CITIZENS ANNUAL POPULAR REPORT

Transcription

1 WAKULLA COUNTY, FLORIDA CITIZENS ANNUAL POPULAR REPORT For the Year Ended September 30, 2015 Brent X. Thurmond, CPA Clerk of Circuit and County Courts

2 WAKULLA COUNTY, FLORIDA BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Ralph Thomas District 1 Randy Merritt.... District 2 Dr. Howard Kessler.. District 3 Jerry Moore District 4 Richard Hardin District 5 ELECTED CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS Brent Thurmond, CPA.... Clerk of Court Donnie Sparkman, CFA.Property Appraiser Charlie Creel.....Sheriff Henry Wells, MFCEP....Supervisor of Elections Cheryll Olah..... Tax Collector 2

3 Brent X. Thurmond, CPA Clerk of Circuit and County Courts Phone (850) Wakulla County Fax (850) Crawfordville Hwy. Crawfordville, Fl To the Citizens of Wakulla County: A cornerstone of our democratic government system is to be responsive to the citizens represented and to be accountable for how the government operates. One of the key ways government carries out its duties and priorities is found in how it raises and spends the public money it is entrusted with. With that in mind, I m happy to provide you the 13th annual Citizens Annual Popular Report as a way to explain simply and concisely how Wakulla County generates and spends its money. Wakulla County government consists of several component parts that have been combined to make up this report. Most of the County s operations fall under the Board of County Commissioners, while other specific duties fall under financially related yet separately elected Constitutional Officers. A County organizational chart is included in this report. Each year, the County legally adopts a budget in order to determine how much money it will raise and to prioritize how it will be spent. By state law, the budget year, also known as the fiscal year, must begin on October 1 st and end on September 30 th. Therefore this report covers the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2014 and ending September 30, The financial statements of the County are audited annually by an independent audit firm. This report, known as the Annual Financial Report is kept in my office, is available for review, and can be found on both the County s and Clerk s website. To account for its various functions as well as restrictions on certain types of revenues, the County s finances are divided into funds. To simplify this report, all of the County s funds have been merged together on a consistent basis into one set of results. This report was prepared after the independent audit report and due to its simplicity, may differ from the audited Annual Financial Report. I am pleased to present this report as part of our responsibility to be accountable to the citizens of Wakulla County. My hope is that you will find this report both interesting and informative. Please contact my office if you have any questions regarding this report or any other matter. Sincerely, Brent X. Thurmond, CPA Clerk of Court 3

4 Features: WAKULLA COUNTY, FLORIDA CITIZENS ANNUAL POPULAR REPORT For the year ended September 30, 2015 County Organizational Chart - Page 5 This chart displays the basic structure of the County government. Operational Review - Pages 6-10 This section explains how the County is organized, how its budget process works, and its key accomplishments during the fiscal year. Also, the financial results for the year are explained, accompanied by a summarized comparative operating report. Sources of County Funds - Pages The various types of funds the County received to support its operations are explained here in greater detail. This presentation includes a description of the major County revenues. Uses of County Funds - Pages The way in which the County s funds were spent is discussed here in greater detail. Each category of service is explained, including a breakdown of funding sources for current operations and capital outlays. County Long-Term Debt - Pages The County, from time to time, has a need to borrow funds for some of its major capital projects. This section explains why the County borrows money, the uses of these borrowed funds and how much the County owes. County Demographics - Pages This final section provides a historic review of key economic and demographic indicators that have taken place over the past several years and a forecast of these important trends that will shape the future face of Wakulla County. 4

5 WAKULLA COUNTY, FLORIDA 5

6 OPERATIONAL REVIEW County Organization Wakulla County operates as a political subdivision of the State of Florida, and is governed by a five-member Board of County Commissioners (BOCC). This Board consists of a Chairman, Vice-Chairman and three other Commissioners, all elected county-wide (see district map below). Historically, the Chair and Vice-Chair are changed every year by a vote of the BOCC. Additionally, there are five Constitutional Officers who are separately elected on a county-wide basis. They perform statutorily designated functions. These Officers and the BOCC were listed at the beginning of this report and displayed on the organizational chart on the previous page. The term of office for these elected positions is four years. The map above shows the five districts of Wakulla County. The Commissioners elected to each district are listed on page 2. Community Initiatives Wakulla County was involved in many beneficial community projects during this fiscal year. The County spent a total of $616,498 in facilities and building related expenses: $22,508 was spent on Medart Park, $75,400 was spent on Shell Point Boat Ramp, $338,213 was spent on Hickory, Hudson and Azalea Parks, $255,777 was spent on Crawfordville Fire Station #8. 6

7 These facility costs were paid for from 1 Cent Sales Tax dollars, Impact Fees, and grant funds. Various equipment purchases cost $1,004,323 and included the purchase of two (2) vehicles in the amount of $50,000, three (3) EMS chest compression units in the amount of $38,071, a repeater/antenna for the fire department in the amount of $33,513, two (2) mowers in the amount of $30,440, one track loader in the amount of $82,100, one arm mower in the amount of $155,000, one rotary cutter in the amount of $14,252 and three (3) motor graders in the amount of $574,713 (a lease purchase) and five (5) air conditioner units in the amount of $26,234. The Library department invested $49,223 in new books and materials. The Sheriff s Office spent $425,220 on equipment. In Transportation, the County spent $4,030,852 in road and bridge construction costs for Spring Hill road, Bostic Pelt road and Bostic Pelt bridge, Trice Lane, Wakulla Arran road, Walker Creek bridge, Surf Road bridge. These road paving and bridge repair costs were paid for using several grants and One Cent Sales Tax. The Sewer Department spent $20,419 on a mower and ground penetrating radar system and $390,900 on the Otter Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant expansion and Wakulla Gardens and Magnolia Gardens sewer. Budget Approval Process The budget serves as the key tool for setting operational and capital project spending priorities and is legally enacted each fiscal year. Preparation of the proposed budget for direct spending by the BOCC is the responsibility of the County Administrator. After preparation, the proposed budget is presented to the citizens and the BOCC at various workshops and at two public hearings in September. Final adjustments to the proposed budget may be made by a majority of the BOCC at these hearings. These hearings are also used to set the annual property tax millage rate. Individual budgets for the elected Constitutional Officers are prepared by each respective officer and must be approved by the BOCC. All budgets are required to be balanced, with all expenditures supported by identified funding sources. On September 30 th of each year, all unspent budget amounts expire and remaining funds (cash forward) may become available as a funding source for the County in the next fiscal year as approved by the BOCC during the initial budget process for that year. The total beginning County-wide budget adopted by the Board in Resolution was $42,333,116. After budget amendments, the final county-wide budget was $45,101,270 7

8 Financial Information The comparative financial information presented in this report includes the operations of the BOCC for fiscal years beginning October 1, 2013 through September 30, 2014 and October 1, 2014 through September 30, The operations of the Constitutional Officers are not included in this report except for the amounts provided from the BOCC through the approved budget. The County revenues during fiscal year totaled $37.8 million. After expending $34.4 million in operational costs, debt payments and capital projects, the County finished fiscal year with a balance of $69.8 million, of which there was no funds available for spending due to the new requirement to book the county s net pension liability of $11,654,379. Despite this large liability, the County had $9.7 million in cash to fund operations at the start of the new fiscal year on October 1, 2015 until annual property tax collections began in November. It is important to note that total net position includes restricted and illiquid assets, as well as spendable dollars (see page 8). Other Governmental Units Other legally separate units that are related to Wakulla County are not included in this report. They are not included because they operate independently from the BOCC and operate under other funding programs or taxing authority. Although contributions from the County may be made to these units from time to time, they are not financially related to the County. Some of these are governmental agencies and others are not-for-profit organizations. These other governmental units may or may not be subject to annual audit and reporting requirements. Some of the agencies not included in this report are: Wakulla County School Board Wakulla County United Fire Senior Citizen s Center Fighter s Association Soil & Water Conservation Tourist Development Council Board Wilderness Coast Libraries Parks & Recreation Board 8

9 Wakulla County, Florida Balance Sheet Comparative (audited) For the year ended September 30, 2015 Wakulla County's Government-wide Sunmmary Statement of Net Position Governmental Business-Type Activities Activities Total ASSETS Current and other assets $ 13,398,091 $ 12,496,230 $ 1,227,317 $ 1,418,316 $ 14,625,408 $ 13,914,546 Capital assets 60,078,225 58,014,900 16,823,567 17,081,105 76,901,792 75,096,005 Total Assets $ 73,476,316 $ 70,511,130 $ 18,050,884 $ 18,499,421 $ 91,527,200 $ 89,010,551 DEFERRED OUTFLOWS OF RESOURSES Deferred outflow s related to pensions $ 3,084,910 $ - $ - $ - $ 3,084,910 $ - Total Deferred Ouflow s of Resourcs $ 3,084,910 $ - $ - $ - $ 3,084,910 $ - LIABILITIES Current and other liabilities $ 2,752,502 $ 3,201,821 $ 837,799 $ 678,964 $ 3,590,301 $ 3,880,785 Long-term liabilities 14,538,626 5,192,830 3,980,420 1,851,209 18,519,046 7,044,039 Total Liabilities $ 17,291,128 $ 8,394,651 $ 4,818,219 $ 2,530,173 $ 22,109,347 $ 10,924,824 DEFERRED INFLOWS OF RESOURSES Deferred inflow s related to pensions $ 2,671,666 $ - $ - $ - $ 2,671,666 $ - Total Deferred Inlow s of Resourcs $ 2,671,666 $ - $ - $ - $ 2,671,666 $ - NET POSITION Invested in capital assets $ 57,727,291 $ 55,534,326 $ 14,109,271 $ 14,790,190 $ 71,836,562 $ 70,324,516 Restricted 6,601,674 4,945, , ,270 6,802,894 5,365,752 Unrestricted (7,730,533) 1,636,671 (1,077,827) 758,788 (8,808,360) 2,395,459 Total net position $ 56,598,432 $ 62,116,479 $ 13,232,665 $ 15,969,248 $ 69,831,097 $ 78,085,727 9

10 Wakulla County, Florida Operating Results Comparative (audited) For the year ended September 30, 2015 Wakulla County's Government-wide Summary Statement of Changes In Net Position Governmental Business-Type Activities Activities Total REVENUES Program Revenues: Charges for services $ 6,379,971 $ 8,004,609 $ 4,197,653 $ 4,003,454 $ 10,577,624 $ 12,008,063 Operating grants and contributions 2,141,859 3,530,383 59,990 88,244 2,201,849 3,618,627 Capital grants and contributions 2,566,185 3,320,894 72,425-2,638,610 3,320,894 General Revenues: Property and other taxes 15,370,734 15,201, ,370,734 15,201,341 Intergovernmental 4,974,205 4,800, ,974,205 4,800,215 Miscellaneous and other 2,059,763 (280,926) 13,431 27,506 2,073,194 (253,420) Total Revenues $ 33,492,717 $ 34,576,516 $ 4,343,499 $ 4,119,204 $ 37,836,216 $ 38,695,720 EXPENSES General government $ 5,992,488 $ 6,209,237 $ - $ - $ 5,992,488 $ 6,209,237 Public Safety 14,980,964 15,448, ,980,964 15,448,644 Physical environment 170, ,321 5,010,209 3,966,147 5,180,794 4,152,468 Transportation 3,185,919 3,721, ,185,919 3,721,098 Economic environment 1,370,326 2,158, ,370,326 2,158,527 Human services 804, , , ,267 Culture and recreation 1,808,491 1,958, ,808,491 1,958,287 Court related 922,757 1,010, ,757 1,010,923 Interest on long term debt 86, , ,462 89, , ,758 Total Expenses $ 29,322,796 $ 31,719,586 $ 5,113,671 $ 4,055,623 $ 34,436,467 $ 35,775,209 NET POSITION Increase in net assets before transfers $ 4,169,921 $ 2,856,930 $ (770,172) $ 63,581 $ 3,399,749 $ 2,920,511 Gain (Loss) on transfer of liability 1,911,461 - (1,911,461) Net transfers 54,950 (68,540) (54,950) 68, Increase in net position $ 6,136,332 $ 2,788,390 $ (2,736,583) $ 132,121 $ 3,399,749 $ 2,920,511 Net position, beginning of year 62,116,479 59,328,089 15,969,248 15,837,127 78,085,727 75,165,216 Prior Period Adjustments (11,654,379) (11,654,379) - Net position, end of year $ 56,598,432 $ 62,116,479 $ 13,232,665 $ 15,969,248 $ 69,831,097 $ 78,085,727 A prior period adjustment was required this fiscal year due to changes in accounting procedures established by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) regarding the County s pension plan through the Florida Retirement System (FRS). In previous years, the liability existed but was not recorded on the face of the County s financial statements. The County (all governments throughout the U.S.) is now required to report this liability. A liability in the amount of $11,654,379 was recorded. 10

11 SOURCES OF COUNTY FUNDS The County receives its operational funds from a variety of sources. The BOCC levies several taxes, sets various service charges, fines, licenses and permits for specific services, and collects revenues from both the Federal and State levels. These intergovernmental revenues include operating dollars processed by the State as well as grants from the Federal and State levels. Finally, interest income is received throughout the year since all public funds held by the County are invested until needed to pay a budgeted obligation. Current revenues from all of the sources listed above are combined with funds remaining from the previous fiscal year, including any remaining cash proceeds from prior County borrowing, to make up the total sources available to fund budgeted expenditures. Some revenue sources are raised for specific purposes and can only be used for such purposes (called restricted funds), while other sources may be used for a variety of public purposes. The following pages provide a brief description of the County s revenue sources. 11

12 Wakulla County-wide Revenues for FY 14/15 Taxes $ 14,586, % Licenses, Permits & Assessments 3,403, % Intergovernmental Revenue 10,735, % Charges for Services 6,736, % Fines & Forfeitures 300, % Miscellaneous & Interest 2,073, % Total $ 37,836, % Taxes Property Tax This revenue is the annual tax levied on real and tangible personal property. A countywide levy is made to cover countywide general and administrative operations. The millage rate for was 8.50 mills. Tourist Development Tax This revenue is a tax of three percent on all short-term living quarters such as motels and hotels, apartments, houses, mobile homes, and campgrounds. This tax is legally restricted to tourist promotion matters. The Tourist Development Council administers these funds. Local Option 1 Sales Tax A surtax of one percent is applied to all transactions within the County that are subject to state sales tax. These dollars are divided by resolution into four categories for expenditures: Road Paving (60%), Public Facilities (20%), Public Safety (15%), and Parks & Recreation (5%). Expenditure of these monies is restricted to infrastructure related purchases within their respective category. Public Service/Communications Tax Telecommunication services are taxed on a statewide basis, which includes a local component approved by the BOCC. Beginning in , the County implemented a localized public service tax on purchases of electric, water, and propane. These funds are used for general operations. Gas Tax The County receives 10 cents in gas taxes for every gallon of gas sold. Some of these taxes have been locally enacted. These taxes are divided into four categories: the 5 th & 6 th Cent or Constitutional gas tax, the 7 th Cent or County gas tax, the 9 th Cent gas tax and the 10 th 15 th Cent or Local Option gas tax. These tax proceeds are restricted and used for maintenance, operating, construction, debt service and capital purchases for the Road & Bridge Department. 12

13 Licenses & Permits Several fees charged by the BOCC are considered licenses and permits. The Building Department and the Tax Collector collect these fees on behalf of the BOCC. The funds collected by the Building Department remain within and are restricted to the Building fund. The funds collected by the Tax Collector can be used for general operations. The special assessments include the MSBU (Municipal Services Benefit Unit) charge for the Fire Department Fund, the Solid Waste assessment for the Landfill Fund and a few small road paving assessments in the Road Operating Fund. Intergovernmental Revenue State Sales Tax A portion of the State Sales Tax is returned to counties. There are two components of the tax: the ½ Cent Sales Tax and the County Kicker or supplement tax for small counties. These funds are used for general operations. Federal and State Grants The Federal and State governments award grants to the County for a variety of specific purposes and programs such as public safety, transportation, physical and economic environment, human services, and culture and recreation. Each grant is restricted to purchases for the purposes provided in each grant application. State Revenue Sharing Certain other State revenues are shared with counties. These funds are used for general operations. Charges for Services There are a variety of charges collected by the County. These include planning & zoning fees, tax collector fees, sheriff fees, prisoner housing fees, parks and recreation fees, library fees, building permits and fees, ambulance fees, court fees and others. Some of these charges are used for specific departments and others are used for general operations. Fines & Forfeitures Fines are charged by several departments on behalf of the BOCC. The Library Department and Animal Shelter charge fines and the Clerk of Court collects several court fines. The funds collected by each are set aside to be used by the departments or purposes assigned. Animal Shelter and Library fines are recycled back into these departments for their use. Certain Court Fines are used to pay for statutorily mandated court expenses that the BOCC is responsible for paying. 13

14 Miscellaneous There are miscellaneous revenues collected by the BOCC. They include Municipal Benefit Service Units (Fire MSBU s), special assessments, sewer assessments, contributions, interest earnings, and refunds. Some of these revenues can be used for general operations. Others are restricted to particular uses and are described below. Impact Fees Fees are levied on new commercial and residential growth. These fees are imposed to offset growth s impact on County infrastructure. The Infrastructure categories are transportation (40%), law enforcement (9%), corrections (11%), public buildings (25%), recreation (7.5%) and libraries (7.5%). These funds are restricted to infrastructure and capital purchases associated with the new growth. During the year reported on, these fees were not being assessed, however, the balances forward are subject to the restriction previously stated. Municipal Service Benefit Unit Fees (MSBU) An annual $65 charge is levied against commercial and residential dwelling owners and is one of the mechanisms used to provide fire protection services to our citizens. These monies are restricted and are used to maintain, operate and purchase capital equipment for the County s paid and volunteer fire departments. Sewer Access Fees Each customer who hooks on to the sewer system pays an access fee which is set aside for infrastructure expansion needs of the sewer plant. This expansion can include both plant or capacity expansion and additional pipelines. Other Sources Other sources of funds primarily include inter-fund transfers and debt proceeds. For reporting purposes, transfers in are shown as zero since they are offset by an equal transfer out. Debt proceeds are also shown as zero since they are recorded as a liability on the balance sheet. Any net gains on the disposal of assets have been recorded in the miscellaneous category. 14

15 USES OF COUNTY FUNDS The County provides a variety of services to its citizens. These services are provided countywide. There are two incorporated cities within Wakulla County: St. Marks and Sopchoppy. The BOCC has inter-local agreements with both cities to provide services to these areas such as fire protection, law enforcement, emergency medical services, road maintenance, as well as many other services. Expenditures are accounted for by various funds and ledger accounts within those funds. As mentioned previously, separate funds are used to distinguish different funding sources from one another. For reporting purposes, expenses are categorized by type of expenditure and our accounting system follows the State s Chart of Accounts. These categories of expenses can be seen in the chart below. Annual operational expenses are paid with the current revenues that come in during the year and with funds left over from the previous fiscal year provided that the BOCC budgets for those carry-forward monies. Major capital projects are funded by restricted revenues earmarked for those purposes such as gas taxes, impact fees, the 1 Cent Sales Tax or grant monies. Other capital projects are funded from loan proceeds. 15

16 Wakulla County-wide Expenditures for FY 14/15 General Government $ 5,992, % Public Safety 14,980, % Physical Environment 5,180, % Transportation 3,185, % Economic Environment 1,370, % Human Services 804, % Culture & Recreation 1,808, % Court Related 922, % Interest 190, % Total $ 34,436, % General Government This category of service is provided through several departments. They include the offices of the Board of County Commissioners, County Administrator, Planning & Zoning, and Facilities Management Department, as well as many other services not related to a particular department. All general government operations are funded mainly through ad valorem taxes, but there are a variety of other smaller sources as previously described in this report. Public Safety Fire & Rescue This category includes the Fire Department, Volunteer Fire Departments and the Ambulance/Emergency Medical Services Department. The Fire Department is funded by ad valorem and general revenues while the Fire Departments are funded through the MSBU fees. The Ambulance Department is funded through general revenues and user fees generated in providing emergency medical services. Each of these are eligible for funds from the 15% Public Safety category of the 1 Cent Sales Tax and each receive grant funding on occasion. Law Enforcement & Corrections This category includes the functions of the Sheriff s Office. The BOCC s funding of the Sheriff s budget is divided into Law Enforcement, Corrections, Civil Defense, Emergency Management, and E911 Services. The Sheriff s operating expenditures are funded through ad valorem taxes, general revenues, Housing Prisoner revenues, miscellaneous fees and grants while capital projects are funded by impact fees, 15% of the 1 Cent Sales Tax, and grants. Other Public Safety This category includes departments such as Code Enforcement, Animal Control, Probation, Building, and Medical Examiner. The Code Enforcement and Animal Control are funded through ad valorem taxes and fines. The Medical Examiner expenditures are funded through ad valorem taxes. The Probation department is 16

17 funded through user fees and ad valorem taxes. The Building department is funded through permits and user fees. Physical Environment Garbage / Solid Waste The Solid Waste/Recycling fund contains capital improvements designed to facilitate the provision, maintenance, and operation of services associated with the collection and disposal of garbage, refuse, and solid waste. The recycling service is to provide and prevent pollution, preserve natural resources, and protect our environment. At the beginning of the fiscal year, the County contracted with WastePro to provide residential and non-residential curbside collection services and recycling. The County collects a 9% franchise fee which is used for the closing and capping of the landfill where WastePro provides for and operates a transfer station. Sewer / Water This category includes the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) facility operated by the BOCC and a small water department known as Riversink Water. These expenditures are funded through various user and connection fees. Many of the expansion projects are also funded through grant monies or contributed capital. The County contracts with ESG Operations Inc. (ESG) to operate this portion of the public works department. Other Public Works This category includes the Agriculture Department. The State considers this department s expenditures as Conservation & Resource Management which falls under the purview of Public Works according to the State Chart of Accounts. These expenditures are funded through general revenues and some user fees. Transportation This category includes the Road & Bridge Department. These expenditures include maintenance, operations, contract operations, and construction of roads and bridges and are funded through a variety of sources such as gas taxes, 60% of the 1 Cent Sales Tax, impact fees and grant monies. The County contracts with ESG Operations Inc. (ESG) to operate this portion of the public works department. Economic Environment This category includes the departments of Veteran s Services, Housing and State Housing Initiatives Partnership Program (SHIP). This category also includes visioning and economic development grants such as those for Panacea and Crawfordville. Veteran s Services is funded through 17

18 general revenues and the other expenditures are funded through grant monies. Human Services This category includes expenditures paid from ad valorem or general fund dollars such as the departments of Mosquito Control (under the purview of the Health Dept), Medical Services expenses (indigent expenses incurred under the Health Care Reform Act or H.C.R.A. and Nursing Home and Hospital expenses incurred under Medicaid), contributions to the Health Dept. and the Senior Citizen s Center. Mosquito Control services are also funded by State grant monies. Culture & Recreation This category includes the Library, Parks & Recreation and Tourist Development Departments. Library expenditures are funded through general funds, user fees, impact fees and grant monies. Parks & Recreation expenditures are funded through general funds, user fees, impact fees and 5% of the 1 Cent Sales Tax. The Tourism expenditures are funded through the 3% Tourist Development Tax and grant monies. Court Related Interest The Judicial System is comprised of the Circuit Judge, County Judge, State Attorney, Public Defender, Clerk of Circuit and County Court and many other local and state mandated programs. A large portion of the budget for the Circuit Judge, County Judge, State Attorney and Public Defender is funded by the State but some BOCC funding is required by Article V of the Constitution. The Clerk s court functions are funded by user fees and State funds. Some of local and state mandates are funded through user fees of the Circuit and County Court systems and others are funded through general revenues. Interest expense is the cost of borrowing funds. Please refer to the Longterm debt section below for further discussion. Other Uses Other uses of funds primarily include inter-fund transfers. For reporting purposes, transfers out are shown as zero since they are offset by an equal transfer in. Any net losses on the disposal of assets are recorded in this category. 18

19 COUNTY LONG-TERM DEBT While the County balances its budget every year for operating expenses, it does use debt financing for the acquisition of some major projects or capital expenditures. This is done to extend the payment for such things over their useful life much like a citizen does with a home mortgage or car loan. By doing this, the burden for paying for these capital projects is spread out to the future taxpayers who will benefit rather than only those present at the time of construction or acquisition. All these debts are qualifying tax exempt financing which carries a lower interest cost to the County. State law prohibits the BOCC from giving facilities or equipment as collateral for debt. Instead, they pledge certain non-ad valorem sources of revenue to make debt installment payments. These revenues must be used first to pay the installments due then any amount left over can be used for other valid expenditures. As of September 30, 2015, the County owed $5.0 million in note/loan debt which is approximately $200,000 more than last year. The County s outstanding debt is broken down into the categories shown in the following graph and further described on the following page. Wakulla County-w ide Debt * Road Paving $ 1,026, Sew er $ 1,851, Landfill $ 863, Courthouse $ 1,324, Total $ 5,065, * 8 outstanding loans/leases 19

20 Road Paving Debt Amount owed: $1,026,098 Pledged revenue: Gas Taxes and 60% portion of 1 Cent Sales Tax Use of borrowed funds: Paving new roads & road paving equipment Description: o There is one loan outstanding with Bank of America with a balance due of $422,536. The original loan was for $4,000,000 and was spent to pave new roads based, in part, on the paving matrix which prioritized roads into an order of importance based on many factors. This loan will be paid off in FY o There is one loan with Centennial Bank with a balance due of $59,329 that was for the paving of Northwoods Subdivision. A special assessment against the property owners pays the debt service payments. This loan will be paid off in FY o There is one capital lease for three (3) motor graders with a purchase option at the end of the lease. The lease was for $574,713 and the balance due at 9/30/15 is $544,233. The lease ends in FY Sewer System Expansion Debt Amount owed: $1,851,107 Pledged revenue: Sewer Revenue and Access Fees Use of borrowed funds: Expand the sewer system Description: o A loan in the amount of $5,400,000 financed by Bank of America with a balance due of $925,006 was for the purpose of expanding the existing sewer system into other parts of the County. The loan will be paid off in FY Landfill Closure Debt o A loan in the amount of $1,088,416 with a balance due of $926,101 was financed by the Florida State Revolving Loan program sponsored by the Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) that was originally borrowed to expand the sewer system into Wakulla Gardens and was later amended to expand the system into Oyster Bay. The loan will be paid off in FY Amount owed: $863,189 Pledged revenue: Solid Waste Assessment Fees Use of borrowed funds: Cap and Close the Lower Bridge Landfill Description: 20

21 o A loan in the amount $925,000 was borrowed to close the landfill in accordance with Florida Department of Environmental Protection regulations. The balance due as of 9/30/15 was $863,189. The loan will be paid off in FY Courthouse Renovation Debt Amount owed: $1,324,835 Pledged revenue: 20% portion of One Cent Sales Tax & Courthouse User Fees Use of borrowed funds: Renovation of mechanical and structural systems of Courthouse Description: o There are two loans with Hancock Bank. The total amount borrowed was $2,500,000. The first, with a balance due of $682,214 is using 1 Cent Sales Tax dollars to repay the loan which will be paid off in FY The second, with a balance due of $642,621 is using fees generated by the users of the Courthouse to repay the loan which will be paid off in FY

22 COUNTY DEMOGRAPHICS Geographic Wakulla County was established on March 11, 1843, became a Charter county in 2008 and consists of square miles with approximately two-thirds of this land area being preserved by national, state and local forests, preserves, sanctuaries, management areas and parks. With only two small incorporated towns, Sopchoppy and St. Marks, Crawfordville is the county seat and is the only unincorporated county seat in Florida. The average number of persons per square mile as of 2015 and 2010 was 52 and 51, respectively. Demographic Population The County s population according to the 2010 census was 30,776. The estimated 2015 population is 31,535 (U.S. Census) and 31,283 (BEBR), an estimated increase of between 507 and 759 or between 1.6% and 2.5%. The estimated population for 2020, 2030 and 2040 is 33,524, 37,427 and 40,726, respectively. Of the County s 2015 estimated population of 31,283 (BEBR), 6,820 (21.8%) were under the age of 18, 20,584 (65.8%) were between the ages of 19 and 64 and 3,879 (12.5%) were over the age of 65. Approximately 13,984 (44.7%) of the County s population is female. The County s ethnicity is estimated to be 81.4% white (25,464), 15.2% African American (4,755) and the remaining 3.4% (1,064) represent other races or origins. Approximately 10.2% or 3,191 are Veterans of the armed forces and 2.3% (719) were foreign born. Housing In 2014 and 2010 there were 12,838 and 12,804 housing units respectively. The homeownership rate ( ) was 76.0%. Of the 12,804 units, 2,314 or 18.1% were vacant. Of the 10,490 occupied units, 2,021 or 19.3% were occupied by renters and the remaining 8,469 units or 80.7% were owner occupied. The number of households in 2014 and 2010 were 10,905 and 10,490 respectively. The average household size ( ) was 2.51 persons per household. The median value of owner-occupied housing ( ) was $129,900. There were 106 building permits issued in Crime The 2014 and 2013 crime rate (index crimes per 100,000 population) for Wakulla County was 2,227.9 and , respectively, an increase of 8.0%. The Violent Rate for 2014 and 2013 was and 249.4, respectively, an increase of 10.2%. Total arrests for 2014 and 2013 was 931 and 1,054, respectively, a decrease of 11.7%. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, 3,284 individuals were housed in the State correctional facility and 122 were housed in the County jail. Economic Employment/Industry The largest employer by category was Government (State and Local) with 35.2% of the workforce (2014) followed by Trade, Transportation & Utilities (17.5%), Leisure & Hospitality (10.6%) and Professional & Business Services (9.4%) with the other 7 categories comprising 22

23 the remaining 27.3%. In 2010, 64.5% of the County s population was in the workforce with 8.3% unemployed. In 2014, the County s unemployed rate was 5.9% (a 2.4% reduction) and in 2015, the County s unemployment rate dropped 1.4% to a rate of 4.5%. In 2010, the number of individuals with disability under age 65 was 14.4% and the number of individuals without health insurance was 18.0%. Income The per capita personal income for 2014 and 2012 was $30,699 and $30,256, respectively. The median household income ( ) was $53,143. The number of persons living below the poverty level ( ) was 15.1%. Education There are 15 public education institutions in Wakulla County. Of the 15, 6 are elementary schools, 2 are middle schools, 3 are senior high and 3 are a combination of elementary, middle and senior high school and 1 is a community college. The number of persons age 25 or older with a high school diploma or higher education is 87.5% and the number with a bachelor s degree or higher education was 17.2%. Business In 2014 there were 419 private non-farm establishments in Wakulla County employing 3,233 employees. In 2011 there were 402 establishments in Wakulla County employing 3,100 employees. Sources. Office of Economic & Demographic Research Bureau of Economic and Business Research U.S. Census Bureau and Florida Department of Economic Opportunity U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Florida Department of Law Enforcement End of Citizen s Annual Popular Report FY