OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Venice City Council Budget Public Hearing - September 23, 2025

City Council & Boards — Tuesday, September 23, 2025
BodyVenice, Florida
SessionCity Council & Boards
DateTuesday, September 23, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 7:30

Transcript — Verbatim
0:51

Oh, come on.

0:56

How does he okay?

1:03

Let's call this meeting to order.

1:05

Uh we'll start with a roll call, Madam Clerk.

1:07

Mr.

1:07

Engle Key.

1:09

This is Frank.

1:10

Here.

1:10

Mr.

1:11

Howard.

1:11

Here.

1:12

Mr.

1:12

Smith.

1:13

Mr.

1:14

Weed.

1:14

Here.

1:15

Vice Mayor Boltz.

1:16

Here.

1:16

Mayor Pechota.

1:17

Here.

1:18

We will stand for the pledge led by Master Patrolman Officer Joyce.

1:26

All right.

1:27

I politically just the Republic for which it stands.

1:35

One nation.

1:36

Under God.

1:38

Liberty.

1:43

Just wanted you ready to serve and protect, sir.

1:45

That's all.

1:47

All right.

1:49

We'll start with presentation with action.

1:51

25-0342.

1:54

Madam Finance Director, if you'd like to come up.

1:59

We'll bring up Linda Seni and we'll approve changes to fiscal year 2026 budget since September 9th, 2025 budget public hearing.

2:27

Loud enough?

2:28

There it is.

2:29

Good afternoon, Linda Seni Finance Director.

2:31

Um before us today is just a change from the discussion from the first public hearing that was held in September 9th to today's date, and that is to reduce the millage rate from 3.9041 to the rolled back rate of 3.8450 mils.

2:51

And this decreases the budget at revenue in the general fund by 419,000.

2:56

That was the only change we had from the proposed budget to what's before you now is what would become the adopted budget.

3:04

Any questions on the change?

3:06

Any questions for staff?

3:09

Okay.

3:11

Seeing none, is there anybody signed up to speak, Madam Clerk?

3:15

Nope.

3:16

I didn't know if Mr.

3:17

Mudge wanted to get his two minutes in.

3:19

All right, with that I'll entertain a motion.

3:22

Mr.

3:22

Mayor.

3:24

Mrs.

3:25

Frank.

3:25

I move to approve changes to the fiscal year 2026 budget since the September 9th, 2025 budget public hearing.

3:32

Seconded by Mr.

3:33

Howard.

3:34

Any council discussion.

3:37

Okay.

3:38

Seeing none, Madam Clerk, if you'll read it for an electronic vote.

3:41

Council members, when your lights are flashing, you can indicate your vote.

3:46

And Madam Clerk, you can tally and display.

3:49

Passes six to one.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████████████████████████████████████50%
Budget Equity Analysis█████████████████████████████████████████████50%
Summary of Proceedings

Venice City Council Budget Public Hearing - September 23, 2025

The Venice City Council held a public hearing to consider final adoption of the fiscal year 2025-2026 budget and property tax levy. The council approved a reduction in the millage rate to the rolled-back rate, adopted the final tax levy, and adopted the official budget. No public comments were received.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No members of the public signed up to speak or submitted written correspondence for the record.

Discussion Items

  • Finance Director Linda Senne presented a single change to the proposed FY2026 budget resulting from the first public hearing (September 9, 2025): reducing the millage rate from 3.9041 to the rolled-back rate of 3.8450 mils, which decreased general fund revenue by $419,000.
  • Council Member Engelke expressed opposition to the millage rate reduction, stating that the rollback is not in the best interest of the city and that the $419,000 reduction adds to deficit spending. He clarified that he supports the city and will work with the council going forward.

Key Outcomes

  • Changes to FY2026 Budget (Presentation with Action 25-0342): Motion to approve the millage rate decrease and related budget adjustment passed 6-1, with Council Member Engelke voting no.
  • Ordinance 2025-31 (Final Tax Levy): Ordinance adopting the final ad valorem tax levy for FY2025-26 was approved and adopted 6-1, with Council Member Engelke voting no.
  • Ordinance 2025-32 (Official Budget Adoption): Ordinance adopting the official budget for FY2025-26 (October 1, 2025 – September 30, 2026) and granting authority for departmental transfers passed unanimously (6-0).
  • The meeting adjourned following the votes.

Meeting Transcript

Oh, come on. How does he okay? Let's call this meeting to order. Uh we'll start with a roll call, Madam Clerk. Mr. Engle Key. This is Frank. Here. Mr. Howard. Here. Mr. Smith. Mr. Weed. Here. Vice Mayor Boltz. Here. Mayor Pechota. Here. We will stand for the pledge led by Master Patrolman Officer Joyce. All right. I politically just the Republic for which it stands. One nation. Under God. Liberty. Just wanted you ready to serve and protect, sir. That's all. All right. We'll start with presentation with action. 25-0342. Madam Finance Director, if you'd like to come up. We'll bring up Linda Seni and we'll approve changes to fiscal year 2026 budget since September 9th, 2025 budget public hearing. Loud enough? There it is. Good afternoon, Linda Seni Finance Director. Um before us today is just a change from the discussion from the first public hearing that was held in September 9th to today's date, and that is to reduce the millage rate from 3.9041 to the rolled back rate of 3.8450 mils. And this decreases the budget at revenue in the general fund by 419,000. That was the only change we had from the proposed budget to what's before you now is what would become the adopted budget. Any questions on the change? Any questions for staff? Okay. Seeing none, is there anybody signed up to speak, Madam Clerk? Nope. I didn't know if Mr. Mudge wanted to get his two minutes in. All right, with that I'll entertain a motion. Mr. Mayor. Mrs.

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