[Northwoods]

Originally Posted by Goldwingnut

As we roll into spring the CDDs and other government organizations are entering into budget season. Budgets are begin prepared for the upcoming fiscal year. Here's a brief synopsis of how the process works.

Starting in March the District Staff presents the proposed budgets they've been working on for the last few months to the various boards.

The Boards review these, ask questions, make changes, task the staff with coming up with costs for various project, look for ways to save money, and attempt to avoid increases to the residents.

There is usually 2 or 3 of these meetings for each board, committee, and organization responsible for budgets.

It is during these meetings that resident and taxpayers have thier opportunity to voice their desire and concerns about the budgets for the upcoming year. This is when changes can be and are made!

In early June the preliminary budgets are approved by the boards and any increase notices are sent out. The amount approved at this point is the MAXIMUM budget and cannot be raised, but they can be lowered. One approved, the time for additional resident/taxpayer has ended. State law requires the new budgets be made public for 90 days prior to approval.

In September, the budgets are voted on for final approval and required to be passed BEFORE the start of the new fiscal year on 1 October. It's important to note that at this point the time for discussion and debate over the budget is OVER, the supervisors/commissioners have a legal obligation to approve their organization's budget. This fact was lost on many residents 2 1/2 years ago when the Sumter County BOCCs approved the now infamous 25% tax increase, they weren't being arrogant or not listening to the residents, they were exercising their legally required responsibilities, the time for discussion and changes was over.

Now is the time to let your voice be heard for your CDD, the Amenity budgets, PWF, NSCUDD, and Sumter County, don't wait until September when it is too late!

Your supervisors are doing the best they can, without public input they must make decisions based on their experience and what they see as the community needs and want. I've been a Supervisor and PWAC member for 6+ years, this is my 7th year of doing these budgets and in the over 2 dozen budget meetings I've participated in, there have sadly been a total of 4 residents in attendance and only 1 question ever asked by a resident during the budget process. It would be great to break this streak of poor participation this year.

Below is the meeting schedule for The Villages budget meetings for this year. I and the other Supervisors would love to see lots of public engagement in this process this year.

FY2021‐22 BUDGET CALENDAR

Mar 17
Preliminary Budget Workshop AAC 1:00 pm Savannah Recreation Center

Mar 24
Preliminary Budget Workshop PWAC 2:00 pm Savannah Recreation Center

May 10
Regular Meeting - Budget Review PWAC 8:30 am Savannah Recreation Center

May 12
Regular Meeting - Budget Review AAC 9:00 am Savannah Recreation Center

May 13
Regular Meeting - Budget Review District 13 3:00 pm Everglades Recreation Center

May 17 (Mon) Budget Workshop
District 9 8:00 am Savannah Recreation Center
District 10 9:30 am Savannah Recreation Center
District 11 11:00 am Savannah Recreation Center

May 18 (Tue) Budget Workshop
District 5 8:00 am Savannah Recreation Center
District 6 9:30 am Savannah Recreation Center
District 7 11:00 am Savannah Recreation Center
District 8 2:00 pm Savannah Recreation Center

May 19 (Wed) Budget Workshop
District 12 1:30 pm Everglades Recreation Center

May 25 (Tue) Budget Workshop
District 1 8:00 am Savannah Recreation Center
District 2 9:30 am Savannah Recreation Center
District 3 11:00 am Savannah Recreation Center
District 4 2:00 pm Savannah Recreation Center

May 27 (Thu) Budget Workshop
NSCUDD 9:00 am Savannah Recreation Center

Jun 3 (Thu) Regular Meeting - Recommend Approval of Proposed Budget
PWAC 8:30 am Savannah Recreation Center
SLCDD 10:30 am Savannah Recreation Center
BCDD 11:30 am Savannah Recreation Center
District 9 1:30 pm Savannah Recreation Center
District 10 3:00 pm Savannah Recreation Center

Jun 4 (Fri) Regular Meeting - Approve Proposed Budget
District 5 8:00 am Savannah Recreation Center
District 6 9:30 am Savannah Recreation Center
District 8 11:30 am Savannah Recreation Center

Jun 9 (Wed) Regular Meeting - Recommend Approval of Proposed Budget
AAC 9:00 am Savannah Recreation Center

Jun 9 (Wed) Regular Meeting - Approve Proposed Budget
VCCDD 3:30 pm Savannah Recreation Center

Jun 10 (Thu) Regular Meeting - Approve Proposed Budget
District 7 8:00 am Savannah Recreation Center
District 11 10:00 am Savannah Recreation Center
District 12 1:30 pm Everglades Recreation Center
District 13 3:00 pm Everglades Recreation Center

Jun 11 (Fri) Regular Meeting - Approve Proposed Budget
District 1 8:00 am Savannah Recreation Center
District 2 9:30 am Savannah Recreation Center
District 3 11:00 am Savannah Recreation Center
District 4 1:30 pm Savannah Recreation Center

Jul 7 (Wed) Regular Meeting - Approve Proposed Budget
NSCUDD 1:30 pm Savannah Recreation Center

Sep 2 (Thu) Regular Meeting - Approve Final Budget Recommendation
PWAC 8:30 am Savannah Recreation Center
SLCDD 10:30 am Savannah Recreation Center
BCDD 11:30 am Savannah Recreation Center
District 9 1:30 pm Savannah Recreation Center
District 10 3:00 pm Savannah Recreation Center

Sep 3 (Fri) Regular Meeting - Public Hearing to Adopt Final Budget
District 6 9:30 am Savannah Recreation Center
District 8 11:30 am Savannah Recreation Center

Sep 8 (Wed) Regular Meeting - Approve Final Budget Recommendation
AAC 9:00 am Savannah Recreation Center
District 5 1:30 pm Savannah Recreation Center
VCCDD 3:30 pm Savannah Recreation Center

Sep 9 (Thu) Regular Meeting - Public Hearing to Adopt Final Budget
District 7 8:00 am Savannah Recreation Center
District 11 10:00 am Savannah Recreation Center
District 12 1:30 pm Everglades Recreation Center
District 13 3:00 pm Everglades Recreation Center

Sep 10 (Fri) Regular Meeting - Public Hearing to Adopt Final Budget
District 1 8:00 am Savannah Recreation Center
District 2 9:30 am Savannah Recreation Center
District 3 11:00 am Savannah Recreation Center
District 4 1:30 pm Savannah Recreation Center

Thank you so much. You are always a wealth of information. And I always appreciate your perspective. Please continue to give us your opinion. You have a lot of experience and I value your input.