Jennifer Bramley, Dunedin City Manager2025/2026 City Budget

City Manager Jennifer Bramley

Quick recap

The meeting began with the welcoming of our guest speaker, City Manager Jennifer Bramley, and sharing updates about local library events, before transitioning to a discussion about the City of Dunedin's strategic planning and budget processes. City Manager Jennifer Bramley detailed the city's financial management, including budget reviews, tax rates, and reserve funds, while also addressing recent cybersecurity incidents and insurance matters.

Summary

Community Foundation Guest Speaker Meeting

The group welcomed guests, including the CEO of the Pinellas Community Foundation and their development director. Pat Bauer shared her experience at the dedication of the Little Free Library at the Homeless Empowerment Program. Sara mentioned a mini book sale hosted by the Dunedin Book Library. The conversation ended with members sharing happy news, including Dustin's 12th anniversary as a realtor.

Jennifer Bramley's Career and Emergency Management

Club President David Bramley (Jennifer’s husband) shared his experience working with Jennifer, who was known for her exceptional service and speed at a Miami restaurant, earning the nickname "Crash" due to her tendency to break things while moving quickly. He described Jennifer's career progression, including her roles in city planning and management in various municipalities.

Jennifer discussed her own 8-year tenure as city manager, highlighting her experience in managing emergencies such as Hurricane Irma, COVID-19, and multiple hurricanes, while emphasizing the importance of the Incident Command system.

Dunedin Strategic Planning and Budget

Jennifer discussed the City of Dunedin's strategic planning efforts and budget process. She highlighted the adoption of a new strategic plan with a vision to cultivate a vibrant, inclusive community. The city's mission is to improve the quality of life by listening to citizens, and it operates based on core values of customer focus, integrity, accountability, stewardship, and innovation. Jennifer explained that the city's budgeting process is deliberative, starting with a strategic planning retreat in February each year, and involves input from city commissioners and department heads.

City Budget and Tax Overview

Jennifer explained the city's budget process, highlighting the review of departmental budgets and the decision to cut a $300,000 item for resurfacing the Community Center parking lot due to it not being essential. She discussed the city's taxable values, noting a 5.4% increase in the last calendar year, which was fortunate compared to other coastal communities that were negatively impacted. Jennifer also explained the city's millage rate and how it contributes to public services, emphasizing that the city's portion of taxes is 22% of the total taxes paid by residents.

City Financial Management and Reserves

Jennifer discussed the city's financial management, including its 21 different bank accounts and funds, with the general fund comprising only 33% of the total $280 million budget. She highlighted the importance of maintaining reserves, noting that the city holds $123 million in reserve, with a rainy day fund requirement for each fund. Jennifer also addressed the city's response to recent storms, including FEMA reimbursement for $20 million in damages, and mentioned ongoing capital projects such as pool renovations and marina repairs. She concluded by touching on the city's employee benefits, including merit-based raises and parental leave, and the upcoming Penny for Pinellas referendum, which generates significant funding for capital projects.

Gator Cyberattack Payment Recovery

Jennifer explained that Gator, a vendor, experienced a cyberattack where hackers diverted a $750,000 payment intended for them. The money was partly recovered but then transferred to an account in Utah by mistake, where it was spent by a person who bought and then wrecked a GMC truck. The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office traced the funds and arrested the Utah man, who is currently in jail awaiting trial. Jennifer emphasized that the city will pursue a full prosecution of the case and continue efforts to recover any remaining funds.

City Security and Benefits Update

Jennifer discussed the recent cybersecurity incident, where insurance paid $75,000 of a $150,000 claim, with the remaining amount to be covered from the city's $5 million risk fund. She explained that the city has implemented new safeguards, including requiring certified checks for transfers over $10,000 and zero-balance email verification. Jennifer also mentioned that the city's insurance premiums increased by 15% and that the city commission approved parental leave benefits for both mothers and fathers, which cost the city approximately $53,000 but provided significant value to staff.