07/09/2025 (3) - Laserfiche WebLink

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Board of County Commissioners Meeting Minutes - Final July 9, 2025 tax bills since 2020 as a sign of progress. Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller Ryan Butler noted his budget proposal reflected cost reductions achieved through collaboration with the County's IT department. Despite this, the Clerk's office faced ongoing IT funding challenges due to state mandates that financially burden counties. Diminishing surpluses from IT trust funds indicated that by 2028, counties may need to fully fund their IT needs. However, an increase in surpluses this year offered some hope for temporary relief. Supervisor of Elections Leslie Swan emphasized the importance of collaboration in maintaining election integrity in Indian River County amid rapid growth. A fourth Early Voting site would be added at the Intergenerational Recreation Center (iG), with funding included for voting equipment and supplies. The budget also accounted for hiring a Geographic Information System (GIS) specialist to manage electoral maps. A new law, House Bill 1201, significantly increased the costs of notifying individuals about valid initiative petitions. Administrator Titkanich provided an overview of the Sheriffs Office budget history, highlighting the Board's allocation of $21,865,155 over the previous four years to support Law Enforcement, Corrections, and Court Services. The Sheriff had requested a budget of $14.6 million, which was deemed unattainable. Administrator Titkanich recommended a budget increase to $83,646,672 and ruled out raising the millage rate due to state initiatives aimed at lowering property taxes. The presentation showed that without new revenue, substantial budget cuts and service reductions would be insufficient to meet the Sheriffs request. The proposed budget for the Sheriff's Office accounted for 52.3% of the overall budget. The slides also highlighted the current millage rates allocated to the Sheriffs Office and other County services. Administrator Titkanich provided an overview of the Sheriff's budget request for 2025/2026, highlighting several key points regarding personnel and operational expenses. Training expenses: $141,554 or 46.75% requested increase for a total training budget of $444,314 Operational Expenses Breakdown: The total requested increase in operating expenses was $4,812,441 or 32.88% of the total increase. Individual categories saw significant increases, including: - Contracted services: $2,778,243 (30.2%) - Operating supplies: $1,084,677 (37.47%) - Operating equipment: $363,261 (148.47%) Travel/Transporting Prisoners: $126,393 requested increase, totaling $589,490, Indian River County, Florida Page 7