Gulf County adopts $167.7 million budget, sets county millage at 5.6 mills; library funding shortfall raised

Gulf County commissioners on Sept. 16 adopted a $167,710,430 final budget for fiscal year 2025–26 and set the countywide operating millage at 5.6 mills, with an aggregate tentative millage of 5.9851 mills — 2.02% above the rolled‑back rate the county published for the public hearing.

The action came after staff outlined line‑item adjustments to the tentative budget and after a public comment urging the county to restore requested library funding. The board adopted four resolutions — countywide millage and budget and final millage and budgets for four dependent fire control districts — by unanimous roll call votes.

The budget matters because the adopted millage and appropriations determine local property tax collections and fund public safety, jail operations, EMS, employee pay adjustments and capital projects. Sherry Herring, speaking for county budget staff, said the tentative aggregate millage rate is 5.9851 mills, “which is 2.02% greater than the current year aggregate rollback rate of 5.8665.”

Most of the adopted budget is funded by grants, state shared revenues and other non‑ad valorem sources; county staff said less than 14% of the $167.7 million total will be covered by local ad valorem taxes. Staff and commissioners emphasized that recent years’ millage reductions and falling permit revenues mean the county may have less flexibility in coming years.

Staff requested and the board approved several specific adjustments to the tentative budget before adopting it: an increase of $908 to Fund 108 (Overstreet Fire Control District); $3,000 to Fund 109 (Howard Creek Fire Control District); $175,920 to Fund 111 (EMS grant fund); $7,500,000 net increase to Fund 114 (general grants fund, largely reflecting a breakwater/underwater structures project); $600,000 to Fund 124 (hospital fund); and a $35,245 increase to Fund 203 (Gas Tax debt service fund). Herring said many of these are revised revenue estimates tied to grant awards and project timing, and she asked the board to permit in‑fund line‑item adjustments before publishing the final budget book so personnel changes, contracts and state estimate revisions can be incorporated without changing total fund or ad valorem totals.

The board voted 5–0 to approve the staff recommended changes and then adopted the four resolutions by roll call. The county read the resolutions into the record, referencing compliance with Florida Statute 200.065 (Truth in Millage) and certified gross taxable value for operating purposes of $3,973,284,227 as provided by the county property appraiser. The board set the countywide operating millage at 5.6 mills and the aggregate millage at 5.9851 mills, and set dependent fire control district millages at 0.5 mills each for St. Joe, Tupelo, Overstreet and Howard Creek.

During public comment, Skid Marlin, identifying himself as a Gulf County resident and representative of the Friends of the Library, asked commissioners to restore library funding the Northwest Regional Library System had requested. Marlin told the board the proposed budget leaves a $32,590 shortfall versus the amount requested by the regional system and county guidelines and warned that without that money “we’re going to lose probably two of our eight‑hour shifts” that currently keep weekend hours open. He said Port St. Joe library attendance is up about 25% and the Wewa/Hitchcock library up about 19% since 2023, and argued inadequate funding would hurt children and other users.

Herring told commissioners the cities’ contributions listed in the library request showed an estimated $8,000 from the city of Port St. Joe and $5,000 from the other municipal partner named in the materials. Commissioners discussed the state funding reductions noted by the speaker and staff, saying the county has increased its library appropriation in recent years to mitigate statewide cuts but that grants and cash carryforward have enabled other budgeting choices.

County Administrator and budget staff were praised by commissioners for securing large grant awards, including what staff described as roughly $10 million obtained for a breakwater/underwater structures project in Tallahassee; staff said much of the $7.5 million net increase in Fund 114 reflects those grant proceeds and timing adjustments. Several commissioners cautioned that state revenue forecasts and falling building permits suggest next fiscal year may be tighter and advised prudence in spending and planning.

Formal actions recorded in the meeting included: unanimous approval of staff requested tentative budget adjustments; unanimous adoption by roll call of the countywide millage resolution; unanimous adoption by roll call of the countywide final budget; unanimous adoption by roll call of dependent fire control district millage rates (0.5 mills each); and unanimous adoption by roll call of the dependent fire control districts’ final budget. The resolutions took effect immediately upon adoption per the language read into the record.

The board closed the hearing after the roll calls. Commissioners said the final budget book will be updated for line‑item adjustments staff is authorized to make before final publication and that staff will continue to monitor state estimates and permit trends as they prepare next year’s budget cycle.