City Council Special Meeting

      
MINUTES 
City of Cocoa 
Budget Preparation Special Meeting of The City Council 
July 10, 2024 
A Special City Council Meeting was held on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, in Cocoa 
City Hall, in City Council Chambers, located at 65 Stone Street, in Cocoa, Florida, 
32922, as publicly noticed. 
I. Opening Matters: 
Mayor Blake called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m.   
 
Chief Collier  provided the invocation and Assistant City Attorney Eick led the 
assembly in the Pledge of Allegiance.   
 
 The City Clerk took the roll. 
 
 PRESENT:  Michael C. Blake  Mayor 
Lavander Hearn  Deputy Mayor  
    Matthew Barringer  Councilmember 
Alex Goins   Councilmember  
Lorraine Koss  Councilmember  
    Anthony Garganese  City Attorney  
    Stockton Whitten  City Manager  
    Monica Arsenault  City Clerk 
 
 ABSENT:    
 
 OTHER STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: 
 
Abby Morgan, Public Works Director;  Rebecca Bowman , Finance Director; 
Jonathan Lamm, Fire Chief;  Dara Hennessey, Deputy Fire Chief; Charlene 
Neuterman, Community Services Director; Evander Collier , Police Chief; Jack 
Walsh, Utilities Director;  Tammy Gemmati, Administrative Services Director;  
Robert Beach, Chief Technology Officer ; Mitch Lawyer, Systems and Support 
Manager; and Corbin Gilbert, Help Desk Support Tech. 

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II. Approval of Agenda and Minutes: 
1. Agenda: Special Meeting of July 10, 2024. (24-392). 
III. FY 2025 Balanced Budget Proposal Overview 
Ms. Bowman provided a presentation 1 and provided a FY25 Budget review. She 
shared general fund revenues, highlighting new money that will be coming in. She 
talked about significant general fund expenditures and provided a breakdown of 
the general fund by department.  
City Manager Whitten shared that Union negotiations are in progress. Additionally, 
he discussed FY25 capital purchases.  
Chief Lamm provided a Cocoa Fire Fleet strategic overview 2. He shared 
information regarding the Fire Department’s fleet and apparatus. He talked in 
furtherance about equipment and fleet that needs to be replaced and current 
operating costs.  
IV. Stantec Annual Financial Analysis 
 
Peter Napoli, Senior Manager, Stantec, reviewed the foundations of the annual 
financial analysis. He highlighted several key planning observations and 
considerations in the general fund. He shared the City’s fire assessment results 
and discussed the FY24 annual residential fire assessment fee rate survey.  
 
Mr. Napoli reviewed several key planning observations and considerations in the 
water/sewer rate and revenue analysis. He spoke about the financial management 
plan and provide a residential monthly water bill comparison of local cities.  
 
Lastly, he shared the stormwater forecast and talked about the key planning 
observations and considerations. He also reviewed the FY24 annual residential 
stormwater fee rate survey. 
 
He gave a summary of the results, including: 
 
• No millage rate increase 
• A 3% fire assessment rate increase 
• A 2% water/sewer utility rate increase 
 
1 Exhibit A: FY25 Budget Preparation 
2 Exhibit B: Cocoa Fire Fleet Strategic Overview 

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• A 2% stormwater special assessment rate increase followed by a 4% annual 
rate indexing 
 
* Consensus from Council to give approval to staff to present the  proposed 
tentative millage rate of 6.9532 for FY25 at the July 23, 2024 City Council 
meeting. 
 AYES:  Blake, Hearn, Barringer, Goins, Koss 
 THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY (5-0) 
V. Parks 
 
City Manager Whitten provided a history of the District 4 Parks, noting that the City 
of Cocoa and Brevard County have continued to operate under the original expired 
maintenance agreement. The City of Cocoa and the County are currently 
negotiating a new I nterlocal Agreement to address the maintenance and 
operations of these parks.  
 
He shared that the city contributes approximately 19% of the District 4 revenue 
and the City of Cocoa receives approximately 32% of the total revenue. 
Historically, the Brevard County BOCC has further contributed general fund dollars 
beyond what District 4 is able to fund.  
 
City Manager Whitten mentioned that in regard to the proposed Interlocal 
Agreement for the operation and maintenance of Cocoa Parks, the County 
Commission unanimously approved the following: 
 
• The proposed Interlocal Agreement is presented and approved, as is, by 
October 1, 2024.  
 
• If the City does not approve the Interlocal Agreement by July 31, 2024, the 
County will notify the City that they will cease to maintain City of Cocoa 
parks on October 1, 2024.  
 
He highlighted the major changes in the maintenance agreement which include 
the following: 
 
• Brevard County wants to ensure that the funds expended do no exceed the 
revenues taken in for the special taxing district (District 4 which includes 
Cocoa residents and businesses) 
• Not Funding any expenditures over $5,000 

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• Requiring sharing of expenses once the City hits the revenue cap not to 
exceed $2,500 per item 
• Requiring the city to fund operation and capital in the budget (estimating 
$500,000 in FY25 budget) 
 
City Manager Whitten gave a cost analysis of the parks maintenance agreement. 
An option could include removing three smaller parks from the County 
maintenance and incorporate that maintenance into the City’s daily operations. 
The parks could be Carl Anders on Park, Cocoa Manor and Gilmore Community 
Park. This would save the City approximately $35,000. 
 
Ms. Morgan discussed park options at Junny Rios Martinez Park . They are as 
follows: 
 
Junny Rios Martinez Park 
• Construct two pickleball courts 
• Install a pavilion 
• Expand playground 
• Construct a park perimeter walking loop 
• Change out basketball goals 
• Install soccer mini pitch 
 
Deputy Mayor Hearn suggested opening up a survey to allow the residents that 
utilize the parks to vote on which items they would like to see the most. In 
response, City Manager Whitten noted that this is actually something staff has 
discussed and could be considered if Council wished to do so.  
 
Discussion was held on bathroom capacities at the parks. 
 
Councilmember Barringer pointed out that while each Council member has their 
own wishes for their district, they have yet to discuss cuts. If District 3 parks are 
going to take a cut, he asked Council to consider sharing those cuts. This way they 
might be able to allocate funds for something else, possibly to cover the costs for 
the maintenance agreement.  
Deputy Mayor Hearn added that he would be interested to see if there are any 
grants available for an additional community pool in the city.  
 
Additionally, he would like to work with the HOA at the 800 Fiske Boulevard 
apartments to see if they would offer a discounted rate to one of the city’s police 
officers in exchange for security to help clean the area up a bit. 
 

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Councilmember Koss asked if it might be possible to get acoustic sound barriers 
for Travis Park.  
 
Ms. Morgan reviewed park options at Provost Park. They are as follows: 
 
Provost Park 
• Bathroom upgrades 
• Pickleball court fence 
• Bleachers 
• Perimeter fence 
• Soccer mini pitch 
 
Discussion was held on a preference for a 6 foot or 8 -foot perimeter fence. It was 
agreed that an 8-foot fence would be the best option.  
 
Councilmember Goins stated that three rows of bleachers is probably unnecessary 
and he thinks that two rows would be plenty if the City is looking to save money. 
 
Further discussion was held on Council priorities regarding the parks.  
 
VI. Council Discussion 
 
VII. Public Input/Citizen Participation 
 
Mayor Blake opened the discussion to the public. There being no questions or 
comments, the public portion of the meeting was closed.  
 
VIII.  Adjournment: 
 
* MOTION by Councilmember Goins; Seconded by Councilmember Barringer, 
to adjourn the Special Budget Preparation meeting of July 10, 2024. 
 AYES:  Blake, Hearn, Barringer, Goins, Koss 
 THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY (5-0) 
 The meeting adjourned at 7:45 p.m. 
 
 ________________________________ 
       Michael C. Blake, Mayor 
 ATTEST: 

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 ______________________________ 
 Monica Arsenault, City Clerk