>> On the nose.
Thank you all for coming back this afternoon. For as we
reconvene our public meeting from earlier today, the Board
of County commissioners we are here too. Adopted our have our
second budget public hearing to discuss Seminole County's
fiscal year, 2324 final mileage rates and budget and to allow
course for public comment and before we begin the public
should be reminded that this is that the board of County
commissioners does not have control over the tax levies or
budgets of the school board. The water management District,
the property appraiser tax collector or any of the 7
cities in Seminole County and we do have tonight
representatives from our property appraiser David
Johnson's office they can address any questions yet wave
big in the back and they can address any questions you may
have regarding your assessed property valuation. If that is
what you actually find that you are are here tonight to have
questions about turn it over to the county manager to kick it
off.
>> Thank you, madam chairman commissioners and welcome
everyone. So tonight we are here for the final of 2 public
hearings for the fiscal year 2324 budget that are required
by the Florida statute.
This meeting was advertising Orlando said no on Thursday
September, the 21st 2023.
As the chairman mentioned if you need information regarding
the city's or school board public hearings they can be
found on your trim notices or one of just that's one of our
staff members and they will assist you.
The purpose of tonight's meeting is to present the final
mileage rates and budget for the fiscal year 2324 fiscal
year, including the change from the rollback millage rate which
will generate the same revenue as the current year excluding
new construction.
In just a few minutes all have our Office of Management and
Budget director Mister Tim jacks he will be present
present in the FY 2324 budget and the final mileage rates
issue highlights and comments on the budgets that's being
presented here tonight the general fund recommended budget
is based on a millage rate of 4.8 7, 5, 1, The millage rate
will generate an additional 21.8 million in ad valorem tax
revenues for fiscal year, 24.
The final budget includes an edition of the team full-time
positions spread out between our Fire Department water
utilities and courts.
The budget demonstrates that our County enterprise funds
like the water sewer solid waste funds are financially
sound
provides for additional investments and the deferred
maintenance of our facilities equipment and infrastructure,
specifically focus on our roof and hvac replacements
improvements to our Park facilities, the wekiva golf
course trails in sports complex and finally we've been able to
keep our reserves and the general fund and approximately
60 million or about 20% of the budget operating revenues which
keeps is on target with our reserve policy.
There have been a few adjustments to the budget that
I have Mister checks go over and a few cuts that were made
along the way that I just briefly mention.
There are no changes to the mileage rates approved had our
first public hearing that we had a couple weeks ago. And
there are no changes to the total County wide budget aside
from a transfer of 60,000. A $60,000 within our general
fund to account for the county assuming responsibility of
legal services related to our canvassing board.
The cuts come as you know this this process starts back in
January February March. This past year.
We reviewed budgets for all 5 constitutional offices as well
as 72 programs under the control of the Board of County
commissioners we were able to approve every funding request.
As you all know we have to live within our means and be good
stewards of our taxpayers dollars but overall with the
department's because over 17 million dollars with a
request. That will re-evaluate over the next couple years the
constitutional as we've cut over a 1 million 800 but the
clerk but we have a we have a plan how we're going to
implement that over a couple years and then as you all know
the supervisor of elections is about 260,000.
Correct to 270, thank you to use that to try to 75,000.
But I also want to publicly commend the senior staff for
their cooperation throughout the budget process that has
resulted in this budget being considered tonight and I want
to applaud and thank all of the county staff for their willing
willing assistance the search for efficiencies expand the
work effort and offered their total support as we make
adjustments to the way we provide services to our
residents so at this time all have our men's been budget
director Mister Tim Jax to discuss the fiscal year 2324
mileage rates and budgets and after he's completed his
presentation chairman that we can win up to the public for
public comment. Thank you Mister Jax
thank you County manager and commissioners, I'm Timothy
checks with the Office of Management and budget.
In accordance with Florida statute in truth, the mileage
requirements, the FY 24 final budget was developed based on
the military shown here.
>> The first COLUMN shows the current have 23 adopted rates
the second COLUMN shows the rollback rate which would
generate the same amount of ad valorem taxes excluding new
construction.
The next COLUMN shows the FY 24 final mileage rates for all
districts.
And the last COLUMN shows the percentage of the final mileage
over the rollback rate
as you can see the FY 24 final rates are the same as the
current rates for all districts and these are the same rates
that were approved by the board at our first public hearing.
Well now read the rates in the record.
The general countywide millage of 4.8 7, 5, 1, Mills is 9.4 3%
over the rollback rate of 4.4 5, 5, 1, Mills.
The fire rescue him. Election of 2.7 6, 4, 9, Mills is 9.3 3%
over the rollback rate of 2.5 2, 8, 9, Mills.
The unincorporated roads MST you millage 0.1 1, 0, 7,
Mills, his 8.8 5% over the rollback rate 0.1 0, 1, 7,
Mills and the tentative aggregate millage rate for all
BCC taxing districts of 6.8 8, 6, 1, Mills, his 9% over the
current aggregate rollback rate of 6.3 1, 7, 8, miles
that concludes my presentation.
>> Thank you Mister Jax and misconstrue we have any members
of the public who would like to speak to the millage yes,
we have one George celery okay Mister salary if he would come
down.
You know that real name and address for the record.
And you have 3 minutes.
>> We could have some light.
Jorge Soler the 5231 shoreline circle in Sanford and I want to
say thanks to everything you guys do have a wonderful staff.
I hope you treat them while they're very valuable. They all
deserve a raise and help you get in get.
And we start by this is some trimbelle trim is basically
says tax increase occurs when the adopted millet rate exceeds
the rollback rate in this case, 9.4 3% actually critters.
I don't mind Republicans in 1981, I think because of that
issues with the current rate for says will backward and roll
back the supposed to be where everybody is now paying a
bigger share so the cost goes down. Everybody.
I'm not a big proponent rollback never have been in the
budget office with the county for a long time so I'm not
but I do believe everything about the rollback rate should
be justified.
2 year when that you should approve everything about that
roll back rate. There's a lot of jurisdictions rough country
that do that.
Next one please
and so when you do this you have to advertise it is a
notice of proposed tax increase and for the 3 general fund
roads fire you're bringing in 33 million in additional tax
staff first.
And what I want to see on this one and I got 2 in their
normally do in the one right now for this year estimated
revenues 312 million keep that in mind 3.12, appropriated
expenditures 300 million those are accounting classifications
and there he is everywhere in every single County or city
uses the same format.
Next one after that and again I want to go to this. I'm sure
Mister chairman but you had a great comment way back when I
want to use it
with inflation the way the economy is right now I think
it's the worst thing we could do back on the natural lands
referendum. Inflation all let's stop putting things out there
that are going to raise taxes.
I don't agree with it. But that's kind of what we're at
and I agree with that.
I agree with that sentiment conservative Republicans have
that
sentiment.
Next one is this is the House budget chairman federal level.
Republicans would refuse to consider any deal that includes
a tax increase.
State-level the same way with governor DeSantis this tax
increases were not the picture.
So the next one is this is the one I really want to focus on
and this is where you get a 500 page budget document sometimes
this helps put it in perspective.
These are the like the manager said 21.8 million.
The total general fund budgets.
Our reserves right now 65 million would fund 3 years
of the city along with the whole budget. So last year was
59 million that's a difference of 6.1 million in the reserves,
a chat.
Even at the height of the pandemic you're only at 49
50 million I'm asking they reduce the millage can bring
the reserves not any budget not any pay rates on any project
just bring the reserves to the current level
and finalize it when they say 20%.
I think on this before some prepared this time gf away
government finance officers Association Florida government
finance officers Association,
5 to 15% of operating revenues 2 months of operating
expenditures age, 17% think it's just a 100 Million.
Thank you.
>> Are there any other members of the public who wish to speak
regarding the mileage.
Mister Jax would be
was it.
Mister text you have anything you
Mike to it address regarding that resolution, yeah will
comment that the.
>> General fund reserves are just about 60 million dollars
charge is referencing a report that shows are some funds which
includes the Seminole forever that's 3.8 million dollars.
So we do a roll some of those funds together general fund
time, but they are for dedicated purposes.
So that that I want to make sure that's clear that the
general fund service, 60 Million.
>> Any questions for Mister Jax for the county manager Mister
Zahn why was he was dedicated to searching for.
So
>> mention that I have the same report that Georgia showing
there's 59 million 982 thousand our general fund there is a
$877,000 and serves in our facilities maintenance fund.
We within our reductions that we had to make this year
17 million dollars a lot of those were in the facility's
area so we were speaking, you know, internally about
potentially 17 to 20 million dollars of deferred maintenance
but to this reader will go to support that complete
replacement has a reserve $450,000. That's do too.
Vehicles that have been sold we basically take vehicles we sell
them expose him to put that into that fund that we use them
throughout the year as costs go up because we're basically
seeing costs increases across almost every vehicle that we
have
and the final 3.8 million is related to the Seminole
forever. It's our natural lands referendum.
That's been put into reserves at this time.
Thank you.
>> Would you maybe address.
The bond rating and are 20% or 20% reserve.
>> Our our reserve policy is complying with Florida statutes
which does indicate a 10% reserve for contingency it also
allows for reserved for cash carry forward. It allows for
reserved for one-time planned capital and then we have had a
2022, we went and had presentations to get our bond
rating upgraded with that Sun P and Moody's we got very direct
that feedback from them that they expected that we would
maintain the 20% reserve, they said other agencies that have
the same reserve or have the same rating as us have that
that reserve level so we've been given that direction from
them to maintain that 20% reserve.
>> So would it be just as a follow-up your your conclusion
that if we drop below that 20% reserve that our bond rating
would go down and then our cost to borrow money would go up,
there would be downward pressure on the rating and that
would increase our cost to borrow okay.
>> Any other questions commissioners about any
questions. Thank you, madam chair, but
would you put your microphone forward sorry.
That's better than I speak pretty loud but
just a couple statement coming.
I probably have been
the most hawkish on reserve since the day I arrived here.
And what I would tell Mister celery and I don't necessarily
disagree with his thought processes.
You don't know what you don't know. And I've learned a lot in
5 years and what I've learned I want to take over few moments.
And think Tim and Lori and that department for really starting
to scrub the the carryforward reserves that are sitting out
there and all that apartments I think that's
that's something that needs to be done was long overdue I
appreciate that very much
and I also want to thank our new management team who has
admitted
that we have millions of dollars of deferred
capital expenses.
All over this County that.
I think was the second or 3rd year that I started learning
about some of these different areas of the taxpayers have
already paid for that we have allowed to run down in a row in
which cost us 3, 4, 5, times what it should have. And the
fact that we're now acknowledging that we're
addressing that I think we're going to see these reserves
start to dwindle relatively quickly over the next couple
years as you start to take care summit deferred capital
improvement issues. So thank you very much for finally
taking a business perspective of protecting the tax dollars
of the taxpayers not only what the taxes are what they've
already paid for masks and not costing us the taxpayers.
1020 3040.
Well much more percentage because we just let it go to to
ruin and we have to start all over again so thank you all
very much for that.
>> Mister gray it didn't think you for that I just a comment
when Mister Jackson's reading what some of our reserves are
going for for for
a future capital projects jurisdictions and something
that we're we're talking about they separate that out in the
reserve lines reserved for contingency then you have a
reserve for future capital outlay are so really even
further defines it so that's something that Mister Jackson
are going to talk about maybe in this next budget cycle so
they can identify really what our contingency is and that is
for unfortunately as we heard was we seen an experienced
here. Hurricane Ian come through and we had up front all
you know those dollars that's what contingencies for help us
get through the first couple months to our revenue starts it
starts coming in, but then we can clearly identify what are
reserved for future capital outlay ours is for the deferred
maintenance or for project. Fire stations or anything else
that's out there that we know that's within a couple years of
our horizon and this is how we save up money to pay for things
like that so that what forward to that.
>> Make sure you keep any questions on the ballot.
Mister checks which talk about the budget we don't need a
motion. Oh I'm so sorry, I thought we were we were doing
it led to a right to have a motion to adopt the 2324
villages pursue moved second.
Motion and a second any further discussion all those in favor
say aye aye any opposed motion passes unanimously. Thank you
now, let's talk about the budget.
>> There's no change to the total County wide budget amount
of 1 million 71 1 Million 338 thousand. $637.
The only adjustment from the tentative budget is a $60,000
transfer within the general fund to account for the county
assuming responsibility of legal services related to the
canvassing board.
This chart shows the total budget by service area you can
see that public safety physical environment, transportation
make up 75% of the county's total expenditure budget,
public safety includes our Fire Department and sheriff's
offices.
Physical environments, while utilities and solid waste
services.
Transportation concludes road construction drainage and
traffic engineering
general government includes constitutional officers
facilities maintenance planning our self-insurance activities.
>> Just for housekeeping does sgt V see that screen as well
as that screen for folks at home because if there are only
seen that screen and they're not seeing it.
And I'd like to ask if this is part of the deferred
absolutely.
>> I said the separate line item to
>> I'm going to assume that no one running out from behind the
curtain means for good. I think Billy Mister pence checking on
that right now for us all right, I just don't want anyone
at home to feel like they have not been able to see the visual
provided were good. Thank you so much hate
do we have.
>> Motion to approve the budget
dollars.
>> Second there's a motion a second and then we will take
public comment because I think we do have someone here who
wants to Mister Horvath
Mister Horvath welcome.
It is. So you've heard there's already a motion in second.
So you're going to be part of our discussion.
Well, good. I like that sometimes all right, you said 3
minutes, if you'd state your name and address for the record
a Jon Horvath 1004 Bedford drive on the park Florida.
>> We as a people that's the Seminole County and Martin
County with one part mail address, I'm going to start
with the
mileage you are going to hit the road that I never like the
gentleman for me said it's a tricky thing and when we have
fire trucks that are cautioned million dollars for a fire
engine now when I remember back many years ago, there are
$50,000 so like everything else the cost has gone up there's a
lot of technology. So when you find equipment there's more
cost to it. So I always felt that the rollback was big
of thing that the state put in that didn't mean to say because
this local delegations of the county and cities. They're
always looking at the budget very closely anyway, and they
don't want to get their citizens to put off by not
doing the right thing. So the the budgets to me like I think
that should be eliminated, I said I remember when the host
was $5,000 and people thought it was great, but you know
when your house is set to $230,000 that doesn't help much
but it's changed just with it, you know the one thing I want
to ask is you've got stuff for 5 point your plans changes
apply point your view bill the administration. The
administration building and I think those need to be
continued because a lot of the facilities like commissioners
Barr said they're behind.
The 8 ball as I said before these meetings were nearly
480,000 citizens you've got to have the facilities to serve
480,000 citizens.
And another thing using.
I noticed in your budget for your meeting earlier that
you're talking about septic to sewer. I don't know what you're
doing with that that's part of budget but I know that's a big
thing because I no longer has been working on that.
At operation for several years because of the work week I
live. Smith. So you know you're not the first one and I know a
lot of West Coast and East Coast counties because on the
rivers they're trying to show that I know Sir Fred's articles
or Sarasota County Lake County, some of those are trying to get
those developments off the top the CEP because it's not
helping the waterways. And of course once you get a good on
the sure a lot of people like that but I grew up on a farm
there's only 4 of us in the House and we had a grudge and
we had to move the drain field for septic tank 3 times but we
had no neighbor so we can move it, I drive through some of the
subdivision where you see the septic tank out front. I want
to weigh the drain field is going to go you know go to
Charlie, we are Charlie are those ability are. You know
that's something that you can have and in the air over there
develop there is no doubt the country maybe but you know
depends on the soil is going up in shelters. I know what some
saw as can do and some can take water others role water so it's
a matter of serving the people so thank you, madam chair
commissioners and putting up with me for another meeting.
>> Thank you Mister yeah, we appreciate you being here.
It's not it will be a budget public hearing without using.
I missed one couple years ago. Making a point.
All right so we had a motion and a second to adopts the
fiscal year, 2324 final budget resolution is there any other
discussion on the part of the board.
>> Only to say that make sure we take this vote once we take
this vote we own it right now he owns it.
>> What's the motion a second all those in favor say aye aye
any opposed. Bush passes and you can.
Thank you very much. Mister Jacques thank you to your
entire team. Thank you, Mister gray,
there's a lot of work as you've already said that goes into
this budget and and just commissioner zembower point
this this has been your baby you've you've owned it and and
we have adopted it and we thank you for the work that went into
it.
We appreciate it could stop anything else to come for the
board, no one will be adjourned at five-fifty.