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HomeMy Public PortalAbout09-September 12, 2018 First Budget Hearing CITY OF OPA-LOCKA "The Great City" CLERK'S ACTION SUMMARY MINUTES FIRST BUDGET HEARING Wednesday, September 12, 2018 5:01 P.M. Opa-locka Municipal Complex 780 Fisherman Street, 3rd Floor Opa-locka, FL 33054 1. CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Myra L. Taylor called the meeting to order at 5:01 p.m. on Wednesday, September 12, 2018 in the Auditorium at Sherbondy Village, 215 President Barack Obama (Perviz) Avenue, Opa-locka, Florida. 2. ROLL CALL: The following members of the City Commission were present: Mayor Myra L. Taylor, Vice Mayor Joseph L. Kelley, and Commissioner Matthew Pigatt. Also in attendance were: Acting City Manager Newall Daughtrey, City Attorney Vincent Brown, and City Clerk Joanna Flores. Commissioner Timothy Holmes arrived at 5:32 p.m. and Commissioner John Riley arrived at 5:09 p.m. 3. INVOCATION: The invocation was delivered by Vice Mayor Joseph L. Kelley. 4. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: The Pledge of Allegiance was recited in unison. 5. PUBLIC INPUT: Agenda Items Only City Attorney Brown announced that the rollback rate on the TRIM Notice has to be read into the record before the hearing can begin. This portion of the hearing was read in verbatim as follows: Acting City Manager Daughtrey: The City Commission of the City of Opa-locka hereby adopts and establishes the millage rate of the City of Opa-locka for the fiscal year 2018 — 2019, commencing October 1, 2018 through September 30, 2019 at 10.00 mills which is ten dollars ($10.00) per thousand ($1,000.00) of assessed property values within the City of Opa-locka. This represents a fifteen point twenty one percent (15.21%) increase of the rollback rate which is 6.6755 mills which is eight dollars and sixty eight cent ($8.68) per thousand dollars ($1,000.00) of assessed property value in the City of Opa-locka. 6. FIRST READING ORDINANCES/PUBLIC HEARINGS: First Budget Hearing Minutes—9/12/2018 1 a) AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF OPA- LOCKA, FLORIDA, ADOPTING A FINAL MILLAGE RATE PURSUANT TO SECTION 200.065, FLORIDA STATUTES, FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018-2019, COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2018 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30, 2019; SETTING FORTH PUBLIC HEARING DATES; PROVIDING FOR INCORPORATION OF RECITALS; PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF ALL PRIOR ODINANCES IN CONFLICT; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Sponsored by City Manager The above ordinance was read by Attorney Brown. Mayor Taylor opened the floor for a public hearing. Alvin Burke, 1240 Jann Avenue, Opa-locka, FL, said that he knows that the City is in deep financial troubles and he hopes it will be able to come out of it. He heard that certain commissioners will not accept the millage at 10.00, but he hopes they will change their minds and go along with it so the City can move forward. Dorothy Johnson, 13724 NW 24th Place, Opa-locka, FL, said she knows that errors with the finances have to be corrected and hopes that the commission will make the right decisions on behalf of the residents. She asked that a copy of the TRIM Notice be provided to residents in advance so they can know what is going on. There being no further persons to speak on the public hearing, the public hearing was closed. It was moved by Commissioner Pigatt, seconded by Vice Mayor Kelley for discussion. Commissioner Riley arrived at 5:09 p.m. Commissioner Pigatt said that he understands the philosophy behind the manager's decision to set the millage rate at 10.00. He hopes that his colleagues will see that this is a temporary thing and it will pay off in the long run. Commissioner Riley said that the budget is not balanced. He said that it is a bad idea to set the millage at 10.00 because the residents and the business owners cannot afford it. He hopes the manager will reconsider setting the millage at 10.00. Vice Mayor Kelley said that the City does not have the economic development that other Cities have. He does not see how the City keeps doing the same thing and expect different results. There are millions of dollars of debt and the reality is that everything can change from year to year. Whoever is sitting on the dais has the option to change the millage at any time from fiscal year to fiscal year. The City does not have the finances to continue making bad choices. Mayor Taylor asked if the projections show that the ten years will remain for the full five years. Acting City Manager Daughtrey said that the recovery plan is for five years, but the budget is every year. The commission can change the millage from year to year. City Attorney Brown agreed with the manager. Commissioner Holmes arrived at 5:32 p.m. Commissioner Holmes said that he does not agree with setting the millage rate at 10.00. If it is lowered he will support it. First Budget Hearing Minutes—9/12/2018 2 There being no further discussion,the motion on the ordinance failed by a 3-2 vote. Vice Mayor Kelley Yes Commissioner Pigatt Yes Commissioner Riley No Commissioner Holmes No Mayor Taylor No Vice Mayor Kelley agreed and proposed 9.8 for the millage. A motion was made to amend 5(a) to set the millage rate at 9.8. It was moved by Vice Mayor Kelley, seconded by Commissioner Holmes to pass the amendment. Commissioner Pigatt said that the commission is making a drastic change to a budget that has been in discussion for weeks. He asked the manager for clarity on what this will mean for the City before he casts his vote. Acting City Manager Daughtrey said that the commission has already explained to him that he cannot reduce the staff. The only other place the funds can come from is the millage. Commissioner Pigatt said that he wants to make sure the right thing is being done on behalf of the City and the taxpayers. There being no further discussion, the motion on the amendment passed by a 3-2 vote. Vice Mayor Kelley Yes Commissioner Pigatt Yes Commissioner Riley No Commissioner Holmes Yes Mayor Taylor No b) AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF OPA- LOCKA, FLORIDA, APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2018-2019, COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2018 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30, 2019; PROVIDING FOR THE EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS ESTABLISHED BY THE BUDGET; AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO TAKE CERTAIN ACTIONS; PROVIDING FOR APPROPRIATION OF ALL BUDGET EXPENDITURES; PROVIDING FOR FEES CONSISTENT WITH APPROPRIATION AND AMENDMENT; PROVIDING FOR INCORPORATION OF RECITALS; PROVIDING FOR CONFLICT AND REPEALER; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Sponsored by City Manager The above ordinance was read by Attorney Brown. Mayor Taylor opened the floor for a public hearing. Dorothy Johnson, 13724 NW 22nd Place, Opa-locka, FL, commended the commission for approving the millage at 9.8. There being no further persons to speak on the public hearing, the public hearing was closed. First Budget Hearing Minutes—9/12/2018 3 It was moved by Vice Mayor Kelley, seconded by Commissioner Holmes for discussion. Vice Mayor Kelley asked if the departmental concerns were captured in the budget. Acting City Manager Daughtrey said, "Yes." Vice Mayor Kelley said that he hopes the suits for employees who deal with sewer are included in what is being passed and that it is sufficient. Commissioner Pigatt said that he cannot support the item at this time because he is uncomfortable with it. He would like to see it clearer than what it is now so that the residents can see what is going on. He would like for it to be in the same format it has been in for the last ten years. Vice Mayor Kelley said that the commission has spent the last several months discussing the budget and now at the eleventh hour, there is concern about the millage rate and it could have been addressed prior. He hopes that his colleagues will not hold up the budget process and passes this on first reading. There being no further discussion, the motion on the ordinance passed by a 3-2 vote. Vice Mayor Kelley Yes Commissioner Pigatt No Commissioner Riley No Commissioner Holmes Yes Mayor Taylor Yes c) AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF OPA- LOCKA, FLORIDA, APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE CITY'S PROPRIETARY AND SPECIAL REVENUE FUND BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2018-2019, COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2018 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30, 2019; PROVIDING FOR THE EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS ESTABLISHED BY THE BUDGET; AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO TAKE CERTAIN ACTIONS; PROVIDING FOR APPROPRIATION OF ALL BUDGET EXPENDITURES; PROVIDING FOR FEES CONSISTENT WITH APPROPRIATION AND AMENDMENT; PROVIDING FOR INCORPORATION OF RECITALS; PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF ALL ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.Sponsored by City Manager The above ordinance was read by Attorney Brown. Mayor Taylor opened the floor for a public hearing. There being no further persons to speak on the public hearing, the public hearing was closed. It was moved by Vice Mayor Kelley. The motion died for the lack of a second. Commissioner Pigatt asked for clarity since the item died. City Attorney Brown said that under the city charter, any ordinance that fails to be approved has to wait six months before it can be brought back to the commission. The commission has a statutory duty to approve the item by September 30, 2018 and it has to be in place by October 1, 2018. This action currently has the code and the state laws in jeopardy. A motion was made to reconsider the item. First Budget Hearing Minutes—9/12/2018 4 It was moved by Commissioner Pigatt, seconded by Mayor Taylor to reconsider the item. There being no further discussion, the motion for reconsideration passed by a 5-0 vote. Vice Mayor Kelley Yes Commissioner Pigatt Yes Commissioner Riley Yes Commissioner Holmes Yes Mayor Taylor Yes It was moved by Commissioner Riley, seconded by Vice Mayor Kelley to pass the ordinance. There being no further discussion, the motion on the ordinance passed by a 4-1 vote. Vice Mayor Kelley Yes Commissioner Pigatt No Commissioner Riley Yes Commissioner Holmes Yes Mayor Taylor Yes 7. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business to come before the Commission, it was moved by Vice Mayor Kelley, seconded by Commissioner Riley to adjourn the meeting at 6:21 p.m. MAYOR ATTEST: Ii i CITY CLERK First Budget Hearing Minutes—9/12/2018 5