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09-09-1985 - Special .~( .. v ~ CITY COUNCIL OF EDGEWATER SPECIAL MEETING SEPTEMBER 9, 1985 MINUTES Mayor Baugh called the Special Meeting to order at 7:00 PM in the Community Center. He stated the items on the agenda. ROLL CALL Mayor Earl Baugh Councilman Louis Rotundo Councilman Russell Prater Councilman Neil Asting Councilman James Inman City Attorney Jose'Alvarez City Clerk Connie Martinez Chief Lawrence Schumaker Present Excused Present Present Present Present Present Present Mayor Baugh requested a motion to open the Public Hearings. Councilman Asting so moved. Councilman Inman seconded the motion. Motion CARRIED 5-0. To hold Public Hearing on millage rate - City Clerk Martinez read Resolution No. 85-R-38 for information only and not for adoption. RES. 85-'R-38 - A RESOLUTION ADOPTING A CERTIFIED MILLAGE RATE OF 5.800 MILLS PER $1,000.00 ASSESSED VALUATION FOR THE CITY OF EDGEWATER, FLORIDA FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 1985-1986, WHICH REPRESENTS A SEVENTEEN POINT NINE (17.9) PERCENT INCREASE OVER THE ROLLED BACK RATE OF 4.918; REPEALING ALL RESOLUTIONS OR PARTS OF RESOLUTIONS IN CONFLICT HEREWITH AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Mayor Baugh asked for public input on the millage rate. John Siburn, Connecticut Avenue, stated that his street has 15 people and only 5 have to pay taxes. Dominick Fazzone, 302 Paradise Lane, asked if this 17.9% increase is the beginning of more increases. Mrs. Rickelman read Ordinance 85-0-18, which included the various proposed revenues and expenditures for the General Fund, the Water-Wastewater Fund, the Refuse Collection Fund, and the Special Assessment Fund. She asked if there were any questions in the General Fund Departments. Raymond Vath, 1824 Lime Tree Drive, questioned the paving on Neec.le Palm Drive. Councilman Asting replied that a portion was pav~d but Itis just the base coat and the City has to put a cap on the road. Mr. Vath questioned why they're paving before they put the sewer lines in. Councilman Asting replied that the City doesn't have the money to do the sewer work and it will be many years from now but in the meantime they're trying to pave some streets, due to the numerous complaints from people on shell roads. Councilman Asting pointed out that the previous Council didn't approve the 5.8 millage rate which was established and instead rolled it back and there was no money put aside for City improvements, which this Council is trying to provide for, especially for streets. He added that this will cover the continuation of the road program without having to float a bond which would cost a lot in attorney and engineering fees. Mayor Baugh noted that the General Fund budget for 1984 had a millage rate of 5.800 and then last year they did the roll back but this isn't increased over 1984. Dominick Fazzone asked if this will jump in the future and Councilman Asting replied no. Nicholas Kromka, 415 Shangri La Circle, questioned who pays taxes on the large transformer in his front yard. Mayor Baugh replied that Florida Power and Light would probably have to move it if it's necessary. Q ~ Raymond Vath, 1824 Lime Tree, suggested they have a mlnlmum tax since some people pay no taxes at all. Mayor Baugh pointed out that they can't set the minimum as it has to come from the State. James Hatfield, 236 Old County Road, expressed his concern with the budgets for the City Council, Legal Counsel, Code Enforcement, and Police protection and Fire. He pointed out that the budget is $412,000 more than last year. He agreed they need road paving but questioned more men on the Police force. Mayor Baugh stated that the men are needed and Code Enforcement covers the Building Official and his staff, which was previously under contract. Mr. Hatfield questioned the Fire truck purchase and City Clerk Martinez pointed out that it was the first new one in years. Mayor Baugh pointed out that the equipment was worn and broken down plus they've bought road paving equipment to save the people money instead of having paving contractors do it. Mayor Baugh also pointed out that the Council held budget hearings for two weeks and nobody from the public attended. He added that Council cut the budget by one-half million and 5.8 is the minimum they could cover the budget with. He noted that some cities get utility taxes in the budgets but Edgewater's goes back into the Water and Sewer Department which was how it was set up to pay it off, otherwise about $332,000 could have come to the General Fund and perhaps could have kept it under the 5.800. Mr. Hatfield stated that Edgewater had the highest millage in the County last year and Council got 100% raises, the Department Heads got large raises, and regular employees got about 3%. Walter Gross, 909 Lake Avenue, stated he'd predicted Edgewater would have the highest millage it's ever had due to the spending. He commented on the increased Council salaries with the Charter stating they should have two meetings a month and earning $200 a month. He spoke on the increased rates for gas tax, garbage, water and sewer, franchise rates, and impact fees. He commented on the $3,600 for a Safety Director with no set hours or time when the City had two volunteers. He suggested Council cut back the millage rate. Mayor Baugh stated that it's not the highest millage rate ever, and he read the rates of 5.9 for 1979 and 1980; 7.2 for 1981; 5.85 for 1982; and 5.8 for 1984, so several years had higher rates than now. John Siburn, Connecticut Avenue, commented on the increased businesses since 1947 with tax revenues from them and also the increased assessments. Frank Opal, Florida Shores, stated assessed values have gone up over 300% since 1971, and at least 9 items have increased in the budget, with one increased 400% the last two years. He commented on the $700,000 left over with the rolled back millage rate, and that Councilmen get more than any other Council in the County. He said it's useless to attend budget meetings as he attended all of them last year, and thought he'd apply for an unlisted telephone number. To hold Public Hearing on FY-1986 City Budget as advertised - Mayor Baugh asked if there were any more comments on the General Fund budget. Helen Siburn, Connecticut Avenue, spoke on the Council raises in salary and the number of vacations they take. She stated that an unlisted telephone number makes a representative unavailable and the people should know where their representative is. Frank Roe, Juniper Drive, said everyone is entitled to a vacation and suggested the Mayor and Councilman Asting get the raise because of their experience, and take the raise to the voters for the others. -2- Council Special Meeting Minutes September 9, 1985 u ~ To hold Public Hearing on FY-1986 City Budget for Federal Revenue Sharing Fund as advertised - Mayor Baugh asked if there were any questions on this Fund. There were no comments from the audience. Mayor Baugh asked if there were any questions on the Water and Sewer Budgets. There were no comments from the audience. Mayor Baugh asked if there were any questions on the Garbage and Trash Budget. Frank Roe suggested they put trash in a barrel as some piles of trash are almost a full truck load. Mayor Baugh pointed out that there's a special fee if the pile is over 4 by 4 and Mr. Roe said even that's too big. Raymond Vath, Lime Tree Drive, refuted Mr. Roe's statement because when someone is away on vacation the garbage rates continue and you have to pay without getting the service. Mayor Baugh pointed out that the incinerator will be in service soon and this will be cut down. John Siburn, Connecticut Avenue, pointed out that a barrel wouldn't hold the palm fronds. Walter Gross asked if the incinerator is working now and Mayor Baugh replied that they're waiting for the DER construction permit. Domonick Fazzone, Paradise Lane, asked the increase of trash collectors and Mayor Baugh replied it was 5% last year and they're in negotiations now for the next year. Mr. Fazzone commented that they're lowest paid and get a 5% increase and Council gets a 100% increase. Mayor Baugh advised the public that there will be a 75~ increase in the garbage bill due to Tomoka Landfill's doubling of the dumping fees charged to the City. James Hatfield, 236 Old County Road, questioned how the incinerator will work and Mayor Baugh replied that they'll burn trash but not garbage. Mr. Hatfield then questioned why the County is penalizing the cities by increasing the dumping fees and Mayor Baugh pointed out that other than Volusia County is using the landfill. Mr. Hatfield suggested they use a shredder for palms and brush similar to the power company, and use shredded material for landfills. Mayor Baugh noted they had it at the barn for months and nobody wanted it. Councilman Prater stated that it has to be green material as it can't be shredded when dry. Mr. Hatfield said he talked with someone who can do it, and they'll still need the trucks to pick up the trash. Councilman Rotundo pointed out that the Refuse Fund was $34,000 in the hole last year which also caused this increase. Mayor Baugh asked if there were any questions on the Special Assessment Fund. There were no comments from the audience. Mayor Baugh requested a motion to close the Public Hearing. Prater so moved. Councilman Rotundo seconded the motion. s-o. Councilman Motion CARRIED Frank Opal, from the audience, called a point of order. He asked when the next regular Council meeting will be and Mayor Baugh replied on Monday, the 16th, and it's the first and third Mondays of the month. Mr. Opal asked if there would be another one in two weeks and Mayor Baugh replied yes. -3- Council Special Meeting Minutes September 9, 1985 ~ . u \J .... - . To introduce Ord. #85-0-18 re: FY-1986 Budget - City Clerk Martinez read Ordinance 85-0-18. ORD. 85-0-18 - AN ORDINANCE SETTING A FINAL BUDGET AND APPROPRIATING REVENUES TO BE COLLECTED FOR THE CITY OF EDGEWATER, VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 1985, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 1986, SETTING FORTH REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES OF THE GENERAL FUND AND VARIOUS ITEMS THEREOF; THE FEDERAL REVENUE SHARING FUND; THE WATER- WASTEWATER FUND; THE REFUSE COLLECTION FUND; AND THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT FUND; SHOWING A MORE DETAILED BREAKDOWN BY "EXHIBIT A"; REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES OR RESOLUTIONS IN CONFLICT HEREWITH; PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION OF THIS ORDINANCE, AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Councilman Rotundo moved to pass Ordinance 85-0-18. Councilman Prater seconded the motion. Motion CARRIED 5-0. To introduce Ord. #85-0-19 re: Increase in rates for collection and disposal of garbage and trash - City Clerk Martinez read this Ordinance. ORD. 85-0-19 - AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 19-63 (a)(1),(2),(3),(4) AND (5) OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF EDGEWATER, FLORIDA, BY PROVIDING FOR AN INCREASE IN THE RATE FOR THE COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL OF GARBAGE AND TRASH FOR THE CITY OF EDGEWATER, FLORIDA; MAINTAINING THE EQUIPMENT RESERVE FUND BY CHARGING ALL REFUSE ACCOUNTS IN THE CITY AN ADDITIONAL SURCHARGE OF FIFTY (50c) CENTS PER ACCOUNT; REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES OR PARTS OF ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HEREWITH; PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION OF THIS ORDINANCE; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Councilman Asting moved to adopt this Ordinance. Councilman Rotundo seconded the motion. Motion CARRIED 5-0. Bills and Accounts - Councilman Inman moved to pay the bills. Councilman Asting seconded the motion. Motion CARRIED 5-0. Mayor Baugh requested a motion to adjourn. Councilman Asting so moved. Councilman Prater seconded the motion. Meeting was adjourned at 8:04 P.M. Minutes submitted by: Lura Sue Koser ~ f.4u--J V ATTEST: ~/~ CITY CLERK . Approved this 'b~ay of o - )-'1 .? C\ I' ------ " t.AkL", 1'-b-\ ~f COUNCILMAN -(~NE THR~ ~'W~~ Co NCILMAN - ZONE FOUR ~ ~-t!i ~ - , 198~. MA -4- Council Special Meeting Minutes September 9, 1985