Board of County Commissioners

Gadsden County, Florida

Budget Workshop

August 16, 2016

4:00 p.m.

 

Present:               Brenda A. Holt, Chair, District 4

                                Eric Hinson, Vice Chair, District 1

                                Dr. Anthony “Dr. V” Viegbesie, District 2

                                Gene Morgan, District 3

                                Sherrie Taylor, District 5

                                Nicholas Thomas, Clerk of Court

                                Robert Presnell, County Administrator

                                David Weiss, County Attorney

                                Marcella Blocker, Deputy Clerk

 

1.

Welcome

  Chair Holt asked everyone to place their phones on silence or vibrate.

 

2.

Constitutional Officers Budget Requests

  Mr. Presnell said this workshop was for constitutional officers’ budget requests.

 

Property Appraiser

Robert Mayo, Property Appraisers Office appeared before the Board and explained their request.  Filed position they managed to keep empty the past 2-3 years. 

 

Morgan asked if they did not receive requested amount, what would happen, DOR granted them few thousand less than requested amount, if this budget not approved, what would happen.

 

David Weiss appeared at this juncture of the meeting

 

Holt said reason for workshop was to get questions out of the way before the meeting.

 

Tax Collector

No-one present

 

Morgan stepped out at this juncture of the meeting.

 

Clerk of Court

Clerk Thomas said their recommendation was approximately half of requested amount and was a start.  In past County did not give increase to Clerk and have had to absorb it-increase

 

Morgan returned

 

Presnell said they included FRS increases and recommended health insurance increases

 

Off-site storage left off request $15,000

 

Commissioner Hinson arrived at this juncture of the meeting.

 

Technology so important in Clerk’s office-so important- have server in building and off-site  Server replacement necessary-in past Board has not had to provide for equipment and Clerk provided hardware equipment

 

Madam Chair has made references Clerk had plenty of money-not so

 

With e-filing headed to paperless system and need the servers

 

Chair Holt asked the Clerk to work with them regarding travel and make approval easier.  Holt wanted to make sure they do rural and may lose and trying to get people to where they can get it.

 

Commissioner Taylor appeared at this juncture of the meeting.

 

Clerk Technology

 Total request $51,394 Increase $31,822

 

Sheriff Department

Staff recommended covering all increases- request $91,342 raises; $181,583 4 patrol deputies;

 

Commissioner Hinson asked about increases

 

Increase in Corrections-Staff recommended they be covered $34,721

 

Hinson think need to make sure it comes close to neighboring county with starting salary

 

Budget

Staff recommended $76,070 to cover FRS

 

Commissioner Taylor said she would like to hear from the Sheriff as to the amount he was requesting and why.

 

Sheriff Young appeared before the Board.  4 additional deputies-bailiff budget not included-when school out pull school resource officers out.

 

Taylor said bailiff always been part of his budget and should have been part of his budget in past.  Funded 2 positions;

 

Pondexter appeared before the Board to address questions.  Deputy base $30,000; bailiff $24,000

 

Hinson asked how could Board help; safety should be #1;

 

Young said could sit with County Manager and Finance Manager; look at # of people each deputy responds to in zones, do salary study, starting salaries should be around $34,000-$35,000  Hinson asked total employees-around 114

 

Hinson said start with wish list

 

Young said lot going on with LEO around the country

 

Holt said had met with cities, wants to meet with school board and constitutional officers-sometimes city & county can get grants easier than alone

 

Taylor said knew when took oath of this office, in his position pulled in different directions, think a feasibility study needs to be done not on how he spends but what he spends it on  Believed his total interest was to protect 

 

Taylor said at end of day is to put more bodies on street

 

Holt said everyone could look at budgets and do better

 

Hinson said when brought about EMS, had headaches,

 

Supervisor of Elections

Increase statewide-recommended $

SOE salary adjusted to match other constitutional officers except Sheriff per population

 

Holt said if they received message, invited everyone to sit down with them to discuss further

 

3.

Non-Profits & Community Organizations

  Mr. Presnell said staff had recommendations regarding this

 

Hinson said noticed, heard from staff, want to make sure they see what he wants to do first to know where he’s at

 

Wants to know where $1 Million shortfall came from

 

Presnell said after last workshop, emailed to everyone and can send it again

 

Mr. Presnell said $6.1

 

Chair said if not funded last year, recommending cutting half of everything new

 

Hinson said look at last year

 

Holt said look at rotating off after number of years

 

Holt asked if Hinson would like to go with 2016 budget

 

Holt said for funding something that would provide in all districts

 

Hinson said wanted to fund Havana Community $25,000

 

Gadsden Art Center $25,000 not county capital outlay project

 

Main Street-only Gadsden and Chattahoochee active

 

Can fund non-profit and they can do what they want with money-David explained they are giving non-profit

 

Hinson wanted $20,000 to go toward Havana Community

 

Holt willing to give $10,000 to Havana Community; Art center $10,000

 

Presnell said cut $20,000, fund

 

Taylor said not think fair to cut all projects and fund one-need to implement rotation program

We Care just as significant as others  let new requests know can re-visit in 6 months-

Taylor said voting keep where is now

 

Hinson said why selected was commissioners put in

 

Holt said done to get them to go after programs

 

Mr. Presnell said they saw work downtown painting poles, flagpoles in Chattahoochee

 

Hinson said only reason suggested-no-one ever submitted requests and thought open money

 

Holt said in favor of doing what did last year and look at rotation process-can’t keep funding

 

Holt asked if We Care turned in request-no; have to get them to turn in requests

 

Holt said need to approach health council and appoint someone from county to oversee; go with last year and set amount

 

Morgan asked Robert-said would like to see projection-revenues are trending downwards-costs of personnel going up-need to look at other rural counties not neighboring counties-if keep on this track $ won’t be there long-want to see projection for balanced budget

 

Holt said looking at what had done with non-profits-5%

 

Hinson wants on record not agree

 

August 23rd budget special meeting so commissioners could vote

 

Taylor said echo sentiments not cut across board because may cost jobs-in favor of maintaining where now.

 

CITIZENS REQUESTING TO BE HEARD ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS

 

 

   Sam Palmer, 1225 Berry Street, 2 most important things safety and health issues-State not funded Medicaid; 20% indigent and more important and recommended Commissioners to see if could give more money to health department with stipulation they tell what they doing with money to further indigent care.  Asked they look at priorities & let people know they do care.

 

Holt said she was looking at health care tax, do have health council and they can beef it up

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.

Overview and Budget Issues

 

MOTION TO ADJOURN

  Meeting adjourned 5:40 p.m.