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BCC Minutes 09/19/2024 BSeptember 19, 2024 Page 1 TRANSCRIPT OF THE MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Naples, Florida, September 19, 2024 BUDGET HEARING 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 SPECIAL SESSION in Building "F" of the Government Complex, East Naples, Florida, with the following Board members present: Chairman: Chris Hal Dan Kowal William L. McDaniel, Jr. Burt L. Saunders Rick LoCastro (Absent) ALSO PRESENT: Amy Patterson, County Manager Edward Finn, Deputy County Manager Jeffrey A. Klatzkow, County Attorney Troy Miller, Communications & Customer Relations September 19, 2024 Page 2 MS. PATTERSON: Chair, you have a live mic. CHAIRMAN HALL: All right. Welcome to the final budget hearing. Let's get this Pledge of Allegiance rolling. Commissioner McDaniel, would you lead us please, sir. COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: I'd be honored, sir. (The Pledge of Allegiance was recited in unison.) MS. PATTERSON: Commissioners, I'm going to hand it over to Mr. Johnson to start the presentation. MR. JOHNSON: Good evening Commissioners. For the record, Christopher Johnson, your director of Corporate, Financial, and Management Services. Welcome to our final public budget hearing on the Collier County Government Fiscal Year '24/'25 budget, which begins October 1st, 2024, and runs through September 30th, 2025. Tonight we're going to be discussing the FY '24/'25 millage rates and the increases over the rolled-back millage rates, we're going to review and discuss amendments to the tentative budget that was approved on September 5th, we're going to adopt a resolution amending that tentative budget, we're going to announce the millage rates and the percentage changes in property tax rates, then we're going to adopt a resolution setting the millage rates, followed by the adoption of the final budget via resolution. Before I begin the required TRIM processes, I'm going to just give you one last -- and I promise this time -- one last quick outline of where we've been on this journey towards the final public hearing. As you can see on this slide, we started with our first annual strategic plan AUIR budget policy workshop where we discuss the utilization of priority-based budgeting approach leveraging the ResourceX software solution and had discussions on policy guidelines, including compliance and millage rates. In March, the Board adopted their budget policy. This policy September 19, 2024 Page 3 provided the framework for departments to build the budget. In June at the budget workshop, the County Manager presented the Board with her recommended budget, and the Board heard presentations from ResourceX on the progress with our priority-based budget approach to date. On July 1st, we received our final taxable value. On July 9th, the Board adopted the tentative FY '25 millage rates. On July 12th, the Board received the tentative FY '25 budget document. On August 13th, we had a discussion on ResourceX priority-based budgeting return-on-investment report, and staff provided a presentation on the progress and potential future insight implementations. On August 19th, the TRIM notices were sent to all property owners within the county. On August 27th, we had further discussion with ResourceX on next steps and the review of the organizational structure along with a refresher on the tentative budget in anticipation of the meeting on the 5th. On September 5th, we had our first public budget hearing where the Board adopted tentative millage rates including countywide and unincorporated area millage rates at the rolled-back rate and adopted the tentative budget. And today we are here for our final budget hearing. This slide depicts our agenda for today. The final public budget hearing must follow a specific format pursuant to the truth in millage guidelines. Your agenda contains a specific sequence of agenda items to be covered pursuant to Florida Statute Chapter 200. The required advertisement for this hearing was published in the Naples Daily News on Monday, September 16th, 2024. Agenda and speaker slips are available in the hallway. Anyone interested in addressing the Board regarding the county budget must complete a speaker slip. Following some remarks regarding tax September 19, 2024 Page 4 rates and changes to the tentative budget that was approved at our previous budget hearing on September 5th, there will be an opportunity for public comment. That be under Item 1C. Item #1A DISCUSSION OF THE FY '24/'25 MILLAGE RATES AND THE INCREASES OVER THE ROLLED-BACK MILLAGE RATES - PRESENTED BY CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON – DIVISION DIRECTOR – CORPORATE FINANCIAL & MANAGEMENT SERVICES MR. JOHNSON: With that, I will dive right into Item 1A, a discussion of the FY '24/'25 millage rates and increases over the rolled-back millage rates. With that said, the millage rates in your packet, we have had one change, and, Mr. County Attorney, if you don't mind just giving a brief explanation of what we've had to do, because one of these votes required a unanimous Board vote. MR. KLATZKOW: There is one MSTU that, because of the increase in the millage rates, would require five commissioners to vote. We've talked to Chris. He's going to reduce it down to a lower number. MR. JOHNSON: And that millage rate is for Haldeman Creek Dredging MSTU. I'll try to see if I can use my mouse here to get to it. We have reduced it from a millage-neutral rate of 1 to a millage rate of .9480. That represents the rate that can have a two-thirds or supermajority vote. So I will start now. State law requires that the first issues to be discussed are percent increases in millage over rolled-back rate needed to fund the budget and reasons ad valorem tax revenue above September 19, 2024 Page 5 the rolled-back rate as calculated on the state DR-420 forms are being increased. Rolled-back rate is defined as the 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. The Board adopted tentative rolled-back millage rates on September 5th at the budget hearing for the countywide tax rates and the Unincorporated General Fund. For the General Fund, the rolled-back rate is 3.0107 per thousand dollars of taxable value; the Water Pollution Control rolled-back rate is 0.0246 per thousand dollars of taxable value; the Conservation Collier rolled-back rate is 0.2096 dollars per thousand dollars of taxable value; and for the Unincorporated Area General Fund, the rolled-back rate is 0.6844 per thousand dollars of taxable value. The MSTU millage rates were established per budget policy, and these budgets were established to cover the operational needs for FY '25 and any planned capital allocations. Of note, at your last budget hearing, we also reduced the private road emergency repair MSTU to zero mils, and as stated earlier, in this roster of millage rates, you will see Haldeman Creek has reduced to 0.9480 from 1 mil. That is the proposed change. Tax levies for the General Fund, Conservation Collier, and Unincorporated Area General Fund together represent the majority of the total aggregate taxes levied across all county government taxing authorities for FY '25. The FY '25 tentative General Fund and Unincorporated Area General Fund operating and capital budgets, as presented, are based upon Board-adopted budget policy. Both the General Fund and Unincorporated Area General Fund proposed tax rates are at the rolled-back rate. September 19, 2024 Page 6 Collier County taxable value has increased for FY '25 by 10.33 percent and 10.51 percent within the General Fund and Unincorporated Area General Fund respectively. Within an increasing taxable value environment, under rolled-back operating capital policy guidelines, the rolled-back rate will be lower than the millage-neutral rate. This is the case for FY '25. The cumulative aggregate rolled-back rate for all Collier County taxing authorities, exclusive of debt services, totals 3.7702 dollars per thousand dollars of taxable value. The proposed aggregate rate for all Collier County taxing authorities is 3.7672 dollars per thousand dollars of taxable value. And that, again, is updated based on the Haldeman Creek MSTU. And this overall represents a decrease of .08 percent over the aggregate rolled-back rate. And with that, are there any other questions on the millage rates before we move on to Item 1B? (No response.) Item #1B DISCUSSION OF FURTHER AMENDMENTS TO THE TENTATIVE BUDGET – PRESENTED BY CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON – DIVISION DIRECTOR – CORPORATE FINANCIAL & MANAGEMENT SERVICES MR. JOHNSON: All right. Item 1B, review and discussion of changes to the tentative budget. For tonight's hearing, changes from the FY '25 tentative budget adopted at our last budget hearing on September 5th, 2024, as noted in Exhibit 1B -- and, actually, I'm going to put an updated version here on the visualizer, as we've had to update this with the changes that are included in Haldeman Creek. Sorry. September 19, 2024 Page 7 All right. And these changes are mainly due to a decrease in the FY '22 forecast loan to the Disaster Fund and the re-appropriation of those loans in FY '25. Other changes include a few position transfers and reclassifications and, again, the millage rate associated with Haldeman Creek. These budget changes total $25 million. Again, that's due to the reestablishment of those loans to our disaster fund to aid with the continuing recovery from Hurricane Ian. Any questions on any of those changes? (No response.) MR. JOHNSON: And I'm just going to put one more thing up on the visualizer, as it wasn't included in the packet. This is going to be the budget resolution for Haldeman Creek. And what we've done here is we've reduced the ad valorem tax, reduced the forecast in the previous year, and increased the carryforward to account for the reduction from ad valorem coming into the fund. Any questions on that at all? (No response.) Item #1C PUBLIC COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS MR. JOHNSON: All right. And with that, we can move on to Item 1C, which is public comment. MS. PATTERSON: Troy, I messed up the computer. MR. MILLER: Oh, okay. All right. Let me do a couple things here, then. We're going to start with Michele Lenhard, and she will be followed by Andy Wells-Bean. MS. LENHARD: Good evening, Commissioners. I'm Michele Lenhard, chair of Conservation Collier Land Acquisition September 19, 2024 Page 8 Advisory Committee, and I thank you for the opportunity to comment on FY '25 tentative budget. As the budget process concludes this evening after many months of work, I focus my comments on the public expectations of the program supported over the last 20 years. We are tasked with aligning funding decisions to meet them. There is an established need. When the first phase of acquisition totaling 4,055 acres concluded in 2011, this board authorized the use of maintenance funds to purchase an additional three properties totaling 237 acres at a cost of $3.1 million. These funds were repaid after the passage of the '21 referendum. During the referendum, presentations made before this board on January 28th, 2020, estimated the potential acreage for acquisition within the county, and it was totaling 98,951 acres. It included 39,719 acres that are within the RSLA program and that are not protected with an SSA designation. There is value to our program, the quality of life. Population growth predictions for the county continually are outperforming much of the state. One unique attribute and draw to the area is the quantity and quality of open space in the county. There is trust for a long-term funding source. Since 2022, the acquisition program has ramped up and been streamlined. Trust fund balances are critical. According to the annual report for Conservation Collier, goals for maintenance fundings are at $32 million alone. I encourage us to look at funding as -- beyond our current year and to provide the resources for the coming years so that available parcels may be acquired. On behalf of the committee, I request that you support the full rolled-back millage rate for this program, and I request that funds transferred in FY '24 be repaid to assure the long-term financial health of Conservation Collier. September 19, 2024 Page 9 Thank you. MR. MILLER: Your next speaker is Andy Wells-Bean. He'll be followed by Gary Bromley. MR. WELLS-BEAN: Good evening. I'm glad to be able to speak with you-all again. I appreciate the opportunity to weigh in on this year's budget. I have read the Conservation Collier draft annual report, and I have followed closely the Board of County Commissioners' discussion and votes with regards to Conservation Collier and broader conservation policies, and I'm very pleased with the hard work on behalf of the wildlife and wild places that I've seen over the last year. The efficiency changes and the renewed energy behind land acquisition are all very promising. And I think that from our look, the budget looks sufficient for short-term needs. And I see lots of good opportunities to repay the borrowed money needed for the long term coming soon. So I would encourage this board to approve the budget with regards to Conservation Collier as it is currently written but also make a plan to repay those borrowed monies. Whether it happens a little bit, little by little, or whether it happens by extending the program or some other creative solution, we encourage that to -- a plan to be put into place so that we can ensure the health of that program for the long term, both for the wildlife, the wild places, and for all the people in Collier County who love them. Thank you very much. MR. MILLER: Your next speaker is Gary Bromley, and he will be followed by Brad Cornell. MR. BROMLEY: Good afternoon, commissioners, and thank you for the opportunity. I'm always grateful to have the opportunity to speak with you. Last time I was here at the last budget meeting, I talked about September 19, 2024 Page 10 my enthusiasm 11 years ago to find out this enlightened program of Conservation Collier existed. And it was something that I found I could immediately and fully support for all the kinds of reasons that the two previous speakers have noted. So what I've noticed at the last budget meeting is there seemed to be somewhat of a drift back; discussion about replenishing the funds for Conservation Collier. I was somewhat hopeful in the very beginning that there was an acknowledgment that that would be an appropriate thing to do, but then when I listened to the discussion that took place on the commission at the last budget meeting, I started to get a whole different feel for it in terms of it seems like there's an interest in maybe not moving forward with replenishment at all or maybe just for a year's period of time to see how things go. It doesn't -- I'm a contributor, like everybody in Collier County, in terms of the program. And I don't mind that there's a lot of money sitting. I have a personal portfolio where I have a substantial amount of money in government treasuries. And why do I do that? Is because if all my other investments go caput, I think that's one of the safest ways I can come out of the -- out of the dust if that would happen. So that money is at a rate that's not keeping up with inflation, but I'm okay with that. So it's the same kind of idea that, you know, waiting is not -- let me rephrase. I'm thinking that when I first heard of the program and that money was going to be put aside according to the electorate wanting it to be put aside, that was huge. And to me that's dedicated funds, and transferring the money away, you know, and not replenishing it doesn't seem consistent with what the electorate was interested in doing here. And I think most people are like me and that they would be surprised to learn that there's been this transfer of money and there's a consideration that it will not be replenished. September 19, 2024 Page 11 Thank you for your time. MR. MILLER: Perfectly timed. Your next speaker is Brad Cornell. He will be followed by Gaylene Vasaturo. MR. CORNELL: Good evening, Mr. Chair and Commissioners. Thank you for the chance to weigh in on the budget. I'm Brad Cornell, and I'm here on behalf of Audubon Florida and Audubon Western Everglades. First, I want to thank you also, as Andy Wells-Bean did, for your constructive revision of the ordinance back in March. It was an important step for making this more efficient program, and that's been really, really important. So thank you for that support of this program through that strategy. And as evidence, I just want to cite a few statistics. Since 2022, the program has bought 90 properties that total 683 acres for about 15 and a half million dollars. And pending now, that has accelerated. There are now 2,337 acres pending acquisition that are valued at about $26.6 million, and those are 25 properties, including the Williams farm, 1,400 acres that Conservation Collier is buying. So this is tremendous. That's a lot of great conservation land, and we need it. We need more than that. The budget resources for Conservation Collier appear adequate for this coming year and for the maintenance in the short-term; however, there is a recurring commitment needed, and Audubon is concerned resources are not sufficient for the long-term responsibilities in completing vital, complex local ecosystem acquisitions. Only Conservation Collier is working on projects like the Horse Pen Strand in north Golden Gate Estates, which is vital for wildfire protection and water supply there and the habitat corridor links between the panther refuge and through the Bob Gore Preserve, September 19, 2024 Page 12 several hundred acres, across Everglades Boulevard to the thousands of acres of Rural Fringe Mixed-Use District conservation easements all the way to the North Belle Meade Preserve lands, and then those all connect to the 55,000-acre Picayune Strand restoration project south of I-75. It's a big ecosystem that's all connected, and you guys are the only ones working on the Golden Gate Estates/North Belle Meade parts of that. Audubon Western Everglades and Audubon Florida support a continued robust levy of the maximum millage rate for this program and repayment of the land maintenance trust fund. There are many ways to do that. If it were up to me, I would recommend you do an incremental approach sooner than later for interest-generating purposes. You know, the sooner we get it in there, the more interest we can generate. But whatever you do, let's make a plan now. Thank you for your continued support of this popular and essential Collier County conservation program that works for every single Collier County citizen. Thanks. CHAIRMAN HALL: Hey, Brad. I've got a quick question. Since 2022, 683 acres, was that 15 million? MR. CORNELL: 15.5 million, that's right. CHAIRMAN HALL: Thanks. MR. MILLER: Your next speaker is Gaylene Vasaturo. She'll be followed by John Meo, Jr. MS. VASATURO: Good evening, commissioners. At the last budget meeting, we anticipated that the Board might set up a plan to pay back the $30 million taken from Conservation Collier. Instead, the discussion we heard was that the Board may not pay back the 30 million or it might pay it back years later. Also, the Board rolled back the millage rate for Conservation Collier to even less than last year. September 19, 2024 Page 13 So as the cost of land is going up, Conservation Collier's purchasing power is going down. And as you know, in 2020 residents voted resoundingly yes, tax us to continue funding Conservation Collier to acquire and manage environmentally sensitive properties for protection of water quality, water resources, wildlife habitat, and public open space. Having voted for this program three times, voters clearly place a high value on preserving land for these purposes. We recognize this is important for our quality of life. So I ask, please fully fund Conservation Collier at .25 mils. The voters agreed to this. Secondly -- and this was to respond to Commissioner LoCastro, who may not be on, but others of you have commented about the funds just sitting in the account wasting away, accumulating. We hope that funds do build up to a sufficient level over the remaining seven years to be able to manage the preserves into perpetuity and also to be able to have adequate funds on hand to acquire a large or expensive but important parcel if such parcel -- and when such parcel comes up. Draining the acquisition account is not a goal. We support the program accumulating funds so that it has money to acquire a really significant parcel if such a parcel should become available, a parcel that can reassemble fragmented landscapes to restore and protect wetland flowways and the wildlife corridors that Brad talked about, a parcel that can work with nature to help -- to help clean our water and to provide flood protection. So we are concerned that the Board borrowed 30 million from Conservation Collier and has not committed to repaying the funds nor set up a plan to begin paying back the funds. Next time you ask us to vote for a sales tax increase or something like that, we will remember what you did with Conservation Collier money, and we also -- what you do going forward. September 19, 2024 Page 14 So please start paying back the 30 million. Thank you. Thank you for listening. MR. MILLER: Your next speaker is John Meo. Is it Meo? Am I saying it right? John Meo, Jr., and he will be followed by Kathi Meo. MR. MEO: Hi. Good evening, Commissioners. I'm John Meo, 2925 Coco Lakes Drive. I'm going to take a different tact. So far most of the speakers are for paying the money back. I'm going to take it from the point of view that -- and I'm not as well educated on conservation issues, but I'm simply aware that every time you remove a piece of land from private hands and put it into the hands of the municipality, the taxpayer, myself, is burdened with maintaining that. And to me, as a -- maybe the voters voted for this six, seven -- six, seven years ago, but I'd really wish the Commission would understand that most people don't have reserves like the other fellow mentioned. So they're living on a day-to-day budget, even here in Collier County, which is one of the wealthiest counties in Florida. So if this money was to be paid back, I saw no evidence of that in the prior hearings. So what I'd like to say and sum it up in this way is that I think that protecting the population of Collier by not raising taxes is the best thing that we can do as we move forward. We have inflation that's at an all-time rate [sic]. People go to Publix, and they're astounded by what a few groceries cost. And I understand -- I'm not anti-conservation, love conservation, but at this point I think we need to get a sense of priority, and the priority right now is we have an extremely inflationary economy, and on the horizon, we may have, you know, a great deal of emergency issues that might arise in this county. And I think it's how you would utilize the monies you have to the best ability. September 19, 2024 Page 15 It appears to me from the meetings that previously took place that Collier has -- Conservation Collier has sufficient funds and, with the interest rates where they are, that's able to maintain their expenses as an organization. So at this point, I would ask you that -- review your last meeting notes of this where it was said that we were going to pay something back, and if you can show evidence of that, then fine, but my recollection is there was no mention of paying any of this money back. So I thank you, and I appreciate if you can consider the taxpayers in this community. Thank you very much. MR. MILLER: Your next speaker is Kathi Meo. She will be followed on Zoom by Gordon Brumwell. MS. MEO: Thank you, Commissioners. I also -- Kathi Meo. Do you want my address? COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: We already have it. MS. MEO: You already know it. You know where to find me. Okay. I'd like to commend all of you for your recent vote to keep our taxes down. We really appreciate that. But going to the issue of the Conservation Collier, when this was talked about and voted on last year -- and we were very involved with it at that time -- I don't remember any talk about replenishing anything whatsoever, no repayment. And I know it's been previously mentioned in your prior meeting on the 5th that there's plenty of money in that fund, and it's very well-funded. It's fully funded. It's healthy. And as my husband just mentioned, just the interest alone with the rate that it's getting -- I think it makes over a million a year -- that is more than enough to pay the maintenance and -- or, you know, that they have. But, you know, the maintenance, as I understand, is very, September 19, 2024 Page 16 very expensive. And every time you have another parcel of land taken out of the tax roll, that's less taxes coming into the county, and the maintenance with the exotics and so forth that are on there becomes very, very expensive. Yes, the taxpayers did vote for up to -- was it .25 mils or 2.5 mils, but it doesn't mean you have to fund to the maximum. You could give them 0. You could give them .1. It doesn't mandate that you have to fund it. And it's also my understanding that the reserves in Collier County are very low and -- due to Hurricane Ian and all that you had to do for that. We're still in hurricane season. Who knows what other emergencies are going to be coming up. So that money should be kept for other very important things that are mandatory that you will have to do. This is not mandatory. You do not have to pay it back. You didn't borrow it. You took it, but you do not have to pay it back. That's my understanding. So I thank you for your consideration. MR. MILLER: Your next speaker on Zoom is Gordon Brumwell, and he will be followed by Joseph Foster. Gordon, I see you're unmuted. Gordon, you have three minutes. MR. BRUMWELL: Can you hear me now? MR. MILLER: Yes, sir. MR. BRUMWELL: Hi, Gordon Brumwell here. I'll expand on a pastor's thoughts on Conservation Collier from prior meetings. God said, "Let the land produce vegetation according to their various kinds." That's biodiversity. God saw it was good. God made wild animals according to their kinds. That's biodiversity. God saw it was good. God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant." This is a priority. The longer the time horizon, the more a portfolio should be September 19, 2024 Page 17 diversified. Creation is God's well-diversified asset allocated trust fund for us. God saw it was very good. So imagine God's disappointment as we dismantle this brightest point of light to binge at the crack of consumerism and the ecstasy of expansion. Wow, pretty heavy, huh? Imagine God's disappointment as we externalize the costs of our addictions and so make the rest of creation pay. The plants and panthers, God love them, but they're dumb. We are smart. We can budget. We can help our fellow man who is in, perhaps, unlucky straits. Science suggests we do better in proximity to green space, supporting the idea that it was good. There should be green space near all of us. Conservation Collier helps steward creation and increase our exposure to it. To, yes, acquire/protect sensitive lands, but it's also mandated to acquire sensitive lands with the best human value, including equitable distribution. Seventy-seven percent -- and I'm looking at a ballot -- or .25, not up to, that's a vision of creation integrated into the built environment as God intended. We are preserving properties faster, but the electorate senses we are so far behind, which is why people are okay with conservation funds stacking up temporarily. We have a vision. The .25 versus the proposal, check my math, results in about $9 extra. Losing it sums to 6 million, about. We can figure out how to budget $9 as smart people, but the land loss to not collecting the 6 million is irreplaceable because we're not smart enough to create creation, thus making this a priority. It was good. So please increase the rate just a tad today, and please lock in returning the 30 million. Leaving it to some random board down the September 19, 2024 Page 18 road risks it never happening. Thank you very much. MR. MILLER: Your next speaker is Joseph Foster, and he is our final speaker of the day. Mr. Foster, you're being prompted to unmute yourself, if you'll do that at this time. Mr. Foster, we are prompting you to unmute. I've always wanted to do this. Going once, going twice. Back to you, sir. COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Is that Judge Foster? MR. MILLER: It just says "Joseph Foster." I don't know, sir. COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: He might have been calling in wanting us to send more money to the Court system. CHAIRMAN HALL: Mr. Johnson. MR. JOHNSON: All right, Commissioners. Any discussion before we move into the resolution to adopt the tentative budget? (No response.) Item #1D RESOLUTION 2024-170: RESOLUTION AMENDING THE TENTATIVE BUDGET - MOTION TO ADOPT BY COMMISSIONER MCDANIEL; SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SAUNDERS – ADOPTED (COMMISSIONER LOCASTRO ABSENT) MR. JOHNSON: All right. Commissioners, under Item 1D is a resolution amending the tentative budget incorporating the previous discussed changes including the last change to Haldeman Creek. At this time, staff would request a motion to approve the resolution amending the tentative budgets. COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: So moved. September 19, 2024 Page 19 COMMISSIONER SAUNDERS: Second. CHAIRMAN HALL: Moved and seconded. All in favor, say aye. COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Aye. CHAIRMAN HALL: Aye. COMMISSIONER SAUNDERS: Aye. COMMISSIONER KOWAL: Aye. CHAIRMAN HALL: All opposed? (No response.) MR. JOHNSON: All right. Now the fun part. Item #1E PUBLIC READING OF THE MILLAGE RATES, ROLLED-BACK MILLAGE RATE, AND PERCENT CHANGE FROM THE ROLLED-BACK MILLAGE RATES - READ INTO THE RECORD BY CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON, DIVISION DIRECTOR, CORPORATE FINANCIAL & MANAGEMENT SERVICES MR. JOHNSON: That takes us to Item 1E, announcement of the millage rates. As I'm sure you are aware, the Florida TRIM statute requires that the millage rates, rolled-back millage rate, and percent change from the rolled-back millage rates be read into the record prior to the adoption of the millage rates under Agenda Item 1F. If it pleases the Board, I can begin. If you want to follow along, I'll have the millage rates on the screen. Again, the millage rate for Haldeman Creek has changed and will be different than what's in your packet. CHAIRMAN HALL: Rapid fire. MR. JOHNSON: I would try, but then Terri is going to not be September 19, 2024 Page 20 happy with me, so... All right. Here we go. General Fund 00001, the proposed millage rate is 3.0107; the rolled-back millage rate is 3.0107. The percent change from the rolled-back rate is 0 percent. Water Pollution Control Fund 1017, the proposed millage rate is 0.0246; the rolled-back millage rate is 0.0246. The percent change from the rolled-back rate is 0 percent. Conservation Collier Fund 1061, the proposed millage rate is 0.2096; the rolled-back millage rate is 0.2096. The percent change from the rolled-back rate is 0 percent. Unincorporated General Fund 1011, the proposed millage rate is 0.6844; the rolled-back millage rate is 0.6844. The percent change from the rolled-back rate is 0 percent. Golden Gate Community Center Fund 1605, the proposed millage rate is 0.1862; the rolled-back millage rate is 0.1756. The percent change from the rolled-back rate is 6.04 percent. Victoria Park Drainage Fund 1608, the proposed millage rate is 0.3814; the rolled-back millage rate is 0.3567. The percent change from the rolled-back rate is 6.92 percent. Naples Park Drainage Fund 1613, the proposed millage rate is 0.0041; the rolled-back millage rate is 0.0038. The percent change from the rolled-back rate is 7.89 percent. Vanderbilt Beach MSTU Fund 1617, the proposed millage rate is 0.4650; the rolled-back millage rate is 0.4650. The percent change from the rolled-back rate is 0 percent. Ochopee Fire Control Fund 1040, the proposed millage rate is 4.0000; the rolled-back millage rate is 3.7079. The percent change from the rolled-back rate is 7.88 percent. Goodland/Horrs Island Fire MSTU 1041, the proposed millage rate is 1.2760; the rolled-back millage rate is 1.1955. The percent September 19, 2024 Page 21 change from the rolled-back rate is 6.73 percent. Sabal Palm Road MSTU Fund 1619, the proposed millage rate is 0.0000; the rolled-back millage rate is 0.0000. The percent change from the rolled-back rate is 0. Lely Golf Estates Beautification MSTU Fund 1620, proposed millage rate is 2.0000; the rolled-back millage rate is 1.8994. The percent change from the rolled-back rate is 5.3 percent. Golden Gate Parkway Beautification MSTU Fund 1621, the proposed millage rate is 0.5000; the rolled-back millage rate is 0.4644. The percent change from the rolled-back rate is 7.67 percent. Hawksridge Stormwater Pumping MSTU Fund 1622, the proposed millage rate is 0.0318; the rolled-back millage rate is 0.0298. The percent change from the rolled-back rate is 6.71 percent. Radio Road Beautification MSTU Fund 1625, the proposed millage rate is 0.1000; the rolled-back millage rate is 0.0000. This is a reinstated millage, so there is no percent change over rolled-back. Forest Lakes Roadway and Drainage MSTU Fund 1626, the proposed millage rate is 4.0000; the rolled-back millage rate is 3.7201. The percent change from the rolled-back rate is 7.52 percent. Immokalee Beautification MSTU Fund 1629, the proposed millage rate is 1.0000; the rolled-back millage rate is 0.9521. The percent change from the rolled-back rate is 5.03 percent. Bayshore/Avalon Beautification MSTU Fund 1630, the proposed millage rate is 2.1104; the rolled-back millage rate is 1.8030. The percent change from the rolled-back rate is 17.05 percent. Haldeman Creek Dredging MSTU Fund 1631, the proposed millage rate is 0.9480; the rolled-back millage rate is 0.8154. The September 19, 2024 Page 22 percent change from the rolled-back rate is 16.26 percent. Rock Road MSTU Fund 1632, the proposed millage rate is 0.7224; the rolled-back millage rate is 0.7224. The percent change from the rolled-back rate is 0 percent. Vanderbilt Waterways MSTU Fund 1635, the proposed millage rate is 0.3000; the rolled-back millage rate is 0.2798. The percent change from the rolled-back rate is 7.22 percent. Forest Lakes Debt Service Fund 2014, the proposed millage rate is 0.0000; the rolled-back millage rate is 0.0000. The percent change from the rolled-back rate is 0 percent. Blue Sage MSTU Fund 3080, the proposed millage rate is 3.0000; the rolled-back millage rate is 2.8690. The percent change from the rolled-back rate is 4.57 percent. Collier County Lighting Fund 1601, proposed millage rate is 0.1025; the rolled-back millage rate is 0.0960. The percent change from the rolled-back rate is 6.77 percent. 42nd Avenue Southeast MSTU Fund 1637, the proposed millage rate is 1.0000; the rolled-back millage rate is 0.9858. The percent change from the rolled-back rate is 1.44 percent. Palm River Sidewalk MSTU Fund 1638, proposed millage rate is 0.5000; the rolled-back millage rate is 0.4777. The percent change from the rolled-back rate is 4.67 percent. Private Road Emergency Repair MSTU Fund 1639, the proposed millage rate is 0.0000. The rolled-back millage rate is 0.0000. This is a new MSTU. There's no calculated change from rolled-back rate. Pelican Bay MSTBU Fund 1008, proposed millage rate is 0.0857; the rolled-back millage rate is 0.0792. The percent change from the rolled-back rate is 8.21 percent. Commissioners, the aggregate millage rate proposed is 3.7672, the rolled-back rate is 3.7702, and the percent change from the September 19, 2024 Page 23 rolled-back rate is negative .08 percent. And I'm going to look around to make sure I got all those right. All right. And from there, there's just one more thing I want to put on the projector because this did change the tax amounts as well ever so slightly. So this is your new tax table. Looking here, Haldeman Creek was reduced to 312,239, and the total aggregate taxes will be 573,558,544. Item #1F RESOLUTION 2024-171: ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION SETTING THE MILLAGE RATES. NOTE: A SEPARATE MOTION IS REQUIRED FOR THE DEPENDENT DISTRICT MILLAGE RATES: AND A SEPARATE MOTION IS REQUIRED FOR THE REMAINING MILLAGE RATES - MOTION TO ADOPT DEPENDENT DISTRICT MILLAGE RATE BY COMMISSIONER SAUNDERS: SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MCDANIEL; ADOPTED (COMMISSIONER LOCASTRO ABSENT); MOTION TO ADOPT REMAINING MILLAGE RATE BY COMMISSIONER SAUNDERS; SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER KOWAL – ADOPTED (COMMISSIONER LOCASTRO ABSENT) All right. Mr. Chairman, Commissioners, Item 1F on your agenda is the adoption of the resolution setting the FY '24/'25 millage rates. And if I may, a separate motion is required for the dependent district millage rates and the remaining millage rates. So if we could have two separate motions, the first motion being adopting the dependent taxing district millage rates. COMMISSIONER SAUNDERS: Mr. Chairman, I'll move for approval. September 19, 2024 Page 24 COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: I'll second it. CHAIRMAN HALL: Moved and seconded. All in favor, say aye. COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Aye. CHAIRMAN HALL: Aye. COMMISSIONER SAUNDERS: Aye. COMMISSIONER KOWAL: Aye. MR. JOHNSON: The second motion adopting the remaining millage rates. COMMISSIONER SAUNDERS: Mr. Chairman, I'll make a motion to approve the remaining millage rates. COMMISSIONER KOWAL: Second. COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Second -- third. CHAIRMAN HALL: Fourth. All in favor, say aye. COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Aye. CHAIRMAN HALL: Aye. COMMISSIONER SAUNDERS: Aye. COMMISSIONER KOWAL: Aye. Item #1G RESOLUTION 2024-172: RESOLUTION TO ADOPT THE FINAL BUDGET BY FUND. NOTE: A SEPARATE MOTION IS REQUIRED FOR THE DEPENDENT DISTRICT MILLAGE RATES; AND A SEPARATE MOTION IS REQUIRED FOR THE REMAINING MILLAGE RATES. MOTION TO ADOPT DEPENDENT DISTRICT MILLAGE RATES BY COMMISSIONER MCDANIEL; SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SAUNDERS – ADOPTED (COMMISSIONER LOCASTRO ABSENT) - MOTION TO ADOPT REMAINING MILLAGE RATE BY COMMISSIONER MCDANIEL; September 19, 2024 Page 25 SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER KOWAL – ADOPTED (COMMISSIONER LOCASTRO ABSENT) MR. JOHNSON: All right. Commissioners, that brings us on to the resolution to adopt the final budget. This is Item 1G. This action requires a separate motion, again, for the dependent district budgets and a separate motion for the remaining budgets. The first motion, adopting the dependent districts budgets by fund. COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: So moved. COMMISSIONER SAUNDERS: Second. CHAIRMAN HALL: Moved and seconded. All in favor, say aye. COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Aye. CHAIRMAN HALL: Aye. COMMISSIONER SAUNDERS: Aye. COMMISSIONER KOWAL: Aye. CHAIRMAN HALL: Moving right along. MR. JOHNSON: And a second motion adopting the final budgets for the remaining funds. COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: So moved. COMMISSIONER KOWAL: Second. CHAIRMAN HALL: Moved and seconded. All in favor for that, say aye. COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Aye. CHAIRMAN HALL: Aye. COMMISSIONER SAUNDERS: Aye. COMMISSIONER KOWAL: Aye. MR. JOHNSON: And, Commissioners, if I may, before we adjourn, I would like to take this opportunity to first thank the Board for your vision on developing a FY '25 budget a little differently, using the priority-based budget process this year, and supporting staff September 19, 2024 Page 26 through what was a very, very long budget cycle, as it always is. I'd also like to thank the County Manager and the Deputy County Manager and all the professionals in the agency for their dedication and hard work developing the budget this year. We also need to thank the constitutional officers, including the Sheriff, the Clerk, the Tax Collector, Property Appraiser, and the Supervisor of Elections. I need to thank Court Administration as well and the staff at the County Attorney's Office. And last, but not least, I'd like to thank the staff of the budget office sitting behind here today and watching from home. And with that, Mr. Chairman, that concludes our budget presentation. COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: We've dubbed them "the fab four." MR. JOHNSON: There we go. There we go. CHAIRMAN HALL: You got a unanimous head nod, too, after you finished all those numbers. All of them said, one, two, three -- COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: At the same time, they were -- MR. JOHNSON: We've been practicing all day. The only -- until we had to change the other one, we had to do it again, so... CHAIRMAN HALL: Well, Mr. Johnson, job well done. And I am not going to miss you reading the timeline for the 19th time, until it's time to do it again. So with that, we're adjourned -- oh, go ahead. COMMISSIONER SAUNDERS: I'd like to make a couple comments. CHAIRMAN HALL: Oh, I don't have a thing, so I didn't know you -- September 19, 2024 Page 27 COMMISSIONER SAUNDERS: Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you did. CHAIRMAN HALL: Nope. COMMISSIONER SAUNDERS: Just real quick, I want to thank staff for everything that you've done in terms of the budget. Tremendous job. And I want to thank Commissioner Hall for really introducing us to ResourceX and taking a look at the budget in a different way, and I appreciate that. That's a job well done. CHAIRMAN HALL: Thank you. COMMISSIONER SAUNDERS: I also want to just make a couple comments in reference to Conservation Collier and to our budget in general. Obviously, today we are looking at the issues dealing with inflation and things of that nature, and we have reduced the millage rate to the rolled-back millage rate. That's the second year in a row that that's occurred. And so we are looking at the needs of our current taxpayers. At the same time, we need to keep in mind our future taxpayers and our future residents long after we're gone, and that's one of the purposes of Conservation Collier. I know that that is -- that there's some issues here with some folks in terms of is this a well-thought-out program? Is it something that we should continue? Should we repay the money that was taken out of the program? I think that it's important for us to look to the future as well as looking to the present. And so I'm encouraging the Board to keep that in mind. Conservation Collier's a 10-year program only in the sense that it's a 10-year program for collections of taxes. That doesn't mean that taxes are collected in 10 years, and they're all spent in that same 10-year period. If at the end of the 10-year period we have $50 million, $75 million still in the bank, we're looking at purchases into September 19, 2024 Page 28 the long-term future as well as the maintenance. So as important as it is to take care of our current taxpayers and to keep taxes as low as possible, it's also important to keep in mind that in the long-term future, this type of a program is -- I believe is critically important. So I'm hoping that we do ultimately put those funds back into Conservation Collier. I hope that we ultimately continue just putting that program in a position of importance going forward. So thank you, Mr. Chairman. CHAIRMAN HALL: You bet. Commissioner McDaniel. COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Yes. You know -- I'm going to keep my comments because we're shy Commissioner LoCastro today, and I don't want us to be -- I don't think it's fair. He got tied up in travel, and I don't want us to be debating a circumstance that we know we're going to have to deal with. One of the things that I'd like to say is I -- we know what the budget process is and the timelines. And so what I would like to do is engage in more in-depth discussions at our commission meetings. I don't think we need to have a workshop, because at workshops we get to sit around and talk about things and not take any votes. So I would -- I would suggest that in -- because when do we start the '25/'26 budget process? MR. JOHNSON: I think it's 10/1, but... COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Exactly. So we just adopted the budget for '24/'25, and we start the next year on October 1st. So my suggestion is belay the discussions tonight with regard to how we're going to do what we're going to do, but let's make a commitment to the community that these conversations are going to come forth on a more regular basis so that we can reach a consensus on how we do what we do. September 19, 2024 Page 29 CHAIRMAN HALL: You good? COMMISSIONER KOWAL: I'm good. CHAIRMAN HALL: All right. Thank you, Commissioner McDaniel, Commissioner Saunders. With that, we're adjourned. ******* September 19, 2024 There being no further business for the good of the County, the meeting was adjourned by order of the Chair at 5:56 p.m. BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS/EX OFFICIO GOVERNING BOARD(S) OF SPECIAL DISTRICTS UNDER ITS CONTROL kvatok CHRIS L, CHAIRMAN ATTEST CRYSTAL'K. KINZEL, CLERK These minutes approved by the Board on is , as presented IV or as corrected TRANSCRIPT PREPARED ON BEHALF OF FORT MYERS COURT REPORTING BY TERRI L. LEWIS, REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL COURT REPORTER, FPR-C, AND NOTARY PUBLIC. Page 20