Agenda 10/08/2019 Item # 2C (9-19-2019 BCC Budget Meeting Minutes)10/08/2019
COLLIER COUNTY
Board of County Commissioners
Item Number: 2.C
Item Summary: September 19, 2019 BCC Budget Hearing Meeting Minutes
Meeting Date: 10/08/2019
Prepared by:
Title: Executive Secretary to County Manager – County Manager's Office
Name: MaryJo Brock
10/02/2019 3:22 PM
Submitted by:
Title: County Manager – County Manager's Office
Name: Leo E. Ochs
10/02/2019 3:22 PM
Approved By:
Review:
County Manager's Office MaryJo Brock County Manager Review Completed 10/02/2019 3:23 PM
Board of County Commissioners MaryJo Brock Meeting Pending 10/08/2019 9:00 AM
2.C
Packet Pg. 14
September 19, 2019
Page 1
TRANSCRIPT OF THE MEETING OF THE
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Naples, Florida, September 19, 2019
LET IT BE REMEMBERED, that the Board of County
Commissioners, in and for the County of Collier, and also acting as
the Board of Zoning Appeals and as the governing board(s) of such
special districts as have been created according to law and having
conducted business herein, met on this date at 5:05 p.m., in BUDGET
SESSION in Building "F" of the Government Complex, East Naples,
Florida, with the following members present:
CHAIRMAN: William L. McDaniel, Jr.
Burt L. Saunders
Donna Fiala
Andy Solis
Penny Taylor
ALSO PRESENT:
Leo Ochs, County Manager
Nick Casalanguida, Deputy County Manager
Jeffrey A. Klatzkow, County Attorney
Mark Isackson, OMB Director
September 19, 2019
Page 2
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: Good evening, everybody.
MR. OCHS: Good evening.
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: All right. County Manager.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Commissioner McDaniel, you
look wonderful. Look at that.
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: Thank you; yes.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: He matches and everything.
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: I'm left all alone. I get to do
this all by myself, so hopefully my mother's watching and
approves.
MR. OCHS: Would you like to begin with the Pledge?
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: I would like that. If you
would, please. We don't typically do a prayer in these hearings.
Commissioner Fiala, since you complimented, you get to --
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Yes.
(The Pledge of Allegiance was recited in unison.)
MR. OCHS: Commissioners, good evening, and welcome
to the second and final public hearing to adopt the FY '20 budget.
Mr. Isackson is ready to proceed with the agenda at your
pleasure, Mr. Chairman.
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: We are ready to go, sir.
MR. OCHS: Yes, Mark.
Item #1A
DISCUSSION OF FY 2019-20 MILLAGE RATES AND
INCREASES OVER THE ROLLED BACK MILLAGE RATES –
PRESENTED
September 19, 2019
Page 3
MR. ISACKSON: Thank you, Mr. Chairman, County
Manager Ochs.
Commissioners, this is your final hearing on the FY '20
budget. Its adoption will go into effect on October 1. It will
extend through June -- or September 30th of '20. Mr. Chairman,
this is a pretty scripted agenda in accordance with our
truth-in-millage standards and the statutes.
I'll begin with some opening remarks. Those who wish to
address the Board can certainly have their speaker slips, and Nick
tells me there's three.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Two.
MR. ISACKSON: Excuse me. Two speakers. So
under Item 1C on the agenda, Mr. Chairman, there will be an
opportunity for those folks to address the Board.
Statutorily, we're required, Commissioners, to discuss
the FY '19/'20 millage rates and increases over the rolled -back
rate as the first item of discussion. As we know, rolled-back rate
is the percentage increase in the millage over the rolled -back rate
needed to fund the budget and, two, the reasons ad valorem tax
revenues above the rolled-back rate is calculated on the State's
DR-420 forms are being increased.
This rolled-back rate is defined as that tax rate necessary
to generate prior year tax revenues, and this tax rate is calculated
not including taxable values associated with new construction,
additions, deletions, and rehabilitative improvements.
Board adopted budget guidance, which you approved in
March of this -- of 2019 for FY '20 included a millage neutral
operating levy position, the same rate as last year and, for that
matter, for the past 10 years, since FY 2010.
For the General Fund and the Unincorporated General
Fund, the millage rate was, once again, planned at 3.5645 and 8 --
September 19, 2019
Page 4
.8069, respectively, and that was pursuant to guidance back in
March.
The unincorporated area millage includes a marginal
increase above the .7161 operating levy, and, of co urse, that, over
the last three years, has been devoted to maintaining our
landscape medians.
The FY '20 tentative General Fund and Unincorporated
Area General Fund operating and capital budgets as presented,
once again, are based upon Board adopted budget policy. Both
the General Fund and the Unincorporated Area General Fund
proposed tax rates are higher than the rolled-back rate. Collier
County taxable value has increased over the past eight fiscal
years, and the increase for FY '20 is 5.43 and 6.05 percent,
respectively, within the General Fund and the Unincorporated
Area General Fund.
Within an increasing taxable value environmental, under
millage neutral operating and capital policy guidance, the
rolled-back rate will be lower than millage neutral. This event
occurs in FY 2020.
Commissioners, referring to 1A, Page 1, millage rates
for each Collier County Government taxing authority has been
established pursuant to Board guidance, and these rates which
represent the maximum tax rates which can be levied, were
approved at the first public budget hearing on September 5th,
2019.
A couple of final comments, Commissioners: Under
1A, the Pelican Bay MSTBU millage rate is .0857. And based
upon this district's respective DR-420 MMP millage rate entry, if
all of our dependent millage rates are not approved unanimously,
it is recommended that this rate be voted on separately under
Agenda Item 1F, as this rate will require a two-thirds vote of the
September 19, 2019
Page 5
Board. Likewise, you have a new Vanderbilt Waterways MSTU
that will require a unanimous vote of the Board.
The cumulative aggregate rolled-back rate for all Collier
County taxing authorities, exclusive of debt service, totals 4.0707
per $1,000 of taxable value. The proposed aggregate tax rate for
all Collier County taxing authorities, exclusive of debt service,
totals 4.1817 per $1,000 of taxable value. This represents an
increase of 2.73 percent over the aggregate rolled-back rate and,
thus, the proper notice of proposed tax increase ad satisfying
TRIM guidelines was published in the Naples Daily News on
Monday, September 16th, 2019.
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: One second, Mark.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Mark, could I ask you to
explain to the audience -- and I bet people are just glued to their
television set right now. And could you tell them how the
increase -- because we haven't increased our rate. Can you tell
them how the figures increase or why they increase so people -- I
just got this question this afternoon, so I thought we should
answer that just to --
MR. ISACKSON: Well, let's take the General Fund,
Commissioners, because it affects everybody who resides in
Collier County. The assessed value, taxable value --
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Of their homes.
MR. ISACKSON: -- of their homes went up, on
average, 5.43 percent based on the Property Appraiser's numbers.
Now, if we hold the rate the same, you're going to generate -- or
we will generate $16.6 million more based on last year's levy
versus this year's levy.
If you did the rolled-back rate, that dollar increase would
only be $8.8 million because it doesn't take into account new
construction taxable value. It's the simplest way I think we can
September 19, 2019
Page 6
explain it.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: That's perfect. People
didn't understand. They said, I can't believe you're raising taxes.
Well, let me say -- and I was trying to make it clear. We're not
raising taxes. The rate is the same, but the taxes increased
because your property values have increased. I tried to make it
that simple so they can understand. And they said, oh, well, that
makes sense.
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: Number one. Number two,
people have a difficult time in segregating the different factions
of government. The school board did raise the rate, the millage
rate and, on top of that, the assessed valuations there -- that are
applicable are the same, so there was a tax increase. Because I
know a lot of -- when I was over in Immokalee yesterday, a lot of
folks were going on about the school board's -- they did raise
their millage rate, so...
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Oh, I see. Well, thank you.
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: And we get blamed for that
because we're the collector.
MR. ISACKSON: And then picking up on the Chair's
comment, the school district represents about 41 percent of
someone's tax bill in the unincorporated area. So that's -- Collier
County Government really is only a small portion of about 30 to
35 percent of someone's tax bill depending on the MSTUs that
they might have in their particular area, so...
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Thank you. Sometimes,
just to add, Leo will come out with us for our little town hall
meetings, and he'll bring out these forms, and he has them
showing in a pie shape and so forth, and people can actually see
how they got those figures, and then they can understand. But,
you know, a lot of people don't come to the town hall meetings,
September 19, 2019
Page 7
so I'm just trying to explain it. Thank you.
Item #1B
DISCUSSION OF FURTHER AMENDMENT TO THE
TENTATIVE BUDGET
MR. ISACKSON: Mr. Chairman, if there isn't any
questions on 1A, I'll proceed to 1B on the agenda, which is a
discussion of further amendments to the tentative budget.
Regarding the county's final budget hearing, we have no
changes from the tentative budget that was approved on
September 5th, 2019.
With that, Commissioners, I would suggest going to public
comments, which is Item 1C on the agenda.
Item #1C
PUBLIC COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: I think we shall.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Mr. Chairman, you have two
speakers. The first speaker is Mr. John Wolski, and the second
speaker is Elena Mola.
MR. WOLSKI: I need my glasses.
Good evening, Commissioners. My name is John Wolski,
and I am on the board of directors for the Big Cypress Golf and
Country Club Estates Homeowners Association. You probably
know our neighborhood as the Country Club of Naples. Our
HOA is independent of the golf club.
I am here on behalf of our residents to express support for
September 19, 2019
Page 8
the increase in stormwater funding in this year's budget. Our
neighborhood has experienced very serious flooding, and we
certainly appreciate the help we are currently receiving from
Collier County staff to help us identify them.
Commissioner Taylor, you have showed your support first
hand by attending our annual meetings to help educate our
homeowners. Thank you, and thank you to all of you for
recognizing the importance of identifying and rectifying
stormwater problems in Collier County.
Thank you very much.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Mr. Chairman, that takes you to
your final speaker, Elena Mola.
MS. MOLA: Hello, and thank you very much for all the
hard work you do.
I just came because I came last time, and I expressed some
questions and concerns over the budget. And I just wanted to
reiterate that I'm going to be working with Amy on a couple of
issues, and so I thank you for that. That's all. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: Outstanding.
I was going to remind you that we only -- you each had three
minutes apiece, and we didn't have to do that.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Don't fill in the blanks.
Let's just keep moving the meeting along here.
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: No, no, no. I've already
expressed to Mr. Isackson his speedreading capacity, so let's go
to Number D.
Item #1D
RESOLUTION 2019-164: AMENDING THE TENTATIVE
BUDGET – ADOPTED
September 19, 2019
Page 9
MR. ISACKSON: Yes, Commissioners.
1D is a resolution to amend the tentative budget. You'll note
in the resolutions that there are no amendments, but we would
appreciate a motion and a second on that.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: So moved.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Second.
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: It's been moved and seconded
that we approve the tentative budgets as brought forth. Any
discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: All in favor?
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SAUNDERS: Aye.
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: Opposed same sign, same
sound.
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: So moved.
Item #1E
PUBLIC READING OF THE TAXING AUTHORITY LEVYING
MILLAGE, THE NAME OF THE TAXING AUTHORITY, THE
ROLLED-BACK RATE, THE PERCENTAGE INCREASE, AND
THE MILLAGE RATE TO BE LEVIED – READ INTO THE
RECORD
MR. ISACKSON: Commissioners, 1E is a public reading of
the taxing authority levying the millage, the name of the taxing
September 19, 2019
Page 10
authority, the rolled-back rate, and the percentage increase and
the millage rate to be levied. I'll endeavor to speed through this
as quickly as I can.
The General Fund, the proposed millage rate, 3.5645; the
rolled-back millage rate, 3.4700. A percentage change from the
rolled-back rate of 2.72 percent.
The Water Pollution Control, the proposed millage rate,
.0293; the rolled-back millage rate, .0284. Percent change from
the rolled-back rate of 3.17 percent.
The Unincorporated Area General Fund, proposed millage
rate, .8069; the rolled-back millage rate, .7847. Percent change
from the rolled-back rate of 2.83 percent.
The Golden Gate Community Center, proposed millage rate,
.1862; the rolled-back millage rate, .1748. Percent change from
the rolled-back rate, 6.52 percent.
The Victoria Park Drainage MSTU, the proposed millage
rate, .0312; rolled-back millage rate, .0312. No change from the
rolled-back rate.
Naples Park Drainage MSTU, the proposed millage rate,
.0054; the rolled-back millage rate, .0054. There's no change
from the rolled-back rate.
The Vanderbilt Beach MSTU, the proposed millage rate,
.5000; the rolled-back millage rate, .4816. Percent change from
the rolled-back rate, 3.82 percent.
The Ochopee Fire Control MSTU, the proposed millage
rate, 4.0000; the rolled-back millage rate, 3.9013. 2.53 percent
increase over the rolled-back rate.
The Goodland/Horr's Island Fire MSTU, the proposed
millage rate, 1.2760; the rolled-back millage rate, 1.2488. That is
a 2.18 percent increase over the rolled-back rate.
Sabal Palm Road MSTU, there is -- the proposed millage
September 19, 2019
Page 11
rate, 0.0000; the rolled-back rate, 0.0000. There's no change
from the rolled-back rate.
The Golden Gate Parkway Beautification MSTU, the
proposed millage rate, .5000; the rolled-back millage rate, .4609.
That is an 8.48 percent increase over the rolled-back rate.
The Lely Golf Estates Beautification MSTU, the proposed
millage rate, 2.0000; the rolled-back millage rate, 1.9002. That is
a 5.25 percent increase over the rolled -back rate.
The Hawksridge Stormwater Pumping MSTU, the proposed
millage rate, .0374; the rolled-back millage rate, .0374. No
change from the rolled-back rate.
The Radio Road Beautification MSTU, the proposed millage
rate, 0.0000; the rolled back millage rate, .0964, and the proposed
millage rate is lower than the rolled-back rate.
The Forest Lakes Roadway and Drainage Beautification
MSTU, the proposed millage rate, 1.4052; the rolled-back
millage rate, 1.3254. Percent change from the rolled-back rate of
6.02 percent.
The Immokalee Beautification MSTU, the proposed millage
rate, 1.0000; the rolled-back millage rate, .9945. That is a
.55 percent increase over the rolled-back rate.
The Bayshore Avalon Beautification MSTU, the proposed
millage rate, 2.3604; the rolled-back millage rate, 2.2438. A 5.20
percent increase over the rolled-back rate.
The Haldeman Creek Dredging MSTU, the proposed
millage rate, 1.0000; the rolled-back millage rate, .9728. A 2.80
percent increase over the rolled-back rate.
The Rock Road MSTU, the proposed millage rate, 3.0000;
the rolled back millage rate, 2.6707. That is a 12.33 percent
increase over the rolled-back rate.
The Forest Lakes Debt Service, the proposed millage rate,
September 19, 2019
Page 12
2.5948; the rolled-back millage rate, 2.5183. That is a 3.04
percent increase over the rolled-back rate.
The Vanderbilt Waterways MSTU, the proposed millage
rate, .3000; the rolled-back rate is 0.0000. That, of course, is an
increase over the rolled-back rate.
The Collier County Lighting MSTU, the proposed millage
rate, .1472; the rolled-back millage rate, .1472. Zero percent
change over the rolled-back rate.
And the Pelican Bay MSTBU, the proposed millage rate,
.0857; the rolled-back millage rate, .0827. That is a 3.63 percent
increase over the rolled-back rate.
Finally, Commissioners, the aggregate millage rate,
proposed 4.1817; the rolled-back rate, 4.0707. That is a 2.73
percent increase over the rolled-back rate.
Commissioners, Item 1F on the agenda is an adoption of the
resolution setting the millage rates, and note that a separate
motion is required for the dependent district millage rates and a
separate motion is required for the remaining millage rates.
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: So we'll go with a motion for
the dependent districts first.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: So move.
MR. OCHS: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Second.
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: It's been moved and seconded
that the millage rates for the dependent districts are as have been
read. Any other discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: All in favor?
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: Aye.
September 19, 2019
Page 13
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SAUNDERS: Aye.
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: Opposed same sign, same
sound.
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: So moved.
Now, I'll call for a motion for the remaining millage rates.
Item #1F
RESOLUTION 2019-165: ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION
SETTING MILLAGE RATES. MOTION TO APPROVE THE
DEPENDENT DISTRICT MILLAGE RATES – APPROVED;
MOTION TO APPROVE THE REMAINING DISTRICT RATES –
APPROVED: ADOPTED
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: So move.
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: Second.
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: It's been moved and seconded
that the remaining millage rates be as advertised and read. Any
other discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: All in favor?
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SAUNDERS: Aye.
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: Opposed same sign, same
sound.
(No response.)
September 19, 2019
Page 14
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: So moved.
Item #1G
RESOLUTION 2019-166: RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE FINAL
BUDGET BY FUND. (NOTE: A SEPARATE MOTION IS
REQUIRED FOR THE DEPENDENT DISTRICT BUDGETS; AND
A SEPARATE MOTION IS REQUIRED FOR THE REMANING
BUDGETS) – TWO MOTIONS TAKEN AS REQUESTED –
ADOPTED
MR. ISACKSON: Finally, Commissioners, Item 1G on
your agenda is the resolution to adopt the final budget by fund. A
separate motion is required for the dependent district budgets,
and a separate motion is required for the remaining budgets.
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: Okay.
COMMISSIONER SAUNDERS: I'll make a motion to
approve the dependent district budgets.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Second.
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: It's been moved and seconded
that we accept the dependent district budgets as advertised and
read. Any other discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: Well, we didn't read those, did
we? We just advertised those.
MR. OCHS: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: All in favor?
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Aye.
September 19, 2019
Page 15
COMMISSIONER SAUNDERS: Aye.
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: Opposed same sign, same
sound.
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: So moved.
And then a separate motion for the remaining budgets.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Motion to approve the
remaining budgets.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Second.
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: It's been moved and seconded
that we approve the remaining budgets.
Any other discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: All in favor.
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SAUNDERS: Aye.
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: Opposed same sign, same
sound.
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: So moved.
MR. ISACKSON: Commissioners, that concludes my
remarks.
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: County staff? Anybody have
anything they want to say? County Manager?
MR. OCHS: Just real quickly. I want to thank Mark and
his staff --
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: Absolutely.
MR. OCHS: -- for their usual good job working us through
September 19, 2019
Page 16
with what, essentially, is a nine-month cycle of planning and
execution on the budget, and certainly I want to thank the Board
for their continued guidance and fiscal stewardship for the
community. I think we've got a good budget that certainly at the
staff level we know we can -- we can deliver on what you want
us to deliver on for your constituents. So we thank you for that.
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: Absolutely, Commissioner
Taylor, you had a comment?
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: I don't remember, but given
Mr. Isackson is here, what did you estimate the increase in
property values to be way back in March?
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: Six.
MR. ISACKSON: It was something like that.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: What did he come in at?
MR. ISACKSON: Actually, I think we were projecting a
4 percent increase in your budget guidance back in March, and it
came in at 5.43 in the General Fund, the countywide General
Fund.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: All right. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: I had 6 on the brain.
Commissioner Saunders?
COMMISSIONER SAUNDERS: Mr. Chairman, I just
want to thank staff, congratulate staff on a job well done on this
and look forward to implementing this budget.
MR. OCHS: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN McDANIEL: With that, we will see you all
next Tuesday.
*****
September 19, 2019
Page 17
There being no further business for the good of the County, the
Budget meeting was adjourned by order of the Chair at 5:27 p.m.
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS/EX
OFFICIO GOVERNING BOARD(S) OF
SPECIAL DISTRICTS UNDER ITS CONTROL
________________________________________
WILLIAM L. McDANIEL, JR., CHAIRMAN
ATTEST:
CRYSTAL K. KINZEL, CLERK
___________________________
These minutes approved by the Board on _____________________,
as presented ______________ or as corrected _____________.
TRANSCRIPT PREPARED ON BEHALF OF U.S. LEGAL
SUPPORT, INC., BY TERRI LEWIS, COURT REPORTER AND
NOTARY PUBLIC.