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08.15.2022 - City Council MinutesCity of Clermont MINUTES CITY COUNCIL BUDGET WORKSHOP August 15, 2022 CALL TO ORDER The City Council met in a budget workshop on Monday, August 15, 2022 in the Clermont City Council Chambers. Mayor Murry called the workshop to order at 12:30 pm 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. AGENDA ITEMS 1. Proposed Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Budget Discussion City Manager Bulthuis stated that on September 7, the city will have the First Budget Public Hearing at 6:30pm. At that meeting, the Council has to adopt a preliminary budget and preliminary millage rate. Then, on September 20, that is the Final Budget Public Hearing to adopt the final millage rate and budget. Staff is requesting Council direction. Mr. Bulthuis reminded Council about the budget. We are a service industry, most of the city's assets are people. He reviewed the General Fund expenditures, union agreements and non -union state mandates for the $15 per hour minimum wage. There are vacancies due to low starting salaries. The current millage rate is 4.2 mills which has not been adjusted in seven years. Mr. Bulthuis reviewed the millage rate effect on large, medium and small size business. Also, he reviewed the millage rate to residential. Discussion ensued regarding Fire Stations and Impact Fees. In order to increase the millage rate to 4.6 mills, it requires three votes by the City Council; 5.06 mills requires four votes by the City Council and any millage rate increase above that amount requires a unanimous vote of the City Council. Council shared their concerns regarding different millage rates. Fire Chief Ezell presented a PowerPoint with details of each Fire Station. Council discussed the needs of each station along with staffing issues facing the department and the millage rate needed in order to maintain staff. City Manager Bulthuis commented the City applied for a grant for an emergency generator for City Hall. The cost is $300,000 and the grant is for $185,000. Mr. Bulthuis asked Council if they would like to accept the grant and will have to spend $115,000 to cover the expense. Council does not want to move forward with generator at City Hall. The workshop recessed at 2:14pm; the workshop reconvened at 2:25pm. Public Works Director Brunson provided history regarding the budget process for his department. Staffing is a large concern and the city is competing with surrounding cities, some that are already offering minimum wage of $15 per hour, and the private sector. The City has been utilizing temporary help that can hopefully become full time employees. 1 City of Clermont MINUTES CITY COUNCIL BUDGET WORKSHOP August 15, 2022 Council discussed different strategies to assist with the starting pay and the licenses these positions require. City Manager Bulthuis informed council that HB 7055 Cybersecurity was passed. Mr. Bulthuis provided an explanation of the bill and suggested the City have a plan to meet the requirements for Cybersecurity. Police Chief Broadway reviewed areas of his budget that would cause a hardship if it were cut or had funding reduced which included the School Resource Officer program, mobile crisis team and community relations/policing. Discussion ensued regarding different millage rates and the need to make budget reductions at each millage rate. The discussion continued regarding the Lake County Sheriffs substation in Clermont and the number of officers needed with the growth of the city. Mayor Murry opened the workshop for public comments. Otis Taylor, 3686 Caladesi Road, spoke about rising costs everywhere. Tod Howard, 1986 Brantley Circle, expressed concern over an increase to the millage rate. Dani Page, Tuscany Ridge, expressed concern over an increase to the millage rate. Mayor Murry closed the public comments. City Manager Bulthuis requested a consensus from Council on the millage rate to prepare the budget for the hearings. Finance Director Brosonski explained they could set the millage at the First Budget Public Hearing on September 7, 2022. At the Final Budget Public Hearing on September 20, 2022, the Council can go lower the millage rate, just not higher than the millage rate set at the First Budget Public Hearing. Mr. Bulthuis stated the infrastructure fund has to be submitted to Lake County by August 22, 2022. This includes police vehicles, street maintenance, and the roofs for the Arts and Recreation Center and City Hall. The budget can be amended, if needed. ADJOURN: With no further comments, this workshop adjourned at 3:57 pm. .a! S APPROVED: i t +- Tim Murry, Mayxor Tracy Ackroyd Howe, MMC City Clerk 2