[00:00:29]
ARE YOU AWARE THAT HE HAS TO IDENTIFY WHERE HE IS AND WHY? I'M JUST GONNA SAY HE IS REMOTE.
HE ASKED TO SEE WHERE HE'S AND WHY HE'S PARTICIPATING REMOTELY.
AND I TOLD HIM HE'S REQUIRED TO UNDERSTAND LAW.
YOU, HAVE YOU TOLD HIM THAT? YES.
ALRIGHT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE'LL CALL THE MEETING, UH, THE FEBRUARY MEETING
[IV. Call to Order]
TO ORDER.UH, THE FIRST THING I'D LIKE TO DO IS, UH, ASK THE BOARD MEMBERS TO JOIN ME DOWN FRONT.
AND, UM, WE, WE DO NOT HAVE MR. SPOON HOUR WITH US TODAY.
HE IS WITH US VIA TECHNOLOGY AND REMOTELY.
CAN YOU HEAR US? MR. CHAIRMAN, I CAN HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE ACCOMMODATION.
I'VE BEEN INFORMED THAT YOU NEED TO TELL US WHERE YOU ARE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE JUST YOU'RE UNABLE TO BE HERE 'CAUSE OF WHERE YOU ARE.
I'M, I'M TRAVELING FOR WORK OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY.
AND IF I THINK MR. CARPENTER WILL GIVE US AN INVOCATION.
IF Y'ALL WOULD PLEASE JOIN ME.
[V. Invocation]
GOD, OUR FATHER, THE LORD, WE PRAISE YOUR HOLY NAME.WE THANK YOU FOR THE MANY GIFTS AND BLESSINGS THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US IN THIS GREAT PLACE WE CALL AMERICA AND THIS GREAT COUNTY WE CALL GOLIN LORD, WE ASK THAT YOU TAKE THE INFORMATION THAT WILL BE PRESENTED TO US, APPLY IT TO THE BOARD OF MEMBERS, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
ALLOW THEM TO HAVE DISCERNMENT AND WISDOM AS THEY CONSIDER IT, AS THEY CONSIDER THE IMPORTANT DECISION THAT MUST BE MADE.
LORD, WE ASK YOU TAKE ALL THIS IN THE NAME OF THE CHRIST, OUR LORD AND OUR SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST.
PLEASE RELEASE ALLEGIANCE, ALLEGIANCE TO FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH EXPANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE OR ALL.
NOW, IF I CAN ASK MR. CARPENTER AND, AND THE BOARD
[VI. Pledge]
MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE TO JOIN ME IN FRONT,[VII. New Business:]
WE HAVE A LETTER.WE HAVE A LETTER THAT EACH BOARD MEMBER HAS SIGNED, AND IT'S A GODSPEED LETTER FOR YOU.
AND, UH, WE WANT TO PRESENT IT TO YOU.
AND I BELIEVE MRS.
ON BEHALF OF THE GLAND COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, I AM WRITING TO EXPRESS OUR SINCERE APPRECIATION FOR YOUR DEDICATION AND SERVICES COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
OVER THE PAST NEARLY THREE YEARS, YOUR TENURE HAS BEEN MARKED BY SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR COMMUNITY'S WELLBEING.
YOUR LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN NAVIGATING THE COMPLEXITIES OF OUR GROWING COUNTY, ENSURING FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND FOSTERING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
YOU CAME IN AFTER THE TEAM HAD EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT TURNOVER ON TOP OF NAVIGATING THROUGH A GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
THE BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY WE SERVE ARE EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR THE STABILITY, ENCOURAGEMENT, AND SUPPORT YOU BROUGHT TO THE GUCH ONE TEAM.
WE ARE PARTICULARLY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR ROLE IN DEMONSTRATING TO THE COMMUNITY AND STAFF WHAT TRUE SERVANT LEADERSHIP LOOKS LIKE.
YOUR COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY, STAFF GROWTH AND EMPLOYEE MORALE WAS EXACTLY WHAT THE TEAM NEEDED.
AS YOU MOVE FORWARD TO NEW ENDEAVORS, PLEASE KNOW THAT YOUR EFFORTS HAVE BEEN NOTED AND VALUED BY BOTH THE BOARD AND THE RESIDENTS OF GWIN COUNTY.
WE WISH YOU SUCCESS IN ALL YOUR FUTURE PURSUITS AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
[00:05:26]
ALL RIGHT.SO THE NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS IS MR. CARPENTER.
[1. Presentation of FY2026 County Administrator's Proposed Budget]
WE'LL DO A PRESENTATION OF, OF THE BUDGET.THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, CITIZENS OF UCHIN COUNTY.
UH, IT IS MY HONOR TO PRESENT TO YOU THE ADMINISTRATOR'S DRAFT BUDGET FOR THE 26TH FISCAL YEAR.
AGAIN, AS ALWAYS, WE KIND OF GO OVER THE PROCESS THAT WE FOLLOW, AND THE BUDGET PROCESS STARTS IN OCTOBER WHEN WE BEGIN LISTENING TO OUR, OUR STAFF, UH, LISTENING TO THE SUPERVISORS AS WELL, UM, TO UNDERSTAND THE, THE, UH, THE DIRECTION THAT THE BOARD IS LOOKING FOR.
FROM NOVEMBER THROUGH JANUARY, WE MET WITH ALL OUR COUNTY DEPARTMENTS.
WE MET WITH CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS, WE MET WITH SCHOOLS, WE HELD WORK SESSIONS, AND WE MET WITH THE BOARD MEMBERS TO CONTINUE TO ESTABLISH, UH, THOSE PRIORITIES.
OUT OF THOSE MESSAGES CAME THE BUDGET THAT YOU WILL SEE TODAY.
IT IS A FUNDAMENTALLY SOUND BUDGET.
UH, THE GUIDANCE FROM THE BOARD WAS TAKEN TO HEART.
IT IS A BUDGET THAT MEETS OUR NEEDS, BUT IT DID NOT GROW THE COUNTY SIGNIFICANTLY IN EXPENDITURES.
IT IS A BUDGET THAT PROVIDES US CERTAIN NECESSARY, UH, GROWTH, BUT OTHER AREAS OF THE BUDGET.
IT HELD FLAT AND HELD TRUE TO A DESIRE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHERE WE WERE GOING IN OUR COMMUNITY WITH THE ECONOMY.
WE KNEW AN ELECTION WAS COMING, A LOT COULD CHANGE FROM THAT.
SO THE DRAFT BUDGET WAS WRITTEN WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS BOARD, AS MORE INFORMATION BECAME AVAILABLE, WOULD BE ABLE TO TWEAK IT AND ADJUSTED AS ITS SAW FIT.
SO THROUGHOUT THE BUDGET PROCESS, WE WOULD FORECAST ALL THE REVENUE THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE, AND THAT INCLUDES PROPERTY TAXES, LOCAL TAXES, AID FROM THE STATE, FEDERAL AID CHARGES, UH, FOR SERVICES AND GRANTS.
SO WE PUT ALL THAT TOGETHER AND LET'S NOW GO BACK AND SEE.
SO WHEN YOU GO BACK TO 2018, YOU'LL BASICALLY SEE THAT THE GENERAL FUND HAS GROWN DRAMATICALLY IN GRUSON COUNTY.
UH, THIS PROPOSED BUDGET, THE GENERAL FUND IS $95,000,673 AND 340.
IT HAS GROWN FROM 50 MILLION IN 2018.
SO IN EIGHT YEARS, IT IS MORE ALMOST DOUBLED.
BUT AS THE COUNTY HAS GROWN, I KNOW THAT OUR CITIZENS SOMETIMES GET CONCERNED WITH, WITH THE GROWTH OF THAT BUDGET AND WHERE THAT MONEY IS GOING.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO SHARE THAT AS THE COUNTY'S BUDGET HAS GROWN, IT HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY INVESTED IN OUR PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND OUR PUBLIC SAFETY IN THIS CONTEXT ARE OUR COURTS, OUR UNIFORMED OFFICERS, SO FIRE AND RESCUE, UH, SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UH, CONSTITUTIONAL ATTORNEY, AND THE COURT SYSTEM.
SO, AS THE COUNTY'S BUDGET HAS GROWN, IT HAS BEEN INVESTED IN THE PROTECTION OF OUR CITIZENS AND THE INSURANCE THAT WE CAN MAINTAIN THE QUALITY OF LIFE THAT OUR CITIZENS HAVE SO DESIRED.
SO THE BUDGET IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY IS CONSISTENT WITH THE EXISTING STRATEGIC PLAN.
AGAIN, IT IS A CONSERVATIVE APPROACH TO REVENUE PROJECTIONS AND EXPENDITURE GROWTH.
WE TRIED TO SEEK EFFICIENCIES AND COST SAVINGS WHERE POSSIBLE.
WE DID EXPAND PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICE LEVELS TO MEET COMMITMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO OUR SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
AS YOU'LL SEE, WE DID OUR BEST TO MEET OR EXCEED ALL FINANCIAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN SET BY THE BOARD.
WE ALSO STROVE TO MAINTAIN COMPETITIVE EMPLOYEE COMPENSATIONS WITH OUR NEIGHBORING COUNTIES, WHO WE USED AND JUDGE OURSELVES AGAINST IN MANY WAYS, AND TO SUPPORT OPERATIONS WHERE POSSIBLE AND NEEDED TO EXPAND IT POSITIONS.
AND OF COURSE, OUR UTILITIES MAINTAINING A SELF-SUSTAINING RATE AS UTILITIES CANNOT TAKE A SUBSIDY FROM THE GENERAL CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY AND MUST LIVE WITHIN THEIR OWN MEANS THAT THEY GENERATE.
SO WE CONSIDER IMPACT OF INFLATION.
OF COURSE, INFLATION HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE OVER THE PAST YEARS.
IT HAS DROPPED NOW TO A RANGE OF ABOUT 3% LITTLE LESS, BUT THAT IS STILL AN IMPACT THAT AFFECTS US IN MANY WAYS.
AGAIN, THE POTENTIAL OF A RECESSION.
WE'VE BEEN ANTICIPATING FOR SEVERAL YEARS THAT IT MIGHT HAPPEN.
WE HAVE TO BE AWARE OF WHAT HAPPENS IF A RECESSION HITS US IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR BUDGET YEAR.
AGAIN, OUR COMMUNITY'S DESIRE TO MAINTAIN AND STRONGLY SUPPORT OUR PUBLIC SAFETY APPARATUS.
THE FACT THAT WE, AGAIN, HAVE A GROWING AND AGING POPULATION WITH MORE CALLS FOR SERVICE, PUBLIC EDUCATION, FUNDING, HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS, COMPETITIVE SALARIES, AND AGAIN,
[00:10:01]
WHATEVER THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY DECIDES TO THROW OUR WAY WHEN THEY'RE HAVING ONE OF THEIR FUND DAYS IN RICHMOND.SO THE BUDGET YOU SEE IN FRONT OF YOU, IT ACTUALLY IS AN INCREASE OF 9.2%.
SO IT'S AN INCREASE FROM 136 MILLION TO 148 MILLION.
YOU CAN SEE THAT SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THAT COMES FROM THE UTILITY FUND.
SO OVER HALF OF IT APPROXIMATELY COMES FROM UTILITIES WITH A REMAINDER BEING IN OUR GENERAL FUND.
UH, CIP FUNDS DID DECREASE A LITTLE, BUT THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE WE TRANSFERRED FUNDING THAT TRADITIONALLY WE HAVE PULLED OUT OF CIP INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
SO SHORT TERM CAPITAL EXPENSES LIKE VEHICLES, UH, CERTAIN REPAIRS THAT DID NOT HAVE A LONG LIFESPAN, WE USED TO SHOW IN CIP, WE MOVED THAT INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
SO THE INCREASE IN THE GENERAL FUND IS DRIVEN IN PART BY THAT.
AND THEN THEREFORE, THE DECREASE IN CI CIP FUNDS IS DRIVEN AS WELL.
SO AS LOOK AT THE REVENUES THAT CAME IN, AGAIN, GENERAL PROPERTY TAXES DO CONTINUE TO GO UP.
WE SHOW THE GENERAL PROPERTY TAXES INCREASE ALMOST 12% WITH THE OVERALL OF A 9.2% INCREASE BY CATEGORY ACROSS ALL FUNDS.
NOW, OF COURSE, WHAT DRIVES OUR PROPERTY TAXES ARE THE ASSESSED VALUES AND ASSESSED VALUES IN 2025, RESULTS IN 11.4% INCREASE OR ABOUT $5.4 MILLION HIGHER.
THIS WAS THE JANUARY ASSESSMENT, UH, THAT WE JUST COMPLETED.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE USE TO DETERMINE THE IMPACT ON TAXES.
WHEN YOU BREAK DOWN WHERE THEY COME FROM.
APPROXIMATELY 59, ALMOST 60% OF THE REVENUE WE USE COMES FROM GENERAL PROPERTY TAXES.
AND THEN EVERYTHING ELSE KIND OF ADDS UP TO THE REMAINING 20%.
WHEN WE BREAK IT INTO THE GENERAL FUND, EVEN MORE OF THE, THE, UH, GENERAL PROPERTY TAXES, ABOUT 73% OF THE GENERAL FUND ITSELF, UH, STATE AID SEVEN AND OTHER LOCAL TAXES, NINE.
NOW, AS WE GET INTO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, THEIR PROPOSED REVENUES ABOUT 68% COMES FROM THE COUNTY, AND THE REMAINING 32% COMES FROM OTHER SOURCES.
WITH STATE AID BEING 24% OF THAT, A RELATIVELY SMALL PERCENT OF SCHOOL COMES FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
I KNOW THAT'S BECOME AN ISSUE THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE FOCUSING ON AND CONCERNED ABOUT IS THE IMPACT OF POLICIES FROM WASHINGTON.
UH, THOUGH WE WOULD BE AFFECTED.
UH, FORTUNATELY, UH, THE COUNTY AND, AND EVEN THE SCHOOLS ARE NOT IN THE SAME, UH, SAME BOAT AS SOME ARE, WHERE THEY GET A HUGE PERCENTAGE OF THEIR BUDGET OUT OF FEDERAL SOURCES.
SO NOW WE'RE LOOK INTO THE EXPENSES, AND AGAIN, EXPENSES GO UP 9.2% AND, UH, THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT'S INCREASE IS 10.7% OF THERE.
UM, THAT'S PRIMARILY DUE TO, UM, REALLY BEING DRIVEN BY A COUPLE NEW, UM, A NEW POSITION.
AND, UH, IN THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, UH, IT'S ALSO DRIVEN BY SOFTWARE MAINTENANCE COSTS, AS YOU KNOW, UH, THE WORLD WHERE YOU BOUGHT SOFTWARE AND THEN JUST GOT SUPPORT HAS CHANGED.
NOW WE HAVE TO PAY EVERY MONTH OR EVERY YEAR FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE THEIR SOFTWARE.
SO YOU'LL SEE AS YOU GO THROUGH OUR DEPARTMENT AND OUR IT BUDGET, SIGNIFICANT INCREASED PERCENTAGE WISE IN THE MONEY THAT WE PUT INTO OUR LICENSES AND OPERATING AGREEMENTS.
TO USE THAT, AGAIN, PUBLIC SAFETY GOES UP 11%.
AND IN THE 11%, UH, COMMITMENT HAD BEEN MADE TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR FIVE NEW DEPUTIES.
SO THERE ARE FIVE NEW DEPUTIES THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THIS POSITION.
SO IN THE WHOLE COUNTY RIGHT NOW, THIS BUDGET HAS FIVE NEW DEPUTIES.
IT HAS ONE COUNTY ATTORNEY DEPUTY POSITION, UH, DEPUTY COUNTY ATTORNEY POSITION.
AND THEN WE TOOK A PART-TIME POSITION IN THE, UM, UM, UH, IN THE VOTER REGISTRATION OFFICE AND TURNED IT TO A FULL, UH, FULL-TIME POSITION.
AND SO, UH, THOSE ARE THE ONLY POSITIONS ADDED.
AS I GET INTO THE BUDGET, I WILL ACKNOWLEDGE THAT OTHER POSITIONS WERE REQUESTED, AND THE BOARD WILL UNDOUBTEDLY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONSIDER THAT.
UH, FIRE AND RESCUE HAS REQUESTED OVER 20 NEW POSITIONS.
THEY ARE NOT FUNDED IN THIS CURRENT BUDGET.
AS YOU KEEP GOING DOWN, YOU'LL SEE AGAIN, UTILITIES, WHICH IS A SELF-SUSTAINING FUND.
SO IT DOESN'T, UH, DRIVE ANY BENEFIT FROM TAX DOLLARS PER SE.
UH, IT'S THE LARGEST GROWTH WITHIN, UM, OUR OVERALL BUDGET.
AND AGAIN, THE REASON THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS DROPPED IS BECAUSE WE TRANSFERRED A GOOD BIT OF THAT MONEY INTO THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT, UH, FUND AS WELL.
SO WHEN WE BREAK DOWN THE ALL FUNDS BUDGET, AGAIN OF 148 MILLION, UM, SCHOOLS ARE 31%.
PUBLIC SAFETY IS 21%, UTILITIES ARE 18%, GENERAL GOVERNMENT IS 7%.
AND BACK TO THAT PREVIOUS PAGE AS WELL, WHEN I TALK EXPENSES, AND THIS IS AGAIN JUST THE PAGE FOR, UM, FOR OUR GENERAL GOVERNMENT, UM, INCLUDED THE EDUCATION, UM, I WILL MAKE THE POINT THAT AS WITH FIRES AND RESCUE, UM, EDUCATION
[00:15:01]
IS FUNDED AS A FLAT LEVEL, UH, WITH A 3% INCREASE FOR A COST OF LIVING.UM, UH, 1.7 MILLION FOR A CHILLER FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL.
AND, UM, $500,000 THAT WERE TRANSFERRED FROM CIP TO THEM FOR ONGOING REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE OF THEIR FACILITIES.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS A FLAT BUDGET.
A LOT OF REQUESTS WERE NOT FUNDED IN THIS BUDGET THAT I'M PRESENTING TO YOU.
AND YOU'LL HEAR THAT, UM, FROM THEM AS TIME COMES ON.
SO WE GET INTO THE GENERAL FUND ITSELF, 103.9 MILLION.
AGAIN, THAT'S TAKING OUT THE UTILITIES.
AND SO AT THAT POINT, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY JUMPS TO 29% IN SCHOOLS, 30%.
UH, GENERAL GOVERNMENT IS 10%, AND OUR GENERAL SERVICES IS 5%.
UH, YOU ALSO NOTICE THAT OUR DEBT IS 5%.
UM, OUR POLICY ALLOWS US TO GO UP TO 10% IN DEBT.
WHEN YOU TAKE THE TRANSFERS OUT, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY SCHOOLS, AND, UM, YOU FIND OUT THAT PUBLIC SAFETY BECOMES 48% OF THE OVERALL BUDGET AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT BECOMES 16.
AGAIN, THE JUDICIAL, OUR, OUR COURT SYSTEM IS 5%.
UM, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, 5% AND GENERAL SERVICES 8% GENERAL SERVICES WILL BE OBVIOUSLY OUR BUILDING MAINTENANCE, OUR CONVENIENCE CENTERS, UM, THOSE FACILITIES THAT THE PUBLIC SEES, THE EXTERNAL PART.
SO THE SCHOOL'S 45.5, UH, MILLION DOLLARS IN THERE.
UH, YOU SEE THE BREAKDOWN THERE AS THEY PROVIDED TO US.
UH, ROUGHLY 66% IS INSTRUCTION AND TEXTBOOKS, AGAIN, AS PART OF THE 3% COST OF LIVING THE COUNTY.
UM, WE DID INCLUDE FOR THE SCHOOLS AS WELL, A 3% COST OF LIVING.
THEN AS WE GET INTO THE LINE, INTO THE BUDGETS THEMSELVES BY DEPARTMENTS, AGAIN, GOING THROUGH THE LIST, YOU CAN SEE THE REALLY, THE ONLY REASON WHY, UM, THE COUNTY ATTORNEY IS, UH, SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN OTHERS IS BECAUSE ADDING A POSITION AND ADDING OUTSIDE COUNSEL, UH, THOSE ARE THE COSTS THAT ARE, ARE CONNECTED TO THAT.
UM, AGAIN, IT INFORMATION SYSTEMS GOES UP THE NEXT HIGHEST.
THE REASON FOR THAT IS JUST THE COST OF THE SOFTWARE WE USE AND THE ADDITIONAL, UM, ADDING THE DIVINITY PROJECT, UH, WHICH IS THE COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE AND THE TREASURER'S OFFICE, UM, THE COST THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT PROJECT AS WELL.
JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION UP 5.6%.
AGAIN, UM, MOST OF THAT IS GONNA BE PAY RAISES.
A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THAT WILL BE THE FIVE NEW DEPUTIES AND THEIR VEHICLES AS WELL AS THE 3% ACROSS THE BOARD COST OF LIVING.
UM, ALSO ONE REASON WHY, UH, THE SHERIFF'S BUDGET JUMPS AS MUCH AS IT DOES IS BECAUSE PREVIOUSLY SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS WERE A SEPARATE BUDGET, BUT WE MERGED THEM WITH THE, WITH THE SHERIFF'S BUDGET BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL DEPUTIES AND THEY TAKE DIRECTION FROM THE SHERIFF.
SO, UH, IT'S BEEN MERGED TOGETHER.
SO THAT'S ALSO DRIVING HIS BUDGET.
SO HIS BUDGET HAS NOT GONE UP 19% PER SE.
IT'S GONE UP BECAUSE OF, AGAIN, UM, UH, COST OF LIVING FIVE NEW DEPUTIES, UH, AND MOVING THOSE AS WELL, UH, FROM THE ONE INTO THE OTHER.
UH, FIRE AND RESCUE, UH, THEIR BUDGET GOES UP AGAIN BECAUSE OF COST FOR LIGHT VEHICLES.
WE USED TO HAVE THAT SEPARATE FROM THEIR BUDGET, UM, BECAUSE IT WAS IN CIP.
BUT NOW YOU'LL SEE LIGHT VEHICLES, UH, WHERE THEY'RE BEING PURCHASED.
WE'LL SHOW UP IN THE OPERATING BUDGET OF EACH DEPARTMENT, AND THAT MAKES SENSE.
THAT'S A MORE REFLECTIVE COST OF WHAT IT TAKES TO OPERATE THAT DEPARTMENT TO BUY A VEHICLE, UM, VERSUS SAY BUILD A BUILDING.
SO, UH, YOU'LL NOTICE ACROSS THE BOARD AS YOU LOOK IN THOSE DEPARTMENT BUDGETS, THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THOSE AS WELL.
AND THEN OF COURSE, CORRECTION DETENTION GOES UP, UM, IN PART BECAUSE, UM, UM, WE ARE PUTTING MORE PEOPLE IN JAIL.
OUR COMMISSIONER, UM, OUR COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY IS, UH, WORKING CLOSE WITH OUR SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
AND SO THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE STAYING IN JAIL, MAKING OUR STREETS SAFER.
GENERAL SERVICE, AS I SAID, THAT'S CONVENIENCE CENTERS, THAT'S GROUNDS MANAGEMENT.
SO THAT'S ROUGHLY 7% INCREASE THERE.
HEALTH AND WELFARE, OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT, OUR COMMUNITY SERVICES.
UM, I WILL POINT OUT THAT, UM, IN THE EXTERNAL AGENCIES THAT WE SUPPORT GUCH AND CARES AND OTHERS, UH, I FLAT FUNDED THEM AS WELL.
SO I DID NOT HAVE ANY INCREASE.
UH, THEY HAVE REQUESTED INCREASES AS WELL FOR THAT, BUT I DID NOT FUND THAT, UH, IN THIS BUDGET.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE TWO CUTS IN THERE.
ONE WAS, UH, GLAND PET LOVERS HAD REQUESTED THAT THEY NO LONGER NEEDED A STIPEND FROM THE COUNTY, SO WE REMOVED THEM.
AND THEN ALSO MANNEQUIN AND WATER, WE'VE REMOVED THEM FROM BUDGET AS WELL.
PARKS AND REC, UM, ABOUT 4.2 INCREASE, PERCENT INCREASE OVERALL INCLUDING CULTURAL WITH, UH, WITH OUR LIBRARY.
UM, AS YOU NOTICE, THE LIBRARY DID COME IN UNDER BUDGET, OR I'M SORRY, THEY'VE LOWERED THEIR REQUEST FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR AS WELL.
[00:20:03]
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE BOARD PRETTY MUCH DECREASES, UH, 1.7% DECREASE OVERALL ON THEIR BUDGET.AND THEN OUR DEBT SERVICE AND OUR TRANSFERS AS WELL.
THE REASON THE CIP TRANSFER DROPS AS MUCH AS, BECAUSE AGAIN, WE'VE PUT MORE OF THAT INTO THE GENERAL OPERATING BUDGET ITSELF, SO THAT 1.3 MILLION DECREASE THERE SHOWS UP AS A 1.3 MILLION INCREASE IN THE GENERAL FUND.
SO IT'S NOT SPENDING MORE MONEY, IT'S JUST ACCOUNTING FOR IT DIFFERENTLY.
MOVING INTO OUR UTILITIES DEPARTMENT, AGAIN, REVENUES, WE SHOW A GRAND TOTAL INCREASE TO THE REVENUES, ABOUT 31%.
HOWEVER, IF YOU LOOK, UM, IN THAT, IT'S, UH, GENERALLY SPEAKING, IT'S GONNA BE A RESULT OF, UM, CHARGES OR SERVICES AS THE SYSTEM GROWS.
UM, THAT'LL BE SOMETHING YOU SEE THERE.
GENERAL PROPERTY TAXES COMING FROM THE TCSD CONTINUE TO GO UP AS WELL.
AND THEN OF COURSE,
SO WE LOOK INTO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN ITSELF.
THERE'S 6 MILLION IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET FOR IT.
UH, FIRE AND RESCUE, UM, IS, UH, LARGEST, UH, AS THERE IS A, A VEHICLE AND AN AMBULANCE INCLUDED IN THERE.
IT OF COURSE CONTINUES TO, UM, NEED TO EXPAND THE KIND OF SYSTEMS AND UPDATE, UM, OUR SERVERS, UH, SCHOOLS, UH, THE 1.7 MILLION FOR THE CHILLER.
AND THEN THE OTHERS ARE, UM, KIND OF MISCELLANEOUS THERE.
UH, WE STILL HAVE 72 MILLION AND THEN FIVE YEAR CIP PS.
SO JUST TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THAT FACT THAT THE FIVE YEAR CIP IS STILL 72 MILLION, UH, SIGNIFICANT PART OF THAT WILL BE, UM, NEXT YEAR, UH, WITH A BOND REFERENDUM WHEN THAT BOND IS SOLD FOR THE, UH, COURTHOUSE AND FOR THE CTE BUILDING, THAT'S APPROXIMATELY 46 MILLION OF THAT.
UM, SO JUST BE AWARE OF THAT AS WELL.
SO, AS I MENTIONED, THE CIP PROJECTS IN FRONT OF US, UH, YOU CAN SEE A BREAKDOWN OF MOST OF THEM.
UM, A SIGNIFICANT PART OF IT IS WITH FIRE AND RESCUE, AS YOU SEE, MODULAR RESTROOM SHOWERS OR TRAINING CENTER, BRUSH TRUCK REPLACEMENT, FIRE ENGINE AND PUMPER REPLACEMENT, AND AN AMBULANCE REPLACEMENT AS WELL.
AGAIN, THE IT 1.3 MILLION FOR THE VANITY PROJECT AND SEVERAL OTHER UPGRADES TO OUR SYSTEMS. THEN THE 1.7, UH, FOR THE CHILLER AT THE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL FACILITY AND BUILDING.
SO WHAT DOES THIS BUDGET DO? IT INCLUDES A 3% COST OF LIVING SALARY INCREASE FOR ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES AND SCHOOL DISTRICT EMPLOYEES.
IT MAINTAINS PUBLIC SAFETY AS A PRIORITY WITH 5 9 5 NEW FULL-TIME POSITIONS IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, CIP FUNDING OF ALMOST 3 MILLION.
AND AGAIN, CONTINUED LARGER INVESTMENT IN OUR PUBLIC SAFETY SIDE THAN THE REST OF THE COUNTY.
UM, EDUCATION, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A FLAT BUDGET, IS STILL A 6% INCREASE IN LOCAL CONTRIBUTION, UM, WITH 1.8 MILLION IN SCHOOL CIP PROJECTS AS WELL.
AND AGAIN, IT DOES NOT RECOMMEND ANY INCREASE IN REAL ESTATE TAX TCSD TAX OR PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX.
SO AS WE GO FORWARD, THIS IS THE INITIAL PRESENTATION.
AGAIN, THIS IS THE DRAFT BUDGET.
IT GIVES THE BOARD SOMETHING TO START WITH.
AND ONE OF THE, UM, KEY DATA POINTS I LEFT OUT AT THE VERY BEGINNING, AND I APOLOGIZE, IS THIS BUDGET IS NOT A BALANCED BUDGET.
UH, THIS BUDGET HAS A $1.4 MILLION SURPLUS WITH IT BECAUSE AS WE START THE BUDGET VERY CONSERVATIVELY, AND THEN AS WE LEARN MORE INFORMATION, WE'RE ABLE TO, TO BETTER JUDGE AND GAUGE WHAT OUR REVENUES ARE GOING TO BE.
SO AS WE STARTED THIS BUDGET, WE STARTED AGAIN WITH A FLAT BUDGET.
UH, BY THE TIME WE GET TO THIS POINT, UH, WE FEEL WE'LL HAVE ABOUT A $1.4 MILLION SURPLUS THAT THE BOARD WILL BE ABLE TO CONSIDER.
THERE'S SEVERAL THINGS THAT, UH, WERE IN FRONT OF US.
UH, ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WERE PLACED IN FRONT OF US WAS TO CONSIDER WHAT TO DO IF WE WERE TO CUT TAXES BY ONE PENNY.
ANOTHER WAS TO CONSIDER WHAT WE WOULD DO IF WE WERE TO RAISE TAXES, BUY ONE PENNY.
UM, ONE WAS WHAT WE WOULD DO IF WE WERE TO MAKE A GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO REACH OUR POLICY OF A 60% THRESHOLD FOR OUR, OUR, UH, RESERVE FUNDS.
SO IN CREATING THIS BUDGET, UM, IT'S A STARTING POINT SINCE WE HAD THOSE DIFFERENT OPTIONS.
UH, GIVING YOU THE ABILITY TO DECIDE WHAT DIRECTION YOU WANTED TO GO IS, I THINK, IMPORTANT.
UM, IN THE EVENT THAT, UH, THE BOARD WISHED TO RAISE, UH, TAXES BY A PENNY, STAFF WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THAT MONEY BE USED, UM, TO ISSUE SOME DEBT IN ORDER TO, TO BUILD SOME BUILDINGS THAT ARE CRITICALLY NEEDED.
UH, WE STILL HAVE FIRE STATION SEVEN THAT NEEDS TO BE BUILT, THAT WE DON'T HAVE A FUNDING SOURCE FOR IT.
WE STILL HAVE A NEED FOR SERVICES OF, OF EITHER CONVENIENCE CENTERS, PARKS, OR GOVERNMENT FACILITIES IN THE EASTERN PART OF THE COUNTY THAT WE HAVE NO SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR AS WELL.
UH, IN THE EVENT THAT, UH, THE BOARD WERE TO DECIDE TO CUT TAXES BY A PENNY, WE HAVE $1.4 MILLION,
[00:25:02]
AND A PENNY IS WORTH ABOUT 990,000.SO THE BOARD COULD GO THAT DIRECTION AS WELL.
IN THE EVENT THE BOARD WANTED TO LOOK AT TRYING TO HIT THE 60%, UH, PROVIDED WITH THE BOARD A LIST OF CUTS THAT WE COULD DO.
UM, WE COULD CERTAINLY NOT HIRE ANY NEW EMPLOYEES.
UH, WE COULD NOT GIVE THE 3% PAY RAISE.
AND THERE'S SOME OTHER AREAS THAT WE WOULD LOOK TO RECOMMEND AS WELL.
UH, THE DELTA, THERE IS ABOUT FIVE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS THAT WOULD GET US TO THAT 60% THRESHOLD.
UH, WE COULDN'T DO IT IN ONE YEAR AND SAFELY OPERATE THIS COUNTY, BUT WE COULD MAKE A, A, A RUNNING START TO GET TOWARD IT IN TWO YEARS.
UM, STAFF WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THAT, BUT IT IS CERTAINLY AN OPTION THAT IS IN FRONT OF THE BOARD AS WELL.
SO THE BUDGET THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT IS ONE THAT, THAT MEETS MANY OF OUR NEEDS.
UH, IT DOESN'T MEET ALL OF OUR NEEDS, BUT THEY NEVER DO.
UM, IT IS A BUDGET THAT I CAN SLEEP WELL BECAUSE THERE'S NO CUT IN SERVICES.
THE SERVICES WE HAVE TODAY ARE THE SERVICES WE WOULD HAVE TOMORROW.
UM, IT WOULD NOT NECESSARILY KEEP UP WITH THE GROWING COUNTY, BUT IT GIVES THE BOARD THOSE OPTIONS TO DECIDE WHICH DIRECTION TO WISH IT TO GO.
SO THE SCHEDULE IN FRONT OF YOU, TOWN HALL MEETINGS START IN MARCH, THEN THE PUBLIC, UH, SCHEDULE FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS IN APRIL, AND THEN THE ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET AS WELL IN APRIL.
SO MEMBERS OF THE BOARD THAT IS PRESENTATION OF THE BUDGET, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE FOR MYSELF OR STAFF? ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? MR. LAW? MR. COPY, I JUST WANT TO ITERATE THAT THIS IS THE STARTING POINT.
AND SO, UH, IF, IF YOU WILL, THE, THE SAUSAGE MAKING PROCESS BEGINS, AND SO THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS UP OR DOWN.
AND SO YOU'VE NOW GIVEN US A PLACE TO START.
UH, MR. CAR, DID YOU TOUCH UPON HOW, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DO SEE, YOU TOUCHED UPON THE FIRE AND RESCUE GOING UP CONSIDERABLY.
CAN YOU TOUCH UPON THE IMPACT OF TRANSITIONING OVER A PERIOD OF TIME FROM A EXCLUSIVELY VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT TO MORE PROFESSIONALIZED, IF THAT'S THE RIGHT TERM, FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS PLAYED AN IMPACT IN THAT AND HOW IT DOES ON AN ONGOING BASIS? YES, MS. VOS, SO AS YOU SAW THAT, THAT GROWTH OF PUBLIC SAFETY SPENDING, UM, AGAIN, THAT REFLECTS SIGNIFICANTLY GOING FROM A, UH, VOLUNTEER SERVICE TO A CAREER SERVICE.
UM, AND IT, IT'S A TRAJECTORY THAT THE COUNTY HAS, UH, BEEN ABLE TO FUND SUCCESSFULLY, UH, TO THIS POINT.
UM, IT GETS US TO WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW AND WE CONTINUE TO GROW.
THE CHIEF INFORMED ME TODAY THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MOVE STATION EIGHT AND SANDY HOOK TO A 24 HOUR AMBULANCE FACILITY.
SO WE CONTINUE TO GROW THAT WITHIN THE RESOURCES THAT THEY HAVE AVAILABLE.
UM, IT DOES NOT PROVIDE THE ABILITY TO CONTINUE TO KEEP UP WITH WHERE THE COUNTY'S GOING.
AND WE'VE KNOWN THAT AS WE'VE, AS WE BUILD STATION EIGHT AND THEN BUILD STATION SEVEN, UH, WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA NEED TO HAVE ANOTHER 40 EMPLOYEES IN ORDER TO MAN THEM FULLY TO THE DEGREE THAT FIRE AND RESCUE IS REQUESTING.
SO I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE BUDGET I PRESENTED DOES NOT MOVE US FORWARD IN THAT AREA TO THE DEGREE THAT THE STAFF WILL UNDOUBTEDLY SAY THEY WOULD LIKE TO GO.
UM, HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THAT, UH, GIVEN THE LIMITED RESOURCES, UH, THAT WE HAD IN FRONT OF US, THAT, UH, IT WAS A GOOD STARTING POINT, UH, WHAT I DID.
BUT THERE IS A NEED AS WELL THERE.
AND THE 3%, UM, AGAIN, IN PREVIOUS YEARS, WE MADE GREAT STRIDES IN THE COMPENSATION FOR OUR PUBLIC SAFETY AND ALL OUR EMPLOYEES, UH, TO THE POINT THAT WE ARE VERY COMPETITIVE REGIONALLY.
UM, I DON'T YET KNOW WHAT OUR REGIONAL PEERS WERE GONNA DO, UH, FOR THEIR PAY RAISES.
UM, 3% MAYBE WHAT THE, MY UNDERSTANDING IS MANY OF THEM ARE DOING A 3% THIS YEAR, BUT THAT MAY NOT BE ALL OF THEM.
SO, UH, TO YOUR QUESTION, MS. FODDERS, THE TRAJECTORY THAT WE STARTED THIS YEAR, UH, IF THIS BUDGET THAT I PRESENTED WERE TO BE THE FINAL BUDGET, THEN, THEN THAT ANGLE UPWARD WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASE OF THE GROWTH IN PUBLIC SAFETY AS COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE BUDGET.
I JUST DON'T WANT THE PUBLIC TO SEE THAT ANGLE UPWARD AS ENTIRELY DRIVEN BY FIRE AND RESCUE.
ITS CONDITIONS THAT THE COUNTY HAS SEEN FOR COMING FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, AND IT'S A GOOD THING THAT WE TRANSITION OVER TIME FROM A VOLUNTEER TO A, YOU KNOW, HUGELY PROFESSIONAL STAFF.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE JUST HAVE TO PUT ALL THESE THINGS IN CONTEXT.
AND ADDITIONALLY, I WOULD GO FURTHER TO SAY ACROSS THE BOARD, THESE INQUIRIES, AS YOU SEE, ARE NOT COUNTY ISSUES.
THESE ARE LARGELY FED DRIVEN MM-HMM
UH, ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY I WOULD SAY.
SO I JUST WANT THE PUBLIC TO KEEP THAT IN MIND AS THEY LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AT THE COUNTY LEVEL
[00:30:01]
AND SAY, OH GOSH, WE'VE GONE, UH, YOU KNOW, RAMPANT WITH CERTAIN INCREASES.AND, AND THE REALITY IS NO PRICES HAVE INCREASED, AND THAT'S DUE TO THE UNLIMITED PRINTING OF MONEY OUT OF WASHINGTON DC AND WE MANAGE THE BEST THAT WE CAN TO PROVIDE TOP-NOTCH SERVICES TO ALL OUR CITIZENS AND DO IT WITHIN BUDGET.
AND JUST TO, UH, DRAW THAT ATTENTION, THIS BUDGET DOES INCLUDE A NEW, UH, FIRETRUCK AND A NEW AMBULANCE.
UM, THAT IF YOU GO BACK THOSE EIGHT YEARS, UH, THOSE ARE PROBABLY DOUBLE THE COST OF WHAT, UH, WE WOULD'VE SPENT THEN, IF NOT MORE SO JUST TO GET THE SAME LEVEL OF EQUIPMENT AS NEW EQUIPMENT.
SO DRIVING MUCH OF THIS COST IS, IS NOT OUR DESIRE TO EXPAND OUR SERVICE, IT'S JUST TO KEEP THE SERVICE THAT WE HAVE.
AND AGAIN, UM, OUR CITIZENS HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THIS IS CRITICAL AND IMPORTANT TO THEM, AND THE BOARD HAS LISTENED TO THEM.
AND AGAIN, UH, THIS BUDGET MOVES US IN THAT DIRECTION.
UM, BUT IT IS A STRONGLY CONSERVATIVE BUDGET.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? I DO, I DO HAVE ONE MORE.
COULD YOU JUST, MR. CARPENTER HIGHLIGHT, I BELIEVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACTUALLY GOES DOWN IN THIS BUDGET AND SHORT OF INCREASING TAX, UH, TAX REVENUE AND INCREASED ASSESSMENTS OR INCREASED TAXES, UM, DRIVING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS ONE OF THE FEW LEVERS WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE POOL.
AND, UH, SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, IT ACTUALLY GOES DOWN IN THIS BUDGET, CORRECT? WELL, IT DOES, YES, SIR.
UH, HOWEVER, THE BOARD HAS COMMITTED, UM, UP TO $3 MILLION TO SUPPORT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UM, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ALL THAT MONEY IDENTIFIED WHERE IT NEEDS TO GO.
MS. WORLEY IS, IS WORKING ON THE VARIOUS, UH, ASPECTS OF THAT.
UH, THE REASON YOU DON'T SEE THAT IN THE BUDGET PER SE, IS THAT IF WE HAD PUT THE 3 MILLION IN, THEN THAT WOULD'VE PUT US 1.6 MILLION IN THE RED, AND THAT'S AGAINST THE COUNTY POLICY OF HAVING A STRUCTURALLY UNBALANCED BUDGET.
SO WE DID NOT PUT THAT, BUT THE MONEY HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED BY THE BOARD TO BE SPENT, AND IT'LL JUST BE A MATTER OF COMING TO THE BOARD AND ASKING FOR THE BOARD TO APPROVE THE SPENDING, AND THEN IT'LL BE PUT INTO THE BUDGET.
SO THE, SO THE COMMITMENT TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS STRONGLY THERE.
YOU DON'T SEE IT IN THIS BUDGET AT THIS POINT, BUT IT WILL GET ADDED AS, AS OPPORTUNITIES COME, UH, IN FRONT OF US.
ANYTHING ELSE? UM, I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, QUITE A BIT OF WORK GOES INTO THIS.
UM, THINKING BACK LAST YEAR WHEN I JUST JOINED THE BOARD, AND I WAS SOMEWHAT OVERWHELMED BY THIS PROCESS, AND I KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT IT NOW, BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT, UH, A LOT OF EVERYONE HAS INPUT ON THIS PROCESS AND IT'S VERY COMPLEX AND A LOT OF WORK.
AND I WANT TO THANK MS. CAVE AND HER STAFF AND EVERYBODY, ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND EVERYBODY WHO PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROCESS TO BRING IT ALL TOGETHER.
SO I THINK IT'S A GOOD BUDGET.
AND AS YOU SAID, GOING IN, IT'S A, IT'S A DRAFT FORM AND WE'VE GOT SOME WORK TO DO, UH, BETWEEN NOW AND APRIL 15TH OF WHENEVER THE, YEAH.
SO THANK YOU ALL AND THANKS STAFF.
DOES MR. HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? MR. SPOON, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE I DID HAVE A COUPLE, BUT I CAN HOLD 'EM FOR FUTURE MEETINGS IF, IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO WRAP UP.
UM, MR. CARPENTER, YOU, YOU TALKED ABOUT PUTTING THE BUDGET TOGETHER.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, OR, UM, MAYBE BE ABLE TO BRING TO THE NEXT SESSIONS WHAT THE ASSUMPTIONS THAT WE MADE WERE REGARDING REVENUES? YOU KNOW, WHAT ASSUMPTIONS WOULD BE MADE AROUND REAL ESTATE GROWTH, AROUND PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RATES AND GROWTH AND THINGS LIKE THAT? WHATEVER WENT INTO, UH, COMING UP WITH OUR REVENUES AND, AND EXPENSES AS FAR AS ASSUMPTIONS THAT ARE MADE? UH, YES SIR, MS. BOHA, UM, OBVIOUSLY THE BULK OF OUR REVENUE COMES FROM TAXES, EITHER, UH, PROPERTY TAXES, PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES, SALES TAX, UM, SOME OF THOSE LIKE SALES TAXES, WE, WE KIND OF HAVE TO DEPEND ON INFORMATION PROVIDED TO US, UM, OTHERS ON, UH, LIKE PERSONAL PROPERTY, UH, THAT CHANGES BY THE DAY.
SO, SO WE PICK A POINT IN TIME, I THINK IT WAS JANUARY 23RD, OF HOW MANY VEHICLES THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE ON THE BOOKS, UH, THEN HOW MANY VEHICLES ARE NOT YET ON THE BOOKS THAT WE HAVE REASON TO BELIEVE WILL BE ON THE BOOKS.
AND THEN WE JUST TAKE AN AVERAGE VALUE FOR THOSE REMAINING VEHICLES AND, AND ADD THAT TO IT TO COME UP WITH.
AND AN, UM, AND AN ASSUMED REVENUE FOR PERSONAL PROPERTY WHEN IT COMES TO GENERAL PROPERTY TAX.
UM, OF COURSE, COUNTY REASSESSES EVERY YEAR, AND SO WE REASSESSED IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, EVERYBODY GOT THEIR NOTICES.
[00:35:01]
UM, THAT WAS QUITE A BIT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT.IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THAT REASSESSMENT COVERS THE CALENDAR YEAR, SO IT AFFECTS THE JUNE TAX NOTICES AND THE DECEMBER TAX NOTICES, THE BUDGET I PRESENTED TODAY STARTS IN DECEMBER AND GOES TO NEXT JUNE.
WELL, THE NEXT JUNE WILL BE PART OF NEXT YEAR'S REASSESSMENT.
SO THE DECEMBER, UH, FIGURES WE USE, WERE BASED COMPLETELY ON WHAT WE KNOW THE ASSESSED VALUE IS THAT THAT'S HARD NUMBERS.
SO WE USE THAT AS THE BASIS FOR DECEMBER.
UM, WHAT WE DID IS WE LOOKED AT WHAT GROWTH TRENDS COULD BE OR SHOULD BE, AND THEN WE TAKE A CONSERVATIVE APPROACH.
SO WE USE A 3% ESTIMATED GROWTH FOR THE JUNE FIGURES FOR NEXT BUDGET NOW.
SO WE'RE TALKING 16 MONTHS IN THE FUTURE, BUT, UM, IT'S GENERALLY IT'S BEEN HIGHER THAN THAT, BUT A LOT'S GONNA HAPPEN OR COULD HAPPEN.
SO THE STAFF USED A 3% GROWTH RATE VERSUS, UM, 6, 7, 8 OR 9% GROWTH RATE THEIR PREVIOUS YEARS HAVE SHOWN.
UM, DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? OKAY.
SO REMAINING CONSERVATIVE, WHICH IS I THINK A GOOD THING, BUT WE DON'T WANNA BE TOO CONSERVATIVE, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, THE LAST QUESTION I HAVE, IT'S MORE OF A COMMENT, YOU KNOW, IN, IN YOUR PRESENTATION, MR. CARPENTER, AND THANK YOU AGAIN.
UH, I ECHO MR. WINFREY'S SENTIMENTS.
UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THE GROWING COUNTY AND HOW WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH THE GROWING COUNTY, AND I RESPECT THAT.
HOWEVER, AND, AND I HOPE AS THE DEPARTMENTS AND CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS COME TO SPEAK TO THAT, YOU KNOW, IF I KIND OF, YOU KNOW, DO SOME BACK OF THE NAPKIN.
AND WHEN I GOT ON THE BOARD FIVE YEARS AGO, WE WERE AROUND 22,000 PEOPLE AND NOW WE'RE AROUND 27,000, SO THAT'S ROUGHLY 20%.
YET WE'VE GROWN PUBLIC SAFETY BOTH IN FIRE AND RESCUE, UH, OVER A HUNDRED PERCENT.
SO PRETTY MUCH DOUBLED THE BUDGET.
AND WE THE SAME WITH, WITH, UM, WITH, UH, THE PUBLIC SAFETY, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
SO I'VE JUST, I, I HOPE AS THEY COME TO PRESENT THEIR BUDGETS, THEY CAN SHOW US HOW THAT GROWTH OF THE, THE EXPENSES, HOW THAT RELATES TO WHAT I SEE AS A GREAT GROWTH FOR A COUNTY, BUT IT'S NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT.
AND THEN AS REGARDS TO PUBLIC UTILITIES, YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT, UM, THE PUBLIC UTILITIES, UH, WERE GOING UP 11% AND THEN WE ALSO SAW A, A SPIKE IN THE, OR AN INCREASE IN THE RATES, WHICH I KNOW IS SCHEDULED.
SO I, I, I HOPE WHEN PUBLIC UTILITIES COMES, THEY COULD TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH OF THAT 11% INCREASE IS DUE TO THE RATE INCREASES.
AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN DO OR SHOULD BE LOOKING AT TO ADDRESS, UM, IF THERE, IF THERE'S ANY DIFFERENCES THERE, IF THAT INCREASE NEEDS TO BE THAT MUCH, BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY PROJECTS LIKE WATER MAIN REPAIRS, THAT, THAT HAVE REALLY SNUCK UP ON US.
SO JUST LOOK PUTTING FORWARD MORE IN DEPTH ON PUBLIC UTILITIES.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I, I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING AND IT WAS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
NEXT WE'LL ASK MS. CAVE TO COME UP AND PRESENT THE, UH, PUBLIC HEARING PROPOSED REAL ESTATE TAX RATE.
SO AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A, UM, OH HI
WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING DATE SET FOR APRIL 1ST.
AND, UM, TO GET THERE WE HAVE TO DO A LITTLE ADVERTISING OF A FEW THINGS.
SO I'M JUST GONNA WALK YOU THROUGH THREE MOTIONS THAT WE JUST NEED FROM THE BOARD.
UM, TWO OF THEM ARE TO ADVERTISE.
UM, ONE WILL BE A MOTION TO ADVERTISE FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING, THE REAL ESTATE RATE.
ANOTHER WILL BE TO ADVERTISE FOR THE ACTUAL PROPOSED BUDGET THAT YOU SAW TODAY.
UM, EVEN THOUGH THERE WILL BE CHANGES, WE HAVE TO GET THE INITIAL PROPOSED BUDGET OUT THERE, UM, FOR CITIZENS TO COMMENT ON.
AND, UM, AS WELL AS ALL TAX RATES ASIDE FROM REAL ESTATE.
AND THEN WE NEED TO SET THE PUBLIC HEARING DATE OFFICIALLY FOR CHANGES TO THE FEE SCHEDULE.
SO I WILL WALK YOU THROUGH THAT RIGHT NOW.
UM, SOMEBODY TELL ME HOW TO PROBABLY STOP AT THE END OF EACH ONE FOR THE VOTE? YES.
I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE IT A FULL, A SLIDESHOW FROM BEGINNING SLIDESHOW.
SO FIRST, UM, EACH YEAR WE NEED TO ADVERTISE WHAT THE ACTUAL, UM, REAL ESTATE RATE IS THAT WE PLAN TO ADVERTISE, WHICH THIS BOARD HAS SUGGESTED THAT WE KEEP THE TAX RATE AT 53 CENTS FOR REAL ESTATE.
I WILL NOTE, ONCE YOU ADVERTISE A RATE, YOU ARE ABLE TO LOWER IT.
YOU CANNOT RAISE IT GOING FORWARD.
UM, SO THIS IS AN ADVERTISEMENT FOR YOU TO APPROVE TONIGHT FOR 53 CENT RATE.
SO KEEPING IT AT CURRENT LEVEL.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW
[00:40:01]
WHAT THE EFFECTIVE TAX RATE INCREASE IS, AND THAT MEANS IF WE WERE TO BRING IN THE EXACT SAME AMOUNT OF REVENUE, UM, AS WE DID IN THE CURRENT YEAR, WHAT, WITHOUT INCREASING MORE THAN 1%, WHAT WOULD THE TAX RATE BE FOR THAT? UM, SO THE EFFECTIVE TAX RATE WOULD BE 4 CENTS LOWER THAN OUR 53 CENT RATE, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY AN 8.2% TAX RATE INCREASE.SO WE WILL ADVERTISE THAT AND WE WILL NEED A OFFICIAL AUTHORIZATION FROM THE BOARD TO DO THAT.
THERE IS A ADVERTISEMENT IN YOUR PACKET.
YEAH, I THINK WE WOULD, UH, DO BOTH OF 'EM AT THE SAME TIME.
THE, THE DRAFT BUDGET AS WELL AS THE TAX RATE.
IS THAT ON THIS ONE? TECHNICALLY THERE'S THREE, THERE'S THREE DIFFERENT MOTIONS.
THIS ONE'S JUST FOR THE REAL ESTATE TAX RATE.
THE NEXT WILL BE FOR THE WHOLE BUDGET.
[2. Authorization to Advertise for Public Hearing the Proposed 2025 Real Estate Tax Rate]
TO ADVERTISE FOR THE TAX RATE, RIGHT? YES.MR. CHAIRMAN, I, I'M WILLING TO MAKE A MOTION, BUT, UM, IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT THE BOARD WANTED TO ADVERTISE AT 53, AND I'VE BEEN VERY VOCAL.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT AT 52, AND I UNDERSTAND WE CAN DECREASE.
SO I WILL MAKE THE MOTION TO ADVERTISE AT 53, BUT I HOPE WE HAVE A ROBUST DISCUSSION ON, UH, LOWERING AT A PENNY.
SO I MOVE THAT WE, UH, WHERE IS MY PROPER PAGE TWO OF YOUR PACKET.
NOW I MOVE THAT THE BOARD APPROVED ADVERTISING, THE ATTACHED NOTICE AND SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR APRIL 1ST, 2025 TO CONSIDER THE 2025 REAL ESTATE TAX RATE.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL ON THIS ROLL CALL.
MR. SPOONER? YES, MR. LYLE? YAY.
I'LL MOVE INTO, NEXT IS THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE PROPOSED BUDGET YOU SAW TODAY, AS WELL AS IT'LL GIVE DETAIL FOR THE SCHOOL'S 2026 PROPOSED BUDGET, OUR 25 YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, AND ALL OTHER TAX RATES ASIDE FROM REAL ESTATE.
AND HERE'S THE OFFICIAL MOTION UP FOR YOU.
[3. Authorization to Advertise for Public Hearing the County Administrator's Proposed Fiscal Year 2026 County Budget and Proposed Calendar Year 2025 Tax Rates]
CHAIR? I MOVE TO THE GUCCI COUNTY BOARD, SUPERVISORS APPROVE ADVERTISING THE ATTACHED NOTICE AND SETTING PUBLIC HEARING FOR APRIL 1ST, 2025 TO CONSIDER FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET AND 2025 TAX RETURNS.LAST ONE IS, UM, WE JUST NEED TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING TO AMEND OUR APPENDIX FEE TO THE COUNTY CODE.
WE'VE HAD TWO DEPARTMENTS COME FORWARD, ACTUALLY, THREE, BUT ONE, WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT OUR, OUR ENVI.
OUR ENVIRONMENTAL DEPARTMENT IS STILL LOOKING AT, UM, SOME CHANGES THEY HOPE TO MAKE.
SO THAT MAY COME BEFORE YOU AT A LATER DATE.
BUT CURRENTLY, UM, WE'RE LOOKING TO INCREASE WATER AND SEWER VOLUME SERVICE FEES FOR THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT FOR ALL CUSTOMERS BY TWO POINT A HALF PERCENT.
AS MR. SPOON HOWER ALLUDED TO EARLIER.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING TO INCREASE WATER AND SEWER CONNECTION FEES AND THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT BY TWO POINT A HALF PERCENT.
UM, AND THEN BUILDING INSPECTIONS HAS BROUGHT FORWARD,
[4. Request to set public hearing for April 1, 2025, to consider an ordinance amending the County Fee Schedule, Appendix C to the County Code, to increase the utilities water and sewer volume, service, and connection fees; and to increase the building inspections’ commercial plan re-review fee and expand it to include residential plans]
UM, THEIR INCREASE RECENTLY OF HAVING TO DO RE-REVIEW.SO WE, THEY CURRENTLY HAVE COMMERCIAL BUILDING PLAN RE-REVIEW FEE OF A HUNDRED DOLLARS.
THEY LIKE TO INCREASE THAT TO $250 AND ALSO IMPLEMENT A NEW RERE REVIEW FEE FOR RESIDENTIAL BUILDING PLANS OF $250.
AND THOSE ARE CURRENTLY THE ONLY CHANGES TO THE FEES.
BEFORE YOU DO WE HAVE A MOTION, MR. CHAIRMAN, I MOVE UCHIN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO APPROVE SETTING PUBLIC HEARING FOR APRIL 1ST, 2025 TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE GLAND COUNTY FEE SCHEDULE APPEND C AS PRESENTED.
I BELIEVE THAT WRAPS IT UP AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY FURTHER BUSINESS.
[VIII. Adjournment]
ADJOURN.ANY, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? SECOND.
ANY OPPOSED? MEETING ADJOURNED.