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Commissioner Halkiotis asked for an update from Commissioner Brown on pending mental <br />health reform issues. <br />Commissioner Brown said that OPC Mental Health Director Tom Maynard would be coming to <br />the retreat to address that issue. <br />Commissioner Gordon asked to hear the advisory board reports. <br />Geriel Thornburg-May asked for any opening thoughts before starting the formal agenda. <br />Chair Jacobs said that having spent time in an adjoining county, he thinks that we as a county <br />are very lucky and unusual. He said that this Board of County Commissioners is an activist <br />board and very involved. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that he and Chair Jacobs met with DOT recently, and DOT shared <br />with them how a lunch meeting three years ago with the Commissioners had an impact. He <br />said that they are too far ahead of their time when it comes to caring about people and the <br />environment. He said that Chair Jacobs was on TV recently and was talking about smart <br />growth, and he was way ahead of the other people that were speaking. This program was the <br />John Locke Foundation public forum. <br />John Link called the Commissioners' attention to the environmental scan section in their <br />notebook. Another big item to discuss is the upcoming revaluation. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that the commissioners received the Retreat information on <br />Thursday afternoon and did not have time to look it over thoroughly. <br />John Link introduced Budget Director Donna Dean <br />1. FISCAL MATTERS <br />FISCAL OUTLOOK: <br />Donna Dean distributed a handout of the PowerPoint presentation. She said that she <br />tried to be realistically optimistic about this fiscal year. <br />2003-04 Approved Budget Totaled $129 Million <br />- approved tax rate of 84.5 cents per $100 of assessed valuation <br />- property tax collections are currently ahead of where they were last year at this time <br />- sales tax collections and other County revenues and expenditures appear to be on <br />target with the current year budget <br />Property Taxes Remain Largest Single Source of Revenue <br />County's Financial Picture Remains Sotid <br />Preview of 2004-05 Budget <br />County Revenues: <br />- Property Tax Valuations Remain Strang <br />o® historical growth averages 3.5-4.5 percent in non-revaluation years <br />o® preliminary estimates far upcoming budget project one cent to produce just aver <br />$1 million compared to $970,000 in the current year <br />