Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/170820
Sarasota News Leader September 13, 2013 Page 16 Botelho also said that at the end of FY 2012, the economic uncertainty reserve fund. "This when the board last certified its reserve poli- is good positive debate," he said. cy, the county had about $165 million in all its Robinson reiterated her point that county adreserve funds. ministration should have been showing the Robinson reiterated that the county should commissioners all along what the impact on not be dipping into its economic uncertainty reserves would be. "It should be inherent that reserve pot to balance the budget. Moreover, we don't have a budget in front of us that goes she said, staff should have made clear what over the projected [revenue] growth." type of future budget impact would result Patterson countered that such budget updates from each funding decision the board made "would have come to us … in one of our disafter the start of the current fiscal year. cussions. … I don't think we can cast blame The commissioners should not have to ask for on anything." charts explaining the scenarios, she added. County Administrator Randall Reid said he "It would be different if we were doing this felt he and the Financial Planning staff had strategically," Robinson said, "but we're not." presented the budget material in a responsible manner. "I understand rhetoric, and I under"I agree that we need to be conservative," Patstand conversations also," he said, adding that terson replied. Nonetheless, "This board got he earlier had suggested the commissioners fed up with the reductions of maintenance start focusing on a two-year budget cycle to of our sports fields, and this board asked plan spending more effectively. for the staff to come back with a plan to increase the maintenance and, in fact, go be- "Mr. Reid, did I just hear you call our deciyond well-maintained fields to fields that are sions 'rhetoric'?" Robinson asked. capable of holding tournaments," Patterson "I deal in facts," he replied. "I used the words continued. "That was this board's decision, 'rhetoric' and 'discussion.'" and this board decided it was logical to bring some staff back aboard to handle the mowing. "That's not appropriate for a healthy board … I disagree completely that we have done discussion," Robinson told him. this without responsible planning." "Then I apologize," Reid said, adding that beShe added, "And I think we're going to end cause she had referred to the administration, up just fine. I just think we need to be really that did not mean just him. He pointed out cautious." that staff from the Office of Financial Planning was present at the table with him. Hines agreed with Robinson that the commission needed to see models showing how After briefly turning again to a discussion of future budget amendments and unexpected the reserve funds, Hines said, "Going forward, contract changes — such as those for mowing I think our budgeting is going to have to be — would affect the timing for the depletion of what's more realistic." %