Tentative Millage Rates for Truth in Millage (TRIM) Notices and First Public Hearing – Fiscal Year 2024 Budget – No Funding Required
What the county recorded
Staff recommendation
Approve
DispositionApproved
Approved the item per Staff’s recommendation by roll call vote.
The source document
The county’s agenda for Board of County Commissioners, Jul 11, 2023
The published PDF, as served by the county. This item is one entry in it.
The county’s minutes for Board of County Commissioners, Jul 11, 2023
The published PDF, as served by the county. This item is one entry in it.
This case, across meetings
OMB-23-0029 in full →Heard once. OMB-23-0029 appears on no other agenda in the archive.
- Jul 11, 2023BoardR46▶Approvedthis item
What was said
Machine transcription of 36m of recording, with speaker names inferred from voice matching. 94% of 126 lines carry a name. It shows what was said, not what was decided, and both the words and the names can be wrong.
Next item will go to R forty-six. Ten of a million rates for truth and millage trim noses.
Good morning. Bob Burry, Pasco County Budget Director. This morning I'd like to give you a brief summary of the fiscal year 24 budget as well as ask you to adopt the millage rates that will be included in the Truth and Millage mailing that will go out in August. So as we began developing the fiscal year 24 budget, there were two uh factors that really stood out in our minds as having The potential to increase
expenditures. And the first one, of course, was this stubborn, high interest rate right now, it's up around six percent. The second one is the rapid growth in our population, which is which is increasing the demand for services throughout the county, throughout all of our departments. And so we thought if we developed a conservative budget. That that would serve our residents well. And by conservative, we mean what we want to go into this budget with limiting the number of new spending, new
ongoing expense spending, and instead rely on spending for one-time capital type things. Just in case things get worse, we can always pull back on those capital expenditures. And so the assumptions we went into this budget. Budget season are no changes with the operating millage of 7.6076. Right now, there's no change in the operating or the millage for the fire MSTU of 1.8036. However, we are recommending an increase in that millage from 1.8036
to 2.3 mills. And we'll talk about that in depth later about the reasons we believe that's necessary. There will be no change in the stormwater assessment. Assessment, water and wastewater rates will be as they were represented in the four-year rate resolution, and we are in year four of seven for the 717 Solid Waste Plan.
So if we look at the taxable assess values that we received, the final taxable assess values we received on July 1st, you can see in that July 1st column there, that taxable assess values increase by 16.5%. So if we look at 16.5%, that yields an increase in property tax revenues of almost $49 million. If we take 40% Of that for the sheriff, that yields a nineteen and a half million dollars increase for the sheriff's budget. We look at the CRAs
and TIFFs, we remove those. And then the money that's available to the board and the constitutionals for new initiatives is about $26 million. So if we look at that same
Same calculations for the fire MSDU. We have fire MSDU increased by 16.7%. You'll notice there's a difference between the fire and the general MSTU because the fire MSTU does not include the entire county. And if we look at a 16.7% increase for the fire MSTU, that yields an additional $11.3 million.
So we noticed on the previous slide we've $26 million available for the board to spend on new initiatives. If we look at the bottom line here, 24 or 25.4 million of that has already been spoken for amongst these general fund additions. You can see the list here. I'm not going to go through all of these items here. I want to touch on the wage increase for all employees we've built into the budget a 5% wage. increase for all employees. For the IAFF union wage increase, we've increased the this represents
an increase of their wage to 95% of the Hillsboro wage rate.
If you have any questions as I went through here, please stop me. So we have the constitutional officer budget recommendations. So the clerk and comptrollers budget. That is an increase of one and a half million dollars, and that represents normal increases to the clerk's budget, things like software increases, uh retirement, wages, health care, that kind of thing. It also includes the increase for year three of the sieges uh contribution that the board is giving. Side of the Kevin. C just is the criminal justice information system. It does not include the uh seven
million dollars that the clerk has asked for for the operation of a courthouse annex. You notice the sheriff's budget increase of 15%. Bob, if
I could stop you. That was kind of an important item there. Um so currently we have a lawsuit going on, correct, Show? Yes. That appeals going on? And the financial impact would be How much money on that?
Seven point four million, which which would negatively impact the slide you saw previously.
So whatever we approve today, if we happen to lose that appeal, we won the first one, neighbors and Gibbon, I think, did a great job for us. We would then have to Restructure this whole budget taking all that money out because now we're gonna go pay the state, which no other state's gonna go do.
We would have to find a way to get a new recurring expense, yes sir.
Right. So we're gonna just keep that in mind.
Thank you. Thank you. So the sheriff's budget increased 15%, as we already mentioned, that's forty percent of the new revenues. Supervisor elections budget increased by about a million and a half dollars. And you'll notice the supervisor elections budget increases on those years when we have elections and decreases in the following year when there are no elections. There is a presidential preference primary next year, and so most of this one and a half million dollar goes to funding the salaries for those who staff the the pole stations.
Property appraiser increase of almost 12%. This is for some new software he's requesting, as well as just general increases to salaries, retirement, and health care.
So we'll turn to the FIRE MSTU fund now. So we currently have a millage of 1.8036. We don't think that that millage is adequate moving forward to fund the initiatives and to keep the fund structurally balanced. You'll notice that top bar graph there, that line shows the two-month target. This is the emergency reserve. This is 16.7% of the expenditures that we like to keep in the bank in case there is some. Sort of emergency that we need to draw down those funds. You'll notice in 23 we were at the 16.7%. Beginning
in 24, we're projecting we'll be below that number. And in 25, we'll be $3 million shy of that. And moving forward, it gets even worse. So if we look at that bottom graph there, the the cash in, cash out, you'll notice in 24, the cash out will be. exceeding the cash in. So that's a structural imbalance in that fund and something we'd like to correct. And so what we're recommending here is a millage rate of 2.3. That would require five votes for approval
in September. We're not asking you just to approve that millage here today. And so as you can see, the reserves is that black line on that top bar graph. And as you can see in the early years, we'll be stoking away some monies that in the outer years that we can then use those monies as we're moving through. That gets us through 28 and That gives us time to get our spending in order. Chief Perez, who's here, is going to come in and we have great plans for him. So he's going
to get things all sprayed away. And so you'll see then cash in, cash out, again, 26, 27 time flame, that begins to flip, but it gives us time to work on this and get this uh in line the way we want to go. So we're talking about two point three mils, what does that do for us? It gives us the union wage increases that we talked about not only this year but in future years. It gives us the step plan increases that the the fire department as well as our union partners have asked for. It also helps
us with our capacity demands. This will allow us to not only build five new stations, but to to be able to afford the staffing for those five new stations. So the capital cost for that will not be in the MSTU, however, we do have capital funds set aside that will allow us to build the stations. Increasing the MSTU Millage allows us to stay at those stations. It's also important to realize that part of the staffing of those stations impacts the general fund, and so we've done a similar 10-year forecast with general fund. Opening those five fire
stations on the timeline that the fire department has laid out for us also allows us to be able to afford staffing of those fire stations from the general fund. This does, however, require uh getting our operating growth, the growth and our operating expenses under control, so that in the future years we can fund all those things that are in that pathway to premiere pamphlet that you've all seen.
So moving on, the annual contributions to the Uh outside
yes sir. Okay, just stop here a second. Sure. Back back on that slide. And just one of the things I think when you met with all the commissioners, you actually brought up a point that I thought was really Hard hard to believe that would actually happen, but there was an an anomaly that happened a couple of years ago with our call rates went up like fourteen percent in one year. And then it stayed the same with the same increases. So it was like kind of like the graph went along, went up, and still rising up. So that's part of what you're looking at and trying to compensate here to to try take make that adjustment in.
Absolutely. We believe with the creation and the opening of these new fire stations will help us address the response times that are continuing to increase and we need we need more boots on the ground. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you.
So if we look again, turn to the general fund, this is the outside of funding. Some of these are required by the state, and others the board has decided they would like to fund these things. You've seen this chart before. The difference is this bottom line of United Way. So since past ten years, the county has contributed $250,000 per year to United Way. And this year we are recommending an increase to that contribution. Of eighty-five thousand dollars. So of that, twenty thousand dollars would be for emergency sheltering, and by
that we means when when we get a cold snap, folks who are without a home who are living in the street. Currently we take them and we put them up in hotel rooms, which as you can imagine is very expensive, is a very expensive proposition. United Way has come to us with a proposal that would allow us to put folks in churches and that kind of thing and and bring our costs down. United Way would handle all of this and so would get us out of that. We would simply transfer the funds to United Way. The second piece of
that is in ten years ago Their purchasing power of that two hundred and fifty thousand was much larger than the purchasing power that it is today simply due to inflation. We calculated the impact of inflation to two hundred fifty thousand dollars over ten years. That simply comes out to sixty-five thousand dollars. That just allows them the same purchasing power that they had in 2013 they'll now have in 2023. So that's the eighty five thousand that we're recommending Moving forward.
So in addition to the operating budget, we have a number of items here in the capital budget. Of course, we have the $4.7 million. This is the money we set aside for ongoing maintenance of all of our buildings, repairing air conditioners, roofs, all that kind of good stuff. We have IT hardware and software to make sure that we are on the bleeding edge of technology as far as cybersecurity and keeping our network safe and secure. We give uh We give $300,000 a year to the parks
that allows them to renovate six to eight fields each year. And so by the end of the 10-year period, we will have renovated all of our sports fields in the county. Pine Hill Park improvements, you'll realize this year we set aside $500,000. This year we took we took over that park. We set aside $500,000 for improvements to that park. And the $1.4 million there would finish up all of the improvements that are envisioned for that park. The next four projects here are ARPA funded, the detention center expansion, Magnolia
Valley Park, Dredging, and the Seven Oaks Library. You'll notice this last item here, Premier Community Health Center. They have asked us for a contribution of $250,000. This is a one-time contribution to their Zephyrhills Health Center, and that would be to start up their programs in pediatrics, OBG, YN, and that kind of thing. And so we're recommending that $250,000, but ultimately. That's pretty you all to to agree with or tell us how to how to proceed with this.
Well, if I could, while you were on the slide. Um I just want to talk about the Magnolia Bay Park a bit. Um there is a group coming forward that wants to do something where they may do a fish farm in there, they want to do some hydroponics in there, and it may be something they do a lot of the funding for it. Um I know we talk about doing even some parks out there as well, so At some point, Mike, if you could, let's bring that topic in. Uh I know we got a meeting coming up this Friday with this group that did an unsolicited proposal. Now it's a letter of interest. So we're gonna go
down that road, but I just want the boy to be aware that that could change to what we've talked about, which has been kind of languishing for a few years. Great news is the people on flooding, that was number one. Uh but I think something really nice could happen there.
Excellent. Thank
you.
So tourism development tax. So the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex, we have an agreement, the county has an agreement with the Porter family to build five multi-use sports fields out there. We set aside five million dollars in this year's budget to be able to build those fields. As you can see, the bid came in ten million dollars higher, so we're asking that we pursue a loan. It's ten million dollars to build be able to finish those fields and get on track with the agreement that we have. And this will be paid back from the tourism
development tax. So it wouldn't cost the necessarily cost the Hasco County taxpayers any money because this is coming from the hotel tax being paid by folks who live outside the county. And then the Radsport settlement you can see there and then there are a number of other initiatives that Adam has asked for with the tourism development tax.
If we look at the building inspections and permitting fund, the the important piece of this slide is if you look at the lower left bar chart there, that yellow line represents the minimum or I'm sorry, the maximum allowable that that fund is allowed to have in their reserves. And so two years ago, the state said building funds can no longer keep in their reserves. reserves any more than four the average of four years of expenditures. So that yellow
line represents that four years, average four years of expenditures. And so we're undergoing now a fee study to determine if our fees are too high because by 26 we're gonna have exceeded that and we'll have to start rebating money to the users of this fund. And so we want to get those expenditures
If I could on uh on that topic. You know, we have sixteen point seven percent reserves we put in for the county budget and for years we didn't have it. We built it up to it and now we're in a very good financial position. But when you say four years of Um reserves is extraordinary. I mean I d I don't I think we should be shooting for a number that'd be like close to like two years would be plenty.
Absolutely
and get that number down. So that should be a reduction for Our investors that are coming in here that are investing in the in in our properties, in our development, and cut the cost on for our consumers. Thank you.
Public works and stormwater, you notice these are some initiatives they've got here, so we've set aside two and a half million dollars for landscaping along US 19 Little Road and other arterial and collector roads. We are asking for a resilience and vulnerability assessments specialists so we can look at our assets in public works and make sure that they're not vulnerable to uh flooding, hurricanes and that kind of thing.
Here's uh public works road capital proposed for twenty-four, two point three million dollars for Trilby Road, Metmoor Road, or Metmore Boulevard, as well as some rejuvenation of other major roads. And then for the MSTU, that has been pulled put on hold for now as we work with the tax collector and the property appraiser to figure out exactly how that would work. But these are current PBAS projects that we're going to move forward with in 2020. twenty four.
Finally, with utilities, we're going to be going on right as our community grows, the system needs to grow. So we're going to continue with those system growth, investing in that and investing heavily in renewal and replacement so that we don't get into the we don't get into the spot where things are worn out. We don't have the money to fix them. We want to be able to fix them right away before they're worn out. So we have the septic. sewer investments, we'll be moving forward with those. We're looking for grants to enable homeowners to be able to
afford that switch from subject to sewer and then you see some other initiatives that they're looking for here.
So, next steps today, we would ask that you set the trim, and the Truth in Millage is the process in which the board, the County Commission, communicates to the residents the millage rates they're thinking about setting in September. And so in August, the property appraiser will mail a Truth in Millage form to all property owners in the county stating what those millage. Rates are and the estimated cost of for their tax bill. And so today we ask that you adopt a trim for
the general operating millage, the fire MSTU, as well as the general obligation cost millages. Also, we would ask that you set the first public hearing for September 5th at 5:15 in Dade City. And so when we talk about the millages that we're asking, these are the millage. You'll notice that we the rolledback rate, that is the rate that would generate next year the same amount of money that's generated this year. We are not recommending the rolledback rate. The proposed millage you
can see there is in that central column, and then the difference from the rolledback rate. So the state requires us to calculate the rollback rate. as well as the difference from the proposed from the rolledback rate. You'll notice the general obligation bond millages don't have a rolled back rate because those are set simply to generate the amount of money that's needed to pay back the bondholders. And so with that I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have and I ask that you would set the millage. Yes.
Commissioner Weightman.
Thank you.
Well
it's been a fun rodeo so far, my first Budget meeting, so I appreciate all the all the questions. Yo. I talked to Chief Perez briefly about this this morning so since there's a a whole bunch of fire folks in the room Don't want don't want them to take what I'm about to say the wrong way. So back in May May sixteenth when we had our meeting. There was a recommendation that there would be no change to the fire M
STU. And then we get a notice last night that we want to jump up you know, essentially twenty seven over twenty seven percent. and in the backup material online for this. There was There's it doesn't show any proposed change in the in the millage, so the public doesn't see this, this increase. We're looking at an increase annually for a tax increase on our residents of over twenty one million dollars, right?
And so I just I have concerns with how this this this process was handled. We go from NOVE Movement on the M S T U in May to a pretty significant bump in what you're asking for today, right? And I've been very clear in my position on our taxes, I I will be supportive of the five percent wage increase. for staff and some level
of an increase on fire MST. But I'm not comfortable with budgeting for the five years until Chief gets his legs underneath him. I think we should look at maybe twenty-four months, look at two budget cycles. instead of setting for five to see where we're at how he's doing operationally. We take a very measured approach to this. With the right-of-way. I mean we're all feeling
the impacts of inflation. Our residents are feeling it, our seniors are feeling it. So I I just want to be cautious and truly understand the the dollar value and what this money's gonna be spent on before moving moving forward. I know today's a bit of a formality But it's going to get more serious as we come to when September is the final final vote. So, you know, I'd really like the team to to really scrub their numbers and the budgets
to ensure the n the need is is correct. Um and so those are those are just my my comments. Now, you know, I I would be the same critical the same way whether it was for a different utility or any other department in this county. But we do recognize the need, but to to go from you know no increase to to this increase, I really would like some reassurances that we're moving in the right direction
with the money here.
Thank you. I got a couple of comments. Is Eric Breitenbach right around? There he is, okay. Eric, back in like twenty eighteen, twenty sixteen, what would it cost us to build a fire station?
Roughly two and a half million dollars is sir.
And what's the current bids right now we have out there?
I think the last one came in north of seven and a half million dollars.
Think about that number. So when we set up our MSTU from years ago, we made a pretty good jump. We made a commitment to go invest in fire stations, equipment, personnel, etc. all the way through. When we did that we based it upon those numbers. As you saw in the past few years, the chart shows we've been losing money. on our reserves coming in with that whole thing. Because these costs have gone up so high, we still built the fire stations, we still have paid for the fire stations, we still have paid for the employees coming in, and it's driven us to where we get to this point.
So inflation is a very bad thing. But we gotta react to it. And I will I will say our firefighters have done a phenomenal job. They've represented us well. The satisfaction ratings they have are phenomenal. I think the board has shown a commitment to not only Helping them as far as getting their raises, which is one of the big goals of this MSP increase, to get them to ninety-five percent. Not even a hundred percent, but ninety-five percent. And we're still not even getting to the Kelly days yet, which we want to get to, but Dramatically uh it's hard to get to that number
right now. And I know Mike and Bob, you guys work real closely. I I'm sure you talked to John Michael last night 'cause we were talking about before, above They gotta look at these numbers and try to make it all work, to make it sustainable for many years to come. And I will tell you if you And I a as we've seen. The the fire EMS group that we have has such a passion for what they do. And the passion for protect each one each one of us, as well as themselves, is phenomenal. Um so as far as like to try to keep the mild, you know I
I can appreciate the fiscal conservativeness of it. But we gotta get to practicality. Our people have voted to say they wanna see the FIRES uh EMS H to have the resources they need. They approve bonds for it. And unfortunately the bonds that went through the bids come in higher than what bonds approved. Had we done it a couple years later, we'd a had a higher bond, we'd probably in better shape. But we've got to react to what's out there in the financial markets, uh to the pricing that's out there to make these things happen. I mean You think this budget year was interesting?
You should have seen last year. And I think you we were part of it as you were your as you're campaigning. We're watching all these guys coming in. Believe in their hearts and say, We need your support, we need your support. And we're looking to do the best we can every step of the way. Okay. I I only hadn't seen that in like eight years, eight, nine years. So there's definitely a hot bun that's out there. They're looking at their workload that's out there, and that needs to go down. We gotta find a way to do it. And hopefully, Chief Perez, your enthusiasm, um your you're
you're seeing a commitment to us to get at least the raises up here right now and trying to go work further to make us premiere, because they do a phenomenal job here, the whole team. And uh I I think it's just something we need to really work. work hard at and I think the number they've got they wanted like eight point two when we're at like four point nine. So that's a compromise. But I think and I and I trust Mike you are phenomenal with the numbers and they're looking at every detail going through, trying to make sure we can make it so the budget works. So I'm gonna support what you put on on
plate here and I hope the the rank and file is is happy with it as well.
Mm.
support what we're doing for the firefighters and uh when you're talking about doing five stations and there's seven and a half million dollars each, that's I mean, well over around forty forty million dollars to to take care of our fire stations and and cut those times down where we can service our citizens the right way. So a lot of these fire stations you're seeing now where they used to take twenty, thirty minutes, when you put that station in between 'em and it cuts it down to five or
five or less minutes to even get to some of those homes. you're doing the right job for your citizens and you gotta think about your citizens at the same time. The citizens are very appreciative of what we do with our firefighters. They appreciate them very much. They even to the point that when we had uh the bond issues here a while back that the citizens are the ones that voted in these new fire stations and all the work to go into that. they voted in that bond issue, costing
themselves money and realizing that they needed it and the fire stations needed that extra boost to get to where we want to go. So uh I'd like to give 'em even more but I'm good with that number as long as we can work with the fire department and get get to the point to where we're all on the same page and we get that number as close as we can to what they need. So Yeah. Uh money's limited, but uh I think this time we're coming very close to what what it should be. So thank you.
Okay. Commissioner Weightman.
Thank
you.
To be clear, in your proposal, you're asking us to set this mill for five years, right? This is a five year budgetary plan. That means we don't address this again to five years down the road.
Well no, this this mill would be in place until you change it. So there's no time limit on this act. But the
bud but what you're but in the planning
The plan that went into it is based on a five year plan and projection. Yes. That is correct.
So We know I mean it's probably unlikely that we'll ever see rollback, but To to plan five years I I I appreciate that and understand you guys look at five and ten year increments. But as hopefully new efficiencies come on board. and we start understanding spending. That we we we We kind of set a twenty four month two year benchmark to take a look at this, right? So, you know, we had the bond.
I think the bond was spent very slowly in the past. We're paying for that now, literally. I don't know why I have not received answers for why the bond didn't move as quickly as it as it should have in getting our fire infrastructure in place. But I just I just want to know more 'cause this was done Pretty quickly, in my opinion, right? So as we move forward through this process I'm again just looking for some reassurances.
And Commissioner Weightman, I th I think you're gonna get those assurances and you'll have the old time to look it through. This is something we do put in place and and then every year it's gonna come back in front of us. So if every year that we figure that five year plan that that's out there is just a plan. Every year we adopt the budget every t time we can adjust that millage down if we think we're collecting too much. Uh years ago we had done that and frankly put us in a hole. Parks and libraries, we had to like do thirty percent cuts and all. We didn't have reserves in place, so we weren't in a good spot to go do it. I see the benefits of what they're doing and knowing
they're asking for eight and we got it to full point nine after digging into the numbers, not just cutting and pick a number. You you looked at what's gonna be financially sustainable. These commitments that our citizens want from us, I mean, think about it, they voted in. to text themselves. We can't go back to them every year. They put us in here to go make the rest of it work. And I think the intent that I heard very loud and clear from the people was to say the Fire and MS is very important to us. We want to make sure we're going to be the best. Because when they're out there online waiting for us to show up They
don't want to wait too long, as short as possible, and get the best treatment they can. And I think our team's doing a great job of that. So I think over time I think you'll be able to get to the comfort. But again this is just we set it now, we look at it for a few months and then We'll come we'll it'll be a it'll be it will be a discussion point for at least two more times.
Commissioner Starkey.
Yeah, um the only time I recall uh raising the millage was when we had our our deputies leaving our county for Hillsborough. And it was very clear to me that um you know the cheaper thing was to raise the millage than to keep funding Hillsboro's um workforce. And And so sometimes you have to look at the big picture of what is what is the most fiscally responsible way to
move forward. And uh I think our county has had a long history in being very, very frugal to the point where I think it's come back to Vitus, to have um service, uh fight, you know, service costs. wait 14 minutes that's that's not okay that's a that's a life and death scenario so I think it you know public safety is one of our most important um funding
public safety adequately is one of our most important roles And um you know, we're gonna not going to the the full full big ask but we're taking a step. I think this step has been needed for a while, um and I I just think we need to do it and I think it really is cheaper for us in the long run. Um but the health and safety of our and welfare of our citizens is is really a primary objective of what we do, so I'm in support
of this. Um I have full faith in our new chief that um he will be seeing um you know what what opportunities there are to be um very careful with with our taxpayers' money and as asks come in in the future. You know we'll we'll look at those uh as you know hopefully you know under a big microscope but um I think this this is an important step forward. So I think it's important.
All right. And Commissioner Bradford, I can't see you, but would you like to comment?
It won't happen.
Alright.
Okay, so uh uh it gives me great comfort that we have an opportunity every year to revisit this decision. Uh it's not one type of scenario. But I also agree with Commissioner Starkey that it's our obligation Uh defund public safety as our our sheriff and our fires as best we can. And fourteen minutes is too long. And uh we have been pretty frugal
in the past. And um I think it's now time to pay for the party that we had. So uh I uh I agree with Commissioner Starkey a hundred percent. Thank you. Thank you.
I'll just add in uh you know I I think Chief Perez is a great opportunity here, and I think if we show this five-year plan, a long-term plan, the commitment that we've kept kept for these all these years, that I hope that helps him bring employees in that want to stay, uh obviously retain the ones we've got, and maybe that's an opportunity to say, look, these guys are serious. They're keeping that in there. They understand safety, they understand uh how employees it is and I think this is a a great message to go forward that I think helps everybody and and the morale of our group.
I mean there's not a more passionate group that's out there. I think everyone can see that we're this is a big step forward for us in a tight busy year with inflation punching every single d department we got that it's it's a great step forward.
Um Mr. Cabellon. If I may, sir, and and I just want to thank the board for this for this good discussion that's gonna help us moving forward. Don't take lightly bringing forward a recommendation to to increase taxes on on any of our citizens. Uh but when I'm confronted with new data I do I do feel compelled to act. So yes, there is there is a little bit of um last minute on this and we continue to we continue to divulge into into the details. And we'll continue To be transparent through that process with the board members. You know, fiscal accountability in this budget has been
at the forefront, and we've we've discussed this with the budget office and the assistant county administrators. So know that we we continually scrub and we will continual continually refine things to make sure that we're providing premier service, but at the same time at the most efficient and cost-effective rate. So you still have that commitment from your team here to. to continue down that path. But I am happy to to be able to recommend to you that you know we we we have found a way that we can you know work with uh work with our first responders uh to to help
overcome a lot of the uh serious issues that we're we're seeing and facing out there today. So thank you.
Any other firm further comments?
Okay.
Was that the end of your question?
So do we have a motion to approve R forty six?
Yeah. Mr. Chairman M I just because this has happened in the past, I want to ask Bob, you've coordinated with the school board to make sure that their their date is not on the fifth. Thank you. Can
you can you say
what the school board's increasing their
That
I don't know.
Uh I I do. I believe the school board is increasing by one mil, I believe. That was for teacher pay. Um but that's that's what I understand. Yeah.
So we need a motion to you?
Need a motion, yes.
I move. Second.
Move approval of of item for forty
second. Move approval forty-six. Yeah. So we got a motion and a second. Roll call vote.
Okay. District one, Commissioner Oakley.
Aye.
District two, Commissioner Weightman.
I'll move forward with a yes vote on this, but no in the coming months we're going to be working pretty closely together. So I
Okay, District Three, Commissioner Starkey. Aye. District four, Commissioner Bradford. Mm. District 5, Chairman Mariano.
Aye. Approved unanimously. Thank you.
Thank you.