HOLMES BEACH – Opposition to increases in stormwater fees and millage were top of mind for more than 50 city residents who made their feelings known to Commissioner Dan Diggins at a July 15 town hall meeting at the Island Branch Library.
“I want to hear what you folks think,” Diggins said at the beginning of the meeting. “Last year was a tough year with the hurricanes. We’re going to set the maximum millage rate next Tuesday. I don’t know what that’s going to be. I wanted the millage rate to be set to about 1.9 and I fought really hard. All the other commissioners and mayor said no we’re going to do two, and we settled at 1.99.”
The Tuesday commission meeting has been rescheduled to Friday, July 25 at 9 a.m.
“I want to hear what you have to say about the budget, and you also heard about the stormwater assessment fees. It was proposed to us by the city engineer to raise the storm assessment fees,” Diggins said. “We were going to do that a few years ago and then the American Rescue Act came in and we received $2 million from the feds for stormwater so we didn’t have to raise the fees. That’s all gone now, and that’s why we’re talking about raising the fees.”…