Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-07-08 Workshop Meeting City Commission Meeting Minutes MINUTES •� DANIA BEACH CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP MEETING JULY 8,2003 1. Call to order Mayor Anton called the meeting to order at 4:40 p.m. 2. Roll Call: Present: ` Mayor: Robert Anton Vice-Mayor: C.K. McElyea Commissioners: Robert Chunn Pat Flury Bob Mikes City Attorney: Tom Ansbro City Manager: Ivan Pato City Clerk: Charlene Johnson 3. Discussion on the methodology of calculating the Stormwater fees and the Fire Rescue assessment for fiscal year 03/04. (Finance Director) Patty Varney, Finance Director, explained that Nicki Satterfield, Budget Analyst, will be explaining problems that have been discovered on the Fire Rescue assessments and that Fred Bloetcher, will be • explaining information on the Stormwater assessments. Director Varney advised that Government Services Group has been handling the City's assessment programs and that they performed the calculations for the programs since 1995. Director Varney mentioned that her office will now be handling the fire assessment calculations in-house and that the Broward County Property Appraiser's Office will handle the first notice of billing to the property owners. Nicki Satterfield, Budget Analyst, mentioned that the main objective for the Finance Department was to provide more accurate and current information on the assessment programs and to up date the fire assessments to comply with Florida regulations. The call volume had not been updated by GSG for 3 years and this is very important in order to properly assess the properties and to determine where the fire calls are being utilized accurately under the property use code. The property accounts also had to be reconciled with GSG and Broward County. There were over 450 properties that were found to be misclassified, missing, or where the square footage was inaccurate. She mentioned that the files needed to be updated in order to follow the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS). Ms. Satterfield presented further information on the problems that were located in regards to coding and classifying properties in the industrial, commercial and exempted or institutional categories for billing purposes (see attached outline). Ms. Satterfield was asked to compile a list of exempted properties for the City Commission. A discussion followed on the exemptions being established by GSG in order to reduce the possibility of legal challenge in the courts when the assessment programs were initially established. Methodology: Director.Varney advised that it has not been clear on how GSG categorized the call volume to determine assessments and that most cities are now using the NFIRS code. She pointed out that the Fire Department assisted the Finance Department with re-establishing 8 new different categories under the NFIRS coding: assembly, residential, commercial, hotel/motel, industrial warehouse, medical, educational, and vacant. The educational classification now covers mainly private schools, while under MINUTES 1 JULY 8, 2003 WORKSHOP MEETING GSG, schools and churches were classified under the institutional category. Medical will include • properties like nursing homes etc. The assembly category will include restaurants and the City will now assess vacant properties as they do generate some call volume. Director Varney explained that they decided to use a 3 year average call volume to calculate the demand percentage and anything that is defined as governmental purpose would not be included. Commissioner Mikes stressed the importance for mobile homes to be calculated correctly to show the number of housing units and lots and to be careful that RV's are not being thrown into the square footage of a building under the commercial rate. Ms. Satterfield advised that the mobile home parks are assessed on the number of mobile homes and each mobile home is charged the $87 residential rate and RV's in the mobile home park that is not a mobile home is charged on the square footage commercial rate. Director Varney presented information on a formula to be used to calculate the assessments and recommended a rate increase from $87 to $92 on the residential category. She explained that GSG did not use demand percentage of call volume in the past to bill the nursing homes and, instead, assigned a dollar amount the same as the commercial category, and that the City has actually been subsidizing the nursing homes. She mentioned that the City will lose some $110,000 in revenues if they calculate the assessments for nursing homes based on the commercial rate. However, prior to FY 2000, GSG used 2.099 formula times the Commercial rate, and if the City utilizes this method, the City stands to lose some $85,000 in revenue. Director Varney advised that the loss in revenues is not in the bottom line figures and that the biggest impact is the nursing home category. Mayor Anton requested that Director Varney obtain information from other cities on how they are assessing nursing homes. Director Varney agreed to also contact GSG and Property Appraiser's Office to see what information they might be able to provide to deal with nursing homes. The City Commission decided to continue the discussion on the stormwater assessments to the regular ® meeting as the meeting had to be adjourned to begin the abatement hearings at 5:30 p.m. 4. Adjournment. This meeting adjourned at 5:35 p.m. C &. Q" o Anton, Maycv 'Ilia$aen5 Johns n, ity Clerk APPROVED: August 12, 2003 '40 MINUTES 2 JULY 8, 2003 WORKSHOP MEETING