- April 18, 2024
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Cuts of $4.7 million would not impair city services, he says.
With the city facing a $2 million deficit, Palm Coast City Council member Frank Meeker believes he has a way to cut next year’s budget by $4.7 million — enough to keep the tax rate flat, spend more on stormwater improvements and keep $950,000 in an emergency fund.
The biggest cuts he suggested July 19 at the City Council meeting were $2.9 million in state and local funds for street improvements. His plan would keep the half-cent sales tax dedicated to repaving roads. But he would reduce the aggressive repaving schedule. “It’s my belief that we don’t need to do 50 miles per year,” he said.
Mayor Jon Netts appeared to be in agreement. He said most of what he called the “grassphalt” in Palm Coast has been addressed.
Meeker’s next suggestion was to close the Clubhouse Drive fire station and have the county use it instead as an emergency services base. That would save the city about $1 million, according to Finance Director Ray Britt’s recent presentation.
The Clubhouse station responds to emergency calls, Meeker said, and main fire engines don’t fit in the bay, anyway.
“We can’t expand it, and I can’t get my equipment in it, so I may as well close it down to fire,” Meeker said. With state-of-the-art fire stations on Palm Harbor and Belle Terre parkways, Meeker said, “I don’t believe the residents will be hurt.”
In the future, the city should build a new station on Colbert Lane, Meeker added after the meeting.
Netts, who proposed cutting the fire budget at the previous City Council meeting, said some residents may fear that cutting one of the city’s five fire station would reduce the services by 20%.
“But that’s not correct,” Netts said. “Ninety-four or 96% of the calls to our fire stations are for (health-related emergencies). About 5% are for fires. If you close a neighborhood fire station, you increase the response time by two minutes, three minutes, four minutes — depending how far away from the station (the fire is).”
Meeker also proposed cutting the fleet management budget by $500,000, meaning city trucks would be replaced on an eight-year plan, rather than on a seven-year plan.
The State Road 100 Community Redevelopment Area is scheduled to collect about $1 million in taxes this year, Meeker said. After the $700,000 debt-service payment, the city should collect the remaining $300,000 as a partial repayment of its loan to the CRA.
Meeker does not believe these cuts are too deep. “If your funding is reduced, something’s got to give,” he said.
The cuts would save enough money to spend an additional $1 million in stormwater maintenance, $750,000 in capital projects and keep $950,000 for an emergency fund.
The City Council will discuss these proposals at a future workshop.
HOW TO SAVE AND SPEND $4.7 MILLION
Meeker’s proposed savings
$2.9 million—Resurface fewer streets
$1 million—Close Clubhouse Drive fire station
$500,000—Replace city trucks less often
$300,000—Call due a portion of debt from CRA
Proposed expenditures
$2 million—Balance 2012 fiscal budget
$1 million—Stormwater maintenance projects
$950,000—Emergency fund
$750,000—Capital projects
