GADSDEN COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

AGENDA & NOTES

BUDGET WORKSHOP

JULY 11, 2012

                                                                         

 

Present:               Sherrie Taylor, Chair, District 5 (arrived late)

                                Gene Morgan, Vice-Chair, District 3 (absent)

                                Eugene Lamb, District 1

                                Doug Croley, District 2

                                Brenda Holt, District 4

                                Jeff Price, Budget Director

                                Clay VanLandingham, Property Appraiser

                                Arthur Lawson, Interim County Administrator

                                Beryl H. Wood, Deputy Clerk

                               

1.       Call to order:  

 

Commissioner Croley called the meeting to order.

 

2.      Review of Interim County Administrator Memo – Jeff Price

 

Price - Priorities you would like for us to address, get direction, so we won’t have to have July 26 – Budget Workshop. He referenced Mr. Lawson’s Memo.

 

Mr. Lawson referenced his memo where it stated the Gadsden County Management has worked hard this year to provide the Board a tentative annual budget that reflects the economic times and providing our citizens with  essential services. He mentioned during the preparation of the tentative annual budget, the following items were considered:

·        Used the Property Appraiser July 1 assessed value of $1, 255,680,324 and added the $70 million for the natural gas pipeline to the tax roll per the Property assessor ($1,325,680,324).

·        For revenues, we used the State’s revenue estimates, information from Florida Association of Counties and Small County Coalition and estimates based on historical trends.

·        Included in the personnel numbers are the Florida Retirement System new rates but not the medical insurance 5% rate increase.

·        The Judicial budget was revised and will decrease by nearly $30,000 on July 10th.

·        A meeting between Budget Office and the Finance Department has been scheduled to review the entire budget especially EMS and the Library.

 

3.      FY 12/13 Recap – Tentative Budget Recap FY 2012- FY 2013

4.      Revenues

·        Property taxes decrease by nearly $350,000 based on the Property Appraisers’ July 1 number plus his $70 million pipeline value comment.

·        Raising the millage rate to the rolled back rate (8.9064 to 9.1919) will increase property taxes back to the last year.

·        Reorganized several departments – Neighborhood Services, Parks, Animal Control

Questions:

Croley – are you saying raise millage rate. He said he was not in favor of raising taxes.

Price – Yes.

Lamb – I remember roll back, I am in favor of going back to roll back rate.  In effort to keep services this may need to happen.

Holt – Asked about the money that was used to purchase the Tax Collector Building. She  said this money has to service that debt.  She said there is no other choice than to go back to roll back rate.

Lamb – We decided to go back to give citizens a break. We will have to go back to roll back rate.

Croley – 5% increase in Medical Insurance- let’s take alternative health reimbursement.

Lawson stated they are still waiting on other proposal different alternatives.

Contingency should be used for emergencies.  If you don’t put $100,000 it will reduce budget by that amount.

Holt – She asked where would they get the $100,000.00.

Lawson – The way the budget is structured, something must come out.

Taylor -  A certain amount needed to be keep in contingency.

Lawson – no

Lamb – public should have faith in their Commissioners.

Holt – Fine Money, how are we going to fund this.

Taylor –Based on the info that was given by Property Appraiser.

Lawson – It equals about $300,000 (shortfall); Medicaid -$260,000 backlog, $75,000(monthly bill)

Taylor – Are we already budgeted.

Lawson – 1.2 budgeted this year for Medicaid is in the budget.

Price – Balancing by getting rid of some non profits and other services.

Lawson – Everything you put in, you have to find where it’s coming from.

Taylor – Not in favor of a rollback, how much is roll back total $350,000.00. In favor of reserve.

Croley – not in favor of raising taxes; Not for profit take some of the $100,000.000 and fund some of the projects.(Moving funds from Contingency)

Holt – A rollback is not a tax increase.

Lamb – Rollback, Reserve and Contingency. He encouraged the Board to make a decision.

Lawson – 4.2 Million (Reserve)

Taylor – What we what funded in this budget. Rollback, Reserve or Cuts.

Taylor – Can’t support a rollback.

Taylor – Let’s look at funding to keep some of the programs.

 

Lawson – termination clause within 60days @ 75,000 a year for both clubs @ $150,000

Taylor – redo lease for Boys and Girls.

Croley – reduce

Lamb – negotiation of lease and amount

Holt - $50,000 each

Chamber of Commerce

Holt –plan $20,000 no plan 0 (would like to see what other members pay)

Lamb - $95,000

Croley – would like to see budget

Taylor - $40,000

 

***Find a number and average what is being suggested around the Board.***Manager will ask for budget.

 

Senior Center Gadsden County

Holt –

Croley – Budget

 

***We need Budgets from local organizations.

 

Lawson – do we need to look at reserve.

 

Taylor – try to balance budget without rollback; we can’t give manager a true number.

Clerk of Court & Supervisor of Election – minor increase; Sheriff asked for additional 5% increase – decided to fund at current level as last year.

Holt – Constitutional Officers can be cut.

Lamb – concurred with Commissioner Holt, Constitutional Officer’s should cut also.

Taylor – let’s year we did, the 2% cut for all Constitutional’s. 

Consensus – to ask Constitutional’s to cut by 1%, 2% or 3%. Lawson will look at numbers.

 

Next Meting – July 26, 2012 @ 4pm.

 

Adjourned at 5:40pm