1981.09.22_TC_Minutes_Special~ _ s f
TOWN OF HIGHLAND BEACH, FLORIDA
Minutes of Meeting of Town Commission
• Public Hearing
Re: Fiscal Year 1981-82 Budget
September 22, 1981 7.30 P M
Mayor Horton called the Public Hearing to order at 7:30 P.M. Commissioners
in attendance were: Mayor Louis Y. Horton, Vice Mayor Harold C. Storm
and Commissioner John J. Basso. Commissioners Mary Louise G. Blosser
and Edward J. Sullivan were absent.
Also in attendance were: Elaine W. Roberts, Town Manager and Jane E.
Barker, Town Clerk, as well as Chief Kenneth Jones, Sgt. William Cecere,
and Patrolmen Abraham Widlitz and Harry Maher. Mr. Harry Walker a
member of the Financial Advisory Board, was present and the Commission
Chambers were crowded with interested Townspeople.
Mayor Horton stated that the purpose of this Public Hearing was to hear
comments from residents regarding the budget for the coming year and
that he was grateful to see so many people in the audience. The turnout
was encouraging, he said.
He explained the normal course of events for a Public Hearing such as this
• saying that the Commission would be glad to hear from everybody once and
asked them to limit their speech to three minutes.
Mayor Horton went on to say that the Financial Advisory Board, under the
direction of Vice Mayor Storm, has been working on the proposed budget
for quite sometime. He also stated that this proposed budget which
shows the anticipated exp enditures and revenues is not final and that
changes can be made up until next week, when final action will be taken.
He said that the total anticipated expenditures for the Fiscal Year
1981-82 are projected at some 5.7% above the expenditures for the
Fiscal Year 1980-81. Inflation has caused some of this - with
garbage and trash going up due to the dumpage fee; a tentative
across the board cost-of-living raise in the amount of 8% has been
approved; and tentative approval for the ninth man on the police force
has been given. All of these are included in the increase of 5.7%.
Mayor Horton continued by saying that looking at this from another
direction, it is anticipated that the tax rate for Fiscal Year 1981-82
will be some 19.2% below the tax rate which was in effect for the Fiscal
Year 1980-81. This is dependent upon and in relation to the appraised
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Minutes Highland Beach
Town Commission
Public Hearing
September 22, 1981
Page 2 of 4
values of the properties of the people in town, over which the
Town Commission has no control.
At this time, Vice Mayor Storm spoke and told of what had happened
at Penthouse Towers which was that their assessments for this year
roughly amounted to a 92/ increase in assessed valuation. He stated
that he hoped the residents of Town would be satisfied with the
proposed Town budget and that it would be one they could live with
as long as they had to pay taxes.
Commissioner Basso spoke and urged the residents to telephone or write
the County Commissioners, the State Legislators and the Governor,
stating their objections to these higher assessments and that would
be the only way taxes would come down.
Chief Jones then addressed the Commission and the audience regarding
the salaries of the officers in the Highland Beach Police Department.
He gave the starting and top salaries of comparable surrounding
municipalities in relation to Highland Beach. He also requested that
receipt of top pay be reduced from five years to three years.
• Vice Mayor Storm and Mayor .Horton both asked Chief Jones questions
regarding the police department's requests, with Vice Mayor Storm
determining that if the police were brought up to par with other
municipalities, would the patrolmen still expect a cost of living
increase this year? Mr. Lowell Blum, Chairman of the Police Committee
spoke in behalf of the police department and said no.
At this point in the meeting, several residents from Town addressed
the Commission; namely, Mr. Ed Schmidt, Mr. Green, Mr. Alfredo Diluzio,
Mr. Jules Manne, Mr. Earl Totz - all speaking in favor of the Town's
Police Department and urging the Commission to act favorably in their
behalf; there by, maintaining the excellent force the Town now has.
Discussion took place concerning the combining of a police department
and fire department, with Mayor Horton explaining that in the future,
there is a possibility of having a Public Safety Department in Town,
which would include their own Fire Department.
Mr. Lowell Blum then addres
highly of the officers; how
that they were working just
the officers did which were
• Mayor Storm stated that the
their police department and
sed the Commission again, speaking very
they should not become firemen; stating
above poverty level and the things that
above and beyond the call of duty. Vice
Town Commission was very pleased with
had always treated them fairly.
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Minutes Highland Beach
Town Commission
Public Hearing
September 22, 1981 Page 3 of 4
• Mr. M. H. W. Dent, a Town resident, .then addressed the Commission
regarding the police department and the budget in general.
Mr. Green spoke again, asking just what a citizen should do in order
to have the assessment lowered. Mrs. Roberts informed Mr. Green that
a businessman had rented the Palm Beach County Auditorium for Saturday,
September 26, 1981 in order that citizens can appear and be heard by
the County Commission. Vice Mayor Storm informed everyone that people
in his building were signing a petition and forwarding it to the County
Commission.
Mr. Ed Schmidt discussed the gross valuation vs. gross expenditures.
Mrs. Roberts explained the procedure for him-and the benefit of all.
Mr. .Jeff Burr, another .resident of Town, then inquired as to why there
was no comparative information shown in the budget drafts. He felt
that this was most important. He also asked a question concerning the
proposed library in the Town Hall. Betty Weatherford, Chairman of the
Library Committee, answered Mr. Burr's question for him.
Further discussion took place regarding assessments and taxes. Mr.
• Schmidt spoke again and also Mr. R. Kurtz of Seagate of Highland.
Mrs. Roberts then informed the Commission of the changes made in
Draft No. 4 of the budget, stating that $4,000.00 more in revenue
had been added. $2,000.00 of this will come from the Southern Bell
Telephone Franchise and $2,000.00 from the Cable TV Franchise. She
stated that this amount of money will be added to Trash and Garbage
Fund.
Mayor Horton then talked about the differential between the Lieutenant
and Chief's salaries and Mrs. Roberts stated that she had taken care
of this. After discussion, it was decided to hold a Special Meeting
of the Police Committee and Financial Advisory Board on Friday,
September 25, at 10:00 A. M. at which time Mr. Blum's letter of
August 24th can be talked over in detail. Mr. Blum's letter listed
eight items the police were requesting.
A Special Meeting of the Town Commission was then called for Friday
afternoon at 2:00 P.M. in order to obtain the thoughts and decisions
reached at the meeting of the Police Committee and Financial Board
Friday morning.
Mayor Horton asked Mrs. Roberts if there was anything else that had to
• be taken care of at tonight's meeting and she informed the Commission
that they had to state publicly the amount of increase over the rolled
back rate, which was 21.63. An advertisement has to be taken to the
newspaper tomorrow for publication on September 26, 1981, three days
prior to the Town Commission's next Public Hearing on September 29th,
showing a tentative rnillage rate.
Minutes Highland Beach
Town Commission
Public Hearing
September 22, 1981
Page 4 of 4
In refiguring this amount, Mayor Horton informed Mrs. Roberts that
the increased amount should be 19.91% instead of 21.63%. Mrs.
Roberts said she would ask the Finance Department to recalculate
this figure.
Public Hearing ADJOURNED at 9:25 P. M.
APPROVED : .~„ .~^,/
Lou's Horton, Mayor
:]
ATTEST:
Town Clerk
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DATED: ~~~. l~' ~ ~/~~
Haro d C. S rm,-Vice Mayor
G~ %~
o n J. sso, Commissioner
(Absent)
Mar~r -wise G. Blosser, Comm.
Abs.en )
Edward Jr ~ ivan, Commissioner