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HomeMy Public PortalAbout09/14/2007 * Proposed Budget & Millage MeetingSeptember 7, 2007 MAYOR: William F. Koch, Jr. VICE MAYOR: Joan K. Orthwein COMMISSIONER: Muriel J. Anderson Fred B. Devitt III Chris D. Wheeler PUBLIC HEARING BEING HELD BY THE TOWN COMMISSION OF THE TOWN OF GULF STREAM ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2007 AT 5:01 P.M., IN THE COMMISSION CHAMBERS OF THE TOWN HALL, 100 SEA ROAD, GULF STREAM, FLORIDA. AGENDA I. Call to Order. II. Roll Call. III. Presentation of the Proposed Budget and Proposed Millage Rate for Fiscal Year 2007 -2008. A. Explanation and discussion of Proposed Millage Rate as compared to the rolled back rate. B. Comment from the Commission and the public. IV. Adoption of the General Fund Tentative Millage Rate for Fiscal Year 2007 -2008. V. Adoption of the Tentative Budget for Fiscal Year 2007 -2008 A. General Fund B. Enterprise Fund VI. Public Hearing Date for Final Adoption of Millage Rate & Budget VII. Ordinances for first reading. A. No. 07/2; AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN COMMISSION OF THE TOWN OF GULF STREAM, PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA, ADOPTING THE GENERAL FUND FINAL MILLAGE RATE FOR THE TOWN OF GULF STREAM FOR FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING ON OCTOBER 1, 2007 AND ENDING ON O SEPTEMBER 30, 2008. B. No. 07/3; AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN COMMISSION OF THE TOWN OF GULF STREAM, PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA, ADOPTING THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET FOR THE TOWN OF GULF STREAM FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING ON OCTOBER 1, 2007 AND ENDING ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2008. C. No. 07/4; AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN COMMISSION OF THE TOWN OF GULF STREAM, PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA, ADOPTING THE WATER FUND BUDGET FOR THE TOWN OF GULF STREAM FOR FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING ON OCTOBER 1, 2007 AND ENDING ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2008. VIII. Adjournment. SHOULD ANY INTERESTED PARTY SEEK TO APPEAL ANY DECISION MADE BY THE TOWN COMMISSION WITH RESPECT TO ANY MATTER CONSIDERED AT THIS MEETING, SAID PARTY WILL NEED A RECORD OF THE PROEEDINGS, AND FOR SUCH PURPOSE, MAY NEED TO INSURE THAT A VERBATIM RECORD OF THE PROCEEDINGS IS MADE, WHICH RECORD INCLUDES THE TESTIMONY AND EVIDENCE UPON WHICH THE APPEAL IS TO BE BASED. F.S.S. 286.0105 MINUTES OF THE PUBLIC GULF STREAM ON FRIDAY, COMMISSION CHAMBERS OF FLORIDA. I. Call to Order. P.M. C II. Roll Call. Present and William F. Koch, Jr. Mayor Participating: Joan K. Orthwein Vice Mayor Fred B. Devitt III Commissioner Muriel J. Anderson Commissioner Chris D. Wheeler Commissioner HEARING HELD BY THE TOWN COMMISSION OF THE TOWN OF SEPTEMBER 14, 2007, AT 5:01 P.M., IN THE THE TOWN HALL, 100 SEA ROAD, GULF STREAM, Mayor Koch called the meeting to order at 5:01 Also Present and William Thrasher Town Manager Participating: Garrett Ward Police Chief Rita Taylor Town Clerk III. Presentation of the Proposed Budget and Proposed Millage Rate for Fiscal Year 2007 -2008. A. Explanation and discussion of Proposed Millage Rate as compared to the rolled back rate. Mr. Thrasher presented the budget and explained that it is a balanced budget with a rolled back rate of 2.9563 mills. He is requesting an increase in labor cost by 4.8 %, an increase in the retirement plan from 14.6% to 16% and a CPI increase of 2.4 %. He added that Chief Ward would be presenting a benefit proposal for consideration. B. Comment from the Commission and the public. Chief Ward distributed comparison of benefits and explained that the proposal includes enrollment in the Florida Retirement System (FRS), with a current contribution rate of 20.92 %, longevity pay, increase in life insurance, permanent disability insurance, as well as family dental and vision, an overall increase of $72,000 to the labor costs. He provided a 30 year history of the FRS contribution rate with an average contribution rate of 14.8 %. The Chief explained that the FRS contribution rate has increased to 20.92% due to the increase in disability coverage for various aliments that effect high -risk personnel. The Chief stated that the department is short two officers and this benefit package would be more beneficial when recruiting officers. OCommissioner Wheeler asked how the Chief arrived at the figure for life insurance and which benefit is more important to him. The Chief stated that the FRS pension and longevity pay is most important to him. He added that he tried to get a representative from the FRS to make a presentation but they would only meet with the commissioners individually. Mr. Thrasher explained that $50,000 is the maximum amount allowed for life insurance without requiring a physical. Town Commission - Public Hearing September 14, 2007 Page 2 Commissioner Devitt stated that he did not have enough information on the pros and cons of both retirement plans and he requested more information at the next meeting. Commissioner Anderson asked if the amount of money spent on overtime equates to a salary. OThe Chief stated that it depends on the amount of activity in town. Mayor Koch commented that he does not believe that the police department needs more officers. He thinks it is not in the best interest of the town to go with the FRS plan in that once the town goes into the plan, the town is trapped in it, and can't withdraw from the plan. Commissioner Wheeler asked the town manager what the revenue funding options are to cover this package. Town Manager Thrasher suggested that a revenue option is a utility service tax. However, he does not recommend that option. Another source of revenue would be creating a storm water utility, where fees are assessed to each resident and billed directly by the town. The town manager reported that he has received a quote from Blue Cross Blue Shield for health insurance with similar benefits as in the current plan, but would reduce the cost of the current insurance by $41,000. The town manager explained that eliminating one position in the police department, added to the savings from the insurance, would enable the town to provide dental insurance, a flex- benefit up to $3000 for medical expenses and increase the contribution to the retirement benefit for all employees, regardless of which plan the town chooses, without dipping into reserves. The town manager cautioned that in the future the governor and legislators may try to inhibit the town's ability to work in the ad valorem range even further in which case it might be necessary to use the utility service tax option to just balance the budget. Commissioner Wheeler asked the Chief if he would rather fund the increased benefits for the employees and eliminate one officer position or fund the officer position with the increased benefits funding this year. Chief Ward, requesting clarification regarding the reduction of manpower for 1 year, asked if this moratorium on hiring would be for only 1 year regardless of the outcome of this situation. He added that his primary responsibility is the safety and welfare of the residents of Gulf Stream. In his estimation, it takes 12 men to do that. Commissioner Wheeler replied that this is true unless a year from now the Commission asks him to make the same choice again. He felt that the Commission, a year from now, should be able to ask the Chief if he would rather have a 30% raise for the employees, or hire another officer, and receive an answer at that time. Town Commission - Public Hearing September 14, 2007 Page 3 Commissioner Orthwein believed the 12th officer should be placed in a future budget if necessary. Chief Ward stated that it might take a year to fill the two open positions. In view of that, he felt he could remove one position from this budget. The Commission directed that more information on the pros and cons of the FRS plan and the current ICMA plan be provided at the next meeting. There were no comments from the public. IV. Adoption of the General Fund Tentative Millaae Rate for Fiscal Year 2007 -2008. Commissioner Wheeler moved and Commissioner Anderson seconded to adopt the general fund tentative millage rate of 2.9563 mills for fiscal year 2007 -2008. Roll Call: Comm. Orthwein; AYE, Comm. Devitt; AYE, Comm. Anderson; AYE, Comm. Wheeler; AYE and Mayor Koch; AYE. V. Adoption of the Tentative Budget for Fiscal Year 2007 -2008. A. General Fund Commissioner Wheeler moved and Commissioner Orthwein seconded to adopt the tentative budget in the amount of $2,487,401 for fiscal year 2007- 2008. Roll Call: Comm. Orthwein; AYE, Comm. Devitt; AYE, Comm. Anderson; AYE, Comm. Wheeler; AYE and Mayor Koch; AYE. The Commissioner requested that information on the pros and cons of the FRS plan and the current ICMA plan be provided at the next meeting. B. Enterprise Fund Commissioner Anderson moved and Commissioner Devitt seconded to adopt the tentative budget in the enterprise fund of $895,500 for fiscal year 2007 -2008. Roll Call: Comm. Orthwein; AYE, Comm. Devitt; AYE, Comm. Anderson; AYE, Comm. Wheeler; AYE and Mayor Koch; AYE. VI. Public Hearing Date for Final Adoption of Millage Rate & Budget. The public hearing date for final adoption of millage rate and budget was set for September 25, 2007, at 5:01 P.M. VII. Ordinances for first reading. A. No. 07/2; AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN COMMISSION OF THE TOWN OF O GULF STREAM, PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA, ADOPTING THE GENERAL FUND FINAL MILLAGE RATE FOR THE TOWN OF GULF STREAM FOR FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING ON OCTOBER 1, 2007 AND ENDING ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2008. Town Clerk Taylor read Ordinance No. 07/2 in its entirety. Commissioner Anderson moved and Commissioner Devitt seconded to adopt Ordinance No. 07/2 on first reading. There were no comments from the public. Roll Call: Comm. Orthwein; AYE, Comm. Devitt; AYE, Comm. Anderson; AYE, Comm. Wheeler; AYE and Mayor Koch; AYE. B. No. 07/3; AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN COMMISSION OF THE TOWN OF GULF STREAM, PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA, ADOPTING THE GENERAL Town Commission - Public Hearing September 14, 2007 FUND BUDGET FOR THE TOWN COMMENCING ON OCTOBER 1, 2008. Town Clerk Taylor read Ordinance Nc Page 4 OF GULF STREAM FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2007 AND ENDING ON SEPTEMBER 30, 07/3 in its entirety. Commissioner Anderson moved and Commissioner Devitt seconded to adopt Ordinance No. 07/3 on first reading. There were no comments from the public. Call: Comm. Orthwein; AYE, Comm. Devitt; AYE, Comm. Anderson; AYE, Comm. Wheeler; AYE and Mayor Koch; AYE. C. No. 07/4; AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN COMMISSION OF THE TOWN OF GULF STREAM, PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA, ADOPTING THE WATER FUND BUDGET FOR THE TOWN OF GULF STREAM FOR FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING ON OCTOBER 1, 2007 AND ENDING ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2008. Town Clerk Taylor read Ordinance No. 07/4 in its entirety. Commissioner Anderson moved and Commissioner Devitt seconded to adopt Ordinance No. 07/4 on first reading. There were no comments from the public. Roll Call: Comm. Orthwein; AYE, Comm. Devitt; AYE, Comm. Anderson; AYE, Comm. Wheeler; AYE and Mayor Koch; AYE. VIII. Adjournment. Mayor Koch adjourned the meeting at 6:40 P.M. Yve ne E. Eckert, CMC DepLty Town Clerk