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HomeMy Public PortalAbout07-July 20, 2022 WSCITY OF OPA-LOCKA "The Great City" CLERK'S ACTION SUMMARY MINUTES WORKSHOP Wednesday, July 20, 2022 6:00 p.m. 1. WELCOME/OPENING REMARKS: Mayor Veronica Williams called the Workshop to order at 6:53 PM on Wednesday, July 20, 2022 and stated that the workshop was scheduled to discuss the FY 2023 Budget. 2. ROLL CALL: The following members of the City Commission were present: Commissioner Sherelean Bass, Commissioner Chris Davis, Commissioner Audrey Dominguez, Vice Mayor John H. Taylor Jr., and Mayor Veronica J. Williams. Also in attendance were: Interim City Manager Darvin Williams, City Attorney Burnadette Norris -Weeks and City Clerk Joanna Flores. 3. INVOCATION: The invocation was delivered by Mayor Williams. 4. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: The Pledge of Allegiance was recited in unison. 5. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Agenda item(s) only City Clerk Joanna Flores announced the protocol for public participation at City Commission meetings. Mayor Williams opened public comments. There being no members of the public to address the Commission, Mayor Williams closed Public Comments. 6. DISCUSSION ITEM: Presentation by City Manager's Office Budget Workshop Minutes — July 20, 2022 1 Mayor Williams asked Interim City Manager Williams to present the proposed FY 2023 Budget for the City of Opa-locka. Interim City Manager Williams informed the Commission that a significant period of time was spent working on the proposed FY 2023 budget across the City's 13 Departments. The Manager explained that Budget Administrator Anathan provides the structure and then meets with each Department Head to make sure their needs are met with the proposed budgets and then hash it out to make any necessary amendments. He went on to say that each Department Head delivered a presentation individually to the City Manager's Office, after which he reviewed the items across all the Departments and then additional edits were made prior to the proposed budget being presented to the Commission. The Manager asserted that he and his Staff believe that the proposed budget was produced with the best interest of the City in mind. He informed the Commission that if they had any specific questions, all Department Heads were available to address those questions. Manager Williams then proceeded to ask Budget Administrator Anathan to present the proposed FY 2023 Budget for the City of Opa-locka to the City Commission. Budget Administrator Anathan presented the proposed FY 2023 Budget for the City of Opa-locka to the City Commission, beginning his presentation by informing the Commission that it is essentially a $60 million budget with essentially half of it going to capital improvements. Mr. Anathan reminded the Commission that whatever is adopted as the capital improvement budget is not a commitment, because every proposed capital improvement project will come before the Commission for approval. Therefore, what he is presenting to the Commission is potential funding. He also stated at the beginning of his presentation, that the financial health of the City is as good as it has been in at least a decade, as he said his presentation would demonstrate. Commissioner Bass asked Budget Administrator Anathan to elaborate on the increased Stormwater Fees from the movement to the Property Tax Bill. Budget Administrator Anathan reminded the Commission that the Stormwater Fees had previously been charged on the Water & Sewer Bill and it was very difficult to alight the correct charge to the correct property, which is why it was moved to the Property Tax Bill. Mr. Anathan pointed out that the Stormwater Fee did not increase, noting that it was $6 per month when it was charged on the Water & Sewer Bill and is now $72 as an annual charge on the Property Tax Bill. He further explained that the Stormwater Fee is based on the impervious square footage of every property and by including it on the Property Tax Bill, it can be based on the actual impervious area on each property and thus each property can be correctly charged. Mr. Anathan further explained that when the Budget Workshop Minutes — July 20, 2022 2 Stormwater Fee was charged on the Water & Sewer Bill, that was not occurring and consequently the City was only realizing about half of what it is realizing now. Vice Mayor Taylor asked if the $390,844 Transfer In Proposed Budget for Town Center was based on the tenants currently occupying the building. Budget Administrator Anathan explained that the revenue line is based on the tenants that were there and are intended to be there in the future, noting that a tenant just left the building. Vice Mayor Taylor asked if the number will increase as a result of the loss of the tenant. Budget Administrator Anathan stated that if the tenant who left is not replaced, the number will increase. Mr. Anathan further explained that the goal is to have Town Center 100% rented out next year, once the Commission Chambers, Police Department, Building & Licensing Depai tment and school are all relocated. Commissioner Davis noted that the Town Center was intended to be self -funded, but he noted that the projections are increasing and asked if the building is becoming more of a financial burden to maintain. Budget Administrator Anathan explained that he doesn't believe the building is a burden to maintain, but that the City is probably occupying more of the building than what was originally intended, taking rental space out of play. Mayor Williams recommended that the Commission have a second Legislative Aide in the City Clerk's Office, because she said that 1 is not enough for 5 people. The Mayor also recommended a salary increase for the position if they keep 1 aide and a comparable salary if they have 2 aides. Vice Mayor Taylor asked for confirmation that the reference in the proposed Budget to a robust City communications program was for a public relations firm. Budget Administrator Anathan confirmed that the reference in the proposed Budget to a robust City communications program was for a public relations firm. Vice Mayor Taylor asked what the term roadway safety was referring to. Budget Administrator Anathan said that the term roadway safety was referring to the red light cameras. Commissioner Davis asked how the City determined the gas rate. He recalled that the recent budget amendment calculated the gas rate based on the high end given the recent Budget Workshop Minutes — July 20, 2022 3 gas prices during the summer months, and asked if that rate was continued for the FY 2023 budget or if a lower option was chosen. Budget Administrator Anathan stated that when he was putting the budget together, conventional wisdom said that gas prices were not going down from $5 per gallon, so the budget was based on that for next year. At the moment, he acknowledged that is an overstatement. Mayor Williams asked if the proposed budget for the Water Distribution Leak Detection Study and the Water Rate Study, were studies that are going to happen or if they had already taken place. Budget Administrator Anathan stated that the proposed budget for the Water Distribution Leak Detection Study and the Water Rate Study is just a recommendation subject to the approval of the Commission. Mr. Anathan also pointed out that each study would be conducted with 2 different purposes, with the Leak Detection Study requiring the necessary equipment to trace the entire system and identify where leaks are and the Rate Study being what the name implies. Mayor Williams also inquired about the purpose of the proposed line item for Water Quality Reporting. Budget Administrator Anathan explained that the Public Works Department is required to continually report to the County by sending water testing samples to determine the ongoing quality as well as the mineral contents. He said that the line item in the proposed budget would cover that ongoing process. Mayor Williams asked if the Water Quality Reporting was going up by $5,000. Budget Administrator Anathan pointed out that the proposed budget had the Water Quality Reporting increase by $5,000 from the $10,000 that was budgeted to a $15,000 forecasted amount in FY 2022, but that the proposed budget for FY 2023 had that flat at $15,000. Interim City Manager Williams also reminded the Commission that Opa-locka is under review for its water and stormwater system, and is required by State of Florida law to review the City's water quality to test it for chemicals on a regular basis and report those findings to the State. The Manager further explained that the City had to increase the amount of testing that is done by about $5,000 this year which brought the City to its current budget of $15,000 for that testing and he said that they anticipate spending $15,000 again in the upcoming year. Budget Workshop Minutes — July 20, 2022 4 Commissioner Bass inquired about the 3% of water bill customers who are still being billed by the City to allow the County to start billing those accounts, and she asked the total number of customers that percentage represents. Budget Administrator Anathan stated that the 3% of water bill customers who are still being billed by the City to allow the County to start billing those accounts, represents approximately 30 to 40 customers. Mayor Williams asked if the City has been operating with 7 Code Enforcement Officers. Budget Administrator Anathan acknowledged that the Code Enforcement Department has been pretty understaffed, and said that there are 4 Officers, 1 Code Enforcement Manager and 2 Administrative Staff to deal with all of the paperwork that comes out of the process. Interim City Manager Williams confirmed that there are 4 Code Enforcement Officers included in the proposed FY 2023 budget. Mayor Williams asked if it would be possible to explore increasing the number of Code Enforcement Officers. Interim City Manager Williams informed the Commission that a plan is being reviewed to add Code Enforcement Officers for the weekend and evenings. Mayor Williams asked if those Code Enforcement Officers that are being considered for the weekend and evenings would be working part-time. Interim City Manager Williams stated that the Code Enforcement Officers that are being considered for the weekend and evenings would be both part and full time. Commissioner Bass asked how many Code Enforcement Officers were being considered to be added to the Department. Interim City Manager Williams informed the Commission that the plan that is being reviewed would potentially include 1 full time Code Enforcement Officer and 2 to 4 part time Officers. The Manager further explained that the effort is being made to cover the weekends and evenings, when a lot of illegal dumping occurs. Mayor Williams stated that new legislation is going to require Code Enforcement and she wants to make sure that they're adding Code Enforcement Officers so that they can make sure that what is being done is going to be adhered to. Budget Workshop Minutes — July 20, 2022 5 Vice Mayor Taylor asked if the line item for Police Educational Costs in the Proposed FY 2023 budget includes recruitment. Interim City Manager Williams confirmed that the line item for Police Educational Costs in the Proposed FY 2023 budget, does include recruitment. Budget Administrator Anathan added that the line item for Police Educational Costs in the Proposed FY 2023 budget also includes additional use of the Miami -Dade County Police Academy. Commissioner Davis pointed out that the ShotSpotter Service is technology that the Commission wants in the City and he asked if the line item included in the FY 2023 budget was a projected amount or if confirmation of the grant was received. Budget Administrator Anathan explained that the City received confirmation of the grant and actually has the contract for the ShotSpotter Service. Interim City Manager Williams added that the City has received confirmation from Congresswoman Frederica Wilson's Office that the grant money for the ShotSpotter Service will be received and allocated. Mayor Williams stated that she would love to see an officer that is assigned to the Commission as their Sergeant at Arms, suggesting that they can have a sign out procedure, to go with them to events, noting that they go to a lot of night events. The Mayor also said that the Sergeant at Arms could also be at all of the Commission Meetings, so that they don't have to get an officer that needs to be part of the boots on the ground team. Commissioner Davis addressed the FY 2023 Objectives for the Building & Licensing Department and noted that it states that the Department will continue ensuring Opa-locka structures are structurally sound and electrically safe. The Commissioner asked if that objective was referring to the 40 -year recertification of some of the City's older structures that is mandated. Budget Administrator Anathan stated that he knows the City of Opa-locka has a program for 40 -year certification, and he said that he would have to say that's included. Commissioner Dominguez asked if there was any possibility to purchase a new van for the Parks & Recreation Department, because she said that the bus that they use now is really in bad condition. Budget Administrator Anathan informed the Commission that the Parks & Recreation Budget for FY 2022 included $70,000 for the purchase of vans, and he said that there will Budget Workshop Minutes — July 20, 2022 6 be a budget amendment presented to the Commission to increase that by another $40,000 to get it up to $110,000 so that 2 vans can be purchased. Mr. Anathan went on to explain that the proposed FY 2023 budget will include another $75,000 to purchase a larger bus as well. Interim City Manager Williams added that Parks & Recreation Department Director Zonya Ray will be presenting a selection for vans to his Office tomorrow. Mayor Williams noted that she saw some reductions in the proposed FY 2023 budget for some of the Parks & Recreation Department sports activities. Sharing that she considers herself a Parks Mom, the Mayor said that she told Parks & Recreations Depai tiuent Director Zonya Ray earlier that day, that they need to focus on Children and Seniors. She asserted that she never wants to take away from Children or Seniors, and would prefer to see increases. The Mayor went on to note that some Depaitiiients have operating costs where every single line item has gone up by hundreds or thousands, and she said that it is a little concerning to her because the proposed budget is going down. Budget Administrator Anathan assured Mayor Williams that her concern was noted about the decrease in the proposed FY 2023 Parks & Recreation Department for some sports programs. He stated that in some instances it was done because uniforms were purchased this year and therefore were not necessary the next year, but he assured the Mayor that they would go back and take a further look at it. Commissioner Davis agreed with Mayor Williams' sentiments, asserting that he thinks they should place value on sports programming for the youth. The Commissioner pointed out that the Recreational Football Program line item is zeroed out and the Football Program has a decreasing amount for the proposed FY 2023 Parks & Recreation Department Budget, but he would like to see those allocations. He also asked for clarity on the $4,600 expenditure under the other line item from the FY 2022 budget, and asked what those funds have historically been used for and what the intent is for the FY 2023 budget. Budget Administrator Anathan explained that the prior Parks & Recreation Department Director included $4,600 in his budget that he did not have a specific need for and was never used under the other line item. Mr. Anathan informed the Commission that the proposed FY 2023 Budget for the Parks & Recreation Department does not include a line item for other. Commissioner Davis asked if the proposed FY 2023 Budget for the Parks & Recreation Department, includes funding for nonprofits. Budget Workshop Minutes — July 20, 2022 7 Budget Administrator Anathan stated that the proposed FY 2023 Budget for the Parks & Recreation Department, does not include funding for nonprofits at this time. Commissioner Davis asked if the Budget for the Parks & Recreation Department has historically included funding for nonprofits. Budget Administrator Anathan stated that in his 2 years serving the City, he has not been aware of funding for nonprofits being included in the Budget for the Parks & Recreation Department, but he offered to research it. Interim City Manager Williams confirmed that historically there has been funding for nonprofits included in the Budget for the Parks & Recreation Department. Commissioner Davis asked if the funding for nonprofits that has historically been included in the Budget for the Parks & Recreation Department, was not being carried over to the proposed FY 2023 Budget. Interim City Manager Williams confirmed that the funding for nonprofits that has historically been included in the Budget for the Parks & Recreation Department, was not being carried over to the proposed FY 2023 Budget. Commissioner Davis said that he would like to take a look at the historical data on the funding for nonprofits that was included in the Budget for the Parks & Recreation Department just for clarity. Interim City Manager assured Commissioner Davis that he will be provided with the historical data he requested for the funding for nonprofits that was included in the Budget for the Parks & Recreation Department. Vice Mayor Taylor asked if funding could be included in the proposed FY 2023 Budget for a soccer program in Opa-locka. Interim City Manager Williams confirmed that funding for a soccer program in Opa-locka can absolutely be included in the proposed FY 2024 Budget. Commissioner Bass recommended that funds be put into celebrating the City's birthday, because she thinks they need to do something grand to celebrate the City itself. Interim City Manager stated that he and his Staff are in agreement with her that funds should be put into celebrating the City's birthday, and he assured her that they will make a proposal for the Commission to review. Budget Workshop Minutes — July 20, 2022 8 8. ADJOURNMENT: Mayor Williams thanked Budget Administrator Anathan and all of the City Staff that worked to make the Budget look spectacular. The Mayor expressed her excitement that the City will have new Employees and will be under construction over the next 2 years, adding that she is a little giddy over it. There being no further business to come before the City Commission, it was moved by Vice Mayor Taylor, seconded by Commissioner Bass to adjourn the Workshop at 8:45 p.m. Veronica J. Wifiams ATTEST: Jo 1 a Flores, CMC CI Clerk Budget Workshop Minutes — July 20, 2022 Mayor 9