City Commission - Regular Meeting

mayor how to do it uh mayor branson here vice mayor joy smith i'm here commissioner brandon smith here commissioner eviart i'm here commissioner touchstone here we have all right so we will entertain motion to close this meeting back out and go back to our regular um back to our budget hearing so the motion is there a second Is there a second?

To close the regular meeting and go back to finish our budget.

Can the person who's making the motion make the statement? Yes.

Madam Mayor, motion to recess this regular commission meeting and go into the budget meeting.

Second. That's how you do it. Roll call.

All right. So we're back on to the initial item. So that everyone is clear again. Chris, do you want to restate where we are on this item and what we need to move forward?

The preference is the 28 but we'll go back and the preference of the 30th can you allow him to finish being and then into jet ahead, Mister Bell on the newspaper that you allow him to finish speaking and not interrupt him.

Okay. So everyone understands what's happening here.

Not quite. What's your question? Because... Why you didn't put that date in the backup?

Point of order, Mayor. Can you control the audience noise in the outburst?

We should have been aware of the tentative date for the final budget hearing.

Yeah, I understand. Okay. I'm trying to say is that I, when I read this, this resolution thinking that we're trying to approve it so that we can continue with this first budget hearing. I didn't know you're actually talking about scheduling the day also for the second final budget hearing. Well, you, you, you look at what you're saying verbally, but I'm just saying IT WASN'T ANTICIPATED, YOU KNOW.

OK, so go ahead. So basically here based on Section 3 that has to come out of this resolution, correct? No, you we changing that to 30. OK, so if we. But this is based on. Going back to the the the newspaper. Gonna tell the newspaper so weird engine. Section 3 now, from the 28th to 30th, based on the approval for the newspaper.

Otherwise, this is going to be approved with just September 28th there. And it didn't say nothing about... So this motion needs to be amended and Section 3 amended.

Thurston just made a motion to amend it to the 30th, September 30th. Thank you.

So the amendment that is before us is for the 30th?

Does everybody understand? Anything else, Mr. Balgon? Anything else? Chris, anything else?

I said the motion. I second it. Everlard.

I didn't remember resolution. This is also a public hearing. Mr Claire is the clerk needs to read it in the first.

Commission, what's your plan? Mayor? Yes.

I have a question on this. It's a public hearing, so you want to allow for anyone from the public to speak first?

Is there anyone in the public that desires to speak on this item? What's your name and address, please?

Is there anyone else that would like to speak? Name and address, please.

The millage rate. I need for everyone to please be quiet, please. I need for everyone to please be quiet. Mr. Sparks, do you have anything to say about the millage rate?

Thank you. Anyone want to speak on the millage rate on this item? Any other comments? The opportunity for the public is now closed. Commission, what's your pleasure here? Mayor.

Yes. I would like to approve a discussion. Move to approve for discussion.

I want to understand clearly this is not the finalization of the of the military. Because it's going to be hard for us to make that determination with, again, not having the information before. At the last hearing, we requested information as far as what the budget looked like with the proposal that we had on the floor. of 0.6. We also asked for a tentative look at what it would look like if the Amendment 3 passed with the elimination of property taxes. So we can't outright vote on the millage rate without knowing what the budget is going to look like. So please explain to me what's going on.

Mayor, if I could, first and foremost, the millage rate sets the budget because the millage rate is our largest form of revenue. The budget is contingent upon the millage rate, which is why we're in this once again now because we did not approve both of them together, which is the finance director is a potential violation of that we could have incurred because of that. Your millage rate sets the budget. It determines where you're, because if you don't know how much you bring in, there's no way you can budget for anything. So that's why the two go hand in hand. You can't have a budget without s

YEAH. HAVING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES? PULL IT BACK UP LIKE YOU HAD EARLIER.

I KNOW. ASKING IF YOU'RE HAVING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES.

WE'RE NOT GOING BACK AND FORTH. COMMISSIONER SMITH, WHEN YOU FIND THE DATE, CAN YOU LET US KNOW?

NO PROBLEM. I WILL. I'M PULLING IT UP. BECAUSE THE BOOK WAS LEFT IN ALL OF OUR OFFICES. I THOUGHT YOU HAD IT IN.

You're saying we didn't. What's the date of the email? Listen, first of all, you're not going to rush me on what I do or say what I say. Go ahead. Anybody else?

No, no, no, because he interjected to respond to my question. Mayor, I had a question on the floor and you allow Commissioner Smith to address my concern. Wait, point of order. I want to answer the question. Because, yes, my question was never answered. You allow Commissioner Smith to talk his nonsense before my question is read.

You are next, Mr. Ballagher. Mayor, point of order. I motioned and it was second for discussion. I started off the discussion by asking the question. You allowed... He was not the first one. Are you confused? You're next to speak. Everyone in the audience know that I was speaking first and I asked the question about the millage rate.

Mayor, I just wanted clarity on that because I knew that we had already approved the tentative budget. I mean, military. So I didn't want this to be snuck in like other things and we're approving something that we are not clear about. So I wanted us to ensure that Why was this before us again when we had already approved a tentative millage rate on September 3rd? So thank you for clarifying that.

Yes, ma'am. Commissioner Smith, do you have the date email?

Yes, I do. I pulled it up. That was August 19th, 2026, August 10th.

Okay. So you are not copied on any correspondence with the city manager. You're not notified of any calls that any commissioner may have made the city manager. No. Right. Okay. So when you're making a statement that we had the opportunity to, what gives you the idea that we did not try those means of communication when the commission has told you that the city manager has been unresponsive to emails and have been unresponsive to phone calls? Why we made such statement is that if you already are abreast by your fellow commissioners, they have a breakdown in communication with our city manager.

I advise everyone of the email that was sent to all of us. That's all I stated.

Right, but you said that we each had an opportunity. You said that at the end of it, that he had the opportunity to reach out to him, alluding to the fact that no one did, when you don't have that knowledge base in what was done.

That's what the email stated. Okay, thank you so much, sir. Thank you so much. Comments, please do not hesitate to contact. Thank you so much.

I sent an email, but I did not get any response. That's what I'm trying to let them know, that we always try to communicate with the city manager. He's not following his role and responsibility towards this commission of making sure that we are abreast. If you're going to vote, I'm going to entertain a vote of order. He can't make point of order. No, you cannot. Go read the code. Read Robert rules of order. You're not a voting member of this body. You can go ahead and take a motion.

I will let you address it later. Wow. Because it's false.

I will. There is a motion on the floor. HE WANTS TO BE A PART OF THIS COMMISSION. CAN YOU PLEASE, NOT RIGHT NOW. MAYOR, YOU KNOW HE DOES NOT MAKE A MOTION. WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. WE HAVE CITY BUSINESS TO DO RIGHT NOW. LET'S FOCUS ON THAT. YOU NEED TO CORRECT THAT. OLA, I'M SORRY, CLERK, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR AND A SECOND, CORRECT?

Alright. Mr. Manager, you had a comment.

This item is a public hearing. Is there anyone from the public that would like to speak on this item? Now would be the time to do it. Please give your name and your address, please.

Is there anyone else that would like to speak? Opportunity for the public to speak has now Mr. Bell on mayor present presentation.

Is it going to be presented in what we asked for?

Mayor, is there a copy of the presentation that we're getting?

He's coming around. Would you give him a chance, please?

You cannot see that. You can't see it on the screen and you can't see it on the paper.

Chris, can you speak more into the mic? Because we're having a hard time hearing you. How's that? Can you turn up, Chris, mic, please? Thank you.

It was asked for how many people and the name of the employee. The name of the employee. Exactly. Not just the numbers, but also it says specifically their names and how much they make in.

We asked that specifically. How can you choose to not do something that the commission has asked for?

They're trying to answer. If you allow them the opportunity. Chris, I know one of you was trying to speak.

Thank you. If we can allow them to go through the presentation and then I need for you all to be a little bit respectful and allow them to give the presentation.

Mayor, it was disrespectful for them not to follow the pleasure of the commission.

I need for you all to allow staff to go through the presentation with the information that you asked and we'll come back. We will ask. So they're not what we are. We are on the second slide. Can you give them an opportunity? Please get through the presentation.

Mayor, can you all do respect? This is a point of order because we asked for is not being depicted. This is another instance of the commission has asked for information and the city administrator and staff is trying to be arbitrary and capricious against the will and pleasure of this body. And you allow that disrespect to occur. We ask specifically for specific things. They do not get to decide what they provide to us in full transparency.

Everything is public information, including the name of the employee. Including the name of the employee. This is the city's business, the residents' business. We have a right to know who is working for us and in what capacity.

Mayor. Yes. We need the name of each individual. In the position.

And they have heard you, but can we allow, so here's what we can do. We cannot have this presentation without getting the information that we requested. Okay, so do me a favor. Allow them to go through the presentation. Let them get through the presentation the information that you need more of. Just take a quick note and we'll be able to give that to them so that you would have that information. But allow them to get the presentation.

I understand your intent, Mayor, and I can appreciate that. But we wouldn't have to be having this conversation if they did what we asked for in the first place. This is the whole reason why there's an issue right now. Why should we have to take notes when we specifically on September 3rd let the city administrator know what it is we wanted to be brought back? And he chose to allow Saab to go against the will and pleasure of his body. And what you have took an oath against. to abide by our charter and our ordinance that says the will and pleasure of this commission is the authority. You are al

So the staff needs to provide information that this body has asked for.

Chris, can you all continue with your presentation? We're going to allow them to continue their presentation right now.

Before they continue and wasting time in the fact that this is not what we asked for, we might as well skip this presentation and move on to the next one. um presentation Chris can you things that we asked for this is just wasting time this is wasting time this is not what we asked for and then next time they can come prepare what we asked for but let's get this and move on to the next um they should have been put already Mr. Mayor can you allow him to respond please

Um, this is not the same cities that were, um, illustrated. when you all did the comparison of salaries for the commission, this is not the same cities. And we asked for the comparison to be the same as the ones that we use for the city commission analysis. This is not it.

No, I want accountability as to why do they not follow the direction of the commission? So the direction of the commission mayor, was that they use the same cities as the cost savings analysis for the commission. Yet they go and they're adding all these other cities that was not in the analysis for the city commission are clean.

So can you, can we go ahead and continue?

They didn't do the same analysis. That's the problem.

We're not going to another presentation without addressing the concerns of the men on the first presentation. That's inappropriate.

No, we're not going to go through several series of presentation without getting our concerns addressed.

So we're going to allow staff to present this. No, ma'am. And then we're going to.

I have questions about this presentation.

If the commissioners have questions, I think it's appropriate to address part one first before we move on to part two.

So I need for you all to listen here. You ask for this information, allow staff to get the information out, and then you will be able to come back and ask all the questions.

No, ma'am. It's the will and pleasure of the commission. It's the will and pleasure of the commission. You are to follow the, what the will and pleasure of the commission is.

I have a question. Let him share. Before we go into it.

Okay. So I need, I need for everyone to please, please be quiet. So staff is presented this information. We need to get through this stuff and then we can ask all the questions that we, let me finish, please. You're just rude. So we want to hear all this information. We definitely want to hear it, but we want to get through the presentations so then you can ask all the questions that you got.

I understand you don't care about your colleagues.

So let me, let me, let me just be clear. And to the residents, again, we apologize for this foolishness that's happening. We're trying to get you the necessary information so that you know exactly what's happening in the city. And can I speak? Can I speak? I don't interrupt you. Can I speak? So I'm speaking to the residents trying to get out all this information so that you two can be an educated resident and know everything that you need to know about the budget. We're trying to get through it, so I would just ask the Commission if you allow staff to get through the information so that you ca

I want to make my comment concerning what you're saying currently right now.

Point of order. Wait for a minute so we can get this thing clear up here.

There's a point of order. Because you're out. Order, Mayor.

You cannot delay. The recognition of the city commissioner is in our code of ordinance. You're violating our law. The mayor, our presiding officer, should not use power as chairperson to dominate our discussion, nor shall the mayor, our presiding officer, unreasonably cut short our prolonged debate, discussion, our taking of a vote. You are violating our rights as fellow commissioners. Currently, you're violating our code of ordinance 2-24. The city manager knows that you're violating it, and he's really going along with your games.

So we want to, I am asking everyone up here, You were finishing up the, are you finished with all of our presentation, Arklan? Oh, my goodness. Did you get everything out?

Okay. And that's part of what I mean. The mayor wants to give credence to staff over the commission that made the decision. If the commission has questions and concerns, this is how we can't get to the business. Because the mayor wants to play games. The staff had made a presentation with all these numbers, all this information provided, and she won't allow us to ask questions that we have. It's not my responsibility to be quiet. I have a point of order.

At this time, we're going to have each person that does have questions ask questions to staff so that we can move on and go through this. So to the residents, once again, I must say we're trying to get through the entire presentation and then be able to ask all the questions at the end. So we're going to stop So again, I apologize for wasting your time, but we're going to stop. We're going to allow for a few questions, and then we're going to get back to the presentation for the second part. So if you have a question, now you have the floor. It is time for you to ask your question now.

Okay, first and foremost, in this information, we do not have information on what the sizes of the cities are, what the city budgets are as far as their budgetary constraints are concerned, or any of that information. In addition, it's not taken into account our contracted services that take up some of the slack. of us not having those positions filled. So there was no presentation or any allusion or correlation to what we're paying to our outside building department. There's no correlation in the records here to indicate what we're paying and that in relations to contracted services as well a

One more comment and I'll come back to you.

No, all the commission need to come here.

Comparing the salary to all these cities. I'm pretty much sure that these cities have a high commercial tax base. So I'm going to make an assumption that some of them that are paying to our employees, you have to take into consideration that most of these cities, they have a high commercial base, but we don't have a lot of bases that we're dependent on to sustain this. So With this type of salary, you know, the fact that it's not that we're a small city, but it's the fact that we don't have that high commercial base. So I'm going to say that some of these salaries, we've got to look at it and

I'm sorry, Commissioner, but we're getting a lot of feedback from the audience. I need you to be quiet, please.

Yes, I'm just saying that if we can also show the information for the employees that are really doing the work, you know, to see how much make to see. Also, too, how we can help improve the salary and balance it out that everybody can, you know, make an inferior, you know, a fair income. And also, too, for the residents to have a fair tax break.

Yes. I share mostly sentiments with my colleagues here with what's happening here with this information sheet that we just received. I've noticed on here where, for instance, the director of engineering construction has been under the city administrator's budget, also under public works. Also, Parks and Rec for Mary Saunders and also McTier Park. That is this. I would like to know, my question is that this position here, is it one, two, three, four? Is it four different people doing this job?

So for instance, okay, from the city manager's office, this person is getting $5,000. What person are you talking about? The director of engineering and construction. $5,624.32. Okay. THIS IS THE FIRST PAGE. AND THEN... HOLD ON JUST A SEC. THEN IN PUBLIC WORKS, SAME PERSON HAVE A SALARY OF $87,975.16. NO, SORRY, THAT'S NOT THE ONE. $84,000.

Not just reading what's here in front of me, but I read you I know what you're looking at, but you're right.

It for. You're correct, it's a big work part man, director of engineering construction 80,364 dollars and 80 cents in them. DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING CONSTRUCTION. THIS IS PARKS AND REC FOR MARISON PARK. DIRECTOR OF CONSTRUCTION, $11,248.64. AND MYER PARK, DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING CONSTRUCTION, $11,248. THAT'S THE SAME FIGURE AS UP HERE. And I've seen like the assistant administrators tools and stuff, they're double as well. So my thing is this, all these figures that I'm seeing on this sheet that you give us tonight, all these are to just, I don't see there's an actual breakdown for that positio

Just a minute. You're saying that a base figure for this director, what is it, of engine construction, what is this total salary during the three or four position that you say you get? What is that? Because based on this here.

They're saying $112,481, but The further concern with that, Vice Mayor, is that we have a building department that would generally handle all of that. So now you have a directive engineering and construction. Then you have someone that's over the building department, right? We got so many.

MAYOR? YES. We don't really have a whole robust construction and building and so forth, right? We have someone that does a collection and information technology supervisor that's supposed to do the permit collections and IT supervisor, IT. Like, don't we have a separate IT personnel that does IT work? Like, we have all these assistants that he says are doubling in other departments, but the commission itself doesn't have an assistant. Everything that the commission does, we're doing it individually. We don't have any assistants of any staff whatsoever. None. None to do any research, none to do

Did you have something to go with this presentation, please?

One more thing while they're getting the presentation. Mayor, one more thing while they're getting the presentation ready. I did have a question because we have a opening this year for the public works. Have we had a position posted for the public works? We're working on it. It's currently posted now? Yes.

I've never seen any posting or any information shared to let The residents know that there was a position available to be posted for. We have our social media. We have the text blast, our email. I haven't seen any of those modal of communication to try to get a good pool of individuals to apply for that. So how was that position advertised? It was just on the website.

Okay, so you guys did indeed and you did our own website, but no other type of posting of availability of positions, correct?

Yes. I thought that I heard something about the reserves. Can you restate that?

What does it indicate here, transfer reserve?

Be highlighted on that screen because I'm not seeing it.

Right, so then why is any extra funding that the city has paid goes to county?

Yeah. And this is why I made the statement over and over that we need to put out a RFP for our public safety services because there's no way that our residents are paying BSO any refund that we get back or any charge that goes to the county reserves and not back to the city. That's ridiculous. That means that we don't have any autonomy over the monies that we're paying to BSO.

I'm glad that you said that because that is that we ran out of time, but it's due to the planning of the city administrator on how he's chosen to provide us the information that we need, right? If we would have scheduled a workshop in between this to kind of hash this out before the decision was actually supposed to be made, then that would have been a better way to handle all of these concerns instead of wanting to shove all the information down out to be able to consume and to comprehend and to analyze all in one sitting and then want you to make a decision immediately afterwards.

All in one hour. Because mind you, we just went over into another meeting. So this was all supposed to be done in one hour. One hour.

Mr. Balgon, it's a question for you. It's the one question.

Okay, so... What you were saying about the 38.71%, that's not the portion of police department from the general budget? Yes, that's what it is.

Okay, so then are you going to answer what is the difference in the increase over last year?

No, no, I didn't see that. What was the difference? What is the percent increase over last year?

Can you just say it again? What's the percentage of increase? I didn't see that. I don't see that. What is the percentage of increase over last year? Last year we budgeted something million dollars. This year is budget 10.1. What is the percentage increase over last year? that would allow him the opportunity to answer.

Where is that? I just want to see, where is it in here?

Where are the 11.5% on this presentation?

Why are we budgeted for $10.1 million if the actual cost is 9.9? In the budget book that we are proposing to approve tonight, the budget for BSO does not correlate with the cost that's on this form.

So do we add the 10.9 and the 2.42% on page 26? to get the total percent of increase over last year. So we do the 10.9 that you are approximating it is without having the values before me. And then the 2.42% that you have allotted for the school crossing guards, police escorts, renter, rental and leases, we add that to the 10.9. for a grand total of approximately 13.1% increase over last year.

You're mixing apples with oranges. No, I'm asking do we, since that was not included in the operational costs, the $246,000 $392 that you said was not accounted for to make up the 10.1. You have indicated the percent on page 20 cents. That is 2.42%. That is what that accounts for, right? I'm asking you then now, do we add that to the 10.9% of the operations of percentage that you had for the 9.9?

That don't make no sense. It makes sense.

The comparison of this budget is from... Mr. Balogun, give me one quick second. I need the entire commission to allow him to explain because we've been over this several times. So, Mr. Balogun, I need for you to be quiet.

Mr. Balagon, can you... Can you share that info, where, what page?

Can you go back to page 28? Or on the page 28 of the hand that you get that you gave us? Yeah, OK on page 28 showing the total amount from. 2,026, but it says 8,083,194. And then for 2,027, it's 10,165,107. So it is that 10,165,137. That's where you get the percentage for the budget. So to know the difference of increase, you just minus the 10,000, the 10,000, the It may be the difference right there.

And that's the 13% that I was talking about.

No, what I'm saying is that the city cuts the check directly to the company for the crossing guard. And the city cuts it directly to the rentals for BSO.

percent i was talking about is just how is finding the difference between two of these departments that's how simple is total opposite ranges yeah i understand what you're saying but it's um it's portraying differently when you look at the graph because exactly you're including the police department as overall for for all those other entities you know the crossing guard no it's not using no okay on here on the graph says police on page 27 it says this department 38.71%. But we're thinking that that's for, you know, police department. What you're saying now, the crossing guard, the rent, those

Right. I understand. But no, you can't see where Commissioner Thurston.

Why is he cutting off the commissioner? Like, Mayor, why is he cutting off the commissioner when she's speaking? Where's the decorum? Why is he cutting off Commissioner Evelard?

Go ahead, Mr. Balagon. It's the fact that you say that that encompasses enforcement. So I'm thinking that I'm calculating everything that encompasses enforcement. But what you are explaining now is that you're showing us this separation from BSO and other entities, even though they're all from the same category as police. But now, from what I'm understanding is that The police department encompasses BISO, encompasses the crossing guard, encompasses police explorer. It's like different entities compromise the department.

Okay, for this. Wait, um, where does it where does it reflect the commissioner? I beg your pardon? It doesn't reflect the administrative fee. Can we have the franchise fee? Because I know this had a mention at the last presentation that there was a $75,000 overall administrative fee. So we're in here in the fees that you're breaking down?

But isn't the franchise fee also revenue?

Right, but the administrative fees are expenditure. So where does it reflect on here?

Yeah, but the resident is paying for it.

You said the residents are the ones paying for it, right? This is what we said. The amount that the resident is going to have to pay is... $677.88. So somewhere in the line, that $75,000 is being incorporated in that figure. So my question, what line entry or what separate line entry is recovering that fee?

No, on here on the breakdown that you're showing us. In the budget, in the budget.

is that that $700 and 13 cents that shows us our tax bill. Is what taking care of everything right there.

I was just concerned about how is the cost of paying for.

All right, thank you. Commissioner Touchstone. Commissioner Touchstone had a question.

Just to go back to what was stated about the contract, Chris was about to explain when the BSO contract and what was the time that we would have to give notice to terminate the contract.

I think it was on the page that you guys are skipping over page 25. It says visit language within the BSO contract for termination of the contract. Let's get to that, please.

I cannot read it, and I cannot see it on here. And for full transparency... We gave you... Let's talk about it. What is the terms of the termination?

Can you allow him the opportunity to explain or give you a response?

We need to verbalize what it is. Let's vocalize for transparency. What is this state determination clause is?

Well, you did this on your screen, right? You can see it visible on your screen, right?

I have a copy, just can't read it. It's so small.

But you can read it, though. We don't have to belabor the time. You can read it and let us know what it says.

Staff is going to make copies. You know any other. Questions that anybody have.

Yes, I have additional questions. But I wanted to get that answered on the record.

You guys seem to have selective things of what you guys want to say on the record.

Is there anything else to present, staff?

You asked if anyone else had any additional questions, and I said yes.

You asked the commission if they have any other concerns.

Okay, so we also can go forward to the solid waste assessment fees portion of it. Now, I just want to make sure on record again, the termination of the solid waste contract is 30 days. So there's a situation that arises with that because we still have the consideration about the commercial impact and the eight-year contract. I had indicated before that there are several businesses that have raised concerns about having the sole source vendor for commercial businesses. So have we gotten an update on any of that.

Thank you. These individuals have reached out to waste management directly. So are you saying that you want these businesses to reach out to you when the contract is not with you?

Let me complete my sentence. What I'm saying is, is there a way that you can query the vendor for any complaints? Because the The vendors are getting the complaints directly from the business owners. So instead of having to give you the information of the business owner, the vendor themselves should have a running list of issues that they are coming up with with the business owners. Why can't you get information from them?

Can you let him finish answering your question?

No, the point of information, according to Robert Ruth.

You can't follow the rules, Mayor. Point of information.

Anything else that you have to say, Mr. Ballin, on this issue?

Let her speak. Well, I haven't been recognized.

The point of information is the city manager just indicated that the vendor has indicated there was complaints from business owners, but he has indicated that those have resolved, but that just lends to the point that it is more than one that you know about. You are saying that the vendor has received complaints and has resolved those. What has been the quantitative response? Results what has been first the issues that have brought forward to the vendor second what has been the resolution to those issues and what do they plan on doing to address the totality of the concerns that are at because

There has been several concerns with residents about the dimness of the street lights. and not enough visibility along several different areas. We had gave the direction to the city manager to have staff to do an assessment of the streetlights throughout the different corridors of our community. I know that there are some specific areas that have been complaining in the areas of Lake Forest. Even when I'm driving at night, there's pockets of dark areas all throughout the community. And I think that public works or code enforcement and our law enforcement should be taking notes of the areas in

The mayor, the manager has prolonged providing that transparency long enough. Does staff have the copy of what it says on top of that contract so that it can be provided for transparency?

How long does it take to make a copy? I thought that's what she went to do when she brought these back.

Okay, so no one is able to read. You're able to read and see everything else, but this one portion that the commission asked. Mr. Balagon, you can use that. He knows about all of the contracts up for this one to be able to talk about it. What determination falls on the PSO contract?

I'm sorry, Mr. Balagon. Give me one second. Can we allow him to respond, please? Mayor. Mr. Balagon, what were you saying? Wait one second.

Well, you can read it when you get back. No, you can do that. That's your responsibility.

I would like to motion for a five-minute recess. All right.

There's no discussion for recess. It's a motion and it's a second.

So again, I say this is not what we need to be doing. It's 95. We have to pass this budget tonight. And you have you have commissioners up here that are delaying this. This has to be the city manager is doing it by not providing. Once again, I'm apologizing to you for this delay of foolishness and being able to go about the business of city for tonight.

Residence, I apologize again. And I consistently do this because you deserve better than this. You all deserve better than this. Can you not this way?

Madam Mayor, we can reconvene. It's been more than five minutes. It's been more than five minutes, Madam Mayor.

I know. I just wanted to make sure that this is correct, Doctor.

This is it. This is it. It's time to reconvene. It was supposed to be five minutes. Five minutes have gone by already.

Are we able to continue now? Is it Chris or who's doing? Mr Balogun OK. Can you please be quiet? Chris, is it Chris or Mr Balogun?

So everyone has the document that says part three.

mayor yes i just want to um read into record determination clause for the bso contract from part two it says that termination either party may terminate this agreement at its discretion either with or without calls by giving written notice thereof to the other party provided the other party has no less than 90 days prior written notice of such termination. At the expiration of the 90-day notice period as described in the preceding provision, the transition period as set forth in Section C of Section 14 shall commence in which it says in the event of termination or expiration of this agreement,

Chris, who's speaking next, Mr. Balgon or Chris?

The cost of BSO is too expensive. Currently, Mayor, the cost of the services exceed what we're getting in ad valorem taxes to the point where we have to go into the reserves. And I hope that that's going to be a part of the third presentation, how we are utilizing and going into our reserves to pay for BSO.

I can't hear me. Can you speak up a little bit in the microphone?

Can you say that a little louder? Because you have the mayor and Commissioner Smith reporting that taxpayers are paying for it. Can you say a little louder for those in the back? That the city insurance policy is paying for and reimbursing legal fees and that it's not coming from the taxpayers.

OK, well, the city insurance is paying for it in its totality. And where is it coming from? The taxpayer?

But for this amount, the $70,000, are taxpayers paying for the $70,000, Chris?

But I think that it was a gross misstatement on the behalf of the city manager. and the mayor to go on record saying this is coming from taxpayers' money when they knew that it was coming from the municipal trust insurance. I think that that was a gross misstatement to say that it was coming from taxpayers' money. And the reason why we have the insurance, because any business has lawsuits, whereas we have eight pages of lawsuits on the city of Clark website. We have lawsuits coming from all different sorts of directions that this insurance is is supposed to cover. So I just want to get emphati

And it's a gross state that the city can there has to be you are wrong.

You were wrong on and they didn't that it was past parents money you lied to the people I didn't lie and say any yes you did it on the note you said that it was past parents money that could have been allocated to other products which is not true.

Another situation that has put West Park in the light in a negative way.

Because you're illegally abusing your power.

So I just want to say to residents, continue to keep your eyes on what is happening. And you know this, that just as Chris stated, That when you have an insurance policy, there is a claim. And this is an augmented thing that the city now has to deal with.

And it's the insurance that's paying for it. Just like when you have a car accident. Your premiums may go up lightly for a claim, but you're not paying directly out of your pocket.

But, Chris, we should be getting a report of whenever the contingency funds are being utilized.

We haven't gotten a budget monthly report. We have not gotten it. We have not gotten an explanation of what's being utilized out of the contingency fund. And in fact, you know and you are aware that we have not had any one-on-ones either. You have not been in attendance with any one-on-ones that have been scheduled for several of the commissioners that sit up here to be able to provide that line of sight. When was the last time that you had a one-on-one with me?

But I'm just saying, have you been present on a one-on-one?

We haven't had one every month in our backup.

Well, he just said he had a one-on-one with me for several, several months.

So I'm just asking, I'm talking to you, Chris. So the one-ons are where you go and you're able to ask questions and get answers to anything that's on the agenda, including the budget, correct?

And has there been any schedule for myself, Commissioner Everlard, or Vice Mayor Smith in several months now?

Thank you. May you have to understand the city manager does not schedule it. I'm going to hope we want it done.

So just like you see that it's his responsibility, it's all your responsibility as an elected official to set up.

No, how do you set up a one-on-one when we don't even have ads to his calendar to know what his schedule is?

So I requested meeting and he has not, and three of your colleagues have been requesting meetings and they have not. provided a meeting time. And that's not concerning for you? Is that not concerning for you are basically the only one meeting with the city manager? I said you are basically the only one because three people out of the five are saying that they don't. And you're saying that you do. We don't have Commissioner Smith over there chiming in at this point saying that he does. So I can only assume that you are the only one that's getting a meeting. Let him share.

Okay, Madam Chair. You are the only one that's getting a one-on-one and getting a debriefing from the city manager. I don't hear Commissioner Smith speaking otherwise. Okay, Madam Chair.

It's not funny for you to stand here and run in. Grandstanding.

So what I'm saying to you is, Since this commission has existed, you've had an opportunity to do one-on-one. No, we have not. So, Commissioner Evlar, have you done your one-on-ones? Have you ever done a one-on-one?

Yes, I understand what you're saying. So, you've done them.

You didn't even let her respond. So, you've done them, right? So, you know what the process is to have one. So, that's all I'm saying.

Okay, let me explain to you. Yes, when I first started... I used to have the one at one point. I had it here in person. I expressed to the city manager that when I'm doing the one-on-one, it's either two choice. I like to have everyone to have the camera on, you know, when they're going to speak to me. Because I like to see faces so I can come in and meet them. Or I can come in person. along with the city manager has a 101. So during the 101, when I request for him to turn his camera on, He blatantly said that he's not going to turn it on. So if he's not going to turn on his camera, then I'm n

Chris, you can continue. It's my choice, and it's my choice for him to do it the way I want it as the commissioner. Your choice.

Exactly. And then the other thing is that I had been telling the city manager that I was unavailable on Wednesday at 12 p.m. the day that we were going to be having our city commission meeting that night. Okay? Okay. I have been saying this on record that I'm unavailable. I had provided him a day and time that I was available and he would continuously schedule me when I was unavailable to attend those meetings. And then no invitations have been sent. It's been like a year since I've met with the city manager. On a one-on-one. So you think that it's a good thing for our city administrator to to

It was a line item of the budget of what the city is attributing to the scholarships. So in a budget, we have allocated $7,500 for the annual scholarships, and then another line item, we have $10,000 for... from the vendor with management for scholarships. What I'm saying is it should be consolidated into one line because all of it is supposed to be allocated for scholarships.

Do we ever get to see the actual fund balance that we put into the state interest-bearing account?

Yeah, I would like to see a monthly report to keep a line of sight on what is actually in the river and what's being utilized.

3.8% for what we're yielding in interest?

So is the interest going into the general fund? Yes.

All right. I'm not seeing in the rest of the presentation where it's going to address about spending money from the reserves. Can you address that at this point where we're talking about the interest from the reserves?

Well, we haven't seen any revision to the things that we said needed to be revised in the budget. That has yet to be presented. We went through on September 3rd specific things like the tree lighting. You guys expect us to pass a budget at 11 p.m., right? But all of the things that we wanted changed in this budget still has not been presented. There has been no revisions to the line items that we said we wanted funds added to line items that we wanted funds taken from nothing of the sort. So I don't know how you guys expect for us to get to that point when you have not done not one iota of wha

Do we have four and five other pages of presentations that we're going through? When are we going to get to the meat and potatoes of the line items that were supposed to be changed in the budget that we're supposed to be approving in 45 minutes?

No, those were directions. Well, you have to bring back so it could be in the tentative budget for us to then approve the budget with those items in there. If we each make recommendations, all of our recommendations should have been amended in the budget so that now we can look and say, okay, this is the amendments that we had recommended. Now do we want to approve that as being the fiscal year budget?

Mr. Manager. I did not state for you to go and come back with what it costs to put the light around. I stated that we need to cut the tree from the front lawn and use the front to put up the light around the city.

where it shows the non-department, where we're using the renew, how much of the reserve we're using in here, what page number is it on?

I don't mean that a budget is going to be passed tonight. That's your question. Yeah. In regards to the interest in, uh, Chris, in reference to interest, you're an account. Um, um, Are those also reflected on the bank statement? Everything that we're discussing. Like you have the bank statement, there's some interest in the bank statement. And also to some of the interest you invested into in the state managed local government investment. I would like to see those reports.

Mayor, the vice mayor. She asked a question. I have a point of information because I'm trying to move things along because we're 15 minutes after and there's a fifth presentation after this fourth one, can we get the paperwork for the fifth one so we could just at least look at it and trying to see whether or not our- It's the precursor to what I'm about to say. Can you just direct staff to give us the fifth presentation as well?

So there was an RFP. We didn't know anything about it.

He referenced one of the... Is he talking about the line item for $130,000 for software? Yeah, that's all what I see used for all the improvements. No, because you brought that to the commission as far as a proposal to upgrade the software so that we can do live streaming, YouTube...

This is why we need more details in this budget. Because how would we know that software... I'm thinking that software is talking about the internal use of the software to make sure that... We are on servers and internet and all of that.

This is how people get savvy and try to hide things in line items, budget, interest, and so forth. Try to be susceptible to people as far as what the funds are being utilized for.

Okay, watch your mouth. Why are you guys yelling?

You keep saying that it's software. This is not software. This is hardware.

Software is software. But machinery is hardware. Where's the line item for hardware?

Chris is going to respond. Well, she... But you don't have to respond to me. What did you say? I said because she yelled, it doesn't mean that you have to respond in that way.

It's my job to let you know when you are violating.

So if you want to cut... Two and a half million dollars is coming from our reserves?

As a finance director, I need to know... What is the line item called?

Chris, so when it says fund balance carried forward, is that supposed to be expenditure? Because that to me would be revenue.

It says general fund revenue. On the bottom, this is talking about all revenue. This is not talking about expenditure, the line item of where we're going to see it spending from.

So we're using $3 million of our reserves?

It has to be something in particular. Because what's the reason why we have to go on our reserve?

We're not sustainable without going into our savings? This is supposed to be our emergency fund that you guys said that we could absolutely not touch unless the roof was caving in and we had a massive hurricane and we had to save these funds in order to save it for a rainy day. This is not a rainy day.

I'm not in agreeance with it because, okay, how are we going to come up with the revenue source? And we started going into our revenues millions of dollars, $3 million this year. What was it last year you said?

So a million and a half dollars of our revenue was used just last year when it was looking on our budget that it was revenue coming into the city. We actually we discussed that at least last month, but it still is not understand because if anyone in the audience or residents look at this, they're going to say that this is revenue that we're receiving, right? Because on here it gives the general fund revenue of $24,000. I mean, $24 million. So that like everything that's on here is not fees. It says revenue. Typically on a budget, it would be a expenditure, not a revenue. A revenue is money tha

I'm just disgusted, really, because when we had a catastrophic event in our community, such as the explosion, and this commission brought up the fact that we should use some of our reserves to help our residents to cure what had happened to them. And we wasn't asking for a million dollars. It was like $250,000, the same amount that was in the contingency fund. Everyone was screaming, oh, no, you can't touch the reserve. You don't want to touch the reserve because we have to keep it for a rainy season. And if a hurricane or a tornado, God forbid, how is city going to survive? And you're sitting

And we had residents coming up there. Oh, we can't touch the reserve. Y'all can't touch the reserve. You know, like we've been touching the reserve according to what you're saying. We've been dipping into the reserve every doggone year. Well, yes, because we have the interest reserve that's going into the general fund that's dipping in it. Because ordinarily a smart plan investment is for you to reinvest the interest so that it can go even further. You understand? But you alluded to earlier that we are taking the interest that we're getting off of our reserves and we're investing it into our general fund in order to reduce costs, right? That's what you alluded to earlier.

What are you doing with the $600,000 in interest? You said that we are putting it back into the general fund. That's what you said.

But, Chris, you had alluded when we voted to put into this interest-bearing account, it was your recommendation for us to put it into the state system because we were going to be getting interest, correct?

So we've been getting interest year after year for the last three years.

At this point, it's accumulation of $4.5 million out of how much do we have in there currently? After we use $4.5 million, how much are we going to have remaining in our reserve?

So after we use $4.5 million, we're going to have $10.5 million left, but $3 million of that we can't touch, right? Because it's earmarked for the multicultural center, correct? Correct.

No, it's in the reserve funding. The check that we got from Congresswoman Frederica Wilson for the $3 million.

So then why we had the ceremony at the park with the $3 million?

Because last year when I asked about it, no, I just wanted to be clear. Last year when I asked about it, it was at $11 point something million. And I was told that $3 million of that could not be touched because that was the federal appropriations amount for the project for a multicultural center. We don't have enough to build a multicultural center.

You can go ahead and still in part four. I just wanted to make clear it's already distributed. Just go ahead and explain the polygon. This I want to make clear. So on page 50, where it says other sources, fund balance carried forward, that is the reserve that we're talking into? That's correct.

Yes, I want to make a recommendation. Wait, the commissioner is talking. I need everyone to speak.

No, no, I'm just wondering this before you explain. I don't approve of the $3 million because we're going to have to see how we can, how we're going to go about cutting some high-paying salary to make up for this $3 million. So instead of taking the $3 million, you know, we're going to have to cut, do some cut, you know, in the salary to see how we can... make up for that three million, or at least some of it. Instead of just thinking, instead of just blatantly just going straight to the reserve, but we're not thinking about MAYBE ADJUSTING SOME SALARY, HIGH-PAYING SALARY, NOT THE PEOPLE THAT

I SAID EVEN IF IT'S NOT $3 MILLION, AT LEAST SOMETHING.

To be fair, if we had the cost savings analysis that we had for a few years ago, that would help us identify areas in the budget that we can cut. What happened to the cost savings analysis? Okay, it doesn't mean that we have to accept what you... No, but that would have gave us some recommendations by our finance director on areas in the budget that we could consider cutting. And we didn't get that. We didn't get the savings analysis for almost three years now. Okay, Chris is what else to know what areas of the budget is valid concern. Mayor, what area of the budget do you keep it moving?

Yeah, I always say is police service, but no one.

Yeah, but we need to cut back some. We need to scale back. So, and we need to hear from the man's director. What areas of the budget?

Expenses from you know, we're not talking about the fun battle. I want to know what well, that's the flip line items. Can we cut for us? What can we cut from to reduce the amount they're taking from the fund? What area budget can we reduce the cost from what areas can we do call savings in?

I'm asking for your recommendation right now. What areas?

We didn't ask you to cut. We said, what areas do you recommend that we cut from? What areas? Last year. I'm asking the finance director. This is his lane of expertise.

Well, we wanted a higher millage rate, and we also were using grant funds to pass the budget. tax out our residents opposed to cutting costs in other areas that will save our residents, right? No, what I'm asking you is that I asked for a recommendation of a cost saving analysis for you and your team, ImmunoLinux, to come up and look and analyze our budget and say, hey, maybe you guys want to look in this area, not to tell us what to cut, but say, hey, maybe you can look in these areas here and

So what's going to happen when the reserve is depleted? Depleted.

What's going to happen in a little bit so we can hear you?

It's going to be it's going to be if we continue in that same path, I'll say within the next three to four years, the reserve is going to.

But we can't spend more than what we're bringing in.

We never had like a workshop and say, okay, let's bring revenue from here.

I motion to extend the time for an hour. Yes. No. This that's only we're going to get through this because of the talks and the city manager talks when we have time to make decisions on the on the budget. I'm moving now because this is the appropriate time to move to us in the time of the meeting. I'll be a violation. It's a violation.

We're not able to do that. If we don't need to use the hour, then that's fine.

But if we motion to extend it for an hour, then that's fine. We are not doing that. So we need to... Mayor, there's a motion and a second on the... I'm saying to you that we, according to our charter, cannot... That's not in the charter. Well...

That's in the charter. You're lying again. It does not say they cannot move.

Okay, so we have 15 minutes to figure this out.

There's a motion and a second on the floor.

The commission decides the will and pleasure of what goes on here, not you, Mayor.

There's a motion on the floor and the second. There's a motion on the floor in the second.

There's a motion on the floor in the second.

She's not even consulting with the city attorney. She's making arbitrary and capricious decisions unilaterally without consulting legal ads recommending.

Thanks for saying that, Chris. There's a motion on the floor in a second. There's a motion on the floor in a second.

That's why we're trying to extend the time to any manager. trying to obstruct us from being able to do what's right.

Mayor, it would be a violation of your code to end the meeting past 11 o'clock. That's not true. But it's also a violation when the mayor doesn't recognize it.

How do you allow that to happen in other cities that you represent?

It's not in other cities' codes that the meeting has to end by 11. Yes, it is.

Well, I guess that we're going to be in violation of the Florida statute because you guys are, we all said ethics, and ethics told us that we could extend the meeting via a vote prior to the time of the expiration of the meeting. We all said in ethics. And our attorney just said otherwise. But if you don't want us to follow the rules and you don't want us to pass a budget, then so be it, Mayor. It's all on your shoulders.

What about the other areas of the charter that says that we can change the order of the agenda by minority vote? See, you guys want to selectively... Pick and choose when you guys are going to try to invoke the charter. And when you guys want to invoke the rule of ordinances, you guys want to be selective when you guys do that. It's a fact that we can extend time. I have already verified this with the ethics department and OIG that it can be done. It can be done. It can be done. But if you guys do not want it to be done, which you guys are not a member of this commission, nor the authority of

I'm not voting on anything that I'm not clear about.

I need you to please be quiet in the audience.

THAT'S THE SAME THING THAT WAS SAID THE LAST TIME, TOO.

If it can't be resolved tonight, Chris, it could be one more. We can do one more meeting.

I'm sorry, Chris. Can you please be quiet? Whatever you're saying, we're getting feedback from it. So can you please, your feedback is coming through. So go ahead and continue, Chris.

Madam Mayor, I would like to make a motion to amend the budget whereby we can see how we can... cut the employees' salaries, like I said before. At least 40% for employees that are making $70,000 or above. Also cut out the tree lighting ceremony. And also include funds for the festival, the Hispanic, not Hispanic, the cultural event. At least those are the two that I can remember. off the bottom of my head that we were concerned, concerned about these products too. So I'm making that motion for us to make that, I mean, for us to amend the budget.

If you had anything else that you want to do.

Yeah, but it has to be made in one motion. So if I could just amend to add to your motion that we also need to amend the amount for the small home repair grant that needs to increase to at least $100,000. We also need to relegate appropriate funds to the scholarship in the amount of $1,700. $1,500, and we also need a refunding of the $20,000 from weight management, which I am recommending that we allocate a portion of that funds to the Legacy Ball Committee. And it was one other thing. that we come back with a plan to reduce, no, that we put out an RFP for public safety services for law enforc

So under those conditions that we just proposed, then we can ADOPT THE BUDGET, TAKING IN CONSIDERATION THE MOTION THAT WE JUST DIRECTED.

Okay. Roll call. Anybody else have anything?

Thank you all residents for coming tonight. Please come again so that you can hear yourself and invite your neighbors out so they can also be paying attention to happening in the city of West Park. Thank you.