Maitland City Talk

Council approves budget

It’s a wrap for budget season and fiscal year 2016 will soon be history as the City Council adopted the fiscal year 2017 budget, the fiscal year 2017-2021 Capital Improvements Program, and a 4.15 operating millage rate. The operating millage rate of 4.15 is unchanged from fiscal year 2016. The voted debt millage rate was set at .3650 mills, resulting in an overall 4.515 millage rate for fiscal year 2017 as compared to 4.54 for fiscal year 2016.

The millage rate sets the amount of money to be collected based on the total taxable value of each property established by the Orange County Appraiser’s Office. The city’s portion of the tax bill for a Maitland resident is approximately 25 percent of the total tax bill. The remaining 75 percent goes to Orange County Public Schools, Orange County, and the St. Johns River Water Management District.

Every year, city staff submits a budget and a budget message to the City Council, as outlined in the City’s Charter. Maitland’s fiscal year is Oct. 1 to Sept. 30.

The budget lists projected revenues and expenses of city government for fiscal year 2017. The budget also provides funding for the Capital Improvements Plan fiscal year 2017 – 2021.

The fiscal year 2017- 2021 Capital Improvements Program anticipates major capital expenditures completed by the city of Maitland over the next five years. These projects are physical assets constructed or purchased to provide, improve, or replace a public facility and are large in scale and high in cost.

The CIP projects with fiscal year 2017 funding – such as transportation, infrastructure, pavement, stormwater/lakes management, sanitary/sewer, and Parks & Recreation improvements – total $9.8 million. Additionally, city senior staff recommended the addition of eight positions in fiscal year 2017, including five police officers, a fire inspector, building inspector, and a fleet maintenance mechanic.

The projected cost of personnel, operations, replacement capital, contributions and CRA operating loans for fiscal year 2017 is $24.3 million. Fiscal year 2017 revenue, from 19 sources, is expected to total $24 million. General fund reserves of $341,000 will be used to balance the budget.

Water and sewer rates were increased as recommended in the fiscal year 2015 adopted utility rate study and will fund the operations, maintenance and infrastructure of the potable water, irrigation and sanitary sewer systems. The stormwater fee was set at $10.39 per equivalent residential unit (ERU) per month, a 6 percent increase over the fiscal year 2016 rate of $9.80 per ERU.

Additionally, the solid waste service rates and deposits for residential services remained unchanged, while commercial rates were adjusted slightly downward. The solid waste service rate for Maitland residents is $22.41. To view the rates, budget, and five-year CIP, visit itsmymaitland.com.

Reminder: Screen on the Green returns on Oct. 1

Screen on the Green returns to the Maitland Middle School Soccer Field on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. This month’s movie is “The Good Dinosaur.” Bring your blankets and chairs and we'll bring you the stars.

Lake Lily Park Playground reopens on Oct. 2

The Parks & Recreation Department will host a celebration for the Lake Lily Park Playground Reopening. The event will take place during the Maitland Farmers Market on Sunday, Oct. 2, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bring your market bags to pick up produce and pop on over to the celebration for balloon animals and face-painting.