New Smyrna Beach sets tentative 4.637-mill rate and tentatively adopts $136.9M budget amid staffing and stormwater debate

The New Smyrna Beach City Commission on Sept. 11 tentatively set a citywide operating millage of 4.6370 mills (0.0895 mills for debt service, a combined rate the budget packet lists as 4.7265 mills) and moved forward with a tentative fiscal 2024–25 operating budget of $136,917,060 after a public hearing and extended discussion of staffing, compensation and stormwater funding.

Finance director Shaili Debola presented the tentative figures and a 10-year capital plan, saying, “So for our tentative citywide millage, we're proposing 4Point6370 for operating for debt service, Point0895 to give us a total of 4.7265.” She told commissioners the package includes $3.2 million for capital equipment, $29,000,000 for capital outlay and about 10.5 new positions (10 firefighters and a 0.5 FTE in human resources), and that departments returned some funds to help balance the overall request.

Why it matters: the tentative millage and budget set the city’s fiscal direction for the coming year and advance items to required second readings and public hearings. Commissioners used the hearing to press staff for more data on staffing trends, the composition of compensation increases and on the pace and funding of major capital projects such as stormwater work on the Historic West Side.

Public concerns and staff response

Resident Karen Gallino told the commission she recently received a 2025 tax bill that “it's gone up 1000 dollars” and asked staff to investigate and follow up; city staff accepted her contact information and said they would look into the grievance. A second public commenter who identified himself as an engineer urged better on-site monitoring of developer work (calling it "con ops" and "situational awareness"). Cindy Sneezak requested that future budget materials include five- to six-year trend charts showing population versus staff and compensation to make long-term staffing growth easier to evaluate.

Commissioner questioning and staff explanations

Commissioners repeatedly returned to staffing and pay. One commissioner pressed whether the 10 new employees were firefighters and whether ambulance fees would offset the added cost; Commissioner Martin (during the hearing) said, “The the increase in employees, the 10 specifically are firefighters, that's, for improved ambulatory services,” and staff said ambulance billing and insurance should help cover the positions over time.

Commissioners also questioned why the city appears to have more full-time legal staff than some nearby cities. City legal staff and the city manager said the in-house attorneys provide immediate, day-to-day support across departments and that outside counsel is still used for specialized matters; the city attorney noted that similarly sized cities often use retained outside counsel whose firm staff do significant work offsite.

Stormwater projects and capital timing

Several commissioners pressed staff about apparent decreases in stormwater budget lines even as project estimates have risen. The capital projects manager said the line-item decreases reflect carryover/encumbrance accounting — the figures show how much new money the city must budget this fiscal year, not total project costs — and gave the current estimate for the Historic West Side stormwater project as roughly $5.5 million while explaining that about $200,000 was being carried forward.

Votes at a glance

- Ordinance 54-24 (Utilities Commission annual budget) — moved, seconded and approved on first reading (roll call: all voting yes). Second reading and public hearing scheduled for 09/24/2024. - Resolution 60-24 (tentative general-fund millage 4.6370 mills) — approved on a 3–2 roll call vote. - Resolution 61-24 (INS 2018 debt-service levy 0.0990 mills) — approved unanimously on roll call. - Resolution 62-24 (tentative city budget for FY 2024–25) — approved on a 3–2 roll call vote. - Resolution 63-24 (stormwater non–ad valorem special assessment, advertised at $8.667/month, about $104/year) — approved on roll call; several commissioners asked staff to study a higher rate and the ordinance steps necessary to increase it next year.

What’s next

All tentative actions proceed to required second readings and advertised final hearings; the utilities ordinance's second reading is set for Sept. 24, 2024. Staff agreed to provide follow-up detail requested at the hearing, including: a multi‑year trend of population vs. staff/compensation, a breakdown of the 10 non-reclass hires, updated parking-ticket collection figures, and additional estimates and timelines for stormwater projects.

The commission adjourned after thanking staff for the budget work.