Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/2/1972�l MONDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1972 THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, FLORIDA MET IN SPECIAL SESSION AT THE COURTHOUSE, VERO BEACH, FLORIDA ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1972 AT 4:35 O'CLOCK P.M. PRESENT WERE RICHARD P. BOGOSIAN, CHAIRMAN; ALMA LEE Loy, VICE CHAIRMAN; JACK U. DRITENBAS AND EDWARD J. MASSEY. D.B. MCCULLERS, .JR. WAS ABSENT. ALSO PRESENT WERE .JACK G. .JENNINGS, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR; PAUL D. BURCH, ATTORNEY TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS; L.S. THOMAS, DEPUTY CLERK. AT THE INVITATION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, THE FOLLOWING REPRESENTATIVES OF THE INDIAN RIVER MEMORIAL HOSPITAL WERE PRESENT, BOBBY MEADOWS, ADMINISTRATOR, GORDON .JOHNSTON, ATTORNEY TO THE INDIAN RIVER MEMORIAL HOSPITAL BOARD OF TRUSTEES; ROBERT JACKSON, CHAIRMAN; GRANT NEVILLE; .J.DALE SORENSEN; A.J. BRACKINS, AND DR. PAUL TAYLOR, BOARD OF TRUSTEES. ALSO PRESENT WAS SHERIFF SAM T. JOYCE. THE CHAIRMAN CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER AND PROCEEDED TO EXPLAIN THE PURPOSE OF THE MEETING WHICH WAS TO APPORTION THE MILLAGES TO CONFROM TO THE 10 MILL CAP AS OUTLINED UNDER SECTION. 200.071 OF THE FLORIDA STATUTES. ROBERT '.JACKSON. CHAIRMAN OF THE INDIAN RIVER MEMORIAL HOSPITAL EXPLAINED WHY THE HOSPITAL HAD REQUESTED -3.75 MILLS. HE INDICATED THAT THE 3.75 MILLS WAS -NECESSARY TO SECURE THEIR NEW BOND ISSUE. MR. .JACKSON ALSO REQUESTED THAT ANY,REDUCTION IN MILLAGES BE APPORTIONED EQUALLY AMONG ALL TAXING DISTRICTS. J. DALE SORENSEN STATED THAT THE INDIAN RIVER MEMORIAL HOSPITAL WOULD HAVE TO LIVE WITH ANY REASONABLE SETTLEMENT MADE BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. THE CHAIRMAN POINTED OUT THAT THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HAD ALREADY REDUCED MANY OF THE BUDGET REQUESTS INCLUDING THE SHERIFF'S BUDGET. THE CHAIRMAe-ALSO POINTED OUT THAT STATE AND FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS HAD REQUIRED BUDGETING OF SUBSTANTIAL NEW AMOUNTS FOR ITEMS SUCH AS, $90,000.00 FOR A COUNTYWIDE SEWER AND WATER STUDY. _- 1.5 OCT 197Z e COMMISSIONER LOY EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT THE AREAS OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT OPERATED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PERHAPS DID NOT SEEM AS IMPORTANT TO THE HOSPITAL BOARD OF TRUSTEES AS THEIR OWN AREAS OF OPERATION PERTAINING TO THE HOSPITAL. COMMISSIONER LOY INDICATED THAT SHE FELT THE HOSPITAL BOARD OF TRUSTEES SHOULD HAVE MET BEFORE TO DISCUSS THESE PROBLEMS. COMMISSIONER LOY EXPRESSED EXTREME CONCERN ABOUT THE HOSPITAL AND THEIR BUILDING PROGRAM AND STATED THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN ATTENDING OUR BUDGET MEETINGS THREE MONTHS AGO. SHE ALSO STATED THAT THE HOSPITAL'S REQUEST FOR 3.75 -MILLS WAS NOT PRACTICAL. --�y--TFfE CHAIRKAN-INDICATED THAT THE INDIAN RIVER MEMORIAL HOSPITAL WOULD HAVE TO SOLVE THEIR OWN FINANCIAL PROBLEMS THIS YEAR, BUT HE DID NOT FEEL THAT THEY WOULD HAVE A SIMILAR PROBLEM IN FUTURE G YEARS. AFTER FURTHER DISCUSSION THE CHAIRMAN ASKED THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, "WHAT ARE YOU ASKING FOR NOW - A COMMITMENT FROM US?ff BOBBY MEADOWS, INDIAN RIVER MEMORIAL HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATOR, INDICATED THAT ANY DOWNWARD CHANGE IN THE MILLAGE AS REQUESTED BY THE HOSPITAL WOULD RESULT IN A HIGHER INTEREST RATE FOR THEIR BONDS. 3 COMMISSIONER DRITENBAS THEN STATED THAT HE DID NOT SEE HOW THE COMMISSIONERS COULD HAVE CUT MORE FROM THEIR BUDGET REQUESTS AND STILL HAVE PROVIDED THE ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY SERVICES TO THE PEOPLE OF INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, HE ALSO QUESTIONED HOW THE COMMISSIONERS COULD GUARANTEE A DEFINITE MILLAGE TO THE HOSPITAL IN FUTURE YEARS WITHOUT GUARANTEEING IT TO EVERYONE ELSE. MR. SORENSEN STATED THAT HE DID NOT WANT A.GUARANTEE OF MILLAGE FROM THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, BUT JUST AN EXPRESSION OF COOPERATION,,AS IT WOULD NOW BE NECESSARY TO TALK FURTHER WITH THE BOND PEOPLE. MR. .JACKSON INFORMED THE BOARD THAT THEY CANNOT STOP THE BUILDING PROGRAM AND WAIT A YEAR. THE CHAIRMAN QUESTIONED, "WHY CAN'T YOU STOP, WHAT WILL IT DO TO YOU". MR. .JACKSON ANSWERED, "IF WE CANNOT SELL THE BONDS WE ARE DEAD". COMMISSIONER LOY QUESTIONED IF THE HOSPITAL BOARD OF TRUSTEES HAVE TAKEN ANY STEPS TO REMOVE THE HOSPITAL FROM OUR 10 MILL CAP. MR. JACKSON ANSWERED THAT THE WHOLE THING IS BASED ON THE HOSPITAL'S ORIGINAL CHARTER WHICH ALLOWS THEM TO TAX UP TO 5 MILLS. IF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CAN HELP THE HOSPITAL GET OUT FROM UNDER THIS 10 MILL CAP WE WOULD BE IN GOOD SHAPE. 15 486 CT 21972 vl COMMISSIONER Loy INQUIRED OF THE HOSPITAL BOARD IF THEIR ADVISORS ADVISED THAT THEY COULD GET 3.75 MILLS OVER THE YEARS AND MR. SORENSEN ANSWERED THAT IT WAS THE BOARDS IDEA. COMMISSIONER LOY ASKED, "DO MILLS MATTER -OR DOLLARS". AND MR. SORENSEN ANSWERED. `DOLLARS". THE CHAIRMAN STATED THAT IT DOES MATTER WHEN YOU HAVE A 10 MILL CAP. COMMISSIONER Loy INFORMED THE BOARD THAT SHE MIGHT BE WILLING TO GIVE THE HOSPITAL ANY EXCESS FUNDS FROM FEDERAL REVENUE SHARING PROGRAM. THE CHAIRMAN INFORMED THE HOSPITAL TRUSTEES THAT BECAUSE OF A RECENT STATE REQUIREMENT IT WILL BE NECESSARY FOR THE COUNTY TO BORROW $170.000.00 TO PAY FOR A REASSESSMENT OF ALL PROPERTY IN INDIAN RIVER COUNTY. HE ALSO FELT THAT, IN EFFECT, GIVING THESE EXCESS REVENUE SHARING FUNDS TO THE HOSPITAL WOULD BE TANTAMOUNT TO BORROWING MONEY FOR THE HOSPITAL. COMMISSIONER MASSEY INDICATED THAT HE DID NO; SEE HOW WE COULD MAKE ANY DECISION NOW, BUT HE WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF PUTTING THE HOSPITAL HIGH ON A PRIORITY LIST. MR. .JACKSON INDICATED THAT THE,HOSPITAL TRUSTEES WERE CONCERNED MORE ABOUT THE WILLINGNESS OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TO HELP RATHER THAN A DEFINITE COMMITMENT. COMMISSIONER Loy STATED THAT SHE FELT THE WORST THAT COULD HAPPEN WOULD BE TO TEMPORARILY SETBACK THE BUILDING PROGRAM; AND SHE COULD NOT SEE HOW THIS WOULD EFFECT THE OVERALL PROGRAM. MR. SORENSEN REPLIED THAT THE HOSPITAL TRUSTEES ARE TRYING TO DO THIS IN A SOUND FISCAL MANNER AT THE LEAST COST TO THE TAXPAYERS] AND TO AVOID FUTURE FISCAL PROBLEMS, THE CHAIRMAN ASKED MEMBERS OF THE BOARD IF THEY WERE WILLING TO GIVE $75,000.00 OF FUNDS ALLOCATED FOR PARK ACQUISITION AND COMMISSIONER Loy STATED SHE WAS •NOT. THE CHAIRMAN THEN ASKED MEMBERS OF THE BOARD IF THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO GIVE THE HOSPITAL $160,000.00 IN FUNDS FROM THE FEDERAL REVENUE SHARING PROGRAM PROVIDED IT MET WITH ALL LEGAL REQUIREMENTS, COMMISSIONER MASSEY AGAIN INDICATED THAT HE WOULD NOT BE WILLING TO GIVE ANYTHING NOW, BUT WOULD STILL PUT THE HOSPITAL ON A PRIORITY LIST FOR AVAILABLE FUNDS. ROO 15 487 T 2 1972 �l THE CHAIRMAN STATED THAT HE FELT ALL WERE IN AGREEMENT THAT THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S MILLAGE CANNOT BE REDUCED AND THAT THE BOARD WOULD BE WILLING TO MAKE A COMMITMENT TO GIVE $160,000.00 OF FEDERAL REVENUE SHARING FUNDS, IF AN WHEN IT BECAME AVAILABLE AND IF IT IS LEGAL.. THE CHAIRMAN ALSO STATED HE DID THIS RELUCTANTLY. MR. SORENSEN QUESTIONED, "HOW DO WE STAND IN THE FUTURE"? COMMISSIONER LOY ANSWERED, "WE HAVE ALREADY TAKEN THE POSITION TO HOLD DOWN TAXES IN FUTURE YEARS". COMMISSIONER DRITENBAS BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE HOSPITAL TRUSTEES, THAT EVERY CENT THAT THE COMMISSIONERS REDUCED FROM THEIR BUDGET WAS PASSED ON TO THE BENEFIT OF THE HOSPITAL. MR. .JACKSON ASKED, "HAVE WE AGREED THAT YOU WILL HELP SUPPORT US TO GET OUT FROM UNDER THE 10 MILL CAP"? PAUL BURCH ADVISED THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS THAT IT IS POSSIBLE THIS COULD BE A POLITICAL BALLOON AND IN HIS OPINION, THIS SHOULD BE DONE BY PUBLIC REFERENDUM, SIE STATED, "YOU ARE NOT GIVING PEOPLE A CHOICE BY GOING THROUGH THE STATE LEGISLATURE". THE CHAIRMAN ASKED EACH MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IF THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO MAKE A COMMITMENT TO GIVE $160,000.00 OF FEDERAL REVENUE SHARING FUNDS, IF AND WHEN THEY ARE RECEIVED�AND IF IT IS LEGAL. COMMISSIONER DRITENBAS: YES COMMISSIONER MASSEY: YES 'COMMISSIONER Loy: YES COMMISSIONER"BOGOSIAN: YES COMMISSIONER MCCULLERS: ABSENT ON MOTI.ONBY COMMISSIONER Loy, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER DRITENBAS, THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS BY THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN THEM UNDER SECTION 200.071 FLORIDA STATUTE, UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO REDUCE THE MILLAGE FOR THE INDIAN RIVER COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT FROM 3.75 MILLS AS CERTIFIED, TO 2.409 MILLS TO CONFORM ?0 THE lO r MILL COUNTY LIMITATION AS REQUIRED BY LAW. ' THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS: ON MOTION MADE, SECONDED j AND CARRIED THE BOARD ADJOURNED AT 6:25 O'CLOCK P.M. ATTEST: ft F�'b;y -OCT CHAI RNAN ao.5488