARDS OF BULK WHICH IS YOUR DESK OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE, RIGHT, AND THEN ANYTHING AFTER THAT THEN WOULD BE A CHARGE OVER $6 YOU KNOW FOR YARD DEBRIS BECAUSE IT'S CHEAPER, $10 AND I'M ALSO LOOKING AT GETTING REVENUE IN FOR ACTUALLY HAVING OUR STAFF OUT THERE MAKING SURE THAT WE COLLECT THOSE -- THAT REVENUE WHEN PEOPLE DO GO OVER, RIGHT, AND THEN CHARGING IT TO WHICHEVER PROPERTY THAT'S AT, SO THERE IS A GOAL TOO, NOT JUST LET PEOPLE DO THAT, BECAUSE EVERYONE ELSE ENDS UP PAYING FOR IT, THE FUND PAYS FOR IT, NOTHING IS FREE, RIGHT? SO I FEEL THAT THERE WILL BE A BENEFIT TO EVERYONE ELSE, BUT ALSO THE WAY WE'RE GOING TO SET IT UP IS WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE IT THE SAME WEEK.
IT'S GOING TO BE A CLEANER CITY.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
BUT, YET, IT'S -- WE'RE GOING TO BE IN GOOD SHAPE AS FAR AS PERSONNEL AND HOPEFULLY HAVE THE CITY MUCH CLEANER, INCLUDING CLOSING IN SOME OF THE DUMPSTER LOCATIONS, I THINK I CAN -- WE COME UP WITH A FIX, I THINK SOME OF THE DUMPSTER ENCLOSURES MAYBE I CAN GET 10 THIS YEAR. I KIND OF CALCULATED AROUND 10, GETTING THOSE DONE, SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN ACCOMPLISH MANY OF THE TASKS AND I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE WE GET INTO IT LATER ON BUT THAT'S HOW WE CAME ABOUT EVERYTHING.
>> YEAH, I NOTICED THAT TOO AND IT'S NOT THE USUAL THING THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING IN THE BUDGET THAT WE HAVEN'T VOTED --
[01:35:04]
WE HAVEN'T APPROVED, SO BUT I TOO I KNOW THAT THIS IS ONE OF OUR HIGH PRIORITY GOALS IS TO IMPROVE OUR CITY AND PUBLIC WORKS AND YOU ARE A BIG PART OF THAT IN TERMS OF THE BEAUTY OF OUR CITY, SO I JUST -- IT'S JUST UNUSUAL TO HAVE IT BEFORE WE'VE ACTUALLY SIGNED OFF ON IT. SO WHEN IT DOES COME, I THINK WE'LL NEED SOME COMPARATIVES TO OTHER CITIES, SOME -- WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE A STRONG -- BECAUSE THIS IS A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE AND IT PROBABLY IS -- I'M NOT QUESTIONING WHETHER IT'S JUSTIFIED, IT'S JUST YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BRING US SOME GOOD JUSTIFICATION FOR IT.>> I UNDERSTAND. SO ST. LUCIE IS $37 AND WE'RE SAYING 34 AND THAT'S AND WHEN I DO THE JUSTIFICATION, I CAN BRING THAT FORWARD, I GUESS ON THE RATES, I MEAN, I LIKE TO HAVE THE RATES IN CODE, HOWEVER, IT'S BY RESOLUTION OR JUST HAS TO BE ONE READING, HOWEVER, THE OTHER ASPECTS OF IT, HOW WE'RE GOING ABOUT IT, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THAT IN CODE, THAT WAY EVERYBODY COULD SEE IT AND IF A CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER FOR SOME REASON HAS -- THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO READ AND EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS AND DON'T HAVE TO GO LOOKING FOR A RESOLUTION.
>> I UNDERSTAND ALSO THAT YOU'VE JUST PRESENTED SOMETHING TO US IN TERMS OF YOUR VISION AND WHAT YOU WANTED TO DO SO YOU'VE KIND OF -- YOU'VE LAID THE GROUNDWORK CAREFULLY.
>> THIS IS SOMEWHAT PRELIMINARY SO I GET THE FEEL FROM YOU ALL AND THEN I KNOW HOW TO -- THEN I CAN MOVE
>> MADAM MAYOR, I'LL START WITH THIS, YOU BROUGHT THIS -- THIS IS THE NOT FIRST TIME -- WE KNOW IT'S COMING. IT'S IN THE BUDGET.
WE KNOW IT'S COMING BECAUSE WE TALKED ABOUT IT BEFORE, AND I REMEMBER SAYING THAT WHEN WE DID THIS, LET'S START THE CAMPAIGN, THE PUBLIC CAMPAIGN OF LETTING PEOPLE KNOW THAT IT'S COMING.
BECAUSE -- AS I SAID, DURING THAT PRESENTATION, I KNOW YOU WANT TO TAKE ME ON A RIDE AROUND THE CITY BUT I CAN TAKE YOU ON A RIDE AROUND THE CITY AND SHOW YOU ALL OF THE AREAS THAT THE CITY IS PROBABLY LOSING MONEY AND TIME THAT HAVE BECOME ILLEGAL DUMP SITES, SO WE CAN'T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS.
IF WE CAN'T -- WANT TO SAY WE WANT TO CLEAN, CLEAN CITY AND SEE A NUMBER AND WE GO, OOH, SO I'M READY FOR THAT -- I'M READY FOR THAT, BECAUSE I THINK WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS LET THE PUBLIC KNOW, YOU KNOW, YOU WANT A CLEAN CITY, WE GET THE EMAILS, EVERY CITY CHARGES FOR THESE GRAPPLE TRUCKS AND THESE PICKUPS AND IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE SOME TYPE OF MIDDLE GROUND THAT WE HAVE TO REACH TO KEEP US GOING, BECAUSE WE JUST CAN'T KEEP PICKING UP ALL THIS STUFF FOR FREE. I CAN SEE IF WE OWNED THE DUMP SITE, BUT WE DON'T. AND THEY CHARGE US FOR EVERY DAY, SO I'M WAITING TO SEE THAT AND I ACTUALLY KNOCKED ON WOOD WHEN YOU SAID, YOU WERE TALKING AND YOU SAID IF AN ENGINE BLOWS UP, ONE OF THOSE TRUCKS BREAK DOWN, I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THAT BECAUSE THAT'S JUST HEADACHE ON TOP OF HEADACHE BECAUSE YOU AND I BOTH KNOW THAT TODAY IS PICKUP DAY ON A CERTAIN PART OF THE CITY AND IF TRASH AIN'T PICKED UP IN ANOTHER 20 MINUTES YOUR OFFICE WILL GET CALLS, WHY MY TRASH IS STILL OUT THERE AND NOT PICKED UP AT 11:00, SO I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE GOING. SO THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO SAY ON THAT. GOING BACK TO COMMISSIONER JOHNSON'S UTILITY AND, REMEMBER, WE WILL BE -- WE WILL BE FIGHTING THAT IN AUGUST AND THAT POLICY COMMITTEE THAT I SIT ON UTILITIES, WE'RE WELL AWARE OF -- WE'RE WELL AWARE OF WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO CHANGE AND THE ROOM, I CAN TELL EVERYBODY HERE, THE ROOM IS SPLIT BETWEEN THOSE WHO HAVE UTILITIES AND THOSE WHO ARE BEING CHARGED UTILITIES AND IT GETS HEATED AND THOSE POLICY COMMITTEES BECAUSE THERE ARE, MADAM MAYOR, AND COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, PEOPLE THAT THINK THAT CITIES LIKE US SHOULD PROVIDE THE SERVICES FOR FREE. I'M JUST -- THAT'S WHAT THEY THINK AND WE HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS, SO THAT WILL BE NUMBER ONE ON MY LIST WHEN I'M SITTING IN THAT COMMITTEE, SO REST ASSURED GUYS I WILL BE FIGHTING FOR US.
>>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I THINK WE NEED TO GET BACK ON TRACK HERE WITH WHERE -- WE MOVING ON TO THE ENTERPRISE
WE HAVE FPRA THAT WE ALWAYS --
[01:40:01]
>> WHATEVER IS NEXT IN YOUR PRESENTATION.
>> WE HAVE HERE FPRA'S BUDGET. IT'S THEIR FISCAL YEAR BUDGET, '2614,654,125 AN INCREASE OF A MILLION 56,588.
MOST IS IN THEIR AD VALOREM TAX DOLLARS THERE'S AN INCREASE OF THAT 1,037,000. AND 500,000 IN THEIR BUDGET IS ALLOCATED FOR COMMUNITY POLICING.
500 IS ALLOCATED FOR THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS AND $1,132,860 IS AIL INDICATED FOR THE TEN OFFICERS THAT WORK SPECIFICALLY IN THE FPRA AREA AND THAT IS TO REMIND YOU THAT GRANT THAT WE TOOK ON, THE POLICE HIRING GRANT THAT WE TOOK ON A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND FPRA GENERAL COULDN'T FUND THEM BECAUSE WE KNEW AT THE END OF THE GRANT WE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE THEM ON. WE COULDN'T, YOU KNOW, PAY -- KEEP THAT ADDITIONAL MILLION DOLLARS AND SO FPRA TOOK ON THAT AND THOSE OFFICERS WORK SPECIFICALLY IN THE FPRA AREA.
>> AND THAT STAYS AS AN FPRA FUND?
Ú >> UNTIL, UNTIL WE CAN NO LONGER FUND IT OR YOU ALL SAY CHANGE
>> MADAM MAYOR, A QUICK QUESTION.
THE FPRA DEBT TO THE GENERAL FUND HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY INTRIGUING TO ME AND I UNDERSTAND THE HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE ON THIS AND HOW THAT WAS CREATED. WE'RE TRANSFERRING 1.5 MILLION IN THE PROPOSED '26 BUDGET, IN YOUR OPINION, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO BUDGET INTO '27 DISCHARGING THIS DEBT AND THE
ENTIRETY 1.94. >> SURE, WE CAN.
YEAH. >> I'M JUST -- GET IT OFF THE BOOKS, LET'S NOT -- I THINK FPRA IS ONE AREA THAT THE CITY IS OPERATING IN THE BLACK, YOU KNOW, SO I'M JUST SUGGESTING IN THE '27 BUDGET WE FUND ELIMINATION OF THAT DEBT IN THE ENTIRETY AND IT'S KIND OF SETTING THE STAGE --
CITY. >> YES, SO WE PAY THE 1. 5 OR TAKE 1.5, IN ESSENCE YOU 153. 44 MILLION OUTSTANDING, TAKE THE NUMBER, DIVIDE IT IN TWO IN '26 AND '27 AND BE DONE WITH IT AND SETS THE STAGE FOR THE ENTIRE DEBT ROLL- OFF THAT THE CITY IS EXPERIENCING OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS WHICH IS GOING TO CHANGE AS COMMISSIONER JOHNSON WAS MENTIONING EARLIER, IT'S GOING TO CHANGE THE DYNAMIC SIGNIFICANTLY OF WHAT WE HAVE THE CAPACITIES TO BE ABLE TO DO.
SO I'M JUST SUGGESTING LET'S MANAGE IT NOW, WE HAVE THE INCOME TO DO IT IN FPRA, LET'S JUST GET RID OF IT.
LET'S JUST DEAL WITH IT IN '26 AND '27 AND BE DONE.
>> COMMISSIONER BRODERICK, I LIKE THE IDEA BUT I WOULD JUST BE CAUTIOUS, WHAT -- IF WE DID THAT, WHAT WOULD WE BE CUTTING? WHAT -- I GUESS -- WHAT --
>> I DON'T THINK YOU'RE CUTTING ANYTHING.
THE INCOME SCREAM COMING INTO FPRA IS TO THE POSITIVE TO THE POINT WHERE THAT ROLLING OFF AN ADDITIONAL $250,000 ANNUALLY IS NOT GOING TO BE PROBLEMATIC FOR FPRA.
>> ALL RIGHT. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE --
>> I BUILT IT WITH THE 1. 5 AND WANTED THE LATTER PORTION IN THE YEAR THAT WE MAY EXPERIENCE A SHORTFALL. SO THAT WHEN WE'RE TRANSFERRING OVER, THIS CAN UTILIZE, BE UTILIZED THEN. ANY OVERAGES NOW WE COULD KEEP A FUND BALANCE BUT IF WE BUILD IT IN THE BUDGET NOW WE'LL PROBABLY SPEND IT ON CAPITAL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND WON'T HAVE THE FUNDS NEXT YEAR SO IF WE DO THE 1. 5 TRANSFER NOW AND GOOD AND LEAVES MONEY FOR FPRA TO DO THE PROJECTS THEY HAVE LAID OUT ALSO AND NEXT YEAR WE GET RID OF -- THAT WAS THE PLAN AT 1.9 MILLION WE'LL TRANSFER NEXT FISCAL YEAR AND THEN WE'LL HAVE THAT REVENUE TO UTILIZE IN OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET FOR ANY SHORTFALLS OR ANYTHING WE MIGHT EXPERIENCE.
>> SO YOU ALREADY CONTEMPLATED IN 20127 DISCHARGING THE
BALANCE. >> YES, THAT 1.9 MILLION IN 2027.
>> YEP, GOOD. YEP. ALL RIGHTY.
>> OKAY, AND SO AS WE MOVE ON TO OUR ENTERPRISE, THEIR SPENDING PLAN FOR MARINA, $429,000 INCREASE FROM YEAR TO YEAR, SOLID WASTE, THAT $2.7 MILLION INCREASE, YOU SEE AND JASON JUST EXPLAINED WHAT THAT IS. GOLF COURSE, THERE'S $162,000 INCREASE. SUNRISE, WE BUILT A SUNRISE, WE DID DO A BUDGET FOR SUNRISE NOT KNOWING WHAT THE OUTCOME WOULD BE AS A RESULT OF THE RFP SO IF IT DID NOT MATERIALIZE OR IF THAT'S NOT THE WAY YOU
[01:45:02]
WANTED TO MOVE FORWARD WE DID CREATE A BUDGET FOR OPERATION TO START THE FISCAL YEAR.>> AND I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THAT, DID I READ IT RISE THAT YOU INCREASED IN PERSONNEL IN SUNRISE?
>> YES, RIGHT NOW THERE IS NOT AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR POSITION THERE SO WE KNOW WE'LL HAVE TO HIRE AN EXECUTIVE -- IF IT STAYS, YOU KNOW, WITH THE CITY OPERATING IT AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IS GOING TO HAVE TO OPERATE IT AND THEN THERE IS A FACILITIES MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN.
WRITE NOW THERE IS NO FACILITIES MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN OVER THERE AT ALL SO WE BUILT IN THAT POSITION.
>> AND FOR BUILDING, THERE'S A $465,000 INCREASE AND ANIMAL SHELTER IS A DECREASE OF 406,492, AGAIN, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE OUTCOME IS GOING TO BE IN SOME OF THESE BUT WE BUILT BUDGETS TO BE READY OCTOBER 1 IF, YOU KNOW, THINGS CHANGE, SO --
>> YOU KNOW, MADAM MAYOR, SO I JUST SO THAT I'M CLEAR, WE HAVE TWO THINGS THAT ARE GLARING TO ME OBVIOUSLY THE SUNRISE WITH $4.6 MILLION BUDGET POTENTIAL AND WE'VE GOT TO BE CAREFUL, IES THAT THERE'S AN RFP OUT THERE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT STAGE. FOR THE PUBLIC'S CONSUMPTION HERE, THAT SUCCESSFUL -- I'LL SPEAK IT IN THE POSITIVE TERMS -- THAT SUCCESSFUL PROCESS OF US IDENTIFYING AN ENTITY THAT WANTS TO COME IN AND WE CAN HAVE THEM CONTRACT WITH THE SUNRISE WILL ALLEVIATE BASICALLY 4. 6 IN OUR BUDGET.
>> CORRECT. IT WOULD ALLEVIATE ALL OF THAT SUNRISE ENTERPRISE PROJECT, $5900,000 FROM FPRA TO SUNRISE WILL REMAIN TO OPERATE OUR BUILDING, OUR ASSET.
SENSE. >> ALL OF THAT, WE WOULD NOT HAVE A SUNRISE BUDGET AT ALL.
>> SO WE COULD REALLOCATE THAT IN OTHER AREAS --
>> IT'S AN ENTERPRISE SO IT MAKES ITS OWN MONEY.
>> THAT'S TRUE. THAT'S RIGHT. THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO BE CLEAR ÷÷AND PEOPLE WILL SEE THAT AND SAY IF YOU TAKE IT OUT OF THERE -- SO IT'S AN ENTERPRISE FUND SO YOU CAN'T DO THAT AND SAME WITH ANIMAL SHELTERS, WELL, WE'RE LOOKING AT ALMOST A MILLION DOLLARS HERE DOWN HERE AT THAT POINT AND I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, CITY MANAGER AND HE'S LOOKING AT THESE ASPECTS OF IT, BUT, OKAY, JUST WANTED TO BE
>> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON SAID IT, I THOUGHT WE WERE LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY TO -- OKAY, STAND
>> LASTLY -- GRANT FUNDING PORTION OF THE POLICE DIVISION. THERE IS A DECREASE OF ABOUT 575,729 IN THE GRANTS THAT ARE CAPTURED AND THIS IS JUST PROPOSED AS OF THE TIME OF THE BUDGET DRAFT. THIS IS WHAT THEY SAID THE GRANTS THAT THEY WERE SORT OF POSITIVE THEY WOULD CAPTURE.
IT IS A DECREASE THAT COULD CHANGE BUT WE'RE AWARE OF OUR STATE FUNDING AND FEDERAL FUNDING SO AS THAT CHANGES AND THINGS, WE KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO BE FUNDED, ALLOCATED AND THINGS LIKE THAT, IT'LL BE ADJUSTED AS WELL. AND THE $142,000 IN THE POLICE GRANTS, FPRA, MOST OF THAT IS SALARY RELATED.
CDBG, THERE IS AN INCREASE OF $2.3 MILLION AND THAT IS BECAUSE AS YOU ARE AWARE WE'VE HAD FUNDING SPENDING OUR MONEYS IN OUR CDBG AREA AND SHIP AND AREAS, MOST OF THAT IS WE DO THE HOUSING REHABS AND THEN WE'VE HAD ISSUES WITH CONTRACTORS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE SO TRYING TO TIMELY SPEND THE FINANCES WITHIN THOSE YEARS AND SO WE ARE RE- EVALUATING HOW THAT IS SPENT. MOST OF THIS MONEY WILL GO TOWARD THE HOUSING REHABS THAT ARE ALREADY IN ROTATION AND THEN PARKS, INFRASTRUCTURE, WE'RE GOING TO DO FACILITY INFRASTRUCTURES AND SO TWO OF OUR PARKS, FEN PARK HAS BEEN ON THE CIP FOREVER AND EXPENSES THAT CDBG CAN FUND OWE IN THE TARGET AREA WHERE THAT MONEY CAN BE SPENT AND SO THOSE PROJECTS WILL DO THE FIN PARK, THE DREAMLAND PARK, THERE IS THE MARINE YA -- MORRIS CREEK FITNESS OUTFIT AS WELL AND THEN A COUPLE WEEKS AGO ENGINEERING CAME AND D.O.T. CAME WITH YOU FOR THE EMERGENCY
[01:50:02]
LIGHTING SYSTEM THAT WOULD STOP THE LIGHTS AND SO THAT'S A PROJECT THAT CAN BE FUNDED AS WELL SO CDBG IS GOING TO FUND THAT ASWELL. >> EMERGENCY SIGNALIZATION? OH, GOOD, GOOD, GOOD IS THERE WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIND THAT MONEY, GOOD.
>> AND SHIP, THERE'S A DECREASE OF 20,941 AND THAT'S IN THE FUNDING ALLOCATION, AND THEN IN THE GRANTS ADMINISTRATION, THAT DECREASE AS WELL AND FOR THAT.
>> SO JUST BACK TO THAT, SO IT'S BUDGETED IN THIS BUDGET SO WHEN IT PASSES THEN -- WHEN WE PASS A BUDGET, THOSE FUNDS THEN WOULD BE ALLOWED TO GO TO THE APPROPRIATE EMERGENCY SERVICES TO GET THE SIGNALIZATION. SOMETHING --
>> IN OCTOBER, OKAY. JUST WANT TO UPDATE THE BOARD WHEN WE DEAL WITH THAT.
WE HAD A LOT OF FEDERAL ACTIVITY HERE A COUPLE YEARS BACK WITH THE TRIALS.
AND I STARTED TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE POLICE FUNDING, ET CETERA, WE HAD TO EXPEND THOSE FUNDS OBVIOUSLY FOR PERSONNEL THAT WORKED THAT DETAIL. WHERE DID THOSE FUNDS COME FROM THAT WE EXPENDED AND WHERE IS IT IN THE BUDGET.
>> YOU'LL SEE IT IN THEIR ACTUAL BUDGET LINE ITEM AND IT WOULD BE AN INCREASE BUT SOME OF THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN ABSORBED THIS VACANCIES, THAT'S THE THING THAT TO UNDERSTAND, WE FUND A BUDGET AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FISCAL YEAR FUNDING EVERY POSITION THAT IS IN THIS BUDGET.
>> IF THERE ARE ANY VACANCIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, ALL OF THAT BECAUSE I NEVER LET ANYBODY MOVE ANY MONEY IN PERSON NEL ACCOUNT CAUSE IT HELPS US SHORE UP --
OKAY. >> THERE WERE INCREASES BUT UNFUNDED POSITIONS AS WELL WHICH IS WHY THERE WASN'T A DRASTIC INCREASE.
YOU DIDN'T SEE A DRASTIC INCREASE.
HAD WE BEEN FULLY COMPLEMENTED AS FAR AS STAFFINGWISE BASED ON THE OVERTIME AND ALL THAT THEY HAD TO WORK FOR THOSE PROJECTS AS WELL AS THE ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURE COST WE WOULD HAVE SEEN A GREAT -- A LARGE, LARGE NUMBER, BUT IN TERMS OF THAT, THOSE VACANCIES WORK TO OUR ADVANTAGE AT THE END OF THE FISCAL
YEAR. >> SO THAT'S THE EXPENDITURE SIDE. THE REVENUE SIDE COMING BACK, THOUGH, WHERE IS THAT --
>> A LITTLE OVER 500 AND SOME THOUSAND DOLLARS ONCE WE TOOK EVERYTHING INTO ACCOUNT THAT WE SPENT AS FAR AS PERSONNEL, COSTS AND THE EXPENDITURE COST WE HAD TO PURCHASE ALL THIS
AND TRAINING? >> AND TRAINING AND ALL OF THAT AND WE KNEW WE WERE NOT GOING TO, AFTER I CALLED --
>> HOPEFULLY WE HAVEN'T GIVEN UP ON THAT.
THE 500,000 IS 500,000 SO I MAKE THIS A PUBLIC POINT, YOU KNOW, FOR OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS IN LEGISLATURE THAT THAT MONEY WAS EXPENDED AND THIS WAS MY CONCERN GOING IN THAT HERE IS A SMALL TOWN THAT NOW HAS BEEN THRUST IN THE NATIONAL LIMELIGHT AND WE GOT A $500,000 EXPENDITURE THAT WE HAVEN'T RECOUPED YET.
AND I'M ON SHOESTRINGS WITH A BUDGET, RIGHT, SO I MADE -- I'M MAKING THAT PUBLIC COMMENT. THAT'S $500,000 FEDERALLY THAT'S OWED TO THE CITY AND WE NEED TO BE, YOU KNOW, GOING AFTER THAT MONEY.
I'M JUST GOING TO SAY IT LIKE THAT.
>> COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT I WAS TOLD, WE'VE GOT TO SUE THE INDIVIDUAL AND TRY TO RECOUP THE MONEY FROM THE INDIVIDUAL BECAUSE AT THE TIME THEY WERE NOT A SITTING PRESIDENT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A FORMER PRESIDENT, AND SO THAT'S WHAT I WAS TOLD, SO --
>> SO WE HAVE ASKED OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS, BOTH U.S. SENATORS AND OUR CONGRESSMEN AND OUR CONGRESSMEN SUGGESTED WHY ASK A U.S. SENATOR AND I THINK THAT U.S. SENATOR IS NOW THE ONE WE ASKED IS NOW SECRETARY OF STATE, SO, YEAH, IT'S CHASING THE MONEY, BUT I WILL ALSO POINT OUT IT'S BEEN POINTED OUT TO ME THAT NONE OF THE OTHER AGENCIES THAT HELPED US GOT REIMBURSED EITHER EXCEPT PALM BEACH COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE DID GET --
>> THEY GOT SOME MONEY, YEAH, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY DID IT, BUT THAT'S -- THAT'S -- THAT HAPPENED.
ARE YOU THROUGH? I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT CDBG.
WHICH IS IN GRANTS AND ADMINISTRATION.
AND IS -- THERE'S SOME COVID MONEY LEFT OVER? IS THAT RIGHT?
>> THAT'S CORRECT. AND WHY THERE IS COVID MONEY, WE HAD SHIP MONEY AND CDBG MONEY AT THE SAME TIME. ALL OF THE SHIP MONEY WAS EXPENDED AND AFTER GOING BACK AND DOING A FINAL RECONCILIATION, THERE WAS SOME CDBG FUNDS THAT WERE
[01:55:02]
REMAINING, AND SO THEY'RE IN THIS BUDGET AND THEY ARE LOOKING AT POSSIBLY PARTNERING WITH ONE OF THE OR A FEW OF THE FACILITIES THAT NURSING FACILITIES THAT THEY COULD PROBABLY PROVIDE SOME COVID, YOU KNOW, MASKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO ELIMINATE NATURE OR ALLEVIATE COVID FOR THAT BUT THEY ARE IN OUR FINAL RECONCILIATION AS FUNDS THAT WE NEED TO -->> THERE WAS A DEADLINE TO SPEND THOSE SO WE HAVEN'T MET THAT, RIGHT?
>> THOSE WERE UNALLOCATED IN OUR UNALLOCATED FUND ITEMS AND WHAT REALLY HAPPENED WAS THE PRIOR STAFF THAT WAS THERE WHEN THEY DID THE REPORTING, MOST OF THAT THEY PUT ON SHIP, THEY WERE NOT -- THEY WERE TO BE SHIP AND CDBG ALLOCATIONS AND SO MOST OF THEM WENT TOWARD THE SHIP ALLOCATION AS OPPOSED TO THE CDBG ALLOCATION AND ONCE IT WAS TOTALLY RECONCILED WE FIGURED OUT WE'VE GOT MORE CDBG MONEYS WEAVER'S GOT TO SPEND AND SO WE'VE BEEN -- THEY HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED AND REUSED IN THIS
DISTRIBUTION WE HAVE. >> AND THE OTHER REALLOCATIONS YOU TALKED ABOUT, I KNOW THAT THEY -- THEY COME TO US AND THEY PRESENT A PLAN AND SAY WE'RE GOING TO SPEND THIS AND WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS AND WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT AND THEN IF THEY DON'T DO THAT, AND THEY DO SOMETHING ELSE, ARE THEY -- THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH HUD?
>> RIGHT, RIGHT. AND THEY JUST LEFT HONESTLY FROM HUD LAST MONTH IN JACKSONVILLE THEY WENT AND SAT DOWN AND TALKED WITH THEM BECAUSE AS THE PRIOR PLAN WAS, IT WAS TIMELINESS, YOU KNOW, WE DO THESE PROJECTS TO HELP CITIZENS, WELL, YOU PUT SO MUCH TOWARD DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE, BUT THEY CAN'T FIND THE HOUSES AND SO YOU ALLOCATE OR ENCUMBER THESE FUNDS FOR THESE PROJECTS AT THE END OF THE PROGRAM YEAR BECAUSE THEY -- THE CITIZEN HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND A HOME, YOU'VE STILL GOT ALL THIS MONEY LEFT OVER AND SO IT HAS NOT BEEN SPENT, AND SO IN CONVERSATION, IT HAS BEEN DECIDED THAT WE NEED TO REFOCUS HOW WE HAVE THIS ALLOCATION ESPECIALLY TO PILEATED OUR MOST RECENT TIMELINESS ISSUE AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE SAYING THIS MONEY IS GOING TO GO TO HELP PROJECTS IN THE PARKS THAT MORE PEOPLE CAN UTILIZE IN THOSE TRENDING AREAS MORE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.
>> OKAY. I THINK I UNDERSTAND THAT.
OTHER QUESTIONS? >> YES, MADAM MAYOR, I NEED TO GO BACK TO THIS 500,000 THAT WE'RE OWED.
>> AND SAY SUE THE INDIVIDUAL. OKAY, I'M GOING TO LEAD THAT TO THE SIDE RIGHT NOW BUT MY QUESTION IS THIS AND IT MIGHT BE MORE FOR MADAM ATTORNEY, WERE WE ASKED TO PROVIDE PROTECTION AND DID WE HAVE A RIGHT TO SAY NO?
>> I'M NOT SURE. THE CHIEF OF POLICE WOULD HAVE --
>> MADAM MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, RELATED TO WHAT WE WERE ASKED TO DO, I DO NOT HAVE THAT KNOWLEDGE.
THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU. BUT GENERALLY IT IS OUR JOB TO PROVIDE FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY OF THE COMMUNITY.
>> OKAY, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT -- WE'LL TALK ABUT THAT BECAUSE THAT'S NOT WHAT WE WERE DOING. WE WERE STANDING -- WE WERE PROTECTING -- ALL RIGHT. ME AND YOU WILL TALK OFFLINE ON THIS BECAUSE I GOT AN ISSUE WITH THAT BECAUSE WE PUT OUR -- WE PUT OUR OFFICERS' LIVES AND TIME IN DANGER TO PROTECT SOMEONE COMING FOR A TRIAL AND THEN THE TAXPAYERS PAID THE MONEY AND NOW THEY'RE BASICALLY TELLING US TO GO SUE SOMEBODY OR WHATEVER YOU CAN FIND THE MONEY FOR SOMETHING THAT THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE AND THE TAXPAYERS DIDN'T CREATE.
>> TO CLARIFY, SLIGHTLY, YES, MADAM MAYOR, THE OBLIGATIONS OF WHAT THE POLICE HAVE TO DO ARE -- HOW DO I EXPLAIN THIS, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO SOUND BAD THE WAY I'LL EXPLAIN THIS -- THEY ARE GENERALLY NOT OBLIGATIONS TO ACT AND THAT'S A LEGAL PRINCIPLE THAT EXISTS. HOW YOU WANT YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT TO BEHAVE AND ACT IS A DIFFERENT QUESTION FROM THAT LEGALLY THEY'RE REQUIRED TO DO AS A MINIMUM.
SO I DON'T REALLY WANT TO HAVE THAT BIG BROAD DISCUSSION, SO --
>> BUT TO CLARIFY THE CONVERSATION ABOUT HAVING TO SUE THEM, I'M NOT SURE WHO THAT CONVERSATION WAS WITH.
THAT CONVERSATION WASN'T WITH ME.
THESE QUESTIONS HAVE NOT BEEN ASKED OF ME SO I'M HAPPY TO SIT DOWN AND TAKE A LOOK AT THIS WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WITH MISS MORRIS TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO MOVING FORWARD.
AND SO TO CLARIFY OUR OBLIGATIONS TO PROTECT, THAT'S THE OBLIGATION THAT YOU'RE PUTTING ON YOUR POLICE
[02:00:04]
DEPARTMENT WHERE YOUR CITY MANAGER IS REQUIRING OF YOUR CHIEF OF POLICE. YOUR LEGAL OBLIGATIONS AND THE MINIMUM OF WHAT ARE REQUIRED ARE VASTLY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE EXPECT AS A COMMUNITY FROM OURPOLICE DEPARTMENT. >> I GOT YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT. ANYTHING ELSE? YES, SIR.
>> BACK TO GRANTS, THIS IS REVENUE BEING BROUGHT IN BY GRANTS ADMINISTRATION, THIS REDUCTION FROM 548 TO 252? IS THAT WHAT I'M READING?
>> PRETTY MUCH. YEAH, PROGRAM INCOME AND SUCH AND, AGAIN, IT'S A PROPOSAL. WE DON'T -- WE ALREADY KNOW THAT'S GOING TO INCREASE SOME BUT BASED ON WHAT WE KNOW TO BE SOLID, YES.
>> AND THIS IS OUR FIVE-PERSON
GRANTS DEPARTMENT. >> CORRECT.
AND THAT INCLUDES -- THERE'S A TRANSFER IN THERE IN THAT 548 WHAT WE WOULD NORMALLY DO THEY'RE NOW HOUSING AND MOVING OVER THOSE TO GENERAL WHERE THEY CURRENTLY ARE RIGHT NOW AND GENERAL HAS ALWAYS SUPPLEMENTED AND THE ADMIN PORTION OF THAT ABOUT $250,000 THAT WE TRANSFER OVER. NOW THAT MONEY THAT WOULD HAVE REMAINED HERE WE'RE TRANSFERRING OVER TO GENERAL AND SO YOU SAW IN REVENUE AND INTERFUND TRANSFERS THERE WAS A $250,000 TRANSFER THAT WAS COMING OVER AND SO THAT $250,000 TRANSFER IS COMING OVER TO GENERAL FOR THOSE POSITIONS.
>> OKAY. SO WHAT IS THE GRANTS ADMINISTRATION COSTING US?
>> DO WE HAVE ANY PERFORMANCE MATRIX OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT THAT WE USE FOR THIS DEPARTMENT? THAT'S A YOU QUESTION.
>> I'M JUST -- IT'S COSTING US $510,000 TO MANAGE $252,000 OF
CDBG. >> NO, THAT'S TO MANAGE CDBG, SHIPS AND GRANTS.
>> SO WHAT IS THE REDUCTION DO TO IN THE -- EVERYTHING ELSE? I SEE THE CDBG, SHIP, BUT THERE'S GRANTS ADMINISTRATION SO OTHER GRANTS THAT THEY'RE BRINGING IN IS REDUCING. RIGHT?
AS IT CURRENTLY IS, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING AT THE TIME, SINCE THEN I KNOW THERE ARE TWO ADDITIONAL GRANTS THAT WILL BE COMING IN SO THEY ARE JUST GRANTS BUT THEY'LL JUST GO TO INCOME AS FAR AS OPERATING THE GRANT. SO IT'S A GRANT WILL COME IN AS REVENUE AND THE EXPENDITURE COST FOR THAT WILL BE FOR THAT GRANT, THE EXPENDITURE COST FOR THAT.
SO THIS IS NOT REVENUE THEY'RE BRINGING IN IN GRANTS? CDBG. SO THIS IS NOT REVENUE THEY'RE BRINGING IN IN GRANTS? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING?
>> IT WILL BE REVENUE BUT BASED ON CURRENTLY AT THE TIME WE WERE BUILDING THE BUDGET, THAT'S WHAT WAS PROJECTED TO BE AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME. THERE WILL BE POSSIBLY ADDITIONAL REVENUE BUT WHEN YOU SEE ADDITIONAL REVENUE, THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL EXPENSES TO MATCH THAT BECAUSE GRANT FUNDS HAVE TO BE USED FOR GRANT FUNDS.
OR FOR WHATEVER YOU'RE SAYING THE GRANT IS
YOU. >> I MAY HAVE A FOLLOW-UP ON
THE GRANT DEPARTMENT OR GRANT STAFF, AREN'T THEY MOVING TO FINANCE?
>> BACK TO FINANCE. WHERE ARE THEY HOUSED
NOW. >> THEY CURRENTLY -- THEY WERE OVER IN A SEPARATE SPECIAL REVENUE FUND, AGAIN, IT WAS REALIGNED AND NOW THEY ARE IN COMMUNITY -- LET ME SEE WHAT THE NEW TITE IS. COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, YEAH.
>> SO DOES THAT MAKE YOU THEN IN THE FUTURE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT THAT DEPARTMENT IS UP TO?
>> I SEE THE LOOK OF RELIEF ON YOUR FACE. OKAY.
I WAS JUST KIND OF CURIOUS. I KNOW IT'S IN TRANSITION AND --
>> HISTORICALLY IT HAS BEEN, I THINK WHEN I WAS FIRST MAYOR IT WAS IN FPRA, I THINK --
>> IT WAS IN ITS OWN DIVISION, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
[02:05:01]
AND THEN FPRA DISSOLVED AND IT MOVED -- THEY MERGED IT ALTOGETHER.>> OH, IS THAT WHAT IT WAS, YEAH, AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A DEPARTMENT THAT DIDN'T FIT NEATLY
ANYWHERE. >> EXCUSE ME, MADAM MAYOR.
>> THE REASON THAT IS GOING BACK TO FINANCE, I THINK THE GENERAL POPULATION HAS TO UNDERSTAND THERE WERE FEMA REIMBURSEMENTS AND THEY'RE STILL DEALING WITH THAT FOR PRIOR INCIDENTS AND THAT ALIGNMENT WITH FINANCE IN TERMS OF GETTING THE PROPER DOCUMENTATION, REQUISITIONS, PURCHASE ORDERS, DRAWDOWNS AND HAVING MONEY COME IN, THEY'LL NEED THE SUPPORT OF FINANCE TO DO THAT, WHICH THEY DO NOT HAVE NOW AND MORE IMPORTANTLY WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BUDGET WITH THE CAPITAL PROGRAMS, WE NEED TO BUILD UP A GRANT STRATEGY IN TERMS OF HOW WE SEEK ADDITIONAL FUNDING WHICH WE DO NOT HAVE NOW AND WE ONLY ARE DEALING WITH HUD GRANTS AND HUD IS BEAUTIFUL, EXCELLENT, WE NEED THE FUNDS BUT WE HAVE SUSTAINABLE GRANTS THAT WE NEED, FLORIDA GRANTS, POLICE GRANTS SO LOTS OF DIFFERENT GRANTS WE NEED TO PRIVATIZE ONCE WE GO THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS AND WE NEED TO DEAL WITH THE GRANTS TEAM TO START SEEKING THOSE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES BASED ON THE STRUCTURE OF THE CAPITAL PROGRAMS AND OUR CAPITAL BUDGET, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE GRANTS SECTION NEEDS TO BE FROM MY VIEW PROPERLY MANAGED AND IDENTIFIED ON HOW TO DEVELOP A GRANT STRATEGY AND THEY NEED SUPPORT FROM FINANCE GO GETTING REIMBURSEMENTS FROM FEMA WHICH THEY WORK WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO A GREAT EXTENT BUT IT'S A GREAT DEAL OF TIME WORKING ON THAT AND DON'T SEE THE NUMBERS ANYWHERE REFLECTED IN THIS SO I'LL BE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE FINANCE DIRECTOR AND THE GRANTS MANAGER AND THE GRANTS TEAM AS WE DEVELOP OUR PROGRAM, AND SEEK THESE OPPORTUNITIES.
>> WE KNOW THAT THERE'S GRANT MONEYS AVAILABLE.
IT JUST APPEARS AS THOUGH WE'RE NOT POTENTIALLY PIERCING THAT VEIL TO GET TO THOSE AVAILABLE FUNDS SO I'M ASSUMING THAT'S THE DIRECTION YOU'RE LOOKING TO TAKE HERE IS TO PIVOT SOMEWHAT, MAYBE INCREASE STAFF POTENTIALLY IF THAT'S AT THE DIRECTION THAT'S NEEDED.
>> STRATEGY FIRST, RIGHT. WE WANT TO LAY OUT THE PROGRAMS THEN ALIGN THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND MISSION IN TERMS OF BEAUTIFICATION OF THE CITY, SAFETY, ALL THOSE AREAS THAT WE HAVE BROUGHT GOES AND STRATEGIC PLAN AND DEVELOP OUR BUDGET TO MATCH STRATEGIC PLAN AND THEN IDENTIFY FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES THAT ALIGNS WITH BOTH THE BUDGET AND STRATEGIC
PLAN. >> THERE ARE MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS REPRESENTED HERE TODAY THAT WOULD BENEFIT GREATLY FROM AN INCREASED GRANT
ACTIVITY. >> DEFINITELY AND THE -- I WOULD SAY, I MEAN, THEY WORK TREMENDOUSLY ON THE CAPITAL BUDGET, YOU'LL SEE THAT IN THE FIVE- YEAR PROGRAM.
I MEAN, WE WORK CLOSELY AS A TEAM IN ONE ROOM TOGETHER AND WE SAW THE SYNERGY AND INTERDEPENDENCE HOW CERTAIN CAPITAL PROJECTS BENEFITED THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND HAD SOME DEPARTMENTS WITH THE SAME TYPE OF PROJECT ACTIVITY AND TOOK IT OUT OF ONE AND PUT IT INTO THE OTHER SO REALLY IT'S A COLLECTIVE EFFORT FROM ALL THE CITY DEPARTMENT MANAGERS AND D.R.E.A.M.ERS TO GET INTO THE ROOM AND IDENTIFY HOW THE PROGRAM'S BEST SUPPORT THE SERVICES OF THE CITY. IRECTORS TO GET INTO THE ROOM AND IDENTIFY HOW THE PROGRAM'S BEST SUPPORT THE SERVICES OF THE CITY.
FEMA. >> GRANTS ALONG WITH THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT. >> ALONG WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. AND --
>> I THOUGHT PURCHASING WOULD -- NO?
>> I'VE SPOKEN TO THEM ABOUT THAT MAYBE THAT WILL REQUIRE AN ADDITIONAL INCIDENT BUT I'M INTO ADDING POSITIONS AS WE TALKED ABOUT FTE BUT NEED TO BE SURE THAT THEY BEING THE GRANTS TEAM HAVE THE PROPER STRUCTURE AND SUPPORT AND WE DEVELOP A PROGRAM WHERE WE HAVE A PATH FORWARD TO SEEK ADDITIONAL FUNDS AND IT'S MANAGED AS WELL AS THE CURRENT ACTIVITY WITH HUD AND REPORTING QUARTERLY FINANCIALS AND ALL THAT THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO COMPLIANCEWISE.
>> THAT'S IT AS FAR AS BUDGETWISE SO ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE --
>> I DO HAVE A QUESTION THAT'S KIND OF ALONG THE SAME VEIN HERE.
I KNOW THERE'S DISCUSSION REGARDING RISK MANAGEMENT. WHERE IS RISK MANAGEMENT GOING TO BE HOUSED AND HOW DID THAT ISSUE GET RESOLVED?
>> CURRENTLY RISK MANAGEMENT IS IN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND I ASKED THAT THE FINANCE DIRECTOR LEAVE IT IN THERE THIS WILL WE RESOLVE THAT ISSUE. AND SO HOPE SUPPLY WE'LL COME TO A RESOLUTION. IF NOT IT WILL REMAIN THERE, DEPENDS WHAT THE CITY ATTORNEY LIKES TO DO AND MY BIGGEST CONCERN ON THE COST AND ADMINISTRATIVE SIDE OF THE CHARTER THAT WE'RE PAYING FOR RISK, WE HAVE $400,000 OVER YEAR TWO AND WE'RE CLOSE TO $2 MILLION. AT SOME POINT YOU'LL COME BACK TO ME AND SAY I WANT THE SUNRISE AND ANIMAL SHELTER.
WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT THIS COST? ONCE THAT DECISION IS MADE FROM LEADERSHIP I THINK WE'LL TAKE DIFFERENT EFFORTS BUT MET WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND RISK MANAGEMENT AND HAVE ANOTHER MEETING SCHEDULED IN TWO WEEKS AND HOPEFULLY COME TO SOME RESOLUTION BUT IT'S HOUSED THERE.
IT'S GOING TO BE THERE AND THIS NEXT YEAR'S FISCAL BUDGET
[02:10:03]
BUT IF IT HAPPENS TO CHANGE WE CAN MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS AND BRING IT OVER INTO FINANCE.>> BUT IT'S IN THIS BUDGET AND IN
>> WE DISCUSSED MAKING THAT CHANGE SO THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY AS WELL.
>> IS THAT YOUR UNDERSTANDING?
>> COMMISSIONER, YES, SIR, WE HAD A MEETING LAST WEEK AND SO MY UNDERSTANDING ISES BUDGET WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AMENDED TO PUT IT BACKWARD AS CURRENTLY NOTICED IT STILL SAID HR.
AND THERE'S A MEETING SET FOR, I THINK IT'S THE 29T
THAT. >> AS WELL AS MEETING WITH RISK MANAGEMENT AND THE HR MANAGER BETWEEN NOW AND THEN TO CONTINUE OUR DISCUSSIONS.
>> I AM NOT AN EXPERT IN RISK MANAGEMENT BUT IT APPEARS TO ME LIKE WE HAVE A SEPARATION OF RESPONSIBILITIES FROM A RICK MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE, OBVIOUSLY LITIGATION AND THREATENED LITIGATION CLEARLY FALLS UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE BUT RISK MANAGEMENT IS AN HR ISSUE SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COME UP WITH A WAY TO COOK THIS UP THAT THE APPROPRIATE PEOPLE ARE GETTING EYES ON WHAT THEY NEED TO BE GETTING EYES ON. I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT SOLUTION IS BUT INTERNALLY I'M CONFIDENT YOU'LL COME UP WITH A VERY VIABLE SCENARIO HERE.
>> YEAH, AND I JUST -- I DON'T KNOW IF -- WE ARE GOING TO GO INTO THE CAP STALL PROJECTS PRESENTATIONS NOW, AND SO I JUST WANTED ITAL PROJECTS PRESENTATIONS NOW, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO ONE CONCERN ITCH ABOUT THE POLICE BUDGET WE'RE WAITING A REPORT ON THE STUDY AND SO I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THAT STUDY WAS LOOKED AT IN PREPARING THE POLICE BUDGET AND SO I'M JUST GLOBALLY LOOKING FOR THAT ANSWER AND THAT INPUT. YEAH.
>> DEPUTY CHIEF ACTUALLY, THE ACTING CHIEF HAD SAID BUT WE ACTUALLY DEVELOPED THE BUDGET, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DID DEVELOP A BUDGET WITH THAT REPORT IN
>> SO WE DID LOOK AT ASPECTS OF THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THE INCREASE IN OPERATING BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE TECHNOLOGY WE HAVE.
>> IT'S ALMOST HALF A MILLION IN OPERATING?
>> THOSE -- THE REPORT AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND WE ARE GOING TO BE COMING TO THE -- TO YOU, MADAM MAYOR AND COMMISSION NEXT MONTH WITH THE FULL RESPONSES TO THAT REPORT, BUT THIS BUDGET WAS BUILT WITH THAT REPORT IN MIND
IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. >> OKAY.
OKAY. ALL RIGHTY, SO LET'S MOVE ON.
UNLESS ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANY QUESTIONS.
>> JUST FOR THE RECORD, MADAM MAYOR, I WAS TAKING A CALL BUT I WAS READING ALL OF THE AUDIO GUYS' COMMENTS ON THE BIG SCREEN AND HEARD EVERYTHING -- I READ EVERYTHING THAT WAS SAID.
>> BEFORE WE MOVE ON, I'M JUST STICKING WITH WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THE BUDGET.
ONE OF THE SLIDES SAID THAT YOU HAD GONE THROUGH EACH DEPARTMENT HAD KIND OF STARTED AT THE BOTTOM AND RECALCULATED THEIR ENTIRE BUDGET.
THAT'S WHAT WAS IMPLIED BY ONE OF YOUR FIRST SLIDES.
JUST WALK ME THROUGH WHAT WAS DONE EACH DEPARTMENTWISE AND LIKE HOW WE ARRIVED AT SOME OF THESE FINAL NUMBERS IN DEPARTMENTS AND HOW THAT WAS.
>> WELL, AS WE ALWAYS DO, EVERY DEPARTMENT HEAD GETS THEIR BUDGET AND THEY LOOK AT BASED ON WHAT THEY'VE SPENT, WHAT PROJECTS THEY KNOW ARE UPCOMING AND THEY DRAFT THEIR PROPOSED BUDGET OR THEIR ASK WHAT THEY WANT, SO WE LOOK AT IT ONCE WE GET IT, MR. CHESS AND I AND LOOK AT HISTORICAL TRENDS BASED ON THE LAST TWO YEARS AND YEAR TO DATE WHERE THEY ARE WITH THE PROJECTION OF WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE ANTICIPATION THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, AND THAT WAY WE GET TO SEE WHERE IN SOME LINE ITEMS THERE'S OVERAGES AND THERE NEEDS TO BE ADJUSTMENT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ACTUALLY SPENDING THAT MONEY SO WE TAKE AND MOVE THAT TO DEPARTMENTS WHERE WE SEE SHORTFALLS AND THEY NEED THE MONEY OR WITH THE ANTICIPATION OF KNOWING, OKAY, WE MIGHT KNOW NEXT YEAR THERE'S SOME INCREASE IN TRAFFIC LIGHTING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND WE MIGHT NEED TO MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT TO THOSE LINE ITEMS SO WE RE- EVALUATE AND LOOK AT THE TREND AS TO WHAT'S BEING SPENT, WHAT HAS BEEN SPENT AND THEN MAKE ADJUSTMENTS BASED ON THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS BECAUSE I DON'T -- WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR PLAN IS AS THE PROJECT COSTWISE SO BEING THE EXPERTS FOR THEIR DEPARTMENTS THEY MAKE THE ADJUSTMENTS OR THE RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON THOSE AND THEN WE ADJUST ACCORDINGLY BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE HAVE, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO FUND EVERY REQUEST BUT WE FUND THEM BASED ON NEED.
[02:15:03]
YOU'LL SEE LIKE YOU SAID IN POLICE WE HAD TO DO A LOT OF EXPENDITURE COSTS AND THEN ADDRESSING A LOT OF NEEDS IN PUBLIC WORKS, BECAUSE FOR YEARS, WE HAVE DEFERRED COSTS FOR EQUIPMENT AND BUILDING MAINTENANCE AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE AND SO WE GET TO THE POINT TO WHEREAS WE DON'T FUND IT FOR YEARS THEN THE WHOLE THING COLLAPSES AND WHERE YOU WOULD HAVE SPENT $25,000 ANNUALLY, YOU HAVE TO SPEND $200,000 TO REDO THE THING SO JUST TRYING TO BECOME PROACTIVE AS OPPOSED TO REACTIVE TO THINGS, WE'RE TRYING TO ALIGN SOME EXPENSE THERE, SO PUBLIC WORKS HADN'T FOR YEARS, WE HAD EQUIPMENT DOWN THERE THAT WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, PAST USE FOR LIFE. WE WERE JUST GRATEFUL IT WAS ON AND HAD BECOME A POINT WHERE WE NEEDED TO ADDRESS IT FOR SAFETY ISSUES FOR EMPLOYEES WORKING ON THIS AS WELL, SO TAKING ALL OF THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF CAPITAL COSTS AS WELL GOING TO PUBLIC WORKS FOR PROJECTS AS WELL.
>> YEAH, I WAS VERY HAPPY TO SEE SOME OF THE INCREASES IN PUBLIC WORKS BECAUSE THAT DEFINITELY ALIGNS WITH OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, AND I DID MY RIDE ALONG WITH JASON AND REALLY EXCITED AND HAVE BIG EXPECTATIONS FOR WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE DOING WITH ALL OF THAT. THAT BEING SAID, I HAD A COUPLE IN ADMINISTRATION, THERE WAS $200,000 FOR YOUTH ACTIVITIES AND THEN IN THE ALSO NOTICED IN THE FPRA BUDGET THERE'S ANOTHER 100,000 FOR YOUTH ACTIVITIES. ALSO SAW -- I MEAN WE CAN START WITH THAT -- I DON'T KNOW.
I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT THAT IS AND 300 GRAND OF -- AISLE NOT SURE WHAT.
>> IN ADMINISTRATION? WE HAVE YOUTH ACTIVITIES, YOUTH AND CRIME ACTIVITIES OF $10,000 IN GRANTS AND AID AND ADMINISTRATION, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO?
>> PAGE -- I'VE GOT PAGE 49 IS WHAT I HAVE ON
YEP. >> UNDER GRANTS AND AIDS.
>> PAGE 49. IT'S ADMINISTRATION.
IT'S, YOU KNOW THAT APARTMENT WHERE YOU THROW A LOT OF THINGS THAT DON'T BELONG SOMEPLACE
ELSE. >> NO, THERE ARE -- I'M LOOKING AT GRANTS AND AIDS. YOUTH ACTIVITIES --
IT. >> I KNOW IT'S ON PAGE 59 IN THE FPR --
>> MR. CHESS, I ALSO SEE IT ON WHAT WAS POSTED ONLINE ON PAGE 48. UNDER ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES.
>> OPERATING EXPENSES. >> YEP.
>> THAT'S THE DEPARTMENT THAT EXPENDS THE MONEYS.
THOSE ARE THE MONEYS THAT ARE FOR THE YOUTH ACTIVITIES THAT LEISURE SERVICES EXPENDS AS PART OF THEIR OPERATING BUDGET. THAT'S WHAT THEY DO SO THEY'RE THE FIRE HAWKS, SOCCER PROGRAMS, ANY OF THE LEISURE SERVICES OR PROGRAMS THAT THE YOUTH DO THAT $10,000 THAT'S IN THE ADMIN SERVICES THAT'S MONEY USUALLY THAT THE CITY MANAGER HAS TO FUND ORGANIZATIONS THAT MAY COME AND ASK FOR FUNDING FOR PROJECTS AND SO THOSE ARE THE FUNDS THAT $10,000 GOES TO OUTSIDE AGENCIES THAT MAY COME FORTH AND SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WANTING THE CITY TO PARTNER WITH US FOR A PROGRAM SO THAT IS WHAT THAT 10,000 FOR THE -- THE 200,000 IS FOR THE OPERATION OF THE DEPARTMENT AND THE PROGRAMS THAT THEY RUN.
>> OKAY. AND THEN THE -- I WROTE DOWN I SAW 100,000.
>> IF FPRA. FPRA MAKES A CONTRIBUTION FOR YOUTH ACTIVITIES AS WELL THAT ARE IN, YOU KNOW --
>> IT WILL TRANSFER OVER INTO HELP FUND ANY LEISURE --
SERVICES. >> LEISURE SERVICES RUNS ALL OF OUR YOUTH ACTIVITY.
>> OKAY. THE -- I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF WE WANT TO GET INTO IT NOW BUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET AND THE STEP PLUS 5%.
WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD AND THE DATA I'VE SEEN TO GET OUR DEPARTMENT FUND OR SALARIES UP TO A COMPETITIVE RATE, IT WOULD BE ABOUT STEP
[02:20:02]
>> SO I'M NOT HAPPY WITH 5%. I KNOW -- I KNOW THIS IS A HOT BUTTON ISSUE AND WILL BE BROUGHT UP IN OUR NEGOTIATING WITH ALL OF THE -- WITH THE UNION AND WHATNOT, BUT THIS KIND OF IS JUST TO ME KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD A LITTLE BIT FURTHER THAN WE WERE LAST YEAR.
AND WE'RE STILL BEHIND THE EIGHT BAUM WHEN IT COMES TO OTHER AGENCIES. I KNOW IT'S A BIG PORTION OF OUR BUDGET BUT IT SHOULD BE.
AND FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, ALL OF OUR OTHER GOALS OF CLEANING UP THE CITY, DIVERSIFYING OUR TAX BASE, NONE OF THAT CAN HAPPEN UNLESS WE HAVE WELL- PAID AND WELL- FUNDED POLICE DEPARTMENT SO IT'S KIND OF SOMETHING WHERE I'M AT A POINT WHERE WE NEED TO MAKE SOME TOUGH DECISIONS TO GET THERE. I DON'T THINK 27% IS REALISTIC, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE A SCENARIO IN THIS BUDGET WHERE WE'RE AT 15 TO 17%, PLUS THE STEP ON OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT WOULD BE BUT IT'S -- WE JUST CAN'T CONTINUE DOWN THIS PATH THAT WE'RE ON.
WE'RE HALF FUNDING OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, OUR OFFICERS ARE LEAVING, THEY'RE NOT BEING PAID ENOUGH.
WE'RE NOT STAYING COMPETITIVE AND EVERY YEAR WE DON'T GET TO THAT COMPETITIVE RATE WE'RE FALLING FURTHER BEHIND WITH OTHER AGENCIES, AND THAT TO THE DETRIMENT OF OUR CITIZENS AND IF WE DON'T HAVE A WELL- FUNDED POLICE DEPARTMENT, OUR PUBLIC WORKS AND CODE ENFORCEMENT ARE MY THREE THINGS WHERE THE ONLY THREE DEPARTMENTS THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE INCREASES IN TO BE FRANK, ANY BACK OFFICE ADMINISTRATION SERVICES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT THAT ISN'T PUBLIC- FACING, I DON'T THINK WE'RE AT A POINT WHERE WE SHOULD BE INCREASING ANY OF THAT SO HOWEVER WE GET TO THAT 15% TO 17% IS UP TO YOU GUYS TO BE CREATIVE WITH BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE A SCENARIO WHERE WE GET THERE.
THE LONGER WE WAIT THE WORST WE
GET. >> WHICH THREE, PUBLIC WORKS POLICE AND CODE.
>> THOSE ARE THE THREE. THAT I'M -- WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A FOCUS ON, I GUESS, BUT --
>> I HAVE A FOLLOW- UP COMMENT/QUESTION ON THAT.
AND I'M GLAD THE SENIOR STAFF AND THE DEPARTMENT IS HERE TODAY SO THEY CAN HEAR MY QUESTION. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT DUE TO OUR SHORTFALL OF SWORN OFFICERS THAT WE'RE RUNNING SHORT ON SHIFTS, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE 15 OFFICERS, SWORN OFFICERS OUT PATROLLING WE'VE GOT 10 OR 12 POTENTIALLY, MAYBE LESS, THAT TO ME IS A HUGE CONCERN.
AS YOU WELL KNOW, MY COMMENT ON PUBLIC SAFETY IS THAT IS OUR NUMBER ONE JOB HERE AS A CITY COMMISSION. HAVING SAID THAT, WHERE IS THE MONEY TREE THAT IT COMES FROM BUT THAT IS MY FOLLOW-UP QUESTION. I'VE LONG THOUGHT THAT I KNOW EACH DEPARTMENT IS AN COMES OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND, HOWEVER, I BELIEVE AT THIS POINT IN TIME WE'RE ABOUT 20 POSITIONS SHORT OF SWORN OFFICERS FOR THE DEPARTMENT. THAT'S A LARGE CACHE OF PAYROLL. IF THAT MONEY IS STILL SITTING IN THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH I GUESS WOULD BE THE QUESTION, HAS THAT FUNDS BE REALLOCATED TO OTHER NEEDS IN THE BUDGET OR IS THAT MONEY STILL AVAILABLE TO BE POTENTIALLY DEDICATED TOWARDS WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING, COMMISSIONER TAYLOR FROM FISCAL YEAR '25?
>> WELL, AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR IT GOES BACK TO GENERAL FUND.
AND THE THING IS, WE BE THEN FUNDING AND REOCCURRING OUR ONGOING EXPEND WITH ONE- TIME REVENUE.
>> SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHERE THAT PLAYS INTO AND THE PROBLEM WITH THAT, YOU INCREASE IT WITH NO ONGOING
REVENUE. >> NO FUNDING REVENUE
KNOW. >> BUT IT GIVES YOU A PLACE TO START, RIGHT? COMING OUT OF THE GATE, IF THIS IS THE DIRECTION THAT THIS COMMISSION WANTED TO GO.
I DO SHARE YOUR CONCERNS. WITHOUT A SAFE CITY, WE HAVE NO BASIS ON WHICH TO DO ANYTHING.
AND IT CONCERNS ME THAT WE HAVE SOME TYPE OF DRAMATIC EVENT IN THE CITY THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE OFFICERS ON PATROL THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS IT. AS SIMPLE AS THAT.
I MEAN, IF WE'RE RUNNING 15 OFFICERS ON THE ROAD PER SHIFT AND WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING NINE OR TEN, YOU DO THE MATH. THIS DOESN'T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE, AND I'M WILLING TO BET IF WE ASK THE CHIEF TO COMMENT ON IT, THAT WOULD BE HIS
[02:25:01]
COMMENTARY WE ARE SHORT- SHIFTING OR PAYING OVERTIME TO DEBT PEOPLE ON SHIFT OR WE ARE WEIGH STEALING FROM OTHER AREAS TO COMPENSATE THAT.I DO SHARE YOUR CONCERNS, I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER TO THAT BUT IT WOULD APPEAR AS THOUGH THERE ARE SOME FUND AS VALUABLE TO POTENTIALLY MITIGATE THE COST DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN WHAT WE'RE PAYING NOW AND WHAT MARKET RATE IS. IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WHO PAYS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE IS UNDERSTAFFED AS WELL.
>> THEY'RE HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME GETTING SWORN
DEPUTIES. >> AND THEY'RE INCREASING, TRYING TO INCREASE THEIR PAY
TOO. >> YEAH, WELL, THEY INCREASED -- THEIR INCREASE IN THEIR BUDGET IS MORE THAN OUR POLICE BUDGET, JUST THE INCREASE THEY'RE REQUESTING IS 22 MILLION. OUR ENTIRE BUDGET IS 20 FOR FISCAL YEAR '26. THE NUMBERS DON'T MAKE ANY SENSE BUT I UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT, COMMISSIONER TAYLOR, AND I SHARE YOUR CONCERNS.
THERE MUST BE SOME TYPE OF STRATEGY WE CAN COMMENCE -- START TO DEPLOY TO CORRECT THIS.
SORRY, MADAM MAYOR. >> GO AHEAD.
>> SO THERE'S -- I MEAN, JUST A FEW -- COUPLE AREAS WE CAN LOOK AT. I MEAN, I KNOW -- CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT THE INCREASE IN OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE I.T. DEPARTMENT WE'RE AT 264,000 ROUGHLY. THAT'S KIND OF A DEPARTMENT THAT'S KIND OF FLAGGED TO ME IN MY ANALYSIS OF THE BUDGET.
THERE'S QUITE A FEW EMPLOYEES IN THERE AND I THINK THEY WERE MOVING AROUND SOME -- I THINK IT WAS A NET STAYING THE SAME AS FAR AS EMPLOYEES, BUT THERE WAS -- IT LOOKED LIKE SOME SHUFFLING AROUND WITH TITLES AND WHATEVER. BUT THAT'S 13 EMPLOYEES IN OUR I.T. DEPARTMENT. I KNOW THAT INCLUDES OUR COMMUNICATION PEOPLE, THOUGH.
SO IT'S THESE KIND OF I.T. DEPARTMENT, ADMINISTRATION, OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT, IT'S THOSE ARE THOSE INTERIOR SERVICE DEPARTMENTS WHERE I DON'T THINK WE'RE GETTING THE BEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK THIS THOSE DEPARTMENTS.
>> I THINK IT'S THOSE AREAS WHERE WE NEED TO LOOK AT INTERNAL SERVICE WHERE THEY'RE HERE TO SERVICE OUR DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE WE'VE GOT -- IF YOU TAKE OUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WE'RE AT LIKE 288 EMPLOYEES.
IN THE CITY WITH THE I.T. DEPARTMENT SERVICING THAT MANY PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY DON'T COVER THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THAT FEELS LIKE A PRETTY BIG RATIO AND I DON'T EVEN HAVE WI-FI IN MY OFFICE.
SO I THINK THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES.
I KNOW I.T. FEELS LIKE -- I KNOW IT'S A NECESSARY EVIL AND WE INCREASE IT EVERY YEAR, BUT I FEEL LIKE THERE'S SOME OPPORTUNITIES THERE THAT COSTS HAVE TO BE LOOKED AT AND WHAT WE'RE SPENDING ON SOFTWARE MAINTENANCE AND ALL OF THIS, THERE'S -- I SAW ANOTHER $200,000 SOMEWHERE IN ANOTHER BUDGET FOR SOFTWARE I THINK IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE. IN ADDITION TO THE 3.5 MILLION WE HAVE IN I.T. TOGETHER ALREADY. BUT I'M NOT SAYING I HAVE THE ANSWERS AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S THE ANSWER AND WHETHER YOU BELIEVE IT OR NOT, FORT PIERCE HAS A REPUTATION PROBLEM, AND THE WAY TO FIX THAT IS OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
BECAUSE THAT'S THE BIGGEST DETRIMENT THAT WE HAVE AND WHETHER YOU THINK IT'S TRUE OR NOT BECAUSE I DON'T, I DON'T THINK IT'S TRUE, BUT IT STILL EXISTS AND I THINK WE'RE -- WE CAN'T KEEP CONTINUING DOWN THIS PATH, WE HAVE TO MAKE SOME TOUGH DECISIONS AND I THINK WE GOT TO START MAKING CUTS IN OTHER AREAS SO WE CAN FULLY FUND OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. AND TO YOUR POINT, YOU CAN'T EVEN HIRE PEOPLE AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THEY'RE MAKING 27% MORE THAN THEY ARE HERE, SO HOW CAN WE BE EXPECTED TO FILL OUR POSITIONS IF WE CONTINUE DOWN THIS DEFICIT AND EVERY YEAR WE DON'T DO IT, THE WORSE IT GETS BECAUSE --
>> THE NUMBER OF VACANCIES KEEPS GROWING.
>> RIGHT. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER IS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE PERJURY PAY FOR OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET HOWEVER WE ACCOMPLISH THAT, I THINK WE JUST GOT TO MAKE IT WORK, I MEAN.
>> IT HAS TO BE TAKEN AWAY FROM SOMEPLACE ELSE.
WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHERE IT CAN BE TAKEN FROM SOME OTHER
INCREASE. >> YEAH, MADAM MAYOR, SO, THOUGH, I CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT THE COMMISSIONER IS
[02:30:03]
SAYING, WE -- JUST LAST YEAR WHEN WE WERE FACED WITH THIS, WE LOOKED AT OTHER ALTERNATIVES TO BRING IN OTHER INCOME, AND THAT NEVER GOT EXPLORED TO MY UNDERSTANDING -->> ACTUAL TAX OF -- IMPACT. IT WAS AN IMPACT SPECIFICALLY FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT SO I DON'T KNOW BUT I THINK WE, YOU KNOW, EVERY BUDGET, EVERY DIRECTOR, I THINK, UNDERSTANDS THAT THEY NEED TO BE VERY JUDICIOUS WITH THEIR MONEYS AND WE'RE GOING TO SCRUTINIZE EVERY CENT OF THAT BUT 200,000 THERE, 100,000 THERE ISN'T GOING TO GET US TO THE MILLION WE NEED PLUS BECAUSE I NEED TO START WITH THAT. SO IF YOU'RE GOING TO FORECAST 15, WHAT IS THAT NUMBER? WHAT DO WE NEED TO COME UP WITH AS FAR AS MONEYS AND THEN WE LOOKED AT -- BECAUSE WE NEVER PURSUED TO MY KNOWLEDGE THAT IMPACT FEE PARTICULARLY FOR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS, THAT WAS ONE AVENUE THAT WE WERE GOING TO LOOK AT.
SPECIFICALLY FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, THOSE MONEYS WOULD BE SET ASIDE JUST FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
I THINK WE SHOULD START THERE. I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT. THE OTHER ASPECT IS THAT I AGREE, THIS IS A GLOBAL THING, JUST THE OTHER DAY ANOTHER COUNTY FACED THIS WITH THEIR SHERIFF DEPARTMENT AND THE SHERIFF WAS THERE. OUR SHERIFF IS HERE PLEADING OUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT IS HERE ASKING. SO IT'S UP AND DOWN THE TREASURE COAST AND I AGREE WE HAVE TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE -- DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROVIDE SAFETY AND PROTECTION FOR THE CITIZENS OF FORT PIERCE. I THINK WE HAVE TO START WITH THE REVENUE SIDE. WHAT CAN WE CREATE AND THERE ARE TWO PATHWAYS. WE INCREASE OUR MILLAGE OR WE INCREASE OR WE HAVE SOME TYPE OF IMPACT FEE OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH.
>> CUTS. >> PERHAPS, RIGHT, BUT I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM BEING -- LOOKING AT THE BUDGET AND SCRUTINIZING AND QUESTIONING AND ASKING FOR FURTHER JUSTIFICATION, I HAVE NO PROBLEMS WITH THAT. THAT'S JUST BUDGET HOUSEHOLD STUFF. I GET THAT.
BUT IN MY MIND UNTIL SOMEBODY GIVES ME A NUMBER, 200,000 AIN'T GOING TO GET US THERE.
I THINK WE NEED MILLIONS. SOMEBODY'S GOT TO HELP ME WITH THAT, THAT NUMBER, I GOT TO KNOW WHAT THE NUMBER IS AND I THINK WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
>> MISS MORRIS, YOU'RE RECOMMENDING OR THE CITY MANAGER AND YOU, WHOEVER, ARE RECOMMENDING A 5% INCREASE FOR EMPLOYEES.
>> HOW MUCH IS -- HOW MUCH IS THE 5% INCREASE?
>> 1.4 MILLION -- WELL, THAT INCLUDED POLICE AS
RIGHT. >> IT WAS A TOTAL COST OF ABOUT $1.4 MILLION.
>> I JUST WANT TO INTERJECT THAT THE FPUA IS RECOMMENDING 3.
INCREASE. >> THAT'S IN LINE WITH
>> SO, AND THE -- SO TO ME THAT IS SOMETHING THAT COULD BE PLAYED WITH, ALSO THE ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL THAT IS RECOMMENDED THIS YEAR IS SOMETHING ELSE THAT COULD BE PLAYED WITH, CUTS, SO I THINK WE -- I CERTAINLY AGREE WITH YOU THAT THE POLICE AND THE PUBLIC WORKS -- PUBLIC WORKS HAS BEEN JUST KIND OF TRUDGING ALONG YEAR AFTER YEAR AND I THINK THAT IT NEEDS SOME ATTENTION AND I THINK -- BECAUSE IT'S A FRONT- FACING FOR OUR CITY AND WE -- AND ONE OF OUR -- I WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT THE STRATEGIC PLAN, AND ONE OF OUR HIGH PRIORITIES IS A BEAUTIFUL CITY, AND ALSO BECAUSE I WANTED TO SEE DOES THIS BUDGET ALIGN WITH WHAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE IN TERMS OF THAT WE SAID IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN? AND SO -- AND CODE ENFORCEMENT IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK NEEDS SOME ATTENTION BUT ALSO NEEDS SOME WORK, AND ONE OF THE PROBLEMS I THINK WITH IS THAT THERE HAS BEEN KIND OF WRAPPED UP ALSO WITH ANIMAL CONTROL, AND THAT KIND OF -- SO IT'S TRUE CODE ENDORSEMENT NATURE MAY BE SOMETIMES DOESN'T GET -- REACH ITS FULL POTENTIAL. BUT I AGREE -- WELL, I SAID AT THE OUTSET I DON'T LIKE THE SUBSTANCE AND I DON'T LIKE THE OPTICS OF REDUCING THE POLICE BUDGET.
>> ALL RIGHT, I'M GOING TO CHIME IN ON THIS. TO MY COLLEAGUES AND THIS IS
[02:35:04]
WHERE I STAND, I HEARD I.T. DEPARTMENT, EVERYTHING IN THIS DAY AND AGE IS GOING I.T. YOU TALK ABOUT I.T.WE JUST IMPLEMENTED A NEW SYSTEM IN WHAT IS -- WHAT IS THAT SYSTEM CALLED? THE TYLER SYSTEM.
WE KNEW WHEN WE BOUGHT IT IT WOULD NEED UPGRADES SO I MEAN, SO YOU'RE NOT GOING TO MISS I.T.
UNTIL OUR STUFFER GO DOWN AND THEN WE'LL BE SCRAMBLING ABOUT I.T. I HEARD FINANCE DEPARTMENT, WE JUST RAVED HOW GREAT THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT IS DOING, CUTTING THE DEBT, SO I'LL LEAVE THAT THERE BUT LET ME SAY THIS AND, MADAM MAYOR, YOU TALKED ON IT, I'M NOT AGAINST GIVING MORE MONEY TO THE POLICE, BUT I'M TELLING YOU FROM MY CHAIR, IF IT'S NOT -- IF PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEES ARE NOT MATCHED OR SOMEWHERE VERY CLOSE TO WHAT MONEY WE GIVE TO THE POLICE, THEY WATCH, THEY SIT BACK AND WATCHED LAST YEAR AND THEY'RE WATCHING NOW, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A MASS EXODUS OF EMPLOYEES LEAVING OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THEY'RE FEELING DISRESPECTED. I'M TELLING YOU WHAT THEY'RE TELLING ME. I'M TELLING YOU WHAT I KNOW.
SO IF WE'RE PREPARED TO GIVE 15% AND DON'T GIVE PUBLIC WORKS ANY MORE MONEY, BE PREPARED FOR A CRISIS IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE WHEN WE DON'T HAVE PUBLIC WORKS TO BE DRIVING THESE BRAND- NEW TRUCKS OR THESE LEASED TRUCKS OR GOING OUT AND PICKING UP AND DOING EVERYTHING THAT MAKES OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY ON OUR STRATEGIC PLAN WAS A BEAUTIFUL CITY.
THAT WAS OUR NUMBER ONE, THE FIVE OF US, NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
I'M TELLING YOU THEY ARE READY TO WALK.
AND IF YOU FIND -- IF YOU'RE FINE WITH THEM WALKING SAYING WE CAN GO OUT AND HIRE SOMEBODY ELSE, TO DO THEIR JOB, YOU GO RIGHT AHEAD AND SEE HOW EASY IT IS FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.
THE FIRST THING YOU GO TO WHEN YOU GO TO A CITY WHEN YOU GO ON A VACATION IS THE FIRST THING YOU SEE IS HOW BEAUTIFUL OR HOW CLEAN THE CITY IS.
THAT'S THE FIRST THING YOU LOOK FOR.
AND THEY SAT BACK LAST YEAR. THEY DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING. IF YOU HAVEN'T GONE AND SPOKEN TO THE INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEES, I ADVISE ALL FOUR OF US, THE FIVE OF YOU GUYS, THE FOUR OF YOU GUYS TO GO TALK TO THEM, SO IF WE FIND MONEY FOR THE POLICE, THAT'S FINE, LET'S DO IT.
HOWEVER, IF WE DON'T FIND THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR PUBLIC WORKS, LET'S GET READY FOR A MASS EXODUS AND DEALING WITH THAT PROBLEM OF NOT KEEPING THE CITY CLEAN. I'M TELLING YOU IT'S COMING.
SO, THAT IS WHERE WE ARE AND I AGREE WITH -- I AGREE WITH -- I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, $200,000, $300,000 IS NOT GOING TO SOLVE THIS ISSUE. IT'S NOT, SO IF YOU WANT TO GO IN AND SHOW ANYBODY WANT TO SHOW ME WHERE WE CAN GET MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, THAT'S FINE. EVERYBODY UP HERE WANTS TO BE, LET'S HELP THE POLICE, LET'S LOVE THE POLICE, OKAY, CHANGE THE MILLAGE RATE. TELL THE TAXPAYERS YOU WANT THIS INCREASE, WE GOT TO ASK FOR MORE TAXES.
IF Y'ALL WANT TO HAVE -- LET'S STOP KICKING IT DOWN THE ROAD AND HAVE THESE DISCUSSION, OUR BUDGET DOES NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO FUND EVERYTHING THAT WE WANT TO FUND. WHAT I'M TELLING YOU NOW IF WE GIVE MONEY TO THE POLICE IN AN INCREASE AND THAT INCREASE IS NOT TO THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND THEIR EMPLOYEES WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A MASS EXODUS. I'M TELLING YOU, THEY ARE READY TO WALK BECAUSE THEY'RE FEELING DISRESPECTED.
>> MADAM MAYOR, I JUST HAD A QUICK QUESTION FOR THIS.
YOU JUST THREW OUT A NUMBER WHEN MADAM MAYOR ASKED YOU I THINK IT WAS 1. 5 TO FUND THE 5% PLUS THE STEP, SO THAT'S ALL TOGETHER SO WHATEVER STEP PROGRAMS THAT THE OFFICERS WILL BE STEPPING INTO, THAT IS INCLUDED IN THAT
1.5 MILLION. >> RIGHT, IT'S BASED ON THE STEP THAT WAS APPROVED LAST YEAR.
>> OKAY, SO WE KNOW WHAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE BASED ON THAT, THAT WAS, I GUESS, WITH THE UNION THEY AGREED ON IT SO THIS YEAR WE'RE FUNDING THAT AT THE LIVE OF 1.5 MILLION, RIGHT?
>> TOTAL, MOVING FROM ONE STEP TO THE
OTHER. >> SO PEOPLE WILL BE MOVING UP AND THEY'LL MOVE UP IN THEIR
ADDITIONAL. >> THEN GET AN ADDITIONAL 5% ON TOP OF THAT.
>> OKAY, ALL RIGHT, I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY AND MAKE SURE THE PUBLIC UNDERSTOOD THAT BUT YET AND STILL I THINK WHERE WE ARE THE SUGGESTION IS STEP PLUS 15, IS THAT WHAT I HEARD?
[02:40:04]
>> 15 TO 17 IS WHAT I HEARD, OKAY.
ALL RIGHT. AND THEN WE -- HAVE WE RUN THE NUMBERS ON THAT YET? DO WE HAVE ANY -- I'M SURE PROBABLY KIND OF CAUGHT YOU OFF GUARD --
>> I DID HAVE STAFF. I DON'T HAVE IT WITH ME AND AS WE WERE PREPARING I HAD STAFF GO AS LARGE AS 10%, I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS IN FRONT OF ME BUT THAT INFORMATION HAS BEEN LOOKED
AT. >> YOU DO HAVE ACCESS TO WHAT IT WOULD BE IF IT WAS 10% PLUS
>> DID IT DOUBLE? IS IT SAFE TO ASSUME IF IT WAS 1.5 --
MILLION. >> WITH A MILLION NUMBERS IN MY HEAD I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY.
IT WAS A NUMBER I LOOKED AT AND I KNEW UNLESS WE DO A MILLAGE RATE SPECIFICALLY TO ADDRESS IT, I KNEW IT WAS SOMETHING THAT, LIKE YOU SAID, WE COULDN'T CUT ENOUGH IF WE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE OUT QUITE A BIT, ALL OF THE CAPITAL AND ANYTHING A LOT OF OTHER THINGS AS WELL.
>> WE'RE AT 6. 9 NOW SO WHAT WOULD A MILLAGE RATE --
>> I KNOW WE ADDRESSED THIS LAST YEAR AND WE EVALUATED THE MILLAGE RATES AS WELL.
I WOULD HAVE TO PULL THAT INFORMATION TO --
>> I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE ARE. THIS IS AN EXERCISE, I THINK, SO THAT AND GIVING COMMISSIONER GAINES CONCERNS SO IF WE'RE MOVING THIS HAVE WE EVEN CONSIDERED WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH PUBLIC WORKS BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WHAT IS PROPOSED FOR PUBLIC WORKS I THINK WE SAW 5% ACROSS, BUT THAT'S ALL CITY EMPLOYEES AND SO FOR EXERCISE PURPOSES, IF, YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT AS RUN ALL THE NUMBERS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH A GLOBAL NUMBER, AND THAT -- AS I SAID EARLIER, THESE AREN'T HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, THESE ARE MILLIONS, WE'RE ALREADY AT 1. 5 AT A 5% PLUS STEP.
IF YOU DOUBLE THAT AND NOW WE GOT TO ADD PUBLIC WORKS ON TO THAT WHICH I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE WE PUT THIS IN OUR PLAN, ENJOY OUR CITY, CLEAN CITY, BEAUTIFUL CITY, ALL OF THAT IS HERE. WE HAVE TO HAVE ALL OF THESE COMPONENTS.
>> SAFETY IS IN THERE TOO. WE GOT TO HAVE THE GLOBAL NUMBER. I CAN'T HAVE STAFF COME BACK WITHOUT THAT GLOBAL NUMBER SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A REAL CONVERSATION WITH THE PUBLIC.
AND I THINK THERE ARE A COUPLE OF PATHWAYS THERE.
I'M STILL GOING BACK, MR. CHESS, YOU WEREN'T HERE BUT WE TALKED ABOUT THIS LAW IMPACT FEE PARTICULARLY AS OUR WESTERN CORRIDOR DEVELOPS IN COMMERCIAL, THAT WAS A REAL PLAUSIBLE OPPORTUNITY THAT I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO BRING FORTH IN THIS BUDGET LOOK AND I'D LIKE TO HAVE THAT BACK ON THE TABLE AND THEN I THINK OBVIOUSLY WE WILL LOOK AT THE MILLAGE RATE. THAT'S WHERE I'M AT.
>> WE HAVE THE BENEFIT OF HAVING OUR ACTING CHIEF HERE.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR HIM. CAN WE HAVE HIM COME UP TO ANSWER A QUESTION.
>> CHIEF, THANKS FOR COMING IN TODAY.
>> OBVIOUSLY WE HAVEN'T ASKED YOU FOR ANY ANALYTICS BUT AN OFF THE CUFF QUESTION.
THE DELTA BETWEEN THE 2025 AND 2026 BUDGET IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING THIS MORNING AND CALCULATE INTO THE 2026 BUDGET IS REPLACING OR FILLING THE 20 VACANCIES OF SWORN OFFICERS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN EXISTENCE WITH MIDLEVEL OF PAY INSTEAD OF HIGHER END PAY. IT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF THAT DIFFERENTIAL IN THE BUDGET FROM I THINK IT'S 23 MILLION IN 2025, GIVE OR TAKE, 20 MILLION IN CHANGE IN 2026. THE QUESTION I'M POSING AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER, YOU CAN TELL ME THAT, OKAY, I'M NOT LOOKING TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT.
IF WE'RE CARRYING 20 UNFILLED SWORN OFFICER POSITIONS , THERE'S A CERTAIN NUMBER ATTACHED TO EACH ONE OF THOSE POSITIONS, DO WE NEED 20 MORE SWORN OFFICERS IN YOUR OPINION AT THIS
BUT THE LIKELIHOOD OF FILLING THOSE 20 POSITIONS AT OUR PRESENT PAY STRUCTURE IS VERY UNLIKELY. WE'RE STRUGGLING JUST TO MAINTAIN WHAT WE HAVE NOW.
>> WELL, IT APPEARS TO ME THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE AN EROSION OF THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS. LAST TIME I HAD TALKED I THINK LAST YEAR WHEN WE WERE TRACKING THIS DURING NEGOTIATIONS WE WERE SHORT 12.
AND IT JUMPED TO 15. LATEST REPORT IS IT'S AT 20.
SO THIS PROBLEM IS BECOMING EXACERBATED BY AS MORE TIME GOES ON AND PAY SCALES DON'T CHANGE. I'M JUST GOING TO ASK YOU TO USE YOUR CRYSTAL BALL IF COMMISSIONER TAYLOR'S THEORY WAS TO BE ADOPTED BY THE COMMISSION, DO YOU THINK THAT
[02:45:02]
BASED ON THE GLOBAL SHORTFALL OF PEOPLE WANTING TO SERVE IN POLICE AND SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENTS, IS THAT GOING TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON THAT SHORTFALL OF SHORNOFFICER. >> YES, THAT WOULD HAVE AN IMPACT. WE WOULD START ATTRACTING MORE PEOPLE FROM THE LOCAL ACADEMY AND RETAINING THE OFFICERS THAT WE HAVE NOW.
>> OKAY, SO THERE'S NO COST SAVINGS TO BE GENERATED BY REDUCTION IN SIZE OF FORCE. WE JUST NEED TO FIND THE MONEY TO PAY A PREVAILING WAGE.
>> CORRECT, AND I DO UNDERSTAND THAT IS A CHALLENGE.
>> WELL, YOU HAVE A DEPARTMENT YOU NEED TO RUN, AND AS I WAS ALLUDING TO EARLIER I'M ASSUMING NOT THAT I WANT THIS OUT IN THE PUBLIC VENUE THAT WE'RE RUNNING SHORT ON STAFFING SHIFTS.
>> WE'RE COMPENSATING WITH OVERTIME.
WHICH IS NOT A GREAT BUSINESS MODEL.
>> IT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE, OBVIOUSLY.
YOU'VE ANSWERED MY QUESTIONS. I'M NOT SURE IF THERE ARE ANY OTHERS. THANK YOU FOR --
>> YOU'RE ALSO GOING TO FACTOR IN -- I KNOW LAST YEAR WAS ABOUT COST US ABOUT $100,000 TO BRING ON A NEW --
>> APPROXIMATELY WITH THE TRAINING COSTS AND THEN THERE'S TIME FOR THAT OFFICER TO BECOME
PROFICIENT. >> YEAH, SO YOU FACTOR THAT IN, EVEN WHEN WE ARE BRINGING IN FIVE NEW OFFICERS FOR THE YEAR WE'RE LOSING FIVE AT THE SAME TIME SO IF WE CAN STOP THAT BLEEDING WHERE WE'RE STILL RECRUITING THEM AND SPENDING THAT $100,000 BUT THEY'RE STAYING FOR LONGER THAN TWO OR THREE YEARS BECAUSE AS SOON AS THEY GET -- OUR STARTING PAY IS
COMPETITIVE. >> IT'S A LITTLE LESS THAN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
>> A LITTLE LESS THAN COMPETITIVE BUT IT'S THAT LIKE TWO TO THREE YEAR, FOUR YEAR, FIVE-YEAR PERIOD IT STARTS TO FALL OFF THEN WE'RE LOSING THEM.
>> I'LL COME BACK TO MY ORIGINAL COMMENT OF THIS DELTA BETWEEN WHERE WE ARE FUNDING FOR '25 AND WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT PROJECTING FOR '26. IS THAT NUMBER APPROXIMATELY 3 MILLION IS THEIVE ENSHALL?
>> IT WAS -- LAST YEAR'S BUDGET WAS 21 MILLION.
>> ALL RIGHT, SO I GOT A FICTITIOUS NUMBER STUCK IN MY HEAD. A MILLION BUCKS IN PAYROLL DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN PROJECTED NEW HIRES AND RETIRING OFFICERS WHO ARE AT A HIGHER WAGE.
2.5%. >> THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
WELL, THAT DOESN'T FIX THE PROBLEM, OKAY.
>> ALSO TO CLARIFY THAT, 1.5 MILLION IS THAT YOU PUT IN FOR THE 5%. THAT'S THE ENTIRE CITY, NOT JUST THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
>> SO IT WOULDN'T BE DOUBLE THAT FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
BUT I MEAN IF WE CAN INCLUDE PUBLIC WORKS BUT --
>> THAT'S ALSO A POTENTIAL AREA OF COST SAVINGS IF WE DIAL THAT COST OF LIVING INCREASE INTO A TRUE CPI NUMBER, WHICH APPARENTLY IS WHAT FPUA IS DOING AT 3.5. JOHNNA IS INDICATING RECENT -- SHE PROBABLY CALLED IT UP IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS RUNNING 3.4, 3.5, EASY ENOUGH TO CHECK BUT THERE'S A DELTA -- THERE'S A COST SAVINGS THERE, YOU KNOW, 1. 5% IS APPROXIMATELY, WHAT, 15% OF THE OVERALL PAY INCREASE WHICH IS 1. 5 SO YOU'RE SAYING A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS BY DROPPING IT TO 3.5%. RIGHT AROUND THERE.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE -- THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN SINCE I'VE BEEN MAYOR WORKING WITH STAFF, IT'S BEEN THE THIRD RAIL IS THAT YOU DON'T GIVE INCREASES TO ONE DEPARTMENT OVER ANOTHER. THAT IS WHY THE MUNICIPALITIES AND GOVERNMENT ENTITIES FOR THE MOST PART GIVE ACROSS THE BOARD
INCREASES. >> COMMISSIONER GAINES' ANALYSIS OF THE SITUATION IS
SPOT ON. >> YEAH, YOU -- SO IF WE WERE TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO, OBVIOUSLY TO -- WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND -- WE MIGHT AS A CITY HAVE TO FACE THAT WE INJURE TREAT ONE DEPARTMENT DIFFERENTLY -- I'M NOT RECOMMENDING THAT, I'M JUST SAYING THAT IS -- THAT IS SAG THAT WE'VE NEVER DONE AND THAT IT DOES CAUSE MORALE PROBLEMS AND --
>> AND IT'S -- IN PRIVATE INDUSTRY YOU CAN DO WHAT YOU WANT BECAUSE IT'S NOT ALL PUBLIC RECORD BUT WHEN EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT EVERYBODY MAKES, IT'S NOT -- IT CAUSES -- IT CAUSES MANY PROBLEMS, SO --
>> WE KNOW PERFECT EXAMPLE TO COMMISSIONER GAINES' POINT,
[02:50:01]
AND I AM ADVOCATING WITH COMMISSIONER GAINES IN THIS SCENARIO IS THAT WE HAD TO DO AN EMERGENCY ADJUSTMENT FOR OUR TRASH TRUCK DRIVERS BECAUSE THEY WERE BEING HIJACKED AWAY BY THE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY RIGHT DOWN THE STREET AND IF WE HADN'T DONE THAT, WE GOT THESE GREAT TRUCKS AND NOBODY TO RUN THEM.YOU KNOW, SO WE HAD TO STATUTE THAT AS A ONE- OFF TO TRY TO SOLVE THAT SHORT- TERM PROBLEM. SO YOUR CONCERNS, COMMISSIONER GAINES, BOTH COMMISSIONER TAYLOR AND COMMISSIONER GAINES HAVE LEGITIMATE CORE ISSUES THAT WE NEED DO ADDRESS.
THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT IT, AND IF THAT'S -- I DON'T WANT TO SAY IT BUT I WILL, IF THAT'S A MILLAGE RATE INCREASE, THEN THAT'S -- IT'S SUICIDAL AND THE HEAT INTEREST THAT WILL BE MASSIVE BUT IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE THE CORRECT CALL THAT WE HAVE PROPER OPERATIONS IN THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE.
>> MADAM MAYOR AND COMMISSIONER BRODERICK, YOU SAID -- YOU SAID IT WILL BE A HOT BUTTON ISSUE.
>> YEAH. >> IT HAD HE 'D BE A HOT BUTTON ISSUE FOR ME AND
YOU. >> YOUR TRASH ISN'T BEING PICKED UP AND POLICE CAN'T RESPOND TO A CALL BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE SUFFICIENT STAFF ON THE
CORRECT. >> THOSE ARE JUST AS HOT BUTTON ISSUES AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.
>> CORRECT, SO, AGAIN, LET'S JUST -- BEFORE I GET A THOUSAND EMAILS, I'VE TALKED TO THE POLICE, WE HAD MEETINGS AND I'VE TALKED TO CHIEF. BEFORE I GET A THOUSAND EMAILS, I AM NOT ANTI-POLICE. HOWEVER, I HAVE OTHER CITY EMPLOYEES WHO ARE SITTING BACK WATCHING AND FEELING DISRESPECTED. I'M JUST TELLING YOU WHAT I'M BEING TOLD. SO, I DON'T HAVE THE MAGIC WAND TO GO OUT AND FIND THIS MONEY.
IF I HAD THAT MAGIC WAND, I WOULD JUST BID MY SERVICES OUT TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER FROM ALL THE CITIES AROUND THE WORLD AND SAY, OKAY, I MEAN, LET ME GO TO YOUR FINANCING WITH THE MAGIC WAND. I DON'T HAVE THAT, HOWEVER, WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS, WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS, LET'S BE REALISTIC, THERE ARE OTHER DEPARTMENTS, NOW I'M HEARING, OKAY, 5% IS 1. 5% OVER WHAT THE 3. 5 -- ALL YEAR LONG ALL WE'VE HEARD IS HOW HARD OUR STAFF BEEN WORKING, HOW HARD THE CITY EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN WORKING, HOW EVERYBODY BEEN WORKING. SO NOW WE WANT TO TAKE THAT FROM THEM. GUYS, WE CAN'T KEEP TREATING OUR CITY EMPLOYEES THE WAY WE ARE.
EVERYBODY IN THIS CITY HALL AND EVERYBODY THAT WEARS A CITY OF FORT PIERCE SHIRT WORKS HARD.
EVERYBODY. AND IF THEY'RE NOT WORKING HARD, IF THEY'RE NOT WORKING HARD FROM WHAT I'M SEEING FROM OUR THREE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS THAT THEY'VE BEEN PUT ON NOTICE THAT, HEY, SHAPE UP OR SHIP OUT.
THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
SO, LET'S -- THIS IS A BUDGET DISCUSSION, SO IF WE'RE GOING TO GO 10%, IF WE'RE GOING TO GO TO 15%, I NEED TO SEE THE SAME THING TO THESE OTHER MEN AND WOMEN OUT THERE IN THE STREETS EVERY DAY, KEEPING OUR CITY CLEAN.
DON'T TAKE THESE PEOPLE 5% AWAY FROM THEM, THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS. DON'T DO THAT.
JUST LET'S NOT EVEN GO DOWN THAT ROUTE SO IF IT'S A MILLAGE RATE, IF IT'S WHAT COMMISSIONER -- COMMISSIONER JOHNSON --
>> IMPACT FEES, WHATEVER IT WAS, LET'S LOOK AT THAT AND HOWEVER WE WRITE IT, IF WE GO IMPACT FEES, MAKE SURE HOWEVER WE WRITE IT THAT ALL THAT MONEY GO TO WHERE IT'S SUPPOSED TO GO TO, THE POLICE.
I DON'T WANT US TO COME BACK AND WE GET AN IMPACT FEE AND WE GET A WINDFALL AND, WHOO, WAIT A MINUTE.
AND THEN, NO, LET IT GO TO THE POLICE IF THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, BUT EITHER WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT, WHAT, THREE TIMES THIS YEAR, ABOUT THIS IMPACT FEE AND ALL THIS OTHER STUFF ABOUT THE POLICE, SOMEBODY BRING IT IN FRONT OF US AND VOTE ON IT AND LET'S PUT IT IN PLAY AND THEN WE WON'T HAVE THIS DISCUSSION. WE WON'T BE TALKING ABOUT HE NEEDS MONEY, THE CHIEF NEEDS MONEY TO HIRE PEOPLE. NOW, I GOT A QUESTION, CHIEF, I UNDERSTAND YOUR STARTING SALARY WILL INCREASE MORE OFFICERS.
WHAT IS THE DYNAMIC THAT I'M HEARING TODAY THAT EVEN OUR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT -- IS OUR STARTING SALARY HIGHER THAN THE SHERIFF AND COULD THEY -- I JUST HEARD THEY CAN'T RECRUIT, THEY CAN'T RECRUIT DEPUTIES EITHER SO WHAT AM I MISSING? WE'RE LOWER.
OUR STARTING SALARY IS LOWER THAN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND FAR LOWER THAN THE PORT ST. LUCIE POLICE DEPARTMENT
[02:55:03]
AND THEN AS THE STEP GOES UP, THAT DISPARITY GROWS, SO WHEN YOU START TO HIT THAT FOUR OR FIVE-YEAR MARK AND UP, IT'S NOT COMPARABLE SO THERE'S NO INCENTIVE FOR AN OFFICER TOSTAY. >> SO IT'S -- I GOT THAT PART SO -- I GOT THAT PART. TRUST ME, I KNOW MORE ABOUT THE STEP IN OFFICERS THAN I EVER THOUGHT I WOULD KNOW IN MY LIFETIME BASED ON THE DISCUSSIONS LAST YEAR.
I GOT THAT. SO MY QUESTION IS, IS THERE -- AM I MISSING SOMETHING? IS THERE A GLOBAL NO ONE WANTS TO BE A POLICE OFFICER NO ONE WANTS TO BE A DEPUTY THAT'S GOING AROUND WHERE I HAVE A COUNTY SHERIFF ALSO LOOKING FOR NEW HIRES? THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING -- I HEARD SOME OTHER -- I HEARD INDIAN RIVER AND HEARD SOME OTHER COUNTIES OR CITIES, ARE PEOPLE NOT APPLYING OR WHAT IS IT, BECAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE SHERIFF PAYS MORE THAN US.
AND THEY CAN'T -- THEY'RE HAVING PROBLEMS HIRING DEPUTIES. NEW DEPUTIES. IS THAT NOT WHAT WAS SAID, OR AM I MISSING SOMETHING? I'M JUST -- I -- SOMEBODY SAID IT DOWN HERE.
>> SO, MADAM MAYOR, YEAH, SO I THINK IT'S TWO THINGS.
I THINK THAT INITIALLY, THE INITIAL HIRING WHEN I HEAR THE CHIEF SAYING, WE CAN GET THEM IN THE DOOR. AND SOMETIMES WE CAN, SOMETIMES WE CAN'T BECAUSE TO GET TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT RIGHT OUT NEW HIRE I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CRITERIA IS OR HOW THEY'RE TRACKING WITH THAT.
BUT I THINK THE GAP OF IT IS THAT HOW DO WE REALLY CLOSE THAT GAP AFTER FOUR YEARS, BECAUSE THEY GET THE TRAINING AND THEY WILL JUMP FOR OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE MORE MONEY PROBABLY MAYBE WITH BETTER RESOURCES MEANING THAT THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE ON PATROL.
THEY DON'T RUN PROBABLY AS MANY CALLS BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS STEPPING INTO THE BET ARE OPPORTUNITY, RIGHT, AND WE KNOW THE VOLUME OF CALLS THAT WE'VE LEARNED OVER TIME HERE, CHIEF, IS PRETTY HIGH FOR THIS URBAN AREA AND THEY COULD GO -- WHY WOULDN'T YOU TAKE MORE MONEY, GO RUNNING LESS CALLS THAN ANOTHER AREA IF THAT WAS THE CASE AND PLUS YOU MAY GET SOME TIME BACK WITH YOUR FAMILY SO I GET THAT PART, RIGHT? SO I THINK WHAT WE HAVE TO FACE IS THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR MORE MONEYS TO CLOSE THE GAP TO RETAIN PEOPLE, NOT REALLY TO HIRE THEM BUT YOU GOT OFFICERS -- EVEN HIRE, OF COURSE, OBVIOUSLY, RIGHT? IT'S A COMBINATION, BUT THE GREATER DIFFERENCE IS NEEDED TO MAKE UP SO WE ARE NOT LOSING OFFICERS BECAUSE THAT'S THE BIGGEST DISPARITY IN OUR PAY GAP WHEN IT COMES TO THE COUNTY AND THE SISTER CITY TO THE SOUTH IS THAT --
>> OKAY, YEAH, SO SOMEHOW WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS TO ADDRESS IT, I THINK WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE SUSTAIN THIS, RIGHT? BECAUSE WHAT I'M HEAR SOMETHING THAT, YEAH, WE CAN MAYBE THROW SOMETHING WITH THE MILLAGE BUT THEN WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT GROWS WITH US -- BECAUSE THE PROBLEM IS GOING TO CONTINUE, BECAUSE WE'RE -- YOU KNOW, SHERIFF OF RIVER COUNTY WAS ON THE NEWS ASKING FOR THE SAME TYPE OF FUNDING FOR HIS DEPUTIES LEVERING HIS DEPARTMENT AND GOING, I GUESS, MAYBE TO ORLANDO OR WHEREVER, BREVARD, SO IT'S A GLOBAL THING WE'RE FACED WITH AND WE HAVE TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN PLUG OUR GAP HERE AND SOLVE OUR PROBLEM.
>> THAT'S WHY I SAY IT'S BEYOND THE ONE TIME.
YET MILLAGE WILL GET US THERE BUT HOW DO WE TAKEN THIS AND THAT'S WHAT I'M ABOUT AN IMPACT FEE AND WE TALKED ABOUT I'M HOT ON THAT ONE.
WE'VE GOT TO EXPLORE THAT AND IF THERE ARE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OF IMPACT WE NEED TO LOOK AT WE PROBABLY NEED TO LOOK AT THAT.
>> AND NOT TO THROW COLD WATER ON THAT BUT EVEN IF WE INSTITUTED IT'LL BE TIME -- IT'LL BE A WHILE BEFORE THAT MONEY STARTS COMING IN TOO.
>> SO IT'S A -- IT'S TWO THINGS, MADAM MAYOR.
IT'S THE MILLAGE WILL ADDRESS IT RIGHT NOW, IT GIVES US TIME TO BUILD UP THAT IMPACT FEE AND SO YOU CAN BEGIN TO TRY O ROLL THE MILLAGE BACK AT SOME POINT IS MY TAKE ON IT.
>> JUST TO GIVE YOU ALL A NUMBER TO STAFF WHILE I'M THERE WATCHING SO OBVIOUSLY SHE TECHS ME AND SAID IF WE WERE TO DO ON THE CURRENT PAY, IF WE WERE TO DO THE STEP PLUS THE 15%, THAT WOULD BE 1,625, $735 FOR POLICE
THAT -- >> THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE BENEFITS.
>> BENEFITS COSTS WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL ABOUT
>> WOULD BE OVER 2 MILLION WITH
BENEFITS. >> BY THE TIME YOU ADD IN THE BENEFIT COSTS IN WITH THAT, IT'LL BE OVER $2 MILLION.
>> OKAY. I'M CURIOUS, MADAM MAYOR, IF I
UH-HUH. >> HAVE WE EXPLORED AND THIS IS -- I'M NOT TRYING TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT BUT THERE HAS TO BE A FORECAST OF LOOKING AT
[03:00:03]
THE ECONOMIC POTENTIAL OF WHAT WE HAVE AND PERHAPS WHAT AN IMPACT FEE WOULD BE LOOKING AT THAT.>> I THOUGHT WE RAN AN EXERCISE.
>> THE IMPACT FEE WE DID TALK ABOUT MAY NOT BE USED FOR SALARIES.
>> IMPACT FEES ARE FOR CAPITAL ONLY.
THEY MAY NOT BE USED FOR SALARIES.
THAT'S MY ANSWER THEN. RAISE TAXES.
>> OKAY. WELL, SHOULD -- GO AHEAD.
>> WELL, JUST MOVING ON, THANK YOU, CHIEF.
I'M GOING TO SWITCH GEARS HERE. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO HANG
THINGS. >> WHEN COMMISSIONERS START TALKING ABOUT IMPACT FEES AND RAISING TAXES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT'S THE HEAVY LIFTING OF WHAT YOU ALL DO, AND I KNOW YOU'RE HAVING A CUFF CONVERSATION OUT THERE BUT THE FACT THAT YOU ALL ARE CONSIDERING THIS IT'S VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. IT TRULY IS.
>> I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A LITTLE BACKGROUND OF KIND OF WHERE I ARRIVED AT THAT. AND I THINK --
>> OUR HR DIRECTOR HAS A COMMENT HE'D LIKE TO MAKE, I THINK.
>> CAN I SAY SOMETHING REAL QUICK.
>> I WANTED TO REMIND COMMISSION WE ARE SET FOR NEGOTIATIONS THIS WEEK. TOMORROW MORNING AT 10:00 A.M. AND WEDNESDAY AT 10 SO IF WE HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT GOING BACK AND KIND OF LOOKING AT THE BUDGET AND COMING BACK WITH SOME DIFFERENT NUMBERS, I MAY REACH OUT TO THE UNIONS. WE CAN STILL GO TO THE NEGOTIATING TABLE BUT REALLY AT THIS POINT WE KIND OF ARE READY TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT OUR PLAN OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO APPROACH IT. I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION.
IN ADDITION TO AS WELL AS WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT GIVING INCREASES AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT GOING TO ONE DEPARTMENT, YOU GOT TO REMEMBER THAT THE TEAMSTERS, THAT'S -- WHICH THE UNION GROUP THAT HAS THETHE WORKS DEPARTMENT, THEY ALSO HAVE OTHER MEMBERS THAT ARE WITHOUT -- THROUGHOUT THE CITY, EVEN IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, SO TO JUST PICK ON ONE -- TO JUST PICK ONE DEPARTMENT OUT OF THAT WOULD BE A NEGOTIATION THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO TALK TO THEM AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO AGREE TO THAT SO THAT WOULD BE DIFFICULT, WHAT I'M SAYING IF YOU LOOK AT TO COMMISSIONER GAINES' POINT, LOOK AT WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO MATCH WHAT YOU GIVE TO THE POLICE OFFICERS IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFICULT AT THE NEGOTIATION SESSION TO DO IT TO PUBLIC WORKS. IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE TO EVERYONE AND THEN TO MADAM MAYOR'S COMMENT, THEN IF YOU HAVE REGULAR EMPLOYEES WHO ARE NOT IN UNIONS AND YOU DON'T GIVE THEM THE INCREASE THAT YOU'RE GIVING THE OTHER ONES NOW THEY'RE LOOKING AT WHAT DO I NEED TO GET IN A UNION? WHILE YOU'RE HAVING THESE TOUGH CONVERSATIONS I WANT YOU TO BE AWARE OF THAT.
>> OKAY. WOULD YOU LIKE TO CONTINUE?
>> SURE. SO, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A LITTLE BACKGROUND ABOUT WHERE I KIND OF CAME FROM WHEN I SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED I.T.
>> GET A LITTLE CLOSER TO YOUR MIC.
>> THOSE STUCK OUT TO ME BECAUSE THEY'RE INTERNAL- FACING DEPARTMENTS THAT NOT NECESSARILY IN -- NOT SOMETHING THAT THE PUBLIC REALLY LOOKS FORWARD TO PAYING FOR.
BECAUSE THEY'RE INTERNAL SO I WAS COMPARING OUR CURRENT BUDGET TO WHERE WE WERE AT AND I WENT TO 2016, TOTAL BUDGET WAS ABOUT 36 MILLION, 2016. SO WE'VE INCREASED STAFF 21% SINCE THEN AND I.T. HAS INCREASED 100% IN STAFF.
SO DOUBLED IN SIZE SINCE 2016. WHICH I KNOW THAT INCLUDES COMMUNICATIONS SO THERE COULD BE A COUPLE OF THINGS IN THERE. SO I ALSO WENT AND LOOKED AT A COUPLE OTHER COMPARABLE SIZED CITIES, SIMILAR POPULATIONS JUST TO LOOK AT KIND OF HOW THEY HANDLE THEIR I.T. AND FINANCE STUCK OUT TO ME BECAUSE THEY'RE LARGER DEPARTMENTS.
SO JUST COMPARABLE AND TAKE THESE HOWEVER YOU WANT TO TAKE THEM, I LOOKED AT WINTER GUARDEN, ORMAND BEACH, ALL ARE 47,000 ABOUT IN POPULATION.
SIGNIFICANT HIGHER BUDGETS IN OVITO AND ORMAND BEACH.
ABOUT 131 MILLION IN ORMAND BEACH AND HAVE EIGHT PEOPLE IN THEIR OR TEN PEOPLE IN THEIR FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
ALSO LOOKED AT I.T. , THEY HAD OVITO HAD EIGHT, ORMAND HAD EIGHT, WINTER GARDEN HAS FIVE PEOPLE IN THEIR I.T. , 4 1/2 IN THEIR FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
[03:05:03]
SO I WASN'T JUST SAYING WE'RE LOOKING FOR $200,000 HERE, I JUST WANTED TO LOOK AT OUR BUDGET AND WHERE IT WAS COMPARABLE TO OTHER PLACES WITH SIGNIFICANTLY HIRER BUDGETS AND SEE WHAT THEIR PERCENTAGE OF INTERNAL- FACING SERVICES WERE SO THAT'S WHY I CAME TO THATCONCLUSION. >> ARE THEY COMBINED FINANCE DEPARTMENTS THAT BUDGET ITS BUDGET FINANCE TREASURY, ALL OF THAT IN ONE OR IS IT JUST ONE.
>> BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT.
>> THEY ONLY HAD ONE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
AND, YOU KNOW, TAKE THESE WHERE THEY'RE AT.
I'M NOT, YOU KNOW -- TAKE THEM WITH A GRAIN OF SALT
OBVIOUSLY. >> CAN I MAKE ONE COMMENT? TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SPEAKING OF, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE AND FINANCE DEPARTMENT, THEY MAY NOT HAVE ALL ENTERPRISE FUNDS OR SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS THEY MAY HAVE, LIKE, ONE GRANT WHEN WE HAD X AMOUNT OF GRANTS SO LOOK AT THE STRUCTURE OF THE ORGANIZATION AND THE SERVICES THEY PROVIDE, I CAME UP WITH FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND HAD THREE PEOPLE IN FINANCE.
WE HAD A MUCH SMALLER PROGRAM SO IT DEPENDS ON THE PROGRAMS WE HAVE. GOD FORBID I.T. -- IF WE DON'T CUT A PAYROLL CHECK NOBODY GETS PAID IN FINANCE SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND HAVE TO TAKE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS WHOLEHEARTEDLY AND COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS AND WE WILL BUT I JUST KNOW THAT BEING IN FINANCE FOR THE PAST 30 SOMETHING YEAR, EVERY FINANCE DEPARTMENT, THE STRUCTURE IS BASED ON SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED AND EACH CITY DOES NOT PROVIDE THE SAME SERVICE.
EVERY CITY DOESN'T HAVE A SOLID WASTE FUND OR A WATERING SEWER FUND OF THE THEY MAY GET THAT FROM THE COUNTY SO WANT TO BE CAREFUL SIMILAR TO WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT THE CITY CLERK, IT'S A HODGEPODGE OF STRUCTURES, BUT YOUR COMMENTS ARE VERY WELL TAKEN AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING VERY MUCH SO.
WITH ALL RESPECT. >> I'M NOT USING THAT TO SAY WE SHOULD MIRROR WHAT THEY'RE DOING BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY EVERYTHING IS SET UP DIFFERENTLY, IT WAS JUST A WAY TO GET TO ARE WE BEING AS EFFICIENT AND AS LEAN AS WE POSSIBLY CAN? BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE A LOT OF OUR DEPARTMENTS ARE UNDERPAID, UNDERSTAFFED BUT ARE WE ABLE TO EITHER SHRINK OUR FOOTPRINT OR SERVICES AND PAY THEM, YOU KNOW, HAVE FEWER EMPLOYEES BUT THEY'RE MORE WELL PAID AND MORE EFFICIENT? I DON'T KNOW.
I JUST -- THIS -- IT WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT I WAS LOOKING AT WHEN -- IN REVIEWING THE BUDGET AND JUST, I DON'T KNOW, COULD BE WAY OFF BASE BUT THOSE ARE JUST SOME THINGS THAT I NOTICED.
AND JUST BECAUSE WE'RE BUILDING OFF OF PREVIOUS YEARS' BUDGETS AND ASSUMING THAT ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS ARE WORKING AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE BUT IS THAT THE CASE? AND THAT'S JUST WHERE I'M AT AND IF YOU'RE LOOKING IN GOVERNMENT I CAN TELL YOU IT'S PROBABLY NOT AND THAT'S THE STORY IN ALL GOVERNMENT ENTITIES BUT IT'S JUST LOOKING AT THOSE THINGS AND FIGURING OUT EVERY DIME WE CAN SAVE SOMEWHERE IS SOMEWHERE WE CAN BETTER UTILIZE SOMEWHERE ELSE AND PROVIDE MORE OF A SERVICE BECAUSE THE BASIS OF OUR POINT HERE AS A GOVERNMENT IS TO PROVIDE FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND EVERYTHING ELSE IS KIND OF EXTRA IN MY OPINION.
I MEAN IF WE'RE NOT DOING THOSE BASIC SERVICES THEN WHAT ARE WE EVEN HERE FOR? ANYWAY, WE COULD MOVE ON.
>> YEAH. ONE THING ABOUT GOVERNMENT, ONCE IT'S GIVEN IT'S HARD TO TAKE IT AWAY.
[C. Five (5) Year Capital Improvement Projects FY 2026 to FY 2030]
SO, SHALL WE MOVE ON WITHCAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS? >> SURE.
AND I KNOW YOU'RE USED TO ENGINEERING DOING THIS, SO THIS IS A FIRST, WE WILL STILL HAVE THE BIG PRETTY BOOKLET AS WELL, BUT MR. CHESS WANTED TO SHOW AN APPROPRIATIONS SUMMARY, BASED ON WHAT IS IN THIS YEAR'S CURRENT BUDGET, YOU HAVE THE SHEET THAT HAS THE FIVE- YEAR PROJECTION BUT THESE ARE APPROPRIATIONS FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR AND THIS IS THE SUMMARY AS TO WHAT IS -- WHERE THOSE FINANCES ARE GOING, SO FACILITY MAINTENANCE YOU SEE THE 428,000 THERE.
STREETS AND DRAINAGE, THERE IS 147,000.
FLEET MAINTENANCE PROJECTS IS 56,000.
THE PARKS, 237,000. 30,000 FOR LEISURE SERVICES.
I.T. PROJECTS IS 199. POLICE PROJECTS, 767,000 AND ENGINEERING PROJECTS, 50,000 SO THAT 1. 9 -- 1,916,998 IS THE BREAKDOWN AS TO WHAT'S GOING TO FUND THOSE
EXPENDITURES. >> MISS MORRIS DID YOU SAY 767,000 WAS OVER AND ABOVE WHAT WAS IN THE --
[03:10:03]
>> THE 400,000? IT'S OVER AND ABOVE THAT?
>> WHY WASN'T IT IN THERE IN THE
BUDGET? >> BECAUSE IT'S CAPITAL.
IT'LL GO BACK IN THE FINAL BUDGET? THAT'S RIGHT. I SAW THAT.
>> SO THOSE ARE THE PROJECTS, THE DIVISIONS THAT IS GOING TO BE EXPENDED AT AND EACH OF THOSE WILL BE COMING FORWARD TO GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECTS THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE WORKING TOWARD. SO PUBLIC WORKS, YOU'RE UP FIRST, JASON.
>> MADAM MAYOR, CITY COMMISSIONERS, I WANTALL TO KNOW A GOOD AMOUNT OF PROJECTS THAT I HAVE THERE IS REALLY EQUIPMENT SO IT'S NOT TOO MANY PROJECTS AND MORE IS EQUIPMENT. SO AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE CLEANLINESS ASPECT, YOU HAVE MISSING AN "S."
>> CLEANLINES SOUNDS PRETTY GOOD.
SO THIS -- THAT'S -- THIS IS GOING TO GET THE SHORELINE LOOKING GOOD. THIS IS MANY OF THE AREAS THAT I'VE LOOKEDS AT I WENT ON A RIDE- ALONG AND I SHOWED SOME OF THE PALM TREES AND I SPOKE ABOUT THIS WITH OUR TREE COMMITTEE WHICH IS ALSO, YOU KNOW, KEEPING FORT PIERCE BEAUTIFUL COMMITTEE.
MY GOAL IS TO HAVE A PRISTINE BEACH.
I WANT IT TO LOOK REALLY GOOD. WE ALSO HAVE OTHER ITEMS IN THERE LIKE THE GRAPPLE TRUCK THAT YOU CAN SEE PRODUCTIVITY BUT MAKING SURE WHEN WE GET THE PERSONNEL OUT THERE, WE CAN LEAVE THE AREA LOOKING LIKE, YOU KNOW, LOOKING LIKE HOW BEFORE THE TRASH EVER GOT THERE, SO THIS ALSO INCLUDES OUR ENHANCEMENTS, WHICH WAS OUR SERVICE TEAM, OUR GOAL IS TO GET A SERVICE TEAM OUT WORKING IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA BUT ALSO SERVICING AROUND THE PARKS, THE JETTY, THE CAUSEWAY PARK, THE JC PARK, DIFFERENT AREA, PRESSURE WASHING, JUST REALLY TRYING TO GET OUR AREA LOOKING GOOD DOWNTOWN, ALL THAT, RIGHT? SO, PRODUCTIVITY, IT'S REALLY WHAT YOU ALL ARE MENTIONING, STRETCHING, ARE WE AS LEAN AND EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE? THAT'S THE GOAL.
THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO BE. THAT'S WHAT I PUSH OUR TEAM, YOU KNOW, JUST BE AWARE, LIKE, THAT PEOPLE HAVE THEIR EYES ON YOU, RIGHT? JUST WHEN THEY LOOK AT YOU, THEY SHOULD TAKE PRIDE IN SEEING A PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEE THAT'S OUT THERE DOING A GOOD
THEY'RE HUSTLING? >> YI, YES, SO THAT'S THE GOAL AND PROVIDING EQUIPMENT THAT MAKES IT FASTER, SO, FOR INSTANCE, GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. WE HAVE A TRAILER THAT'S -- A TRUCK THAT HAS A TRAILER ON IT THAT HAS A MACHINE ON THE BACK OF IT AND THEN THEY DRIVE IT AROUND AND IT GETS OFF -- I WANT THE MACHINE JUST TO DRIVE AND NOT NEED THE TRUCK AND NOT NEED THE TRAILER SO MANY ASPECTS I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE THINGS BETTER AND CONSULTING WITH DIVISION MANAGERS TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT WORKS GOOD, ALSO LISTENING TO YOU ALL OF WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. ALSO WHEN YOU SEE THE RESPONSIVENESS, THAT'S A DISPATCHER, RIGHT, SO IT'S -- THAT'S NOT OUR CURRENT DISPATCH ROOM BUT I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE THAT WAY TO WHERE A PHONE CALL DOES COME IN AND THEN WE CAN RESPOND ACCORDINGLY BUT ALSO KNOWING WHERE OUR STAFF IS INSTEAD OF HAVING SOMEONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE TOWN GO OVER, DISPATCHER COULD LOOK UP AND SEE IT AND SAY, CALL THAT PERSON ON THE PHONE, WE'RE GETTING THE TWO- WAY TALK RADIOS AND THEN EVERYBODY CAN JUST BE ON THE SAME PAGE, KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON SO WE DON'T HAVE OVERLAPPING WORK.
THAT'S OUR GOAL, YOU KNOW, BEING KIND OF THE PERSONAL TOUCH OF BEING A PUBLIC SERVANT BUT YET OPERATING AS A PRIVATE BUSINESS KNOWING THAT WE'RE OUT THERE, WE ARE COMPETING, WE WANT -- WE KNOW THAT WHATEVER WE DO, WE'RE LOOKED AT AND IT'S NOT SCRUTINIZED BUT IT'S LOOKED AT BECAUSE WE'RE THE STEWARDS OF THE PUBLIC DOLLAR, SO THAT'S THE BASIS OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, THE MAJORITY OF WHAT I HAVE IS EQUIPMENT, BUT WE ARE WORKING IN UNISON AND WORKING WITH FPRA AND GRANTS SO THERE ARE THINGS WE'RE WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH AND ASSISTING IN THAT. WE'RE ALSO -- JUST TO SAY WE HAVE A TREE FUND SO WE'RE LOOKING TO GET A WATER
[03:15:02]
TRUCK TO TRY TO HAVE IT COME OUT OF THE TREE FUND BECAUSE IT'S SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT AND THEN THAT WAY WE CAN SOME PLANTINGS GOING ON. WE DON'T HAVE IRRIGATION AND CERTAIN TREE PLANTERS AS MUCH AS WE WANT TO THROW IN PLANTS THERE'S NO WATER, THEY WERE DIE PRETTY SOON, RIGHT SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET THAT RIGHT AND JUST REALLY BEING ON TOP OF THINGS AND THOSE ARE THE ENHANCEMENTS WE'RE TRYING TO DO FOR THIS UPCOMING BUDGET.>> I HAVE A QUESTION. >> SURE.
>> FOR THE BEACH. ARE YOU ING SEAWEED TOO, I MEAN THE WHOLE --
>> IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, I DON'T EVEN THINK THAT BEACH -- I HAVE TO SEE.
I DON'T REALLY HAVE STAFF OUT THERE.
I THINK THAT MAY BE THE COUNTY OR THE STATE.
USUALLY THAT'S WHO IS DOING THE WORK ALONG THE SAND.
>> YEAH, WELL, I DON'T KNOW THAT ANYBODY IS CLEANING UP THE SEAWEED AND I WILL SAY TO YOU, THERE IS -- EVERY TIME THERE'S A LOAD OF SEAWEED ON THE BEACH I GET A FEW EMAILS LIKE IT STINKSERS GET RID OF IT, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, AND I THINK THERE WAS A TIME WHEN FORT PIERCE DID DO A LITTLE BIT OF THAT CLEANUP AND -- BUT I ALSO KNOW HAVING BEEN BORN HERE THAT SEAWEED IS SOMETHING THAT COMES IN AND GOES OUT AND IT'S A PARTPART OF AND ALSO A PART OF SAVING EROSION, AND WHILE IT DOES MAKE SOMETIMES THE BEACH STINKY AND UNPLEASANT, ET CETERA, I DON'T KNOW THAT IF THE COUNTY IS CLEANING THE SEAWEED OR NOT, I JUST -- BUT THAT MACHINE THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT IS FOR BRANCHES OR DEBRIS, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
>> FOR WHAT'S MORE FURTHER UP ON, IT'S NOT MEANT TO COLLECT SEAWEED LIKE THAT. THAT WOULDN'T NECESSARILY DO THAT I WORK WITH THIS EXTENSIVELY WHEN I WAS IN BELLE HARBOR BECAUSE THEY HAD THE WHOLE SETUP WITH THE JETTY AND WHOLE DEAL AND WHEN YOU GET THE SOUTHEASTERN WINDS BLOWING TOWARDS THE NORTHWEST, IT GETS CAUGHT UP.
THAT USUALLY HAPPENS DURING THE SUMMERTIME WHEN IT'S AT ITS HIGHEST PEAK BECAUSE IT'S LIKE A PLANT AND BLOOMS, RIGHT, THEN IT GETS UP THERE AND THEN IT GETS CAUGHT THEN INSIDE THAT SEAWEED, WHAT MAKES IT FLOAT IS GAS, RIGHT, THAT DECOMPOSES AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS.
THERE'S SOMETHING THAT I BELIEVE I SPOKE WITH COMMISSIONER TAYLOR ABOUT, MAY WORK HERE IS THAT IF WE COULD GET SOMETHING TO TAKE A LOOK AT THERE'S LIKE A BAFFLE WHERE YOU CAN CREATE ON AN OUTGOING TIDE MAYBE TO GET SOME KIND OF LIKE A CULVERT SET UP TO WHERE IT GOES OUT AND GOES AND KIND OF PUSHES THAT OUT IN AN OUTGOING TIDE TO TRY TO GET THAT GOING AWAY BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS YOU GET THE WAVE ACTION, THE WAVE ACTION ENDS UP BREAKING, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GET ENOUGH IT'LL BREAK THAT UP AND AS IT'S MOVING ALONG IT WILL THEN -- IT WILL GO AWAY OR IF YOU GET A --
>> EXACTLY. BUT THIS WOULD HELP BECAUSE EVERY BASH BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT THE TIDE COMES IN AND THE TIDE GUESS OUT, RIGHT? WHEN IT GOES BACK OUT THAT'S WHEN YOU -- IF YOU HAD SOME KIND OF, YOU KNOW, THE HYDRAULIC ACTION PUSH THAT SMELL BUT THAT WOULD BE A WORK IN PROGRESS AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE END UP LOOKING AT BUT I THINK THAT WOULD BE THE BEST ALTERNATIVE BECAUSE THIS REALLY, IT'S NATURE, BUT I THINK THERE'S WAYS THAT YOU COULD REALLY COMBAT THAT IF YOU HAVE AN OPEN MINDSET SO THAT WOULD BE MY GOAL.
>> YEAH. >> ANYBODY ELSE? ANYTHING ELSE? APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
APPRECIATE WHETHER YOU'RE DOING. THANK YOU.
>> NEXT WE HAVE ADMINISTRATIVE
SERVICE. >> ALL RIGHTY, WHO IS ADD FREE THROW -- ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES? THAT WOULD BE MR. JOHNSON.
>> GOOD MORNING. FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES FOR OUR CRP, WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNICATIONS THIS VERY ROOM ACTUALLY, HOW WE'RE GOING TO BE UPGRADING AS YOU ARE AWARE AND TYPICALLY DO IT EVERY FIVE YEARS, IT'S ACTUALLY SEVEN YEARS WITHIN THE UPGRADE WITHIN CHAMBERS THAT INCLUDE CAMERAS AND THE MICS AND ALL THOSE NECESSARY THINGS TO CONTINUE TO POI FOR OUR CHANNEL AND INCLUDES OUR ADA COMPLIANCE AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE FOR HEARING IMPAIRED AND VISION IMPAIRED, ET CETERA, EQUIPMENT.
SO THOSE ARE GOING TO ALL BE ESSENTIALLY HARDWARE COSTS OF UPGRADING THIS ROOM. NEXT WE HAVE OUR LEISURELY SERVICES, THERE'S SOME CRITICAL ITEMS THAT ARE NECESSARY PARTICULARLY FOR THE RIVER WALK AND THAT INCLUDES HVAC SYSTEM.
IF YOU'VE BEEN OVER. WE'VE ALL BEEN OVER THERE.
[03:20:07]
IT'S IN NEED OF TLC AND WE WANT TO GET THOSE IMPROVED SO WE HAVE THAT EVEN ITEM FOR THIS YEAR.ALSO INCLUDING FEATURE ADS BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT A RATE INCREASE FOR REVENUE GENERATION.
>> IN ORDER TO DO SO WE'RE LOOKING AT FUTURE -- THIS PARTICULAR THING IS MORE TECHNOLOGY BASED SO SOUND SYSTEM, IF YOU'VE BEEN OVER THERE, HAD A PARTY OR WEDDING OR WHAT HAVE YOU, YOU KNOW WHAT'S THERE AND WHAT'S NOT, LOOKING AT LIGHTING, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, SOME TO ADD SOME VALUE SO WE CAN LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, THE RATE THAT'S CURRENTLY OFFERED THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE FOR THAT PARTICULAR VENUE, NEXT IS OUR ERP PLATFORM. FOR THAT IS TIME ENTRY KIOSK AND THERE'S GOING TO BE FIVE OF THOSE, THE MARINA, PUBLIC WORKS AND POLICE DEPARTMENT AS WE ARE FURTHER PROGRESSING WITH OUR TYLER SYSTEM, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS PARTICULARLY ANXIOUSLY AWAITING ADVANCED SCHEDULING FOR SOME OF THE THINGS THEY DO AND PUBLIC KIOSKS THAT WE'LL PURCHASE AND THAT WILL BE FOR OUR CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, PLANNING DEPARTMENT, OUR BUILDING DEPARTMENT SO THE PUBLIC CAN COME IN AND LITERALLY TAP ON THE SCREEN AND GET SOME THINGS DONE AND JUST MAKE, YOU KNOW, MAKE THE PROCESSES MORE EFFICIENT. AND THOSE AREAS OF OPERATIONS AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, IS I.T.
AND STANDARD EQUIPMENT REFRESH CYCLE.
UNFORTUNATELY DURING COVID WE DIDN'T GET EQUIPMENT FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION WANTED TO RATHER THAN ALLOW THE CYCLE TO CONTINUE AS IT SHOULD EVERY THREE YEARS THEY WANTED TO IDENTIFY WHICH DEPARTMENTS THEY WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, GET NEW EQUIPMENT. THAT BEING STATED THE ENTIRETY OF THE CITY IS ESSENTIALLY BEHIND ON EQUIPMENT RENEWALS SO THIS IS CRITICAL TO EVERYBODY KIND OF GETTING BACK UP TO SPEED AND US GETTING BACK INTO THE ROTATION OF OUR STANDARD THREE- YEAR ROTATION FOR US, EQUIPMENT.
SO THOSE ARE THE FOUR MAJOR AREAS.
>> QUESTIONS FROM STAFF? QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, SIR.
>> NEXT IS OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
>> $767,000 FIGURE THAT KEEPS COMING UP.
AXON IS THE COMPANY THAT OFFERS THE TECHNOLOGY AND WE'RE AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT WITH THEM.
A NEW CONTRACT WOULD BEGIN IN OCTOBER OF 2026.
IT DOES RUN THE FIRST YEAR IS 767,000.
IT'S A FIVE- REAR YEAR OR TEN- YEAR CONTRACT DEPENDING ON WHAT THE CITY WOULD WANT TO DO. THEY PROVIDE OUR TASERS, THE BODY- WORN CAMERAS WE'RE ALL FAMILIAR. WE WERE THE FIRST ON THE TREASURECOAT TO HAVE THEM AND PROVIDE CAMERAS IN THE PATROL CARS, THEY ALSO PROVIDE US WITH SOFTWARE AND TECHNOLOGY THAT ALLOWS US TO RETAIN ALL THIS DIGITAL EVIDENCE AS FAR AS VIDEO AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SOME OF THE OTHER TECHNOLOGY THERE'S TRIGGERS IN THE OFFICER'S TASERS THAT ALERT SUPERVISORS IF A WEAPON HAS BEEN PULLED. THAT SUPERVISORS CAN GO RIGHT INTO THE OFFICER'S BODY- WORN CAMERA TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON. IT'S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE AND NEED TO UPDATE OUR CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION CAMERAS AND RECORDING DEVICES, THOSE ARE ANTIQUATED NOW. THIS WOULD BE A PART OF THAT. THIS ALSO INCLUDES A DRONE, THIS IS A PLATFORM THAT WE ALREADY HAVE.
IT'S -- THIS WILL BE BETTER THAN THE ONE WE HAVE AND IT'S A STANDARD THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE IT ENHOPE WE CAN GET THIS CONTRACT.
>> THAT'S THE FIRST YEAR PRICE, DO YOU KNOW BEYOND THAT WHAT THE ANNUAL PRICE IS.
>> YES, THEN GO GOES UP TO 797,000.
THEN 829,000. 862,000, AND 897,000.
IT'S NOT AN EXPENSIVE -- I'M NOT GOING TO TRY TO TELL YOU IT IS.
>> IF YOU SIGN THE FIRST YEAR CONTRACT, YOU LOCK IN THOSE PRICES.
>> YEAH, SO, CHIEF, WITH -- THIS IS A LEASE AGREEMENT THEN WITH THE EQUIPMENT, RIGHT? WE'RE NOT -- IT'S NOT A PURCHASE --
>> WE GIVE BACK THE OLD EQUIPMENT AT THE END OF IT.
EQUIPMENT. >> EACH YEAR THAT NEW PRICE THEY'LL GET NEW EQUIPMENT AND --
>> NOT EACH YEAR. AS UPDATES TO EQUIPMENT
>> WE WOULD THEN GET THE NEWER
[03:25:01]
>> THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN VERY GOOD ABOUT THAT.
THEY'VE BEEN VERY GOOD TO US IN THE PAST.
>> SO IN ESSENCE THIS FIVE- YEAR DEAL WILL LOCK US IN SO AS THINGS EVOLVE YOU'LL GET THE NEW EQUIPMENT TO GO ALONG WITH IT AT THOSE
>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. THAT'S
IT. >> I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT WE STILL HAVE TO DISCUSS THE RFP PROCESS BECAUSE THIS CONTRACT ACTUALLY EXPIRES NEXT YEAR, SO I BELIEVE THE DISCUSSION WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ON THE PATH FORWARD SO WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THIS IS SECURED PROPERLY. WE CAN'T GO AND GIVE THEM A FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT SO HAVE TO DISCUSS HOW -- WE WANT TO DO THAT BUT I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN JUST OUT AND OUT JUST DO THAT SO WE'VE BEEN HAVING THAT DISCUSSION IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT PROCUREMENT CODE AND THE MOST REASONABLE SOURCE BECAUSE THAT'S NOT IN OUR PROCUREMENT CODE AS OF TODAY BUT HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY AND SEE THE BEST PATH FORWARD BECAUSE WE DON'T -- WE HAVE TO GO FOR RFP.
>> YOU HAVE TO PURCHASE THINGS PROPERLY, RIGHT?
>> I JUST WANT TO BE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT JUST SAYING WE'RE GIVING THESE GUYS A FIVE- YEAR CONTRACT IN A PUBLIC MEETING. WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE RFP PROCESS
>> THAT'S VERY GOOD CLARIFICATION AND TO ASK -- TO FURTHER THIS, TELL ME IS THAT 767 SOMEWHERE IN THIS BUDGET?
>> YES, YES, IT'S IN THE CAPITAL AND IT'S PART OF THE 1.9 MILLION FOR FISCAL YEAR '26.
IT'S WILL. >> OKAY, THANK YOU.
ANYBODY ELSE? EVERYBODY GOOD? OKAY. THANK YOU, SIR. OKAY.
>> SO WE ARE AWARE HOW OUR -- WE USE ONE- TIME REVENUE SOURCES BUT CREATE ONGOING EXPENSE, WE CREATE -- WE PURCHASE THIS AXON PLATFORM WITH AR PIRACY ARTHRITIS FUNDS BUT IN DOING SO IT HAS CREATED THIS ONGOING EXPENSE THAT WE'LL HAVE TO --
NECESSARY. >> CORRECT, CORRECT.
>> NEW SOURCES BUT THEY CREATE ONGOING COSTS.
>> YEAH, YOU HAVE TO THINK THAT THROUGH. OKAY.
>> HE HAS TWO PICTURES THAT AREN'T AS PRETTY.
>> REMIND ME, MISS MORRIS, WHAT WAS THE ENGINEERING -- WAS IT 50,000?
>> MOST OF OUR STUFF IS PAID BY SURTAX.
>> I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I WAS CLEAR.
>> MAYOR, COMMISSIONER, ONE THINGS I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT BEING THAT A LOT OF OUR PROJECTS ARE -- THOSE PROJECTS YOU SEE OUT THERE, SURTAX IS A BIG PORTION -- I APOLOGIZE I'M A LITTLE UNDER THE WEATHER. BEAR WITH ME ON MY VOICE TODAY.
SURTAX IS ONE THING WE FUND A LOT OF OUR WORK THROUGH, STUFF THAT EVERYBODY SEES, OVER -- SINCE 2020 WE'VE DONE 14 MILES OF ROADWAY RESURFACING AND OVER THE NEXT YEAR I THINK IT'S FUNDED THROUGH FISCAL YEAR YEAR '28/'29, PLANKING TO DO ANOTHER EIGHT MILES OF ROADWAY.
ALSO ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, IF YOU CAN PULL UP THAT MAP, THE NEXT -- THOSE ARE ALL THE ROADWAYS THAT WE'VE DONE OVER SO IT'S OUT THERE. YOU CAN SEE IT.
IT'S TANGIBLE FOR EVERYBODY DRIVING THESE ROADS TO SEE WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THIS.
>> IF YOU CAN GO BACK A SLIDE ON THAT, THE OTHER PROJECT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT IS FUNDED BY FDOT, THE SUN TRAIL, THE HISTORIC HIGHWAYMAN TRAIL GAP. 1.3- MILE LONG FROM INDIAN HILLS TO GEORGIA AVENUE. A 10 TO 14-FOOT- WIDE PAVED TRAIL SHARED NONMOTORIZED TRAIL FUNDS FOR OVER $2 MILLION OF FUNDING IF YOU COULD PULL UP THE MAP FOR THAT ONE TOO, PLEASE.
SO ANOTHER ONE THAT'S GOING TO BE A GOOD BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY THAT'S FUNDED BY D.O.T. , ALSO ANOTHER PROJECT THAT I'M LOOKING TO BRING INTO THE MIX HERE, HOW WE DETERMINE WHAT ROADS ARE BEING PAVED IN OUR CITY IS BASICALLY WHICH IS THE WORST, RIGHT? AND WE TRY TO PATCH THAT -- FIX THAT HOLE. THERE'S A BETTER WAY TO DO I'M DRIVEN FORMAT THAT WE CAN BETTER STRETCH OUR FUNDS TO HELP THE CITY.
IDEALLY, ROADS DEGRADE OVER TIME AND KIND OF ON A CURVE LIKE THAT. THEY'RE PRETTY GOOD INITIALLY, AND IF YOU CAN HOLD ROADS IN THAT INITIAL GOOD CONDITION, YOU STRETCH OUT THE FUNDING TO MAINTAIN THAT ROAD.
[03:30:04]
IT'S MUCH CHEAPER TO HOLD ROADSROADS A GOOD CONDITION UNTIL YOU LET THEM GO BEYOND A CERTAIN POINT THEN YOU'RE GOING IN A MAJOR RECONSTRUCTION THAT COSTS A LOT OF MONEY.SO WHAT I'M PROPOSING IS A PAVERMENT CONDITION SURVEY, IT'S ESSENTIALLY A VEHICLE RUNS DOWN THE ROAD WITH HIGH- DEFINITION CAMERAS AND GETS A CONDITION OF THOSE ROADWAYS, THERE'S OTHER THINGS INVOLVED WITH THAT BUT IT'S A D.O.T.- BACKED SYSTEM THAT GIVES YOU A -- WHAT'S CALLED A PAVEMENT CONDITION INDEX FOR EVERY ROAD THAT WE HAVE, THAT WAY WE HAVE AN INVENTORY OF OUR ROADS, CONDITION THAT'S DATA- BACKED THEN WE CAN START SYSTEMICALLY PICKING APART HOW WE ATTACK THESE ROADS TO STRETCH OUR FUNDING FURTHER AND FURTHER, IT'S COST EFFECTIVE AND I'M EXCITED. MY PLAN WAS TO BRING YOU A BITTER PRESENTATION. I KNOW WE GOT A LOT TO GO THROUGH SO I DIDN'T WANT TO DO THAT TODAY BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE BIG PROJECTS I'M PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT THAT I HOPE TO PUSH THROUGH THIS YEAR AND GIVE YOU GUYS SOMETHING TO LOOK AT AND IDEALLY HAVE A GOOD WAY TO USE OUR FUNDS TO ATTACK THIS ROADWAY SYSTEM THAT NEEDS A LOT OF WORKWORK IT WILL HAVE A BETTER APPROACH TO DO SO.
>> SO I HAVE A QUESTION, IS THAT A EQUIPMENT THAT YOU NEED OR
I.T.? >> IT'S ONE OF THE PROJECTS WE'LL USE.
>> IT'S A PROJECT, NOT A SOFTWARE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, JUST A PROJECT, OKAY. AND MY SECOND QUESTION IS, SURTAX, WE DEPEND ON THAT A LOT NOW AND DOESN'T THAT COME UP FOR --
>> I THINK IT'S -- WE'RE FUNDED THROUGH '28/'29, I THINK.
>> I JUST THINK -- I WANT FOR US -- THE COMMISSION TO BE AWARE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO BACK OUT TO THE PUBLIC AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SAY HOW VALUABLE THIS HAS BEEN FOR US BECAUSE WITHOUT IT, WE --
>> THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO PRESENT THAT ONE MAP THAT SHOWS WHAT WE'RE DOING. IT'S VERY VISIBLE.
EVERYBODY SEES IT. WE DRIVE THESE ROADS EVERY DAY.
DO WE NEED A LOT OF WORK, YEAH, WE STILL DO BUT IF WE LOSE THAT FUNDING, IT'S GOING TO GET WORSE.
>> SO, AND LAST TIME THE COUNTY DROVE THAT CAMPAIGN AND WE JOINED IN AND SO I THINK THAT WE ALL NEED TO BE PREPARED TO DO THAT AGAIN.
>> INITIAL POLLS HAVE BEEN GOOD.
GENTLEMEN. >> A COMMENT ON THAT, I I MET WITH STAFF WITH THIS BECAUSE I WAS PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN THIS ROAD EVALUATION, I THINK THAT INFORMATION WILL LET US KNOW THE CONDITION OF THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE ROADS, RIGHT, EVEN ONES THAT HAVE FAILED BECAUSE I THINK THAT WOULD BE THE STORY THAT MATCHES UP TO THE CONTINUATION OF SURTAX AND SO I WAS REALLY, REALLY IMPRESSED WITH -- I MET WITH STAFF TO UNDERSTAND THIS EVALUATION AND IT BECOMES DIGITIZED. IT'S DIGITAL DASHBOARD INFORMATION BECAUSE WHEN I ASKED TO PETE WITH STAFF WE WERE LOOKING AT PHOTOS AND WE CAN'T DO THAT IN THIS DAY AND AGE.
I NEED A STATISTICAL LOOK AT WHAT'S THE PERCENTAGE OF FORT PIERCE ROADS THAT ARE IN THAT CONDITION TO EXPLAIN IT TO THE PUBLIC AND I THINK IT'S ALSO GOING TO BETTER HELP US AND OUR CONSTITUENTS WHAT IS THE CITY ROLE VERSUS A COUNTY ROAD VERSUS A STATE ROAD SO WHEN WE GET EMAILS THAT PEOPLE ARE DEMANDING US TO TAKE ACTION ON ROADS THAT DON'T BELONG TO FORT PIERCE WE CAN QUICKLY RESPOND AND HELP THEM UNDERSTAND WHEN IT LOOKS
LIKE. >> SPEAKING TO MY COLLEAGUES IN THE COUNTY, THIS IS WHAT THEY DID FOR SOME OF THEIR ROADWAYS AND IT'S A VERY, VERY -- I WAS SURPRISED HOW COST EFFECTIVE IT WAS, AND YOU CAN -- THEN THERE'S DATA- DRIVEN RESULTS AND BACK DATA THAT WE CAN USE TO PICK WHICH ROADS WE'RE GOING TO DO AND ALSO TO DETERMINE THE ROADS THAT AREN'T IN TERRIBLE CONDITION, HOW DO WE KEEP THEM IN THOSE GOOD CONDITION WITH REASONABLE COST WITHOUT DOING MAJOR RECONSTRUCTION ON THE ROADWAY. YEAH, WE HAVE SOME THAT ARE BAD AND WE'LL HAVE TO DEAL WITH THOSE BUT LET'S KEEP THE ROADS IN GOOD CONDITION THAT WE CAN KEEP IN GOOD CONDITION FOR A REASONABLE COST THERE SO WE'RE JUST ADDRESSING THE BAD ONES, YOU KNOW, A MORE COSTLY
METHOD. >> QUESTIONS? SOMETIMES THE CITIZENS WILL LET US KNOW TOO.
>> THIS IS FPRA, I'LL MOVE UP A LITTLE BEFORE I GET THERE SO YOU CAN SEE WITH THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS WHAT -- HOW MUCH IS GOING TO BE GOING TOWARD CAPITAL PROJECTS, AGAIN, YOU SEE THE CDBG PROJECTS AND THAT 1.4 MILLION IS THE PARKS AND THE
[03:35:03]
LIGHTING SYSTEM. FPRA, 2.6 MILLION AND MARK JUST WENT OVER THE SURTAX PROJECTS ARE ABOUT 7.7 MILLION AND THE SUN TRAIL PROJECT, 2.3 MILLION. SO CHEYENNE.>> MADAM MAYOR, THANK YOU. WE WILL GO THROUGH THE PROJECT BASED BUDGET AND OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN IN MUCH GREATER DETAIL AT THE MEETING BUT ONE PROJECT, YOU KNOW, I THINK JASON ALLUDED TO IT EARL INJURE.
WE'RE REALLY WORKING TOGETHER WITH OUR DEPARTMENTS, ENGINEERING AND THIS ENHANCEMENT, IF YOU RECALL BACK IN 20 23SHGS OUR PREVIOUS CITY ENGINEER PRESENTED THIS CONCEPTTO THE -- I THINK IT WAS AT THE JOINT MEETING WITH THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND YOU ALL AS THE CITY COMMISSION AND THEN THERE WAS A COOL DESIGN THAT HE HAD JUST VERY CONCEPTUAL ABOUT THESE IMPROVEMENTS AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE PROPOSED THIS SAME AREA FOR A BRIGHTLINE STATION SO DEPOT DRIVE HAS A LOT OF ATTENTION AND AT THE GATEWAY INTO OUR DOWNTOWN DISTRICT.
THE FPRA WANTS TO RESUME THIS, PICK IT UP AND LOOK AT THE DESIGN FOR ENHANCING THIS PARKING LOCATION, THE CONNECTIVITY, HOW IT REALLY INTERFACES WITH THE COUNTY'S PARKING GARAGE AND SUNRIGHT THEATRE AND ACTIVATING UNDER THE CITRUS AVENUE BRIDGE AND CONNECTING PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIVITY THERE AND A NEAT PROJECT THAT WILL GO BEYOND JUST THE FPRA AND WORK WITH ENGINEERING AS I MENTIONED ON ALL THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS. THE FPRA IS TAKING A MEASURED APPROACH TO ALL OUR INITIATIVES AND YOU HAVE NOTICED THAT WITH CONCEPT WALL DESIGN, COMMUNITY INPUT AND WORKING INTO ACTUAL DESIGN, GETTING THE BID DOCUMENTS READY AT THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL SO WE DON'T HAVE CHANGE ORDERS COMING BACK BEFORE YOU OVER AND OVER AGAIN SO THIS IS JUST ONE THAT WE'LL START UP THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR AND IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I JUST WANT TO TOUCH --
>> BEFORE YOU EXIT THAT. I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THERE WAS AN AGREEMENT WITH PARKING IMPROVEMENTS AT THE END OF DEPOT DRIVE AND THAT WALKWAY THEY WERE GOING TO CONTRIBUTE 50% TO PERMANENT PARKING, PERMANENT WALKWAY, LIGHTING, CURBING, YOU KNOW, NOT A DIRT
THERE WAS. THERE WERE CONVERSATIONS -- I'M NOT AWARE OF AN ACTUAL AGREEMENT BEING EXECUTED.
>> THAT'S WHAT I REMEMBERED, AS
WELL. >> AND PRIOR CITY MANAGER WAS IN AGREEMENT WITH THEIR EXISTING MANAGER TO -- AND I THINK THE COUNTY COMMISSION ACTUALLY HAD INPUT TO THAT THAT THEY WOULD GO ALONG WITH 50% OF THE FUNDING FOR THAT.
>> I DO RECALL THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND I THINK THIS KIND OF GOT PUT ON A BACK BURNER AFTER BRIGHTLINE.
>> BECAUSE IT WAS CONNECTED TO
BRIGHT LINE. >> YES AND EVEN THE EXPANSION OF THE COUNTY PARKING GARAGE ADDING ADDITIONAL LEVELS WAS ALL PART OF THE CONVERSATION AS WELL SO, YEAH, WE'LL DIATCHENKO BACK INTO THAT AND SEE WHERE THEY STAND. THEY HAVE SOME OWNERSHIP RIGHTS IN THIS AREA AS WELL AS SOME PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS, SO WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE COMPREHENSIVE AREA.
>> YEAH, I WAS PRETTY FAMILIAR WITH THAT FROM THE PARKING COMMUNITY.
WE DID A LOT OF WORK. IF YOU HAVE QUESTION, LET ME KNOW, I REMEMBER ALL THE PARTICULARS OF THAT.
A FEW OTHER HIGHLIGHTS HERE, I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH THEM AS I MENTIONED.
WE'LL GO THROUGH IN GREATER DEAL TAIL -- DETAIL. THESE ARE NOT NECESSARILY INCLUDED THIS YEAR BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN ALLOCATED AND PROGRESSES UNDER WAY BUT THEY'RE VERY SIGNIFICANT AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO MENTION HERE. THE INDIAN RIVER DRIVE FLORIDA JOB GROWTH GRANT FUND PROJECT, WE RECEIVED I THINK IT WAS $2.7 MILLION ALLOCATION FROM THE STATE. IT'S BEEN ALMOST THREE YEARS AND IN CASE THE COMMUNITY IS WONDERING WHERE THAT IS WE ARE FINALLY READY TO AWARD THE BID.
IT'S GOING TO BE COMING BEFORE YOU AT THE CITY COMMISSION MEETING I THINK ON JULY 21ST.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING THROUGH DESIGN AND SPENT PROBABLY HALF THAT MONEY THROUGH DESIGN ALREADY. THE BIDS HAVE COME BACK.
WE HAVE RENEGOTIATED THEM. DONE SOME VALUE ENGINEERING AND READY TO MOVE FORWARD. THE FPRA'S CONTRIBUTION WAS GOING TO BE 2 MILLION AND NEEDED INCREASE IT TO 3 MILLION.
OF COURSE, THIS WILL COME BACK BEFORE YOU FOR CONTRACT APPROVAL AND ALL OF THOSE GOOD THINGS BUT WANTED TO MAKE NOTE OF THAT. AS WELL AS THE AVENUE D RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT DISCUSSED AT LENGTH FOR MANY YEARS, ALSO A STATE ASSOCIATION APPROPRIATED WITH THIS AND FPRA STANDS COMMITTED TO CONTRIBUTE 1.5 MILLION WORKING THROUGH ENGINEERING AND LOOKING AT U.S.
1 TO 29TH STREET FOR THAT RECONSTRUCTION OR ING AND PART RECONSTRUCTION AND STREET SCAPING.
THERE IS PLENTY OTHER PROJECTS ABOVE THAT WE'LL GO
[03:40:02]
THROUGH AT THE NEXT FPRA MEETING BUT VERY MEASURED CALCULATED APPROACH TO THESE PROJECTS. THEY'RE MULTIYEAR PROJECT THAT ARE REALLY TAKING TIME SO THERE'S PLENTY OF THINGS BEHIND THE SCENES THAT AREN'T LISTED HERE BUT BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANYQUESTION. >> IS THE HARBOUR POINTE -- DIDN'T WE COMMIT $2 MILLION TO THE COUNTY? IS THAT 1 MILLION OF THE 2
MILLION. >> YES, MA'AM, THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WE EXECUTED LAST YEAR WITH ST. LUCIE COUNTY.
IT WAS TO CONTRIBUTE TOWARD $2 MILLION FOR QUARTERWAY PROJECTS, WE HAVE ALLOCATED 1 MILLION.
I BELIEVE IT MIGHT END UP BEING 500 OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. WE WENT AHEAD AND WERE AGGRESSIVE WITH THAT 1 MILLION.
IT'S ALL BASED ON THE TIMING OF THE DESIGN FOR WHAT THE PORT MASTER PLAN AND ALL OF HIS PLANS THAT HE HAS, BUT, YES, THAT IS PART OF THAT INTERLOAL AGREEMENT. MUCH NEEDED BOOT RAMP ANTICIPATE BOAT TRAILER PARKING WE HAVE EVACUATE WE ARE HAPPY TO CONTRIBUTE TO THAT AND SEE IT MOVING
FORWARD. >> YES, AND HE HAS MET WITH ME TO SHOW ME HIS PLANS FOR THAT AS WELL AS THE MUSEUM POINT PARK AND I WILL JUST LET YOU KNOW HE'S LOOKING FOR MORE MONEY, SURPRISE.
I'M SURE HE'S LET YOU KNOW THAT TOO.
>> THE COUNTY HAS A TON OF MONEY.
HARNAGE. >> I APPRECIATE YOUR SARCASM ON THAT COMMENT.
>> OKAY, ENTERPRISE FUNDS, THE 2026 APPROPRIATIONS YOU SEE, GOLF COURSE, THERE'S A $50,000 APPROPRIATION. ARENA PROJECTS, 1.695, AND THEN STORMWATER PROJECTS 4 MILLION, SOLID WASTE, 956 AND BUILDING, 730.
THEY DID NOT PROVIDE SLIDES, HOWEVER, THEY ARE HERE IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS OR YOU WANT EXPLANATIONS ON THEM.
>> MADAM MAYOR, THE STONEWATER PROJECT, I WOULD LIKE TO KIND OF GET A SENSE OF THAT. I'VE ALWAYS LUMPED IN STORMWATER WHEN IT COMES TO THE CLEANLINESS OF OUR STREET AND GUTTERS HERE AND I KNOW WHEN MR. ANDREWS WAS HERE I WOULD ALWAYS TALK ABOUT WHERE WE ARE BECAUSE WHAT IS LIES ON OUR CURBS AND GUTTER UNFORTUNATELY GETS TRAPPED IN OUR STORMWATER DRAINAGE AND SO I'M STILL ON THIS BANDWAGON OF GETTING THESE CURBS CLEANED WITH -- AND THIS FACTORS INTO PUBLIC WORKS A LITTLE BIT BUT WERE LOOKING AT IT AS A STORMWATER PROJECT. CAN YOU GIVE ME AN IDEA OF WHAT STORMWATER PROJECTS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT?
>> THIS ONE IS A CONTINUATION OF SURFSIDE, THE DRAINAGE.
THIS ONE INCLUDES, REFERENCE THERE'S FOUR PHASES.
PLOVER, EUCALYPTUS, SIP PRESS, SUNSET ISLES.
THAT'S THE SECOND PHASE OF THE FOUR- PHASE PROJECT.
WE ARE WORKING WITH PUBLIC WORKS TO MAKE SURE OUR BAFFLE BOXES IN PARTICULAR WHICH PROTECT THE WATER -- THOSE ARE OUR DRAINAGE OUTLETS INTO THE WATERWAYS SO WORKING WITH THEM.
THEY'RE DOING SOME REPAIRS ON THOSE RIGHT NOW.
>> SO THAT SHOULD HELP THAT TOO. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD ON THAT.
>> PUBLIC WORKS DIRECT E. MADAM MAYOR, WE HAVE TWO STREET SWEEPERS, ONE OF THEM IS KIND OF LIKE TWO WHEELS AND ONE IN THE BACK.
SMALLER FOR THE DOWNTOWN. IT'S NOT REALLY MEANT FOR DRIVING FAR DISTANCES BUT IT'S BETTER AT GETTING TIGHT AREA BECAUSE MORE MANEUVERABLE.
WE DO HAVE OUR STAFF OUT THERE THAT'S, YOU KNOW, DOING A PRETTY GOOD JOB. WE ARE BRINGING THEM IN ON THE DOWNTOWN AREAS, NOW IT'S -- THEY'RE COMING IN EARLY IN THE MORNING AND WE BUMP THAT UP TO FOUR TIMES A WEEK SO THAT'S MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. THEY'RE DOING THAT AND THEN IF THERE'S ANY BIG STORM OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT WE CAN BRING THEM IN.
WE DO HAVE STAFF THAT'S GOING AROUND KIND OF REORGANIZED TO MAKE SURE -- IT WASN'T VERY METHODICAL HOW THEY WERE DOING IT.
YOU KNOW, THEY HAD A VAC TRUCK LOOKING AT STORM DRAINS AND POPPING STORM DRAINS AND THEN WOULD GO MOVE UP AND I SAID, NO, NO, NO WE HAVE STAFF THAT CAN GO OUT IN A TRUCK, DO THAT AND THEN HAVE THE VACUUM TRUCK DOING VACUUM TRUCK ITEM, RIGHT, SO JUST MAKING SURE AND KEEPING AN ACCURATE ACCOUNTING OF JUST UTILIZING PAPER MAPS SHOWING THIS IS THE AREA
[03:45:01]
THAT WE'VE DONE, TRACING IT OUT SO EVERYONE IS ON THE SAME PAGE, CAN SEE WHAT THEY'VE DONE, THAT WAY SOMETHING DOESN'T GET OVERLOOKED OVER TIME AND ALSO WE'VE STRESSED TO STAFF THAT IF ANY OF Y'ALL SEE SOMETHING THAT'S A PROBLEM ANY AN ORGANIZATION, LET US KNOW BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY -- YOU KNOW, IT'S OVER -- I WOULD SAY PROBABLY 90 SOMETHING PEOPLE OUT AND ABOUT THAT CAN SEE A PROBLEM, LET OTHERS KNOW AND THEN HOPEFULLY WE GET THAT FIXED WITH STREET SWEEPING AND WHATNOT BUT WE'RE TRYING TO BE MORE PROACTIVE AND TAKE THAT APPROACH WITH THE CATCH BASINS.>> I'D LIKE TO -- WE HAVE DEAN HERE FROM THE MARINA AND SEE WHAT WE'RE SPENDING 1.96 MILLION ON RELATIVE TO THE MARINA. I KNOW HOW MUCH DEAN APPRECIATES COMING UP TO SPEAK IN FRONT OF THE PUBLIC COMMISSIONER.
>> MADAM MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, THE MARINA PROJECTS THAT WE REALLY AND I ACTUALLY CALL THE WATERWAY PROJECTS, I REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT THIS YEAR.
IT'S BECOMING CRITICAL IS WE NEED TO DREDGE.
WE NEED TO DREDGE MORRIS CREEK. THERE'S NO WATER AROUND THE BOLT RAMP WHICH WAS FUNDED WHICH IS FAIRLY NEW, THAT IS SHOWING OVER EXTENSIVELY, SO I WOULD SAY PROBABLY A THIRD OF THAT BOAT RAMP IS NONUSABLE AT THIS TIME.
WE'RE COMING TO THE POINT THAT WE HAVE SOME ALING OCCURRING AND WE HAVE OUR CHANNEL.
SO WITH ALL THAT SAID, I'M WORKING WITH ENGINEERING. BUT WE'LL TIE THAT IN WITH THE MARINA EXPANSION SO WE'LL LOOK AND HAVE THE SAME CONSULTANTCONSULTANT BOTH.
THEY'RE BOTH INTERMINGLED SO WITH ALL THAT SAID, KIND OF WHERE THE FUNDS ARE GOING INTO IS TO GO AHEAD AND HIRE A CONSULTANT AND LOOK AT WHAT WE CAN GET DONE. WE WILL APPLY FOR GRANTS TO GET SOME OF THIS WORK DONE, SO HOPEFULLY THAT WILL REDUCE SOME OF OUR COSTS, BUT THE CONSULTANT FEES ARE GOING TO BE WELL OVER HALF A MILLION DOLLARS, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS A NECESSITY, WE CANNOT OPERATE A MARINA WITHOUT A CLEAR ROAD, THE CHANNEL IS OUR CLEAR ROAD.
WE -- SINCE WE MOVED OUR ENTRANCE CHANNEL WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE, WE RELOCATED IT.
WE USED TO DREJS EVERY YEAR TO YEAR AND A HALF.
NOW WE DREDGE ABOUT EVERY SEVEN YEARS, SEVEN TO EIGHT YEARS, SO THE MOVE WAS A HOME RUN, WE'VE LESS DREDGING MEANS BETTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.
WITH THAT SAID, LESS COSTS, SO, BUT IT'S TIME TO DO IT AGAIN. WE DO USE OUR BIG ISLAND TURN ISLAND OUT THERE THAT WE PUT IN PLACE FOR STORM ISLANDS, PREVIOUSLY WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GO AHEAD AND USE A SPOILS AND PUT IT ON TOP OF THAT ISLAND, CAUSE IT'S THE SAME TYPE OF MATERIAL SO THAT'S A COST SAVING IN ITSELF HAVING THAT ISLAND OUT THERE WHERE WE GO AHEAD AND REUTILIZE THAT.
SO, WITH ALL THAT SAID, TO ME THAT IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT REALLY THE FACILITY NEEDS TO DO FIRST BEFORE WE DO ANYTHING ELSE. AT THE SAME TIME WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THE MARINA EXPANSION AND MOVE FORWARD BUT WE GOT TO HAVE THE CONSULTANTS ON BOARD FIRST SO NOW I'M WORKING WITH ENGINEERING TO TRY TO GET THAT ACHIEVED SO WE DO AN RFP TO MOVE FORWARD WITH EVERYTHING.
>> DEAN, WOULD THAT INCLUDE YOUR PLANNING PHASE OF THE MARINA EXPANSION? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO.
>> THAT IS CORRECT. IT'LL BE -- TO THE ONLY THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THE INTERNAL BASIN. INTERNAL BASIN NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT BECAUSE OF THE -- WHEN WE GET INTO STORMS, THE WATER EXCEEDS THE DOCKS, A LOT OF THE DOCKS SO RESILIENCY GRANTS ARE ARE÷÷ THERE SO WE'LL HANDLE IT WITH THAT. FOR THE MARINE EX- 357KS WE'LL LOOK AT GETTING A GRANT FROM THE WILDLIFE COMMISSION. THEY HAVE GRANTS OUT THERE FOR ADDS SLIPPING INTO A FACILITY OR BUILDING A MARINA, SO WE WILL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THAT AS WELL, SO WE WILL TAKE THIS APPROACH TO HELP HOPEFULLY CUT OUR COSTS DOWN SO WHEN YOU SEE $3 MILLION EXPANSION FOR THE EXTERNAL BASIN, THAT'S TELLING ME -- THAT'S MAYBE OVER OUR COSTS BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT CAN'T BE SUPPLEMENTED BY THE STATE. AS WELL AS THE INTERNAL BASIN AND THE OTHER THING WE'RE LOOKING TO DO, I'VE BEEN WANTING TO PUT A PUMP OUT SYSTEM ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE MARINA FACILITY. THERE IS A 75%, 25% GRANT FOR THAT AS WELL.
25 FOR THE MARINA, 75 FROM THE STATE.
THEY WILL FUND THAT AS WELL. I THINK THAT IN TODAY'S ENVIRONMENT, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO BE WANTING TO DO IT FOR YEARS BUT VERY IMPORTANT TO GO AHEAD AND PUT/PUMP OUT FACILITY ON THE FORT
[03:50:01]
SIDE OF THE FACILITIES AS WELL. SO, THAT'S KIND OF THE OVERALL GAME PLAN FOR THE FUTURE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS FOR THE MARINA.>> WELL, THAT'S GREAT. I'M THRILLED THAT WE'RE SEEKING TONS OF GRANT MONEY FOR THIS.
THAT'S GOOD WORK. YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO BE BUSY DOWN THERE.
>> YES, HOPEFULLY, YES. YES, MA'AM.
>> THIS DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO, I DON'T THINK, WITH YOUR PROJECTS BUT I SEE THATTEN 0 OUR NEXT AGENDA WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THE ANCHORING
LIMITATION. >> THAT'S CORRECT.
>> AND SO ARE YOU -- YOU'VE GOT A PLAN FOR -- ALREADY WORKING ON HOW THAT IS GOING TO TELL ME HOW THAT'S GOING TO PLAY OUT.
>> WELL, WE WENT AHEAD -- THE COMMISSION HAS APPROVED PURCHASING A BOAT WHICH WE NOW OPERATE A BOAT.
>> WE'VE ACTUALLY APPLIED FOR A COUPLE MORE BOATS THROUGH FEDERAL FUNDING, BUT THE COMMISSION DID APPROVE A SECOND BOAT BUT WHAT WE'VE DONE IS TRIED TO APPLY FOR FEDERAL FUNDING ON THAT AS WELL. IF WE GET THAT IT'S A HOME RUN AND THEN WE CAN APPLY --
>> DO YOU HAVE THE STAFF TO DO THAT?
>> WHAT WE'VE DONE IS I DO HAVE A STAFF MEMBER, TWO STAFF MEMBERS ACTUALLY SET UP AS LEGALLY AS CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AT THIS TIME.
SO THE ANSWER TO THAT IS WE HAVE A BOAT, WE HAVE THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, RIGHT NOW WE HAVEN'T HIRED ANY CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS FOR THE WATER YET, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ABSORB THAT THIS YEAR SO WE WERE ABLE TO SAVE SOME MONEY THIS YEAR ON THAT. SO ONCE THE COUNTY GIVES -- PASSES THE ORDINANCE AND WE PASS THE ORDINANCE COMING UP I BELIEVE NEXT WEEK, THEN WE CAN GO AHEAD AND START LOOKING AT IT AS MORE OF A FULL OPERATION ANDAND WE WILL GO AHEAD AND HIRE THOSE PEOPLE BUT IT IS IN THE BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR AS WELL TO
GO AHEAD AND DO SO. >> OKAY, GREAT, GREAT, THANK YOU. I'M ANXIOUSLY AWAITING THAT.
>> YES, MA'AM. I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND.
>> MADAM, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS DOOR --
>> I DO WANT TO BRIEFLY GIVE BUILDING AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A PRETTY SIZABLE PROJECT KIND OF LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THAT AND FOLLOW IT UP REAL QUICKLY WITH GOLF COURSE. I HAVE MORE OF A COMMENT FROM GOLF COURSE THAN OBSERVATION BUT WOULD LIKE TO HEAR WHAT'S GOING ON DOWN THERE AS
>> AS YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE ABOUT $630,000. THE MAJORITY OF THAT PROJECT IS FOR A BACKUP GENERATOR THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO GET INSTALLED. AS YOU MAY KNOW, THE CITY HAS A BACKUP GENERATOR HERE, BUT ITS CAPACITY IS JUST FOR CITY HALL.
SO AS IT IS RIGHT NOW THE SUNRISE CENTER DOES NOT HAVE ANY BACKUP GENERATOR CAPACITY AND WE APPROACHED A YEAR AGO TO TRY TO USE ACTUALLY A PORTABLE GENERATOR SYSTEM SO WE DID GET THE BUILDING WIRED FOR THAT, BUT THE CONTRACT IN ORDER TO GET THAT PORTABLE GENERATOR IN PLACE IS ASTRONOMICALLY EXPENSIVE AND THE CONTRACT THAT THEY SAY, IT'S JUST SO UNREASONABLE THAT WE TALKED TO FPUA AND SAID, LISTEN, WE HAVE GAS DOWNTOWN. IT'S ALREADY COMING TO CITY HALL. YOUR BEST BET TRY TO GET A PERMIT GENERATED SO $300,000 OF THAT IS ALLOCATED JUST TO TRY TO GET THAT -- GET THAT IN PLACE.
ABOUT $150,000 WE'RE LOOKING TO DO COMPUTER UPGRADES.
WE'RE KIND OF COMING TO THE LIFE SPAN OF MANY OF OUR COMPUTERS. WE'RE LOOKING TO EMPLOY AND GET OUR EMPLOYEE NUMBERS WHERE THEY NEED TO BE SO WE'RE JUST BASICALLY JUST STARTING FROM SCRATCH AND TRYING TO GET AN UPGRADE SO WE'RE READY FOR THAT. NEW VEHICLES IS ALSO ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET THAT -- WE PUT THAT IN AND ALSO WE HAVE SOME SECURITY AND JUST MAINTENANCE ISSUES IN THE DEPARTMENT WHEN IT WAS INITIALLY BUILT OUT, THERE WAS AN AREA THAT WE HAD INITIALLY PLANNED TO BE FOR THE PUBLIC, AS YOU KNOW, IN THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT WE HAVE BALLISTIC DRYWALL THAT GOES THROUGH CERTAIN AREAS SO THAT OUR EMPLOYEES ARE SECURE AND WE'VE HAD TO UTILIZE THIS FOR STAFF INSTEAD OF THE PUBLIC SO WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH AND PUT THE BALLISTIC DRYWALL, CHANGE OUR CARD READERS FOR SECURITY, SO JUST THOSE TYPE OF PROJECTS AND THAT'S ABOUT THE
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF BUILDING? THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. THOMAS.
COURSE. >> I WANTED TO HEAR FROM THE GOLF COURSE.
MADE AN OBSERVATION YESTERDAY. I WAS DOWN THERE, PEOPLE UTILIZING THE PICKLEBALL COURTS DOWN IS
SIR. >> ABOUT 40 USING THE PICKLEBALL LAST WEEKEND, EXCUSE ME, SO IT'S BEEN WELL RECEIVED. WE'VE SOLD APPROXIMATELY 17 MEMBERSHIPS ALREADY IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS AND HAD QUITE A FEW DAILY GUEST FEES IN CONJUNCTION WITH THAT SO IT'S BEEN VERY WELL RECEIVED
INITIALLY. >> SO YOU HAVE MEMBERSHIPS FOR PICKLEBALL, DID YOU SAY.
>> I DIDN'T KNOW THAT. GOOD TO KNOW, YEAH.
>> THE ONLY THING WE'RE WAITING TO COMPLETE IT IS
[03:55:02]
THE INTERIOR WINDSCREENS AND THAT WILL COMPLETE THE PICKLEBALL COURTS, EVERYTHING ELSE IS DONE SO -->> 24 PROJECT THIS PROJECT FEE, WHAT IS
THAT. >> THE PROJECT FEE THAT'S SHOWING IN FRONT OF YOU THE 50,000. THE AVERAGE LIFESPAN OF A PUMP HOUSE TO IRRIGATE THE GOLF COURSE IS ANYWHERE BETWEEN 20 AND 25 YEARS. WE'RE ON YEAR 23 ROUGHLY NOW SO WE HAD A FEW VENDORS COME OUT AND GIVE US QUOTES ON REDOING THE PUMP HOUSE AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO THAT AND BROKEN IT DOWN OVER TWO ASPECTS.
THE TWO ARE THE INTERNAL GUTS OF THE PANEL SYSTEM WHICH IS OUR RELAYS, OUR SURGE PROTECTION, OUR PANEL SCREEN THAT RUNS THE FIELD BOXES AND SECONDLY IS THE TWO VERTICAL 60 HORSE PUMPS THAT RUN THOSE, THAT SYSTEM SO I ASKED THEM IF THEY COULD EVALUATE AND SEE WHICH WAS MORE PERTINENT TO DO RIGHT AWAY AND THE INTERNAL COMPONENTS NEED TO BE DONG. IT'S A WATER TRONNICS PUMP SYSTEM AND THE NEW PANEL SCREEN THAT IS THE BRAIN DOES NOT COMMUNICATE PERFECTLY WITH THE COMPONENTS BECAUSE THEY'RE 23 YEARS APART.
SO TO DO THAT ALLY THAT WOULD TAKE CARE OF US ALL THE SURGE PROTECTION, ALL OF THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS, EVERYTHING COULD BE DONE THIS YEAR.
THE FOLLOWING YEAR, BECAUSE THE PUMPS WERE IN BETTER CONDITION, THE PUMPS ARE STILL IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE SO WOULD REPLACE THOSE NEXT YEAR, THE COST OF APPROXIMATELY 20,000 AND HAVE THOSE IN RESERVE AND KEEP THOSE ON SITE IN CASE OF
EMERGENCY. >> SO IT SOUNDS LIKE SOME INTERNAL STUFF YOU GOT TO KEEP THE AESTHETICS OF IRRIGATION ON THE COURSE, I MEAN OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN'T HAVE A COURSE THAT'S NOT IN PLAYABLE CONDITION.
>> SO PRETTY CUT AND DRIED. JUST TRYING TO BE PROACTIVE.
>> WHILE I HAVE YOU THERE WAS DISCUSSION ABOUT A CLUBHOUSE FACILITY. WHERE ARE WE WITH THAT WHOLE PROJECT?
>> SO WE JUST COMPLETED THE PICKLEBALL COURTS.
THAT WAS BASICALLY PHASE ONE OF THAT PROJECT.
PICKLEBALL, PARKING, STAGING AREA FOR THE COURTS.
SO THE NEXT PHASE OF IT WITH THE CLUBHOUSE, CART BARN AND PAVED PARKING OF THAT SOUTHERN SECTION OF THE PARKING AREA, THAT'S A BIG CONCERN AS WELL COMING UP.
THEY WOULD ALL HAVE TO BE DONE KIND OF IN CONJUNCTION WITH EACH OTHER SO T.D. BANK GOING OUT SO TO BE AHEAD OF THE CURVE AND NOT REACTIONARY WHEN IT COMES TO DOING THESE THINGS IS IMPORTANT.
WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT SO THAT'S MOVING FORWARD SO I'M JUST WAITING ON SOME NUMBERS TO COME BACK TO GIVE US SOMETHING.
IT'S DEFINITELY MOVING FORWARD.
>> EXCUSE ME, MADAM MAYOR. IT IS IN THE FIVE YEAR PLAN.
>> I KNOW IT'S A REVENUE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY. YOU KNOW, THESE ARE ASSETS THAT I COULD SEE OBVIOUSLY GENERATING FUNDS FOR US, SUCH A NEED FOR FACILITIES THAT COULD BE RENTED FOR DIFFERENT VENUES, RIGHT, AND THE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AND I KNEW IT WAS -- THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE.
>> YEAH, THAT'S IN CONJUNCTION AGAIN WITH THE PUMP HOUSE. OUR TEMPORARY STRUCTURES ARE 23 YEARS OLD. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO LAST SEVERAL YEARS LONGER SO TO GET AHEAD OF THAT CURVE WOULD BE BENEFICIAL. TO YOUR POINT IT'S A REVENUE
STREAM. >> DID YOU SAY T.D. BANK IS LEADING THAT FACILITY.
>> THEY EVIDENTLY SOLD THAT PROPERTY.
I DON'T KNOW TO WHOM AND GETTING READY TO OPEN A SMALLER BLANCHE RIGHT ACROSS FROM -- ON U.S. 1 JUST NORTH OF THAT NEW PLAZA IT'S BEING COMPLETED WHERE BRAVO MARKET IS. I DON'T KNOW WHO PURCHASED IT CURRENTLY BUT PART OF OUR PARKING LOT, THEY OWN, SO --
>> LIKE THE RAILROAD. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
>> JUST A MATTER, WE DO NEED TO BE CAUTIOUS WHO PURCHASED THAT. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY HAD SUCH A LARGE FOOTPRINT THERE AND OUR FUTURE, WE JUST NEED TO BE AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON THERE BECAUSE THEY HAD A HUGE PRESENCE ON THAT CORNER AND THEY MOVED DOWN THE STREET NOW AND WE JUST KIND OF NEED TO BE AWARE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND US.
>> THOSE PICKLEBALL COURT, THAT ADDED ROUGHLY 35 PARKING SPOTS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE BUILDING.
NOW IF WE WERE TO RECONFIGURE THAT SOUTH PARKING LOT, REPAVE THAT, THAT WOULD GIVE US ANOTHER ROUGHLY 70 AND BE ADEQUATE AT THAT POINT.
I JUST, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO FAR DOWN THE
LINE. >> WE THINK IN THE FUTURE IF YOU BUILD A CLUBHOUSE YOU'LL NEED PARKING RIGHT, FOR EVENTS AND GOLF GOING ON SO I THINK WE NEED TO KIND OF LOOK IN THE CRYSTAL BALL THERE.
[04:11:51]
>> SO JUST TO SAY WHERE I'M COMING FROM WITH THAT,
[04:11:54]
WITH THOSE NUMBERS I PROPOSED, THOSE ARE DIRECTLY FROM A UNION[04:12:03]
REPRESENTATIVE. THE -- TO GET TO COMMISERATE WITH OTHER AGENCIES WOULD BE 27%, STEP PLUS 27%. I BELIEVE THE UNION WILL BE -- I'M NOT GOING TO SPEAK FOR THEM BUT WILL BE REQUESTING AROUND 17. SO THAT'S WHERE I GOT THAT -->> I RESPECT THAT. SIMPLY PUT, I AM SURE THEIR REPRESENTATIVES ARE WATCHING THE TORTURE WE'RE GOING THROUGH HERE TODAY AND MONDAY TRYING TO FIND SOLUTIONS HERE THAT ARE PALATABLE TO ALL PARTIES, THE TAXPAYERS, THE UNION PEOPLE, AND ALL THE OTHER CITY EMPLOYEES, SO EVERYBODY IS GOING TO HAVE TO STEP UP AND BE REALISTIC HERE AND 23 PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE UNREALISTIC, THEN IT FALLS ON DEAF EARS AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.
EITHER GET WITH THE PROGRAM, BE A TEAM PLAYER AND GET WITH THE PROGRAM OR NOT.
AND THAT'S REALLY THAT'S WHEN THE TOUGH TALK IS GOING TO START.
I GOT NO PROBLEM WALKING DOWN THAT PATH BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE GOING -- WE'RE ASKING STAFF TO PULL OUT ALL THE STOPS TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO THESE VERY DIFFICULT PROBLEMS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SIT HERE AND MAKE THE VERY DIFFICULT DECISIONS SO EVERYBODY HAS TO BUY INTO THIS OR THEY'RE AT THE CURB. THAT'S PIE TAKE S THAT MY TAKE ON IT. I DON'T WANT TO SOUND LIKE A JERK BUT EVERYBODY NEEDS TO COOPERATE, LOOK, WE'RE GIVING A LOT. EVERYBODY WILL HAVE TO TAKE A HIT FOR THE TEAM. THIS IS THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. IT'S NOT ST. LUCIE COUNTY.
WE DON'T HAVE SEVERAL HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET.
>> WE GOT $65 MILLION TO RUN THIS ENTIRE ENTERPRISE AND GIVE EVERYBODY PAY INCREASES THAT ARE REASONABLE SO COMMISSIONER TAYLOR, I DON'T MEAN TO GET OFF ON A TANGENT BUT MY BLOOD PRESSURE IS GOING UP.
WE HAVE LIMITED RESOURCES AND HIT THE TAXPAYERS FOR A LARGE PORTION OF MORE MONEY, 10% INCREASE OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, I CAN'T -- I CAN'T SWALLOW THAT.
YOU KNOW, SO WE'RE GOING TO DO THE BEST WE CAN AND EVERYBODY HAS TO BE CIVIL ABOUT THIS.
>> IF I MAY, I'M GLAD I HAD THE DIRECTORS IN THE CHAMBERS HERE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO BACK AND SHARPEN PENCILS AND EXCEL SHEETS AND HAVE A DETAILED DISCUSSION ABOUT ROLLING EXPENSES DOWN A LITTLE BIT AND WANT TO PUT OUT THAT PUBLICLY AND THINK HARD WITH YOUR TEAM MEMBERS AND HAVE TO SHARPEN OUR PENCILS AND REDUCE OUR BUDGET THAT'S PROPOSED AND FIRST THINGS FIRST AND GET TOGETHER AS WE GO
>> WE GOT A WEEK TO WAVE OUR MAGIC
WAND. >> AND WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND JOHNNA BROUGHT IT UP, ALL OF US BROUGHT IT UP. THAT WE HAD A 10. 5% INCREASE
[04:15:05]
ALREADY. YOU KNOW FROM YOUR BUSINESS WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE THAT.>> THE COMMENT, IS THAT MONEY -- THAT'S ONE
>> WE'LL LOSE THAT MONEY IN '27.
>> WE HAVE TO BE AWARE OF THE FACT THAT WE'RE PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE AND THE FUTURE ISN'T GOING TO BE IN 10. 5 INCREASES EVERY YEAR.
>> AND WE MAY EVEN BE SLIDING BACKWARDS SO HONESTLY, THERE'S NO BRIGHT SPOT IN THIS PICTURE AS FAR AS I CAN TELL.
>> MADAM MAYOR, YOU'RE RIGHT, BECAUSE AS YOU THINK ABOUT IT, AS JOHNNA ALWAYS SAID, HOW DO YOU SUSTAIN THAT, RIGHT? IF WE HAVE LESS MONEY COMING IN AS AD VALOREM, THAT MEANS --
>> WE HAVE TO TAKE IT BACK OR TRIM SOME OTHER WAY AND THAT'S, BOY, IT'S NEVER POPULAR, RIGHT? BUT I THINK AT ONE POINT TOO, WE ALWAYS LOOKED AT THE OPTIMIZATION OF ALL US. WE DID AN OPTIMIZATION TO LOOK AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS IT THE RIGHT SIZE AND DO WE NEED MORE OR LESS? CITY HALL, BUT I THINK AT SOME POINT TOO WE STILL HAVE TO HAVE THE OPTION OF WE MAY HAVE TO GO BACK TO LOOKING AT OPTY ECONOMYTATION STUDIES AND WE MAY HAVE TO SHRINK AND THAT'S ACROSS A LOT OF DIFFERENT PARAMETERS, RIGHT? AND WE MAY HAVE TO LOOK AT OUTSOURCING, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE CITY BUSINESS ITSELF. IT'S JUST -- EVERY BUSINESS OWNER HAS TO DEAL WITH THIS AND WE'RE FIVE BUSINESS OWNERS AND ONLY SO MUCH MONEY AND SO OBVIOUSLY THE APPETITE OF KEEP TAXING AND ADDING TAXES ON TOP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE CHALLENGED AS IT IS IN THIS ECONOMY WE'RE IN, IT'S TOUGH.
>> I HEARD ONE COMMENT TODAY, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, THAT ONE OF THE DEPARTMENT HEADS WAS COMMENTING ON OPTIMIZING OUR REVENUE CASH FLOW THROUGH USER FEES, ET CETERA. YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE A HARD LOOK WITH ALL THE LEASES WE HAVE COMING UP, WE'LL HAVE TO GRIND THESE THINGS INTO GENERATING MARKET RATE FEES FOR USE OF CITY ASSETS.
IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THAT. THERE'S TENS AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS THAT WE'RE LEAVING ON THE TABLE BECAUSE WE'RE JUST GIVING SPACE AWAY FOR FREE AND VIRTUALLY -- THIS IS SOMETHING WE'LL TAKE A HARD LOOK AT. IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MINIMIZE ANY TAX INCREASES THROUGH REVENUE GENERATION, THROUGH CITY OWNED ASSETS AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED. WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE A HARD LOOK AT THAT. CITY MANAGER CHESS HAS GOT ON HIS PERSONNEL TO BRING IN A REAL ESTATE CZAR WHICH I APPLAUD FULLY TO TAKE A LOOK AT ALL THIS AND MAKE RECOMMEND TAKES AS TO HOW WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.
ANYTHING ELSE TO SEND US OFF IN A GOOD MOOD?
>> NOT SURE WHAT'S WORSE, THIS OR GOING TO MY ONCOLOGIST, I'M NOT SURE.
>> YOU CAN HOLD MY HAND. THAT'S
FINE. >> I HAVE TO FIND MY AGENDA HERE BUT WE'RE READY FOR ADJOURNMENT UNLESS ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANYTHING ELSE TO
>> WHILE WE'RE HAVING LUNCH IN THE SECOND FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM, DIRECTORS AND COMMISSIONERS, YOU'RE INVITED.
>> THANK YOU ALL, STAFF. THANK YOU, JOHNNA, FOR A GREAT JOB.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHESS, FOR WORKING
HARD. >> YOU HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO.
>> WE'RE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.