Title
Budget Calendar (NB)
The City Commission approve dates for discussion of the FY2017/2018 biennial budget.
Explanation
Staff requests the City Commission approve dates to discuss items related to the FY2017/2018 biennial budget. Topics of discussion will include an updated Five-Year Financial Forecast, Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan, Fire Assessment, Strategic Planning Retreat, Town Hall Meetings, and the GRU and General Government Budgets.
For the last several years, the City Commission has held Community Forum/Town Hall meetings to discuss various topics and services with citizens. In October 2014, the City Commission held it first Telephone Town Hall meeting which had positive results. The City Commission approved funding two Telephone Town Hall Meetings in FY2016. The first will be held on October 29, 2015 at 6:00pm in the auditorium. The topic to be discussed is the PRCA Master Plan. The proposed calendar below includes the second Telephone Town Hall meeting and a Community Forum.
Staff requests the City Commission approve the following dates:
01/25/2016 5:00pm-9:00pm Budget Planning Workshop & Five Year Financial Forecast
City Hall Room 16
02/08/2016 6:00pm-8:00pm Community Forum (location to be determined)
03/07/2016 6:00pm-7:00pm Telephone Town Hall Meeting
04/25/2016 5:00pm-7:00pm Capital Improvement Plan 2017-2021 - City Hall Room 16
06/09/2016 8:00am-5:00pm Strategic Planning Retreat (location to be determined)
07/13/2016 10:00am-6:00pm GRU/General Government Budgets
07/14/2016 10:00am-6:00pm GRU/General Government Budgets
07/25/2016 10:00am-6:00pm GRU/General Government Budgets, Adopt Preliminary Fire
Assessment Rate, by resolution
07/27/2016 9:00am-5:00pm GRU/General Government Budgets
07/28/2016 1:00pm-6:00pm Adopt Proposed Tentative Budgets, Set Proposed Tentative
Millage, by resolution
09/08/2016 6:00pm Adopt Final Fire Assessment Rate, Adopt Ordinances on 1st
reading related to Fee or Rate Changes (if any),
Hold 1st Public Hearing to Adopt Budgets and Set Millage
Rate for FY2017
09/15/2016 6:00pm Adopt Ordinances on 2ndst reading related to Fee or Rate
Changes (if any), 2nd Public Hearing to Adopt Budgets and
Set Millage Rate for FY2017.
Staff suggests the City Commission set the Preliminary Fire Assessment Rate immediately after the budget discussion on July 25, 2016, as well as the set the Proposed Tentative Millage and adopt Proposed Tentative Budgets immediately after budget discussions on July 28, 2016, which will require the City Commission to waive the rules to hear the Resolutions before 6:00pm.
Truth in Millage or TRIM requirements set forth in State Statutes require that various taxing authorities hold their public hearings on different dates and/or times in order to allow taxpayers to attend each hearing and provide feedback if desired. Taxing Authorities that cross multiple jurisdictions are given first priority on setting their public hearing dates. As a result, The City of Gainesville is required to set their public hearing dates in September so as not to conflict with the County, the School Board, the Library District and the Water Management Districts. In the event a conflict arises, staff will submit a revised schedule for September 2016 requesting alternative special meeting dates. These potential conflicts will not be known until July 2016.
Fiscal Note
The cost of conducting these meetings is available in the FY2016 Operating Budget.
Recommendation
The City Commission: 1) Approve the dates requested by staff; 2) Waive the City Commission Rules to hear the Resolutions to approve the Preliminary Fire Assessment Rate before 6:00pm on July 25, 2016; and 3) Waive the City Commission Rules to hear the Resolutions to Set the Proposed Tentative Millage and Adopt the Proposed Tentative Budgets before 6:00pm on July 28, 2016.