09-13-2022_1st_Budget

BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

SEMINOLE COUNTY, FLORIDA

SEPTEMBER 13, 2022

The following is a non-verbatim transcript of the BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING OF SEMINOLE COUNTY, FLORIDA, held at 5:30 p.m., on Wednesday, September 13, 2022, in Room 1028 of the SEMINOLE COUNTY SERVICES BUILDING at SANFORD, FLORIDA, the usual place of meeting of said Board.

Present:

Chairman Bob Dallari (District 1)

Vice Chairman Lee Constantine (District 3)

Commissioner Jay Zembower (District 2)

Commissioner Amy Lockhart (District 4)

Commissioner Andria Herr (District 5)

Interim County Manager Bryant Applegate

Senior Assistant County Attorney Desmond Morrell

Clerk of Court and Comptroller Grant Maloy

Deputy Clerk Kyla Farrell

Commissioner Constantine led the pledge of allegiance.

PUBLIC HEARING

TENTATIVE FY 2022/2023 BUDGET

Chairman Dallari advised that the Board of County Commissioners does not have any control over the tax levies or budgets of the School Board, the Water Management District, or any of the seven cities in Seminole County. Questions regarding property assessed valuations should be addressed to the Property Appraiser, David Johnson, who is present. The Board of County Commissioners has limited authority over the budgets of the Constitutional Officers of the County which include the Clerk of the Circuit Court, the Property Appraiser, the Sheriff, the Supervisor of Elections, and the Tax Collector. Chairman Dallari described how the budgets for the Constitutional Officers are reviewed and approved. He pointed out that by Florida law, two public hearings must be held before adopting the final millage rates and annual budget for Seminole County. The purpose of this first public hearing is to hear public comments regarding the proposed millage rates and budget, amend the budget as desired by the Board, and to tentatively adopt the millage rates and budget of the County for FY 2022/23.

Chairman Dallari stated the first public hearing has been advertised through the Notice of Proposed Property Taxes which was previously mailed by the Property Appraiser's Office in August to all ad valorem taxpayers of the County.

Lorie Bailey Brown, Resource Management Director, addressed the Board and displayed a PowerPoint presentation (received and filed) for the FY 2022/23 Tentative Budget. She reviewed Budget Development for the upcoming fiscal year and stated tonight’s hearing is to announce the tentative millage rates and tentative budget.

Ms. Bailey Brown displayed the Millage Rates summary and reviewed millage rates for the Adopted 2021/22 Budget; Tentative 2022/23 Budget; Rolled-Back Rate; and the Percentage Increase in the Proposed Millage Rates over the Rolled-Back Millage Rates for Countywide, the Fire Services District, and the Roads District. Ms. Bailey Brown continued by reviewing Property Taxes; Tax Bill; and total millage rate for Surrounding Counties, which includes the tentative millage rates combined with the School Board and Water Management District.

Ms. Bailey Brown stated the total Tentative Budget is $992,480,753.00 and includes a $22.4 million adjustment from the County Manger’s proposed budget of $970 million. Details of the adjustments can be found on page 14-5 of the Public Hearing Book. In summary, there were $6 million net increases for various grants and $18 million in interfund transfer adjustments, primarily related to department requests, transferring funds from operations to capital. She concluded her presentation by reviewing a pie chart depicting the total proposed Expenditures Budget of $700.6 million which excludes reserves and transfers and is detailed by Service Area.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

With regard to public participation, Bill Hyde shared his comments regarding the rate of inflation and why he thinks the County is profiting on taxes. No one else spoke in support or in opposition and public input was closed.

Public Comment Form was received and filed.

-------

Motion by Commissioner Lockhart, seconded by Commissioner Constantine, to adopt the FY 2022/23 countywide tentative millage rate of 4.8751 mills.