Miami Lakes approved a new $30 million budget for 2014-2015 and kept the same rate of 2.3518 for property taxes to generate $7 million in revenue, restored the funding for the town’s committees but shelved reinstating the contentious waste haulers fee.
At the second and final budget hearing last week, facing a $1 million shortfall, councilmembers unanimously approved the spending plan and tax rate and cleared up some misinformation on wasteful expenses allegedly distributed by a political action group called Urgent Citizens Alert.
The franchise fee was at the center of debate at the first budget hearing and a subsequent Town Council meeting, where councilmembers narrowly approved an ordinance on first reading to restore the five percent charge to generate $50,000 a year.
But the dissenting lawmakers, Vice Mayor Manny Cid and Councilmembers Tony Lama and Frank Mingo, said the waste haulers would pass the new fee along to residents living in apartment complexes, townhomes and business owners as an additional tax.
During a special call meeting before the final budget hearing, Town Manager Alex Rey deferred the measure indefinitely and suggested not using $29,000 for a joint marketing plan with two of the biggest landowners in Miami Lakes, and cut the funding for the black olive tree removal program from $70,000 to $50,000 for the new fiscal year.
The move saved Miami Lakes $50,000 to replace the franchise fee, which was initially earmarked to repair roads that the waste haulers damage with their trucks, or the town could use the money to restore the funding for the town’s committees from last year.
At the first budget hearing, Rey and his staff were instructed to find $50,000 to recover the committees’ monies.
The town would use some of the carryover money, estimated at $400,000, from 2013-2014 to keep the same level of town-wide events that residents have grown to love.
Neil Robinson, chairman of the Miami Lakes Cultural Affairs Committee, said his group needed a slight increase of $6,000 from last year’s $33,000 expenditures for the town’s Art in the Park project to install cow sculptures at four parks.
Claudia Reces of the Miami Lakes Education Advisory Board, said her committee needs an additional $8,500 for the new Advanced Placement Language Arts program for students, and the town restored the Elderly Affairs Committee’s $10,000 to resume popular events for senior citizens, including the field trips to the Miami Marlins home games and the Meet and Eat event.
Miami Lakes will also spend $50,000 of the carryover money for a canopy cover at Royal Oaks Park, which was requested by Cid and Mayor Wayne Slaton at the first budget hearing.
“I know we have been holding back on it for sometime now but it is badly needed,” Cid said.
Slaton said the recreation activities without the structure is a health issue for kids.
“It can prevent skin cancer and it’s important to have shade and a canopy over the park equipment,” Slaton said.
Miami Lakes also discovered $27,000 in savings to add to the town’s palm tree trimming program for each year instead of three years.
Despite the $1 million budget shortfall that was caused by a reduction in franchise and utilities revenues ($400,000), and a four percent increase ($600,000) for police services for union concessions, Miami Lakes was still able to keep the same level of services, place $2.3 million of the $4 million fund balance in emergency reserve and an additional $500,000 reserved for hurricane and tropical storm emergencies.
The Town Council clarified some misconceptions on possible wasteful spending that some believed led to the budget shortfall and higher taxes.
A group of residents attended the special meeting and budget hearing to express their contempt for increased fees, higher tax payments and out of control spending after Urgent Citizens Alert sent out flyers and emails condemning the local government.
The political action committee urged councilmembers to be fiscally conservative with taxpayer’s money by cutting lawmaker’s travel expenses and the town manager’s salary and benefit package.
The group also requested Miami Lakes nix funding for attorney fees for challenging the Florida Supreme Court lawsuit between former Miami Lakes Mayor Michael Pizzi and Governor Rick Scott, as he’s trying to force Scott to return him to office following his acquittal on corruption charges.
Miami Lakes hired a law firm to join the lawsuit in defending the town’s charter, which supports Wayne Slaton as the mayor until 2016, but the Florida Supreme Court struck down the town’s brief because it was filed late.
Councilmember Tony Lama questioned lawmakers’ travel expenses and initially suggested cutting them from $1,500 to $750 per councilmember and reconsider some investments in the Florida League of Cities (LOC) and Miami Lakes Chamber of Commerce.
But he backed off after learning how important attending local, Florida and National LOC and Florida LOC events, and Miami- Dade Days in Tallahassee during the 60-day Florida Legislative Session are important to the town.
With the help of State Representatives Manny Diaz and Jose Oliva and State Senator Rene Garcia, Councilmember Ceasar Mestre said participating in Miami-Dade Days netted Miami Lakes $1.3 million for two major storm water drainage and canal bank stabilization project.
Councilmember Tim Daubert said he’s supportive of attending meetings and educational classes provided by the Florida League of Cities.
Slaton said he praises lawmakers who take the time out of their busy schedules to participate in the activities to help the town.
“The benefit of education and learning experiences that are offered, I strongly support continuing,” said Slaton.
Said Lama: “Even though we have to listen to all residents, we should just reevaluate whether there is some possible cutback in these expenses.”
The political action group claimed Rey is earning a salary and benefit package worth $400,000 a year, which prompted Lama to clear-up the matter.
“Did you get a raise?” Lama asked Rey.
“No,” said Rey. “My total package is $265,000 a year.
Rey said councilmembers do not get a car allowance of $1,000 a month and Miami Lakes doesn’t employee 70 people, as the group contended.
“It bothers me, this concerted effort of misinformation,” said Mestre. “Residents should identify the source and verify the facts that are being presented.”
For the fifth consecutive year, Miami Lakes’ town staff will not receive a Cost of Living Adjustment increase but Rey will try to find some money in the budget to award bonuses, 2.4 percent of their salaries, sometime in 2015.
For other revenues, Miami Lakes is expected to generate $4.4 million in intergovernmental revenues, $2.7 million in utility service taxes, $1.2 million in franchise fees and $1.4 million in building and zoning permit fees.
For expenditures, Miami Lakes will spend $7.2 million for police and specialized services, $2.4 million for community and leisure services, $2 million for town administration, $1 million for building services, $1.2 million for public works, $235,000 for town attorney services, $181,154 for the Office of the Town Clerk, and $363,860 for lawmakers’ expenses.
For beautification, Miami Lakes is planning to build an entrance feature at N.W. 67 Avenue near 138 Street, and at the Palmetto Expressway and Miami Lakes Drive ($200,000).
In addition, the town is planning to complete the new Miami Lakes Optimist Clubhouse ($2 million) and the new Youth Center ($1.7 million) at Picnic Park East during the new fiscal year, which commenced on October 1.
For transportation improvements, Miami Lakes will spend $1.9 million on roadway improvements in the Lake Martha community, as part of the town’s stormwater master plan.
Also included in the plan is the second phase of the West Lakes project ($690,000) and canal stabilization ($1 million) through state funding.