LWV County Commission Budget Session Notes: 06/13/2022
Posted
League of Women Voters Manatee County
The League of Women Voters of Manatee County Government Committee observes Manatee County Commission meetings for items of interest to the League and notes adherence, or lack of adherence, to good governance procedures and the Sunshine Law. The following are the major points from the boars' Budget Work Session on 06/13/2022, observed by Mary Foreman, Maureen Dardinski, and Jennifer Hamey.
ITEMS OF INTEREST
Complete Budget Information (On MyManatee.org website)
Sheila McLeanhas accepted the assignment of Interim Chief Financial Officer for Manatee County
Budget Overview
All Judicial Programs & Constitutional Officers’ budgets total $200,876,056 of which the Sheriff’s Office is 82.8% of the total.
The total increase in funding requested is $5.7 million.
Commissioners can "pull“ an item for further review but at least one other commissioner must agree.
The recommended budget is by County Administration. Commission does ultimate approval.
Sheriff’s Office (SO)(Sheriff Wells) -Requested$171.7 millionRecommended$166.3Prior Year Budget$147.9 million.
Twenty net additional positions, with a decrease of 2 School Resource Officers. The School District has asked to replace the 2 School Resource Officers (which are managed and paid by the Sheriff’s Office) with School Guardians (who are managed and paid by the School District).
There was a long discussion about the contract for jail medical with a new vendor. The contract exceeded the recommended amount by $3.1 million but included many services not covered before. There will be a budget amendment at a later date.
The SO is taking steps to try to keep the fuel costs as low as possible without compromising public safety.
SO anticipates an 8% increase in salaries.
Commissioner Kruse commented that the county’s budget Increased 11%. The county need to look at needs vs wants.
Clerk of the Court (Colonneso) - Requested$8.8 millionRecommended$8.6 millionPrior Year Budget$8.2 million
Requested 5 new positions (2 Inspector General positions, 1 Accountant, 1 Fiscal Compliance, and 1 Onbase Coordinator). The County recommendsnotfunding the 2 Inspector General positions.
Commissioner VanOstenbridge requested that this budget be red flaggedfor further discussion with County Administrator Hopes and County Attorney Clague. Commissioner Whitmore stated she has never seen a constitutional budget be "red-flagged.“
Supervisor of Elections (SOE)(Bennett) - Requested and Recommended$6.7 millionPrior Year Budget$6.2 million
SOEwill have to hire more poll workers to physically observe ballot drop-off locations (due to SB90).
Commissioners VanOstenbridge and Satcher voiced concern regarding the risk of mail-in ballots. Bennett reviewed the pros and cons, including enabling voting by individuals who have difficulty getting to the polls such as the disabled, elderly or individuals with family or work obligations that interfere with voting.
Bellamy stated that serving on the Canvassing Board gives a better understanding of security measures.
Court Administration(Miller and Chief Justice Roberts) -Requested$1.4 million (includes upgrading technology in 2 courtrooms)Recommended$1.3 million and not funding the courtrooms. Prior Year Budget$1.3 million
The court suggested funding technology improvements by "put it in the reserves.“
Hopes said it is long overdue and needs to be accelerated and funded every year.
State Attorney – (McLean) - Requested and Recommended$769,000Prior Year Budget$707,000
Public Defender(Egert) –Requested$587,000.Recommended$553,000Prior Year Budget$532 thousand.
Guardian Ad Litem–Requested and recommended$232, 501.Prior Year Budget$133,746. 4 new positions, Child Advocate Managers and Best Interest Attorneys.
A lengthy discussion followed about whether the budget should provide better starting salaries for attorneys. Servia and Kruse stated their role is to fund what was requested. Hopes said that he will follow up with them to make sure that they feel empowered to ask for what they need, not what they asked for.
Property Appraiser and the Tax Collector (no presentation).
Property Appraiser–Requested and Recommended$6.7 millionPrior Year Budget$6.2 million
Manatee County Tax Collector–Requested$13.4 millionPrior Year Budget$12.1 million
The vast majority of the budget is in Tier 1 funds.
GOVERNANCE/SUNSHINE
The posted Agenda materials did not include those used in the presentations so the public and other interested parties did not have time to view them in advance.
VanOstenbridge decided to do Citizen Comments before adjourning the morning meeting (which was not on the posted agenda). There should have been public comments allowed in the afternoon session as it was the last item on the agenda. If a member of the public anticipated commenting, he/she would have expected to do so at the conclusion of the afternoon session.
Commissioner VanOstenbridge requested that the Clerkof the Court's budget be "red flagged" for further discussion with County Administrator Hopes and County Attorney Clague. "Red-flagging" is not part of the process. If he meant for the Clerk's budget to be pulled, the procedure is for it a commissioner to request it be pulled, with one more commissioneragreeing. This did not occur.
Commissioners Satcher and Baugh expressed disapproval of the School Board’s decision on Guardian’s SRO’s, "since they have a massive budget and should fund safety first.“ Whether or not the Commissioners are aware of the reasons for the School District’s decision, criticism of another entity’s actions is inappropriate. Our governing bodies need to foster better understanding and civil discussions.
Electioneering in the performance of the duties of commissioner is illegal by Florida statute 104.31. In every meeting, there is ongoing and frequent praising of Republican officeholders up for election and bashing of Democrats from the dais, which is inappropriate and edges on illegal, if not already there.
104.31 (http://www.leg.state.fl.us/
statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=
Display_Statute&URL=0100-0199/
0104/Sections/0104.31.html) 104.31 Political activities of state, county, and municipal officers and employees.– (1) No officeror employee of the state, orof any countyor municipality thereof, except as hereinafter exempted from provisions hereof, shall: (a) Use his or her official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with an election or a nomination of office or coercing or influencing another person’s vote or affecting the result thereof....
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