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Budget marathon to resume in IRB
By HARLAN WEIKLE
Article published on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2006 |
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![[Image]](/content_images/092806_bee-02.jpg) |
| Photo by HARLAN WEIKLE |
| Showing their support for continued funding for the North Beaches Branch YMCA, parents and children hold a mini-demonstration in front of City Hall before last week’s City Commission budget session. |
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INDIAN ROCKS BEACH – City commissioners met Sept. 20 for a double session starting with a public workshop to finalize the city budget for FY 2006-07.
They will have to try again.
Following months of budget planning, with the emphasis on reducing the millage rate while at the same time fulfilling city obligations to provide services such as grounds maintenance, front desk services for permitting, police, sewer and solid waste, the council’s task was to cut additional funds from the already admittedly pared down budget.
Revised budget numbers presented by Treasurer and Finance Director Martin Schless told the entire story; with a general fund carry over of $723,630, revenues from tax and transfers of $3,228,311 and expenditures totaling $3,039,743, the proposed budget presented to the commission ended with a final surplus in the general fund reserve of $972,198, an increase of the fund balance reserve – from 18.62 percent to 29.57 percent. This is just short of four months of reserve operating costs. According to Schless, acceptable reserve figures range between 18 and 24 percent.
That having been said, Mayor Bill Ockunzzi asked Schless to retire during a short break and calculate a revised fund balance of 20 percent, expressing a lower millage rate.
When the commissioners reconvened, some line item changes to the proposal had become apparent. Those, which drew the greatest interest from citizens attending the council meeting included the proposed budgeting of $124,730 for recreation and leisure, funds to hire a librarian for the all-volunteer library, as well as funding for the Beach Art Center. Still, other budget items such as reductions in grounds staff positions and elimination of a $10,000 contingency fund for planning began to come under renewed scrutiny by members of the commission.
While few city residents were in attendance for the beginning of the workshop, by the 7:30 meeting, the entire auditorium was filled to capacity; about 120 citizens were on hand either to support increased or continued funding of particular services such as the YMCA, the library or the Art Center or to urge even further belt tightening by the commission.
During the first hour of the general session, commissioners put forward a detailed explanation of the revised budget, which resulted in yet further reductions, by degree, of the millage rate from 1.692 to 1.443. Although that figure fluctuated several times over the course of the evening, no clear super majority consensus could be achieved regarding changes as, one after another, commission members either proposed changes that would either reduce funding for a particular service or eliminate it all together.
Ockunzzi then opened the floor for public comment. Twenty speakers took the podium, seven urging the commission to retain full funding for the YMCA while others spoke on behalf of the library fund. Still others warned of overspending and the burden it would impose on homeowners, renters and businesses in an economy that seems stalled. At least two speakers expressed their concern that the Penny for Pinellas sales tax, which provides funding for community amenities, might not survive a referendum in March and urged the council to consider what might happen if existing budget items were to fall back on the general fund.
IRB, like other jurisdictions in the county, relies on funds from the one cent on the dollar tax to fund a variety of public amenities.
Perhaps the most eloquent plea of the evening however came from 8-year-old Shacara Abadji who, standing barely visible behind the podium, recounted her favorite times and activities at the YMCA, like making puppets and pictures, playing foosball and, oh yes, blowing bubbles.
Following the public comments, Ockunzzi called a short break. The meeting resumed at 9:30.
What followed was a sometimes rancorous and at other times very impassioned series of discussions leading to a flurry of motions, seconds and polling of the commissioners. However, with the hour growing late, it seemed apparent to many that a final budget, although close at hand, was not to be.
Commissioner Jim Palamara motioned for an adjournment, which was seconded by Commissioner Ed Piniero and, upon advice from legal council that the budget process could, in fact, be continued with proper public notice. The meeting adjourned just past 11 p.m.
The commission will consider the budget again Thursday, Sept. 28, at 5:05 p.m.
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Article published on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2006
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