Budget
Each year the South Indian River Water Control District prepares a budget for the coming fiscal year, which runs September through October. The budget includes water control and road maintenance for the East and West sides of the District, maintenance for the Jupiter Park of Commerce and Egret Landing, and park maintenance in Palm Beach Country Estates. Debt service funds, capital projects funds, and internal operations and maintenance funds are also included.
The District Treasurer prepares a preliminary budget for the Board of Supervisors' review and consideration in the month of June each year. After review by the Board and any needed adjustments are made, the proposed budget is presented at a public hearing in August, usually the third Thursday of the month. The hearing is duly noticed in the local news publications and landowners are informed by letter. After the August public hearing is adjourned, the Board convenes their monthly board meeting where the District Treasurer presents the final budget for consideration and approval of the resolution adopting the budget and the levying of special assessments.
A copy of the proposed budget is made available for review by landowners at the District office each year and on this webpage or by contacting the District Office.
Annual Budget Hearing and Meeting - August 15, 2024
The District’s Annual Budget Public Hearing was held at the Stephen J. Hinkle District Work Center on Thursday, August 15, 2024 at 6:00 p.m., prior to the Board of Supervisors’ monthly meeting. An overview of the budget will be presented and the Board will be asked for their approval during their board meeting.
The hearing and meeting also was held via Zoom audio/video conferencing.
Proposed 2024-2025 Budget Highlights
The 2024/2025 Proposed Budget for South Indian River Water Control District was discussed at the Board of Supervisors monthly meeting held on July 18, 2024. District Treasurer Charles Haas presented highlights of the proposed budget. The budget being proposed for fiscal year 2024/2025 has more of an emphasis on Operations and Maintenance areas when compared to recent budgets, which contained funding for Capital Projects.
Operations and Maintenance
The Operations and Maintenance budget is proposed to increase by $191,500 for the 2024/2025 fiscal year. The significant increases within the budget are for Personal Services of $73,000. As a result of discussions with Executive Director William Kennedy and Supervisor of Operations Dustin Fazio, operating expenses are scheduled to increase by $51,500.
The budget also includes an increase in the transfer to the Equipment Renewal and Replacement Fund from $175,000 to $200,000 as the equipment modernization program continues. The transfer to the Road Renewal and Replacement Fund is scheduled to return to prior year funding levels with an increase of $25,000 to $200,000.
The Operations and Maintenance costs are then distributed to the Special Revenue Funds, primarily Water Control for the East Basin (Palm Beach Country Estates, Egret Landing, and Jupiter Commerce Park) and the Jupiter Farms area and Road Maintenance for Palm Beach Country Estates and Jupiter Farms.
Special Revenue Funds
The water control budgets for the East Basin and the West Basin (Jupiter Farms) are proposed to increase by $85,000 and $120,000, respectively. The increase in water control assessments in Palm Beach Country Estates is counter-balanced in part by a decrease in Capital Project Assessments. The expenditure budget for Jupiter Farms Road Maintenance has been decreased by $50,000, counterbalancing some of the water control increases.
Capital Project Funds
The funding for current Capital Projects was achieved in prior budgets. As such, there is a decrease in assessments for Palm Beach Country Estates of $67,400. For Jupiter Farms, the total budget remains at $89,500, with $50,000 allocated to support the second phase of funding for the current modeling of the Farms. Funding for that project is being spread over two years (current and ensuing) with $50,000 in each fiscal period.
Debt Service Funds
The only significant change proposed in the Debt Service Funds is the increase in assessments for the Palm Beach Country Estates Water Distribution System. This fund had developed a surplus from our agreement with the Town of Jupiter, so prior assessments were less than the annual debt service. The surplus in the fund is being used such that full debt service will be needed in 2027. To minimize a much larger increase in assessments at that time, it is proposed to ramp up these assessments over the next few years. There is some fine-tuning of the various Landowner Initiated Debt Service Funds, which impact only those landowners affected. Since this is the final year of debt service for the 2013 17th Plan of Improvement Road Improvements Fund, this will be the last year of assessments for this issue.
Assessment Rates
Since some of the District’s assessments are levied on an acreage basis and others by parcel, the impact of the changes depends upon the unique situation of the parcel. For most parcels in Palm Beach Country Estates the increase in assessments is estimated at $38 or about 3%. In Jupiter Farms, most parcels will have an approximate 1% increase of $8. Egret Landing and Jupiter Commerce Park are expected to have a $10 per parcel increase. The total of all District programs, including the Town of Jupiter Water Hookup Financing in Palm Beach Country Estates, is estimated to be $5,701,685, a 2.4% increase from 2023/2024. Landowners who would like more detailed information on the budget can contact the District Office.
The Board has authorized submitting the District’s preliminary assessments to the Palm Beach County Tax Collector for publication.
Proposed 2024-2025 Budget Overview
2024/2025 Budget Hearing Presentation
For the full proposed budget with details, contact the DIstrict Office.
Last Year's Annual Budget Hearing and Meeting - August 17, 2023
District Treasurer, Charles Haas, presented the 2023-2024 Proposed Budget at the Board of Supervisors monthly meeting held on June 29, 2023.
Mr. Haas reported that for Internal Service Funds, the distributable costs increased by $75,100.
Special Revenue Funds (Water Control, Road Maintenance) and Capital Projects Funds for Jupiter Farms, Palm Beach Country Estates, Egret Landing and Jupiter Park of Commerce are expected to have no change in assessments.
There will be no change in Debt Service Funds assessments, except Palm Beach Country Estates Hookup Financing assessments decreased by $98,000.
Total of all projects is estimated to be $5,679,590, a 1.8% decrease from 2022/2023.
As there were no changes to the assessments in the annual budget, the Board determined that there was no need for a budget workshop prior to the Public Hearing. Landowners may contact the District Office with any questions on the proposed budget.
The Annual Budget Hearing and Board Meeting will be held August 17, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. at the District Work Center. To attend the Zoom meeting on the Budget Hearing, scroll down to DIstrict New Highlights on this page.
Adopted 2023-2024 Budget
Budget Hearing and Board Meeting Presentation
For the full Budget with Details, please contact the District Office.
For the District's Audited Financial Statements, please click the link below.