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Neptune Beach council adopts tentative millage and budget, approves development permits and personnel agreements
Summary
On Sept. 3, 2025, Neptune Beach City Council unanimously adopted the tentative millage rate and the proposed FY2025–26 budget, approved a development plan and related variances for 1112 Third Street, enacted an ordinance authorizing future municipal nonprofit entities, ratified a labor MOU, and approved the city clerk's employment agreement.
Neptune Beach '1 City Council on Sept. 3 adopted a package of fiscal and land-use measures and approved two personnel-related agreements.
The council approved Ordinance 2025-12 setting a tentative millage rate of 3.3656 mills (the TRIM notice lists a rolled-back rate of 3.1934 mills and indicates the 3.3656 rate reflects a 5.39% increase over the rolled-back rate). No members of the public spoke during the millage hearing; council stated the rate has been consistent with prior years. The council also approved Ordinance 2025-13 on first reading to adopt the proposed budget for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2025.
Councilors then considered land-use matters tied to 1102 and 1112 Third Street. The body voted to recommend approval of variance V25-05 (front-yard setback relief), special exception SE25-01 (shared off-site parking), and preliminary development plan DP25-01 to permit a ~27,346-square-foot two-story office building with 74 total parking spaces (54 on-site and 20 shared right-of-way spaces). Staff recommended approval, the Community Development Board had unanimously recommended approval, and the council voted in favor on each item.
Separately, the council approved Ordinance 2025-15 on first reading to add a code section enabling the city to create nonprofit entities in the future. City Attorney Waters said the ordinance does not create any nonprofit but establishes requirements (Florida ethics, public records, sunshine, board residency, and that the nonprofit president be a council member).
On labor and personnel matters, council authorized the city to enter a memorandum of understanding with the city's public-employee bargaining unit (noted in the packet as "Northeast [transcription]") that implements a 3.5% cost-of-living adjustment and clarifies storm-duty pay. The council also approved an employment agreement with City Clerk Catherine Ponson; discussion noted 35 days of leave with the ability to cash out two weeks and that the clerk is among a small number of certified clerks in the state.
All recorded roll-call votes reported in the meeting were affirmative for the items above; Councilor Messenger was listed absent for the meeting.
Votes at a glance - Ordinance 2025-12 (tentative millage rate, first reading/public hearing): approved (unanimous; Councilors Rogers, Horvath, Vice Mayor Livingston and Mayor Bynum recorded "yes"). - Ordinance 2025-13 (proposed budget, first reading/public hearing): approved (unanimous). - V25-05 (variance, 1102 & 1112 Third Street): recommended approved (unanimous). - SE25-01 (special exception for off-site parking): recommended approved (unanimous). - DP25-01 (preliminary development plan): recommended approved (unanimous). - Ordinance 2025-15 (authority to create nonprofit entities, first reading): approved (unanimous). - MOU with public-employee unit (cost-of-living adjustment, storm pay housekeeping): authorized (unanimous). - Employment agreement with City Clerk Catherine Ponson: approved (unanimous).
The council concluded with no further council comments and adjourned the meeting.
