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Home My WebLink About07/15/2025 Special MINUTES OF THE MONROE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Budget Meeting Board of County Commissioners Tuesday, July 15, 2025 Marathon, Florida& Via Communication Media Technology A budget meeting of the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners convened at 3:00 p.m. at the Marathon Government Center, and via Communication Media Technology. Present and answering to roll call were Commissioner Michelle Lincoln, Commissioner Holly Merrill Raschein, Commissioner David Rice, and Mayor James K. Scholl. Also present at the meeting were Christine Hurley, County Administrator; Bob Shillinger, County Attorney; Kevin Madok, County Clerk; Liz Yongue, Deputy Clerk; county staff, members of the press and radio; and the general public. Commissioner Craig Cates was absent from the meeting. ADDITIONS, CORRECTIONS & DELETIONS A There were no Additions, Corrections or Deletions to the agenda. Motion was made by Commissioner Rice and seconded by Commissioner Lincoln granting approval of the agenda. Motion carried unanimously. FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET PRESENTATION C John Quinn, Assistant Director of Office of Management and Budget; Christine Hurley, County Administrator; and Lisa Tennyson, Director of Legislative Affairs, gave a Power Point Presentation, County Administrator's Fiscal Year 2026 Recommended Budget. The following individuals addressed the Board: Andy Madtes, representing Teamsters Local 769; Doug Gregory; Mary Casanova, representing Literacy Volunteers of America; Michelina O'Donohoe; Misty Howard, representing Samuel's House; Jasmine Laster, representing Samuel's House; Tosha Snyder, representing Samuel's House; Elmira Leto, representing Samuel's House; Diana Flenard, representing Monroe Homeless Continuum of Care and MARC House; Steve Miller, representing Parks and Recreation Advisory Board; Harold Schenker; Michelle Leonard-Mularz, representing Monroe County Extension Service; Mary Stella, representing Human Services Advisory Board; Alicia Betancourt, representing OF-IFAS Extension Service; Marjorie Roberts, representing KAIR (Keys Area Interdenominational Resources); Cali Roberts, representing Womankind; Patrick Daly; and Emily Berg, representing Friends of the Key West Library; Andra Johnson, Director of Florida Cooperative Extension Service and Dean of UFAFAS Extension; Barry Ray; and Myra Wittenberg. Kimberly Matthews, Senior Director of Strategic Planning and Libraries; Bob Shillinger, County Attorney; and Tina Boan, Assistant County Administrator, addressed the Board. After discussion, motion was made by Commissioner Rice and seconded by Commissioner Raschein to set the compensation increase for all non-unionized Page 11 7/15/2025 staff of Constitutional Officers, across the board, to 2.9%. Roll call vote was taken with the following results: Commissioner Cates Absent Commissioner Lincoln Yes Commissioner Raschein Yes Commissioner Rice Yes Mayor Scholl Yes Motion carried. Ms. Boan, Ms. Hurley, Mr. Quinn, and Ms. Matthews addressed the Board. After discussion, motion was made by Commissioner Raschein and seconded by Commissioner Rice to eliminate the vacant positions on the Level 3 Reduction list, as follows: Position No. Position Title County Department PWFMOIO Maintenance Worker 4 Facilities Maintenance PWCF002 Maintenance Worker 5 Facilities Maintenance PWCFOIO Maintenance Worker 4 Facilities Maintenance CSLIB030 Library Assistant I Library Services GMBLG022 Customer Service Representative Building Department GMBLG085 Inspector/Plans Examiner Building Department GMCE002 Inspector Code Compliance Roll call vote was taken with the following results: Commissioner Cates Absent Commissioner Lincoln Yes Commissioner Raschein Yes Commissioner Rice Yes Mayor Scholl Yes Motion carried. Ms. Boan addressed the Board. Motion was made by Commissioner Lincoln and seconded by Commissioner Rice to remove Monroe County from the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Compact. Roll call vote was taken with the following results: Commissioner Cates Absent Commissioner Lincoln Yes Commissioner Raschein Yes Commissioner Rice Yes Mayor Scholl Yes Motion carried. Page 12 7/15/2025 Ms. Boan addressed the Board. After discussion, motion was made by Commissioner Lincoln and seconded by Commissioner Raschein to forgo expanding FreeBee services to Islamorada and Key Largo. Roll call vote was taken with the following results: Commissioner Cates Absent Commissioner Lincoln Yes Commissioner Raschein Yes Commissioner Rice Yes Mayor Scholl Yes Motion carried. Ms. Boan addressed the Board. After discussion, motion was made by Commissioner Rice and seconded by Commissioner Raschein to eliminate FreeBee services in Key West and Stock Island. Roll call vote was taken with the following results: Commissioner Cates Absent Commissioner Lincoln Yes Commissioner Raschein Yes Commissioner Rice Yes Mayor Scholl Yes Motion carried. Ms. Boan addressed the Board. Motion was made by Commissioner Raschein and seconded by Commissioner Lincoln to eliminate the remaining operational budget of the Transit program, in the amount of$14,370.00, related to the FreeBee service. Roll call vote was taken with the following results: Commissioner Cates Absent Commissioner Lincoln Yes Commissioner Raschein Yes Commissioner Rice Yes Mayor Scholl Yes Motion carried. Ms. Boan, Mr. Shillinger, and Ms. Hurley addressed the Board regarding funding for the Human Services Advisory Board. The Board took no official action. Ms. Boan and Mr. Shillinger addressed the Board. Motion was made by Commissioner Raschein and seconded by Commissioner Lincoln to eliminate the remaining $16,225.00 in funding for the Historic Florida Keys Foundation. Roll call vote was taken with the following results: Page 13 7/15/2025 Commissioner Cates Absent Commissioner Lincoln Yes Commissioner Raschein Yes Commissioner Rice Yes Mayor Scholl Yes Motion carried. Ms. Boan addressed the Board regarding funding for the Extension Services program. Fire Chief RL Colina, Monroe County Fire Rescue, and Ms. Hurley addressed the Board. The Board took no official action. Ms. Boan and Ms. Hurley addressed the Board regarding emergency reserves for the Monroe County Sheriff's Office. Ms. Hurley, Mr. Quinn and Ms. Boan addressed the Board. After discussion, motion was made by Commissioner Lincoln and seconded by Commissioner Rice to increase the countywide millage rate to put a total of$4,000,000.00 in emergency reserves, reflecting the approximate $2,000,000.00 in cuts made thus far. Roll call vote was taken with the following results: Commissioner Cates Absent Commissioner Lincoln Yes Commissioner Raschein Yes Commissioner Rice Yes Mayor Scholl Yes Motion carried. Mr. Quinn announced the new proposed countywide millage rate of 2.7327, to raise approximately $2,000,000.00 in funds for emergency reserves. ANNOUNCEMENT OF MILLAGE RATES AND PUBLIC BUDGET HEARINGS D Ms. Boan addressed the Board. Mr. Quinn announced the rolled-back rate, the new proposed millage rate, and percent above/below the rolled-back rate to be certified by the Property Appraiser. Said rates are attached hereto. Ms. Boan announced the Fiscal Year 2026 Public Budget Hearings, as follows: September 3, 2025 September 10, 2025 Harvey Government Center Murray Nelson Government Center 1200 Truman Avenue, 2nd Floor 102050 Overseas Highway Key West FL 33040 Key Largo FL 33037 Page 14 7/15/2025 There being no further business, the meeting of the Board of County Commissioners was adjourned. Kevin Madok, CPA Clerk and ex-officio Clerk to the Board of County Commissioners Monroe County, Florida Liz Yongue, D.C. Page 15 7/15/2025 This is the reading of the rolled-back rate, the proposed millage rate, & the percent above/below the rolled-back rate that will be certified to the Property Appraiser. These are the rates that Citizens will receive on their TRIM notices. ANNOUNCEMENTS: Taxing Authority: Monroe County Board of County Commissioners Rolled-back millage rate is 2.4786 Proposed millage rate is 2.7327 Proposed millage rate is 10 25 ��)' ttbove the rolled-back rate Taxing Authority: General Purpose Municipal Service Taxing Unit Rolled-back millage rate is 0.1601 Proposed millage rate is 0.1756 Proposed millage rate is 1) 08"/`0 above the rolled-back rate Taxing Authority: Local Road Patrol Law Enforcement District Rolled-back millage rate is 0.2634 Proposed millage rate is 0.2889 Proposed millage rate is 1) 8"/`0 above the rolled-back rate Taxing Authority: Lower & Middle Keys Fire and Ambulance Rolled-back millage rate is 1.6044 Proposed millage rate is 1.9076 Proposed millage rate is 18 90"/`0 above the roll ��back rate Taxing Authority: Middle Keys Health Care MSTU Rolled-back millage rate is 0.4649 Proposed millage rate is 0.1125 Proposed millage rate is 75 0"/`0 below the roll ��back rate Aggregate Aggregate Rolled-back millage rate is 3.1157 Aggregate Proposed millage rate is 3.3965 Aggregate Proposed millage rate is 9.01"/`0 above the rolled-back rate