Miami Lakes council favors a flat opening budget, debates use of $500,000 carryforward

Vice Mayor opened the Miami Lakes strategic planning budget workshop on April 7, 2026, and asked council members to provide guidance to staff on priorities for the initial FY2026-27 budget. No votes were taken at the session.

Several council members said the manager should present a budget that starts at a flat millage rate. “I expect that we should get a budget from the town manager of a flat rate,” Councilman Herzberg said, adding that last year’s millage increase and modest revenue changes make a flat opening reasonable. Councilman Fernandez backed that approach and said residents would appreciate holding the line on taxes.

The discussion focused on whether to count a roughly $500,000 carryforward from contingency as budgetary revenue or to preserve it as a reserve. One council member urged treating the carryforward as savings for extraordinary circumstances, saying it should not be counted as recurring revenue in the initial proposal. Others proposed conditional allocations — for example, earmarking a small percentage of projected carryforward that can only be spent after audit confirmation.

Manager cautioned against relying on one-time transfers for recurring expenses and recommended matching recurring revenues to recurring expenses. “We shouldn’t every year be nickel and diming from different places that are one-time shots because at some point we will exhaust those one-time opportunities,” the manager said, urging the council to use carryforward funds primarily for one-time or midyear items.

Council members also directed staff to prioritize existing infrastructure and parks maintenance. Several members advocated a piecemeal approach to Optimus Park repairs rather than one large capital project: “Instead of trying to make perfection the enemy of the good, I think we need to start piecemealing this,” one councilor said, urging the council to focus on backstops and immediate fixes.

Police services remained a top funding priority for the council. Multiple councilors said they want staffing levels reviewed and raised the possibility of adding officers if the budget allows. Staff reiterated that procurement processes and contract terms determine how police costs are calculated and that procurement matters are handled separately from the budget.

Council members asked staff to provide accessible budget materials early in the process, including an Excel version or a view-only link so councilors can download snapshots and begin their review. Staff agreed to share dynamic snapshots and noted that documents will reflect the date they are produced.

Next steps: Staff will prepare the initial budget using the council’s guidance (a flat starting millage, emphasis on parks and safety, and options for conditional carryforward allocations). The manager and budget director will return with formal budget documents for review in subsequent budget hearings; no formal action was taken at the April 7 workshop.