The Cedar Key City Commission met on Tuesday, August 7, 2012, at City Hall for its second budget workshop. Commissioner Dave Fiegin was not in attendance. The meeting began at approximately 7PM, after a brief Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) meeting, and adjourned at approximately 8:30PM. Additional budget workshops are scheduled for:
* 6PM, Tuesday, August 14, in the Community Center because of county primary elections;
* 6PM, Tuesday, August 28, in City Hall;
* 6PM, Tuesday, September 11, in City Hall;
* 6PM, Thursday, September 13, First Budget Hearing, in City Hall;
* 6PM, Monday, September 24, Final Budget Hearing in City Hall. The Public Works Department budget was the singular topic of the evening. Manager Josh Wilson, who will leave his post on August 21, 2012, presented a budget reduced by five percent from last year. Wilson suggested that the City hire a city manager in his stead and rearrange job functions acccordingly; he further suggested that the Department is understaffed. The commission directed Wilson to communicate with Levy County Jail and Department of Transportation personnel regarding the current availability of prisoner labor that previously assisted in mowing and debris removal. Wilson further recommended that the City sell currently owned lands to minimize maintenance and gain revenue; such areas might include the parking lot at Third Street and A Avenue; the conservation land on Sandra Street; the Third Street dock. Commissioners Dennison and Sue Colson negated some suggestions stating that: current land sales are down; many City properties require little or no maintenance; Cedar Key should mirror South Florida with little public access to water; diminishing public dock space is harmful to local watermen and women. Noting that the City Marina is among the least expensive marinas in the state, Dennison suggested incrementally increasing its fees and studying additional ways to increase revenue and more efficiently manage the area. Increased funds could be orchestrated so that they generate funds to pay for an individual to monitor and manage the Marina. Wilson stated that he used compensatory time instead of overtime pay for the Public Works staff when necessary; Dennison expressed his legal discomfort with this action. Resultantly, the commission directed Attorney Fugate to research the overtime issue. A motion was approved to increase the currently budgeted $500 in the "overtime festivals" line item to $1,000 in the 2012-2013 budget. Commissioners further directed Wilson to research and forward estimates of equipment replacement; the City`s backhoe and riding mower may need replacement. |
