GREEN COVE SPRINGS – After more than half an hour of contentious debate between council members and the public, the City Council finally passed its fiscal 2025-26 budget on Tuesday night to retain its 5.3 millage rate that will generate $61,228,941 in revenues.

Members spent 1 hour and 46 minutes in a special session on Sept. 11 to informally set their budget ahead of Tuesday’s second and final reading, which would be the final decision.

The council determined city employees deserved pay increases since most wages fell below the 50^th percentile compared to other municipalities of equal population and tax base. The 5.3% millage rate would have resulted in a 3% cost-of-living adjustment for employees, which was in line with federal guidelines.

The council left the special session after agreeing to a proposal for a 5.3% millage rate, excluding school camera zone speeding income, and with budget cuts to replace the school zone speeding camera income.

However, during Tuesday’s meeting, Council Member Darren Stutts surprised Mayor Matt Johnson and Vice Mayor Ed Gaw with a motion calling for a 5.1613% millage rate and a 2.3% cost-of-living adjustment. Equally surprising was support from Council Members Glee Glisson and Cheri Starnes.

“If you can’t afford it, you can’t afford it,” Stutts said. “We can’t keep going to the people if we can’t afford it.”

Starnes quickly switched her vote to support the 5.3% millage rate and 3% COLA. Still, Glisson didn’t relent until she realized city staff based the budget on the pre-determined millage rate, and any changes would require the removal of an additional $100,000 from the final budget proposal before it could be approved.

Since the budget took effect on October 1, the council knew it had to act quickly, as state law required it to post public notices in advance of future meetings.

Needing four of five votes for approval, once Glisson flipped, Green Cove Springs had its next budget with Stutts still opposing the rate and the greater cost-of-living increase.

The total revenues are expected to be $61,228,941 – a 5.5% reduction compared to the 2024-25 budget.

A mill is a $1 rate for every $1,000 in assessed property value. One reason why the city kept its millage rate steady is that the county increased the assessed property values of homes. While the amount of taxes for every $1,000 of assessed value didn’t increase, if the total value of the property increased, the owner would have a greater tax bill.

The council also approved a 12% increase in water rates ($3.32 a month increase for an average 6,000 gallons of usage); 5% increase in wastewater removal ($3.01 a month increase for an average 6,000 gallons of usage); and 12% increase in reclaimed irrigation water rate changes for Black Creek Village and Edgewater Landing subdivisions.

The city council meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. at City Hall.