By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter
Chiefland City Commissioners Monday adopted a tentative property tax rate of 7.9075 mills for next years’ budget, identical to what they have now, and reluctantly approved a big health insurance rate hike.
The millage is expected to generate $1,170,310 in revenue for the upcoming fiscal year that begins on Oct. 1.
City Manager Laura Cain said the millage can be lowered at the final budget hearing in September but it can’t be raised.
Cain has proposed a $1.35 per hour pay raise for all employees. She said the city is preparing for anticipated increases in the minimum wage over the next five years. The minimum wage in Florida will gradually rise to $15 per hour.
Voters approved the hike in minimum wage through statewide constitutional amendment.
Health Insurance Rising
Cain said the original offer was for a 16 percent increase in health insurance rates. She said Michaelis checked around with other companies and found those firms were offering insurance plans with a 20 percent increase over what the city pays now.
“The biggest scam in America is insurance,” said Commissioner Norm Weaver after surveying the rate increase.
He said group health insurance plans are hit the hardest because the insurance companies add penalties whenever someone gets hurt or sick.
“They penalize everybody,” he said.
Commissioners got some bad news. The city’s health insurance through Blue Cross Blue Shield will increase 12.23 percent in the new fiscal year that begins October 1. The city uses insurance agent Mike Michaelis to provide them with health insurance through Blue Cross Blue Shield. Cain said claims were cited as part of the reason for the rate hike along with the high cost of prescription drugs.
Commissioners approved the current health insurance plan despite the big increase in rates. The plan uses a $500 deductible.
Fire, Police Grants
In other business, commissioners accepted a $3,000 Wal-Mart grant from the local store to purchase to purchase bulletproof vests for the city police department.
Commissioners agreed to the request from Fire Chief James Harris’ to apply the request for a $34,295 grant from Firehouse Subs, a restaurant chain, to purchase extrication equipment for the new fire engine.
Extrication equipment is often called the Jaws of Life, a set of hydraulic tools used to pry accident victims from their cars. The jaws can cut through thick metal. This set of hydraulic extrication equipment is battery operated.
Commissioners voted to accept a $10,000 fire grant from the Florida Forest Service. The city was required to provide matching funds. The city provided the $5,000 match out of Harris’s budget.
The board also agreed to let city staff apply for a state Firefighter Assistance Grant to purchase air packs and protective gear for firefighters. Harris said when the equipment arrives Chiefland will have turnout gear for every firefighter in the department for the first time.
Total Fire Budget
Harris’ proposed 2021-22 fire department budget is $722,830, an increase of $33,675 from the current year. The budget includes $252,199 from the county fire tax. Chiefland is contributing $423,464 to the fire budget including $196,265 from the new city fire assessment.
Otter Creek is providing $5,747. Chiefland covers fire calls for Otter Creek and Fowlers Bluff.
Harris said the city’s new fire engine should arrive Friday. His department will install additional equipment on the truck before sending it to Gainesville to have communications equipment added.
It’s the city’s first new fire truck in decades.
Total Police Budget
The city police department budget has proposed a budget of $1,192,647, an increase of $73,405 over the current year.
Adding Sign
Commissioners approved adding a sign near the new Ernest Haile Memorial wall to keep people from climbing the wall and damaging it.
The city says the wall has already been damaged by people climbing on it.
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City of Chiefland Regular Meeting July 12, 2021; Posted July 13, 2021
