INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The Indian River County Board of Commissioners Wednesday unanimously approved a higher property tax rate for the upcoming fiscal year and added two more employees than County Administrator Joe Baird had requested.
The Commission will hold the first of two public hearings on the proposed tax rate and budget on Thursday Sept. 10 at 5:01 p.m. The second and final hearing is scheduled for Thursday Sept. 17 at 5:01 p.m. Both hearings will be held in the Commission Chambers.
Commissioners have adopted a proposed aggregate millage rate of 5.8001 – or $5.80 per $1,000 of assessed property value – which will cost the typical unincorporated property owner $39 more than last year.
Commissioners added to the staffing hires Baird requested, approving requests from the Agriculture Extension and the Emergency Services District.
The Ag Extension requested an extra employee to assist with public education of the environment. Sixty percent of the employee’s salary will be paid through the University of Florida’s extension office. The County will make up the remaining 40 percent.
“We can’t have enough education folks out there,” Commissioner Peter O’Bryan said in support of the request, noting that increased education would ultimately save the County money in the long run in terms of cleaning up pollutants from the Lagoon and other waterways.
And while the Emergency Services District was already recommended for 20 new hires, the Commission agreed that the department needed one more – a mechanic to help maintain and repair fire trucks and ambulances.
IAFF President John O’Connor made the request, which was supported by Emergency Services District Director John King.
“These guys work so hard,” King said of the two mechanics the department currently has. “I’m very proud of them.”
Given the new fire station currently under construction on 43rd Avenue at 4th Street and the new hires, the Emergency Services District tax rate will increase by 13 percent.
“We’ll try to absorb it,” Baird said of the extra mechanic’s impact to the ESD budget, instead of further raising the tax rate to accommodate the salary.
Commissioners also approved an extra $1,300 for the Soil and Water Conservation department to cover the cost of dues to various organizations.
They also added $3,000 to their allocation for the 2-1-1 non-profit organization, bringing that agency’s total funding up to $10,000. Commissioners noted that the organization provides a critical service to the community and it should receive the same funding here as it does in neighboring counties.
