Final Adjustments of Fiscal Year 2026 Budget - To Be Distributed

1:56:03Okay. Thank you. Okay, so we have ten minutes. Um do you want to start on the budget?

1:56:09We can if the board would like.

1:56:10Yeah let's budget start on the budget.

1:56:15Let's just do it, finish it.

1:56:20Are we gonna do a cut off at noon? We're gonna start.

1:56:22Yes, because the Mike and I have uh lunch meeting.

1:56:26Amy Farrell, Budget Director with the Office of Management and Budget. So we're here to discuss the final adjustments to the fiscal year twenty six budget as a result of the first public hearing.

1:56:38All right, so the first public hearing was held on September 3rd, and at that meeting, the board adopted the tentative millage rates and budget that was set in July. And then the county administrator made a promise to come back with a reduced general fund millage rate less 0.0100 mills.

1:57:04And so as as a result, and I've spoken with you individually about this, um, after good consultation with the budget team and and the remaining members of the team, I think we can take that 0.01 and actually make a 0.02 uh reduction in the in the uh general operating millage. This, of course, would be the third year in a row that this body has has done that, uh, which in total since the twenty-three budget represents about a point one nine. eight four mils off the general operating budget. So how do we do this? Really the the the

1:57:34first thing that we did is we looked at uh we looked at travel expenses across the board and just went ahead and made a 5% reduction, not only in general operating, but across all departments and all funds. With that, uh, we we looked into some of your your tax increment financing uh that is used to subsidize operations in our 107 fund. That is our road and bridge fund that covers traffic operations, public works, and those things. There was some underexecution that we saw in that, and so we we felt that. But you know, it's it's pretty safe to go ahead and make that move today, not

1:58:05that I would make that a long-term recurring effort. And then something that we're calling good faith uh reserve efforts. So this team, through the course of the budgeting process, and Amy will talk about this a little bit, you know, made made significant reductions in our budgets as before we brought them forward to include general general fund budget. But as part of that, we also have great ideas that our team members sprang forward. One such as is IT, for example. We've made reductions in that contract cost.

1:58:35We've also uh changed uh an employee buyback program. We in other words, we've we've we've put good ideas to work that we think will yield safely. Savings and um we're confident in those we'll make that reduction through reserves Today. However, you know, we will be meeting with with the team to make those reductions in those budgets as we realize those savings to put back into the reserves. So in other words, what I'm saying is you know, we'll we'll pay for it out of reserves today, but through the course of the budget year, as we realize the savings, we'll make reductions in those

1:59:05operating budgets to achieve those 0.02 savings. I I hope that makes sense, but that's that's that's literally our approach. Uh as well as a number of other what I'll just call minor minor nips and cuts to other other areas of budgets wants versus needs and those types of things.

1:59:20Um I I think this is wonderful. I think our citizens will be happy with this. And you've given me an idea and it's I think we did this a long time ago, maybe not. Um So IT has come up with an idea. The IT division has come up with an idea on how to save money. I love competition. What if, say next year, uh I don't know how little you want to go as far as division or whatever. Let's have a contest to see

1:59:50who comes up with budget saving ideas and whoever wins gets an extra day off. or something, right? And let's let's get some good ideas brought in. Okay. I like that.

2:00:01I think that's a good idea. And I also think that we need to commend all of our departments in in the county for Yeah. Uh coming back with lowering their own budgets within their departments and also keeping them flat and not continuous growth their departments just 'cause there's possibly money to grow. Cut that back, give it back to our citizens. It's the right thing to do. Sure. Okay.

2:00:27When it comes to the travel reduction, um I would love for us to explore if there's an online training instead of, you know our sending our employees out, I think that we will see a huge savings across the board there. Um because then we're not we don't have travel, we you know, a bunch of expenses go away. So I think we're gonna see it. a larger savings than five percent after a year.

2:00:58But I would like that. Noted.

2:01:02Yes, we will do

2:01:02that. And I think the FAC um commissioner training program went online. You used to have to travel when I I did it, I paid for it out of my own pocket but um We uh you had to go to Gainesville or Tallahassee or somewhere and was a couple of days and now I believe it's online. It is online. Yeah. So yeah. Um Okay, any other comments on this because because it is my birthday and I have a b family birthday dinner tonight. And so um

2:01:30so you gotta get home early or

2:01:32yeah, and I moved it up a half an hour early. When I saw this giant number here, I said, Ooh, I'm gonna tell everyone they don't have to have dinner at midnight tonight. We sh I should be able to meet them or I show up for dessert and no dinner. Um

2:01:45But I think we're headed in the right direction. I think there's more that we can do and I think with that, you know. Bayon departments after to come up with better ideas than And to help accurate Amy as I call her uh Get this budget right. So I think it's it's all worthwhile to do. So

2:02:04and and remember our county is is one of the fastest growing counties in the United States. So we have A lot of things we have to infrastructure we have to put in place. But Some other counties who aren't growing but are seeing the increase in the property values, you know. Well one day we'll get there and Hernando will have our issues and citrus or who whomever lake. But right now, We can't build parks fast enough. We've got road road safe sidewalks,

2:02:35roads, parks. A lot of infrastructure. Infrastructure. court houses, EOCs, I mien. We've kicked the can a lot and um we're slowly biting at that apple. Commissioner Yeager, did you know? Oh I think oh Commissioner Mariano?

2:02:50I was gonna say uh I wanna say Mike, Amy, your team's done a great job to to find a way to make this work. Um you know when we did the road MST last year, there was a such great response. But there's still so much more to be done. Uh we were trying to work and the Sheriff's very helpful with the with uh helping us fund our parks as well. There's a lot to be done. All these families want to go out and play. And then we know that we're not going to be able to The better our kids are. Uh as far as how playing families together, it's it's a great thing. It's quality of life. So all the things we're trying to do to premiere it

2:03:20takes money to go do it. And have having gone through scene parks cut back, economy dropped oh six, oh seven, we cut ourselves and put ourselves in a big hole. Yeah. We're still not out of it yet.

2:03:29Nope.

2:03:29So I think this is a reasonable number to to go with. People should be happy with it, but at the same time it's not gonna hurt us for a lot of the stuff we're doing. So Mm-hmm. Um I'll support that too.

2:03:39I just have um if if we cut one more mill, what does that uh how much would that be out of the budget?

2:03:47A million? One

2:03:48million.01. Sorry, sorry, sorry.

2:03:52So point oh one point oh one would represent approximately, we'll just say another half a million dollars of of cuts. I would say that between the efficiencies that our budget departments and our assistant county administrators have done with their department budgets, we would we would want to start looking at what I would uh having a more serious conversation regarding additional recurring spending. So, you know, my advice to this board, if that's something that that could be a conversation that we have, if this body wants to have it, but it but it would require probably a more critical look at new expenditures. And

2:04:22mind you, the new expenditures that we call BPIs are completely aligned with your strategic plan. And they include things such as staffing new libraries, staffing the expanded corrections facility, making investments in your land of development code, all or all all of those things. Um beyond that, then you you kind of get into your perhaps, you know, you've your discretionary dollars. Uh you can look at um

2:04:45I have I have a s I have a suggestion. Certainly. I don't know if anybody else will be on it, but I'm all for taking the half a million out of reserves um for our For our constituents. It's a half a million.

2:04:59The only thing I would I would caution on that again, Commissioner, is that when you pull from reserves, it it is it's it becomes a recurring matter, right? That is a one-time fix. And again, uh when we look at cutting what the recurring revenue to to this county government, which is a millage cut, um, I would recommend professionally that you look into recurring expenses. versus pulling from savings. It is a one, it's a one-time, it's a one-time fix. It's perfectly valid. But I I again my recommendation would be you look at your recurring expenses.

2:05:30The other thing um the only other thing I want to mention is not not cutting any of those things, but looking at our needs versus wants when it comes to building improvements, things like that. Do we need to do that? Do we want to do it?

2:05:44I I

2:05:44but do we need to do it? No. That's that's something else I feel passionately about. Um I feel like we can get Down one more point oh one.

2:05:55So if if the board wants to do that, certainly I can take a look at what we call the non-facilities CIP budget. So the non-facilities CIP budget contains a number of items. They are You know, anywhere from fixing showers at uh at at the corrections facility uh to buying chairs uh for judici Judicial Center, right? And so um, you know, could we delay some of those? Perhaps. And

2:06:22then the c it'll cost more when we

2:06:24do a one to get then I'm for a one time out of the Um Reserves.

2:06:32Anything right now to save our taxpayers. Commissioner Weightman.

2:06:36Thank you, Commissioner Yeager. You're singing from my hymnal. No secret. So you're you're you're you're suggesting

2:06:44One oh three.

2:06:47A point or three millage. Over a point oh two.

2:06:54There's $505,000 to not-for-profits, which is discretionary.

2:07:01Um

2:07:03Not calling any any of them out. They all do great and wonderful work. But that's a want. That's a want of the taxpayer dollar. The need of that $505,000 needs to go into a park system, needs to go stripe a road, needs to go help clear a ditch, not help fund not-for-profit businesses, which they choose to do. on their operating budgets. So I know I know that's controversial, I know it was a structural change, but that's when you look at the wants and and the needs, there's

2:07:34five hundred and five thousand right there that's an option. versus a general fund and others. I'm uh I am all open for for looking and exploring ways to to tighten the purse strings and becoming more efficient and effective with our with our public funds. That's that's no secret. So I throw it out there. I'm excited about point oh three uh how we get there uh I'll just be excited to potentially vote vote yes on that so I'll let the accurate Amy and the budget team

2:08:04I do want to say I really don't want to take it away from the nonprofits. They are truly our hands and feet in our community. And I have sent I d I can't even count how many people to these to these nonprofits for help and without them. Um they would not have any any aid at all. So you're talking about uninsured, you're talking you know, pe they're saving people's lives. So I have a hard time taking from them. I you know, I I I don't know if I could do that.

2:08:31And

2:08:31uh

2:08:31Commissioner Yeager, I agree with you. Um frankly I think As a percentage of total budget compared to most counties, that number that we give is very small. Um but I I do think it's an I it's an important number. And um And Uh I wouldn't want to touch that either.

2:08:52Okay, so it's twelve o two. We had a great discussion. Um and we will break for lunch. And I'm not sure if you've got support for that O three, but if you wanna I mean, I think that's a good thing

2:09:05I I think it would be good. Amy still has a presentation left. Uh give us a chance to maybe look at look at some examples of what those items could look like and then if it pleases this board we can talk about them after lunch and then you can give us some directions.

2:09:17And obviously you know just that we're all clear we're not touching public statements. Safety, any of that.

2:09:24Correct. At these levels I would

2:09:25I am

2:09:26not recommending that as well.

2:09:28No not. Oh, we're not teaching perks libraries. No. None of it. Madam Chair.

2:09:33Yeah. What we might want to do is maybe delay the public hearing a little bit and let Amy do a presentation first. And that'll kinda free up a little bit of time in case we needed to do other things. That would be appreciated, I'm sure, on

2:09:44the budget's part,

2:09:44especially

2:09:45if there's changes.

2:09:46Everyone have a great lunch. See you back at 1 30. You should be a good thing.

2:09:54Oh

2:10:16Pasco County waterways and wildlife depend on you to keep them healthy. Excess fertilizer, grass clippings, trash, oils, and pet waste wash into gutters and stormwater.

8:46Did Mike make it in? Okay.

8:48Yeah really

8:49All right. We are

8:52rockin' and rollin'.

8:54All

8:54right. Let me pick up all the

8:58council.

8:59I'm gonna now call back to order the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners of September 16th. Okay, I see you s you up. Are you are we thinking we're gonna finish that part now or are we gonna go on to our public

9:11I mean that was the discussion that the board had had br prior to breaking

9:15Okay. I didn't catch that.

9:19So we're gonna continue with the budget item that we had this morning and then we'll go on with our public hearing.

9:25All right, so Amy Farrell, Budget Director with the Office of Management and Budget here in Pasco County. And so to we'll pick up where we left off. So We were having some discussion around appropriate reduction to the general fund millage. So, what I'd like to do is go through the remainder of the budget as we've built it with the.02 reduction, talk about how that's structured, and then we can come back to the millage towards the end. We do have a final slide where we

9:55can, you know, try to get some general consensus before we come back fully. for the final public hearing this evening at five fifteen, if that's good with the board. Okay. All right. So the tentative budget that we have put together before you right now, which includes a.02 mil reduction in the general fund, is two point two four billion dollars. Now this is Uh roughly six million dollars less than the fiscal year twenty five budget that we've adopted. And

10:25so we've achieved that through a few ways, but one of the things that we've accomplished through the Pretty lengthy budget cycle that we have through a lot of negotiations and efficiency findings during budget meetings is we were able to reduce the department submissions within the general fund by over three million dollars and then looking at other refinements across other funds to bring that total budget down by just under six million.

10:57All right, so how is what's the makeup, the components of that budget? Um for those of us who are visual, I just bumped ahead to the pie chart slide. And so you'll see the biggest piece is that operating. So think the day-to-day work that our teams are out there doing. $411 million invested into capital, $54 million for debt service related to larger capital projects, and then $453 in reserves. And that is reserves across

11:27all of our funding.

11:31All right, so the revenues that come into our overall budget, we've tried to break those up in a way that makes sense to the common person and not just our fiscal accounty type folks. So the Purple piece of the pie, that's the property taxes. So this is general fund property tax, our fire municipal service taxing unit, our roads municipal service taxing unit, and the general obligation voter approved debt service. And then if you go to the the next piece, if you go

12:01clockwise, um that's our fund balance across all of our different funding sources, and then that piece on the bottom are charges for service. So this bit of the pie think um transactional. I pay some money, I get this thing. Um so like a one-for-one transactional type of revenue, so our utility charges, impact fees, ambulance billing, solid waste assessments, those types of things. Um Then if we go around to close out the pie, that

12:31green bit that says other services, think of these as kind of pooled revenue that then gets um divvied up amongst different services. So we've got penny for Pasco, our fuel taxes, um Federal and state grants, things like that, tourism taxes in there, communications service tax, those types of things.

12:58All right, so now let's narrow in our focus a little bit from our overall budget down to the general fund. And uh so this pretty much shows you what's changed from tentative, i.e. July and the first public hearing to today. And we'll do a deeper dive this evening, but I just wanted to do a nice recap. So based off of some Refinements and our revenue estimations going into this year, we are expecting a little bit more in beginning fund balance, but you

13:28will see we are eating out of our reserves a little bit as we discussed before the lunch break session.

13:40All right, so how is our general fund broken up? So the largest piece of funding in the general fund is our public safety. So thank sheriffs, uh corrections, fire rescue, and that other is emergency management, public safety administration, juvenile detention, things like that. And then so we already talked reserves. General government, so you'll see that is like our facilities management, IT, think human

14:11resources, county attorney, those types of internal type support system support departments. Now, if we keep moving, uh, the red piece of the pie is our other constitutional, so supervisor of elections, tax collector, the sixth judicial circuit make up that piece of the pie. And then the green is our outward-facing services. So our parks department, community services, libraries. Um, then I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that our parks budget is three million more.

14:41And it was in July and a big piece of that was the sheriff giving us back two million two million dollars from his budget to reallocate to our parks department so we could start to put a dent, a bigger dent into their capital maintenance needs.

14:59All right, so our outside funding, um just a friendly reminder, anything on this slide that is bold and italicized, those are those state mandated um things that we must contribute. So Medicaid, um health department, those types of things, and then those things that are not bold or italicized are at the board's discretion. And this is uh unchanged from the last handful of times that we've talked about this slide.

15:26So constitutional officer budget requests. So these are also unchanged from the last time that we we've shown these, but just to show you how those make up. And then just a reminder that the supervisor of elections, because 26 is an election year, we do see where his budget will bump up a little bit in election years, and then we expect that to come back down in the subsequent year as

15:52as his budget kind tends to grow and then shrink depending on off cycle years.

15:58All right, so our capital improvement plan, we are looking at a 1.8 billion five-year plan.

16:06The biggest chunk of that is our transportation capital.

16:12And so if we go to the next slide, we we see what that makes up. So this slide breaks it down into categories, and then we wanted to touch on some of the major capacity projects that are coming online, as well as that sidewalk, the Shady Hills Road, Mary Giella Elementary to Bosley, because that was such a board priority. We wanted to make sure that you guys were aware that we did get some money into the budget for. At four twenty six.

16:37Uh a question on that slide. Yes, ma'am. I had asked you last time about this ten million for Starkey Boulevard. Yes.

16:45Um I can answer that uh Chair Starkey. Um yeah that ten million dollars um I I misspoke at the last meeting. It is the county's obligation to build that roadway and what the developer had agreed to do was uh build that for the county so that we can accelerate the project and not have It run through our our normal normal project construction process. In terms of the right turn lane that was being required as part of the development project, the developer was going to build that, but then we were going to

17:15provide um mobility fee credits for that work. So in the end, it was the county funding that right turn lane. Lane as well. So in terms of the entire expansion of that roadway, it's the county's um the county's gonna be fully funding it.

17:31David, is that what you recall?

17:37That sounds right to me. I mean, it's been a while since we've approved that agreement, but there is a binding agreement with the developers do that work.

17:45I thought there was too.

17:51There was a binding agreement for the development developer to do the work, but us pay for it? Is that what you're saying?

17:58Yeah, so there was an agreement that went to the board for that road work to be done by the developer and we were gonna reimburse them. That's that's

18:07Yeah.

18:08Thank you.

18:12All right, so this slide here shows the tentative millage rates that were set at the first public hearing. And then this next slide. And the only change is the general operating millage. You'll see that is a.02 mil reduction. And so if we'd like to go Back to try to round out our conversation from earlier this morning. Um What millage reduction should we come back for the final public hearing anticipating?

18:56What uh what it what are you saying just to do that?

18:57So we've had so earlier today we had some county administrator brought forth a point oh two mill reduction. We've had some earlier dialogue around point oh three, um, but it seemed like we might still have some conversation that the board Would like to have uh it seemed a little bit rushed to get to close out for lunch. So we just wanted to come back and allow some opportunity to further talk about it if the board desired.

19:19Yeah, so this is the part where I'd like the board to give us some feedback on what we bring back this evening. Currently this is 7.4092 represents the point zero two mil um reduction that uh we mentioned uh this morning. So the the question before the board is is you know uh Commissioner Yeager had asked, well, what does point zero three look like? I think half a million roughly. You'd we'd mentioned some wants versus needs. I did you know bring up well if if we

19:49were to make reductions, there's probably a certain order of operations uh that we would like to follow, looking at new spending, other expenditures, capital expenditures, but we No, um, you know, the first thing that I could potentially offer up if if this is a path that the board wants to wants to go through is we have non CIP as part of our facilities budget, which represents projects which You know, might be needed, but can probably wait. Um and and we could we could explore that. I have Andrew Baxter here if we w we don't I don't think we need to get into a big discussion about it, but for just from a policy perspective,

20:20that's the direction the board would want to go. Uh that's that's one area where we could go. But there's a multitude of things. But I would need the direction as to what do you want the millage to be.

20:28Okay, Commissioner Weightman.

20:29Thank you. Best time of the

20:31year. So Uh ask Eric and thank you, Eric and Amy, for being So patient and good with me during our budget. Budget time here. So with the DR funds. Uh the county is able to be re my understanding, cut me off Eric if I'm wrong, we're able the county is able to be reimbursed. And that includes payroll. and a number of other items that have quickly added up already I'll let Aaron's er Eric

21:02speak sickly, but approximately a couple hundred grand That we've already incurred in costs that's coming out of the easy. General budget. If we depending on how the DR process moves forward with staff time and everything else If we're able to be a little bit more than a this taxpayer is able to be reimbursed out of that fund. We can easily get To Commissioner Yeager's proposal of a point three. Now it's kind of like that one-time cut, but it's given us uh an avenue in a layer Yeah. to

21:32get through through through this year. Um, Eric doesn't have those projections yet. He's exploring 'em but Um appreciate you guys looking in into our last conversation. And it might be the w the way to to way to go that could total pretty quickly.

21:50So Madam Clerk. So I was gonna bring up the DR, especially when it came up with United Way. Seventy percent of the money is gonna be spent on low income. And I'd like the staff to comment and look at it. Do you think it's an opportune way to actually instead of taking out a general fund money? use the C D B C D B G D R money over the next five years and use that money instead. Then put it apply it to our allocation with the United Way.

22:18You gotta you're going to have to observe the strings on that D R money in anything you wanna you wanna do. That's why I'm cautious about it. Could United Way be your partner to distribute some of those Caught some of those funds, yes. But as you heard in the last meeting, you're not you can't supplant funds that you've already budgeted for United Way or anything else in use of that in use of those monies. So Yeah.

22:49And Why got the mic? the administrative costs are capped and so you've got to That's another thing that you've got to weigh against. You can't just reimburse all of your costs. You're you know, there's a cap on that money. um a percentage cap. and it's gotta be administrative costs of that program. So I theoretically the answer is yes.

23:19However, I think there there's some I'm wondering if um you know we're not we don't have the contract yet and we're gonna have that discussion today. We're not we haven't rolled out that program. But I am wondering if next year

23:33We have a better opportunity to really Save some pennies when we know. What we're doing. And to that end

23:44They can't be on our CIP or it has to be new stuff, right?

23:49That's the supplanting.

23:50So we really have to refer into. I I would suggest this is my suggestion. Um and let me back up for a second. What did we cut? How much was the rollback or the reduc reduction last year? What did we

24:04Because we've rolled back numerous years in a row. Yeah.

24:09It was five.

24:12And the year before that makes me mad.

24:14We were at 7.57. We went down to 7.4292, which is

24:23There's no driving. I don't have to do that. That's okay.

24:30What's the average?

24:32So three years in a row, you've you've you've done it. Um and I think as I mentioned in the morning, that's a cumulatively point one nine eight four. Yeah.

24:39So we were at 76076, then we went back to 757, then 74292. And then proposed today is seven four oh nine two.

24:51Now to Commissioner Mariano's point. He was on the board then, but none of us were when they they kept things were great. Uh they kept rolling that back. Save our homes came in and we were devastated. Parks and libraries closed. You guys weren't here. We were having to put machines in the front of parks and people were gonna have to pay to drive into Starkey Wilderness Park. You remember?

25:13Hudson

25:14Beach. We we all all of our parks, we had to charge people to go in. It was the county was not in a good position. But Anyway, so we we have slowly come out of that. Um However, I I do Here, you know, especially the business community who are k are at the ten percent cap that their property taxes are are going up. much gre greater than their profits are going

25:44up. So I I I I feel that. I am I am a small business owner. I get it. Um so

25:54You know, we I'm I'm balancing here. Um but I think that we're being responsible in in rolling back, but not too much. But being careful for next year I think we have a greater opportunity. When we know When we can plan ahead and use this CDBGDR money wisely to help our citizens in the budget next year. But to to cut something this year more than we have. I think starts

26:24taking us into dangerous territory. For me.

26:27Madam Chairman

26:28M

26:29so when the economy dropped and parks libraries went down thirty percent. Maintenance I'm sure got deferred. We're still not back as we know. Right? We we everyone agrees to that? We've got looked at the MST, we thought about doing that. We decided not to because we weren't put any more taxes out there. But we're still in a major deficit. We're not getting out of any time soon. to do more cuts, it's tougher. Um I went along with the point two just because I like the way Mr. Carrello had set it up where it wouldn't be the painful part. Let me go back to D R though. So If

26:59we're going to consider the DR, and again you can't supplant. The only way I think it could work and Jeff Listen at this and and Mike and anyone else. If we're gonna do that

27:16the funding for the United Way today. No, I'm just saying, here's what you have to do. Because if you have it in the budget for next year. And try to pull it back. It's gonna be tough. I mean 'cause uh cause you could get it yanked back if you try it for any time in the future. So

27:36regulations are tough.

27:37Okay,

27:38uh who was next?

27:39Okay, Commissioner

27:39Yeager then Commissioner Oakley.

27:41Okay.

27:41Okay. So If we

27:43would just maybe explore my way of taking the five hundred

27:50General fund. then we're not touching United Way, we're not touching facilities.

27:56But general fund is a united way.

27:58No, I'm saying though, we we don't want to touch the United Way. But it's part of the general fund. But it would come out no, I mean it wouldn't come out of the buildings would still get the maintenance. It would come out of reserves.

28:08Oh reserves. Sorry. You said general fund. Okay.

28:11Reserves.

28:13Okay, uh Commissioner Oakley.

28:14Well I was just wondering if if the Consensus is that we instead of the point oh two, we do the point oh three. But I would Favor um Amy and And Mike doing their Work magic work on that to show where those cuts should come from 'cause I think they work closer to our Different budgets. and make it work that way rather than uh if they take it out of reserves and then find a way that monies are coming

28:44back like you told that we were gonna get some savings other areas and then feed it back into the reserves. I think that's a great way to do it without with less pain to any department.

28:55So I think that uh the the approach would be as if the board wanted to do point zero three, uh you know, since that's on the table here. Um Just like the point zero two, our plan was to pull it from reserves and then pay it back through savings throughout the year, right? So we use the the IT program as an example of one where we believe that we can find savings and and if that's the case then yes of course and and you know we can we can either look at organic savings that we achieve during the during

29:26the year. Or, you know, we we may dial back into some programs. Maybe maybe we don't hit facilities as deep, but Yeah. My recommendation to to this board would be that we need to prioritize reducing our recurring expenses. Our recurring expenses, it's it's spending more than we take in on it. Um so I I would I would prioritize pulling that under control. And I've talked with with Amy and Eric about, you know, how we can, you know, we look at that on a quarterly basis. And as those savings

29:56are achieved, we replenish reserves. That's the approach. Um so that way we we are achieving recurring expense training but paying ourselves back in into our savings account. So I'm committed to that approach. all year long. And you know, and if I find more than point oh three during the course of the year, well then that's great because our reserve balance is lower than it needs to be anyways. And we should also prioritize increasing our reserves as well because we are at forty two days. Currently?

30:26Yeah, roughly twelve point five forty six days, roughly twelve point five percent.

30:31Okay, so we're we're 14 days from where where we need, and then if we were to be paid back by FEMA, roughly fifty-two days. days if if if we had recovered that. So we're still it's it's several millions of dollars short and shy of where we would be. My my recommendation is is any any reductions in budget, you replenish your savings. But we can we can try to thread the needle and do both. Um But you'll you'll have to you know, we w you know, I I can't promise no pain if we go to point oh three. We'll we'll have to uh

31:01you know make some reductions where they make sense.

31:03I I have a question, but Commissioner Oakley's next. Then me, then Weightman.

31:07I think that's the right way to do it. The fact of it is is we're looking at this budget and we wanna trim things back, but we all at the same time Our citizens are asking for more roadways being done and more infrastructure being done. uh, street lights, other things that that are coming up through the that cost money. So you gotta be careful what you cut so you don't wanna cut those things that are very important to our citizens. to be able to keep coming and that goes along with

31:38Different things that we do for them. They're Very important to be very, very careful on how we make that move.

31:47Um, let's see. Did I say him then me, right? Um okay. Uh a question on C D B G D R money. Um and I mean, don't we have to spend it to get it back? Yes, it's

31:59a reimbursable.

32:03We have five what do we have? Five hundred and seventy one million?

32:06Five hundred and eighty-five million.

32:08We gotta spend that to get that back. Where does it be? Well where d where you know, this is this is my challenge at Amskill, so you gotta have it to spend it. Um So where do where are we getting that from?

32:22Yeah, we're we're working the details out now. Once we get our consultant on board, we'll you know we'll be bringing more more detailed plans back back to the Could

32:30only come from our reserves.

32:32I I don't know where else we write a twenty five million dollar check. Two How does that mean?

32:38We got got a portion of it up front though,

32:41correct? My understanding is is there's a working capital account perhaps, but I again I'm I'm not prepared to talk about the details of it. I do think that would be helpful. DR funding, obviously, and making those reinvestments is is a tool. Um

32:58there before

32:58you can see. Uh Chuck Lane, uh Director of Office of Disaster Recovery. the um it is a reimbursement bank uh grant. So we'll put in and we will have to pay these projects up front, but we'll do it as frequently as we can so it's it's not a big hit. I don't know how often that will be. We have a lot to do to figure these details out, but it is a reimbursement uh

33:17grant. Yeah. Okay. Um Commissioner Weightman.

33:20So

33:21Eric, you think it's possible? for this afternoon to figure out how much we've already so when you look at There's already a pile of staff time. Commissioner time. There's a pile m in my opinion of reimbursable actions and work that have been done all the way up to here. We have a big protest we're having to deal with. That takes staff time like to account for everything we've gone to set up this program.

33:46Is there a way to get a total? A pro a a rough estimate of what

33:50we have invested in the

33:51U.S.

33:52I can work with the team to get uh Eric Breitenbach, Assistant County Administrator, Internal Services. I can I can work with the team to get a a rough estimate this afternoon. But the the specific question you could ask was relative to the procurement expense costs, which are providing direct efforts towards getting the program set up, we'll look at those types of specific costs. Broadly. A little bro a little more broadly. Yes sir.

34:13With the work that we've got into it, Marcy and her team and setting up, I mean Um That might come up to several hundred grand. Which is a nice chunk that can go towards what we're trying to accomplish. It might if it's two, three hundred grand, then we're only talking about another couple of hundred to make up the difference. So Um Uh Uh if this board's pleasure I I think it'd be worth Eric and his team kind of jumping into before this afternoon. And that could maybe ease some of these

34:42And to that point, Commissioner, I uh you know I I wanted to verify with Mr. Lane, uh, for example, the expenses of the initial team with Connor and Marcy have been being billed back to a DR account line item. So we are expensing some of these initial expenses to to those to that item. But to your point, there are additional expenses that maybe they are. Again, my only my only point that I would just say to you is that those are one time expenses. It's kind of similar to pulling out of reserves. You acknowledge that. you know, I I really wanna look

35:12at at meaningful recurring expenses over the course of this journey as we as we look to try to Pull things together on this. I'm I'm fine with that.

35:22Um what let me throw out a number to my fellow commissioners to um make sure I get to my birthday dinner on time. Um z point zero two five. Am I saying it with the right number of zeros?

35:40Yeah, instead of.03. Okay. You had come to us with a point zero two. I could live with a point zero two five. I think that's The biggest one we've ever done that I've been on the board. Um In the hopes that it next year we can continue. Um, but um because we have this unfortunate opportunity with the C D P G D R

36:06Um I'm gonna hold I I personally would like to see us do point zero three. I think I think we can find it.

36:14Mr. Mariano? I mean back to the C W G R we got to spend five hundred and eighty-five million dollars. And you got five years to do it, six?

36:23Six

36:23six years to do it. Think about that. We just had a hurricane last year that d brought our reserves down thirty days. Maybe a little bit less, but we we're adding some more back in now. We get one more hurricane like we just did, or another hurricane season, guess what? You're not gonna be able to spend the money and you're gonna throw the money back away.

36:42In in my area I've got all these roads that were impacted by all the storms, all the traffic. I mean Gulf Harbor was lucky they were about two or three feet higher. But up in the Hudson area? Some parts of it. But in the Hudson area, this three feet lower in all the trucks, all the traffic have destroyed those roads. I could see pines. twenty one years waiting to get some stormwater relief, which we don't even have funded yet. And they gotta do roads and septic sewer after that. I mean, that money you're gonna need it to go. You can say keep squeezing, squeeze, squeeze, but don't squeeze here or don't squeeze there. Guess

37:13what? Everything's affected. I think point two is a good point zero two is a good number. Um Point o two five I'm I'm good with. But I mean just to squeeze because we're trying to squeeze to make our state legislative people kind of like, oh look what they're doing, look what they're doing. And I had one texting me earlier. Um I mean we gotta be responsible and I and I've been through it. When we cut, cut, cut, because we wanted to cut, it was a great thing to do. And then you come back to it and now you gotta go fund the stuff. We got how many people have roads for the MS to use or people waiting to get their roads

37:43done? Now that we put get rid of the paving assessment, we put this in. How many people are banging out the door? How many people want to get in the fields that can't get there? Whether it be Wiregrass, Starkey, Mitchell, wherever. We got we gotta take care of our people. They have imposed on themselves all the go bonds. We did nothing to go push that. Which are good. They said they said they wanted these things done. From twenty years ago when I started to now. People want the services now. They don't want to keep on waiting and waiting and waiting. The kids are growing up. The lives are going on. They want the services. They

38:13want to be Premier. They like what we're doing. All the things we're doing Premier. To just squeeze for the sake of squeezing. Because it's not going to affect anybody, another one village. One tenth, another tenth, it's it's it's minuscule.

38:26Did you have your hand up?

38:27Okay, Commissioner Yeager.

38:29Um the only thing I disagree with you is we're not doing it for any legislators or anything like that. I mean for me we're doing it for the for the people. And two, we're not talking about cutting paving, we're not talking about cutting roads, we're not talking about cutting any of those services. if we get to to point zero three. We're not touching any of that.

38:49I I understand that, but if you if for some reason you took it out of reserves, which wouldn't kill us Five hundred thousand dollars, it's not gonna kill us. And we're at point zero three. And we're trying to get our taxpayers savings and every little thing helps right now. And that's that's what I have to say about that. I mean I really think we can do it.

39:12Madam Chair?

39:13Yeah.

39:13Question. What's the effect on a three hundred thousand dollar house with the cuts we're looking at?

39:21Titan.

39:22I see that typing away on his laptop.

39:28Point O three.

39:32No, the difference between point oh two and point oh three, what is that per household?

39:36A dollar per annab.

39:37Dollar per hundred thousand of taxable assessment. Dollars a year.

39:41One dollar.

39:43Yeah, I don't think they'll be able to do that. They're gonna blink.

39:47I disagree with that. be I'm consistent on on where I'm going to be.

39:55Um Okay, so I just just so they have an understanding of the flavor, I just wanna I'm gonna query my fellow board members at what your number is for right now and then we're gonna move on to the public hearing. Commissioner Oakley, what's your number right now? now?

40:15I think we can do the One oh two five would be fine and We'll make it work. I think Commissioner Weightman staff's leadership and where it should come from, I think it'll work out.

40:26Commissioner Weightman.

40:27I'm on bet on point oh three.

40:29Okay. Um I'm point oh two five, Commissioner Yeager. I'm point oh three.

40:34Okay.

40:34All right. So we'll come back later and um but we we can't this is can't just Keep talking. We gotta do our business here today. Okay, um our where are we at 130? We've got He's seventy five.

40:52That was R seventy two chair.

40:54Yeah, we still have the bid, but we'll do that bid protest app. These uh we won't take long with these.