Gadsden County commissioners approve tentative budget, set 9.5‑mill cap and send budget to public hearing

Gadsden County commissioners voted to approve a tentative fiscal year budget and a 9.5‑mill tentative millage cap to be published for a public hearing on Sept. 15, 2025, after extended debate over staff pay increases, outside contracts and service priorities.

The county’s interim administrator framed the draft as fiscally conservative but targeted to maintain or improve emergency services, public works and economic development. “My style is a fiscal conservative,” the interim county administrator said, outlining proposed cuts and priorities and noting that some non‑discretionary costs such as Florida Retirement System (FRS) contributions and insurance remained in the draft.

Why it matters: the tentative budget sets the county's cap and is the version that will be noticed to taxpayers and reviewed in a formal public hearing; commissioners can still change personnel and program funding before the final adoption but must publish the tentative millage and budget in accordance with the TRIM/notice schedule.

Most important facts

- The board voted to approve a tentative budget and a tentative millage cap of 9.5 mills and to publish that budget for the Sept. 15 public hearing. The motion passed by voice vote as recorded by the chair.

- Commissioners and the interim administrator discussed a range of cost‑cutting measures the administrator said were needed to address a tight year: reducing the county vehicle fleet, rebidding insurance, and reviewing outside contracts. The interim administrator said the county’s fleet and related insurance/maintenance currently cost roughly $750,000 annually and proposed stopping purchases of additional high‑end SUVs to save money.

- A proposed second phase of pay increases for staff (referred to as “phase 2”) was a central point of debate. Staff said phase 2 would affect roughly 40–45 employees and would cost about $134,000 if implemented; several commissioners urged that the county honor a prior commitment to bring the remaining employees up in the second phase. At least one commissioner said she had asked that those 15–16 employees be included in the tentative budget packet.

- The county’s public information/marketing expenditures drew scrutiny. The interim administrator pointed to a public information budget of “over half a million dollars” and singled out a vendor contract (referred to in the packet as Media4) that the administrator said was paid roughly $30,000–$45,000 in several months and recommended terminating a $204,000 engagement; the board’s attorney noted the county has two existing contracts the board previously approved (one described in the record as a three‑year, $450,000 commitment) and said termination should be agendized for a subsequent meeting.

- Emergency medical services (EMS) and corrections staffing were also flagged. The presentation included proposals to increase EMS staffing and related equipment; staff said EMS currently operates substantially short‑staffed and that adding planned staffing would add several hundred thousand dollars to the budget (at points staff referenced figures in the range of several hundred thousand up to about $1.7 million depending on the option under consideration). County jail leadership asked for higher starting pay for correctional officers (a figure discussed in the meeting was moving a $35,000 base toward $41,000 plus insurance) and offered to provide detailed line‑item numbers to commissioners.

Discussion, public comment and next steps

During the public comment period, residents urged restraint in the millage and asked the board to hold the line or reduce the proposed rate. Cathy Farr, a resident of Middle Creek Road outside Quincy, urged a lower millage and proposed 8.75 mills, saying the county already shows a lower computed rollback rate on the notice form and that assessed values have risen. “Put the mill rate lower, give everyone a break,” Farr said. Her husband, William Farr, added that retirees on fixed incomes were particularly vulnerable and suggested alternatives such as increasing sales tax to shift some burden.

Commissioners and staff repeatedly emphasized that the tentative vote tonight does not finalize salaries or benefits; it publishes a starting point that will be debated at the Sept. 15 public hearing and can be amended before final adoption. The county attorney reminded the board that the published tentative budget is nonbinding and that the board may make changes before final adoption as long as public‑notice requirements are met.

The board directed staff to provide detailed backup for outstanding items before the public hearing: full cost breakout for the proposed phase 2 raises; line‑item numbers for jail‑related pay proposals; documentation on the media/marketing contracts and monthly payments; and estimated savings from proposed vehicle reductions and rebidding insurance. Staff said those documents would be provided in the next packet so commissioners could vote up or down on any changes at or before the public hearing.

Votes at a glance

- Motion: Approve the tentative budget for publication and set the tentative millage cap at 9.5 mills; send the tentative budget to public hearing on Sept. 15, 2025. - Mover: not specified in the record - Second: not specified in the record - Outcome: approved (voice vote as recorded by the chair) - Tally (as recorded during the meeting): yes 5, no 0 - Notes: the chair recorded a voice vote in favor; several commissioners requested additional documentation and said they retained the option to amend the budget at the Sept. 15 public hearing.

What remains unresolved

Commissioners asked for clearer documentation on which employees were included in prior pay actions, which remaining employees would be covered by a potential phase 2, the precise annualized cost for EMS staffing options, and whether the county can or should terminate or renegotiate the contracts with the county’s outside marketing/PR vendor(s). Those items and any recommended contract terminations will be placed on a future agenda for formal action.

Closing note

The tentative budget and millage will be the subject of a public hearing on Sept. 15, 2025, where the board will take public comment and may adjust the millage and budget before final adoption.