Santa Rosa County Commissioners on Thursday received an update on the first quarter of the 2020-2021 fiscal year, which started October 1, and there was some good news despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and shortfalls from last fiscal year caused by Hurricane Sally and the Five Mile Swamp Fire.
Budget Director Jayne Nichols told the board that although the general fund balance dropped from 34.3 to 27.5 million they can expect “substantial reimbursements” for the 2020 disasters. She also explained a $2.8 million shortfall in the road and bridge fund occurred due to pre-planned storm water projects.
Special revenue funds are up, including local option sales tax revenues, which were $600,000 more than projected, and tourism tax revenues, which were up 54.5 percent in November 2021, increasing from $143,539.65 in 2020 to $221,776.23 in 2021.
Enterprise funds are also up by the following amounts:
- Inspections – $1.8 million;
- Peter Prince Airport – $1.6 million;
- Landfill – $6.3 million.
Navarre Beach Utilities is the only enterprise fund down, and Nichols said that was due to construction of well house #2 and lift station #6 plus work toward the rapid infiltration basin which will eventually provide for the relocation of the wastewater treatment plant off Santa Rosa Island.
Additionally, during the first quarter, ad valorem was up $5.5 million, state shared revenues up nearly $400,000, fuel tax revenues up $109,000, building permits up $326,000.
