On the agenda for March 7 – spending the budget surplus

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The City Council will be conducting its March meeting on Thursday, March 7 at 7pm.  The summary agenda can be viewed here.   Please review it for items that may be of interest to you.  Two agenda items which caught our attention:

Ordinance 1, 2013

First on the regular agenda is 2nd reading of Ordinance 1, 2013 – which “Amends the Fiscal Year 2012/13 budget to adjust fund balance carryovers to actual amounts and to carry forward amounts committed from the FY 2011/2012 budget for outstanding purchase orders and open projects that cross fiscal years.”

At the last council meeting, it was suggested that as there was a $1 ,658,725 surplus, perhaps it could be used to give the employees a 2% increase and apply the remainder to fund some capital improvement projects.  Staff has come back with the following proposal:

• A 2% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for all full-time and year-round part-time employees – $399,479
• A one-time 1.5% lump-sum payment for all full-time and year-round part-time employees – $476,493
• Funding for capital improvement projects that need to be addressed in the current fiscal year that are unbudgeted – $782,753

The Capital improvement projects proposed are:

• Golf course irrigation modernization – $610,753
• City-wide security system enhancements –  $50,000
• Covered structure for Fire Department generator – $50,000
• Youth Enrichment Center fenced multipurpose area – $72,000

The complete details of the ordinance can be found on the full agenda starting on page 48.  The agenda is very long and will take awhile to download.

NOTE:  Correction – There was a suggestion of a lump sum (bonus) at the last council meeting on top of the 2% suggested COLA.  But there doesn’t seem to be anyone on the council suggesting that the surplus be returned to the city’s taxpayers.

Resolution 21, 2013

Also on the agenda is Resolution 21, 2013 establishing NAIP  “NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT ASSESSMENT PROGRAM. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLORIDA ESTABLISHING CITYWIDE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO IMPLEMENT THE NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT ASSESSMENT PROGRAM (NIAP) FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF PAVING AND DRAINAGE, AND WATER AND SANITARY SEWER IMPROVEMENTS”

This resolution will be of interest to those who have followed the long history of issues with the Sunset Drive neighborhood after annexation.  It establishes procedures to be used in bringing forward proposals, determining assessments, getting the votes from the affected neighborhood etc.   Residents of any communities who may have similar needs should carefully review the proposed policies and address your questions to the council.