SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Approve the City of Clearwater Annual Operating Budget for the 2021/2022 fiscal year and pass Ordinance 9498-21 on first reading.
Body
SUMMARY:
In accordance with Chapter 200 of the Florida Statutes and the rules governing Truth in Millage (TRIM) compliance, the City Council must hold two public hearings to adopt the budget. The adoption of this ordinance and the related ordinances adopting the 2021/22 millage rate and the Capital Improvement Budget are an integral part of fulfilling these requirements.
On June 30, 2021, the City Manager provided the City Council with a Preliminary Annual Operating and Capital Improvement Budget that outlined estimates of revenues and expenditures for the 2021/2022 fiscal year. The City Manager presented the preliminary budget at the City Council meeting on July 15, 2021, for Council discussion and citizen input. In addition, a Special Budget Work Session was held on August 3, 2021, for Council discussion of the proposed budget.
The following changes have been made to the preliminary operating budget and are included in the ordinances for adoption of the fiscal year 2021/2022 operating budget:
• Updates made in Miscellaneous and Transfer In revenues (net zero) to account for revenues in the correct categories.
• The Non-Departmental budget is being reduced by $1,300,835, transferring this amount to the Police Department to account for the FOP and FOP Supervisors contracts which were approved on September 2, 2021.
• In the Parking Fund, a correction is made to account for vehicle purchases originally budgeted in the wrong cost center.