07/17/2019 (3) - Laserfiche WebLink

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The Sheriff's Office initially requested a budget increase of $3.8 million or 7.4% from the current ye Staff is recommending an increase of $3.3 million or 6.3%, to which the Sheriff has agreed. In additiW $1,311,278 in Optional Sales Tax was used to fund replacement vehicles and 800 MHz radios in the Sheriff's FY 2019/20 budget request to further minimize the impact on the ad valorem tax supported funds. This is about $167,000 Tess than the Optional Sales Tax amount used in the current year as we try to reduce reliance on sales tax for these purchases. Rising health insurance premiums are responsible for $587,400 of the Sheriffs Office increase, while increased retirement rates are also impacting the budget. Furthermore, three additional full-time positions are being added next fiscal year. The proposed FY 2019/20 budget includes the second year of funding for 50% of the School Resource Officers expense. The State has not yet provided adequate funding for this new mandate on School Districts. The County plans to continue working with our partners at the Sheriff's Office and School District to request that the legislature fix this funding shortfall. The Supervisor of Elections has requested an increase of $248,489 or 18.2%. Significant impacts on the Supervisor of Election's budget request includes the Presidential Preference Primary Election totaling $157,251, and the addition of Spanish-language ballots and Spanish-language voter assistance. One additional employee for the IT department is also included in the request. The Tax Collector's budget is not due until August 1st, and therefore staff has kept the Tax Collector's budget flat across all funds. The Property Appraiser has requested an increase of $185,422 or 4.7% overall. General Fund dollars support the bulk of the Property Appraiser's budget, and the General Fund impact is an increase. $121,026 or 3.9%. The budget request includes funding for employee raises. The BCC departmental funding amount reflects an increase of $599,246 or 3.1%. Total staffing for BCC departments increased by 5.5 full time positions. These positions include one (1) Librarian I at the Main Library, one (1) Library Associate II at the Brackett Library, one (1) Planner I in Emergency Management (offset by a 0.5 FTE reduction for 50% of the Director's salary allocated to Fire Rescue), one (1) Tradesworker H in Facilities Management, and two (2) Conservation Lands Technicians in the Parks Conservation Lands division. Historically, Parks Conservation Lands has been housed in the M.S.T.U. Fund, however staff recommends moving this division to the General Fund as the appropriate location from a taxing standpoint. Addressing deferred maintenance and capital projects that accumulated during the downturn continues to be a priority in the upcoming fiscal year. Sealing and painting of Administration Building A is included in the Facilities Management budget at a cost of $250,000. The additional two (2) Conservation Lands Technicians will aide in the removal and treatment of exotics across the County's 2,791 acres of managed Conservation Lands. Exotics treatment was previously addressed only when a spare Parks crew was available, and the estimated cost of deferred exotics treatment is $205,000. Establishing positions in house will greatly reduce the cost of these treatments and allow for increased maintenance going forward. The Parks Conservation Lands budget includes $91,000 in deferred capital and maintenance projects at the Wabasso Scrub Conservation area and Captain Forester Hammock Preserve. An additional $132,500 is budgeted in the Parks division to address deferred maintenance o across multiple County park locations. Necessary maintenance to the exterior of the Courthouse is a proposed in the FY 2019/20 budget. 10