HomeMy Public PortalAbout2016_tcmin0411SPEC COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING April 11, 2016
Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street, 7:30 p.m. Mayor David S. Butler presiding.
Council Members Present: Kelly Burk, Thomas Dunn, Suzanne Fox, Katie Sheldon
Hammler, Marty Martinez, R. Bruce Gemmill and Mayor Butler.
Council Members Absent: None.
Staff Present: Town Manager Kaj Dentler, Deputy Town Manager Keith Markel,
Town Attorney Barbara Notar, Director of Finance and Administrative Services Clark
Case, Director of Capital Projects and Public Works Renee Lafollette, Director of
Utilities Amy Wyks, Director of Parks and Recreation Rich Williams, Director of
Planning and Zoning Susan Berry Hill, Director of Economic Development Marantha
Edwards, Chief of Police Vanessa Grigsby, Director of Plan Review Bill Ackman,
Information Technology Manager Annie Carlson, Assistant Town Manager Scott
Parker, Network Administrator John Callahan, Deputy Director of Public Works
Charlie Mumaw, Senior Management Analyst Jason Cournoyer, Senior Management
Analyst Cole Fazenbaker, Business Development Manager Kindra Harvey, Deputy
Director of Finance and Administrative Services Lisa Haley, and Paralegal Carmen
Smith
AGENDA ITEMS
1. CALL TO ORDER
111 2. ROLL CALL: Showing all members present
3. PUBLIC HEARING
a. Tax Rate
The public hearing was opened at 7:30 p.m.
Clark Case gave a brief presentation regarding the tax and fee rates for the
Town for Fiscal Year 2017.
Key Points:
• Proposed rate is $0.1872 per 100 of assessed value.
• Includes inflation.
• Personal property tax remains at the 2016 level of$0.48 of 100 of assessed
value up to $20,000.
• Water and sewer utility rates were adopted by Council in a long term
schedule in FY2014.
• Average residential tax bill is based on the weighted average assessment of
property of$344,396 and a tax rate of$0.1872.
• Increase of$2.76 for the average weighted tax bill.
• Services in Leesburg are higher than in neighboring communities, but the
average tax rate is below.
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COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING April 11, 2016
• Town is financially sound—Triple AAA rated community by all three
rating agencies based upon the adherence to the long term sustainability
plan and increase of the unassigned fund balance to 20%.
• Proposed budget and tax rate addresses the "fiscal cliff" in FY 2017
without the expected property tax increases.
Council Comments/Questions:
• Fox: Stated she would like to look at specific line items for savings such
as office supplies, postal services, advertising services, food and beverage,
as well as forestry services, recreational supplies and printing services.
• Burk: Questioned what will happen if the budget is changed after the tax
rate is approved.
Case: Stated that either savings or revenues would have to be identified to
balance the budget according to whatever tax rate is approved.
• Dunn: Stated that the policy set by Council is presented by staff. He
stated setting the undesignated fund balance level at 20% is high because
taxpayers want to know that the money is being used and not just set
aside.
Jim Sisley, stated he has read all of Council's questions and staff's
answers. He stated the 30% of tax revenues that are provided by the commercial
tax base have a positive impact on the residential tax rate cannot be ignored. He
asked that Council keep in mind that the commercial tax base is profitable to the
town and only two staff members take care of that department. He stated the
Business Awards create pride and dedication. He suggested that since the
Economic Development Department is such a small part of the budget compared
to their impact, that they be given raises and more staff hired.
Kevin Wright, 109 Pershing Avenue, N.W., stated he supports the
adoption of an equalized tax rate. He stated after reviewing the budget, he is not
convinced that a tax increase is warranted and does not accept the theory that the
tax bill need to be adjusted for inflation as citizen incomes have not risen with
inflation. He recommended that Council identify efficiencies in trash and
recycling pick up and review of the contributions to the Rescue Squad given that
they may be given land valued at over $1 million.
Ron Campbell, 812 Fort MacLeod Terrace, N.E. stated that as a taxpayer,
it would be nice to know what the county decided not to fund.
On a motion by Council Member Hammler, seconded by Council Member Fox, the
following was proposed with an $0.186 tax rate(the equalized rate):
ORDINANCE 2016-0-010
Ordaining Chapter 20(Licenses, Taxation and Miscellaneous Regulations), Article
II(Taxation Generally), Section 20-22(Annual Levy and Rate of Taxes), and
Appendix B(Fee Schedule)Setting Tax Rates on Real Estate, Vehicles used as
Mobile Homes or Offices, Tangible Personal Property, Real Estate and Tangible
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COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING April 11, 2016
Personal Property of Public Service Corporations, and Setting Utility Water and
Sewer Rates for Tax Year 2017
Council Comments/Questions:
• Burk: Questioned how this will affect the proposed budget.
Dentler: Stated the equalized tax rate will require reductions of$82,000
from the proposed budget.
• Gemmill: Stated he intends to go with the equalized rate.
• Dunn: Stated he cannot support the equalized rate. He stated there is a
lot of fluff in the budget. He stated that voting for the equalized rate is a
vote for waste in government as there is a lot of wasteful spending and
unaccounted for spending that is built into the budget. He stated there
would be no reduction in services at$0.165.
Council Member Dunn proposed a friendly amendment for$0.1775. The
amendment was not accepted as friendly.
• Hammler: Questioned what the reductions need to be to get to $0.1775.
• Dunn: Stated he does not have a list of the reductions, but would be
happy to table the vote until after the detailed discussion on the budget.
• Butler: Questioned what staff would recommend in order to reduce the
budget to meet the approved tax rate.
Dentler: Stated that the vacancies could be managed to reduce the budget
by the appropriate amount.
The motion was approved by the following roll call vote:
Aye: Fox, Burk, Hammler, Gemmill and Mayor Butler
Nay: Dunn and Martinez
Vote: 5-2
5. ADJOURNMENT
On a motion by Council Member Martinez, seconded by Council Member Fox, the special
meeting was adjourned at 8:13 p.m.
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David S. Butler, Mayor
Town of Leesburg
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Clerk of o
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