B.2. Budget Presentation - Bill Beasley, County Manager
Minutes: County Manager Bill Beasley said these past 12 months reflect
unprecedented growth dynamics. He said coupled with labor shortages and inflationary
impacts there continues to be a strain being placed upon local governments throughout
the state including Polk County. He said Polk County continues to be a stabilizing factor
in providing core services to the businesses and citizens. He thanked staff, the
Constitutional Offices, the State Court System, and the Medical Examiner's office. He
said all of these entities have worked for the last six months helping to prepare their
portions of the budget. He thanked the citizens who have participated in helping to
shape this budget. He said by participating on citizens' advisory committees,
participating in public hearings, making phone calls, sending emails, or through other
social media contacts; he said their voices have been heard. He said the proposed
Fiscal Year (FY) budget totals $2,984,670,147. He said this budget does reflect the 1%
decrease in the current countywide general fund millage rate. He said this budget
reflects receipt and distribution of federal and state funds associated with our
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), the Emergency Solutions Grant funds,
the HOME/SHIP funds, the American Rescue Plan funds. He said this budget
maintains the Board's commitment to public safety, public health, infrastructure,
technology, tourism, and community support by way of adding critical positions and
maintaining current priority programs and services. He said this budget will continue to
make investments in technology upgrades. He stated this budget will maintain
commitment to capital infrastructure to support public safety, public health, public water
supplies, transportation capacity, intersection improvement projects, stormwater
management, water quality improvement projects, and environmental stewardship. He
said the budget reflects the voter approved .2 millage assigned to the 20-year
Environmental Lands Management program. He said this budget continues to address
quality of life issues. He said this budget reflects a continuation of a cost indexing of the
current fire assessment fee. He said this budget will allocate $60 million of one-time
funds to address capital project needs directed towards public safety, transportation,
recreation and related support facilities. He said this budget reflects an increase in the
residential waste collection and disposal fees to reflect current pricing consistent with
new collection contracts to begin in October 2024 with future adjustments to reflect a
5% indexing for the remaining contract term. He said this budget reflects an updated
comprehensive utilities rate structure to address increases in demand for water, waste
water, reclaimed water, and to address growing regulatory compliance for alternative
water supply initiatives. He said this budget invests in our employees by way of a 4%
phased salary increase beginning in October. He said there will be no increase to the
health insurance premiums for the third consecutive year.
Budget and Management Director Christia Johnson showed slides and said the total
proposed budget is $2.985 billion, the general funds is $653.4 million, and there is a
11.39% property value increase. She said this budget is built around growth. She
discussed the 1% decrease to the county-wide millage rate, the 5% index to the Fire
Assessment, the Waste Collection Assessment increase to $264.21 for collection and
$73 disposal fee. She said they are anticipating a 5% index over the next 5 years for
waste collection, and a 6% index to water/waste water rates. She discussed the
one-time funding projects. She reviewed a chart of the budgeted revenue from millage.
She said the millage rate is lower than what was certified and does reflect the 1%