Board of County Commissioners

Gadsden County, Florida

Final Budget Public Hearing

September 19, 2016

6:00 p.m.

Present: Brenda A. Holt, Chair, District 4-appeared by telephone

Eric Hinson, Vice Chair, District 1-arrived late

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

Gene Morgan, District 3-appeared by phone

Sherrie Taylor, District 5

Robert Presnell, County Administrator

Nicholas Thomas, Clerk of Court

David Weiss, County Attorney

Marcella Blocker, Deputy Clerk

Citizens Requesting to Be Heard on Non-Agenda Items

Commissioner Taylor called the meeting to order at 6:01 p.m.

There were no citizens that requested to speak.

PUBLIC HEARING

PUBLIC HEARING-Final Budget Public Hearing for Adoption of Final Millage Rate and Final Budget for Fiscal Year 2016-2017

Mr. Presnell said there were 2 items to be voted on tonight-need to pass 2 Resolutions: 1) sets millage rate and 2) adopts final budget-he then asked if there were any particular things the Commissioner wished to discuss or request changes, this was the time.

Taylor asked if the millage rate needed to be voted separate from final budget-yes

Asked for public comment-none

V asked if millage rate set make them fiscal for the year; apologized for missing last meeting-was in hospital; heard at last meeting 1.5% cut-asked that be put back to not cause any stress on county with regard to providing services required to do & asked it be reinstated

Taylor said topic well received & noted and asked if could move forward on adopting final millage rate

V motion to adopt option 1 Resolution 2016-018, the Final FY 2016-2017 Countywide Millage Rate of 8.9064/Morgan 4-0 passed

Taylor asked for discussion of final budget for 2016-2017

Holt interested in same position as last meeting of adding health care coordinator and asked amount be set aside to get health numbers up in county

Taylor said V wanted to see 1.5 % cut placed back in budget and Holt wanted to add health care coordinator

Taylor asked for discussion regarding 1.5% cut

V asked if new position was part of original budget-no, will be add-on-V asked how will impact budget as now

Presnell said originally was asked for $100,000 to include salary plus benefits but impact would be what board set that amount at-if choose to add position could do for $75,000 or $80,000 total-depend on what they want to pay.

Holt not in favor of cutting 1.5%-need to look at other measures

Taylor said assuming Presnell talked to other constitutional officers regarding cut-asked if any had heartburn and were any positions or jobs in jeopardy-Sheriff said will make request later in year for his funding to be restored

Taylor said put on floor for vote

V moved to reinstate 1.5% cut/Holt second

Hinson appeared at this time and took over as chair. Taylor brought him up to speed.

Holt said to include 1.5% so Sheriff could move on with his budget

Hinson asked how much cut was for Sheriff’s budget-Presnell said $130,000, he & public works took largest hits-Hinson said got to protect Sheriff-asked how much cleared out of $1.5 Million-Presnell said reduced at last budget hearing-$500,000

V said he anticipated by end of fiscal year, sheriff and other offices coming before the Board asking for emergency funds to complete fiscal year and his position was they were here as custodians of taxpayers $ - need to be on safe side and go with the most viable and fiscal budget, carry vote up and down and call it a day

Hinson asked if do this, how would impact Sheriff budget, if he would have to lose or fire anyone-Presnell said up to Sheriff, he indicated if substantial cut, he would be asking it to be restored and he was very concerned.

V said didn’t think needed to look at just sheriff, but other constitutional officers that would be losing 1.5% of the budget and other departments outside of constitutional officers with 1.5% cut that would put unnecessary strain on their ability to get work done. His position was he hoped to vote up or down.

Morgan said most reasonable citizens understood they couldn’t keep spending more $ than taking in, need to prioritize – areas where could cut dollars-question is do they want to do that-when $ not there, not there. He felt they were in charge of maintaining a healthy fund balance. Don’t think makes good sense to continually pull from fund balance and not healthy on a rural county with budget this size.

Hinson asked if everything as is now, how much in fund balance-$5 Million? Presnell said $5.5 plus whatever put back in at end of fiscal year. Hinson said if don’t cut 1.5% will still have $5.5-Presnell said around $5 Million plus unspent funds that go back in at end of year-Hinson said $5.5 Million-almost $6 million. Presnell said if make cut would be about $6 Million

Hinson said V not here last meeting when he proposed 25 more summer youth jobs – said was curious and asked again how much the county had-Presnell said in either case would have over $5 Million-if leave 1.5% reduction in-will be closer to $6 Million

Hinson asked how much state said we needed to be at-Presnell said 5%-around $2.5-3 Million

Hinson asked if in good fiscal condition-Presnell said didn’t think anyone saying not in sound fiscal condition-hearing concerns about trend two years in row using some of cash to balance but will get audit at end of year that says still in good fiscal shape

Hinson asked if any public work employees would lose their jobs-no-would make cuts in other areas.

V said if take less annually from savings to replenish is actually saving because taking less and less from savings-if increasing amount coming from reserve every year means balance decreasing at increasing rate-said “it makes no sense for one to live by the bank of the river and wash their hands with spit”

Hinson said everyone had pet projects-like community center-when have more money in reserve, no problem in putting that stuff out there-for instance-Sheriff situation-now time to start doing things to help community-more money we have we can do Instead of cut 1.5 give raise of 1.5-several ways to look at it-insurance going up-people need raise

V called the question

Hinson said have employees struggling-insurance went up-Morgan said costs were covered-Hinson said would agree with 1% cut and 2% raise

V said invoking Roberts Rule of Order-he called the question

V said motion was budget reflect reinstatement of 1.5% across board cut, go back to what was before and Holt made second

Hinson asked if in Roberts rules of order

David said person that made the motion could move to call the question & motion to call question then voted on by body & not debatable

Morgan made second

5-0 to call question

David said motion on bringing budget back to what was before 1.5% cut/V made motion/Holt 3-2 Hinson, Morgan opposed

Hinson made motion to give employees 2% raise-V said millage rate set, $ not there

Hinson motion to give employees across board 2% raise/Taylor

Holt had questions-higher than cut last meeting-$ will come out of reserve-Holt wanted to make sure can meet that without meeting all day and night

Hinson called the vote 3-2-Morgan, V opposed

V asked for roll call vote

Holt yes

Hinson yes

Morgan no

V no

Taylor yes

3-2 vote – motion passed Morgan/V opposed

Holt motion to approve up to $100,000 for health care coordinator and $ set aside/

V asked if understood with motion position to be created or if $ included in this budget-yes-has to be included in this budget – telling her at conference must be aggressive

V made second because policy workshop he attended dealt with health and human services and Gad County does not have health and human services director. Dr. Cooksey not answerable and county needs to have someone look into this for county and position needed for Gadsden County

Hinson called for vote and said needed to be aggressive with healthcare and did not want to duplicate-before vote wanted to make sure did all research-in favor after did all research-can’t support tonight because not done research

Holt said in research will find evaluation of county not only include healthcare but other items-she gave example and said more serious than people think-get paid to look after people of the county-been enough time for research because been out for years

Morgan said no problem with developing comprehensive program for county-issue have not willing to reprioritize spending-limited amt of $-whole issue with what discussing earlier-heading in direction was in years ago-need to make cuts other places-can’t continue on long term basis-will catch up- encouraged them where could make cuts-where do they want to look to fund everything

V said current executive director. Dr. Cooksey is executive director with Department of Health-directly answerable to State not county-she was present and best person to speak so they would know how they could work with DOH – if Hinson’s wish, ask her to come forward to conclude research to get to bottom-Morgan’s comments very good

Hinson said no need to call her up-Hinson said have folks that want to come to Gadsden County-Apalachee Center-State $-do we give extra-no-Hinson said wanted to talk about it because serious situation-not against-think need to do workshop

Holt said not debating how to use $-set aside & Board will decide how to use it-make vote up or down

Holt said budget could be adjusted-will show county committed in healthcare area-only asking $ be set aside for health safety and welfare

Holt called question

2-3 motion failed Hinson, Morgan, Taylor opposed Motion failed

Hinson threw out again-asked board to give 25 summer youth jobs/Taylor second

Holt question-how can vote for that when don’t have permanent jobs for healthcare

V asked why provide people with income if not well enough to spend it

Hinson said when working at 14, 15, 16- gives good work ethics, provides insurance and for some, breaking curse-giving them opportunity and otherwise may not be motivated to get job-Hinson said they had life lessons-taught them to dress, act-

Holt said to vote

Hinson said thought voted already-no

Hinson called the vote-mtn and second on floor

Morgan asked how impacted budget-Presnell said $25,000-Hinson said that’s all

4-1 vote Morgan opposed

Presnell said Board needed to adopt option 2 with revised number of $48,535,075-increases $25,000 summer youth; raises and 1.5 added in

Morgan asked what would be borrowing from fund balance-$1.3 Million-Morgan said hoped they were good with it-they were flying plane

Taylor made motion to adopt option 2-Resolution 2016-019 with amended changes of $48,535,075-increases $25,000 for summer youth jobs; 2% raise for employees and 1.5% added in /Hinson second

4-1 vote Morgan opposed

MOTION TO ADJOURN

adjourned 7:21 p.m.