Jack Megleo, representing fire rescue, emphasized the need for additional ambulances in South Brevard County due to increasing call volumes. He stressed that the current budget constraints hindered the provision of adequate services. Michael Bramson, president of the Brevard County firefighters, echoed these concerns, highlighting a significant decline in the number of dual-certified firefighter paramedics over the past decade. Bramson argued that the current budgetary practices were detrimental to public safety services.

Ryan Baric, a resident of Port St. John, rejected the proposed budget, asserting that it failed to support essential government functions such as public safety and infrastructure. He criticized the local government’s revenue prioritization, stating that the reluctance to adjust to inflation during the COVID-19 pandemic had jeopardized public safety. Baric pointed out that the fire assessment increase from three years ago was insufficient, leading to deferred capital outlay projects and high attrition rates among firefighters. He estimated the cost of training replacements to be over $2 million annually.

Sander Sullivan from South Patrick Shores also opposed the budget, citing a public safety crisis due to a substantial salary gap between Brevard County and comparable counties. Sullivan suggested that the current budget allocations were disproportionately addressing growth and equipment costs rather than resolving the staffing crisis. He advocated for restoring a countywide EMS assessment tax that existed before 1998 to address the funding shortfall for fire and EMS services.

Public comments continued to highlight the inadequacy of the budget concerning public safety. Discussions about the fire fee for new homes revealed that the average fee of about $250 was considered too low, especially compared to fees in surrounding counties, which ranged from $500 to $1,000.

The commission also discussed the potential impact of raising fees in West Melbourne. Clarifications were made regarding the millage rates and fire assessments, noting that while the final millage rate during the adoption hearing could not exceed the previously approved tentative millage rate, adjustments could be made to the general fund portion of the fire budget. However, the fire assessment could not be increased at this time.

The adoption of fiscal year 2024-2025 millage rates was discussed, and a motion was made and carried unanimously to tentatively adopt these rates, which equaled the aggregate rollback rate. Subsequent discussions focused on the adoption of budgets for various agencies, including the Solid Waste Management, Storm Water Utility Department, Fire Services, and Melbourne Tilman Water Control District, all of which passed without opposition. The Barefoot Bay Water and Sewer District’s budget also gained approval after a motion was made and seconded.

During the public comment period, concerns were raised about the lack of public participation during the budget workshop held in February. One individual expressed frustration over the limited opportunity for community input on individual budget items, emphasizing the importance of public engagement, especially regarding public safety needs. Another speaker highlighted the necessity for updated impact fees for fire and emergency services, pointing out that these fees had not been revised in over three decades. The speaker criticized past board decisions that led to budget constraints affecting public safety and pushed for legislative action to address these constraints.

The discussion continued with a request to reject the budget based on concerns over the allocation of funds and the fairness of taxing small businesses for infrastructure projects intended for large developers. The speaker articulated that the special district tax, initially intended for a limited period, had become a perpetual burden on small businesses. Following the public comments, a motion was made to approve the tentative budget, which passed after no further discussion.