Melbourne Beach commission adopts tentative 4.6-mill rate and $5.29 million budget; funds stormwater and three paid fire officers

The Melbourne Beach Town Commission on Tuesday adopted a tentative operating millage rate of 4.6 mills and a tentative budget of $5,293,520, measures that commissioners said will fund stormwater projects and add three paid fire officer positions to the town’s fire department.

Mayor Allison Dennington said she would vote for the budget despite the tax increase, citing immediate needs in public safety and stormwater: "I will be voting for this budget, which includes a tax increase... it will increase public safety services," Dennington said during debate.

Town Manager Elizabeth Mascaro walked commissioners through the line-by-line updates the commission approved at a prior meeting, describing the changes as “the updates that were all agreed upon by the commission at the meeting on Monday night.” Those changes reallocated departmental payroll and capital dollars into a new stormwater fund (Fund 341) and added personnel and contingency items for the fire department.

Key changes described by Mascaro and staff include transfers and line adjustments: removal of a finance clerk position and the associated payroll and benefit costs (approximately $89,002.42 moved into stormwater), transfer of $50,000 from planned police capital for stormwater, a $30,000 reduction in contingency combined with $100,000 from long‑term capital (totaling $130,000 into stormwater), a $75,000 transfer from the Reichman Park special fund (reduced playground equipment allocation from $50,000 to $25,000, with $25,000 moved to stormwater), and supporting capital outlay entries for boat ramps/seawalls (capital outlay total $86,001.84 on the stormwater fund support sheet). Mascaro also identified a line showing a possible loan from reserves of $188,780 to support fire-department additions if the commission chooses to authorize that transfer.

The budget adds three paid fire officers and associated payroll; Mascaro clarified the fire-salary coding and said the three officer positions are reflected in the payroll lines. Commissioners also discussed grant and donation offsets referenced by Fire Chief Gavin Brown (including a $10,000 departmental donation noted in the packet). Commissioners asked staff about pending FEMA reimbursements for prior storms; finance reported amounts are shown as receivables and have not been recognized as current revenue.

Commissioners discussed alternatives for stormwater construction bids. The commission reviewed that three bids were received for a multi‑phase stormwater project; two bidders provided prices scoped to phase 1 and one bidder’s package covered both phase 1 and phase 2 (including swale work). Commissioners and staff said the larger bid covered additional scope items and that bid review will continue in a subsequent meeting.

Several members of the public spoke at the hearing. Speakers included residents who urged support for paid firefighters and residents who urged alternatives, including exploring outside service arrangements. Public commenters repeatedly framed the budget trade-offs in terms of household impacts and long‑term service levels.

Votes at a glance

- Resolution 2025‑12 (tentative levying of ad valorem taxes): motion to adopt the tentative operating millage rate at 4.6 mills and a tentative debt-service rate at 0.091 mills. Roll-call vote: Mayor Allison Dennington — Yes; Vice Mayor Don Barlow — Yes; Commissioner Robert Baldwin — Yes; Commissioner Anna Butler — Yes; Commissioner Tim Reed — No. Outcome: passed 4–1.

- Resolution 2025‑13 (tentative budget for FY 2025–26, $5,293,520): Roll-call vote: Mayor Allison Dennington — Yes; Vice Mayor Don Barlow — Yes; Commissioner Robert Baldwin — Yes; Commissioner Anna Butler — Yes; Commissioner Tim Reed — No. Outcome: passed 4–1.

What the actions mean

The adopted millage and tentative budget are preliminary (the town used the public‑hearing process required for tentative levy and budget adoption). Staff and commissioners said multiple transfers and program adjustments were made to consolidate stormwater funding and to create a staffing solution that adds three paid fire officers and related payroll while removing or reducing other positions and capital items. Commissioners said data collected under the new staffing and accounting structure will inform future choices about permanent funding or voter measures.

Next steps and context

Both measures are tentative and part of the public‑hearing process; the commission may return for final budget and millage adoption as required by state law. Commissioners also scheduled follow‑up work on bid details for stormwater projects and a special meeting to review RFQs for contract building‑official services after the town’s building official resigned. Finance staff said FEMA reimbursements remain under review and are not yet booked as current revenue.