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CCMtg07-30-12Min(SM) LONGWOOD CITY COMMISSION Longwood City Commission Chambers 175 `blest Warren Avenue Longwood, Florida SPECIAL MEETI MINUTES ES JULY 3 ® Present: Mayor (Brian D. Sackett Deputy Mayor H.G. "Butch" Bundy Commissioner Dolan C. Mairngot Commissioner Joe Durso Comi Bob Cortes Jon C. Williams, City Administrator Sarah M. Miruus, City Clerk Tom Smith, Division of Streetsffleei! Richard Kornlbluh, Division Manager of Utilities Troy Hiclkson, Police Chief Sheryl Dower, Director of Community Development Services Till Gullbrandsen, Fire Chief Pamela Barclay, Director of (Financial Services Fran Meli, Dir ector of Leisure Services Craig Dunn, Information Technology Manager Michelle Longo, Executive Assistant to City Adll_nnnnistrator Ll . CALL TO ORDER. Mayor Sackett called the meeting to order at 7:31 p.m. 2. STET THE TENTATIVE a/ I LLAGE ]DATE FOR THE 2012/2013 PASCAL. YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2012, AND AUTHORIZE THE CITY ADPViII[NISTRATOR TO COMPLETE THE CERTIFICATION OF TA3UBL>" VALUE (DR-420) AND MAXI[I�YI11IJM M>ILLAGL LEVY PRELIMINARY Y DIISCLOSURE (DR-420M P) FORMS VIA THE DEP'ARTM>ENT OF RE VENUE'S HTk8IM SYSTEM. Mr. Williams said this was the time now that they set the tentative millage rate. He said they have a deadline of August 3, 2012 . for setting the rate. He said one (1) of the things abort setting the tentative millage rate was they could always come back down, but they cannot go back up should they find the need to rise. He said they had some discussions on whether or not it was appropriate to ask for a full mill increase at this point in time, a half a mill, or go to the roll back state, etc. He stated staff was prepared, like they have done previously based upon certified proposed taxable - values, what the impact of any increases would be at a millage rate of 5.99 he said they could expect to generate an additional $ CC 0730- 12/203 Commissioner Maingot moved to go one (1) mill from 4.99 to 5.99. Deputy Mayor Bundy seconded the motion. Deputy Mayor Bundy said he thought he made it clear about the reserves. He asked what kind of numbers they were looking at to bring the reserves up to the twenty percent (20% o) level. Commissioner Cortes said he did the numbers and they should have been at 3.1. Deputy Mayor Bundy said he has always said from when they were facing the downturn was that there were four (4) top priorities to him, and they were: the reserve balance, the millage rate, employee retention and capital projects. He said in that reversing order, he would still rattier raise the millage rate than to have the reserves fall below twenty percent (20 %). He said he has said that every year since they have run into this. He said he does not know if he can support a full one if they were looking at $300,000, maybe a half ('/2) a mill, and have that revenue applied toward the reserves. Mayor Sackett said he was recognizing the importance of keeping the reserve at twenty percent (20 %) or above. He said he was also on board with a rise in millage, but not at that level. Deputy Mayor Bundy responded in the affirmative. Commissioner Maingot said he agreed, but what were they going to do about the capital projects, which they have spent so much money on. He said they were just bringing it back up to the reserves. He said what else do they have in terms of the Transit Oriented Development (TOD), in terms of stormwater development that was needed like yesterday, for interested people to come and invest in the TOD. He stated where were they going to have the funds to get that development going if they do not have the revenue to do it. Mayor Sackett asked Commissioner Maingot if that was rhetorical and if he wanted a response to it. Commissioner Maingot responded in the negative, and stated that it was a fact. He said he agrees to luring it up there, but that does not give them additional funds that they need to accomplish those things, so what were they looking at and stated a status quo. He said how could they go forth with the TOD development as the number one (1) project they have been speaking about and spending a lot of money on, if they do not have the funds to do it. He stated the people were looking to them to move the City forward, so eight (9) years and not one (1) penny, so he said he agrees CC 07- 30- 12/204 with bringing it up, but does that leave them funds to be able to go and do what they have to do with stormwater or the TOD development. Mr. Williams said he thinks the stormwater portion was handled because those funds were separated into another fund. He said where they were staving to run into other issues was the streets caping and the other infrastructure that may be necessary. Commissioner Maingot said not may be, and let theirs face fads. He said they needed the revenue to do it. He said so why go beating around the bush, Mr. Administrator. He said if they do not have the funds, they cannot do it and that was the bottom line. Mr. Williams said he was not beating around the bush and that was what they have been telling them all night. Commissioner Maingot said let's get beat up, that was okay, that was what they were here for, to get beaten Lip on, but they Have to develop the City. Commissioner Cortes said just for the record in doing the numbers, they were close to about $194,000 to bring them to the twenty (20 %) percent, which on that chart, would put them at about 5.23 on the millage to bring it to the twenty (20 %) percent threshold. He said if they went to the half (%2) mill, which was 5.49, it would be 4.01, which would double and it would be twenty (20 %) percent, plus another 200. He said in addition, they have to realize that this was in conjunction with all the other things that they may be bringing forward. He said with that caveat, they still have a lot of people that were out of work or struggling through the economy, so they have to be cognizant of yes, they do have to do everything they can to make sure they were ready to move forward. But, they were going to put a burden on the residents eventually. Deputy Mayor Bundy said first, regarding the stormwater for the TOD, the money was there, correct? He said they have identified that the money was there to do the regional stormwater. He said there were some variables in there, land costs, exact costs, but they have a pretty good handle on that. He said he feels like that was the number one (1) thing they can do was the regional stormwater. IIe said by doing that, they take in a parcel of property like this, that they can only develop half ( of it or two - thirds (2/3) of it, and they were able to develop ninety (90 %) percent of it. He said it had made the property valuable and attractive to come here. He said he thinks, as Commissioner Cortes does, that there were still a lot of people out there that were hurting, there were a lot of businesses that were hurting, and to go up a full millage at this time was putting a big burden on it. He said if they get the reserves up and if they go to the 5.49, which was a half (%2) a mill, it gives a couple hundred thousand dollars to do some of these things. He said the difference in a half ( mill and a mill was $400,000, and that was not going to give therm enough money to CC 07 -30- 12/205 do what they needed to do anyway. He said everybody keeps coming up with projects and programs and things to add on, and he can support a half ( mill, but he carmot support a full mill. Commissioner Cortes said for a matter of procedure, they were not setting the mill officially here, it was just the tentative, which would be coming back to it over the meetings, so if they go to a 5.99, that was the maximum they could go. He said they could always come down if they need to, based on all the other figures that will come back. Mr.. Williams said 'this will be sent to the property owners via E -Trim advertisement. Mayor Sackett said this is not the meeting that they set it. This is the meeting when they announce it. Commissioner Durso asked Chief Gulbrandsen how much of his budget was General Revenue. Chief Gulbrandsen said almost one hundred (100 %) percent comes out of the General Revenue because the Ambulance Collection Fees were approximately $580,000 this year, but that goes back in General Funds. Commissioner Durso asked if they have assessed the Fire Fee and what will that money be allocated to. Chief Gulbrandsen said the Fire Fee can only be allocated to the Fire Department. Commissioner Durso said so whatever revenue was generated by the Fire Fee would be deducted from the General Revenue and would be put back. He said his issue with the tax increases was that there were some issues with people struggling, and as they start to turn the corner a little bit, the higher that rate goes, the higher the property value goes and the more they were going to pay. He stated that was outside of their control and they can control a $100 Fire Fee per parcel, but once the tax rate goes up, the property values will start to come back with the development that will come, and that will start to grow exponentially, he thought. He said what he has always found was that goveinment will take it, but was reluctant to give it back. He stated the only reason most places gave it back was that the State forced them to. He said he believes in local control and thinks cities and counties should be able to do. what they need to do in their opinion, and so when the State forced that, he did not think it was a smart idea. He said with that being said, he said he would rather assess a_ fee for services being rendered as opposed to a general revenue increase. Commissioner Main got said he thinks the Chief's point of this whole thing was, though they were not setting it tonight in.concrete, but whatever they CC 07-30- 12/206 set tonight, they can go down, but cannot go up. He said so 5.99 was something they can always come down from, but - they cannot go up above it; so he thinks it was a safe bet. He said let's give ourselves some insurance. Mayor Sackett said to avoid being redundant then, it was just a. matter of raising it in the motion to 5.99, and then they go through the process of the meetings and actually studying it. .Deputy Mayor Bundy withdrew his second to the motion. Mayor Sackett seconded the motion and the motion carried by a three -to -two (3 -2) _roll call vote with Deputy Mayor Bundy and Commissioner Durso voting nay. Mayor Sackett said what this does was it gets this approved three -to -two and encourages more meetings and more factual information coming in with all these revenue sources. He said potentially, he said he wants to see those so they can really set this rate at what they need it to be. He said when they talk fees and other things, that a $6 stormwater fee still bothers him, even though how petty is was. But when they put fees on top of everything, and then they also do something on cop of the value of his home, it was too much. He said he really wanted a detailed statement coming very, very soon as to what these proposals will look like and how it will overall impact the Budget. He said then they can set a realistic millage race, and 5.99 gives them a little room for discussion at this point, but he said he would not support a 5.99 when it comes through. He said he wants to see what all these numbers were like and thanked them. 3. ADJOURN. Mayor Sackett adjourned the meeting at 7 :44 p.m. , Brian D. Sackett, M ATTEST- Saroh M. Mh us, MMcC, MICA, 0T Clerk CC 0130 - 12/207 This Page Left Blank Intenn on ally. CC 07- 30- 12/200