Polk County Board of County Commissioners (Final Budget)

Meeting Minutes - Final

September 15, 2025 Public Hearing on FY 25/26 Final Budget

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2nd Hearing - Adopt FY25-26 Budget

Rollcall

Commissioner Becky Troutman, Commissioner Rick Wilson,

Commissioner Bill Braswell, Commissioner Martha Santiago,

and Commissioner Michael Scott

Present

CALL TO ORDER (RICK WILSON, CHAIR)

PURPOSE OF PUBLIC HEARING (RANDY MINK, COUNTY ATTORNEY)

A.1. Discuss the purpose of the Public Hearing for the FY 25/26 Budget

Minutes: County Attorney Randy Mink discussed the purpose of the public hearing.

DISCUSS ADOPTED TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATES FOR FY 25/26 (CHRISTIA

JOHNSON, BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES DIRECTOR)

B.1. Discuss the FY 25/26 Board of County Commissioners adopted tentative

operating millage rate.

Minutes: Budget and Management Director Christia Johnson discussed the items on

the agenda for the adopted tentative millage rate and the tentative budget. She said

the adopted FY 25/26 tentative millage rate is 6.6348 mills with no difference. She

reviewed the rolled-back rates.

B.2. Discuss the FY 25/26 adopted tentative millage rate for the Polk County Parks

Municipal Services Taxing Unit (MSTU), Polk County Library MSTU, Polk

County Stormwater MSTU, and Polk County Rancho Bonito MSTU.

Minutes: Budget and Management Director Christia Johnson discussed the adopted

tentative millage rate of 0.5286 mills for the Polk County Parks Municipal Services

Taxing Unit (MSTU), the adopted tentative millage rate of 0.1985 mills for the Polk

County Library MSTU, the adopted tentative millage rate of 0.0941 mills for the Polk

County Stormwater MSTU, and the adopted tentative millage rate of 9.1272 mills for

the Polk County Rancho Bonito MSTU. She reviewed the rolled-back rates and the

generated ad valorem revenue.

DISCUSS ADOPTED TENTATIVE BUDGET FOR FY 25/26 (CHRISTIA JOHNSON,

BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES DIRECTOR)

C.1.

Discuss the FY 25/26 adopted tentative budget totaling $3,464,631,333.

Minutes: Budget and Management Director Christia Johnson said the FY 25/26

adopted tentative budget totals $3,464,631,333.

C.2.

Discuss the FY 25/26 Polk County Parks MSTU adopted tentative budget

totaling $46,013,519, Polk County Library MSTU adopted tentative budget

totaling $12,074,224, Polk County Stormwater MSTU adopted tentative budget

totaling $14,370,652, and Polk County Rancho Bonito MSTU adopted tentative

budget totaling $67,564.

Minutes: Budget and Management Director Christia Johnson discussed the FY 25/26

Polk County Parks MSTU adopted tentative budget totaling $46,013,519, the Polk

County Library MSTU adopted tentative budget totaling $12,074,224, Polk County

Stormwater MSTU adopted tentative budget totaling $14,370,652, and the Polk County

Rancho Bonito MSTU adopted tentative budget totaling $67,564.

PUBLIC HEARING ON FY 25/26 ADOPTED TENTATIVE BUDGET AND MILLAGE

RATES (RICK WILSON, CHAIR)

D.1.

Requests from the public to speak in regard to the FY 25/26 adopted tentative

operating budget and millage rates, which include the Parks MSTU, Library

MSTU, Stormwater MSTU, and Rancho Bonito MSTU.

Minutes: The Chair opened a public hearing; no one spoke.

ADOPT THE FINAL MILLAGE RATES FOR FY 25/26

E.1. Recommend Board adopt the resolution establishing the FY 25/26 operating

millage rate of 6.6348 mills, which is a 4.3% increase over the rolled-back rate of

6.3607 mills; the Polk County Parks MSTU operating millage rate of 0.5286

mills, which is a 3.8% increase over the rolled-back rate of 0.5092 mills; the Polk

County Library MSTU operating millage rate of 0.1985 mills, which is a 3.8%

increase over the rolled-back rate of 0.1912 mills; the Polk County Stormwater

MSTU operating millage rate of 0.0941 mills, which is a 3.9% increase over the

rolled-back rate of 0.0906, and the Polk County Rancho Bonito MSTU operating

millage rate of 9.1272 mills, which is a 1.9% increase over the rolled-back rate of

8.9594 mills.

Minutes: Budget and Management Director Christia Johnson recommend the Board

adopt the resolution establishing the FY 25/26 operating millage rate of 6.6348 mills

which is a 4.3% increase over the rolled-back rate of 6.3607 mills, the Polk County

Parks MSTU operating millage rate of 0.5286 mills which is a 3.8% increase over the

rolled-back rate of 0.5092 mills, the Polk County Library MSTU operating millage rate

of 0.1985 mills which is a 3.8% increase over the rolled-back rate of 0.1912 mills, the

Polk County Stormwater MSTU operating millage rate of 0.0941 mills which is a 3.9%

increase over the rolled-back rate of 0.0906, and the Polk County Rancho Bonito

MSTU operating millage rate of 9.1272 mills which is a 1.9% increase over the

rolled-back rate of 8.9594 mills.

RESULT:

MOVER:

SECONDER:

AYE:

APPROVED

Bill Braswell

Michael Scott

Troutman, Wilson, Braswell, Santiago, and Scott

ADOPT THE FINAL BUDGET RATES FOR FY 25/26

F.1. Recommend Board adopt the resolution that adopts the final budget of

$3,464,631,333 for FY 25/26, the final budget of $46,013,519 for the Polk

County Parks MSTU, the final budget of $12,074,224 for the Polk County Library

MSTU, the final budget of $14,370,652 for the Polk County Stormwater MSTU,

and the final budget of $67,564 for the Polk County Rancho Bonito MSTU, each

of which are included in the FY 25/26 adopted tentative budget of

$3,464,631,333.

Minutes: Budget and Management Director Christia Johnson Board recommended

that the Board adopt the resolution that adopts the final budget of $3,464,631,333 for

FY 25/26, the final budget of $46,013,519 for the Polk County Parks MSTU, the final

budget of $12,074,224 for the Polk County Library MSTU, the final budget of

$14,370,652 for the Polk County Stormwater MSTU, and the final budget of $67,564

for the Polk County Rancho Bonito MSTU, each of which are included in the FY 25/26

adopted tentative budget of $3,464,631,333.

RESULT:

MOVER:

SECONDER:

AYE:

APPROVED

Martha Santiago

Becky Troutman

Troutman, Wilson, Braswell, Santiago, and Scott

ADJOURNMENT (RICK WILSON, CHAIR)

Minutes: County Manager Bill Beasley thanked Christia Johnson and the Budget and

Management staff. He said we have gone through a lot of things over the last six

months. He thanked all the division directors in attendance and said it means a lot on a

personal and professional level and it shows support for what we do day in and day

out. He said that Parks and Natural Resources Director Gaye Sharpe is retiring in

October after 30 plus years. He said job well done and to enjoy herself.

Chair Wilson said it is a lot of hard work and they make it easy for them. He said we will

miss Ms. Sharpe.