- September 7, 2024
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As the city of Ormond Beach continues to plan for next fiscal year’s budget, taxpayers should expect to see an increase on their upcoming property taxes.
On Tuesday, July 23, the Ormond Beach City Commission voted unanimously to set a tentative millage rate of 4.1610 — or $4.1610 per $1,000 in taxable property value. The proposed rate is 3.87% higher than last year’s rate of 4.0060 mills and 12.82% above the rollback rate, or the rate that would generate the same amount of tax revenues as last year’s rate.
The average homesteaded resident with a taxable property value of $250,000 will see an increase of $62.21 on their tax bill, based on the proposed millage rate, according to the city’s presentation.
The first public hearing of the proposed tax rate will be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 4, and the final hearing is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 18.
So why the tax rate increase?
Prior to the vote at its meeting Tuesday, the commission held a workshop to discuss its $130.78 million budget, which is 8.87% higher than last year’s budget of $120.11 million.
Among the notable projects included in this year’s budget is the purchase of nine police vehicles; an enhanced fire hydrant inspection program and replacement of brush gear; the reconstruction of the Ormond Beach Sports Complex softball field; a new telephone communications system at City Hall to replace its current system that dates back to the ‘80s; the purchase of new playground equipment at Fire Station 91; and the reconstruction of the fishing pier at Sanchez Park.
Initially, the city was proposing a millage rate of 3.9910 — which was .37% less than the current rate while being 8.14% above the rollback rate — but the commission opted to add 0.1700 mills to the rate to help fund 12 new staff positions at the city.
Mayor Bill Partington said at the workshop that he hadn’t heard residents cite a need for more staffing, but Commissioner Harold Briley said he had — in police, fire and also Leisure Services, which accounts for six of the 12 requested positions.
“Some of our residents feel there’s a deterioration on our fields, they’re not being kept up properly,” Briley said.
Commissioner Lori Tolland said staffing levels are still below what they were in 2005. In 2005, the city employed 373 people; last year, it employed 365.
If a city department head suggested a position was needed, she said she trusted in that.
The commission is also considering helping to fund the new school for the PACE Center for Girls; they asked staff to set $100,000 aside next year from reserves, with another $100,000 the following year.
Staff also asked the commission if they wished to fund a new “Championship Stadium” project for Seabreeze that may be pursued by the Volusia County School Board with leftover funds from the Tomoka Elementary rebuild, but commissioners said they needed more information before committing the suggested $1 million.
The School Board has not been a great partner with the city, Partington said.
“So I’m reluctant to vote on something with absolutely no hard facts or details,” Partington said.
In response to a poll that has been floating on social media — one that asks citizens if they'd prefer condos on the tennis courts by The Casements instead of the courts — City Commissioner Travis Sargent assured residents at the commission meeting Tuesday that this has never been in discussion.
The poll was posted by Zone 3 City Commission candidate Barbara Bonarrigo on her campaign Facebook page.
Sargent said that in June 2023, the Leisure Services Advisory Board (on which Bonarrigo serves) unanimously voted to recommend the city pursue an ECHO grant to upgrade the lighting and build a standalone restroom the site.
The city has yet to formally apply for that ECHO grant, choosing to submit other Leisure Services projects instead.
"I want to assure the residents in Zone 2 and all of our community that I would never entertain selling that property — Never," Sargent said.
The Ormond Beach Performing Arts Center — which closed in March after a fire — could reopen sometime in November or December of this year, City Manager Joyce Shanahan told the commission at its meeting on Tuesday.
The fire at the PAC occurred less than a month after the city reopened the theater, following a $1.7 million renovation over 18 months of construction.
Come fall, Ormond’s downtown will get an arts boost: Bronze sculptures by artist Seward Johnson.
The Ormond Beach Arts District is bringing 13 sculptures to town, having raised $52,000 for the effort, Board President Julia Truilo said. In May, the commission agreed to sponsor two sculptures within the tour, a cost of $8,000.
The tour will run from Nov. 1 to May 1, 2025.
“This brings economic development to our city,” Commissioner Susan Persis said. “It is so exciting. It improves our beautification in our city and our quality of life, which is the cornerstone of Ormond MainStreet’s mission.”
Three new members will now serve on different boards.
Commissioner Travis Sargent was also selected as the voting delegate for the Florida League of Cities.
The Ormond Beach Commission unanimously approved the undergrounding of utilities at the intersection of North Halifax Drive and East Granada Boulevard at its meeting on Tuesday, July 23.
The commission approved a $238,467 agreement with Florida Power and Light and a $46,376.12 agreement with AT&T for the projects, which are part of the Downtown East Granada Utility Undergrounding project. The funding is coming from the city’s Community Redevelopment Tax Increment Financing fund.
The city estimates the project will be complete by the end of 2025.
