COMMISSIONERS ADOPT 2011-2012 BUDGET OVER MAYOR DAVIS’S “NO” VOTE

At the final state-mandated budget hearing Monday evening, September 26, the City Commission voted 4 to 1 to adopt a $1,369,248 city budget for 2011-2012 and a millage rate of 3.757 (the rate "rolled back" from last year`s millage rate of 3.6548 in order to result in last year`s city income total). Mayor Heath Davis cast the sole negative vote, without comment.

Again, the public didn`t show up for the public hearing.

After the meeting, the Cedar Key News spoke with Mayor Davis regarding his vote. "The city is living beyond its means," he explained. The city`s share of property tax revenue is declining. Expenses have been reduced, but not enough to prevent the city from balancing this expense budget by dipping into what Mayor Davis termed "reserves."

By "reserves," Mayor Davis pointed to funds (such as the Marina Fund, and a "garbage fund" consisting of proceeds from the city`s sale of its garbage truck some ten years ago) established by the city for other purposes.

Immediately following the budget hearing, in order to act on two items of city business without waiting two weeks for the next regularly-scheduled city commission meeting, the commissioners reconvened to give final agreement to the proposed contract with new city attorney Norm Fugate and to hear an updated proposal from the Cedar Key Aquaculture Association (CKAA) to manage trash at the shell pile.

Ken Edmunds presented the CKAA`s updated proposal. The Association is asking the city to help pay trash pick=up charges at the shell pile not covered by the city`s current agreement with WastePro. The CKAA`s updated proposal, taking into consideration actual tonnage figures for the most recent trash pick up from the shell pile, asks the city to share the cost of the tipping fee (the charge for each delivery to the dump) on a fifty-fifty basis, rather than the 75/25 (city/CKAA) allocation originally proposed.

In discussion, all five commissioners expressed appreciation for the Association`s efforts to properly dispose of the discarded cover nets that constitute the bulk of the trash at the shell pile. However, Commissioners Dale Register and Scott Dennison reported that their constituents have questioned why the city should subsidize the clam industry when other island industries are not so subsidized.

After discussion among the commissioners - and including the CKAA`s Rose Cantwell, who was also present - the City Commission agreed to the Association proposal for the shell pile, incorporating Commissioner Gene Hodges` provision for an initial three-month trial period.