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UH, WE'LL CALL TO ORDER THE, UH, WEDNESDAY,
[1) CALL TO ORDER]
JULY, 2020 SECOND CITY COMMISSION MEETING ON WATER DEPARTMENT BUDGET BRIEFING WORKSHOP AND AGENDA REVIEW.[2) ROLL CALL]
PLEASE? COMMISSIONER DAVIS HERE.COMMISSIONER DOLLISON, WHO'S NOT YET PRESENT.
UM, COMMISSIONER BIRDSONG HERE.
MAYOR PROM, MERCER HERE, AND MAYOR Y HERE.
SO WE'LL HAVE THE, UH, BUDGET BRIEFING
[3.A) City of Winter Haven FY 2026-2027 Proposed Budget Presentation - T. Michael Stavres, City Manager]
WORKSHOP NOW, THE CITY OF WINTERHAVEN FISCAL YEAR 26 27.PROPOSED BUDGET PRESENTATION BY CITY MANAGER STAFFS.
I'M GOING MAKE MY WAY TO THE, TO THE WELL TO PRESENT THIS IN THE PODIUM, BUT I DO JUST WANT TO OFFER ONE CORRECTION.
I SEE THAT THE TITLE OF THIS MEETING AT THE TOP REFLECTS WATER DEPARTMENT BUDGET BRIEFING.
THIS IS ACTUALLY EVERYTHING BUT THE WATER DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET.
UM, THAT WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE NUMBERS I PRESENT.
HOWEVER, THE DETAIL ON THAT BUDGET WILL NOT COME FORWARD UNTIL I BELIEVE THE FIRST WORKSHOP IN MAY.
UM, BUT WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET BRIEFING DISCUSSION UNDER THREE EIGHT IS CORRECT.
SO MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS, IT IS, UH, PLEASURE TO PRESENT TO YOU THIS EVENING, OUR TENTATIVE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 27.
I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH THE FOUR OF YOU PLUS COMMISSIONER DOLLON INDIVIDUALLY, TO PROVIDE SOME BRIEFINGS AND GO INTO A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ON SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE PARTICULAR INTEREST, UH, TO YOU AND, AND GAVE YOU A CHANCE TO ASK QUESTIONS, HELPED US FURTHER REFINE SOME OF THE THINGS WITHIN THE BUDGET.
I WANNA START THIS EVENING WITH, UH, JUST A WORD OF APPRECIATION, FIRST OFF, UH, TO OUR CFO, CHRIS REEDER, UH, MR. ALLEN WEEKS, AND BRANDON BUSIER OF OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
SO THESE THREE GENTLEMEN HAVE THE PLEASURE OF TAKING ALL OF WHAT DEPARTMENTS BRING FORWARD, UH, GUIDANCE FROM THE COMMISSION, MY OWN GUIDANCE THAT I PROVIDE TO THEM, AND BRING THAT INTO ABU LAND.
THAT IS A BUDGET THAT WE CAN, UM, THAT WE CAN FUND, AND THAT IS, UH, CONSISTENT WITH REVENUES THAT WE HAVE AND PRIORITIES AND THE LIKE.
SO, UH, TO THEM, I, A SPECIAL THANK YOU.
THAT'S A LOT OF NUMBER CRUNCHING THAT, UH, HAS OCCURRED ALSO TO KATRINA HILL, WHO HAS PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN PUTTING TOGETHER OUR PRESENTATION FOR THIS EVENING, AS WELL AS THE TENTATIVE BUDGET THAT WE PROVIDE OUT TO THE PUBLIC.
I ALSO WANT TO EXTEND TO MY DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS THAT ARE HERE IN THE AUDIENCE, MY APPRECIATION TO THEM, THEY WERE GIVEN SOME PRETTY CLEAR INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO APPROACH THIS YEAR'S BUDGET AND HAVE DONE SO, AND I THINK THEY'VE BEEN VERY RESPONSIBLE, VERY STRATEGIC, UH, VERY FUTURE LOOKING INTO WHAT CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES MAY EXIST OUT THERE AND HAVE STRUCTURED THEIR REQUEST ACCORDINGLY.
AND CERTAINLY LAST, BUT BY NO MEANS LEAST THE FIVE OF YOU IN PROVIDING DIRECTION TO US IN WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR AND WHAT YOUR PRIORITIES ARE, UH, FOR THE COMING YEAR.
UM, THIS BUDGET, UH, PRESENTATION THIS EVENING IS GOING TO BE A VERY HIGH LEVEL, YET DETAILED OVERVIEW OF THE OVERALL BUDGET.
IT'S DONE IN A FORMAT THAT KIND OF COMMUNICATES IN CLEARER TERMS WHAT ALL THE NUMBERS SAY.
UM, IN ADVANCE OF ME GETTING INTO THE PRESENTATION, ONE OF THE THINGS I'D LIKE FOR KATRINA TO WALK US THROUGH IS, YOU KNOW, IN, IN FULL COMMITMENT TO OUR TRANSPARENCY AND OUR FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE REQUIRED BY STATUTE TO POST INFORMATION TO OUR WEBSITE.
OUR ENTIRE TENTATIVE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 27 IS AVAILABLE ONLINE.
AND THAT IS NOT JUST FOR YOU, BUT THAT IS FOR OUR CI CITIZENS AND INTERESTED PARTIES.
UM, YOU DON'T GET A BIG GIANT BOOK ANYMORE, UH, LIKE WE DID IN YEARS PAST.
EVERYTHING IS AVAILABLE THROUGH OUR OPENGOV PLATFORM, WHICH IS EMBEDDED WITHIN OUR WEBSITE.
SO I'M GONNA ASK KATRINA, KATRINA, IF YOU WOULD, TO, TO WALK THROUGH THAT.
SO WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN IS OUR HOMEPAGE OF OUR WEBSITE, MY WINTERHAVEN.COM.
IF YOU HOVER OVER THE DEPARTMENT'S TAB, SCROLL DOWN AND JUST CLICK ON FINANCIAL SERVICES THAT WILL LOAD THE FINANCE PAGE.
AND RIGHT HERE AT THE TOP, YOU HAVE YOUR PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 27 BUDGET.
CLICKING ON THAT LINK WILL TAKE YOU RIGHT TO THE FULL BUDGET.
IT TAKES YOU RIGHT TO THE TABLE A CONTENTS PAGE WHERE YOU CAN FIND ANY OF
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THE DIFFERENT COST CENTERS AND FUNDS, AND YOU CAN ALSO NAVIGATE AT THE TOP OR TRANSLATE INTO ABOUT 75 LANGUAGES AS NEEDED.SO AGAIN, EVERY COST CENTER THAT WE HAVE, EVERY FUND IS WITHIN THIS.
SO IF YOU'RE HAVING TROUBLE SLEEPING AT NIGHT AND YOU WANT TO SEE WHAT WE'RE DOING WITHIN THE URBAN FORESTRY FUND, IT IS RIGHT THERE FOR YOUR PERUSAL.
OKAY? WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR A FEW YEARS NOW, RIGHT? LIKE WELDED.
WE, WE'VE HAD THE, UM, IN THIS FORMAT.
WE, SO WE'VE ALWAYS PUT THE BUDGET ONLINE AS A PDF, THIS, THIS LAST YEAR.
WE WERE ABLE TO LOAD IN THE BUDGET IN THIS FORMAT, UM, EVEN THOUGH WE ONLY CREATED A PORTION OF THE BUDGET FROM CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS THAT WE ARE LIKE IN THAT TEST VERSION OF OPENGOV THIS YEAR, WE PUT EVERY DEPARTMENT THROUGH OPEN GOV'S IN, UH, UPLOADING OF INFORMATION.
SO THIS WILL LOOK VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU WOULD'VE SEEN IN 2026.
UM, AND THEN WHEN SHOULD THIS BE APPROVED AND ADOPTED BY THE CITY COMMISSION? IT WILL THEN BE JUST KINDA RELABELED AS THE FINAL BUDGET FOR 27.
AND I THINK KATRINA, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN I THINK THE PAST FIVE YEARS OF BUDGETS, UM, BY THE STATUTE.
SO YOU CITIZENS CAN DO COMPARISONS AND THE LIKE THERE.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL JUMP INTO OUR BUDGET PRESENTATION.
UM, I WANNA APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE TO THOSE THAT CAME OUT TO GIVE PRESENTATIONS THE NIGHT FOR ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE REGULAR AGENDA.
SO MY FRIENDS FROM JONES EDMONDS AND MORTON SMITH AND OTHER FOLKS, UH, THEY'RE GONNA BE WAITING A LITTLE WHILE.
I ALSO JUST LOOKED OVER MY SHOULDER AND I DO WANNA MAKE A QUICK INTRODUCTION IF I CAN BEFORE I GET STARTED.
MR. ALEX PRICE IS WITH US THIS EVENING.
UM, ALEX, IF YOU WOULD STAND, PLEASE.
UH, ALEX IS THE NEW REGIONAL AFFAIRS DIRECTOR.
I DUNNO IF THAT'S MANAGER, UH, POSITION FOR TAMPA ELECTRIC COMPANY.
UM, THIS POSITION, UH, YOU PROBABLY REMEMBER THROUGH YOUR DEALINGS, WAS RECENTLY HELD BY NICK PLOT AND THEN WAS TEMPORARILY FILLED, UH, FOR A SHORT, UH, FEW MONTHS BY, UM, MORGAN ODOM.
I BELIEVE THE NAME WAS MJ, IS THAT CORRECT? UM, AND, UH, SINCE HER DEPARTURE, ALEX HAS NOW COME INTO THAT ROLE.
HE IS LEFT THE CFDC AND, UH, STEPPED INTO THIS CAPACITY.
WE HAD A CHANCE TO MEET WITH HIM TODAY TO TALK EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND COORDINATION ON PROJECTS AND THE LIKE.
AND WE ARE EXTREMELY EXCITED TO HAVE HIM IN OUR FOLD.
AND, UH, WORKING WITH US IS OUR REPRESENTATIVE FROM TECO JOINING US IN THESE TYPES OF THINGS.
OKAY, SO THE BUDGET FOR WINTER HAVEN IS BUILT AROUND THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
THE STRATEGIC PLAN WAS ADOPTED BY THE COMMISSION IN 2024 AND IS FOUNDED ON THESE FOUR, THESE SIX PILLARS, YOU KNOW, THAT WE DO SURVEYING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, TWICE A YEAR EACH YEAR.
THAT GIVES US A, UH, KIND OF A SNAPSHOT OF THE PUBLIC SENTIMENT IN TERMS OF SATISFACTION IN EACH OF THESE AREAS.
IT'S INTERESTING AND, AND I'LL BE ABLE TO SHARE MORE IN THE, IN THE COMING WEEKS, WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING THROUGH THE BUDGET AND IDENTIFYING ALL THE COSTS THAT PERTAIN TO EACH OF THESE STRATEGIC PILLARS.
BUT COINCIDENTALLY, ONE OF THE PILLARS THAT WE PERFORM LOWEST ON IN TERMS OF OVERALL SATISFACTION, WHEN I SAY LOW, IT'S NOT A HORRIBLE SCORE, IT'S IN THE HIGH SEVENTIES, IS INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND WHAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE IN THIS BUDGET IS A TREMENDOUS INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE OF STRENGTHENING PREDOMINANTLY OUR WATER AND SEWER SYSTEMS. UM, IT IS A CONSERVATIVE BUDGET, BUT IT DOES HAVE A TREMENDOUS INVESTMENT IN, IN INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND I WILL REITERATE THAT THROUGHOUT, AND I'M GONNA TRY AND SHARE SOME ANALYSES THAT I HAVE DONE THAT COMPLIMENTS THE CONSERVATIVE APPROACH STAFF TOOK IN BUILDING A BUDGET PREDOMINANTLY AS IT PERTAINS TO THE GENERAL FUND WHERE TAXPAYER VALOREM TAXES GO IN AS A REVENUE.
UM, A LOT OF THE BIG EXPENSES WE HAVE WILL EXIST WITHIN OUR PROPRIETARY OR BUSINESS ORIENTED OPERATIONS THAT ARE, THAT ARE FUNDED THROUGH THE FEES AND CHARGES BY THOSE THAT USE THOSE SERVICES.
BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS, AND I WILL START AND CLOSE WITH THIS SLIDE.
UM, OUR BUDGET AS PROPOSED FOR FISCAL YEAR 27 IS 371,845,623 TH $23.
SO THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION, I'M GONNA REFER TO THAT AS JUST 372 MILLION.
UM, SAVE ME A LITTLE BIT OF BREATH AND TONGUE, TONGUE TANGLING.
THE, UH, IN COMPARISON TO THE FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET, IT IS A DIFFERENCE OF ABOUT $120 MILLION, AN INCREASE OF ABOUT $120 MILLION
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OF WHICH ALL OF THAT PLUS MORE IS TIED DIRECTLY TO ONE TIME CAPITAL INVESTMENTS, MANY OF WHICH WILL BE FOR PROJECTS THAT SERVE THE COMMUNITY FOR OVER 50 YEARS YET TO COME.WATER PLANTS, WASTEWATER PLANTS ARE THE TWO BIGGEST WITHIN THERE.
IF WE JUST LOOKED AT THE GENERAL FUND, THE GENERAL FUND FOR FISCAL YEAR 27 IS CRAFTED AT ABOUT $85.5 MILLION IN COMPARISON TO $79.7 MILLION THE YEAR PRIOR.
THAT'S A DIFFERENCE OF LESS THAN $6 MILLION BETWEEN THE TWO YEARS.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE AGAIN, WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT PROPERTY TAXES AND AFFORDABILITY, THAT'S WHERE PEOPLE'S MINDS GO.
WHAT ARE WE DOING WITHIN THAT GENERAL FUND? WE'RE NOT SPENDING LIKE DRUNKEN SAILORS IN PORT FOR THE WEEKEND.
THESE ARE REASONABLE AND REALISTIC INCREASES IN CERTAIN AREAS THAT IT COSTS TO MAINTAIN THE LEVEL OF SERVICES THAT WE HAVE.
THE BUDGET IS FULLY BALANCED AS IT HAS TO BE AT THE CURRENT MILLAGE RATE OF 6.5900 MILLS.
COINCIDENTALLY, THE ROLLBACK RATE IS CALCULATED FOR, UH, TO ACHIEVE THE SAME REVENUES.
IS IT 6.55? SO IT'S A DIFFERENCE OF FOUR ONE HUNDREDTHS OF A MILL.
THAT'S PROBABLY THE CLOSEST THAT WE'VE EVER BEEN TO THE ROLLBACK RATE, UH, CERTAINLY IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.
I THINK YOU'D HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE GREAT RECESSION TO BE CLOSER IN.
IN TERMS OF YOUR ACTUAL MILLAGE TO YOUR ROLLBACK.
GROSS PROPERTY VALUES IN WINTER HAVEN INCREASED BY JUST UNDER 5% AT 4.97%.
THE TOTAL TAXABLE VALUES FOR PROPERTY IS APPROXIMATELY $5.61 BILLION.
THAT IS ALL YOUR RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURE VACANT LANDS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
IF YOU TAKE THAT 4.97%, UH, KIND OF INTERESTING THIS YEAR, 2.83% IS TIED TO NEW GROWTH.
SO THAT IS DEVELOPMENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED THAT GOT A CO IN TIME FOR THOSE PROPERTIES TO BE ADDED TO THE TAX ROLL.
UM, THAT IS SOME OF THE INDUSTRIAL STUFF THAT COMES ONLINE.
THAT IS SOME MULTIFAMILY, SOME COMMERCIAL, AND CERTAINLY SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL.
WE DO HAVE OTHER PROJECTS IN THE MIX, AS YOU KNOW, WITH THE INDUSTRIAL PARK.
THE CHICK-FIL-A COMPLEX WILL COME ON AT SOME POINT IN THE NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE.
THERE'S ALSO DEVELOPMENT OF A 1.4 MILLION SQUARE FOOT WAREHOUSING OPERATION OUT THERE THAT IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION NOW, BUT WILL NOT COME ONLINE IN TERM TO REFLECT IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
PROPERTY VALUES OF EXISTING PROPERTIES ONLY INCREASE BY 2.14%.
UM, I CAN'T GIVE YOU REASONS FOR THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S TIED BECAUSE THERE'S SUFFICIENT INVENTORY OR THERE'S JUST LESS PEOPLE MOVING IN THAT HAS CAUSED THE COST OF NEW HOUSING OR RESALES TO COME DOWN.
BUT THAT IS REFLECTIVE OF THAT TYPE OF ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, INFLUENCE.
AVALOR REVENUES THAT WE TAKE IN BASED UPON THESE PROPERTY VALUES INCREASED THIS YEAR BY A TOTAL OF $1.5 MILLION TO GIVE US A TOTAL ALOR REVENUE PROJECTION OF $32,753,796.
BY COMPARISON IN RECENT YEARS, THE INCREASE IN ALOR THAT WE ANTICIPATED YEAR OVER YEAR WAS USUALLY ABOVE THREE, MAYBE THREE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
SO THE FACT THAT YOU ONLY HAVE A 4.9%, NINE 7% INCREASE IN TAXABLE VALUES HAS A DIRECT INFLUENCE ON WHAT IS YOUR ADDITIONAL REVENUE COMING IN FOR AVALOR.
IT'S A PRETTY FLAT SYSTEM TO SAY THE LEAST.
UH, GOING FORWARD THIS YEAR IN THE DOWNTOWN CRA, WE SAW AN INCREASE OF ABOUT 147, ALMOST $148,000 IN REVENUES TO BE REALIZED THERE.
AND IN FLORENCE VA AN ADDITIONAL APPROXIMATELY $109,000.
OUR BUDGET DOES CONTINUE YOUR INVESTMENT INTO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND.
WE ANTICIPATE SOME REQUESTS FOR USE OF THOSE DOLLARS IN THE COMING MONTHS, AND OVER THE NET OVER THE FISCAL YEAR.
UH, WE DO CONTINUE TO PUT $250,000 INTO THAT ACCOUNT.
UM, WE ALSO CONTINUE TO FUND, UH, OUR STEP PROGRAM THAT WAS PUT INTO PLAY SEVERAL YEARS BACK THAT PROVIDES EMPLOYEES AN ADJUSTMENT THROUGH THEIR PAY GRADE ON THEIR ANNIVERSARY DATE IF THEY HAVE ACHIEVED A SATISFACTORY OR GREATER RATING ON THEIR ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW.
AND THEN I HAVE INCORPORATED, AND I'M RECOMMENDING A 3% COST
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OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT FOR OUR EMPLOYEES ABSENT THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING UNITS WITHIN POLICE AND FIRE, WE'RE STILL AT THE NEGOTIATING TABLE WITH THEM, SO THAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN WHERE THOSE LAND.BUT WE HAVE BUDGETED IN A 3% FOR OUR WORKFORCE.
THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES, 776 BUDGETED POSITIONS TOTAL, THAT'S PART-TIME AND FULL-TIME.
THERE ARE ONLY SIX NEW POSITIONS RECOMMENDED FOR NEXT YEAR SPIKE GROWTH WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
OF THOSE SIX POSITIONS, ONE IS RECOMMENDED TO BE FILLED AT HALF YEAR, MEANING IT WOULDN'T BE APPROVED UNTIL MARCH.
AND THAT IS ENTIRELY CONTINGENT UPON PROPERTY TAX REFORM OUTCOMES.
THE OTHER FIVE ARE WITHIN OUR PROPRIETARY ACCOUNTS, SO THEY ARE SUPPORTED BY THE FEES AND CHARGES OF THOSE BUSINESS-LIKE OPERATIONS.
THE OTHER THING I FAILED TO MENTION IN CREATING A BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 27, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME FOR ME, UM, AND PROBABLY FOR MOST CITY MANAGERS THAT YOU'RE BUILDING A BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 27, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT YOUR REVENUES MIGHT BE IN FISCAL YEAR 28, BECAUSE THE DECISIONS WE MAKE FOR FISCAL YEAR 27, PARTICULARLY AS THEY PERTAIN TO RECURRING EXPENSES, PERSONNEL, OPERATIONS, EXPANSIONS OF SERVICES, YOU MAKE THAT DECISION TODAY BASED UPON WHAT YOU HAVE IN TERMS OF REVENUES, KNOWING THAT YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE THOSE REVENUES IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
AND FOR YEARS THEREAFTER, WE HAD TO BE CONSERVATIVE IN DOING SO.
AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT POSITIONS, WHEN WE LOOK AT COST OF LIVING, WHEN WE LOOK AT EXPANSION OF SERVICES, WE THROTTLED THAT WAY BACK, NOT KNOWING IF WE WERE GONNA BE ABLE TO CONTINUE IT PAST FISCAL YEAR 27 MILLAGE RATES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
WE CONTINUE TO ACQUIRE THIS INFORMATION AS OUR, OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT, UH, PRESENT THEIR BUDGETS.
BUT YOU CAN SEE, UH, AT PRESENT TIME, WE ARE IN THE LOWER HALF OF THE PROPERTY.
UH, MILLAGE RATES NUMBER EIGHT IN COMPARISON TO THE 18 OTHER TAXING JURISDICTIONS THROUGHOUT POLK COUNTY.
UM, I DON'T ANTICIPATE CHANGES IN OTHER CITIES OR THE COUNTY WITH RESPECT TO THEIR MILLAGE RATE.
I THINK THE UNCERTAINTY OF AMENDMENT THREE AND PROPERTY TAX REFORM HAS GOT EVERYBODY PRETTY MUCH IN A HOLDING PATTERN.
BUT WHAT I DO FIND INTERESTING, AND BECAUSE YOU HAVE RECENTLY HAD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE CONSIDERATION OF A FIRE SERVICE FEE, THAT IS, IT'S NOT AN ADDITIONAL MILLAGE, BUT IT IS AN, IT IS AN ADDITIONAL REVENUE THAT SOME CITIES TAP INTO.
AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE THOSE FIRE SERVICE FEES, THEN THEIR MILLAGE RATES WOULD LIKELY BE HIGHER THAN WHAT THEY ARE TO SUPPORT THEIR FIRE OPERATIONS.
SO THOSE AGENCIES THAT HAVE FIRE SERVICE FEES WOULD INCLUDE BARTOW, WHICH IS PRESENTLY NUMBER FIVE ON THIS LIST.
UNINCORPORATED POLK COUNTY HAS A FIRE SERVICE FEE, AND THEY'RE NUMBER NINE.
HANS CITY NUMBER 12 HAS A FIRE SERVICE FEE.
DUNDEE HAS A FIRE SERVICE FEE, AND LAKE WALES HAS A FIRE SERVICE FEE.
SO IF YOU THINK IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE THOSE, THOSE MILLAGE RATES WOULD LIKELY BE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN WHAT THEY'RE, THEY ARE AT PRESENT TIME LOOKING AT THE BUDGETS COMPARED.
SO LET ME KINDA WALK THROUGH THIS.
YOU CAN SEE AT THE TOP LAST YEAR'S BUDGET OR THE CURRENT YEARS IS ABOUT 252 MILLION.
NEXT YEAR'S ABOUT 372 MILLION.
THE FIRST THING THAT WE DO IS WE BACK OUT INTRA FUND TRANSFERS.
SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS IF THERE'S A TRANSFER FROM ONE FUND INTO ANOTHER, IT'S RECORDED AS AN EXPENSE GOING OUT.
AND THEN WHEN THAT EX, WHEN THAT RECEIVING FUND SPENDS THOSE ON A PROJECT OR A SERVICE, IT'S RECORDED AGAIN AS AN EXPENSE.
SO WE DON'T WANT TO RECORD THINGS AS A DOUBLE EXPENSE.
SO WE BACK THOSE OUT, AS YOU CAN SEE WITH THOSE NEGATIVE NUMBERS THERE.
SO THE TOTAL AMOUNT TO BE APPROPRIATED FOR NEXT YEAR, APPROXIMATELY 329 MILLION I MENTIONED, WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN CAPITAL PROJECTS NEXT YEAR.
YOU CAN SEE $110 MILLION ALONE WITH JUST WITHIN MAJOR PROJECTS IN THE UTILITY OPERATIONS, THE DOWNTOWN PARKING GARAGE AT 10 AND A HALF MILLION EFFORTS TO, UH, ESTABLISH NEW PICKLEBALL COURTS, A MILLION AND A HALF IMPROVEMENTS AT OMA PARK SPECIFIC TO THE FOOTBALL OPERATIONS.
A NEW ROOF TO GO ONTO THE FLORIDA CITRUS BUILDING ARE NORM HALL, HALF A MILLION DOLLARS.
RITZ THEATER, A NEW ROOF AND NEW AIR CONDITIONING, HALF A MILLION DOLLARS IMPROVEMENTS IN ENHANCEMENTS TO THREE OF OUR EXISTING FIRE STATIONS.
I SHARED WITH YOU ALL THAT IN DECEMBER OF 2025, WE HAD THE UNFORTUNATE SITUATION WHERE SOMEBODY TOTALED OUT ONE OF OUR FIRE TRUCKS BY DRIVING A CAR INTO IT.
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WE RECEIVED SOME PAYMENT ON THAT FOR INSURANCE, BUT IT DIDN'T COVER WHAT THE COST OF A NEW FIRETRUCK IS.SO WE HAVE TO FIND $720,000 TO FULFILL THE REST OF THE COST TO REPLACE THAT FIRETRUCK THAT WE WEREN'T EXPECTING TO REPLACE THIS YEAR.
WE WERE HOPING THAT WE'D BE ABLE TO FUND THAT FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS AND REPLACE IT ACCORDING TO OUR SCHEDULE, BUT IT CAME DUE MUCH SOONER BECAUSE OF THAT ACCIDENT.
AND THEN THE OTHER CAPITAL THAT'S TIED IN SPECIFIC TO VEHICLE REPLACEMENTS, EQUIPMENT, OTHER MISCELLANEOUS INFRASTRUCTURE, WHEN YOU BACK THOSE OUT, THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF PERSONNEL OPERATING IN NON-CAPITAL EXPENDITURES IS 151,550,000.
THAT IS ABOUT $12.8 MILLION ACROSS ALL FUNDS MORE THAN IT WAS LAST YEAR, OR ABOUT 9.3% ON ALL FUNDS, INCLUDING YOUR BUSINESS OPERATIONS.
I THINK THAT TAKING IT FROM THAT APPROACH, YOU UNDERSTAND MORE.
SO THE INVESTMENT THAT WE'RE PROPOSING WITHIN CAPITAL IS WHAT THAT CAUSE FOR SUCH A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN BUDGET IS IF WE LOOK AT ALL DIFFERENT FUNDS THAT WE HAVE, THE UTILITY FUND IS BY FAR THE LARGEST.
AND AGAIN, THE VAST MAJORITY OF WHAT IS IN THAT UTILITY FUND IS THE INITIAL INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S GONNA EXIST AND SERVE THE COMMUNITY FOR 50 YEARS PLUS.
THIS HAPPENS TO BE PROBABLY THE FIRST OF THREE OR FOUR YEARS IN WHICH WE'RE MAKING SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS INTO WATER PLANTS IN WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS.
THE GENERAL FUND FOLLOWS THAT AT 85 MILLION.
THE NEXT TWO LARGEST FUNDS ARE TRANSPORTATION AND CONSTRUCTION.
AGAIN, ONE-TIME EXPENSES NON-RECURRING.
THIS IS CAPITAL THAT WE'VE GOT TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THE REST OF THE FUNDS AS THEY, THEY COME DOWN THROUGH THERE.
I TALKED ABOUT THE PROPRIETARY FUNDS AS BEING BUSINESS OPERATIONS.
SO WE HEAR ALL THE TIME, WHY DOESN'T GOVERNMENT OPERATE MORE LIKE A BUSINESS? WELL, THE REALITY IS WE DO OPERATE LIKE A BUSINESS.
IN FACT, 215, ALMOST 216 MILLION OR 58% OF OUR BUDGET IS IN BUSINESSLIKE OPERATIONS.
WASTEWATER, STORM, WATER, WATER, UM, THE GOLF COURSE, THE, THE DARK FIBER OPERATIONS.
THOSE ARE BUSINESS OPERATIONS.
THEY DON'T RELY UPON TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
THEY INSTEAD GENERATE FEES THAT OFFSET THEIR EXPENSES.
THE SOLID WASTE FUND, YOU PAY A SOLID WASTE FEE TO HAVE YOUR GARBAGE COLLECTED.
THAT IS WHAT PAYS FOR THE STAFF AND THE EQUIPMENT AND THE RESOURCES IT NEEDS TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE.
WHERE WE CAN OPERATE AS A BUSINESS, WE DO.
SO THE OTHER ONES FALL WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND OR SPECIAL FUNDS, CONSTRUCTION FUNDS AND INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS.
BUT I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT, AND IT'S A GOOD TALKING POINT, THAT WHEN PEOPLE SAY GOVERNMENT SHOULD OPERATE MORE LIKE A BUSINESS, 58% OF WHAT WE DO IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS OPERATED AS A BUSINESS.
IF YOU LOOK AT ALL OF OUR EXPENSES, CAPITAL IS THE BIGGEST DEMAND ON ON OUR COSTS.
SO $177.5 MILLION IS GOING TOWARDS CAPITAL INVESTMENTS.
THAT IS INVESTMENTS IN ROADS, IN UTILITY SYSTEMS AND PLAYGROUNDS IN EQUIPMENT, A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
THAT IS THE BULK OF WHERE OUR EXPENSE LIVES FOR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, FOLLOWED BY PERSONNEL SERVICES AT ABOUT 18.4% IN OPERATING AT ABOUT 17, ALMOST 18% OF THE BUDGET.
THAT'S LOOKING, AGAIN, THE ENTIRE PICTURE.
EVERYTHING FROM UTILITIES TO URBAN FORESTRY AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN THERE.
LOOK, LOOKING AT ALL THE FUNDS BY CLASSIFICATION, THIS JUST GIVES YOU THE SAME INFORMATION BUT A YEAR OVER YEAR COMPARISON.
AND I DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE CHART THAT YOU SEE.
SO THE FIRST BARS WITHIN THAT ARE CAPITAL.
AND YOU CAN SEE WHAT WE DID IN CAPITAL LAST YEAR VERSUS WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO DO IN CAPITAL NEXT YEAR.
IT IS NIGHT AND DAY BECAUSE WE'RE AT THE POINT WHERE THOSE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS THAT ARE 50 YEARS OLD ARE COMING DUE AND HAVE TO BE UPGRADED, ENHANCED, REPLACED, EXPANDED TO MEET NOT ONLY TODAY'S CUSTOMERS, BUT CUSTOMERS WELL INTO THE FUTURE.
YOU DON'T EXPAND THESE EVERY YEAR.
THESE ARE ONE TIME MAJOR INVESTMENTS THAT YOU HAVE TO DO.
AND THE LONGER YOU PUT 'EM OFF, THE MORE EXPENSIVE THEY BECOME PERSONNEL, LESS THAN 5% CHANGE YEAR OVER YEAR OPERATIONS, JUST OVER 8% YEAR OVER YEAR.
YOU KNOW, THAT IS, THAT IS ATTRIBUTED
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TO, UH, THE MERIT INCREASES OR THE STEP PLAN THAT WE DO WITH THE PERSONNEL SIDE.IT CERTAINLY ISN'T FROM ADDING A WHOLE LOT OF NEW POSITIONS IN OPERATIONS.
WE SEE THE SAME OPERATIONAL EXPENSES THAT OTHERS DO.
THE PRICE OF GAS, WE USE A TON OF GAS.
WE'RE RUNNING FIRE TRUCKS, POLICE CARS, SOLID WASTE VEHICLES, UTILITY SERVICE VEHICLES SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
AND WHEN GAS PRICES GO ABOVE $4, BECAUSE WE'RE GOVERNMENT, WE DON'T GET SOME SPECIAL BREAK ON THAT.
WHEN ELECTRICAL COSTS, ELECTRICITY COSTS GO UP, WE PAY THOSE.
WHEN WATER COSTS GO UP, WE PAY THOSE.
SO WE'RE SEEING THE SAME KIND OF INFLATIONARY COSTS AS THE GENERAL CITIZEN OR BUSINESS OWNER IS GOING TO SEE.
I WILL POINT OUT THE, UM, IN THE SUPPORT OF OTHER FUNDS, YOU SEE ABOUT A 26% INCREASE THERE.
A BIG PIECE OF THAT IS TRANSFERRING MONEY TO THE, UM, FOR THE, SPECIFICALLY FOR THE PARKING GARAGE THAT WE HAD IN ONE FUND.
AND WE'RE PUTTING ALL OF OUR PARKING GARAGE MONEY INTO A, A SINGLE FUND.
UM, CHRIS, I THINK WE'RE PUTTING IT ALL WITHIN THE CONSTRUCTION FUND, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
SO THERE'S SOME MONEY IN THE TRANSPORTATION FUND THAT TRANSFERS IN THERE, AND THAT'S WHAT THAT REPRESENTS.
YOU HAVE A COPY OF THIS PRESENTATION, SO I'M NOT GONNA BELABOR THIS PART TOO MUCH, BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SUPPORT OF OTHER FUNDS, THERE'S SOME DETAIL THERE.
UH, NOT ONLY WHAT THE GENERAL FUND PROVIDES OUT TO LIBRARIES AND CEMETERIES IN THE AIRPORT, BUT ALSO WHAT SOLID WASTE AND WATER AND SEWER PROVIDE BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT NON-DEPARTMENTAL EXPENSES, THAT'S OUR INSURANCE, OUR INTERNAL SERVICE ALLOCATIONS FOR HUMAN RESOURCES, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES, ENGINEERING FACILITY MAINTENANCE, OUR POOLED VEHICLE EXPENSES.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DEBT SERVICES, WE HAVE A FEW, UM, DEBT, UH, ISSUANCES WITHIN THE UTILITIES, EITHER THROUGH BONDS OR THROUGH SRF LOANS.
AND THEN FOUR THAT YOU CAN SEE THERE UNDER GENERAL GOVERNMENT, WE ARE ANTICIPATING DOING A BOND ISSUANCE AT SOME POINT IN FISCAL YEAR 27 TO HELP SUPPORT THOSE CAPITAL INVESTMENTS.
AND I'LL SAY THIS NOW, THE FEES THAT WERE ADOPTED BY THE CITY COMMISSION IN AUGUST OF 2024 CONTEMPLATED A LARGE BORROWING TO FUND THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AND WHAT THE DEBT PAYMENTS ON THAT WOULD BE.
SO YOU HAVE ALREADY PUT INTO PLAY THE MEANS TO PAY DOWN DEBT SERVICE WITHIN YOUR UTILITIES, AND THOSE DOLLARS ARE COMING IN SO THAT WHEN THAT MONEY IS BORROWED TO DO THOSE PROJECTS, THE COST TO PAY IT OFF IS ALREADY ACCOUNTED FOR.
IN FACT, WE'RE DOING, UH, AN UPDATE TO THOSE RATES NOW TO VERIFY, YES, THIS IS WHAT IT NEEDS TO BE AND IN CONSIDERATION OF CHANGES WITHIN STATE STATUTE THAT CHANGE HOW WE DO RATES IN THE GENERAL FUND.
I'M GONNA SPEND A FEW MINUTES HERE BECAUSE WE TALK ABOUT PROPERTY TAX REFORM.
YOUR AVALOR TAX REVENUES ANTICIPATED FOR FISCAL YEAR 27 ARE ABOUT $33.1 MILLION.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT IS THE BIGGEST SLICE OF THE PIE.
UM, COMPARED TO LAST YEAR, IT WAS ABOUT $31.5 MILLION.
WE DO GET SOME ADDITIONAL REVENUE ABOUT $400,000 OFF PENALTIES AND DELINQUENT PAYMENTS, LATE PAYMENTS, THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT NOT A BIG CHANGE IN THE OVERALL NUMBER FOR, UM, FOR VALOREM.
WE RECEIVED EARLIER THIS WEEK A COPY OF THE, UH, STATE'S REVENUE ESTIMATING CONFERENCES REPORT THAT SPELLS OUT WHAT THE ANTICIPATED LOSSES ARE FOR EVERY COUNTY AND EVERY CITY WITHIN THE STATE.
YOU MAY RECALL WHEN I PRESENTED INFORMATION A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, I SHARED THAT THE PROPERTY APPRAISER NEIL COMEY'S OFFICE HAD ANTICIPATED YEAR TWO LOSSES IN WINTER HAVEN TO BE ABOUT $10.4 MILLION.
THE STATE'S REVENUE ESTIMATING CONFERENCE REPORT SHOWS THAT OVER $13 MILLION.
SO THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT BLOW SHOULD THAT COME TO, TO FRUITION.
UM, AND I THINK THAT THAT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO, TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT.
IT'S IT'S LIKELY GOING TO BE OVER 33% OF YOUR AVALOR REVENUES IF IT SHOULD PASS IN NOVEMBER.
OTHER REVENUES THAT COME IN THE TRANSFERS AND CONTRIBUTIONS, WE DO GET SOME MONEY THAT COMES IN FROM THE DOWNTOWN CRA THAT IS FOR DEBT PAYMENT AND LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED WITHIN THE CRA.
WE RECEIVE SOME MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL BUILDING, WHICH WE HAVE DOWN ON THIRD STREET SOUTH.
IMPACT FEES GET TRANSFERRED INTO OFFSET SOME CAPITAL EXPENSES WHERE WE ARE EXPANDING A SERVICE.
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THE BUILDING FUND MAKES A CONTRIBUTION TO OFFSET SOME OF THE FIRE INSPECTION SERVICES THAT ARE TIED BACK TO BUILDING LIFE SAFETY AND WORK THAT THEY DO IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BUILDING DIVISION.AND THEN THE UTILITY FUNDS CONTRIBUTION REPRESENTS 12% OF THEIR, UM, UH, OPERATING REVENUES FROM THE YEAR PRIOR.
AND THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE COMMISSION'S POLICY THAT WAS ADOPTED, I BELIEVE IN 2017.
AND THEN THE SOLID WASTE FUND ALSO MAKES A CONTRIBUTION OF ABOUT $1.2 MILLION.
WE RECEIVED SOME MONEY FROM THE COUNTY, IS A PORTION OF DEBT ON IMPROVEMENTS THAT WERE MADE AT CHANNEL LAKES PARK.
WE ALSO RECEIVE MONEY FROM FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR OUR MAINTENANCE OF THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS ON STATE ROADS AS WELL AS RIGHTS OF WAY MAINTENANCE.
AND THEN SOME FUNDS COME IN FOR OFF-DUTY DETAILS.
UH, ASSOCIATED WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE RECEIVE ABOUT $43,000 OF COUNTY BUSINESS TAX RECEIPTS AND ABOUT $60,000 IN A SRO THAT HAS BEEN TRADITIONALLY ASSIGNED TO NEW BEGINNINGS HIGH SCHOOL.
UH, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT MAY GO AWAY THIS YEAR.
HOWEVER, UH, A NEW CHARTER SCHOOL THAT IS GOING TO BE OPENING UP IS EXPRESSED INTEREST IN HAVING AN SRO AND POTENTIALLY ONE OTHER.
SO THAT NUMBER COULD ACTUALLY INCREASE, WHICH WOULD BE GREAT.
THE GENERAL FUND, AGAIN, THIS IS WHERE YOUR TAXPAYERS DOLLARS ARE GOING, ABOUT 48 AND A HALF PERCENT OF THE FUNDS ARE BEING USED FOR PERSONNEL EXPENSES OPERATING ABOUT SET, ALMOST 18% IN CAPITAL, JUST UNDER 9% IN YOUR GENERAL FUND.
YOU HAVE POLICE, FIRE, UH, CODE, COMPLIANCE, PLANNING, FINANCE, UH, THE STREETS DIVISION, ALL OF YOUR PARKS AND RECREATION OPERATIONS.
IT'S A VERY HEAVY PERSONNEL ORIENTED, UH, OPERATION.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEIR CAPITAL, AS YOU SEE HERE AT ABOUT $7.3 MILLION, THAT IS CERTAINLY NOT ALL OF THE CAPITAL THAT HAPPENS WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND.
BIG PROJECTS THAT THEY ARE DOING IS AN EXAMPLE, UM, THE PARKING GARAGE OR A FIRE STATION.
WE PULL THOSE DOLLARS OUT AND WE PUT THEM IN A CONSTRUCTION FUND BECAUSE THEY ARE EASIER FOR US TO TRACK AND MANAGE IN A CONSTRUCTION FUND.
THOSE ARE PROJECTS THAT TAKE MULTIPLE YEARS TO DELIVER.
AND WHEN THEY'RE ISOLATED WITHIN A CONSTRUCTION FUND, WE CAN MORE ACCURATELY TRACK AND UNDERSTAND WHERE THOSE DOLLARS ARE BEING USED AND FOR WHAT PURPOSES.
WHAT REMAINS WITHIN CAPITAL WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND ARE THE SMALLER THINGS.
THAT IS A NEW ROOF ON FLORIDA CITRUS BUILDING OR ON THE, THE RITZ THEATER.
IT IS THE DELTA BETWEEN WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN FUNDED FOR POLICE VEHICLES AND WHAT THE ACTUAL COST WILL BE.
THINGS THAT WE CAN EASILY COMPLETE WITHIN THE FISCAL YEAR, UM, THAT DON'T HAVE, UH, SUCH A, A COMPLEXITY TO THEM IS SOME OF THE BIGGER PROJECTS.
AGAIN, YEAR OVER YEAR COMPARISONS, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE GENERAL FUNDS INCREASE FROM 79.6 MILLION.
THIS CURRENT YEAR TO 84 AND A HALF MILLION OR 85 AND A HALF MILLION NEXT YEAR IS ABOUT 7.26% INCREASE YEAR OVER YEAR.
I RAN A CALCULATION EARLIER TODAY THAT IF YOU PULLED OUT THE CAPITAL, IF YOU PULLED OUT THOSE TRUE ONE-TIME EXPENSES AND LEFT EVERYTHING IN THE DIFFERENCE FROM 26 FISCAL YEAR TO 27 IS ABOUT $3.4 MILLION OR 4.6%.
THAT IS AN EXTREMELY CONSERVATIVE BUDGET YEAR OVER YEAR IN RELATION TO WHAT COST OF LIVING OR CPI AND OTHER EXPENSES ARE SHOWING.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S THE TAKEAWAY.
YEAH, YOU'VE GOT A 372 MILLION BUDGET VERSUS 252.
OH MY GOSH, IT'S INCREASING, YOU KNOW, CLOSE TO 50% YEAR OVER YEAR.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD AND WHERE TAXPAYER DOLLARS ARE BEING USED AND YOU CUT OUT THE CAPITAL THAT'S WITHIN THAT, IT'S ABOUT A 4.6 INCREASE YEAR OVER YEAR.
SOME OF THE OPERATING SERVICES THAT WE COVER WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND, OBVIOUSLY CONTRACTUAL AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, ALL THE OCCUPANCY UTILITY COSTS, FUELS, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
PHONE SERVICES, UM, MEMBERSHIPS, SUBSCRIPTIONS, TRAVEL FUEL, I MENTIONED, UH, OTHER CONSUMABLE SUPPLIES.
THE NON-DEPARTMENTAL EXPENSES, THAT'S THE BUS SERVICE WE JUST HEARD FROM CITRUS CONNECTION ABOUT A MONTH AGO THAT THAT'S GOING UP EVER SO SLIGHTLY.
OUR INSURANCE, OUR INTERNAL SERVICE CHARGERS FOR THOSE OTHER SUPPORTING DEPARTMENTS THAT HELP EVERY DEPARTMENT, THE AUDIT AND BANK FEES.
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AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A QUALIFIED TARGET INDUSTRY INCENTIVE THAT WE PAY OUT OF THERE.THE GENERAL FUND ALSO HELPS DELIVER, UH, SERVICES THAT ARE OUTSIDE THE GENERAL FUND.
SO THEY MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TO ALL THOSE THAT YOU SEE THERE.
THE LIBRARY, AIRPORT CEMETERY, AND, UH, A CONTRIBUTION TO WILLOWBROOK GOLF COURSE.
THEY'RE MAKING A TRANSFER TO THE TRANSPORTATION FUND OF $2 MILLION THAT GOES TOWARDS THE ROAD RESURFACING PROJECT EACH YEAR.
THEY'RE, UH, CONTRIBUTING MONEY TO THE CONSTRUCTION FUND OFF OF AVAILABLE FUND BALANCE FOR IMPROVEMENTS AT AT OMA PARK.
UM, THE CONTRIBUTION TO THE WINTERHAVEN HOUSING AUTHORITY I MENTIONED.
YOU, AS I MENTIONED, THEY HAVE A NUMBER OF, UH, PROJECTS OR BOND ISSUANCES THAT WERE ESTABLISHED OVER THE YEARS THAT THEY CONTINUE TO PAY THEIR DEBT SERVICE ON.
AND THEN THEIR CAPITAL, AGAIN, ABOUT $7.3 MILLION.
YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE BULK OF THAT EXISTS WITHIN THOSE ITEMS LISTED AT THE BOTTOM.
LOOKING AT THE DEPARTMENTS OF THE GENERAL FUND, WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO? SO IF YOU TAKE THE BIGGEST CHUNK AT THE TOP, $21.2 MILLION IS GOING TOWARDS SUPPORT FOR OTHER FUNDS AT ABOUT 7.2 MILLION.
NON-DEPARTMENTAL EXPENSES, ABOUT 6.8 AND GRANT AID IN THE CDFI PRO PROGRAM AT ABOUT 4.83 MILLION IN TERMS OF ACTUAL DEPARTMENTS.
POLICE IS THE BIG DOG FOLLOWED RIGHT BEHIND IT BY FIRE.
AND THAT'S THE WAY THAT WE WOULD EXPECT IT TO BE.
THAT IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS TO PROTECT AND SAFEGUARD LIFE AND PROPERTY.
SO YOUR BIGGEST EXPENSE FALLS WITHIN THOSE AREAS.
THE SECOND, THE THIRD BIGGEST EXPENSE WITHIN DEPARTMENTS IS IN PARKS AND RECREATION.
AGAIN, MAKES A LOT OF SENSE WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND THE PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES THAT YOU PROVIDE FOR YOUR CITIZENS.
THE FIELD HOUSE, THE CULTURAL CENTER ON, ON MLK BOULEVARD, THE SPORTS COMPLEXES, THE SENIOR CENTER, UM, ALL OF THE PARKS THAT WE HAVE THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF LAND AND RESOURCES THAT THEY MANAGE THROUGH THE GENERAL FUND.
UM, KIND OF THE COMPARISON OF HOW MUCH DO YOU TAKE IN IN AD VALOR MONEY 'CAUSE THAT'S THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM AND HOW MUCH GOES OUT TOWARDS PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO WE OPERATE UNDER A THREE-LEGGED STOOL OF PROPERTY OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO POLICE, FIRE AND SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS MAKE UP THAT STOOL.
THOSE THREE DEPARTMENTS COMBINED COST NEXT YEAR, THREE POINT $38.8 MILLION.
AVALOR PROPERTY TAX IS PROJECTED TO BRING IN $33.1 MILLION.
THE DELTA BETWEEN PROPERTY TAX REVENUES AND WHAT IT TAKES TO KEEP A COMMUNITY SAFE IS ALMOST $5.7 MILLION.
AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT IN THE LONG TERM, IF YOU HAD TO CUT 10.4, OR GOD FORBID, $13 MILLION FROM YOUR BUDGET, THERE'S YOUR BUDGET NEXT YEAR, WHERE DO YOU TAKE IT FROM? WHAT DO YOU NO LONGER DO? AND I KNOW WE'VE HAD SOME COM SOME DISCUSSIONS ON RATHER THAN CUTTING WHAT ARE THE REPLACEMENT STRATEGIES.
AND I'M GRATEFUL TO HEAR THAT BECAUSE IF YOU PUT IT UPON ME TO SAY, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA CUT THAT EQUALS $13 MILLION? THERE'S A WHOLE LOT THAT THIS COMMUNITY HAS COME TO LOVE AND APPRECIATE, UH, AND SUPPORT THAT WOULD NO LONGER BE THERE.
FUNDING PARTNERS THAT WE ARE, UH, SCHEDULED TO CONTRIBUTE TO NEXT YEAR ARE COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
AGAIN, THESE ARE THE AGENCIES THAT HELP FULFILL THE MISSION OF THE CITY.
SO POLK VISION, MAIN STREET, WINTERHAVEN, THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND THE EDC, THOSE ARE CONSISTENT LEVELS WITH WHAT WE'VE FUNDED OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.
OUR SERVICE DELIVERY PARTNERS HELP US ACTUALLY DELIVER A SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY, UH, VIA PARTNERSHIPS WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENTS.
SO KEEP WINTERHAVEN CLEAN AND BEAUTIFUL AND KEEP POLK COUNTY BEAUTIFUL ARE PART OF OUR LITTER CONTROL INITIATIVES AND BEAUTIFICATION EFFORTS.
WE FUND THEM WITHIN THE SOLID WASTE OPERATIONS.
AND THEN WITHIN PARKS AND RECREATION WE FUND, WE SET ASIDE DOLLARS FOR THE MARCHING WOLVERINES COMMUNITY BAND AND RIDGE ART ASSOCIATION.
THOSE ARE NOT CHECKS THAT WE JUST STROKE AND HAND OVER TO THE INDIVIDUALS.
THIS IS MONEY THAT WE HAVE EARMARKED SPECIFICALLY FOR NEEDS THAT THEY HAVE AS THEY COME UP THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THAT WE, IF THEY NEED IN RIDGE ART
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NEW HANGING EQUIPMENT FOR SOMETHING IN ONE OF THEIR EXHIBITS, WE HAVE THE DOLLARS TO MAKE THAT PURCHASE UP TO THIS AMOUNT.AND THEN THE EXTERNAL SERVICES THAT WE BUDGET FOR, UH, WINTER HAVEN AREA TRANSIT NEXT YEAR IS JUST SHY OF $306,000.
I HAVE INCLUDED A CONTINUATION OF THE HOMELESS INITIATIVE WITH HART FOR WINTERHAVEN AT $295,000.
THAT IS THEIR EFFORTS TO, UH, ELIMINATE HOMELESSNESS AMONGST FAMILIES WITH SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN IN WINTERHAVEN.
THEY ARE MAKING TREMENDOUS STRIDES IN THAT.
UH, I HAVE A MEETING SCHEDULED WITH MR. BRAD BEATTY COMING UP IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO, UH, WHERE I ANTICIPATE RECEIVING THAT REQUEST AND IT WILL COME TO YOU ALL FOR AUTHORIZATION.
BUT RATHER THAN HAVING TO FIND THAT MONEY LATER, UH, I WENT AHEAD AND PUT IT IN THE BUDGET.
IF WE DON'T NEED IT, WE DON'T NEED IT, BUT I'D RATHER HAVE IT AND NOT NEED IT THAN NEED IT AND NOT HAVE IT.
AND THEN THE CDFI PROGRAM, THAT IS THEIR, UM, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL INSTITUTION.
I THINK I'M SAYING THAT RIGHT.
UM, WE PUT $500,000 TOWARDS THAT LAST YEAR AS SEED MONEY.
AND THE, UH, ANTICIPATION WAS THAT ON THE FOUR YEARS FOLLOWING, SO YEARS TWO THROUGH FIVE, THE CITY WOULD CONTRIBUTE 125,000 TO THAT.
THAT IS MONEY, THAT IS SEED MONEY THAT ALLOWS THEM TO DO MICRO LOANS OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY FOR STARTUP BUSINESSES.
AND THOSE THAT CANNOT QUALIFY FOR LENDING THROUGH TRADITIONAL MEANS.
WE DIDN'T EXPEND THAT MONEY YET THOUGH, RIGHT? WE HAVE NOT.
SO THERE IS STILL $500,000 EARMARKED IN THIS CURRENT YEAR'S BUDGET.
I KNOW THAT THEY'RE WORKING TO GET THAT PROGRAM OFF THE GROUND.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, IF IT DOESN'T GO FORWARD IN THIS FISCAL YEAR, WE WILL NOTE THAT AND HAVE THAT AVAILABLE IN THE EVENT.
I THINK THAT JUST BECAUSE THEY DON'T MEET A A FISCAL YEAR TIMELINE, I STILL THINK THAT'S A VALUABLE PROGRAM.
I THINK THE COMMISSION AGREES THAT IF IT, IF IT CAN, CAN COME TO BE, IT'S A, IT'S A WORTHY, UH, AVENUE FOR PEOPLE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
THERE'S A LOT OF HURDLES YOU PROBABLY KNOW FROM THE BANKING INDUSTRY WORKING WITH, UM, IRS AND OTHERS AS TO HOW TO GET THAT ESTABLISHED.
I KNOW MR. MURPHY'S HAD SOME COMMUNICATIONS WITH THEM ON WHERE THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF THE CONTRACTUAL LANGUAGE, BUT I DO THINK IT WILL HAPPEN.
I JUST DON'T KNOW THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN BEFORE OCTOBER 1ST.
I THINK IT IS A VALUABLE PROGRAM FOR A COMMUNITY TO HAVE A-C-D-F-I.
HOWEVER, I'LL SAY THAT THERE IS A LOT OF FEDERAL FUNDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR CDFIS AND IN THE MIDST OF POTENTIAL CHANGES TO OUR BUDGET.
I MEAN, I THINK THAT EVERYTHING'S ON THE TABLE.
UM, AND THERE THERE IS A LARGE FEDERAL AMOUNT OF FUNDS THAT COME IN AND, AND ARE AND GO INTO CDFIS.
AND I, I'M NOT GONNA GIVE A-C-D-F-I LESSON TONIGHT, BUT I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S KIND OF SILLY HOW THE MONEY GETS, UH, COMES IN AND GETS DISPERSED AND HOPE THEY GET PAID BACK.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A FEDERALLY GOVERNMENT, UH, FUNDED PROGRAM, SO WE CAN TACKLE THAT LATER.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM THAT, THAT THAT MONEY WAS STILL THERE.
WILL THAT COME BEFORE US TO EXPEND ABSOLUTELY.
SO WE'LL HAVE A DISCUSSION AT THAT TIME WHERE THAT, AND, AND YOU MAKE A GOOD POINT, MAYOR, THAT YOU KNOW, IN THE EVENT THAT AMENDMENT THREE SHOULD PASS, AND WHEN WE HAD OUR DISCUSSION ON JULY 3RD, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT WHERE DO YOU FIND ALTERNATIVE REVENUES, BUT WHERE DO YOU FIND THE OPPORTUNITIES TO TIGHTEN THE BELT AND MAYBE NOT DO SOME OF THE THINGS.
THERE'S ABOUT $810,000 THAT GOES OUT IN GRANT AID THROUGH THE THINGS YOU SEE HERE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT, THAT I WOULD PUT MASS TRANSIT IN THAT MIX BECAUSE THAT IS SO ESSENTIAL OF A SERVICE TO SO MANY OF, UH, OF THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY TO GET THE SCHOOL WORK, DOCTORS, ET CETERA.
BUT THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT I THINK COME INTO QUESTION OF CAN YOU CONTINUE TO DO THAT IF IT'S BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, FUNDING THESE OR MAINTAINING POLICE AND FIRE SERVICES, I THINK, WELL, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR YOU ALL, BUT I, I WOULD SENSE THAT'S A PRETTY EASY DECISION TO MAKE AT THE END OF THE DAY.
ALONG THOSE SAME LINES, YOU HAVE 358,000, UH, THAT'S WITHIN THAT 810,000 NUMBER I MENTIONED THAT GO OUT TO YOUR GRANT AND AID RECIPIENTS, AS WE DISCUSSED IN LATE SPRING.
INTERESTINGLY, OF THAT 358,000, ABOUT 150,000 IS WHAT GOES TO THOSE LEGACY AGENCIES.
SO BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, GIRLS INC.
UH, THE LEARNING RESOURCE CENTER IN THEIR OPERATION OF THE PEP EDUCATION FACILITIES, THE, UM,
[00:45:01]
NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTER, MEALS ON WHEELS, AND THE HALEY CENTER, UH, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE, THE ONES THAT THE COMMISSION HAS FOR MANY, MANY YEARS BEEN INVOLVED IN.UM, THOSE, THOSE ARE ABOUT 150,000.
OF THAT 358 CITY IS SELF-INSURED.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE FEEL THE PAINS OF WHEN BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO PEOPLE, WHETHER THERE ARE EMPLOYEES OR DEPENDENTS THAT ARE IN OUR INSURANCE PROGRAM.
UH, WE, WE CARRY A, A BIG COST WITHIN THAT.
UM, OUR ESTIMATED EXPENSES FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 ARE ABOUT $10.6 MILLION.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, ONE SIGNIFICANT ILLNESS INJURY INCIDENT, UH, CAN HAVE A TREMENDOUS EFFECT ON THIS.
YOU KNOW, TO, TO HAVE SOMEBODY EXPERIENCE A MILLION DOLLAR SITUATION IS NOT UNHEARD OF.
UM, WE ARE TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING WE POSSIBLY CAN AND ADVOCATING OUR EMPLOYEES TO BE AS HEALTHY AS THEY CAN TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE SPONSOR, THAT WE MAKE AVAILABLE TO THEM TO IDENTIFY, UH, PARTICULARLY MEDICAL SITUATIONS THAT CAN BE CAUGHT EARLY AND DEALT WITH AT A MUCH LOWER COST THAN IF YOU JUST DON'T EVER GET A, A WELLNESS CHECK OR YOU'RE NOT DOING A HEALTH CHECKUP IN WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A SIMPLE DOCTOR'S VISIT NOW BECOMES A, A MULTI-MONTH HOSPITAL STAY.
OUR PENSION PLANS, UH, I KNOW THAT, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM MERCER AND COMMISSIONER BIRDSONG SPENT, UH, BEEN BETTER PART OF THE DAY IN PENSION MEETINGS TODAY.
UM, MY TAKEAWAY AND DISCUSSION OF PENSIONS WITH OUR CFO, QUITE SIMPLY FOR THE GENERAL EMPLOYEE, THE FIRE AND THE POLICE, UH, THE, THE FUNDED RATIOS ARE STABLE WITHIN THESE, UM, THE GENERAL EMPLOYEE'S PENSION.
THE, UH, THE INVESTMENT RETURN, THE ACTUAL INVESTMENT RETURN OUTPERFORMED THE ACTUARIAL ASSUMPTION.
IT WAS SLIGHTLY LESS THAN THAT IN POLICE AND FIRE.
UM, AND THE GENERAL EMPLOYEE PENSION PLAN.
MJ, I'M GONNA LOOK TO YOU BECAUSE YOU GAVE ME THE NUMBER THAT OF EMPLOYEES THAT ARE STILL IN THAT NOW 82 ACTIVE MEMBERS.
SO THERE'S 82 ACTIVE EMPLOYEES WITHIN THAT, THAT NUMBER WILL CONTINUE TO GO DOWN BECAUSE IT'S A CLOSED PLAN.
UM, I'D PREFER NOT TO HAVE ANY DISCUSSIONS THIS EVENING ABOUT MJS MORTALITY RATES AND, YOU KNOW, HOW LONG WE THINK HE'S GONNA LIVE AS ONE OF THE YOUNGER PEOPLE INTO THAT PLAN.
UM, BUT WE, I DON'T HAVE CONCERNS FROM MY PERSPECTIVE.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE CFO HAS CONCERNS AT THIS POINT.
UH, HE'S VERY IN TUNE WITH OUR, OUR PENSION PLANS AND CERTAINLY, UH, COMMISSIONER BIRDSONG AMER PRO TEM MERCER CAN WEIGH IN IF THEY FEEL DIFFERENTLY.
UM, THIS IS THE GENERAL EMPLOYEE PENSION PLAN.
THIS IS THE FIREFIGHTER PENSION PLAN, AS I MENTIONED, THE ACT INVESTMENT RETURN SLIGHTLY LESS THAN THE ACTUARIAL ASSUMPTION.
AND THEN THE SAME THING FOR THE, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND KEEP IN MIND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THINGS THAT AFFECT THE, UM, THE PERCENTAGE OF PAYROLL.
THE CITY'S CONTRIBUTION IS THE PERCENTAGE OF PAYROLL, YOU KNOW, THE LENGTH OF SERVICE THAT PEOPLE STAY WITH US, THE MORTALITY RATES, LIFE EXPECTANCY.
THOSE AMONGST MANY OTHER FACTORS PLAY INTO TO HOW YOUR PENSION PLANS PERFORM IN TERMS OF COMPENSATION.
ONE OF THE FIRST PLACES WE START IS LOOKING AT CPI YEAR OVER YEAR.
UM, I'M, I'M GRATEFUL THAT WE CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THIS CHART 'CAUSE IT KIND OF GIVES YOU A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT THE ECONOMY HAS DONE, UH, COMING OUT OF COVID THROUGH PRESENT DAY.
AND I'VE SHARED WITH YOU ALL IN OUR BRIEFINGS, YOU CAN SEE WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE ECONOMY WAS REALLY STRUGGLING AFTER COVID COMING OUT OF 2021, AND PARTICULARLY IN 22 SIGNIFICANT CPI CHANGES.
UM, COMING INTO ABOUT AUGUST OF 2024, THINGS STARTED TO GET A LITTLE BETTER AND STABILIZE.
WE WERE AROUND THAT TWO AND A HALF PERCENT CPI AND THAT CONTINUED THROUGH ALL OF LAST YEAR AND THROUGH THE FIRST PART OF THIS YEAR.
AND THEN WHEN YOU GET INTO MARCH OF 2026, THAT IS WHEN THE IRAN CONFLICT REALLY KIND OF STARTED OFF.
AND YOU CAN SEE HOW THAT NUMBER BEGAN TO RISE OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS.
IT DID COME DOWN FOR JUNE, UH, TO 3.53.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO WATCH GOING FORWARD IS TO WHAT HAPPENS, UH, WITH THAT CONFLICT, IF IT ESCALATES FURTHER, UH, DO OTHER PARTIES BECOME INVOLVED? THOSE GLOBAL, UH, EVENTS CERTAINLY HAVE AN IMPACT ON EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE PAYING FOR, NOT ONLY IN TERMS OF THE FUEL THAT OUR VEHICLES DRIVE, UH, HERE IN THE CITY, BUT ALSO, UH, THE COST OF MATERIALS BECAUSE THOSE MATERIALS HAVE TO GET DELIVERED TO
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US.THE COST OF PIPE, UH, PEOPLE DON'T OFTEN THINK ABOUT THAT, OR THE COST OF ASPHALT IS DIRECTLY INFLUENCED BY THE COST OF, OF FUELS.
SO WE START THERE WHEN WE LOOK AT, UM, WHAT DO WE, WHAT DO WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO DO WITH, WITH OUR COMPENSATION PLAN? AND THEN WE ALSO LOOK AT THE STUDY THAT IS DONE BY, UH, MIT THAT YOU SEE IN THAT BLUE BANNER ACROSS THE LOWER PART OF THE PAGE THAT THIS IS AVAILABLE, I BELIEVE FOR EVERY COUNTY THROUGHOUT THE, THE UNITED STATES, THAT IT CALCULATES WHAT THE LIVING WAGE IS, WHAT DOES IT COST FOR A SINGLE INDIVIDUAL TO AFFORD HOUSING, YOU KNOW, ALL THE, ALL THE THINGS THAT GO WITH SHELTER, ALL THE UTILITIES, FOOD, CLOTHING, TRANSPORTATION, ET CETERA.
UH, IN POLK COUNTY, THAT IS PRESENTLY $22 AND 16 CENTS IS THE LIVING WAGE PER THAT STUDY.
AND WE JUST LIKE TO USE THAT AS KIND OF A COMPARATIVE TO WHERE WE ARE.
I'D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT OUR LOWEST PAID EMPLOYEES ARE AT $22 AND 16 CENTS, BUT WE ARE NOT THERE.
AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA GET THERE.
UM, BUT AT LEAST LETS US KNOW IN COMPARISON WHERE WE DO FALL.
I MENTIONED WHEN WE DO COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, THERE'S BEEN YEARS WHERE WE'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO ANYTHING.
THERE'S BEEN YEARS WHERE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE YEARS WHERE COMING OUT OF OUR RETREAT, YOU ALL MADE IT ABUNDANTLY CLEAR THAT YOU WERE VERY INTERESTED IN TAKING CARE OF OUR EMPLOYEES, THE EXISTING STAFF THAT WE HAVE.
AND I WENT BACK WITH A GREAT HOPES THAT WE'D BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING IMPACTFUL.
WELL, LITTLE DID I KNOW WHAT OUR, OUR RATE OF, UH, GROWTH WOULD BE IN TERMS OF TAXABLE VALUES.
AND LITTLE DID WE KNOW WHAT MIGHT BE COMING ABOUT AT THAT POINT WITH RESPECT TO AMENDMENT THREE OR PROPERTY TAX REFORM.
WHEN YOU ONLY HAVE AN ADDITIONAL MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS THAT'S COMING IN AS NEW REVENUE OFF OF YOUR VALOREM, THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT YOU CAN DO.
AND MY APPROACH TO COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS IS I WANT TO DO SOMETHING MEANINGFUL FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, BUT I WANT IT TO BE ABLE TO LAST TOO.
I DON'T WANT TO BE ABLE TO GIVE SOMETHING THIS YEAR WITH YOUR BLESSING ONLY TO COME BACK NEXT YEAR.
IF PROPERTY TAX REFORM GOES THROUGH AND HAVE TO SAY, WE'VE GOTTA CLAW THAT BACK, EVERYBODY'S GOTTA TAKE A PAY CUT, OR WE'VE GOT TO ELIMINATE POSITIONS TO MAINTAIN THE RATES OF PAY ON OTHERS.
SO IN WORKING WITH, UM, OUR HR DEPARTMENT AND OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT, WHAT I'M RECOMMENDING WE DO NEXT YEAR, AND AGAIN, I AM STILL IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING UNITS FOR POLICE AND FIRE.
I HAVE TO MAKE THAT ABUNDANTLY CLEAR THAT WE'RE STILL AT THE TABLE WITH THEM.
BUT FOR OUR NON COLLECTIVE BARGAINING EMPLOYEES, WE'RE RECOMMENDING A 3% COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT.
UH, THIS DOES CONSIDER INFLATION, IT DOES PRIORITIZE RETENTION OF OUR WORKFORCE AND KEEPS US COMPETITIVE WITH WHAT I'M SEEING IN THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AROUND US.
AND IT ALSO TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF PROPERTY TAX REFORM.
NOW, IF I BACK UP, I THINK THIS WILL LET ME DO IT.
YOU SEE THAT COST OF LIVING WENT UP BY 3.5300000000000002% YEAR OVER YEAR, AND WE'RE PROPOSING A COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT THAT IS LESS THAN THAT.
BUT KEEP IN MIND, I'M ALSO RECOMMENDING THAT WE CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN OUR STEP PROGRAM.
SO IF AN EMPLOYEE IS PERFORMING AT THE LEVELS THAT MEET OR EXCEED OUR EXPECTATIONS FOR THAT ROLE, THEY ARE IN A POSITION TO GET AN ADDITIONAL TWO POINT A HALF PERCENT INCREASE.
OR IF THEY'RE ON A FIVE YEAR, UM, INCREMENT, A THREE POINT A HALF PERCENT, WHICH PUTS IT ABOVE THE, THIS, THIS CPI, WHEN YOU FACTOR IN THE COLA THAT'S RECOMMENDED, THIS IS THAT STEP PROGRAM IN THE BLUE BANNER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TABLE.
NORMALLY WHAT WE WOULD BE DOING IS IF WE ADJUSTED, IF WE HAD THE STEP PROGRAM AT 2.5%, WE WOULD ADJUST OUR MINIMUM, UH, BASE RATES FOR VACANT POSITIONS BY TWO AND A QUARTER OR MAYBE, UH, 2%.
BUT OUR, MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT ALL POSITIONS INCREASE BY THE, THE 3% COST OF LIVING, INCLUDING VACANT POSITIONS.
AND WE AVOID COMPRESSION BECAUSE OF THE STEP PROGRAM.
SO THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN A CONCERN OF OUR WORKFORCE, THAT SOMEBODY THAT'S BEEN HERE A YEAR IS MAKING THE SAME THING AS SOMEBODY THAT JUST CAME IN.
THE STEP PROGRAM ALLOWS US TO AVOID THAT.
THIS IS THE MINIMUM WAGE, UM, THAT IS SET BY THE STATE.
SO SEVERAL YEARS AGO IN 2020 THEY CAME FORWARD OR 2021 AND WANTED TO ADVANCE THE STATE'S MINIMUM WAGE BY A DOLLAR EACH YEAR.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE BEYOND THAT, BUT THE STATE'S OBJECTIVE WAS TO GET TO $15 BY SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2026.
[00:55:01]
IF THE BUDGET, AS I PRESENTED AS APPROVED, OUR STARTING PAY WOULD BE AT $17 AND 30 CENTS.THAT IS FOR POSITIONS LIKE OUR BUILDING SERVICE WORKERS, LIFEGUARDS, RECREATION AIDS, SOME OF OUR LOWER LEVEL, UM, LESS TECHNICALLY ORIENTED POSITIONS, ENTRY LEVEL.
UH, TO START, I THINK IT'S, SORRY, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER TOO THAT, YOU KNOW, WHILE YES, IT'S 2216 PER HOUR, UH, AVERAGE LIVING WAGE IN POLK COUNTY, THAT'S PRIVATE EMPLOYMENT NUMBERS THAT, THAT'S COMING INTO THAT EQUATION, RIGHT? AND SO I BELIEVE SO, I BELIEVE THAT IS CORRECT.
SO, SO IN THAT, THAT ALSO COMES WITH PRIVATIZED HEALTH INSURANCE AND IN THOSE EMPLOYERS, SO OUR EMPLOYEES RECEIVE A, A HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFIT.
IT'S NOT FREE, RIGHT? THEY DO PAY FOR IT, BUT IT IS LESS THAN WHAT A PRIVATIZED PLAN MIGHT BE THROUGH A, A PRIVATE EMPLOYER.
I WONDER IF YOU HAVE EVER LOOKED AT THOSE NUMBERS TO SEE, OKAY, IF YOU FACTOR IN THAT SAVINGS, WHERE WOULD WE FALL IN, UM, RATE OF PAY VERSUS WHERE THE COUNTY SITS? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YEP.
AND WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT THAT.
UM, WE'RE NOT DUE FOR A, WE DIDN'T DO A COMPENSATION STUDY THIS THIS YEAR.
UH, WE TRY AND DO THAT ABOUT EVERY TWO YEARS.
COMPENSATION STUDIES ARE COMPARING, UM, ONE FRUIT SALAD TO ANOTHER FRUIT SALAD.
THEY'RE SO DIFFERENT BECAUSE OF THOSE VERY FACTORS.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT EVERYTHING FROM, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE HEALTH BENEFITS? WHAT ARE THE OTHER BENEFITS YOU PROVIDE IN CASE OF POLICE AND FIRE, WHAT ARE THE SHIFTS THAT THEY'RE WORKING? HOW MANY HOURS DO THEY HAVE KELLY DAYS? DO THEY NOT HAVE KELLY DAYS? THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS THAT GO INTO THAT THAT MAKES IT VERY COMPLICATED.
WE'RE TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO, TO GATHER ALL THAT DATA TO MAKE IT EASIER TO DO THE COMPARISONS.
YEAH, AND I I'M NOT SUGGESTING LET'S GO DO A COMPENSATION STUDY.
I'M JUST MERELY SUGGESTING THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU ARE PAYING TWO, $300 LESS THAN WHAT A PRIVATIZED PLAN THROUGH A PRIVATE EMPLOYER MIGHT BE, THAT HAS TO BE FACTORED INTO THAT 1730 AND PROBABLY GETS US A LOT CLOSER TO BEING WHERE THAT LIVING WAGE IS IN POLK COUNTY.
I THINK IT CERTAINLY BRINGS IT UP, UM, AND WE CAN DO A LITTLE RESEARCH ON THAT, SEE IF WE'RE ABLE TO, UH, ANALYZE THAT DATA IF IT'S AVAILABLE.
WHAT WE GET IS JUST THE RAW NUMBER.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE, THE FULL DATA SET, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY RESEARCH THAT UP.
UM, I'VE, I'VE APPROVED FROM MY END TO INCLUDE IN THE BUDGET ONE POSITION IN OUR, UH, PUBLIC WORKS OPERATION IN THE STREETS UNIT FOR A TRAFFIC SIGN SPECIALIST SCENARIO.
WE REALLY ONLY HAVE ONE EMPLOYEE THAT DOES OUR TRAFFIC SIGNS.
UM, BUT THIS IS A MIDYEAR HIRE, SO IT'S ONLY, UH, HALF THE COST FOR FISCAL YEAR 27 AND THE AUTHORIZATION TO MOVE FORWARD.
THAT SHOULD YOU ALL APPROVE IT ON MY END.
I WILL NOT AUTHORIZE THAT UNTIL SUCH TIME AS I KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WITH AMENDMENT THREE BECAUSE THERE'S NO POINT IN ADDING A POSITION IF I CAN'T KEEP IT OR FUND IT.
I'M GONNA TELL YOU THERE WERE, THIS ISN'T THE ONLY POSITION THAT WAS ASKED FOR, HAD POSITIONS IN MOST DEPARTMENTS COME FORWARD AND I'LL, I WANNA THANK THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS PUBLICLY BECAUSE I WENT BACK TO 'EM AND SAID, I CAN'T DO THAT.
I CAN'T GIVE YOU THOSE POSITIONS WITHOUT KNOWING THAT I'M GONNA BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THEM.
I THINK ONE OF THE MOST, UM, LEGITIMATE ARGUMENTS I HEARD FOR NEW POSITIONS CAME FROM CHIEF MONROE FOR ADDITIONAL SERGEANTS WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I WANT TO GIVE HIM THE ADDITIONAL SERGEANTS, BUT I CAN'T DO THAT IF I DON'T KNOW THAT I'M GONNA BE ABLE TO FUND THEM PAST THAT.
I WILL SAY THAT THAT IS A PRIORITY FOR ME GOING FORWARD, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, AS OUR COMMUNITY EXPANDS, WE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN, CAN MEET THE SERVICE NEEDS.
BUT, UH, ALL THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS, AS I SPOKE WITH THEM, OF WHAT I CAN AND CANNOT DO, WERE VERY UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORTIVE OF THOSE DECISIONS.
THE OTHER FIVE POSITIONS I MENTIONED ARE WITHIN THOSE BUSINESS OPERATIONS.
SO WITHIN THE STORMWATER OPERATIONS, WE'RE ADDING, UH, RECOMMENDING THE ADDITION OF A STORMWATER SYSTEMS SPECIALIST, UH, SENATE BILL 180, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE N-P-D-E-S REGULATORY CHANGES REQUIRE THAT WE INSPECT MORE OF OUR STORM WATER LINES THAN WE PREVIOUSLY HAD TO.
I BELIEVE THAT'S INCREASING FROM 10% TO 20% INSPECTION.
THAT IS DIFFICULT TO DO WITH THE SIZE OF WORKFORCE THAT WE HAVE.
SO THAT CAN BE FUNDED OUT OF THE BUSINESS OPERATIONS OF THE STORMWATER FUND.
THE OTHER FOUR ARE WITHIN UTILITIES COMPLIANCE MANAGER THAT'S TIED TO REGULATORY COMPLIANCE AS WELL AS GRANT COMPLIANCE.
I THINK, UM, COMMISSIONER MERCER COULD PROBABLY GIVE US A, UH, UH, A DISSERTATION ON THE CHALLENGES OF UTILITY REGULATIONS AND GRANT COMPLIANCE.
[01:00:01]
SOMEBODY THAT IS SPECIALIZED IN THAT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT.A BUSINESS ANALYST, AGAIN, IT'S A BUSINESS OPERATION.
HAVING A BUSINESS ANALYST MAKES PERFECT SENSE TO UNDERSTAND THE LONG-TERM IMPACTS OF DECISIONS THAT WE'RE MAKING IN THE WATER SEWER OPERATIONS.
AND THEN TWO ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENTS IN THE WATER MAINTENANCE AND LIFT STATION SIDE.
I BELIEVE WE ARE, UH, IF WE HAVEN'T EXCEEDED 300 LIFT STATIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE ARE RIGHT AT IT.
UH, THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT GROWTH OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS.
THERE'S A COUPLE RECLASSIFICATIONS THAT ARE RECOMMENDED.
ONE IS WITHIN THE AIRPORT THAT'S ACTUALLY A DOWNGRADING OF A POSITION, UH, THAT ALLOWS TROY HEIDEL OUR AIRPORT DIRECTOR TO HAVE A SPECIFIC MATRIX OF, UH, POSITIONS ON EACH DAY THAT THE OP THE AIRPORT IS, IS OPERATING AND STAFFED.
AND THEN WITHIN UTILITIES, WITH ALL THIS CAPITAL PROJECT, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE, UH, OUR UTILITY CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGERS AT A COMPETITIVE RATE WITH WHAT THE INDUSTRY IS CALLING FOR.
SO WE'RE ADJUSTING THOSE THREE POSITIONS.
AND THEN THE ASSET MANAGER INCREASING THAT ONE AS WELL DUE TO SOME ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES.
AGAIN, THESE ARE NOT FUNDED BY TAXPAYER PROPERTY TAX DOLLARS.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE FACTORED INTO OUR EXISTING RATE STRUCTURE.
I'LL GO QUICKLY THROUGH THIS NEXT SECTION, BUT THIS JUST GIVES A LITTLE FURTHER DETAIL ON THE GENERAL FUND IN THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS WITHIN IT.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE TOTAL EXPENDITURES IS A DIFFERENCE OF ABOUT 5.7, ALMOST $5.8 MILLION YEAR OVER YEAR.
UM, THE CAPITAL THAT IS SHOWN WITHIN THE BUDGET, THE 7.3 MILLION, AGAIN, VEHICLE REPLACEMENTS, THAT'S VANCE NEEDS NEW POLICE CARS.
WE'VE PUT MONEY ASIDE FOR POLICE CARS, BUT THE COST OF THOSE GOES UP BEYOND WHAT WE HAD BUDGETED FOR OR PLANNED FOR.
SO WE HAVE TO FUND THAT DELTA THAT IS, UM, REPLACEMENT OF THAT FIRE TRUCK AT $720,000.
UH, THE TRAILHEAD PARK IMPROVEMENTS, IMPROVEMENTS AT LAKE SHIP PARK, THE FLORIDA CITRUS BUILDING ROOF, THE ROOF, AND HVAC AT THE RITZ THEATER, AND SOME STRUCTURAL IMPROVEMENTS AT THE WOMEN'S CLUB.
THE INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTS, UH, THIS JUST GIVES YOU, AND YOU HAVE A COPY OF THIS PRESENTATION SO YOU CAN DIVE DEEPER INTO IT.
YOU HAVE ACCESS TO THE BUDGET VIA THAT ONLINE LINK.
SO IF YOU REALLY WANNA, UH, DRILL DOWN INTO IT, UM, YOU CAN SEE HOW WE CRAFTED IT.
BUT YOU CAN SEE, UM, MOST OF THESE GO DOWN, A COUPLE OF 'EM WILL GO UP.
BUT CITY COMMISSION WHERE THEIR DOLLARS ARE, UH, CITY CLERK, WE DON'T HAVE AN ELECTION THIS YEAR.
SO THE CITY CLERK'S BUDGET PINGS UP AND DOWN BY ABOUT $50,000, $75,000 EACH YEAR, EACH EVERY OTHER YEAR BASED UPON ELECTIONS AND RUNOFF ELECTIONS.
CITY ATTORNEY, UH, REMAINS PRETTY FLAT.
UM, DESPITE THE COMPLEXITY OF ISSUES AND THE MAGNITUDE OF ISSUES THAT WE DEAL WITH ON THE LEGAL FRONT CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, UH, THE ONLY INCREASE THERE, AGAIN, THAT'S WITH THE COLA AND THE STEP PROGRAM, PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND COMMUNICATIONS COMES DOWN BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE SUBSCRIPTIONS TO, UH, SOFTWARE PROGRAMS THAT ARE NOW HOUSED WITHIN THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES.
BUDGET FINANCE, UH, HAS AN INCREASE.
UH, THE, UH, ABOUT HALF OF THAT INCREASE IS TIED TO, UH, SOME RETIREE COSTS THAT HADN'T BEEN ACCOUNTED FOR IN YEARS PAST, THAT THEY NEED TO, UH, SHOW WITHIN THEIR BUDGET, UH, TO ACCURATELY REFLECT WHERE THOSE ARE.
PLANNING DIVISION, AGAIN, THAT IS MOSTLY TIED TO THEIR STAFF, UH, INCREASES ACROSS ALL THEIR MEMBERS.
SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS DROPS A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE OF SOME, UH, A RETIRING SENIOR EMPLOYEE THAT WAS REPLACED BY A, A LESS TENURED EMPLOYEE.
POLICE INCREASE BY ABOUT $1.2 MILLION, UM, PROBABLY CLOSE TO A HUNDRED SWORN OFFICERS.
AND WHEN YOU FACTOR IN THE, THE COLA AND THE STEP PROGRAM, UH, THAT'S WHERE YOU SEE THAT 881,000 AND THE OPERATING, UM, UH, IS JUST THE FUEL AND VEHICLES.
UM, THE CONSUM CONSUMABLE COSTS THERE.
CAPITAL, UH, IN THEIR CAPITAL, I'M SORRY, IN THE IN ALSO IN THAT OPERATING IS, UH, MAINTENANCE ON THEIR RADIO SYSTEM AND INCREASES IN SOME OF OUR COSTS FOR THE SHERIFF'S.
AND THEN IN FIRE, THE BIGGEST JUMP IN THERE IS ALMOST 2 MILLION OF THEIR INCREASES IN CAPITAL.
SO IMPROVEMENTS TO THE THREE FIRE STATIONS.
NUMBER FOUR, AND NUMBER TWO, UM, FIRE STATIONS HAVE DIFFERENT REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE THAT NEED TO HAPPEN THERE.
AND THEN REPLACEMENT OF THAT FIRE ENGINE THAT WAS, UH, TOTALED IN THE ACCIDENT.
PARKS AND RECREATION, AGAIN, THEY HAVE THE MOST SERVICES THAT
[01:05:01]
ARE OUT THERE.MOST FACILITIES, UM, THEY HAVE SOME CAPITAL INCREASES TIED TO MAJOR PLAYGROUND REPLACEMENT AND SPLASH PAD RE UH, REPAIRS AT TRAILHEAD PARK.
UM, WINTER HAVEN RECREATION CULTURAL CENTER BEING FULLY ONLINE DRIVES SOME OF THEIR ADDITIONAL OPERATING COSTS.
AND THEN IN STREETS, UH, A RELATIVELY LOW INCREASE THERE, AGAIN, MOSTLY TIED WITHIN THEIR, UM, CAPITAL, YOUR UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE IN THE GENERAL FUND.
SO THIS IS YOUR, THIS IS THE EMERGENCY, RIGHT? THIS IS THE RAINY DAY FUND.
THIS IS, WE HAVE A HURRICANE, A PANDEMIC, A FINANCIAL CRISIS THAT OCCURS.
WHAT DO YOU HAVE IN RESERVES TO ADDRESS THAT CITY'S, UH, COMMISSION'S POLICY IS THAT YOU HAVE NO LESS THAN 17%.
ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, YOU ADOPTED ADDITIONAL POLICY THAT SETS A TARGET GOAL OF 30%.
I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT, PARTICULARLY IN LIGHT OF NOT KNOWING WHAT HAPPENS WITH AMENDMENT THREE, BUT ALSO THE CHALLENGES WE FACE WITH FEMA.
UH, THE MAYOR AND I HAD A CHANCE TO MEET WITH A REPRESENTATIVE FROM SENATOR MOODY'S OFFICE TODAY.
AND THE POINT THAT I DROVE HOME WITH THAT INDIVIDUAL WAS THAT WE HAVE ABOUT $800,000 THAT WE ARE STILL WAITING ON TO COME IN FROM HURRICANE MILTON.
THAT THE FEMA PROCESS IS SLOW, AND WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY INCIDENTS SINCE MILTON, KNOCK ON WOOD, I HOPE WE DON'T ANYTIME IN THE FUTURE, BUT THE ABILITY TO RECOVER THOSE COSTS, I THINK IS, IS GOING TO BE MORE CHALLENGING.
SO RIGHT NOW, WE'RE FORECASTING THAT YOU'LL BE AT ABOUT 33% AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR 27, UM, AND THAT, THAT WILL BE A BALANCE OF ABOUT $2.5 MILLION.
1,000,005 OF THAT IS RECOMMENDED TO BE PEELED OFF AND PUT TOWARDS THE SAR PARK PROJECT.
THE POLICY HAS BEEN THAT ANYTHING ABOVE 30%, I COME BACK TO YOU WITH A RECOMMENDATION ON WHERE YOU CAN PUT THAT TOWARDS ONE TIME CAPITAL, AND THAT'S WHERE THAT WOULD GO.
AND WE SUGGEST NOT DOING ANYTHING WITH THE OTHER ROUGHLY MILLION DOLLARS UNTIL WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENS POST, UH, NOVEMBER ELECTIONS AND POST AUDIT IN THE SPRING OF 27.
BUT YOU'RE SITTING, I THINK, EXTREMELY WELL AND HEALTHY IN TERMS OF YOUR FUND BALANCES.
I THINK MOST CITIES IN, UH, GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS WOULD BE ENVIOUS OF HAVING, UH, SUFFICIENT FUND BALANCES OF THIS MAGNITUDE.
MAJOR, UH, ITEMS WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND, AGAIN, POLICE, UH, REPLACEMENT OF A NUMBER OF VEHICLES.
I, I THINK I'VE HIT ON EVERYTHING WITHIN FIRE IN PARKS AND GROUNDS IMPROVEMENTS AT TRAILHEAD PARK.
AT LAKE SHIP PARK WHERE THE BOAT RAMP IS ASPHALT REPLACEMENT, WE CONTINUE TO FUND OUR TWO CREWS THAT WE GET FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS.
UH, VARIOUS PARK IMPROVEMENTS, THAT'S BENCHES AND, UH, MISCELLANEOUS PLAYGROUND ENHANCEMENTS, FENCING, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
PORTABLE LIGHT TOWERS, REPLACEMENT OF A DOCK AT LAKE CARTRIDGE NATURE PARK, AND THEN THOSE TWO ROOFS IN THE ONE HVAC PROJECT.
UH, ALSO WITHIN PARKS ADMINISTRATION, SOME EARLY DESIGN WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH POLK COUNTY ON THE LAKE LULU WETLAND AREA.
THIS IS SOUTH OF LAKE LULU, SOUTH OF CHANNEL LAKES PARK, THE WOODED AREA THAT RUNS ALONG LIKE BETWEEN THE LAKE AND THE CSX RAILROAD THERE.
WE OWN A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF PROPERTY THERE, AS DOES THE COUNTY.
AND WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT GET ACTIVATED AND CREATE A CONNECTION ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE HARMONY DEVELOPMENT.
AND THEN COMPLETE STREET WORK ON EAST LAKE HOWARD DRIVE.
I MENTIONED SPLASH PAD AMENITY AND UPGRADES AT TRAILHEAD PARK, A PARTIAL HVAC REPLACEMENT AT THE SENIOR CENTER, PAINTING THE EXTERIOR OF THE WOMEN'S CLUB AND DOING SOME WINDOW ENCASEMENT REPLACEMENT.
AND THEN FINISHING OUT THE UPGRADES AT DIAMOND PLEX THAT ARE PRESENTLY UNDERWAY.
IN PLANNING, UH, WE, WE FUND MONIES FOR VARIOUS PLANNING STUDIES, UH, AND GRANT APPLICATIONS THAT MAY COME THROUGH THAT WE NEED CONSULTING SERVICE ASSISTANT WITH, AND THEN CONSULTING SURVEYOR REVIEWER FEES.
UH, WE BUDGET FOR THAT AS WELL IN STREETS.
FINISHING OUT THE A DA TRANSITION PLAN, A SIGNAL TIMING ANALYSIS ON SIXTH STREET, THEY'RE GETTING A, A SIGNIFICANT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT WILL HELP THEM IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR WORK IN THAT SKID STEER.
IN THE LAST TWO ITEMS, BRIDGE REPAIRS AND EMERGENCY TREE REMOVAL.
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT CAN COME UP THROUGH THE YEAR, PARTICULARLY FOLLOWING DOT INSPECTIONS OF OUR BRIDGES.
THEY, THOSE BRIDGES WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR, THEY DO THE INSPECTIONS ON, BUT IF THEY FIND SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE FUNDS TO DO THE THOSE REPAIRS.
THE AIRPORT, UM, IS GETTING A CONTRIBUTION FROM THE GENERAL FUND OF ABOUT $1.17 MILLION
[01:10:02]
FOR NEXT YEAR, LITTLE LESS THAN THE YEAR PRIOR.UM, THERE ARE OTHER REVENUES THAT AT THE AIRPORT ARE COMING IN THROUGH FUEL SALES GRANTS, AND THEN THE RENTS ON HANGERS.
THERE ARE PROJECTS THAT ARE SIGNIFICANT IN THE YEAR AHEAD.
THE OBSTRUCTION CLEARING THAT'S AT THE END OF OUR RUNWAYS VEGETATION THAT GETS TOO LARGE THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS.
THE REMOTE CONTROL TOWER PROJECT IS HAPPENING.
THERE'S A KICKOFF MEETING IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
SPECIFIC TO THAT, THE COMMERCE PARK PHASE ONE, THAT IS SOME, UM, HORIZONTAL IMPROVEMENTS FOR PARKING AND ADDITIONAL APRON SPACE TO THE WEST OF THE EXISTING TERMINAL.
AND THEN TAXI LANE HANGER, UH, T HANGER REHABS.
THAT HAS COME BEFORE THE COMMISSION, UH, TO APPROVE THAT PROJECT.
THE DESIGN WORK, THEY'RE UPDATING THE MASTER PLAN.
THIS WILL POSITION US FOR FUTURE GRANTS AND GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT AT THE AIRPORT.
THE GENERATOR PROJECT WE ARE, IS UNDERWAY.
WE'RE JUST WAITING FOR THAT TO COME IN.
AND THEN THE AIRPORT BEACON AND THE PAPPY LIGHTS, THAT PROJECT IS ALSO UNDERWAY.
YOU CAN SEE AT THE BOTTOM, THE CITY'S CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS THOSE $8.4 MILLION WORTH OF PROJECTS IS ABOUT $1.25 MILLION.
THAT'S LESS THAN 15 CENTS ON THE DOLLAR.
IT'S ABOUT 14.9% OF OUR CAPITAL INVESTMENTS AT THE AIRPORT.
THE REST IS COMING THROUGH FAA AND FDOT.
OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS AT THE AIRPORT.
SO WE ARE GOING TO HAVE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL AT THE WINTER HAVEN AIRPORT.
I DON'T KNOW IF TROY HAS MADE IT IN THIS EVENING, BUT, UH, WE EXPECT DELIVERY IN THE COMING MONTHS OF A MODULAR STRUCTURE OUT THERE THAT WILL BE TRADITIONAL MANNED AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL.
WE HAVE HAD A AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL DEDICATED FREQUENCY ASSIGNED.
WE HAVE NOT PUT IT INTO PLAY YET.
UM, AND THAT MODULAR UNIT WILL CONTINUE TO BE OPERATED UNTIL THE REMOTE TRAFFIC, UH, AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER IS ONLINE AND EVERYBODY'S TRAINED UP FOR IT.
THAT $300,000 IS CONTRACTUAL WITH ANTICIPATED TO BE WITH BARTOW AIRBASE FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES TO US.
HOWEVER, IT COULD BE THAT THOSE COSTS ARE COVERED BY FAA AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, THAT IS A $300,000 LESS INVESTMENT THAT THE GENERAL FUND HAS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE AIRPORT.
SO WE WILL, WE WILL BE MINDFUL OF THAT.
THE LIBRARY, UM, A LITTLE BIT LESS OF A GENERAL FUND SUPPORT THIS NEXT YEAR THAN THIS YEAR OF ABOUT $75,000.
UH, THAT'S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE CONSIDERING WE'RE OPERATING TWO LIBRARIES NOW.
UM, THEIR OVERALL BUDGET ONLY INCREASES BY A LITTLE OVER $92,000 YEAR OVER YEAR.
AND WHAT I'M INTERESTED TO WATCH IN THE COMING YEAR, IF YOU SEE THE FIRST NOTE UNDERNEATH THE TABLE, THAT THEY HAD OVER 472,000 VISITORS TO THE LIBRARY.
WHENEVER I GO TO THE WINTER HAVEN RECREATION AND CULTURAL CENTER, THERE ARE ALWAYS PEOPLE IN THAT NEW LIBRARY, THAT BRANCH THAT IS OUT THERE.
SO, UM, I FULLY EXPECT US TO SURPASS 500,000 VISITS TO OUR LIBRARY SYSTEM NEXT YEAR.
AGAIN, AND I DON'T WANT TO EDITORIALIZE THIS EVENING, BUT IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT REVENUE CUTS IN YOUR AD VALOREM TAXES, $875,000 FROM YOUR GENERAL FUND SUPPORTS YOUR LIBRARIES.
SO WITHOUT THOSE DOLLARS, THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN WITHOUT SOME REPLACEMENT REVENUE.
BIG THINGS THAT THEY'RE DOING.
WE HAVE HAD A FIT THIS SUMMER WITH HVAC AT THE LIBRARY.
IF I USE THOSE TWO TERMS TOGETHER, LIBRARY AND HVAC, IF YOU WATCH SCOTT LERS OVER MY SHOULDER, HE'LL PROBABLY WINCE A LITTLE BIT.
UM, LIBRARY H VS ARE CRITICAL, NOT JUST TO MAINTAIN THE COMFORT OF OUR GUESTS IN OUR WORKFORCE, BUT THE INTEGRITY OF THE COLLECTION.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE, UH, RELIABLE HVAC, YOU CAN LOSE A COLLECTION PRETTY QUICK THROUGH THE HUMIDITY AND THE MOLD THAT CAN ESTABLISH WITHIN THAT.
WE ARE PRESENTLY WORKING TO REPLACE THE SECOND UNIT THAT THIS 150,000 GOES TOWARDS.
HOWEVER, THAT WILL NOT COME AVAILABLE TO US UNTIL SOMETIME AFTER OCTOBER.
SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE NEED TO ROB PETER TO PAY PAUL.
NOW, WE ANTICIPATE, UH, THAT IF THIS BUDGET IS APPROVED, THOSE FUNDS WILL BE THERE.
IF NOT, WE'LL HAVE TO FIND OTHER MEANS.
BUT WE HAVE TO REPLACE THAT UNIT NOW, ALTHOUGH IT WON'T, THE WORK WON'T ACTUALLY HAPPEN UNTIL PROBABLY OCTOBER CEMETERIES.
I THINK THIS IS AN AREA WHERE YOU NEVER WANT TO BE BOOMING
[01:15:01]
IN BUSINESS BECAUSE THAT MEANS BAD THINGS ARE HAPPENING IN YOUR COMMUNITY.BUT OUR CEMETERY OPERATIONS ARE PERFORMING WELL.
UM, STEVE PRUITT AND MIKE SHIMMEL, THE FOLKS THAT OVERSEE OUR CEMETERIES, I THINK ARE DOING A FANTASTIC JOB WITH THEM.
UH, WE HAVE ABOUT 4,800 SPACES STILL PLATTED WITHIN OUR CEMETERIES.
MOST OF THOSE ARE GONNA BE AT ROLLING HILLS CEMETERY.
ALTHOUGH WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF NICHES AVAILABLE WITH IN LAKESIDE CEMETERY.
WE ALSO HAVE ABOUT 35 ADDITIONAL ACRES OF LAND TO EXPAND THE ROLLING HILLS CEMETERY, SHOULD THAT BECOME NEEDED IN THE FUTURE.
MAIN THINGS THAT THEY'RE DOING, UH, SOME FENCING, ENHANCEMENTS, SOME BEAUTIFICATION AT LAKESIDE CEMETERY.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU HAVE HAD THE CHANCE TO VISIT MOTOR POOL ROAD NOW THAT IT IS OPEN.
UH, IT IS ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS AND HAS A TREMENDOUS LANDSCAPE PACKAGE IN THIS FENCING.
WE'LL JUST ADD TO THE AESTHETICS ALONG THAT ROAD.
AND THEN THE TREE SERVICE YOU SEE WITHIN THERE, THAT IS MISCELLANEOUS THAT CAN OCCUR THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
CONSTRUCTION FUND, AGAIN, A LOT OF YOUR BIG CAPITAL THAT APPLIES TO THE, UM, TO THE GENERAL FUND.
WE MOVED THAT MONEY INTO A CONSTRUCTION FUND, SO THE PARKING GARAGE IS IN THERE.
UH, WE SAW SOME RENDERINGS AND, AND WORKED WITH, UM, THE DESIGN TEAM TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS ON SOME MORE OF THE TECHNICAL FACTORS OF THAT JUST RECENTLY.
THAT IS TO ADVANCE THAT PROJECT AS WE SECURE THE LOCATION.
OMA PARK RENOVATIONS, THAT'S THE FOOTBALL FIELD.
UH, IMPROVEMENTS IN, IN SOME OF THE, UH, THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED IN RECENT MEETINGS.
THERE'S $625,000 ALLOCATED FOR A LAND PURCHASE THAT WE ARE IN NEGOTIATIONS ON THAT ARE SIMPLY STALLED DUE TO SOME, UM, SOME HEALTH CHALLENGES WITHIN THE FAMILY THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
BUT WE HOPE TO BRING THAT TO FRUITION AND BE ABLE TO EXPAND SERTOMA PARK BY ABOUT MJ.
I THINK IT'S ABOUT EIGHT ACRES IF I DON'T, IF I'M REMEMBERING THAT CORRECTLY.
UM, BUT THAT WOULD BE A, A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT.
AND THEN SOMETHING THAT WASN'T IN OUR PRIOR BRIEFINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN BEEN MADE AWARE OF SINCE THE INTEREST EXPENSE, THAT 800, ALMOST $50,000, UM, THIS IS TIED BACK TO ARBITRAGE.
SO IT GOES BACK TO BOND ISSUANCES THAT WE'VE HAD.
YOU CANNOT EARN MORE INTEREST THAN WHAT THE, THE INTEREST IS ON THOSE BONDS.
AND IF YOU DO, YOU HAVE TO PAY THAT BACK TO THE IRS.
THAT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU CAN CONTROL.
IT'S JUST THAT'S THE NATURE OF IT WHEN YOU BORROW AND WHAT THE MARKETS DO AND THE INTEREST RATES AROUND THAT.
UM, AND THIS IS, IT'S MONEY WE HAVE WITHIN THE CONSTRUCTION FUND TO PAY THAT.
UH, BUT THAT IS, UM, UH, SOMETHING THAT JUST, IT'S HOW THE ECONOMY PERFORMS. YES, MR. MAYOR, I WISH WE COULD KEEP EVERY PENNY OF WHAT WE EARN, BUT I THINK THAT THE IRS THINKS THERE'S SOME ILLEGALITIES WITHIN THAT SINCE WE ARE TAX EXEMPT AND WE'RE ISSUING TAX EXEMPT BONDS, I THINK THEY'RE SO SPECIAL.
I PROMISE YOU NOT, UH, NOT A BETTER THING THAN WHAT WE WOULD PUT IT FOR
IN THE TRANSPORTATION FUND, WE EXPECT TO SPEND JUST SHY OF $15 MILLION.
UM, THERE IS THE TRANSFER FROM THE, THE, UH, TRANSPORTATION FUND INTO THE PARKING GARAGE PROJECT.
THERE IS, UM, DESIGN ENGINEERING FOR LAP RELATED PROJECTS AND LAP SERVICES.
THE ROOSEVELT DRIVE PROJECT OUT NEAR LEGOLAND, UH, IS GETTING UNDERWAY.
$2 MILLION AGAIN FOR ROADWAY RESURFACING.
WE CONTINUE TO MOVE THAT NEEDLE ON OUR PAVEMENT CONDITION INDEX.
UM, FEWER AND FEWER ROADS ARE IN THOSE LOWER NUMBERS.
SO WE'RE DOING A, A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK THERE.
THE INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS AT SIX, EIGHTH AND NINTH.
AS YOU KNOW, WE ARE, UH, PURSUING ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY THERE.
THAT IS STILL UNDER SOME LITIGATION THAT'S GOING ON.
UH, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT ON THAT, BUT THAT IS, WE'RE JUST WAITING PATIENTLY TO SEE WHERE THAT LANDS.
UM, IMPROVEMENTS WITH SA, SOUTH LAKE HOWARD DRIVE WEST, UH, MJS, UH, QUIET ZONE PROJECT THAT CONTINUES TO BE THE BANE OF HIS EXISTENCE.
UM, BUT AT SOME POINT, WE ARE GOING TO, THAT IS GOING TO COME TO FRUITION.
IT'S NOT BECAUSE OF ANYTHING WE'RE DOING.
IT'S BECAUSE OF DELAYS THAT HAPPEN WITHIN THE RAILROAD COMMUNITY THAT ARE WELL BEYOND OUR CONTROL.
AND THEN SIDEWALK GAP INFILL AND, UH, PAVEMENT MARKINGS AND STRIKE.
IF WE HAD A BIGGER BUDGET FOR SIDEWALK PHIL, I MEAN, COULD WE EVEN, COULD WE ACCOMPLISH IT? MJ, WOULD YOU LIKE TO RESPOND TO THAT? COULD WE, IF WE HAD ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR FILLING GAPS IN SIDEWALKS? YES.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THE MORE FUNDING YOU HAVE, THE MORE MORE YOU CAN DO.
UM, JUST DO WE HAVE THE MANPOWER TO, TO KNOCK IT OUT AND GET IT
[01:20:01]
DONE.SO IF, IF YOU HAD ADDITIONAL FUNDING, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD ALWAYS CONTRACT SOME OF THAT WORK OUT.
I THINK ONE OF THE CHALLENGES, UH, BEYOND SOME OF THE SIMPLE, SIMPLE AREAS WHERE WE CAN ADD SIDEWALKS, YOU GOTTA GET INTO SOME DESIGN WORK, UM, MAYBE EVEN SOME RIGHT OF WAY.
I THINK GENERALLY SPEAKING, WE
WELL, AND KEEP, KEEP IN MIND TOO, THAT THERE'S, THERE'S ALSO FUNDING, UM, FOR INTERNAL, UM, REPAIR WORK THAT WE DO.
SO THAT SHOWS UP IN LIKE MATERIALS BUDGET WITHIN STREETS, UH, AND THEN A LOT OF THE LARGE CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT INCLUDE CLOSING SOME OF OUR REALLY SIGNIFICANT GAPS.
SO LIKE ALONG SOUTHLAKE HOWARD DRIVE IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE.
UH, NORTHLAKE SHIP DRIVE, THINGS LIKE THAT.
LOOKING TO THE CRAS I MENTIONED, THEY'RE GONNA SEE A SLIGHT INCREASE BASED UPON TAX VALUES WITHIN THE, THE VARIOUS DISTRICTS.
UM, AVALOR REVENUE THAT'S EXPECTED TO COME INTO THE DOWNTOWN CRAS ABOUT 4.382 MILLION, AND INTO FLORENCE LAWRENCEVILLE, ABOUT 1.76, 1.676 MILLION.
THERE ARE SOME OTHER REVENUES THAT COME IN.
CDBG GRANT IS GOING IN FOR THE MALCOLM PARK PROJECT.
THERE'S INTEREST EARNINGS AND THERE'S RESERVES AS WELL.
THE, UM, THE CRA BUDGETS REALLY ARE YET TO BE COMPLETELY FINALIZED.
THOSE ADVISORY COMMITTEES WILL MEET, UM, AGAIN, UH, IN THE COMING WEEKS, AND THAT WILL COME BACK TO YOU AS A BOARD TO APPROVE.
BUT THIS KINDA GIVES YOU THE OVERALL NUMBERS OF WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT.
THE QUESTION REALLY IS WHAT DO THEY APPROPRIATE THOSE DOLLARS TOWARDS? AND THE DOWNTOWN CRA, UM, THEY HAVE SIGNIFICANT FUNDS THERE, UH, INCLUDING THEIR FUND BALANCE.
SO WHAT ARE THE PROJECTS THAT THAT SHOULD GO TOWARDS TO INCLUDE SOME PROJECTS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE CURRENT YEAR BUDGET THAT HAVE NOT GOTTEN OFF THE GROUND YET, UM, SUCH AS OUR COMMUTER OR OUR, UM, THE SMALL COMMUTER ROUTE THAT WE WANT TO DO WITH, UH, LAMBED OR THE CITRUS CONNECTION IN OUR MICRO TRANSIT PROJECT AS WELL.
UM, SO THOSE BUDGETS WILL BE FURTHER REFINED, BUT THE, THE BOTTOM LINE NUMBERS DO NOT CHANGE.
IT'S JUST MORE OF A QUESTION OF WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC THINGS BEYOND WHAT THEY'VE ALREADY IDENTIFIED, DO THEY WANT TO TACKLE IN FLORENCE V SAME THING.
THERE'S MONEY THERE TO GO TOWARDS VARIOUS IMPROVEMENTS.
IT'S REALLY GETTING A CONSENSUS AMONGST THE CRA ADVISORY COMMITTEES AND BRINGING THAT BACK.
AND ERIC, UH, LABI AND ANGIE HIBBARD AND TEAM WILL BE MEETING ON THAT, UH, LATER THIS WEEK TO, UH, KIND OF FORMULATE A STRATEGY AND, AND GIVE SOME GUIDANCE TO THE ADVISORY COMMITTEES ON THAT.
SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE ANTICIPATED WITHIN DOWNTOWN CRA LIGHTING, UH, ALONG AVENUE C AND SECOND STREET SOUTHWEST AND AROUND THE FDOT POND, IS THAT PROJECT BEGINS TO DEVELOP THE IMPROVEMENTS AT MALCOLM PARK, WHICH IS OVER BY SOUTH SIDE BAPTIST CHURCH IN OAKLAWN CEMETERY, AND THEN VARIOUS CAPITAL PROJECTS AND CONTINGENCIES.
THERE'S ALSO, AS ERIC AND I HAVE DISCUSSED, UH, AS RECENTLY AS TODAY, THE ABILITY TO UNDERGROUND A LOT OF OUR UTILITIES, UH, PARTICULARLY OUR ELECTRIC UTILITIES THAT, UH, CLOG UP SOME OF OUR ALLEYWAYS AND CREATE SOME BLIGHT WITHIN AREAS AND HAVE SOME RESILIENCY CONCERNS, UH, WITH STORMS AND THE LIKE.
IF WE CAN GET THOSE UNDERGROUNDED, THAT THAT'S A, A, A VIABLE INVESTMENT WITHIN OUR CRA IN FLORENCE VILLA, UH, CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTER MODERNIZATION, VARIOUS CAPITAL PROJECTS, AGAIN, SIDEWALKS, LIGHTING PARK ENHANCEMENTS.
UH, STILL SOME FUNDS FOR PROPERTY ACQUISITION AND EXPANSION AND ENHANCEMENT OF BUS SHELTERS.
WILLOWBROOK, UH, I BELIEVE OUR CFO IS MEETING WITH OUR WILLOWBROOK MANAGEMENT TEAM TOMORROW, OR, OR YEAH, THIS WEEK, UM, JUST TO KIND OF GET UP TO SPEED ON EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING THERE.
WILLOWBROOK IS PERFORMING WELL.
UM, IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO WHERE CAN WE GET MORE ROUNDS AND WHERE CAN WE GET MORE DOLLARS COMING IN SO THAT THERE'S, IT TRULY IS OPERATING AS A PURE BUSINESS OPERATION.
IT'S GETTING ABOUT A 304, A $365,000 CONTRIBUTION FROM THE GENERAL FUND THIS YEAR.
UH, WE THINK THAT WE CAN GET THAT DOWN TO SIGNIFICANTLY LESS AND CERTAINLY WORK TOWARDS ELIMINATING ANY CONTRIBUTION IN THE FUTURE TO WILLOWBROOK.
UM, GIVEN WHAT WE SEE HAPPENING WITHIN THE GREATER WINTER HAVEN GOLF COMMUNITY.
SOLID WASTE IS OPERATING PRETTY FLAT YEAR OVER YEAR, UH, ABOUT A $300,000 INCREASE.
AGAIN, THIS IS A BUSINESS OPERATION THAT THEIR FUNDS COME IN OFF OF SOLID WASTE FEES THAT ARE CHARGED.
UM, THEIR BIGGEST EXPENSES OUTSIDE OF, UM, PERSONNEL, THEY'RE TIPPING FEES, FUEL AND TIPPING FEES ARE THEIR BIGGEST THINGS.
AND, UM, WE ARE, UH, UNDERTAKING A STUDY TO LOOK AT OUR SOLID WASTE FEES.
[01:25:01]
MAY RECALL THE POLK COUNTY INCREASED TIPPING FEES AT THE LANDFILL, AND THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS TO BUILD UP THEIR FUND RESERVES AGAIN, IN RESPONSE TO THE IMPACTS OF DEBRIS MANAGEMENT HAULING POST HURRICANES.WE NEED TO ACCOUNT FOR THAT IN OUR COLLECTION FEES AND CAN'T JUST EAT THAT ON OUR SIDE.
THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL EXPENSE THAT WE HAVE.
SO, BRITTANY HART AND HER TEAM IN PUBLIC WORKS ARE GONNA BE LOOKING AT WHAT DOES THAT NEED TO LOOK LIKE LONG TERM, THEIR INVESTMENTS NEXT YEAR, UH, REPLACEMENT IN, IN, UH, FURTHER, UH, BRIDGING THE DELTA OR THE GAP IN REPLACING SOLID WASTE VEHICLES.
AND THEN ADDING A TRASH COMPACTOR FOR THE WHAT SEEMS TO BE NEVER NOT BUSY CHAIN OF LAKES PARK STORM WATER.
YOU JUST HAD A GREAT PRESENTATION FROM DUSTIN EVERETT AND DEVIN MOORE ON WHAT'S HAPPENING WITHIN THE STORMWATER PROJECT.
UH, THEIR BUDGET ACTUALLY GOES DOWN BY JUST SHY OF A MILLION DOLLARS NEXT YEAR.
UH, THEY BRING IN ABOUT $3.4 MILLION IN REVENUES.
THEIR BIG PROJECTS FOR NEXT YEAR INCLUDE, UH, THE WORK WE JUST TALKED ABOUT DURING ONE OF YOUR RECENT PILLAR UPDATES ON LAKE ILE.
SO WORK WITHIN THE LAKE ITSELF, AND THEN WITHIN THE BASIN THAT CONTRIBUTES STORMWATER TO IT.
AND THEN ALSO STARTING THE, UH, DESIGN FOR THE NORTHERN CHAIN WETLAND RESTORATION PROJECT.
THAT IS THE 150 PLUS ACRES OF LAND THAT WAS PURCHASED UP OFF OF, UH, NORTHERN SIDE OF US 17.
I THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT NUMBER, IS IT NOT MJ.
UM, THE, ALL OF THE WETLANDS AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE LAND WE BOUGHT UP THERE, THE LONG-TERM DESIGN OF WHAT THAT'S TO BE IS, UH, A FUTURE NATURE PARK THAT CAN BE, UM, THERE TO SERVE OUR CITIZENS.
AND THEN ALSO PIPE LINING AND REPLACEMENT AND ACQUISITION OF A NEW STREET SWEEPER.
UM, OUR SWEET STREET SWEEPER GETS A, A HECK OF A LOT OF USE JUST ABOUT EVERY DAY THROUGH PORTIONS OF TOWN.
UM, AND THOSE ARE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT THAT ARE, AS YOU CAN SEE, ARE NOT INEXPENSIVE TO REPLACE GETTING TO THE END.
UH, IN 2018, MIKE HUR, UH, THE CITY MANAGER PRESENTED TO THE CITY COMMISSION WHAT WAS ACTUALLY A ONE MILL INCREASE IN THE MILLAGE RATE WITH A, UH, PROGRAM THAT WOULD TAKE THE FUNDS GENERATED BY THAT ONE MILL AND SET THEM ASIDE TO BE SOLELY USED FOR CAPITAL.
THEY CANNOT BE USED FOR RECURRING OPERATIONS OR FOR PERSONNEL.
SO THIS JUST SHOWS THE PAST FOUR YEARS AND, AND, AND NEXT YEAR'S AS WELL.
BUT YOU COULD TAKE THIS BACK TO 2018 AND YOU WOULD HAVE A LIST OF PROJECTS WHERE WE USE THE REVENUES OFF OF ONE MILL TO GO TO VERY SPECIFIC CAPITAL PROJECTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 27.
WE CONTINUE TO FUND THE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AT $2 MILLION.
WE ARE PUTTING $673,000 TOWARDS PLAYGROUND REPLACEMENT, 981,000 TOWARDS THE STATION HARDENING AT FIRE STATION ONE, TWO, AND FOUR, AND THEN FUNDING THAT WILL GO TOWARDS NOR MAYO HALL AND THE RITZ THEATER, UH, ROOF FOR FISCAL YEAR 28.
I HAVE NOT MADE ANY RECOMMENDATION ON HOW TO PROGRAM THAT OUT, BECAUSE DOING SO IN ADVANCE OF WHAT HAPPENS WITH PROPERTY TAX REFORM WOULD BE ILL ADVISED.
UM, WE HAVE NOTED IN THERE THAT IT WOULD BE ADVISABLE TO TRY AND CONTINUE DOING $2 MILLION WORTH OF TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM INVESTMENTS, BUT THAT NUMBER MAY EVEN NEED TO COME DOWN.
UM, PLAYGROUND REPLACEMENTS MAY NEED TO COME DOWN, BUT YOU CAN SEE AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW, WE'RE SITTING ON A SAVINGS OR AN AVAILABLE, UM, UH, FUND OF ABOUT 2.3, ALMOST $2.4 MILLION THAT HAS NOT YET BEEN PROGRAMMED FOR FISCAL YEAR 28.
I ADVISE YOU JUST LEAVE THAT B DON'T MAKE ANY DECISIONS ON THAT UNTIL WE KNOW WHERE THAT MONEY IS BEST USED IN LIGHT OF WHAT COULD HAPPEN IN NOVEMBER.
AND THEN BACK TO THE BEGINNING AGAIN, JUST TO KINDA RECAP, UM, OUR BUDGET NEXT YEAR, IT DOES SHOW A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN OVERALL BUDGET COMPARED TO FISCAL YEAR 25 OR 26.
HOWEVER, THE VAST INCREASE IS ALL WITHIN CAPITAL OF THE $120 MILLION INCREASE.
110 MILLION OF THAT IS JUST WITHIN THE UTILITY FUND FOR MAJOR INVESTMENTS THAT ARE FUNDED AND ALREADY ESTABLISHED BY THE EXISTING UTILITY RATES.
THE PROPERTY MILLAGE RATE REMAINS THE SAME AS IT HAS SINCE 2022 AT 6.59 MILS.
UM, THE FACT THAT WE HAVE ONLY GROWN IN TAXABLE BY VALUE BY 4.97% MEANS THAT OUR ADV VALOREM REVENUES ONLY
[01:30:01]
INCREASE BY ABOUT $1.5 MILLION YEAR OVER YEAR.WE DO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND.
THAT'S, AGAIN, ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT IF YOU HAD TO MAKE A DECISION LONG TERM, DO YOU CONTINUE TO DO THAT? UH, WE DO CONTINUE TO, UH, CARE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES WITH OUR STEP PROGRAM AS WELL AS CONSIDERATION OF A 3% COST OF LIVING FOR THOSE THAT ARE NOT WITHIN THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS.
AND UNTIL SUCH TIME AS WE REACH AN AGREEMENT WITH THEM, UM, AND WE PROVIDE OUR, WE MAINTAIN AND SUSTAIN THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT WE HAVE TODAY WITH 776 EMPLOYEES.
SO WITH THAT, MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, I'LL GLADLY STAND FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT THIS EVENING, YOU, UH, WELL, FOR MONDAY EVENING, YOU HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM THAT IS TO, THIS BUDGET IS BUILT AROUND THE MILLAGE RATE, AS I MENTIONED, 6.59 MILLS MONDAY EVENING.
ONE OF THE ACTIONS YOU'LL NEED TO TAKE, UH, THAT IS ON YOUR BUDGET, IS TO ESTABLISH A TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT MORE DURING, UH, THE, THE REST OF THE WORKSHOP AND TO SET THE DATE FOR YOUR FIRST HEARING.
UM, SO THAT IS, THAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF YOU UNDERSTANDING THE BUDGET AS WE HAVE CRAFTED IT.
AGAIN, UM, IT IS A BALANCED BUDGET BASED UPON REVENUES THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
UH, IT IS A THINK A IN TERMS OF THE GENERAL FUND, A VERY CONSERVATIVE BUDGET.
AND, UH, MY, MY APPRECIATION TO YOU ALL FOR THE GUIDANCE AND PATIENCE YOU'VE GIVEN TO US IN CRAFTING THIS AND TO THE STAFF THAT WE'RE, UH, PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN IN BRINGING IT TO FRUITION.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS TO DISCUSS FURTHER AT A LATER DATE? OKAY.
AND WE CAN MOVE INTO THE AGENDA REVIEW UNLESS YOU NEED A FIVE MINUTE RECESS BEFOREHAND.
IS EVERYBODY ELSE GOOD? KEEP ROLLING.
EVERYBODY'S WAITED PATIENTLY LONG ENOUGH, SO.
SO WE WILL NOW MOVE INTO THE, UH, NORMAL CITY COMMISSION MEETING AGENDA.
UH, WOULD YOU LIKE ANOTHER ROLL CALL OR ARE WE STILL GOOD? YOU'RE STILL GOOD 'CAUSE WE'VE NOT, UH, DISMISSED FROM THE FIRST.
SO WE'LL HAVE OUR NORMAL INDICATION AND PLEDGE, THEN WE'LL HAVE A, UH, PROCLAMATION FOR FLORIDA WATER PROFESSIONALS MONTH, AND WE'LL MOVE INTO THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH ONE ITEM.
THAT'S THE SMALLEST I'VE EVER SEEN A CONSENT AGENDA.
SO, MR. LATTY WILL, UH, GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THIS, SIR.
MAYOR COMMISSIONERS, UM, THIS IS AN EASEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF WINTER HAVEN AND TAMPA ELECTRIC.
UM, THIS IS FOR THE REMODEL PROJECT, UH, RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET HERE AT, UH, OLD FIRE STATION ONE.
UH, THEY NEED TO SET A NEW, UH, TRANSFORMER TO HANDLE THE NEW ELECTRIC LOAD OVER AT THAT BUILDING.
UM, THERE'S A DEPICTION THERE ON YOUR SCREEN OF THE LOCATION OF THE EASEMENT REQUIRED TO PLACE THAT NEW TRANSFORMER.
UM, FOR CLARITY, IT'S THE SMALL BLACK BOX YOU SEE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE BUILDING.
IT'S A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO SEE.
IT WON'T BE IN THE MIDDLE OF A DRIVEWAY.
THAT WON'T BE A DRIVEWAY ANYMORE.
SO WE'RE JUST RECOMMENDING TO IMPROVE THAT.
UM, SINCE WE'RE ON THE TOPIC OF TECO, JUST WHERE ARE WE WITH UNDERGROUNDING, THOSE LINES, UH, AROUND GROVE ROOTS AND WHAT THE, I CAN GET A PROJECT UPDATE.
I KNOW THAT THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON, ON THAT PROJECT.
THERE WAS A, A DELAY IN THAT THEY HAD TO GET AN EASEMENT FROM A PRIVATE SECTOR ENTITY, UM, TO SET A NEW TRANSFORMER DOWN THERE AS WELL, WHICH I THINK THAT THEY, UM, ARE CURRENTLY ALMOST DONE WITH, UH, AT THIS POINT.
YEAH, I THINK, I THINK A LOT OF THE POWERS UNDERGROUND, THERE'S STILL SOME COMMUNICATION LINES THAT ARE THERE THOUGH, AND THAT HAS TO HAPPEN SEPARATELY.
AND THEN WILL THE LIGHTS COME DOWN AND WHEN ALL THAT HAPPENS AT THE SAME TIME? OR THE LIGHTS COMING DOWN SOONER? LIGHTS BEING THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL.
YEAH, THAT, SO THAT'LL COME DOWN SEPARATE FROM THIS OKAY.
BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE GETTING QUOTES FOR AND WORK ON HOW TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
AS FOR THE SIGNAL, THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL MASK ON, WE HAVE A QUOTE PREPARED TO MANAGER TO ISSUE A PURCHASE ORDER FOR THAT WORK.
AND THEY WOULD DO THAT SEPARATELY FROM THE LINES DEPUTY STATE MANAGER MENTIONED.
IF YOU'D LIKE MR. MAYOR, WE COULD PUT ALEX PRICE ON THE SPOT.
I MEAN, I WASN'T GONNA GO THERE, BUT NO, THAT, THAT'S OKAY.
I WAS JUST DRIVING BY THERE TODAY AND I WAS LIKE, IT'S ABOUT TIME.
THESE, UH, THESE GET WRAPPED UP, SO, ALL RIGHT.
[01:35:01]
R 26 DASH 20.UH, THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR COMMISSION.
UM, THIS IS A RESOLUTION WE'VE TALKED ABOUT PREVIOUSLY WHERE WE'RE RESCHEDULING THE MEETING FOR SEPTEMBER 14TH TO SEPTEMBER 15TH IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE, UM, THE TENTATIVE HEARING ON THE BUDGET.
WE CANNOT CONFLICT WITH THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OR THE SCHOOL BOARD, SO WE HAVE TO MOVE OUR REGULAR MEETING FROM SEPTEMBER 14TH TO SEPTEMBER 15TH.
REQUIRES FOUR VOTES, BY THE WAY.
SO HOPEFULLY THERE'LL BE FOUR OF YOU HERE MONDAY.
I THINK WE CAN HANDLE THAT ONE.
UH, FIRST ORDINANCE, FIRST READINGS, O 26 DASH 16 CITY ATTORNEY.
I WILL DEFER TO THE CITY MANAGER ON THIS, SORRY.
SO WE WON'T READ THE ORDINANCES IN FULL THIS EVENING.
BUT, UM, WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE GONE THROUGH A EVALUATION AND APPRAISAL REPORT, UH, VIA ERIC'S OPERATIONS AND PLANNING.
SO I'LL ASK HIM TO PRESENT THIS.
THIS HAS GONE TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AT THEIR MOST RECENT MEETING.
UH, MAYOR COMMISSIONERS, THIS IS PART OF, UH, GROWTH MANAGEMENT LEGISLATION IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
WE ARE REQUIRED TO UPDATE, UM, OUR WINTERHAVEN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, UH, IN RESPONSE TO OUR EVALUATION AND APPRAISAL REPORT.
UM, NORMALLY I WOULD SAY THAT THIS IS A, A MUCH MORE SIGNIFICANT ITEM THAN, UM, WHAT YOU WILL SEE THIS YEAR.
UM, THE ONLY MAJOR REQUIREMENTS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE CHANGING IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ARE THAT WE NOW HAVE TO HAVE A 20 YEAR, UM, PLANNING PERIOD FOR OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
SO, UH, WE MADE MODIFICATIONS TO, UH, POPULATION PROJECTIONS AND DATES FOR, UH, GOALS AND OBJECTIVES WITHIN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO ACCOMMODATE THAT 20 YEAR, UM, PERIOD.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY, UH, THERE'S STATE LAW SENATE BILL 180 THAT PROHIBITS US FROM MAKING MAJOR CHANGES THAT COULD BE SEEN MORE BURDENSOME, UH, AT THIS TIME.
UM, SO IF AND WHEN SENATE BILL, UM, 180 GOES AWAY, UM, WE PLAN TO MAKE MORE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
UM, MOST SPECIFICALLY AROUND, UM, ALL THE ONE WATER EFFORTS THAT WE'VE ENDEAVORED OVER THE, THE RECENT YEARS.
AND SO, YEAH, WE WOULD RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF ORDINANCE OH 26 16, WHICH IS THE, UH, REVISION TO THE, UH, UM, COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
AND THE NEXT ITEM GOES RIGHT ALONG WITH THAT, AND THAT IS THE ADOPTION OF THE 2050 FUTURE LAND USE MAP, UH, MAP SERIES.
SO THAT IS ANOTHER PIECE OF THE, UH, THE EAR PROCESS.
SO THOSE KIND OF GO HAND IN HAND.
AND AGAIN, THERE ARE NO MAJOR CHANGES.
UH, WE DID REFORMAT THEM, BUT WE'RE NOT CHANGING LAND USES FOR ANY OF ANY OF THE PROPERTIES IN THE CITY.
WATERHEAD MAYOR PERTON, I WAS JUST LOOKING AT SOME OF THE SUBSETS AND EVERYTHING ON THAT.
SO, AND GOING THROUGH, LOOKING AT IT.
OH, 26 18, CITY MANAGER, THIS ONE, UH, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR YOU THIS EVENING AND, AND I'M GONNA ASK, UM, OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF WINTER AVER WATER TO, TO COME TO THE PODIUM AND HELP INTRODUCE THIS.
SO THIS PERTAINS TO INDUSTRIAL PRE-TREATMENT.
UM, THIS IS A MATTER, AND I'M GONNA KIND OF GIVE YOU A, A THUMBNAIL READER'S DIGEST VERSION OF IT.
AND THEN MARK AND OUR CONSULTANTS HAVE A PRESENTATION ON THE, WHAT WE'RE DOING OVERALL.
BUT WHEN YOU HAVE CERTAIN INDUSTRIES WITHIN YOUR COMMUNITY THAT PRODUCE WASTEWATER THAT HAS CERTAIN PARAMETERS TO IT THAT EXCEED WHAT YOUR TYPICAL WASTEWATER OR RESIDENTIAL WASTEWATER DISCHARGES YOUR FLUENT, UM, ARE, YOU HAVE TO ACCOUNT FOR THAT EITHER, WELL, IN JUST ABOUT EVERY CASE, YOU'RE DOING SOME LEVEL OF PRE-TREATMENT AT THE SOURCE WHERE IT'S GENERATED TO REMOVE SOME OF THOSE, UM, THOSE ELEMENTS, THOSE CONTAMINANTS BEFORE IT ENTERS OUR STREAM BECAUSE IT CAN HAVE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS ON THE INTEGRITY OF OUR WASTEWATER OPERATIONS, AS WELL AS THE COST OF THOSE.
SO PRE-INDUSTRIAL PRETREATMENT IS THE MEANS BY WHICH YOU DO THAT.
WE ALSO HAVE A FEE STRUCTURE FOR THOSE CUSTOMERS THAT ACCOUNTS FOR THEIR FLOW AS WELL AS THE CONCENTRATIONS WITHIN THAT.
SO, UM, THIS IS AN UPDATE TO OUR CODE OF ORDINANCES THAT ADJUSTS THE FEE STRUCTURE AS WELL AS THE FEES FOR THOSE CUSTOMERS.
THERE ARE THREE SUCH CUSTOMERS PRESENT DAY IN THE CITY OF WINTER HAVEN.
UM, THERE MAY HAVE BEEN MORE IN THE PAST, I DON'T RECALL, BUT THESE THREE HAVE BEEN, AT LEAST FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, THE ONLY ONES WE'VE DEALT WITH, UH, TWO OF THEM GO BACK MANY YEARS.
SO, MARK, WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU AND OUR TEAM FROM, UH, JONES EDMONDS.
[01:40:01]
MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, UH, TEAM MICHAEL IS ALWAYS PRESENTS VERY, VERY WELL.I DON'T REALLY HAVE TOO MUCH MORE TO ADD.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, JUST TO FURTHER EXPAND ON, OUR WASTEWATER PLANTS TREAT ARE BASED ON AND TREAT PRIMARILY FOR RESIDENTIAL, UM, WASTEWATER WHEN THE INDUSTRIAL USERS ARE BIG, COMMERCIAL USERS EXCEED THOSE LIMITS.
UM, WE, WE MONITOR THOSE THROUGH OUR PRE-TREATMENT FOG, UH, TEAM, UM, THROUGH COMPOSITE SAMPLES.
AND THEN WHEN THOSE LIMITS ARE EXCEEDED, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO TREAT.
WE HAVE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, TAKE CARE OF THAT BECAUSE WE'RE TREATING UP TO, UM, RESIDENTIAL LEVELS.
SO THOSE THREE USERS ARE VERY, ARE VERY COMPETENT AND VERY GOOD ABOUT TREATING THE PROGRAM.
UM, AND, UH, I HAVE THE JOINT STAFF HERE LED BY JIM MCCAN, UM, WHO PREPARED OUR STUDY FOR AND GIVE US A LITTLE MORE DETAIL, UM, ON PRETREATMENT PROGRAM AND MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS JUST TO, AND, AND AS JIM'S COMING TO THE PODIUM, THIS DOES RESULT IN ADJUSTMENTS TO WASTEWATER PRE-TREATMENT FEES THAT THROUGH THE, THE PROCESS OF TWO READINGS OF THE ORDINANCE AND, AND SUCH, 'CAUSE WE'RE AMENDING THE, THE CODE, BUT THIS IF APPROVED, THIS WILL RESULT IN MODIFICATIONS TO THE SPECIFIC FEES ASSIGNED TO THOSE CURRENT, UM, UH, ME, THOSE CURRENT PERMITEES UNDER OUR INDUSTRIAL PRETREATMENT PRO PROGRAM, AS WELL AS ANY OTHERS THAT COULD COME TO BE IN THE FUTURE.
SO I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU THAT AS A CAVEAT.
I'M A CHIEF ENGINEER WITH JONES ENS, AND I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE CITY OVER THE LAST, UH, YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF TO EVALUATE THE WASTEWATER SURCHARGE SYSTEM AND UPDATE IT.
UM, AND SURCHARGE SYSTEM, AS HAS BEEN KIND OF ALLUDED TO, IS BASICALLY JUST A COMPONENT OF YOUR INDUSTRIAL PRE-TREATMENT PROGRAM THAT YOU HAVE A WELL ESTABLISHED INDUSTRIAL PRE-TREATMENT PROGRAM.
AND SO JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU, UH, A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THE INDUSTRIAL PRE-TREATMENT PROGRAM, WHAT IT IS AND WHY YOU HAVE IT.
UM, IT DATES BACK TO 1997 WHEN THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ADOPTED ITS OWN INDUSTRIAL PRE-TREATMENT PROGRAM.
UM, AND THE PURPOSE OF THE INDUSTRIAL PRE-TREATMENT PROGRAM IS TO PROTECT YOUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS.
IT'S TO PREVENT THE DISCHARGE OF THINGS THAT COULD ENTER YOUR SEWER SYSTEM AND DISRUPT THE OPERATIONS OF THE TREATMENT PLANT OR PASS THROUGH AND END UP IN THE EFFLUENT FROM THE PLANT AND CAUSE VIOLATIONS OR COULD PRESENT, UH, A HEALTH OR SAFETY RISK TO BOTH THE PLANT OPERATORS AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC IN GENERAL, SUCH AS SOMETHING LIKE A FLAMMABLE SUBJECT THAT WAS DISCHARGED INTO THE SEW SYSTEM THAT BECOME A HAZARD TO EVERYBODY.
UM, SO THOSE ARE THE GENERAL PURPOSES OF WHAT THIS IS, AND IT'S ALL AIMED AT TRYING TO MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY, QUALITY, AND USABILITY OF THE EFFLUENT FROM YOUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS.
SO A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ABOUT IT.
WHO'S IT APPLIED TO? IT APPLIES TO COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL USERS OF A CERTAIN SIZE.
BASICALLY, WE'RE LOOKING FOR WHAT IS DEEMED A SIGNIFICANT INDUSTRIAL USER.
AND A SIGNIFICANT INDUSTRIAL USER WOULD BE SOMEBODY WHO DISCHARGES MORE THAN 25,000 GALLONS PER DAY OF WASTEWATER AND OR HAS A COMPONENT IN THAT WASTE STREAM THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO IMPACT THE OPERATIONS OF THE TREATMENT PLAN.
SO THOSE ARE WHAT THAT BASIS IS FOR.
AND THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THE SURCHARGE PROGRAM IS TO ADDRESS THE FACT THAT NOT ALL WASTEWATER IS THE SAME.
IT COSTS MORE TO TREAT STRONGER WASTEWATER THAT COMES FROM INDUSTRIES.
UM, AND THE PROGRAM IS ALSO INTENDED TO PROVIDE AN INCENTIVE TO THE INDUSTRIES TO REDUCE THEIR LEVELS THAT ARE COMING FROM THEIR FACILITIES.
SO THE APPLICATION TO THE CITY OF WINTERHAVEN, AS HAS BEEN NOTED, THERE ARE CURRENTLY THREE DISCHARGES THAT ARE IN THE PROGRAM NOW.
UM, SPECIFICALLY IT'S NEW DAIRY FLORIDA CAN AND INDIAN RIVER TRANSPORT.
THOSE ARE THE THREE AND ALL OF THEM DISCHARGED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT NUMBER THREE IN THE CITY.
UM, AND ESSENTIALLY EACH ONE OF THEM IS ISSUED AN INDUSTRIAL PRE-TREATMENT PERMIT FROM THE CITY.
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AND THAT PERMIT IS ESSENTIALLY BUYING CAPACITY, IF YOU WILL, IN THE TREATMENT PLANT.AND THAT IS MEASURED BY THE FLOW AND THE BIOCHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY JUST A, A MEASURE OF HOW MUCH OXYGEN IT TAKES FOR THE BUGS AT THE TREATMENT PLANT TO DEGRADE THE ORGANIC MATERIAL THAT'S IN THE WASTEWATER.
THE HIGHER THE BOD, THE MORE OXYGEN THAT'S REQUIRED, THE MORE ENERGY AND COSTS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
THE OTHER IS TOTAL SUSPENDED SOLIDS, KIND OF INDICATIVE OF ITS NAME.
IT'S THE MATERIAL THAT'S SUSPENDED IN THE WASTEWATER, AND THOSE SUSPENDED SOLIDS ARE CARRYING THE ORGANIC MATERIAL THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THE BOD.
SO THOSE ARE THE COMPONENTS THAT ARE UTILIZED TO LOOK AT, UM, WHAT THE INDIVIDUAL DISCHARGES ARE ARE BUYING IN TERMS OF CAPACITY.
THE SURCHARGE PROGRAM THAT THE CITY HAS IS CURRENTLY A TWO PHASED PROCESS THAT IS IMPLEMENTED WHEN THE WASTE STREAMS FROM THE INDUSTRIES EXCEED THE PERMITTED CAPACITIES FROM THEIR PERMITS THAT ARE ISSUED.
THERE ARE TWO COMPONENTS, OPERATIONAL SURCHARGES, WHICH ARE RELATED TO ESSENTIALLY THE OPERATIONS OF THE TREATMENT PLAN.
SO THAT'S THINGS LIKE ELECTRICITY, CHEMICAL COST, SLUDGE, DISPOSAL, AND IT ALSO INCLUDES THE COST OF THE ACTUAL OPERATIONS OF THE INDUSTRIAL PRETREATMENT PROGRAM, THE STAFF, THE TESTING.
ALL OF THAT IS TIED INTO THAT.
SECONDLY, THE CITY HAS A CAPITAL RECOVERY SURCHARGE.
THIS ONE'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
IT BASICALLY DATES BACK TO THE 1980S AND IT WAS TIED TO WHEN THE CITY GOT GRANTS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS.
AND AS PART OF THE GRANTS, THEY WERE REQUIRED TO ESTABLISH A CAPITAL RECOVERY SURCHARGE.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE AS WE GO ON.
BUT ESSENTIALLY, THE SURCHARGES ARE APPLIED TO THE UNRESERVED CAPACITY AT THE TREATMENT PLANT.
YOU'RE TRYING TO MAINTAIN THAT, THAT CAPACITY.
SO THE REQUEST THAT THE CITY HAD FOR US WAS TO EVALUATE THE SURCHARGE PROGRAM, DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR UPDATES TO IT, AND MORE SPECIFICALLY ALSO CONSIDER ADDING ADDITIONAL SURCHARGE POLLUTANTS AS PART OF THE SYSTEM.
THOSE INCLUDE NITROGEN, TOTAL NITROGEN, TOTAL PHOSPHORUS, TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS AND FAT SOIL AND GREASE TO ESTABLISH SURCHARGES ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OF THOSE.
SO THE FIRST THING WE DID WAS WE LOOKED AT THE OPERATIONAL SURCHARGES FOR BOTH BOD AND TSS.
IT'S KIND OF A MISNOMER FOR IT TO BE LABELED AS, UH, A SURCHARGE FOR FLOW BECAUSE FLOW IS SIMPLY CHARGED AT THE COMMERCIAL WASTEWATER RATE FOR ANY INDUSTRY.
AS THE COMMERCIAL RATE GOES UP, THAT FLOW CHARGE GOES UP.
THE BOD, THE CURRENT RATE IS POINT OR 15 CENTS PER POUND OF B-O-D-T-S-S WAS 3 CENTS PER POUND OF BOD.
THOSE WERE BASED UPON OLD OPERATIONAL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE TREATMENT PLAN.
LOOKING AT THE OPERATIONAL COSTS FOR THE PLANTS IN 2025, THE ADJUSTED NUMBERS WOULD BE 0.82 POUNDS OR 82 CENTS PER POUND FOR BOD AND 0.9 POUNDS 9 CENTS PER POUND FOR TSS.
SO BASICALLY THIS IS A REFLECTION OF CATCHING UP TO THE ACTUAL COST ASSOCIATED WITH OPERATIONS AT THE TREATMENT PLAN.
IN LOOKING AT THE OTHER RECOMMENDED, UH, PARAMETERS THAT THE CITY ASKED US TO TAKE A LOOK AT, WE ALSO TOOK A LOOK AT THE TOTAL NITROGEN, TOTAL PHOSPHOROUS, FAT OIL AND GREASE AND TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS.
AND THESE ARE THE RATES THAT WERE DEVELOPED ASSOCIATED WITH TAKING THE REMAINDER OF THE OPERATIONAL COSTS THAT WASN'T APPLIED TO BOD AND PSS AND APPLYING IT TO THESE PARAMETERS.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT A NUMBER OF COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE HAVE TOTAL NITROGEN, TOTAL PHOSPHORUS AND FAT OIL AND GREASE SURCHARGES.
I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S ANY THAT HAVE A TDS SURCHARGE AS YET.
BUT THE TDS SURCHARGE IS SOMETHING TO LOOK AT IN TERMS OF PRESERVING THE QUALITY OF THE RECLAIMED WATER THAT IS PRODUCED BY THE TREATMENT PLANT THAT RECLAIMED WATER.
THE CITY HAS WONDERFUL PLANS TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THAT WATER FOR WETLAND RECHARGE AMONG OTHER THINGS THAT WILL ALLOW IT TO CONTINUE.
IF THE TDS IS TOO HIGH, YOU END UP RISKING THAT.
[01:50:01]
SO THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THE TDS SURCHARGE IS TO TRY AND MAINTAIN OUR, OUR RELIANCE THAT THE TDS IN THE EFFLUENT FROM THE PLANT WOULD BE UNDER 450 MILLIGRAMS PER LITER.SO WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS? BASICALLY IT'S YOU'RE BRINGING THINGS UP TO CURRENT COST.
AGAIN, IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE THESE RATES HAD BEEN ADJUSTED AND YOUR OPERATIONAL COST, AS WE ALL KNOW, EVERYTHING COSTS MORE ELECTRICITY COSTS, MORE CHEMICALS COST MORE.
IT COSTS MOST MORE DISPOSABLE WASTEWATER SOLIDS.
IT PROVIDES AN INCENTIVE TO REDUCE POLLUTANTS.
'CAUSE AGAIN, WE'RE LOOKING AT MAINTAINING THE QUALITY OF THAT EFFLUENT COMING FROM THE TREATMENT PLAN AND PROTECTING RESIDENTS COSTS.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE INDUSTRIES ARE PAYING THEIR APPROPRIATE COST ASSOCIATED WITH THE OPERATIONS OF THE SYSTEM AND THAT IT DOESN'T OVERTAX THE USER RATES FOR THE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS.
SO BACK TO THE CAPITAL RECOVERY SURCHARGE, AGAIN, THEY WERE ORIGINALLY JUST ESTABLISHED AS PART OF A GRANT REQUIREMENT FROM THE 1980S.
THEY'D BEEN UPDATED OVER TIME TO KIND OF TIE THEM TO THE IMPACT FEES THAT ARE CHARGED TO NEW USERS.
THEY'RE, UH, THE BEST WAY I COULD PUT IT IS IT'S, IT'S A TEMPORARY LEASE OF CAPACITY WITHIN THE PLAN AND IT'S AMORTIZED OVER A 30 YEAR PERIOD AT FIVE AND A HALF PERCENT.
AND WHEN YOU'RE APPLYING THIS, YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S THE CHARGE FOR FLOW, WHAT'S THE CHARGE FOR BOD, WHAT'S THE CHARGE FOR TSS? AND YOU TAKE THE LARGEST OF THOSE THREE AND YOU APPLY IT AS PART OF THE SURCHARGE ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
I'LL TELL YOU THAT WE LOOKED AND LOOKED.
WE COULD NOT FIND ANY OTHER COMMUNITIES IN FLORIDA THAT HAVE A SIMILAR SYSTEM AT THIS POINT.
AND BASED UPON THAT, OUR RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE THAT YOU DISCONTINUE THE CAPITAL RECOVERY SURCHARGE COMPONENT OF THE SURCHARGE SYSTEMS LOOKING AT WINTER HAVEN IN COMPARISON TO COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE, YOUR PROPOSED CURRENT AND PROPOSED SURCHARGE RATES ARE ON PAR WITH YOUR COMMUNITIES AROUND YOU AS WELL AS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
SO THERE'S NOTHING DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT ABOUT YOURS.
OTHER COMMUNITIES DO HAVE TD, TD, UH, TOTAL NITROGEN, TOTAL PHOSPHORUS AND FAT SOIL IN GREECE.
AND AGAIN, THE NUMBERS THAT WE CAME UP WITH WOULD BE ON PAR WITH WHAT OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE CHARGING FOR THOSE.
AGAIN, WE DID NOT FIND ANY OTHER COMMUNITY THAT HAD A TDS, UM, AND ADDITIONALLY WE COULD NOT FIND ANY COMMUNITIES THAT HAD A CAPITAL RECOVERY SURCHARGE.
SO WHAT'S THE IMPACT TO THE INDUSTRIES? SO WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A SUMMARY OF THE CAP, THE, THE CURRENT COST IN 2024 FOR THE THREE INDUSTRIES, WHICH IS THE FLOW CHARGES, THE BOD CHARGES, THE TDSS CHARGES AND THE CAPITAL RECOVERY COMPONENT.
I'LL POINT OUT TO YOU, IF YOU LOOK AND SEE THAT THE CAPITAL RECOVERY CHARGES REPRESENT NEARLY TWO THIRDS OF THE OVERALL COST ASSOCIATED WITH THE CHARGES THAT WERE REPLIED TO THESE INDUSTRIES, SPECIFICALLY NEW DAIRY FACED A LOT OF THAT.
SO THEIR TOTAL SEWER BILL IN TERMS OF SURCHARGES AND AND WATER USAGE WAS NEARLY A MILLION DOLLARS.
IN 2004, FLORIDA, KANSAS WAS ABOUT 96,000, AND INDIAN RIVER WAS ABOUT 20,000.
OVERALL, THE SYSTEM HAD GENERATED ABOUT $1.1 MILLION IN FEES IN 2024.
IN ORDER TO ASSESS, EXCUSE ME, THE IMPACT OF THESE ON THE NEW RATES ON THESE, WE TOOK THE 2024 FLOWS AND LOWS FROM EACH OF THESE INDUSTRIES AND APPLIED THE NEW RATES TO THEM.
AND THAT'S THE PROPOSED SIDE OF THE CHART HERE, WHICH SHOWS THAT AT THE BOTTOM YOU CAN SEE THAT THE TOTAL FOR NEW DAIRY WOULD BE ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS.
NOT MUCH DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THEIR TOTAL WAS FOR ACTUALLY IN 2024, FLORIDA CANS WOULD GO UP BASED UPON A TDS SURCHARGE AND INDIAN RIVERS GOES UP A COUPLE OF THOUSAND DOLLARS ALTOGETHER.
BUT IN TOTAL YOU END UP WITH ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN ADDITIONAL CHARGES.
IF ALL OF THESE SURCHARGES WERE APPLIED TO THE
[01:55:01]
FLOWS AND LOADS OF THESE FACILITIES.AGAIN, BASICALLY THE ADDITIONAL SURCHARGES FOR THE NEW COMPONENTS WOULD HELP OFFSET THE IDEA OF ELIMINATING THE CAPITAL RECOVERY COMPONENT OF THE SURCHARGE PROGRAM.
SO AGAIN, OUR RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD BE TO IMPLEMENT UPDATED OPERATIONAL SURCHARGES FOR BOD AND TSS.
YOUR FLOWS AUTOMATICALLY GO, THE FLOW CHARGE AUTOMATICALLY GOES UP WITH A COMMERCIAL USAGE RATE.
WE ALSO WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE COLLECT ADDITIONAL DATA ON TOTAL NITROGEN, TOTAL PHOSPHORUS, FOG AND TDS FROM THE VARIOUS INDUSTRIES IN ORDER TO HELP REFINE THE NUMBERS.
AND FINALLY, WE WOULD RECOMMEND DISCONTINUING THE CAPITAL RECOVERY SURCHARGE TO ALIGN MORE WITH THE PRO, THE, THE, THE PROCESSES THAT ARE MORE MODERN TO TODAY.
I'M GONNA BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
I'M GONNA YIELD TO OUR RESIDENT EXPERT UP HERE.
UM, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF, OF THE INDUSTRIAL STREAM, UM, VERSUS RESIDENTIAL IN TERMS OF TOTAL FLOW MM-HMM
I THINK WE'RE TALKING, LET'S SEE, IT'S, IT'S LESS THAN 15% ALTOGETHER CURRENTLY.
UM, AND I'M SORRY, I'M, I'M, I'M ESTIMATING THAT THAT'S OKAY.
I JUST, I WAS CURIOUS AS TO, USUALLY IT CAN USUALLY GO UP TO ABOUT 25%.
AND SO I WAS JUST WONDERING WHAT, BASED ON AS FAR AS PERCENTAGES OF THE FLOW, UM, I'M KIND OF FAMILIAR WITH IT AND I'M CONFI COM I AM FAMILIAR WITH THE CHARGES 'CAUSE I USED TO CALCULATE 'EM A LOT.
SO
AND ARE WE GONNA HAVE SOMEONE THAT IS GOING TO SAMPLE, UM, TO VERIFY AND MAKE SURE, UM, THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY ARE FOLLOWING THESE OR THEY'RE CONFORMING AND EVERYTHING THAT IS PART OF THE CITY'S INDUSTRIAL PRETREATMENT PROGRAM.
THAT THE SAMPLING IS DONE BY THE CITY AT THE VARIOUS INDUSTRIES ON A WEEKLY BASIS.
AND THE INDUSTRIES PAY THE COST FOR THAT SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS AS PART OF THEIR MONTHLY BILL.
SO YES, THEY WILL BE, THEY WILL BE MONITORED.
AND MAYOR PERAM, I BELIEVE THAT, I DUNNO IF IT'S RE IF IT'S THE REQUIREMENT OR IF IT'S JUST THE COMMON PRACTICE OF A LOT OF COMMUNITIES THAT THAT'S DONE ON A MONTHLY BASIS, OUR PRACTICE IS TO DO THAT ON A WEEKLY BASIS.
SO THEY'RE SAMPLING THAT SO WE KNOW WHAT THOSE, UM, CONTAMINANTS WITH THOSE PARAMETERS ARE AND CAN APPLY THAT ACCORDINGLY TO, TO THEIR, THEIR IPP SURCHARGES.
AND THE, AND THE PROCESS UTILIZES THE WEEKLY DATA AND AVERAGES IT OUT AS A NUMBER FOR THE, AN AVERAGE FOR THE MONTH.
ARE WE GOING TO COMPLY WITH, UM, OUR SET GOALS ON THIS? I MEAN, TO MAKE SURE, UM, THAT WE REMAIN AT THAT 15% OR THAT WE, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME AVAILABLE FOR NEW, UM, CORRECT.
THERE, THERE, I MEAN THERE ARE OTHER INDUSTRIES.
UM, YOU HAVE ONE SIGNIFICANT ONE THAT'S, THAT'S LOOKING TO COME ON BOARD AS WELL.
UM, SO THAT WOULD BE PART OF AN ASSESSMENT OF THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE HEADWORKS LOADING COMPONENT MM-HMM
IN TERMS OF THE LOCAL LIMITS CALCULATIONS.
SO YOU WOULD SET ASIDE RESERVE FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF THAT MM-HMM
SO YES, THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE CALCULATIONS.
SO AGAIN, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS, JUST KIND OF TO BRING THIS HOME, THIS IS RECOGNIZING THE IMPACT THAT INDUSTRIAL AFFLUENT HAS ON, ON WASTEWATER OPERATIONS THAT IN, IN, IN PROTECTING RESIDENTS, YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, 40,000 RESIDENTIAL ACCOUNTS THAT ARE OUT THERE, UM, FROM BEARING COSTS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH INDUSTRIAL WASTE THAT COMES IN AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE WATER, REPHRASE THAT
IT DOES, IT DOES RESULT IN AN INCREASE.
THE TIMING OF THIS IS THAT THESE FEES WOULD NOT TAKE EFFECT UNTIL AFTER JANUARY 1ST, 2027.
[02:00:02]
UM, THAT IS OUR EFFORT TO GIVE THEM ADVANCED AWARENESS OF THOSE AS THEY'RE PREPARING THEIR OPERATING BUDGETS AND THE LIKE FOR, UH, WHAT LIES AHEAD.UM, AND CERTAINLY THERE ARE THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE, JIM, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG ON THE INDUSTRIAL USER'S SIDE, TO DO FURTHER PRE-TREATMENT ON THEIR BEHALF, CAPITAL INVESTMENT THAT THEY MAKE ON THEIR FILTRATIONS AND PROCESSES AND THE LIKE AT THE POINT OF THE DISCHARGE TO TREAT IT TO THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE LEVEL SO THEY'RE NOT INCURRING SURCHARGES ON ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS.
YOU KNOW, THE CLEANER IT COMES TO US, THE CHEAPER IT IS FOR YOU AT THE END OF THE DAY IN TERMS OF OUR BILL, BUT IT MAY REQUIRE A GREATER CAPITAL INVESTMENT ON THEIR SIDE.
AND THE WHOLE PROGRAM, AGAIN, ONE OF THE GOALS OF THE PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE THAT IN INCENTIVE YEAH.
FOR THE INDUSTRIES TO SELF, SELF-TREAT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
UM, WE'RE GONNA MAKE YOU A WASTEWATER EXPERT BEFORE THIS IS DONE.
YEAH, I'M, I'M SCARED TO DEATH MM-HMM
SO THE, THERE, THERE, THERE'S A, THERE'S GOTTA BE A COST FOR THESE THREE ENTITIES THAT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO SPEND ON THEIR EQUIPMENT TO GET THEM MORE UP TO PAR TO.
SO JIM, CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE SLIDE THAT HAS THE TABLE? SO WHAT, UM, WHAT THEY DID, WHAT, WHAT THE TEAM DID, JONES EDMOND TEAM IN LOOKING AT THIS WAS TAKING THE FLOWS THAT WE HAD IN 2024, UM, AS THEY WERE COME AS THEY EXISTED AND APPLYING THE NEW RATES TO THEM.
THIS IS WHAT THOSE RATES WOULD BE BASED UPON THOSE FLOWS.
NOW IF THE FLOW IS HIGHER, THEN THE NUMBERS ARE GONNA BE HIGHER OBVIOUSLY, BUT THE, UM, THE ONLY ADDITIONAL COST TO THEM IS IF IS THE INCENTIVIZING THEM TO DO MORE TREATMENT ON THEIR END BEFORE IT GETS TO US.
BUT THIS IS BASED UPON HOW THEY'RE PROCESSING THEIR CURRENTLY THEIR, THEIR WASTEWATER TODAY.
AND IS THEIR COST, UH, IF THEY PUT THAT EXPENSE AND THAT COST INTO IT, IS THAT COST LESS THAN WHAT THEY WOULD CHARGE BE CHARGED HERE? I CAN'T TELL YOU THAT.
I THINK THAT'S A, THAT'S AN OPERATION.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE, IS IT BETTER TO DO A GREATER LEVEL OF PRETREATMENT IN MY FACILITY OR INCUR THE ONGOING COSTS HERE? THAT'S A, A BUSINESS DECISION THAT EACH OF THOSE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE YOU WANT THE WATER AS CLEAN AS POSSIBLE TO GET TO YOU BECAUSE IT'S A BIOLOGICAL PROCESS.
WHICH MEANS IT'S NOT GONNA REMOVE ANYTHING.
IT WON'T TAKE OUT METALS, IT WON'T TAKE OUT ANYTHING LIKE THAT THAT COMES TO YOU.
I GET AND THEY NEED TO CLEAN IT UP AS CLEAN AS THEY CAN GET IT YEAH.
I GUESS I'M JUST LOOKING FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT TO DO THAT.
BECAUSE REALLY THERE'S NOT, I MEAN YES, IT'S UP A LITTLE BIT FROM WHAT THEY WERE PAYING IN 2024.
THERE'S NOT, NOT THAT MUCH ENCOURAGEMENT
THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I'M GETTING AT.
SO I, I ASSUME WE'VE TALKED TO THESE THREE ENTITIES AND THEY KNOW THIS IS COMING OR, OR YES.
THEY, THEY'VE BEEN INFORMED, THEY, THEY'RE AWARE THAT WE'RE, UH, GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS, UM, FOR THE LAST YEAR TO EVALUATE THIS.
UM, AND UH, THERE ARE SOME GO BACK TO SOME OF THESE, LIKE YOU LOOK AT, UH, THE FLORIDA CAN 20 A FEW YEARS OLD, THEIR TECHNOLOGY'S RELATIVE, BUT NEW DAIRY HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE, THEIR TECHNOLOGY
SO THERE MIGHT BE AN INCENTIVE FOR, UH, NEW DAIRY TO, TO, TO UPGRADE THEIR SYSTEM, TO BRING THEIR COSTS DOWN IN THE LONG, IN THE LONG TERM.
IN YOUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM, DID, DID YOU GET AN INDICATION ON THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD WANT TO DO OR THEY LOOKED AT IT AND SAID, EH, IT'S AN EXTRA 50 GRAND AND THAT THAT WAS MORE OF THE TREND? THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I'M AFRAID OF.
SO, SO THAT'S WHERE I'M TRYING TO GET AT.
LIKE, IS THIS, IS THIS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO INSTITUTE NOW AND IT'S KIND OF STUCK, OR WE'RE GONNA REEVALUATE THIS YEAR OVER YEAR IF THEY'RE NOT CONTINUING TO MAKE THE CHANGES NEEDED THAT WE'RE GONNA POTENTIALLY ADJUST THESE FEES HIGHER.
SO TO ENCOURAGE 'EM TO DO IT AGAIN, I THINK AS PART OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CITY WAS THAT AT A MINIMUM, LIKE EVERY FIVE YEARS YOU WOULD REEVALUATE THESE FEES AND UPDATE THEM TO THE CURRENT OPERATIONAL COST ASSOCIATED WITH THE PLAN.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE DID LOOK AT THE CAPITAL RECOVERY COMPONENT OF THE SURCHARGE TO SAY WHAT WOULD IT BE IF WE UPDATED THAT TO THE CURRENT COST
[02:05:01]
AND IT BASICALLY RESULTED IN A 200% INCREASE IN THAT.WELL, THAT WOULD ENCOURAGE IN THAT SURCHARGE, WHICH MEANS YOU COULD LOOK AT THE CAPITAL RECOVERY FOR NEW DAIRY WOULD BE 1.2 MILLION INSTEAD OF 667.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I'M TRYING TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND.
COMMISSIONER DAVIS, UM, COULD THERE BE ANY CONCERNS IF, UH, WE WERE TO TRY TO MAKE IT A DETERRENT OR EVEN PUNITIVE THAT IT WOULD BE ARBITRARY AND PROBABLY NOT A GOOD IDEA? I, I DON'T BELIEVE SO.
BECAUSE THE COM THE, THE PROCESS IS PRETTY WELL ESTABLISHED.
YOU'RE NOT REINVENTING THE WHEEL, SO TO SPEAK.
THE VALUES ARE JUST SIMPLY NUMBERS THAT ARE BEING UPDATED TO THE ACTUAL COSTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY CORRECT.
IF WE WERE TO GO ABOVE THE ACTUAL COST CORRECT.
TO TRY TO BE DETERRENT OR EVEN PUNITIVE.
I I'M CONCERNED THAT, THAT I, I THINK IF HE TRIED TO DO THAT, YOU WOULD RUN INTO THAT.
I THINK THE WAY THAT, THAT THEY'VE STRUCTURED THIS AND, AND JIM AND HIS TEAM HAVE DONE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK ON IT, IT'S REALLY HOW DO WE IMPROVE THE SYSTEM SO THAT THE COSTS WE'RE INCURRING ARE BEING RECOVERED AT WHAT THEY ACTUALLY ARE AND BEING ACCOUNTED OR BEING PAID FOR BY THE, THE ENTITIES THAT ARE PROVIDING THAT INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER TO IT.
SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I THINK IT'S A BUSINESS DECISION OF WHAT AM I PAYING, WHAT ARE MY FLOWS GOING TO BE? WHAT ARE MY FUTURE PROJECTIONS GOING TO BE IN ASSESSING THAT VERSUS WHAT WOULD MY CAPITAL INVESTMENT BE TO, YOU KNOW, REALLY REDUCE THIS DOWN.
I MEAN, THE FLOW IS GONNA BE THE FLOW.
I DON'T THINK THE FLOW IS GONNA CHANGE.
YOU GOTTA GET RID OF THAT WASTEWATER ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
IT'S HOW CLEAN IS THE WASTEWATER.
SO I'M EITHER GONNA PAY THE CITY TO CLEAN IT THROUGH THE FEES THAT I'M CHARGED BEING CHARGED HERE, OR IF I CAN DO THAT MORE ECONOMICALLY ON MY SIDE BEFORE IT ENTERS THE WASTEWATER SYSTEM, THEN THAT'S TO MY BENEFIT.
BUT I, THAT'S A, A DECISION THAT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE.
SO DID THESE NUMBERS COVER A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THAT COST? IT'S A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE ELECTRICAL, CHEMICAL, SLUDGE DISPOSAL AND OPERATIONS OF THE INDUSTRIAL PRETREATMENT PROGRAM ITSELF.
BUT YOU RUN THE RISK OF THE CITY BEING IN VIOLATION IF THEY DON'T CONFORM.
WELL, THEY'RE NOT CONFORMING THOUGH, RIGHT? THEY'RE MEETING, THEY'RE PROBABLY MEETING THE LEVELS RIGHT NOW.
I MEAN, IF YOU LOOK AT, IF, IF THEY ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THEIR PERMIT, THERE ARE NO SURCHARGES OTHER THAN THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH SAMPLING FOR COM, PROVING THEIR COMPLIANCE.
IF YOU'LL, SO WHAT, WHAT PART ARE WE MISSING THAT WE'RE, THAT THEY'RE NOT PAYING FOR IT.
THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO GRASP AT, IS, IS IT, FROM AN OPERATIONAL STANDPOINT, YOU'RE NOT PAYING FOR THE STAFF AT THE PLANT.
'CAUSE THAT'S THE SUNK COST ASSOCIATED WITH THE OPERATIONS OF THE PLANT.
THAT'S THE MAIN COMPONENT THAT'S NOT BEING COVERED.
SO CAN WE NOT TRY TO INCORPORATE THAT NUMBER INTO THIS? LIKE, YOU WOULDN'T PAY, THEY WOULDN'T PAY THE FULL-TIME PERSON.
CAN YOU NOT INCORPORATE THAT INTO IT? TO, I DON'T WANT, I DON'T WANT TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO FUND THE CLEANUP FOR THESE THREE INDIVIDUALS.
BUT I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT IT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF WHAT ARE YOUR RESIDENTIAL USER RATES, YOUR RESIDENTIAL USER RATES ARE BASED UPON THE OPERATION OF THE PLANT, BASED UPON A CERTAIN STRENGTH OF WASTEWATER COMING INTO THE PLANT.
SO TRYING TO CHARGE A SURCHARGE FOR INDUSTRIAL USERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE OPERATIONAL STAFF, THE EXTRA STRENGTH OF THE WASTEWATER DOESN'T RESULT IN ADDITIONAL STAFF MEMBERS AT THE TREATMENT PLANT.
YOU GOTTA OPERATE THE PLANT REGARDLESS.
I'M JUST TRYING TO GET, I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND YOU DON'T WANNA BE PUNITIVE, BUT THESE ARE MULTIMILLION DOLLAR CORPORATIONS THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH THAT ARE PUMPING THIS WATER TO US.
YOU KNOW, I, I, YOU KNOW, MY RECOMMENDATION AND, AND REVIEWING ALL THIS WITH JIM AND HIS TEAM AND, AND MARK AND GARY AND OUR WASTEWATER OPERATORS, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS MORE IN LINE, YOU KNOW, THE RESTRUCTURING, THE ELIMINATION OF THE CAPITAL RECOVERY COMPONENT, THE ADDITION OF THE TDS FOLLOWED TOTAL NITROGEN, TOTAL PHOSPHORUS, IS THAT MAKES SENSE.
AND THAT IS THE APPROPRIATE STRUCTURE.
SO GETTING US RIGHT SIZED IN HOW OUR, OUR FEES ARE CHARGED AND ESTABLISHING OUR FEES IN CONCERT WITH INDUSTRY BEST PRACTICES AND ACTUAL COSTS THAT WE
[02:10:01]
INCUR, I THINK WE'RE MADE WHOLE IN THIS.UM, I THINK THE, THE INCENTIVIZATION OF, YOU KNOW, GETTING THEM TO DO MORE ON THEIR SIDE, REALLY THAT COMES DOWN TO GOOD BUSINESS PRACTICES AND BUSINESS DECISIONS THAT THEY'VE GOTTA MAKE.
BUT REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THEY MAKE THOSE, WE ARE MADE WHOLE IN OUR TREATMENT OF THAT.
AND, AND WE ARE POSITIONED WELL THAT IF WE HAVE FUTURE INDUSTRIAL, UH, STRENGTH CONTRIBUTORS COME ON BOARD, THE SYSTEM IS IN PLAY TO ACCOUNT FOR THAT.
IS, IS THERE, SORRY, ONE, ONE OTHER QUESTION.
IS THERE A COST TO PRODUCE THIS EVERY, LIKE, SO IN CERTAINLY.
SO HOW MUCH IS THAT? DO WE KNOW AS FAR AS SORT OF UPDATE THIS? DO IT? YEAH, I MEAN, BASICALLY I THINK OUR, OUR FEE FOR THE STUDY WAS LIKE 45,000.
I MEAN, I, I KIND OF DON'T WANNA LOOK AT THIS FIVE YEARS FROM NOW.
I KIND OF WANNA LOOK AT IT IN TWO IS JUST MY, IS MY THOUGHT.
AND WE CAN HAVE THIS DISCUSSION ON MONDAY NIGHT, BUT I I I, I JUST THINK THAT, I THINK FIVE YEARS, NONE OF US MAY BE EVEN UP HERE.
I MEAN, I'M, I SAID MAYBE, I MEAN, I DON'T, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WHO, WHO KNOWS WHAT, WHAT, WHAT'S GONNA BE HERE IN FIVE YEARS.
SO I JUST, I MEAN, FIVE YEARS SEEMS LIKE A LONG TIME.
I, I WOULDN'T GET TOO GUMMED UP ON THAT.
I THINK, MAYOR, YOUR POINT IS WELL TAKEN THAT YOU ALL AS THE COMMISSION HAVE THE RIGHT TO LOOK AT THIS AS OFTEN AS YOU WANT.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, MR. UH, MCCLELLAN HAS SUGGESTED, WHAT, FIVE YEARS, UM, BUT YOU CERTAINLY, IF THE MAJORITY, YOU WANNA LOOK AT IT MORE FREQUENTLY.
YEAH, THAT'S CERTAINLY WELL, WITHIN YOUR PURVIEW, I DON'T WANT TO JUMP AHEAD, BUT ANOTHER ITEM THAT'S ON YOUR AGENDA.
THE, THE NEXT PRESENTATION IS ON IMPROVEMENTS TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT THREE, THAT WE ARE EXPANDING, ENHANCING, MODERNIZING THAT PLANT, THAT THAT CAN ALSO RESULT IN OPERATIONAL SAVINGS ON OUR SIDE.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THOSE KIND OF GO, GOTTA GO HAND IN HAND.
THE TAXPAYERS PAYING TO MODERNIZE EVERYTHING, BUT THEY, WELL, THE RATE PAYER NOT THE TAX, THE, THE RATE PAYER, WELL, THEY'RE ALL TAXPAYERS, BUT, WELL, NOT, I DON'T WANT TO BE ARGUMENTATIVE, BUT THOSE THAT ARE OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS ARE NOT MAYOR PRO TEM.
DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE? YES.
UM, THEY HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL PERMIT, CORRECT? THAT'S WRITTEN FOR THE CORRECT.
AND, UH, IF THEY EXCEED THAT PERMIT, UM, THEN IS THERE SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WHAT COULD HAPPEN IS, UH, ESPECIALLY THE CAPACITY ISSUE, THEY CAN USE UP ENOUGH TO TAKE AWAY A LOT OF THE CAPACITY OF THE SYSTEM, UH, FROM OTHER USERS.
AS LONG AS YOU CAN CONTROL AND MONITOR THEIR PERMITS SO THAT THEY DON'T GO OVER OR ANYTHING.
OR IF THEY DO, THERE'S SOME PENALTY THERE.
AND THE, THE, THE PERMITS THAT ARE ISSUED, IF I INTERJECT, IS A SEPARATE THING THAN THIS.
THIS, THIS IS CORRELATED TO THAT.
BUT, BUT, AND THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE PERMIT RENEWALS.
JUST LIKE WE HAVE PERMIT RENEWALS.
UM, WHEN THOSE COME UP, WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THE
I THINK WE'RE GOOD FOR TONIGHT.
UM, ALRIGHT, SO TASK ORDER NUMBER THREE.
SO I'M GONNA MARK, UH, BRING YOU BACK UP FOR THIS ONE,
SO THIS IS, AND THIS CAN GET CONFUSING.
SO, UM, WE HAVE, UH, HAVEN'T BEEN CONFUSED IN A WHILE.
SO
I WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS EVENING IS SPECIFIC TO WHAT WE'VE DUBBED THE WATER RESOURCE FACILITY AT POLLARD ROAD.
THIS IS PLANT THREE WASTEWATER TREATMENT, PLANT THREE.
AND THE TASK ORDER THAT WE'VE ISSUED OUT TO, UM, WHARTON SMITH, WE CALL THIS A PROGRESSIVE DESIGN BUILD.
SO THEY ARE BOTH THE ENGINEERS AND DESIGNERS OF THE PROJECT, AND THEY WILL BE DOING THE CONSTRUCTION WORK ON IT.
IT INVOLVES A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ELEMENTS TO INCLUDE THE DECOMMISSIONING OF PLANT TWO
[02:15:01]
AND CONVERTING THAT TO A BOOSTER, UH, TYPE OPERATION.IT INVOLVES A CONNECTION FROM PLANT TWO TO PLANT THREE, THE MODERNIZATION AND UPGRADES TO PLANT THREE TO A 12 MIL, 12 MGD, 12.5, INITIALLY A 12 MGD, 12 MGD, AND EXPANDABLE IN THE FUTURE OUT TO 24 MGD.
SO THEY ARE, WE'VE DONE A NUMBER OF TASK ORDERS WITH THEM.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL HAND OFF TO MARK AND TO OUR WHARTON SMITH FOLKS TO GIVE US AN UPDATE.
AND, UM, AS, UH, LIKE T MICHAEL SAID DA, UM, ABOUT A YEAR AGO, MARCH OF, UH, LAST YEAR, WE ENTERED INTO A PROGRESSIVE DESIGN, UH, AGREEMENT WITH WHARTON SMITH AND THEIR TALENTED CREW, UH, TEAM TO, UM, PREPARE US FOR THE FUTURE AND EXPANSION OF WASTEWATER PLANT THREE TO THE WATER WATER RESOURCE FACILITY.
THE INITIAL TASK ORDER, UM, WE HAD TASK ORDER ONE THAT WAS ISSUED RIGHT AFTER THE, UM, THE AGREEMENT WAS EXECUTED.
UM, DID A LOT OF THE INITIAL PRELIMINARY STUFF, UH, GAVE US A FEASIBILITY STUDY, GAVE US CONCEPT PLANS, UM, TO BE, TO GET US TO THE POINT TO MAKE DECISIONS.
THAT BRINGS US TO TODAY TASK ORDER THREE.
UH, WILL, WILL START THE HARD DESIGN WORK.
UM, IT, IT, IT'LL GIVE US SOME PRE-CONSTRUCTION PACKAGES.
IT GIVES US 60% PLANS, 90% PLANS IN IN THE UPCOMING, UH, UH, PERMIT PROCESS.
UM, WE HAVE WHARTON SMITH TEAM HERE, UM, WITH, UH, ANTHONY BAXLEY AND, UM, KIM WE HORN OR DESIGN CONSULTANT WITH, UH, WITH KARA TO, UH, TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT.
UH, MY NAME IS ANTHONY BAXLEY.
I'M THE SENIOR PRE-CONSTRUCTION MANAGER.
UH, BEEN INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT SINCE THE BEGINNING.
UM, WE ALREADY DID A VERY GREAT INTRODUCTION, UH, AN OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY.
SO, AS WAS SAID, WE ARE LOOKING AT THE EXPANSION OF PLANT THREE SPECIFICALLY IN THIS TASK ORDER.
UM, AND THIS IS REALLY THE, THE MAJOR DESIGN TASK, UM, OF THIS PROJECT.
THERE WILL BE OTHERS ASSOCIATED WITH PLANT TWO AS DESCRIBED, GETTING THOSE FLOWS TO PLANT THREE, BUT THIS IS TO HARDEN YOUR EXISTING FACILITY AND, UM, IMPROVE IT, UM, MODERNIZE THE TREATMENT OF THAT FACILITY AND EXPAND ITS CAPACITY.
UM, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO KARA WITH KIMLEY HORN.
KIMLEY HORN IS PART OF OUR TEAM.
THEY ARE THE LEAD DESIGN ENGINEER.
UH, OUR TEAM DOES CONSIST OF MULTIPLE FIRMS, UM, BUT THEY ARE THE LEAD AND KARA IS THE PROGRAM MANAGER OVERSEEING ALL OF THESE TASK ORDERS FROM THE DESIGN PERSPECTIVE.
KARA, KARA, BEFORE YOU TAKE OFF, I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT, YOU KNOW, IN MY BUDGET PRESENTATION I TALKED ABOUT MAJOR INVESTMENTS IN YOUR UTILITY OPERATIONS, PROPRIETARY BUSINESS OPERATIONS.
THIS IS ONE OF THOSE MAJOR INVESTMENTS TO HARDEN A FACILITY THAT WAS CONSTRUCTED IN THE EARLY 1970S AND HAS BEEN ONLINE FOR 50 YEARS AND REACHING CAPACITY.
UM, SO HENCE, YOU KNOW, THIS, IT'S, IT'S UNFORTUNATELY WE'RE HAVING LONG PRESENTATIONS ON AN AGENDA REVIEW NIGHT, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT 'CAUSE ALL THIS STUFF YOU CAN SEE DOES TIE TOGETHER.
AS ANTHONY MENTIONED, MY NAME IS KARA ELLIOT WITH KIMBERLY HORN.
AND AS WE'VE TOUCHED ON ALREADY A LITTLE BIT TODAY, I WANTED TO START OFF WITH A QUICK PROGRAM OVERVIEW, UM, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ALL HAVE SOME ALIGNMENT WITH OUR, ULTIMATELY OUR 50 YEAR PLANNING GOALS.
SO, UM, ONE OF THOSE INITIAL GOALS IS TO CONSOLIDATE THE WASTEWATER FLOWS TO THE POLLARD ROAD SITE, WHICH WILL ENABLE US TO DECOMMISSION WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT NUMBER TWO.
ULTIMATELY WE WILL NEED TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF THE TREATMENT PLANT AT THE POLLARD ROAD SITE FROM SEVEN AND A HALF TO INITIALLY 12.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY WE'RE PLANNING FOR A 24 MGD BUILD OUT TO SUPPORT THE GROWTH OF THE CITY LONG TERM.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE PLANS TO ENSURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO PRODUCE RELIABLE, HIGH QUALITY AFFLUENT WATER, UM, TO ULTIMATELY ALIGN WITH THE OVERALL ONE WATER VISION.
SO AS DISCUSSED, WE'VE BEEN WELL UNDERWAY WORKING ON TASK ORDER ONE AND TASK ORDER TWO, TASK ORDER ONE, FOCUSED ON THE PROGRAM PLANNING EFFORTS AND INCLUDED SOME CRITICAL DECISION MAKING.
SO WE COMPLETED A CONDITION ASSESSMENT OF BOTH WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT NUMBER TWO AND WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT
[02:20:01]
NUMBER THREE, WHICH HELPED INFORM THE BEST WAY TO CONTINUE TO MAKE USE OF THIS INFRASTRUCTURE WHILE WE EXPAND THE CAPACITY AT PLANT THREE.AND AGAIN, ULTIMATELY DECOMMISSION PLANT TWO.
THIS INCLUDED A ROUTE ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS, LOOKING AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT ROUTES THROUGH THIS CITY TO REROUTE AND CONSOLIDATE THE WASTEWATER FLOWS.
AND WE ALSO HAD SOME INITIAL DESIGN WORK TO MAKE SOME INTERIM IMPROVEMENTS TO SOLVE SOME OF THE MORE IMMEDIATE ISSUES WITH A FILTER IMPROVEMENT AT TREATMENT PLANT NUMBER THREE AND A FILTER PLANT OR A FILTER IMPROVEMENT AT TREATMENT PLANT TWO, AS WELL AS SOME ASSOCIATED ELECTRICAL WORK.
AS PART OF THE INITIAL TASK ONE PLANNING EFFORT, WE COMPLETED A ALTERNATIVES EVALUATION THAT CONSIDERED SEVERAL DIFFERENT TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES.
AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY AND OPERATIONS STAFF, WE, UM, NARROWED DOWN SOME OF THE PREFERRED OPTIONS AND ULTIMATELY COMPLETED A NET PRESENT WORTH EVALUATION, LOOKING AT THE CAPITAL COSTS AND THE LONG TERM, THE 20 YEAR OPERATIONAL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SELECTED ALTERNATIVE.
FROM THAT, WE PAIRED THE FINDINGS FROM THAT EVALUATION WITH THE FINDINGS FROM OUR CONDITION ASSESSMENT TO DEVELOP A PHASED PLAN THAT TAKES THE MOST ADVANTAGE OF THE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE, HELPING TO DEFER SOME CAPITAL COSTS FOR THE FUTURE, WHILE ALSO MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE SET UP TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE RELIABLE WASTEWATER TREATMENT SERVICE IN THE NEAR TERM.
SO WHAT YOU HAVE ON YOUR SCREEN HERE IS AN OVERVIEW OF THE SITE PLAN THAT IS DEFINED IN TASK ORDER NUMBER THREE, THE GREEN BOXES MORE TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SCREEN THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THE EXISTING, UM, TREATMENT PLANT FENCE IS ALL NEW INFRASTRUCTURE.
THAT NEW INFRASTRUCTURE INCLUDES A NEW HEADWORKS, UM, NEW BIOSOLIDS PROCESSING TANKS AND A MEMBRANE FILTRATION SYSTEM.
WE DO PLAN TO CONTINUE TO USE THE EXISTING BIOLOGICAL PROCESS TANKS WITH SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO THE TANKAGE AND THE MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT SO THAT WE CAN INCREASE BOTH THE RELIABILITY AND THE CAPACITY OF THE SYSTEM.
WE HAVE PLANNED, AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, ON THIS GRAPHIC FOR THE ULTIMATE 24 OR MGD BUILD OUT.
SO WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE LEAVING SPACE NOT ONLY FOR FUTURE TANKAGE, BUT CONSIDERING THE CONSTRUCTABILITY OF THAT TANKAGE AS WELL IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WORDSMITH.
ZOOMING BACK OUT A LITTLE BIT, THIS IS A, A TIMELINE OVERVIEW.
WE ARE WELL UNDERWAY WITH TASK ORDER ONE AND HAVE PLANS TO GET THAT WRAPPED UP THIS YEAR WITH THE COMPLETION OF THE CONSTRUCTION RELATED TO THE INTERIM IMPROVEMENTS BEING COMPLETED NEXT YEAR.
UM, WE HAVE TASK ORDER TWO WELL UNDERWAY THAT FOCUSES ON THE IMPROVEMENTS AT WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT NUMBER TWO.
AND TODAY WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING GOING ON THE LARGER DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION EFFORT ASSOCIATED WITH THE WATER RESOURCE FACILITY AT POLLARD ROAD, UM, AND THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLAN.
SO WITH THAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, AND I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, IN LOOKING AT THIS, ARE YOU GONNA BUILD, UM, CAPACITY TO 12 AND THEN EXPAND THAT CAPACITY AT AGAIN AT ANOTHER LATER DATE? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND IF YOU WOULD GO BACK A SLIDE, IT KIND OF LOOKED LIKE YOU HAD RIBS.
DO YOU HAVE RIBS ON IT? WE DO NOT.
UM, WHEN I, IN THE FAR RIGHT AND WHERE IT'S VACANT, BUT IT'S ABOVE THE GREEN, SOME OF THAT IT KIND OF LOOKED LIKE RIBS.
THOSE ARE, UM, OXIDATION BASIN.
SO MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS, UM, AGAIN, THIS IS IN MY OPINION, AND I THINK CERTAINLY IN IN MY, MY CAREER PAST PRESENT AND WHATEVER IT MAY BE IN THE FUTURE FOR WINTER HAVEN, UM, THE LARGEST PROBABLY PROJECT WE WILL UNDERTAKE THIS, THE WATER RESOURCE FACILITY, BECAUSE IT IS A COMBINATION OF WHAT COMES FROM PLANT TWO, AN EXPANSION AND ENHANCEMENT OF PLANT THREE AND OTHER ELEMENTS WITHIN, UM, THE POLLARD ROAD AREA, REGIONAL STORM PONDS AND, AND THE LIKE.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS A SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS PROJECT WHEN IT'S ALL SAID
[02:25:01]
AND DONE, AS WE'VE COMMUNICATED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, UM, THIS IS THIS WORK, THE DESIGN WORK IS, IS SIGNIFICANT.THIS IS A $27.78 MILLION, UH, PROJECT, UH, TO, TO DO THE DESIGN AND, AND GET EVERYTHING TO THAT POINT OF GETTING TO A GMP THAT I WOULD ANTICIPATE.
THAT'S PROBABLY IN THE, I'M GONNA SPITBALL IT HERE AND PLEASE CORRECT ME IF THE TEAM THINKS OTHERWISE, IT'S PROBABLY IN A, UH, A 10 TO 12% COST, MAYBE EVEN A LITTLE BIT UNDER THAT OF WHAT THE TOTAL CONSTRUCTION COST OF THE PROJECTS WILL BE.
UM, BUT IT IS A, IT'S A SIGNIFICANT ONE, HENCE IT BEING UNDER NEW BUSINESS.
I DON'T TAKE THOSE INVESTMENTS LIGHTLY, BUT THIS IS LONG TERM.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLAN, UH, CAPACITY FOR THIS COMMUNITY OF PRESENT DAY, 62,000 FUTURE, YOU KNOW, UPWARDS OF A HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE, UM, TO GET IT TO 12 MGD TO HANDLE THE CAPACITY OF PLANT TWO AND THREE AS THEY EXIST TODAY, AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL GROWTH AND THE EXPANDABILITY TO THAT 24 MGD.
SO JUST WANT, I WANNA BE ABUNDANTLY CLEAR ON THAT.
AND AGAIN, THESE ARE COSTS THAT ARE, WHEN YOUR RATE STUDY WAS DONE BY RALPH TEIS IN 2024, THEY'RE LOOKING AT A, A, UH, CAPITAL INVESTMENT PROGRAM AND ANTICIPATING WHAT THOSE COSTS ARE SO THAT YOUR RATES ARE SET TO ACCOMMODATE.
AND THAT'S WHY WE WENT UP AS MUCH AS WE DID IN PERCENTAGES ON WASTEWATER, BECAUSE WE KNEW WE WERE GONNA HAVE SUCH AN INVESTMENT THERE.
THE HOPE IS, AND THE EXPECTATION IS WHEN THIS PROJECT IS COMPLETE, NO LESS THAN 50 YEARS, HOPEFULLY 75 YEARS BEFORE THE CITY HAS TO DO, UM, YOU KNOW, FURTHER EXPANSION OR ENHANCEMENTS, CERTAINLY THESE THINGS, UH, THEY, THEY ENDURE WEAR AND TEAR AND THEY, THEY WILL DEGRADE JUST BECAUSE OF THE VOLATILITY OF WASTEWATER OVERALL.
BUT, UM, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE UNDER THIS ADMINISTRATION AND THIS COMMISSION THAT REALLY HAS A, AN IMPACT FOR GENERATIONS YET TO COME.
SO NO MATTER WHAT, WE'RE ALL GONE BY THE TIME THIS NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.
MJ EXCEPT MJ, EXCEPT FOR MJ, STILL BE
UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I TOLD YOU YOU WERE GONNA GET A, A, A, UH, DEGREE IN WASTEWATER THIS EVENING, SO JUST WHAT I ALWAYS WANTED.
I'VE BEEN TO GAINESVILLE ENOUGH, I KNOW ABOUT WASTEWATER.
THANK YOU TO THE WARTON SMITH AND KIMLEY WARRANTY.
UM, I I MAY BE THE ONLY PERSON THAT APPRECIATES THAT STATEMENT, BUT I DO APPRECIATE IT.
[4) AGENDA REVIEW SESSION WORKSHOP]
ITEM.UM, I DO, AND I, I WANT TO JUST KIND OF PREFACE THIS, THAT MR. MURPHY, I THINK NEEDS TO GIVE SOME DIRECTION ON ANOTHER MATTER FOR MONDAY, BUT THE FINAL ITEM 13 B IS THAT ITEM I MENTIONED DURING MY BUDGET PRESENTATION, THAT ON MONDAY EVENING YOU HAVE TO SET YOUR TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE AND YOUR, UM, FIRST MEETING DATE.
SO WE, WE ALREADY HAVE ON THERE THE RESOLUTION TO CHANGE THAT MEETING DATE TO SEPTEMBER 15TH FROM THE 14TH.
AND, UH, OUR RECOMMENDATION IS THAT YOU SET THE TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATE AT, UH, THE EXISTING RATE OF 6.5900 MILLS.
ONCE THAT IS SET, IT CANNOT BE INCREASED WITHOUT, UH, SIGNIFICANT PROCESSES THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH.
I DON'T ANTICIPATE ANY NEED, UH, THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO INCREASE THAT.
I THINK IT'S, IT'S, IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT, TO SET IT AT THAT, UM, IF FOR SOME REASON THE COMMISSION, UH, MADE A DECISION TO LOWER IT, YOU CERTAINLY CAN ALWAYS DO THAT.
UM, I WOULD CAUTION AND JUST IN LIGHT OF NOT KNOWING WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS, UH, WITH YOUR, YOUR REVENUES, UM, IN LIGHT OF AMENDMENT THREE, BUT THAT'S WHAT THE FINAL ITEM THAT YOU'LL CONSIDER MONDAY EVENING.
AND THOSE NOTICES, CHRISTOPHER, I BELIEVE THEY GO OUT AUGUST 4TH.
WE HAVE TO HAVE IT EVERYTHING ON NOT ONLY THE, THE GEN OR THE YEAH, THE GENERAL FUND, BUT ALSO ON THE CRAS HAVE TO BE TRANSMITTED, UH, ON THE APPROPRIATE FORM SO THAT THOSE TAX NOTICES CAN BE SENT OUT.
WE'LL HAVE TO CERTIFY THE DR FOUR 20 BY AUGUST 4TH.
THAT'S ALL WE GOT FOR TONIGHT.
ANYTHING ELSE, MR. MAYOR? COMMISSIONER, MAY I MAKE A FEW A COMMENT THAT YOU, YOU ALL HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING ON MONDAY AT FIVE O'CLOCK JUST BEFORE THE REGULAR MEETING AT SIX, AND THAT IS A SPECIAL MEETING TO CONDUCT A DE NOVO HEARING, WHICH MEANS A BRAND NEW HEARING, UM, TO CONSIDER
[02:30:01]
A, UH, APPLICATION, UH, FOR A LARGE SCALE DRINKING ESTABLISHMENT THAT WAS DENIED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UH, AFTER A DULY NOTICED PUBLIC HEARING AND PURSUANT TO OUR LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, IT ALLOWS APPLICANTS, IN THIS CASE, I BELIEVE IT'S MR. ANSET, THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, IF THEY ARE, FEEL AGGRIEVED OF THE ORDER AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION LEVEL TO ASK FOR YOU ALL AS THE CITY COMMISSION TO CONSIDER THIS ANEW.THAT'S DE NOVO MEANS, YOU KNOW, UH, IT'S A LATIN PHRASE, UM, AND IT, IT'S A, IT'S STARTING FROM THE BEGINNING, BUT THE, UH, IT IS A QUASI-JUDICIAL PROCEEDING, WHICH MEANS YOU ALL, AS YOU, AS YOU HAVE WHEN YOU ADOPT ZONING ORDINANCES AND OTHER TYPES OF ORDINANCES, BUT MOSTLY ZONING ORDINANCES, YOU ALL SIT AS THE JUDGES IN MAKING A DETERMINATION ON SOMEONE'S INTERESTS AND RIGHTS AS IT RELATES TO A SPECIFIC PIECE OF PROPERTY.
AND IN THIS CASE, IT IS MR. AN'S REQUEST TO HAVE A LARGE SCALE DRINKING ESTABLISHMENT ON A SPECIFIC PIECE OF PROPERTY WITHIN THE CITY OF WINTER HAVEN.
TO THAT EXTENT, AND I'VE DISCUSSED THIS WITH YOU BEFORE, UM, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU NOT TO HAVE ANY OUTSIDE THE MEETING, WHAT WE REFER TO, AGAIN, A LATIN TERM AS EX PARTE COMMUNICATIONS.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WELL, IF PEOPLE TRY TO, THE APPLICANT FOR EXAMPLE, WANTS TO TALK TO YOU, COMMUNICATE WITH YOU PRIOR TO THE HEARING ON MONDAY AT FIVE O'CLOCK, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU POLITELY SAY THAT YOU WOULD PREFER NOT TO SPEAK ABOUT THESE MATTERS UNTIL THE HEARING.
PLEASE COME TO THE HEARING AND TELL ME WHAT IT IS YOU WANT ME TO KNOW.
AND, UH, AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS WE DON'T WANT YOU TO BECOME BIASED OR HAVE ANY OF THE DUE PROCESS RIGHTS OF THE APPLICANT TAINTED BY THINGS THAT ARE SAID OUTSIDE OF THE DULY NOTICE PUBLIC HEARING BECAUSE THE APPLICANT OUT OF A FAIRNESS CONCEPT, SHOULD BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO, YOU KNOW, QUESTION OR PRESENT INFORMATION PERHAPS THAT WOULD CONTRAVENE OR THAT WOULD BE SUPPLEMENTARY TO, OR WOULD ANSWER OTHER CONCERNS.
SO WE WANNA HAVE A FULL AND ROBUST FAIR DUE HEARING FOR THIS APPLICANT.
I BELIEVE THAT YOU, THAT WILL HAPPEN.
UM, THE STAFF HAS PROVIDED A REPORT.
UH, YOU HAVE BEEN PROVIDED INFORMATION, UH, IN THE AGENDA.
UM, AND CERTAINLY I WOULD COME TO THE MEETING WITH AN OPEN MIND AND THE WILLINGNESS TO MAKE A DECISION ONLY AFTER YOU'VE HEARD ALL OF THE INFORMATION AND FACTS THAT WILL BE PRESENTED AT THE HEARING.
UH, WE WILL BE SWEARING IN ANYONE WHO WISHES TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TESTIMONY TO YOU.
THIS IS NOT A COURT PROCEEDING OR A JUDICIAL COURT PROCEEDING.
SO WE DO NOT FOLLOW THE RULE, THE STRICT RULES OF EVIDENCE.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S A LITTLE MORE CASUAL IN THAT REGARD OR MORE INFORMAL, BUT THERE ARE SOME BASIC MODICUM OF PROCEDURES THAT WE HAVE TO ADHERE TO.
UM, AND THAT IS, UH, WHAT WE ARE GOING TO BE DOING ON MONDAY.
WE HAVE NOTICED THAT MEETING IN THE SAME MANNER AS THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING WAS NOTICED, WHICH MEANT THAT NOTICES OF THE MEETING WERE MAILED TO EVERYONE, I BELIEVE WITHIN 500 FEET OF THE LOCATION OF THE, UH, OF THE PROPERTY WHERE THE PROPOSED LARGE SCALE DRINKING ESTABLISHMENT APPLICATION IS, IS CITED.
IT WAS ALSO ADVERTISED IN THE NEWSPAPER, AND I BELIEVE THE PROPERTY WAS POSTED.
SO THAT'S A LOT MORE NOTICE THAN WE NORMALLY GIVE FOR YOUR MEETINGS.
THAT'S AGAIN REQUIRED BY OUR CODE.
UH, AND SO ANYONE, UH, I WOULD, UH, FOLKS THAT CAME TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MAY COME HERE.
UM, MR. MAYOR, UH, I THINK AS WE HAVE DISCUSSED, UM, WE WILL PROBABLY, UH, PUT IN TIME LIMITS, UM, YOU KNOW, ON THE APPLICANT.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WE HAVE THE FIVE MINUTE TIME LIMIT FOR THE PUBLIC THAT WISH TO SPEAK.
SO THOSE WILL ALL STILL APPLY.
UM, AND IT WILL BE A PROCEEDING THAT I, AND I'M NOT SURE, HAVE WE HAD A DENOVO HEARING IN FRONT OF THIS COMMISSION BEFORE? UM, I'M SURE I, I KNOW WE HAVE WITH COMMISSIONER BIRDS ON CHAD.
I THINK COMMISSIONER DAVIS PROBABLY THE ONLY ONE THAT HASN'T BEEN PART OF.
YEAH, WE HAD IT BEFORE WE HAD IT, UH, IN THE ALBERTONS PARKING LOT OR SOMETHING.
SO THIS, THIS WILL BE SIMILAR TO THAT TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH, WITH THOSE PROCEEDINGS.
UM, AND I'M HERE TO, YOU KNOW, HELP YOU ALL GUIDE YOU AS BEST YOU CAN, BUT IT'S ULTIMATELY YOUR DECISION BASED ON THE INFORMATION AND EVIDENCE THAT YOU'LL HEAR.
UM, ULTIMATELY THERE'LL BE AN ORDER, A WRITTEN ORDER PREPARED THAT I'LL TAKE CARE OF DOING, UM, AND WE'LL, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THE
[02:35:01]
PROCEEDING IS CONDUCTED, UH, IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR CODE AND TO AFFORD THE APPLICANT THE, THE DUE PROCESS THAT, UH, ANY APPLICANT WOULD BE ENTITLED TO.I JUST HAVE, UH, TWO QUICK QUESTIONS.
ONE, YOU MENTIONED EX PARTE COMMUNICATIONS.
WOULD THAT ALSO, I ASSUME INCLUDE, INCLUDE ANY OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES, CONSTITUENTS, MAYBE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THAT AREA, UM, TRYING TO TALK TO US? WE PROBABLY SHOULD NOT HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS EITHER, CORRECT.
COMMISSIONER DAVIS AND I ALSO, TO THE EXTENT YOU HAVE HAD THOSE, I WOULD DISCLOSE THEM, UM, PRIOR TO TAKING A VOTE OR PRIOR TO THE CONSIDERATION TO THE APPLICANT.
SO THEY KNOW, YOU KNOW, MR. AND MRS. JONES APPROACHED ME AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS OR WE SAID THIS, UM, SO THAT THE APPLICANT HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REBUT THAT INFORMATION.
UH, BUT YES, THAT WOULD BE APPLICABLE TO, TO THAT AS WELL.
THE ONLY THING, THE ONLY TIME THAT WOULD NOT BE APPLICABLE WOULD BE IF YOU'RE TALKING WITH ME, OF COURSE, YOUR LAWYER MM-HMM
UH, OR WITH STAFF, UM, AS IT RELATES TO THOSE THINGS, THE, THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF.
BUT YES, TO THE EXTENT YOU HAVE HAD COMMUNICATIONS THAT YOU KNOW THAT PERTAINED TO THIS MATTER, I WOULD ASK THAT YOU DISCLOSE THOSE AT THE PUBLIC MEETING PRIOR TO TAKING ANY VOTE.
AND THE SECOND QUESTION, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS DURING THE HEARING AS FAR AS WHAT KIND OF STANDARD WE'RE APPLYING.
WHAT, UH, YOU MENTIONED WE'RE QUASI-JUDICIAL, SO I MAY HAVE SOME QUESTIONS THEN AS TO WHAT EXACTLY OUR PARAMETERS ARE FOR MAKING A DECISION.
THE, THE STANDARD, JUST SO WE'RE CLEAR, WILL BE, UM, THAT THIS IS, UM, THIS WOULD BE REVIEWED, I BELIEVE, ON A PETITION FOR RID OF SARI STANDARD.
UM, WHICH WOULD, YEAH, I'LL BE PREPARED TO, TO ADDRESS THE STANDARD OF REVIEW.
A LOT OF LATIN TERMS, I GOTTA ABR BRUSH UP.
YOU'VE LEARNED ABOUT WASTEWATER, YOU'LL LEARN MORE ABOUT LATIN.