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IRB budget adopted amid spirited debate
By HARLAN WEIKLE
Article published on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2007 |
INDIAN ROCKS BEACH – Following months of budget meetings, staff pencil sharpening and a budget presentation by City Manager Steve Cottrell that most praised for its thoroughness if not its ease of understanding, the City Commission during a highly charged meeting Sept. 19, approved a 2007-08 city budget of $6.948 million.
Setting the millage rate at 1.4695 in response to this year’s state-mandated rollbacks, the city budget still grew by 4.5 percent in the general fund and 11 percent for all funds combined.
Cottrell’s solution, which facilitated the growth in this year of tax cuts, was to borrow from the sewer fund called enterprise funds to pay for shortfalls in the general fund used to pay for operating costs such as salaries. The “loan” would be paid back to the enterprise fund with interest – the interest falling on the shoulders of the taxpayer.
Frustrated in their attempts to introduce various budget cuts by a last minute series of 2 to 2 stand off votes cast by the 4-member commission Sept. 11 – Commissioner Bert Valery being absent – the commission agreed to accept a preliminary budget plan introduced Sept. 5 as a base from which to work a final budget. The proposal passed 4 to 1, Mayor Bill Ockunzzi casting the lone “no” vote.
With the full commission present on the 19th, the last night in which the budget by law must be adopted following the second published reading, Commissioner Jose Coppen presented a handwritten list, which he said, “represented over $100,000 of potential operating costs and over $100,000 in project costs that I don’t want just rolled into a consensus.”
“It would be a disaster to adopt this budget,” said Coppen, stressing his opinion that enterprise funds should not be used to support general expenses.
Following a second round of commission comments, the mayor asked for a vote on a motion by commissioner R.B. Johnson to adopt the Sept. 5 budget with some amendments, including that the transfer of money from the city’s Penny for Pinellas fund to the sewer fund should be considered a “gift” and not a loan, thus requiring no pay back.
Coppen claimed he had not been given sufficient hearing of his line item budget proposals and responded when poled, “I won’t vote on this charade.”
In response Ockunzzi instructed that Coppen’s vote be marked a “no” vote.
The commission voted 3 to 2 to adopt the budget; Ockunzzi and Coppen voting no.
Budget redux, almost
Fewer residents attended the Sept. 25 meeting, yet the atmosphere remained expectant as questions were introduced by the audience challenging as well as defending the previous week’s procedure adopting the budget.
Several speakers from the audience admonishing the commission for rushing to a final vote on the budget over the objections of both Ockunzzi and Coppen, urged the board to open the budget for reconsideration.
Former Mayor Jim Driscoll at one point took the podium to remind the audience as well as the commission that under the city charter, once a budget is adopted, no further discussion may ensue unless a motion to that effect is entered by one of the commissioners casting a majority vote.
Ockunzzi, addressing Coppen directly added, “The only way to get your list considered is to make an amendment to the motion. Or, if you don’t like the ruling of the chair, then make a motion to overrule, that’s perfectly acceptable. Basically, we follow the rules of order.”
The mayor then suggested that Coppen’s budget line item list might be added to the current evening’s agenda. Turning to City Attorney Andy Salzman, Ockunzzi asked rhetorically, “We could consider Jose’s e-mail list as amendments to the budget then.”
“Yes,” Salzman replied, stipulating, “not to reconsider the budget, but you can always amend.”
The vote was called then on a motion to add Coppen’s list to the agenda.
Ockunzzi and Coppen voted yes. Commissioners Terry Wollin and Bert Valery voted no. Commissioner R.B. Johnson also voted no saying he didn’t appreciate being “sandbagged” at the last minute and “dictated” to by one commissioner. The motion failed 3-2.
Turning to other business, the commission approved a COLA increase of 2.5 percent for all full time and permanent part-time city employees. In answer to objections from the audience, Wollin defined the cost of living increase as standard practice for government entities.
“This is standard pro forma in the public sector,” Wollin said. “I don’t know what is usual in private sectors but this is a cost of living increase, not merit.”
Correction: Changed enterprise fund to Penny for Pinellas and general fund to sewer fund in the following sentence. Following a second round of commission comments, the mayor asked for a vote on a motion by commissioner R.B. Johnson to adopt the Sept. 5 budget with some amendments, including that the transfer of money from the city’s enterprise fund to the general fund should be considered a “gift” and not a loan, thus requiring no pay back.
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Article published on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2007
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