GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY, AND WELCOME TO THIS SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE
[CALL TO ORDER:]
[00:00:05]
CITY OF TAMARAC. IT IS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2020 IT IS CURRENTLY 5:05 PM.MADAM CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL.
THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. COMMISSION GELIN.
GOOD EVENING. COMMISSIONER PLACKO.
GOOD EVENING. VICE MAYOR BOLTON. GOOD EVENING.
IF EVERYONE WOULD PLEASE RISE.
AND WE WILL THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WILL BE LED BY VICE MAYOR BOLTON.
OF ALLEGIANCE] NOW MIKE [INAUDIBLE] OUR CAO WILL RECAP GUIDANCE AND RULES FOR VIRTUAL MEETINGS.
MR. [INAUDIBLE], EVERYBODY. JUST A BRIEF OVERVIEW, OF COURSE, YOU'RE ALL EXPERIENCED BY NO W IN WHAT'S THE USE OF THE COMMUNICATIONS MEDIA TECHNOLOGY.
BUT JUST FOR SUMMATION, THIS MEETING IS BEING CONDUCTED USING CMT.
IF YOU HAVE ANY DIFFICULTIES WITH YOUR TECHNOLOGY, PLEASE CONTACT THE IT DEPARTMENT.
THEY ARE HERE AND ABLE TO HELP.
PURSUANT TO THE ORDER OF THE GOVERNOR A PHYSICAL QUORUM OF THE CITY COMMISSION IS NOT LEGALLY REQUIRED TO HOLD A MEETING.
AND THIS IS WHY WE'RE USING COMMUNICATION MEDIA TECHNOLOGY.
DURING THE COURSE OF THIS MEETING, YOU WILL CONDUCT YOUR BUSINESS AND YOU WILL DEBATE AS YOU NORMALLY DO, BOTH OF THESE ITEMS ARE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC [INAUDIBLE] PUBLICLY ON THE MATTER CAN DO SO.
THEY MAY SUBMIT THEIR COMMENTS BY E-MAIL TO CITYCLERK@TAMARAC.ORG, ALL COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN RECEIVED BY EMAIL, WILL BE READ ORAL SO LONG AS THEY'RE 3 MINUTES OR LESS.
AND SHALL BE READ INTO THE RECORD ALL COMMENTS BY EMAIL SHOULD BE MADE PART OF THE PUBLIC RECORD. PUBLIC COMMENTS MAY ALSO BE SUBMITTED ONLINE DURING THE MEETINGS THROUGH FACEBOOK LIVE. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAY ALSO REGISTER ONLINE AT THE CITY'S WEBSITE WWW .TAMARAC.ORG. INDIVIDUALS WHO REGISTER WILL BE CONTACTED BY TELEPHONE AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME DURING THE MEETING TO OFFER THEIR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
ONE LAST ITEM OF BUSINESS [INAUDIBLE] IS THAT ALL ACTION TAKEN BY THE CITY COMMISSION DURING THESE VIRTUAL MEETINGS SHALL BE BY ROLL CALL VOTE.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS [INAUDIBLE] THE TABLE FOR TONIGHTS MEETING.
AND NOW THE CITY MANAGER WILL PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON TODAYS REOPENING SCHEDULE FOR CITY PARKS AND FACILITIES.
CITY MANAGER. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR.
I JUST WANT TO BEFORE WE GET STARTED WITH THE MILLAGE RATE AND THE BUDGET TONIGHT, TO JUST GIVE YOU A QUICK, VERY QUICK UPDATE ON REOPENING.
AS YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNOR ISSUED NEW EMERGENCY ORDERS ARE EXECUTIVE ORDERS ON FRIDAY, BROWARD COUNTY, FOLLOWED SUIT, ISSUED EXECUTIVE ORDERS ON FRIDAY.
WE SPENT THE WEEKEND AND YESTERDAY KIND OF DIGESTING THOSE EMERGENCY ORDERS.
AND ADMITTEDLY, I THINK EVERYONE IS JUST AS CONFUSED TODAY AS WE WERE WHEN WE GOT THEM.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THE REALITY IS THAT THE STATE IS IS REOPENING RESTAURANTS, HOTELS, BARS, ENTERTAINMENT VENUES, AS YOU'VE ALL READ ABOUT, ARE OPEN FOR BUSINESS.
I'M NOT SURE MASKS ARE REQUIRED OR VOLUNTARY OR WHAT, BUT A LOT OF WHAT I SAW ON THE NEWS THIS WEEKEND FROM AROUND THE STATE CLEARLY MASKS AND SOCIAL DISTANCING ARE NOT REQUIRED EVERYWHERE AT THIS POINT.
YOU KNOW, WE WERE TOLD THAT WE ARE NOT IN A POSITION TO PREEMPT THE GOVERNOR'S ORDERS THROUGH CODE COMPLIANCE OR THROUGH ORDINANCE OR A RESOLUTION LOCALLY.
AND SO WE'RE MAKING YOU KNOW, WE'RE KIND OF MAKING THE BEST OF WHAT WE CAN DO AS FAR AS COVID [INAUDIBLE] OUR RESTAURANTS, HOTELS, OUR BARS, OUR [INAUDIBLE] VENUES AND LOCAL BUSINESSES. AS FAR AS THE CITY ITSELF, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF EVALUATING HOW WE GO ABOUT REOPENING.
THERE ARE CERTAIN VENUES LIKE THE AQUATIC CENTER AND AND SOME OF OUR OTHER VENUES THAT ARE IN HAVE BEEN REOPENED TO AN EXTENT.
I WILL CONTINUE TO GRADUALLY PHASE REOPENING IN AT THOSE FACILITIES.
I DON'T HAVE A SCHEDULE FOR YOU YET, PER SAY, BUT WE WILL WE WILL HAVE A PLAN WHICH WE WILL DISTRIBUTE TO YOU AND AND CERTAINLY LET THE RESIDENTS KNOW ABOUT AFTER WE DISTRIBUTE
[00:05:05]
IT TO YOU SHORTLY.THERE ARE STILL A LOT OF MOVING PARTS.
WE NEED TO PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS.
WE NEED TO PROTECT OUR EMPLOYEES.
WE NEED TO STILL FOCUS ON KEEPING PEOPLE SAFE.
THERE'S STILL A PANDEMIC GOING ON.
AND WE NEED TO DO OUR BEST TO CONTROL THE THINGS THAT WE CAN.
AND KEEP PEOPLE SAFE THAT CONTINUES TO BE OUR FOCUS.
I JUST WANT TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR MEETINGS COMING UP IN OCTOBER, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT WE CAN EXPECT BASED ON WHAT WE'VE WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM THE GOVERNOR. THERE IS NOT THERE IS THERE IS NOT AN EXPECTATION THAT THE VIRTUAL MEETING PRIVILEGE WILL BE EXTENDED.
SO IT IS OUR EXPECTATION THAT WE'LL BE BACK TO PHYSICAL QUORUMS IN OCTOBER.
WE ARE MAKING ARRANGEMENTS IN THE COMMISSION DAIS, YOU KNOW, ON THE COMMISSION DAIS TO FACILITATE THAT IN ORDER TO KEEP YOU ALL PROTECTED WHILE YOU'RE ON THE DAIS AND TO ACCOMMODATE THE PUBLIC IN AN APPROPRIATE WAY AND STAFF AND STAFF PRESENTATIONS IN AN APPROPRIATE WAY.
GET YOU WE'LL GET YOU MORE INFORMATION ON THAT ONCE OUR PLANS ARE IN PLACE.
BUT THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHAT STAFF IS WORKING ON.
I JUST WANTED TO, LIKE I SAID, GIVE YOU GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF AN IDEA OF WHERE WE'RE HEADED AND YOU'LL HAVE MORE INFORMATION COMING TO YOU SOON.
YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY, THERE'S A LOT OF DECISIONS TO GET MADE AND WE'RE NOT MAKING THOSE IN A VACUUM.
WE ARE CERTAINLY TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS AND THE FACT THAT THE RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN COOPED UP FOR THE LAST SEVEN MONTHS AND, YOU KNOW, PARKS AND RECREATION IN PARTICULAR IS JUST CHOMPING AT THE BIT TO GET BACK TO WORK.
THEY'RE ALREADY DOING A LOT WITH THEIR VIRTUAL CLASSES AND THEIR ONLINE PROGRAMING, BUT THEY REALLY WANT TO GET BACK TO DOING WHAT THEY DO, MORE SO PROBABLY THAN ANYBODY ELSE.
SO WE'LL HAVE SOME MORE INFORMATION FOR YOU THIS WEEK AND NEXT.
AND WE'LL ALSO HAVE SOME MORE INFORMATION FOR YOU ABOUT HOW YOUR OCTOBER MEETINGS WILL UNFOLD IN THE COMMISSION CHAMBERS.
WITH THAT MADAM MAYOR THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
UNLESS THERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS.
I AM NOT SEEING ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.
SO WE'LL SAY GOOD EVENING TO EVERYONE.
AGAIN, 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 THE CITY BUDGET FOR THE YEAR 2021. [INAUDIBLE] JOIN US THIS EVENING.
THESE PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE THE CULMINATION OF AN ENTIRE YEAR OR MORE OF WORK BY THE CITY COMMISSION, CITY MANAGER AND STAFF FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC TONIGHT THE COMMISSION HELD SEVERAL WORKSHOPS DURING THE YEAR AND A BUDGET WORKSHOP ON JUNE 17, 2020 TO PROVIDE DIRECTION TO STAFF ON THE SUBMITTAL.
AND THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING ON THE TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE AND TENTATIVE BUDGET WAS HELD IN SEPTEMBER 14 2020.
I'D LIKE TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES ON THE DAIS FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION AT THE WORKSHOPS AND FOR THEIR SUGGESTIONS AS WE DELIBERATED ON THE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS.
[1. TO2434 - FY 2021 Millage Rate Ordinance]
WE'RE GOING TO GO TO TEMPORARY ORDINANCE 2434.THE SECOND AND FINAL PUBLIC HEARING TO ESTABLISH THE OPERATING MILLAGE RATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021.
BEFORE WE BEGIN, MR. CITY MANAGER, WILL YOU PLEASE READ YOUR STATEMENT.
YES, THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS.
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TRUTH AND MILLAGE REQUIREMENTS OF THE FLORIDA STATUTE, THE CITY IS REQUIRED TO ANNOUNCE THE PERCENTAGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE AND THE ROLL BACK RATE. AS SUCH, THE FOLLOWING RATE, THE FOLLOWING IS READ INTO THE RECORD THE TENTATIVE OPERATING MILLAGE RATE OF SEVEN POINT TWO EIGHT NINE NINE MILLS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021 IS POINT FOUR NINE SIX FOUR MILLS OR SEVEN POINT THREE ONE PERCENT MORE THEN THE ROLL BACK RATE OF SIX POINT SEVEN NINE THREE FIVE MILLS.
THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR AND COMMISSIONER.
WILL YOU PLEASE READ THE TITLE TO TEMPORARY ORDINANCE NUMBER [INAUDIBLE].
AND ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF TAMARAC, FLORIDA, TO ESTABLISH THE LEVY AD VALOREM TAXES WITHIN THE CORPORATE LIMITS OF THE CITY OF TAMARAC, FLORIDA FOR THE TAX YEAR 2020, PROVIDING FOR THE LEVY AD VALOREM TAXES IN THE AMOUNT OF SEVEN POINT TWO EIGHT NINE NINE MILLS, WHICH IS SEVEN DOLLARS AND TWENTY EIGHT POINT NINE NINE CENTS PER THOUSAND DOLLARS. BASED UPON THE TAXABLE VALUE OF NONEXEMPT REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY LOCATED WITHIN CITY LIMITS OF THE CITY OF TAMARAC, PROVIDE FOR COMPLEX SEVERABILITY AND
[00:10:02]
AN EFFECTIVE DATE. YOUR MUTED.FIGURES. THANK YOU SORRY, AND NOW WE HAVE A STAFF PRESENTATION BY OUR INTERIM SERVICES FINANCIAL SERVICES MS. CHRISTINE CAJUSTE. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, CITY COMMISSION.
TONIGHT, CHRISTINE CAJUSTE, INTERIM FINANCIAL SERVICES DIRECTOR.
TONIGHT, I ALSO HAVE WITH ME JEFF [INAUDIBLE], WHO IS OUR BUDGET MANAGER, AND MICHAEL [INAUDIBLE], WHO IS OUR BUDGET ANALYST.
TODAY IS THE FINAL PUBLIC HEARING FOR OUR MILLAGE [INAUDIBLE] OPERATING BUDGET.
2434 IS OUR MILLAGE ORDINANCE.
AND THIS IS THE SECOND OF TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS.
OUR FIRST PUBLIC HEARING WAS ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2020.
OUR GENERAL FUND OPERATION IS SEVEN POINT TWO EIGHT NINE NINE MILLS.
AND THIS PROVIDES FOR GENERAL OPERATIONS OF THE CITY.
IT EXCEEDS THE ROLLBACK RATE OF SIX POINT SEVEN NINE THREE FIVE MILLS BY POINT FOUR NINE SIX FOUR MILL, OR SEVEN POINT THREE ONE PERCENT.
I WILL NOW HAND IT OVER TO JEFF [INAUDIBLE], BUDGET MANAGER, WHO WILL GIVE YOU THE DETAILS. JEFF.
VICE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
[INAUDIBLE] FOR THE RECORD JEFF [INAUDIBLE] BUDGET MANAGER.
THE FLORIDA LAWS GOVERNS TRIM COMPLIANCE REQUIRED THAT YOU PUBLISH A NOTICE ALONG WITH A BUDGET SUMMARY AD.
THOSE DEMANDS NEED TO BE ADJACENT.
THEY NEED TO BE PUBLISHED TWO TO FIVE DAYS BEFORE THE HEARING OCCURS TO DISCUSS [INAUDIBLE] PROPOSAL. OUR AD [INAUDIBLE] SUNDAY, THIS PAST SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27TH IN THE SUN SENTINEL AND THEY WERE BIG AS DAY.
THEY TOOK OUT NEARLY THREE QUARTERS OF A FULL PAGE TOGETHER THE TWO ADS WERE RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER AND THEY TOOK UP ABOUT THREE QUARTERS OF A PAGE.
THE NEXT SLIDE. PLEASE [INAUDIBLE].
AS THE CITY MANAGER STATED IN HIS STATEMENT THAT PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE IS SEVEN POINT TWO EIGHT NINE NINE MILLS [INAUDIBLE] RATE AS IT'S BEEN FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS.
THIS WOULD BE THE NINTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR WITH NO CHANGE TO THE MILLAGE RATE.
THAT SUPPORTS THE COMMISSION'S PRIORITIES FOR 2021.
REMAINING SERVICE LEVELS AND MAKE SMALL STAFFING CHANGES IN THE GENERAL FUND.
THE ONLY STAFFING CHANGE IN THE GENERAL FUND IS THE ADDITION OF TWO PART TIME PARK RANGERS IN THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
THE CHANGE IN THE CHANGE IN THE POPULATION FOR THE CITY OF TAMARAC, THE GENERAL FUND STAFFING LEVELS, THE FULL TIME EQUIVALENT [INAUDIBLE] IS ACTUALLY GOING DOWN FROM [INAUDIBLE].
A REMINDER THAT THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS OUTSIDE OF THE STORMWATER CAPITAL FUND AND UTILITY [INAUDIBLE] REPLACEMENT FUNDS [INAUDIBLE] BEING GENERATED NEXT YEAR.
THAT IS FROM CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT [INAUDIBLE].
JUST A GRAPHIC REPRESENTATION OF WHAT I STATED EARLIER.
IT SHOWS HOW THE GENERAL FUND FTE PER THOUSAND [INAUDIBLE] CHANGED OVER TIME.
AS YOU CAN SEE AT THE GENERAL FUND, THE GENERAL FUND FTE PER THOUSAND HAS NOT REALLY KEPT UP EVEN WITH THE INCREASE IN POPULATION IN THE CITY OF TAMARAC OVER TIME, IT STARTED BACK BEFORE THE GREAT RECESSION [INAUDIBLE] WAS MUCH HIGHER.
IT WAS AROUND ALMOST ALMOST FOUR.
IT WAS A THREE POINT SEVEN FOUR.
NOW WE'RE DOWN TO 3.01 PER THOUSAND OF THE POPULATION.
NEXT SLIDE. THIS IS JUST A REMINDER OF THAT HISTORY OF TAXABLE VALUE CHANGE IN THE CITY OF TAMARAC. ONE TAKE AWAY FROM THIS CHART AGAIN IS NOW STARTING IN 2019 IS WHEN WE FIRST REGAINED WHEN WE FIRST GOT BACK TO PRERECESSION LEVELS AND FUNDING GOVERNMENT
[00:15:03]
OPERATIONS, WE WERE DERIVING PROPERTY TAXES, [INAUDIBLE] VALUE THAT WAS IN LINE WITH WHAT WE HAD BEEN SEEING IN 2009.SO WE TOOK FROM 2010 ALL THE WAY BACK UP FROM LEVELS THAT WE SAW IN 2009.
[INAUDIBLE] PROPERTY TAXES FROM.
ONE OF THE REASONS THAT ACTUALLY THE MAIN REASON WHY WE RECOMMEND KEEPING THE MILLAGE RATE AT 7.2899.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. AND THIS IS JUST A REMINDER OF WHAT WE'RE DOING AS FAR AS THE FORECASTING WHEN IT COMES TO TAXABLE VALUE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WAS A SEMINAR THAT WAS HELD BY THE BROWARD COUNTY PROPERTY TAX [INAUDIBLE] AND HE SAID THAT PROPERTY VALUES WILL EITHER STAY FLAT OR THEY WILL GROW.
SO WE ARE CONSERVATIVE END OF THAT SPECTRUM WITH OUR FORECASTS.
WE ARE FORECASTING VALUES TO STAY FLAT,[INAUDIBLE] TAKE A CONSERVATIVE APPROACH.
SO THE CONCLUSION OF THIS PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE TEMPORARY ORDINANCE, THE CITY COMMISSION MUST ADOPT THE MILLAGE RATE FOR FY 2021.
AGAIN THE GENERAL OPERATIONS, THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE IS 7.2899 MILLS.
AND I'M HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AT THIS TIME, I'M NOT SEEING ANYBODY FROM THE COMMISSION WISHING TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS [INAUDIBLE] OPEN IT UP TO PUBLIC COMMENTS.
THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN FOR ANYBODY WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER.
GOOD EVENING. I HAVE TWO COMMENTS THAT WERE WRITTEN IN AND WE HAVE ONE PHONE CALL THIS EVENING.
FIRST ONE COMES FROM WILLIAM MCFALL.
HE SAYS, GREETINGS, MY NAME IS WILLIAM MCFALL.
MY ADDRESS IS 8003 NW 75TH AVENUE TAMARAC.
I AM 54 YEARS OLD AND A TAMARAC RESIDENT FOR NEARLY 50 YEARS.
I WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT PUBLICLY ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE AT THE MEETING TAKING PLACE ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2020.
IN 2019 I SPOKE IN DETAIL ABOUT THE HIV VIRUS WITH CITY OFFICIALS AND THE DANGERS OUR COMMUNITY FACES. HIV IS A VIRUS FOR OUR COUNTY CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH TODAY, AND I HOPE OUR CITY EXPLORES OPTIONS TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY FROM ALL SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES AS WELL AS OTHERS THAT EVOLVE IN THE FUTURE.
THIS YEAR, BROWARD COUNTY WAS FACED WITH THE CORONAVIRUS AND THE NEW CHALLENGES THAT THIS VIRUS PRESENTS. THOUGH I'M IMPRESSED WITH OUR CITY'S CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE, OUR CITY MUST BE BETTER PREPARED FOR ALL FUTURE HEALTH THREATS AND THE EXTREME LIKELIHOOD OF ADDITIONAL COMPLICATIONS THAT FOLLOW TO ASSIST WITH THE CRISIS OUR COMMUNITY FACES.
TODAY, I DECIDED TO ENROLL IN AN EXPERIMENTAL VACCINE STUDY FOR COVID-19.
THIS PARTICULAR VACCINE STUDY CONSIST OF TWO INJECTIONS APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH APART.
THE STUDY IS A BLIND STUDY, HOWEVER.
I RECEIVED NOTIFICATION RECENTLY THROUGH A SEPARATE BLOOD DRAW OUTSIDE THE COVID STUDY THAT I HAVE DEVELOPED ANTIBODIES TO COVID-19 AFTER MY FIRST VACCINE INJECTION AND WEEKS BEFORE THE SECOND. I'VE NEVER TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID DURING ANY OTHER EXAMINATION OR TESTING. THERE ARE SIDE EFFECTS TO ALL VACCINES, BUT I DID NOT EXPERIENCE ANY AFTER THE FIRST INJECTION. HOWEVER, AFTER THE SECOND INJECTION BOOSTER, I DID EXPERIENCE SYMPTOMS THAT COULD BE DIFFICULT TO TOLERATE FOR THOSE WHO RECEIVED THE COVID VACCINE.
I AM INVOLVED WITH THE EXPERIMENTAL.
VACCINE MANUFACTURERS LIKE PFIZER, MODERNA, AS WELL AS MANY OTHER OTHER VACCINES HAVE SIMILAR SIDE EFFECTS.
SYMPTOMS ARE LIKELY TO OCCUR IN ANY OF THE FINAL VACCINES AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AND COULD POSE ADDITIONAL CHALLENGES TO OUR COMMUNITY.
THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS ARE GIVEN THE VACCINE INJECTIONS IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, MOSTLY THOSE ONE WOULD EXPECT FROM A VACCINE INJECTION, INCLUDING SORENESS AT THE INJECTION SITE, FEVER, CHILLS, HEADACHE AND MUSCLE, OR JOINT PAIN.
THOUGH COMMON PAIN RELIEVERS APPEAR TO CONTROL THE SEVERITY OF SYMPTOMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE VACCINE, IT'S POSSIBLE MANY COULD EXPERIENCE DISCOMFORT THAT MAY REQUIRE EMERGENCY TREATMENT. I USUALLY TOLERATE MEDICATIONS WELL WITHOUT ANY ADVERSE EFFECTS.
BUT SINCE MY SYMPTOMS BEGAN THE EVENING OF THE SECOND INJECTION BOOSTER AND TAPERED OFF TWO DAYS AFTER HEADACHES, BODY ACHES, CONGESTION COMPLAINTS FOR DAYS ONE AND TWO, I PERSONALLY BENEFITED FROM SIX HUNDRED MILLIGRAMS OF IBUPROFEN.
I HOPE THE INFORMATION I PROVIDED IS HELPFUL AND I SUGGEST THAT OUR RESIDENTS CAREFULLY REVIEW THEIR HEALTH CARE NEEDS WITH THEIR PROVIDERS.
I ENCOURAGE THE CITY OF TAMARAC TO PREPARE FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF NUMEROUS RESIDENTS IN NEED OF EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE ONCE A VACCINE IS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
IF THE FINAL VACCINE HAS ANY DISCOMFORT ASSOCIATED WITH ITS USE, I SUGGEST RESIDENTS
[00:20:01]
GATHER ESSENTIAL ITEMS THEIR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS RECOMMEND BEFORE THOSE ITEMS BECOME LIMITED. GOOD LUCK, WILLIAM MCFALL.THE SECOND ONE COMES FROM KENNETH [INAUDIBLE].
I HAVE E-MAILED IN THE PAST IN REFERENCE TO THE HOTEL BEING CONSIDERED FOR WOODMONT.
I THINK IT'S A HORRIBLE IDEA TO BUILD A HOTEL IN THE RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY.
IT DOES NOT FIT NOR ADD VALUE TO OUR HOME.
IT WILL BE A MAGNET FOR PROSTITUTION AND DRUG SALES.
THAT AND THE FACT IT SIMPLY DOES NOT AESTHETICALLY WORK IN OUR COMMUNITY EITHER.
I HOPE WE WILL DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO OPPOSE THIS MONSTROSITY.
AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.
REGARDS KENNETH [INAUDIBLE] AND THEN WE HAVE ONE PHONE CALL [INAUDIBLE] WOULD BE SO KIND TO REACH OUT. HIS NAME IS AND WE HEARD FROM HIM AT THE LAST MEETING AS WELL LUIS LOPEZ.
OK, IT APPEARS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO REACH MR. LOPEZ, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THERE IS NO ANSWER AT THIS TIME.
SO THEREFORE, I'M GOING TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING FOR NOW AND WE'LL BE REOPENING IT LATER.
SO HOPEFULLY YOU CAN CALL BACK.
WE CAN TRY HIM AGAIN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
SO AT THIS TIME, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADOPT THE OPERATING MILLAGE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021.
I MAKE A MOTION TO SET THE OPERATING MILLAGE RATE AT SEVEN POINT TWO EIGHT NINE NINE MILS, WHICH IS POINT FOUR NINE SIX FOUR MILLS OR SEVEN POINT THREE ONE PERCENT MORE THAN ROLLBACK RATE OF SIX POINT SEVEN NINE THREE FIVE MILLS.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION SEEING NONE, MADAM CLARK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL YES, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER GELIN.
YES. TO 2434 THE FY 2021 MILLAGE PASSES FOUR TO ONE.
THANK YOU. THIS IS THE SECOND AND FINAL PUBLIC HEARING TO ESTABLISH THE FISCAL YEAR.
[2. TO2435 - FY 2021 Budget Ordinance]
2021 OPERATING BUDGET, CAPITAL BUDGET AND FINANCIAL POLICIES.BEFORE WE BEGIN, MR. CITY MANAGER, PLEASE READ YOUR STATEMENT.
THE TENTATIVE OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021 IS ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY FOUR MILLION, TWO HUNDRED AND NINETY TWO THOUSAND TWENTY THREE DOLLARS, WHICH IS TWELVE MILLION SIX HUNDRED AND EIGHTY EIGHT THOUSAND TEN DOLLARS FOR THE ADOPTED BUDGET OF ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY SIX MILLION NINE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY THOUSAND THIRTY THREE DOLLARS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020.
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 SEVENTY MILLION EIGHT HUNDRED AND SEVENTY ONE THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY ONE DOLLARS, WHICH IS SIX MILLION ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY SIX THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED FIFTY FIVE DOLLARS LESS THAN THE ADOPTED BUDGET OF
[00:25:03]
SEVENTY SEVEN MILLION, FORTY EIGHT THOUSAND AND SIX DOLLARS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020.IN ADDITION THE FINANCIAL POLICIES ARE INCLUDED AS A 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 ESTABLISHMENT OF RESERVES FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES, ESTABLISHING ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT AND FINANCIAL PLANNING POLICIES, AND ESTABLISHING POLICIES ON ECONOMIC RESOURCES.
THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MR. CITY ATTORNEY. WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THE TITLE TO TEMPORARY ORDINANCE NUMBER 2435.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF TAMARAC ADOPTING THE OPERATING BUDGET REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES, THE CAPITAL BUDGET AND FINANCIAL POLICIES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021 PROVIDED FOR COMPLEX SEVERABILITY AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
NOW WE'LL HAVE THE PRESENTATION BY OUR INTERIM FINANCIAL SERVICES DIRECTOR, MS. CHRISTINE CAJUSTE. GOOD AFTERNOON AGAIN, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS, AND AGAIN, I'M GOING TO INVITE JEFF [INAUDIBLE], WHO IS OUR BUDGET MANAGER, TO MAKE THE PRESENTATION.
[INAUDIBLE] FOR THE RECORD, JEFF [INAUDIBLE], BUDGET MANAGER, THIS IS A TEMPORARY ORDINANCE, 2435, WHERE WE SET THE BUDGET, THE OPERATING, OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021, AND ALSO APPROVE THE FINANCIAL POLICIES THAT ARE CONTAINED WITHIN.
THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THIS IS AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT WENT ON IN ORDER TO GET TO THIS POINT.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WE'RE FINALLY HERE, EVEN WITH ALL THE VIRTUAL [INAUDIBLE] EVEN WITH EVERYTHING THAT IS NORMALLY DONE FACE TO FACE AND EVERYTHING WITH THE DEPARTMENTS V IRTUALLY.
THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT BEGAN IN JANUARY OF 2020 BETWEEN MARCH AND JUNE WE UPDATED THE FORECAST AT THE FY 2021 PROPOSED BUDGET AND CREATED FORECASTS FOR 22 AND 23.
ON JUNE 17 THERE WAS A BUDGET WORKSHOP HELD WITH THE CITY COMMISSION AND WE PROVIDED AN UPDATE ON THE PROPOSED FY 2021 BUDGET.
THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE BUDGET PROCESS DURING THE COURSE OF THE YEAR ONGOING, WE EVALUATED REVENUE AVAILABILITY, BOTH CURRENT AND FUTURE.
WE HAD TO KEEP A VERY CLOSE EYE ON THAT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS COVID-19 WILL HAVE ON YEARS GOING FORWARD.
AND EVALUATED FUTURE IMPACTS OF CURRENT YEAR DECISIONS.
ON SEPTEMBER 14TH, ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH, WE BROUGHT UP THE COMMISSION A TENTATIVE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021.
AND IT WAS APPROVED FOR ADVERTISING AND ADOPTION ON SEPTEMBER TODAY, SEPTEMBER [INAUDIBLE]. THE TENTATIVE BUDGET WAS ADVERTISED IN THE SUN SENTINEL THIS PAST SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27TH, 2020.
AND AS I SAID EARLIER, IT WAS IT MET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS.
IT WAS IN THE REQUIRED FONT SIZE AND IT TOOK THE FORMAT THAT WAS REQUIRED IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH [INAUDIBLE] THE TENTATIVE FY 2020 BUDGET.
THE TOTAL CITY BUDGET IS ONE HUNDRED FOUR POINT EIGHTY FOUR MILLION TWO HUNDRED NINETY TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY THREE DOLLARS.
FOR THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET TO FUND THE GENERAL OPERATIONS OF THE CITY OF SEVENTY MILLION EIGHT HUNDRED SEVENTY ONE THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED FIFTY ONE [INAUDIBLE].
IN BETWEEN THE FIRST MEETING ON THE 14TH AND NOW WE DID MAKE A CHANGE, THERE IS NO NET CHANGE TO EITHER THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET OR THE TOTAL CITY BUDGET, WE INCREASED THE CITY COMMISSION BUDGET BY ONE HUNDRED TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS.
THERE WAS INTERESTED IN HAVING INCENTIVES, DISTRICT INCENTIVES, AND THERE WAS DISCUSSION OF HAVING TRAVEL TO TALLAHASSEE, HAVING THE FREQUENCY OF THAT BEING BECOMING MORE FREQUENT, BEING ABLE TO MAKE MORE TRIPS TO TALLAHASSEE DURING THE COURSE OF THE YEAR TO ADVOCATE FOR LEGISLATION THAT WOULD BENEFIT THE CITY OF TAMARAC.
SO OVERALL, THE TOTAL INCREASE TO THE CITY COMMISSION BUDGET IS ONE HUNDRED TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS. WE PROPOSE THAT BY INCREASING EACH ONE OF THE MAYOR AND THE COMMISSION'S INDIVIDUAL EXPENSE ACCOUNTS BY 19 THOUSAND DOLLARS EACH WE MOVED THEM FROM
[00:30:03]
SIX THOUSAND TO TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS.THAT'S TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE AREA WIDE INITIATIVES WHEN WE INCREASE THE TRAVEL MEALS AND THE SHARED TRAVEL MEALS AND LODGING ACCOUNTS FROM FORTY THOUSAND TO FIFTY THOUSAND.
THAT'S A THIRTY THOUSAND INCREASE FOR A TOTAL OF 125.
AND WE DID THIS BY DECREASING.
WE OFFSET THAT BY DECREASING THE GENERAL FUND CONTINGENCY.
WE BROUGHT THE GENERAL FUND CONTINGENCY DOWN TO A LEVEL THAT'S BEEN SEEN THAT'S TYPICALLY SEEN IN PRIOR YEARS.
THE ONLY CHANGE TO THE FINANCIAL POLICIES ARE TO UPDATE THE RESERVES FOR THE ADOPTED BUDGET YEAR. [INAUDIBLE] AND WITH THAT, I'M HERE TO TAKE QUESTIONS.
I AM NOT SEEING ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION AND THEREFORE I WILL TURN IT TO PUBLIC COMMENTS. I WILL OPEN IT UP FOR A PUBLIC HEARING.
I HAVE NO PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR THIS ITEM.
OK, DO WE NEED TO TRY MR. LOPEZ AGAIN.
IF [INAUDIBLE] COULD DO THAT? YES, THAT WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE.
OK, IT APPEARS THAT WE ARE NOT ABLE TO REACH MR. LOPEZ FOR THAT WE ARE SORRY WE DID TRY REACH OUT TO US IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN HELP THEM WITH IN THE FUTURE.
AND COMMISSIONER FISHMAN, I SAW YOUR HAND UP AFTER I OPENED UP PUBLIC COMMENTS, PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE NOW CLOSED.
MY OFFICIAL LITTLE [INAUDIBLE].
THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE CITY MANAGER.
SO IN THIS REVISION, WE ARE RAISING OUR INDIVIDUAL DISTRICT COMMISSION BUDGET FROM SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS TO TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS.
IS THAT CORRECT? IT IS MADAM COMMISSIONER, AFTER THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE HAD LAST WEEK FOLLOWING THE MILLAGE RATE DISCUSSIONS AND DISCUSSIONS ON THE BUDGET, WE CAME BACK AND TALKED ABOUT THE IMPACTS THAT COVID IS HAVING AND TRIED TO MAKE SOME SUGGESTIONS IN THE REVISED BUDGET THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR THE COMMISSION TO INVEST SOME MONEY BACK INTO YOUR INDIVIDUAL DISTRICTS.
IF YOU SO CHOOSE UNDERSTANDING THAT AGAIN, THIS IS A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE STAFF [INAUDIBLE] FOR DISTRICT INITIATIVES THE OTHER FOR TRAVEL AND TRAINING, TRYING TO BE SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO DEAL WITH SOME INCREASED TRAVEL IF THE PANDEMIC SUBSIDES AND TRAVEL STARTS AGAIN, WE WANT TO BE SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH MONEY FOR THAT.
I WILL TELL YOU, IN TERMS OF THE ADDITIONAL MONEY FOR YOUR DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY IN KEEPING WITH WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST.
WE TRIED FOR A MORE CENTRALIZED APPROACH TO ACTIVITIES AND THINGS WE'VE SEEN C OMMISSIONERS HAVE SOME GREAT SUCCESS WITH DISTRICT INITIATIVES IN THE PAST, AND I THINK
[00:35:04]
IT'S CERTAINLY WORTHY OF A CONVERSATION.ONE OTHER THING THAT MIGHT WANT TO BE DISCUSSED, THAT SHE PROBABLY WOULDN'T BRING IT UP HERSELF, BUT I'LL BRING IT UP WAS THAT WE BUDGETED TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR EACH OF YOU FOR DISTRICT INITIATIVES AND TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE MAYOR.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S FAIR TO THE MAYOR ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, EACH ONE OF YOU HAS THE DISTRICT TO PROVIDE FOR.
THE MAYOR HAS THE ENTIRE CITY.
WE DID PROVIDE HER WITH THE SAME AMOUNT OF RESOURCES THAT WE PROVIDED ALL OF YOU.
AND I DIDN'T REALLY TALK TO HER ABOUT THAT.
WE JUST DID IT. SHE PROBABLY WOULDN'T BRING IT UP AS AN ISSUE IF IT WAS AN ISSUE FOR HER.
BUT I'LL RAISE IT JUST THE FACT THAT SHE MAY NEED SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO COVER THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
HOW DO WE KNOW HOW IT'S BEING USED? ARE THERE ANY PARAMETERS ON HOW IT'S BEING USED OR IS IT JUST FOR WHATEVER THE INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONER FEELS LIKE IT SHOULD BE USED FOR? SO COMMISSIONER FISHMAN, AGAIN, THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION.
AND YOU'RE JUST A LITTLE BIT AHEAD OF US.
YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR WE INCREASED YOUR DISTRICT EXPENSES FAIRLY SIGNIFICANTLY FROM WHAT I SEEM TO REMEMBER, LIKE FIFTEEN HUNDRED DOLLARS TO SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS.
AND IN IN CONTENDING WITH THE THINGS THAT EVERYBODY DID, UNDERSTANDING THAT EACH OF YOU SPEND THAT MONEY DIFFERENTLY, IT WAS IT WAS OBVIOUS TO STAFF THAT WE NEEDED TO COME UP WITH SOME POLICIES FOR THE COMMISSION TO ADOPT AS FAR AS HOW THAT MONEY WOULD BE HANDLED INDIVIDUALLY BY EACH ONE OF YOU.
AND SO WE ACTUALLY GENERATED SOME POLICIES FOR DEALING WITH THE EXPENSES OF THE DISTRICT INITIATIVES THAT WE THINK WILL PROVIDE FOR THE FLEXIBILITY THAT THE COMMISSION NEEDS, BUT ALSO THE ACCOUNTABILITY THAT IS REQUIRED WHEN YOU'RE SPENDING PUBLIC FUNDS LIKE THAT.
AND SO IF YOU IF YOU CHOOSE TO APPROVE THE BUDGET WITH THAT MONEY IN IT, WE WILL BE SHORTLY BRINGING TO YOU A SET OF POLICIES AS TO HOW [INAUDIBLE] THAT MONEY.
PERSONALLY, I UNDERSTAND THE INCREASE TO THE TRAVEL BUDGET AS A NUMBER OF US MAKING A POINT TO ADVOCATE FOR THE CITY AT THE STATE LEVEL AND THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND CONTINUING TRAINING IN THOSE AREAS.
IT'S IMPORTANT. I KNOW THAT I PERSONALLY AM FOR DISTRICT INCENTIVE BUDGETS THAT AT THAT AMOUNT, WE'VE SPENT A LARGE AMOUNT OF TIME AT THE LAST BUDGET HEARING TALKING ABOUT HOW THE RESIDENTS ARE SEVERELY FINANCIALLY IMPACTED BY COVID. AND TO ME, IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO TALK ABOUT THAT IMPACT AND THEN INCREASE OUR BUDGET TO BE ABLE TO HAVE MEETINGS OR EVENTS IN OUR DISTRICTS.
I DON'T I DON'T SEE HOW THAT CORRELATES FOR ME.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT EACH INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONER AND THE MAYOR NEEDS TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
I'LL HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THIS VERY HARD.
COMMISSIONER PLACKO. THANK YOU.
MY QUESTION WAS WHAT GUIDELINES.
COMMISSIONER FISHMAN ASKED THAT YOU ANSWERED THAT.
I AGREE THAT IT IS A LOT OF MONEY.
HOWEVER, IF THIS IS A WAY THAT WE CAN GIVE BACK TO OUR RESIDENTS, WE YOU KNOW, I THINK MAYBE WE NEED TO LOOK AT IT THAT WAY.
AND I'M NOT GOING TO GO INTO ANY SPECIFICS AT THIS POINT.
BUT I KNOW SEVERAL OF MY COLLEAGUES, WHEN IT FIRST STARTED AND PEOPLE WERE HAVING TROUBLE WITH CERTAIN BILLS, TALKED ABOUT MAYBE HELPING THAT WAY.
SO AS LONG AS IT CAN GO BACK TO THE RESIDENTS THEN I THINK IT'S A GOOD THING AND IF WE DON'T USE IT FOR THAT PURPOSE.
THEN IT GOES BACK INTO THE POT.
[00:40:01]
CERNECH? YOU ARE, COMMISSIONER, IF YOU DON'T USE THE MONEY, IT DOES IT OBVIOUSLY DOESN'T GET SPENT AND IF IT DOESN'T GET SPENT, IT FALLS BACK TO THE BOTTOM LINE TO THE GENERAL FUND. RIGHT.I KNOW I GOT A GREAT DEAL ABOUT THIS AND HAVE COME UP WITH A COUPLE IDEAS FOR MY COMMUNITY THAT I THINK WOULD BE OF BENEFIT, NOT JUST AN EVENT, BUT SOMETHING THAT WOULD PERSONALLY HELP THEM. AND IF I DON'T SPEND IT, IT WILL GO BACK TO THE POT.
SO. [INAUDIBLE] VICE MAYOR, COMMISSIONER GELIN, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? YES, SO IT DOES COST MONEY TO PUT EVENTS TOGETHER.
LAST YEAR, I HAD TWO SUCCESSFUL EVENTS WHERE I DID THE HOSPITAL HEALTH CARE HEROES EVENT.
I FORGET EXACTLY HOW MUCH IT COST, BUT I SPENT A LOT OF TIME HUSTLING TO GET THE MONEY.
SO I WAS SENDING OFF SPONSORSHIP LETTERS TO SAM'S CLUB AND [INAUDIBLE] AND PUBLIX AND [INAUDIBLE] AND FISH AND ALL THESE PLACES TO GET EITHER CASH CONTRIBUTIONS OR IN KIND CONTRIBUTIONS. ALSO REACHED OUT TO SOME OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS.
AND I DID GET SOME I GOT SOME CASH CONTRIBUTIONS FROM PUBLIX.
I GOT IN KIND CONTRIBUTIONS FROM [INAUDIBLE] AND FISH AND CASH DONATIONS FROM OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT HELPED MAKE THAT EVENT POSSIBLE.
BUT I SPENT A LOT OF TIME DOING THAT TIME THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN SPENDING ON MY BUSINESS OR DOING OTHER CITY WORK.
AND SOMETIMES ELECTED OFFICIALS DO A BETTER JOB GENERATING SUCCESSFUL EVENTS FOR THE COMMUNITY THAN THE CITY.
SO THAT WAS ONE SUCCESSFUL EVENT I HAD ALSO HAD THE COUNCIL COMMUNITY FORUM WHERE I HAD AT LEAST ONE HUNDRED ATTENDEES SHOW UP.
AND THAT EVENT ALSO COST SOME MONEY, WHICH I USED PRETTY MUCH THE MAJORITY OF THE SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS ALLOCATED.
SO THAT WAS AN EVENT IN TAMARAC FOR TAMARAC RESIDENTS COULD TALK ABOUT A TOPIC IMPORTANT TO TAMARAC RESIDENTS.
AND IF I'M GOING TO DO AN EVENT PER QUARTER THAT'S FOR THE COMMUNITY TO BETTER ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY AND ALLOW THE COMMUNITY TO REALLY GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT OUR ROLE IS. AS WE SEE, YOU KNOW, NO ONE ATTENDS OUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS OR WORKSHOPS OR VIRTUAL MEETINGS. BUT WHEN WE WHEN WE HOST EVENTS, YOU KNOW, WE CAN WE CAN GET CLOSER TO OUR RESIDENTS AND THE PEOPLE THAT WE CAN REPRESENT.
AND COMMISSIONER BOLTON HAD A GREAT EVENT THAT WAS HIS IDEA WITH THE LIGHT UP THE EAST AND, YOU KNOW, AS A COMMISSION WE JUST NEED TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.
AND SO I DON'T REALLY LOOK AT IT AS SO.
SO THE WAY I WOULD SUGGEST WE LOOK AT IT IS, YOU KNOW, FUNDS THAT WERE ALREADY BEING ALLOCATED FOR STAFF TO COME UP WITH EVENTS AND IDEAS TO HOST FOR THE CITY AS BEING SHIFTED. IT HAS BEEN DEFUNDED AND REALLOCATED TO COMMISSION ACCOUNTS SO THAT WE CAN JUST TAKE THE LEAD IN HOSTING EVENTS THAT WE KNOW THE COMMUNITY WILL RELATE TO AND UNDERSTAND BETTER. AND, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT MY COPS AND COMMUNITY FORUM, WE HAD AT LEAST A HUNDRED GUESTS COMPARED TO THE VSO COMMUNITY FORUM WHERE SHERIFF TONY WAS THERE.
THERE WERE MORE OFFICERS THERE THAN RESIDENTS.
AND SO IF YOU HAVE THE RIGHT PEOPLE LEADING AN EVENT, YOU'LL ATTRACT THE RIGHT CROWD OR A SIZABLE CROWD TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT THAT YOU NEED TO GET SO.
SO I THINK THIS IS A GOOD IDEA.
I THINK IT'S IN LINE WITH WHAT OTHER CITIES DO WORK.
COMMISSIONERS TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE AND TRY TO ENGAGE IN A COMMUNITY.
I THINK TAMARAC HAS HAD A DIFFERENT COMMISSION IN THE PAST WHERE THEY JUST WANTED TO SIT BACK AND DO NOTHING AND LET STAFF DO EVERYTHING AND LET STAFF TAKE THE LEAD AND THEN THEY JUST SHOW UP AND WAVE AND THAT'S IT.
SO I THINK IT'S GIVEN US AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE MORE OF A LEAD.
AND IF YOU'RE NOT COMFORTABLE AND YOU DON'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING THEN JUST DON'T DO ANYTHING WITH THE FUNDS THAT ARE ALLOCATED.
THANKS. [INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR.
SO AT FIRST GLANCE AND WHEN I HEAR THE AMOUNT, IT IS ALARMING.
IT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY.
AND OF COURSE, TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS IS GOING TO MAKE SOMEBODY UNCOMFORTABLE,
[00:45:01]
ESPECIALLY IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO USE IT.AND THEN YOU THINK ABOUT EVENTS AND HOW ARE YOU GOING TO SPEND IT.
THAT ALSO MAKES YOU UNCOMFORTABLE.
SO BUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT FROM A HUMAN PERSPECTIVE OR FROM A COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVE, THEN YOUR MIND SOMEWHAT CHANGES AND YOUR IDEAS [INAUDIBLE] FOR INSTANCE, WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO ONE COMMISSIONER MAY NOT BE IMPORTANT TO THE OTHER ONE.
I RECALL, COMMISSIONER FISHMAN SPENDING HER EXPENSE MONEY ON A HUMAN TRAFFICKING EVENT AND PAYING FOR LUNCH FOR DOZENS MAYBE ONE HUNDRED PEOPLE, AND PERHAPS THAT COST THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS, IF SHE'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO PAY FOR EVENTS LIKE THAT, THEN, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, SHE'S GOING TO RUN OUT OF MONEY VERY, VERY QUICKLY.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, I'M VERY SURPRISED THAT SHE IS SAYING THAT THAT SHE WOULD NOT WANT THIS. I WOULD SAY AS A CONDITION TO VOTING TONIGHT THAT IF WE VOTE NO ON THIS, THEN YOUR WHOEVER VOTES NO SHOULD GET A FIFTEEN HUNDRED DOLLAR EXPENSE ACCOUNT.
AND SO I YOU KNOW, IF WE WANT TO GO THERE.
WHEN I THINK ABOUT SPENDING THIS MONEY IN MY DISTRICT, I'M NOT NECESSARILY THINKING ABOUT EVENTS. I'M THINKING ABOUT TRANSPARENCY INITIATIVES.
IT IS ONCE SAID HOW, YOU KNOW, BEFORE MY TIME, COMMISSIONERS STAYED AWAY FROM GOING TO DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES BECAUSE THEY DID NOT WANT TO BE ASKED ABOUT CERTAIN PROJECTS OR WHY THINGS ARE NOT BEING DONE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
AND, YOU KNOW, DURING MY TERM, I STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE AND I WENT TO HOA MEETINGS AND W HEN HOA MEETINGS WERE NOT WORKING.
WHEN FIVE PEOPLE WERE COMING TO THOSE HOA MEETINGS.
YOU KNOW WHAT I DID? I STARTED CREATING MY OWN MEETINGS AND MY OWN EVENTS SO THAT THE RESIDENTS CAN COME OUT AND HEAR ABOUT WHAT THE COMMISSION IS DOING AND THAT COSTS MONEY, WHETHER IT IS TO BUY DONUTS OR COFFEE OR THAT SORT OF STUFF.
IT COST MONEY AND IT DOESN'T COST, YOU KNOW, A FEW DOLLARS.
AND YEAH, THERE ARE RESIDENTS WHO ARE GOING TO ASK YOU, WHEN IS MY WALL COMING OR WHEN IS THE SIGN IN FRONT OF MY HOA COMING? AND YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ANSWER THOSE TOUGH QUESTIONS.
AND MAYBE THE PROBLEM THAT SOME OF US ARE HAVING IS THAT MANY COMMISSIONERS OR ELECTED OFFICIALS, SO TO SPEAK, DID NOT GO OUT IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND NOBODY KNOWS THEM.
AND SO THEY'RE HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME NOW.
WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND REACH OUT TO OUR RESIDENTS, LET THEM KNOW THAT WE CARE ABOUT THEM AND LET THEM SEE THAT WE CARE WHERE THEIR MONEY IS GOING TO.
SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT INITIATIVE BUDGETING, I'M NOT NECESSARILY THINKING ABOUT IT EVENTS.
I'M THINKING ABOUT TRANSPARENCY INITIATIVES GOING TO THE COMMUNITY AND TELLING THEM HOW YOU VOTED ON THE LAST COMMISSION MEETING.
DID YOU VOTE TO INCREASE THEIR STORM WATER OR FIRE ASSESSMENTS? GO OUT AND TELL THEM THAT AND THAT WILL COST YOU MONEY.
WHEN I THINK ABOUT COMMISSION INITIATIVES, I REFLECT ON THE MANY TIMES THAT I HAD TO PAY ELECTRIC BILLS AND WATER BILLS FOR MY RESIDENTS.
MY ASSISTANT WILL TELL YOU THAT SOMETIMES SHE ASKED ME, COMMISSIONER BOLTON, ARE YOU SURE? ARE YOU SURE? BECAUSE SHE HAS A COPY OF MY CREDIT CARD AND PEOPLE WOULD CALL THE OFFICE IN DESPERATION.
AND THERE ARE DIFFERENT I GET IT.
THERE ARE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND AGENCIES THAT CAN HELP THEM, BUT SOMETIMES THEY HAVE EXHAUSTED THOSE RESOURCES OR SOMETIMES THEY SHOW A HIGHER SALARY SO THEY DON'T QUALIFY FOR THOSE RESOURCES.
AND BECAUSE SOMEBODY SHOWS A HIGHER SALARY DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEY ARE NOT IN NEED.
[00:50:03]
SO I HAVE PAID ELECTRIC BILLS FOR RESIDENTS AND WATER ACCOUNTS FOR RESIDENTS HAVE EVEN GONE AS FAR AS PAYING RED LIGHT CAMERA TICKETS FOR RESIDENTS BECAUSE THEY ARE STRUGGLING.HE SAID THAT HE WAS THERE WAS A FIRE TRUCK BEHIND HIM.
HE WAS TRYING TO GET OUT OF THE WAY SO THAT THE FIRE TRUCK COULD PASS.
AND SO HE WENT ACROSS THE LINE OF DEMARCATION AND GOT A TICKET AND HE WENT TO THE MAGISTRATE AND THE MAGISTRATE WOULD NOT LISTEN TO HIM.
I USED MY OWN MONEY TO PAY FOR THAT RED LIGHT CAMERA TICKET.
SO MANY THINGS I HAVE PAID FOR.
OUT OF MY OWN FUNDS AND I WILL CONTINUE TO DO IT, NOT NECESSARILY SAYING THAT I WILL USE THIS INITIATIVE BUDGET TO DO SO.
AND I THINK I COULD AND I WILL CONTINUE TO USE MY PERSONAL MY PERSONAL FUNDS.
WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC.
LET US REMEMBER THAT WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC.
INSTEAD OF USING MONEY TO DO A BIG BILLBOARD ON THE SIDE OF A TRUCK, WHAT WE COULD HAVE DONE WAS WITH PAPER MASKS SO THAT OUR RESIDENTS COULD HAVE BEEN KEPT, COULD HAVE KEPT THAT COULD HAVE BEEN SAFE THROUGHOUT A PANDEMIC.
INSTEAD OF PAYING FOR A BILLBOARD WITH OUR FACE ON THE SIDE OF IT, WE COULD HAVE USED MONEY TO PAY FOR SANITIZERS FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I DID WHEN I HAD NO MONEY IN MY INITIATIVE BUDGET, I USED MY PERSONAL MONEY NOT JUST TO GIVE MASK AND SANITIZERS TO PEOPLE IN MY DISTRICT, BECAUSE GUESS WHAT? THIS IS NOT POLITICAL.
I GAVE MASKS AND SANITIZERS TO EVERY TO ALMOST EVERY RESIDENT THAT ASKED ME IN EVERY SINGLE DISTRICT, NOT JUST MINE.
AND THE OTHER DISTRICTS CANNOT VOTE FOR ME.
AND NO MADAM MAYOR, I'M NOT RUNNING FOR MAYOR.
SO I DID NOT DO IT FOR POLITICAL REASONS IN THE FUTURE.
IT WAS FROM A HUMAN PERSPECTIVE.
AND IF WE HAD THAT MONEY AT THAT TIME, WE COULD HAVE USED IT TO PAY FOR MASKS AND TO PAY FOR SANITIZERS.
SO WE CANNOT JUST THINK THAT TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS IS A LOT OF MONEY.
WE DON'T SPEND IT, OK? WE DON'T SPEND IT. BUT IF WE BUDGET IT AND SOMETHING COMES UP, THEN, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN PAY FOR SOMETHING.
THANKSGIVING IS COMING UP, GUYS, AND THERE ARE GOING TO BE RESIDENTS WHO DO NOT HAVE FOOD ON THEIR TABLES.
CHRISTMAS IS COMING UP AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE CHILDREN IN YOUR DISTRICTS THAT WOULD NEVER SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY FOR A TOY, OK? THAT WOULD NEVER SEE A TOY BECAUSE MOMMY AND DADDY CANNOT AFFORD IT BECAUSE THEY ARE BEING EVICTED.
I HAVE GONE THROUGH THE TRENCHES OF MY COMMUNITY AND I HAVE SEEN HOW HARD MY RESIDENTS ARE WORKING AND HOW THEY ARE IN DESPERATION, SOMETIMES JUST TO MAKE ENDS MEET.
AND I WANT TO HELP THEM ON A GREATER SPHERE.
I'VE USED MY PERSONAL FUNDS, MY SALARY TO DO THIS.
AND LISTEN, I WILL DO IT ONE HUNDRED PERCENT ALL OVER AGAIN.
BUT WE NEED MORE RESOURCES, ESPECIALLY IN A PANDEMIC, TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY.
WHEN I USED MY PERSONAL FUNDS TO BUY MASKS AND SANITIZERS FOR MY COMMUNITY, LISTEN, I RAN OUT OF MONEY BECAUSE I'M NOT A RICH GUY.
AND SO I STARTED USING CAMPAIGN MONEY TO GIVE MONEY TO GIVE SANITIZERS AND MASKS TO DIFFERENT RESIDENTS.
AND IT BURNED MY HEART THAT I HAD TO USE CAMPAIGN FUNDS TO PURCHASE MASK AND SANITIZERS.
YES, IT BURNED MY HEART BECAUSE, IN CONTRAST, LOOKING AT COMMISSIONER FISHMAN'S REPORT, SHE SPENT MONEY AT BLUE MARTINI.
DRINKING AT BLUE MARTINI WITH CAMPAIGN MONEY.
LISTEN, IT IS TIME THAT WE PUT FOCUS ON OUR RESIDENTS AND LET THEM KNOW THAT WE ARE WE ARE INTERESTED IN THEIR LIVELIHOOD.
A RESIDENT ASKED ME, SHE SAID, COMMISSIONER BOLTON, WILL YOU HELP ME TO PAY MY SERVICES FOR MY SON? ABSOLUTELY I CAN.
I USED MY MONEY TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT CHECK IS HITTING HER MAILBOX.
[00:55:05]
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD HAVE BEEN USING OUR MONEY ON.SO, YOU KNOW, I SEE COMMISSIONER FISHMAN'S EYES RAISING AND COMMISSIONER FISHMAN THAT IS NOT A BLOW AT YOU AT ALL.
BUT IF YOUR DEFENSE IS I WENT TO BLUE MARTINI TO COLLECT A CHECK FROM A CLIENT, YOU COULD HAVE DONE THAT AT STARBUCKS.
WE DON'T SPEND CITY MONEY OR CAMPAIGN MONEY GOING TO BLUE MARTINI.
AND I HOPE THAT THE RESIDENTS OF TAMARAC WILL LOOK THAT UP.
IN CLOSING EVERYONE, LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING.
IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW MUCH MONEY IT IS.
FIFTEEN HUNDRED DOLLARS, SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS OR TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS.
ONCE WE SPEND THAT MONEY WISELY AND HELP OUR RESIDENTS TO MAKE THEIR LIVES BETTER, IT IS A GOOD THING. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND THEN COMMISSIONER GELIN. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR.
I WANT TO GO BACK TO THE ISSUE, THE ACTUAL ISSUE OF A INCENTIVE BUDGET FOR EACH OF US AND THE TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT IS GOING TO BE GOING INTO THAT BUDGET.
WE ARE TRIPLING OUR DISTRICT BUDGETS.
NOT IF A COMMISSIONER COULD USE IT TO DO GOOD IN THEIR DISTRICT.
THAT I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH.
I'M NOT SURE WHERE TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS CAME FROM WAS FIFTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS DISCUSSED, WAS TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS DISCUSSED.
IT SEEMS TO BE A VERY HIGH REACH TO GO FROM SIX THOUSAND TO TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND.
AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT EVEN WITH THAT BUDGET, WE'RE STILL GOING TO NEED TO HAVE CITY STAFF INVOLVED AT SOME LEVEL.
MR. MANAGER, COULD YOU PLEASE ADDRESS THOSE QUESTIONS? SURE. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER FISHMAN.
THE YOU KNOW, THE TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLAR NUMBER WAS JUST ARRIVED AT BASED ON CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND THE BUDGET MANAGER AND THE FINANCE DIRECTOR, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO EVALUATE THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN APPROACHED ABOUT OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.
I'LL SAY, RELATIVE TO THINGS THAT THE COMMISSIONERS WANTED TO DO IN THEIR DISTRICTS INDIVIDUALLY.
TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S 12 MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR AND WHETHER YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING ONCE A MONTH OR ONCE A QUARTER OR YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING MORE SUBSTANTIAL.
YOU KNOW, WE LOOKED AT THINGS LIKE THE COPS AND COMMUNITIES FORUM THAT COMMISSIONER GELIN DID. WE LOOKED AT THINGS LIKE THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA SUMMIT THAT VICE MAYOR BOLTON DID. WE CONSIDERED YOUR HUMAN TRAFFICKING FORUM.
AND WE LOOKED AT WHAT WE THOUGHT WERE THE RELATIVE SUCCESS OF THOSE INITIATIVES AND THEN SAID, WELL, IF A COMMISSIONER WANTS TO DO, YOU KNOW, TWO OF THOSE OR THREE OF THOSE THINGS A YEAR, WHICH SOUNDS LIKE A LOT TO THE STAFF, BUT ISN'T A LOT IF YOU ARE AN INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONER, THERE JUST NEEDS TO BE THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER GELIN HAD HAD TALKED ABOUT WANTING TO BRING SHAUN KING IN FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
I THINK IT WAS BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
AND TO HAVE A COMMUNITY PRESENTATION BY SHAUN KING.
AND HE DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO DO THAT.
AND WE DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY BUDGETED IN YOUR BUDGET TO DO THAT.
AND I'M NOT SURE THAT THIS TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS WOULD ALLOW HIM TO BRING SHAUN KING IN AND DO ANYTHING ELSE DURING THE YEAR.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST IT WAS THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THE CHALLENGE I THINK, WITH THIS IS, AS YOU SAID, COMMISSIONER FISHMAN IS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A CONSCIENTIOUS MOVE AWAY FROM A MORE CENTRAL APPROACH TO DOING EVENTS AND INITIATIVES.
IT'S MOVING AWAY FROM THE STAFF DOING THESE THINGS.
AND IT'S KEEPING YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES A GREATER OPPORTUNITY TO PUT YOUR OWN HAND PRINT ON SOME OF THE EVENTS THAT GO ON IN YOUR IN YOUR DISTRICT.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU HEARD ME TALK ABOUT THAT IN THE PAST AND ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE'VE
[01:00:03]
ALWAYS APPROACHED IT AS THE CITY, AS ONE TEAM, AS, YOU KNOW, NOT AN INDIVIDUAL DISTRICT, BUT AS THE CITY. AND FOR OUR MAJOR EVENTS, WE'LL STILL CONSIDER TO DO THAT.BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE CONVERSATION IS A GOOD ONE FOR THE COMMISSION TO HAVE ABOUT.
DO YOU WANT TO PROVIDE A MORE PERSONALIZED EXPERIENCE FOR YOUR CONSTITUENTS, FOR YOUR RESIDENTS? DO YOU WANT TO TOUCH THEM MORE DIRECTLY YOURSELF AS A COMMISSIONER? AND, YOU KNOW, GETTING BACK TO THE QUESTION ABOUT THE MONEY, THAT'S REALLY WHERE WE CAME UP WITH THE MONEY, YOU KNOW, WAS THAT TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS WAS NOT AN INSIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY.
BUT WHEN YOU LAY THAT OUT OVER 12 MONTHS AND TO DO SEVERAL NICE THINGS AND A LOT OF JUST DAY TO DAY STUFF AS A COMMISSIONER IN YOUR DISTRICT, THAT ADDS UP PRETTY QUICKLY.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD, YOU KNOW, VICE MAYOR BOLTON TALKED TO ME ABOUT ANY NUMBER OF THINGS THAT HE WANTED TO DO.
AND HE WILL TELL YOU HE THINKS THE ONLY WORD I KNOW IS NO.
SO, YOU KNOW, HE, YOU KNOW, AS YOU HEARD, HAS NOT LET THAT STOP HIM IN SEVERAL INSTANCES.
BUT, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S NOT THAT I DON'T WANT IT.
IT'S NOT THAT I WANT TO SAY NO TO YOU GUYS AND YOUR INITIATIVE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IF THE RESOURCES AREN'T THERE AND YOU HAVEN'T BUDGETED FOR THEM, THEN THEY'RE NOT THERE. AND SO IF THIS IS THE DIRECTION THAT THE COMMISSION WANTS TO GO, WE NEED TO PUT THE RESOURCES BEHIND IT.
WE NEED TO PUT THE RESOURCES BEHIND IT.
YEAH. I ALSO HAD AN EVENT AT MY HOA WHERE WE WHERE THERE WERE MAYBE SEVENTY FIVE OR MORE PEOPLE SHOWED UP.
WE NORMALLY DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF ATTENDANCE.
SO I JUST LOOK AT IT, LOOK AT IT AS A REINVESTMENT IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE THE RESIDENTS. PERSONALLY, I DON'T SEE MYSELF DOING ANYTHING WITH THE FUNDS NEXT YEAR GIVEN THE COVID-19 CRISIS, SO THE FUNDS WILL JUST SIT THERE AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, UNLESS MIRACULOUSLY EVERYTHING GOES AWAY.
SO IN TERMS OF TRAVEL, I DON'T PLAN ON GOING ANYWHERE.
AND IN TERMS OF THE ACTUAL BUDGET, I DON'T REALLY SEE MYSELF DOING ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF VIRTUAL MEETINGS.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THE FUNDS ALLOCATED THERE.
HOWEVER, IN CASE SOMETHING HAPPENS OR THERE'S A TURN AROUND, THEN WE CAN, YOU KNOW, GET REENGAGE WITH PEOPLE BECAUSE I KNOW PEOPLE CAN'T WAIT TO GET BACK TOGETHER WHENEVER THE VIRUS GOES AWAY OR WHATEVER HAPPENS TO IT.
BUT ANYWAY, IT IS ON PAR WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING, WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING THAT ARE MORE ENGAGED WITH THEIR RESIDENTS.
ONE, TWO. IF WE LOOK AT IT THE WAY WE LOOK AT, FOR EXAMPLE, WE LOOKED AT THE COST THAT WE PAY FOR VSO VS.
WHAT OTHER CITIES PAY FOR THE LOCAL POLICE FORCE THAT WAS BROKEN DOWN BY UNIT COSTS AND BY RESIDENT. IF WE TAKE THIS ALLOCATED AMOUNT AND DIVIDE IT BY THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS IN EACH DISTRICT, THAT'LL BE A VERY SMALL NUMBER.
AND SO JUST LOOK AT IT AS THE COST YOU'RE PAYING PER RESIDENT THAT YOU'LL BE HOPEFULLY REACHING OUT TO, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU DECIDE TO GO WITH.
[INAUDIBLE] IS NOW DOWN TO DO YOU WISH TO ADD SOMETHING.
YOU KNOW, I HAD A THOUGHT, MADAM MAYOR, I MEAN, COMMISSIONER GELIN SAID THAT WE WON'T BE DOING ANY TRAVELING. HE WON'T BE DOING ANY TRAVELING NEXT YEAR.
AND SO THE MONEY WILL BE SITTING THERE PERHAPS.
AND, YOU KNOW, REALLY AND TRULY, THAT'S THE SAME THING FOR ME.
I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER GELIN.
AND I MEAN, ALL THE THE CONFERENCES AND THAT SORT OF STUFF IS NOW VIRTUAL.
SO IT'S NOT GOING TO NECESSARILY, YOU KNOW, HAVE AN IMPACT ON ANYTHING.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, THAT IS WHAT COMMISSIONER FISHMAN IN THE REVERSE WANTS.
SHE SAYS THAT THE TRAVEL BUDGET IS OK BUT THE INITIATIVE BUDGET IS NOT OK.
SO IT'S NOT OK TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE ANY TRANSPARENCY INITIATIVES AND PAYING THE ELECTRIC BILLS OF YOUR RESIDENTS.
AND THAT'S THE STUFF. BUT TRAVELING IS OK THAT IS HOW I HEARD IT.
AND THAT AND AGAIN, THAT'S NOT A SHOT AT COMMISSIONER FISHMAN BECAUSE WE WENT TO WASHINGTON, WE WENT TO TALLAHASSEE.
AND CUMULATIVELY, SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, WE'VE BROUGHT BACK OVER FIVE POINT FIVE MILLION
[01:05:02]
DOLLARS FROM TALLAHASSEE AND WASHINGTON COMBINED.AND COMMISSIONER FISHMAN AND MYSELF AND ANYBODY ELSE WHO GOES TO WASHINGTON IS TO BE THANKED FOR THAT BECAUSE THAT'S GREAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE NARRATIVE SHOULD NOT BE THEY'RE TRAVELING TOO MUCH.
WE'RE GOING TO GET MONEY TO COME BACK TO OUR CITY.
THE LAST TIME I WENT TO TALLAHASSEE, I WAS THERE FIGHTING TOOTH AND NAIL FOR APPROPRIATIONS TO COME BACK TO MY DISTRICT FOR ADA COMPLIANT ISSUES AT CAPORELLA PARK.
SO THE [INAUDIBLE] ON THE [INAUDIBLE] ARE NOT TRAVELING IS AMAZING, YOU KNOW, AND BAR NONE.
WE'RE DOING AN ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL JOB.
AND WHEN COMMISSIONER FISHMAN GOES TO TALLAHASSEE, YOU KNOW, SHE IS ON A FIRST NAME BASIS. SO, AGAIN, IT'S NOT IT'S NOT A SHOT TO HER.
SO THAT'S WHY I AGREE WITH HER THAT TRAVEL IS IMPORTANT.
BUT I ALSO THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE ON ONE ACCORD WITH THIS, THAT REACHING OUR RESIDENTS AND SPENDING TIME WITH THEM AND TELLING THEM WHAT IS GOING ON, YOU KNOW, AT CITY COMMISSION MEETINGS, BECAUSE A LOT OF THEM CANNOT LOG ON OR THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT THEY CAN LOG ON.
SOME OF THEM CANNOT COME OUT TO THE COMMISSION MEETINGS AT SEVEN O'CLOCK AT NIGHT OR NINE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING WHEN THEY'RE WORKING.
SO WHEN WE ACTUALLY GO TO THE COMMUNITIES, DIFFERENT EVENTS OR DIFFERENT MEETINGS, WE CAN ACTUALLY TELL THEM WHAT GOES ON.
AND A LOT OF TIMES WHEN I GO TO DIFFERENT EVENTS OR MEETINGS IN THE COMMUNITY, THEY THEY ARE THEY ARE PLEASED.
I'VE NEVER MET SOMEBODY, FOR INSTANCE, AT A BREAKFAST WHERE MADAM MAYOR YOU AND I CO-SPONSORED AT THE BERMUDA CLUB.
NOBODY COMPLAINED ABOUT THAT EVENT.
THEY LISTENED TO BROWARD COUNTY ACTION AGENCY.
THEY LISTENED TO SHERIFF TONY SPEAK.
THEY LISTEN TO [INAUDIBLE] GIVE PROPERTY TAX INFORMATION.
EVERYBODY WAS SATISFIED WITH THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT WE BROUGHT FORWARD.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT, CONTINUE THAT MOMENTUM RIGHT NEXT YEAR OR THE NEXT YEAR OR THE NEXT YEAR, THE RESIDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND THAT WE TRULY CARE FOR THEM.
NOT A SHOT AT YOU, MADAM MAYOR, BUT YOU DO.
YOU DO. YOU ACTUALLY DO A GOOD JOB.
YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE YOU DON'T TELL ANYBODY AND YOU DON'T HAVE THE MEANS TO TELL ANYBODY THAT YOU'RE DOING A GOOD JOB. SO WHY ARE WE COMPLAINING ABOUT MONEY TO BE SPENT ON REACHING THE COMMUNITY? DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. SO COMMISSIONER FISHMAN OR ANYBODY ELSE THAT THAT WOULD DISSENT ON THIS I THINK THAT IT'S POLITICAL TO SAY NO.
I THINK THAT THE CONDITION OF SAYING NO TONIGHT.
MADAM CLERK, QUOTE ME VERBATIM SHOULD BE FIFTEEN HUNDRED DOLLARS GOING TO THE PERSON WHO SAYS NO AND TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS GOING TO THE PERSON, THE PEOPLE WHO SAY YES.
I STICK TO THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU. NOW THAT EVERYONE'S GIVING THEIR OPINIONS AND SOME HAVE EXPRESSED OPINIONS FOR ME WHO DON'T HAVE MY MOUTH.
I WILL USE MY OWN. BASICALLY I'VE HAD THIS, I'VE HAD BUDGET AND I'VE CHOSEN TO SPEND MY OWN DOLLARS. AND I CHOOSE TO NOT PUT MY FACE ON THINGS.
CITY MANAGER, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU ON THE I WANT TO CLARIFY SOMETHING THAT WAS SAID EARLIER. THIS TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS BUDGET PER PERSON OR PER PERSON ON THIS COMMISSION IT IS TO BE USED WITHOUT CITY EXPECTATION OF CITY STAFF TO HELP US WITH EVENTS . THIS IS ON OUR OWN? OR IS IT AN INTENTION TO UTILIZE THE CITY STAFF? WELL, MADAM MAYOR THAT DEPENDS ON ON WHAT IT WOULD BE THAT THE [INAUDIBLE] OR THE INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONERS WOULD BE PROPOSING TO DO.
THAT'S PART OF THE REASON FOR THE GUIDELINES AND THE POLICIES THAT WE'RE GOING TO BRING FORWARD TO ADOPT.
IS SO THERE'S SOME CLEAR RULES ARE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT IN TERMS OF HOW THE MONEY WOULD BE
[01:10:03]
USED AND FOR WHAT PURPOSES AND THE INVOLVEMENT OF STAFF.I THINK THERE'S AN EXPECTATION THAT STAFF IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE INVOLVED IN ASSISTING YOU WITH SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU WANT TO DO.
MAYBE NOT ALL OF THEM, BUT CLEARLY FOR THE EVENTS LIKE THE COPS AND COMMUNITIES FORUM, THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING SUMMIT, THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA SUMMIT, THOSE TYPES OF EVENTS REQUIRE A LOT OF INTERACTION AND SOME STAFF TIME, AND WE JUST NEED TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE THAT.
WE HAD DISCUSSED IN FEBRUARY ABOUT HAVING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES PUT IN PLACE AND FOR EVENTS, WE AS A COMMISSION DISCUSSED THIS AT A RETREAT TO WHERE WE WERE DISCUSSING BUDGETING, TAKING YOU BACK A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, MAYBE THREE YEARS AGO, EVEN THE INCENTIVE BUDGET HAS BEEN ASKED TO BE INCREASED FOR YEARS SINCE 2016 FROM THE FIFTEEN HUNDRED THEN IT WENT UP TO, GOING TO GO UP TO THIRTY FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS AND THEN LAST BUDGET AT THE LAST MINUTE IT THEN INCREASED TO SIX THOUSAND.
AND THEN NOW THAT LIAISON'S HAD TO HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL MONEY, OF COURSE WENT THROUGH THE COMMISSION DEPARTMENT FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONER OR THE MAYOR, WE PUT A BUDGET IN PLACE OF TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR [INAUDIBLE] FOR THE COMMISSION.
FIFTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE MAYOR.
IN FEBRUARY. THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE RUNNING THROUGH ALL THEIR MONEY.
AND YET THERE WAS ACTUALLY WHY THERE WAS A DISCUSSION IN FEBRUARY ABOUT HOW TO INCREASE IT. WE NEVER SOME PEOPLE NEVER STUCK TO THE BUDGET THAT WAS BUDGETED.
AND I HAVE GRAVE CONCERNS ABOUT JUST GIVING OUT TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS PER PERSON ON THIS COMMISSION AND NOT HAVING PROCEDURES BEFOREHAND.
WITH THIS COMMISSION WE HAVE NO GUARANTEE THAT THIS COMMISSION WILL AGREE TO ANY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES IN PLACE THAT WILL BE UNIFIED.
OR HAVE ANYTHING IN PLACE THAT WE CAN ACCOUNT TO HAVING PEOPLE STICK TO THE PROCEDURES THAT ARE IN PLACE OR DO THEY GO OFF AND DO THEIR OWN THING WITHOUT ANY RAMIFICATION? BECAUSE NOTHING HAS BEEN VOTED ON.
SO I HAVE A GREAT PROBLEM WITH JUST DOING TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS BECAUSE IT WAS THROWN OUT OF THE COMMISSION MEETING ONCE BEFORE.
I THINK AT THE TIME IT WAS THROWN OUT IT WAS AT FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS A PERSON.
I DON'T THINK OUR CITY IS EXPECTING US TO BE THEIR EVENT PLANNERS.
I GO TO COMMISSION MEETINGS, I GO TO ASSOCIATION MEETINGS, I'M THERE IF I GET TO BRING COOKIES BECAUSE I HAVE TIME TO GO GET SOME TIME, THEY ARE FINE WITH THAT, I PAY FOR IT ON MY OWN. I HAVEN'T ASKED FOR REFUNDS ON IT.
THEY'RE NOT THERE BECAUSE THEY WANT SOMETHING FROM US.
PEOPLE COME TO EVENTS BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BE AT THE EVENT.
AS I MENTIONED IN FEBRUARY, THERE ARE SOME TIMES THAT NOT EACH OF US AGREE WITH WHAT THE OTHER WANTS TO DO AS AN EVENT, BUT AS A COMMISSION WE SHOULD BE DOING IT.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE DISTRICT PLANNING.
WE GO THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS BASED ON THAT, AND WE THEN SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER.
THAT IS ACTUALLY WHAT THE COMMISSION HAS DONE IN THE PAST, BUT IT HAS BEEN BREAKING AWAY FROM IT AND I DON'T THINK THAT IS BREAKING AWAY FROM IT IN A HEALTHY SENSE.
IT'S NOT THAT SIMPLE AS WE WOULDN'T WANT TO SUPPORT OTHER INITIATIVES.
IT SHOULDN'T BE A COMPETITION.
THIS IS A COMMISSION. IT IS ONE CITY.
SO IF ONE PERSON HAS AN EVENT THAT THEY WANT TO DO, EVEN IF WE DON'T AGREE WITH IT, WE WOULD GO IF IT WAS PLANNED IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING AND AGREEMENT VERSUS GOING OFF AND DOING OUR OWN THING AND THEN UTILIZING NEW [INAUDIBLE] THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO SCROUNGE FOR BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT THERE ANYMORE.
WE WOULD HAVE HAD FEW UPDATES TODAY ABOUT THIS YEAR HAD THERE NOT BEEN COVID.
TWO DIFFERENT DISTRICTS WERE PLANNING IT.
AND ACTUALLY THERE WAS A THIRD BEING PLANNED BECAUSE ALL OF US CARE ABOUT OUR [INAUDIBLE] . ARE WE GOING TO DIVIDE OUR CITY INTO PIECES. THAT'S WHERE IT SEEMS THAT IS BECOMING.
ALL OF US HAVE A DESIRE TO HELP OUR RESIDENTS, BUT WE HAVE A DESIRE TO HELP OUR RESIDENTS. WE'VE JUST CARVED OUT ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS, NOT EVEN INCLUDING THE TRAVEL.
HUNDRED TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT WERE IN THE BUDGET LAST WEEK.
FOR SOMETHING ELSE TO UTILIZE FOR OUR INDIVIDUAL PROCESS HERE.
[INAUDIBLE] ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS.
WE WANT TO HELP OUR RESIDENTS? GIVE IT TO OUR PUBLIC SERVICES DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY OF TAMARAC.
LET THEM HELP OUR RESIDENTS WITH THE LIGHT BILL.
LET THEM HELP OUR RESIDENTS WITH A WATER BILL.
LET THEM BE DONE PROPERLY VERSUS APPEARING TO BE SOFT CAMPAIGNING.
WE DO NOT GET OUR SHIP ALLOCATION THIS YEAR.
SHIP IN CASE ANYBODY MIGHT HEAR MY NEW YORK AND IT'S COMING OUT ANOTHER WAY.
[01:15:02]
THOSE SHIP FUNDS ARE DONE TO HELP OUR RESIDENTS FOR HOUSING FOR REPAIR [INAUDIBLE] LET'S PUT IT IN THERE. I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS A WORK AROUND THAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED BY THIS COMMISSION AND AGREED UPON BY THIS COMMISSION IN THE PAST AND JUST BEING BROUGHT BACK UP TO THE TABLE TO SEE WHAT WE CAN GET THROUGH TO GET IT ON THE BUDGET.AND I DON'T REALLY CARE FOR THAT [INAUDIBLE].
AND SO ALSO WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT GOING INTO THE COMMUNITIES AND GOING TO THEIR ASSOCIATIONS WITH PROGRAMMING.
[INAUDIBLE] NO, NO, WE'RE NOT OK.
TRYING TO GET OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY. AND I'M UP FOR CREATIVE IDEAS TO GET TO OUR RESIDENTS AND REACHING OUR RESIDENTS.
I'M NOT [INAUDIBLE] INDIVIDUALS THAT ULTIMATELY WE HAVE NO [INAUDIBLE] OVER NO POLICIES IN PLACE BEFORE IT'S AGREED UPON. SO FOR THOSE REASONS, I DO NOT AGREE WITH THIS.
AT THE TIME IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WISHES TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT TEMPORARY ORDINANCE NUMBER 2435, ESTABLISHING THE OPERATING BUDGET, CAPITAL BUDGET AND FINANCIAL POLICIES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021.
SO I FELT WHEN I SPOKE BEFORE AND I APOLOGIZE FOR COMING AROUND FOR A THIRD TIME, I WANTED TO ADDRESS ONE OF THE REMARKS THAT WAS MADE.
I DON'T NORMALLY BRING UP CAMPAIGN ISSUES AT A COMMISSION MEETING, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE TO CLEAR THE AIR ABOUT THE PUBLIC RECORD ISSUE OF MY CAMPAIGN EXPENDITURE BLUE MARTINI. IT WAS FOR A WOMEN'S ORGANIZATIONS EVENT AT THE CLUB AND THE PAYMENT WENT DIRECTLY TO BLUE MARTINI.
I HAVE NOT HAD A DRINK SINCE 1988.
SO TO SAY THAT I WAS MEETING SOMEONE THERE FOR DRINKS IS TO ME OFFENSIVE.
I REITERATE THE IS THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT TEMPORARY ORDINANCE 2435.
SEEING THAT THERE WAS NO SECOND THIS MATTER FAILS.
OK, I BELIEVE WE'VE HAD ALL THE DISCUSSION THAT EVERYTHING'S ON THE TABLE.
MADAM CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
COMMISSIONER FISHMAN. YES, SORRY, COMMISSIONER FISHMAN.
VICE MAYOR BOLTON. YES. COMMISSIONER GELIN.
NO. TO 2435 WHICH IS THE FY 2021 BUDGET ORDINANCE, PASSES FOUR TO ONE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR EFFORT, YOUR TIME, STAFF, YOUR WONDERFUL AS ALWAYS, WE APPRECIATE YOU.
AND LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE REACH OUT TO THE COMMISSION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE WILL SEE YOU IN TWO WEEKS AT THE NEXT COMMISSION MEETING.
HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.