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.
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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
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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.
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CITIZENS REQUESTING TO BE HEARD ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS
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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
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4. |
Overview and Budget Issues
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MOTION TO ADJOURN Meeting adjourned 5:40 p.m. |