The Ponte Vedra Beach Municipal Service District (MSD) Board of Trustees adopted a balanced budget for the 2017-2018 fiscal year at its meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 20, with appropriated expenditures/reserves and revenue/balances both totaling $846,540.
As part of the budget adoption process, the MSD Board also officially approved the district’s final millage rate of .375 mills, which the trustees voted to maintain in July.
The approved budget shows that the MSD is expecting to receive $661,127 in ad valorem taxes. Estimated interest of $1,500 and a cash balance of $183,913 coupled with the tax dollars bring the total revenue and balances for the MSD to $846,540.
Law enforcement and sanitation represent the highest costing line items on the budget, with $312,010 allocated for the services of the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office (SJSO) and $194,436 allocated for Republic Services.
MSD Board Vice Chairman Gary Jurenovich explained that the district contracts SJSO to designate five deputies specifically to patrolling the MSD.
“That was one of the main reasons we set up the MSD 30 years ago…for law enforcement,” he said. “We’re different from a gated community. Our roads are public; we don’t know who’s driving around.”
Jurenovich explained that the MSD also contracts Republic to provide the district with an extra garbage pickup and side door pickup, which are not privileges afforded to the rest of St. Johns County. The MSD receives trash pickups on Mondays and Thursdays, he said.
The budget shows that $173,486 is allocated for reserves. Jurenovich said these funds are sometimes used in October, November and December when the MSD is waiting to receive its ad valorem tax dollars, which typically come in at the end of December or early January. Also of note is a $20,000-line item for hurricane clean up; $35,000 for street lighting, which is a service of Beaches Energy; $19,500 for new MSD street signs and about $17,500 combined for landscape services and beautification efforts.
Other items on the budget include a number of general administrative services, such as the MSD’s website, annual newsletter and office supplies, as well as support services like the tax collector and property appraiser.
Total appropriated expenditures and reserves amount to $846,540.
To review the entire approved budget, visit the MSD’s website at http://www.pvmsd.org/ and click on the financials tab.
The MSD’s next meeting is Monday, Oct 9 at 6 p.m. at the Ponte Vedra Beach Branch Library. The trustees will host both Republic Services and St. Johns County officials to review trash, recycling and yard waste collections in the MSD.
