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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1992-09-08 - City Commission Special Meeting MinutesCity Council Special Meeting 09/08/92/KJ Page 1 CITY OF TAMARAC CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1992 CAL3�_T,Q ORDER: Mayor Bender called this meeting to order on Tuesday, September 8, 1992, at 7:00 p.m. in Council Chambers of Tamarac City Hall, 7525 Northwest 88 Avenue, Tamarac, Florida. PLEPPA OF ALLEGIANCE_ Mayor Bender called for the Pledge of Allegiance. Mayor H. Tarry Bender Vice Mayor Henry Schumann Councilman Joseph Schreiber Councilman Norman Abramowitz Councilman Irving Katz ALSO RRZ"XT_;, John P. Kelly, City Manager Mitchell S. Kraft, City Attorney Carol A. Evans, City Clerk Mary Blasi, Finance Director Karen Jackson, Secretary 1. ANNOUNCNT, of the percentage increase in proposed millage rate over the rolled -back rate necessary to fund the General Fund budget for Fiscal Year 1992/93 and the specific purposes for which ad valorem tax revenues are being increased. SYNC LjTrR OF ACTIQjfj Announcement was made as follows: The tentative General Fund budget of $17,290,609.00 is more than the current Budget of $15,921,530.00. Council has proposed to increase the current millage rate of 4.4603 mils to 4.8293 mils which is a 3.08% increase over the rolled back rate of 4.6851 mils. Mr. Kelly read the announcement into the record as shown above. 2. PUBLIC #RIWING on the proposed millage rate for Fiscal Year 1992/93. AXN!PPSIS OI' ,,ACTION: Public Hearing was held. Mr. Kelly said most residents will want to speak on Item #3, unless specifically addressing the millage aspect of the proposed rate. Mayor Bender OPENED the Public Hearing. Frank Samborski, resident of Woodmont, commended Council on the progress they have achieved. He said taxes should be fair, equal and progressive. He said a City government must have in -sight, economic and dynamic. He said the City government cannot satisfy all, but must be strong and flexible in all matters. He said uniting makes a City's government strong. Mr. Samborski said a number of residents in the City pay no real City Council Special Meeting 09/08/92/KJ Page 2 i estate or property taxes. He said a conservative number is 1,700 and more because of overassessments of 1,300, plus 2,000 more pay very little taxes, totalling 5,000 or 12% of the City's homeowners, yet they want the best services. Mr. Samborski suggested a utility tax and/or an assessment for all homeowners in taxation, not in an increase in real estate. He said costs can bring in an average of $6.00 per month or an assessment of $75.00 per year. He said five out of twenty-six cities pay no utility taxes. He said one has an average of $80,000 per capita, all pay taxes; two, due to the graphic location, all pay tames; one has been laying people off with less services; and the fift4 is Tamarac. Mr. Samborski said utility taxes can bring in over three millioA dollars to Tamarac, reducing real estate taxes. He said the City must have growth, keeping up with the future and paying the City employees. He said this is important for the future of the City{ Mayor Bender CLOSED the Public Hearing with no further respons�. 3. PUBLIC BRING on the tentative General Fund budget for Fiscal Year 1992/93. ft,XNPI) A I3 OF ACT ION,;, Public Hearing was held. Mr. Kelly said this time is allotted to those who would like to comment on anything relative to the proposed General Fund budget for Fiscal Year 1992/93. Mayor Bender OPBNSD the Public Hearing. Walter Rekuc, resident, said taxes have increased 90.5% or tour million dollars from 1986/87. He said $700,000 was borrowed�fron Utility West and not repaid and a number of funds have been] depleted. He said Social Security payments to the City's retired citizens increased only 12.5%. He said interest on taxpayers' savings decreased from 9% to 4%. Mr. Rekuc said the taxpayers have been burdened by double-digit tax increases in each of the years. He said the taxpayers have seen the following with their tax increases: 1) canals not maintained, 2) street repairs are not satisfactory, 3) street median maintenance and irrigation have deteriorated since a qualified civil engineer left the City. Mr. Rekuc said there is $100,000 in the budget to correct Commercial Boulevard, which has been run down by the City administration. He said C/M Katz had reported that children"are destroying City property while recreation management is sittinglin the office. He said there has been personnel hired under fraudulent procedures while loyal employees and citizens of the; City were set up by termination according to a Union representative and Tamarac taxpayer. Mr. Rekuc said in the past four years, the City Manager has leased cars, provided City cars, provided car allowances to department managers. He said in the Griffith Report, $685,000 was transferred from the General Fund to the City Water Works. He said the report indicates that the City Attorney spends 39.2% of his effort on ' Utility West. He said the prior City Attorney indicated less than 5%. He said the City Council cost allocated 27% to Utility �est, which is not true. He said the Charter Board and Public Information Committee were allocated 27%, but the members 1-1 .4 City Council Special Meeting 09/08/92/KJ Page 3 indicated zero. Mr. Rekuc suggested the City have a complete overhaul of the budget system and a method of getting the City's costs under control. He said the public does not need any more increases. He suggested a 15% decrease rather than an increase. Mayor Bender CLOSED the Public Hearing with no further response. 4. MOTXAN TR ADOPT a proposed millage rate for Fiscal Year 1992/93. SYNOPSIS OF ACTAON,_ APPROVED a proposed millage rate of 4.8293 mils for Fiscal Year 1992/93 which is a 3.08% increase over the current rolled back rate of 4.6851 mils. Mr. Kelly read the proposed millage rate into the record as indicated above. C/M Katz MOVED to APPROVE Item 4, SECONDED by V/M Schumann. C/M Katz said during the budget workshops, a discussion was held regarding the reduction of the Fire Department budget by removing the Assistant Chief and the probationary firefighter positions. He questioned the amount removed from the budget which only reflects the removal of the Assistant Chief position. Mary Blasi, Finance Director, said during the Council Budget Workshop, the City Manager was instructed to not fill the probationary firefighter position, but to leave the funding in place until a future decision could be made. She said this was approved by Consensus of Opinion. C/M Katz requested information regarding the vehicles and the cost of maintaining those vehicles that Council allowed for replacement in the budget and Ms. Blasi said she would supply the amounts to him. C/M Schreiber recommended that the millage rate remain the same as it is at 4.4603. He said he developed a figure that he anticipated to be the surplus for the year ending in September as $2,371,699. He said he reviewed the July 31, 1992 report of the Finance Director which reflects an anticipated to be $2,301,000. C/M Schreiber said he feels that there is more than sufficient funding to cover the $1,500,000 carry-over that the City Manager put into the budget and still would have sufficient funds to cover the increase of 6.6% which calculated at $61,000 per point, totalling $402,600. He said that may be enough funds so that there does not need to be a tax increase. C/M Schreiber said the residents are subject to a County tax increase of 10 to 15%,: the water and sewer rates are increasing on October 1, 1992 by approximately 14%, the City will impose a $350,000 franchise fee on the contract vendors for the removal of garbage and the people are economically hurting. He requested that the 4.4603 mils remain the same. Ms. Blasi said the General Fund budget is balanced with an appropriation of 1.5 million dollars of available fund balance for next year. She said she has estimated that the City will have approximately two million dollars at the end of this year available in the General Fund balance, leaving $500,000 in unappropriated fund balance at the end of the year. I- City Council Special Meeting 09/08/92/KJ Page 4 Ms. Blasi said, being a government financial officer, there is usually a rule of thumb with finance people to keep a 5% unreserved, unappropriated fund balance in the General Fund for many reasons. She said if the City does the 5% rule of thumb, the figure would be over $800,000 that the City would retain in the fund. i i Ms. Blasi said there are many problems if the City appropriates] 100% of what the anticipated fund balance is going to be. C/M Abramowitz Sal dthe fiscal responsibility does not always mean that the cheapest is the best. He said North Lauderdale did exactly what C/M Schreiber described over the past five years acid last year they raised their tax rate by 87%. He said Council has gone over the budget line item by line item. C/M Abramowitz said,t� -_,was a reference to the condition of the canals, which is true. He Said there is an infestation in all canal works in South Florida at present. He said Sunrise has switched canal maintenance responsibilities to the residents. HII said Council instructed the City Manager to hire more peop�e toi handle the canals, buy more equipment, such as a boat and these people need to be tFained and licensed. C/M Abramowitz refe+r�djto the condition of the streets. He said every new empiayee;�;aa. }nvplved in Public Works for the streets or the canals. He.commgnded;the City for holding the line on employees and improving' the services. He said there are neighboring cities who have laid off entire departments and are; currently contracting with other cities for help. C/M Abramowitz said if a resident has a $70,000 home under the new rate increase, theingw,.taxes for the year are increasing $15.07. He said the average;home in Tamarac is between $50,000 and $60,000, which is aT increase of approximately $10.00 per year. He said the City has done a good job in maintaining the taxes.] Mayor Bender referred to the Budget Handout and the charts for tax increases on the va�ripus property values. (Attachment 1) C/M Schreiber said,�e:,did not mention anything about cutting the budget. He said th�jre,is.more than enough surplus to hold the line. He said the increase may not be that great in the City, but when you add all ofithe„other increases to it, it totals up to a great deal of,money',aid not everyone can afford it. He said no one is talking about firing anybody or reducing budgets or anything like that. He said the,City can maintain the same tentativ General Fund Budgetyfigure without having a tax increase bee cause the surplus is there. C/M Katz said Counca cut three people from the Fire Department; and asked how many more,can be cut from the Fire Department I without losing the type of service that the City currently has. He said the City has added five people to the Public Works Department who cut grass with the intention of maintaining the City in good shape. He said the,amount pf vehicles is based on the poor condition of the Code;Enforcement officers vehicles and the Fire Department needed a„truck for their inspector to perform his duties with whatever equipment is necessary. C/M Katz said,in oroer,to dive in a City that is going to pirovige these types of'services, taxes are the way to pay for them.IHe referred to the devastated area in Dade County and said he would not like to see Tamarac hit by a hurricane without a surplus to be able to pay for,the people, material and equipment needed to City Council Special Meeting 09/08/92/KJ Page 5 survive such a disaster. Mayor Bender said this is not discussing the General Fund, which is a little over 17 million dollars. He said the City hires professional people, such as Mary Blasi, Finance Director, to give the Council advice and guidance. He said in running a City, it is necessary to maintain a balance in the budget. He said the Council relies heavily on the recommendations of the professionals and he is comfortable with these figures. Mr. Kelly said this is not yet a discussion of the General Fund budget. He said the City can only sell the old City Hall one time which was done this year and will be a factor in next year's budget. VOTE: C/M Abramowitz - AYE C/M Katz - AYE V/M Schumann - AYE C/M Schreiber - NAY Mayor Bender - AYE 5. MOTION TO ADQPX a tentative General Fund budget for Fiscal Year 1992/93. gX pPSIs or AC,TXQj :. APPROVED hiring two temporary, part-time counselors for the After - School Program. APPROVED the tentative General Fund budget for Fiscal Year 1992/93 as $17,300,367.00. Mr. Kelly said this is to approve the tentative General Fund budget for Fiscal Year 1992/93 as $17,290,609. He said he has made a proposal to Council to add two bodies to the package. He said the City has an After -School program to which there has been a tremendous response. Mr. Kelly recommended Council approve the addition of two counselors as temporary part-time personnel for the After -School program. He said the City is certified and is able to accommodate 150 students in the After -School program, which currently has 90 enrolled. He said there are 22 students on a waiting list to enter into the program. He said there is a requirement for one counselor for every 15 students. He requested the addition of these two part-time temporary personnel to the budget. He said there will be offsetting revenues coming into the City to pay for this; therefore, there will be no cost to the City. Mr. Kelly said if Council is willing to make these two additions, there will be a change to the tentative General Fund budget figure, but not to the percentage increase. C/M Katz referred to a September 3, 1992 memo showing $17,094.00 minus $9,065.00 and $8,029.00 as revenue. C/M Abramowitz asked if the two additional personnel will be a cost to the City and Mr. Kelly said the revenue from this program will pay for these two counselors. Mayor Bender asked when these two counselors are expected to be hired and Ed Doyle, Recreation Operations Manager, said immediately upon adoption. City Council Special. Meeting 09/08/92/KJ Page 6 C/M Abramowitz MOVED to APPROVE the addition of two temporary part-time personnel for the Recreation Department for the After - School program, SECONDED by V/M Schumann. VOTE: ALL VOTED AYE Mr. Kelly said the new tentative General Fund budget figure is j $17,300,367.00. C/M Katz asked if this figure includes the benefits for these additional personnel and Mr. Kelly said, yes. j 1 C/M Katz MOVED to APPROVE the tentative General Fund budget a� $17,300,367.00, SECONDED by V/M Schumann. VOTE: ALL VOTED AYE 6. ANNOUNCEMENT of percentage by which the recomputed m�ila4e rate exceed the rolled -back rate necessary to fund they General Fund budget for 1992/93. IIXATQRXZA PF ACT IOV : Announcement was made. The recomputed millage rate is 4.8293 mils which is a 3.08% increase over the current rolled back rate of 4.6851 mils. Mr. Kelly announced the recomputed millage rate as 4.8293 mils, which is a 3.08% increase over the current rolled back rateiof 4.6851 mils. C/M Schreiber suggested that the actual numbers be recited to the public which the rate increase will be 6.6%. Mr. Kelly said the trim bill requires that the millage rate'be recited in this manner. 7. ANNOUNCEMENT of the second public hearing on Tuesday September 22, 1992, at 7:00 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers during which a final millage and General Fund budget shall be adopted. SYNOPSIS OF ACTION: Announcement was made. Mayor Bender announced the second public hearing date. 8. PUBLIC IMARING on all other fund budgets for Fiscal Year 1992/93. 1 SYNOPSIS OF ACTION: Public Hearing was held. Mr. Kelly said any comments that are to be made regarding any other of the funds may be made at this time. Mayor Bender OPENED the Public Hearing. Walter Rekuc, resident, said he understood that there is a driving range being constructed in the City. He said there is no indication of a Profit and Loss for the driving range in thle budget. Mayor Bender said the driving range is in the planning stages only. City Council Special Meeting 09/08/92/KJ Page 7 C/M Katz said the new garbage contract which is being considered and the Request for Proposals includes a fee that the waste haulers are going to pay to the City, which should represent some revenue for the next year's budget that cannot be anticipated in this year's budget. He said there were some other sources of revenue discussed and he can foresee that if additional revenues are brought into the City, there would be no need to reduce services or cut jobs. Mayor Bender CLOSED the Public Hearing with no further response. 9. MOTION TO Apo= tentative budgets for all other funds for Fiscal Year 1992/93. SYNOPSIS OF ACTION: APPROVED the recalculated tentative budgets for all other funds for Fiscal Year 1992/93 as follows: Special Revenue Funds $ 1,565,500 Debt Service Funds $ 789,624 Enterprise Funds $15,157,449 Internal Service Funds $ 1,854,293 TOTAL $19,366,866 .`air. Kelly announced the recalculated tentative budgets for all Qther funds for Fiscal Year 1992/93 as listed above. _- -` CA4- Abramowitz MOVED to APPROVE Item 9, SECONDED by V/W Schuiinanb . "G/M.Sgh-raiber said he had recalculated the other fund budgets and came up with a total figure of $18,685,578 by making some changes in the Special Revenue Funds from $1,565,500 to $1,165,393 and the Internal Service Funds from $1,854,293 to $1,573,112, which is a difference of approximately $700,000. C/M Schreiber requested Council hold a workshop to discuss this recalculation and ALL AGREED. C/M Katz requested that this information be sent to Ms. Blasi for her review and C/M Schreiber said he would submit his calculations. TAPE 2 VOTE: ALL VOTED AYE 10. OUNCof proposed debt service millage rate for Fiscal Year 1992/93. SYNOPSIS „AX— A kCTION: Announcement was made for the proposed debt service millage rate for Fiscal Year 1992/93 as being .5650 mils which is 5.7% below the current debt service millage rate of .5991 mils. Mr. Kelly announced the proposed debt service millage rate for Fiscal Year 1992/93 as shown above. V/M Schumann asked if this is a direct result of the refinancing of the bonds and Mr. Kelly said, yes. C/M Abramowitz questioned the procedure of this calculation and Mr. Kelly said it is the total increase over the rolled back tax millage dividing the debt service into the property tax which is City Council Special Meeting 09/08/92/KJ Page 8 i C/M Abramowitz said the City raised the taxes slightly but the City has lowered the debt service a bit giving the total of 1.5% total rolled back and Mr. Kelly agreed. 11. MOTION TO ADOPT proposed debt service millage rate for Fiscal Year 1992/93. AX PPRZA L C" ' ..A9TXQXh APPROVED the proposed debt service millage rate for Fiscal Year; 1992/93 as being .5650 mils. Mr. Kelly said the proposed debt service millage rate for F'iscajl Year 1992/93 is .5650 mils. C/M Abramowitz MOVED to APPROVE Item 11, SECONDED by V/M Schumann. with no further business, Mayor Bender ADJOURNED this meetinglat 7:45 p.m. CAROL A. EVANS CITY CLERK UTY OF TAMARA( #PROVED AT MEETING OF /� -��}- a► .f . BENDEFR. MAYOR i 11 ZZYMALA AS r�/'I VA .. ° �' CITY OF TAMARAC, FLORIDA BUDGET HEARINGS: HOW TO BE HEARD WHEN: WHERE: TIME: September 8, and 22, 1992 City Hall City Hall 7525 NW 7:00 p.m. Chambers 88th Avenue Copies of the budget are available 'at the hearings in the Council Chambers or in, the City Clerk's Office. Want to speak? Sign up at the Clerk's desk in the Council Chambers or in the City Clerk's Office. SOME TIPS: * Please arrive early; seating is limited. * Please observe that speakers will be limited to three minutes. CITY OF TAMARAC, FLORIDA 1992 APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE PERIOD / 1993 ANNUAL BUDGET 10-01-92 TO 09-30-93 *** SUMMARY BY FUND *** NO O FUND 91/92 COUNCIL BUDGET APPROVED 001 GENERAL FUND 15,921,530 17,290,609 140 DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT FUND 225,000 51,000 142 PARKS AND RECREATION FUND 891,603. 637,500 144 TRAFFICWAYS IMPROVEMENT FUND 768,789 877,000 235 1986 G.O. BOND FUND 556,030 0 237 1987 G.O. BOND FUND 265,000 0 238 1992 G.O. BOND FUND 0 736,004 251 1980 FIRE STATION LOAN FUND 53,620 53,6?0 419 U.E. OPERATING FUND 362,826 415,1.2 425 U.W. OPERATING FUND 10,119,299 10,862,971 426 U.W. BOND SERVICE FUND 2,467,900 2,271,878 427 U.W. BOND RESERVE FUND 198,000 140,000 432 U.W. CIAO FUND 997,550 770,000 440 U.W. SQUARE ONE DEBT FUND 198,950 441 U.W. CAPITAL IMPR.REPLACE.FD. 42,080 0 442 U.W. SEWER CIAO BOND FUND 541,840 42,080 470 SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL FUND 3,650,000 303,348 501 MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SERVICE 260,073 352,000 502 CENTRAL PURCH./STORES FUND' 342.408 503 FLEET SERVICES FUND 188,205 191,756 504 INSURANCE SERVICES FUND 587,215 6_� 0,745 565,622 699,384 38,8fi1,132 -36,657,475 N CITY OF TAMARAC, FLORIDA PRELIMINARY ASSESSED PROPERTY VALUATION AND TAXATION ANALYSIS FISCAL YEAR 1992-93 1991 Assessed Valuation 1992 Current Adjusted Taxable Value Reduction in 1991 Property Assessments New Construction and Additions Net Reduction in Assessed Value 1992 Preliminary Assessed Valuations $1,411,979,681 -1.344.220. $( 67,758,782) (4.8%) U .157, OA-. 1. 6% S( 45.601.g (3.2%) S1.366&37813,89, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CURRENT MILLAGE RECAP Current Operating Tax Millage - $4.4603 per $1,000 ASSESSED VALUE Rolled -Back Operating Tax Millage - $4.6851 per $1,000 ASSESSED VALUE Proposed Operating Tax Millage - $4.8293 per $1,000 ASSESSED VALUE Proposed Increase over Operating Rolled -Back Tax Millage - 3.08% Proposed Increase over Operating Current Tax Millage - 8.27% . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DEBT SERV��j,��iGE )RECAP Current Debt Service Tax Millage - $.5991 per $1,000 ASSESSED VALUE Rolled -Back Debt Service Tax Millage - $. 6293 per $1,000 ASSESSED VALUE Proposed Debt Service Tax Millage - $.5650 per $1,000 ASSESSED VALUE Proposed decrease under Debt Service Rolled -Back Tax Millage -- (10.2%) Proposed decrease under Debt Service Current Tax Millage - ( 5.7%) ............................................................... TOTAL MILLAGE RECAP Current Total Tax Millage - $5.0594 per $1,000 ASSESSED VALUE Rolled -Back Total Tax Millage - $5.3144 per $1,000 ASSESSED VALUE Proposed Total Tax Millage - $5.3943 per $1,000 ASSESSED VALUE Total Proposed Increase over Rolled -Back Tax Millage - 1.5% Total Proposed Increase over Current Tax Millage - 6.6%, � C � � O C O W � CL O V ~ � CY CV CD N � a C C CAcq C6 N N N i! a W C � t °'Qo O p 4 LO vv n MO m CD O t7b v Z CL �..�: t�9 CM N co t N v N N a p � N t0 N ,• O v e0 Oy.� c� ..j 4) O r, r r- ti a '� c q t�a� 4, N o � c N �. N °' N "'- Q0°C �CLW az WIN LL OC ZL A C o 0QCL w _N d O C C.go 0 0 p 0 p 0 p C © O p LO ui V0 c �a�, �" N � van w C "o c O �Q a © C) Q ��� � I oo vO c c c J Y LIA �g N N N CV CMN N � cy 4i C C O O o O O O O O O p an W o N o c c o o c c o v o o a d> v �n co co 0 00 It 'a a O co O O O C O O O N to O fA O O O O O 0 O O O tp. 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