BOARD OF
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
SEMINOLE
COUNTY, FLORIDA
SEPTEMBER 18,
2001
The following is a non-verbatim transcript of the BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING OF SEMINOLE COUNTY, FLORIDA, held at 7:09 p.m., on Tuesday, September 18, 2001, in the SEMINOLE COUNTY SERVICES BUILDLING at SANFORD, FLORIDA, the usual place of meeting of said Board.
Present:
Chairman Dick Van Der Weide (District 3)
Vice Chairman Randy Morris (District 2)
Commissioner Grant Maloy (District 1)
Commissioner Carlton Henley (District 4)
Commissioner Daryl McLain (District 5)
County Manager Kevin Grace
County Attorney Robert McMillan (late)
Deputy Clerk Eva Roach
Kevin Grace, County Manager, gave the Invocation.
Commissioner Daryl McLain led the Pledge of Allegiance.
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Motion by Commissioner Morris, seconded by Commissioner Henley to authorize
filing of the proofs of publication for this meeting's scheduled public
hearings.
Districts
1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 voted AYE.
2001/2002 SEMINOLE COUNTY BUDGET
Proof
of publication, as shown on page _______, calling for a public hearing to
consider adoption of the Seminole County tentative FY 2001/2002 Budget,
received and filed.
Chairman
Van Der Weide stated pursuant to Section 200.065, Florida Statutes, a taxing
authority must hold two public
hearings on the budget and millage
rates. The purpose of these public
hearings is to give the public an opportunity to comment on the budget and
property tax levies. He stated this is
the first public hearing. The second
public hearing will be held on September 25, 2001 at 7:00 p.m., or as soon
thereafter as possible. During the
second public hearing, the Board may adjust the tentative budget prior to final
adoption, but in no way will the millage rates adopted at the second public
hearing exceed the rates tentatively adopted at the first public hearing. He reminded the public that the Board of
County Commissioners (BCC) does not have control over the tax levies and
budgets of the School Board, Water Management District, or any of the seven
cities in Seminole County. Questions
regarding property assessments should be addressed to the Property
Appraiser. The BCC has very limited
authority over the Clerk of Court, Property Appraiser, Tax Collector,
Supervisor of Elections and Sheriff’s budgets.
The Clerk is a fee officer whose charges to the County are set by
Florida Statutes. The Property
Appraiser and Tax Collector budgets are reviewed and approved by the State
Department of Revenue (per Section 195.087, Florida Statutes). The Sheriff has the right to appeal any
decision regarding his budget to the Governor and Cabinet (per Section 30.49,
Florida Statutes).
Cindy
Hall, Fiscal Services Director, addressed the Board to review the following
millage rates as outlined on page 4 of the Budget Book (received and
filed): Certified Tentative Millage for
the General Fund 4.7179; Countywide Transportation 0.2810; Total Countywide
Millage 4.9989. She stated the Debt
Service Millage for Environmental Sensitive Lands is 0.1031 and Trails
Development is 0.1177. Total Debt
Service is 0.2208 and total Countywide is 5.2197. She stated the Unincorporated Fire/Rescue millage is 2.0971 and
Unincorporated Roads is 0.6591. Total
Unincorporated Area is 2.7562. She
added the tentative aggregate millage rate is 6.3590, which represents a 6.00%
increase over the aggregate rolled-back millage rate of 5.9990.
Mr.
Grace stated this has been a unique and challenging budget this year as this is
the County’s first two-year budget. He
stated this year he and staff put together two full annual budgets at the same
time period they normally do one. He
said he believes the two-year budget will serve the County well and it will
help in financial planning. The
challenging part of this budget includes the slow economy and its impacts on
the budget. He added staff has been
able to successfully address the stormwater program as well as major projects
for capital improvements, such as the Juvenile Justice Center and the Criminal
Center. He stated the tentative budget
for FY 2001/02 is $538,451,675 and $488,224,487 for FY 2002/03. Mr. Grace said this budget does not include
the program that was recently approved by the voters for extension of the
1-cent sales tax. Staff will come back
to the Board for approval of that and other rebudget items.
Robert
McMillan, County Attorney, entered the meeting at this time.
Ms.
Hall summarized the amendments and adjustments to the 2001/2002 budget.
Commissioner
Morris discussed with Ms. Hall if staff made any adjustments to the sales tax
revenue, the estimated potential for the Courthouse financial cost, and the
parks and trails issues.
Ms.
Hall discussed with Commissioner Maloy where the Economic Development Fund is
located.
Upon
inquiry by Commissioner Maloy, Ms. Hall advised the Senior Exemption does not
affect this year’s budget, but if done by December, it would affect next year’s
budget.
Commissioner
Maloy stated he would like to know what the impact would be if that exemption
were increased to different levels.
Mr.
Grace stated the Board might want to wait until December since they have until
that time to make a decision on the exemption.
Commissioner
McLain stated he would encourage the Board to consider increasing the senior
exemptions between now and December.
Commissioner
Maloy stated he requested that the Lynx ADA funding stay at the same level of
service.
Mr.
Grace stated staff is bringing a couple of Lynx issues to the Board on Tuesday,
September 25, 2001, for approval, and after that an update on the Lynx budget
will be presented to the Board.
Motion by Commissioner Maloy, seconded by Commissioner Henley to transfer
$20,000 from the Economic Development Fund to the General Fund Reserve.
Under
discussion and upon inquiry by Commissioner McLain, Commissioner Maloy
explained why he would like to transfer monies from one fund to another. Discussion ensued.
Commissioner
Morris stated he cannot support the motion as there is no specific purpose for
transferring the monies to the General Fund.
Discussion ensued.
Districts
1 and 4 voted AYE.
Commissioners
Morris, Van Der Weide and McLain voted NAY, whereupon the motion failed for lack of a majority vote.
Commissioner
McLain stated he has not received the information he has requested relative to
the Courthouse issue and cash flow amortization. He stated he will not support this budget until he receives that
information.
Mr.
Grace stated staff has been working on updating the 5-year projection and they
will be submitting that to the Board.
Commissioner
McLain expressed his concern that the County may not afford to make the debt
payments on the bonds without cuts and he wants to knows where those cuts will
come from. There has been a reduction
on the rates and he is hoping that will have a significant impact.
Upon
inquiry by Commissioner Morris, Commissioner McLain stated he would like an
update on the status of where the business community and the residential
community of Geneva stand relative to the Eugene Gregory Park.
Sheriff
Don Eslinger addressed the Board to state the total contribution to this
project is over $709,000.
Deputy
Moderson, Sheriff’s Office, addressed the Board to state the property is in the
process of being surveyed and it will be turned over to the civil engineer at
that point. He thanked everyone who has
supported this project.
Upon inquiry by Commissioner Henley, Deputy Moderson advised the proposed budget for this park is going to be close to $1 million. He stated they currently have $11,000 cash, $51,500 in pledges and $10,000 for up coming fundraisers. Discussion ensued.
Chairman
Van Der Weide stated he feels the Board is in favor of this park. He stated he would suggest having the County
Manager and staff get together with the Sheriff’s Office to establish
procedurally how the progress will trigger the release of these funds. The Board voiced no objections.
Ms.
Hall announced that the proposed recomputed millage rates are: Countywide General Fund 4.7179; Countywide
Transportation 0.2810; Total Countywide Millage 4.9989. Debt Service Millage for Environmental
Sensitive Lands 0.1031, Trails
Development 0.1177, Total Debt Service 0.2208 and Total Countywide Debt Service
5.2197, Unincorporated Fire/Rescue millage 2.0971, Unincorporated Roads 0.6591
and Total Unincorporated Area 2.7562.
She stated the total millage is 7.9759 and the net total including voter
debt is 7.7551. She stated based on
these tentative millage rates, the tentative aggregate millage rate, exclusive
of voted debt service millage is 6.3590, which represents a 6.00% increase over
the aggregate rolled-back rate of 5.9990.
No
one spoke in support or in opposition.
Motion by Commissioner Henley, seconded by Commissioner Maloy to adopt the
tentative millage rates for FY 2001/02.
Districts
1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 voted AYE.
- - -
Motion by Commissioner Henley, seconded by Commissioner Morris to adopt the
tentative budget for all funds including proposed adjustments and recommended
positions and pay bands as initially presented to the Board of County
Commissioners by the County Manager in his official capacity as Budget Officer
(per Florida Statute 129.025) and subsequently amended by the BCC.
Districts
1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 voted AYE.
- - -
Motion by Commissioner Morris, seconded by Commissioner Henley to tentatively
approve the budget for all funds as proposed for FY 2002/03.
Districts
1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 voted AYE.
Mr.
Grace reminded the Board that the second public hearing is scheduled for
September 25, 2001 at 7:00 p.m.
Proof
of publication, as shown on page _______, calling for a public hearing to
consider adopting the Non-Ad Valorem Assessment Roll, received and filed.
Gail
Bigelow, Fiscal Services, addressed the Board to review the proposed request.
No
one spoke in support or in opposition.
Motion by Commissioner Henley, seconded by Commissioner Morris to adopt
appropriate Resolution #2001-R-153, as shown on page _________, and
Certificate, as shown on page _________, adopting the Non-Ad Valorem Assessment
Roll.
Districts
1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 voted AYE.
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There
being no further business to come before the Board, the Chairman declared the
meeting adjourned at 8:05 p.m., this same date.
ATTEST______________________Clerk_______________________Chairman
er