CC Minutes 07/12/2011 Budget Workshop

Home Browse Search

Unlike many communities still wrestling with severe budget cuts, the proposed FY12 budget reflects a "soft landing" for the City of Casselberry as planned last year. Highlights of the proposed budget include the following: • The current millage rate of 5.45 mills is retained. • No layoffs, furlough days or reductions of hours are being proposed. No adjustments to pay and benefits are recommended. One existing part-time Inventory Clerk position is proposed to be converted to full-time, which will be paid from the Water Utilities Fund. • As promulgated by the Florida Legislature, City employees in the Florida Retirement System (FRS) began paying 3% toward the cost of their pension. • The City Commission's vision of a major new residential initiative, the Neighborhood Improvement Program, which includes the rebuilding of interior streets and sidewalks, utility line upgrades, traffic calming, tree canopy replacements, neighborhood signage and, where feasible, decorative street lighting, is proposed to be initiated throughout the City's neighborhoods over a long-term basis. Currently, tree canopy enhancements and sidewalk maintenance are already underway. Total cost of this program currently is estimated to be $10 million. • Preliminarily estimated to cost $1.1 million, the first major street project in the Neighborhood Improvement Program is the "Triplet Lake Signature Street", which will be funded from accumulated FY11 and new FY12 funds from the General Fund, Water Utilities and Stormwater Funds. This "walkable street" project will include reconstruction of the street, new water and stormwater underground utilities, enlarged sidewalks, decorative street lighting, additional trees, and brick pavers for traffic calming. Besides presenting a beautiful new neighborhood boulevard for the community, these improvements will finally rehabilitate a deteriorated and blighted road segment that has significant drainage and underground utility problems and present a new image that Casselberry residents can be proud. • Continued efforts to develop the Lake Concord and the City Center properties. However, the proposed budget incorporates refinancing and/or restructuring of associated land debt as well as debt for other governmental or utility purposes. • Continued emphasis on redevelopment efforts along our major corridors as construction continues or begins on Winter Park Drive, the Red Bug Lake Road Flyover, and the S.R. 436 rehabilitation, all possible through our "partnerships" with Seminole County and the Florida Department of Transportation. • New water utilities quality improvement projects as well as stormwater, lakes, and drainage improvement projects. These projects will be funded from unrestricted reserve funds from the Water and Stormwater Utilities Funds to support capital projects identified in each Fund's respective 10 -Year Masterplan. The City will continue its ARRA (federal funded) "pipebursting" projects. • Continued commitment to image enhancement through communications, events (including a proposed new Farmer's Market program), public relations, grants and awards, and art and recreational programming for our local area community. • Continued investment in our "human resource capital", including training and development opportunities for City employees, as well as prudent management of the City's financial capital and assets.