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HomeMy WebLinkAbout_2005 09 08 City Commission Workshop Minutes CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA MINUTES CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP SEPTEMBER 8, 2005 CALL TO ORDER The Workshop of Thursday, September 8, 2005 of the City Commission was called to order by Mayor John F. Bush at 6:01 p.m. in the Commission Chambers of the Municipal Building (City Hall, 1126 East State Road 434, Winter Springs, Florida 32708). A moment of silence was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL: Mayor John F. Bush, present Deputy Mayor Michael S. Blake, arrived at 6:12 p.m. Commissioner Robert S. Miller, present Commissioner Donald A. Gilmore, present Commissioner Sally McGinnis, present Commissioner Joanne M. Krebs, present City Manager Ronald W. McLemore, present City Attorney Anthony A. Garganese, absent .:..:. AGENDA NOTE: THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION HEARD PUBLIC INPUT PRIOR TO THE REST OF THE AGENDA. .:..:. PUBLIC INPUT Mr. Bob Connelly, 1518 Wescott Loop, Winter Springs, Florida: commented on his preference for having adequate law enforcement with increasing population, but without raising taxes. Mr. Bob Potter, 535 Saddlewood Lane, Winter Springs, Florida: spoke briefly on Accreditation and hoped that public safety would not suffer as the community grows. Commissioner Sally McGinnis stated, "I happened to have the opportunity to hear Bob Potter's comments at that Hearing and if you could ever share your personal comments with any ofthe other Commissioners, I think they would appreciate it." Deputy Mayor Michael S. Blake arrived at 6: 12 p.m. CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FWRIDA MINUTES CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP - SEPTEMBER 8, 2005 PAGE20F7 Mr. Bob Ruloff, 944 Torrey Pine Drive, Winter Springs, Florida: spoke on the proposed Budget increase. Mr. Richard Grogan, 1 North Fairfax Avenue, Winter Springs, Florida: mentioned his concern with keeping safety a priority for the City of Winter Springs. INFORMATIONAL AGENDA INFORMATIONAL 300. Office Of The City Manager Budget Review. City Manager Ronald W. McLemore presented his openIng remarks related to the Budget. With discussion, Manager McLemore noted, "We will probably come to you, if not in the first Meeting, certainly the second Meeting in the month to talk about Impact Fees." Chief of Police Daniel J. KelT gave a presentation to the City Commission on a "Seven year Staffing Allocation Study". Tape IISide B Chief Kerr continued with his presentation and suggested that "What we have found that works best for our community is to add somewhere in the neighborhood of about three (3) Officers at a time. The recommendation would be to add six (6) people this year total, three (3) at the beginning ofthe year, and three (3) at mid-year." Discussion. Commissioner Robert S. Miller said to Chief Kerr, "I would like to complement you for the detail in this." Furthermore, Commissioner Miller remarked, "My suggestion - what I would like to see us do this evening is accept his recommendation for the next year and look seriously at the second, third year out, which I think we could probably put off until next year, but we need to do something now, because our Budget needs to be finalized." Additionally, Commissioner Miller said, "I would definitely support going along with his recommendation for next year. I hope all the rest of you will think about this. Having said that, I would like, if we all agree, I would like to see some hard data come back for our next Budget Meeting from the Police Department which actually lays out exactly what it is going to cost for next year." CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FWRIDA MINUTES CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP - SEPTEMBER 8, 2005 PAGE 3 OF 7 Mayor Bush then said, "Commissioner [Miller], then you are in agreement then on page 11 of the Report where it says, first year, six (6) Officers?" Commissioner Miller responded, "I am." Commissioner McGinnis said, "Thank you for this report. This is so comprehensive and it is just exactly - really what I wanted. I would support Commissioner Miller's recommendation. " Further discussion. Commissioner Joanne M. Krebs said, "I also know what people are saying to me and what they are saying to me is - I don't want my taxes to increase, but for the sake of Police and Fire, so be it. So, I have to go along with the people on that and - my Vote would be to go with Commissioner Miller. We are not voting, but I am just saying, I go along with that." Discussion. Manager McLemore said, "I really can't comment on the study, I haven't read it. I will be happy to provide you with comments once we have a chance to look at it and evaluate it. " Deputy Mayor Blake noted, "I wouldn't expect you to respond to what you have not read, but I would expect you to read it, and start talking about it right away because we do have a time limit here." Deputy Mayor Blake added, "If you want to have an opportunity to have some input on it and as the Manager, I think that you should want to and I think that you should, it is part of your job; then this needs to become one of your top priorities to get done and make your recommendation to us as wel1." Manager McLemore suggested that regarding Law Enforcement especially during times of growth, "I am convinced that we need to create that other zone in and around Town Center already, so my question to you though is do we do it this year or we do it the following year?" Commissioner Miller said, "What I would not like to see us do here this evening is just put this off until we get Ron's [McLemore] input." Commissioner Miller suggested, "It might be good for Dan [Kerr] to come back and say - 'This is exactly what it is going to cost, in terms of equipment, vehicles, salaries, benefits', and the dates they are going to come on." Discussion ensued on the sense of security, actual security, and adding additional Police Department Staff. CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FWRIDA MINUTES CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP - SEPTEMBER 8, 2005 PAGE40F7 Tape 2/Side A Further discussion. Commissioner Miller remarked, "I think we need to start tonight with - the SIX (6) Officers." Further discussion. Then, Commissioner Miller noted, "If we are going to set this Mill rate on Monday night, I want to make absolutely sure that we take into consideration everything that we need to do to bring the six (6) on as they ought to be brought on." Commissioner McGinnis commented on perception and security and said, "I continue to support this - the three (3) and three (3)." Discussion. Mayor Bush noted, "One thing I think is missing from the report is that there is no comparative crime statistics with the other cities." Mayor Bush asked Chief Kerr, "Aren't we the sixth lowest crime rate in the state of Florida? What are we now about, if we are not sixth?" Commissioner Krebs said, "I honestly don't know." With further discussion Mayor Bush then said, "We don't have statistics on crime in the other areas, and yet you are making comparisons on the number of Officers in the other areas." With discussion, Commissioner Krebs asked why we were so late with the Budget; and noted that next year, "I would just like to ask that we do this earlier. We have to do it earlier! " Discussion ensued on where budget cuts could be made to find money for new Police Officers. The use of cars for Police Officers was also covered. Tape 2/Side B Commissioner Donald A. Gilmore asked Manager McLemore, "Have we done a study to see that we are in line with other cities in this and with private industry and others in the area?" Manager McLemore responded, "We do it every two (2) years and this coming year is the scheduled year to do it." Discussion. Manager McLemore said to the City Commission, "Next year, I will come to you again with a Budget request for merit increases and in addition to that, the cost of moving ranges." Manager McLemore then said to Commissioner Gilmore, "I need to sit down with you." CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FWRIDA MINUTES CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP - SEPTEMBER 8, 2005 PAGE50F7 Commissioner Gilmore then asked Manager McLemore what the current total Benefits package was. With discussion, Manager McLemore responded by saying, "I will certainly give you an answer." Furthermore, Manager McLemore said, "As I recall last time we looked at it, not this year, but it was around twenty-two percent (22%). But, I will certainly check that for you." Discussion. A Recess was called at 8:38 p.m. The Workshop was called back to order at 8:56 p.m. A Cake was presented to Commissioner Krebs in honor of her Birthday. Mayor Bush suggested, "We need to give Mr. McLemore some solid direction so that he can work the weekend and come back with something for Monday night." Deputy Mayor Blake stated, "I would like the Manager to be able to come back to us Monday night with adjustments in the overall budget numbers to allow us to add the Officers that we discussed tonight and to do it at the 4.55 overall Millage Rate." Mayor Bush summarized what Deputy Mayor Blake had just suggested and said, "Take into consideration what has been said about adding these Officers and keep the Millage at 4.55, and we would be adjusting other items in the Budget." With additional comments, Deputy Mayor Blake added, "I am not asking though to overspend the Operating Budget. In other words, this isn't to be funded through a reduction in Fund Balance." Commissioner Gilmore said, "I would like to see - if we do that, go with the split hiring plan - three (3) now, three (3) in six (6) months." Deputy Mayor Blake noted, "That is what I am talking about - that was what the recommendation was." Mayor Bush asked, "Is everybody okay with that?" Commissioner Miller remarked, "Yes, and firm up the exact numbers." No objections were voiced. Then Mayor Bush added, "I think that Ron [McLemore] should have the ability to also to put in other - recommendations - incorporate what you want, and not just that, but anything else." Deputy Mayor Blake noted, "I agree and the Manager has always done that and I expect that he will do that this time as well- give us some options." Discussion. Deputy Mayor Blake stated, "Point of Order " and spoke of the Tentative Budget Rate. CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FWRIDA MINUTES CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP - SEPTEMBER 8, 2005 PAGE 6 OF 7 Commissioner McGinnis stated, "I agree with Commissioner Blake." Deputy Mayor Blake commented, "It certainly appears to me that if we undertake any of these projects that are listed on Exhibit 'B' in the Capital Budget - Capital Improvement area, that those projects would most certainly be funded - not by normal Operating Funds." Furthermore, Deputy Mayor Blake stated, "In that that is the case, we still have the ability to initiate any of those Capital items throughout the year - would you agree with that Ron [McLemore]?" Manager McLemore stated, "You do." Additionally, Deputy Mayor Blake said, "I think we have time to put this operating Budget to bed with the directions perhaps of the City Manager on Monday, to hold a Capital Improvement Workshop where we look at our Five (5) Year Plan again. I know we have done that not too long ago, but to look at it again in light of some of these new things we are talking about; and decide which of these projects we want to go forward with; how we are going to fund them; whether we want to go to the Voters with some of these things." Deputy Mayor Blake then pointed out, "I don't see the Fire Station in here. That is another piece in our Five (5) Year Plan as well. Perhaps have a real comprehensive discussion of all these Capital items and we can do it outside of this Budget process." Discussion. Mayor Bush then said, "Does everybody agree with Commissioner Blake has stated?" Commissioner Miller remarked, "I don't have any problem with what Commissioner Blake said. I would like to see an impact number in [20]'06 Budget that would involve long lead time on Capital Budget issues." Additionally, Commissioner Miller noted, "And what I would like to see included in this year's Budget - [20]'06, if there are items in here that are going to require - long lead expenditures that won't come out of the Capital Budget, come out of the General Fund in other words, because it has to be front loaded - I would like to see that included - the impact of that for all of these things." Commissioner Miller added, "You have got things in here Ron [McLemore], that some of them I think we really - need to look at next year." Further discussion. Tape 3/Side A Discussion ensued on previous Referendums. CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FWRIDA MINUTES CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP - SEPTEMBER 8, 2005 PAGE 7 OF 7 ADJOURNMENT Mayor Bush adjourned the Workshop at 9:12 p.m. Date: September 8, 2005 The following document was discussed during the September 8, 2005 City Commission Workshop.