1980-10-21 Millage Meeting2722
CITY VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT
Ricky Holt, representing the City Volunteer Fire Department, appeared before the
Council to request funds to outfit the volunteers. Certain equipment is needed to
comply with Federal guidelines.
Mr. Holt requested approximately $6,000.00 of the Federal Revenue Sharing Funds.
Attorney Conlon advised Mr. Holt to return on November 3rd, and present proposal
then.
80-81 OKEECHOBEE COUNTY LIBRARY
Bruce Homer, representing Okeechobee County Library, appeared to request $9,000.00
of the Federal Revenue Sharing Funds be set aside for the Library.
J.P. DELONEY
Citizen J.P. Deloney appeared to reaffirm his request bike trails connecting all
the public schools.
Chairman Douglas told the citizens with new Federal Revenue Sharing requests to
return November 3rd.
80-5? DISCRIMINATION SUIT
Attorney Conlon gave an up-date report on the discrimination suit. The County has
settled out of court. The settlement will provide for drainage improvements in Douglas
Park, however, it does not include cleaning and maintaining the City ditch in Dean's
Court.
The City does not have the proper equipment to adequately clean the ditch. If the
settlement is not revised to include Dean's Court the City will have an added legal
burden set upon them.
Attorney Conlon advised the individual Councilmen to urge the County to include
cleaning of the City ditch as part of their settlement.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 7:28 P.M.
~dward W. Douglas
Chairman City Council
City of Okeechobee
ATTEST:
Bonnie-S. Thomas
City Clerk
City of Okeechobee
MILLAGE HEARING TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1980
The City Council of the City of Okeechobee, Florida, convened in a Public Hearing
2723
regarding Millage rates in Council Chambers ab City
1950, a~ 7:00 ?.~.
Chairman/Mayor Edward N. Douglas presiding with ~he £ollo~ing Councilmen present: Lytle
Raulerson~ Oakland Chapman~ Donald Burk and Jim Knighb.
Others present ~ere: Bonnie $. ?homas~ City Clerk; David Conlon~ City A55orney; L.C.
Forbnep, Director o£ Public ~orks and Janice M. ~ann~ Depuby Clerk.
80-95 MILLAGE HEARING
The meeting was called to order by Chairman Douglas at 7:00 P.M., to hear from the
public on a proposed millage rate increase and the adoption of a tentative millage rate
necessary to fund the budget for fiscal year 1980-81.
Chairman Douglas informed those present that the proposed millage increase in the
budget is 5.55 for the General and .58 for the debt service (I & S), which has a total yield
of $BB5,2~0.00 and #B9,997.00 respectively.
The Finance Chairman did not accept the budget as proposed initially, and asRed for a
10% reduction. With the help and consideration of the Departement Heads the Council was
able to cut the budget another 5.75% over-all.
Chairman Douglas informed the public the proposed increase will be 98.69%~ over the
1979-80 roll back rate of B.06. Last year's millage rate was 4.1B7.*
Finance Chairman Raulerson stated the purpose for the increase in the ad velorum tax
is each year the City has to fall back on it's reserve monies also, the Council has
accepted the roll back rate for the last four years from the Tax Assessor. Another reason
for the needed increase is the City will not be receiving any more Federal Revenue Sharing
funds.
Chairman Douglas called for comments from citizens present.
Citizen Virgil Hayes asked if the City received Federal Revenue Sharing funds within
the next year would the Council roll back the rate. Finance Chairman Raulerson advised that
no change could be made during 1981.
Finance Chairman Raulerson noted that even with the increase the City will Still have
to use reserves of approximately $117,000.00.
Citizen Doc Watford asked for dollar amounts of last year's budget as compared to this
year's proposed budget. Mr. Watford commended the previous Councils for accumulating a
reserve, and asked if this Council has considered selling the land purchased last year and
returning the money to reserves to give relief to the tax payers.
Citizen Frank Altobello advised the Council to work the surplus monies back into the City
budget to ease the inflation factor.
Finance Chairman Raulerson stated the monies are held in reserve because the Council is
anticipating having to use these funds in the near future on such projects as the 201 Sewer
Facility Plan and the Discrimination suit.
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Doc Watford stated the City can no longer continue to pay cash for projects. The
City should put the reserves back into the budget and float bonds if need be.
Citizen Dowling Watford asked why the expenditures are now far exceeding the income
even though the City has grown and so has the income.
Councilman Burk stated the City has begun to invest the monies into improvements,
expanding is a large factor and costs have gone up.
Dowling Watford suggested the City cut back on man power to ease the pressures.
Councilman Burk stated "if the public asked for a cut back in services then the
Council would have to consider doing so for the public is the boss."
Mr. Hayes asked if Consolidation would not have solved the problem of double taxation.
Attorney Conlon noted that with consolidation the City would have been set up as a
separate taxing district, which still would have been double taxation.
Dowling Watford stated that the "NO" vote to consolidation tells the Council the
citizens do not want a City manager and yet the Council is going against their wishes
by hiring an administrator.
Councilman Burk felt the excitement is due to the misconception of hiring a "City
Manager". The Council is going to hire an Administrative Assistant to the Mayor and
Council, answerable to the Council. This is not the same as the consolidation issue.
Prior to adopting a millage rate, Chairman Douglas restated the fact that the City
has been using its reserve funds.
Finance Chairman Raulerson informed the Council and public the millage increase
was previously computed incorrectly. *According to Chairman Douglas the correct roll
back figure is 3.12 making the increase 94.81% instead of 98.69%.
BUDGET AMENDMENTS
Councilman Burk noted he felt the trend of the citizens present was to be willing
to cut back services which would have to be in personnel.
CounciLman Knight felt the citizens also made it clear they wanted to eliminate the
position of City Administrator (Budget items totaling $35,000.00).
Council discussed possible cuts such as:
1) attrition, not replacing employees that quit.
2) merge the fire departments
3) contracting law enforcement services from the County
Councilman Raulerson stated the only feasible cut back would be in personnel through
attrition. Expenditures have been cut to the barest minimum.
Attorney C0nl0n advised the proposed uses of Federal Revenue Sharing Funds should be
incorporated into the tentative budget, final hearing on November 3rd~ meeting.
Total amount of FRS funds being $36,758.75. '-~
I - i ! ! i' I
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MILLAGE RATE
80-95
Councilman B~rk moved to adopt the proposed millage rate of 6.08%, seconded by
Councilman Knight, vote carried.
TENTATIVE BUDGET
Councilman Raulerson moved to adapt the tentative Budget without any amendments,
seconded by Councilman Burk, vote carried.
The recomputed millage rate increase was found to be 94.81% and will be advertised
as such.
Council set a final hearing date of November 3, 1980, at 7:00, P.M., for 1) Federal
Revenue Sharing Funds, 2) Millage rate increase, and 3) adoption of the 1980-81 General
Budget, to be advertised.
Councilman Raulerson moved to read by title only an ordinance to levy taxes for
1980-81, seconded by Councilman Burk, motion passed~
Chairman Douglas read by title only ordinance as follows:
AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE LEVYING AND COLLECTING OF TAXES FOR THE CITY OF
OKEECHOBEE, FLORIDA, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 1980, AND ENDING
SEPTEMBER 30, 1981, AND STATING THE PERCENT BY WHICH THE MILLAGE RATE LEVIED
EXCEEDS THE ROLLED BACK RATE, AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
Councilman Knight moved to read by title only an ordinance adopting the 1980-81
General budget, seconded by Councilman Burk, motion passed.
Chairman Douglas read by title only the ordinance as follows:
AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING A BUDGET FOR THE CITY OF OKEECHOBEE, FLORIDA. FOR
THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER l, 1980, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 1981,
AND PROVIDING FOR THE EFFECTIVE DATE HEREOF, AND PROVIDING FOR THE REPEAL
OF RESOLUTION NO. , A RESOLUTION ADOPTING A TEMPORARY OPERATING
BUDGET FOR THE GENERAL FUND FOR THE CITY OF OKEECHOBEE, FOR THE FISCAL
YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 1980, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 1981.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business the meeting adjourned at 9:30 P.M.
~d~a~ W. Douglas
City Council Chairman
City of Okeechobee
ATTEST:
Bonnie S. Thomgs
City Clerk
City of Okeechobee