Avon Park council sets tentative trim notice at 6.5 mills; approves pay and staffing proposals in budget workshop

Avon Park’s city council on Saturday moved the first steps of a draft FY27 budget, setting a preliminary trim notice at 6.5 mills and agreeing to a set of personnel and compensation proposals intended to preserve services while building reserves. Deputy Mayor Bernard moved the trim‑notice motion and Council member McGuire seconded it; the motion passed on a roll call with Mayor Anderson, Deputy Mayor Bernard, Council member McGuire and Council member Taylor recorded as voting yes.

The city’s budget presenter, Danielle, told the council staff modeled the budget on a 6‑mill baseline and recommended a 3% cost‑of‑living adjustment (COLA) across eligible non‑union salary grades, plus targeted merit increases for certain professional positions. "If council approves the 3% COLA, the grade and step table will all be adjusted to incorporate that 3%," Danielle said during the presentation. She also recommended modest certification‑pay bumps (from $200 to $250 annually for required certificates) and proposed reviving an employee sick‑time buyback program estimated to cost about $94,000 across funds.

Why it matters: Staff said the package aims to help recruit and retain employees without raising the millage rate, while adding about $72,100 to city reserves under the baseline projection. Danielle told the council the projections include a 15% health‑insurance increase, a 6% placeholder for the sheriff’s contract, and a 32% estimate for property and liability insurance increases.

Personnel reallocations were a central part of the discussion. Staff proposed reclassifying one filled position into an inventory/utility role, contracting out narrow right‑of‑way work and eliminating two redundant positions — changes staff estimated would save roughly $170,000. Council and staff repeatedly stressed that reallocating positions does not mean immediate layoffs; the manager said the adjustments reflect where duties best fit across funds.

Cert pay and buyback drew questions from council members and residents about eligibility and precedent. Denise, who explained certification‑pay rules, said the annual stipend is tied to a job’s written requirements and that the city will sometimes require reimbursement agreements if it pays for training.

Public comments during the workshop were generally supportive of the employee measures. Resident Brenda Grama said she was pleased the buyback was being reintroduced: "They used to have that a long time ago, and I'm glad you're bringing that back because the employees really like that," she said.

What’s next: The council’s vote on the trim notice commits the city to publish a tentative rate for tax notices; the final millage will be set later in the budget‑adoption process. Staff said they will return with any technical adjustments and a proposed internal loan if the council decides to finance a sanitation truck through the general fund (discussed elsewhere in the workshop).