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to evaluate potential options to ensure that we can effectively address animal sheltering needs.
<br />The Animal Control Division of Emergency Services is prepared, if needed, to transition from enforcement and collection to
<br />• more of a direct animal management system including enforcement, collection, care, adoption, and disposition of stray,
<br />dangerous, and abandoned animals, which may include the acquisition and development of a county -owned and operated
<br />facility under the supervision of county staff and a licensed veterinarian.
<br />The Clerk of the Circuit Court has requested a $34,755 or 2.3% increase from the current year's budget. The budget
<br />request includes a cost -of -living increase for employees, along with the State -mandated retirement rate increases. This
<br />request also includes an additional 1.25 full-time positions, including an IT position, and additional funding for software
<br />needed to transmit data through existing criminal justice information systems.
<br />As previously mentioned, the Sheriff's recommended budget is $83,646,672, which is an increase of $4.73 million or 6.0%,
<br />over the current year's budget. As part of the request, $2,137,305 in Optional Sales Taxis being used to fund replacement
<br />vehicles and other eligible capital in the Sheriff's FY 2025/2026 budget request to further minimize the impact on the ad
<br />valorem tax supported funds. The proposed FY 2025/2026 budget includes a sixth year of partial If for the School
<br />Resource Officers expense. The State continues to provide no funding for this mandate on School Districts.
<br />The Supervisor of Elections has requested an increase of $155,736 or 6.9%. This request includes a Geographic
<br />Information Systems Specialist position to manage and maintain the spatial data essentialforelection operations. Due to
<br />pending legislature, it maybe necessary for the Supervisor of Elections to come to the Board of County Commissioners to
<br />request additional funding for increased petition verification costs (notice requirements, postage, and staff resources).
<br />A modest increase has been included for the Tax Collector's budget in the General Fund. It is important to note that this is
<br />simply a Staff estimate as the Tax Collector's budget is not due until August 11t
<br />The Property Appraiser has requested an increase of $348,101 or 6.6% for the County funded portion of the budget.
<br />•General Fund dollars support the bulk of the Property Appraiser's budget, and the General Fund impact is an increase of
<br />$210,119 or 4.8%. The budget request includes funding for employee raises.
<br />The BCC departmental funding amount reflects an increase of $1,706,783 or 5.0%. There is an increase of 8 full-time
<br />positions in various departments including Parks, Recreation & Conservation (4), Office of Management & Budget (2), and
<br />Building & Facilities Services (2).
<br />Recommended State agency budgets total $7,007,814, which is an increase of $1,414,865 or25.3%. This is principallydue
<br />to a $179,422 or 11.6% increase in Medicaid, a $261,284 or 32.3% increase in Medical Examiner, and a $814,676 or
<br />101.8% increase in Circuit Court expenses. The Circuit Court increase is mostly due to the addition of mental health court
<br />costs, totaling $520,681, thatwill prevent the criminalization of mental illness by diverting eligible individuals awayfrom
<br />jail and into structured, therapeutic services. This fundingwas previously provided bythe Hospital District and is expected
<br />to be eliminated from their budgeted in FY 2025/2026, thus the County has assumed the expense. The CourtTechnology
<br />Fund and Court Innovation Fund were intended to cover Court Administration expenses; however, once again these
<br />expenses cannot be supported. Thus, a total of $169,300 for the State Attorney's budget request and $521,371 from the
<br />Court Administrator's budget is being funded from the General Fund.
<br />Municipal Service Taxing Unit (M. S. T. U.) Fund
<br />The M.S.T.U. recommended budget is $54,969,931, a decrease of $2,285,375, or4.0% (pages 27-28). Transfers outto the
<br />Transportation Fund are increasing by $482,525 and transfers for Law Enforcement are decreasing by $708,321. As
<br />transfers out comprise 76.0% of the M.S.T.U. expense budget, any change causes a significant impact on the total fund
<br />budget.
<br />• A summary of major factors impacting the M.S.T.U. Fund are shown below:
<br />Ad valorem tax roll— 8.7% increase, generating $1,557,817 in additional revenue, assuming 95% collections at
<br />proposed millage rate.
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