ADMINISTRATION COMMISSION
AGENDA

JUNE 26, 2000

1. Approval of the minutes for the meeting held May 9, 2000.

FISCAL YEAR 1999-2000

2. AGENCY FOR HEALTH CARE ADMINISTRATION. Request approval of transfer of $88,634,160 in General Revenue appropriations as follows:

3. DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS. Request approval of transfer of $2,508,452 in General Revenue appropriations as follows:

	Transfer (From)/To 1999 – 2000 $
Administration Salaries & Benefits Health Services Special Category - Inmate Health Services	(2,508,452)   2,508,452
Provides additional funds from Administration to cover a budget shortfall in Inmate Health Services.

4. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. Request approval of transfer of $68,846 in General Revenue appropriations as follows:

	Transfer (From)/To 1999 – 2000
	$
Division of Community Colleges Grants and Aids - Community College Endowment Matching Fund Grants and Aids - Deferred Maintenance	(68,846) 68,846
Provides for the transfer of unspent appropriations in the Endowment Matching Fund for distribution to the community colleges for deferred maintenance needs. The surplus appropriation is a result of all eligible private contributions having been matched.

 

5. DEPARTMENT OF LEGAL AFFAIRS. Request approval of transfer of $10,000 in General Revenue appropriations as follows:

	Transfer (From)/To 1999 – 2000
Administered Funds Deficiency (10	$ (10,000)
Office of the Attorney General Litigation Expenses	10,000
Provides General Revenue from the deficiency category in Administered Funds for expert witness fees, travel costs and other costs associated with defending the partial birth abortion lawsuit.

6. DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AFFAIRS. Request approval of transfer of $140,069 in Fixed Capital Outlay appropriations as follows:

	Transfer (From)/To 1999 – 2000
General Activities Fixed Capital Outlay - Planning - Armory Expansion/Rehabilitation- Jacksonville (Snyder)	$   (68,377)
Fixed Capital Outlay - State Military Academy – Camp Blanding Training Site Fixed Capital Outlay - Waterplant Replacement- Jacksonville (Snyder) Fixed Capital Outlay - Life Safety Code Compliance – Fire Codes	68,377   (71,692)   71,692
Transfers unused appropriations from projects that have been completed to projects that were underfunded.

7. PAROLE COMMISSION. Request approval of transfer of $42,000 in General Revenue appropriations as follows:

	Transfer (From)/To 1999 – 2000
Florida Parole Commission Salaries and Benefits	$ (42,000)
Other Personal Services Operating Capital Outlay	17,000 25,000
Provides for payments to temporary employees used when personnel reductions were being considered by the Legislature and transfers funds to purchase video teleconferencing equipment.

 

8. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. Request approval of transfer of $70,000 in General Revenue appropriations as follows:

	Transfer (From)/To 1999 – 2000
Division of Elections Special Category – Petition Signature Verification	$ (70,000)
Special Category – Special Elections	70,000
To provide additional funds to pay a portion of outstanding obligations to reimburse counties for the costs associated with holding special elections.

 

FISCAL YEAR 2000-2001

9. AGENCY FOR HEALTH CARE ADMINISTRATION. Request approval of transfer of $61,057 in General Revenue appropriations as follows:

	Transfer (From)/To 2000-2001
Executive Direction and Support Services Salaries and Benefits   Expenses	(50,000)   (11,057)
Administration and Support Salaries and Benefits Expenses	50,000 11,057
Provides for the realignment of budget and positions that were inadvertently assigned to the incorrect budget entities during the creation of several new entities in the Agency for Health Care Administration for Fiscal Year 2000-2001.

10. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR AND AGENCY FOR WORKFORCE INNOVATION. Request approval of transfer of $6,862,448 in General Revenue appropriations and $2,233,184 in Grants and Donations Trust Fund appropriations as follows:

	Transfer (From)/To 2000-2001
Executive Office of the Governor OTTED – Economic Development Programs and Projects General Revenue Fund Lump Sum – Workforce Development and Infrastructure Grants and Donations Trust Fund Lump Sum – Workforce Development and Infrastructure General Office – WAGES Grants and Donations Trust Fund Salaries and Benefits Lump Sum – WAGES State Board (3.0)	$       (6,862,448)   (490,862)       (205,402) (1,536,920)

 

	Transfer (From)/To 2000-2001
Agency for Workforce Innovation Workforce Florida, Inc. General Revenue Fund Special Category – Workforce Florida Inc. Operations Special Category – Quick Response Training Grants and Donations Trust Fund Special Category – Workforce Florida Inc. Operations 3.0	$       862,448 6,000,000   2,233,184
Transfers resources from the State Workforce Development Board and the State WAGES Board within the Executive Office of the Governor to Workforce Florida, Inc. within the Agency for Workforce Innovation, pursuant to the requirements of Senate Bill 2050 (Chapter 2000-165, Laws of Florida) signed into law May 30, 2000. The transfer will be effective July 1, 2000.

11. DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. Request approval of transfer of $1,094,952 in General Revenue appropriations as follows:

	Transfer (From)/To 2000-2001
Child Protection and Permanency Special Category - Adoption Services and Subsidy Special Category - Out of Home Care Special Category - Grants and Aids-Child Protection	$ (668,295)   (426,657) 1,094,952
Provides the appropriate category for the Sarasota YMCA privatization contract.

 

12. DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. Request approval of transfer of $1,667,197 in General Revenue appropriations as follows:

	Transfer (From)/To 2000-2001
Executive Direction and Support Services Salaries and Benefits 18.0 Expenses Assistant Secretary for Administration Salaries and Benefits Expenses District Administration Salaries and Benefits 6.0 Expenses Florida Abuse Hotline Salaries and Benefits 1.0 Expenses Program Management and Compliance/Family Safety Program Salaries and Benefits (3.0) Expenses   Comprehensive Eligibility Services Salaries and Benefits (14.0) Other Personal Services Expenses   Program Management and Compliance/Economic Self Sufficiency Program Salaries and Benefits (8.0) Expenses	1,033,599 80,328   (1,862) 8,952   430,310 29,760   79,288 4,960       (97,352) (14,880)     (917,003) (54,676) (225,404)       (313,860) (42,160)
Provides for a central office reorganization, as authorized by Chapter 2000-139, Laws of Florida, and realigns budget and positions to the new budget structure created in the General Appropriations Act.

 

13. DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. Request approval of transfer of $18,905,672 in General Revenue appropriations as follows:

Transfer (From)/To 2000-2001

Executive Direction and Support Services Expenses Assistant Secretary for Administration Salaries and Benefits Operating Capital Outlay Expenses District Administration Salaries and Benefits Expenses Child Care Regulation and Information Grants and Aids – Child Protection Program Management and Compliance/Family Safety Program Expenses   Home and Community Services Expenses Violent Sexual Predator Program Lump Sum Involuntary Civil Commitment Salaries and Benefits Other Personal Services Expenses Grants and Aids – Contracted Services   Program Management and Compliance/Mental Health Program Expenses Program Management and Compliance/Substance Abuse Program Expenses

$ (6,699)   (762,910) 35,518 (135,784)   762,910 120,810 1,923,529         (561)     (1,971)   (16,062,905) 45,193 226,048 317,114 15,474,550       (2,927)       (1,687)

 

	Transfer (From)/To 2000-2001
Program Management and Compliance/Economic Self Sufficiency Program

Expenses Wages and Employment Support Grants and Aids-Child Care WAGES	$(6,699)   (1,923,529)
Provides reapproval of Fiscal Year 1999-2000 recurring amendments that were not included in the 2000-2001 General Appropriations Act.

14. DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. Request approval of transfer of $5,302,846 in General Revenue appropriations as follows:

	Transfer (From)/To 2000-2001
Child Protection and Permanency Salaries and Benefits Expenses Grants and Aids-Child Protection	$ (4,107,889) (1,194,957) 5,302,846
Provides for the transfer of General Revenue between categories to support the privatization of community based care programs, including protective services, foster care and adoption services. The positions associated with this budget will be deleted effective July 1, 2000, pursuant to the General Appropriations Act.

15. DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. Request approval of transfer of $1,089,902 in General Revenue appropriations as follows:

	Transfer (From)/To 2000-2001
Program Management and Compliance/Family Safety Program Salaries and Benefits (29.0) Expenses	$   (960,053) (129,849)

 

FTE	Transfer (From)/To 2000-2001
Child Protection and Permanency Salaries and Benefits Executive Direction and Support Services Salaries and Benefits Information and Technology 57.0 Assistant Secretary for Administration Data Processing Services – DCF Data Center Program Management and Compliance/Economic Self Sufficiency Program (28.0)	$ 539,028   55,194     495,680
Provides for the consolidation of all of the department’s information technology efforts related to the Family Information Linkage to Integrate Enabling Services (SACWIS) project. The transfer also corrects the distribution of the annualization of the child protection issue, which was inappropriately allocated in the General Appropriations Act.

16. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT SECURITY. Request approval of transfer of $689,729 in General Revenue appropriations as follows:

	Transfer (From)/To 2000-2001
Department of Education Executive Direction and Support Services Salaries and Benefits 12.0 Expenses Department of Labor and Employment Security Workforce and Employment Opportunities Salaries and Benefits (12.0) Expenses	$   589,729 100,000       (589,729) (100,000)

Provides for the transfer of the Apprenticeship Program as authorized by Senate Bill 2050 (Chapter 2000-165, Laws of Florida). This transfer will be effective July 1, 2000.

 

17. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. Request approval of transfer of $812,154 in General Revenue appropriations as follows:

	Transfer (From)/To 2000-2001
Children’s Special Health Care Salaries and Benefits Special Category - Grants and Aids-Primary Care Program Special Category - Master Contracts   Special Category - Purchased Client Services-Clinic/Field Services Information Technology Salaries and Benefits	$ 323,315 74,342   414,497   (488,839)   (323,315)
Provides for reapproval of FY 1999-2000 recurring budget amendments that were not included in the FY 2000-2001 General Appropriations Act.

18. DEPARTMENT OF JUVENILE JUSTICE. Request approval of transfer of $7,980,039 in General Revenue appropriations as follows:

	Transfer (From)/To 2000-2001
Detention Centers Special Category - Contracted Services Aftercare Services and Conditional Release Special Category - Contracted Services   Non-Residential Delinquency Rehabilitation Special Category - Contracted Services Executive Direction & Support Services Special Category - Contracted Services	$ (1,498,492)     (5,203,266)     (526,716)   (751,565)

 

	Transfer (From)/To 2000-2001
Home Detention Special Category - Contracted Services Juvenile Probation Special Category - Contracted Services Non-Secure Residential Commitment Special Category - Contracted Services Secure Residential Commitment Special Category - Contracted Services	$ 172,555   135,670   4,997,429   2,674,385
Transfers contracted services reductions adopted by the Legislature in the FY 2000-01 General Appropriations Act to the correct new Department of Juvenile Justice budget entities.

 

19. DEPARTMENT OF JUVENILE JUSTICE. Request approval of transfer of $20,146,896 in General Revenue appropriations and $102,155 in Trust Fund appropriations as follows:

Transfer (From)/To 2000-2001

Executive Direction and Support Services

General Revenue Fund

Salaries and Benefits (283.0) (14,620,893)

Expenses (1,240,554)

Grants and Donations Trust Fund

Salaries and Benefits (1.0) (24,307)

Expenses (17,969)

Social Services Block Grant

Salaries and Benefits (1.0) (49,630)

Expenses (10,249)

 

	Transfer (From)/To 2000-2001 $
Aftercare Services and Conditional Release General Revenue Fund Salaries and Benefits (1.0) Expenses Juvenile Probation General Revenue Fund Salaries and Benefits (48.0) Expenses Social Services Block Grant Salaries and Benefits 1.0 Expenses Non-Residential Delinquency Rehabilitation General Revenue Fund Salaries and Benefits (15.0) Expenses Non-Secure Residential Commitment General Revenue Fund Salaries and Benefits (32.5) Detention Centers General Revenue Fund Salaries and Benefits 210.5 Expenses Home Detention General Revenue Fund Salaries and Benefits 1.0 Expenses Secure Residential Commitment General Revenue Fund Salaries and Benefits 115.0 Expenses Grants and Donations Trust Fund Salaries and Benefits 1.0 Expenses       Prevention and Victim Service General Revenue Fund Salaries and Benefits Expenses	(52,809) (5,500)     (1,199,948) (650,536)   49,630 10,249     (468,848) (36,342)     (1,871,466)     8,250,717 1,101,813     27,079 23,587     6,623,120 516,932 24,307 17,969     Transfer (From)/To 2000-2001 $   3,313,048 290,600
Provides for the Department of Juvenile Justice's (DJJ) reorganization authorized by Senate Bill 1196 (Chapter 2000-135, Laws of Florida) where the department is going from a district to regional structure which is consistent with the boundaries of judicial circuits to better coordinate with other law enforcement and judicial entities.

20. DEPARTMENT OF JUVENILE JUSTICE. Request approval of transfer of $1,000,000 in General Revenue appropriations as follows:

	Transfer (From)/To 2000-2001
Home Detention Special Category - Contracted Services Detention Centers Special Category - Contracted Services	$ (1,000,000)   1,000,000
Provides for the realignment of a budget reduction adopted by the Legislature in the FY 2000-2001 General Appropriations Act which should have been taken from the new Home Detention budget entity rather than the Detention Centers budget entity.

21. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT SECURITY AND DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT SERVICES. Request approval of transfer of $1,256,113 in General Revenue appropriations as follows:

	Transfer (From)/To 2000-2001
Department of Labor and Employment Security Executive Direction and Support Services – Minority Business Advocacy and Assistance Office Salaries and Benefits (21.0)   Other Personal Services   Expenses     FTE Department of Management Services Workforce Program – Office of Supplier Diversity Salaries and Benefits 21.0 Other Personal Services Expenses	$       (914,144)   (100,000)   (238,268) Transfer (From)/To 2000-2001 $       914,144 100,000 238,268
Transfers the Minority Business Advocacy and Assistance Office to the Department of Management Services, pursuant to House Bill 2127 (Chapter 2000-286, Laws of Florida). The transfer will be effective July 1, 2000.

 

22. DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT SERVICES. Request approval of transfer of $822,133 in General Revenue appropriations and $1,900,000 in Trust Fund appropriations as follows:

	Transfer (From)/To 2000-2001
Administration Program General Revenue Salaries and Benefits (8.0) Other Personal Services Expenses Special Category - State Portal Development Special Category - Risk Management Insurance Working Capital Trust Fund Special Category - State Portal Development Technology Program General Revenue Salaries and Benefits 8.0 Other Personal Services Expenses Special Category - State Portal Development Special Category - Risk Management Insurance Working Capital Trust Fund Special Category - State Portal Development	$   (507,917) (11,925) (200,811) (100,000) (1,480)   (1,900,000)     507,917 11,925 200,811 100,000 1,480   1,900,000
Provides for the consolidation of the State Technology Office within the Information Technology Program of the Department of Management Services, pursuant to the requirements of Senate Bill 1334, Chapter 2000-164, Laws of Florida.

23. DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AFFAIRS. Request approval to establish seven (7) positions in excess of the number fixed by the Legislature as follows:

FTE
Federal State Cooperative Agreements Executive Assistant I 2 Executive Assistant II 1 Administrative Assistant I 1 Accountant I 2 Grants Specialist III 1
To establish seven (7) positions to implement a Youth Challenge Program at Camp Blanding. Federal funds have been received to conduct the program which will provide life skills training to at-risk youths in a controlled environment.

24. DEPARTMENT OF STATE AND DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. Request approval of transfer of $3,000,000 in General Revenue appropriations and $2,380,003 in Trust Fund appropriations as follows:

	Transfer (From)/To 2000-2001
Department of State Ringling Museum of Art Cultural Institutions Trust Fund Salaries and Benefits (60.0) Expenses Public Access Data Systems Trust Fund Expenses Investment Trust Fund Special Category – Restoration/Conservation – Art Acquisition General Revenue Fund Fixed Capital Outlay – Emergency Repairs   FTE	$       (2,048,806) (100,000)   (31,197)   (200,000)     (3,000,000) Transfer (From)/To 2000-2001
Department of Education Division of Universities Operations and Maintenance Trust Fund Lump Sum – Educational and General Activities 60.0 General Revenue Fund Fixed Capital Outlay – Emergency Repairs	$     2,380,003     3,000,000
Transfers the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art from the Department of State to Florida State University, pursuant to Senate Bill 1194, Section 65, (Chapter 2000-258, Laws of Florida) which passed the Legislature on May 5, 2000 with an effective date of July 1, 2000.

25. DEPARTMENT OF BANKING AND FINANCE/OFFICE OF THE COMPTROLLER. Request approval for the temporary transfer of up to $1,000,000,000 from trust funds in the State Treasury to the General Revenue Fund, pursuant to section 215.18, Florida Statutes. Upon determination of need, if the General Revenue experiences cash deficits, the Comptroller is authorized to transfer amounts necessary to make up the deficiencies. Transferred amounts will be repaid as soon as practical but no later than June 30, 2001.

 

26. DEPARTMENT OF BANKING AND FINANCE/OFFICE OF THE COMPTROLLER. Request approval for the temporary transfer of up to $250,000,000 from trust funds in the State Treasury to the Tobacco Settlement Clearing Trust Fund pursuant to section 215.18, Florida Statutes. The trust fund receives the settlement payments made by the tobacco industry and uses those receipts to transfer to the various state agencies that were appropriated the tobacco settlement funds. The settlement payments for FY 2000-2001 are not due until the end of December; therefore, sufficient cash will not be available to fund the appropriations until that time. Transfers from the State Treasury will only be made as needed and will be repaid as soon as practical but not later than June 30, 2001.

 

27. DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE. Request approval for the temporary transfer of up to $53,000,000 from trust funds in the State Treasury to the County Revenue Sharing Trust Fund and the transfer of up to $25,000,000 to the Municipal Revenue Sharing Trust Fund, pursuant to section 215.18, Florida Statutes, to cover temporary cash deficiencies. The Department of Revenue will repay the transferred amounts as soon as practical but not later than June 30, 2001.

 

28. DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT SERVICES. Request approval of proposed rule revision to Chapter 60K-3, Florida Administrative Code, Recruitment and Selection.

The rule amendments are made within the authority of subsections 110.211(6) and 110.213(4), Florida Statutes, which require the Department of Management Services to adopt model rules pertaining to recruitment and selection of employees in the Career Service System. The rule amendments identify current departmental and agency responsibilities in the area of recruitment and selection; identify situations for which announcing job vacancies is not necessary; shorten the time frame for re-announcing positions; identify information to be included in a job vacancy announcement; allow agencies to accept requests for reassignment and promotion from employees in the Career Service System; require employing agencies to determine eligibility on all applicants at the beginning of the selection process; delete the guidelines regarding eligibility determination from the rule and incorporate by reference a manual containing the guidelines for determining eligibility; and identify acceptable selection techniques.

 

29. DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT SERVICES. Request approval of proposed rule revision to Chapter 60K-4, Florida Administrative Code, Appointments, Status, Transfers and Separations.

On November 10, 1999, the Lee County Sheriff's Office (Sheriff), pursuant to s. 30.49(5), Florida Statutes, filed an appeal of their 1999-2000 budget approved by the Lee County Board of County Commissioners (Board). On November 18, 1999, the Board filed its response to the appeal.

The Sheriff originally requested a total budget for 1999-2000 of $62,700,294. On March 29, 2000, he officially reduced his request to $59,936,482 pursuant to the results of an audit performed by MGT of America. The audit had been requested by both the Board and the Sheriff.

The Board initially approved a 1999-2000 Sheriff’s budget of $53,777,628; a 3 percent increase from the 1998-99 approved budget plus a $1.5 million fund shift of inmate medical expenses from the County’s support budget to the Sheriff’s budget. Based on the results of the audit and discussions between the Sheriff and the Board, on November 9, 1999 the Board approved an additional $3.1 million for a total of $56,877,628. As a result of the Sheriff declaring a $2.2 million operating expense emergency in a May 1, 2000 letter, the Board approved another $550,000 for the Sheriff’s budget on May 9, 2000. The new Sheriff’s approved budget total is $57,427,628.

Two issues are raised in this appeal: (1) reduction from the requested amount of Expenses Other than Salaries; and (2) reduction from the requested Reserve for Contingencies. As required by statute, the Executive Office of the Governor (EOG) held a public meeting on May 23, 2000 to hear both parties present their case. A three-member panel consisting of Ms. Sunny Phillips of the Comptrollers Office, Mr. Rodney Doss of the Attorney General’s Office, and Mr. Brad Thomas of the Governor’s Office of Policy and Budget heard testimony from both the Board and the Sheriff. Based on those presentations and data provided by the Sheriff and the Board, the panel unanimously recommends that the Administration Commission direct the Board to provide a total of $722,889 in additional funding to the Sheriff. This total consists of an additional $538,107 in the Expenses Other than Salaries category to restore funding in this category to the FY 1998-99 base amount and an additional $184,782 in the Reserve for Contingencies category to restore funding to the requested level ($400,000) which the panel considers to be an adjusted FY 1998-99 base amount.

Pursuant to Administration Commission rules and procedures, upon receipt of the budget appeal EOG staff were assigned to review the Sheriff’s budget to: (a) perform an internal comparison to determine whether the Sheriff had been treated unfairly when compared to other county departments and other county constitutional officers; (b) perform an external comparison to determine whether the Sheriff was adequately funded when compared to similar sheriffs' departments; and (c) analyze the unique issues under appeal.

The budget approved by the Board for the Sheriff for FY 1999-2000 represents a two-year increase of 15.2 percent. Two-year funding for county constitutional departments other than the sheriff increased by 26.9 percent. Overall, Lee County's 1999-2000 general fund budget has increased 17.0 percent from FY 1997-98. Over the past two fiscal years, the Sheriff has received an average annual funding increase of 7.6 percent, while other county constitutional departments have averaged a 13.5 percent annual increase and other county departments have averaged an 8.9 percent annual increase.

The budgets for Sheriffs’ offices of six comparison counties constitute between 30.8 percent and 43.3 percent of their counties' general fund budgets, with an average of 37.3 percent. The Lee County Sheriff’s currently approved FY 1999-2000 budget constitutes 37.9 percent of the Lee County general fund budget. The six counties being used in the external comparison are Brevard, Collier, Escambia, Manatee, Pasco and Sarasota.

Lee County’s crime rate and the Sheriff’s arrest percentage are both the median of the seven counties. The Sheriff’s budget per unincorporated population is lower than all but one comparison county and 8.7 percent below the comparison county average. In measures examining total positions and law enforcement sworn positions, the Sheriff compared slightly unfavorably to the other counties, but the hearing panel chose not to consider these factors due to the Sheriff’s Office lack of an effective position control system, which was identified in the MGT of America audit.

Based on their presentation at the May 23, 2000 hearing, the Sheriff’s appeal is a request for an additional $1,650,000 in this funding category. The Sheriff’s contention is that the Expenses Other than Salaries category and the Reserve for Contingencies category were reduced in order to fund the base budget and other agreed upon issues. The panel has identified a $538,107 reduction in the Expenses Other than Salaries category from the FY 1998-99 approved base and recommends the Administration Commission direct the Board to fund this reduction.

The Sheriff originally requested a contingency fund for FY 1999-2000 in the amount of $400,000, a reduction of $83,150 from the FY 1998-99 approved base amount of $483,150 for this category. The panel considers the $400,000 an adjusted base amount. The Board has approved an amount of $215,218 for Reserves for Contingencies, a $184,782 reduction from this adjusted base amount. The panel recommends that the Administration Commission direct the Board to fund $184,782 to restore the Reserve for Contingency category to the adjusted base amount.

It is the assumption of the panel that if a natural disaster or some other unforeseen event should occur that increases the need for the Sheriff’s Office involvement, the Board will consider a request for additional resources for the Sheriff with the best interest of the safety of county citizens in mind.

The panel found that because the Board acknowledged funding the following specific issues: Salary Merit and Cost of Living increases, annualization of the COPS grant and the Phase I Detention Project, fund shift of Inmate Medical costs, Sheriff’s salary increase, and Capital Equipment increase in the approved budget, the Sheriff had to reduce both the Expenses Other than Salaries category and the Reserve for Contingencies category below the FY 1998-99 base amounts. Based on the facts provided and the analysis completed, the hearing panel developed the following chart to present a fair 1999-2000 budget for the Sheriff:

1998-99 Approved Budget (Base) $50,733,150

Contingency Fund Request Adjustment (83,150)

Sheriff’s Salary Increase 4,874

Inmate Medical (fund shift) 1,500,311

COPS Grant (annualization) 1,396,365

Phase I Detention Project (annualization) 1,406,755

COLA/Merit Salaries Increase 2,562,000

Capital Equipment Increase 630,212

Total Budget $58,150,517

Subtract Current Approved Budget 57,427,628

Balance $ 722,889

Restore Base Operating Expenses $ 538,107

Restore Base Reserve for Contingencies 184,782

Additional Funding Recommendation $ 722,889

The hearing panel found that the internal comparison did show that the Sheriff was treated somewhat unfairly by the Board in its approved budget, especially when compared to other county constitutional offices. The external comparison indicated, however, that the Sheriff was adequately funded when compared to similar sheriffs' departments. The hearing panel found that there is sufficient evidence that the intent of the Board was to fund the enumerated issues in the above chart. The panel recommends that the Administration Commission direct the Lee County Board of County Commissioners to fund an additional $722,889 to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, to include $538,107 in the Expenses Other than Salaries category and $184,782 in the Reserve for Contingencies category.

The hearing panel also recommends that the Sheriff, working with the Board, develop and implement a position control system and develop and implement a standard format for requesting a budget that will specifically identify and verify a base budget. Additionally, the hearing panel recommends that, pursuant to s. 30.49(4), F.S., the Board should "give written notice of its action (approved budget) to the sheriff and specify in such notice the specific items amended, modified, increased, or reduced." These recommendations are made to reduce the likelihood that future budget appeals will be filed.