Budget Workshop, Day 1

The Pensacola City Council began pouring over Mayor Ashton Hayward’s proposed budget today in the first of two—possibly three—workshops this week.

They listened to hours of presentations from city staff. They enjoyed bottomless pots of coffee. They took stretch breaks and had their lunch break cut short when the Pensacola Energy (ESP) presentation went long.

These July workshops are an opportunity for the city council to review the proposed $221,467,800 budget. They can comment, ask questions and make amendments if they feel the need; although, any changes to the budget must leave it balanced.

Unlike in past years, this year’s budget series is being conducted as a Committee of the Whole meeting—meaning the council approves any amendments to the budget by a majority vote. As Council President Sam Hall said to open the meeting, “All rules apply.”

During this first day of workshops, the council heard from the recently renamed Pensacola Energy, the port, the housing and neighborhood departments, the West Florida Public Library and the Pensacola International Airport. Representatives from each entity provided a budgetary overview and fielded questions.

The council honed in on each of the department’s marketing and advertising numbers.  They asked how each played into the city’s new relationship with the Zimmerman Agency, a Tallahassee marketing firm with a three-year, $39,500-per-month contract that’s handling the city’s $82,500 rebrand efforts.

The overall annual costs of the Zimmerman bill appeared to be spread out over the various departments, with each enjoying the agency’s marketing efforts. Except the library, which did not see a significant increase in that area.

“You’ve been spared the major advertising hit,” noted Councilwoman Megan Pratt.

Council members were also interested in the mayor’s $1 million Economic Development Fund. Hayward said in his State of the City address that he wished to create such a fund to go towards marketing surplus properties, providing incentives to growing businesses or new ventures and to provide seed money to assist in site development.

Dick Barker, the city’s chief financial officer, called it a “revolving door fund” and an “interesting idea.” And while council expressed concern—“Are there any controls on how that money is spent?”—Barker assured them that it was “a concept that will work.”

“It’s a new concept, new idea, new fund,” he told them, explaining that they could “work through issues later.”

Barker later said that some of the money for the fund—the initial $100,000—might be generated via the up tick in traffic fines if the city decides to install red-light cameras.

“I was looking at the red light camera,” Barker said. “It’s certainly not the intent to hurt the general fund.”

During the Housing department’s presentation, council members took the opportunity to address Habitat for Humanity’s aesthetic standards. Councilman Brian Spencer said that the organization—which builds houses for the poor—is not currently held to neighborhood-specific standards.

“Our city has not shown the fortitude to stand up to—well, ‘partner with’—Habitat for Humanity,” he said.

Councilwoman Maren DeWeese said that perhaps council should adopt a policy addressing Habitat concerns—“That would be the way to do it.”—but Councilman P.C. Wu said he had participated in the building of Habitat homes and would prefer to involve the organization in any changes in policy—“rather than us sit and try to make policy in isolation and impose upon them.”

Also during the Housing presentation, a couple of council members expressed interest in using HUD funding for the purposes of developing low-income housing on some of its vacant stock of properties.

“One thing the city does have, is access to a lot of property” said Councilwoman Sherri Meyers, “I’m just wondering if, maybe, at some point, we could have a discussion about that.”

The council did not formally make any amendments to the mayor’s budget today. But it’s expected that it will face some hurdles before the process is finished.

Last week, Councilman Larry Johnson said he had some issues with the budget: “I’m going to have a hard time approving it. I think everything is on the table.”

One budgetary venue absent from the workshop agendas was the mayor’s office. When council members inquired when they might dive into Hayward’s budget—as well as that of the MIS department—Barker told them any time was fine, but not to expect a presentation.

“I’m willing to stay tomorrow afternoon, as opposed to coming back Wednesday,” said Myers.

The council’s budget workshop runs again Tuesday, from 9 a.m. until discussions have wrapped up. The day will begin with a look at outside agencies, before moving on to presentations from the CRA, Inspection Services, the Planning and Public Works departments, as well as police and fire. The day will cap off with a discussion about the mayor’s budget and the Management Information Services Division.