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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007 06 17 Ad Hoc Winter Springs Citizen Property Tax Reform Mitigation Study Committee Meeting Minutes.pdfCITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA MINUTES MITIGATION STUDY COMMITTEE MEETING JUNE 165 2007 The Ad Hoc Winter Springs Citizen Property Tax Reform Mitigation Study Committee Meeting of Saturday, June 16, 2007 was called to Order at 9:00 a.m. by Chairman Michael S. Blake in the Commission Chambers of the Municipal Building (City Hall, 1126 East State Road 434, Winter Springs, Florida 32708). A moment of silence preceded the Pledge of Allegiance. 2. ROLL CALL Chairman Michael S. Blake, present Vice Chairman Mathew Matisak, present Committee Member Sondra Ahlers, present Committee Member Ethel Beecher, present Committee Member Fred G. Curtis, present Committee Member Kathryn Fairchild, present Committee Member Mark Fischer, present Committee Member Cindy Gennell, arrived at 9010 a.m. Committee Member Byron Giltz, arrived at 9:25 a.m. Committee Member Dale Kirby, present Committee Member Ron Ligthart, present Committee Member Gerry M. Marino, present Committee Member Edward Martinez, Jr., present Committee Member Richard M. Mastroberte, absent Committee Member David W. McLeod, absent Committee Member Terry Patten, present Committee Member Bill Poe, present Committee Member Bob Rucci, present Committee Member Max Swaim, present Committee Member Rande Thompson, present Committee Member Stephen Thompson, present Committee Member Cindy Gennell arrived at 9:10 a.m. CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA MINUTES AD HOC WINTER SPRINGS CITIZEN PROPERTY TAX REFORM MITIGATION STUDY COMMITTEE MEETING - JUNE 16, 2007 PAGE 2 OF 10 3. APPROVAL OF THE APRIL 26, 200 7 AD HOC WINTER SPRINGS CITIZEN PROPERTY TAX REFORM MITIGATION STUDY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES. Chairman Blake said, "Does anyone have any questions or comments with the Minutes as they are provided?" "MOTION TO APPROVE" — APRIL 26TH, 2007. MOTION BY COMMITTEE MEMBER MARTINEZ. SECONDED. DISCUSSION. WITH CONSENSUS OF THE COMMITTEE, THE MOTION WAS APPROVED, MOTION CARRIED, 4. APPROVAL OF THE MAY 3, 2007 AD HOC WINTER SPRINGS CITIZEN PROPERTY TAX REFORM MITIGATION STUDY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES. "MOTION TO APPROVE" —MAY MEMBER RUCCI. SECONDED DISCUSSION. WITH CONSENSUS WAS APPROVED. MOTION CARRIED. 3RD, 2007. MOTION BY COMMITTEE BY COMMITTEE MEMBER POE, OF THE COMMITTEE, THE MOTION Committee Member Stephen Thompson was in Opposition. Committee Member Byron Giltz arrived at 9: 25 a.m. 5. APPROVAL OF THE MAY 17, 2007 AD HOC WINTER SPRINGS CITIZEN PROPERTY TAX REFORM MITIGATION STUDY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES. "MOTION TO APPROVE" —MAY 1PITH, 2007. MOTION BY COMMITTEE MEMBER MARTINEZ. SECONDED BY COMMITTEE MEMBER PATTENa DISCUSSION. WITH CONSENSUS OF THE COMMITTEE, THE MOTION WAS APPROVED. MOTION CARRIED. Committee Member Stephen Thompson was in Opposition. CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA MINUTES AD HOC WINTER SPRINGS CITIZEN PROPERTY TAX REFORM MITIGATION STUDY COMMITTEE MEETING — JUNE 16, 2007 PAGE 3 OF 10 6. OVERVIEW BY CITY MANAGER RONALD W. McLEMORE City Manager Ronald W. McLemore presented this Agenda Item and displayed a powerpoint presentation. Mr. Kevin Smith, Director, General Services Department discussed the most recent update on the Legislature. Discussion. 7. DEPARTMENT BUDGET PRESENTATIONS Ms. Andrea Lorenzo-Luaces, CMC, City Clerk, Office Of The City Clerk Department presented a powerpoint presentation of the City Clerk and Mayor/Commission Budget. Discussion. Tape 1/Side B City Clerk Lorenzo-Luaces continued with her presentation. Manager McLemore introduced the Manager's Budget presentation. A powerpoint presentation was displayed. Mr. Smith presented the General Service's Budget presentation. A powerpoint presentation was displayed. Discussion on benefits ensued. On the benefit employee plan and who pays how much, Chairman Blake said, "If we could just ask Staff, with your Consensus, at next meeting, to bring us some information of what the current contribution strategy is, what other competing employers nearby are doing with their contribution strategy and what changes could occur. How that might impact the Budget. Is that fair? There were no objections from the Committee Members. Discussion. Committee Member Bob Rucci asked, "Ron [Manager McLemore], are we going to get a copy of these powerpoints?" Mr. Smith said, "We will email them to you, Sir." Ms. Michelle Greco, Director, Finance Department introduced the Finance Budget presentation. A powerpoint presentation was presented. CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA MINUTES AD HOC WINTER SPRINGS CITIZEN PROPERTY TAX REFORM MITIGATION STUDY COMMITTEE MEETING — JUNE 169 2007 PAGE 4 OF 10 Tape 2/Side A Ms. Greco noted the Website www.leg.state.fi.us for Statute information. Discussion. Chairman Blake said, "We do have an allocation of —Revenues from Utility from the General Fund to pay for?" Ms. Greco said, "That was the $137,000.00 worth of resources that I mentioned for the Finance Division." Chairman Blake asked, "How carefully do we account for that allocation of duties to make sure the appropriate transfer is occurring?" Ms. Greco said, ."In Fiscal Year [20]'03, they had a company called Government Services Group, a well known government consultant who handles rate studies and things of that nature. They come in, evaluate our operation, evaluate all the costs, and come up with an allocation methodology for how we would allocate human resources time." Discussion ensued. Regarding litigation strategies, Manager McLemore said, "One of those was raising replacement revenues, and we will cover that with you, probably at the next Meeting. Committee Member Byron Giltz departed the Meeting. Discussion. Tape 2/Side B Ms. Joanne Dalka, Director, Information Services Department presented the Information Service's Budget presentation. A powerpoint presentation was introduced. Discussion. Committee Member Ron Ligthart inquired about an email. Ms. Dalka said, "We will find out." Regarding email responses, Ms. Dalka said, "One thing you can also do, is contact me." Chairman Blake called a Recess at 12:01 p.m. Chairman Blake reconvened the Meeting at 12:21 p.m. Note: Due to technical difficulties, the next audiotape was used. Tape 3/Side A Mr. Kip Lockcuff, Director, Public Works/Utility Department introduced the Public Works/Utility Budget presentation. A powerpoint presentation was displayed. CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA MINUTES AD HOC WINTER SPRINGS CITIZEN PROPERTY TAX REFORM MITIGATION STUDY COMMITTEE MEETING — JUNE 16, 2007 PAGE 5 OF 10 Mr. Lockcuff introduced Mr. Brian Fields, P.E., City Engineer who was in attendance. Discussion. Mr. Randy Stevenson, Director, Community Development Department presented the Community Development Budget presentation. A powerpoint presentation was displayed. Manager McLemore commented on Staffing in the Community Development Department, Tape 3/Side B Discussion. Mr. Stevenson introduced Mr. Steven Richart, Urban Beautification Services Manager of the Community Development Department who was in attendance. Mr. Richart presented a powerpoint presentation for the Urban Beautification Division. Discussion. Regarding the issue of whether streetlighting is a requirement on State Road 434, Manager McLemore said, "We will check on that." Discussion. Tape 4/Side A Mr. Chuck Pula, Director, Parks And Recreation Department presented a slide presentation on his Department's Budget. Mr. Pula introduced Ms. Susie Coffinan, Senior Center Manager who was in attendance. Mr. Smith asked, "Chuck, there is no cost for that Senior service now. Is that correct?" Mr. Pula said, "Yes. There are no costs at all for any of the programs in the Senior Center. The only cost that may be charged is if an instructor of Yoga is charging a dollar a class. It does not come to the City - directly to the instructor." Discussion. Tape 4/Side B Discussion ensued on the presentation. Chairman Blake called a Recess at 2:45 p.m. Chairman Blake reconvened the Meeting at 2:58 p.m. CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA MINUTES AD HOC WINTER SPRINGS CITIZEN PROPERTY TAX REFORM MITIGATION STUDY COMMITTEE MEETING — JUNE 16, 2007 PAGE 6 OF 10 Chairman Blake said, "Having been a former elected official in the City and spending some time here and a citizen, taxpayer, living here, I truly appreciate what Staff has gone through to put together the things that they have given us so far today. This was a lot of work and this was work aside from just doing their job. So, I really do appreciate that. The accommodation being here on a Saturday. We all gave up our Saturday. We did it because we are volunteering as part of our community. They did it as part of their job and they were already here every day working." Chairman Blake then said, "So, I really appreciate everything they are doing there." Chairman Blake announced the passing of Fire Chief Tim Lallathin and the dedication of his hard work and service to the Community in the last thirty-one (31) years of service. Mr. Dave O'Brien, Acting Fire Chief, Fire Department introduced the Department's Budget presentation. Mr. O'Brien introduced Marc Baumgart, EMS Chief, Bob Beck, Training Division, and Bob Dallas, Fire Marshal who were in attendance. Discussion. EMS Chief Baumgart addressed the Committee Members regarding billing inquiries. Committee Member Ligthart stated for the Record regarding per Capita information. Vice Chairman Mathew Matisak asked, "Of the total emergency calls, do you know what percentage of them are false?" Acting Fire Chief O'Brien responded, "I don't have that number right on top. I could run that statistic for you through our program we use in the County and get back to you with it." Vice Chairman Matisak said, "Okay." Tape 5/43ide A Chairman Blake said, "I know some communities have already put in place and other communities are discussing using a `User Fee' for fire services as opposed to funding it through General Tax Revenues. Is that something that we have thought about?" Manager McLemore said, "It is something we thought about using a Fire service fee as opposed to taxes for fire service - there are, I believe now over sixty five (65) cities or sixty six (66) cities in the State of Florida that are using fire assessment fees or fire service fees as opposed to using taxation. The other thing we looked at was consolidating with the County as another option." Chairman Blake asked, "Do we have any analysis as of yet, preliminary as it may be, as to how that change, if we were to change that funding model would work under the latest Legislation or the Constitutional Amendment?" Manager McLemore said, "In the Legislation, we are not limited in terms of using a replacement revenue." CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA MINUTES AD HOC WINTER SPRINGS CITIZEN PROPERTY TAX REFORM MITIGATION STUDY COMMITTEE MEETING — JUNE 167 2007 PAGE 7 OF 10 Manager MCLemore said, "Currently, the department is paid principally by property taxes. A lot of cities have been converting over to non -Ad -Valorem assessments rather than property taxes or with a fee — rather than reducing their property tax millage by an equivalent amount. So, it is a replacement revenue. The reason for that is particularly with the MSTU (Municipal Service Taxing Unit) or a benefit unit is — a legal required nexus between what you charge and the delivery of that service." Committee Member Gerry Marino thanked the Fire and Police Departments for their service. Chairman Blake said, "Are we net donors or net recipients of first response calls or do we keep track of that?" Acting Chief O'Brien said, "We have those numbers." Chairman Blake said, "If you could get those numbers for the Committee, I think that would be interesting." Acting Chief O'Brien acknowledged the request. Chief Daniel Kerr, Police Department introduced the Police Budget presentation. A powerpoint presentation was displayed. Chief Kerr introduced Captain Kevin Brunelle, Captain Mike Noland, Captain Jim Wilkins, Captain Joe Riddick, and Captain Glenn Tolleson who were in attendance. Tape 5/Side B Chief Kerr's presentation continued. In closing, Manager McLemore said, "What we are really talking about here, is not about cutting budgets. What we are really talking about here is community and it takes a lot in a community to make a community work. Every community has a set of interests that people have. Their balanced altogether by virtue of people's values and in that is set by choice — and every community has a personality of what it wants to be by virtue of decisions that are made. Different people set that or different communities set that at various levels of quality. Various levels of services, various levels of how they interpret their quality of life to be and that does in deed reflect the personality of that community. From the City's perspective for us to react to those desires, we got, if I can use the analogy of a baseball team, we got to put all nine (9) players on the field, if we are going to play baseball. We can't put eight (8). They all have got to be equally equipped, equally competent and equally able to play all those positions in order for us to have a synergy of community. CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA MINUTES AD HOC WINTER SPRINGS CITIZEN PROPERTY TAX REFORM MITIGATION STUDY COMMITTEE MEETING - JUNE 165 2007 PAGE 8 OF 10 Now, you can say, `that is not true' but it is. It just really is, Manager McLemore said, "We all have to play the game. Why? Because we are so highly interconnected and interdependent on each other. As I said, if you don't think schools and recreation have huge impacts on what Police do — then it's not a real understanding of what goes on in the community. So, for us to respond to you at a —level of services and to accomplish a set of values that are important to you, we got to play the game; we got to play it equally well in all positions; we got to put everybody on the field. This community, we have something very special. We have had a majority, common shared interests, and excellence in this community both in describing and persisting and nudging from the leadership to maintain the extraordinary quality of life and excellence in the delivery of municipal services. That's the ball team we put on the field. And to do it well and do it efficiently." Manager McLemore then said, "There is one (1) thing that I can do in my position as Chief Administrative Officer and that is the Senior Management Team - for this City. Now, that is my responsibility. I set out with a goal and a purpose from the elected officials that were in place when I came here, to put together a very highly confident set of people, Senior Managers, who reflected, not only the direction of the Commission but reflected in my personal values. My personal values are pretty simple. One (1), I want highly competent people. You heard the credentials of people here today. Our team is very highly competent and very highly credentialed. Secondly, I wanted people who really were committed to public service. You heard them. They are. Thirdly, people who share my sense of values is really what we are all about. Adding value to this community. Adding value because we were going to give the best we could give while consuming the least amount of resources that we could consume in doing that. Now, my feeling is — but I believe we delivered on that. We delivered, I think, a very, very high level of services complimentary to what you think your quality of life is in this community and what you deserve. We have done that at ten to fifteen percent (1045%) below what other cities do in terms of spending. Our payroll is ten to fifteen percent behind on our total compensation package. Our staff is ten to fifteen (1045%) percent behind. Our resources are ten to fifteen percent (10- 15%) behind. And we delivered it and we delivered it because we have a competent Senior Management team that shares that sense of value. And those values are projected down the organization, and over the years, that has become the personality of our organization. To be excellent, to continuously improve, to squeeze the dollars as far as we can squeeze it, to do one (1) thing. And that is to deliver for you. Now, at this point some pivotal decisions are going to be made in the very near future about community. You are probably going to have some impact on that. The real question really is this, or questions are these; where do we go from here; where is our future going to be; do we move forward; do we stay where we are; or do we drift backwards. Now, when we start talking about all of this, you need to ask yourself a very, very important question. For one hundred and sixty dollars ($160.00) a year, do you want to drift backwards? CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA MINUTES AD HOC WINTER SPRINGS CITIZEN PROPERTY TAX REFORM MITIGATION STUDY COMMITTEE MEETING — JUNE 165 2007 PAGE 9 OF 10 That is the challenge because that is about what you are going to save on taxes. Now, what can we do at this point in time, Mr. Chairman to help you get to those decisions that you have to make here, based upon your charge from the Commission which are basically, cut budgets, cut services, override by the mechanisms that are there, or put in replacement revenues or to do something else that you think is the right thing to do." Discussion. Chairman Blake said,clear, our charge is to make recommendations to the Mayor and the Commission regarding which strategy should be employed to mitigate the effects of legislation. And there are four (4) specific pieces; the reduction or elimination of services; we need to make a recommendation that if they choose to accept the reduction of revenue as provided legislatively, what services should be cut or reduced. Specifically, we are to make those recommendations —the second alternative we need to provide is, if they choose not to reduce the level of services and to look for other additional funding sources, what should they be? And then the others are basically, some mix between the two (2). So, first thing we need to do is, we need to have a discussion about what services on a prioritized basis, everything is important, everything is great, we heard all that today, but some things must be categorized as being more great than others. Is streetlighting more important than something else? That is what we have to decide, and that is what we need to deliver to the Commission. So, we have to provide one point six million dollars ($1,600,000.00) of spending cuts. And we need to do that on a prioritized basis. Then we need to provide some alternate funding mechanism for the Commission that they can employ on a scalable basis if they want to get back up to their flat level from last year." Discussion. Chairman Blake said, "Ron, and I think one of the things that if you could and what staff could do between now and the next meeting would be to go through the recommendations of each department, take them out of the departments and put them into one (1) pot and begin to start listing the service delivery change and the effective savings." Discussion ensued. Tape 6/Side A Chairman Blake discussed the Sunshine Law with the Committee Members. Further discussion. CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA MINUTES AD HOC WINTER SPRINGS CITIZEN PROPERTY TAX REFORM MITIGATION STUDY COMMITTEE MEETING — JUNE 16, 2007 PAGE 10 OF 10 Chairman Blake said, "I would envision two (2) more meetings would be great. Next meeting to really get into the meat of this prioritization. I am certain there is going to be additional information available even after that and additional questions generated at that time. And then we will have hopefully, a — final meeting or meeting after that, we would actually be able to have most of our work completed." Next, Chairman Blalce said, "Yes, in fact, we do have an operational deadline to —simply because the City staff and Commission have to get on with their budget role. I would foresee us trying to get this — I would like to see us try to complete this before we get to — the end of the first week in July." Chairman Blalce spoke about emails received by the Committee Members pertaining to the Sunshine Law. Discussion. Chairman Blalce said, "We need to set the next meeting." Manager McLemore said, "Next Saturday." Chairman Blake said, "Tuesday, the 261h [June 2007]?" "Wednesday, the 27t1i [June 2007]? We have four (4) members of those here that have a problem with Thursday." Chairman Blake then said, "I don't see why we can't schedule two (2) meetings right now." Chairman Blake said, "Tuesday, the 26t1 [June 2007] was not working?" Next, Chairman Blake asked for a show of hands for the 4t1i of July week that would be available. Committee Member Rande Thompson suggested, "June 28t", July 51h and [July] 121"." Chairman Blake said, "That is exactly what I think we will do." Finally, Chairman Blake said, "Here is what we are going to do — we will meet on June 28t", [2007] that is a Thursday, on July 5t" [2007] that also is a Thursday, and July 12t1i5 [2007] also a Thursday at 6:30 [p.m.] in the evening." For the location, Chairman Blake then said, "It is going to have to be here." 9. ADJOURNMENT Chairman Blalce adjourned the Meeting at 5:42 p.m. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED BY: J AN L. BROWN EPUTY CITY CLERK NOTE: These Minutes were approved at the June 28, 2007 Ad Hoc Winter Springs Citizen Property Tax Reform Mitigation Study Committee.