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CHAIRMAN WODTKE EXPLAINED TO THOSE PRESENT THAT THIS BUDGET <br />HAS BEEN WORKED ON EXTENSIVELY BY THE BOARD DURING MANY MEETINGS <br />WITH INPUT FROM VARIOUS CONCERNS AND ORGANIZATIONS, <br />COMMISSIONER LOY REQUESTED THAT THE FINANCE OFFICER <br />INFORM THOSE PRESENT EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR IN AD VALOREM <br />TAXES OVER AND ABOVE WHAT WE ASKED FOR LAST YEAR, <br />FINANCE OFFICER BARTON REPORTED THAT THE BOARD OF COUNTY <br />COMMISSIONERS IS ASKING'FOR THE SAME AMOUNT IN DOLLARS THAT THEY <br />COLLECTED LAST YEAR IN AD VALOREM TAXES, ACTUALLY 27� LESS. <br />CHAIRMAN WODTKE POINTED OUT THAT THE BOARD HAS NOT INCREASED <br />THE BURDEN ON THE TAXPAYERS EVEN THOUGH A 6% COST -OF -LIVING INCREASE <br />WAS GRANTED .TO COUNTY EMPLOYEES, WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION INCREASED <br />TREMENDOUSLY, AND THERE WERE THE USUAL INFLATIONARY INCREASES IN <br />GASOLINE, OIL,. ETC. HE NOTED THAT IN THREE OF THE LAST FOUR YEARS <br />THERE WAS A REDUCTION IN THE MILLAGE RATE. <br />THE CHAIRMAN ASKED IF ANYONE PRESENT WISHED TO BE HEARD. <br />ARLENE FLETCHER, DIRECTOR OF TREASURE COAST CONGREGATE <br />MEALS PROGRAM, CAME BEFORE THE BOARD IN REGARD TO THE AMOUNT <br />REQUESTED FROM THE BOARD FOR MATCHING FUNDS FOR THE CONGREGATE <br />MEALS PROGRAM BECAUSE SHE HAD HEARD THAT THE $5,000 THEY WERE <br />ASKING FOR HAS BEEN DENIED. <br />MRS. FLETCHER EXPLAINED THAT THEIR PROGRAM SERVES SENIOR <br />CITIZENS IN INDIAN RIVER COUNTY AND THREE OTHER COUNTIES, AND TO <br />DATE THEY HAVE RECEIVED THEIR MATCHING FUNDS FROM MARTIN AND <br />OKEECHOBEE COUNTIES, BUT HAVE BEEN TURNED DOWN IN ST. LUCIE COUNTY. <br />MRS. FLETCHER STATED THAT WHEN A COUNTY COMMISSION DOES NOT SUPPLY <br />THEM THE MATCHING FUNDS, THEY HAVE THE ALTERNATIVE OF EITHER <br />CUTTING THE PROGRAM OUT COMPLETELY OR REDUCING THE NUMBER OF <br />PARTICIPANTS. MRS. FLETCHER CONTINUED THAT THEY HAVE RECEIVED OVER <br />$25,000 IN DONATIONS OVER THE FOUR COUNTIES, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THESE <br />DONATIONS CAN ONLY BE USED TO INCREASE THE PROGRAM,NOT TO MAKE THE <br />CASH MATCH. SHE INFORMED THE BOARD THAT THEY WILL BE MOVING THEIR <br />SITE FROM ST. FRANCIS MANOR TO THE MASONIC -LODGE, BECAUSE ST. FRANCIS <br />MANOR REPUESTED THAT THE PEOPLE LIVING THERE BE GIVEN FIRST PRIORITY, <br />AND PRIORITIES CANNOT BE SET ACCORDING TO WHERE PEOPLE LIVE, BUT MUST <br />BE SET ACCORDING TO NEED FOR SOCIALIZATION, RECREATION, ETC. <br />11 <br />BOOK FAGF 4 <br />