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Holmes Beach lowers millage rate

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Featured, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – Property owners are getting a tax break on their 2024-25 property tax bills.

Commissioners voted to reduce the proposed millage rate from 2.05 mills to 1.99 mills, a six-point reduction from what was proposed during a recent budget workshop. Despite the 2.5% reduction, the 1.99 millage rate is still 7.63% over the rollback rate of 1.8489 mills due to increases in property values.

Millage is the rate per $1,000 of assessed property value charged by the city in property taxes. The rollback rate is the millage rate that would give the city the same amount in taxes as the year before.

While commissioners reduced the millage rate below what was previously proposed, Commissioner Dan Diggins wasn’t happy with the decision.

Diggins said he wanted to reduce the millage rate to at least the rollback rate, if not lower, and use either budget cuts or the city’s reserves to make up the difference. Mayor Judy Titsworth said that some of the city’s reserves are already being used to get the millage rate to the proposed 1.99 rate.

“I appreciate that we’ve gotten down to what we’re talking about now, 1.99, but I think it’s time we stopped growing government here a little bit,” Diggins said. “Just for one year, I’d like to see government stop growing for one year and get us back down, if not to the rollback rate, close to the rollback rate. Let’s face it, people are leaving this island, maybe not as often as they were before, but one of the reasons they’re leaving is taxes and insurance. We can’t do anything about insurance but we sure can do something about taxes.”

Diggins went on to say that he’s proud of the work that Titsworth and the city have done to rebuild flagging reserves, but he said it was time to give some money back to the taxpayers. He also said it would only take a 1.9% cut in each city department to reach the rollback rate this year.

“I don’t think that’s too much to ask for,” Diggins said.

Commissioner Terry Schaefer said he felt it was a noble cause to reduce rates or hold them steady as much as possible, but he feels a further reduction in the budget for the coming fiscal year would result in a loss of services. Diggins said he doesn’t want to reduce services, but he feels there’s enough “fluff” to cut the $475,000 that would make the difference between using the rollback rate and using the 1.99 millage rate.

Titsworth said the reason for having so much in reserves is to have money for an emergency situation, such as a hurricane, where the city may get reimbursed for expenses by FEMA, but it requires money up front for items like debris removal. She said the budget had to be increased $50,000 to pay for street sweeping to keep city roads and bike lanes clear for users. She also said she took a look at the budget and made what cuts she felt could be made but doesn’t see where any additional funds could be cut.

“We’re not growing government, we’re doing the best we can to retain property values and keep people safe out here,” Titsworth said.

A second and final public hearing on the millage rate is scheduled on Tuesday, Sept. 26 at 5:01 p.m. at Holmes Beach City Hall, 5801 Marina Drive. Anyone wishing to speak must appear in person during the meeting

2024-25 budget passes first hearing

2024-25 budget passes first hearing

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Featured, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – The city’s proposed 2024-25 budget is over halfway to the finish line to be in place for the Oct . 1 start of the fiscal year.

Commissioners held the first of two public hearings for the proposed budget during a Sept. 11 special meeting. Commissioner Terry Schaefer said the budget that commissioners approved during that meeting was the sixth version.

Currently, the budget proposes a total of $13,916,590 in operating revenues and expenses along with $11,317,006 in total carryover and reserves, including $7,157,500 in general unassigned reserves, the money that the city holds for emergency situations. The total budget, including reserves, is $25,233,595, a difference of $111,639 over the approved 2023-24 fiscal year budget. Titsworth said that some of the reserves, particularly the stormwater reserves, are for projects planned for the current fiscal year that are carrying over to the upcoming fiscal year.

One of the items that changed between the July budget workshops and the current proposed budget was a line item of $307,000 in the public works department budget. The monies were previously set aside for the purchase of an algae harvester, along with training for employees and disposal fees. In the updated budget, Titsworth noted that the harvester would now only be purchased if it could be funded by a grant.

“It’s a placeholder,” Titsworth answered after commission candidate Carol Whitmore expressed concerns about the purchase. Whitmore said she believes the purchase is a duplication of services since Manatee County owns two similar machines that she said the city could borrow if needed.

Titsworth said she doesn’t believe that the city or its residents should have to pay for the algae harvester or for the cost to maintain and utilize it because she believes that problems in other municipalities, such as sewage dumping from the city of Bradenton and the Piney Point wastewater spill in Manatee County, are contributing to Holmes Beach’s algae problems. Therefore, she said the purchase wouldn’t be made until grant funding for the entire cost could be secured, but because the algae harvester is important to the Clean Water Ad Hoc Committee, she left the placeholder in the budget for the purchase. As to the county-owned harvesters, Titsworth told Whitmore that the county algae harvesters don’t meet the needs of the city as they are designed primarily to work in boat ramps, not in canals, which is what the city needs.

Whitmore also said the historic cottage the city is moving to Grassy Point Preserve could be considered a museum, which would be a tourist attraction, and the Manatee County Tourist Development Council might be willing to fund that nearly $100,000 expenditure.

Other items that changed include the removal of a planned new hire for the public works department, increases in insurance costs and a reduction in equipment costs in the Holmes Beach Police Department budget.

Copies of the proposed budget are available online at www.holmesbeachfl.org and in the lobby at city hall during regular business hours.

The second and final public hearing and vote on the budget is scheduled on Tuesday, Sept. 26 at 5:01 p.m. at Holmes Beach City Hall.

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City presents 2024-25 budget

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Featured, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – City leaders are working to keep property taxes as low as possible despite property values increasing an estimated 11.8%. To do that, they’re planning to keep the millage rate at 2.05 mills for the coming fiscal year and cut expenses from the proposed 2024-25 fiscal year budget.

City Treasurer Cindy Dunham-Tozer presented the proposed budget to commissioners and Mayor Judy Titsworth during a July 9 budget work session. The total budget is estimated to break even at $24,750,162 including $11,007,006 in reserves and carryover. The total represents a cut of $742,676 from the current year’s budget.

Outlining some of the larger expenses for the year, she said that all the city’s insurance rates were increased by providers by an average of 5% with a 40% increase in flood insurance. Dunham-Tozer added that $322,000 also was set aside to purchase an algae harvester boat. Another $100,000 is planned to be set aside for unplanned attorney fees and court costs. She also noted that business in the city’s building department, which is designed to be self-sustaining from permit and inspection fees, is expected to slow over the next fiscal year.

MAYOR AND COMMISSION

The total mayor and commission budget for 2024-25 is expected to top out at $261,779, an increase of $2,414 over the current year. The primary reason for the increase is an additional $2,214 in mayoral and commission pay and accompanying payroll taxes. A $200 increase in utility services is also expected.

GENERAL GOVERNMENT

The general government budget, including the city clerk’s office, treasurer and human resources department, shows a modest increase of $87,575 to a total of $2,032,900. Though minor increases are noted in line items including postage, software and employee recognitions, the largest increase is $31,659 in employee insurance.

POLICE DEPARTMENT

The Holmes Beach Police Department’s budget is anticipated to come in at $5,485,088 for the year, an increase of $829,631 over the current year, though $225,000 of that amount is scheduled to come from reserves to purchase three vehicles. In recent years, city leaders opted to switch from leasing vehicles for the police department to purchasing them, potentially allowing for a longer lifespan for the use of the vehicles. The city is eligible to purchase three of the remaining eight vehicles from the lease term, eliminating the need for brand-new vehicles. Another big-ticket item is employee insurance, which is anticipated to increase by $142,033. Employee compensation shows a $290,786 increase along with a $55,000 increase in required overtime.

BUILDING DEPARTMENT

The building department’s budget is expected to come to $1,568,496 total, a $375,183 increase over the current year. An estimated $235,805 of the increase is expected in employee compensation with a $73,058 increase in employee insurance and $5,000 for the purchase of a drone.

PUBLIC WORKS

Coming out at $4,072,583, the city’s public works department budget is showing a proposed increase of $656,981 for the 2024-25 fiscal year. Much of that increase is due to pulling $307,000 toward the purchase of an algae harvester boat, $120,000 for the purchase of two pickup trucks and increases in employee insurance and compensation.

CODE COMPLIANCE

Where the city really saw some cost savings is in the code compliance department, where the planned budget dropped by $281,551 to a total of $620,594. The largest decrease is in employee compensation, which dropped $199,365 due to 50% of the code compliance staff transferring to the building department.

Holmes Beach Commissioners approve budget first reading

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – The city’s new budget and millage rate has received unanimous support from commissioners during an initial public hearing and vote.

Despite Commissioner Terry Schaefer’s absence, city commissioners had no trouble getting the two items passed during a Sept. 16 meeting.

The proposed millage rate was dropped to 2.05 mills, a reduction from the previous year’s 2.15 millage rate but still 12.18% higher than the 1.873 mills rollback rate. The millage rate is the rate charged per $1,000 of assessed property value for city taxes. The rollback rate is the millage rate that would bring in the same amount of revenue as the previous year.

“I don’t know how you all did it,” Commissioner Carol Soustek said. “The quality of services that people expect here are high and you kind of have to keep that up. But you all have just done a phenomenal job. It got lower than I thought it would go,” she said of the millage rate.

Soustek said that she hopes property owners understand that by lowering the millage rate from the previous year, commissioners provided a tax cut even though the city’s ad valorem tax revenue actually did go up due to an increase in property values. She added that it was unfortunate that the price tag has increased for city property owners, however, she added that increases across the board in costs make it impossible for the city to use the rollback rate to bring in a lower amount of tax revenue.

Commissioner Greg Kerchner asked if language could be added to the millage rate ordinance that explains how the tax rate works, but the idea was shot down by City Attorney Erica Augello who said it would be inappropriate to add such wording to an ordinance.

The budget presented during the first budget hearing totals $25,121,957 including $10,960,076 in reserves. The city treasurer noted that with a modest increase in reserves, Holmes Beach will have 24.5% in unrestricted reserves, just under the recommended 25% in unrestricted reserves recommended for coastal cities. The unrestricted reserves are used to run the city in case of an emergency, such as a hurricane, if the tax base for Holmes Beach is decimated. The funds also can be used to help cover unexpected expenses throughout the year with commission approval.

There was no public comment offered during the meeting.

The public has one more chance to weigh in on the budget before commissioners vote on it again. A final budget public hearing and vote is scheduled on Tuesday, Sept. 26 at 5 p.m. at city hall, 5801 Marina Drive. While meetings can be viewed online, anyone who wants to speak must appear in person in commission chambers.

The 2023-24 fiscal year begins Oct. 1.

Holmes Beach City Hall

Mayor seeks millage rate reduction

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – Mayor Judy Titsworth has tasked department heads to “sharpen their pencils” to reduce budget requests in order to try to lower the millage rate, giving a break to taxpayers.

During a July 11 budget work session, department heads presented their proposed budgets to commissioners. City Treasurer Cindy Dunham-Tozer created the proposed city budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year at a 2.0677 millage rate. The millage rate is the amount taxed per $1,000 in assessed property value. At 2.0677 mills, ad valorem taxes in the city are estimated to bring in $6,165,117, an increase of $716,549 over last year’s $5,448,568. Dunham-Tozer said that property values in the city increased about 13% from the previous year.

During the budget discussion, they agreed to set the maximum rate at 2.25 mills, though the final millage rate adopted in the fall during two public hearings on the budget is not expected to be that high.

The maximum millage rate is the rate that commissioners cannot exceed when setting the final millage rate for the tax year, though they can go lower. And while the city treasurer used a 2.0677 reduced rate to create the budget, Titsworth said she’d like to go even lower if possible.

Commissioners planned to meet to set the maximum millage rate on July 18, after press time for The Sun.

Commissioners give budget final approval

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – Commissioners passed the final reading and public hearing for the 2022-23 fiscal year budget with only days to spare and a major hurricane close to making landfall just to the city’s south.

City leaders had set Sept. 27 as the date of the second and final vote and public hearing for the new budget ahead of the Oct. 1 start of the fiscal year, however, the arrival of Hurricane Ian and a mandatory evacuation notice for Anna Maria Island upset those plans. To keep the meeting plans on track, commissioners met at city hall but the public was allowed to participate and speak through Zoom.

Commissioners voted 4-1, with Commissioner Jayne Christenson dissenting, to pass both the proposed 2.07 millage rate and the $25,336,242 proposed break-even budget.

The 2.07 millage rate is less than the previous 2.25 millage rate, however, it still creates a 6.1% increase for taxpayers over last year’s numbers due to increases in property values over the past year.

The new budget accounts for $260,605 in mayor and commission spending, $1,725,857 in general government expenses, $793,646 to fund the city’s code compliance department, $5,105,342 in funding for the Holmes Beach Police Department, $3,794,994 in public works expenses and $1,358,154 to fund the building department. Other expenditures include $2,919,647 from the collected stormwater utility fees, $11,000 from the fifth-cent gas tax, $725,925 from the half-cent tax and $6,375,912 in carryover and reserve funds.

Revenue sources include $888,163 in state resources, $11,852,380 from local sources, including taxes paid by property owners, and $12,595,699 in carryover and reserves.

Christenson said she was voting against the millage rate and budget because she feels that the city could “do better” and reduce taxes for city property owners further than the .18 cut in the millage rate.

Commissioner Kim Rash, who is not running for re-election in November, said he hopes that future commissions can do more to reduce the financial burden on taxpayers.

Mayor Judy Titsworth said there’s only so much that city leaders can do considering infrastructure and other city-wide repairs and replacements that need to be made as quickly as possible to combat the rising demand on roads, sewers, storm drains, water and other resources, along with increases in tourist populations that require more police officers to keep city streets safe. However, she added that city staff members are constantly seeking out other funding sources, including grant opportunities, to reduce the monies needed from taxpayers.

Letter to the Editor: Holmes Beach annual city budget high

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Letter to the Editor, Opinion.

Based on the population size (3,017) of Holmes Beach including the number of homes (2,538+), the city’s annual budget is not in proportion. Year over year the city budget goes up, from $15M to $18M. Up to $22M last year and now the commission is asked to approve a budget of over $25M. Keep in mind that the city of Holmes Beach is 1.9 square miles. There has been exhaustive analysis by concerned residents of the “expense per capita” for Holmes Beach and how we compare to similar “like cities.” When it comes to the budget, Holmes Beach is substantially above and significantly out of line from the norm.

I take pride in the job I am elected to do. I use every form of communication to listen to the voters and property owners alike to take a temperature on how people feel about topics of concern, including taxes.

Budgets go up for several reasons:

  • When property values increase.
  • When the city does not reduce the millage rate enough.
  • When the county does not pay its fair share.
  • Grants applied for.

The millage rate and the budget are what the city commission can control. Over the years we have heard promises of tax relief/tax savings and the commitment to lower the millage rate. The millage was reduced from 2.25 to 2.07. Yet, the budget still went from $22.2M to $25.4M. Up $3M, a 14.4% increase. A millage reduction but still a tax increase as our property values continue to go up. I guess that’s good if you are selling. Which is what some long-term residents who are on fixed incomes are doing. Our residents are being replaced by a different type of owner/investor. We are seeing a change in the diversity of our community. The tax increases are pushing people out, which is changing the face of Holmes Beach and Anna Maria Island.

Our property owners need tax relief. Our city can reduce the “nice to have” expenses, which continue to increase year over year. At each budget hearing, I asked for a more significant millage reduction, and I am staying consistent with that message.

 

Jayne Christenson

Holmes Beach city commissioner

Public gets first look at proposed city budget

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – A first look at the city’s proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year shows increases in most departments, but not in the millage rate.

That doesn’t mean that city taxpayers aren’t in for a property tax increase, though.

Presenting the proposed budget to city commissioners during a July 12 work session, City Treasurer Lori Hill said that she prepared the budget keeping the same 2.25 mills rate as the current fiscal year. But due to a 17% increase in property values citywide, keeping the same millage rate means that owners can still expect to see their property taxes increase for the 2022-23 fiscal year, unless commissioners vote to decrease the millage rate.

While Mayor Judy Titsworth said she’d like to decrease the millage rate, she’s unsure if that will be possible for the coming year due to rising costs. Once city leaders have a better understanding of what funds they can expect from outside sources, she said commissioners would be able to make a more informed decision before the budget is passed prior to the Oct. 1 start of the new fiscal year.

Hill said that she expects to have more concrete numbers, instead of estimates from state and other revenue sources, by sometime in September.

Commissioners are set to discuss and adopt a maximum millage rate, the rate that they cannot exceed when determining the rate for the 2022-23 fiscal year, during a July 20 regular meeting.

Using a 2.25 mills rate, Hill’s proposed budget shows an increase of $890,358 in ad valorem tax for the city over the current year, upping the amount to an estimated $5,917,325. Hill said she also expects an increase of $555,000 in building permit fees and a $100,000 increase in vacation rental certificate revenue due to the number of units scheduled for renewal in the coming year.

With $10,139,887 in carryover and reserves, the proposed budget shows total revenue estimated at $24,935,231. Expenses are also estimated at $24,935,231, including reserves, to provide the city with a break-even budget for the year.

On the expense side, increased costs mean increased budgets for every city department excluding public works.

A modest $2,099 increase in the mayor/commission budget is planned, primarily due to rising costs. If approved, the budget will increase from $208,506 in the current fiscal year to $210,605.

The general government budget shows an increase to $1,686,174, up $71,075 from the current fiscal year. Much of the increase is due to rising costs for technological services such as email and agenda management services, along with other professional services.

The proposed budget for the Holmes Beach Police Department shows a planned increase of $891,467 to top out at $5,091,806, including grant funds and reserves for vehicle purchases. Some of the grant funds awarded to the department include $290,000 for the purchase of a police boat, $4,000 for bulletproof vests and $348,000 in planned reserve fund expenditures to help defray the $464,000 cost of purchasing eight fully equipped vehicles for the department.

The building department’s budget shows an expected increase of $174,519 to $1,319,121. Much of the planned increase in that department is in compensation and taxes for seven full-time employees including the city planner, professional services and general office supplies. Increases in salaries to accommodate another employee account for $129,039 of the planning budget increase with an additional $38,000 in professional services cost increases for employee drug testing, a consultant for CRS Max recertification and Progressive Building updates and inspections.

Despite increases in salaries, overtime, payroll taxes and professional services, the public works department’s budget shows an anticipated decrease of $36,905 from the current fiscal year to $3,920,861. The change results from the removal of American Recovery Act Program funds of $1,078,088 from the department’s financial calculations to a category of their own. Operating expenses, including street resurfacing, rebuilding trolley shelters, clean water algae removal and other items are planned to increase to $782,895, including an estimated $150,000 from excess concession funds to install lighting at trolley stops and flashing beacons at crosswalks.

The budget for the city’s code compliance department shows a $148,751 increase over the current fiscal year to $789,614, including $100,311 in employee compensation and payroll taxes to cover the cost of adding another employee. A $40,000 increase in court costs for legal services due to appeals and court recorders needed for special magistrate hearings also is planned. Department members also plan to spend $3,000 on a new noise meter and $2,500 on miscellaneous information technology purchases.

Public hearings for the proposed budget are scheduled for Sept. 15 and 27 during city commission regular meetings. Copies of the budget are available to the public in the lobby at city hall, 5701 Marina Drive, and online at the city’s website.

New funding for police officer

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – It took some discussion, but city commissioners voted to allow the Holmes Beach Police Department to add another officer to its ranks.

Commissioners voted three to two in favor of releasing funds earmarked in the budget for the new hire with Commissioners Kim Rash and Jayne Christenson voting no. Police Chief Bill Tokajer said that he’s vetted someone to potentially take the position but that, as of the Oct. 12 meeting, no one had been hired for the position since funding for it was pending commission approval.

The additional officer will bring the total of officers in the HBPD, including Tokajer, to 18, with 14 of those being patrol officers. By hiring the new officer, Tokajer said it brings the department up to a good staffing level and allows Lt. Brian Hall to take the second in command role that was eliminated to put more officers on patrol when Tokajer took over as chief nine years ago.

While Tokajer said the new hire is a part of his succession planning strategy, that strategy is to put a solid structure in place prior to his eventual retirement, not determine who the next chief of police will be in Holmes Beach.

Commissioner Jim Kihm said during the discussion that he’s concerned about Hall being pegged as Tokajer’s successor since he is related to Mayor Judy Titsworth. Kihm said he felt that relationship would be a conflict of interest in the city’s government structure. Titsworth said that she’s very proud of Hall and the career that he’s built over the years serving in the HBPD. Tokajer added that no one is guaranteed his job when he decides to retire, which he doesn’t plan to do any time soon.

While the mayor is an elected position serving a two-year term, the police chief is a city employee whose hiring is voted on by commissioners.

In her comments, Christenson said that she supports the HBPD and its officers but believes that an outside consultant should be hired to determine if the department needs another officer and, if so, Manatee County officials should be responsible for paying for that person rather than the city’s residents, due to the influx of tourism to Holmes Beach. Currently, Manatee County gives the HBPD $50,000 per year to patrol the county-owned beaches in Holmes Beach. Tokajer said he and Titsworth continue to work to get that amount raised.

Kihm added that he agrees the amount given to Holmes Beach for police by the county should be higher due to the public safety issues surrounding increased tourism to the Island.

Rash said that while he fully supports the police department, he also agrees that the county needs to increase what they’re giving to the department on an annual basis.

“Manatee County is profiting off of the Island and needs to step up to the bar,” he said. “The residents shouldn’t have to carry the burden for all of Manatee County’s wants.”

Commissioner Carol Soustek said that she voted in favor of hiring a new officer because she wants to stay ahead of enforcement in Holmes Beach. She added that she believes adequate staffing in the HBPD is essential to keeping crime rates low in the city.

Tokajer said in 2020, HBPD officers made 379 arrests, a significantly higher number than those made by Bradenton Beach and Longboat Key police officers.

HBPD Officer Michael VanHorn addressed commissioners during public comment, relaying some of the difficulties that the city’s police force faces on a regular basis, including a large number of calls that require multiple officers to respond, particularly if there is an aggressive suspect, such as in drug, intoxication and gun-related incident responses. He relayed examples of multiple incidents which occurred on one recent weekend where more than one officer was needed to respond to a call due to a violent suspect. In each instance, VanHorn said multiple officers were needed to subdue the suspect with minimal force and to try to prevent injury to their fellow officers.

The minimum shift staff for the HBPD includes two patrol officers, a sergeant and a mid-shift officer to ease the workload during shift change hours.

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Final budget hearing gets heated

 

Rash triumphs in state investigation

Final budget hearing gets heated

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – City leaders hit a snag during the final hearing for the 2021-22 fiscal year budget when two commissioners voted against approving the proposed budget.

When commissioners met on Sept. 28 for the final public hearing of the budget, Commissioners Jayne Christenson and Kim Rash voted against adopting the proposed budget, causing an issue requiring a quick amendment to get the budget passed before the new fiscal year began Oct. 1.

Rash, who voted against the budget in the first hearing earlier in September, reiterated his position that he and some of the Holmes Beach residents he’s spoken to feel that the city’s budget has ballooned out of control and is too large for the size of the city.

During discussion, Christenson said she was voting against the budget because she didn’t support the proposed budget for the Holmes Beach Police Department, which includes funds to support the hiring of a new officer and all of the equipment that goes along with a new hire.

A new hire in the department would bring the total number of sworn officers, including Chief Bill Tokajer, to 18. Tokajer had previously stated that hiring a new officer is essential to policing the city and its growing number of visitors along with planning for the future of the department. Since Tokajer came on board nine years ago, there hasn’t been a deputy chief in the department, which would be standard and something that he wants to remedy as he begins to look toward retirement.

Christenson said she wasn’t in favor of approving the budget as presented and made a motion to exclude the funding for a new officer that ultimately failed to win approval from the majority of her fellow commissioners. When it came time to vote for the budget as presented, Christenson and Rash voted against it, causing the measure to fail for not receiving a supermajority vote of a minimum of four to one.

The police department budget represents $4,200,339 of the total $22,226,872 budget, including carryover and reserves.

During discussion, Tokajer was given the opportunity to reply to the concerns Christenson raised about the police department budget. He said that in his opinion, the department with 18 sworn officers including himself, one detective and a school resource officer for Anna Maria Elementary School, is adequately staffed for the number of residents in Holmes Beach, not the number of visitors the city hosts, which his officers are tasked with policing. Typically, he said there is one sergeant and two officers on each shift with a mid-shift officer working afternoons during shift change.

“This budget has been discussed between department heads and individual commissioners since May of this year,” Tokajer said. “To drop this bomb at the final hour is wrong and a slap in the face to the entire department. This has also put our city treasurer who has been open and transparent and readily available to all commissioners in a challenging position as revenue is at risk if budget deadlines are not met. I wouldn’t have brought this forth this year if I didn’t feel succession planning was necessary. Prior to my arrival, there was a deputy chief in the lieutenant position. I gave up this position to put more boots on the ground and to develop my team.”

“I would hope that after nine years as your chief of police, the professionalism your officers show every day and the significant reduction in crime we have shown that I would have the unconditional support of the entire commission. I know that I have the support of the community at large,” Tokajer continued. He added that he had hosted one-on-one meetings with commissioners throughout the budget process and had not received any negative feedback concerning the hiring of a new officer. Tokajer went on to say that if the funding for a new hire was not approved by commissioners that the department’s overtime budget would have to be adjusted.

“For this to happen at the last minute is not responsible governing,” he concluded.

Christenson said that she felt Tokajer’s comments were “bullying” and that he was attempting to use intimidation to get what he wants, in this case, funds for a new officer. She also said that she didn’t see how her decision to not vote for the budget as presented was “dropping a bomb” because Tokajer had given a prepared statement on the matter.

Mayor Judy Titsworth spoke up and said that she had been alerted to Christenson’s objections just before the meeting by city Treasurer Lori Hill and had told Tokajer, to allow him approximately 45 minutes to come up with a response. Hill and Christenson had met earlier in the day to discuss the commissioner’s concerns over the budget.

Christenson added that if the department needs additional officers or if more policing is needed that it shouldn’t be on the residents of Holmes Beach to supply funding through taxes for that, that Manatee County leaders should contribute more funding to the department or help out with policing.

When Commissioners Terry Schaefer, Carol Soustek and Jim Kihm all agreed that they supported the budget as-is with the police budget as presented, Christenson amended her suggested amendment for the budget to allow the police budget to remain intact but to require Tokajer to receive commission approval before being able to hire a new officer.

That amendment passed and then the budget with the amendment passed with unanimous support from commissioners.

For Tokajer to hire a new officer for the HBPD, he will need the support of three of the five Holmes Beach city commissioners, or a simple majority.

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Holmes Beach leaders start 2021-22 budget talks

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Commission approves first budget reading

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – It took a little while to work out, but commissioners and city staff finally have a budget and a millage rate that they can agree on.

Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the proposed millage rate and the proposed budget, both of which underwent some changes since they were last discussed during budget workshops.

One major change is that instead of increasing the millage rate, it will remain the same at 2.25 mills for the upcoming 2020-21 fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1. The millage rate is the amount charged in ad valorem property taxes per $1,000 of the taxable value of the property. Though the millage rate remains the same, due to property value increases it represents a 4.61% increase in rates over the previous year. The rollback rate is 2.1641 mills. The rollback rate is the millage rate that would bring in the same amount of tax revenue for the city as the previous fiscal year.

The proposed budget for the city is $17,879,270 including $8,492,673 in carryovers and reserves. City treasurer Lori Hill plans for a break-even budget. During the Sept. 10 meeting, Hill told commissioners that some expenses, such as new computers and phones for commissioners, had been removed from the budget and pushed to future fiscal years.

She added that some revenue sources, including the fifth cent gas tax, half-cent discretionary tax and FEMA monies expected by the city, had increased since the previous hearing. Total funds from the fifth cent gas tax are estimated at $70,225 with the half-cent discretionary tax coming in at $614,171. The increases amounted to about $85,000 over the previously anticipated amount of state funding, giving the city a planned $803,160.

Local revenues, Hill said, are planned to bring in about $27,000 less than previously estimated, bringing that number to $8,583,437, including the property taxes paid by Holmes Beach property owners.

While it sounds primarily like good news, Hill said that year over year, last fiscal year as compared to the coming one, the city is poised to lose about $125,000 in state revenue and about $145,000 from local revenue sources. She did note that there is an approximately $100,000 increase in estimated stormwater revenue due to FEMA funding. Locally, the city-assessed stormwater fee is estimated to bring in $423,132 in additional funding over the previous year, a total of $1,391,554. Hill said that the city also is poised to receive $500,000 in grant funding for stormwater improvement projects.

She estimates the city will have $4.7 mil in rollover cash at the Sept. 30 end of the fiscal year. This will leave the city with an unrestricted reserve amount of 24.69% of the city’s total budget, meeting the Florida League of Cities’ suggested cash reserve amount to fund ongoing operational costs.

“In the eight years I’ve been here, this is the lowest year-over-year increase in expenses we have had,” Hill said. She estimates the city’s expenditures have increased by about 3% from the 2019-20 fiscal year.

The budget for mayor and commission was reduced to $200,403. Commissioner Jim Kihm, who had previously offered to give up his stipend if it put the city in a better financial position, said he had requested that Hill reinstate his salary since the city’s financial needs were able to be met without increasing the millage rate. Commissioner Kim Rash had also made the offer to forgo his salary in the best interests of the city but since he is up for re-election in November, only Kihm’s salary had been removed from the budget.

The general government budget topped out at $1,783,926 with no major changes from the previously proposed budget.

The code compliance budget came in at $590,666 including increases in the budget for special magistrate hearings and $12,000 for special magistrate hearing engineering if needed.

The budget for the Holmes Beach Police Department topped out at $3,616,206, an increase of about $45,000 due to previously unanticipated increases in insurance costs and $35,000 for the purchase of body cameras for officers.

Public works showed increases in that department’s budget, which comes in at $1,971,893, due to funding for some projects being moved into that department, including the reserve funding from the Hagen Foundation for lighting the shuffleboard and bocce ball courts, Hill said.

The building department’s budget came in at $866,406, including an increase for additional staff training to reduce outsourcing.

Commissioners thanked Hill and the city staff for working to find a way to meet the city’s needs without increasing the millage rate.

“I think it’s a very fair budget,” Commissioner Terry Schaefer said.

“This is a very difficult budget year for the city,” Commissioner Jim Kihm said. “I think it’s a good budget and one that I can support.”

Commissioners will host a second public hearing and final vote for the millage rate and budget on Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 6 p.m.

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Commissioners seek additional spending cuts

Commissioners seek additional spending cuts

Commissioners seek additional spending cuts

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – The first budget meeting of the year was a July 7 work session that left commissioners considering hard decisions for the coming fiscal year.

City Treasurer Lori Hill presented a draft of the proposed 2020-21 fiscal year budget that she said could have as much as a 35% reduction in revenue and showed a 1.5% cut in spending from the previous year’s approved budget. With the cut in revenue, to meet expenses and still have enough left in the bank for a recommended 25% of annual expenses operating fund, Hill said the city would need an extra $822,746 to put in reserves. And while the city’s budget was drafted at the previous year’s 2.25 millage rate, the rate charged per $1,000 of assessed property value, Hill said that rate would need to be increased to 2.62 mills to fully fund the deficit.

Commissioners will have to set the maximum millage rate during their July 21 regular meeting. Setting the maximum millage rate doesn’t mean that will be the rate charged to residents, but it will be the highest rate commissioners will be able to charge for the coming fiscal year which begins Oct. 1.

With property values in Holmes Beach increasing, setting the millage rate at 2.25 mills means a tax increase for city property owners. At 2.25 mills, Hill’s draft budget shows a $192,378 increase in ad valorem tax, the amount received from property taxes. If commissioners increase the millage rate to 2.62 mills, it would mean an increase over the increase caused by rising property values of $185 for a home with a $500,000 taxable value, $240 for a home with a taxable value of $650,000 and $316 for a home with a taxable value of $850,000. The increase in taxes is on top of an already approved stormwater assessment increase which Hill estimates will raise those fees an average of $150 over the previous year.

Commissioners Jim Kihm and Kim Rash both said they would be willing to forgo their entire salaries as commissioners to help close the gap in the deficit to not put the burden solely on the city’s residents and property owners. Rash is currently up for re-election on Nov. 3 so he would only be able to follow through on his promise if re-elected. Commissioners are given a stipend of $760 per month for their service to the city. The mayor’s stipend is planned at $2,520 per month for the coming year. Both amounts include cost of living increases.

Kihm said that he feels this will be a “need” year for the city, not a “nice to have” year and encouraged all department heads to take another look at the budget to see what expenses can wait. He suggested considering starting the cuts with the $12,000 budgeted for new computers for the mayor and commissioners as well as holding off on the estimated $33,625 purchase of new agenda management and webcasting software and reconsidering planned new hires.

With a revenue shortfall, he said that spending must be readdressed, that the city can’t afford to spend in a deficit, depleting reserves, and that he’s not in favor of raising taxes.

With residents already anticipating a tax increase, Rash said he’s not in favor of raising taxes further.

Hill said that hopefully within the coming weeks she’ll have a better idea of the amount of revenue to expect from state sources and some clarity on the future of the $51 million in Bert Harris cases facing the city in Manatee County Circuit Court. Currently, in addition to an insurance policy with the Florida League of Cities, the city plans to have $1 million set aside for the cases in reserves by the Sept. 30 end of the current fiscal year that could be added back to the general fund reserve if the cases are settled in the city’s favor. She said the amount of money tied to the cases has also led to a substantial increase in the amount of insurance premiums the city pays.

For the mayor/commission portion of the budget, expenses are expected to come in at $220,337 including the $12,000 for computers, $8,500 for travel and $81,642 for commission and mayoral salaries and associated taxes.

The city’s general government budget, including lobbyists, the clerk and treasurer’s offices, contributions to The Center of Anna Maria Island and other community organizations, professional services, utilities and operating supplies, is estimated to come in at $1,777,634, a decrease of $19,217 over the previous year despite increases in insurance, staff salaries and computer/IT services.

The budget for the Holmes Beach Police Department is anticipated to come in at $3,575,242, just over the previous year’s budget of $3,410,457. The planned expenses include increases in insurance and utility services, as well as an increase of $51,189 in IT services, including a required upgrade to the department’s software at $35,200 to be compliant with Florida Department of Law Enforcement standards. Police Chief Bill Tokajer said he’s applied for a grant to cover the cost of the software upgrade and hopes to receive news that those funds will be awarded soon. Also budgeted is $18,000 for the purchase of a new side-by-side vehicle for beach patrol to replace an aging vehicle that Tokajer said costs more to maintain than it would to purchase a new one. He said he hopes to receive grant funds of $6,000 to help with the purchase. An additional $25,000 is also budgeted to purchase hardware to outsource parking tickets.

The budget for the public works department tops out at $1,824,852, just under the previous year’s budget of $1,830,361 despite increases in insurance, salaries and overtime to accommodate 11 full-time employees and materials/supplies. Two of the budgeted increases questioned by Kihm include $175,000 to dredge Sportsman Harbor and $25,000 to reseal the parking lot at city hall. He also questioned spending $38,000 to update the city’s T-end boat docks with electricity.

Director of Development Services Eran Wasserman said that he would take another look at the parking lot but that issues there will need to be addressed sooner rather than later.

City Engineer Lynn Burnett said that she was applying for grant funds for the dredging project at Sportsman Harbor but that if commissioners took it off the budget, the project wouldn’t be eligible for the grant funds. In order for the project to be eligible for the grant from the Southwest Florida Water Management District, she said the city has to prove that the project is necessary and important. If the grant funds are not received, she said the expense can be postponed to the following fiscal year.

The building department’s budget is expected to come in close to the previous year at $862,363 with the primary difference being in the amount of revenue the department generates. Due to changes in the department’s permit fee schedule, the city’s building department is expected to generate $324,903 less in permit fees than in the 2019-20 fiscal year. Hill said that the department would need about $150,000 more than anticipated revenue for the department to meet its spending for the 2020-21 fiscal year, funds that she said were received in excess by the department during the current fiscal year and have been set aside for the purpose of making up lost revenue in the coming year.

The Code Compliance department had the biggest jump in anticipated spending with an increase to $566,471, an increase of $90,007 over the 2019-20 approved budget. Helping to make up that increase is $75,000 for court recorders for special magistrate hearings, a $13,400 increase in insurance and $25,000 for a consultant to evaluate how the department is run and suggest new policies, procedures and best practices designed to make code compliance more efficient, lessen response time and ultimately save the city money, according to Wasserman.

Where city leaders expect to be hit hardest is in stormwater and infrastructure funds and improvements.

Hill is expecting funds for the half-cent discretionary tax and fifth cent gas tax to come in at around 65% of the normal amount due to COVID-19. Despite the increase in stormwater fees, she said the fifth cent and half-cent will both have a negative projected cash rollover at the end of the 2020-21 fiscal year. Hill estimates that the fifth cent tax will have -$138,906 rollover at the end of the current fiscal year and -$328,323 at the end of the 2020-21 fiscal year. The half-cent tax is expected to have -$88,176 at the end of the 2020-21 fiscal year. Burnett said that the city cannot go back on planned infrastructure projects, many of which are ongoing, and that the deficits in spending will have to be covered by the city until FEMA matching funds are received or the revenue from the two tax sources is increased. City leaders also plan to renew their request for $3 million in state appropriations funds for stormwater and infrastructure improvements in the coming legislative session. This year, city leaders were awarded $2 million in appropriations funds but those funds disappeared when Gov. Ron DeSantis cut the state budget before signing it in June.

After the maximum millage rate is set on July 21, commissioners plan to have public hearings on the budget in August and September to set the actual millage rate and approve the final draft of the budget before the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1.

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Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – City leaders are one step closer to having an approved budget for the 2019-20 fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.

Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the first reading of the proposed budget and millage rate during a Sept. 11 special meeting. The final budget public hearing will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 6 p.m.

Though city leaders tried to keep the millage rate at the rollback rate of 2.1226 mills, city Treasurer Lori Hill said that with the city’s additional expenses in saving for Bert Harris cases, adding to the funds for stormwater and flooding prevention and other projects, she recommended commissioners approve a 2.25 millage rate.

Though the millage rate is the same as the previous year, it does result in a 6% increase over the previous year due to increases in property values in Holmes Beach.

With carryover and reserves, Hill said the budget ends up at a total of $16,967,913. Out of that number, $6,188,036 is in carryover and reserves with the remaining $10,779,877 in departmental expenditures.

Expenses for the mayor and commission are expected to top out at $184,106 with general government expenditures of $1,796,851. Expenditures for code compliance are budgeted at $476,464. Expenses for the police department are expected at $3,410,457 with public works budgeting $1,830,381, the building department at $912,279, stormwater utility expenses at $1,281,289, fifth-cent gas tax expenditures of $520,800, and the half-cent discretionary tax expenditures at $367,250. Several categories include a contingency fund which Hill said would be added to the carryover amount at the end of the year if the funds are not used.

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Holmes Beach budget questions answered

Holmes Beach budget talks begin

Holmes Beach logo OLD

Holmes Beach budget questions answered

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – City leaders began budget talks for the 2019-20 fiscal year beginning in July. With two budget hearings now set for September, The Sun is taking your questions to city leaders to get answers to items that concern community members.

Where did the City Planner’s salary go?

Some changes have come to city hall in the current fiscal year regarding City Planner Bill Brisson. Brisson went from a contract employee with Holmes Beach to a part-time employee and is making the move to a full-time position for the 2019-20 fiscal year beginning Oct. 1. In previous years, the monies paid to the planner were logged under the building department’s budget in the overall city budget. For the coming year, the planner’s salary and benefits have been moved out of the building department and are in the general government budget. The general government budget includes the city clerk’s office, the city treasurer, the development director position and human resources as well as the planner. The total amount for salaries for eight full-time employees is budgeted at $586,140, up from $415,395 in the current fiscal year. Including benefits, the total amount for employees increases to $828,112, up from $602,951 in the current fiscal year ending Sept. 30.

Should we replace bulletproof vests every three years?

The short answer to this one is yes, the bulletproof vests supplied to Holmes Beach police officers do need to be replaced regularly. The reason why is because the vests degrade over time due to heat, the environment and just regular wear and tear, according to Police Chief Bill Tokajer. Just like a child’s car seat, the vests also have an expiration date. Tokajer said he tries to stagger the replacements so that only a few are replaced per year but that replacing the vests is mandatory in order to make sure every officer has adequate protection when on patrol. HBPD officers typically wear their bulletproof vests when outside of the police station as a part of their uniform. In the budget for the 2019-20 fiscal year, Tokajer lists that four bulletproof vests are scheduled to be replaced at a cost of $1,000 each.

Why does Code Compliance have a budget outside of the HBPD?

Code Compliance, previously known as Code Enforcement, has its own budget because the department is its own entity within the departmental framework at Holmes Beach City Hall. With the expansion of the department to three officers and a budget to add a fourth officer, along with a move from the HBPD side of city hall to the public works barn, the department incurs its own expenses that need to be recorded outside of the police department. Currently, Code Compliance Officer James Thomas serves as the department’s leader. This is not the first year that the department has had its own budget. The proposed budget for the department for the upcoming fiscal year is $481,644, including $309,818 for salaries and benefits for four full-time employees, compared to a total of $290,396 with $212,496 budgeted for employee salaries and benefits in the current fiscal year.

Why is there no increase in the beach patrol income from Manatee County?

Manatee County gives the city $10,000 annually to help cover the costs associated with HBPD officers patrolling the county-owned beaches. Tokajer said he approaches county leaders every year to increase the amount paid to the city but so far has been unable to get the amount increased. During budget hearings, he said that he’s keeping statistics on the amount of people coming to the beaches in Holmes Beach and how much the city actually spends on beach patrol to help bolster his position when the opportunity arises to attempt to renegotiate with the county.

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Holmes Beach budget talks begin

Holmes Beach budget talks begin

Holmes Beach budget talks begin

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – The city’s initial budget workshops are completed and city leaders have a budget that they’re prepared to present to residents in September at two budget hearings.

Holmes Beach Treasurer Lori Hill presented the budget to commissioners over a series of daytime work sessions. Hill, who spent months drafting the budget, proposed that commissioners use the rollback rate for property taxes this year.

Due to an increase in the overall value of property in the city as determined by the Manatee County Property Appraiser’s Office, Hill said using the customary 2.25 millage rate would cause an increase in taxes for property owners. She suggested and drafted the budget using the 2.1226 mills rollback rate to keep ad valorem taxes and the city’s revenue from the tax on par with the current year’s budget. The total amount of revenue to the city through ad valorem taxes is expected to be $4,234,993, a slight decrease from last year’s $4,255,643.

The millage rate is the amount assessed on a property per 1,000 square feet of the building or home. For a home with 2,000 square feet, the ad valorem tax to the city would be $4,245.20 not taking into account any potential discounts for early payment.

Hill said that she was able to use the rollback rate due to the receipt of unanticipated grant funds. She also projects increases in revenue for the building department, code enforcement due to proposed changes in the city’s vacation rental certificate program and a $115,000 projected interest revenue increase.

She projects that the rollover to the 2019-20 fiscal year when the current year ends Sept. 30 could be as high as $1.2 million due to the unanticipated grant funds and project rollovers. Her budget proposes adding around $500,000 to the city’s reserves and another $250,000 to the reserve funds set aside for the Bert Harris claims and cases facing the city.

The total proposed budget for the year is $15,863,864, including $7,478,249 in carryover and reserves.

The Sun will be diving further into the Holmes Beach budget leading up to the two September public hearings. If you have questions about the budget, submit them to kswain@amisun.com.

Mayor/Commission

The budget proposes a total of $178,953 for the mayor and commission budget, including commissioner stipends of $500 per month and the mayor’s stipend of $2,000 per month. It also includes $8,475 for computer/IT services to set up and maintain commissioner and board member email addresses, $7,000 for mayor and commission travel and $2,500 for binders, toner, nameplates, business cards and other miscellaneous expenses.

General Government

The general government budget proposes an increase from $602,951 to $828,112 in personnel services to include eight full-time employees, $23,400 for temporary scanning services and a $16,000 compensation study, $180,000 for the land development code and comprehensive plan review, a $100,000 legal contingency, $50,000 for a lobbyist and $25,000 to be used at the commission’s discretion to fund The Center of Anna Maria Island, Keep Manatee Beautiful or another nonprofit or cultural organization.

Total operating expenses are expected to come in at $951,875. Adding capital outlay funds of $16,500, the total general government budget is $1,796,487.

Police

The proposed Holmes Beach Police Department budget shows a $10,000 decrease over the previous year bringing the total to $3,385,663. The budget includes a $20,000 increase in personnel services due to increases in required overtime for holiday weekends, marine patrols and other issues requiring more officers, such as special events. It also includes $72,630 for computer/IT services which Chief Bill Tokajer said will keep the department up to current Florida Department of Law Enforcement standards and $87,965 to purchase needed equipment including four bulletproof vests, bulletproof helmets breaching tool kits and FDLE compliant computers.

Public Works

The budget for public works proposes $722,602 in total personnel services for 10 full-time employees, $75,000 for emergency management training, $641,104 in total operating expenses and an increase of $152,000 in capital outlay projects bringing that total to $305,000. The increase in capital outlay expenses covers improvements to the police kitchen, improvements at the public works barn building, park enhancements and the purchase of a new tractor and excavator that the department has been saving for over the past three fiscal years. The total budget is proposed at $1,668,706.

Building Department

The proposed building department budget shows a marked decrease in the total budget amount from $957,453 in the current fiscal year to $882,061 proposed for the coming fiscal year. The budget includes $76,150 in professional engineering services, the purchase of two Ford Escape vehicles and the purchase of office equipment for a plans examiner. Total personnel services for the department are budgeted at $586,761 with $239,800 in operating expenses and $55,500 in capital outlay costs, including the two new vehicles.

Code Enforcement

The total proposed code enforcement budget indicates a $191,248 increase over the current year to $481,644. The funds include $309,818 in personnel services for four full-time employees, $10,000 for special magistrate hearings, $6,000 for the printing of supplies including flyers and window clings, $40,000 for a new truck and four-seater golf cart, and $10,800 for computer replacements.