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News-Sun photo by CHRISTOPHER TUFFLEY The Avon Park city council chamber was filled to over-flowing Tuesday night for the council's regular meeting. The city's bleak financial situation was made clear as the council discussed various solutions. Mayor Sharon Schuler and council member Joe Wright went out of their way to thank the citizens for turning out. Wright said citizen participation is the only way to ensure efficient government. They urge citizens to attend the council's first budget meeting, at 8 a.m., Saturdasy, July 18, at the chamber.

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published: Wednesday, June 24, 2009

AP city budget: 'We're going to be way short'

By CHRISTOPHER TUFFLEY

christopher.tufley@newssun.com

AVON PARK -- City council members spoke frankly and often forcefully Monday night as they discussed the city's financial situation in front of a packed chamber during their regular meeting.

Repeatedly throughout the three-hour session, council members reminded the audience the immediate purpose was to discuss and consider, not make final decisions.

The debate was sparked by two factors -- an expected shortfall in tax revenues for fiscal year 2009-10 of approximately $300,000 (which City Manager Sarah Adelt warned could be greater) and a memo by council member George Hall listing 10 possible actions the city council could take in meeting that shortfall.

The city's financial director, Renee Green, told the council and audience the city now collects property revenue from only about 15 percent of residents and businesses, due to increased homestead exemptions and falling property values.

"Property values went down $19 million," Green said. "We're going to be way short. We're looking at all kinds of ways to cut back. We're a small town with a small town tax base."

Council member Joe Wright said, "We have to be realistic. Unfortunately, that means being pessimistic.

"I'm not going to lie to you," he added, saying that cuts would have to be made. At the same time, he reminded the audience, it was important to have a civilized discussion.

The warning was given because emotions ran high given that Hall's memo made several radical suggestions.

Doing away with the Community Redevelopment districts

For example, Hall suggested doing away with the three community redevelopment districts and the proposed position of an executive director for the Community Redevelopment Agency.

Hiring a director would cost each of the districts -- the Airport, the Southside, and Main Street -- $21,275.

That means, Wright said, just the salary for the director would eat up nearly half of the Southside CRA budget, over a quarter of the Airport's CRA budget, and 11 percent of the Main Street CRA budget.

The biggest drawback to doing away with the CRA districts is the loss of Tax Increment Funding dollars -- that is tax money that returns directly to the community from which it is raised for the purpose of redevelopment.

Wright requested that the city approach the Highlands County Board of County Commissioners to see if TIF dollars could still be allocated to the city's three CRA districts without a CRA being in place.

Currently the city receives about $230,000 from the county.

Council members Brenda Gray and AlJoe Hinson were opposed to doing away with the CRA altogether, both expressing concerns that the Southside would once again be ignored by the city.

Gray wanted to know who would ensure the funding would be spent where it should.

"The city council," Wright said forcefully. "If we're not doing our jobs, throw us out."

When Gray asked again, Wright said, "Every meeting we should have a crowd turn out like this, not just because George sent out a list that gets people all stirred up.

"That is the answer to an effective city government, to have active citizen participation. If we have meetings where only three or four people show up, and it's the same three or four people, then no, we're not going to get things done."

Public safety

Probably the most important reason for the large turnout was Hall's suggestion that the city do a cost/benefit analysis on the police and fire departments, with a view to possibly turning over both agencies to the county.

With its diminished tax base, the audience was told by more than one council member, the city did not raise enough money, even including the fire assessment, to cover the costs of public safety personnel.

The council agreed that because the county primarily depends on volunteer fire crews, it was unrealistic to do away with the city's professional fire department.

But they made it clear they expected to see savings -- in how the department ordered new equipment, for example -- and perhaps by doing away with the full-time secretarial position.

The issue of the police department being consolidated into the sheriff's office was not rejected out-of-hand, despite the audience's clear support for law enforcement to remain local.

Wright wanted to know if there was a set of objective criteria by which a department may judged, pointing out that kind of information is useful to know.

"We don't need to overstaff, but we do need to meet critical needs," he said.

Wright charged the city manager and Police Chief Matthew Doughney with finding answers.

"If we have to cut, it is not our task to go down a list of employees. Our charge is to the city manager. Micro-managing is what messed up the city. I would like to hear from Chief Doughney about staffing needs. We can't decide who goes and who stays, that's the chief's job," Wright said. "Can we keep a police department, can we fund it properly? That answer must come from the chief.

"We know we're going to have a shortfall, we don't know how much."

He added the unions would be critical in dealing with the problem.

Robert Childress, of the Southwest Florida Police Benevolent Association, told the council his union was "willing to sit down and discuss how to help the city survive, willing to discuss cuts."

Doughney pointed out that although the department needed 10 new patrol cars, he had budgeted for only six.

He also told the council that 75 percent of the way through the fiscal year, the force had used only 36 percent of its fuel budget.

Mayor Sharon Schuler warned citizens that if public safety is where the city chooses to spend its money, then something else will have to be cut.

"We have to balance the budget," she said, "or the state takes over."

Wright moved that the city approach the sheriff for a cost/benefit analysis. The motion passed by a 3-2 vote with Gray and Hinson voting against.

Recreation Department, Code Enforcement, public utilities and retirements

There was less emotion and opposition over Hall's suggestion to do away with the city's recreation department. Instead, non-profit organizations, some faith-based, could take over its functions. A summer program could be run by college interns, Hall said.

"We've got to get creative," he added.

Hall also met little opposition to his suggestion of doing away with the special magistrate, closing down code enforcement, and handing its duties on to the police department.

Nor did anyone offer objection when Hall suggested those individuals eligible for retirement do so now to make room for younger individuals coming up. It would also be an opportunity to cut out redundant or useless positions.

Doug Barnard, a member of the CRA's Southside Advisory Board, took the podium to ask why the former Public Utilities Coordinator, who made $52,000 a year, had been replaced by a consultant paid $2,500 a week.

The council did not have an opportunity to address the issue of the city's civic center -- which Chief Doughney referred to as white elephant, and Hall has recommended either selling or leasing long term -- or setting up an Airport Authority and separating it from the city budget.

The idea of having the city's project manager -- and the new CRA director, should that post come into being -- be paid a lower salary and given a commission from the grants she or he wins for the city, was mentioned in passing.

Bringing the discussion back to its essential core -- Avon Park's lack of revenue -- Schuler addressed the issue of non-profit property ownership.

"We are blessed," she said, "to have lots of churches, but all of that property doesn't pay taxes. Our tax base is very small."

The public, said Schuler, is strongly encouraged to let its feelings known. In particular, city council members are looking for creative ideas to save money.

Citizens are urged to attend the first budget hearing taking place at 8 a.m. on Saturday, July 18 in council chambers.