Okay, I'm going to go ahead and reconvene the meeting at 501. We've got a series of public hearings. Before we get to that, we're going to hear from the manager with her budget message. Ms. Lieberman, you had Mr. Crosby in an afternoon full of budget talks, so you had a good fill-in today. And welcome back tonight. So you are recognized. Thank you, Mr. Chair, commissioners. Michelle Lieberman, your Alachua County manager. And we are about to turn over officially to you the budget book. We gave it to you last week, so you've had a little bit of time to preview that. We always know that you so much enjoy your commission summer break with a large, very large volume of material. You always send us away with our reading assignments. Not only a break. Reading assignments, yeah. With numbers. Tome. Yes, to read. That's it. But so as required by Florida law, I submit to you the balanced fiscal year 27 tentative budget. It reflects Alachua County's commitment to fiscal responsibility, essential public services, and careful stewardship of taxpayer resources. Each year, I give the budget a theme, and this year's theme for the budget is Strong Foundations, Uncertain Horizon. It reflects the county's financial strength today and the uncertain environment in which this budget was developed. This budget continues to build on our strong foundations. I know you had the act for today, so you got to hear some of that. The recommended general fund property tax millage rate is the rollback rate of 7.2107 mills, which is reduced from 7.6 mills. This continues a 10-year pattern of general fund millage reductions and marks the third rollback rate in that period. This recommendation reflects the discipline that has helped the county enter fiscal year 27 with sound finances, operational stability, and the flexibility to protect the poor services. For the current law enforcement municipal services taxing unit, the MSTU, I recommend maintaining the property tax millage rate of 3.5678 mills. This recommendation reflects the importance of maintaining a strong public safety system by continuing to support the operational needs of law enforcement. The fiscal year 27 tentative budget maintains supports for this and other essential services residents depend on every day. Public safety and transportation infrastructure remain the county's largest investments, with more than $343 million dedicated to these critical services. The budget also supports housing, social services, environmental protection, land conservation, parks, recreation, economic development, and programs that strengthen our quality of life. Although property tax revenues represent approximately 23% of the county's total budget, they provide much of the reoccurring revenue that supports the general fund. The general fund is the primary lawfully available funding source for many of the county's legal obligations and for many of the services expected by our residents. As a result, changes to recurring general fund revenues cannot be measured simply as a percentage of the overall budget. They directly affect the county's ability to fund those obligations and maintain those services. While the county's financial foundation remains strong, the uncertain horizon before us is shaped by the proposed Constitutional Amendment 3 concerning homestead exemptions, ongoing legislative discussions regarding broader property tax reform, and the enactment of Senate Bill 4F. Senate Bill 4F, which became law on June 24, 2026, establishes the rollback rate as the maximum millage rate that may be adopted by a simple majority vote, beginning with this budget cycle. The rollback rate is the millage rate necessary to generate the same property tax revenue from existing taxable property as the previous year. Revenue generated by new growth is calculated separately. Higher millage rates remain authorized under Florida law, but require supermajority or unanimous approval, depending on the rate proposed. The recommendations in this budget were developed before Senate Bill 4F became law and reflect the county's longstanding commitment to responsible financial stewardship, thoughtful long-term planning, and investment in the community our residents value. Against this backdrop, the fiscal year 27 tentative budget takes a measured approach to new general fund obligations. In many respects, it is a continuation budget. It maintains current service levels, limits recurring general fund growth, and focuses on positions critical to providing essential services. Authorized projects and contracts continue to move forward. Where practical, this budget avoids significant new recurring obligations. While we cannot predict the future, this approach preserves the Board's ability to respond thoughtfully to changing conditions. It reflects a disciplined and measured approach to governing through fiscal uncertainty. It preserves our longstanding commitment, as I said, to responsible financial stewardship and maintaining your flexibility. At the same time, it does continue to invest in the essential services that our residents rely upon and remains aligned with your board and the county's mission, vision, values, and your strategic priorities. I appreciate your leadership and guidance through this process and look forward to continuing our work together to finalize the fiscal year 27 budget. And with that, I submit to you the fiscal year 27 budget. Thank you, Ms. Lieberman. I appreciate that very much. Commissioner, any comments before we get into our public hearings? I have a question. I have one quick question, and that is just, in tab, first of all, y'all picked up font that is so tiny. It's like 10-point font. But, like, I need glasses. I think it's less than that. In tab three, where we have all the performance measures, are those the new performance measures that the department's worked with Donna and her team on, or are these the old? Those are still, some are in process. Those are the ones we've been working on over time. We didn't have time to update the book for all the performance measures. Donna's been working with the team, and we'll have those finalized for the final budget go through it. Okay. So these are the old? Yes. Okay. Thank you. Yes, and, Commissioner Prizia, if the font were bigger, then the size would be thicker. I know. I'd rather that. I'd rather it be bigger and thicker, and I can see it. I'm trying to make it look like there's less to read. Yeah, I think last year or maybe the year before, we got two books. Remember? Yeah. Yeah, we got volume one and volume two. Michelle, and I think I say this a lot of years, really, Tommy, you guys get started in December, January, and you get to this point, and you've done all of this work, and then you give it to us, and you ask us not to screw it up, and we will certainly attempt not to. I know there's a lot of different priorities that are tugging at this budget, and we will certainly spend the break going through it and come back in August and be ready to go through an August of meetings as we go into our public hearings in September. So thank you all for getting us where you've gotten us today. We really appreciate it. And today, earlier during the audit, it was said, Michelle, a lot of times that OMB really just really feel really fortunate that we have an OMB department that works so closely with our clerk and works so closely with each of our department heads who have many, many demands and asks of them as we attempt to serve the public every year. With less money, less resources, and more efficiently. So thank you. All right, commissioners, if that's it, we'll go move into our public hearings. I just want to say, if I sleep with this under my pillow, Tommy, will it, like... Osmosis? You'll wake up with a crank in your neck. Yeah. Don't do that. All right. Okay, Mr. Clark, first one. Mr. Chair, fiscal year 2027, fire services initial assessment resolution and authorization to properly notice the public hearing. All right, the recommended action is to adopt the resolution, authorize staff to notice the public of the September 8th public hearing, set the rates for the fire analysis, ad valorem assessments, authorize the provision of the notice to affect property units on the notice of property taxes trim. And I went through all of the assessments are remaining the same. That is correct. So good presentation, Tommy. We've got a motion. Move recommended action. Second. And we've got a second. Is there any discussion? Any public discussion on the fire assessment remaining the same? Seeing none, back to the board. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Aye. All opposed. That motion is unanimous. Mr. Chair, up next is the fiscal year 2027 solid waste initial assessment resolution and authorization to properly notice the public hearing. Move staff recommendation. Okay. Thank you, Commissioner Alford. We've got a second by Commissioner Chestnut, which is to adopt the resolution, authorize staff to notice the public of September 8th. Public hearing, set the rates for the solid waste non-advalorem assessment, authorized provision of notice, affect the property owners of the trim. No change in that. Any discussion? Any public discussion? Back to the board. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? That motion is unanimous. Okay, Tommy, good presentation on that one. Next up, we have the stormwater. The recommended action is to adopt the resolution, authorize staff to notice the public on September 8th. Public hearing, set the rates for the stormwater non-advalorem assessment, and authorize the provision of notice to the affected property owners on the trim. Move staff recommendation. Second. Motion is second to keep that the same at $60. No change. Any discussion? Anyone from the public, would you just speak to this one? Back to the board. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Any opposed? That motion is unanimous. Mr. Clerk, next item. Next is a fiscal year 2027, Sugarfoot Oaks, Cedar Ridge, Special Assessment District. Initial assessment resolution and authorization of property. Notice the public hearing. Okay. Move recommended action. And I'd like to, could you, could we hear from the gentleman who's here from that group? We certainly can. I see him, I see him every year, and he's in the back. I'm just a big fan. We've got a motion to keep this the same at $10 per unit. Do I have a second on that one? Second. Two seconds. Yep. And thank you for being here. This is great to see you every year. Yeah, it is. What can I do? Just introduce yourself for the public and tell us how everything's going. Okay. My name is Chauncey Clark. I'm the chairperson of that committee. Things seem to be going pretty well. We work with your support, and we generate our own tax fund, and none of us are unsour. We're all volunteers. I think it's wonderful. Have you been able to share this with any of the other groups or organizations like yours? Well, I'm a member of the SWAG community also, and we fit inside their community, and we both work together. Gotcha. Well, you need to expand the idea because I think it's brilliant, and you've been able to make it work. And like I say, I've been a big fan of what you've been able to do out there under your leadership because I know that is you. 27 years. That's right. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Clark. Thank you, Mr. Carter. It's really a great example of a community taking control of their own destiny. All right. Any further discussion? Any public discussion? Back to the board. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Any opposed? That motion passes unanimously. Okay. Mr. Clark, next item. Fiscal year 2027 hospital assessment request to advertise public hearing non-advalorem hospital assessment ordinance. Second. Got a motion from Commissioner Prizia. Second from Commissioner Alfred. This is a request to advertise. Is there any discussion on this one? Any public discussion on this one? Mr. Chair? Yes, sir? It's not ours. So, this is the pass-through money we talked about today. That's right. Pass-through to help our hospitals locally. Back to the board. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Any opposed? That motion is unanimous. Thank you for being here, sir, today, and for all your work to get us here today. And up next is the fiscal year 2027 budget public hearing to set proposed millage rates general county government and municipal services taxing unit law enforcement. Okay, this is keeping it the same at 3.5678. As the manager mentioned, recommended actions to deduct a public hearing, set the proposed millage rate for the general county government, MSTU. This is the law enforcement and adopt the resolution. I'll move. Second. Motion by Commissioner Prizia. Second by Commissioner Alfred. Is there any discussion on the sheriff? Okay. Mr. Sheriff. Tommy, did you have anything you wanted to add? Yes, sir. So, a couple reminders. One is that when you set the millage, that will be the cap of the millage unless you retrim. So, we try not to have that happen. The difference between the 7.6 and the rollback rate is $3.6 million. Otherwise, it would have been $13. So, it's about $10 million less in revenue we've had to plan throughout the budget. Remind the board that based on the parameters we set early on, we've tried to hold the line on FTEs. We have worked well with the constitutional officers. We've met their needs. They all seem to be content with what we're doing. The law enforcement millage at the final hearing will need to be a supermajority vote if it stays flat under the new law that the manager was just talking about. And so, I just wanted to make sure the commission was aware of that as you set your millages that will be on the trim notice. And supermajority would be four out of five? Four out of five, yes, sir. And, Tommy, the manager mentioned three times we've done the rollback rate, but I thought it was 18, 19, and 21. I thought this would be the fourth time. Is that correct? Repeat the question. So, as far as the rollback rate in the last 10 years, nine years, she had mentioned this would be the third time. I thought this would actually be the fourth time. The fourth one was before the nine years. It was like the first, second. Oh, I thought Todd had mentioned today it was 18, 19, and 21. Maybe I missed that. Okay. Okay. All right. So, commissioners, we're trimming the rollback rate. We're trimming MSTU staying the same. Any discussion? Any public discussion? This is a big one. Back to the board. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? That motion is unanimous. Okay. If there's a year to do it, this is a year. And I would, just like Todd did, you heard the message today. You understand our financial strength, but I do want to thank the Office of Management Budget staff. I mean, I thank others that participated, but they have really put in a large effort to be able to balance the budget with only $3 million of new revenue. When you talk about the size of our budget, and I'm saying you're only getting $3 million new dollars to handle raises, increases in FRS, increases in health insurance premiums, et cetera. They've done a phenomenal job of working that in. So, I just think that they, sometimes they don't get enough credit, and I want to make sure they do. Yeah. I want to thank Mo. I want to thank April. It doesn't always go this way. You know, welcome back. Sorry April. Maybe that's why it's going this way. Yeah. Okay. We're going to stand in recess until 5.30. I need two of y'all to come back, because we've got to have a public comment at 5.30, right? Or can I do it now? Or whichever comes sooner. What is it? I thought I had. 5.30. Hutch would say it's 5.30 in Alachua County. Oh, okay. It's 5.30 in Alachua County, so says the attorney. And so, we're going to go ahead and- So, says Commissioner Hutch. And yes, repeating it, Commissioner Hutch. So, we're going to see if there's anyone from the public that wishes to address this board. No public comment? You would think that the day that we do the millage rate, we would get some public comment. Well, you know, this will be advertised as no tax increase on the county side. True, but I mean, you know, this is what we decide goes on there. Yeah. Okay. Go ahead and close public comment at 5.31. And with that, we'll stay in the journal. Thank you.