Title
General Government Budget Calendar (NB)
This is a request for the City Commission to approve dates for discussion of the FY2018/2019 biennial budget.
Explanation
Staff requests that the City Commission approve dates to discuss items related to the FY2018/2019 biennial budget. Topics of discussion will include an updated Five-Year Financial Forecast, Capital Improvement Plan, Fire Assessment, Millage Rate and the General Government Budget.
In response to feedback and suggestions received prior to and during last year’s budget process, staff is recommending shifting the budget discussions and deliberations earlier in the calendar year to primarily occur in the spring, with an approval of the proposed tentative budget and millage rate for General Government to occur in July, in accordance with the State Department of Revenue’s Truth in Millage requirements.
GRU will set their July budget dates in a separate item.
Staff requests the City Commission approve the following dates:
01/31/2017 1:30pm-5:30pm Budget planning workshop and five-year financial forecast
05/02/2017 1:30pm-5:30pm General Government Budget
05/16/2017 1:30pm-5:30pm General Government Budget
05/23/2017 1:30pm-5:30pm General Government Budget
05/30/2017 1:30pm-5:30pm General Government Budget
06/06/2017 1:30pm-5:30pm General Government Budget
07/18/2017 1:30pm-5:30pm General Government Budget, GRU Budget, Adopt
Preliminary Fire Assessment Rate, by resolution, Set Proposed Tentative Millage Rate, by resolution
09/07/2017 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 FY2018
09/21/2017 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 FY2018.
Staff suggests the City Commission set the Preliminary Fire Assessment Rate immediately after the budget discussion on July 18, 2017, as well as the set the Proposed Tentative Millage and adopt Proposed Tentative Budgets immediately after budget discussions on July 18, 2017, 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 2017 requesting alternative special meeting dates. These potential conflicts will not be known until July 2017.
Fiscal
The cost of conducting these meetings is available in the FY 2017 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 18, 2017; 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 18, 2017.