PSJ commissioners propose no millage increase

Port St Joe city commissioners proposed a budget last week that would not bring any increase in the millage rate for the coming fiscal year.

At a budget workshop last Tuesday, city manager Charles Weston presented the board with two options for contracting police dispatch services to keep the budget balanced and maintaining the current millage rate of 3.5914.  

"The budget as a whole we have taken an extremely conservative approach in projecting revenue and an aggressive approach in reducing expenditures," said Weston.

Commissioners favored an option that offers 24 hour, seven-day a week dispatching through the county, as is currently the case, rather than the city going it alone on dispatch as had been proposed earlier in the summer.

"Without a doubt this is the best option," said David Barnes, Port St. Joe police chief. "It relieves us the headache of dispatching."

With additional savings of $18,863, option 2 provides a net police department savings of $181,113 to the city.

That option also leaves one officer on the street that would otherwise be in the office serving as dispatch.

"We are going to save money, but we are also going to increase patrol hours," said Mayor Mel Magidson.

Under the proposed budget with no increased millage rate, the city will have to cut more positions in their workforce, including three positions from the Police Department, three from Parks and Recreation, and three from Public Works.

The city would also not fill a position that is currently vacant.

The reduction in workforce could save the city upwards of $374,000.

With opposition from Magidson and Commissioner Greg Johnson, city commissioners voted to maintain commissioners’ current salaries 

Up until the last budget workshop, held the week prior, commissioners had toyed with the idea of cutting their salaries collectively by $14, 252 to help lessen the odds of having to raise the millage rate.

"We are cutting positions from our budget and I would like to see us have some kind of reduction too," said Johnson.

A resolution was prepared by city attorney Tom Gibson for the board to vote on adopting the reduction in salaries prior to the next workshop.

Although Magidson said that he thought that all commissioners were in a consensus with the resolution, during the workshop last Tuesday, the salary decrease had been removed from the proposed budget, adding back the $14,252 to the new budget proposal.

"The genie was out of the bottle and we are trying to stuff it back in," said Magidson. "We should have to share the pain too."

During the regularly-scheduled commission meeting, held after the budget workshop, the motion to adopt the resolution failed 3-2. While Magidson and Johnson voted in favor of reducing commissioner salaries, Commissioners Linda Gingell, Rez Buzzett and Charles Stephens voted against the reduction.

Commissioners gave little explanation as to why they had a change of heart, only citing that it seemed like the reasonable thing to do.

"I thought it was reasonable to put it back in there," said Buzzett. "That’s why I voted for option two tonight."

Weston also moved to discontinue long-term employee benefits.

These benefits allowed for a 2 percent increase in salary for long-term employees for the last 60 months before retirement.

Although there are no indications that the benefits were formally approved by the commission in 2006, when the resolution was first proposed, currently two employees are receiving the benefits and there have been requests from several employees asking they receive these benefits.

Minutes from the meeting on Sept. 5, 2006 read:

"This additional pay would enhance each employee's retirement, would not cost the city that much and it would show appreciation to each employee for their service with the city. The commissioners agreed in consensus to Mayor (Frank) Pate's proposal."

"Although it has a small impact right now, it has the potential to have many people apply for it," said Weston.

Commissioners voted to discontinue the benefit.

The two employees already receiving these benefits will not be affected by the outcome.

* The board is also looking into ways of eliminating the buzzard population that congregates on a water tower off Long Avenue after the mayor began receiving phone calls and e-mails about them being a nuisance. 

Weston said that although the venture could be costly to the city, they are looking into the possibility of purchasing a taxidermist piece to scare them off or doing away with the tower all together.

"I want to ensure the public that we are not taking this lightly," said Weston. "This is very serious."

If the tower is removed the city stands to lose $14,000-15,000 annually in revenue from Verizon Wireless due to an antenna placement at the top of the tower.