01-28-02 SpMtgJANUARY 28, 2002
A Special Meeting of the City Commission of the City of Delray Beach, Florida, was
called to order by Mayor David Schmidt in the City Manager's Conference Room at City Hall at 5:00
P.M., Monday, January 28, 2002.
Roll call showed:
Present -
Commissioner Patricia Archer
Commissioner Alberta McCarthy
Commissioner Jeff perlman
Commissioner Jon Levinson
Mayor David Schmidt
Absent - None
Also present were -
City Manager David T. Harden
City Attorney Susan A. Ruby
City Clerk Barbara Garito
Mayor Schmidt called the meeting to order and announced that it had been called for
the purpose of considering the following items:
1. RATIFICATION OF THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT &
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING/PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS
LOCAL 1842 IAFF: Approve and ratify the Collective Bargaining Agreement and
Memorandum of Understanding between the City and Professional Firefighters of Delray
Beach, Local 1842 IAFF, for a 3-year period between October 1, 2001 through September
30, 2004.
City Manager David Harden stated the cost of implementation of the agreement and
memorandum of understanding is an added cost of approximately $255,000 for this year with a
larger adjustment next year due to the implementation of the experience adjustment of
approximately $478,000. This item was brought before the Commission tonight since the Fire
Department is beginning to experience recruitment problems and the Chief would like to start
advertising the pay ranges to fill the current vacancies. Commissioner Perlman made a motion to
approve the Collective Bargaining Agreement and Memorandum of Understanding between the City
and Professional Firefighters of Delray Beach, Local 1842 IAFF for a 3-year period between
October 1, 2001 through September 20, 2004, seconded by Commissioner McCarthy. Upon roll
call, the Commission voted as follows: Mr. Perlman - Yes; Mrs. Archer - Yes; Mr. Levinson - Yes;
Ms. McCarthy - Yes; Mayor Schmidt - Yes. Said motion passed with a 5 to 0 vote.
ALLOCATION OF $12.50 FUNDS FOR COUNTYWIDE INTEROPERABLE
RADIO SYSTEM: Direction regarding the City's position concerning the allocation of
$12.50 funds for Countywide Interoperable Radio System.
The City Manager requested Commission's direction on the City's position
concerning allocation of the $12.50 funds. The issue at this time is the method of calculating the
allocation. The $12.50 funds are County monies paid directly to them. However, a couple of years
ago they agreed to start reserving the pomon collected by the Munic~pahties for use by the C~t~es for
going into the interoperable radio system. Commissioner McCarthy will represent the City on
January 30~ at the League of Cities meeting and relay the City's position. It was the consensus of
the Commission that the City would support the disbursement of funds based upon a combination
of point of collection and populauon.
3. Commission Comments.
Commissioner Perlman asked the City Manager if he has any indication how the City
will fair this year due to the economy. Mr. Harden responded that we have run some projections
and estimate a shortfall in revenues of approximately $900,000; however, he does not feel confident
with the Commumcation Service tax figures. The Communicauon Servxce tax check xs expected
sometime this week and then we should have a better projection for the year. Due to the fall in
interest rates, the largest shortfall seems to be in earnings. That figure is in the area of one-half
million dollars less than predicted earlier in the year. He added that the figure for the pension fund
for thas year xs fixed but will be affected by the changes next year. Regarding property tax, we did
extremely well with $240,000 additional tax dollars, however, half will go to the CRA. While in
Tallahassee Commissioner Perlman indicated there was discussion regarding the homestead
exemption being calculated on the second $25,000 vs. the first $25,000 property value, however
politically it could be suicide.
Commissioner McCarthy asked if any other CRA's or City's in Florida are doing
anything differently since the 3% Save Our Homes was put into place. That xs one of the things
municxpalittes have not responded to and she was unsure if it is because we could not do something
different once the funds were allocated to the CRA. In addition, in the project, on of the shortfall
was the refund dollars the Cxty receives from the SCRWTD Board put m the projections as well?
The City Manager responded the funds are calculated in the Water and Sewer Fund and not the
General Fund.
Commissioner Levinson noted because of the homestead exemption on the first
$25,000 property value Broward County is moving towards a Fire Service Fee, since there are so
many properties that currently do not pay property tax. It was also noted by Commissioner
McCarthy that calculating property tax on the first $25,000 would at times affects those people who
can least afford it.
Commissioner Archer reiterated that changing the homestead exemption calculation
would be political smc~de and that is why it is being avoided.
Mayor Schmidt declared the Specml Meeting adlourned at 5:20 p.m.
City Clerk
2 01-28-02
ATFEST:
MAYOR
The undersigned is the City Clerk of the City of Delray Beach, Florida, and the
information provided herein xs the Minutes of the Special Meeting of the City Commission held on
Jan2}ar~ 28, 2002, which Minutes were formally approved and adopted by the Oty Comm/ss~on on
City Clerk
NOTE TO READER: If the Minutes you have received are not completed as indicated above, this
means they are not the official Minutes of the City Commission. They will become the official
Minutes only after review and approval, which may involve amendments, additions or deletmns to
the Minutes as set forth above.
7
-3- 01-28-02
allocation. The $12.50 funds are County monies paid directly to them. However, a couple of years
ago they agreed to start reserving the portion collected by the Municipalities for use by the Cities for
going into the interoperable radio system. Commissioner McCarthy will represent the City on
January 30m at the League of Cities meeting and relay the City's position. It was the consensus of
the Commission that the City would support the disbursement of funds based upon a combination
of point of collection and population.
3. Commission Comments.
Commissioner Perlman asked the City Manager if he has any indication how the City
will fair this year due to the economy. Mr. Harden responded that we have mn some projections
and estimate a shortfall in revenues of approximately $900,000; however, he does not feel confident
with the Communication Service tax figures. The Communication Service tax check is expected
sometime this week and then we should have a better projection for the year. Due to the fall in
interest rates, the largest shortfall seems to be in earnings. That figure is in the area of one-half
million dollars less than predicted earlier in the year. He added that the figure for the pension fund
for this year is fixed but will be affected by the changes next year. Regarding property tax, we did
extremely well with $240,000 additional tax dollars, however, half will go to the CRA. While in
Tallahassee Commissioner Perlman indicated there was discussion regarding the homestead
exemption being calculated on the second $25,000 vs. the first $25,000 property value, however
politically it could be suicide.
Commissioner McCarthy asked if any other CRA's or City's in Florida are doing
anything differently since the 3% Save Our Homes was put into place. That is one of the things
municipalities have not responded to and she was unsure if it is because we could not do something
different once the funds were allocated to the CRA. In addition, in the projection of the shortfall
was the refund dollars the City receives from the SCRWTD Board put in the projections as well.>
The City Manager responded the funds are calculated in the Water and Sewer Fund and not the
General Fund.
Commissioner Levinson noted because of the homestead exemption on the first
$25,000 property value Broward County is moving towards a Fire Service Fee, since there are so
many properties that currently do not pay property tax. It was also noted by Commissioner
McCarthy that calculating property tax on the first $25,000 would at times affects those people who
can least afford it.
Commissioner Archer reiterated that changing the homestead exemption calculation
would be political suicide and that is why it is being avoided.
Mayor Schmidt declared the Special Meeting adjourned at 5:20 p.m.
City Clerk
-2- 01-28-02
ATTEST:
MAYOR
The undersigned is the City Clerk of the City of Delray Beach, Florida, and the
information provided herein is the Minutes of the Special Meeting of the City Commission held on
January 28, 2002, which Minutes were formally approved and adopted by the City Commission on
City Clerk
NOTE TO READER: If the Minutes you have received are not completed as indicated above, this
means they are not the official Minutes of the City Commission. They will become the official
Minutes only after review and approval, which may involve amendments, additions or deletions to
the Minutes as set forth above.
3 01-28-02