BUDGET HEARING
LEVY COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
JULY 12, 2010
The Budget Hearing of the Board of Levy County Commissioners was held on July 12, 2010, at 10:00 AM in the Levy County Board ofCountyCommissionersmeeting room, with the following Commissioners present:
Chairperson Nancy Bell
Vice Chairperson Danny Stevens
Comm. Marsha Drew
Comm. Lilly Rooks
Also present were:
Danny J. Shipp – Clerk of Court
CountyAttorney– Anne Bast Brown
CountyCoordinator– Fred Moody
Assistant to theCountyCoordinator– Dick Tummond
Chairperson Bell called the meeting to order at 10:02 AM. Comm. Bell gave the invocation, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
Danny J. Shipp, Clerk to the Board
Presentation of Tentative Budget FY 2010-11
Mr. Shipp stated more spending continues than what is in revenues and the budget revenues are dropping and then asks Mrs. Rees to give the numbers.
Mrs. Rees stated a budget had to be presented within 15 days, however, a millage rate does not have to be set for 35 days, making the deadline August 4th. Each fund is balanced with the exception of the General Revenue Fund, Library Fund and the Fire Departments. In each of these funds, the expenditures exceed the revenues.
The shortfalls for each fund are as follows:
General Revenue $ 47,013
Library $ 34,187
Fire $173,176
Comm. Bell stated the tentative budget amount is $57,390,433 and the taxable value is less this year by 5.5% in the amount of $13,886,900.
LEVY COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT
Johnny Smith,LevyCountySheriff
Sheriff Smith presented his budget to the board with a request for an increase of $265,000, a 2.33% increase from last year to give a 3% pay increase.
Comm. Bell asks for Sheriff Smith to reconsider the increase and consider a one time cost of living adjustment for employees instead. She asks Sheriff Smith to take another look at his budget and bring back adjusted figures to the next workshop.
NATURE COAST BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, EZDA
Pat O’Neil,NatureCoastDevelopment Authority, EZDA
Mr. O’Neil submitted a budget request for $3,000 in addition to the amount requested last year for the agreement with the Town ofBronsonoffice spacing.
Comm. Bell asks Mr. O’Neil to re-examine his budget and try to cut the amount.
LEVY COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT
Barbara Locke,LevyCountyHealth Dept
Mrs. Locke states their budget request is the same as last year with no pay increases for the amount of $150,000.
LARC
Betty Walker, LARC
Ms. Walker submitted a budget request for $25,000 in addition to the budget amount requested last year. After discussion, Comm. Stevens asked LARC to be placed on the next meeting agenda for funding assistance.
CENTRAL FLORIDA COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY
Robert Wilford, Central Florida Community Action Agency
Mr. Wilford submitted a budget request for $5,000, the same amount as last year.
LEVY COUNTY PROPERTY APPRAISER
Oz Barker, Property Appraiser
Mr. Barker submitted a budget in the amount of $1,102,559, which is a 5.51% decrease from last year and does not include any raises. Mr. Barker stated if money is granted for another department to give raises, he would come back to the Board for an increase for his employees to also to have a raise.
LEVY COUNTY SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS
Connie Asbell, Supervisor of Elections
Mrs. Asbell submitted the same budget amount as approved last year with no salary increases.
LEVY COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR
Mrs. Rees stated for Mrs. Fugate the Tax Collector budget is an estimate of what is charged by statute to collect the taxes and she has not yet submitted her budget to DOR as it is not required until August.
LEVY COUNTY CLERK OF COURT
Danny J. Ship, Clerk of Court
Mr. Shipp submitted his budget with a $30,000 increase in his budget due to the reduction in revenues from recording, the increase in insurance and retirement as well as a 3% increase.
Comm. Bell asked for Mr. Shipp to consider a cost of living adjustment for his employees, rather than a salary increase and would like to see a budget decrease.
Mr. Shipp stated his State budget for the court side may decrease in the 4th quarter by about $200,000.
Desiree Painter,LevyCountyTransit
FIRE ADVISORY BOARD
Joe Rinaudo, Assistant Fire Chief, Morriston Fire Dept.
Mr. Rinaudo speaking on behalf of Lamar Stegall submitted a budget request in the amount of $1,389,524, which includes a 3% pay increase.
Chief Ronnie McQueen, Fanning Springs explained to the Board the need for additional funds.
The meeting recessed at 11:21 A.M.
The meeting reconvened at 11:41 P.M.
Budgets were presented for the following departments with no significant increases other than for Retirement and Insurance:
County Administrator Soil and Conservation
Human Resources Parks and Recreation
County Attorney Guardian ad Litem
County Maintenance Mosquito Control
Building & zoning Road Department
Animal Control Landfill
Planning Department EMS
County Agent Library
Emergency Management SHIP
Mrs. Rees states the tentative millage rate deadline is August 4th.
Mr. Moody gave the following upcoming meeting dates for the Board:
August 3rd at 6:30 P.M./GSG Preliminary Rate Resolution for MSBU’s
September 7th at 6:30 P.M./GSG Final Rate Resolution for MSBU’s
September 9th at 6:30 P.M./Tentative Hearing
September 20th at 6:30 P.M./Final Hearing
September 30th
Set millage at next regular meeting date July 20
The Board agreed to hold a Budget Workshop after the regular Board meeting on July 20th at 1:30 P.M. and asked for all who will be submitting a reduced budget to send in a tentative budget to Mrs. Rees no later than Thursday before the meeting date.
THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE COMMISSION, THE WORKSHOP ADJOURNED AT 1:05 P.M.
ATTEST: BOARD OFCOUNTYCOMMISSIONERS
LEVY COUNTY,FL
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Clerk of Court, Danny J. Shipp Chairperson, Nancy Bell