07.20.2022 - City Council MinutesCity of Clermont
MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL BUDGET WORKSHOP
July 20, 2022
CALL TO ORDER
The City Council met in a workshop session on Wednesday, July 20, 2022 in the Clermont City Council
Chambers. Mayor Murry called the workshop to order at 9:00 am with the following Council Members
present: Council Members Pines, Entsuah, Bates, and Purvis.
Other City officials present were City Manager Bulthuis, City Attorney Mantzaris, and City Clerk Howe.
OPENING COMMENTS
City Manager Bulthuis stated Council must set a maximum millage rate to advertise. Each department will
present their budget, including what has been tentatively cut and explain what that means for the
department. The city is starting the 2022/23 Fiscal Year with $10 million in fund balance. The revenues
projected for next year is $39 million. The expenditures for next year based on department requests are $47
million, which is $8 million over what the revenues are projected. There have been cuts made to simulate
the millage staying the same and still brings the city to $3 million over budget. He requested Council
direction on the millage rate.
Discussion ensued regarding the current millage rate of 4.2 as well as the surrounding cities millage rate
and fire fees. Discussion then lead to the current reserve funds in the fund balance and the recommended
range, which is three to four months of operating revenue.
City Manager Bulthuis explained how the millage rate affects the ad valorem tax and discussed the half
cent sales tax.
AGENDAITEMS
1. Proposed Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Budget Discussion
City Council
City Manager Bulthuis presented the budget for City Council. Council discussed the budget for phones and
uniforms.
City Clerk
City Clerk Howe presented the budget cuts impacting the department. The items discussed were the budgets
for the records consultant, training and travel, software and office supplies. The records consultant budget
was reduced. The original request included seven days of onsite technical assistance. Reducing the budget
cut the number of onsite days from seven to five and not being able to assist other departments with their
records.
The consensus from the Council was to keep the travel and training and office supplies budgets at the
original requested amount. Council agreed to $12,000 for the records consultant and $12,300 for software
upgrades to JustFOIA Pro.
City anager
City Manager Bulthuis stated that the department has delayed hiring a communications coordinator position
for this coming budget year to keep the budget down and have cut the travel budget.
1
City of Clermont
MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL BUDGET WORKSHOP
July 20, 2022
Finance
Finance Director Brosonski presented the budget cut impacting the department. The item discussed was the
training budget. The original requested amount was increased for next year due to specialized training for
new employees regarding government finance. The budget was cut by $2,000 from $16,000 to $14,000.
There was discussion regarding possibly training in house, bank fees and the annual audit fee. The
consensus of the Council was to keep the training budget at the original amount requested.
Legal Services
City Manager Bulthuis stated that the city may have to increase the labor attorney budget.
Development Services
Development Services Director Henschel presented the budget for the department. He reviewed the
Professional Services budget lines for the Comprehensive Plan and the consultant for Wellness Way. Mr.
Henschel explained the budget for demolitions.
Discussion ensued regarding what uses are able to be funded from the demolition budget. The salary budget
was for a new position for the department to account for growth.
Information Technoloev
IT Director Fountain presented the changes to the department's budget. The salary budget line was for a
new administrative position for the department to account for growth.
Council discussed the request for additional staff, training budget and the status of the website update. The
consensus was to change the training and education back to the original request and all other lines will stay
as proposed for now. Council will revisit the request for additional staff.
General Government
Staff and Council discussed the line items for advertising, security/monitoring service and subscriptions
and dues. There were no changes to this budget.
Police Department
Chief Broadway presented the Police Department budget. The topics discussed were future growth and the
needs of the department, training, overtime, staffing, events and additional personnel requests.
The workshop recessed at 11:03am; the workshop reconvened at 11:35am.
Discussion ensued regarding growth in the city. Chief Broadway requested to hire ten additional officers
within the next fiscal year. Those officers could be staggered with the first five hired in the first six (6)
months and the last five hired in the second six (6) months of the year. When a Police Officer is hired,
training can take up to eight (8) to nine (9) months before the officer can be on the road. The cost of hiring
an additional ten officers would add to the cost of equipment, vehicles and overtime.
Council supports hiring eight additional officers. The budget accounts for three non -sworn personnel. The
three positions are for a Quarter Master, Training position and Crime Scene Investigator.
2
City of Clermont
MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL BUDGET WORKSHOP
July 20, 2022
They discussed the current workload and who is handling the work of these positions currently and if any
positions can be combined.
The consensus of the Council was to allow a combined Quarter Master/ Records person and not hire a
Crime Scene Investigator this fiscal year. Discussion moved on to the other requests within the budget.
Council reviewed each budget line that had proposed changes and decided on leaving the budget as
proposed or changing to the original amount requested.
The workshop recessed at 12:42pm; the workshop reconvened at 12:54pm.
Fire Department
Chief Ezell presented the Fire Department budget. He provided information in regards to adding positions
with the Safer Grant, Fire Station 2 being rebuilt, when the need for Fire Station 5 will be in Wellness Way
and the cost of building.
Discussion ensued regarding the additional costs that are accrued when hiring additional firefighter
positions such as gear. Hiring an EMS officer, training officer and a receptionist. Discussion moved on to
the other requests within the budget. Council reviewed each budget line that had proposed changes and
decided on leaving the budget as proposed or changing to the original amount requested. Some of the items
discussed were travel, training, equipment, vehicles and buildings.
Council agreed to leave the original amount of positions requested in the budget.
The workshop recessed at 2:34pm; the workshop reconvened at 2:45pm.
Public Services
Public Services Director Brunson along with Assistant Director Maiworm presented the department's
budget.
Mr. Maiworm presented the repair and maintenance budget lines that were cut and the impact that would
have on the department. The consensus of the Council was to put the funds back in the budget. The budget
line for contract services are for temporary help because the department is short staffed. Mr. Brunson listed
the positions that are not currently filled.
Discussion moved to the budgets for travel, training and education, land, the marina, piers and parks.
Council agreed to leave the proposed amounts in the budget or revert back to the original amount requested
by the department.
Mr. Brunson spoke about grants that the department can apply for and what the funds could be put towards.
Furthermore, the cost for the City Hall roof can be moved from the general fund to the infrastructure fund.
Economic Development
City Manager Bulthuis stated that the Subscriptions and Dues budget has been cut.
Human Resources
City Manager Bulthuis let Council know that Human Resources had no cuts to their budget
City of Clermont
MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL BUDGET WORKSHOP
July 20, 2022
Procurement Services
Procurement Services Director Suarez spoke about the request for an additional position for the department
that was removed from the budget. Council agreed to add the funds back in the budget line for the additional
position.
Parks and Recreation
Parks and Recreation Director Forman presented the department's budget. Mr. Forman spoke about the
requested positions in the department, community needs for recreation and buying property. Discussion
ensued about the Live Well Grant that will be opening up and possibly applying to re -do the pool. They
discussed the odds of receiving the grant along with the maintenance and staff once the pool is redone. Mr.
Forman stated that the Historic Village has asked for new roofs on the Kern House and Cooper Memorial
Library.
In discussing staffing requests, Council agreed to leave in the positions requested. Council discussed the
possibility of selling the portable stage and reviewed the budget line items and discussed keeping them as
they are or going to the original requested amount. The consensus from Council was to leave the
rentals/equipment budget at the reduced amount.
CLOSING COMMENTS
City Manager Bulthuis stated that $1 million was added to debt service for the Fire Station. Mr. Bulthuis
asked Council what millage rate they would like to advertise. Council discussed the millage rates and varied
between advertising at 5.9 or 6 mills.
Mr. Bulthuis stated that Council has until the First Budget Public Hearing on September 7 to make any
changes. There will be another budget workshop on August 16 to review the other funds in the budget and
the summaries of what happened at this meeting. The consensus of the Council was to advertise at 6 mills.
ADJOURN: With no further comments, this workshop adjourned at 5:39 pm.
Tracy Ackroyd Howe, MMC
City Clerk
4
APPROVED:
Tim Murry, M or