High Springs City Commission holds budget workshop, raises annual fire assessment fee to $250

BY DAVID LIGHTMAN

HIGH SPRINGS, Fla. – At a combined budget workshop and City Commission meeting on August 21, the High Springs City Commission heard different options for balancing the City’s budget, agreed to raise the residential fire assessment fee to $250, and directed the City Attorney to begin work to change the ordinance prohibiting alcohol sales within 500 feet of churches.

Budget workshop

With members of the public filling the meeting hall, City Manager Jeremy Marshall detailed the challenges facing the annual budget. Marshall said, “We were over capacity with the sewer plant. So, we had to make a second sewer plant, and that is online. When we made that second sewer plant, that increases your liability insurance, doubles your utilities, and we had to hire a new sewer operator. Also, the vendor that does our bio-waste sludge hauling, they lost their permit with Levy County, and for them to get it, they were going to double our rates. So, we had to go back out and find ways to take care of our bio-solids from the sewer department. A couple weeks ago, we got notified that the funding from ACFR (Alachua County Fire Rescue) was going to be reduced by $188,000. That’s 51% of the contract that we get from the County. And what you’re going to see tonight is the strain in how you’ve depleted your utility enterprise funds to supplement the General Fund.”

Marshall showed the following slide, which breaks down the $723,000 required to balance the FY26 Budget between fire and sewer:

Marshall said the City took out a USDA loan for sewer improvements in 2003 that costs $457,000/year through 2043. Debt payments for AMI (smart meters) are $84,000, General Fund Transfers are $310,000, infiltrated wetlands costs are $63,000, and grinder pumps’ annual costs are $360,000. He said approximately 60% of sewage costs are these overhead costs “before you touch one drop of sewage.”

Marshall said 61% of transportation revenues, between sign maintenance and a General Fund Transfer of approximately $270,000, are spent “without even touching the road.” 

Marshall showed the following slide, which details all the sources of General Fund revenue:

Marshall said he aims to get the General Fund Transfer for transportation down to 7% instead of the current 53%, and he hopes to reduce the utility General Fund Transfer percentage significantly. 

Options for budget cuts

Marshall presented options to save money and said, “Every single option I’m going to give you as a City Manager, I hate. As a citizen, I hate it even more.”

Getting rid of the City’s Fire Department was the first option. Marshall said that would make the utilities healthier and reduce the amount of the General Fund Transfer, although the County’s fire assessment fee is much higher, there would be less local control, and there would be fewer crews available for emergencies.

Marshall’s second option was reducing the Fire Department staffing. He said that would reduce the General Fund Transfer for the Fire Department from $1 million to $573,000. Fire assessment fees would go up by $27/year.

Marshall said the advantages of keeping the current staffing levels include shorter response times for fire and medical calls.

The third option, Marshall said, would be removing the night shift for the Police Department.

The fourth option was closing the Tag Office, although Marshall said it wouldn’t make sense to do so.

The fifth option was eliminating all raises for staff, saving about $225,000 but possibly at the cost of losing quality employees.

Marshall’s sixth option was to not make any cuts but raise revenues/taxes. That would involve raising the millage rate from 6.74 to 6.99 and increasing sewer rates by approximately 50%. Selling some buildings is another option to raise revenues, Marshall said.

Marshall said most of the feedback he heard from the public indicated that residents don’t want to cut Police or Fire Department services.

Commissioners discussed Marshall’s ideas. Commissioner Andrew Miller suggested selling the Canoe Outpost, saying it is the least used of the City’s properties and citing its value of almost $1 million. He also suggested changing trash pickup services and keeping rates the same, which he said could save $200,000/year.

City Attorney Danielle Adams said any Wild Spaces funds used would need to be repaid if the Canoe Outpost is sold, and the property has a conservation easement that might affect its marketability. Finance Director Diane Wilson added that any profits from the sale would have to be treated as Wild Spaces funds instead of going into the General Fund. 

Miller asked about selling the Priest Theatre. Marshall said they might be able to sell it for $1 million, but that money should go into reserves instead of the General Fund in case there is ever a problem with the utility system, for example.

Mayor Tristan Grunder said they needed to find permanent solutions instead of “band-aid” solutions like selling buildings.

Weitz: “Where can we get revenue?”

Weitz asked, “Where can we get revenue?” Marshall said there are some ways to raise revenue, such as selling pine straw for $10,000/year, but the revenue would be minimal in terms of the big picture.

Weitz said she would be willing to do things such as cleaning once a week as part of her job or taking a 25% pay cut. Marshall said, “These are great ideas, but they’re drops in the bucket. But if you make enough drops in the bucket, you can make a big splash.”

Weitz said County residents’ tax bills are higher than High Springs’ residents for ad valorem and fire assessment fees, and she suggested they try to get those residents to annex into the City to raise more money. Marshall agreed it would be a good idea since there is not much room to build in the City. 

Commissioner Wayne Bloodsworth asked if raising utility rates to the proposed levels would be sufficient for the near future. Wilson said reducing General Fund transfers will also be necessary, or rates will need to be raised again soon.

Grunder: “The way we’re running this, with no reserves, we’re asking to get punched in the mouth.”

Grunder said, “The way we’re running this, with no reserves, we’re asking to get punched in the mouth.” He added that they needed to either cut services or raise taxes to the highest in the county.

Marshall said, “We’re the only city, outside of Gainesville, that has its own Police and Fire. That is expensive… $4.4 million just in public safety.” He repeated that most residents told him they want to keep those services. Marshall said that since he has been working at the City for the past year, he has made every possible cut, including eliminating the Assistant City Manager position.

Public comment

During the public comment period, one resident said he believes islands or enclaves in neighborhoods can be forcible annexed. He encouraged building new houses to bring in new revenue.

Brian Langston said he thinks there may be a prohibition on selling the Canoe Outpost dating back to when it was purchased by the City. He said, “That place has an incredible opportunity to make money… It’s known across the world.”

David Gardner asked about total costs/year for residents, if no services are cut. Referring to his slides, Marshall said the total cost of increasing sewer and millage rates would average $331.50/year.

Several residents spoke against cutting the Fire or Police department, with none in favor of cutting services.

Marshall said they needed to stop the budget workshop temporarily and resume comments during the Commission Meeting scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

Alachua County Fire Rescue presentation

The Commission meeting began with the usual prayer and Pledge of Allegiance. After approving the agenda and consent agenda, Alachua County Fire Chief Theus gave a presentation. Marshall noted that Theus has received numerous commendations and awards.

Theus said the County does not want to take over fire services in High Springs, but they are willing to help out however they can.  

Theus said the cost per call increased when a new fire station was built in Alachua, and that is why residential fire assessment fees are higher in the County and the municipalities that use County fire services. 

ACFR Chief Theus: “Your fire assessment fee is very, very low for the service that you’re providing.”

Theus finished by saying, “Your fire assessment fee is very, very low for the service that you’re providing.”

Grunder said the City needs to have a conversation with the County Commission about restoring some of the funding that was decreased for “in kind” services, when one department assists another.

Theus said the payments are based on actual call data every four months and not on estimations.

Public announcements

Commissioners voted to reduce public announcements from five minutes to three minutes because so many people were waiting to speak. One man suggested a “penny tax” to bring in additional sales tax or gasoline tax revenue. Marshall said he would have to research that possibility.

A woman pointed out that she received the mailed notice for the fire assessment fee hearing only the day before, and better notice should have been provided. 

Janet Evans said, “I think the crux of why we’re in the situation that we’re in right now, is because the money was mismanaged so badly.”

Appointment to the Mayor’s Youth Council

The first order of new business was appointing a member to the Mayor’s Youth Council to fill a vacancy. Only one application had been received, from Emma Howard. Miller made a motion to appoint her to the Council, and Bloodsworth seconded the motion. It passed unanimously.

Solid waste collection agreement

The next topic was discussing whether to keep the same solid waste collection agreement with Waste Pro or seek bids from other providers. Commissioner Chad Howell suggested giving Waste Pro “first dibs” in the negotiation process. Grunder agreed, due to their positive track record.

A staff member said Waste Pro only receives a few complaints a week, compared to 60 to 80 complaints per week when GFL had the contract. Adams suggested using the option to piggyback off of the County’s agreement with GFL as a negotiating tool with Waste Pro, and she said the current contract runs through April 2026.

Commissioner Chad Howell made a motion to direct staff to begin contract negotiations with Waste Pro, and Weitz seconded the motion.

Public comments on the motion to keep Waste Pro were overwhelmingly positive, with only one man complaining that his trash pickup is frequently missed. 

The motion passed unanimously. Adams added that she will also bring back information about a piggyback contract with GFL with the County, to aid in the negotiation process. 

Fire assessment fee

The next item was raising residential fire assessment fees by $27, from $223 to $250.

Fire Chief Joseph Peters and a consultant gave a presentation; the consultant explained that costs for service calls are basically the same for both small and large residences, and that is why fire assessment fees are not based on the sizes or values of properties.

During public comment on the motion, a speaker said his homeowner’s insurance is lower due to having a local fire department and nearby hydrant. Nobody wanted to shut down the High Springs Fire Department, and comments were generally supportive of the increase.

The motion to raise residential fire assessment fees to $250 passed 5-0 during a roll call vote.

Sales of alcohol within 500 feet of a church

Weitz introduced the next item, discuss updating the ordinance that restricts the sale of alcohol within 500 feet of a church. She pointed out that High Springs Brewery is 455 feet away from St. Bart’s, but no one has ever cared or complained. Attorney Adams said that should have been addressed whenever the Brewery’s original site plan was approved, and now they are effectively grandfathered in. 

Adams suggested modeling High Springs’s laws after Titusville’s, where there are exceptions for distances to churches allowed in different districts and exceptions for restaurants that sell alcohol. The Commissioners all agreed with her suggestion, and Adams said she will have an ordinance ready to discuss at the next meeting.