Results from Last Night's Second and Final Budget Hearing
The City of Fort Lauderdale will be hosting virtual Commission meetings using audio/video conferencing software until further notice. The public can listen to and view virtual meetings on FLTV, YouTube, Zoom, Comcast Channel 78, and AT&T U-verse Channel 99. To learn more about virtual City Commission meetings, including how to view agendas and sign up to speak, visit fortlauderdale.gov/vcmeetings.
In case you missed it, following are highlights from the virtual Fort Lauderdale City Commission Special Meeting (Second Budget Hearing) on Monday, September 14. The video is available at youtube.com/cityoffortlauderdale and the vote summary will be available this week at bit.ly/ftlccagendas.
SECOND BUDGET HEARING
Commission Approves $1.1 Million Grant Agreement with FAA for Improvements at FXE
The City Commission adopted a resolution approving a $1.1 million grant agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for construction of the Runway Incursion Mitigation (RIM) project at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE). The project will include installing in-pavement and elevated LED Runway Guard Light (RGL) units as well as installation of new conduit and cabling to enhance FXE’s ability to minimize and/or eliminate runway incursions and improve the overall operational safety of the Airport. For details, visit bit.ly/2ZAzWRR.
Commission Approves FY 2021 Central Wastewater Region Large User Rate
The City Commission adopted a resolution setting the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Central Region Wastewater large user rate at $2.48 per 1,000 gallons of wastewater treated, effective October 1, 2020. The City, through Large User Agreements, operates the Central Wastewater Region facilities, including the George T. Lohmeyer Wastewater Treatment Facility. The Central Wastewater Region provides treatment services for five cities including Fort Lauderdale, Oakland Park, Wilton Manors, Tamarac, and parts of Davie. The Central Wastewater Region Large User Advisory Board, at its July 29, 2020 meeting, voted and approved a rate of $2.48 per 1,000 gallons of wastewater treated. This rate represents a 10-cent decrease from the FY 2020 rate of $2.58 per 1,000 gallons of wastewater treated. The Central Wastewater Region Operating Budget for FY 2021 is $34.8 million. For details, visit bit.ly/2RnDJgI.
Five-Year Community Investment Plan Adopted
The City Commission adopted the final Five-Year Community Investment Plan (CIP), a planning document that sets forth the City’s capital improvement objectives to ensure that municipal facilities and infrastructure improvements are appropriate and adequate to serve the needs of our neighbors. The Five-Year CIP will appropriate more than $190 million in Fiscal Year 2021 for a variety of capital improvement projects including infrastructure improvements to water, sewer, and stormwater systems; replacing seawalls and bridges; electrical and lighting upgrades; street and roadway enhancements; and facility upgrades. For details, visit bit.ly/2DYSNOH.
Commission Approves Non-Ad Valorem Stormwater Assessment
The City Commission approved a resolution adopting the Fiscal Year 2021 Non-Ad Valorem Stormwater Assessment to fund the construction, reconstruction, repair, improvement, and extension of stormwater management systems within the City of Fort Lauderdale. The assessment methodology is based on equitably recovering costs in proportion to the benefit that each property receives from the stormwater system. The stormwater utility rate structure considers total square footage, trips generated by various property types, and the benefit that free, passable roads bring to each property. The hybrid rate methodology was presented to the Infrastructure Task Force and the Council of Fort Lauderdale Civic Associations, both of which were in support of the program. Beginning October 1, 2020, the stormwater rate will be billed annually on the property tax bill instead of monthly on the utility bill. The stormwater management fee will appear as a stormwater assessment in the Non-Ad Valorem Taxes section of the property tax bill. For details, visit bit.ly/3iwqjLp.
Commission Approves Lauderdale Isles Water Management District’s FY 2021 Budget
The City Commission adopted a resolution approving the Lauderdale Isles Water Management District’s Fiscal Year 2021 Budget and Non-Ad Valorem Assessment. The Lauderdale Isles Water Management District was created as an independent special district by the Broward County Commission in November 1970 for the purpose of protecting the water quality of the waterways in Lauderdale Isles. The district became a dependent district within the City of Fort Lauderdale when it was annexed in 2002. The Lauderdale Isles Water Management District budget is $109,765 which includes a special assessment of $15 per parcel for properties within the district that generates $8,265 plus a balance of $101,500 from prior years. For details, visit bit.ly/3mnyeN9.
Commission Adopts Nuisance Abatement Assessment Roll for FY 2021
The City Commission adopted a resolution approving the Nuisance Abatement Assessment Roll for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021. The resolution will allow the City to collect costs associated with addressing nuisance properties -- such as derelict motor vehicles or vessels, vacant and unoccupied buildings with window and door openings, unmaintained swimming pools, and overgrown lawns -- through a special assessment on the property tax roll. This approach will compel the property owner to pay the assessment along with the ad valorem tax bill in order to avoid the issuance of a tax certificate against the property and loss of title to the property. As a result, the City will be able to recover the public funds spent to remedy the nuisance and the neighborhood is protected from blight. For more details, visit bit.ly/3hDO2bn.
Commission Passes Non-Ad Valorem Assessment for Utility Undergrounding
The City Commission passed a resolution approving a Non-Ad Valorem Assessment for Utility Undergrounding. City staff is currently working with the Las Olas Isles neighborhood on a project to place utility lines underground. In 2019, staff issued ballots to property owners within the proposed underground utility assessment area. Almost 90 percent of those responding supported establishing an underground utility line assessment. The proposed assessment rate will be equal to the actual costs paid by the City for the undergrounding of overhead utilities within the assessment area. The proposed assessment for FY 2021 is $331,526.40 which will generate an estimated $314,950 in revenue. For details, visit bit.ly/2GTUVbC.
Commission Approves Annual Rate Resolution for Beach Business Improvement District
The City Commission approved a Rate Resolution for the Beach Business Improvement District for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021. The assessment will fund all or any portion of the cost of the provision of Beach Business Improvement District services, facilities, or programs that provide a special benefit to assessed business properties. The non-ad valorem assessment rate for FY 2021 is $0.8525 per $1,000 of assessed property value which is estimated to generate $1,065,639 in revenue to the Beach Business Improvement District Fund. For details, visit bit.ly/2RtiOZA.
City Commission Approves Fire Assessment Fee for FY 2021
The City Commission adopted the Fire Assessment fee for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021. The Fire Assessment Program funds the fire services, facilities, and/or programs that will benefit the City in its entirety, such as facility improvements, special equipment, and cost of fire suppression operations. The City Commission approved a rate of $311 per single family residential property. For FY 2021, the proposed assessment is $49,336,308 which is estimated to generate $47,856,219 in revenue to the General Fund. This will represent full (100%) cost recovery of fire suppression services for FY 2021. For details, visitbit.ly/2Fx6N35.
Commission Adopts Final Millage Rate and Budget for Sunrise Key Neighborhood Improvement District
The City Commission adopted the final millage rate and budget for the Sunrise Key Neighborhood Improvement District for Fiscal Year 2021. The Commission adopted a millage rate of 1.0000 mill on the dollar of taxable assessed valuation. Revenue generated from this millage rate is estimated at $136,652, which will support the Sunrise Key Neighborhood Improvement District budget for Fiscal Year 2021. For details, visitbit.ly/3hrk9dX.
Commission Approves Final Operating Millage Rate of 4.1193 for Fiscal Year 2021
The City Commission approved the final operating millage rate of $4.1193 per $1,000 of taxable value to fund operating expenditures for the Fiscal Year 2021 General Fund Budget. This marks the 14th consecutive year that the millage rate has not been increased. The Commission approved a tentative debt service millage rate of 0.2218 which will generate revenue to pay for four separate general obligation bonds including the recently passed Public Safety Bond, which is funding the construction of a new Police headquarters, and the Parks Bond, which is being used for citywide improvements to parks and recreation facilities. For details, visit bit.ly/3huZuFW.
Commission Approves Final Budget for Fiscal Year 2021
The City Commission unanimously adopted the final Budget for Fiscal Year 2021, beginning October 1, 2020, and ending September 30, 2021. The all funds budget of $847,858,597 includes an operating millage rate of $4.1193 per $1,000 of taxable value and Fire Assessment Fee of $311 per residential dwelling. The final budget completely eliminates the Return on Investment (ROI) transfers from the Water, Sewer, and Wastewater Utility Funds to the General Fund. This represents a reduction of $20.4 million (or 100% since the FY 2018 Adopted Budget) in revenue to the General Fund. The budget is structurally balanced with ongoing revenues equal to ongoing expenses and does not utilize Fund Balance dollars or one-time budget balancing techniques. The budget includes funding to move the City Commission’s top priorities forward including: Homelessness and Housing Opportunities; Infrastructure; Comprehensive Plan and Downtown Master Plan Implementation; Waterway Quality; Transportation and Traffic; and Resiliency. For details, visit bit.ly/3iuHHAc.
Next Virtual City Commission Meetings on September 15
The next virtual meetings of the City Commission are scheduled for Tuesday, September 15. The public can listen to and view the virtual meetings on FLTV, YouTube, Zoom, Comcast Channel 78, and AT&T U-verse Channel 99. To learn more about virtual City Commission meetings, including how to view agendas and sign up to speak, visitfortlauderdale.gov/vcmeetings.
For More Information
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