TWO. SO I'M GOING TO CALL THIS SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING 2023 DASH 21 TO ORDER.
[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:08]
UH, THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WILL BE LED BY DEPUTY MAYOR FELIX.CAN YOU ALL PLEASE RISE? PLEASE FACE THE FLAG.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
I'D LIKE THESE FLAGS ADJUSTED TO THE WAY THEY WERE BACK IN THE DAY.
OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, PLEASE.
COUNCILMAN FOSTER IS BY PHONE HERE.
SO WE'RE ON COMMENTARY BY STAFF.
[COMMENTARY BY STAFF]
MADAM SHERMAN.WE DID HAVE QUITE A BIT OF DISCUSSION AT THE PRIOR BUDGET WORKSHOP, AND SHE'LL KIND OF GIVE YOU A RECAP OF THAT AND ALSO GIVE YOU SOME ADDITIONAL DETAILS ABOUT OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM THAT YOU DID NOT PREVIOUSLY SEE.
AND THEN WE WILL START GOING THROUGH THE STEPS OF THE FIRST READINGS FOR ADOPTION.
YOU WANT ME DO THAT FIRST? OKAY.
SHE'S TELLING ME I HAVE TO READ MY SCRIPT FIRST, SO I'LL DO THAT.
THE CITY OF PALM BAY, FLORIDA, HAS TENTATIVELY ADOPTED AN OPERATING MILLAGE RATE OF 7.5995 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2023, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2024.
THE TENTATIVE OPERATING MILLAGE RATE OF 7.5995 EXCEEDS THE TRIM CURRENT YEAR AGGREGATE ROLLBACK RATE OF 6.8183 BY 11.46%.
CONTRIBUTING TO THE OPERATING MILLAGE RATE INCREASE OVER THE ROLLBACK RATE IS 2.1 MILLION IN HIGH PRIORITY FUNDING NEEDS, INCLUDING CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS REQUIRING PAYMENT 3.7 MILLION IN CAPITAL FUNDING NEEDS, INCLUDING VEHICLE REPLACEMENTS, PUBLIC SAFETY EQUIPMENT, INCLUDING REQUIRED RADIO REPLACEMENTS, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENTS AND FUNDING TOWARDS THE CONSTRUCTION OF FIRE STATION SEVEN.
ROAD MAINTENANCE FUND INVESTMENTS TOTALING 2.75 MILLION FUNDING REQUIRED FOR THE POLICE AND FIRE PENSION CONTRIBUTION OBLIGATIONS OF 6.7 MILLION, RESULTING IN A 38.2% INCREASE FROM THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR AND 2.3 MILLION IN PERSONNEL ADJUSTMENTS, INCLUDING NINE ADDITIONAL FIREFIGHTERS AND EIGHT ADDITIONAL POLICE OFFICERS.
THE CITY OF PALM BAY, FLORIDA, HAS ALSO TENTATIVELY ADOPTED A DEBT MILLAGE RATE OF 0.9084 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2023, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2024.
THE TENTATIVE DEBT MILLAGE RATE SHALL GENERATE ESTIMATED REVENUES TOTALING $6,972,219, BASED ON THE GROSS TAXABLE VALUE CERTIFIED BY THE PROPERTY APPRAISER'S OFFICE.
DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS TOTALING $3,526,250 AND THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS SERIES 2021.
DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS TOTALING $3,446,150, BOTH DUE IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2024 BUDGET YEAR.
IN THE CITY OF PALM BAY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, LOCATED AT 120 MALABAR ROAD, SOUTHEAST PALM BAY, FLORIDA.
32907. A FINAL DECISION ON THE PROPOSED TAX INCREASE AND THE BUDGET WILL BE MADE AT THIS HEARING.
SO I'M GOING TO OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING AT THIS TIME.
[PUBLIC HEARING]
AND MA'AM, GO AHEAD AND PRESENT THIS ITEM.I'M THE BUDGET ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE CITY OF PALM BAY.
[00:05:01]
AND AS YOU KNOW, MY PRIMARY JOB IS TO TAKE YOU THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS, ADOPTION FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR.BEFORE I GET STARTED, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE.
USUALLY THIS IS MY LAST TIME FOR FOR ME COMING UP TO PRESENT.
SO I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY SITTING ON THE DAIS, OUR CITY MANAGER, OUR CITY COUNCIL, DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS AND ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS WHO WORK TIRELESSLY SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE CALENDAR YEAR TO GET US TO THIS POINT.
SO TONIGHT I AM GOING TO TRY TO KEEP THIS PRESENTATION BRIEF.
SO YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO ASK QUESTIONS THROUGHOUT OR WAIT UNTIL THE END.
BUT AGAIN, IT IS A RECAP AND IT'S MORE OF A HIGH LEVEL PRESENTATION OF THE BUDGET THAT WE ARE PROPOSING TO BE ADOPTED AT THE SEPTEMBER 20TH FINAL PUBLIC HEARING. SO OUR TOPIC OF AGENDA THAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT IS OUR UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR 24 IMPORTANT NUMBERS. WE'RE GOING TO DO A RECAP, THEN WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE PROPOSED BUDGET WITH CHANGES.
ESSENTIALLY WHAT THAT IS, IS JULY 28TH IS WHEN THE PROPOSED BUDGET WAS PUBLISHED.
THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND HEAVILY FOCUS ON THE GENERAL FUND BECAUSE AS THE MILLAGE RATES THAT WE PLAN ON PROPOSING TO BE ADOPTED AT THE NEXT HEARING HAS DIRECT IMPACT ON THE GENERAL FUND, THEN WE'RE GOING TO DO A REVIEW ON WHAT HAD BEEN REQUESTED AND WHAT IS ACTUALLY FUNDED FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR.
THEN WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON OUR CONTINUED FOCUS ON THE GENERAL FUND, SOME THINGS THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON AT TOMORROW NIGHT'S HEARING, TOMORROW NIGHT'S COUNCIL MEETING, AND JUST SOME FOCUS THAT WE STILL HAVE GOING INTO THE NEW YEAR.
THAT IS WHAT WAS INITIALLY PROPOSED.
WE HAD BUILT THE BUDGET ON THE 3% CAP RATE, WHICH IS 7.0171.
SO ALL THE NUMBERS WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND, YOU WILL SEE THAT TONIGHT IS BASED ON YOUR 3% CAP.
OUR VOTED DEBT MILLAGE RATE IS 0.9084.
GENERALLY, THERE'S LITTLE FLEXIBILITY WITH THAT SINCE WHAT WE DO IS WE SET THE RATE ENOUGH TO GENERATE ENOUGH REVENUE TO PAY OUR PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST PAYMENTS ON THOSE TWO BONDS. I KNOW WE JUST WENT OUT AND FOR THE ISSUANCE OF OUR THIRD BOND, THAT DOES NOT IMPACT THIS BUDGET.
SO COME FISCAL YEAR 25, YOU WILL SEE THAT THOSE NUMBERS IN THOSE BUDGET PROCESSES AS WELL.
AND THEN WE ALSO PROVIDE THE THREE DIFFERENT PERCENTAGE STABILIZATION FUND OPTIONS GOING FROM 2% OF 693,000 TO 4% OF ABOUT 1.4 MILLION.
SO OUR GOAL IS ALWAYS TO HAVE THAT ALSO SET ASIDE FOR ANY EMERGENCIES THAT MAY COME UP.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ALSO PUT INTO THE BUDGET.
OUR PROPOSED BUDGET WITH CHANGES.
SO THIS IS FOR MY REQUIRED DISCLOSURES.
SO THESE ARE THE CHANGES THAT HAVE OCCURRED SINCE THE PROPOSED BUDGET WAS PUBLISHED ON JULY 28TH.
SO THE GENERAL FUND WAS NOT TOUCHED.
SO WHATEVER WAS PROPOSED IS ACTUALLY WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TONIGHT AS WELL.
SO IN GENERAL, THERE WAS AN INCREASE OF $20,000 OF THE CITYWIDE BUDGET.
SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT $322.8 MILLION, 20,000 IS MINIMAL.
SO IT'S REALLY A 0.3% INCREASE.
THERE WERE RESERVES IN THE UTILITIES FUND.
THAT JUST MEANS THAT THEY'RE TAKING IN MORE REVENUE THAN THEY'RE EXPENDING, ANTICIPATING TO SPEND.
[00:10:02]
SO IN THE END, IT WAS A WASH.SO THERE REALLY WASN'T AN OVERALL BUDGET IMPACT, BUT I WILL DISCLOSE THAT AS WELL.
SIMPLY JUST DETAILS WHAT I JUST SUMMARIZED.
SO AS I MENTIONED IN THE UTILITIES OPERATING FUND, THERE WERE SOME ADJUSTMENTS OF $156,000.
WE MISSED ADDING THE PHONE USAGE, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THERE WAS JUST SOME SHUFFLING AROUND.
SO WE WENT AHEAD AND ADDED THOSE.
SO IN GENERAL, JUST THE BUDGET DID CHANGE.
SO I DO HAVE TO DISCLOSE THAT.
OUR CITYWIDE BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2024 TOTALS $322.8 MILLION.
AS YOU SEE, THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH IS, AS I MENTIONED, IS $145.8 MILLION, IS THE LARGEST OPERATING FUND CITYWIDE AND ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT 32.8% OF ALL CITYWIDE BUDGETS.
AND THEN OUR GEO ROAD PROGRAM IS THIRD LARGEST THAT WE HAVE WITH THE CITY WITH ANTICIPATED EXPENDITURES OF $40.9 MILLION, WHICH IS ROUGHLY ABOUT 12.7%.
SO THESE ARE ALL ANTICIPATED PROJECTS WITH STILL CASH THAT HAS BEEN ON HAND.
LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE GENERAL FUND OR HEAVILY ACTUALLY ABOUT THE GENERAL FUND, SINCE THE RATE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT HAS A DIRECT IMPACT ON YOUR AD VALOREM PROPERTY TAXATION.
OUR GENERAL FUND TOTALS $105.8 MILLION.
AND AS YOU SEE THE PROPERTY TAXES, WHICH IS THE AD VALOREM TAXATION, IS THE LARGEST REVENUE STREAM WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND, TOTALING APPROXIMATELY $51.8 MILLION, WHICH IS ALMOST 50%.
SO THE RATES THAT WE TALK ABOUT AT THE BUDGET WORKSHOP, THE 3% CAP OR HAVING A PROPOSED RATE, THIS IS THE DIRECT IMPACT ON THE REVENUE STREAM WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND. THEN SECOND IN LINE, YOU HAVE YOUR STATE SHARED REVENUES.
SO THAT IS ALL A COMBINED $22.2 MILLION AND COMBINED, THOSE ARE ALL YOUR STATE SHARED REVENUES.
SO THAT IS WHAT THE STATE DISCLOSES.
THE CITY OF PALM BAY BASED ON POPULATION, BASED ON CERTAIN USAGES, BASED ON CERTAIN SALES.
THAT IS THE REVENUE THAT THE STATE PROVIDES US WITH.
SO WE HAVE ABOUT $4.8 MILLION WORTH OF INCOMING TRANSFERS.
SO YOU MAY WONDER, WELL, WHERE ARE THOSE COMING FROM? SO WE DO HAVE BUILT IN $1.4 MILLION IN THE CRA RETURN.
AND WE HAVE BEEN SENDING THAT TO ROAD MAINTENANCE.
SO INITIALLY IT IS BUILT INTO THE GENERAL FUND AND THEN USUALLY IT IS COME JUNE.
SO STARTING WITH JUNE OF NEXT YEAR, ONCE OUR AUDITORS COME AND DO OUR OFFICIAL AUDIT OF THE BOOKS, WE KNOW WHAT THE ACTUAL TRUE AMOUNT OF THE PREVIOUS YEAR FROM THE CRA WAS. AND THEN I GO AHEAD AND MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS AND THE CASH NEVER ACTUALLY COMES INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
IT DIRECTLY GOES HAS BEEN GOING TO THE ROAD MAINTENANCE FUND.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR $800,000 FROM UTILITIES.
SO UTILITIES DOES HAVE A RETURN ON INVESTMENT THAT WE HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCING EVERY YEAR.
SO THAT IS 800,000 THAT IS STILL COMING IN TO SUPPORT THE GENERAL FUND.
AND THEN THE OTHER LARGE PORTION IS A $2.7 MILLION RETURN FROM OUR HEALTH INSURANCE FUND.
[00:15:09]
VENDORS SAY, WHAT WE COULD EXPECT, AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS ONCE THE RATES ACTUALLY COME IN, IN LATER IN THE CALENDAR YEAR? IF WE DO A 5% ANTICIPATED INCREASE, THAT'S WHAT WE BUDGET FOR.BUT THEN WHEN THE RATES ACTUALLY COME IN AT A 3% INCREASE, THEY ARE 2% SAVINGS.
SO THEY COLLECT IN THAT FUND UNTIL I GO BACK AND I DO ESSENTIALLY A RECONCILIATION SHERMAN AND THEN WHATEVER IS PAID INTO THAT FUND IS RETURNED BACK TO THE ORIGINATING SOURCE.
WE HAVEN'T DONE ONE IN THE HEALTH INSURANCE FUND FOR A FEW YEARS AND I WANT TO SAY A FEW YEARS.
I WANT TO SAY MAYBE ABOUT TWO FISCAL YEARS.
AND SO WE HAD BUILT IN THAT $2.7 MILLION COMING BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND.
THAT AMOUNT IS GOING TO FIRE STATION SEVEN CONSTRUCTION.
SO IT IS COMING IN, BUT IT IS PRETTY MUCH ALREADY DEDICATED TO AN ACTUAL SOURCE OF EXPENSE.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND LOOK AT THE $105.8 MILLION A DIFFERENT WAY BASED ON TYPE.
SO AS YOU SEE, PERSONNEL ACCOUNTS FOR A LITTLE OVER 68% OF THE ENTIRE BUDGET.
SO OUT OF THAT 105.8 MILLION, 72 MILLION IS DEDICATED TOWARDS PERSONNEL.
SO THIS IS SALARIES, BENEFITS, RETIREMENT.
WE ALSO HAVE THE PENSIONS FOR FIRE AND POLICE.
SO THAT IS ALL YOUR PERSONNEL.
SO THAT IS THE LARGEST CHUNK THAT THE EXPENDITURES DO GO TO IS THE PERSONNEL AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
THEY ARE ESPECIALLY POLICE, THEY ARE OUR LARGEST DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND.
SO PUBLIC SAFETY OUT OF THAT AMOUNT IS ACTUALLY 48.9 MILLION.
AND THEN AGAIN, YOU DO SEE THE ROAD MAINTENANCE TRANSFER OF 2.75 MILLION.
THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
PREVIOUS YEAR, WE HAD A $1 MILLION TRANSFER TO ALLOCATION GOING OVER.
SO WHATEVER THE GENERAL FUND HAS REQUIRED TO COMMITTING TO DEBT SERVICE, WHAT WE DO IS WE TRANSFER THAT OUT TO THE DEBT SERVICE FUNDS TO PAY ALL THE GENERAL FUND REQUIRED DEBT SERVICE.
SO THE GENERAL FUND PORTION IS 360,000 OF THAT.
BUT OUT OF THAT 6.7, 6.4 IS ESSENTIALLY DEBT SERVICE THAT DOES HAVE TO BE PAID.
SO THAT $105.8 MILLION, AS YOU SEE PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH IS OUR FIRE AND FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS, ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT 52% OF THE BUDGET. AND THIS IS PERSONNEL OPERATING ANY TYPE OF CAPITAL.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT IT AS A COMPLETE SET.
SO THAT IS 52, ABOUT 52%, WHICH TOTALS ABOUT $54.9 MILLION.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ASK ABOUT WHAT GENERAL GOVERNMENT IS.
GENERAL GOVERNMENT ISN'T NECESSARILY A DEPARTMENT.
WHAT THAT IS, IS THAT WHAT WE DO IS THAT THE GENERAL FUND HAS CERTAIN BILLS THAT IT PAYS THAT IMPACTS ALL DEPARTMENTS THAT OPERATE IN THE GENERAL FUND.
SO THE LARGEST THINGS OF THAT 16 MILLION IS YOU HAVE YOUR LIABILITY AND PROPERTY INSURANCE, WHICH IMPACTS ALL THOSE DEPARTMENTS, WHICH IS 2.9 MILLION. WE HAVE FLEET OPERATING CHARGES WHICH ARE 3.9 MILLION.
SO WHAT THAT IS, IS ANY DEPARTMENT THAT OPERATES IN THE GENERAL FUND, WHATEVER, IF THEY HAVE VEHICLES, IF THOSE ARE SERVICED, THOSE ARE SERVICED BY OUR FLEET SERVICES FUND.
WE DO HAVE THE DEBT SERVICE, SO THAT'S 6.4 WE TALKED ABOUT.
THAT IS ALSO WITHIN THAT GENERAL GOVERNMENT SORT OF DESIGNATION AND THE ROAD MAINTENANCE TRANSFER.
[00:20:09]
OF DISCLOSURE, MEANING THAT IT'S REALLY IMPACTING VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS.SO THAT WAY WE DON'T OVERINFLATE OR UNDER INFLATE ANY TYPE OF PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT.
THIS SLIDE IS REALLY JUST A RECAP.
SO WE DO HAVE A CONTINUED FOCUS ON FULLY FUNDING OUR HIGH PRIORITY NEEDS OF 2.1 MILLION.
HOW I REALLY MUCH ALLOCATE THOSE IS THAT THEY HAVE TO BE PAID.
THEY ARE CONTRACTUAL REQUIREMENTS.
THEY ARE THINGS LIKE OUR RADIOS.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE PAID, SO THEY ARE A HIGH PRIORITY.
AS MENTIONED, WE HAVE THE 2.75 MILLION FOR OUR ROAD MAINTENANCE AND WE HAVE THE ANTICIPATED CITY CRA UNEXPECTED FUND RETURNS, WHICH THOSE WILL GET ADJUSTED COME NEXT YEAR.
WE'VE HEAVILY FOCUSED IN OUR PUBLIC SAFETY GROWTH AND NEEDS.
IN TOTAL, WE HAVE 18 PUBLIC SAFETY, NEW FTE POSITIONS WHICH AND SIX OTHERS IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
SO COLLECTIVELY WE HAVE 24 OF THAT 18 PUBLIC SAFETY POSITIONS.
THAT DOES INCLUDE THE NINE FIREFIGHTERS IN THE POLICE OFFICERS.
WE DO HAVE A 3% PAY INCREASE FOR ALL GENERAL EMPLOYEES AND WE ARE MEETING OUR UNION CONTRACTS.
WE HAD PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED THAT WE ARE ADEQUATELY FUNDING OUR PENSION CONTRIBUTION OBLIGATIONS, WHICH IS AT 87.7% FOR FIRE AND 82.1% FOR 87.7% FOR POLICE, I'M SORRY, AND 82.1% FOR FIRE.
THIS HAS BEEN A 38.2% INCREASE FROM THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR.
ALL RIGHT. ONE ITEM YOU WILL SEE THAT IN SOMETHING WE STARTED LAST YEAR IS DOING A COLLECTIVE MASTER CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, WHICH DOES INCLUDE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, WHICH IS 23.
WE'RE CONSIDERING FOR 24 PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR AND THEN YOUR FIVE YEAR GOING OUT.
I DO DISCLOSE ALL INFORMATION.
SO THIS IS YOUR CITYWIDE REQUESTED MASTER CIP, WHICH CITYWIDE FOR 24 THROUGH 28.
SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE CURRENT YEAR NEEDED EXPENDITURES.
WE'RE JUST GOING TO TALK ABOUT 24 AND GOING OUT IS $378.6 MILLION.
SO IT INCLUDES ALL ENTERPRISE FUNDS AND THE GENERAL FUND.
AND FOR 2024 ALONE, IT WAS $90.6 MILLION.
SO JUST TO GIVE A LITTLE HEADS, HEADS UP INTO THE NEXT FEW SLIDES, OUT OF THAT $90.6 MILLION OF REQUESTED CAPITAL NEEDS, 73.4, OR ABOUT 81% HAS BEEN FUNDED.
BUT PLEASE REMEMBER, THIS IS CITYWIDE.
SO THAT DOES INCLUDE ALL OF YOUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS, INCLUDING THE GENERAL FUND.
OUT OF THE 90.6 MILLION, YOUR ROAD BONDS IS THE LARGEST AT ABOUT $40.9 MILLION, WHICH IS ABOUT 45%.
THOSE ARE YOUR TWO INITIAL BOND ISSUANCES, THE 2019 AND THE 2021.
NOW LET'S LOOK AT THE MASTER CIP CITYWIDE ON A DIFFERENT LEVEL.
WE CAN LOOK AT IT BY DEPARTMENT.
SO AGAIN, FOR 2024, WE HAVE $90.6 MILLION OF REQUESTS.
[00:25:07]
SO ALL OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT ARE OPENED FOR THE GEO BOND PLUS THE MAINTENANCE, THERE'S PROJECTS SET UP FOR THAT AND THE STORMWATER IS ALL HOUSED UNDER PUBLIC WORKS, USUALLY BETWEEN THE GEO ROAD PROGRAM BECAUSE WE DO HAVE CASH ON HAND.USUALLY THE MOST OF THOSE PROJECTS ARE FUNDED AND ARE ALREADY INCLUDED IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
SO SLIDE 13 SHOWS YOU WHAT HAS BEEN REQUESTED VERSUS WHAT HAS ACTUALLY BEEN APPROVED.
SO THIS IS AGAIN, ON THE CITYWIDE LEVEL BUDGET.
PLEASE KNOW THAT BUILDING PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES WILL BE YOUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS.
SO OUT OF THE $90.6 MILLION, AS I MENTIONED, ABOUT 81% OR $73.4 MILLION WAS ACTUALLY FUNDED.
IT DOES GIVE YOU A PERCENTAGE AS A WHOLE OF WHAT WAS FUNDED.
AND THEN A LITTLE BIT OF DETAIL WHAT THAT IS.
SO AS YOU SEE, IF YOU EXCLUDE THE BUILDING AND PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES AND YOU HAVE YOUR SORT OF FIVE IN THE MIDDLE, WHICH IS FIRE GROWTH MANAGEMENT, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, PARKS, FACILITIES AND POLICE, THOSE ARE YOUR GENERAL FUND DEPARTMENTS.
WE HAVE 95.8% IN PUBLIC WORKS AND 100% OF THE UTILITY REQUESTS HAVE BEEN FUNDED.
SO THAT NUMBER OF 81% IS IS LARGELY INFLATED BECAUSE YOU'RE DEALING WITH ENTERPRISE FUNDING AND BOND FUNDED TYPE OF PROJECT WHERE YOU DO HAVE CASH ON HAND. THE NEXT SLIDE, REALLY, I JUST ADD THAT FOR DISCLOSURE PURPOSES, THIS IS JUST LOOKING AT IT A LITTLE BIT IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
BUT AS FAR AS REQUESTS ARE CONCERNED, MAINLY FOR THE CITYWIDE, IT IS CAPITAL PROJECTS.
SO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT CITYWIDE, IT'S ACTUALLY PROJECTS.
SO IT'S JUST A GOOD NUMBER SOMETIMES TO KEEP IN YOUR HEAD THAT WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT WHAT DEPARTMENTS ARE ACTUALLY REQUESTING, A LOT OF IT IS REPLACING EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE. THIS WILL LOOK A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT AS WE GO TO THE GENERAL FUND SLIDE.
SO SOMETIMES IT'S NICE TO COMPARE A LITTLE BIT, BUT THIS IS TRULY JUST FOR DISCLOSURE AND SOME REPORTING THAT WE MAY WANT TO DO IN THE FUTURE AS FAR AS WHAT OUR ACTUAL CAPITAL NEEDS ARE. ALL RIGHT.
LET'S FOCUS ON THE GENERAL FUND BECAUSE, AGAIN, AS YOU REMEMBER, OUR TAX RATE GENERAL FUND, LARGEST OPERATING FUND, AND OUR TAX RATE REALLY DOES ACCOUNT FOR ALMOST HALF OF OUR REVENUE STREAM COMING IN.
SO THE FIVE YEAR GENERAL FUND MASTER CIP PLAN TOTALS 103.5 MILLION, WHICH ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT 27.3% OF ALL CITYWIDE REQUESTS.
PUBLIC SAFETY ACCOUNTS FOR 70.6% OR 73 MILLION.
AND OF THE 14.2 MILLION THAT IS REQUESTED FOR FISCAL YEAR 22, A TOTAL OF 3.7 MILLION OR ABOUT 25.9.
SO LET'S SAY 26% WAS ACTUALLY FUNDED.
SO WHEN YOU'RE COMPARING THAT TO WHAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT CITYWIDE, WHEN 81% IS FUNDED IN THE GENERAL FUND, IT'S REALLY JUST A QUARTER OF THE NEEDS THAT ARE FUNDED BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE THAT INFLOW OF CASH ON HAND LIKE LIKE YOU DO IN THE CITY WIDE FUNDS WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT YOUR GEO BONDS OR YOUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS.
SO AGAIN, IN A NUTSHELL, IS OUT OF THAT 14.2 MILLION, WE WERE ABLE TO FUND 3.7 MILLION.
AND REMEMBER, I TALKED ABOUT THE FIRE STATION SEVEN.
YOU CAN KIND OF SEE IT IN THE NEXT SLIDE.
BUT FIRE STATION SEVEN AT 2.7 MILLION IS REALLY YOUR LARGEST ITEM OUT OF THAT 3.7.
NEXT SLIDE AGAIN, SHOWS IT AS A BREAKDOWN ON THE DEPARTMENT LEVEL.
[00:30:04]
SO OUT OF THAT 14.2 MILLION, AGAIN, I MENTIONED WE FUNDED ABOUT 3.7.AND OUT OF THAT 3.4 MILLION, 2.7 MILLION IS FOR FIRE STATION SEVEN.
AND DO REMEMBER I MENTIONED THAT WE'RE FUNDING IT BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING THE RETURN FROM THE HEALTH INSURANCE FUND SO AS NOT INCREASING TAXES ARE SIMPLY COMING IN, SUPPORTING THAT, SUPPORTING THAT PAYMENT.
SO OUTSIDE OF THAT, WE HAVE SOME OTHER FUNDING FOR POLICE GROWTH.
MANAGEMENT DID HAVE A REQUEST, BUT IT WAS NOT FUNDED.
THEY DO HAVE THREE FTE POSITIONS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THEIR BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND THOSE THOSE POSITIONS DO NEED VEHICLES.
AND AGAIN, I KNOW WHAT HAS BEEN ALSO BEEN FUNDED FOR POLICE, WHICH IS 155,000 FOR THE POLICE RANGE SIMULATOR AND 273,000IN THE P 25 RADIO REPLACEMENTS.
THOSE ARE PART OF THOSE HIGH PRIORITY NEEDS.
THOSE HAVE TO BE SWAPPED OUT BECAUSE THEY'RE NO LONGER COMPLIANT AFTER A CERTAIN DATE.
WE'LL LOOK AT IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY OF WHAT HAS BEEN REQUESTED.
SO AS YOU SEE OUT OF THAT 4.2 MILLION DIFFERENT THAT CAPITAL ASSETS IS ACTUALLY YOUR LARGEST NEED IN THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH AS WE GO THROUGH EACH BUDGET WORKSHOP AND EACH PRESENTATION, IT'S USUALLY VEHICLE OR EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT.
SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S FIRE OR IT'S OUR POLICE VEHICLES, AGING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR OTHER DEPARTMENTS WHERE THEY'RE SIMPLY THE VEHICLES DO NEED REPLACEMENT.
SO OUT OF THAT 14.2 MILLION, THE LARGEST PORTION IS REALLY JUST REPLACING AGING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT REALLY IS NO LONGER BEING ABLE TO BE SUPPORTED OR IT'S ACTUALLY HIGHER, MORE COSTLY TO MAINTAIN IT THAN IT IS TO ACTUALLY PURCHASE NEW VEHICLES.
SO WHILE WE DO HAVE THAT ASSET PRESERVATION IN THE CITYWIDE FUNDS AS WELL, IS, IS THAT WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT CITYWIDE FUNDS, THERE'S A BIG FOCUS ON PROJECTS BECAUSE YOU HAVE UTILITIES, YOU HAVE PUBLIC WORKS, WHICH REALLY ACCOUNTS FOR A LOT OF THAT.
AND IT'S NOT JUST IN 24 THAT DOES GO OUT INTO 28.
SO THAT IS A SIMILAR STORY EVERY YEAR.
OUR CONTINUED FOCUS GOING AFTER TODAY, GOING INTO NEXT YEAR, FINISHING OUT THE FISCAL YEAR IS WE DO HAVE A FOCUS ON STILL ON FUNDING THOSE UNFUNDED CAPITAL NEEDS.
SO WE DO HAVE ABOUT 74.1% OF REQUESTS THAT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO FUND.
SO THAT IS ABOUT $10.6 MILLION OF CAPITAL NEEDS FOR 2024.
PART OF AGING INFRASTRUCTURE, VARIOUS THINGS OF UPGRADES THAT THAT SHOULD HAPPEN.
OUR FOCUS IS STILL FUNDING UNFUNDED PERSONNEL AND OPERATING NEEDS.
SO WE DO HAVE A FOCUS ON THAT AS WELL.
SO AS IS, SHE'S KIND OF REVIEWED THAT LIST OF THOSE UNFUNDED NEEDS.
WE'VE WORKED WITH HER IN DETERMINING WHAT COULD BE A GOOD NUMBER.
WE LOOK AT THE FUND BALANCE REQUIREMENTS.
WE HAVE THE NEXT YEAR'S FUND BALANCE REQUIREMENTS.
WE LOOK AT THE UNFUNDED BALANCE, WHAT IS STILL COMING FOR THE REST OF THE FISCAL YEAR, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH IT IS THE BEGINNING OF SEPTEMBER, THERE'S STILL SOME ITEMS SORT OF COMING THROUGH. SO ON TOMORROW NIGHT'S AGENDA, YOU WILL SEE A MEMO COME REQUESTING USAGE OF ABOUT 6.4, $8 MILLION OF UNDESIGNATED FUND BALANCE TO PUT TOWARDS VARIOUS ITEMS FOR VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND.
THAT CHECKS OFF SOME OF THOSE UNFUNDED NEEDS THAT WE SIMPLY COULD NOT FUND IN THE BUDGET PROCESS.
SO OUT OF THAT 6.48, 8 MILLION, ROUGHLY ABOUT 6 MILLION.
SO SO ALMOST ALL OF IT ARE CAPITALIZED TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO FUND.
[00:35:06]
13.1% OF THOSE ARE MANDATED.I TALKED ABOUT HIGH PRIORITY NEEDS, BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT SOME DIFFERENT THINGS AS FAR AS WHEN IT COMES TO P 25 RADIOS FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, TRYING TO LOOK AT SOME DIFFERENT WAYS OF FUNDING THOSE BECAUSE THOSE ARE LARGE TICKET ITEMS AND 72.3% ARE REPLACEMENTS.
SO I TALKED ABOUT AGING INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND THEN ABOUT 15% ARE NEW REQUESTS.
SO THESE ARE ADDITIONAL ITEMS. THIS ITEM, EVEN THOUGH IT IS COMING TO YOU TOMORROW IN FISCAL YEAR 23, I WILL NOT OUT THIS UNTIL 24.
SO PENDING ON BUDGET ADOPTION, PENDING ON WHAT THE YEAR CLOSES OUT, EVEN THOUGH YOU WILL SEE IT TOMORROW, WE ARE STILL A FLUID ITEM, SO YOU WILL NOT OFFICIALLY SEE THIS UNTIL BUDGET AMENDMENT ONE IN FISCAL YEAR 24.
I AM HOLDING IT FOR A CERTAIN PURPOSE.
AND OUR CITY MANAGER CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT AS WELL AND YOU'LL SEE IT ON TOMORROW'S AGENDA.
SO I KNOW THERE WILL PROBABLY BE SOME DISCUSSION AS WELL.
STATE SHARED REVENUES HAVE COME IN SINCE OUR I WILL SAY THERE HAS BEEN SOME REVISIONS.
SO I'M STILL KIND OF MONITORING THE WEBSITE.
THEY THE STATE DOES AT TIMES SEND THINGS OUT A LITTLE BIT LATER.
BUT STATE REVENUES, WE'RE LOOKING AT APPROXIMATELY $1 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL STATE SHARED REVENUES OF WHAT HAS BEEN BUILT INTO THE BUDGET AS A PROJECTION FROM A COMFORT LEVEL. WE MAY NOT BUDGET FOR THAT ENTIRE AMOUNT, JUST MAINLY BECAUSE WE ALWAYS TRY TO DO THINGS AT A 95 OR 96% COLLECTION, MEANING THAT WE DON'T WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE ENTIRE AMOUNT JUST IN CASE.
YOU HAVE TO SOMETIMES AT LEAST BUFFER FOR A LITTLE BIT OF JUST IN CASE.
SO YOU WILL SEE THAT AS PART OF THAT REQUEST THAT IS COMING THROUGH TOMORROW.
SO WE'LL BUILD THAT INTO THE BUDGET AND YOU'LL SEE THAT PART OF THE BUDGET AMENDMENT ONE AS WELL.
SO AS FAR AS THE BUDGET THAT WE'RE PRESENTING IS SIMPLY JUST BASED ON OUR ESTIMATES.
ALL RIGHT, SO THIS IS MY LAST SLIDE.
SO THESE ARE JUST YOUR IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES? WE DO HAVE A BUDGET ADVERTISEMENT SCHEDULED FOR NEXT FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH.
THIS IS A STATUTORY REQUIREMENT.
THE NEXT PUBLIC HEARING IS SCHEDULED FOR WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20TH AT 6 P.M.
THIS IS A STATUTORY REQUIREMENT, AND THAT IS WHEN YOU WILL OFFICIALLY ADOPT THE RATE AND THE BUDGET FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR, ALONG WITH SOME OTHER ITEMS AS FAR AS UTILITY RATES AND SERVICE FEES THAT ARE COMING TO YOU.
BUT SO SEPTEMBER 20TH, ON WEDNESDAY AT 6 P.M., THAT WILL GO INTO THE ADVERTISEMENT.
WE WE CAN'T WE CAN'T MOVE THAT AROUND.
SO THAT'S THE OFFICIAL END OF THE BUDGET PREPARATION.
AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND ADOPT THE BUDGET FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.
I'M GOING TO OPEN UP THE FLOOR FOR COUNCILMAN FOSTER SINCE I CAN'T MAKE A VISUAL OF HIM.
COUNCILMAN. FOSTER. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? OUR STAFF JUST WANT TO JUST SAY THANKS TO STAFF FOR THEIR HARD WORK ON THE BUDGET AND APPRECIATE THEIR DEDICATION TO THE CITY.
YOU'RE COMING IN NICE AND CLEAR.
SO I REALLY COMMEND THE NEW THE NEW SOUND SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE.
JOHNSON. YOU GOOD, DEPUTY MAYOR.
MAYOR. THINK I'LL ECHO WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
YEAH. THANKS FOR THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO DAY IN, DAY OUT, TO.
TO REALLY PRESENT US WITH A GREAT, GREAT BUDGET.
YEAH, I LOVE THE DETAILS THAT ARE PUBLIC.
[00:40:04]
SO I SEE A YOUNG MAN THAT RAISED HIS HAND REALLY QUICKLY.ARE YOU DOING? COUNCIL. JOHN MALACHI, LOCAL 2446 VICE PRESIDENT 16 1465 GEORGE STREET.
BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THEY KNOW THE TRUE BACKSTORY OF ALL OF THAT.
AND WHEN WHEN YOUR EQUIPMENT'S ALMOST 17 YEARS OLD AND WE SERVICE IT REGULARLY AND YOU KNOW, IT JUST KEEPS FAILING AND JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST TO SEE THE CITY, YOU KNOW, JUST SO THE CITIZENS KNOW, WE'VE PUSHED OUR EQUIPMENT AS FAR AS WE CAN.
AND THEN THERE'S A TIME WHERE YOU HAVE TO REPLACE IT, JUST LIKE THE RADIOS WE WENT.
AS LONG AS WE COULD WITH THE RADIOS, AND NOW THEY'RE NOT SUPPORTED ANYMORE.
AND THE SAME THING WITH OUR AIR PACKS.
WE'VE PUSHED OUR AIR PACKS ALL THE WAY TO THE END TO WHERE THERE IS NO SERVICE LIFE LEFT IN THEM.
SO, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THE COMMAND STAFF AND I SEE THEM, YOU KNOW, WITH THE PRICE INCREASE AND THEY'RE PULLING THEIR HAIR HAIR OUT AND SAYING, OH, YOU KNOW, THE PRICES ARE GOING UP AND UP AND UP.
AND I JUST I WANT TO THANK YOU.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN, I THINK, CLOSE TO, I WANT TO SAY 12 OR 14 YEARS THAT WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO SEND PALM BAY FIRE UNIT OUT OF THE CITY TO HELP A NEIGHBORING AGENCY.
UNTIL THEN, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER, IT WAS ONLY 4 OR 5 YEARS AGO.
SO I REALLY HIT SOMETHING OVER THERE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU GUYS DO.
WELL, SIR, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
THE FIRST THING IS THE SECOND THING IS YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
AND SENDING OTHERS AID WHEN WE'VE RECEIVED AID IS IMPORTANT.
YOU'LL SELL WHAT YOU READ, RIGHT? YOU'LL REAP WHAT YOU SOW.
SO SO PART OF THAT, I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED THE AIR PACKS.
SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF IS THAT LUCAS DEVICE THAT SAVES LIVES.
AND AND THERE ARE PRICE TAGS FOR THAT.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO A LIFE OF ONE OF OUR CITIZENS, YOU CAN'T PUT A PRICE TAG ON THAT.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU. WELL, THE CITIZENS DON'T REALIZE IT UNTIL IT HAPPENS TO THEM.
I THINK IT WAS THREE DAYS LATER AFTER A CARDIAC ARREST EVENT.
AND JUST TO SEE THAT YOU CAN'T PUT A PRICE TAG ON IT.
AND, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY YOU'VE HEARD TALKS ABOUT PEOPLE SAYING THAT PALM BAY MILLAGE RATE IS HIGH.
AND I'M LIKE, DO THEY? YOU KNOW, ONCE YOU BREAK IT DOWN TO EVERYTHING YOU GET WITH THE PARKS, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND EVERYTHING IN THE CITY, WE OFFER A LOT TO THE CITIZENS OF PALM BAY.
THAT'S THAT'S MY BELIEF, JUST LOOKING AT I'M A CITIZEN OF PALM BAY.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GO OTHER PLACES, THEY HAVE FIRE FEES, OTHER PLACES IN THE COUNTY, THEY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU ACCOUNT THAT INTO IT, I KNOW WHAT I PAY FOR MY PROPERTY TAXES JUST TO THE CITY OF PALM BAY.
AND I THINK IT'S RIGHT AROUND 400 BUCKS.
I GET A LOT FROM THE CITY FOR $400.
I MEAN, IT'S I SEE A PRICE TAG OF $10,000 FOR FOAM.
AS A CITIZEN, I'M LIKE FIREFIGHTING FOAM THAT MUCH.
AND WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO A BRUSH FIRE OR ANYTHING LIKE IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
YOU KNOW, WE SAVE A LOT OF HOUSES AND IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE.
AND I JUST I JUST WANTED PEOPLE TO REALIZE THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, JUST SEEING A NUMBER ON, YOU KNOW, JUST A BIG NUMBER, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IF I'M NOT AWARE, I'M LIKE, WELL, CAN'T THEY GO WITHOUT? WE HAVE. AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR, YOU KNOW, SEEING THAT AND MAKING THE CHANGE.
WELL, WE APPRECIATE YOU, SIR, AND THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT.
THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK REGARDING THE.
I'M NEW HERE TO FLORIDA AND PALM BAY.
I'VE BEEN HERE ABOUT ALMOST THREE YEARS.
[00:45:02]
LIKE FLYING OUT OF CONTROL.UNFORTUNATELY, I'M LITERALLY PRACTICALLY UNABLE TO, YOU KNOW, PAY MY MORTGAGE.
I HAVE A 12 YEAR OLD SON, A SIX YEAR OLD DAUGHTER.
I'LL BE 60. I STARTED LATE IN LIFE WITH KIDS ON DISABILITY.
AND IT'S JUST WEIRD BECAUSE IN 2021 I WAS TAXED AT 66.34% OF THE VALUE OF MY HOME.
THAT IN 2022 THEY TAXED ME 100% OF THE VALUE OF MY HOME.
NOW, IN 2023, HEADING INTO 2024, I WAS TAXED ANOTHER 93%.
ON TOP OF ALL THAT, BRINGING, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE VALUE UP TO 126.3%.
IT'S A LITTLE IT'S JUST IT'S A BIT MUCH.
AND LIKE I SPOKE WITH A COUPLE OF PEOPLE.
I MEAN, I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO SELL MY HOME, UPROOT MY FAMILY.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, AND NOW I COME HERE AND I FEEL LIKE I'M SUFFERING THE SAME PLIGHT.
I MEAN, I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW I WENT.
66, 100 NOW, ANOTHER 93 ON TOP OF IT.
AND THESE AND IT GOES BY AN APPRAISAL GUY THAT PULLS A NUMBER OUT OF I'LL SAY THE AIR TO BE POLITE, PULLS A NUMBER OUT OF THE AIR, AND THEN THEY SAY, OKAY, WELL, WE'RE GOING TO TAX YOU ON THAT NUMBER.
I MEAN, COULDN'T THE LEGISLATIVE COME UP WITH A MORE FAIR WAY TO TAX SOMEONE? HOW ABOUT THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF SOMEONE'S HOME, PUT A DOLLAR AMOUNT ON IT, SAY 50, $70 A SQUARE FOOT OR WHATEVER, BECAUSE WHEN THE VALUE OF YOUR HOME GOES DOWN, THE VALUE OF YOUR YOUR, YOU'RE GOING TO STILL PAY THAT SAME TAX.
RIGHT NOW, I'M PAYING IN TAX LIKE 4400 AND WHATEVER IT IS DOLLARS YOU KNOW, AND THAT THAT MADE MY MORTGAGE MY MORTGAGE WAS 1100 AND SOMETHING NOW IT'S CLOSE TO 2000 AND ON A FIXED INCOME YOU KNOW MY MY CHILDREN ARE AFRAID YOU KNOW THEY DON'T WANT TO THEY'RE HAPPY IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT YEAR, ODYSSEY AND EVERYTHING.
I MEAN, YOU GUYS HAVE A GREAT, GREAT SCHOOL COMPARED TO NEW YORK.
MY SON ACTUALLY MADE THE HONOR ROLL.
YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS SEEM TO ENCOURAGE, YOU KNOW, THE SMART KIDS WHERE WHERE I CAME FROM, THE DISRUPTIVE ONE IS THE ONE CATERED TO. SO WHAT WAS YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS, SIR? OH, IT'S UMBERTO H.
I LOOK IRISH AND SPANISH AND MY ADDRESS IS 2627.
DENNIS AVENUE, SOUTHEAST PALM BAY 32909.
GOT TO GET USED TO YOUR ZIP CODES.
SO. SO, MR. MARTINEZ, AND I KNOW YOU AND I BRIEFLY SPOKE.
YEAH, BUT BUT EVEN WHEN THEY APPRAISED IT AT A HIGHER VALUE, THE WAY I WAS TAXED LIKE FOR EXAMPLE IN 2021 I WAS TAXED 66.34% OF THE VALUE OF MY HOUSE.
ALL RIGHT, THEN 2022 ROLLS ALONG.
SO NOW THEY TAX ME 100% OF THE VALUE THAT THEY INCREASED MY HOUSE.
AND WHATEVER APPRAISAL THAT SOMEONE PULLED OUT OF THE AIR RIGHT NOW, THIS YEAR, ON TOP OF THAT 100%, I GOT TAXED ANOTHER 93% ON TOP OF THE 100% OF LAST YEAR.
LIKE I SAID, BRINGING THE TOTAL VALUE WHEN I ADDED EVERYTHING UP AND BROKE IT DOWN TO 126.3% SINCE I BOUGHT THE HOUSE AND I JUST READ WHAT'S GOING TO COME NEXT YEAR, RIGHT? NO, NO, I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ISSUE IS.
MA'AM. I'M GOING TO ASK STAFF, IS THERE A BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS OR A PROCESS THAT HE CAN APPEAL THE THE VALUE OF THE HOME, THE APPRAISED VALUE OF THE HOME? YES, THERE'S ABSOLUTELY A PROCESS.
BUT WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO, IF YOU DON'T MIND, IS I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR STAFF, OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT STAFF HAS YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION BECAUSE WHAT WE LIKE TO DO IS A FIRST STEP WHEN ANYONE HAS QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR TAX RATE, IF YOU LIKE TO SIT DOWN WITH YOU AND GO OVER WHAT YOU HAVE, WHAT YOU JUST KIND OF VERBALIZE FOR US.
[00:50:02]
COULD YOU GO FROM, YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST THE WAY THE WHOEVER IT IS THAT RAISES THE TAXES HERE, THE LEGISLATIVE, THE COUNTY, I'M IT'S LIKE LITERALLY IT'S LIKE AT ONE YEAR I WAS ONLY TAXED LIKE I SAID, 66% OF THE VALUE.ALL RIGHT. THEN THEY SAID OKAY.
SIR, JUST SHE'S SHE'S GOING TO GIVE YOU.
OH, I'M SORRY. YEAH, THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
NO, SHE'S TRYING TO WEIGH IN ON.
I ABSOLUTELY HEAR WHAT YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT.
YES, SIR. JUST NO, JUST SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO TURN.
WELL, WE DO HEAR YOUR CONCERNS.
IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE YOU BOUGHT THE HOUSE IN 21.
AND MAYBE THAT WAS WHY IT WAS A PARTIAL YEAR OF TAXES.
BUT WE WILL LET US SIT DOWN WITH YOU, GO THROUGH THAT, AND THEN IF THERE'S ANY CHANNELS THAT WE CAN RECOMMEND TO YOU TO WORK WITH BREVARD COUNTY PROPERTY APPRAISER BECAUSE THEY DO REALLY REGULATE A LOT OF THAT, WE WILL HELP YOU AND DIRECT YOU TO THOSE PATHS.
BUT LET ME HAVE STAFF GET YOUR CONTACT NUMBER AND THEN YOU GUYS CAN WORK ON THAT.
AT LEAST WE'RE GETTING SOMEWHERE IN THE RIGHT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU. WHO DO I SPEAK WITH? YES, MA'AM. FORWARD.
THERE'S A BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS THAT DOES THAT.
HELLO, MY NAME IS SUSAN CONNOLLY.
HOWEVER, TONIGHT I'M SPEAKING FOR MR. BILL BATTEN, WHO IS UNABLE TO BE HERE AND ASKED ME TO PRESENT TO YOU HIS PREPARED REMARKS.
I JUST GOT MY PROPOSED TAX BILL, 16 LINE ITEMS, 11 LOWERED, THREE STAYED THE SAME, AND TWO RAISED THE MILLAGE RATE. NOW YOU SIT UP THERE AND PAT YOURSELVES ON THE BACK BECAUSE YOU HAVE AN A MINUS LOAN RATING. YET THE CITY FAILED ON ITS INFRASTRUCTURE.
THANKS TO THE RESIDENTS VOTING TO BAIL YOU OUT WITH 150 MILLION GOLD ROAD BOND, PLUS A 9 MILLION BOND FOR THE SAINT JOHNS HERITAGE PARKWAY THAT HAS STILL NOT BEEN COMPLETED.
WITHOUT THESE ACTIONS, THE CITY WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE RED.
THE CITY HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE POLICE, FIRE AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
YET NEARLY 70% OF THE 1970S CITY LIMITS DON'T HAVE WATER AND SEWER. SO QUIT BRAGGING ABOUT YOUR LOAN RATING AND SHOW SOME APPRECIATION TOWARD YOUR TAX PAYERS BY LOWERING THE MILLAGE RATE AND CONCENTRATING ON YOUR CHARTER MANDATED RESPONSIBILITIES.
NOT THROWING PARTIES AT PARKS AND REC BECAUSE IT IS GOOD FOR YOUR FACADE IMAGE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, MR. BILL. THANK YOU.
ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK? YES, MA'AM. STEP FORWARD.
MAYOR. IT IS A POSITIVE, THOUGH.
I DO WANT TO CORRECT THAT PART.
ALL RIGHT. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PAT, DELAWARE FOR TEN GEORGE'S AVENUE, NORTHEAST.
IT'S OLD. AND MY QUESTION IS WITH THE UTILITIES INCREASE, BECAUSE I HAVE MANY, MANY SENIOR FRIENDS WHO ARE ON FIXED INCOME AND THEY SEE THEIR WATER GOING UP EVERY YEAR AND THEY'RE NOT USING ANY MORE THAN THEY WERE BEFORE.
SO THE QUESTION IS, WHAT IS THE MONEY GOING TO.
ARE WE REPLACING OLD PIPES? ARE WE GOING TO ADD MORE CITY WATER? UM. THOSE QUESTIONS NEED TO BE ANSWERED BECAUSE THEY'RE FRUSTRATED.
THE AVERAGE SALARY IS 48,000 IN BREVARD COUNTY.
SO WHERE ARE ALL THOSE LOW INCOME PEOPLE LIVING? ARE THEY HERE IN PALM BAY OR.
SO WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHY WE'RE WE'RE INCREASING THE MILLAGE OR UTILITIES OR WHATEVER.
WE'RE INCREASING AND CONSIDERING WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE LIVING OFF OF, JUST LIKE THIS GENTLEMAN HERE.
THE OTHER QUESTION IS PARKS AND REC, WHICH I USED TO WORK FOR FOR TEN YEARS.
THEY DO. I. DRIVEN DOWN TO LIBERTY PARK.
I PLAY TENNIS OR PICKLEBALL AT RIVIERA PARK.
[00:55:04]
FRED LEE I DID THE PICKLEBALL LINES THERE AND VETERANS PARK.SOMEBODY ACTUALLY HAD CUT THE FENCE AT RIVIERA.
AND SO I'M SEEING ALL THIS MONEY.
I'VE TALKED WITH FRED FOR A YEAR AND A HALF, AND HE KEEPS SAYING, WE DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY.
SO DO WE OR DON'T WE? THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
MADAM CHAIRMAN, YOU WANT TO ADDRESS A FEW OF THOSE QUESTIONS? YES, SIR. I'M GOING TO START WITH THE PARKS FIRST.
FOR THE PAST REALLY TWO YEARS, WE HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY INVESTING IN IMPROVING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AT THE PARKS, BUT IT'S ONLY BEEN TWO YEARS WORTH FOR THE ENTIRE CITY.
WHAT YOU'LL FIND, I BELIEVE, IS THAT THE THINGS THAT ARE ON YOUR LIST ARE ALREADY ON OUR LIST.
ONE EXAMPLE IS AN ITEM THAT WE HAVE FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION.
A HUGE, HUGE, SIGNIFICANT COST EXCUSE ME TO DO THAT, BUT WE ARE PROPOSING FOR COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION TO USE SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL STATE SHARED REVENUE AND UNDESIGNATED FUND BALANCE TO ACTUALLY WORK ON THAT BECAUSE WE COULDN'T MEET THEM IN THE BUDGET THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT.
BUT WE'RE STILL TRYING TO INVEST IN THOSE.
BUT THAT'S ON THE HEELS OF REPLACING MULTIPLE PLAYGROUNDS IN MANY PARKS.
AND THAT WAS ALL JUST WITHIN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
PROBABLY THE BETTER SHORT ANSWER IS THAT WE ARE WOEFULLY BEHIND, BUT WORKING TO CATCH UP.
AND THAT IS WHAT THESE SIGNIFICANT FUNDING REQUESTS HAVE BEEN THAT WE BROUGHT TO COUNCIL IN THE PAST FEW YEARS TO TRY TO TAKE MORE OF AN EFFORT TO WHETHER IT'S REPLACE EQUIPMENT, REPLACE PLAYGROUNDS, GET NEW VEHICLES, GET THE ACTUAL INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE CITY ON THE WHOLE INTO A BETTER CONDITION BECAUSE IT REALLY WAS NOT SIGNIFICANTLY INVESTED IN FOR MANY YEARS.
SO I APPRECIATE YOUR CONCERN ABOUT IT.
REGARDING UTILITIES, IF I CAN SAVE THAT ANSWER FOR WHEN WE GET TO THAT ITEM, SIR.
CAN YOU JUST TOUCH A LITTLE BIT? SHE MENTIONED LIBERTY PARK IN PARTICULAR, AND I KNOW THAT TRUE.
SO WE RECENTLY ACTUALLY COMPLETED, I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE LAST TIME WAS YOU WERE AT THE PARK, BUT MAYBE IT WAS THREE OR SO WEEKENDS AGO THAT WE HAD AN EVENT AT THE PARK WHERE WE HAD FINISHED SOME SIGNIFICANT RENOVATIONS THERE, SO REPLACED A NUMBER OF THE SIDEWALK AREAS THAT HAD FAILED, COMPLETELY REDID THE BASKETBALL COURTS. THERE'S NEW PARK BENCHES.
I BELIEVE THEY ALSO MADE SOME UPDATES TO THE THE RINK THERE AS WELL OR REPAIRED SOME THINGS THERE.
SO THINGS ARE IMPROVING BUT NOT AT THE PACE OBVIOUSLY.
I WOULD LOVE I'D LOVE TO FIX IT ALL NOW, BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT REMINDER.
ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK REGARDING THE TENTATIVE MILEAGE, PLEASE STEP FORWARD, SIR.
GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL. MY NAME IS RANDALL OLSZEWSKI AND I LIVE AT 348 BROOK STREET NORTHEAST.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU TONIGHT.
IT'S ONE OF TWO OPPORTUNITIES THAT I'LL GET TO SPEAK IN A PUBLIC FORUM ABOUT OUR CITY'S BUDGET.
BUT THIS BODY HERE ONLY A FEW SHORT WEEKS AGO DECIDED THAT THAT BOARD WASN'T NECESSARY.
ONE ENTITY DETERMINES YOUR TAXABLE VALUE.
THE NEXT, ALL THESE ENTITIES DETERMINE HOW MUCH THEY'RE GOING TO MULTIPLY IT BY.
THAT'S THE TAX YOU OWE AND YOU SEND IT TO THE TAX COLLECTOR.
THIS GENTLEMAN DOESN'T KNOW WHO TO TALK TO.
[01:00:02]
WE USED TO HAVE 14 OPPORTUNITIES, BUT THAT BOARD WASN'T NECESSARY.LET'S HAVE A BOARD TO OVERSEE THAT.
WE'LL HAVE AN OVERSIGHT BOARD OF THAT.
BUT WE SHOULD NOT BY ANY MEANS HAVE AN OVERSIGHT BOARD OR AN ADVISORY BOARD TO THIS COMPLEX ALGEBRAIC EQUATION BY ANY MEANS, BECAUSE WE ALL GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME HERE IN THIS PUBLIC FORUM.
I HOPE YOU GUYS CAN READ SARCASM.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE MR. BILL BARTON'S WORDS. I WISH HIM THE MOST POSITIVE ENERGY.
SO THIS COLORFUL PIECE OF PAPER, SOME OF YOU FOLKS HAVE IT.
IF YOU DON'T, YOU OUGHT TO WRITE ON THE BACK IS HOW YOU GOT HERE TONIGHT.
YOUR TAXABLE VALUE IS OUR BREVARD COUNTY PROPERTY APPRAISER, AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.
TODAY WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE CITY OF PALM BAY'S INCREASE TO MY TAXES OF, LET'S SEE, 3.6% OVER LAST YEAR.
BUT LET'S READ ALL THE OTHER ENTITIES.
THEY WANT TO DECREASE MY TAX BILL BY 7% FOR THE MOSQUITO CONTROL.
THEY WANT TO DECREASE IT BY 8%.
THEY WANT TO DECREASE MY TAX BILL 7%, BUT MY CITY WANTS TO INCREASE MY TAX BILL 3.6%.
MY CITY MAKES UP 43% OF MY TAX BILL.
THREE FOUR, EIGHT BROOK STREET, NORTHEAST.
IT'S PUBLIC RECORD. WHAT MY TAX BILL IS.
OKAY. SO MY TAX BILL LAST YEAR WAS $4,890.46.
MY PROPOSED TAX BILL AFTER THE 66% INCREASE, $5,194.74.
$2,004 IS THE CITY OF PALM BAY OUT OF 5000.
AND THEN AN ADDITIONAL AND THIS IS WHERE I REALLY APPRECIATE MR. BILL BATTEN'S WORDS GETTING IN THIS ROOM EVEN WITHOUT HIS PHYSICAL PRESENCE.
SERVICING THE DEBT FOR THE PALM BAY ROAD IMPROVEMENT.
THAT WAS AN INVESTMENT THAT THE VOTERS VOTED IN AND FRANKLY WAS NECESSARY.
WHEN YOU GO TO THE SOUTH OF TOWN AND YOU SEE THE ROADS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE, NOT MY ROAD.
I'M IN PHASE FIVE. I GOT SEASHELLS COMING UP OUT OF MY ROAD AND I WILL FOR MANY YEARS.
BUT WHEN YOU GO TO THE SOUTH OF TOWN AND YOU DRIVE DOWN THOSE SOUTHWEST AND THOSE SOUTHEAST STREETS, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU SEE? NEW HOMES, BEAUTIFUL NEW HOMES, HOMES THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT SINCE 2010, 2015.
HOMES THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT SINCE 2020 BEAUTIFY ALL BEAUTIFUL HOMES.
THAT INCREASED MY CITY'S TAXABLE VALUE BY $1.5 BILLION YEAR OVER YEAR, FISCAL YEAR.
THAT'S IN THE PUBLIC FORUM THAT WAS IN YOUR WORKSHOP AND IN OUR BOARD MEETING.
BUT LET'S NOT HAVE BOARD MEETINGS ANYMORE.
SO IF YOU GLAZE OVER THAT, OUR TAXABLE VALUE FOR THE CITY INCREASED JUST THIS LAST FISCAL YEAR, 1.5 BILLION BECAUSE OF THE INVESTMENT THAT I AS A VOTER AND EVERYONE ELSE HAS MADE TO TAKE ON AN ADDITIONAL 11% ON OUR PROPERTY TAX BILL TO PAY FOR THESE DARNED ROADS WHEN AGAIN, I GOT SEASHELLS COMING OUT OF MY ROAD.
BUT I SEE MY INVESTMENT AT WORK WHEN I GO OUT TO THE SOUTH OF TOWN, I SEE THAT INCREASED TAX VALUE.
SO ALL THE TAXABLE ENTITIES WANT TO LOWER MY BILL BY 7 OR 8%, WHICH I QUITE APPRECIATE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, COSTS ARE GOING UP 9 TO 12%.
BUT THIS CITY NEEDS TO INCREASE MY TAX BILL BY 3.6%, AND I JUST CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHY.
THAT'S WHY I SIGNED UP TO BE A VOLUNTEER ON THE CITIZENS BUDGET ADVISORY BOARD.
THAT'S WHY AFTER A YEAR OF SERVICE, WHEN THE MAYOR RECOGNIZED ME AND SMACKED THE PIN ON MY CHEST, I BROUGHT MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER UP HERE AND HAD THEM GO TO THEIR LITTLE CUTE DRESSES AND TAKE A PICTURE WITH ALL YOU PEOPLE.
AND THEN YOU SAT UP THERE TWO CONSECUTIVE TIMES AND YOU LET ME KNOW AND YOU LET POOR MS..
IT'S CERTAINLY NOT ABOUT MR. WHITE AND ALL HIS AGENDAS AND WHATEVER.
POOR MS.. CONNELLY CAN'T CONTRIBUTE IN THE WAY THAT MS..
AND TO ME THAT TO ME THAT'S APPALLING.
[01:05:07]
THAT BOARD, EVER.I, AS A MEMBER OF THAT BOARD, NEVER SPOKE ON THAT INFORMATION THAT'S BEEN OUT IN THE ATMOSPHERE.
NEVER PARTICIPATED IT NEVER TOUCHED IT WITH A TEN FOOT POLE, BECAUSE I RESPECT THE SUNSHINE.
AND THAT'S ALL THIS IS, IS A BIG OLD CEREMONY FOR WHAT YOU HAVE ALL ALREADY DECIDED YOU ARE GOING TO INCREASE THE TAXES ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT THE CHARTER SAYS, 3.6%.
SO OUR TAXES ARE STILL GOING TO GO UP RELATIVE TO TAXABLE ENTITIES.
WHERE WE SHOULD BE IS ROLLBACK AND YOU SHOULD DECREASE THIS TO 7% LIKE EVERY OTHER ENTITY DID.
LET'S PASS THAT SAVINGS TO THE CITIZENS.
AND AGAIN, THE CONVERSATION OF THAT IS SO THICK AND SO DEEP, WHY NOT DEDICATE ONE NIGHT A MONTH FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS TO HAVE A HEALTHY DIALOG, A HEALTHY POLITICAL CONVERSATION ABOUT IT? YOU DON'T WANT TO.
WE DID BEFORE THE LAST WORKSHOP AND YOU DIDN'T EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE OUR INFORMATION.
AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO MAKE THIS ABOUT ME.
IT REALLY IS, BECAUSE EVERYONE HAS THIS FOCUS NOW WE HAVE TO MAX THAT BUDGET OUT TO 3% AND THEN JUSTIFY IT, JUSTIFY IT, JUSTIFY IT WHEN IF THE 3% DIDN'T EXIST, MAYBE YOU GUYS WOULD BE THINKING A LITTLE MORE LIBERALLY AND YOU WOULD JUST MAKE THE BUDGET FOR WHAT IT HAS TO BE MADE TO AND THEN FILL IN THE GAPS AND IT WOULD BE LESS THAN 3%. MAYBE IT WOULD BE MORE FOR 3%, BUT I WOULDN'T CARE BECAUSE YOU'D BE ABLE TO PROVE THAT TO ME.
BUT THE OPTICS OF THIS SITUATION ARE SO HORRENDOUS AND I HAVE PARTICIPATED WITH YOU ALL FOR THE ENTIRETY OF YOUR TENURE IN THIS PARTICULAR SESSION, IF YOU SHALL.
WE'VE ALL BEEN TOGETHER SINCE FALL OF 2020.
THE OPTICS AROUND THE CITY'S BUDGET ARE WORSE.
IN THE TWO AND A HALF YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE AND I HAVE HAD A LOT OF TIME, I DIDN'T COME TO THOSE COUNCIL MEETINGS AND SPEAK ON THAT BOARD BECAUSE I DIDN'T NEED TO COME GROVEL FOR THE ENTITY I WAS ON.
YOU HEARD FROM YOUR CITIZENS AND YOU STILL MADE YOUR DECISION.
AND SO I WILL CONTINUE TO SPEAK UP MORE.
THIS IS ABSURD AND I AM JUST NOT VERY PALM BAY PROUD RIGHT NOW.
SO I AM HOPING THAT SOMEBODY UP THERE WILL SPEAK SOME SENSE INTO EVERYONE ELSE AND GET THIS SITUATION IN ORDER SO THAT THESE FINE FOLKS BEHIND US CAN HANDLE THE WOES THAT ARE OUT THERE.
YOU ALL SUFFER FROM THE SAME FINANCIAL WOES THAT ALL OF ALL EVERYONE, ALL YOUR CITIZENS ARE DOING.
AND AS THIS GENTLEMAN EXPLAINED, HE COMES DOWN HERE FROM NEW YORK.
HE SPENDS A COUPLE OF YEARS, HIS MORTGAGE PAYMENT DOUBLES, DID HIS DISABILITY CHECK DOUBLE, DID IT EVEN GO UP 5%? PROBABLY NOT. IT DIDN'T DOUBLE.
AND DOES THIS GENTLEMAN LIVE IN AN HOA? HE DOESN'T. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU HAVE ALL THESE NEW COMMUNITIES THAT YOU'RE APPROVING, IMPROVING AND APPROVING TO INCREASE OUR TAXABLE VALUE AND HAVE MY TAX RATE STILL GO UP.
YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN THOSE.
THEY TAKE OUT MUNICIPAL BONDS TO FUND TURNING SWAMP LAND INTO HOUSES.
AND THEN THEY PUT THE BILL ON THAT CITIZEN.
WE HAD SOMEONE COME TO PNC LAST NIGHT, LIVES OUT IN CHAPARRAL, IS VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE THEY'RE ABOUT TO CREATE CHAPARRAL AMENITY CENTER AND HE LOOKED AT IT AND THEIR EXPECTED REVENUES TO THEIR DEBT SERVICE ARE BELOW ANTICIPATION.
SO HE ASKS AN EARNEST QUESTION HOW DO I FIGURE OUT HOW THIS IS GOING TO AFFECT MY MONTHLY PAYMENT? THAT'S FAR. FAR BEYOND THE CITY'S PURVIEW.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AT THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD? THEY LAUGHED AT HIM.
THE ENGINEER FROM THE DEVELOPER LAUGHED.
THEY SNICKERED AND THEY MOVED ALONG.
THAT GENTLEMAN WOULD HAVE BEEN WELCOME AT THE CITIZENS BUDGET ADVISORY BOARD AND THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, I'M SURE, WOULD HAVE EXPLAINED TO HIM WHO HE NEEDS TO SPEAK TO AND HOW HE NEEDS TO FURTHER UNDERSTAND THAT THIS GENTLEMAN WOULD HAVE BEEN WELCOME.
ANY TWO OF THOSE GENTLEMEN ARE WELCOME AT MY DOORSTEP OR FOR A CUP OF COFFEE ANYTIME, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO, IS SERVE MY COMMUNITY AND MAKE SURE THAT THIS INFORMATION GETS OUT THERE.
ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK? YES, MA'AM. COME FORWARD.
HEY, EVERYBODY, CAN YOU HEAR ME?
[01:10:02]
I NEED TO SPEAK TO YOU. MY NAME IS RENEE NALLEY AND I LIVE JUST DOWN THE STREET AT 542 AVIATION AVENUE, NORTHEAST, SO MILE AWAY.SO SPEAKING OF THAT FIXED BUDGET, WE'RE GOING TO HANG OUT WITH THAT FOR A REALLY LONG TIME.
MY HUSBAND IS CIVIL SERVICE AND HE'S AIR RESERVE.
SO WE WORK WITH COMBAT RESCUE.
YOU SEE THE HELICOPTERS FLYING AROUND RESCUING PEOPLE.
THAT'S WHAT WE DO. SO I FOLLOW HIM ALL OVER THE WORLD.
THAT'S WHAT WE DO AS A FAMILY.
MY SEVEN YEAR OLD WAS A NEWBORN WHEN WE MOVED HERE TO FLORIDA.
SO LUCKY FOR ME, SHE GETS TO HANG OUT WITH ME AND NOT GO TO CHURCH TONIGHT.
BUT THAT'S ALL RIGHT, BECAUSE I THINK YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT THIS INCREASE DOES FOR OUR FAMILY.
OUR FAMILY'S TAX BILL PROJECTED INCREASE IS $278.
NOW, THAT $278 DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THAT MUCH MONEY, EXCEPT IF I LOOKED AT LAST YEAR'S TAX BILL.
SO WHEN I SAY THAT WE'VE HAD A LARGE AMOUNT OF INCREASE, I AM NOT EXAGGERATING AS A FIXED INCOME.
WE DON'T GET THE 3% SALARY BUMP THAT SOME OF THE CIVIL SERVICES OF THE CITY ARE GOING TO GET.
AS A FAMILY, WE CAN'T AFFORD IT.
SO FOR ME, I WANT TO KNOW WHY IS IT THAT AS A COMMUNITY WE CAN'T COME HERE AND TALK AND SAY, HEY, HOW DO WE REARRANGE THIS CAPITAL FUND A LITTLE BIT WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE? I HAVE AN ELDERLY NEIGHBOR WHO HAS HAD A STORM DRAIN THAT IS LITERALLY SINKING HER PROPERTY THAT THE COUNTY KNOWS ABOUT AND HAS FOR FOUR YEARS. SHE IS LOSING THE GROUND UNDER THE BIG GIANT DRAINAGE DITCH AND THEY KNOW IT'S WRONG.
AND THE ANSWER THAT THEY'VE GIVEN HER IS THERE ARE LARGER CAPITAL EXPENDITURES.
SO YOU ARE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LIST.
SHE'S ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS.
SO THIS BILL IS LIKE A DOUBLE HIT, RIGHT? BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE NOT GETTING THE INFRASTRUCTURE AT YOUR OWN HOME, AT YOUR OWN WATER, SEWER, STORMWATER, YOU KNOW THAT YOUR STREET IS NOW LITERALLY SINKING, BUT YET YOU'RE GOING TO PAY MORE FOR IT AND NOT EVEN BE HURT.
THERE IS NO REASON THAT WE CAN'T REWORK THIS BUDGET.
THERE IS NO REASON WHY WE SHOULD BE SEEING AN INCREASE THIS YEAR.
WE'VE HAD FAR TOO MANY INCREASES WITH OUR FAMILIES AND WE'RE NOT GETTING THE 3% SALARY RAISE.
WE'RE OVER HERE SUFFERING TO PAY FOR GROCERIES.
THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK.
IF STAFF COULDN'T GET WITH THE YOUNG LADY TO FIND OUT THE ELDERLY WOMAN'S ADDRESS.
YEAH, I'M SURE WE CAN GET JULIET TO GO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
PASS OUT HER PASS BEFORE I CLOSE THIS THIS PUBLIC HEARING, I'D LIKE TO GET COUNSEL.
ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCILMAN FOSTER.
NONE. SO I'M CLOSING THIS PUBLIC HEARING AND MOVING ON TO BUSINESS, NUMBER ONE, MISS SHERMAN.
[BUSINESS]
THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO THIS ITEM IS YOUR CONSIDERATION OF SETTING THE TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE FOR THE TAX YEAR 2023.WHAT THE BUDGET IS BUILT ON, THOUGH, AS YOU HEARD FROM ANGELICA COLLINS, IS IT IS BUILT ON A RATE OF 7.0171, WHICH IS THE 3% CAP RATE. SO THE TAX BILLS THAT WERE ISSUED SHOW THE 7.595.
SO THE ACTUAL BUDGET IS DECREASING FROM THE 7.5995 RATE TO THE 7.0171 RATE, WHICH IS THE 3% CAP RATE. AND FOR PURPOSES OF DISCLOSURE, THAT IS 2.92% ABOVE OR DIFFERENT FROM THE ROLLBACK RATE.
AND ESSENTIALLY THAT WOULD BE THE ITEM FIRST ITEM FOR CONSIDERATION FOR YOU AS WELL.
[01:15:02]
IN TERMS OF ADOPTING THE RATES AND ALSO THE AS WE'VE PREVIOUSLY STATED, THE TENTATIVE EXCUSE ME, THE DEBT MILLAGE RATE THAT IS PROPOSED AND BUILT INTO THE BUDGET FOR THE GO ROAD BOND PROGRAM IS 0.9084.THANK YOU, MA'AM. ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WISH TO SPEAK ON BUSINESS NUMBER ONE, PLEASE STEP FORWARD.
GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL. MY NAME IS RANDALL RANDALL.
I RESIDE AT 348 BROOK STREET, NORTHEAST.
I'M IN A STUDENT STUDY, SO I KEEP THIS AND THEN MY TAX BILL PAYS.
I PAY IT. I PUT IT IN A LITTLE ENVELOPE.
I'LL END UP IN THE ENVELOPE WHEN I PAY IT.
I AM SICK OF THIS BALONEY OF WE NEED TO START HIGH BECAUSE WE CAN'T GO ANY HIGHER.
WE NEED TO COME LOWER. I'M SICK OF THE BALONEY PROPOSED WHAT YOU PROPOSE.
DON'T GET PEOPLE IN HERE IN TEARS OVER A 4% INCREASE OR 3.6% INCREASE WHEN YOU INTEND TO LOWER IT BY 4.4. DON'T DO THAT.
I NEED TO MATHEMATICALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M GOING TO PAY.
BUT YOU'RE GOING TO CHANGE IT.
IT'S DISRESPECTFUL TO THE PROCESS.
PROPOSE WHAT YOU ACTUALLY PROPOSE.
WELL, I CAN JUST SAY THAT I KNOW THIS COUNCIL PROPOSED A 7.595 BECAUSE WE JUST DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHETHER WE WOULD HAVE A HURRICANE COMING, WHICH THANK GOD WE HAVEN'T.
AND SO WE'RE ADOPTING THE 3% CAP.
I WILL SAY AND I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T SAY I DO AGREE THAT THE CITIZEN BUDGET ADVISORY BOARD WAS A CRITICAL COMPONENT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
I REALLY BELIEVE IN WHAT MR. OLSZEWSKI SAID, THAT IT WAS A VENUE FOR OTHER INDIVIDUALS LIKE THE INDIVIDUAL THAT WE HAD SPEAK TODAY AND THE YOUNG WOMAN, WHICH, BY THE WAY, MA'AM, I KNOW ABOUT THE RESCUE WING NINE 20TH AND I APPRECIATE WHAT YOUR HUSBAND DOES FOR A LIVING DEFENDING OUR FREEDOM.
ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY DEPLOY ALL OVER THE WORLD IN SOME HOTSPOTS THAT PEOPLE JUST DON'T RECOGNIZE.
SO THANK YOU, MA'AM, FOR YOUR SERVICE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO GO ON THE RECORD AS TO SAY THAT.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK? BEFORE WE CLOSE THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
OKAY. COUNCIL. I NEED A MOTION.
MOTION TO APPROVE THE TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE OF 7.0171 FOR TAX YEAR 2023.
SECOND, I GOT A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN JOHNSON, SECONDED BY DEPUTY MAYOR FELIX.
ANY DISCUSSION, GENTLEMEN? SEEING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR. SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ITEM NUMBER TWO, MADAM SHERMAN.
MAYOR, CAN WE ALSO ADOPT THE ROAD MILLAGE RATE AS WELL? MOTION TO APPROVE THE 0.9084 VOTED MILLAGE RATE.
SECOND. I'VE GOT A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN JOHNSON, SECONDED BY DEPUTY MAYOR FELIX.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, GENTLEMEN? COUNCILMAN FOSTER? NO, NOT THIS TIME. ALL IN FAVOR? SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
WE ARE NOW ON ITEM NUMBER TWO ORDINANCE.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PALM BAY.
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES TITLE 20 UTILITIES CODE, CHAPTER 200 UTILITIES CODE BY ADJUSTING THE RATE FEES AND CHARGES FOR THE CITY'S UTILITY SYSTEM AND SERVICES, PROVIDING FOR THE REPEAL OF ORDINANCES OR PARTS OF ORDINANCES AND CONFLICT.
[01:20:02]
THE USER RATES THAT ARE PRESENTED BEFORE YOU IN THIS ORDINANCE TONIGHT IN CHAPTER 200.17 ARE PROPOSED TO INCREASE FOR WATER BY 1.75% AND FOR SEWER BY 3.75%.THE TYPICAL IMPACT FOR WHAT WE JUST MENTIONED WOULD BE A HOME THAT USES 5000 GALLONS OF WATER PER MONTH, WOULD SEE THE WATER BILL INCREASE BY ABOUT $0.68, AND THE SEWER BILL INCREASED BY $2.86.
ALL OTHER MISCELLANEOUS FEES WITHIN CHAPTER 200 ARE PROPOSED TO INCREASE 7.07% IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION'S LATEST APPROVED PRICE INDEX. AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS WITH UTILITIES, DIRECTOR AND STANTEC REPRESENTATION ARE HERE TONIGHT.
JOHNSON. ANY QUESTIONS THUS FAR? NOT YET. MAYOR COUNCILMAN.
IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS ITEM REGARDING UTILITIES? YES, SIR. STEPPED RIGHT.
GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR. GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL.
I RESIDE AT 348 BROOK STREET, NORTHEAST.
A YOUNG LADY INQUIRED ABOUT UTILITIES EARLIER AND THE THOUGHT THAT CAME TO MY HEAD IS THAT THESE RATE INCREASES CONTINUE TO GO TOWARDS DEBT SERVICE AND I ANTICIPATE THAT THAT'S WHAT THE STANTEC CONSULTANT IS GOING TO TELL US.
WE NEED TO INCREASE THESE RATES BY THIS MUCH SO THAT WE CAN KEEP UP WITH THE DEBT THAT WE ALREADY ISSUED TO IMPROVE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, TO MAKE IT ABLE TO SERVICE THE AMOUNT OF CUSTOMERS THAT IT HAS ON IT.
BUT I WOULD LIKE STATED FOR ANY FORM OF PUBLIC RECORD, WHAT PLANS, IF ANY, EXIST TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF HOOKUP AVAILABILITY OF EITHER UTILITY.
MADAM CHAIR OR SHERMAN? YES, SIR. WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO BRING UP UTILITY STRUCTURE? SO, CHRIS, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP OR WITH STANTEC, THAT'S FINE AND ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS.
I DON'T HAVE A PRESENTATION THIS YEAR, BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THE QUESTION REGARDING THE INCREASE.
WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT IT IN ONE YEAR SILOS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT A MULTI YEAR PLANNING PERIOD.
GENERALLY SPEAKING, WITHIN THE UTILITY INDUSTRY, WATER AND WASTEWATER RECLAIMED WATER SEEING DRASTIC INCREASES IN CHEMICAL COSTS, PARTICULARLY ANNUAL OPERATING EXPENSES HAVE INCREASED ALONG WITH, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THROUGHOUT, JUST NOT JUST AN OVERALL CPI OR, YOU KNOW, MACROECONOMIC STANDPOINT, BUT SPECIFIC TO UTILITIES. IT'S BEEN IT'S BEEN HIGHER BECAUSE OF SOME OF THOSE INDIVIDUAL ITEMS. AND SO THE INCREASE IS REALLY JUST A FACTOR OF CONTINUAL INFLATIONARY OPERATING EXPENSE INCREASES.
AND SO YOU HAVE TO MAINTAIN REVENUE ADJUSTMENTS TO MAINTAIN THAT THAT RATIO TO SERVICE THE DEBT.
SO IN A NUTSHELL, THAT'S THE THAT'S THE PRIMARY REASON FOR THE ANNUAL INDEXING THIS YEAR.
THANK YOU, MR. LITTLE. HOLD ON.
DID YOU WANT TO COVER ABOUT ANY FUTURE EXPANSIONS? AND THEN, SIR.
COUNCILMAN. JOHNSON. SO IN TERMS OF EXPANSION, WE DO HAVE PLANS AND OUR FIVE YEAR CIP TO EXPAND OUR PLANTS AND WE DO HAVE SOME, I'LL CALL IT, MINOR EXPANSIONS THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM.
SO WE HAVE A FINITE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE CAN USE TO EXPAND OUT IN THE SYSTEM.
PRIMARILY WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW ARE DEVELOPER DRIVEN EXPANSIONS.
THE DEVELOPERS ARE EXPANDING WATER MAINS, FORCE MAINS OUT INTO THE SYSTEM.
[01:25:07]
WASTEWATER PLANT AT MY SOUTH REGIONAL CAMPUS.EXPANDING THE CAPACITY OF THE WATER PLANT AT THAT SAME CAMPUS.
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR NORTH CAMPUS AS WELL TO EXPAND CAPACITY AT THE PLANTS.
BUT I DO NOT HAVE THE CAPITAL OR THE ABILITY TO KNOWING WHAT I HAVE TO DO AT THE PLANTS TO WHETHER IT'S BOND, TAKE LOANS, WHATEVER IT WOULD TAKE TO EXTEND EXTEND SERVICES OUT INTO THE SYSTEM TO GET THOSE SERVICES TO THE INFILL THAT DOESN'T HAVE THEM YET.
YES, SIR. SO I BELIEVE I ASKED THIS QUESTION PROBABLY TWO YEARS IN A ROW IN REGARDS TO THE REQUIREMENT OF EVERYBODY WHO HAS ACCESS BEING REQUIRED TO CONNECT AND THE DIFFERENCE IT WILL MAKE IN THESE NUMBERS.
SO I WANTED TO INQUIRE ON YOUR TAKE THIS YEAR.
YEAH, WE HAVEN'T DONE AN UPDATED LOOK AT THE IMPACT OF ADDITIONAL CONNECTIONS.
THAT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT WE EVALUATED THIS YEAR.
BUT OBVIOUSLY IF YOU HAVE NEW CONNECTIONS THAT ARE GENERATING ADDITIONAL REVENUE FOR THE SYSTEM AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, SHARE SOME ECONOMIES OF SCALE THAT WAY. THE CHALLENGE YOU HAVE WITH THAT IS, AS CHRIS MENTIONED, YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE TREATMENT, TREATMENT, CAPACITY TO SERVE THAT.
AND THAT COMES AT A COST UP FRONT.
EITHER YOU BORROW THE MONEY TO PAY IT OVER THE PERIOD ASSET LIFE OF A PLANT, WHICH IS A REASONABLE THING TO DO FOR A UTILITY SYSTEM BECAUSE YOU SHARE THE COST NOT JUST WITH TODAY'S CUSTOMERS, BUT THOSE THAT ARE GOING TO FUTURE.
IT COMES OVER TIME. BUT YEAH, I MEAN, JUST IN THE SITUATION OF HAVING LIKE ADDITIONAL CONNECTIONS THAT ARE ALREADY HAVE SERVICE AVAILABLE, THAT'S GOING TO PROVIDE REVENUE FOR SURE. THE CHALLENGE IS THAT DOESN'T THAT MAY HELP IN A YEAR OR TWO, BUT IT DOESN'T MITIGATE THE INCREASES ON THE OPERATING EXPENSES THAT A UTILITY, A WATER WASTEWATER UTILITY HAS REGARDLESS.
AND WE'VE LOOKED AT IT IN THE PAST.
BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A SITUATION WHERE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE THESE NEW CONNECTIONS THAT THE CITY HAS AVAILABLE, IT'S GOING TO JUST MITIGATE ANY KIND OF FUTURE RATE INCREASES. IT'S JUST NOT THAT SIGNIFICANT OF A OF AN IMPACT HELPS.
BUT IT'S NOT A IT'S NOT A BIG JUMP.
IT'S NOT A PERFECT SOLUTION OR, YOU KNOW, PROBLEM SOLVER ALTOGETHER.
OKAY. SO THEN MY NEXT QUESTION GOES TO MR. LITTLE THEN. APPRECIATE IT, SIR.
TO OUR POINT, NOT TO GET TOO AHEAD, BUT ON WITH IF EVERYBODY WERE TO BE CONNECTED, THEN THAT WILL OPEN UP THE DOOR FOR YOU TO EXPAND FURTHER. CORRECT.
AND THEN THAT CAN BROADEN THE BASE IN REGARDS TO THE AMOUNT PAID TO UTILITIES.
SO WHAT I WOULD NEED IS I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A MECHANISM THAT IF I GO AND START EXTENDING SERVICES OUT INTO THE SYSTEM WHERE THEY DO NOT EXIST, I NEED TO RECOVER MY CALLS TO INSTALL THOSE SERVICES, GENERATE IMPACT FEES, MAINLINE EXTENSIONS, SO THAT THEN WHEN THEY PAY THOSE AND I HAVE A MECHANISM FOR THEM TO CONNECT TO THE SYSTEM, MANDATORY CONNECTION, FOR INSTANCE, I'LL BE ABLE TO RECOVER THAT MONEY.
I'LL BE ABLE TO USE THAT MONEY TO CONTINUE EXPANDING THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM.
I'LL BE ABLE TO AS AS I'M COLLECTING THOSE FEES OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR OR TWO YEARS, I'LL CONTINUE TO DESIGN, EXPAND, DESIGN, EXPAND, GO OUT INTO THE SYSTEM, RECOVER THOSE MONIES SO I CAN CONTINUE TO EXPAND IN THE SYSTEM.
OKAY. THAT'S WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR.
ALL RIGHT. BUT I UNDERSTAND IT'S LONG TERM.
WHAT? WHAT? WHAT'S YOUR NAME, SIR? I'M SORRY. I APOLOGIZE, BUT I SEE YOUR POINT AS WELL.
SO I'M JUST, YOU KNOW, TYPICALLY I'M ALWAYS IN SUPPORT OF OF ALL THE INCREASES BECAUSE I SEE I SEE THE DATA AND I SEE LIKE, ESPECIALLY IN THE PREVIOUS YEARS, IF WE DIDN'T DO IT, THE DRASTIC JUMP THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO DO.
SO I'VE SEEN I'VE SEEN THE THE NEED TO GRADUALLY INCREASE AS INFLATION OCCURS AS WELL.
BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO SEE HOW WE CAN.
ALLEVIATE SOME OF THAT? I GUESS SO. AND AS PART OF THE ASSIGNMENT I GAVE TO STANTEC WAS TO LOOK TO SEE COULD WE SUSTAIN NO INCREASE FOR THE YEAR FOR WATER AND SEWER.
[01:30:02]
LOOKING AT THROUGH THE DATA IN THE SHORT TERM WE COULD, BUT AS THE YEARS WOULD GO ON, WE WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE TO COME BACK AND ASK FOR EVEN HIGHER INCREASES TO OFFSET WHAT WE DID NOT COLLECT EARLIER ON.AND KEEP IN MIND ALSO THE RATES THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR, 1.75 FOR THE WATER, 3.75 FOR SEWER PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION WITHIN THE ABSENCE OF A STUDY 7.07% ACROSS THE BOARD.
THE INCREASE WOULD BE TO ACCOUNT FOR INFLATION, INCREASING COSTS, ETCETERA.
AND I HEAR WHERE YOU'RE GOING WITH THAT, SIR.
IT IS ALSO ON A LARGE SCALE, A WATER QUALITY ISSUE AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SO I SEE YOUR TRAIN OF THOUGHT.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCILMAN FOSTER? NO, NO, NO.
I HAVE NO QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.
SO ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK? COME FORWARD, MAN. COME FORWARD.
WELL, I USED TO COACH CHEERLEADING.
NO, I'M RENEE AGAIN AT 542 AVIATION.
IF WE JUST KEEP SAYING I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR A BUDGET INCREASE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S JUST INCREMENTAL BECAUSE I KNOW IN THE FUTURE IT'LL BE BIGGER, WHAT IMPETUS DO WE HAVE FOR OUR AGENCIES TO GET CREATIVE WITH OUR FUNDING? AND LIKE I MENTIONED, MY HUSBAND'S 920, SO I UNDERSTAND HOW YOU CAN USE AND REUSE EQUIPMENT, BUT EVENTUALLY IT JUST DIES, RIGHT? IT JUST GETS OUTDATED.
IT DOESN'T GET SUPPORTED ANYMORE AND I GET THAT.
BUT AT SOME POINT, WHAT DO WE OWE OUR CITIZENS, IF NOTHING ELSE, THAN THE DUE DILIGENCE OF SAYING, GO BACK AND DO BETTER, NOT JUST I'M GOING TO VOTE THIS INCREMENTAL INCREASE BECAUSE IT MIGHT BE THE LESSER OF MY WORRIES.
WHEN DO WE GET CREATIVE AND SAY, LET'S DO THIS BETTER? THAT'S I DON'T KNOW.
MAYBE I'M CRAZY. THANK YOU, MA'AM.
THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK, PLEASE STEP FORWARD.
PAT DELPORT 14, GEORGE'S AVENUE.
OKAY. SOMETHING THAT STILL HASN'T BEEN ADDRESSED.
WE HAVE PIPES THAT ARE 40 TO 50 YEARS OLD IN NORTHEAST BAY.
THEY BLAMED TRUCKS COMING UP AND DOWN THE STREET.
SO MY QUESTION IS, DO WE HAVE THE MONEY TO TAKE CARE OF THAT SITUATION IN NORTHEAST PALM BAY? BECAUSE THOSE PIPES HAVE BEEN THERE SINCE THE 70S, 60S AND 70S.
THANK YOU, MA'AM. MR. LITTLE OR MADAM SHERMAN? SO IN TERMS OF PIPES THAT FAIL, WHETHER IT'S WATER OR SEWER OR THE SEWER SIDE, WE HAVE A BETTER ABILITY TO INSPECT.
WE GO IN WITH CAMERAS TAKING A LOOK TO SEE WHAT THE STRUCTURAL STABILITY OF MANHOLES, SEWER, THE GRAVITY, SEWER, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. AND THEN WE PROGRAM A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY EVERY YEAR TO ADDRESS THE WATER MAIN.
WE'RE GETTING TO THE POINT NOW AGAIN, WHEN I TOOK OVER AS DIRECTOR IN 2018, WHEN I CAME TO THE CITY IN 2017, TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE GRADUAL INCREASES THAT WE'RE MAKING AND BEING CREATIVE, I THINK UNFORTUNATELY UTILITIES WAS CREATIVE BECAUSE FOR 30 YEARS NOT MUCH WAS INVESTED INTO THE SYSTEM.
WHEN I TOOK OVER, A LOT OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE AT THE PLANTS WAS COMPLETELY RIGHT AWAY THAT WE STILL HAVE VALVES IN THE SYSTEM THAT SHOULD BE LOOKING AT REPLACING THEM EVERY 5 TO 10 YEARS. A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE HAS BEEN NEGLECTED, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO PIPES IN THE GROUND, TYPICALLY, UNLESS THEY'RE DISTURBED, AS LONG AS THEY'RE DEEP ENOUGH, THEY'RE GENERALLY OKAY, WE ADDRESS THEM AS AN ISSUE ARISES.
WE DO LOOK AND TRY TO RIP OUT AND REPLACE THOSE AS WE CAN, BUT IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE.
IT'S DIFFICULT WHEN THE CORRIDORS WHERE THESE PIPES ARE LOCATED ARE SMALL AND WE HAVE TO KEEP EVERYONE ONLINE WHEN WE WANT, YOU KNOW, KEEP THEIRS WATER SERVICE GOING WHILE WE TRY TO MAKE THOSE REPLACEMENTS.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK?
[01:35:02]
SEEING NONE. I'M GOING TO ASK FOR A MOTION.LET ME SEE. BEAR WITH ME FOR A SECOND.
MOTION TO ADOPT ORDINANCE 2023 DASH 86.
GOT A MOTION BY DEPUTY MAYOR FELIX.
SECOND. GOT A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN FOSTER.
MAYOR, THANK YOU. I THINK WE YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE HAVE AMPLE DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS TOPIC.
CERTAINLY, WE UNDERSTAND IT'S ONE OF THEM SITUATION.
DO WE ADDRESS IT NOW OR DO WE ADDRESS IT LATER AT A MUCH GREATER COST? WITH EVERYTHING RISING UP, INFLATION IN EVERY ASPECT, COSTS OF MATERIALS, COSTS OF CONSTRUCTIONS AND WHEN IT COMES TO.
YOU KNOW, WATER QUALITY AGAIN.
MAYOR, YOU ATTRIBUTE TO THAT QUITE A BIT OF TIME.
I MEAN, WHAT'S THE COST? YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T PUT A PRICE ON THAT.
UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE APPEAR TO DO TO TO TRY TO RAISE, YOU KNOW, YOUR YOUR EXPENSES.
WE ARE WE LIVE WITHIN THE CITY AS WELL.
BUT WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO ASSURE THAT YOU GET THE BEST OF THE BEST, THE BEST OF EVERYTHING.
IN A SENSE, WE WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE QUALITY OF LIFE.
WE ARE RESPONSIBLE TO DELIVER A GOOD PRODUCT.
SO IF IT IF IT MEANS TO ADDRESS IT NOW AT A SMALLER INCREMENT AND THAT'S WHY I MAKE THE SUPPORT THIS MOTION TO TO ADOPT THIS INCREASE.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN FOSTER.
ANYTHING YOU WISH TO ADD? YES, MAYOR. CARRY ON.
IN THIS COUNCIL CAME ON BOARD, WE HAD A FAILING WATER INFRASTRUCTURE.
NEEDED A LOT OF WORK AND A LOT OF INVESTMENT.
THE PAST COUNCILS DIDN'T DO WHAT THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE, AND NOW WE ARE IN A SITUATION WHERE EVERYBODY IN PALM BAY AT CITY SEWER THROUGH EVERYBODY IN PALM BAY GOT CITY WATER? NO. NOT EVERYBODY GETTING CITY WATER, CITY, SEWER BECAUSE THEY WANT A SEPTIC TANK AND THEY WANT A WELL SO THEY DON'T HAVE A RATE INCREASE.
BUT THEY HAD PROBLEMS WITH THEIR WATER AND SEPTIC TANK.
THE PEOPLE WHO'S PAYING FOR GETTING THEY'RE GETTING SERVICE.
THEY'RE GETTING SERVICE FOR WHAT THEY PAY FOR.
AND I PAY FOR WATER AND SEWER.
AND IF WE GOT TO INCREASE IT, TO MAINTAIN IT, THAT'S IMPORTANT.
I MEAN, ANYBODY WATCH THE NEWS TWO WEEKS AGO IN HAWAII, ACTUALLY HOW THEY WATER QUALITY WAS IN MAUI.
DO WE WANT TO WE WANT TO BE IN A SITUATION LIKE THAT.
WHERE THE INFRASTRUCTURE FAILED THEM.
WHAT IF LEADERSHIP FAILED HIM? DO WE WANT TO BE IN THAT SITUATION LIKE MAUI, HAWAII? I DON'T THINK SO.
SO I THINK OUR UTILITY DIRECTOR KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING.
I HAVE 100% CONFIDENCE IN HIS ABILITY.
I MET WITH HIM BEFORE I CAME ON COUNCIL AND AFTER I CAME ON COUNCIL.
UM, AND YEAH, WE GET NEW CONSTRUCTION.
WE'RE MAKING NEW CONSTRUCTION COME ONLINE.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO PASS THIS AND THINK OF OUR WATER QUALITY, OUR WATER INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE DEPUTY MAYOR SAID, IS RIGHT.
WE'RE GOING TO BE PAYING FOR IT MUCH, MUCH GREATER LATER.
IT'S NOT GOING TO GET ANY BETTER IF WE DON'T DO NOTHING.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MAN. THANK YOU.
ANY. COMMENT COUNCILMAN JOHNSON.
[01:40:09]
AND AND I KNOW THAT'S ALSO GOING TO SET IT UP FOR A BETTER FUTURE FOR EVERYONE, FOR THE CURRENT PAYERS AND THE FUTURE PAYERS.YOU KNOW, GO FOR THIS YEAR, GET MORE PEOPLE CONNECTED AND LOOK TO, YOU KNOW, HOLD OFF IN THE FUTURE.
SO THAT'S REALLY WHERE I'M AT.
YOU KNOW, WE GOT TO MAKE SURE WE STAY UP WITH EVERYTHING.
FORGET MAUI. LET'S TALK ABOUT FLINT, MICHIGAN.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE LOOKING AT THE FEDERAL AND STATE LEVEL, BUT THAT WAS A LOCAL ISSUE.
SO I UNDERSTAND WHERE COUNCILMAN FOSTER IS COMING FROM.
AND BECAUSE THIS AFFECTS US TOO, ON THE DICE, WE ALL LIVE HERE.
MAYOR THAT'S WHERE I'M AT, YEAH.
SO COUNCIL OR COUNCILMAN JOHNSON.
I'M, YOU KNOW, I HEAR WHERE YOU'RE GOING.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WATER QUALITY, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT IMPROVING IT, RIGHT? YOU BRING UP A REALLY INTERESTING DYNAMIC WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT PROVIDING SERVICES FOR THE ENTIRE CITY.
THAT IS OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO TO SEE THAT.
BUT YOU'RE SPOT ON WITH WHEN YOU THROW IN FLINT, MICHIGAN.
AND WHAT IS THE COST TO THAT? YOU KNOW, I'M HEARING THOSE INCREASES WITH CHEMICALS.
I'M ALSO HEARING MAYBE WHERE YOU'RE YOU'RE CONFLICTED IS HOLDING IT ON WHEN THINGS ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO RISE AND AND THE CONFLICT IS OKAY.
WE GO IT'S 1.7 NOW BUT IT'LL BE FOR FOR TOMORROW.
RIGHT. SO I'M I'M WITH YOU ON THAT.
I'M LOOKING ON A GRANDER SCALE, LIKE DOWN RANGE BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT.
THE WATER QUALITY IS IMPORTANT.
AND YOU'RE RIGHT, I DON'T WANT THIS TO EVER TURN INTO A A FLINT, MICHIGAN.
THAT'S A RESOUNDING STATEMENT THAT YOU SAID.
WE ARE NOW ON ITEM NUMBER THREE.
ORDINANCE 20 2387 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PALM BAY, BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES TITLE 20 UTILITIES CODE, CHAPTER 201 SEWER USE SUBCHAPTER MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS BY ADJUSTING THE PERMIT FEES AND OTHER CHARGES RELATED TO THE CITY'S UTILITIES WASTEWATER SYSTEM, PROVIDING FOR THE REPEAL OF ORDINANCES OR PARTS OF ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT.
MADAM SHERMAN. THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THIS IS CHAPTER 201 MISCELLANEOUS CHARGES THAT ARE FEES THAT ARE PROPOSED TO INCREASE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION'S PRICE INDEX OF 7.07%.
AND STAFF CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
COUNCIL. ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY. SEEING NONE I'M GOING TO ASK IF THERE'S ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS ITEM.
SIR, YOU RAISED YOUR HAND UP FIRST, SO COME ON UP.
COME ON. HE'LL. HE'LL GO NEXT.
ROBERTO MARTINEZ AGAIN FROM 2627.
I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION ON THE THE TOPIC.
WHEN YOU GUYS WERE GOING ON ABOUT THE SEWER AND THE WATER THING.
I MEAN, I'M ON A SEPTIC TANK AND.
WELL, AND I HAVE A FILTRATION SYSTEM OSMOSIS.
I DON'T THINK I WOULD ENJOY CONNECTING TO THIS CITY SEWER SYSTEM AND STUFF.
[01:45:02]
I MEAN, WHEN I MOVED ON MY BLOCK, THERE WERE FOUR HOUSES AND THEY RIPPED UP ALL THE THINGS, CHASED AWAY THE WILDLIFE.AND NOW, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, EVERYBODY'S STILL ON SEPTIC AND AND THE WELL WATER I WAS JUST WORRIED ABOUT DO PEOPLE GET TO VOTE IF THEY WANT THAT OR IT JUST GETS RAMMED DOWN YOUR THROAT? SO THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION.
BUT I'LL DO I'LL DO MISTER MARTINEZ.
I'LL DO THE BEST WHEN WE SPEAK OF WATER QUALITY RIGHT DOWN RANGE.
AND THESE SEPTIC TANKS, THEY THEY TEND TO FAIL.
AND THAT THAT COULD GO INTO OUR OUR WATER SYSTEM.
SO ULTIMATELY, WE WOULD WANT TO EXPAND THOSE SERVICES.
BUT THAT'S THAT'S WHAT WHEN WE SPEAK OF WATER QUALITY NOW WHAT WE'RE DOING IS AND I DON'T WANT TO TAKE TIME BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE ACTUALLY PROVIDING SOME GRANT OPPORTUNITIES TODAY FOR THOSE THAT QUALIFY THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO GET INTO THOSE GET HOOKED UP TO SEPTIC AND SEWER. AND WE EVEN GOT SOME STATE FUNDS FOR THAT PROGRAM.
BUT WE TYPICALLY DON'T TELL YOU TO HOOK UP RIGHT NOW.
WE DON'T HAVE IT MANDATED YET, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THIS BOARD IS LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE.
WELL, COULDN'T THEY LIKE APPOINT LIKE, SAY, INSPECTORS TO LOOK AT PEOPLE'S SEPTIC TANKS? AND IF THEY'RE IN BAD SHAPE, SAY, HEY, YOU GOT TO UPGRADE THIS? THAT'S USUALLY THAT'S HOW IT WORKS, SIR.
I JUST WANTED TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
AND I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND BUT AT LEAST YOU GUYS ARE MORE FORTHCOMING.
YOU'LL ANSWER QUESTIONS WHERE I HAVE TO SAY NEW YORK CITY, DEALING WITH THE POLITICIANS OVER THERE.
THEY'RE LIKE, SHOO, FLY, SHOO.
SO I WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, LIKE SAYING IF I, YOU KNOW, JUST I WAS JUST LOOKING AT THE FUTURE.
I SAID, JEEZ, I WOULDN'T WANT TO GO THROUGH THAT NOW.
ALTHOUGH WITH THE TAX PROBLEM AND EVERYTHING, I SORT OF FEEL LIKE I'M DOING THAT NOW.
BUT THAT'S ABOUT ALL I'D HAVE TO SAY ON THE ON THE MATTER.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M KIND OF HAPPY WITH THE TANK AND THE WELL WATER.
GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR. GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL.
I RESIDE AT 348 BROOK STREET, NORTHEAST.
SO I HAVE A COUPLE OF NEIGHBORS THAT I'M ON CITY WATER AND SEWER.
WHEN I WAS BUILDING MY HOME, I ONLY WANTED TO SHOP LOTS THAT HAD THAT AVAILABLE TO ME.
I SPENT SOME SOME TIME LIVING TINY.
I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE BLACKWATER ON PROPERTY I WANT TO FLUSH AND NEVER THINK ABOUT IT AGAIN.
SO THANK YOU TO THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT FOR GIVING ME THAT ABILITY.
I PAY THAT BILL WITH PLEASURE.
SO I CAN PRETTY MUCH BRING FRESHWATER IN, TURN IT INTO BAD WATER AND GET RID OF IT FOR ABOUT THE RATE THAT I PAY TO GET RID OF RAIN VIA A DITCH IN MY FRONT YARD. NOW, THE DITCH IN MY FRONT YARD IS A SUBJECT OF THIS CONVERSATION.
I HAVE TWO NEIGHBORS DOWN THE ROAD THAT BOTH OF THEIR DITCHES ARE JUST MESSED UP.
THEY DIDN'T HOOK UP TO IT, SO THEY HAVEN'T FIXED THE DRIVEWAY CULVERTS, THEY HAVEN'T REPLACED THEIR WELLS AND THEY HAVEN'T GOT RID OF THEIR SEPTIC SYSTEMS. BUT DRAIN MECHANICS, A PALM BAY COMPANY, PALM BAY PROUD, IS ALL OVER MY NEIGHBORHOOD WITH THEIR SIGNS.
CALL, CALL US UP, WE'LL CONVERT YOU.
I LOVE THE IDEA THAT WE CAN GET THIS MONEY DOWN FROM THE STATE, BRING IT INTO THE COMMUNITY, GIVE IT TO A PALM BAY BUSINESS, PUT FOOD ON THOSE THOSE GENTLEMAN'S TABLE AND LADIES THAT ARE THAT ARE GIVEN THAT SERVICE.
WHAT I'M GETTING AT HERE IS WE'RE NOT IN CONVERSATION OF MAKING IT MANDATORY, BUT WHAT OPPORTUNITIES DO WE HAVE WITHIN NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE MINE THAT ARE OBVIOUSLY ELIGIBLE FOR THE GRANT FOR SOMEONE TO KNOCK ON MY NEIGHBOR'S DOOR? I TALK TO MY NEIGHBOR TWO DOORS DOWN ALL THE TIME AND I'VE BEEN HOUNDING HIM ABOUT IT.
I TEACH HIM ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS.
HE SAYS, I GOT A CALL, I GOT A CALL.
WHAT POINT ARE WE GOING TO CALL? BECAUSE IT'S BEHOOVES US.
[01:50:03]
YOU CAN GET IT DONE FOR FREE.YOU JUST NEED TO PAY US SO THAT WHEN YOU FLUSH THE TOILET, YOU NEVER THINK ABOUT IT AGAIN.
BROOK STREET IS ON ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUE CANALS IN THE MELBOURNE TILLMAN WATER CONTROL DISTRICT.
THEY CALL IT THE S CURVE CANAL BECAUSE OF OUR PROXIMITY TO NOT ONLY THE MAIN TILLMAN BUT THE OTHER OPPOSITE DIRECTION, ONE THAT GOES OUT PARALLEL TO MINTON THAT COMES CLEAR FROM THE COMPOUND.
SO MY NEIGHBORHOOD IS RIGHT NEXT TO ALL OF THAT.
THESE TWO GOT DITCHES IN THEIR FRONT YARD THAT ARE FULL FROM AN AFTERNOON RAIN.
THEY GOT SEPTIC TANKS IN THEIR BACKYARD THAT ARE NO DOUBT IN A FAILED STATE.
AND I JUST AGAIN, WHEN WILL IT WHEN WHAT RIGHT ARE WE IN TO MAYBE HAVE OUR UTILITIES DEPARTMENT PUSH WITH THIS GRANT MONEY SO THAT WE GET EVERY ONE OF THOSE DOLLARS INTO.
I PREFER DRAIN MECHANIC'S POCKET SO THAT THAT MONEY STAYS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
MADAM CHAIRMAN. IS THERE DOES UTILITIES HAVE THAT CAPACITY OF REACHING OUT TO THE RESIDENTS? WELL, I THINK WHAT'S THE PROGRAM THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS THE PROGRAM THAT'S THROUGH SAUL.
SO SAUL HAS A LIST OF CONTRACTORS AND THEY'RE USING THAT OUR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON FUNDING TO TO DO EXACTLY WHAT WAS DESCRIBED TO HOOK PEOPLE UP TO SEWER WHERE IT'S AVAILABLE.
ON THE HEELS OF THAT, WE ARE WORKING ON OUR OWN PROGRAMS HERE.
AS COUNCIL KNOWS, SOME OF THAT PROGRAMING IS FROM ARPA FUNDING AND THAT IS TO DO BASICALLY THE SAME KIND OF THING WHERE WE HAVE A LIST OF CONTRACTORS AND STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING ON THAT PROCESS AND THERE WE ACTUALLY ARE ALREADY ACCEPTING APPLICANTS FOR THAT PROGRAM AND THAT'S BEEN IN WORK FOR SOME MONTHS.
BUT THE POINT IS WE'RE TRYING TO PUT ALL AVAILABLE RESOURCES INTO A STRATEGY TO HELP THOSE WHO DO HAVE THE AVAILABILITY OF SEWER LINES TODAY CONNECT INTO AND AND PROPERLY ABANDON THEIR SEPTIC TANKS.
THANK YOU, MA'AM. I THINK THAT ANSWERS THE QUESTION THERE.
SO THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK? SEEING NONE. I'M GOING TO ASK FOR A MOTION.
SO MOVED. GOT A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN JOHNSON.
ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
MAYOR YES, WE'RE SHORT A COUNCIL PERSON AT THE DAIS.
OKAY, JUST WAIT. SO WE NEED TO JUST HOLD OFF FOR A MOMENT.
AS YOU WRITE, I VISUALIZE THE COUNCILMAN FOSTER HERE.
I GUESS I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN A RESTROOM BREAK.
THEN I GOT A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN FOSTER OR COUNCILMAN JOHNSON AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN FOSTER ON ITEM NUMBER THREE.
ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
WE ARE NOW ON ITEM NUMBER FOUR, MADAM SMITH.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO THIS ITEM IS FOR CHAPTER 202, WHICH IS OUR RECLAIMED WATER USER RATES.
RECLAIMED WATER, AS YOU ALL KNOW, IS A COMPONENT OF SEWER.
AND SO THE SAME SEWER INCREASE RATES WILL APPLY TO RECLAIMED.
THOSE RATE INCREASES ARE PROPOSED AT 3.75%.
AND STAFF IS HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
SEEING NONE. IS THERE ANYONE IN THIS AUDIENCE THAT WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS? STEP FORWARD.
RANDOM. ANYONE ELSE? PLEASE RAISE THEIR HAND AND STEP FORWARD.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR. MY NAME IS RANDALL OLSZEWSKI.
I LIVE AT 348 BROOK STREET NORTHEAST.
SO, YOU KNOW, MY UNDERSTANDING OF OUR SYSTEM IS IT'S IN THE SURROUNDING AREA OF OUR ORIGINAL PLANT.
[01:55:01]
IT'S NEAR. HARRIS MAYBE BECAUSE OF GOVERNMENT BUSINESS.ONE DAY HARRIS ASKED US TO TO MAKE IT.
BUT I KNOW HARRIS USES IT TO COOL THINGS.
BUT WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS HOW CAN WE HOW MIGHT WE PROMOTE THE USE OF RECLAIMED WATER FOR IRRIGATION MUCH MORE IN OUR COMMUNITY? AN EXAMPLE, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, BREVARD COUNTY IS NOT THE ONLY COUNTY IN FLORIDA WITH A BUILDING BOOM GOING ON.
RIGHT? I HAVE A PRETTY BIG FAMILY.
BUT, YOU KNOW, JACKSONVILLE JUST KEEPS EXPANDING, KIND OF LIKE ATLANTA.
IT'S GOING TO BE THREE HOURS WIDE HERE PRETTY SOON.
SO THEY'RE IN CLAY COUNTY, THEY'RE IN MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.
THEY'RE ON A FARM. SO WHEN THEY WENT THERE, THE DEVELOPERS CAME.
THEY EXTENDED THE COUNTY'S WATER LINE AND SEWER LINE, GOT THEM HOOKED UP TO UTILITY.
BUT EVERYBODY HAS A SPRINKLER SYSTEM THAT SUCKS FROM THE COMMUNITY'S RETENTION POND.
SO MY SISTER LIVES ON THE RETENTION POND.
THERE'S A BIG FAT STRAW THAT SUCKS THE WATER FROM THERE AND SPRAYS IT ON HER GRASS.
AND AND THERE'S THE PROPER WARNINGS.
WE USE RECLAIMED WATER, WHATEVER.
THAT'S THAT'S VERY WATER EFFICIENT THAT ACTUAL COMMUNITY.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS HAVE EVER HEARD OF CLAY COUNTY BEFORE TONIGHT, BUT IF CLAY COUNTY CAN BE THAT INNOVATIVE, WHY CAN'T BREVARD? WHY CAN'T THE CITY OF PALM BAY, ONE OF THE TECHNOLOGY HUBS OF THE STATE, LET ALONE THE COUNTRY? WHY AREN'T WE USING TECHNOLOGY LIKE THAT? AND HOW MIGHT WE? AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I'M GOING WITH THAT.
ALL RIGHT. SO I'VE LIVED IN THE CITY OF PALM BAY OVER 15 YEARS.
THERE HAS BEEN A PUSH TO ESPECIALLY IN THE NORTHEAST, TO GET RECLAIMED WATER OUT.
WE HAVE SANDY PINES SUBDIVISION, WHICH IS A HEAVY USER COUNTRY CLUB, LAKES ESTATES, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, HALFWAY DEVELOPED IN THE FIRST TWO PHASES, WORKING ON A THIRD PHASE.
WE HAVE. HARRIS AND WAS INTERSIL NOW RENAISSANCE THAT ARE IN OUR PERMIT HOWEVER AND I TOURED THEIR SITES YEARS AND YEARS AGO THEIR BIGGEST COMPLAINT WITH OUR RECLAIMED WATER IS THE QUALITY.
THEY DO USE OUR RECLAIMED WATER FOR IRRIGATION.
WE HAVE APPROACHED OTHERS IN THE CORRIDOR AROUND KIRBY CIRCLE UP CONLON.
THE AGAIN, SIMILAR ISSUE, IF YOU RECALL, MR ASSEMBLY WHEN THEY WERE AROUND, TOURED THEIR FACILITY.
WE WERE TRYING TO GET THEM TO USE AS MUCH AS THEY COULD.
AGAIN, THE WATER QUALITY WASN'T THE BEST.
IT'S DIFFICULT IN THE NORTHEAST BECAUSE PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENTS DON'T EXIST, NOT LIKE THEY DO IN BAYSIDE, THE NORTHWEST, THE SOUTHEAST, TRYING TO EXTEND PIPES AND GETTING PEOPLE TO CONNECT WITHOUT MASTER IRRIGATION SYSTEMS IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT.
AND WE HAVE APPROACHED, YOU KNOW, THE INDUSTRIES IN THE AREA TO TRY TO GET THEM TO CONNECT, TO PROMOTE THAT USE, TO OFFSET WHAT THEY'RE USING FROM THEIR STORMWATER OR THEIR WELLS FOR THEIR CONSUMPTIVE USE PERMITS.
THE BIG ISSUE HAS ALWAYS BEEN QUALITY.
SO WE HAVE FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS TRIED TO PROMOTE AND GET PEOPLE TO USE IT.
WE ARE WE HAVE PLANS TO DESIGN AND EXTEND PIPES ALL THE WAY THROUGH BAYSIDE.
THERE ARE SEVERAL SUBDIVISIONS THAT HAVE MASS IRRIGATION SYSTEMS THAT WE CAN CONNECT RIGHT INTO.
WE USE A LOT OF THE RECLAIMED WATER FOR PLANTS.
AND WE ALSO ARE DOING WHAT WE CAN WHERE THERE ARE MEDIANS THAT CAN BE IRRIGATED.
[02:00:07]
DOWN BAYSIDE. SO WE ARE DOING WHAT WE CAN TO GET THE WORD OUT TO USE RECLAIMED WATER WHERE IT'S AVAILABLE.MAYOR, IS THERE ANY ANYTHING MORE? BECAUSE HE BRINGS UP A GREAT POINT.
IS THERE ANYTHING MORE THAT WE AS A COUNCIL CAN DO OR ANY DIRECTION WE CAN GIVE YOU OR IN TERMS OF RECLAIMED WATER? AGAIN, THE ISSUE IS IN THE NORTHEAST, EXTENDING THE LINES AND HAVING PEOPLE THAT CAN CONNECT THAT WILL WANT TO UTILIZE IT IN THE SOUTH.
IT'S A MATTER OF US GETTING THE LINES OUT.
AGAIN. WE'RE IN THE EARLY PHASES OF DESIGN.
IT HAS A REQUIREMENT THAT THEY ARE OBLIGATED TO USE THE LESSER QUALITY WATER THAT'S AVAILABLE.
SO IF I EXTEND RECLAIMED WATER LINES ADJACENT TO THE PROPERTY AND THEY CAN READILY CONNECT IN WITH THEIR MASTER SYSTEM, THEY ARE OBLIGATED TO CONNECT UNLESS THEY CAN JUSTIFY TO SAINT JOHN'S WHY IT'S NOT FEASIBLE FOR THEM TO CONNECT.
SO SO AT THIS TIME, THEN PROBABLY THE BEST SOLUTION IS JUST CONTINUE TO EDUCATION.
EDUCATION. WE ARE WORKING AGAIN WITH HARRIS.
THEY BETWEEN HARRIS AND RENAISSANCE AND THE PERMIT IT WAS IT'S A LITTLE OVER A MILLION GALLONS PER DAY THAT THEY COULD POTENTIALLY USE AGAIN FOR THEIR COOLING PROCESSES. WE ARE WORKING WITH THEM TO TRY TO USE AS MUCH AS THEY CAN.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
SO MOVED. SECOND, GOT A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN JOHNSON, SECONDED BY DEPUTY MAYOR FELIX.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR. SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
WE ARE NOW ON ITEM NUMBER FIVE, MADAM SMITH.
ORDINANCE 20 2389 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PALM BAY, BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA.
ADOPTING A FINAL BUDGET AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2023, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2024, PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
YES, THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO THIS IS THE FINAL EXCUSE ME ITEM FOR TONIGHT'S AGENDA.
THIS WOULD BE ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET FOR 2324.
AND JUST TO RESTATE OUR POSITION, AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER, THIS IS THE BUDGET THAT IS BUILT ON THE 3% CAP RATE OF 7.0171 AND INCLUDES THE ROAD BOND ROAD BOND DEBT MILLAGE RATE OF 0.9084.
ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WISH TO SPEAK REGARDING THIS ITEM NUMBER FIVE? SEEING NONE. I'M CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING ASKING FOR A MOTION.
SO MOVED. GOT A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN JOHNSON, SECONDED BY DEPUTY MAYOR FELIX.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, COUNCILMAN JOHNSON? NO, SIR. DEPUTY MAYOR.
THIS MEETING IS HEREBY ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.