Community Redevelopment Agency Board - Regular Meeting

Okay, folks. So we're gonna resume our meeting. The conference meeting will be suspended until this evening when we'll take up the balance of the items on the conference meeting, which will include the commissioner's report, the mayor's report, and and the city manager's report. Right now, this is I am now convening the budget hearing. This is the first of two public hearings as required by law in the city of Fort Lauderdale Sunrise Quay Neighborhood Improvement District millage and budget for fiscal year 2026.

Purpose of the hearing is to receive requests and comments regarding the Sunrise Quay neighborhood improvement district budget and to explain the budget and any amendments thereto. The public hearing is now open. The city manager will now present the proposed millage rate and tentative budget. The city manager.

The Sunrise Quay neighborhood improvement district taxes the residents of this special district to provide security to their neighborhood. At its 05/06/2025 meeting, the district voted its millage rate at one point zero zero zero mil, which will generate an estimated tax collection of $223,168 to support an operating budget of $223,168 This millage rate is 9.15% more than the rollback rate of 0.9162 mills and is necessary to maintain services for the Sunrise Key Neighborhood Improvement District. This concludes my report on the Sunrise Key Neighborhood Improvement District.

Thank you. This is a time for anyone in the public to speak or ask any questions about the budget. No one has signed up to speak. So do I hear a motion to close public hearing on Budget one? Moved. Second. Moved and seconded. Mr. Clerk, please call the roll.

Mayor, just for official, I'm just going to do the roll call real quick for this meeting. Vice mayor Herb

is

not present. Commissioner Glassman? Here. Commissioner Beasley Pittman? Here. Commissioner Sorensen? Here. Mayor Trent Ellis? House? Here.

Alright.

And for the closure of the public hearing, vice mayor Herbst? Not present. Commissioner Glassman? Yes. Commissioner Beasley Pittman? Yes. Commissioner Sorenson? Yes. Mayor Trent House?

Yes. Public hearing is now closed. So the tentative millage rate for the Sunrise Key Neighborhood Improvement District purposes will be one point zero zero zero zero mil, which represents an increase of 9.15% over the rollback rate of 0.9162 mills. So there are going to be two votes tonight. One is going be on the tentative millage rate and one is going be on the budget. So right now, we'll just I would like someone to introduce a resolution adopting the tentative millage rate for the Sunrise Quay neighborhood improvement district for the fiscal year 2026. Introduced. Resolution has now been introduced. No one has signed it. Please call the roll.

Okay.

Please call the roll. You signed up to speak on number two, not number one. Nothing? Okay. Okay. Thank you. Mister Clerk, who's

This called it

is for the introduction of the millage. A resolution of the city commission of the city of Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, Florida, adopting a tentative millage rate of one point zero zero zero mil to be levied by the city of Fort Lauderdale for the Sunrise Key Neighborhood Improvement District for the fiscal year beginning 10/01/2025 and ending 09/30/2026. Vice mayor Herbst, not present. Commissioner Glassman? Yes. Commissioner Beasley Pittman? Yes. Commissioner Sorensen? Yes. Mayor Trentells?

Yes. And that item is now approved. The vote number two is now for the budget. Will someone please introduce a resolution adopting the tentative budget for the Sunrise Key Neighborhood Improvement District for fiscal 2026? Introduced. The item has been introduced. Mister Clerk, please call the roll.

A resolution of the city commission of the city of Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, Florida adopting and approving a tentative budget of Sunrise Key Neighborhood Improvement District for fiscal year 10/01/2025 and ending 09/30/2026. Vice mayor Herbst, not present. Commissioner Glassman? Yes. Commissioner Beasley Pittman? Yes. Commissioner Sorenson? Yes. Mayor Trentales?

Yes. And the resolution has been approved. So now the public hearing to adopt the final millage rate and budget will be held at five point excuse me, at 05:00 excuse me, five one minute after 5PM on 09/12/2025 at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts here in the Mary N. Porter Riverview Ballroom, 201 Southwest 5th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Let's continue on to Budget two.

This is the first of two public hearings as required by law on the millage rates for the fiscal year 2026. Purpose of the hearing is to receive requests and comments regarding the city's millage rate and to explain any amendments thereto. Public hearing is now open, and the city manager will now present the tentative millage rate on which the fiscal year twenty twenty six budget is based. Madam city manager.

The fiscal year twenty twenty six city of Fort Lauderdale tentative budget includes maintaining the current millage rate of 4.1193 and decreasing the combined debt service millage from 0.2545 to 0.2306 mills. The recommended millage rate of 4.1193 exceeds the rollback rate of 3.8604 by 6.71. The aggregate tentative millage rate, including the Sunrise Quay dependent district, is 4.123, which results in an increase of 6.71% above the aggregate rollback rate of 3.8639% and is premised upon the following: funding increases in wages and insurances funding key commission priorities and community investment plan projects and maintaining a healthy fund balance. Increases to the fiscal year twenty twenty six general fund budget that require maintaining the millage at the same rate as the prior eighteen years include 12,700,000 for the increase in salaries and wages, dollars 10,400,000.0 for the increase in fringe benefits, including health insurance and pension contributions, as well as $4,200,000 for the increase capital outlay equipment purchases. This concludes my report.

Thank you. This is the time for anyone in the public to speak or ask questions about the tentative millage rates. No one has signed up to speak. So do I hear a motion to close public hearing? So moved. Second. Moved and seconded. Please call the roll.

Vice Mayor Herbst? Yes. Commissioner Glassman? Yes. Commissioner Beasley Pittman? Yes. Commissioner Sorenson? Yes. Mayor Trentals?

Yes. And public hearing is now closed. So the recommended millage rate to be levied for all general city purposes exclusive of debt service will be 4.1193, which represents a 6.71 increase in the millage rate over the rollback rate of 3.8604 mills. The aggregate tentative millage rate, including dependent districts is 4.123, which results in an increase again of 6.71% above the aggregate rollback rate of 3.86939 excuse me, let me repeat that, 3.8639. The recommended millage rate for debt service for the twenty fifteen general obligation refunding bonds is 0.0171.

The recommended millage rate for debt service for the 2011 A general obligation bonds is 0.0175. The recommended millage rate for the debt service for the city's voter approved public safety bond is 0.0776. And the recommended millage rate for debt service for the city's voter approved parks bond is 0.1184. Will someone introduce a resolution adopting the tentative millage rates for the city Of Fort Lauderdale for the fiscal year 2026? Introduced. Resolution has been introduced. Mr. Clerk, please call the roll.

A resolution of the City Commission of the City of Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, Florida, adopting a tentative operating millage rate of 4.1193 and debt service millage rate of 0.2306 to be levied by the city of Fort Lauderdale for the fiscal year beginning 10/01/2025 and ending 09/30/2026. Vice mayor Herbst?

So I believe we should be cutting our millage rate, not keeping it the same.

Vice mayor, if you can turn on your microphone.

I'll say that again. I think we should be cutting our millage rate, not keeping it the same. So my answer is no.

Commissioner Glassman? Yes. Commissioner Beasley Pittman? Yes. Commissioner Sorenson? Yes. Mayor Trentos?

Yes. And that item is now approved. Budget three. The next item is the tentative five year community investment plan. This is the time for anyone in the public to speak or ask any questions about the tentative five year community investment plan. No one has signed up to speak. So do I hear a motion to close public hearing?

So moved. Second.

Moved and seconded. Please call the roll.

Vice Mayor Gerst? Yes. Commissioner Glassman? Yes. Commissioner Beasley Bittman? Yes. Commissioner Sorenson? Yes. Mayor Trenton?

Yes. And the public hearing is now closed on budget three. Will someone please introduce a resolution adopting the tentative five year community investment plan for the period beginning 10/01/2025, and ending 09/30/2030. Introduced. The resolution has been introduced. Please call the roll.

A resolution of the city commission of the City of Fort Lauderdale, Florida tentatively approving and adopting a five year community investment plan for the period beginning 10/01/2025 and ending 09/30/2030 tentatively appropriating the portion of the community investment plan for the fiscal year beginning 10/01/2025 and ending 09/30/2026, tentatively reappropriating the unspent community investment plan project balances at the end of the fiscal year beginning 10/01/2024, and ending 09/30/2025, for the fiscal year beginning 10/01/2025, and ending 09/30/2026, and providing for severability and an effective date. Vice mayor Herbst? Yes. Commissioner Glassman? Yes. Commissioner Beasley Pittman? Yes. Commissioner Sorenson? Yes. Mayor Trentales?

Yes. And that resolution is now approved. Just to step back for just a second. In budget two, maintaining the millage rate as it is is to cover $12,700,000 in the increase in salaries and wages. That's inclusive of police and fire. Is that correct?

That's correct.

Okay. And those were all and those contracts were approved by the city commission unanimously. Was that is that correct? I believe that was correct, right?

I'm not sure of the vote tally when that was approved.

Yes, I believe they were. And $10,400,000 for the increase in fringe benefits, including health insurance and pension contributions. That's across the board, including police and fire, correct?

That's correct.

And the $4,200,000 for the increase in capital outlay equipment purchases, those were also approved by the commission. Is that correct?

Well, as we've discussed at the budget workshops, all these items are included and have been since we've begun developing this budget.

Okay. So that comes to, what, $2,223,000,000, 7,000,000. Now is that about what the increase in the income of the city is as a result of maintaining the 4.1193 millage rate? Yvette, do you have a can you help me out on that or Laura? I'm just wondering if we reduce taxes, would we be able to honor those contracts that we had approved unanimously as a commission?

So the budget as it's developed was developed with the idea of maintaining the current millage rate, but there are also other revenues that are included in this budget, and so there were also some other revenue increases. So the total increases that you outlined actually exceed the amount that, came in specifically for ad valorem revenue.

If we didn't have the other sources of income, we're not relying entirely on ad valorem revenue then in order to cover our obligations. Is that correct?

That is correct. Yes.

Okay.

We use a myriad of sources.

But is the ad valorem revenue necessary in order to cover these at least these three items that, you identify here?

Yes. This whole budget was developed with the idea that the ad valorem would remain the millage rate would remain the same.

So if we had lowered the millage rate, say, to the rollback rate, would we be able to honor the contracts that we approved here as a commission?

We, developed the budget based on the guidance that the commission has provided us. So we would make adjustments in other areas to accommodate any adjustments that the commission directed.

Okay. So we would, but as far as these contracts are concerned, was the ad valorem tax necessary in order to be able to honor those contracts?

It is a large part of supporting those contracts, yes.

Okay. Just trying to understand.

Okay. So Mayor, I think that's kind of directed towards me. I'm going to respond to that, if I might. Sure. So there's increases in personnel, increases in headcount, there's increases in expenses across the board, and we could very easily accommodate the contracts that we've already approved by cutting back in other areas.

This is not a zero sum game where we only have one item in the budget that we can work with. We have other items in the budget we could work with in terms of overall staffing and other ways to cut costs. So I reject the premise that if we cut the millage rate that we would necessarily be somehow violating the contracts that we've approved with public safety. I don't think that is an accurate way of reflecting this. There are other ways to cut Give other than simply

us some examples. I'm just curious.

I happily do it. We can look at the number of personnel that are being added to the budget and say, no, we don't need all these people. There are other departments in the city that provide nonessential services that I'm happy to make suggestions to. This is not the appropriate forum to do that in. But yes, look, I've audited this budget for sixteen years. I could tell you exactly what to cut on it.

So between now and the next hearing, why don't you provide that recommendation so that we have some idea?

I made suggestions when the budget was introduced two months ago about things that I thought were inappropriate at that point in time. And the recommendation of the rest of the commission was to move forward with it anyway. But yes, I'm happy to sit down with staff and tell them every single thing that I think we could reduce on this and bring our millage rate down and not impact public safety. Again, it is an inaccurate statement to say that the only thing in the budget that we can go after is public safety. That is a red hairy neck. It's thrown out anytime somebody suggests cutting the budget. It's like, oh, we've

got to fire cops. That's not true. Well, not suggesting any of that. I'm just asking questions. And I just want to know, now instead of working with staff, why don't you elucidate the rest of the commission to what areas you want to cut back on, public works or I don't know what it

is that you're happy to bring back an entire proposal for you and I'll bring back a PowerPoint and we can walk through this or I could actually have a productive conversation with staff because as you know, Sunshine violations, I can't sit down with any of you other than in this format and this is not a particularly conducive format to go line by line through the budget and say, think we should cut here, I think we should cut here, I think we should redline that position, I think these positions that have been created are unnecessary. I mean, certainly, we could do that here, but we'll be here for a day and a half going through that. So But thank I don't think that's an appropriate forum to have that conversation.

I actually think this is absolutely the appropriate forum. This is our budget hearing. This is where we talk about our budget. This is where if you have suggestions, love to hear them. So go ahead. I'm happy to stay here as long as it takes.

Before we start to listen to all of this, and I know where this is going and I know what I'll hear, I'm just wondering why this is the first time we've ever had this millage rate discussion at all. I mean, we've been talking about the budget now for how long. And when did we set the millage rate? I know we can go lower, but when did we set that? In June or July?

And I voted against it back in June.

Right. But I don't think I ever remember hearing the words, want I'm voting no I'm voting no on the millage rate because I want to lower it. I don't think I've ever heard that discussion. I don't think I ever heard those comments. And we've been talking about the budget now for actually almost a year.

I'm pretty sure I said that.

So No.

Thank you. Thank you for reminding me of what I said.

You're welcome.

So what I'd love to hear the specifics. What Vice Mayor, please share with us.

Not prepared to do that tonight because it doesn't really make a difference. So I'm voting no. It's as simple as that. Thank you.

When will you when would you like to share specifics?

We can do it at the next budget hearing. We have a second one, right?

Let's do it. If you could provide that to us, so at least we have something in front of us. Yes, that'd

be great.

That would be very helpful because maybe we need to make that decision. We'll see. We'll see where we're going to cut services in the city. Absolutely. Okay. Moving on, budget four. This is the first of two public hearings as required by law on the city of Fort Lauderdale's budget for the fiscal year 2026. Purpose of the hearing is to receive requests and comments regarding the city's budget and to explain the budget and any amendments thereto. The public hearing is now open and the city manager will now manager will now present the tentative budget.

Mayor, if if we could go back to I can't hear you. If we could go back to budget three

Budget three. Yes.

And section VII of your comments. Yes. If you could begin there.

I'm sorry. I need to I'm sorry, didn't recite that. Public hearing this is going back to Budget three, number seven. Public hearing to adopt the final five year community investment plan budget will be held at one minute after five p. M. 09/12/2025, at the Brower Center for the Performing Arts here at the Mary N. Porter Riverview Ballroom, 201 Southwest 5th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. You're happy now with that? Okay. All right. Thank you. I got distracted. Now back to Budget four. Madam City Manager.

The fiscal year twenty twenty six City of Fort Lauderdale tentative budget includes maintaining the same millage rate of 4.1193 and increasing the annual fire assessment rate by $75 to four zero three dollars per residential unit. The tentative budget is premised on the following: funding increases in wages and insurances, funding key commission priorities and community investment plan projects and maintaining a healthy fund balance. I would now like to present to you the adjustments to the fiscal year twenty twenty six budget that have been made since the submission of the 06/30/2025 proposed budget. The following adjustments have been made to the general fund revenues: increase in revenues totaling $481,923 to account for updated ad valorem and state revenue estimates Decrease in revenues totaling $514,283 to reflect the updated anticipated schedule for PFAS settlement payments. Adjustments have been made to the general fund expenditures, including a $108,576 increase in the transfer to the school crossing guards fund, a $85,057 net decrease due to various adjustments in salaries, wages and operational expenses, a $35,301 decrease in the required annual payment for the police and fire rescue pension and a $20,578 decrease in the transfer to the community redevelopment agency.

These revenue and expenditure adjustments result in a fiscal year twenty twenty six tentative general fund budget of 5 and $20,425,269 The full changes to other funds since the submission of the fiscal year twenty twenty six proposed budget are outlined in Commission Agenda Memo 20 five-seven zero six Exhibit two. Key changes include: The school crossing guards fund budget was increased by $108,576 the ward and sewer fund budget was increased by $64,719 the central city redevelopment area fund and incentives fund budgets were each increased by $8,306 The Sunrise Quay Fund budget was increased by $7,393 and the Northwest Progresso Flagler Heights Redevelopment Area Fund and Incentives Fund budgets were each decreased by $28,884 This concludes my report on the fiscal year twenty twenty six tentative budget.

Thank you so much. So this is the time for anyone in the public to speak or ask questions about the tentative budget. I have two people who have signed up to speak. Joseph Kenner, are you here? Mr. Kenner. And then Ansel Prath, that's just for questions, right? Okay. Is Ansel here? Okay. Just for question. Okay.

Sir.

Push the button at the bottom of the speaker. There

we go. Can you hear me now?

Yep.

Perfect. Good evening, commissioner. This is my maiden voyage. This is my first time speaking to this commission as the president My of Hope South name is Joe Kenner. I am new to the area, but, not new to this issue of homelessness in our country and particularly in Fort Lauderdale. So first, I just want to say thank you to the commission. I have had the chance to meet with you, Mayor Trentalis and Commissioners Beasley Pittman and Sorenson. Looking forward to meeting with you, Commissioner Glassman and Commissioner Herps. But I really just want to commend this commission. We saw that there was $200,000 allocated for a safe overnight parking pilot.

And as a thirty year organization committed to uplifting homeless families in this community, We are very excited to see the city investing that type of dollars in an issue like this, and we just want to encourage you to continue with this. We have been meeting with you for the past year talking about this issue and supporting it and looking forward to not only working with you on this, but on other issues as it pertains to the homeless population. So really want to say thank you for this and to commend you for the work that you're doing.

All right. Thank you so much. Thank you. And don't be a stranger.

Mayor, if I could just add on that. Thank you, Joe. Thank you for your leadership. And Mayor, I know you know this, but Chris Cooper has really been helping drive this. Also, Mayor, this is another example where we're working very closely with Broward County. And Patrice Paladino, right? Chris, am I saying or pronouncing her last name right? With the county mayor has been fantastic. I know Commissioner Beasley Pittman, probably work with her closely as well on this, but the county has just been lockstep with us. And, Chris, from a dollar standpoint, the county for towards safe parking, remind me what that structure looks like, if

you don't mind.

As he comes up, can I just commend Chris for the work that It's he's been doing this been incredible to

work with him and our team?

So thank Thank you,

you, Joe. I agree. Thank you.

So the county had an RFP for $350,000 towards a safe parking pilot program as well. There's, of course, to be available countywide, so whatever agency they sponsor could service folks throughout Broward County. The intent with ours is to focus on those in Fort Lauderdale.

Thanks. And and mayor, I think we were at, like, $0, several months ago. And, county mayor, county commissioners, Patrice, stepping up on this program. So anyway, thank you, Chris. Thank you, mayor.

Thank you. Chris, the amount of money we got was the $350,000 you said?

That's what Broward County allocated towards their safe parking program.

And so we got $211,000 of it?

No. So we, in our budget, have proposed $200,000 to pilot that program here in the city of Fort Lauderdale.

So how much from the county are we going to be able to receive? So we

are not getting anything for our safe parking pilot. They are doing their own pilot program for 350s. They put an RFP out. They had a couple of providers respond to that. They're evaluating those proposals, and they'll be awarding that at some point in the future.

This is in partnership there.

Okay. So we're there okay, this is to augment the program. But we're independent of their program. We're just doing our own thing and they're going to do their own thing.

Correct. And we're working together in terms of the evaluation process. We're helping them evaluate their proposals. We'll also share information we get from our pilot. They'll share with us, and we'll figure out what the best way to move forward is once we have the results of those programs. So it's very collaborative.

Okay. Thank you so much. There being no further comment, would someone like to move to close public hearing?

So moved. Second.

It's been moved to seconded. Please call the roll.

Vice mayor Herbst? No. Commissioner Glassman? Yes. Commissioner Beasley Pittman? Yes. Commissioner Sorenson? Yes. Mayor Trentales?

Yes. And public hearing is now closed on this item. So the tentative total of all funds budget for the City Of Fort Lauderdale is $1,194,366,687 which will fund the various operations of the City of Fort Lauderdale for the fiscal period beginning 10/01/2025 and ending 09/30/2026. Will someone please introduce a resolution adopting the tentative budget for the City of Fort Lauderdale for the fiscal year 2026. Introduced. It's been introduced. Mister clerk, please call the roll.

A resolution of city commission of the city of Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, Florida, adopting and approving the tentative budget of the city of Fort Lauderdale, Florida for fiscal year beginning 10/01/2025 and ending 09/30/2026, which includes the budget for the general fund, water and sewer, central regional wastewater system fund, self insured health benefits fund, storm water fund, sanitation fund, debt service funds, central services, ITS Unified Customer Service Fund, parking fund, building funds, fleet funds, city and property and casualty insurance funds, grant, bond and reserve funds, airport fund, community redevelopment agency funds, cemetery system fund, project management fund, transportation surtax fund, cemetery perpetual care fund, arts and science district garage fund, marine facilities fund, school crossing guards fund, beach Business Improvement District Fund, Nuisance Abatement Fund, Sunrise Key Neighborhood Improvement District Fund, and Police Confiscation Funds tentatively adopting and approving the City of Fort Lauderdale personnel complement for the fiscal year beginning 10/01/2025 and ending 09/30/2026 and providing an effective date. Vice mayor Herbst? No. Commissioner Glassman? Yes.

Commissioner Beasley Pittman? Yes. Commissioner Sorenson? Yes. Mayor Trentellis?

Yes. And the budget has been now tentatively approved by the city Commission of Fort Lauderdale. City manager

You got there's just one.

Yes, yes. I'll read that in a second. Is there any further business of budget?

No, mayor, and thank you for your support.

Okay. So the public hearing to adopt the final budget will be held at 05:01PM on 09/12/2025 at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Mary Anne Porter, Riverview Ballroom, 201 Southwest 5th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Is there any further business? There is none. This budget meeting is now concluded. The commission meeting will begin at 06:30 this evening. We ran a little late for this afternoon. Do we have CRA? Do we have CRA today? I think we have CRA. Do you want do the CRA now?

Yes. Is a budget item included with the CRA.

Let's knock it out.

Okay. All right. We'll knock out the CRA meeting. Let me get to that. Okay.

We'll now begin the Community Redevelopment Agency meeting. Mr. Clerk, please call the roll.

Vice Chair Herbst?

Here.

Commissioner Glassman? Here. Commissioner Beasley Pittman? Here. Commissioner Sorenson? Yes. Here.

Go. M1, motion approving the minutes for the 08/19/2025, Community Redevelopment Agency Board meeting. I hear a motion to approve.

Second.

It's been moved and seconded. Please call the roll.

Vice Chair Herbs? Yes. Commissioner Glassman?

Yes.

Commissioner Beasley Pittman? Yes. Commissioner Sorenson? Yes. Chair Trentells?

Yes. So M1 is now approved. R1, resolution approving the final Community Redevelopment agency operating budget and the community investment plan allocations for the fiscal year 2026. Would someone like to introduce the resolution? Introduced.

Resolution has been introduced. Please call the roll.

A resolution of the board of commissioners of the Fort Lauderdale Community Redevelopment Agency approving the final community redevelopment agency operating budget and community investment plan allocations for fiscal year twenty twenty six and providing for an effective date. Vice chair Herps? Yes. Commissioner Glassman? Yes. Commissioner Beasley Pippen? Yes. Commissioner Sorenson? Yes. Chair Trentalis?

Yes. And R1 has been approved. Is there any further business of the Community Redevelopment Agency Board?

No. And again, thank you for your support.

Thank you. This meeting has now concluded. We'll resume at 06:30.