Solid-waste fund proposes 5% rate increase; FEMA and arts funding noted, cemetery management cost question raised

Brandy (staff member and budget presenter) told the commission the solid-waste fund is proposing a 5% rate increase for FY26, citing increased personnel costs, higher landfill tipping fees and other operating-cost pressures. "Solid waste rates are proposed to go up 5%... due to increased personnel costs. Tipping fees have gone up," Brandy said.

Staff said the solid-waste cash position is temporarily down pending about $750,000 in FEMA reimbursements tied to Hurricane Milton; controller sign-off remains the last step before payment is received. Brandy told the commission staff expects the FEMA money "any day" and that the city has been following up with FEMA.

The presentation noted an adjustment to revenues because staff added $20,000 in civic arts festival funding that is paid from the solid-waste fund. That adjustment changed figures in the budget book, Brandy said, and she showed the revised civic-funding payout table.

During the solid-waste discussion a commissioner asked whether staff could provide a preliminary estimate for the cost of managing the city's cemeteries before the budget is finalized on Oct. 1. Brandy said the cemetery portfolio is "like 13" — meaning about 13 sites — and that managing them would require more than one full-time equivalent, possibly "a couple full time employees," based on the brief exchange in the workshop. The commission did not adopt any rate change at the workshop; the 5% increase is a staff proposal that could return for formal action.