Sep 26, 2023 Special City Commission Meeting

[00:00:01]

GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.

IT IS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26TH, 2023 5:05 P.M..

[1. CALL TO ORDER]

THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

AND IF EVERYONE WILL PLEASE RISE.

THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WILL BE LED BY VICE MAYOR BOLTON, AND WE WILL TAKE A MOMENT OF SILENCE THEREAFTER.

THANK YOU. PLEASE BE SEATED.

GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.

THIS IS A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF TAMARAC TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARINGS TO ESTABLISH THE MILLAGE RATE AND ADOPT A CITY BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024.

I'M PLEASED YOU CAN JOIN US THIS EVENING.

THESE PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE THE CULMINATION OF AN ENTIRE YEAR OF OR MORE OF WORK BY THE CITY COMMISSION, THE CITY MANAGER AND STAFF.

FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC TONIGHT, THE CITY COMMISSION HELD SEVERAL WORKSHOPS DURING THE YEAR AND A BUDGET WORKSHOP ON JUNE 21ST, 2023, TO PROVIDE DIRECTION TO STAFF ON THE SUBMITTAL. IN ADDITION, THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING ON THE TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE AND TENTATIVE BUDGET WAS HELD ON SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2023.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES ON THE DAIS FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION AT THE WORKSHOPS AND FOR THEIR SUGGESTIONS AS WE'VE DELIBERATED ON STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS.

AS WE'RE READY TO BEGIN, WE ARE NOW GOING TO GO INTO TEMPORARY ORDINANCE 2536.

[4.a TO2536 - An Ordinance of the City Commission of the City of Tamarac, Florida to establish and levy ad valorem taxes within the corporate limits of the City of Tamarac, Florida, for the tax year 2023; providing for the levy of ad valorem taxes in the amount of 7.0000 mills ($7.0000 per $1,000) based upon the taxable value on non-exempt real estate and personal property located within the City limits of the City of Tamarac; providing for conflicts; providing for severability; and providing for an effective date. ]

BEFORE WE BEGIN, MR. CITY MANAGER, PLEASE READ YOUR STATEMENT.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TRUTH IN MILLAGE REQUIREMENTS OF FLORIDA STATUTES, THE CITY IS REQUIRED TO ANNOUNCE THE PERCENTAGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE AND THE ROLLBACK RATE.

AS SUCH, THE FOLLOWING IS READ INTO THE RECORD THE TENTATIVE OPERATING MILLAGE RATE OF 7.0000 MILLS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024 IS 0.6559 MILLS OR 10.34% MORE THAN THE ROLLBACK RATE OF 6.3441 MILLS.

THAT CONCLUDES MY STATEMENT.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU.

AND VERY INTERESTING MUSIC FOR WHEREVER THAT WAS COMING FROM.

SO. MS..

CITY ATTORNEY, PLEASE READ THE TITLE TO TEMPORARY ORDINANCE NUMBER 2536.

THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR.

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF TAMARAC, FLORIDA, TO ESTABLISH AND LEVY AD VALOREM TAXES WITHIN THE CORPORATE LIMITS OF THE CITY OF TAMARAC, FLORIDA, FOR THE TAX YEAR 2023, PROVIDING FOR THE LEVY OF AD VALOREM TAXES IN THE AMOUNT OF SEVEN MILLS BASED UPON THE TAXABLE VALUE ON NONEXEMPT REAL ESTATE AND PERSONAL PROPERTY LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF THE CITY OF TAMARAC.

PROVIDING FOR CONFLICTS, PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

THANK YOU. WE WILL NOW HEAR A SHORT PRESENTATION FROM OUR FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

JEFF STREETER, BUDGET MANAGER.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, FOR THE RECORD, JEFF STREETER, BUDGET MANAGER.

TONIGHT IS THE SECOND AND FINAL PUBLIC HEARING TO ADOPT A FINAL MILLAGE RATE AND FINAL OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024.

THE GENERAL FUND OPERATING MILLAGE RATE IS NOW BEING PROPOSED AT 7.0000 MILLS.

IT PROVIDES FOR GENERAL OPERATIONS OF THE CITY.

THE ROLLBACK RATE IS 6.3441 MILLS FOR FISCAL FOR 2024, AND THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE EXCEEDS THE ROLLBACK RATE OF 6.3441 BY 0.6559 MILLS OR 10.34%.

IN SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2023, THE TENTATIVE OPERATING MILLAGE RATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024 WAS PRESENTED TO THE COMMISSION AND AS AMENDED, APPROVED FOR ADVERTISING ON SEPTEMBER 23RD AND ADOPTION ON SEPTEMBER 26TH, 2023.

[00:05:04]

AS A RECAP FOR THE OPERATING MILLAGE RATE, THE GENERAL FUND OPERATING MILLAGE RATE APPROVED AS THE TENTATIVE RATE ON SEPTEMBER 14TH FOR ADVERTISEMENT AND ADOPTION WAS AT 7.00 MILLS.

IT PROVIDES FOR GENERAL OPERATIONS OF THE CITY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024.

IT MAINTAINS CURRENT SERVICE LEVELS AT A TIME WHEN THE CITY WILL BE PAYING CONSIDERABLY MORE FOR ALL GOODS AND SERVICES, AND IT FUNDS THE DESIRED LEVEL OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. AT THE CONCLUSION OF TONIGHT'S PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS TEMPORARY ORDINANCE, THE CITY COMMISSION MUST ADOPT THE FINAL MILLAGE RATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024 AND AGAIN FOR GENERAL OPERATIONS THAT'S PROPOSED AT 7.0000 MILLS.

AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I'LL NOW OPEN IT UP FOR ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION.

COMMISSIONER VILLALOBOS. I DON'T HAVE QUESTIONS.

I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO STAFF.

SENIOR STAFF.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT TAKES A LOT OF WORK PUTTING THIS TOGETHER, GETTING OUR INPUT AND EVERY DEPARTMENT HEAD.

INPUT. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. SEEING NO OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO OPEN UP OUR PUBLIC HEARING ON TEMPORARY ORDINANCE NUMBER 2536.

PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN.

IS THERE ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WISHES TO MAKE A COMMENT? NO. OKAY.

SEEING NONE.

OUR PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.

I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADOPT THE OPERATING MILLAGE RATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024.

I MAKE A MOTION TO SET THE OPERATING MILLAGE RATE AT 7.000 MILLS, WHICH IS SIX, WHICH IS 0.6559 MILLS OR 10.34% MORE THAN THE ROLLBACK RATE AT 6.3441 MILLS.

I SECOND THAT MOTION.

ALL RIGHT. I HAVE A MOTION BY THE VICE MAYOR.

I HAVE A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER VILLALOBOS.

ANY DISCUSSION.

SEEING NO DISCUSSION.

CITY CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR.

THANK YOU. MOTION PASSES 5 TO 0.

THANK YOU.

MOVING TO TEMPORARY ORDINANCE 2537.

[4.b TO2537 - An Ordinance of the City Commission of the City of Tamarac, Florida adopting the Operating Budget, Revenues and Expenditures, the Capital Budget, and the Financial Policies for Fiscal Year 2024; providing for conflicts; providing for scriveners errors; providing for severability; and providing for an effective date. ]

BEFORE WE BEGIN, MR. CITY MANAGER, PLEASE READ YOUR STATEMENT.

THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR.

THE TENTATIVE OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024 IS $254,276,488, WHICH IS $6,912,442 LESS THAN THE AMENDED BUDGET OF $261,188,940 FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023.

THE TENTATIVE GENERAL FUND BUDGET, WHICH IS THE PRIMARY FUND FOR PROVIDING GOVERNMENTAL SERVICES SUCH AS OUR CONTRACT WITH VSO GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, PUBLIC SERVICES AND PARKS AND RECREATION IS $90,489,937, WHICH IS $9,498,346 MORE THAN THE AMENDED BUDGET OF $80,991,591 FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023.

IN ADDITION, THE FINANCIAL POLICIES ARE INCLUDED AS PART OF THE ADOPTION OF THE ANNUAL BUDGET.

THESE FINANCIAL POLICIES ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR LONG TERM FINANCIAL PLANNING FOR THE CITY.

THESE POLICIES SET PARAMETERS FOR OPERATING MANAGEMENT, INCLUDING ESTABLISHING RESERVES FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES, ESTABLISHING ACCOUNTS, MANAGEMENT AND FINANCIAL PLANNING POLICIES, AND ESTABLISHING POLICIES ON ECONOMIC RESOURCES.

THAT CONCLUDES MY STATEMENT.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MISS CITY ATTORNEY.

PLEASE READ THE TITLE TO TEMPORARY ORDINANCE NUMBER 2537.

[00:10:03]

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF TAMARAC, FLORIDA, ADOPTING THE OPERATING INTEGERS, THE CAPITAL BUDGET AND THE FINANCIAL POLICIES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024 PROVIDING FOR CONFLICTS, PROVIDING FOR SCRIVENER'S ERRORS, PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR.

THANK YOU. WE WILL HEAR A SHORT PRESENTATION FROM THE FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

OUR JEFF STREETER BUDGET MANAGER.

AGAIN FOR THE RECORD, JEFF STREETER, BUDGET MANAGER, ON SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2023, THE TENTATIVE OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024 WAS PRESENTED TO CITY COMMISSION AND APPROVED FOR ADVERTISING ON SEPTEMBER 23RD AND ADOPTION ON SEPTEMBER 26TH, 2023.

BASED ON ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE COMMISSION AT THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING.

ATTACHMENT A TWO TEMPORARY ORDINANCE 2537 WAS REVISED TO REFLECT SHIFTED GENERAL FUND REVENUES, WHICH WAS NECESSARY TO ALIGN THE THE AMENDMENT PREVIOUSLY MADE TO TEMPORARY ORDINANCE 2536 WITH RESPECT TO LOWERING THE OPERATING MILLAGE RATE FROM 7.1766 TO 7.0000 MILLS.

THE TENTATIVE BUDGET, BASED ON ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE COMMISSION AT THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING, WAS ADVERTISED IN THE SUN SENTINEL ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23RD.

THIS TABLE SHOWS THE ADOPTED TENTATIVE BUDGET BROKEN DOWN BY MAJOR FUND CATEGORY.

YOU SEE THAT THE ADOPTED FISCAL YEAR 2024 TENTATIVE BUDGET FOR THE GENERAL FUND IS $90,489,937, WITH A TOTAL CITY BUDGET OF $254,276,488.

SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS ACCOUNT FOR $39,646,392.

DEBT SERVICE FUNDS ACCOUNT FOR $2,554,999.

CAPITAL PROJECT FUNDS ACCOUNT FOR $21,841,301.

ENTERPRISE FUNDS ACCOUNT FOR $88,060,998.

AND LASTLY, INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS ACCOUNT FOR 11,622,000 $682,861.

AT THE CONCLUSION OF TONIGHT'S PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS TEMPORARY ORDINANCE, THE CITY COMMISSION MUST ADOPT A BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER OCTOBER 1ST, 2023, WHICH IS FISCAL YEAR 2024.

AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I WILL OPEN UP FOR QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS.

SEEING NONE.

I'LL NOW OPEN UP TEMPORARY SORRY.

PUBLIC HEARING ON TEMPORARY ORDINANCE NUMBER 2537 IS OPEN.

IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WISHES TO SPEAK? AS WITH ALL OF OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS.

THREE MINUTES, PLEASE. STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR LOCATION FOR THE RECORD.

THANK YOU, KATE.

KATE JOHNSON, MAINLAND SPEAKER.

IT'S BEEN A LONG WEEK.

THE MY COMMENT IS REGARDING THE BUDGET ITSELF.

I LOOKED IN THE BACKUP MATERIAL AND I LOOKED THROUGH THAT BUDGET AND IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO TELL WHERE THE MONEY'S GOING.

EVERYTHING IS LUMPED TOGETHER.

SO THE COMMISSION'S GOT ONE LUMP SUM, THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, ONE LUMP SUM, AND WE CAN'T SEE WHERE THE BREAKDOWN IS TO DETERMINE WHERE OUR MONEY IS GOING. AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, IS THERE A POSSIBILITY TO GET A FURTHER BREAKDOWN OF THE BUDGET SO WE AS TAXPAYERS CAN SEE WHERE OUR MONEY IS GOING? CITY MANAGER. SURE, MAYOR.

WE CAN DEFINITELY PROVIDE A BETTER DETAILED LINE ITEM BUDGET.

PART OF OUR DIFFICULTY WHEN WE POST OUR BUDGETS ONLINE IS THAT THEY NEED TO BE ADA COMPATIBLE, WHICH STRIPS AWAY A LOT OF THE DETAILS FOR ADA COMPATIBILITY REASONS.

BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY PROVIDE A MORE DETAILED COPY OF THE CITY BUDGET WE DID AT ONE TIME HAVE IT ON THERE WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY LINE ITEM EACH OF THEM OUT.

BUT BECAUSE OF ADA RULES AND REGULATIONS, WE HAD TO REMOVE THAT.

THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT. THANK YOU.

IS THERE ANYONE? WE DO PROVIDE MUCH MORE SPECIFICITY IN THE BUDGET BOOK ITSELF, WHICH IS LATER PUBLISHED.

ONCE IT'S COMPLETE, IT BREAKS IT DOWN BY PERSONNEL COST, OPERATING CAPITAL DEBT.

THERE'S A BETTER BREAKDOWN IN THE BOOK ITSELF.

THE ORDINANCE, AS THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED, THAT WE HAVE TO POST ONLINE, HAS TO BE ADA CONVERTED.

[00:15:06]

THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK AT PUBLIC HEARING.

SEEING NONE, THEN OUR PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.

I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADOPT TEMPORARY ORDINANCE NUMBER 2537 ESTABLISHING THE OPERATING BUDGET, CAPITAL, BUDGET AND FINANCIAL POLICIES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT TEMPORARY ORDINANCE NUMBER 2537.

WE NEED A SECOND. A SECOND.

I HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER VILLALOBOS AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER DANIEL.

ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION.

SEEING NONE.

CITY CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR.

THANK YOU. MOTION PASSES 5 TO 0.

THANK YOU. SO, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES.

I WANT TO AGAIN THANK STAFF, EVERYBODY WHO'S WORKED SO HARD ON THIS FOR ALL THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE OVER THE YEARS.

IT IS NOT EASY TO COME UP WITH A BUDGET FOR A CITY OF ALMOST 74,000 PEOPLE.

AND AS I MENTIONED LAST MEETING, THIS BUDGET IS BASICALLY TO TAKE CARE OF EVERYBODY'S NEEDS IN CITY BUILDINGS AND ALL OF OUR ASSETS, WHICH INCLUDE OUR EMPLOYEES, OUR 411 PLUS EMPLOYEES WHO ARE ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL THE HARD WORK.

I KNOW SOMETIMES SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE HAD TO DISCUSS AND TRY TO DO ARE NOT EASY, BUT APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S EFFORTS.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

CITY MANAGER WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING? MAYOR IF I MAY? I ALSO WANT TO EXTEND OUR APPRECIATION FOR THE COMMISSION'S SUPPORT FOR THIS BUDGET PROCESS, AND I WANT TO JOIN YOU IN EXTENDING OUR GREAT APPRECIATION FOR ENTIRE CITY STAFF FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE BUDGET PREPARATION AND THEIR DUE DILIGENCE IN THE PROVISION OF THIS UPCOMING BUDGET. SO WE THANK YOU ALL AND THANK YOU ALL.

THANK YOU. AND ON THAT NOTE, IT IS 5:22.

EVERYONE BE SAFE.

GO HOME. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT AND WE'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW MORNING FOR OUR COMMISSION MEETING AT 9:30 RIGHT HERE IN CHAMBERS.

SO HOPEFULLY WE WILL SEE YOU THEN.

THANK YOU. GOOD NIGHT.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.