Jupiter Inlet Colony managers present $4.7 million budget; commission schedules September hearings

Town officials presented highlights of a proposed $4.7 million budget for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1 and scheduled two public budget hearings in September.

The town manager (speaker 5) said the budget projects $4,700,000 in revenue assuming a 97% collection rate and contemplated expenditures of about $4,400,000, leaving roughly $295,000 to add to town reserves. The plan keeps the previously approved 5.56 millage rate. The manager warned that if the undergrounding loan is called before assessment collections, reserves could be used as a temporary bridge; the exact timing of any bank action was not specified in the meeting record.

Personnel costs in the proposal include targeted pay increases for patrol officers (a range of percentage increases described in the presentation), a 5% cost-of-living adjustment for other employees, and one additional full-time police officer. The manager said portions of some staff salaries (for example, the resident services coordinator and staff who administer building permits) will be paid from building permit fee revenue as allowed under the Florida building code and local practice.

Commissioners also discussed collections and the town’s audited reserves. One commissioner (speaker 6) reported a list of about $531,000 in uncollected building-permit fees and offered to share the detail with staff. The commission scheduled the first budget hearing for Sept. 8 at 6 p.m. and a second hearing for Sept. 15 at 6 p.m.; auditors and attorney presentations are planned for the Sept. 8 meeting.

No budget adoption occurred at this meeting; commissioners noted the ability to amend the budget midyear or at the end of the fiscal year if necessary.