Tarpon Springs City Hall Board of Commissioners 2019, 16 Jul 2019

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From YouTube: Board of Commissioners July 16, 2019

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Budget Work Session

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Thanks on Thursday July, 16, 2019 or 6:30 p.m. roll call, please Marilyn, who is this dear.

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D

My dear penny, yeah, Commissioner Seaver, is absent, an excuse Commissioner Khare here.

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I like to remind to everyone that the purpose of tonight's meeting is for the Board of Commissioners to study issues together and to analyze information to clarify questions. No votes are conducted during the work session. No public comments will be allowed tonight on. The budget, however, will be allowed during the two public hearings that are scheduled for Wednesday September, 4th 2019 and Tuesday September 17th 2019 at 6:30 p.m. tonight. We only have one item on the agenda, which is the general fund budget and enterprise funds.

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Discussion I like to recommend that we use the same procedures we did last year. If you remember that first we had the PowerPoint presentation given by run Herrick, and there will be questions and answers in comments. Then we have the budget advisory community to give to give us their recommendation. Then we're going to have a discussion on general fund and enterprise fund on august 2 off we'll have the second budget workshop and then we'll be discussing the CIP, the salaries penny for Pinellas the CRA and any follow-ups that we have from this meeting tonight.

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Everybody agree with that: good yeah, mr. licorice. Mr. haire, are you ready for the presentation.

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Good evening mayor commissioners, Ron hearing finance director- and this is the first meeting of the Byrd budget workshop for fiscal year- 2020 and I've- got a few slides I'll, try to make it quick and go through them. So that's not too long.

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The budget process has been going on for a little over four months right now, the process to date, you know in March we sent out that to the departments who entered their budget requests in April finance, compiled the budget document and made the revenue projections may 16 2013 13 budget Advisory Committee met with all departments and went through their budgets. July 2nd. The proposed budget was submitted to the board and July 16th tonight.

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The first budget workshop on the 2020 budget and if I may I just wanted to make a little little shout out to the budget Advisory Committee I. You know they went through a whole bunch of new members on it. Maybe we had the previous board. I didn't know if you know how they would be replaced and stuff, but uh you know totally new members in all with varying financial backgrounds. They spent the whole month of May going over the budget.

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They went through every departments budget, they met with every department head made, expenditure cuts asked a lot of good questions and overall I was was very impressed with him and I know. Chairman banther led him and guided him through the process and Clara McCoy is here. He was one of the one of the budget advisory committee members, but they I think they did a great job and stuff. You know, but I just wanted to have that little shout out for him. There.

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What you got, you got two budget books and you probably maybe you're used to them ones. This big three-ring binder here, which you know it, has all the details. Basically, four reports, the revenue that expenditures justifications and personnel schedules. I just mentioned it if you're looking for something, there's a good table of contents that narrows down where everything is, and at the bottom I just mentioned there, that you can find the budget books on the on the city website under finance under the budget of getting at the executive summary, which was this book here.

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You can find a lot of these in the table of contents, but I just wanted to highlight the budget message, which was one I just created in the last month, and what it does is try to highlight it's a new report in there and I just try to highlight in those ten pages some of the stuff. That's in the budget book with the different funds and different I could explain the variances in the funds.

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Another part of the executive summary is the CIP and with the page numbers there and I just wanted to highlight, if you're looking for all the CIP projects, if you like the first highlighted one page, is 98 through 100. Those three page have all the CIP projects for the five years right there. If you're looking to see everything a lot of the other reports down, the line are the separate funds that make up the CIP that are back there and then on.

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The bottom is a capital outlay for smaller equipment on pages, 115, 116 and then getting into the budget document. As you can see, the total city budget is 63 million. It's a six million dollar increase over the 2019 budget. Our 10.4% just try to show the five largest funds, which are the general fund, water and sewer sanitation, stormwater and penny they make up almost 58 million or ninety eight. Ninety percent of the total city budget, trying to break down general fund is five point.

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Two four: they had a five point: two four percent increase and over here trying to explain briefly what it is at salary benefits and repairs of maintenance, water and sewer. Twelve point: three percent increase a lot of capital projects, salaries and electric sanitation funds; six point: five: eight percent between capital and salaries, stormwater fund, one hundred thirty six percent; that's mostly the the big pent street capital project, two point: four million, which is charged a stormwater phone; and then the penny fund about five point: seven per six percent increase its capital projects.

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The budget assumptions in the budget- all funds are balanced. A general fund balance without using unassigned fund balance, no new positions in the budget, salary increases, we funded a general employees at three percent police and fire union employees per the contract, health, dental and life we've estimated ten percent. We don't have the final numbers. We might not get those until august workers comp, we estimated ten percent property insurance, ten percent retirement accounts for police and fire defined benefit. We didn't per the uh what the actually required per the actuary.

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The annual required contribution and general employers defined contribution plan is, at the eight point, seven percent, which hasn't changed in a number of years.

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Some major revenue items, the millage rate, is unchanged in the budget is at 5.4 to the property tax, taxable values increased six point: four four percent is provided by the property, appraiser CRA property tax, taxable values increase one point: two: nine percent, some other major taxes like penny tax, half cent sales, tax revenue sharing, I've estimated between two point: five and five percent.

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Depending on the tax water, sewer, reclaim rate increases at two point: seven: five percent: that's the approved rate increases sanitation rate is per the contract at one point: seven: eight percent: it's based on the CPI stormwater increases at the fifty cents. What's brings the to eight dollars and fifteen cent per equivalent stormwater unit and I could say these rate increases are approved by resolution or contract.

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Other notable new or operating expenditure increases. We've got the health insurance plan consultant we put some money in for that. A hundred thousand CRA Plan Update. Seventy five thousand electric cost increase at the water plan, one hundred one thousand electric for street lights. Fifty two thousand City Hall generate generator least. Seventy five thousand some fleet commercial repairs, increase. Eighty six thousand IT maintenance costs about seventy one thousand and those right there are of the increases they're 561,000 getting into the general fund.

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The general fund budget is twenty six million. It's a 1.3 million dollar increase or 5.2 four percent. No one assigned fund balance is being used to balance a general fund trying to break down the expenditures by category and just trying to show that personnel services increased eight hundred twenty nine thousand. That's the largest increase operating was four hundred eight thousand over the previous year and down below just trying to graph it and show Personnel Services is seventy three percent of the general fund budget operating as twenty three percent and then down here.

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We graph it was seventy three twenty three than one point: six capital.

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Major expenditure increases in the general fund as a personnel service is about eight hundred twenty nine thousand operating services. The health insurance consultant its total a hundred thousand, but we're dividing it between a hundred thousand sorry. Seventy thousand general fund, the other thirty thousand, is in the water and sewer fund. City Hall generator. It total seventy five thousand, but we got sixty thousand weary of a portion to the general fund. Fifteen thousand will see coming out of the water and sewer fund property insurance. General fund portion is thirty, eight thousand repairs may tonight.

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It is something new. This year the Microsoft MDM 365 is seventy one thousand electric for streetlights. We've had some led maintenance and we have seventy new street lights on highway 19 and we also there's been a two point: five percent increase in electric cost that duke has provided us fleet commercial repairs, mostly for police fire and streets. We've had to increase that 77048, an increase in the general fund of three hundred sixty nine thousand and then the I'm. Sorry, the safer grant, the the for paramedics we started about two years ago. There's an increase.

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We've gone from the first two years, we're the city had to pay 25 percent. The 75 percent was funded by the federal government now the third year. The city has to pay sixty five percent, the other thirty five percent is from the federal government, then next year, in 2021 and beyond the city's liable for the whole hundred percent of the four paramedics. So that was an increase of one hundred and seventy one hundred seventy three thousand in 2020. So that's that's! Roughly almost 1.4 million of some expenditure increases.

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Trying to show the revenues for the general fund and, of course the largest increase, is a six hundred twenty one thousand and taxes and down below just to show that's fifty four percent of the general fund and then just trying to graph it out. Fifty four percent taxes permits eight point: nine enter government, eleven point, six charges, eleven point: nine fines and forfeitures interest, miscellaneous and transfers and restricted reserve and taxes is not only property taxes, but it's utility taxes, Communication Service taxes and the local business taxes.

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Some of the gym trying to break down the general fund revenue increases, of course, a taxes. Property tax is highlighted. There are five hundred forty six thousand utility taxes, mostly electric. Seventy eight thousand permits and fees, franchise fees on electric 138 thousand, some intergovernmental from the state. The revenue sharing forty two thousand half cent sales tax. Forty five thousand. We got the arts celebration grant again this year, fifteen thousand library co-op funding. It's increased about almost two hundred. Fifty thousand, so we've had an increase of twenty seven thousand streetlight funding.

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It was since we have the extra seventy streetlights. The state pays us more money so that before they paid us on one hundred and sixty six lights. So now we have two hundred thirty six lights, so our funding went up to about sixty one thousand, so it's ended it almost an additional twenty thousand. The state pays us for maintaining those lights counties. Charges for services would about twenty thousand more for fire services from the County EMS about forty five thousand from the county, and then transfers increased 197,000 for almost 1.2 million in the revenue increases.

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Just trying to break down the the taxable value changes to try to show that the taxable values for the state total city is at 1.9 billion, it's an increase of one hundred and sixteen million or sick. That's six point: four: four percent CRA is 89 million, it's an increase of 1.1 million, or that one point, two nine percent and just as a reference, the CRA base year is 2001.

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The CRA goes for thirty years, so the revenue that goes into the CRA is the money over this minimum base amount that that value minus that value at times the millage rate is how much goes into the CRA each year from the city, and then we build a county for their portion, trying to break down the revenue for the property taxes.

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We've got this general fund portion nine point: seven million increase of five hundred forty six thousand CR a 247,000, an increase of five thousand nine hundred eighty nine, and if you want more history on the property taxes, pay 50 of the executive summary has like 15 year detail. There I'd like to show this graph every year. That just shows everything that makes up the property taxes.

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It's got the millage rate here from five point: four: five and we've sort of hovered at that until 2017 we reduced at the five point four two and we're still at the five point, four two: the taxable values you know we were going up in two thousand eight. We got up to one point: nine over one point: nine billion, and then we took this big dip down here: do the economy down in 2013 the 1.3 billion and now we're back up to one point: nine billion, almost up to where we were before.

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When you take military ties, taxol values, you get the the revenues coming in, so the revenues where we were in 2007. We were at eight point: 1 million of revenues going to general fund. We went down to six point, seven million and now we're back up to nine point: seven million in 2020.

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Trying to take the slide from the previous line, try to highlight it a little bit more, but just just trying to show where we went from the innit actual values from the 1.9 million. We went down 33 percent to that one, almost one little under 1.3 billion, we're back we're back almost to where we were back in 2008. When we had a 33 percent decrease. Now, we've had a 32 percent increase taken, one of those slides from the previous slide on the revenues you'd like say back in 2007, we were at 8 point 1 million.

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We went down to 6 point 7 now we're back up to nine point, seven million and then I had a thought. Let me try to figure out. You know, what's been the increase over those years, so from 2007 or 2020, we went up 1.6 million from 2007 that nine point seven in 2020, so we increased one point: six million. You know if you average it out it's 125 thousand a year or one point five to two percent a year. Oh it's something!

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What we're asked is a you know: the full-service cities, population greater than 20,000, and it's the five cities. It's Tarpon Pinellas Park, Largo, Clearwater, st. Pete and we're trying to show the the tax rate in 2019, the blue bar and then the red bar is a 2014 and, as you can see, tarpon went down a little bit to the 5.4 to Pinellas. Park went down a little bit since 2014 Largo went up, Clearwater went up, st.

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pete went down just a little bit so of these five, the largest over 20,000 tarpon, is the lowest at five point. Four two and then I was curious. I go well, you know of the cities, I go. How many had increases over the last from 2014 and nineteen, so 50% of Pinellas cities increase their millage rate since 2014 twenty five percent were unchanged and twenty five percent of the city's reduce our military, including tarpon, springs.

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This is the same graph. We just looked at with the full-service cities down here, but I was asked to put in some other cities a Seminole safety, harbor Oldsmar Dunedin and the unincorporated, and these are cities, well, these ones here with no police department but Seminoles. At two point. Four seven safety harbor went up a little bit.

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It's a three point, seven, three to three point: nine five Oldsmar is held the same from 2014 to nineteen de nimes gone up from three point: seven, three to four point: one three and the unincorporated has remained at four point: nine six and then, like I, say down below, was the same ones from the previous graph and then I. Try to do is like to do some projections going out and I did the revenues and percent revenues and expenditures for the last sense from 2010 and to 18.

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You know we averaged about a three point: two six percent increase in expenditures. You know I projected those out and, as you can see, we're pretty close, no revenues and expenditures going over this from 2010, the twenty three. Even in this part, we had expenditures over revenues and so they're, pretty close the whole way out there, and this was inbound. We bout. This projection was based on balancing the budget through 2023.

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This is the same graph you just looked at, but I thought it I'm just having fun with graphs. I know, but I added in the millage right here. So here's the same revenues and expenditures and here's a 5.4 to say, I base the revenue projections on the 5.4 to balance of funds through 2023 I use 5% as a taxable value increase as an average, sometimes I'm a little.

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Maybe it's a little high, but we have been a little bit higher the last five six years, so just trying to show that graph and then I got one more same graph. Revenues expenditures with the millage rate. I just showed you, but then I put in the unassigned fund balance so was with keeping the 5.4 millage rate and the projecting the revenues I've been able to with projecting through 2023, maintain the unassigned fund balance at eight point: eight million oops.

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Sorry now the water and sewer fund, the water and sewer front budget is 20 million, one hundred fifty nine thousand, and it's a 2.2 million dollar increase or twelve point three percent, and it's mostly capital expenditures by category like I just said it's mostly the capital increase of 1.4 million from 2019 to 20 and down below just trying to show the same sort of graph, a capital outlays, 32 percent of the water and sewer budget. In this trying to show and personnel is twenty eight percent operating twenty two with capital, thirty two debt, ten percent.

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Major increases in the water and sewer fund of personnel, 286,000 operating two hundred sixty eight thousand here's, the health insurance, the thirty thousand for them breaking. You know: split between general phone city, all generator, fifteen thousand split with a general fund, the property insurance portion for the water and sewer fund, twenty seven thousand electric at the water plant. We need increase of one hundred, one thousand permit engineering, mostly for the sewer plant. Forty thousand and some additional water sewer repairs maintenance at the water plant.

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Fifty four thousand four two hundred sixty eight and the main capital increase is the Seward Seabreeze drive sewer construction of 1.4 million, so that 1.9, almost 2 million, is the big increase in for the water and sewer fund water in sewer revenues. Nine point: three million projected six point: two for sewer 395,000 for reclaimed. Based on the two point: seven five percent rate increase that's been approved through 2028.

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These revenues are seventy nine percent of the of the budget.

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Trying to show the revenues by source and the water and sewer fund, we got six point, sixteen point: seven million of revenues or eighty three percent of the budget. You will see a decrease here, maybe I'm, being a little conservative but we're seeing a slowdown in use of the water this year. I think we're down about four percent, so I might be a little conservative, but I just wanted to be on the safe side, so I budget a little less for water. If it comes in that higher, you know that would be that'd be good.

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Sanitation, fun approved budget five point four million, a three hundred three to four three hundred thirty four thousand dollar increase six point: five: eight percent: the main revenues is sanitation fees, three point nine feet and that three point: nine million is recycling. Five hundred ninety nine thousand yard waste three hundred thirty thousand the rate increase is one point: seven, eight percent, that's based on the contract with waste management. Those revenues are ninety.

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Ninety percent of the budget rated likes a rate increase per the contractor using the CPI 2020 is the fourth year of the five-year contract with waste management and there's a city administrative fee of twenty percent, the main expenses of the Sanitation phone or the contractor expenses. We've got budgeted solid waste. Three point: three million recycling: four hundred eighty eight thousand yard waste, two hundred eight thousand for a total of four million getting into the stormwater budget. It's three point: five million a little bit higher because of the Penn Street project over.

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You know two million dollars over that one hundred and thirty percent the stormwater revenues or budget. At one point, six million they're, the equivalent stormwater rate will be eight point, one five, that's up fifty cents per the rate plan that was approved their rate syrup through 2025.

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The major increases the capital, almost two million and that's due to the pent street pet gross Avenue stormwater project. Almost three point: two million the pit gross project is split between the stormwater fund, 2.4 million penny fund, three hundred thousand water and sewer fund, four hundred twenty three thousand for the total of three point: three: three million one hundred fifty nine thousand nine forty five, but we're also getting a swift mud grant approved, need amount of 1 million. Three hundred sixty eight thousand for this project. I thought I'd.

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Since we're going in enterprise funds, I'd show the golf course fun just briefly here. The budget is $1,395,000 previous year, mostly because we eliminated the administrative allocation to the general fund. It was at sixty two thousand, mostly because a golf course fund does sort of in the negatives and we just thought it'd be good to just get it out. We've been gradually going down with it with the intimus administrative allocation one year years ago, we're 275 thousand. We, then we were down one hundred thirty, three hundred thirty thousand, and we just thought we'd.

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Maybe we just need to eliminate it, and the auditors agreed with that. They said Ron. Why don't just eliminate that? Oh that transfer the golf course. The revenues are the fees for playing golf, almost one point: four million and the offsetting expenditures, personnel for in a 90 mm operating eight hundred, ninety nine thousand a little bit of capital and the $1,395,000 a little bit about the marina fund budget of.

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$275,000 increase five point: seven, eight percent, Maryna fees hundred seven thousand and then and then the expenses are broken down, be operating. Sixty three thousand I'm sorry personnel, sixty three thousand operating forty four thousand for the hundred and seven thousand, seven twenty and last but not least just going forward on July 23rd at the meeting will be the authorization for a city manager to sign the dr 420 forms they set. What would be the maximum millage rate for the city?

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It goes once we we sign that it goes to the state ii budget workshop somewhere between august 12th and 16th. I don't know if the dates been determined yet 12, okay, it's August, 12 scratch out the six-week, their August 19th trim, notices mailed by county, and that will have that millage rate that you determine on the 23rd September force. First public hearing on tentative millage and budget September 17th second and final hearing on the budget and millage October 1st first day of the 2020 fiscal year, and that's what I got I'm open for questions well,.

B

Ron now went you thank you thank mr. licorice, all the staff and all the members of the budget, Advisory Committee. We have a very good balanced budget without using any emergency funds and keeping the same millage as we have 5.4 to also maintain to have a a full full-service city that is very important to the people of our Springs I want to thank you for all the work that you did any Commissioner comments on the on the presentation by spiritair pan. Thank.

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To echo some your initial comments mayor and thank finance director and the city manager for all your hard work throughout the budget season, it's obviously not easy to budget to balance the sixty three million dollar budget. Thank you for all your efforts on that I do have a couple highlights, or questions throughout the presentation. If now's the time, Merida.

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If he's related to the the general model would discuss a pin you like, if it is something to deal with the enterprise funds, we can talk about that. So.

C

We're gonna talk about the general fund, not now.

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F

Mayor I, just wanna, reiterate the same from the mayor and vice mayor I, know all of our department heads work really hard to put these budgets together. Ron you've put a lot of work with your team and city manager. I've bothered enough I think, probably for the next couple years.

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I'll imagine with questions so, as you all know, a very passion about this and it's important to the taxpayers and residents, and thank you all again for the answering the questions that we have and dealing with some of the questions that you might not be used to getting so I appreciate you being patient with us. So thanks yeah.

G

Thank you so much wrong again. I really appreciate the presentation and how hard you work getting this all set up for us and to the rest of the department. Heads same goes to you guys, you guys do a fantastic job. Thank you, then, of course, the budget Advisory Committee. Thank you guys for getting us all hammered out, ready to go excited to discuss tonight.

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B

We like to invite the chairman of the budget Advisory Committee mr. David, to give the recommendation of the budget advisory. Thank.

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You it feels good to be on this side of the diets, for once we have. We have a great committee we have. We have. We have Cassie Hall here with us today or caster, which one Cassie Cassie and then a Clare McCoy, and it's just a really great group of people and as Ron said, we know, though we got to meet with Olli Cartman heads. We have. We had about six six or seven meetings since the beginning of May and gone through the the entire budget.

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We have so far, one general, you know you know, recommendation and two from from from from from commissioner cars items, so so the first one is to leave the millage rate, as is if you review Ron's Ron's wrong Ron's data. You know you know, as he presented, we think with the rising expenditures and cost and the nd. You know uncertainty in future markets that it's best to not not not not Laura, not not lower the millage rate.

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You know I'm at this time, and you know at least from from from from from from from from my perspective, that was mostly from his slide, where he projected out all the expenditures and I think the rest. The committee felt felt the same and also after reviewing where, where where we stand with it, with it, with with with other communities, and especially when you look at us compared to you know it to you know four to two to two cities that are that are full service.

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Then two of the items from from from from Commissioner cars list, the first one was the internal auditor and we do support keeping it, as is with the external firm and that's really from a financial standpoint that we're recommending that I know, there's some other politics involved there. But from our standpoint we think financially. That makes the best sense right now is to stay with that.

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So that's that's the one resolution that we passed and then another one from from from from Commissioner cars list was the salaries of Commissioners I know from personal experience that that's that's a very controversial topic, but we felt with the increase in health insurance cost and with surrounding communities that commissioners, race I should go from 8,000 to 10,000 and mayor from 13,000 to 14,000. So I know you all have other factors to consider in choosing that.

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But if you do choose to go that way, you know that you have the support of an independent board for that. But overall, that's what we have right now is as recommendations for you. I appreciate Commissioner Khare for his list of items. He gave us that filled up two meetings and so I hope that you got some of the responses that you were looking for and I'm open to any questions.

B

Spencer hmm I personally want to thank you and congratulate you. You serve six years as the commission of ice near.

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You didn't stop there, you continued to serve the city on the budget advisory community, as the chairman also.

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The Charter Review Committee, thank you for you, sir. Thank you. I also like to thank all the members of the budget, Advisory Committee for any of you in each department hat and getting all the informations necessary and analyzing the budget and reviewing each line item which I know how how difficult it is, how much work is involved, because before we had the budget advisory committee, we used to do that. Ya know we used to spend hours and hours trying to say a couple pencils and it really many times. We were not even successful doing that.

B

So I really appreciate the work that you're doing in regards to your recommendations. Now the I will start with a number to the internal auditor and I agree with you 100% that I financially makes more sense to do that also I. In order to in nowadays it has to have many expertise, but having a firm that from the from the outside, they have different personnel, different people with the different expertise they can come here.

B

But if we have a person hired here, he's not going to have all this knowledge all the skills that he needs to out so I agree with. You is going to be I.

B

Think it's going to be the best choice. In my opinion, in regards to the the military, that's I'm gonna, you probably already know that I'm, always in favor with you reducing property tax anyway, we can't, as far as the salary and I mean I, can see. The I can see you recommendation without, but gain from thirteen to fourteen thousand dollars, but may have really makes a little difference to being there don't hear and I know that everybody here is not be when you were certain.

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Not here for the salary with.

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Commissioner anonymous is donating his salary, the recreation.

B

We here, for you and again I, want to thank you and I will start with the vice mayor.

B

C

Just say: yeah thank you for your service on the budget, Advisory Committee and going by, like the mayor, said, line by line and making our job a lot easier, and it seems like, with the current board, there's a lot of expertise as it relates to finance and budgeting. So I trust that y'all did a fantastic job and we appreciate you doing that. I. Don't really have any questions or comments about your recommendations, other other than just to say throughout your budget process and the original budget that was presented to you.

C

Did you see many changes as it relates to you know the actual budgeting and the balancing of this budget was a was a budget presented to you that you know had a lot a lot of things that needed to be trimmed or how did that go for you, I.

I

Mean it was pretty holistic I mean it seemed like it was similar to the to the to the previous year budget, just obviously with with with it with it, with with increased expenditures there. There wasn't a whole lot um that we had to trim back per say. There was again be like you said, because the wealth of knowledge on this committee we did have some. We did have some small things, not so much trimming but um moving some things around.

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If you will- and so there was a little bit of that, mostly just what I, what I had what I had have brought forward and again very very similar to last year.

F

Chairman banther, thank you for your presentation, short and sweet always appreciated. Thank you also to mr. McCoy and mrs. Hall, or your service on the board as well. It's great having a fresh board on the budget advisory board to take a different look at this as well Ron and staff. Thank you for working with the budget. Advisory Board I just want to go over a couple of the items that I asked the board to look at and mr. banther, if you could maybe touch base on one. If you have the information, if not mr.

F

herring I'm sure could cover it as well. Some of the things I asked him were to evaluate the increase in tax revenue. Over the past five years, we've seen a large amount of increase, but very little millage rate decrease, evaluate the other, evaluate the millage rates. Tarpon springs compared to other Pinellas County's city's administrative charges from enterprise funds that are paid to the general funds and I think we'll have some more conversations about this later, but that's the one I would like you know. If you have a little more information.

F

Do you recall, in the conversation that you all had about that at all.

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About the charges or the millage rate about.

F

The charges I'm sorry the administrative charges from like the storm water and the water fund. There.

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Wasn't a whole lot on that, because, with this committee being new, obviously a deal, there's a there's, a deep wealth of Finance knowledge, but this was more so in it, um educational for them, I think to get them up to speed on what the enterprise funds are. What was what's inside of them and like how they work together. So we didn't have anything specific recommendations or changes, just general support and what what was presented. What was acceptable? Okay.

F

And there's a handful of other items: I'm not gonna, read them off, but as.

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F

To if it's any residents are watching this at obviously the city is only part of the property taxes. You have the PSC a you have the school board. You have the County, EMS and couple other items as well, so we only make up a portion or the city only makes up a portion of what actually the taxpayers pay on their property taxes each year. So thanks again for your work and dedication to the city, thank you.

B

G

Thank you very much chairman banther again, I appreciate the recommendations and the extra meetings you guys put into I really get this prepared in terms of leaving the millage rate alone. Again, I'm glad you guys look at it from strictly a financial perspective. I understand that I'm willing to discuss, lowering it always, but that seems like a fine recommendation to me again: keeping the internal auditor external I'm, also in favor of the increase to Commission our salary I disagree with I made a campaign promise to never support that and attack.

G

Oh what the mayor said, it's not about the money, so I will not be in support of increasing our salaries, but other than that. Thank you again for the presentation. You guys did a great job. Thank.

B

You very much mr. McCoy. Do you want to comment hey so do you in the system? Okay,.

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I want to thank both of you and please.

B

Now we go into the general fund, we're gonna have a discussion. There. I have bunch of notes, but I like to share with everyone and also questions to mr. liquors in this yeah start with the health insurance, which is the number one benefit for the employees we budget a 10% increase. Do we have any feeling of what he's not going to cost us then, when we're going to find out.

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It's probably going to be closer if I'm, correct Jane to the beginning, August um somewhere around there. If you remember, usually this first budget meetings, usually towards the end of July and stuff, so we're a little closer but I think last year we didn't quite have it yet. um It's.

E

Usually been about mid August, we got that up mid.

B

E

B

Probably won't have it on a second workshop. There.

E

Might be if you're doing August 12th, we just have to see.

B

And find out from um should be able to have it.

A

B

Yeah also, what's the latest on the under medical clinic, any new information on them not.

H

Yet again we're there. Some of that may be depended on Oldsmar and what happens with those bar they're in the process now their health evaluation. So um that's a factor that we have to wait to see what happens with them and then it will see if that affects us, with the health clinic. Okay, so again, hopefully, and I think that one will be resolved by the 12th so hopefully we'll have both of those both of those a better number well I hope.

B

We have a favorable answer.

B

Next is the marketing which is very important to our local economy. Last year, mr. licorice, we have we've done marketing in-house and our city, employers did an excellent job, providing that what did you plan this year? Oh.

H

It's pretty much the same I think we've got a team together. You've already seen um what they've done so far, so I think we accomplished. If you remember, as we were talking the last.

D

H

It was between hiring an individual or having an in-house team. The advantage having an in-house team is, you could use the money that you would have budgeted for the marketing person to actually put in the marketing and I think have you seen from that team working together? um We've got a great plan going on so hopefully we can continue that for the next year.

B

B

Here she is the person responsible doing that I, just wonder if she has any ideas that you want to share with us, what you're going to provide addition that you already have well.

H

Do you and Cara want a company? Is there anything new you two want to bring to us or or let them know what they're gonna be seeing in the immediate future. That's gonna be going into it'll, be going into next year.

J

Karen lemons, economic development manager- long as you recall, last year, 30,000 was appropriate in the budget to do marketing campaign. So next Tuesday at the board meeting we're going to be unveiling the tourism video that we've produced and we're going to have a public reception and opening on the 25th of that week for the video and then the photo contest and we'll be awarding the contest entries for the the top categories in the photo contest. We've done seven advertorials.

J

We have the two billboards, one at I-4 and I-75 I hope some of you have been able to see them and you're coming back from Orlando. We have the the on the tankful marketing that is ongoing. That's reaching the communities that are within a tankful of Tarpon Springs, so going from Crystal River Homosassa arioni down to Sarasota. So that's what I'm going I think we've had those in about eight different communities so far, we'll be continuing that we have our web site that we have up and running now we're still working on it.

J

It's a work in progress, but we do have it live. We've been getting a good reaction to that, so we would like to continue all of these activities going forward with additional budgeting again. I. Don't think that money's in the budget right now, but with those additional funds, we'd like to do that and then we'll be regrouping now in the next month or so, and coming up with any new activities that we would like to do for the ongoing fiscal year.

A

D

Would cultural and civic services I feel like the marketing campaign that we started this year?

D

Is you know very balanced in the media that we're using from print to digital, to newsletters the billboards I think we've got great exposure, I think we've got a great logo and I'm very excited about the website, because over time we're going to be able to measure you know the analytics on that and that we'll be able to you know, give you some good information, so I'm excited about that prospect as well, but I feel like we should we've got the motivation now to start.

D

You know the next phase, the campaign and a new physical year and we'll just continue to you know, look for new opportunities to you know celebrate the city of Tarpon Springs. Thank you.

B

My next question is on the hotel that I asked the same question last year. Why we're now receiving a hotel tax? My understanding is that that can be used on events and I was just wondering if some of those events that we already doing in Turin, like the Epiphany first Friday night in the islands festival, can we apply some of the money and the other one is for capital projects.

B

A wonderful qualified and ask for grants were a Senior Center in town.

E

So it was the first question on the hotel.

B

Events since we're doing the Epiphany celebration, the first Friday night in the island, art festival, you're.

E

Talking about having a hotel tax for that yeah.

B

E

The hotel tax doesn't come to the city that goes to the county and then I think you have to get with the county to try to petition them to bring the money up here. So we don't get that money directly, but.

B

We, what I'm asking is if we can actually apply for this grant or request responsible.

E

Yes, I believe you'd have to go through them and before.

B

The advance because I believe it takes the criteria is events and capital. Is that correct? There.

H

You want to come talk about because we look at that and looked at the criteria for getting that and I. Think Karen has been the one.

J

Through the Tourism Development Council, the tourism development tax or Saint Pete, Clearwater, CVB and I've been going to those meetings. There's criteria for getting grants for festivals, a lot of it has to do with stays. You have to have a certain minimum amount of people who are staying in a hotel, and you have to show that you have to have a certain minimum number of people attending an event have to be from outside of the area, so they're they're meant to be attracting people from outside who are staying in hotels.

J

We've looked at all of our events so far, and none of them rise to that that threshold of the number of people and the the description of staying at a hotel, you have to prove the overnight stays. Some of the events that they've had are like the Grand Prix at Raymond James, the the festivals there. There was our festivals that are bringing in people from all over the state.

J

We don't have any that are of the size and that we can prove the criteria that people are staying in our hotels and staying overnight, but we continue to work with them. We continue to go to the meetings. If we have an event, that's large enough, we certainly will apply to.

B

J

B

Celebration that should be large enough well.

J

B

J

Then there was a discussion on that, because mayor credit course is on the board and he was discussing that one in particular, there was an issue they had with that, because it's it's a religious event, so they were actually looking at that one to see if that would be something that they could add to the criteria and I, don't believe, they've made the designation on that yeah, but again, we'd have to show that these that the people that are coming are staying in hotels and we we have to prove that we have to do a study to show that these people that are coming are staying in hotels, the other the other factor, and that is admission requirements.

J

All of those all of those festivals have admission requirements. None of ours are our festivals, that you have to pay it and get to accept. Perhaps the chamber one, the Fine Arts Festival, but it's it's a paid event. You have to show overnight stays and hotels and then there's a minimum criteria for attendance. The.

B

Other criteria is supposed to be capital. I was just wondering if building the or creating the Senior Center they'll qualify for that I'd.

J

Have to look at that because the capital projects have been baseball stadium and large museums and projects like that. So we'd have to take a look at if that would be a large enough project.

F

B

F

Ask a question: since you're on this topic, I know: I've met with County Commissioner Edgar's at one point about the dredge for the additional dredge that needs to be done and he brought up something along the lines with the tourism tax and I know. There's an economic study that was completed that showed the amount of bed tax.

F

That's created from the sponge docks in the tourism industry itself and tarpon springs, so is tarpon springs ever leverage that you somehow in the Sponge Docks, if it's with the storm water projects or- and we were able to show that there's a bed tax I think we have that in a study right. It's four hundred thousand dollars a year. I believe has that been looked into further I. Just I haven't.

J

Any conversations with him in terms of that of the dredge project, but all those bed taxes go into into one pot of money of the CVB and then it gets distributed. Most of it goes toward the the running of the CVB itself. It's it's the salaries and the advertising and everything that the advertiser region, that's the that's the point and then there's certain money set aside for the special projects, the festivals and the smaller festivals and then for capital projects like the stadium they're.

J

Talking now about the Phillies, the Dunedin project was funded through that tax, so the the funding then gets put into all these different pieces. Whether we could use that some of that money and ask for a dredge as a as a capital project. I haven't looked at that. So we could look at that.

F

Or some other capital projects that the city could look at and maybe an avenue where we could leverage as a city a tarpon springs, because we could show bed tax with that economic study, and that would be a justifiable I. Think aspect for that.

F

J

Certainly I mean we don't generate a lot of bed tax compared to other cities, but we do generate bed tax, so you know we we have a stake and that money, just like every other community does so we a project that would fulfill all the requirements. We certainly need to get our fair share as well.

A

H

Was special event, you know where there will be some special events that we'll be doing and we'll be doing this budget money, we're talking about a new event for st. Patrick's, Day and possibly an equivalent of dying the river, the Bayou, or something like that again. Those will not be ones that will meet those criteria, but again we're still also looking at some events and stuff to add to our repertoire that you know we'll have to have budgetary money for so so we will be talking about some of those in the future.

H

As far as events goes, while we're on the subject of events, yeah.

B

We just don't want to lose any money if it's available out there. You know absolutely. Thank you. The next thing that I want to talk about it is the millage.

B

Our revenue of general fund has increased by 1.3 million dollars or 5.2 four percent and, of course, our expenses have been increased as well. The property values have increased by six point. Forty four percent, I guess everybody knows that one of my goals, as always, have been, is to reduce the millage. Whenever we can back in nineteen 2017, we reduce the millage with my initiative from five point four or five to five point.

B

Four two mills I believe now the with the increase that we have with our revenue I, proposing that we reduce the millage from five point. Four, two to five point: three: seven meals that will show that we're trying to reduce the millage, but also maintaining our emergency fund of a point, eight million for any emergency for any catastrophic event might happen and still have the a full service city. Mr. Lee Curtis I.

B

Don't expect you to have an answer now, but uh if you please take a look at it and the out of finance director and come back to us on the next next meeting and I also like to ask my fellow Commission's to yeah I want to get their opinion on that. So vice mayor Mary, you said.

C

B

From five point for two to five point: three: seven.

C

E

It's point: oh five would be about every point. Oh one is an 18,000 hour decrease in revenue. So go on a point of down to five point. Three seven would be about 90,000 lesson: revenues to the general fund, so.

H

Here's the rule of thumb and what you have to think about. As you talk about this tonight, you need to keep that in consideration everything you do tonight and everything you do to 12th. You should need to look at the budget. You need to look at what you want in the budget. You need to look at right now, there's a fun that we have in debt. We always like to leave money for the Commission for their items.

H

They want to do to designate it usually grows when some of the things come in, for instance, of health comes in at 7% instead of 10%, and that 3% would go into that pile of money right now, seeing there's $120,000 of discretionary money when the budget is for this board to decide. So it's gonna be your decision as you look at what you want to do, and what projects you're gonna do what you want to cut, how you want to use that hundred twenty thousand or whatever monies come in use that formulas?

H

Eighteen thousand per that point, zero! One percent, so you know eighteen, you know just keep doing that up to what this proposed here, which is. This is ninety. Ninety thousand dollars yeah.

E

Ninety four, the going down to five point: three.

H

So what you see that when you see what you want to do, when you see how you want to use that money, that whole formula comes into where that, for instance, right now, if everything stayed the same of that one hundred twenty thousand, if you, if you use ninety thousand, to reduce the millage, then there'd be thirty thousand right now for you to use- or you know, cut something else in the budget and use that toward so. This has to be in your mind.

H

Obviously what we always do when it comes to the form is the 5/4. 2 is the highest. We can go and that's what's gonna be proposed when that comes forward, that's gonna be proposed, but you can go lower. You cannot go higher than that and we know right now from this board. I can tell you this board is not going higher.

H

So that's a good thing, but but we'll say that, because once we set that and it'll be set before you decide these things in the budget, you can't go up, so this would be a decision. You have to keep in your mind all throughout the process and when we get through the 12th and all the things the Commission wants in there add and subtract the amount of money times that 18,000 per point zero one percent. um That would be your ability to do, cut it and keep the same snow.

H

So again, it's moving on what what you want to do and what additions in traction do you make in there.

C

I mean the first thing, I'll say is there's no. We can. We can reduce the millage, not with just $120,000 of money that you're talking about.

C

You know we get in a position where we need to get some more money. We can always do a budget resolution right in terms of discretionary money like we set the millage rate above budget balance halfway through the year. We need some more money for something. Yes,.

H

You go into reserves and get the money yeah. That's where you going.

C

So you know in terms of giving the mayor some feedback on what he's potentially proposing or or you know, reducing the millage rate to five point. Three: seven I'll stay that you know, generally speaking, I would always support a reduction in the millage rate, given that it's an appropriate time to do so or we're not putting ourselves in jeopardy and one way or the other you know, I do think I've always been a proponent of generally doing. I.

C

Think I was on the board when we and supported that initiative, then so the biggest thing for me, as it relates to the millage and staying competitive with the surrounding communities, is that in itself it's just for full service community competitive regarding our millage rate and our expenses and taxes, and things like that.

C

I'll say that if you are gonna reduce the millage rate, I find it more productive to do so in fat years versus in lean years right and lean years, you're generally looking to like what are we gonna get the money to balance the budget versus and if that you're we're you know. Essentially, our property tax evalu increases have almost balanced the budget with exceptions. A few big expenses.

A

C

I mean if we're gonna reduce the millage rate, it's a good year to do it.

F

Thanks mayor I know, we've had this conversation past couple years. I first want to come back to the budget, Advisory Board I know one of the recommendations was not to raise it was it not to decrease it? Also I can't remember, give it the same.

F

Okay with that I respect that opinion from all the board members, but I would be in favor to decreasing in this situation and here's a few reasons why it's projected over I know this 1.5 was brought up and my math came out to 1.8 over the past three years, we've seen an increase in the ad valorem tax increase. Then, if I go back to 2014 we're looking at a 2.7 million dollar increase to the ad valorem taxes that we're bringing in at the city, revenue wise, so I would completely be in favor I.

F

Think it's time to to to show the citizens that the city is looking to do a tax decrease at we've. Seen increases on water rates we've seen some other increases around the millage was increased when the economy was going down. We had that increase. The mission at the time had to increase the millage to supplement the taxes, increase, the revenue and I think right now, with the tax taxable values as high as they are. It's it's worth.

F

It's worth it if we need to give up us a small project here there or rebalance some areas to the taxpayers of the citizens. One of the other areas mayor that I want to talk about also would be the Ministry of fees that are coming out of the water and storm water and sanitation funds.

B

F

Talk about that later and I think it ties into all this as well. Yeah.

B

F

That's something I'll be in.

B

F

Yes, so I would be in support of a tax decrease right now.

B

G

Absolutely I mean anytime: we can reduce the millage I'm all for it again as long as it's fiscally responsible I'm, not too concerned with the hundred and twenty thousand dollar a kind of artificial cap that that's there, because again in theory, I mean we can get flexible from other places again, I mean I want to hear more from the budget. Advisory Committee and see some more statistics on all the possible outcomes, but overall I would support it right now. I think this is one of the easiest ways we can make.

G

Our citizens lives easier, and this is one of the most direct ways that our decisions affect them. So I would absolutely support the lowered Miller Dre yeah.

B

Thank you again, I like to ask mr. liquors and mr. Heric that take a look at it and come back with that and if you please work with the budget, Advisory Committee as well and again, I appreciate your input in your recommendations, but I think this year is the better year to do to reduce the millage, with the increase of the revenue that we have.

B

Thank you next I talked about is FEMA. We received three hundred and thirteen thousand dollars for FEMA. Are we expecting any reinforcements to come to it.

E

I'm, sorry, are we expecting any mortars.

B

E

May we got the main from the EOC P employees that work there. We got the little over three hundred thousand. We are still waiting on about 1.2 million of the debris removal. What was charge of the Sanitation fund, so we're going on almost two years and we're not alone in this I. Don't know if some of its political that, as far as getting the money, but all our paperwork is with with the fimo. The state has auditors Grant Thornton that are digging through this.

E

They just had us some questions last week and they just trying to verify some load tickets when they went to pick it up. So we have 1.2 million we're waiting to get back of the 1.3 million of charges. We're saying we're thinking, we'll probably about 1.2 million of that back.

B

Do you know if the funds already been transmitted, the state to the state are still under FEMA I'm? Sorry there, the baby transfer to the state level or no.

E

They're still with the federal government, the state goes through it and they're trying to validate the expenditures right now: they're looking at all the low tickets, and once they approve that, then the federal government would release some money. Yeah.

B

Well, when I was in the conference in Orlando, I met the guy in charge of FEMA, and he promised me if I have any concerns to give him a call. If you give me the information, I thought, oh maybe you'll be helped. Do it I will.

E

Get that right away.

C

E

Goes back into the Sanitation fund, where we've budget or reserve for that, and that's part of my concern is that we had a like little over three million in there. We spent 1.3 million so we're down about two million dollar reserve and there, and my concern is if it takes FEMA so long. What happens if we have another hurricane? What happens if we have two in a year? You know, if that happens, maybe we're having to go into the general fund to cover a debris removal.

E

So it would be nice if FEMA was a little faster on this, but.

B

I know that the next Works workstation is going to be on August 12 and we're gonna be talking about wages but mister the quarters anyway. They can provide us some data if you can compare the wages of our management gain compared to the other series and see how we're doing what's.

H

Your meeting of management team well.

B

In RB, I guess from supervisor.

A

B

Know from the supervisor all the way up.

B

Okay, Thank You.

B

Mr. licorice, do we have any general fund project scheduled for to be done next year? I know our public works department did a lot of projects this year and we're very fortunate. We've got many talented people. Do you have a lot of projects.

A

H

B

Well, yes, yeah I know that.

B

My friend there is waiting for, thank you, but anyway they're doing an excellent job. Please let them know some of the projects that I am you know. I want to see to be done through the city in short-term or long-term. Is the fire station on the Gulf Road, the Senior Center parking garage Bodrum with parking and to rebuild the tennis courts on Riverside Drive? So this is what I have and I want to turn it over to our vice mayor of Parapan Thank.

C

You mayor I just have some relatively general questions, observations some of its been covered and I made some notes and Ron's presentation. So I'll start there page six Ron of your presentation. The pamphlet I just wanted to point out- and some of this is rhetorical- some of its tuning in online.

C

But if you look at the on page Center, sorry page six, your handout and it says total city budget- and it looks you know perceivably that there's a ten percent increase which there is but I think that it's important initially when you look at that you're kind of eyeballs pop out of your head a little bit and 10 percent increase to the city's budget in a given years. Pretty substantial but I think it's important to recognize and go down.

C

You know the line a little bit in the in the fact and the water and sewer fund you know attributes for 12% in the storm water, there's that hundred and thirty six percent, so I think if you were to more or less take those out there and of these five fun accumulate 90% of the city's budget. It basically equates to somewhere around a 5% change. Is that right, correct if.

E

You take out those capital items and those funds correct right, which.

C

Is a lot more palatable than a 10% 10% and in part, I wanted to touch on some of the something that the mayor just left on is regarding our personnel costs which make up. You know a percentage of this increase. Part of the reason I feel like why we have an increase in or a rise in. Personnel cost is, as it relates to as much as we're trying to do. I mean we're trying to run full bore with projects and inspectors, and the town is growing. You know at a strong pace right now.

C

So to me, it's important to highlight that some of that personnel cost this data pure necessity and hiring new people and creating new positions versus just you know, salary increase, so I think that's important to know and the general fund on that line. You have salary and benefits, and then rnm I was hoping that you could elaborate on our name. Just tell us what that means. Well,.

E

Repairs and maintenance meet we're, seeing a lot more on repairs and maintenance, and what I've seen over the last I think four years, you know where we used to be like six hundred thousand year, we're getting up close to a million a year in repairs and maintenance. What I've seen it is a lot of its software and I think communication these days and the maintenance required for it. You know everybody wants transparency, there's a lot of IT maintenance.

E

I know, I mentioned the Microsoft MDM 360 365, whatever is I'm, not sure what it is, but that's something that's required for the IT, the firewalls that are being required, the security it's being required. It's also. It's also repairs of maintenance on communication and the police department and all the software's they've got so a lot I'm, just seeing a lot more maintenance between IT police and fire departments where it's increased over the last four years.

C

You have that operating expenditures increase around a little about five hundred. Sixty thousand that's within that. Let's see that's within that million three increase between fiscal year, 2019 and 2020.

E

Well, that is a total city. That's all part of the total see that's not just a general fund. That's.

C

Okay, but the IT cost there. Seventy thousand yes.

E

And that is mostly the general general fund there. Okay.

C

Let's see here and then on page seven, so the unassigned fund balance right now is eight point. Eight million is that right? Yes,.

E

C

Then again for the public as a percentage of our general fund budget, we need to keep how much in reserve we.

E

Have the fund balance policy as twenty twenty percent of the general fund expenditures right.

C

Yes, so the property insurance on page seven is a ten percent increase and you're. Estimating that correct, correct.

E

C

Property insurance. You could elaborate. That's this building, that's all it's.

E

All the buildings, it's a property liability insurance on and the auto insurance too, and.

C

Have we looked at possibly a way to reduce that get credits as it relates to new roof? New windows, Commissioner Donovan can probably elaborate on this I mean you know you put a brand new roof on the library and theory. The library insurance should maybe be reduced right. I would.

E

Imagine so I think that'd be a question once we do that and getting with a Florida League of Cities, okay.

C

E

Handles our insurance policy right.

C

The increase in insurance to me is to be expected from the health until the property insurance. To me, you know I think is competitive enough to where we can try and reduce that I mean obviously with older buildings.

C

Insurance is expensive and we have a lot of older buildings, but I'd like to I'd like to look at the property insurance and try and see if we can't find tune that in such a way to where we can reduce it or at least look to reduce it and be actively talking to the municipal insurance trust, to try and figure out a way or propose to them like look in this building. We did this in this building. We did that and try and bring that number down. Some.

C

I had on page eight I just wanted to point out that the property taxable values that increase of six point four percent to me. If you look at the going back to the increase in the budget with exception to the capital projects, if it's right around a five percent increase like I said before the the increase in property tax value, says, in theory, kind of balance, our budget right, correct.

C

So and then, on page nine, the CRA Plan Update is that is that expense coming out of the CRA or is that a general fund expense CRA.

E

C

So that's something to me that I would not support. I think that the plan needs to be updated in aspect, but I'd rather see that assuming the seventy five thousand dollars would come out of CRA account. I would rather see that money go towards more bricks and mortar type things. You know more money in the facade grant programs. There are other grant programs that I feel like have really benefited the CRA in general.

C

If we wanted to put that that $75,000 or that expenditure in a different category at the general fund wanted to pick that up, then I would move forward with it. But you know there are parts of the CRA that need the plan. That needs to be updated. There's you know no doubt about that. But for me the seventy five grand I feel like is more beneficial through the bricks and mortar or project you know, tree plantings, I mean new light bowls things of that nature versus updating the plan as a whole.

C

I feel like we could potentially continue to. You know Kona so to speak on a case by case basis, update the plan you know versus just spending. Seventy five grand to do it at once. I think that that monies, but you know more beneficial items that I suggested in.

H

The 12th will bring the layout of where we got the figure from what all they get. You were you gonna side wall. You want this portion, not this point. All that would be laid on the different layers that you can do and other cities have. You look at all those things and then you make it aside them, but that that will be bringing you to twelve to look at.

C

It and on the twelfth when you're doing that in terms of adding perspective to you know how far are CR money's are going, you know we'll have the hopefully do on the grant, how many of them have you know where the grant funds that now how much money all right. So what you get a full perspective on our on our CL rain general right just.

E

To clarify I'm sorry I think we are getting a. Maybe you mentioned that we are getting a grant for twenty five thousand for this, for the plan update.

H

C

If there's another option, for you know to to pay for it through a different fund or a different account, then I would be more willing to do so. I, just don't want to see already the electric costs at the water plant as a percentage in terms of the revenue that's generated from that as an expense. You could say as a pretend: what do you think that is Paul.

H

You want to cut Paul's done then looked at that and has a perspective on that Paul. Can you gotta thought about that.

K

Paul Smith the public services director I, want to make sure I understand the question. Well,.

C

I'm, looking at the electric costs at the water plant right yeah, it's about a hundred grand so as an expense in relation to revenue. The water plant in terms of water sales generates and I know that Ron had that in the in this presentation. I just don't know where to go back and find it right now, but how much revenue does the water plant generate and then I'm looking at the electric cost? This as an expense.

K

Yeah, if I could put it in perspective, we're looking at somewhere around operating one point: six million dollars for the reverse osmosis facility. Then, if you add the personnel in it's another 1.1, so you're somewhere around 2.7 million dollars in operating costs, so that's where that hundred thousand would fit in that would be somewhere around oh honey. Little help with that math. But that's.

C

H

Three percent.

K

I think somewhere in that plane.

H

The increased blame that was one of the questions that I said: Akari explain what that is explain how the solar product hopefully will contribute and bring that down. Sure.

K

There's several things at play: there that make the electric bills go up. The first obvious one is to Duke Energy increase their rates. We went back and looked at and I will tell you. These rate schedules are very complex. There's lots of combinations of on peak off-peak, fixed charges, so we looked at the same month for going back three years and we measured the difference between 2017 and 2019, and we came up with almost a twenty four percent difference in the rate for this particular setup of the RO facility and all the wells.

K

So that's a significant impact on us. We're doing some other things, though, to reduce those costs. We've got a solar project going on now that you all have supported. We estimated at that time that's about a 50,000 per year reduction and electrical costs. So that's gonna help us moving forward. We're also doing some things operationally we're adding some new wells that'll affect the overall salinity of the water with the RO facility, the saltier, the water coming in the more pressure it takes to treat it the more energy it takes.

K

So that's gonna help bring that down and then finally, we developed in-house our own way to clean the membranes, just like any kind of filter. These membranes build up over time and it makes back pressure. So when we can do a special cleaning, we did a lot of research on this. Had a company come in and work with us on it we're able to reduce that back pressure, that's something we can only do maybe every two or three years, but it's something. That's gonna help us keep those costs down in.

C

The solar project, when do you, expect that to be online because that basically takes half of that increase and it's yeah.

K

The original estimate was four months: we're gonna be getting started in September for construction, so we should be online I'd, say within six months or so cool.

C

And Ron covered the IT maintenance costs. In a nutshell,.

C

On page 13, under operating expense, you have health insurance consultant. I was hoping that you could touch on the on who that consultant is or what we're utilizing them for. Well,.

H

Right now we're going out to bid.

C

H

That's that's in the process and we're getting into the beginning the bid process now to bring whichever firm we choose on board.

C

Page 15, you have charges for service on the county, funding fire county funding EMS, and this is a charge. This is our charge to the county. Is that correct? Yes,.

E

That's a the fire as a county when money we get from the county, the fire portion is the portion they pay for us for taking care of the area outside the city and.

C

Unincorporated area, so my question is that 20 grand seems a little light. How is that negotiated? Well,.

E

That's that's the increase it. It's.

C

Okay, that's the increase again. The total is.

E

380 thousand is what we're, what we've budgeted now.

C

It's a lot better run.

C

That's all I got.

F

Thanks mayor mayor vice mayor, thanks for your comments and taking half my comments out, but a couple items I just want to touch base on I've got some items. That's gonna be prized. Obviously, so I may overlap a couple of them, but I'll try to do my best.

F

So I 1 start off with the marketing fun I'm happy to support that I. Believe it's 35,000 or 30,000. That's in there there's a line on page 143, insuline, 48,.

F

F

Well, I, don't know if Diane knows or if the Ron knows it's a $20,000, it's under the marketing section.

E

You know: we've got a hundred members I'm. Sorry, we got thirty five thousand on page 143.

F

Above that, there's a twenty thousand dollar.

F

A

That's tourism, local.

F

Promotion curious is that something that we, as a city does on top of the marketing funds with the local department yeah.

E

I, don't know if that's part of it, but let them answer.

J

That's the ongoing things that we've been doing on the advertising in the Tampa Bay Times, those inserts that go in in the in the Sunday newspapers. That's the things that we've been doing all along. Okay,.

F

So that's 20,000, for that then are also additional. Well then, there's brochure, distribution of 13,000 and then a total of 35,000 for additional right, so we're looking at 55, 65, 68,000 or so in advertising dollars am I right in saying that right.

J

Because some of that the the 20 also includes we've got billboards at st. Pete, Clearwater Airport inside the baggage claim carousels. We have a lot of advertising that we split with the Merchants Association and then those brochures- those are our city, main tourism brochures that we print a couple hundred thousand every year, those go to all the Triple A centers, all of the locations of tourist locations, all throughout the state, and that's something that we've got ongoing everywhere.

J

You see those kiosks and all the brochures when you go to gas stations and other you know, tourist places you'll see our brochure. There got.

F

It so I'm complete support of this continuing and also I support this using the funds over hiring an additional position when we have a combination of the economic developer, the research and information staff, member and also the arts, marketing team member as well so I think it's prudent that the city continues to fund this instead of hiring a new position and also the tourism is lifeblood and has such a large impact and directly and directly to our economy here in Tarpon Springs.

F

So I do feel that it's important that we continue to do this just on the same line. There's a there's, a scratch. I'm! Sorry, the grant aid I just want to point out to the Pinellas, safe, harbor I, believe that's a foundation that helps abuse.

H

F

So I'm happy to support that one as well.

F

A few items I just want to bring up just for discussion, maybe for the next time around is I, believe, there's an area that we can use some help on, and code enforcement for it's an additional person that can go around and help with the officer that currently does this as a whole. It's obviously an important part I hear a lot of this throughout the city from our city residents that they feel that there's some areas that definitely need to be improved upon so I would support. Also some additional help there and again.

F

This is an area that we wouldn't happen necessarily fund out of general funds. It could be out of the fines that have I'm not saying there should be a quote or anything along those lines, but there's obviously fines that are collected through the code enforcement and this position can be funded specifically through those fines, collected and I. Think as a commission, we should look at how these code enforcement funds are, how they're allocated ones that receive instead of going directly into the general funds.

F

Look at beautification look at other aspects and I would like to have that as a jinda item as well in the future to discuss as well.

F

C

So as it relates to the additional help for code enforcement, one I guess when the time comes, maybe you can further elaborate on what you envision for that position, because it seems like the current code enforcement officer is doing a lot more now than has been done in a past good. You know good and bad I mean some people, don't like it, because we're getting fine and some people like it, because we're beautiful you know, help them clean up the city but at when you bring that forward.

C

If you can elaborate on what you think that position should entail and then also I think you're onto something with trying to better allocate those fines that are collected and put them to use and I would just say that I think you should put that on an agenda sooner than later to discuss it as it relates to budget season.

F

Agreed city manager also.

B

If you want to add to that, therefore, enforcement officer now, as part of the boost part, know what you know. You think the next you know the other person will be. His health will be part of the police department or in civilian.

B

F

I'll connect with the police chief about that.

F

One other thing I saw was looking at the budget: I, don't see any maintenance budgeted for the Safford house. I know it's a wooden structure. The porch I think was in pretty rough shape. At one point, is there a need? I'm, not sure he would be responsible for that, but I think it'd be prudent to look at or allocates money I.

H

Think Rob try to find the maintenance now.

F

Under this effort, I didn't really see anything under the Stafford house really budgeted for much, but I think it's important that there's something that needs to be done there, just because I know with the the Old City Hall and downtown what.

E

They usually within that department there.

F

E

Sorry, but is it with then, within that department they usually budget the maintenance for the Saffir time.

H

I was looking to to see if there's anything, sometimes it'll be in his budget. Okay, I think he's looking as we're talking easy. Okay,.

F

I just want to bring it up. Cuz I think we need to put some eyes on it. Now that wouldn't have a staff member there full-time that I just don't want that to be neglected in any way, because, obviously, wood rot is a detriment to our buildings. Here in Florida, okay,.

F

Cemetary, that's an enterprise fund right.

E

The cemetery: yes, it's not an enterprise as part of the general fund. Okay,.

F

Let's talk about it, there's been some articles over the past few years about rose cemetery and I. Never was cemetery is not a city-owned. Cemetery absolutely has a lot of residents and it has a lot of history. It was a cemetery on the Historic Registry before the city owned cemetery.

F

There's it it's a community and a cult row that a lot of families that are in a demographic of Tarpon Springs that may have not been honored in the way that should have been honored in the past and I think it would be prudent and would be a great thing to see the city partner with the people that that run, that cemetery and if it's looking at using the interest, that's earned on the perpetual fund if it's two to five thousand dollars for a few years to help with beautification of the front or if it's.

F

If we are allocating some staff, help to help them know some of the areas. I'm, not really sure how that could work, but I think it would be I. Think it's I think it's deserved to show respect to all the past city residents that are buried there to really partner with the Rose Cemetery as the city's harp and spring so I'd like to make that recommendation to somehow work with them. I'm not I mean those are a couple ideas. Maybe there's some other ideas that we could come up with as a city.

F

Coming back to uh or staying on, the interest rates Ron, if you could, is what is the the reserves typically produce on the interest rates. I know they range from like to to like two point: five percent in CDs and rotating CDs. Well,.

E

The interest rates we were going up until about the middle and towards the middle of December rates were going up nicely, CDs federal instruments and then all sudden he had tariffs. Trade talks, it's government shutdown so where we used to be able to get interest a three percent little above right now we're right a little bit above two percent I'd. We just bought something for two point: one five, a CD just last week, so we've seen them come down about. You know one percent, so.

F

The interest that we earn off, that does that just go right back in the general fund or where does that actually go well.

E

It depends on where the event we got them across funds if it's a general fund, most of its general fund water and sewer fund sanitation, where they're, the ones that have the majority of the money stormwater fund we've got a money market. There they've still kept it at two point: zero, five percent. So a lot of the other funds that money's in there okay.

F

I do want to make a recommendation that we look or the the board also look at how we allocate as a board the interest that's earned off the reserve or unallocated funds instead just going right back into the unallocated and how we can potentially look at using that additional interest on additional sidewalks and additional road resurfacing and tarpon springs. These are areas, obviously that we could improve upon and there's always complaints coming it through about quality, roads and sidewalks, etc, and how that can be allocated currently.

F

Today, though, the allocation for the annual budget I believe is off a perpetual fund. That's a two million dollar, that's per charter that we need to have as a city and correct by that. One of my recommendations is actually to go ahead and get rid of that and then use that money for a current project and allocate two million dollars, at least in the unassigned funds, to fulfill that that that hole or that need, and then also we could look at additional interest.

F

That's earned as well for additional sidewalk, repair, street repairs and then the second or the second recommendation. Out of that would maybe look at looking or to restore some of the roads that used to be brick, we're focusing on the brick roads that need to be restored still around tarpon springs. Obviously it brings in a lot of character, a lot of a lot of history to tarpon springs or the brick road. So anyway, we can look at using brick. Additionally, around the town in the roads and I think be beneficial to the city.

F

One a couple other items I would like to bring up is the solar panels. I know this would be a capital expense, but this is actually falling into the general fund for our electric cost. I would be in support of pulling out some type of debt to add solar panels to City Hall, the community center Public Safety Building.

F

Ultimately, the areas that produce her that pull a lot of electricity, I believe City Hall's around $50,000 a year and the electricity that the city pays from Duke, Energy, so I know, there's also a lot of solar panel companies that work with they have engineers. I can come up with a plan or you get to have some type of low interest bearing loan against the solar panels. The solar panels pay off the loan and also help cover a significant amount of electricity over a certain amount of years.

F

This just seems like a no-brainer to me, and it should be something I think we look out for all the city buildings, especially since the cost of solar has gone down significantly and then at that point it gives us as a city more money to use on other funds instead of paying Duke Energy the electricity bills.

B

Or the solar energy USF is willing to work with us yourself. Engineering department is willing to work with us to do any design they would want for free, so dr. farragut is is waiting for a phone call.

A

B

Right now on the project you uh write to the Auto app one.

F

B

F

This one is gonna fall into next meeting, but I just want to bring it up. Executive assistant, we have a handful around city of Tarpon Springs with one two three four five six I think there's a pretty large disparity between the wages of the executive assistants. So somehow.

B

F

Gonna bring to wait for I, just I wanna have more information in the next meeting. Okay, I'm just bringing up, because I think it needs to be brought up, because there's just a large disparity between between these. So if you could bring it for the next meeting, some additional information to where we could make this level set.

F

And again, a chairman banther brought up something along the lines of the mayor and Commissioner pay that was brought up. I think what their recommendation was is if you have a family, that's on the health insurance that you wouldn't have to pay as a commissioner, the city money to cover your health insurance costs. So I think that was a justification behind making the race to the city, commissioners and then.

F

Secondly, I would like to ask that this commission, I think should be equipped with tablets instead of getting binders every week for the meetings that we should have some type of tablet, that we could work off of I, really like my phone, but it's difficult to get all my emails off that and just work off my phone for all the projects, so I would encourage that the city look at another aspect: I think it's a green initiative or a sustainable initiative as well, is to stop burning all the paper that we print I could help save on the paper cost that we look at using tablets for the commissioners.

C

It's pretty common.

F

Overtime pay would that fall under a salaries area. I mean that's. What would you call that more.

B

H

F

Fine with waiting until next meeting, for it I mean there's just a significant amount of overtime.

B

F

Yeah I mean I think it would be wise and I've talked to the police chief about this, but currently- and it's been over the past handful years of the combine- the police and fire have been spending around a million dollars in overtime amongst the two organizations within the city. So I would like the police chief to share a little bit about the needs and explain a little bit why they're budgeting 475,000 or overtime this year, and it's been that way for some I've had for years now.

F

So if you can touching that a few minutes is it just for next meeting, then.

F

And so I know we've the city as a whole to with it's about 275 for the fire. So I know we've gone past that as the city owned, the four hundred thousand dollar range. So we could touch on that as well from the fire standpoint.

F

Again, I know that CRA is about I want to echo some of the comments at Commissioner, ter pani talked about and what the CRA is developed born was actually intended for. Currently, the CRA funds, 1.8 FTEs out of the revenues for this area each year, I feel like this should be funded out of the general funds unless these individuals or these FTEs are being utilized within the CRA itself and the goal of the series, beautification and removal and removing blighted properties.

F

So unless we're using these staff members for that I, don't really feel that it's fair that we're taking the funds that should be used for those types of items out of the CRA, so I would encourage that. Those would also come out of the way either now or.

H

Then we've got the figures. Those are actual hours that we use. If you want to do it now or you want to do it.

F

Okay and then, if we could touch a little bit on the LED lights for the wicked slide, 13 talks about electric street lights, LED maintenance and 70 new lights. This enemy common-sense has said: LED lights, use less electricity. You would think it'd be cheaper to run. So if someone could touch on that a little bit yeah.

A

K

L

Good evening, good evening time function, public works director, yeah, actually you're right. There actually are cheaper to run they're more expensive that actually on the initial insulation and the maintenance costs are a little bit higher, so kind of washes itself out. If you told the Duke Energy likes going in it's a small percentage, it's not very much and what those as these new lights come in. We were actually collecting that well, there I could collect the maintenance costs now and over time. As the usage drops down, it should again level often large increases along.

F

These lights last more time today, compared to the traditional lights, the lights, there was saying 15 to 20.

L

F

Traditionalized class around.

L

13.7 to 10 years old, yeah, yeah.

F

That's a big difference right, a lot.

H

Of the money where you see the increase was those additional light. You explain what you yeah.

L

There's additional lights on us.

H

L

We actually have we actually get funds back from FDOT, but they had an additional 70 lights from Tarpon Avenue up to the Pasco County line. Last year this year, we'll get additional revenue cover. Those additional costs about $20,000, there's also been additional lights. Put in the city to around the city. I've had a large increase. We even talking about MLK and Sanford Avenue get new lights in.

L

We have to absorb the cost about putting lights up on poles that didn't have lights before Bayshore headlights, but on Florida, Avenue and golf road by the school we had a number of lights put up. So some of those those jumps just bump up a little bit for the initial installation of those lights, but then they should come down over time lights. Okay,.

F

That's great to hear okay.

L

F

Let's see the majority of the other items are Enterprise Fund questions I have but I do want to reiterate. I thought vice mayor, Taylor Frannie had a great comment about the insurances: that's something that I shop, often myself for property insurance and flood insurance and also auto insurance.

F

So I know that, typically what the insurance companies will give you a great rate to come in and then after the handful of years, they'll do a steady increase and you look back and you're paying a significantly more, so you have to go back and then shop it again and then we'll get a good grade again and then they'll increase again. So we set to keep an eye out on that.

F

So I support going out to bid for that as well and to reiterate I think it's important that we definitely do the health insurance this year, like it's, been asked the past two years. That's all my questions right now. Okay,.

B

F

B

G

You mayor and real quick before I kind of take the ball here. I just wanted to suggest to Commission our car I saw a email chain to the BOC the other day. I thought it was a great idea about a grant or a match match program involving murals on the side of businesses. Is that something that you might consider for the code enforcement additional position or for code enforcement funds kind of expounding on that.

F

G

F

I've got some ideas that I have written down that are proposed actually to the Charter Committee, and they suggest that we probably look at it from a commission standpoint. Okay, public art would be a great example of how we could use some additional funds, because, when you think of a code enforcement they're going after blighted properly properties, typically and the goal of code enforcement is get them within compliance of what the code says.

F

So, if you have a blighted property, you're able to collect funds right via fines or whatever it may be, I think it would be advantageous or makes sense for the city to go ahead and put it back into beautification. Somehow, how do you do that? It's taking care of your own property, beautification projects, public art and then obviously taking care of our seniors is one of the most important things too. So it's a combination between multiple items, so I think I'll just add that to the list yeah.

G

Definitely I just thought. It was a great idea. Thank.

F

G

Before I get the ball rolling on my questions to I felt a little guilty when I was going through the budget, because I was suggesting slashing certain things and I didn't have really any excuse or any solution as to how to get that money. Back so I had some productive discussions with a few department heads on how possibly we could generate more revenue for our general fund or some additional funds and kind of where I landed was our building permitting process hasn't been touched in some time now.

G

So if director Powell could come up here and just have a couple questions for you.

M

Good evening Kevin Powell billing development director yeah.

G

Thank you very much for letting me annoy you as much as I do with my phone calls thanks for taking my questions and working with me on this I really appreciate it. So it's my understanding right now that, and as far as our building permit process goes its, it might be a little bit over complicated and hasn't been touched in some time. When's. The last time we worked on our restructured, our building, permitting it.

M

Was 2003 is when the last time they looked at the fees for the building department, and it's quite lengthy, you know it's something that I feel should be fixed pricing instead of trying to figure out how many receptacles you have in a place and count them- and you know, there's a dollar for this and five dollars for that, and this electrical service cost this much, but that one cost that much I think it's something that we should really look at and and reevaluate the fees that we charge, because you know we are a a fee based department.

M

So what we're bringing in you know? What does the general fund want to put into our department versus what we take in mm-hmm.

G

Yeah, thank you and when I first heard about that, I was just kind of stunned, because I feel like this is a great opportunity to simplify a process not only for our residents that are getting new developments or gaving their buildings be inspected, but also simplify it for our staff, because every time staff member asked to go out there and count up the outlets and that kind of thing this would save a little bit of their employee time that they could spend doing something more productive.

G

So I just wanted to kind of bounce that idea off the Commission and our city manager and just see if that might be something willing, we're willing to look at and see if we could get some more money out of by simplifying it, because with those fixed rates, we would save employee time from going out there and also would probably end up being a little bit of an increase.

G

Is that something we'd be willing to do? I.

B

Think it's wise to look at every uh every progress. I mean every process that we have to make sure that updated.

C

Commissioner, you're talking about the permitting process.

C

Maybe it has been 2013 I, don't know, but I did something where he had to streamline the process in terms of like doing a lot of it online and.

C

C

M

Process was touched a little bit not fully. Yesterday, the inspectors do have tablets in the field. There are other processes that we can do within the department to streamline it, we're not there yet something that we should probably look at, but our fee schedule there again was has not been touched since 2003 right. We get a lot of people to tell us where the cheapest game in town, so it's something that we should should I think we should look at.

M

If that's the direction this Commissioner wants to go, I'll, definitely look at it and and bring things to you and then there again look at you know having just fixed pricing on things not trying to. You know it's $40 for this plus another $5 for that and then $20 for this, which should just be a flat fee where you should be able to look at and say this is what my permits kind of cost right, yeah.

B

Kevin speaking about these gay customer apply for an application online, so you don't have to come here and you know present to do that. Is we right.

M

Now we don't have the ability to do that. Well, I've been looking at online plan review, which would enable contractors to submit all that to us electronically. We talked about going paperless and- and you know, we we take in reams of paper for a single permit instead of just bringing in and electronically and then being able to have the ability to move that around electronically. That's something we should look at to you know.

M

If that's the direction we want to go, then you know that that's where a lot of the departments are going to oh I.

B

Was just wondering mr. Lee, if we have the ability to do that with the system that we have in place, I.

H

Don't believe so I think it's gonna be the cost. No.

M

There's gonna be cost there I've been looking there. There is a cost to to the ellic everything. We're gonna have to look at an upgrade and a cost into doing that. But.

H

Again, within the review, he'd bring you with the fees and what, for instance, costed, I, think something's gonna be somewhere any that was not somewhere a ballpark or something that's another case where we're with the fees that would be generated from updating the fees and and make them simpler to phases. That may be something that could fund that when you're talking about the money and putting it back into there for simplification, that would probably be all in the whole presentation that we would bring back to you.

H

If that's what you'd like to see in a later time, yeah.

A

H

It's gonna take a little more time, then you know, but it's something we can do during the course of of the year, not something we necessarily have to budget right now to bring back the whole package. And then you can look at all components of the package and you know: go here, go there or the board decides to go after looking that so I'm sure he's he'll be waiting for us to put that together to bring back to you. If that's what you request, I.

B

Suggest that you get the department involved as well. Yes, I have.

M

Spoken with Suzanne on some of the programs we've sat in on teleconference on it and and I believe the system does work for it, so we have been looking into it. It's just if we construe streamline the process and bring something in electronically and pass it out to all the departments and they're being pinged with an email, we should be able to have our plan review times taken down dramatically. You know we bring a set of plans in and now we have to pass it off to other departments and before it gets to us it's.

M

You know two three weeks, four weeks into the process before it even gets to the building department so yeah. If that's where we want to go, I'll I'll, go ahead and start putting things together and.

H

I think I'm not mistaken, rod, isn't there somewhere in all your budget documents, where I think that one particular thing he's talking about is in the request, but not funded area just a little. You can also look again as we're looking at what projects we want to add the lead change, millage rate, there's, there's a list of were some things that were asked for in the budget he's not funded. Yet it's.

E

On stick, we call it standby it's on standby right now we had a plan review. Software $125,000 is what we had budget and I'm, not sure. If that's still current, probably that's probably high. He says it.

H

Was not budget? It's no.

E

It's not in the budget yeah, but.

H

Again, that's something his study days talk about to get all those figures, refined and and everything, and we could bring back to the Commission.

F

So Kevin, if I understand that that's gonna help streamline the process. Potentially, if you go electronic versus paper and could help get these applications through, you know, theoretically, at a quicker rate, yeah.

M

It would get it through in a quicker rate, because we would be able to bring it in electronically and then we would pass it to every department electronically. During that process, we were able to set a timer on it, where it's pinging them. Instead of paper plans going and sitting on a desk and getting buried, and then you know two, three weeks later you're calling you get the oh yeah that I've got that you know down here somewhere, so it would definitely streamline the process and I know I.

M

Think a lot of goals for people are to try to go as much paperless as they can we're bringing all that paper in now we have to scan, and now we have to store it. You know we we've got to keep a commercial building for life of the building, so we have big rolls of plans or we have to put into the budget to scan those in electronically and store those electronically, so there's cost on on either side.

M

If we want to try to get away from those costs where it comes in electronically and we're able to store it electronically, yeah.

F

That makes sense, I think overall, I would support something along those lines as well, and obviously the evaluation of the fees and how you can use staff at a wiser way with getting maybe the same amount of fees. I think I would support that as well. Just at least evaluation I'm at first.

B

G

Great thank you very much for answering those questions. I think we got good direction here. Okay, thank you.

M

B

You all right, thank you, guys, yeah, sorry,.

G

It's sorry to derail it there, but I just think that's an opportunity to get some additional monies in. So the main thing that I'd like to see in the budget is possibly eliminating our local business taxes. Many counties and cities have successfully repealed their local business tax and I believe that it's a win-win scenario for both business owners residents and the city. Eliminating our local business tax creates a welcoming atmosphere for small business saving owners, headache and additionally, a few hundred dollars, depending on what type is nests they own.

G

Also it's a free market and I, don't know if local business tax is really justifiable from a principle perspective. I want to let consumers and the residents of Tarpon Springs decide who has the privilege of doing business here and not our local government based on you know which type of business they might own. On the city side, preparing and mailing local business tax receipts, wastes employee time and cost the city additional expenses for mailing and postage to get them their business tax receipt.

G

Also, the taxes were gaining from our local business tax or the revenue we're gaining excuse me. It's budgeted to generate less than 145,000 dollars this upcoming year for our general fund revenue, so I just don't really think that less than one hundred and forty five thousand dollars is worth hassling.

G

Our business owners with I think it would create a much better atmosphere and again I believe that we can make up the hundred and forty five thousand dollars by getting flexible by looking at restructuring certain things, just like the permanent process, but I believe that eliminating local business tax would be the best thing for our local business owners, and it would make it a lot easier to do business here in Tarpon Springs, so it even create a more welcoming environment and even Pinellas County has done this.

G

So if you create a business outside of you know a city area, the county actually has done this with pretty pretty good success. So I just wanted to bounce that idea off you guys and if you guys got any questions, I'm happy to answer.

B

Did you say yeah.

G

Sorry, if you guys want to turn to page 58 in your executive summary, it should be right. There.

G

And Ron you can confirm this or correct me, but I see on page 58 kind of towards the middle local business taxes budgeted 2020 is a hundred and forty four thousand four hundred and twenty five.

A

E

139,000 650, there are some other things within that as yardsale licenses and penalties are within there. Okay.

G

So even less okay, thank.

B

G

I just want to get your s perspective on that I. Think it's a good opportunity to show our small business owners here in Tarpon that we care about them, we're here for them and also it it. You know we don't have an employee dedicated to business tax receipts. So every time they got to go through a business tax receipt process, that's just taken away from another employees, standard time where they could be working on something again, more productive, really, I, think it's just a hassle for business owners and I. Don't really know!

G

If that's our city's role is you know to tell businesses based on their type yeah. You have this much as the privilege of doing business here within our city. I think you know it is a privilege to do business here in the city, but let the consumers decide who's going to do business here in the city.

G

So what are your thoughts on this.

B

Not really sure, but of course, you're gonna create a vacuum on. You know: you're gonna be short of 139,000, but also how you gonna give track of all the business. That's when they become yeah there.

G

Can still be a business registration process or there can still be a notification process again. This isn't something that's completely irregular, Pinellas County. Does it as a county, multiple cities, do it within the Tampa Bay area? It's not something! That's completely foreign! It's not something I'm, just randomly introducing it's! It's just been done in the past in different areas, and it's been proven to help their local business economy.

A

C

I'll give you some feedback, commissioner, generally for me. In my experience and given you know, incentives or breaks, or something like this. This would be something that I would be more so able to support if we were like in more of a down market as an incentive, but I mean for a local business tax for 125 bucks, they have a license, and you know in some cases a 25 or whatever the case may be. I.

C

Don't think that that's that cumbersome to a business right now and I, don't think that I would do without 138 thousand dollars to you know, roughly whatever the case is, and then you know to your to a point that you just made in terms of the staff time or whatever it. You know costs us to generate that hundred and thirty eight thousand dollars does. It relates to issuing the receipt or sending out the postage or whatever, if you're still gonna have a business registration and you're still gonna have that correspondence.

C

You're still gonna absorb some form of cost, as it relates to keeping track of those businesses or logging them or whatever. So I would be interested to know if Pinellas County or of these other municipalities still have waived, that business tax or, if that's something that they did. You.

A

C

A few years ago, so incentives like this Hernando County at one point wave like their impact. These right during the down market now they've brought him back so I mean to me. If we were, you know if it was 2008 or 2009 I'd be like yeah. Absolutely we need you know all the businesses that we can get. So if it you know if we can help them by waving that business tax and let's do it, but I, don't think that now you know I, don't say I mean, while I'm all about incentives.

C

The businesses I, don't think that I would be willing to do without that. You know plus hundred thousand dollars right now.

B

F

Would just need some more information on this one I'm, not ready to jump and support this one fully. Yet I do want to acknowledge II, though I mean these are some great ideas that you're bringing up that I haven't heard over the past couple years. Yet so thank you for looking at it and a different perspective and making some great recommendations, but this one right now I'm, not I'm, not there yet so I would need some more further information on the idea behind it. No not yet, and.

H

Again, just a thought: if you do the millage rate decrease, and you do that- you're talking about removing 229,000 from this, but that's what all these things you have to do and want reduce. You have to put that in the fact. Now you got to go into this budget and you're gonna. Take that money out.

H

If you do the 90 thousand for the one, and you do this one so now we're close to the 230 thousand well, when you come with, these reductions will have to come back the 19th of our budget time and see what are we not doing within this budget to go along with that.

B

Again, I appreciate the the idea didn't appreciate you bring forward. I am more interested to give a break to the every resident our for spring, not just the.

G

Yeah and again, I still I still.

B

G

It is definitely the same mindset as the decrease of the of the military I mean again, I know for certain businesses, it's just over a hundred dollars.

G

What business doesn't want just over a hundred dollars and also you know the the non hassle of not having to register their business based on you know, whatever type of business they may be, but again, I'll get more information for you, guys I'll, send it out an email, but also just keep in mind. You know it's that same mindset as the millage rate yeah we're reducing something yeah. We got to make that money up somewhere, but really it's just trying to make. Just like the residents lives easier.

G

It's trying to make it easier to do business in our town, that's good, but you cannot.

B

Keep adding to that same thing. You know right now we're talking about reducing the millage. Let's work on that and perhaps we're gonna look at that next year,.

G

Okay, so do you guys want more information on this or no do you want it to die.

B

I will be more interesting for next year. That is, since we are discussions about reducing the millage I'll.

F

Evaluate anything so.

B

F

Mean I'm I'm up for evaluating anything and turning over every Rock, so, additionally, I'm never turning away additional information. As Marc knows.

A

G

Won't waste my time with it then, but I do think it'd be good to draw a line then somewhere in terms of what you know. What amount of money are we willing to sacrifice or cuts and costs cuts in taxpayer, I mean. Where do we draw that line? You know cuz we're fine with doing it for the millage rate, but then you know once once we add all that together. That's too much, that's fine, but it would be nice to have kind of a ballpark figure of where we're gonna draw the line for each budget.

G

All right now, one of my questions, so thanks guys for bearing with me my next point is I would just ask that in this budget, five hundred dollars to a thousand dollars to make the entryway a little bit more welcoming for residents coming into City, Hall, I I know a couple months ago we had a city accessibility topic be brought up.

G

It seems like we kind of reached an agreement at the end there that maybe we could be a little bit more welcoming for our residents, so I think, even if it's just a few hundred dollars to you know, get a helpdesk sign in there maybe put some local artwork in there put a bench in there, so they can wait in there instead of having a bother the building department if they have to sit in and wait for. Somebody.

H

Now, with money within this budget, we have this year we're looking at some of those ideas to do some of that. So, if, if we don't cuz I'm thinking, we have something to do it this year, but as we get to the 12th and I, think we don't or we got most of it and we need to add a thousand or something. But we are looking for that. Those features to do within this budget. We have now.

G

Yeah, that's just something super little, but I think it'll make a big difference. Also mr. city manager, I just want to get an update and kind of bounces off you I know. The Commission was approached recently by I think turned the tides for tarpon regarding a sustainability manager. Some cities have been hiring them in our area, and it was my understanding that the city was gonna kind of wait for the sustainability committee to get up and running before we we looked at moving further with it, and maybe there were some additional positions from you know.

G

Various departments in the future that had already been kind of allotted their their slot kind of on our waiting list of when new positions were gonna, be created. So that's that's just what I thought for now, but I just want to get a quick update, yeah again.

H

And you know we haven't got to the cut list yet and we may get that within personnel. Yes, there's our probably 2 or 3 positions that we could really use in this budget that we're probably not gonna, be a little fun with in this budget, but on the idea of the sustainability person and stuff. The idea was to get the the sustainability committee up and running. Despite what everybody says, we do have a sustainability person that person is Paul, Smith and all of his experience.

H

So we do have a person that is doing those things now to get somebody to assist them or form. In fact, you know it may run eventually into one of those but we'd like to get that up going again. There's a position again, the assist in in in a couple other places that were looking to see how this budget, but you know in the course of doing this budget last several months, I'm telling some people on some essential positions that we probably need that we pry out the weight.

H

We probably can't get them into this budget year so putting that above them, unless you know, there's something else going on, but that was the intention get up. Have that committee working with Paul Smith with again other resources from within the city that assist Paul Smith as he needs it, Robertson some other ones with some of these sustainability's projects, I think we should look at that.

H

First see how that goes and if that issues to come up earlier, so it would come up in the next budget season, not not this one as we look at that one and the additional positions and then wave those out here or the three or four we need and the priority and looking at that, but I I, just within within what we're trying to fund and all we're trying to do in this budget. As you see as we're balancing this, you know, I just don't see the place forward to this budget this year. Okay,.

G

Thank you, I just want to get update on it for the public or anybody watching. If you guys want to go to page 35 in your executive summary, real, quick I just had a quick question.

H

G

G

Page 35 I just want to know our grant our grant funds or our revenue summary I just want to know why there were there were some decreased expectations. I know, I was really excited about the grant committee that internal grant committee being formed. I was pleased to see you know the grant calendar being made. I was getting really excited about it. I just want to know if this is just kind of a ballpark figure or why are our expectations are kind of tempered to to go down a little bit actually for grant funds?

G

We received this next budget season.

E

Grant funding are talking about 2020 yeah, just most of that's a safer grant right now, 144,000 and the 273,000, as the transfer coming in from the general fund to cover that 65 percent for the safer grant. Okay,.

G

So is this just something that fluctuates throughout the year I mean if we can get a grant great yeah.

E

You know I think another 50 we've got another well, we got some recycling grant that comes in about 18,000 every year we used I, don't think we're getting any. We used to get an NEA grant I, don't think we getting that, but that's mostly it's mostly the safer grant and recycling grant the current ones. These.

H

That our grant you actually know about and, for instance, we're going after and get a 1.6 million storm, what you wouldn't be, anticipating those ones. You just anticipate him. The grant funds that we pretty much know were yeah.

E

The stormwater, the 1.3 million- that's in the storm water fund, that ground okay.

G

Alright, these are these.

E

Are grants that just aren't you know can be put in? You know pegged in the other funds like storm.

H

Water. Thank you. Yes, our goal with that committee, as you said, and what we're going as you see as we got started, is to get that number up as high as we can get it. Okay,.

G

Awesome, thank you. Yeah I just want to make sure, but.

H

Until this is known or were able to give something, he wouldn't necessarily put it in here. That's anticipating it just because we're gonna apply for a bunch of them, but we plan to an again we plan to try to get that number as high as we can.

G

Okay, thank you, I appreciate that and then, if you guys want to turn to page 42, I just had a quick question here. Maybe it maybe it is a simple answer. I just wanted to know in terms of our expenditures, the aid that we're giving we're given less aid right in this upcoming budget, we're given less aid than we have in every other year. That's listed on here, I just wanted to know why the substantial decrease in aid we're giving or maybe it's from a different fund or from a different place.

B

G

Page 42, aid to private organizations and other grants and AIDS I could.

E

Try to get back with you on that I'm, not sure exactly which ones are falling into that category right there, but I can get back with you on what you know. What's in those eight categories, okay,.

G

Yeah and just for the record, yeah I mean the past few years. I mean we had budgeted, one hundred and thirty six thousand one hundred and.

E

Fifty are a we budget, a little bit less for the facade grants. Okay, I know it come to me sooner or later here, but.

G

Okay, no, that's fine, I just want to make sure I wasn't I wasn't missing something there.

H

G

F

That's a clarifying question real quick, so that doesn't talk about like the organizations that the city donates money to right or just like the safe harbor or some of the other organizations is that all in that same category does.

H

That fall in the Aged prosaic I know. Yes, it used to be ever used to be ten thousand, but last, but we did not fund the homeless. Leadership Network, which was five thousand I'm, not sure what another 3852 came from, because yeah.

E

The safe harbor falls under that point. Eighty three: the grants and AIDS yeah.

H

I, just don't know where the I know five dollars in a bit safe, harbor, but I, don't know where the other.

E

H

Comes from I guess.

E

The majority that's a facade grants and the CRA fund.

E

Well, we had that one amount for eight thousand eight hundred dollars and two thousand eight that was dealing with a it was donation money fur. There was a I think a child don't was going through some issues and stuff and the money was raised and that's where we paid that out. If that's what you're talking about.

H

E

We got together, they raised some money, for this. Child I think was part of the fire department and stuff.

H

But it's in there because for your accounting purposes, yes,.

E

What do you have to go.

L

In and then go out.

E

G

H

G

And then lastly, I just want to see if we have any updates on the possibility or any quotes of a new website or you know, I know on page 67 we see our. Thankfully RIT expenses are increasing, so our IT department is getting more responsibilities. It's it's growing. That's awesome right.

H

G

And are we also just a rebound sitting around? If maybe are we could do it internally with we're.

H

Doing internally getting beginning some kind of assistance on a smaller scale or also getting somebody to come in and do it. um We also want you to look at some facets of the new Explorer Tarpon website to come in what you like about that, what you don't, because the form and did that very inexpensively with a group that just assists form in it, but we're looking at all three of those that if we you know what we can do in-house what we can do with a little assistance.

H

You know in the ten fifteen thousand area of somebody helping us build and and get to the points where you talked about doing or if it's the thing we've just got too much information to put it in stuff. We just have to bite the bullet and go out and get one we're looking at all three of those aspects and studying those right now to bring back tonight.

G

Thank you and then actually sorry. This is my last thing. If you guys open up your binder just to page six in the big binder.

G

I just noticed on line forty, it said travel per diem for the border, Commission traveled to historic preservation, legislative events and other conferences, and it was two thousand two thousand dollars. I just wanted to know what happens when when this money doesn't get spent- or maybe maybe it was all spent last year in a previous budget, I just want to know what happens to any of this money. As far as our commission travel per diems that don't get spent, where does that money go? Does it go back to the funder if.

H

It goes, for instance, when you're looking for money, for instance, to do the hall where stuff and there's extra money available- and you know, there's something- that's been I, don't know if Ron can figure we're talking about, but in these categories is when worth in the budget is now and I'm looking for money for either signs or or for additional money to do those things. The lobby.

H

That's why I say this is time we can look okay, we know, there's no conferences here or we know this money's not briefed that you know three thousand here or two thousand there. Three down there I've got five thousand to do a renovation or do a sign or do something like that, so usually at the end of the budget.

H

That's where you look forward to do some of those projects that you know the list that we've talked about the list that we have of projects that we want to do beautiful and those kind of things we'll look and try to but I don't know, I'm they're on their travel, money and stuff I. Think most of that is I. Don't think we get much at the end of the year for that for there for, for that particular category on the City Commission travel, you.

E

Talking about, if there's money left over and that in that line,.

G

Our per diem just wondering if we don't spend that 2 grand we had allotted there but I think it got answered just that. That's where we would use if.

E

You don't spend it somewhere else within the department. It goes back into unassigned fund balance.

G

Okay, I'm Prince.

H

Ins when there's been, for instance, coming up the Florida League of Cities a lot of time, there's only one go but I think last year, the year before we ended up having three going three commissioners going to it, which was for the first time. Well, we went way over in that budget. So that's where you took some of the budget on the other lines and stuff where you found that they're not going to spend money here or somewhere else, um because you know three commissioners went which is good.

H

You know if everybody could go, but that line fell way short. So you look for one of those errors where you didn't spend the money and then that goes and balances for their for the travel or something that comes up. Okay,.

G

Thank you. That's it.

C

Historically, the vacant positions have have always kind of stuck out to me in terms of as we're trying to balance this budget and I know that you know vacant employee positions in some cases they're vacant they need to be filled or they're vacant. We just haven't, found a qualified person or whatever, but just you know and briefly flipping through, for example, in the in the library we have two vacant positions, no I, don't I, don't know that they don't need to be filled, I'm, just saying they're vacant and they total somewhere around.

C

You know $60,000, though that's just in the library, so you know moving forward as we're figuring out whether or not we need to find 90125.

H

It updated list to, as we prints that, if somebody's not in a position, if we're advertising or war two days from hiring, if, when he that it's gonna show vacant, even though the person that's so yeah, we need to get you that updated right, because some of those might.

C

In our next meeting a list of vacant positions, how long they've been vacant wipe him out of the budget, and we come up with the next money right and then I saw $27,000 in sponsorships and I was curious. What that's for what we sponsor? That cost $27,000 well.

E

That's a sponsorship we get in for cultural and I, know, Diane's been doing a great job of getting sponsorships for the performances and that going out like Advan I had Advent health. You know getting money in anticipating.

H

E

Getting the money in coming.

C

In in roads and streets, I saw that there's nine thousand dollars in fresh concrete. My question would just be I'm, pretty sure we have a stockpile of fresh concrete.

C

E

Might be a Tom question.

C

Not to mention projects that we do, we have a supply from our own recycling of crushed concrete, so I'm curious. Why we're budging 9 grand for that? We.

L

Of course, concrete is, is a product that we use all the time. We don't have it actually stockpiled at the yard waste. When you see if the yard waste is actually roof, shingles ceramic Uche pickles we use for the roadway out there.

A

L

Concrete is a product, a product that we have to purchase doing yes,.

C

Sir, but we do when we do a project and we bust concrete up, we obviously recycle it for our own use right.

L

Well, we sent it to a recycling plant, we sent it, we don't have the capability of actually crushed and turning it into a fine aggregate, so we actually just send it back to a plan. That's.

C

Actual, like finer aggregate, not just material crushed, concrete material that we would use for like shorelines tables life, we.

L

Will say some of our brought in concrete for Shalonda repairs, but most of it goes back and gets recycled, crushed back down and use for other purposes like refine.

C

Our material, not just big right and then I, saw we got a couple grand for flowers and plants for tribes within the CRA I'm just curious. Why we don't find get that two grand out of the.

C

H

I believe we're prohibited from doing it from the fund.

H

Which is an ordinance that could be subject for change in the future that was slow. The case, though Oh.

F

Make one comment just for the record: I just won we now and to remind her every year that if you have an opportunity to buy gasoline in the city of Tarpon, Springs I would encourage you to buy gasoline in the city of Tarpon Springs. The city receives a small tax for fuel tax. So if you're feeling in Pasco you're feeling in Palm Harbor you're feeling other areas, the city of Tarpon Springs doesn't get that tax, Oh refueling your vehicle and the city of Tarpon Springs.

F

We receive revenue from that so and encourage residents to do that. Good former shal.

B

Okay, that finishes up the general fund and we go to enterprise fund the first. Let's start with the sanitation, which is the smallest one,.

B

The only question that I have is we're getting close to you of the agreement that we have with the West manager to expire. Is that correct and are we're getting getting ready for negotiations for that two more years.

L

B

Really don't have any any other questions so yeah.

C

Quick question page 212 of the binder hmm under miscellaneous that says: interest on investment. The actuals for 2018 was 735 dollars, 2019 budget it was 5500 and in 2020 we're going to 25,000.

E

The sanitation fund there- yes.

C

Sanitation page 212 of the binder yeah.

E

I was budgeting based on in Crete the way their rates have been increasing based on the 3% you know. Sometimes I might be revisiting that to see how the rates go, especially when the Fed meets it in in this month, but yeah it had increased the rates. You know we're, obviously we're trying to get as much interest earnings as possible. We're trying to leave as little in the checking accounts leaving enough there, but trying to make sure we've got the money invested, not just Delta, not just sitting around in the checking account so.

C

In between last year and this year, you've reinvested the money in a different manner. Yes,.

C

On your handout, page 33, it says, city administrative fee is 20 percent. I was hoping you could elaborate on that and what that means.

E

Yeah, that's that's a 20%! That's added on to the contractor rate for the on the contractors. It's a cover. The solid waste employees we've got about five employees in the solid waste department and also to help cover the recycling department, the expenses and the operating expenses in there. So.

C

You're saying this, 20 percent comes from the general fund to help no.

E

This is on the sanitation fees that go out to the customers for refuse and recycling. On top of the contractor rate, twenty percent is added on to the contractor rate in the customers bills. The.

C

Twenty percent fee that we collect the.

E

City collects it yes,.

C

E

To help for the operations.

C

B

Mission core is.

F

This specifically for stormwater I.

B

Mean sanitation, okay,.

F

If we could talk about real quick, it has a one point: seven, eight percent increase on one of the pages.

F

33 mentioned a couple times, I believe one point: seven eight is that the contractual increase yes.

E

Per the contract with waste management they go up by based on the Consumer Price Index, and so when we figure it out based on that at this year, at or for next year. It's coming in at one point: seven: eight percent based on the contract, okay,.

F

Thank you. Also. Recycling I brought this up in years past, a little bucket that we as residents, received part of being of senior resident, but I mean it's just I, think there's so much recycling that's being used now that it's not actually the people that are recycling, there's multiple buckets it's over failing I think it would be best for the city to look at some avenues to actually have a larger bucket for recycling. If we're gonna be providing buckets, maybe we stop providing them.

F

I, don't know, but they're a tripping hazard you gotta bend over hurt your back pick them up and stuff like that. So sometimes I have more recycling than trash out of the curb and I almost need a reverse of the buckets this one bring up at that point. Secondly, I've talked to city manager about this as an item, so some people might not be aware, but sanitation obviously goes back for many many years we've had trash where the store combs you dig around in historic homes, you might find old bottles.

F

You might find old tens where people will bury their trash or maybe they'll burn it. In the backyard and then the city of Tarpon Springs actually had their own dump, where the current waste yard is today and that's just a bunch of green land. There's some trees out there as well. It's not being used really other than a small portion of it's being used for the yard waste facility and talking about revenues, and some of the other aspects is thinking.

F

How do we create more revenue for the city of Tarpon Springs and one of the discussions was and I know. There's been some discussions about putting a ball field on this area and there's other things. I need to be done, which I'm in support of that as well, but this might be an alternative idea to look at as well as looking at a solar panel field as using a space. So it's a big space, that's not being used really for anything other than a small portion of it.

F

You can't really build on it because the old history of the property and then if we could sell the electricity back to Duke Energy, it could be an opportunity to create a revenue stream for the city, but the city doesn't have today with the renewable resources moving forward into the future. So I'd like to make that recommendation within the sanitation fund. That could be an opportunity to use Grayson revenue in the sanitation side and that can help alleviate some of the collections as well cost wise so be.

C

Look at for that, commissioner, is the thinking, order, solar panels and how to try and better utilize, that is, you have to be within a certain distance to the grid. To get the power to the power plant. Is that right Paul? Is that feasible from the? If.

F

I'm, a vice mayor, I, was talking to a solar panel company I said as long as you have a a building that has a meter at it. So there would be the building were the way houses. It has a meter. You could put it back into the grid for Duke Energy and that's when I talked to a consultant or a local company about it. I inquired about he said: all you have to have is a building that pulls electricity, so it would be the weight house that has electricity going to the weight house and I.

F

Don't know how much it is a year, probably less than a couple thousand dollars, but then go back through that meter. Throw.

C

Me, the white house yeah.

K

Well, there's a lot of considerations. It's a great idea, there's also a capacity consideration. You know working with Duke Energy. The limit for most contracts is 2, megawatts and I. Think if you were to really do that right, you could really put out more than that, so it put us into an uncharted territory. We'd really have to talk it out with them and see if they'd want to net meter with us, because that's what we'd have to do is get it back into the grid.

K

They'd have to agree to it, so there need to be a lot of stuff worked out. We'd have to also look at when we're penetrating that cap out there. That's designed to prevent the groundwater from getting into the old waste in the landfill. There's a lot of considerations. There I know we're getting close to the end of its closure period, so we'd have to work with DEP to see if they think it's safe.

K

To put you know the things that hold the panels up, you have to drive them into the ground, sure, and that's considering penetrating that clay cap that's out there. So it's a great idea: I mean there's.

A

K

Lot of benefits to it, but just a lot of things we'd have to work through I think the capital costs to be pretty significant, too I've looked at some case studies and some of the larger ones on brownfield sites contaminated sites. I mean these are 10 plus million dollar projects, so we're talking pretty big numbers has some great benefit potential I.

B

Believe it's a great idea also, but mr. Smith I remember if I remember correctly, the area that we're talking about has been capped and gas if we cannot drill on there, because gases will escape into the atmosphere all right. Yes,.

K

And we we do be.

B

Careful with monitor.

K

Every year it is getting neat towards the end of its monitoring period, but I just don't know the details of what that all means. It doesn't release us from any of those concerns anymore or not. I think we're.

B

Looking at it and being that, we using a special air like this I wonder if there's any grant available that can help us with that yeah.

B

F

It for sanitation, yeah.

B

Commission dollars, oh yeah,.

G

I just had one quick one in 2018, the budget accounted for some some revenue expenses of whatever thirty eight thousand five hundred and twenty five dollars from intergovernmental revenue. I, just wonder what that was probably wrong.

L

G

On page, it's on page 79, and it's just that 2018 revenue that says intergovernmental and no other year has any intergovernmental revenue. So I just want to know what that was from, and if we could ever get that again.

B

G

Seventy-Nine, oh you're,.

E

Serious stumping me on that. One. Sorry, sorry.

G

I know I plucked a random number off the page. You can just email me about it. If you'd like.

E

Hurricane Irma, that's.

G

E

For this we did get something.

H

G

That's my only question for that. Thank you.

B

And now we'll go through the water and sewer.

B

Well, the total revenue on that is twenty million dollars, one hundred fifty nine thousand Ron three million two hundred and sixteen thousand comes from non revenue reserves. Would you please explain what yeah.

E

That that is, money, that's coming from reserves, I handle the capital projects and the water sewer fund. It's it's based on the rate study that we have done that was planned on that we be using these reserves. You know from the water and sewer fund.

B

So what we do well.

E

It's basically money, that's in the in the in the reserves. It's savings. If you want to call it, that's going to be used for the capital projects.

B

G

Yeah, thank you. I just wanted to detail a little bit more for the record and Ron I think this would be for you when we first met I had a lot of questions about it. You put my mind at ease about at least more than it was just the debt regarding the the plant.

G

I just wanted to verify it's roughly two million dollars a year every year until we pay it off. Is that correct, correct.

I

G

As I just see, I know it was a million than a million. It looks like in 2018, but now it it jumps two million 40,000 a year. Okay, so the so now it's just gonna be pretty much roughly two million from here and until what is like 30 years left or.

E

6 million was about 6 million left, it goes to 2038 and the balance about 6 million about 20. 26 million goes through 2040, okay, there's two parts of the bond issue: it okay.

G

That's my only question for that. One I just want to know to ask that. Thank you.

F

F

Paul, you mentioned something when we talked about the general funds about peak versus non peak usage of the electricity at the water plant I. Can you touch on this little bit further and let me know about if the city tries to pump or clean water during non non peak hours or if this is being imagined, it is with you being in charge, but I just want to double check that that's the strategic approach, it we it's being taken, yeah.

K

We have most of our staffing during the daytime and we want to be staffing that facility, while we're operating the RO process, so that really drives the daytime operation. We have looked at the rates and we actually consult with Duke to find the most cost-effective schedule to do that.

K

So we are working on that and that's something that changes you know we reevaluate that each year so sure answer is yes, we're looking for the lowest cost way to produce it, but we are sort of constrained by needing to be Manning that facility or staffing that facility when that part of the process is happening. Okay,.

F

That's something we could look at as a city or the city could look at staffing during night hours if we need to as well right if there it's beneficial in that aspect, budget standpoint. Yes,.

K

But that would be a major personnel consideration to move. Basically, the majority of staff to night time. Okay I mean I. Think.

F

It's good to continue to evaluate this from a cost perspective. Overall, is the more correct me if I'm wrong, but is the sewer line and water line replacement? That's gonna, be in under the capital projects. Next next meeting, yeah, probably okay, I did actually have one other question for stormwater I forgot to ask okay. So this is a topic that it pertains to stormwater. It pertains to water.

F

It pertains to sanitation, so there's administration fees that is scheduled each year to go from these enterprise funds and paid into the general fund and I believe the description is in the previous budget summaries. The description has been to cover.

F

Hr services, roadway usage management services.

F

Etc and I don't have the exact cost this year on where we're at from a proposal standpoint but Ron, is that something you could share from the past couple years? You haven't those numbers handy by chance. It's the administration charge or administration fees from enterprise funds to the general funds, and you mentioned along the lines at the marina and the golf course were eliminated this budget year. Correct.

E

And the ones we'll have is from the water sewer fund, the sanitation fund and this or motor fund right.

F

So in years past I mean it's gone up significantly this year, I believe right. It's close to $900,000.

H

Where you give for installation we did and forward it for the budget about.

E

Yeah I got. The presentation, though, is here: if you want you yeah.

H

Yeah I think it's very important for us to understand how you got that how we're looking at what the average was to the other cities, how we didn't want to put that all in one year on them, so you kind of spaced it too, because it's a very good process that you used to not to not go to what the standard is for all the other cities that you progressively got to, where you are this upcoming year with the 8% I.

H

Think, that's something good for the public to put that presentation up for the public and everybody to see um the thought process. You did in to get us to the point of of what the normal administrative fees on and how you didn't put it all on in that first year and you progress to get to the point where now work on the lower end or the average of what the other cities do for that. So I think that's a good story for the Commission and for the public.

E

Yeah we've got, as you mentioned, administrative fees from the enterprise funds to the general back to the general fund.

E

The basic operation of is account for operations that are finance operating this manner, similar to enterprise funds account for operations that are financed an operative manner similar to private, been a private business enterprises where the intent of the governing bodies that recover all the costs, expenses, depreciation of providing goods and services to the general public finance on our cost recovery that you know the enterprise funds operate like a business, not like the general fund, they're, basically more on a cash basis, no capital, no depreciation.

E

All costs of the enterprise funds must be captured in order to reflect the true cost enterprise all cost enterprise funds, including admit admin charges- are approved as part of the budget process.

E

Enterprise funds have no staff allocated for administrative management functions. They are all in the general fund, the charge enterprise funds for admin, charges of the general fund and Alec nation is performed which expenses these charges to the enterprise funds. That's these transfers that we do from the enterprise funds.

E

The methodology for allocating dinner administered Minh charges is as a percentage of revenues of the enterprise funds. This allocation methodology is a widely accepted practice of municipalities, following generally accepted accounting principles.

E

Admin charges of enterprise funds budget in a general fund. What are they covering purchasing does work finance, a payroll accounts payable of finance, HR all employee services from hiring retirement, all benefit coordination and employees, IT all computer equipment, software maintenance operation support the board and city manager for their management services related to the enterprise funds, building development for permitting impact fees, planning for other planning services.

E

They provide city attorney for legal issues, legal issues, facility, maintenance for maintenance of the buildings of the enterprise, funds parks and parkways, for maintenance of the grounds, roads and streets for maintenance of roads, sidewalks of the enterprise, phones and police, and fire for all police and fire services provided to the enterprise funds.

E

The city has five enterprise funds. As you know, the water and sewer sanitation and stormwater fund are the ones that were allocating the administrative charge that the funds not compensating the general fund due to the financial constraints of that of those funds or the marina and the golf course one which was Commons, compensating through 2019 like say, 2020 is the first year we're discontinuing that that a admin charge.

E

The history of the admin charges to the enterprise funds up through 2017, it was a flat amount and did not change, except for the golf course fund. Water and sewer fund was at six hundred twenty thousand or three point. Six four percent of revenues sanitation fund was at that time was two hundred six thousand or four point. One four percent stormwater fund was one hundred and fourteen thousand or seven point. Five three percent and golf course fund was one hundred thirty, four thousand seven, forty or nine point four two percent.

E

The amount was 275 with five thousand from the golf course really that goes back to when they used to lease out the golf course, and that was a lease payment to the golf course phone will be like say: we gradually have decreased that do that are the financial constraints of the golf course fund in 2017. It was brought to my attention by our auditors at the compensation from the enterprise funds was especially especially the water and sewer and sanitation funds was low.

E

I performed my own analysis by using the number of employees and the enterprise funds compared to the total city employees, then using no number at those numbers and applying them to the budgets of the general fund departments where those employees are that provide those services to the enterprise funds.

E

My own analysis came up with an average of eight percent should be allocated for admin charges which was higher when compared to the current rate of we were only getting the three point. Six four percent and four point one four percent mentioned on the previous slide.

E

At the same time, I completed my study. Our auditors inform me that the city of Dunedin had performed a similar survey of a cities in Pinellas County and certain cities of similar size outside of Pinellas County. The result of Dunedin survey survey was eight percent. They came up with the same I hab.

E

It was decided. We need to adjust the charge for your admin charges to the enterprise funds. The belief was they needed to be consistent, as you can see before they varied from three percent to nine percent to the golf course fund before it was decided to institute the change incremental II, instead of going straight from eight percent back then in 2017 we thought. Well, let's go will dues. We did six percent in 2018, seven percent in 2019 and in this 2020 budget were do it. We've done eight percent.

E

We decided not to go back retroactively, eight or recapture any loss do that we were seem like we were very low before the administrative charge. The enterprise funds was reviewed by the budget Advisory Committee in 2017, and we went over this presentation with budget Advisory Committee just a couple weeks ago, I.

E

Performed my analysis again just a couple weeks ago with the same methodology, I used back in 2017 and my results where water and sewer front came up pretty close, eight point: zero two percent sanitation fund came in a little higher at ten point. Four for stormwater fund came in at ten point. Six five and golf course fund came in and came in at nine point. Eight percent I also reef resurveyed cities. Locally Dunedin is still currently at eight percent oldsmar. Ten percent larval nine percent and clear water is at ten point one four percent.

E

Just going back all item admin charges to the enterprise funds, as approved as part of the budget process, the admin charges are also incorporated in the water and sewer rate study performed annually, which establishes the water and sewer rates. Our auditors also validated our admin, charges, methodology and percentage, and that's my presentation that was presented and the work that was done and coming up with that.

F

Said the employees are not paid out of the funds are paid out of the general fund. All.

E

The employees that are paid out of the general fund and they're not charged to the that do the admin management work are not charged to the water and sewer fund directly.

A

F

So but like I'm, seeing Public Works executive assistant, there's Sanitation stormwater public works director, sanitation, stormwater, GIS stormwater. These are different funds that are paying project, administration, water, sewer fund stormwater fund, or these are positions, project, supervisor, water, sewer fund, storm water project, inspector water, sewer fund stormwater.

F

These are positions that are funded out of these enterprise funds, based on what the personnel breakout is on page 47 through 49 I, just wanna, make sure I understand I'm, just like seeing this correctly understanding your presentation, the employers are paid out of general fund, but then I'm looking at the back up here, it says the split allocations are through these funds as well. So I feel like there's some type of contradictory, that I'm missing here. Well,.

E

You've got you've got other employees that that those are not the employees that are in the general fund. Those are employees that are charged directly to the water and sewer fund for work or I, think directly related to water and sewer and the production of the water products and the sewer treatment. Okay,.

F

Understood then I mean there's one problem: I have from a commissioner standpoint like I feel this is additional tax to the residents. That's going to the general fund, that's not being approved from a millage standpoint and I. Don't have the numbers in front of me. I had him pulled up at one point, but it was like if I remember was like three or four hundred thousand dollars increase over the past couple years to where we're at today in fiscal year 2020 so I was just had some concerns.

F

Saying I just want to make sure it's full transparency that there's charges coming out of this, so we increase the water rate, the sewer rate and the stormwater rate, but then we're pulling funds out of those funds that were increase their rates for those services and putting it into the general fund, which typically, we see from taxes from ad valorem taxes, revenue and for permitting etc. So it was just a red flag to me where I saw how large of an increase it is.

F

What I'm encouraged by, though, is that the other cities and municipalities and the surveys that you've done we aligned with that is it a creative accounting I would say absolutely it's creative accounting and how you use this. But since we aligned with the other cities, I think it's important that we're aligning that we're not going too far above and taking the advantage of these other funds again, it could fall into taking loans from other funds to I'm, in support of that still to avoid debt, cost and interest that you have to pay on that.

F

So thanks for clarifying that for me and I, think that makes sense.

B

G

Is this a question regarding the administrative fees, or is this to.

B

Do with anything.

G

Okay, I had a quick question on it: Thank You Commissioner Khare for bringing that up. I think you made some really good points. That certainly seems like creative accounting, but again, if all the other cities are in line with it, it seems like just the way of the game and I just had a quick question on page 92 and your executive summary again this. This should be a pretty easy answer for you, for our stormwater department under operating supplies.

G

Is that going up by over 12,000 just because we're doing more projects or we expanded the operation? Or are we just using newer products? How are those operating supplies increasing so steadily each year.

E

We're doing the stormwater funder yeah.

G

E

So you're just trying to figure out what that increase is there in the storm.

F

So what the administration charges they actually impact: sanitation, water, sewer and stormwater. So there's.

B

F

B

F

Yeah I think that's where the confusion is okay, so.

G

Where am I right now, water.

H

In ceará, are you a 92 run UC 92.

E

I'm sorry 952.

H

That's what I said.

G

But if we're on storm water I can wait.

H

Well, we were there.

E

Was some money budgeted for bank stabilization? Okay,.

G

H

It less than your project, that's what he's kind of asking with that does inquiry is what is that for extra projects or that's the question he's got it's.

E

For some bank stabilization, they budgeted for what.

C

F

I'll, take it like a bank like a facilitation.

L

Not the bank in New York.

L

Like areas we have washed out the long side of the banks.

D

L

We add stormwater, we have to add more funds.

G

Okay, I thought bank stabilization. Thank you.

C

Let's see on page 228 of the binder affluent sales I'm, assuming that means reclaimed water tools. Well, okay, so in our recent discussions as the BOC we've determined that or we're basically at capacity in terms of the amount of reef reclaimed water that we can sell now. My question is: if we're selling as much as we can sell- and our rates are at basically an all-time high, how are we going down from 407 407 thousand dollars in sales to 395 dollars in sales.

C

Beeline I guess: 343 61 Oh three affluent sales on page 228 of the binder, the.

E

Reclaimed, you know you'll notice on all the water and sewer and that basically I could say I said earlier, I'm being a little conservative, but uh I'm seeing the use of water has declined this year, I'm hoping it will pick back up so I reduce some of the my revenue projections. There I thought.

C

We were using more reclaimed water than ever now. It's.

E

Down this year, I've seen my numbers so far through June we've been down about four percent between water use and reclaimed, use I, think with all the rain we've been having off and on.

C

And then, if you go further down that page of 228 under miscellaneous the actuals for 2018, you have a lot of miscellaneous numbers that I guess emulate to $143,000 of capital or revenues. I guess you did some kind of restructuring regarding the interest on investments to get rid of all the little stuff and get one big return, which is the $200,000 well.

E

When we budget the interest I just put it in that one line item at top there, but really we've got interest that comes in from I'm, not sure what I'll be investing in. So there's my interest revenues from CDs. Frankly,.

C

E

Are the actuals from 2018 those.

C

Are still in place, you just don't know what they are yet correct.

E

And someone I budget for next year, I'm, not sure where the either.

C

Case you're budgeting you're, saying that we're gonna make significantly almost twice as much money this year on investments than we'd.

E

Like I say: that's when I was budgeting in December we were getting over 3% I, don't know if I might cut it back a little or.

C

Something I'm pleased by it. Don't get me wrong, I mean it's a trend across the board. It seems like in your investments here.

K

C

Budgeting that we're gonna have more money this year than we did yeah.

E

C

It just is, you know, out.

E

C

This shows one light einem versus you know, 10 or 15, which equate to I.

E

Could try to estimate and put the budget all the way down those line items but I've read so far. The practice has just been to keep it up on that one line item and then, as a year ago, see we're on the actuals you'll see it spread out. Like you see there.

C

Excellent and then on our debt service is 10% and I'm wondering you could elaborate on that. It's two million dollars in debt, service and I guess most of that is in relation to the reverse osmosis plant, yeah yeah.

E

That's all the debt service on the water plant.

B

F

Had one more comment about backflow charges and I know: I've talked to Paul Smith about this in the past, I would feel like once it's recaptured the backflow charge if the city isn't charged for the backflow itself, but just a monthly fee, and once it's recouped you shouldn't be charged further in that aspect and again, I think this falls in the whole water sewer be structure. If I recall correctly, can you touch on that one more time and I've had some other residents bring it up to me recently, yeah.

K

There's a monthly fee for backflow preventers, usually installed on the water meter side of the system and that's the protection for all of us as water customers. It keeps things from flowing back into the water main, it's required by law, but it's something that it isn't where you can just put one in and then forget about it. They need to be replaced, they need to be maintained, they need to be tested. So it really is an ongoing expense for us.

K

We have compared it with the market a few times just to see what a plumber would charge. They do. A similar type thing we feel, like our charges are in line with that part of the sector. So it's important it's an important source of funding for us to continue to keep that part of the system up. Okay,.

F

B

Okay, next is marina.

B

Looking the numbers of don't enterprise fund seems like the Barry making it mr. liquors. Mr. Heric is that possible. That is a possibility, though I rent it out. Well, we have we done that in the past, I will look boys I'm.

E

Sorry, renting.

B

H

B

Now, the marina, no, the whole thing is.

B

I, don't know if you.

B

Like everything.

F

To a third party.

B

I have someone else.

B

Just breaking even.

H

We come back on the.

C

Yeah, come back to the 12 I mean personally yeah I. Think our marinas, it's such a size that I don't think it'd make a lot of things. The operators, the third party, especially now that we've just we're gonna, have a brand new facility.

C

To a third party operator, I mean but I would be in favor of mayor is looking at it more so from a business perspective as the city in Spain. Hey our slip rates in line or could we charge more for our split or you know are, are, are we running are or be more selective in our split right?

C

Like a number of years ago, it seemed like the slips point to just boats that weren't necessarily contributing anything to you know bringing foot traffic to the for the dog, or you know, having business or having those that actually operated as a business, and they were more so just you know, people looking for a relatively cheap place to keep their boat, but you know going back 20 years. You know that was liked Arturo, which is something that we've talked about.

C

Trying to recreate with you know, fishermen who have both who bring customers to the Sponge Docks could get customers from the Sponge Docks, and it's more so in actual like going back to the working poor thing, so I mean I, don't know, that's something that I would look at as we discuss the marine as far as like ours or our slip rates in line. Where are we you know? Are we missing the boat in missing additional revenues that we could potentially get, especially given now that we're gonna have a brand new facility?

C

You know what I mean I.

E

Think you know Tom and I were talking about. What's it since it's being redone and stuff and and increasing those slip fees on at the marina there.

E

L

We do I'm sorry we're doing a survey right now on the slipper and also we'll be coming back to you very shortly on the proposal on I. Look at those an impulsive, increasing him I'm.

H

Trying to remember there hadn't been a talk about you know, a private or a third party in the marina for a while, except I, think we had one case where I think with a path of sale or sudden, there was asking us a consideration of doing something with whoever's: gonna buy the property. Do you remember if we've.

L

Any of those discussions- I remember, there's been probably quite a few years since that happened over here. I'll be good, 5 or 6 years, but there was talk about someone taking over the old Pat's right and getting loose in that piece of property.

H

And their work they're asking about the ability to do that: murder, the marina I think. That's the only time it's come up in the pal I.

B

B

C

Appreciated over that time frame, it's not that big of a deal I mean it's something that had been needed to be done for a long time. Mm-Hmm, but I do think that you know for sure. We need to have a survey done on our rate, given that we're gonna have a brand new facility and then also keeping in mind. You know what we talked about is I mean, and this is just my opinion. It's up to the will of you know the will of the board, but I mean I.

C

Think that it's very important to have you know, there's only X blip right. What is there 2020 split axial with the new.

L

Configuration be 1919, okay, X.

C

Amount or transit right, which is very impressive,.

L

Is probably the best the best revenue we have coming in on that transit.

C

Is it's a good thing because it brings new people and cetera, but I think it's important for us to being that we only have 19 flip. Do you know manage it in such a way to where the the slips that are, let's say, full-time? You know people or slip that add value to the Sponge Docks in the community as a whole, not just nobody looking for rent and then also make sure that we have.

C

You know our transient slip makes sense as far as how many we have and how often you know, Yatta Yatta so I think now that we have a brand new facility and something that we can command a higher price for and make sense to go back and look at you know all things considered as it relates to generating revenue from the marina.

F

Thanks mayor mayor and vice mayor, you guys have some great ideas with the mer. You know I know last budget season that brought this up to Mayor, that, if we're losing money and then we just invested a significant amount of money which Vice Mayor reminded us about I mean I'm, not against looking at leasing out the property.

F

If there's a business, that's interested in it, I mean now, like I, said before I'm open to evaluate anything but I believe the vice mayor is on to something here and I think this is a good opportunity also for Karen. Our economic developer to focus on as well as as part of it is really focusing on the growth of the charter business within Tarpon Springs, because it's an avenue that we have a few charters currently that are there today, but it's an avenue that we haven't really touched.

F

I, don't think as a whole for the city, when you go to Clearwater its many other destinations, I mean there's plenty of fishing off the coast of the tarpon springs and people want to do stuff when they come to tarpon springs. If we had more charter boats here, it gives the people that visit more things to do right and then we're keeping them in Tarpon Springs longer, hopefully, they're staying in our hotels, those are bed-and-breakfast Azure, whatever, maybe and that's the idea.

F

So it's also an economic development or an opportunity to increase more foot traffic in the docks. Hopefully, more stays within tarpon springs and more money in our restaurant, so I would completely be in favor with what Vice Mayor was talking about was saying you require it. Only commercial vessels of some sort could be leasing it and also day rentals. Instead of just someone that would be putting the boat there instead of putting in a dry dock or somewhere else, but again, I'm I'm open to looking at something.

F

If there's an opportunity to lease it out, somehow I'm open to evaluate that as well, but I think it's important that they have charters there and to grow. That charter recruit some how we, how we can do that through it as well, more charters in the area and also work with that, or maybe that it was part of our advertising. For this year is the ability to go, take charters out to catch grouper or whatever maybe I mean it can be a way to promote tarpon springs as well.

H

It encompasses several different departments: oh yeah,.

B

Commission Donovan thanks.

G

B

G

I should I should be in the attorneys seat. I just had a quick question just to clarify. So are we saying that for the marina we want to look into possibly making it only charter boats I would go in there.

C

Like I mean my, my thinking would be.

C

The front directly on, like you know, years ago there was that was like Targa row. People hang their fish up, there I mean it was gonna track. You know, I mean you go the mini, you know you go to Key West and you see people looking at the tartar captain's throwing their. You know. Fish heads and it's just part of the experience so I mean to me I- would rather have that activity. There then, like I, said somebody looking for you know no value. Do you know what we're trying to do in this bunch?

C

Bock, okay, yeah.

G

I'd, be I'd be more than one. We look into that as long as we had clear-cut criteria like you know, only these spaces, or only this amount or something like.

C

Yeah, and also you have to be, you have to generate just like we do with the City Dock right. You have to prove that you are a sponger.

C

That would be my desire.

B

Now we're moving to uh stormwater well sworn water me is directly related with the sea water rise and I'm. Glad that we're able to budget two million dollars for 132 percent would that would be able to spend you've worked so many different project, and also we've got to be grant on the project you up in speed. It grows having you how much we're gonna give from them. One point.

L

B

And the Torah is going to cost three points.

D

B

But it's a very good project should be able to do the year, the Seabreeze Shoreline, something that we've been waiting for a long time in the area and also they're going we're going to do the sponge deduction canoeing for seawall one hundred fifty thousand dollars, though I think this is a very good, uh very good account very good uh in the price point.

B

Vice mayor, getting comments than that, no.

C

I mean the you know: stormwater stormwater projects over the course of the last five years, or something that I think we can be proud of. I mean you know just just to name a few where we used to have floated cars like on the regular that we don't. You know, we no longer have I think that we've been making some leaps and bounds in a lot of cases. They're not easy projects, I mean there's, you know, there's do them. In some cases we have to acquire land. You know, there's got to be planned out.

C

You can see that a three million dollar project we've got half of that funded through a grant, so I'm pleased with what we're doing in stormwater and I. Look forward to the improvements that you mentioned is as it relates to backflow prevention and not just in the Sponge Docks, but in other areas to town as well. Well,.

B

The finished steel radios, you know one on the Bayshore another one, a canal that you're talking about yeah.

C

C

Mean there's we.

C

F

Can someone refresh my memory about the increase of 50 cents per es you per year and remind me also a TSU represents.

F

Tommy I want to share.

E

He gave me the honors it's equivalent stormwater unit, it's it was approved and after we did a stormwater rate study, I think three or four years ago. The rates are good through approved through 2025 and 50 cent increases per year to cover the stormwater projects like this. It brings in about another hundred thousand a year in revenue increases a single-family home they'll pay they're, paying seven sixty five right now next year, they'll pay eight fifteen, so I'm not sure. If that helped to do any of it. Okay,.

F

I'll I'm gonna follow up with Paul a little bit more about the yes, you know it's calculated I, just that was before I. Think I was on the board, so it was I didn't recall what that was. They.

E

Came back I think when they did it on the stormwater, the area the storm were and I think it's based on yeah. What's up fronting the this, the roadway there and I think it's based on I. Think MF was like 19 1950 a square feet of linear frontage. There may be Paul Moore.

K

That was one of my first big projects was to do this study and it's still carrying forward today, but the ESU as Ron said, equivalent stormwater unit, it's a measure of impervious area. It's the area that the rainwater can't soak into so there's a standardized unit. That's they evaluated the average across the city.

K

I think it was in that nineteen hundred square foot range so then well, we voted on it with the public and and it all worked out that they wanted to keep it simple, any residential unit, no matter how big or small the house will be counted as one ESU got it, but when you get into the commercial properties, then you start calculating it and dividing by that standard number and coming up with how many es used. Is that and then multiply that times? That rate okay.

F

Great thanks Ron, if you could connect our touch base to since it's been discussed a couple times, the city's gonna be receiving around 1.4 million dollars in a grant when that's received. How long is that before it's actually used? Can we invest that in a short-term CD and make some more money on it?.

C

E

Of the pent grows project.

F

E

Spend the money, so it's all reimbursed, reimburse.

F

It's a reimbursement.

F

Okay, no further questions Thanks.

B

G

B

Another enterprise funds that we actually we spend a lot of money trying to bring it up and it's nice. We get a lot of compliments now, but we need to find a way to increase the revenue. Mr. liquors I, don't know by you proving via the restaurant, don't you think, don't create more revenue or.

F

H

Can look at that yeah.

B

H

We've talked about it. Sometimes we can look at that. I, don't know, I, don't know what they would be or how long we'd start seeing the profits from what we put into a blessin.

B

So we can look at.

B

F

Nasa questioner.

B

And all that yeah.

F

What about leasing out like the rights for like a food truck every Saturday to a different type of food truck? And then you get a percentage of the food sales. So you lose the overhead of the kitchen itself, but you've got the food truck in a certain area where the golfers can buy something. And then it's a shared revenue source. Somehow.

B

That we don't use, you know we had the some of the meetings.

C

A

K

We have a very limited facility.

H

A microwave hot hammer, but you got to admit it was I- think it was a microwave hamburger, I believe got.

K

A pretty good bar too yeah.

C

K

I will say: Howard hunt our golf course manager has experience in his prior work working at a facility. It had a restaurant, a country, club environment, and his experience was that part of the business was the biggest struggle to make it made its expenses and we're seeing even on a smaller scale. At our golf course, the staffing challenges were having to get people to want to come.

K

Do that kind of job to the point that we've got a vacancy that we still haven't filled so even on a small scale of selling drinks and sandwiches you know to get into the restaurant business at the golf course would be quite something to overcome. I would say, I know, there's a lot of nostalgia with the golf course back when the restaurant was in full swing. I do think we had a different environment, then there's a lot of restaurant competition.

K

Now that I, don't think, was there back then I will say, though, that talking to Howard the golf course manager. He is open to suggesting we look at if we do bring this food service thing up. Some more doing a contract type of approach and he's coming at it more from his experience with trying to hire the help and that sort of thing and not really seeing a big margin by the time he subtract the expenses out.

C

I would say that, as a you know, I mean it's. Obviously the restaurant business is hard. You know.

A

C

Big failure rate, but in terms of leasing the facility we did have it now we don't really have a kitchen, so there's not much other than what's there policed right, but I mean in terms of leasing a facility, that's something that I would be interested in and do a cost and do a profit share like what you're talking about with the food truck. But only you know.

C

And then my only question regarding the golf course is in the in the budget: I, don't see any any government of transfers so I'm, assuming that a number of years ago, the big renovation that we did, we've already paid her. We fully paid ourselves back now for that no.

K

We haven't the Golf. Course has basically had to take loans for all the improvements and if I could just go back quickly, Ron reference back when we leased the golf course during that period of time there was no investment in the golf course. So when we took it back, we had to build a new cart farm and my maintenance building upgrade the clubhouse some to some degree and then, of course, all of the grounds we redid the greens. So we've accumulated a lot of costs and those are all loans.

K

We've been paying back those loans with a surcharge on the greens fees that brings in about 40,000 a year, but that's taken a long time to pay back this 900,000 or something that's outstanding. I really appreciate Ron looking at that transfer, because that will allow us to I think make some headway on that debt and I will say this. Relatively most, municipal courses are relying on their general funds, they're, almost like a recreation division where they they have to contribute to keep the golf course afloat, that's very common!

K

So for us we actually do meet our expenses year in and year out, for the most part, very close to breaking, even or even a little bit ahead. So I think we're doing very well comparatively and I do understand that you want to clear the debt possibly come in above board a little bit if we can and that's something that we are working on.

C

So we're not servicing the debt this year, I'm.

K

C

Not servicing any golfcourse debt this year for the general fund. We.

K

Have a loan with the sanitation fund and I'm not sure what the balance is, but we're on track to pay that I think it's about 40,000 a year right, run. Thirty-Eight thousand.

A

E

Correct that's about 40,000 a year. The balance at the end of this year will be about a hundred and sixty thousand. That's.

C

E

C

E

That was a loan that was taken in her in her fund loan that was done a few years ago. So.

C

That's the total golf or to.

E

The Sanitation fund.

C

E

There's it they're still in a negative cash position over and above that, in the amount about nine hundred eighty two thousand.

C

And who is that? What fund does that money owed to that.

E

Is just that's just a negative cash balance sitting in the golf course fund. There hasn't been a loan done for that.

C

C

Yeah that that's.

E

From all the capital expenses that have been done over the years and the golf course and charged to the Golf Course fund.

C

E

They loan part of it when they did the loan from the Sanitation fund, but the other part is just the negative cash at the end of the year. The auditors require us to get rid of that negative balance and we've been using the general funds so you'll see a net well see the net 900,000 coming out of the cash and the general fund. When we do the year-end audit book. If that.

C

E

At the end of year, when we do our accounting entry- yes, we get rid of that negative and it's not doing done it as we haven't done an official inter fund loan, but at the end of the year for financial purposes, we clear out that negative, nine hundred thousand by taking over the gym fund that help you.

F

Is that how does that I mean can't we just write that off the books and then clear it, or is that.

H

Self-- or beer Paul, but he's talking about, can you just clear them since we did all those renovations when we took over the course and was a disaster boy ran out? How could I.

E

Think the intent was, you know, maybe we'd be able to recoup it with the revenues and the fees, and that's why you know: we've been trying to decrease that interfund transfer, which used to be a two hundred, seventy five thousand. So hopefully, if we get rid of this, you know the current transfer, which is this is the first year we might have more revenues that we can reduce that nine hundred thousand that's sitting out there.

E

F

Is year over year, it's like an accounting situation; it's not actual true dollars all right! Well,.

E

It's an actual I mean right now, there's actually nine hundred thousand negative cash balance and the Golf Course fund.

H

It's not actually.

F

E

F

Thousand dollars out of the general fund this year to the golf course right, correct.

E

F

I want to talk about this further.

C

At a certain point, yeah.

H

Right stars, mitt golfer, starts making money that money of me would go back to lower that right. So.

F

This is years over a year like 20,000 50,000 60,000 a hundred thousand year over year, that was negative, that pulled money out of general funds. It just hasn't repaid it back. In my understanding.

E

It's from the capital projects that were done, I know one of it was when they redid the greens three or four years ago and I think there was some major capital but years before that, I can't remember what it was, but that's what created the negative cash balance? Okay,.

F

Great. Thank you for that information.

K

F

Again, I want to connect with you to at some point about that further. It's just so I understand. Today, though, the Golf Course seems to be breaking even the way I'm looking at this and I am I looking at it correctly, the marina and the golf course or like revenue, verse expenses are almost exactly well.

E

When I checked the audit book usually operating wise for the golf course operating revenues operating expenses like golf course is a positive 26,000 in last year's audit book. So you usually golf course: yes will have a twenty thirty thousand dollar an operating income, okay and then usually the interfund that I don't want to complicate things more, but then the admin charge usually fell after that, and that's what brought him into a decrease for the fund, but operating wise they've been a positive twenty. Thirty thousand okay.

F

That's good to know, I mean I, guess you could look at an opportunity, cost say what happens if the city were to sell part of the golf course. You have tax property taxes at that point, you're bringing in you don't have expenditures going into the golf course for investments. There's other avenues to look at it from opportunity. Cost standpoint.

F

I've been looking at it as a unique opportunity for the city of tarpon springs. It's a demographic that you don't necessarily. It may be a group of individuals that visits harp and Springs specifically for the golf course, and then the spouse may drop off the husband or husband, maybe drop off the wife. It can be either way to go play golf for the day and then they go into town to have lunch, go shopping, go to the sponge dock or something along those lines.

F

So it's unique economic driver as well for the city that people may not. That may be the only thing they know about. Tarpon springs, I! Think that's one of the things I've pushed so hard for the updated entrance area with signage walls. Also, looking at some old pictures of tarpon springs that go on the outside of the club, or what do you call when you go to go pay? What's that call that place pro shot? Thank you there's through setup, and it doesn't cost very much to do.

F

That might be a couple thousand dollars, but just get some old pictures of the bayous put them on the canvas stretch. Them out do something a little more creative to show the history of Tarpon Springs, but a historic sign there, and now that's gonna be coming up another commission meeting as well, but this the the Golf Course, is what a lot of people in Pinellas, County and Tampa Bay area know of tarpon springs and then it's just another area that makes tarpon springs unique.

F

Is it always the best idea to keep a public golf course, probably not later on the future, maybe not later on in the future, but today I mean it's it's interesting to see, that's breaking even and then also the Marine is breaking even right. Now too, so I don't have any further comments. Yes,.

B

Create provides recreation, just a lot of people.

C

K

You if I may add to we're also hosting two high school golf teams at our facility, Wow tarpon springs and palm harbor. So there's a lot of benefits. Besides just the income yeah.

B

G

I think our Municipal Golf Course, actually in really good shape, I mean all things considered. It's breaking even it's a pretty nice looking course. Of course, I'm. You know be in favor of beautifying it some more if I'm able to, but we also have to temper our expectations, no one that as a municipal course and we're, maybe comparing it our minds to the you know: Cypress runs Crescent Oaks a lot of the privately or at least semi private Country pubs.

G

You got going on an east lake, but I'm really satisfied with the way our Golf Course is operating and looking lately, but again yeah. If we can do anything to make it more creative than.

B

That's all we have any other questions coming well. That concludes the budget section and it's adjourned at 9:52. You know. Thank you. Everybody good night.

H