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1992-Summary of Major Problems and Corrective Actions " i;�,; CITY OF � rrtirtie 'era i - 7wiida • 800 SEMINOLE ROAD - -- - - - ATLANTIC BEACH, FLORIDA 32233 -5445 TELEPHONE (904) 247 -5800 FAX (904) 247 -5805 SUMMARY OF MAJOR PROBLEMS AND CORRECTIVE ACTIONS FOR A FAIR, LEGAL AND NON - DISCRIMINATORY COUNTY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH October 20, 1992 GENERAL COUNTY MILLAGE I. PROBLEM: The millage levied by Jacksonville on Atlantic Beach Property Owners is discriminatory. Atlantic Beach property Owners pay city and county millage to Jacksonville, whereas by law they are solely responsible for only county services. NEED: There is a need for a minimum of not less than a four mill reduction in county property taxes for Atlantic Beach Property Owners and a sharing of revenues with Atlantic Beach. The reduction would require an adjustment to the 18.8% differ- ential in the Inter -local Agreement to equal the reduction negotiated for 1983. Since Atlantic Beach receives only county services from Jacksonville, Atlantic Beach Property Owners must only pay a county ad valorem. Jacksonville has to subtract its city millage from its total millage, 11.3, to arrive at a county millage for Atlantic Beach Property Owners. SPECIFIC PROBLEMS AMONG 22 LISTED SERVICES RESCUE SERVICE II. PROBLEM: Atlantic Beach's residents received only half of the rescue service that is provided by Jacksonville to its residents. Atlantic Beach has to provide the other half of the service to its residents by sending a fire crew to each call. Jacksonville provides back -up for only its own residents. This back -up service is a requirement of the Inter -local Agreement. NEED: Jacksonville should contract, for a fee with Atlantic Beach for the County Rescue Service it is unable to provide. The cost for this service is $300,000 in 1993. ORGANIZED REGIONAL RECREATION PROVIDED BY ATLANTIC BEACH III. PROBLEM: We have shown by several measures that at least 50% of the people that use Atlantic Beach's Recreation Facilities for organized sports are Jacksonville residents. The influx of Jacksonville residents puts a severe strain on the Atlantic Beach Recreation Program. It is an expenditure of Atlantic Beach tax funds that should not be borne by Atlantic Beach residents. -2- NEED: Jacksonville should provide Atlantic Beach with a mis- cellaneous appropriation to accommodate the county residents who use the Atlantic Beach recreation facilities for organized sports. This practice would be consistent with what the Council now does in other parts of Jacksonville. The amount of the miscellaneous appropriation should be $75,000 for 1993. LIFEGUARDS, BEACH CLEAN -UP AND MAINTENANCE IV. PROBLEM: Jacksonville does not help with ocean lifeguards, beach clean -up and maintenance in Atlantic Beach. The Beach is recognized as a county wide recreation area but all costs are borne by Atlantic Beach residents. NEED: The County government must contract with Atlantic Beach to continue to provide lifeguards, beach clean -up and mainten- ance. The cost for these services, in 1993, will be $175,000. ANIMAL CONTROL ENFORCEMENT V. PROBLEM: Jacksonville provides only twenty -five percent (25 %) of the animal control service to Atlantic Beach that it does for its residents. Because a lack of services, Atlantic Beach has had to employ its own animal control officer, purchase a truck, special equipment, etc. NEED: Jacksonville should reimburse Atlantic Beach for the animal control service it is required to provide. The cost of such a reimbursement would be $25,000 for 1993. SHARING OF REVENUE VI. PROBLEM: Jacksonville, as a City /County Government, receives a variety of revenues from Atlantic Beach. The County revenue should only go to Jacksonville, the City portion to Atlantic Beach. For example - - -fee charged to JEA in lieu of taxes, fees from fire - rescue service. NEED: Jacksonville must refund the city portion of revenues it collects from Atlantic Beach. The estimated amount of revenue which should be returned to Atlantic Beach is approx- imately $300,000. -3- POLICE PATROL IN COUNTY AREAS VII. PROBLEM: Atlantic Beach answers calls outside its jurisdiction for the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office without being compen- sated. More than 700 calls a year are answered by Atlantic Beach Police for Jacksonville and Jacksonville residents. NEED: Jacksonville should reimburse Atlantic Beach for calls answered on its behalf. The estimated cost of these services was $75,000 for 1992. For 1993 with current growth and cost projections the estimated cost will be considerably higher. COUNTY ROADS AND EQUIPMENT VIII. PROBLEM: Jacksonville does not provide any county road work or services in Atlantic Beach. Also, the County does not main- tain its drainage ditches or accesses to state roads within Atlantic Beach. NEED: Jacksonville should set up a credit for Atlantic Beach to use the county's already available heavy equipment when needed. Cost for using such equipment could be a painless part payment of other inequities in the Inter -local Agreement. The cost for this service is estimated at $100,000. In addi- tion, Jacksonville should consider assisting in the develop- ment of Atlantic Blvd. at Town Center as a county road. The Town Center Roadway serves as a major access to and from the Ocean for all county residents. The County share would be $100,000. HOSPITALS - INDIGENT CARE IX. PROBLEM: Jacksonville does not provide any indigent care funding for the publicly owned hospital at the Beach while claiming inordinate fees for similar services at University Hospital. Atlantic Beach residents are unlawfully taxed for both areas. NEED: Jacksonville must provide funding to the Beaches Hospital Taxing District (BHTD) for indigent care. Another option would be to reduce, in addition to other reductions previously discussed, the County millage at the Beach equal to the Taxing District's millage. Either one of these options might resolve the double taxation discrimination that now exists for Atlantic Beach property owners. -4- FIRE SERVICE PROVIDED TO JACKSONVILLE X. PROBLEM: Atlantic Beach is called on by the Jacksonville Fire Department for fire assistance on a regular basis to more than 12,000 Jacksonville residents in the Mayport and surrounding areas. The demand for assistance by Jacksonville puts a strain on Atlantic Beach's limited fire resources while being an added expense to the Atlantic Beach Tax Payer. NEED: Jacksonville must reimburse Atlantic Beach for the fire service provided to Jacksonville residents. The reimbursement should be made payment for services or a reduction in taxes. The cost of this service is $25,000 for 1993. REOPENING OF THE INTER -LOCAL AGREEMENT XI. PROBLEM: The Inter -local Agreement hasn't been open for review and change since its inception ten years ago though its lang- uage clearly infers change as conditions differ over the years. It has not been applicable for Atlantic Beach for over four years, a fact brought to the County Administration regularly by the Mayor of Atlantic Beach. During 1992, Jacksonville fiscal experts admitted to an overpayment by Atlantic Beach Tax Payers of not less than $487,000, a figure considerably lower than estimated by our own fiscal investi- gators using the Duval County bases as the first phase of the recalculation. The final figure estimated by the Atlantic Beach Task Force showed an overpayment closer to $3,500,000. NEED: A formal process whereby the Inter -local Agreement is opened for review and change on an annual basis is essential. Funding and population needs change rapidly on a regular basis. These changes dictate the need for annual reviews of the Inter -local Agreement. Of course basic to any such action is the requirement for modern, up -to -date systems of accounting for city as compared with county activities and corresponding funding. It is recommended that the agreement ratified be reexamined biennially with an annual review permissive and only omitted for single year by mutual consent of both parties.