Council approves split of strategic-plan contract to balance budget

The Mexico Beach City Council voted to split the strategic-plan contract with North Florida Professional Services across two fiscal years in order to balance the operating budget. Council member (speaker S6) moved that the strategic-plan cost (motion language referenced $108,461) be split; the motion was seconded and approved unanimously by roll call.

The split follows staff analysis that the city faced about an $81,000 deficit absent changes and that moving half of the $186,000 contract would improve the budget by roughly $13,000, which staff recommended placing in a capital reserve. "If we do that, then it ... puts our budget about 13,000 to the good," a staff member (S4) said during the workshop. Mayor Wolf noted the change would let the budget get into balance: "We can get in balance," he said. Council did not yet finalize how the consultant work will be procured beyond the split; the council agreed staff will proceed with bookkeeping updates and present the updated budget by email.