City Council - Special Meeting

We like to call this to order. We would like to have invocation um by yours truly uh Councilman Hearn. Pledge of allegiance will be done by our fire department and our police department. Would everyone secure your cell phones including me, myself, and I? I think it's off. And uh we would like to proceed with uh invocation. Would everyone stand for invocation? All right. All right, if everyone please join me in vacation. Dear heavenly father, I'd like to give thanks for allowing everyone to arrive here this afternoon safe. I'd like to ask that you continue to watch over us and keep us safe as a city. Watch over our neighbors as well as our fellow Americans over in Texas is going through their endeavors at this moment. I ask that you give us a sound mind that we only make the best decisions on behalf of the citizens of Coco. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Amen. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you very much, Madame Clerk. May we do roll call. And you have your assistant with you today, I see this afternoon. Uh yes, sir. Mayor Blake, I have Mr. Deavon Fritz with us. He's uh took over for Colleen when she retired. He's our new records technician. Oh, thank you. Okay. Fantastic. Welcome aboard, Mr. Fritz. Thank you. Team Coco, sir. When you are ready, ma'am, may we have roll call, please? Yes. Mayor Blake. Um, Mayor

present. Ma'am, deputy mayor Weekes here. Council member Goins here. Council member Hearn here. Council member Cos here. City attorney Ike here. And city manager Whitten. Thank you. Thank you very much. As you all know, this is our annual financial uh budgeting analysis. Um chair would like to proceed forward to item number two-1 special meeting of July 5th, 2025 2025. What are the wishes of council? Move to approve. We had a motion on the floor by Deputy Mayor Weekes. Second. Second by Councilman Gins. Chair is going to call the question. All in favor saying I.

I.

Eyes have it unanimously. Proceeding on to item number three, Stant Tech, City of Cocoa Financial Analysis. But before we turn it over to him, I would like to defer the floor to our city manager. Sir, Mr. Mayor, thank you. Um, we we we re we rearranged the order of uh this year's uh workshop. And so this is a workshop where you're going to get a balanced budget proposal from me. I think you've already gotten that. And it's the workshop where Stantech presents their annual financial analysis of uh the general fund tax rate, the fire assessment, the utility uh rates, and then the uh storm water assessment there. And so we'll take you take you through that uh in a in a few minutes here. Um I I do have some um good news sort offormational reports and there's no place on the agenda to do that and so I really wanted to do that upfront uh Mr. Mayor uh and and especially in light of uh we continue to get what are labeled as uh public information requests that are that are not that and so we we continue to to march on as staff and them. So the first uh bit of good news I want to talk about is uh is um the J&K. And so um as you were previously advised, we actually had already applied for the D319 grants. We did that on an off sort of cycle funding um opportunity and so we were successful in actually getting the state uh DP to actually um make recommendation to the

federal EPA for the homeowner side of J&K. And so that federal uh portion would be 1.8 and then we'd use 1.2 2 million of the uh sorrow money for the homeowner side for a total of three three million there. Um yesterday, a week after the grant portal was open for the water quality grants, we actually made application for that. That would be on the public side. And so we made application for 50/50 matching grant of 5.296 million. And so we would match that with uh 5.296 million for a total of uh 10,500900 9593 million. Um today we were notified that and I gave you back in February you can see we made a number of requests to um uh Congressman Herodopoulos. These are what I feel like a movie star now. The these are um what are known as uh earmarks appropriations there. And so uh we were happy that the congressman's office actually said um you know he was going to participate in that. And so staff and and mainly uh Samantha coordinating the drafting of the letters that you see the coordination with his staff uh the information from departments and so um we submitted six uh appropriations requests. We we didn't ask for the council's permission to do that. We we sought uh forgiveness after we submitted those. And so, um, today

we were informed that we were actually successful on two of those, uh, those requests. One was the, uh, Cocoa multimodal passenger station for $2 million. Yeah, man. Coco, baby. And then the other was the uh or is the the cocoa seeptic to sewer conversion.

And so again, these are these are labeled as uh community project awards um sort of outside the funding that I that I that I went over a few minutes ago. And so if we're successful uh with all of this, again, uh these are these are notices from the congressman's office about this these awards there. And so uh again, of course, you know, I want to thank staff Samantha and and the the department directors, um the mayor on the Washington trip. I mean, you can if there's anybody who loves uh Bvard County, not being from Bvard County, it's Valentina. Um, and so she welcomes us with open arms and she's just she goes to bat for us and then and so we were really successful and so I want to give a give a shout out to her obviously the congressman because from day one he's been working hard on uh the Coco Interotal Station and all things that we ask of him and so so big shout out to him. Valentina's last name, Samantha, is

Valenta. Yes.

So, so I make so make sure I got that right. And then, you know, and I truly believe and I said this to to you all and I said this in the email when it comes to the 319 funding that it was uh staff making themselves available to the state agencies um to to actually give them information above and beyond what they requested in the application. And I actually personally was on a call with them either three or four times there. And so um um you know so we developed a a good rapport with uh the folks at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and I want to give a shout out in particular to Connie Becker who is uh retired now and uh but we became fast friends and and I think you know uh in my experience in my career uh it's about developing those relationships and and getting the information out there and so and so the good news is is that if all that funding comes through. Um, and again, the D is a recommendation to EPA. Uh, D has said that 908 90 something% of what they recommend gets funded. And so I fully anticipate that we'll we'll get that funding. And so and so um that that totals for the project that would total $14.7 million, almost $14.8 8 million, which is really good

um performance for a staff who's been accused of not actually wanting the project to happen there. So, so we we continue to march forward on that. Uh that's that's the the good news for for today. And so, just wanted to to again put that out there. Um Mr. Mayor and council members, what you have before you is a balanced budget proposal for the fiscal year. Before you proceed, okay, uh, as far as the appropriations for the substitute the sewer project, it's the number that's outlined in the letter what we were awarded. No, it was it was 1.2. Okay. So, we asked for 22 or something like that and we got 1.2. So, so again,

are you talking about the was it 4 million? Theal is 1.2. We asked for 2.2. No, the the the the septic to sewer is 1.25. 25. So, okay, because we asked for four. Well, we asked Okay, so we asked for four and then the multimodal is 2 million and I forget what the ask was for on that one. So, again, the D grant is for 1.8. The water quality grant is for 5.296 and then this federal allocation is 1.25 um on on the Fed side or on the other dollars uh side there. Perfect. City manager, sir. Yes, sir. Are you finished yet,

Councilman? Hurry. I just want to make sure uh these are dollars that are allocated for the various projects. The city, excuse me, the state of Florida would not dip their hand into our revenue. That's what I'm just trying to make sure. They would not get a portion of that, will they?

No. What? Well, actually in in some respects the the the the 319 is funneled through the state and so they don't I don't think they take any administrative uh uh fees off of that. So the 1.8 comes from federal EPA through the Florida uh D. The water quality is uh a part of the state's budget there. So, so those are dollars that are set aside for BMAP projects. Um, um, and then the federal the federal uh, notice uh, community project award that we that we were advised of today is just simply O eararks, you know, the O earark process. And so,

and it's 1.25. That's 1.25. Okay. And so we'll update the website with all of the information because again I think we have to go back now and revise the water quality grant because we have an additional funding source that we didn't know about on yesterday. So so we'll do that and if you want to be recognized just raise your hand so I can write it down. I mean what we do normally normally and traditionally speaking if you have a question. Okay. Anything else Mr. for the city manager before we proceed forward. Seeing none, the floor is yours, Mr.

And and so in your before you and and we'll talk about today and and again we have Pete Napperly with uh with a Stantech here to make the presentation. Um and so uh that's a part of the balanced budget proposal. So whatever he's giving you, I've utilized those assumptions to actually uh to actually work with staff to balance the budget. And so the budget totals approximately uh $195 million, which is roughly 12% higher than last year. Um and so that growth is driven mainly by uh capital. Uh there are a lot of utility upgrades and uh not a not a whole lot of increases in terms of operating expenditures. The tax uh value um rose uh 6.1% and we'll take you through that discussion in the presentation from the finance staff. And so we're near we're at nearly 1.9 billion in in valuation. Um Pete will talk about the rate the tax rate remains the same. It's a 6.9532. Um and and the big thing about this budget and about that is is that um we've balanced at least on the general fund side uh the capital expenditures without the use of fund balances. That's not to say that we've met all of our capital needs because they're always going to far exceed what uh what revenue that you get in. But again, structurally, we're not relying on savings to fund any of our general fund capital next year. And I think that's just a good fiscal position uh to be in. So, here are the the the hard realities uh around uh behind the numbers. Uh you know, we talk all the time about our tax

base, and I've said that from day one. Um 62% of Cocoa parcels are taxed at less than $100,000 in value, which is way below the county average. And really, in essence, means that you don't get much in terms of tax revenues off of those uh parcels. And again, that's that's approximately 62%. If you took the property taxes alone, they wouldn't fund the police department's budget. And so, let me just say that another way. We don't collect enough in property tax revenue to actually fund the police department's budget when you take it in isolation.

Um, water utility revenue is our financial lifeline. So, are you guys looking for page four? You're good. You go. Okay. If if you could just reference the page you're referring to when

I'm I'm reading from my speech which I will I will sign and give to you all when we're when we're done. But this is this is just prepared comments by me and so and so but it's all in the budget message or it will be in the presentations there. And again, water utilities is our is as a revenue as our financial lifeline. So it not only funds plan and pipe upgrades and underwrites uh and and does their their capital operating uh meets their operating needs there. It it underwrites and it funds uh critical general government services to the tune of 22 23 24 million somewhere in that neighborhood that we that we we need we get from the water utilities just to operate general government services. That's different than most places that you'll see. Um you you you'll note in this budget that uh we focus a lot on uh staff and uh recruiting uh maintaining staff there. And so uh service quality uh follows staff quality is what I believe. So sustained excellence requires committed well-trained and uh appropriately compensated uh staff. And so this propo proposal uh supports competitive market competitive pay adjustments. I don't know that they are. I think that we still are underpaid when you when you when you uh when you compare us against the market, but for the last three or four years, we've done pretty good in in providing uh annual increases there. And so they range in this budget proposal from the 6 to 8%. Uh and there are a

handful of critical new positions there. uh a police officer, a firefighter, two code enforcement officers, a permit tech uh and a financial technician dedicated to utility uh billing again because it is important uh that we be efficient in the collection of uh of uh water revenues there. the fire and police officers are um we're a growing city. And so at some point in time, we're going to have to meet that need there. And that's not and so I'm suggesting that over the next five, six, or whatever number of years it takes that there be an officer and a firefighter to add it each year so that when we get to that moment where uh the the growth explosion is here. Remember, we still haven't realized the two large subdivisions that we have. We still haven't realized the uh the uh city of Coco interotal station there. That's going to be uh uh big service drains there. And so again, I'm suggesting that we take a measured approach into uh increasing uh our public safety re staff resources there. Not based on comp plan requirements there. comp plan requirements say that you should have um um so many per capita. Uh you know, and so Koko has long had in terms of a crime, a crime issue or perception of crime issue there. And so this is uh um you know looked at in terms of deterrence in terms of being able to quickly respond. Uh we've been fortunate

that our crime rate is down for four years in a row. But I think we just need to have uh we need to continue look continue to look at our police presence and our police resources. And then the same for fire because we're growing uh west sort of northwest there and we know that we're going to need uh to address uh response issues there. So So again, um we focused on paying staff. We've added a few positions. Those are the most that we've added since I've been here. Uh I think only two of the five or six that I mentioned are general fund. the two code enforcement officers, the permit tech, uh, and then there's another that I forget off the top of my head are from building fees. And so I I think that as as we look to become, um, this uh, shining star on the hill, we need to increase our code enforcement efforts, at least on the commercial side. And so those would be uh, code officers that are dedicated to building code issues only. Um so so we we have that in there. Again, very proud of the fact I think this is our third year at a half a million dollar level in terms of um um road paving. Um and so we're we were able to maintain that. Uh you'll see in the budget um all of the capital projects associated with uh utilities there. You'll have this for a number of weeks um before we get to the setting of the millillage. Rebecca, when did we set the the uh the tenative

mil is on the 22nd. So July and then the two September hearings,

right? So So you'll go 22nd and then the two September hearings to actually uh at least up to the first hearing to make adjustments on anything that I propose. uh in the budget. And again, as I turn it over to uh Mr. Napoli, the the the budget is and what I want you to focus on is is that uh there's there's a current tax rate proposal. Uh we we've not utilized fund balances to fund capital. Uh and I believe this is the best budget to move us forward. um acknowledging the fiscal realities that are that are unique again to our community because uh our general fund budget is approximately 50ish million I forget Rebecca.

Yes, and their property tax collection is 1213 millionish. So um so so again um we we rely heavily on water um and and any any um movement of the miller rate has a has a a serious uh effect or has serious consequences on the uh the modest amount of uh property tax revenues that we get. And so I'll turn it over to Mr. Napoli to take you through their annual financial analysis. Use that one. Well, does this work too?

Okay. All right. Uh, thank you, Mr. City Manager, for the introduction. Uh, good evening, mayor, council members.

Again, my name is Peter Napoli. I work with Stantech Consulting. Uh, with Stantech, we've worked with the city for 15 years now doing this work on an annual basis. So assisting with your budget process and with the rate setting process and evaluating the sufficiency of the revenues that are generated by the different rates. I've got a presentation for you today that summarizes our work this year and the update to these analyses. Um so there's three separate main components and it's the three funds that we look at. So, we look at the general fund for the city, the water and sewer utility fund, and then the storm water fund. Um, additionally, we look at the fire assessment, but that's kind of folded within the general fund. So, I'll I'll address that during the general fund section of the presentation. So, without further ado, I'll start the presentation. We'll start with the foundations of the analysis. So, just some of the things that are similar across all three separate analyses. um you know what data we use, what assumptions we use for the forecasting model, why we do it and um uh what processes in place. Then I'll go through the general fund, the water and sewer storm water and then at the end we'll summarize. So the foundations of the analysis uh is the same for all three of the funds. uh our our our main goal is to evaluate the revenues that are generated in each of these different funds. With the general fund, the revenue that you have control over is the property tax rate and the fire assessment rate. Uh so what revenue does that generate and how does it lend to the overall the long-term sufficiency? On the utility side, it's mainly water and sewer rates. Uh the vast majority of the revenues come from the water and sewer rate revenue. And then on the storm water side, it's that

storm water assessment that's charged to taxpayers annually and appears on the tax bill. Uh so we'll look at how much revenue those generate and uh ensure that it's enough to maintain sustainability. Um we develop these forecasting models also to work with staff and management to look at different scenarios. What if the rate went up by this much or what if this expense came online? uh um all types of different scenarios to figure out the best plan for your proposed budget and for long-term sustainability. And then the source data that we're using and that's reflected in the results that I'll show you today is your current year adjusted budget. So, the most recent version of your current year budget, the 2026 proposed budget as uh shown to you by staff and management, and then your CIP, so the capital plans for all all the different funds. Each one has their own capital plan that has vehicles, buildings, infrastructure that's necessary to fund. Uh and then we forecast your 2026 budget for those remaining years of that projection period. So salaries, we look at your historical trend on how salaries have grown each year. Repair and maintenance, fuel, utilities, all those different expenses grow each year by a certain amount with inflation and with other factors. And we forecast that into the 10-year period so that we don't just keep them the same over the 10 years. We understand that they do go up. So with that we'll start with the general fund analysis and then on this first page here we just summarize the main objectives observations and then rate drivers. Uh so the objective as I have mentioned is to evaluate the sufficiency of the the rates for the general fund. Um the main observations that I just wanted to point

out everything is per the proposed budget for the 2026 budget that's balanced. We don't assume any additional level of service changes beyond that 2026 budget. So we don't have new FTEEs or new personnel beyond 2026 um or new initiatives or uh um departments, your current operating levels. The CIP on average each year is about $2.3 million. Uh so that capital plan fluctuates in each year depending on which projects are being funded. And then uh we have the new uh lease incorporated that paid for some vehicles and some various things. We have the payments associated with that. So for some expenses we have a known schedule of expenses like debt service. We know this amount is due each year and that's incorporated in the analysis. And then finally, we have the fire assessment rate increases incorporated. So this is you've been on a plan of 3% increases to the fire assessment rate and that's incorporated in the analysis. the the main things that drive the rate and rate pressure for the general fund are similar on on some of the other funds is long-term inflation of costs and most recently the last several years of inflation have really compounded to have a big impact the taxable value growth. So, as the city manager was explaining, that taxable tax base is is important for your property tax revenue and how that grows in each year is very important. If you keep the millage rate the same, the only thing that grows that revenue is the tax base growth. So, new development um and and housing market conditions play a big factor in that. and then the execution of your CIP, funding your capital projects with cash.

So, this screen here and and you guys may be familiar with this, but I'll I'll still walk you through all the components. Um, this is our control panel or our dashboard from our financial model. Um, and each year our goal is to update this and show you the results of the forecast. Um so at the top you could see the years going from left to right the 10 years of the forecast. The first assumption that we just highlighted there is the millage rate. That's the one assumption that you have control over when it comes to rates and revenue generated. We have that maintained at the current rate throughout the 10-year period. So the forecast reflects that. The next part is taxable value increase. So we've we just got off of a couple years of really good taxable value increases around the state. There was a big bump from after postcoid environment and now we're really seeing that flatten out and slow down. So we're advising cities and counties to expect lower levels of taxable value growth and we're advising a more conservative assumption there. So, what we have for the city is a 4% average for the 10 years. Um, and for 2026, this upcoming year, you're experiencing a 6% increase. So, that's not too far off from what you're currently expecting, but shows a more conservative assumption. The graphs in the bottom half of the screen summarize the forecast results. So, the top left graph, those blue bars, that's your savings account for the general fund. The black line is that minimum reserve policy that you don't want to fall below. Um if you fall below that, you have to make a significant adjustment either to rates or decreased costs. A healthy projection shows those funds stable. You also don't want to show the the the fund balance going up

forever and and just building a larger and larger bank account. the goal of the city really is to kind of break even and just maintain a healthy savings account in the case of emergencies. Uh so that's what the result of this uh the update. We're showing a healthy forecast. Um there is the bottom graphs show the CIP or the capital spending in each year. So this is your kind of irregular spending outside of operating vehicles, buildings, infrastructure. Um we have the first year is the highest because we have the carry forward from projects that are still in progress. So the uh projects that have been committed and then each year after is that regular two two-ish million dollars a year in capital funding from the general fund.

Do you want questions after? Um either way works for me. You have a question? Yeah. the um so first of all under revenues versus expenses there's a dip in 26 and so is that we're anticipating so that orange line there is uh representative of all the expenses and including capital. So because the first year 2025 has so much capital built in from the project carry forwards and then in 26 you see that dip down to a more normal spend. That's why you see that in the orange line. Technically in 26 the spending is less because there's less of that carry forward capital.

Okay. So it's normalizing the uh taxable value increase. Does that anticipate any of the building that's going on right now? So that's um that's what the property appraiser So in future years or the the upcoming year taxable value increase. Uh well in upcoming years since we have probably 2700 units on our projects list that could potentially be built.

Yes ma'am. So it it's it's really supposed to represent a blend of uh both existing value growth and new construction. So we do have an assumption in there for new construction adding to the tax role. Um and it can be hard to predict and forecast how much or of of which ones which projects will actually occur when they will actually come on to the tax role. So we air on the conservative side with that. Um but there is an assumption that does include the new construction. Okay. Say it ma'am. Yeah. Thank you. Go ahead.

So the next slide here summarizes the fire assessment and this kind of goes hand inhand with the general fund because the fire assessment revenues are in the general fund budget. This table uh the blue table at the top shows your current 2025 adopted rates. Um so these are annual rates for the fire assessment and in 2026 it's the proposed rates with that 3% increase. Uh, so for the average residential single family home, they're currently paying 24.49 a year and that will go up to 257. So it's a $7.50 increase annually. Um, the budget is summarized in the gray box towards the bottom of the screen. In 2025, the total fire budget's about 7.5 million. It's increasing to about 8.4 4 million which is a 12% increase in the fire budget. Um so the the rate is increasing much lower than how the budget's increasing. So technically the cost recovery of the assessment pro program is lower. Um some of the other things that are incorporated into the revenue part because you'll see the estimated collected revenue is growing by 5.8%. So whenever new development happens, they'll get a new fire assessment bill and that's added to the revenue. So in the same way with property taxes, new development adds to the revenue. It also adds to the fire assessment bill. And this shows the survey. Uh fire assessments are very popular in the state of Florida. A lot of cities and counties charge them and including Bard County. And I just like to point out it it just so ha coincidentally Bvard County sits in between your your current rate and your proposed rate. And they've also proposed a rate for the upcoming

year that has a 30-ish 35% increase. So you'll see the Bvard County proposed towards the top of the the survey there at about 350. So um

yes. So, I I believe they're going to a higher cost recovery level. Currently, the city is at about a 50% cost recovery with their fire assessment. So, the city could increase their rate up to 100% cost recovery, but it's just a policy decision for for funding. So, next we'll go into the water and sewer analysis. And same page here just summarizing the the key observations and considerations. Our goal is to determine if the existing rate plan uh which the city's been following is still sufficient to cover the utilities operations and capital. Uh so that rate plan has been 4% historically. So that's where we start out. We look at that 4% and see is this enough to to cover all the obligations. And the key drivers here on the utility side are also cost inflation, but more specifically construction cost inflation, which has been very high over recent years. And capital needs and infrastructure needs are play a much bigger role in the utility spending than they do on the general fund side. Whereas the general fund is mostly personnel and operating, the utility has a huge obligation to capital projects and they're very costly. Uh so that plays a key part of the rate considerations. And then one more slide before we get to the results. Um a a successful financial management plan for a utility uh just kind of ensures that you address three main components. sufficient cash flow to cover the annual reoccurring expenses and fund capital with cash maintaining a sufficient reserve balance. So it's

higher a higher requirement on the utility side because um disruptions in service you want to avoid those at all costs. Um infrastructure is expensive and there's the threat of failure with infrastructure. So you want to make sure you have a healthy balance in the bank account to cover those. And then finally, debt service coverage plays an important role on the utility side. You want to make sure you have sufficient revenues to cover your annual debt service for rating purposes. You want to get the best credit rating possible. uh from the uh the agency standpoint um and also maintain enough capacity if you know a project came along that was $und00 million the city would have the capacity take on that debt and afford the annual payments. So this slide here is the the panel screenshot from our forecasting model for water and sewer. Uh most recently in 2025, you could see at the top there was a 2% increase to water and sewer rates that the city was able to implement. Uh so a bit of a little bit of a deduction last year, but going forward with the 4% annual increases, we're showing that that's what's necessary for a sustainable plan. on the left hand side, the top left graph, uh that op that fund balance graph or the savings account, you can see that you're maintaining your reserves at or above that six-month target throughout the 10-year uh forecasting period. Uh and you're funding a significant amount of capital with those revenues, too. And you could see that in those bottom graphs. And currently, the assumption is that there's no debt utilized to fund those capital projects. This is cash funded capital. It's also utilizing some grants

that we know are are potential for some projects in the future. You can kind of see that in that bottom middle graph in the center, that light blue portion of those bars is the grant funding for some of those projects. So, we're making sure to apply that so that you don't ask rateayers to pay for what grants will offset. So, that's incorporated into the plan. Uh so the conclusion there is that the 4% is necessary and sufficient to to cover the utility uh expenses. Yes sir.

Help me understand under current plan operating funding 27. I'm looking at that bar right on the edge of brother. Can you elaborate on telling me why? And I look at 30 is like a bumper year. You get what I'm saying? So yes sir. Yeah. Okay. is that we're waiting on potential growth to reach our revenues.

So that that a big part of that is related to the graph right underneath it. So in those years where you have really high capital projects planned, a lot of projects in that CIP, you're going to spend down a lot of cash. And if it went below that black line, then we would suggest that you look at higher increases. But because you're able to just maintain that balance and then you kind of recover from it in the future, it's okay and the 4% is still sufficient. But that's something to monitor. And um that's why we we do these annual updates because if any of those costs grow and it ends up we end up showing that under the black line, we might have to suggest a higher rate increase in order to avoid that.

Thank you. Thank you. Yes, sir. So this uh chart here shows the monthly water bill. So water only assuming 4,000 gallons of usage. Uh with a 4% increase, it would translate to a $131 on the monthly water bill. Um for for the average customer. Yes, ma'am. Um the uh these do not include the public service tax, right? Which is 10% on top of whatever the water bill is.

So this is just purely the rates, the fixed in volume rates. So it's not the full bill. And I think also there's solid waste on your utility bill too. So it's it's just the the water. Yeah. But for the water and and relative to other municipalities, um that knocks us up quite a bit. And I understand that every every utility, every municipality in in Florida could charge a public service tax, right? But when I did a search in Bvard County, it was just us in Titusville. Of course, it was an AI search. They're notoriously wrong. But

um it does it does give some credence to complaints I've heard get a lot of complaints about our water bills being higher than others. So, um I was here when that 10% well I wasn't here. I was actually I was in the audience when that 10% um public service tax was put into effect. Um but it has gone from generating 300 to I think it's over a million now. So, it's pretty significant and um ends up being it ends up really pushing us up there in terms of the relative our relative uh water bills.

Yes. So, I would just say that I I didn't research if any of these other utilities have that, but I know that if they did, it's not reflected in the survey. So, the survey I just get from their whatever rate schedule they have online. And so they have their fixed rate, their volume rate, and then I I calculate it. So if they do have a utility service, public service tax, it would be an addition to what's shown on the survey. So um and then I Yeah, I can't speak to which ones do and which ones don't. Well, Titusville was the only one that came up in really and there's lower than ours. the county does it also Cape Canaveral

and we we can look into that too more and then that's something that we can include in the future on the survey too the public service tax component of each bill so you could see how that plays a factor because that makes a big difference well and it's also it's percentage these are you know percentages on top we're raising percentages and there are percentages on top of that so it's you know, just to be as transparent as possible. Where does that public service tax, what does that go for? Because that it's 10%. So, it would put us up closer to Cape Canaveral. No, what I'm asking is what is it used for? Oh, it goes to the general fund. I believe

it goes to general fund. It was originally the previous city manager had proposed it to uh increase administrative salaries and so but at that time it was as a percentage a much smaller amount than it is now. I got you. Yep. So you're just only getting the numbers. You're not getting the additional attachments.

Yeah. And that should be denoted that when you try to compare apple to apple to oranges to oranges um starting from Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, Rock Ledge, they get their water from where? Booya. I don't have to tell you. And even Titusville, do we still give them or sell them a million gallons of of water a day still? We they use very minimal. We redid their contract. Okay. But they can they have the ability, right? So, so my thing is when you you know get detail you know when we look at down look at at through the microscope then we can compare apple to apples oranges to oranges.

Oh and then when you when you look at the public service tax it's on uh it's on water but it's also on electrical it's on natural gas too. Yeah. So certainly do. So it's it's on it's on all utilities. So that's a lot. We're going to tell not to increase theirs and it could be on cable and telecommunications. That's right. Things like that. And I think Laura said Cape Canaveral. I know the county has it on there.

And the 10% on that $131 increase would be 13 cents even though it is an increase. No tea that day.

So the the next slide here where this the last one just showed water only. This is a combined bill of water and sewer costs uh at at an average usage of 4,000 gallons. So the combined impact of the 4% on both those rates is 3.44 a month um for the average rateayer. And then we just added this additional one here. It's the same surveys before, but we just denoted which of these other uh utilities also have rate increase plans. Um it's very very common for utilities to have a rate increase plan in place and increase their rates annually because their cost they're all everyone this is experiencing cost increases uh and the pressure from that. So, Palm Bay has an average increase of about 3 to 4%. Deltona has 5% increases. Uh, and then some of these other communities have pass through increases depending on who their water provider is.

Pete, did we not get a um results today from an inflation increase today? Was that denoted today? We got an increase in inflation. the the results from the CPI or no no universally as a nation as a whole. Yeah, that's all I want to know. As everything increases, so will inflation. Y it's happening.

We try to keep it at a minimum but still maintain that level of integrity and accountability, but we want to stay in the black. Go ahead, sir. So finally we have the storm water forecast and results to review the background with the storm water fund. Um it there's an assessment program in place that's on the tax bill just like the fire assessment and it pays for the storm water operations capital. There's also a reserve requirement. So savings account for the storm water fund. It's about 4 months um which is approximately 500,000. The uh previous plan in place was to follow 4% increases similar to the water and sewer utility to incorporate the cost of inflation and and other cost pressures. the capital plan um that I'm we'll show you is currently uh the plan is to cash fund uh but with storm water grants also play a big factor if grants can be acquired for storm water projects that can help offset the pressure on rates and uh capital is a big big component for storm water same as water and sewer um capital projects are expensive there's also expensive vehicles that are necessary and um maintaining the infrastructure that's in place is also uh an important component. So the slide here uh summarizes the results of the the financial model update. Um, and at the top you'll see that we've denoted where the rate increase plan is that we're actually recommending and what's uh built into the budget is a 0% so holding the current storm water assessment rate

flat. Um, just recently this past year in 2025 we reduced it from 4% to 2%. So this year when we updated the model and worked with staff, we looked at okay if we reduced it again to 0% how would that work for the uh projection and the the plan was still sustainable. It's important to point out we do pick up the 4% increases again back in next year and until we come back and update everything, we won't know if that's necessary or not. Um but for now we're incorporating that into the 10-year forecast. So the 4% increases are there beginning next year or beginning the year after next in 2027. Uh so the the fund balance and the savings account on the left hand side is sustainable. Um there's one dip in 28 and that's uh related to a big a large project uh that's planned out there in 28. Uh but then those balances that recover afterwards. Um but for now, you know, this this just just reflects the current capital plan. If additional needs or capital projects were identified, water quality or drainage improvements, um this that would impact the the the plan and we'd have to adjust accordingly. So, but overall the result is good news that the rate increase isn't necessary to maintain the balanced budget for for fiscal year 26. Good job.

And this survey shows where the annual storm water rate is currently for the city of Coco. Um, and it's going to stay the same with no rate increase. So, you're pretty much in the middle of the survey. Um, and I know a lot of uh these other uh cities and utilities are um proposing increases. Titusville, I know, has an increase of about 25% to theirs. So, they're right underneath you right now, but they'll be moving ahead. Um, storm water rates around the state have had an increased focus and pressure. Storm water problems are very relevant to the state of Florida. So, uh, funding those necessary capital projects takes more money and, uh, and grants aren't, uh, may may not be as available in the future to pay for those projects. So, um, we're seeing a lot of storm water rate increases around the state.

Okay. Just one comment. Yes, ma'am. That So, I'm in the tier three and of course that comes in right under the Palm Coast. Yeah. So, this is for tier two. That's the average size of imperous area. So, if you're in tier three, it scales. If you have more imperous area, which generates more uh um runoff essentially when during storm events, you'll pay more for the storm water infrastructure because you're putting more demand on the on the infrastructure from generating more runoff. But that's a good point. I I forgot to mention that this is tier two, which is the average residential, and the tier one would be right above Orman Beach.

Yeah. So it' be further down there on the list. Correct. Yep. And tier one I believe is 2400 square feet or lower of impervious. So um it's pretty small units. Because that also includes apartments would fall in apartments tier one. Yes. And most of our growth is in apartments. Yeah. So for each unit on the in the apartment they'd pay a tier one storm water rate. So it would scale up. If there was a 100 units they'd pay 100 times

the tier one. But for single family homes, it's not I think it's it's pretty pretty uncommon for them to fall in tier one because this driveway is taken into consideration. You could exceed 20 2400 square feet pretty quickly when you take all the other features of impervious. Even if there's a porch or a deck or anything like that, that's all impervious surface. Does does a location also determine which tier you're located at or no? No, sir. Yep. No, location isn't factored in. So, so if I lived on a conservation lake, just say live in the boonies or whatever. Okay. All right. I'm just trying to understand the correlation.

Yes, sir. Okay. Thank you.

And then finally, the summary of the results. Uh, no, we're recommending the millage rate is maintained for the general fund at the current rate. Uh, that provides a sustainable forecast. the fire assessment. We recommend the city continue with the 3% increases to the fire assessment. Water sewer utility, 4% increases to water and sewer rates. And then for storm water this year, uh no increase to the assessment rate. And then the potential for increases to the storm water rate in the future. So, that's the conclusion of my presentation and I'd be happy to answer any more questions, but thank you for having me. Thank you.

Great job. Great presentation. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Just one correction on my part that the county does not have the public service. That's why my boys making his request right about now. Increase the LEO.

So, so if you don't have questions for Mr. move on to the next portion of I I do want to take a moment of personal privilege and and ask uh Mr. Greg to actually get that young man's name uh that's sitting beside you. That's

I think it I think it's very appropriate to the subject that he wants to talk about. That's uh Ralph Abernathy. Uh the third fourth, what is it? Ralph the fourth. And so if you know your American history, you know the civil rights movement, you'll know the name Ralph Abernathy. Ralph works with Stantech and works with us on the projects for Coco and he does all the hard work with the analysis and and building the financial models. So, thank thank you guys again. Thank you. So, we'll move on to the uh balance budget proposal overview. Mrs. Bowman is going to take us through that. Mr. Mayor, if you Yes, sir.

And so, we'll we'll turn it over to her. You want you Okay. So, mayor and city council, this is uh part of the budget overview process. Uh that we normally do each year to kind of review where we're at with the budget. Uh at the next city council meeting on July 22nd, you will have to vote on a uh proposed millage rate uh which will go out on the um notice of proposed property taxes uh coming out from the property appraiser. And just to remind you all, we do have uh the truth and millage uh laws that we need to comply with. So this is one of the steps in the trim process. So um what we normally do each year is kind of review what kind of new revenue um we observed in the budget and then what kind of new expenditures were observed in the budget. So um we did have as was just reviewed a 6.1 6.6% avalorum increase. So that amounted to about $83,000. You notice the franchise fees and the utility service taxes um have increases of uh over $600,000. We went back and reviewed what we had been budgeting in prior years and the revenue has come in stronger than what we have been budgeting. So we adjusted the budget in uh fiscal year 26 to recognize that revenue. Um and then you'll also notice there was a decrease in investment interest revenue. If you will recall last year, we budgeted about $900,000 for investment interest. Um, that was a risk that I decided was

reasonable in that particular year. However, I've already observed that the interest rates are coming down as you all may well have observed in your personal lives um on investments, they've come down. So to get back to being more conservative, um I reduced the in investment interest revenue in fiscal year 26 by $600,000. As was just reviewed, the increase for the special assessment for fire is about $295,000. the charges for services, which is the city charging other uh utilities for billing their utility services for them, uh increases about $269,000. State shared revenue is increasing about $125,000. And then every year we have to go back uh implicit with doing all these studies that uh Mr. Napoli had just gone over we have to recalculate what that return investment is on the utility what the payment in le of franchise fees is or the pile off and then what the cost of services is for uh utilities if you'll notice the cost of services increased roughly about $60,000. We just went through um again another review this year of the calculation of the cost of services. We do that roughly every 3 to five years. And so this was the year that we needed to do that. And some of the assumptions that we had built in for increases were a little too high. So in previous years that may have been a higher increase, but now this has been adjusted back down to a more reasonable um estimate of index what those uh increases in cost of services are. And so the ROI, I'll remind you, is based on a calculation of the net value

of the capital assets of the utility system. So it was a pretty healthy increase of $89,000 this year due to a lot of capital being added, which is projects being completed by the utility fund in the previous fiscal year. So the total new revenue adds up to about $3.1 million. Um this slide is showing you uh not just increases in spending but what kind of significant expenditures are built into the budget. So as the city manager had noted for you previously all the capital funding of $1.9 million is funded with recurring revenue. And it's important that we try to fund everything with recurring revenue rather than relying on cost savings from previous years which goes back into the fund balance to then pull money back out of fund balance to uh fund our needs. And then um I'll remind you again that the city manager did also note that there were still some things that were deferred um that were requests um but he was able to manage uh funding $1.9 million with that recurring revenue. The salary increases that are built into the budget, some are contractual um and then the city manager built in increases for non union employees. So all those salary increases amounted to about $450,000 for general fund. Operating increases were $77,000 for various purposes. Um whether it's uh inflation, there's some discussions we had about tariffs and having to increase costs because of tariffs. And so that all amounted to $77,000. Uh if you will recall rec call last year, fiscal year 25 was the first year of the county parks agreement, the new

parks agreement. So we're building $500,000 into the budget because we're unsure if there are going to be some unexpected capital needs. So for example, um Miss Morgan uh got an email that there was a problem with the air conditioning at the Jolie Smith Center. And so that's what that $500,000 is for is in case something breaks. and it's on the city to pay for those things. Uh the health insurance increased uh about 5.5%. So that costed about $130,000. Liability insurance also increased about $107,000. And um as a reminder, whenever there's an increase in the property taxes, a portion of that then needs to get transferred over to the CRAAS to fund the CRAAS and their tax increment funding. So that was about $137,000. So um the total increases or significant expenditures are about $3.9 million. This slide shows you what um the major capital requests are. As the city manager noted, um there is $500,000 built into the budget for street paving. Previously, we have been funding about $300,000. Excuse me. Um about $63,000 is some signage for um safe routes to school. Some miscellaneous vehicles. We are funding seven police vehicles with that recurring fund balance. Um 30-year-old air conditioners at the police department are going to cost about $240,000. There's a generator that needs to be replaced at station one.

Um and so that's a need to have that backup power for the fire station and then um bay floor coding and then some Lucas M devices for the fire department. So this slide is showing you a comparison of the budget between fiscal year 25 and 26. uh you'll see a 21 almost $22 million increase in the budget. Uh the way that the funds are structured in the utility fund, there's a renewal and replacement fund. Uh the third line down there, um the water and sewer fund transfers money out to fund large capital projects. So that you see there was almost a $ 8.6 $6 million increase for capital projects in the utility fund and that's what's driving up that $22 million increase overall in the budget. Um, and then the water and sewer fund had other increases that make up that $12 million. And you can see the rest of the funds really did not increase that much, very moderate increases overall um, in their particular budgets. And then down there at the bottom, the building permits fund. you see that 61% increase that's due to the new positions being added to the fund. So, some of the challenges and changes um that may occur that we still don't know about. Um, the city council have requested uh the city manager to have staff talk to waste management about bulk green waste pickup due to people putting the green waste out on their sidewalks, driveways, roadways. Um, and so staff is currently working with waste management trying to figure out what that cost would be. and and we we've had um one meeting maybe two meetings they've given us a proposal

we've given them a counter proposal and I think I meet tomorrow with uh with uh one of the representatives to talk about where we are on that. So, so at some point we'll be able to bring something back to the council in terms of what we're what we're really talking about is an additional regularly scheduled pickup so that you don't have to call me. Um, and so we're we're currently talking about that

and and the way that works with the solid waste pickup as well is that increase in the contract value would be passed on to the customer as well. Um, so also there's um challenges in recruiting and retaining police and fire. Um, you all probably read about what's going on with firefighters in Bvard County. That's going to create that pressure on the fire department here at the city again on the wages and retaining the staff. Um, there's issues with recruiting and retaining general employees that have the appropriate education andor experience for their positions. uh funding capital requirements with reoccurring revenues. Again, the goal is to pay use your recurring revenue to pay for your needs. Insurance premium cost. Um we talked about that 5.5% increase in insurance premiums. In past years, the city has passed on a portion of that cost for the dependent care. If you'll um know that the city pays for individual coverage, but when it comes to any one more than the individuals, then um the employee is supposed to be paying for that cost. And right now, the city's paying for 77% of that cost of the employee plus dependence insurance.

Can I ask why? Why are we paying 77% when it should only be 50? That's a matter of uh policy matter about passing that cost on to employees. So if it's a 5% increase and an employee is getting a 3% increase, the city manager/council is is deciding not to pass that cost on to the employees. Yeah. So over the years it's added up to be 77% instead of 50. And and I know it wasn't close to 50 when I got here. And so so you're going to be hardressed for the next manager to walk in the door and make that correction. So to get from 77% to 50%

is a tremendous uh financial impact on employees. So it but it is a policy decision of the council. Um again, difficult to get there uh from year to year, difficult to get there in a short period of time, but there's obviously a big delta between a stated policy or goal of 50% and actually being at 77%.

Okay. And then um the last thing challenge is keeping up with growth um by developing long-term plans for additional public safety staff and infrastructure with the development. Obviously eventually the city's going to have to build a new fire station.

Um adding police officers, adding firefighters, may need to add public work staff, street staff. And so it's how do you fund that and keep up with it? And as the city manager has said, he has included in the balanced budget to include one police officer and one firefighter with a plan to add one each year to try and get up to that because that would be a significant increase in costs if we just said we're adding a whole new station, whole new shifts um due to the cost of employees overall. And I think quite honestly for police and fire um and they can tell you how many vacancies they have but it would be difficult to actually fund five positions and just have them sit there. So it didn't make sense uh to actually uh fund vacant positions there and so you know the competition is stiff for uh fire and police there and and so I think just to add them each year to try to fill them each year. Chief Collier and Chief Lamb, you guys know off the top of your heads how many uh vacancies you have right now. I think we're doing better than most, but but again,

fire's got two.

I have about 10. So So again, why add positions that are just going to just going to be vacant there? Um that was the thought process on that. Um budget message just to sort of take you through that before you get to your discussion. uh it it it sort of reiterates everything that was uh said here today or everything that was said here today reiterates what's in the budget message there. And so again, we take you through uh what are your stated council priorities there. You you you are familiar with those on the first page. On the second page, um we talk to you about the rates again, the tax rate, the uh fire assessment rate, the water utility rates. Uh again, proud of the fact that we're not using fund balance to uh to meet on the general fund side the uh the capital needs there. We've given you the proposed uh pay adjustments that are either uh contractually obligated or for uh the non-union employees. You can see that there's only one um increase that we've not been able to present to you because I think we're still in negotiations with them, the lieutenants.

So, we're still in negotiations with the lieutenants. We've talked about the $1.8 million in in capital. Um on page three, we've actually given you a more detailed listing of that uh for for the general fund, the water sewer fund, for the storm water fund. Uh and then at the bottom of the page, we talk about the staffing enhancements that I advised you of. Again, you can see that only two um three of those positions are actually coming from the general fund with the other being out of the general fund but through the cost allocation uh plan. So, it's it's really paid for by water and sewer and that's the utility support accounting technician. Um obviously you can see it's very expensive to add police officers and firefighters. Um and then on page four, uh you can see that the building permit fund is really funding um most of the of the uh funding all of the the permit tech positions that are that that is added, the two code enforcement officers and the one building plans examiner. Uh and then just one position being added in utility brief discussion on medical insurance and then we give you the discussion on property tax value property values and tax rates and we give you a historical on that. And so Mr. Mayor we are uh at the point where we're at council discussion. Council, Deputy Mayor Weekes, I know you had a additional question. I did sir if you want to follow up with your question.

I I would um in the pages that we got um full city expenses all the all of them

and and I was looking through here and my question is and I it's happened over and over. So maybe you can explain um that uh it'll have at the top uh regular salaries and then down retirement contributions and in some of these the retirement contributions out no is higher than the um uh what the salaries are and I'm trying to figure out what if you could explain the the why the retirement um contributions and you know it's by by different departments. I'm trying to find one. I highlighted a bunch of them when I was going through this earlier and I'm trying to find one that shows um some are are are low and then some are higher like uh water administration that has the salaries 190,000 but they're given retirement contributions 219,000. So I'm just curious why that is. That's like page 71 of 94. Um,

you really made it through. Oh, yeah. The, like I said, I was marking so many of them finally. I just said I saw such a pattern that I thought, are you looking at the change or the actual numbers? I I'm looking at the uh for 2026 adjustments. You're on page 58, correct? Well, I was on 71, but uh uh 58 probably has it too. There's a lot of them. City expense versus full city expense. Yeah. Whatever it says. Yeah. Hold on. Let me get back to whatever personnel services.

Let me see. You got to do the You got to do the executive salaries. See? Yeah. I'm looking like here. regular salaries and then uh this retirement is 161 but many of them are are the retirement's higher there are two lines actually three um so this 12 account and this 13 account and I believe there's an 11 account also the sum of all those are all the different types of salaries okay okay times whatever the percentage is for the retirement police and fire rank and file have different percentages than FRS Yes. Okay. I was not catching that. I was I many of them I mean it would you explain it again. I don't think I catch it.

Okay. So there's a group of accounts. Okay. 1,100 1200 1206. So it's a sum of the numbers times the percent. So there's a number of salaries retirement. Yeah. And then this is all the retirement for those people. Uh retirement contributions. Where'd it go? Anyway, this one it's low fire pione also have fire in the state. Yes, some of those were like that. Yeah, we have it set up in the computer system that the computer takes that calculation based on the window.

I understand better. Thank you, ma'am. Appreciate that. I just I I had caught that and going through it and I was going I want would like that explained and I forgot to ask when we were meeting upstairs. So, I'm good sir. Thank you. And and so at at this early stage, I think this is the first time we've actually given you the detail. I would say if you have questions, certainly feel free to call the directors. I would expect that they would be able to explain uh what's in their in their budget. Yes, ma'am.

Yeah. Um so um you made a number of adjustments this year based on last year. I know last year in January when we met we had that summation we discovered or the summary of the year was that we had um projected revenues I think it was 12 million or something lower and expenses wait revenues were higher and expenses were lower so we ended up with uh a chunk of money at the end of the year. you know, are the adjustments you've made this year, are we going to be closer to the mark? I mean, I wasn't sure how to read that. I think we all felt really good that we had all that extra money, but when you talk to citizens, they're a little concerned that we're collecting, you know, more than than um what we're actually projecting we need.

I think you're referring to when the financial statements were presented and the changes in fund balance. Um, and so right now we're on budget, and like I like to joke, the financial statements are the real numbers. Um, and so we do a budget based on estimates, based on historical information or like as um Mr. Napoli stated, you know, you you're taking percentages and doing projections. We're looking at revenue collections from previous years. And so we try to budget as closely as we can to what we anticipate that we may get.

Um last year if you'll recall when I presented the financial statements I have been doing some active investing because of the interest rates and taking advantage of those interest rates. And so there was a significant amount of money that was earned in general fund because I was taking a lot of money and investing it in a very liquid investment in accordance with the investment plan. And so that's why there was that increase.

And as we stated previously um the funding of the capital in previous years has been based on cost savings because we figure that they're not going to spend everything. For example, um Chief Collier just said he's got 10 vacancies. Well, that's saving money essentially. We planned on him being fully staffed for the whole year,

but he's not. And so, we wind up with saving some money and revenue, state revenue, we never know exactly where it's going to be. We look at that trend and we try and budget as closely as we can to what we're observing the trend to be. And you know what the sad thing about all this ladies and gentlemen? If this property tax go to referendum, how are we going to pay for our safety? How are we going to pay for They're not doing that, ma'am. They're not doing that. They're not taking

if if the citizens approve this property, eliminating it. Ma'am, how do we pay for her safety? How do we pay for it? We can't. Thank you. So, how are we going to generate revenue? Are you referring to something that's going to be on the ballot? Yeah, I think the context of that is is that there's already talk in Tallahassee from certain legislators uh

I'm not going to name others, put it um about putting uh eliminate an elimination of the property tax on the ballot. And so so session closes and then they immediately go to the discussion of that topic. So so um come January that's so so it's a fight that we'll have to fight again in the legislative session. I think their their new strategy is is to actually send it to the voters for for a vote of the voters. The tax just state Mississippi. Is there any state that doesn't have property tax?

I asked that. I think they're I think they're No. Yeah. Any state in the nation that doesn't have property tax? I don't think so. I don't think so. Jeff didn't mention that last night. Google it. Do your a chat. Okay. Maybe a territory looking it up. Yeah, because I thought he did say something about that last night. That's what's getting ready to happen. I think there may be, but I'm not. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. What else is state?

So, the chief chief lamb looked it up and Google says no. Every state has a property tax. Every state has got to go. Yeah. How would how would you leave that alone?

I'm sorry. No worries. Uh so my question uh I see everything that we got build out in the budget. Uh these are projections. Um I know something big for me that I would love to see projected in the budget. Um updating some of our our signage and street streetscaping around the city. Um would that be already uh build out in like public works budget? Abby, you know, you know if you have how much you have for that off the top of your head for signage? Yeah.

And and when I speak of signage, I mean like some of the uh our corridors when you first get in the city of Coco. I would love to see that updated. I've been in multiple cities around the county and they they've all done a great job with their updating signage. So she does have a small a small budget for that. Um, and you're working on the four corners vision. Yeah. So, we're And then, and then we do we do have budgeted, which I think we'll start this year for the medians to to uh do some landscaping in the medians. Um, and so the signage is uh as those are brought to her attention, she spends up to what she has budgeted, which she says is 15,000.

So, we might need to increase that. I was going to say we don't even have a sign coming off 524 at Industry Road and that's such a big thing now with all the I mean if you go out there it is nonstop cars going off and on going to and from the port and it really would be nice to have something there. I know that that whole interchange will change at some point, but we really need something that says tells people from out of town where they're coming because anytime you're there, there are cars from all over the country in that in that area. And of course, that's my district, so I care about that, too. But once Bright Line gets constructed, ma'am. Yes.

Yeah, I know. But it would still be nice. Yeah. No, no. We need something. It doesn't need to be big, but something that says, "Welcome to Coco." Four times. Amen. Time Super Bowl. Yeah.

Again, this is just that particular topic discussion, sir. Um, what are your issues? Let's listen. This is what we do. We could just go around that day is what are your wishes? Like to hear from everyone. Okay. Doesn't matter who goes first.

So, I guess I'll finish since I started. So, uh the signage and the streetscaping was big for me. Um seems like that's being already looked at. So, I appreciate that. Um also, um further uh continuence into enhancing Braco Pond. Um that's a big uh priority for me as well. And uh Councilman Goins brought it up a while ago in a few council meetings just uh ensuring that we have personnel that's uh cleaning up litter on the side of our streets. Um not just our major highways but throughout the inner city as well. Fist Boulevard primarily. Um Dixon Boulevard as well. Um and that's all I have right now.

Okay. You all in the previous council meeting talked about like when individuals are evicted from housing

and they right they leave a pile of trash there from clothing to cabinets to chester drawers to whatever all those terms bedding etc etc. Is there any way that they can be on a time schedule to where they can you know um pick their it's their It's former residents, so it's their property. Is there any way that we can enforce them and hold them accountable to as well as we would do with our ordinary citizens? You get what I'm saying? Am I making myself clear?

Okay, that will be something. You all brought that up and I think that's a great idea. Um I know you done. Yes. The um one consideration could possibly be a requirement to have when you doing evictions where you have to throw someone out or throw their stuff out. You you must um the owner must get a rolloff dumpster because what's happening the stuff sits out and waste management would not pick up

and they throwing out everything. They're just throwing it all over the yard. And so that's the main issue, which I know would be a cost to the owner. But if it sits there, they're still going to get a code violation anyway. And so is waste management would not pick it up the way that they're throwing it out. I think that's the issue.

Yeah. I I will say um from the realtor point of view um that uh when they get evicted um and I've seen it happen over and over again uh per their most of the leases the owner has in there that they are not responsible for the people's property and they actually can come and get their stuff and I've seen them come back and and get it and there's a timeline for that and then uh most of the owners call and have it picked up. most responsible owners. I understand that all of them, but they do try and give them time if they want to come and get their stuff after they've been evicted.

May maybe set us set that time frame. We set a policy set a time frame for what that is because most of the owners that own a lot of these rental properties, they don't live here, so they don't really care. Most of the time, they just trying to get a new tenant inside that house. No new tenant would want to move in with all that stuff over the yard. Well, but that but that's that's my point. So, how do you how do how do we mandate that they um if the say if that resident does not come back and pick it up, it has to fall back on the owner at that point. So, what at what time frame does that start? I think that's the conversation. And do we can you just call you can call Waste Management and have that picked up

and they they'll I've seen them I've seen that stuff sit out for months. Go to house. Yeah. And and it should not be sitting out for months. I will tell you, I had it recently where the tenants left left stuff everywhere themselves and the owner had everything moved out to the street. Waste management was called and it took them two weeks to come pick it up and it was called repeatedly and they kept saying somebody was coming and they didn't and they didn't. So the owners try and do the right thing, but if waste management doesn't come, what else can they do at that point? Yeah. I I know we're trying to protect the owners. I I get that, but but we do have a lot of negligent owners. No, I But we have a lot of good ones, too.

We do. We do have a lot of good ones. And so, I guess that's that's where we are as far as what what what policy do we set? I mean, if they can say to you, look, I called Waste Management three times and they still haven't come and picked it up. Like through code enforcement. Yeah. I mean in the contract too because if it's separated properly and they make a call and and we we do have and that's those are the sort of things we're talking with waste management and and enforcing or or complying with the contract provisions in there. Um and so most of the time it is that the trash

the yard trash is co-mingled with the bulk uh house waste there whatever that's that's uh and so that's the issue there. But but but we have found a couple of provisions in the contract that waste management was not um um complying with there. We've notified them of that. I can't think of them off the top of my head, but how do you remember? Yeah. Yeah. They're actually supposed to tag the pile if it if it is co-mingled in the contract. It says they're supposed to tag it. And so those are the conversations that that we're having with waste management.

All right. Um it is now 6:34. Um let's buckle down and get to your issues. Um because I know we scheduled this from 5 to 7 and I myself have just like many of you all in this room right now. I have other obligations that I need to meet. So um we'll go around to get your wish list. This is the wish list request. Correct. Yes, ma'am. Yes, sir. Yes.

So, okay, let's The floor is yours. For the sake of time, I'm asking you state your top priorities and then move forward.

Uh, well, number one, I really would like to see our corridors. I'm really glad to hear we're going to be focusing in on the corridors. I think that is essential to changing our image. no matter how much we bring down crime and everything else and if we look blighted um in our corridors in particular because we have they're so well traveled to get to the rest of the county um that that's an important investment for us. We've already invested quite a bit on US1 so just you know trying to pick that up and maintain it. And then the other would be um you know I still have an interest in the park desert seeing that filled. I looked at the property that was available and that's really not an appropriate property. However, there are two others that are still vacant although not for sale. So, you know, I have high hopes for some sort of plan because, you know, I don't think I mean I think we have to have we have to see that you know there are projects such as a park for example that could be you know two three four years in the making but you keep it on the radar screen. So, um, those two things and of course I want to see continued, uh, funding for the museums. I think that as we are growing, we talk about needing more police, needing more fire, but we're also going to find we need more attractions, quality of life type issues. Um, and so we have to have some aspirations. I'll pass it on.

Um, well, my top is the Coco Conservation Area and hopefully we can um get my bridge over the over the wetlands so we can get back there from 524 uh because that was very affordable to do. And um and I know it has been brought to the attention that TPO thinks they're going to put some wetland I mean some uh retention ponds in the Cocoa Conservation Area. They're going to try and uh I would really like uh that's not to if we can stop that from happening. Um and also, you know, get uh get some another entrance in with signage uh so that um that that place is utilized because it's such a gym and it's so underutilized at this point. Um and of course the couple things on Genie Rios, I don't know if we got those uh done. the um the tennis courts and they had a wash out underneath and some of those things that needed to be taken care of. Um and um thank you.

Personally, I wish we could reduce and do roll back millage or reduce one of these. I actually had him and I should have had him do it here. He plugged it in to show and our numbers were still good 10 years out by doing that. Granted, our little blues were down lower, but our black line was still good. Yeah, I should have been in that meeting because I'll challenge Pete to say that your numbers are still good 10 years out if you go to roll back.

Well, we've been looking at that chart for, you know, the six years I've been here. And we've always they're always consistently 3% estimate 3% lower than what we do. 3% or more. No less than 3% or more. They underestimate our revenues. I I'll I'll Okay. If we go back, I've been saving all Rebecca was in there. But well Well, I've been I've been I mean I I started in the budget office in 1990. I I would I can argue that with anybody that if you go to a roll back millillage especially when you're only getting what are we getting from proposed millillage next year in total? Yeah. Um it's about 13 million.

So 13 million the the police department is 14 million. And so you go to a roll back millage you've lost that revenue forever

half a million dollars Mr. City manager. And so, and so I'd just like to see what uh what Pete was showing because again, it it just doesn't doesn't happen that way. But, but again, I get it. the the and and it's all a product of if you have a huge property value increase I I get you know so you got to have the one before you can even think about the other you know because remember on the chart we were 13 point something 13 point something and now we're 6.1 you know and so we have we have we have those big valuation increases coming later hopefully but again going to roll back is is challenging especially in the city of Coco.

Um let me can I can I talk a little bit about the TPO wanting to do retention ponds in the conservation area which is not their idea but it's it's it's our idea because if you think of their lakes their retention ponds already in the Cocoa Conservation Area Uhhuh. And so why wouldn't you make those bigger that are more of an amenity for folks who are visiting the Cocoa Conservation Area and at the same time you're not recreating and having to acquire new property for retention ponds for the widening of 524. So that was the thought process there

because you would not consider a storm water pond biologically, ecologically a storm water pond is not the same thing as a natural body of water. Okay. um their ecology is really different and unless you had a lot of pre-treatment going on for the storm water um I mean there are examples of projects that have expanded or put up artificial wetlands things like that that have to treat storm water

and you would have pre-treatment of the storm water when you look at uh the ponds the natural ponds that are in uh Coco Conservation Area they have all but disappeared, you know, and so and so it it would it it would be uh treated ponds. It is can you can you um utilize what you have to serve the two purposes again including a treatment of the storm water um but also uh amenitizing the uh the ponds

and create and create more volume. um and and and then facilitating the acceleration of the project because that's less rightway, less private property that they that FDOT has to go out and get. So, so again, just a thought there in the design there. They they may not even uh take us up on that. Remember, we have the the 11 million the 11 acres the 11 acres. We now have the one acre that uh that we got from uh the Walmart distribution center. So we do have some ability to utilize those properties to uh accelerate the uh the 520 for widening. That was all the discussion was. So um okay.

Um well I did not know it came from our side. I'm I still am not sure that I would agree that that would be a wise thing to do in the Koko conservation area. Um it's something would need to be studied would need to be studied. Um, and the reason I talked about the roll back rate is because I have, especially in the senior community in my district, um, uh, many of them are all on fixed incomes and all the increases in the water and in the fire and everything else, um, hits them in the wallet really hard. And so I would love to see if we can to give them at least a little break on their on their property taxes. Um or somewhere they need I I feel like they need a break. I mean to some people the little bit maybe doesn't matter but those little bits have added up year after year after year and we keep going up up up

the percentages. Yeah. And so I just, like I said, when he plugged it in and uh Rebecca was in there at the time and it, you know, I just said, "What would it look like if you went to the roll back rate?" And so he did and um and I meant to ask him to do it here and my brain was on other things and I didn't. I apologize, but anyway, um I would just like it to be considered. When what a majority Well, not going to use that word majority. Most of those residents will would probably not be paying property tax based on being a senior. Do they contribute to our revenues? Yeah, they pay

they pay they pay even our even our cities as well. Yeah, it's taxable value. And so if you got 62% of the parcels that are less than $100,000 of taxable value, then you know, and remember that's that's just I mean you got some that are under $50,000 in taxable value. You got some,

you know, but but but again that that you know, so so it's it's a dynamic. It's it's you can have somebody right beside you paying twice as much in property taxes as you're paying there. And so and so um you know so it it is how you get to that taxable value. And again a lot of our properties are uh not again at the $100,000 and then there's a step down from there. So So um what' you say Rebecca? the exemptions that um people get that they pay close to nothing.

Yeah. Yeah. So, and that takes you that takes you to the taxable value of the exemptions. So, it's market minus the exemptions which takes you to the Now, when we say 62,000 aren't at that

60 62% aren't at aren't at the 100,000 in taxable value. there may be half of that 62 may be under the $50,000 in taxable value there. So, so again um but but again I mean you know roll back roll back discussion has always been there. Um there is no there is a there is a a rate that you could come up with where everybody gets a tax break but again you wouldn't be able to fund any services you know and so bottom line. Okay. Can I just make one? What? What? Let me finish then.

No, I was I was I was finished. I was going to move on to Yeah. I I just wanted to say um here here's the problem. When you're talking to the public, no one that their incomes are not increasing. Property values might increase,

so they may have some more value there, but incomes and I talked with Kennedy Space Center. um that we're not you're not seeing those kind of percentage increases. Um so when we talk about 4% here, 6% here, 12% increase in the fire department, it's like the question I get is, well, is the city doing anything to tighten up? Because we don't show them that. If we are, we don't show them. Um that word needs to get out. Okay. Um but that's good point. Yeah. So,

yeah. Yeah. And and of course when we've been doing the water rates and the storm water rates and it's going up and up up and it's percentages. So we're now paying what? Twice as much for water as we were when I started on console. You know, almost twice as much. Um so and the public their salaries aren't increasing like that. At least not in most of our neighborhoods. you know, some people I I you know, there are people making windfalls, but they're few and far between.

And so to two other points and and so I can guarantee you when Pete ran his scenario of the roll back rate, the on the expenditure side, the assumptions were static, right? you know, and and you and you you know, the price of everything, as you just said, is going to go up, you know, and so and so I guarantee you he didn't he didn't run a non-static sort of model on the expenditure side on the on the uh Cocoa Conservation Area and and the pedestrian bridge over the uh over the what is that detention

compensatory storage? Yeah, retention area that remember that F dot has 100 ft of rideway. I'm talking both sides there. And so you you you literally would have no parking if you were even able to get a bridge over the compensatory storage retention area. So yeah, the point was for them to park across the road at Juny Rios and

at least at least for now and do a crosswalk and people go across. I mean I I mean it's there with the bathrooms but people you know would be we'd be able to put a sign and have it there where people know look you can go back here and walk in nature and um and it's right there near again the train station. and it's near everything. And the bridge was, I guess, you know, for me, far less than than I thought it would be. It was what, $90,000. And um we've still got um we should still have the leftover 600,000 from the splash pad that's sitting there. So, I just thought that that would work at least. Yeah, I'm gonna because I don't want to I don't want to appear to be too much of the naysayer here, but but you so I'll I'll mean the the remember that's a a state road. It's it's it's uh proposed to be widening widened. They're in the design there and so I don't think that F dot is going to approve a crosswalk

across that. Well, they have them right up the road. There's a crosswalk from Eckards from those uh from the uh where the Eards is of the new apartments across the road right there at the at lights there. But but and and so and and maybe they will the the the um and so again and I know what uh I think Billy gave you in terms of the you know the the cost of the of the bra from a from a lady who does that. Yeah. Right. Right. But we're bringing that item back to you. Okay. On Tuesday. And so

as far as my, you know, priorities, that was that was just, you know, one of them. And and like I said, I want to see us somehow give the people a break, whether it's, you know, less of a water increase or property tax decrease because I'm hearing from folks how hard they're struggling, especially our seniors. And we do have a good number of seniors. and there's a senior community in my in my district. So, um you know, I mean, I think we would all like to see the people on the lower end get some sort of a break um from all the rising costs. Yeah. So, that's all I'm all I'm saying.

Yeah. Well, I had two questions. Well, first question, the 90,000. What what do you say that? What did that number? That was a pedestrian bridge and it was from a company that actually builds them. So, she uh she looked at it and gave us the cost of what it would be to build a bridge o a pedestrian bridge 4 foot wide over that and something something similar to the bridge like down by Fair Glenn down on No, no, no. The bridge is only over the water, not over the road. Just over the just over the water. Over the water. Yep. from 524 over the water to get back to the conservation area since that's it's right she saw right where our right of way is that we already own

and it goes right through that. So I said well let's go over it and see and so that's what she gave us the price for and I gave that to Stockton. So yeah, and my second point was I know I mean I'm I'm in agreeance that I wish we could lower everything, right? But but just like the paving conversation you you know five six years ago we probably could live with $170,000 $180,000 for our paving budget. But now that same paving that same road you know we have to go up to $500,000 for our paving budget. And it's it's things are it just a lot different on our capital projects. It's just and so now do we make a sacrifice and you know not do those projects? Do we

you know I'm with you. It's just it's it's tough. You know it is tough. It is tough. And that's why I I bring it up to say you know this is what I'm hearing. This is what I would like to see us somehow do. Yeah. Whatever that is, give and and the 10% that we're charging in in the tax in addition to going up on the water, you know, that it's like we're double hitting them. Well, particularly with water because I mean we have that that is our enterprise and so you would think there'd be some Can we charge everybody else and give Coco a break on it? They do.

You know the answer already. It was worth a shot there may but if you keep chiseling away everything you have nothing. That's true. You will have nothing. I'm just I'm being honest. And we're looking at services. We have to provide that service. Do you think that if we give them a break when that respond first responders show up at their door three 10 minutes late because we gave you a break?

That's the thing. They want immediate services right then and there on the spot. I'm 65 plus years old. I live on a fixed income. I have I I I have to rob from Peter to pay Paul. I still cut grass. I You'll see me on my John Deere lawnmower cutting grass. I mean, we all have to make sacrifices. John Deere lawnmower. Yes. and and my students go when they see me on my job.

But the point that I'm saying, ladies and gentlemen, I mean, we we can't just keep chipping away because what what we have, that's what we're known for, our services. We have AAA ratings, responses for our fire department and also for with our police department. We get an insurance break on that when we have topnotch quality services. So, I'm just saying I would love to be able to give them that break, but that's to me that's not the real world. It's not 10% today. 2.7% increase inflation rate. It's in the news right now.

It's not even five hours old and it's already being televised and and advertised. That's like a one quarter or one month actually. That was

Yeah. the month of June uh escalated to 2.7% inflation increase. So you might as well just say 3%. You're 3 away from it. All I'm saying, ladies and gentlemen, when you come here, walk down in that downtown area and walk throughout our city and our communities. Safety is the first priority to any and everyone else. Then comes the education. Then is location, location, location will be the determining factor on where it's at. this plan that we've established is working. Give it a chance. That's all I'm asking you. Give it a chance. Yes. When we get those homes out there on 528, Cocoa Windward and is it Cocoa Groves on both the north and south side of 528, that will be a shot in the arm. That's additional revenues, right?

That will benefit us so that we can provide that quality service for the citizens of Cocoa. That's all I'm asking. And and I would I would love to give him a break. But we want to keep our quality personnel because that's what we're doing. Oh, and and I believe, you know, I I want to see our people paid well because a man is worthy of his hire. No doubt about it. And that and I I will stick with that definitely. Uh but again, I just wish we could find a way go to another community or another municipality for greater pay and it happens. Yep. Yep. I know.

And a lot of them left Coco and found out the grass wasn't green on that side and brought their toas back. They do a damn and I'm going just leave it like that. Floor is yours, sir. Um, Mr. uh, Beach, I'll make it real quick. Uh, spoke about this a couple weeks ago. Um, something that I would really love to see in our city. Um, we can't hear you. Can you hear me now? Yes, sir. A little bit. All right. So, actually, I just saw something.

I think it was on the news uh about different venues leaving the county because a lack of event space here in Bvard County. So, um I'm just thinking of ways that we can maybe incorporate something like this event space in the city of Coco. I would uh love to see uh at the Bco Pond location. We got plenty of room out there. Um so I I just pulled up some renderings and just to you know spark u interest with with you all and you know maybe we can build off of that. Councilwoman Call spoke of a plan. I know this isn't something we can do next year but you know we could at least put put together a plan and concept and a vision. I would appreciate that. Um, so I got a few renderings I just wanted to share with the council.

So, oh yeah, that looks like Arlington Park. Nothing too extravagant or too, you know, out of our budget. Um, but something, you know, just a nice event space for uh there's plenty of times I want to have community meetings and community events within District 2, but I just don't have the the venue there. Um, I don't either. So, I got the same. But you also said with with like shutters so then the homeless won't correct. Correct.

So um this is just some different uh different ideas I seen at different parks in different uh states and cities. So I just want like I said I just wanted to spark that interest and put it on you all's mind and we can build off of that at a later date. Um, so it's something you can kind of keep it natural and um, so and then I had one more render and that's if we re we really got really extravagant. Yeah, I love that. That's BCC right there. I said council woman's going to love that one. All the trees.

So So when I saw this rendering, I also thought, like I said, I'm promoting district 2 pond, but I also thought we have the Bright Line location that's coming. So, and I know there's a there's elevation there, so something like that could be created within that location. So, um I just wanted to put it on you guys mind. Um I hope you you uh think about that as we have our further meetings down the line. So, that's all I had. That's your Greek. Is that AI? No, those are real extra. Yeah. It's all yours. Is that it, sir?

Yes, sir. Do do we have uh I asked the list for the street paving, Miss Abby? Not yet. Not yet. Okay. All right. So, I want 2026. 2026. Yes. All right. Um, next question. Public works the Autism Children at Play signs. I know we talked about that the last time, so we we're on track on that. Yes. Yes. You sure? Are you talking about the ADA equipment? There you go. No, not the not the not the equipment. The equipment. He talked to me about that issue. You got that issue. The the actual street signs.

I think I I think the last budget meeting I might have discussed it that we have couple streets where we have uh kids that and adults that have autism and people are speeding on these streets. I think F Street was one of them. So that's that's on your radar.

That's on the radar. Abby say yes. And then Okay. All right. Uh next thing is, and we're not going to argue about this today. We're going to have a fun day. Uh a museum. All right. And so um I I I got the picture the last time. I I know I I don't have the votes to do what I want to do. Uh, I feel I feel like I I do not, but but I I think I want I want to get an understanding on the the goals that I have for the college museum have absolutely nothing to do with me. Um, it's not about me. It's all about a community that's that's looking for us to uh shake the trees and and move forward um on opening a museum that we have in our community. And so in order to do that, uh I was convinced by another guy that's in the audience, Mr. Stole at 11:00 at night. Um

you too. He kind of uh he he he opened my eyes. You called me. Yeah, I did. I did. I did um to y uh you got some slides.

Yeah. And so so the the the point was he felt me beat my head against the wall. And so to at least allow us to get rolling, um, I would concede on having a person that that we same same pay that we already have at the other museum. We have a attendant that's there. Um, at the museum, I believe he makes 15 to 20 grand. Um, and we allow that same process to happen at the college museum. Um, but but with a caveat. The caveat is we create a committee uh from the community um and allow us to come back uh once we establish this or make a decision on this. You know, we do a six-mon review or a year review, revisit this again in 2026 when it's time for budget season again um and see where we are. But this committee's responsibility is to u community engagement um contact those divine nines those NAACPs those different groups and and allow certain events and one of the events that I I I talked to the mayor about on the DAS was events where uh the community comes out and we have a Dr. Jolie Smith talk to me day or whatever or a dinner with community leaders that are that that that was here during that time the 50s and the 60s and 70s to have just community conversations. Um I know that doing nothing is not what we need to do but but I am willing um to to say hey let's just move forward. I will I would drop the idea of uh the 46,000 wherever that number was, but I but I I I really want to move forward um with it

and I don't want to do it with being contentious. Um I can, but I don't but I don't think I don't think that we we don't need to do that. But but I do I do feel that the building needs to be be opened up and so we allow that. So I took some of your ideas when you said about hey have that day of an event with city community members come in and we have whatever kind of event we choose and then we can create this committee. However we choose to do that we do it. We if we do selection of each council member get

two picks of a per of comm community committee members to put on this committee along with our assistance. I'm down with it. So, um, if if that's a consensus of Yes. I don't know if that's a a agenda item for a city council meeting. Sound like it is. Well, I mean, it is. I think it's it's an agenda item. I mean, I And Mr. Stole is is the Coco volunteer. Yeah. So I don't want this to sound like I mean he he puts his heart and soul into into uh anything he does. Y

I got ideas too. Staff has ideas too. And so and so you know because there are colleges that have programs uh where you can get your degree. And so uh Mr. Mr. Uh, Sudinette is actually either talked to or is in the process of saying, "Hey, can we uh can we have somebody who's getting their degree in whatever it's called? Have that person be the coordinator?"

Um, you know, you got to you got to have staff before you have this committee. you know, we we we've done and that and staff actually puts the committee together,

you know, and so and so he has he has a a budgeted open intern slot. And so um I think he's made overtures to um two colleges and our universities and so if you want to hear from him, he's he can talk to you about that idea. But but I think you got to at least allow us to go away and come back with hey this is how we suggest that you do it because at the end of the day when you look at the Hannibal Square and I know Mr. um stole visited Hannibal Square. They the city is $50,000

and uh the organization runs it and and again it's it's it's the RFP is you know uh some of the same things that you would charge the intern with the the the college student with it is you got to build the volunteer core. You you you got to go out and look for grants. You gota and and and we talk about and these are conversations that we don't want to have right now. You you got you got the Moore center, you got the Moore Center and then you got the the museum. Yeah.

You know, and so and so just doesn't doesn't work at the end of the day. It's a this holistic uh conversation about uh should it be the Leon Jewel Collins Museum at the Moore Center with more space? You're going to get to a point in time where you're going to need to at least run one of your parks, one of your community centers with with uh organizations that are in the city or city staff there. And so, so I don't want to go too deep down the rabbit hole on that discussion there, but why why I guess my and I know why, but other people may not know why. Yeah.

And so I think that conversation need to be had because majority of pals across the state of Florida are attached to a gymnasium in some sort of a way. Even though sports is not all what they do, but the gymnasium is a major part of that sports component along with meeting rooms which Jolie Smith has. Yeah. And we've we've we've talked about at least since I've been here, remember I was on I was on the county side so took advantage of it there, you know, and so and so, you know, we've talked about controlling uh uh parks programming,

you know, and really parks facility. Now, we don't have the financial wherewithal to do that, but but again, it's part of that larger discussion. I think we can bring something back to you that makes sense. Um, Lauren, you want to you want to quickly talk about uh your discussions and our idea? Well, and that's it. And I heard stock, you got you got to get into the mic. I'm

sorry. Who who's ever mentioned at the last uh council meeting about people paid vast sums of money to be museum curators? And I said, you know, that's the expertise that we need to leverage, but obviously not doing that with a full commitment to hiring somebody with not knowing what our needs are and and reaching out to these programs. They have undergraduate and graduate degrees and recent graduates. People who have gotten museum experience through internships at other locations around the country and in some cases around the world. uh that we can open these opportunities up, have a chance to engage with candidates to see what their expertise is and and starting up an organization like we're looking for here at Leon and Juel Collins and decide on who the best person is to do that. Uh then we set them up with uh volunteers that we already have in place with the VAR Museum of Science and History and uh engage with other organizations and let this person we've selected kind of organized hours, get it open and see what they need in terms of exhibits and other support so we can bring it back and say, okay, based on somebody who studied this, had experience elsewhere, this is what they found in opening this up. this is where they see our potential future is in terms of exhibits and and direction we can take this and we we allow leverage somebody's expertise who's kind of studying this doing this and maybe had some experience at another location another museum and bring that to Koko so

I can appreciate it and so let us have that let us bring back that discussion that plan course of action okay yeah So, we are home to the Florida Historical Society. Um, they left the Natural History Museum and I think some of you know circumstances. Some things were separated from the museum. Um, explain that because I I don't I don't know. You say property a year before they gave the museum back to us. They separated property and the trust.

Okay. Okay. Um, you know, this is kind of we're way after the fact and nobody was willing to take it up at the time, but I mean even working with an intern, I mean, they should be able to give us some guidance and I think, you know, the director in particular, just knowing his programming, he should have a real interest in seeing this thing succeed. and it's probably, you know, probably one of the people in the state with the most expertise in this area. So, I mean, we need to lean on Well, I mean, if we need to get specific, I'm willing to go in. Can I respond to that right quick?

So, on the only problem I have, I don't know them personally, but but at the same time, um, the museum have been moving since 2016, 2017. the the only reason why I I believe and I and I talking to the previous city manager at the time, you know, we funded their roofs at the time inside of that contract was them to come in and help the Leyon and Joel Collins Museum's exhibits at that time. And so, so to me, if if if you are um that style of of of organization that runs museums, why haven't you already came to the table and made that conversation when the building has all has been there from day one? That that's that's my only concern is is going back and saying it's like we're we're begging you to be a part of what we do. And and I believe I want someone that's going to be compassionate about our community, compassionate about this museum, not someone that's in this building right behind us that's literally two and a half miles away from the other museum. And there has not, as far as I'm far as I know of, been a conversation with our city manager about that moving forward in that direction. That's my only just me as forget forget council person

as a community person me going back to someone trying to engage that to me is I don't know that just my feeling. Yeah. And and just and just remember the last exhibit that we did in there was the uh Gilbert versus the Board of Education, right? They actually had the contract. Sonia was a sub to them, right?

That deal was put together. So they actually built that. So they haven't come to the table because they have staff that they have to pay, you know, and so and so um but you know, we've not asked them to do that. Um and I I think I think we're all talking about the same thing, you know, that there needs to be there needs to be a staffer with expertise. We think that again uh what were the two colleges? Stson and the University of Florida. So Stson over in Dan and

well yes it's always going to be UF you know but the uh and so because again they they have to have those internships they have to have the practical experience you know and so so exploring that but at the end of the day there needs to be somebody who's going to coordinate the volunteers you know and and I don't you know and so they'll be able to tell us what that looks like you know the same same sort of form and format as a as Hannibal Square same sort of suggestions suggestions that uh that uh that Greg has you know so so just giving us an opportunity I don't I don't you know again remember the the Bvard the Florida Historical Society they were paid to do the Gilbert versus the board of education and so and so they're not a free source you know uh that's why I think you know they're not a

lot of value from volunteering to to to to do the museum. All right. Okay. Um I've been recruiting and one of the major recruiters Yes, sir. is uh Dee Sims and she says she wants to be involved and there's others, but I'm just saying we are willing to it's going to get off the ground. I know it would be nice to have it done yesterday, but yeah. So, it's fair and equitable across the board. Yeah. So, we're moving in that direction. Council,

real quick, my last request. Um, I like that the city manager is going to put something together and bring it back uh for us. Um, would the council entertain having a special meeting on this at the actual museum? You mean Jolie? No, the uh at the Leon Jewel. Yes. Yeah. I'm sorry. I went old school. I would love to have it in the form of a special meeting uh because it's so much robust conversation that need to be had by the council as well as output from the public. Um I would I think it would be special and and be productive if we had it at the actual center or the museum. I mean it is strictly about that solely.

Correct. Correct. Yeah. Second, 3rd, fourth, fifth, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th. Sir, you finished? I'm sorry.

Yeah. Yeah. I I also I want to clarify I'm not against the historical society but but I I just know how I am personally and maybe sometime I I I put my feelings and think that someone else can feel the way I feel about something. So maybe that's some of my fault too. But but if I have a passion for something I know is not and and and you were a part of the exhibits historical society was right and and I know you don't have really a planning process. I'm going to step in and I'm going to make that proposal to the city manager. I know it's not for free, but hey, look, for 30,000, 40,000, 100,000, whatever that is, I know you don't have anybody in place, but I can move this forward. It's like we he's saying we didn't ask them. I just don't feel with that expertise and and what they have and the experience that they have, why wasn't that effort brought to us directly? I just

that would be that's my question to him to That's just me. And and I don't put words in Councilwoman Cos's mouth. I mean, we they uh they kind of walked out the back. Yeah. Yeah. They they they stepped away from the uh they separated they stepped away from the uh from the uh the Museum of Natural History, you know. So So that I think that's I guess that's why I'm getting right,

you know. I mean, no knock on anybody, but you see what happened over here. And now we're asking them to come in a commu, a community that that don't need to happen to that community. It's too many times that that community been left behind and we can't allow to happen again. Not saying they will, but we see what happened before. That's just could be completely wrong. Let me say that in the mic. I could be wrong, but that's just how got that Monica. I got this. That is how I feel. Got you. That's all. Okay, y'all. I'm good. That's everyone's wish list. Um, anything? Esquire Ike. I love calling your last name.

Equ city manager. Anything else? For the betterment, I want to say thank you to all council members. Well, I think you may have Yeah, I know. I know. I I got his I'm looking at his He said he got 30 seconds. I'm looking at his card. And I just want to thank all council members. We can agree to disagree, of course. And I've made mistakes, too. And I've been on the short end of this stick. I know what it's like. How many times?

I don't know about that, sir. Ah, we can go back to 2020 first year, baby. That's why I have gray hair. Okay. But I want to say thank you for your opinions. I'm a firm believer. If we're not growing, we're dying. And by God, we're not going to die because we got a vision and we got leadership here. All right, Greg Triple G. Stole, come on down, brother. And Mr. Stole, you have six six copies, right? Uh, yes. And I think I gave uh uh Charlene my my spare. So, everybody should have a copy. So, you got a copy, Charlene. Thank you.

Sam, I'm sorry. He had seven copies. Monica has one. Monica, it's imperative that Monica has one. I'll give Monica 45. I'm just making a point about someone was someone's busting my chops on the not put my glasses up. I got in the record. Yeah, you did put it in. Okay, you're good, bro. You can look on the side of the monitors, too. Go ahead. I've got it in clock running. No. Uh,

everyone, thank you for your support in the four years that I've been involved with the Bvard Museum and the several years that I've been involved with your Space Coast TPO. So for Koko's museums after listening to the the discussion at the council meeting the other day, it's uh my uh my little presentation's considered uh what can be learned from the Bvard Museum and how could it apply to the Collins Museum? Assumptions uh Tree both museums equal, fair, and equitable. I think we can all agree on that. Sorry, which button? Right.

Right button. uh uh treat both museums uh is there a benefactor waiting in the wings RFP uh i.e. Elon Musk, Jet Bezos, Jared Isaacman or Yeah. And and the reason I mention that is the uh Sand Space Museum uh I don't know if you're aware but he gave an undisclosed donation to the Sans Space Museum. Jared Isaacman did. I didn't know that.

And so if you go out there, it is a free museum and it is pretty incredible if you're into space. Uh lacking a benefactor for both museums. Come up with a plan B to get the Collins Museum doors open to the public ASAP, similar to the Brevard Museum. Comparisons to the council. uh some of my stuff, some of what I had seen uh I believe from Charlene. Uh if you look at it, uh Bvard Museum really didn't have any grants. Collins had about 1 mil cap and repair Bard 90, none for Collins. Uh but you know, Koko did inherit an aged and not well-maintained building over the at the Bvard Museum. And uh uh if you go back more than just a couple of years uh Charlene, we also had that's not in there like a $35,000 fire alarm replacement system, right? Thank you very much.

You go. Yes, sir. Repair and improve 90,000. What is that for? Like 80,000. What is that number? I don't know. That come off of your council slides. Gave that to you. Yeah. That was in the agenda. The AC electrical. We upgraded the electrical, right, Lorraine? Yep. Uh lighting. They did. Yeah. Light. Uh swapping out fluorescent lighting to LED lighting that I'm aware of. Stuff like that.

Okay. Uh average annual maintenance. Uh you know, I'm sure that was coming through, uh public works and Gary and the guys. Uh, one of the things, uh, uh, Alex, one of the things that I've done here the last two years, because it was kind of crisis management, uh, uh, Mr. uh, Ben Rider, anytime something would crash, he'd call. And so to try and ease that out a little bit, we would meet once a year with Gary and say, "Hey, here's our wish list." And above the line, below the line, I'm right, whatever. personnel cost. Of course, we have uh our great Mr. Ben uh uh up at the Bvard Museum. Of course, at the Collins Museum, none, right? Uh and it was a open by appointment, but now we've lost uh Ryan Brown, who was like POC, so hopefully uh but you'll see later.

I'm the PC now, so it's okay. He's everything. Sorry. all purpose.

Uh uh if we continue uh I I I do have to blow our horn a little bit since we are open. Uh for for the year, we were probably open around 900 hours. Uh I went through and calculated up the volunteer hours for the preceding 12 months at 1,400 and something. And in the preceding in the preceding 12 months for guests, we serviced over almost 10,000 people come through that museum. Uh and uh Mayor Blake uh uh four years ago, you asked me to get those numbers up. That is a 333% increase. Thank you, sir. Job well done, my faithful servant.

Thank you, sir. Do we have a tip jar there where people can I'll cover that next? Okay.

Okay. Uh uh being an operations guy uh uh uh my whole career uh uh you never go into a plan without a plan B. So, uh uh listening to what was said, uh uh here's my if I was king for a day, this would be my plan B for y'all. Uh so while uh the city manager and staff are uh are out working an RFY or an RFP uh uh uh council to move forward with a model similar to the Bvard Museum uh create a position at the col of a Collins facility attendant. Change your slides. Please do. Sorry. No worries. I'm on a I'm on a roll. I was

looking at my paper. That's not Sorry. Okay. So, uh, create a position at the Collins Museum for a facility attendant part-time like we have Mr. Ben. Uh, preferably one who is from the community, who knows the history, and who is willing to be the face of the museum. Okay? Hold an open house specifically to recruit volunteers. Now, I know we've been soliciting for volunteers. Hopefully there's a base list already going around. But I'll tell you this, we've had some of those at the Bvard Museum and the payback isn't there.

But that community, when I say that community, please don't take it wrong. No, man. I bet you you're going to do better than us because there's a passion there. And I have that passion, too. Yeah. Okay. Do you have that passion? I love it. Yeah. Okay. Uh and then uh uh okay, lesson learned. So this is just my observations, right?

Okay. So the city was gifted the remnants of a collection collection by the prior lesser after they terminated a long-term lease way early, leaving the city in a quandry. Okay. So that's you know they came knocking uh many members in the museums of Bvard. I don't know if you're familiar with the museums of Bvard. Uh thanks to Sam uh both museums are in that. It's a it's a conglomeration of about 20 other museums throughout the county and we are now a nonprofit of nonprofits and we network and that there's some great things out of that. uh uh things uh that don't exist at ah oh uh many members have fully paid staff of a museum director curator and archavist

archivist right well that doesn't exist at the Bvard Museum and it certainly doesn't exist at Collins maybe if we had a benefactor because that's exactly what Heritage Square has when I went and visited, right? I sent you all my notes from that. Okay. So, to back to wrap it up, uh here I think uh you know uh the facility at the Bvard Museum is just a rag tag bunch of volunteers who are close to presenting a friends of agreement to the city finally. Right. we had a transition from a full O andM to a friends of and that would include things like donation box events and stuff like that. Uh uh uh and the and what is also there is the remnants of the ascension and deasscension documents along with the gift and loan agreements. Okay. Now, believe me, I'm no museum curator, but I've learned there are ways to run a museum and we're not doing it. Okay. Oh, and

doors are open. 900 hours. And oh, by the way, the the existing museum, we get, you know, rave re rave reviews from visitors, which always helps. So, uh, I hope you've had a chance to read my notes from the visit to the Hannibal Square Heritage Center. It was very informative. Thank you, sir. I don't I don't uh and so if you have any questions uh otherwise I will crawl back into my museum hole and continue doing what I do. So So you're telling me there hasn't been a donation box there at all? No, the city doesn't want

right now. Okay. So uh we are many of you know we tried to get a full-blown operating and lease agreement. Uh we were not only did we not have the expertise but that was something we couldn't do. Wasn't in our our wheelhouse wasn't in our capability. It languished. Uh I recently got reinvolved. We've pulled together a again, you know, you're talking a small group and we have an advisor who has taken Kristen uh your what I think is the most recent agreement and we're going to hand you that back red line.

Years. Several years. Yeah. And and so uh we have a meeting tomorrow night to to go over that. Uh, Alex, the let's get them doors open. Let's figure out how to get people in. Uh, and one final note, I just happened to hear the latest Florida Department of Agriculture report on citrus industry.

Okay. Now, I've heard some things about the citrus industry in this room. Who was an orange picker? Okay. Uh so you had old families, orange groves, employees, right? This was a major industry last year. Lowest box counter fruit in over a century for the state of Florida. That is an industry that is almost gone. If you don't do oral histories and get people from both sides of the tracks talking about that industry, it's going to be forgotten. Let's not forget it.

Alex, can you call me the man? You did a good job. Thank you, sir. Damn, I can say compassion. Under three and a half minutes. Well, I think I went long, but and I was trying to do it on the two and a half because I hate that first beat. Thank you. Seriously. Thank you. So, Mr. Mayor,

on the So, you have a balanced budget proposal in front of you with certain assumptions about the tax rate and rates. Um, and we're going to go forward with that unless the council uh directs votes differently. And so on Tuesday you will have the tenative millillage. Um do the rates come we we're not doing the rates? No they come after that. So so the tenative mill is Tuesday again uh can't emphasize enough that that again what you have in front of you is a balanced budget proposal.

Um I don't know that I need a motion. It's it is the charter requires me to present. you would a balanced budget proposal. We vote on it Tuesday, right? Yeah, we vote on Tuesday. Well, you vote on the rate on Tuesday. So, the rate the rate funds the proposal. If you want to do something different, if you want me to to uh structure something different, you got to tell me tonight or Tuesday and then we go back to the drawing board because again, this is a balanced budget proposal. Does everyone understand what the city manager is saying?

Yes. What what what is the process if we do agree on paying for an attendant at the Collins Museum? Is that something that you can do without any issues with this budget? Right now, it is it is something is removed from some okay spot in the budget and put in that spot. Okay. So, it's it's moving things around or there have been times when we found revenues Okay. Like the last time Yeah. We increased the millage rate that

Well, yeah, but that came with the balance budget proposal. So, I mean, and that's a that's a recurring source. So, we've given you the disposition of all of our projected recurring revenues within this balanced budget proposal. If there's an emergency, I know we can amend the budget. Is that a safe assessment? Just say for an example, we have a hurricane. I'm sure we would have to make adjustments, right? Yeah. You're taking from your reserves. You're taking from contingencies. You know, again, that's it's Yeah. I mean, the things come up.

Um hopefully there are those are one-time things. Recurring expenditures need recurring revenues, right? Which Okay. So, if we Well, I guess the question Yeah. Yeah. Come on. If we don't if we don't make we don't we don't vote on the $16,000 now, then if the chances are that No, the 16 the 16 I mean, there's a there's a vacant there's a vacant um intern uh slot. Okay. But I I I I thought by uh by lack of a a no, okay,

you guys were going to allow us to go back and explore um through a college or university um getting getting a staffer on via that door's open. You made the motion. Well, give him direction. So move. Mhm. All right. Waiting on you. No. What do we have? We have to make a motion on that. Yeah, we're we're going to bring that back. Okay. Yeah. But yeah, give him direction. That's what I'm saying to you. He's going to bring it back to you. The intern. Okay. But we're good as far as the budget right now.

Yeah. Yes. I'm good. Are we okay? Motion to Okay, we have um we have a motion on the floor by council woman calls a motion to never made the motion to this is the first time do if not I'll make the motion to Oh, I thought you were backpailing really. I'll second it. Glad all right. Thank you all. Great job. All in favor saying I. I. Go in peace. Thank you.