How West Melbourne is run
Who runs West Melbourne, what it costs, and where your money goes
The city manager, council pay, the budget, your property tax bill and who provides each service, from West Melbourne's own public documents. Every number links to its source and says which year it describes. Checked Oct 9, 2026.
Who runs West Melbourne
A city manager hired by the council runs the city day to day. The council of seven, including the mayor, sets policy and appoints the city manager and city attorney.
What they are paid
- 20 weeks' base salary as severance if fired without cause, in exchange for a general release
- City-owned vehicle for business and personal use within 100 miles
- $250 a month expense allowance, paid as taxable pay
- City pays 100% of base health, dental and disability plan costs for him and his dependents, plus a $200,000 life insurance policy
- Contract extended to September 30, 2027
West Melbourne city staff
169 full-time-equivalent positions, including Police (FY2025 payroll count) 59. FY2026-27. Full-time positions in the FY2027 budget, plus 6 part-time positions, not counting council members. City of West Melbourne · Sep 23, 2026
Florida has no statewide pay database. The city publishes pay ranges for each job class, but not what each employee is paid. We name pay only for elected officials and the city manager.
Is West Melbourne in the red?
Cities must pass a balanced budget, so "profit" and "deficit" mean something different here. The useful questions: does the city's everyday money (the general fund) cover its everyday costs, how much does it keep in savings compared with its own target, and how big are its pension and debt bills.
Savings against the city's own target
Unassigned general fund balance: $22.5M (2025-09-30). The city's own target: Keep a general fund balance reserve of at least 20% of yearly general fund spending. City of West Melbourne · Apr 14, 2026
Why we skip the "budgeted deficit": many cities plan to dip into savings, then spend less than planned. The audited result tells you what really happened.
Where the money comes from and goes
The general fund only: the city's everyday money for FY2026-27.
Comes from
- Drawn from fund balance$8.1M · 28%
- Property taxes$5.8M · 20%
- Utility taxes$4.9M · 17%
- State shared revenue$4.5M · 16%
- Franchise fees$3M · 10%
- Other$2.7M · 9%
Goes to (FY2026-27)
- Police$9.9M · 34%
- Public works$5.8M · 20%
- Non-departmental$4.5M · 16%
- Building$2.5M · 9%
- Information technology$1.3M · 4%
- City manager's office$1.1M · 4%
- Other$3.9M · 13%
Your property tax bill: who gets it
Of each property-tax dollar a West Melbourne homeowner paid in FY2024-25, about 15 cents went to the city. The council adopted 1.7724 mills for FY2026-27, equal to the rolled-back rate.
15¢
of each property-tax dollar goes to the city of West Melbourne
- City of West Melbourne1.8843 · 15%
- Brevard County schools6.311 · 49%
- Brevard County4.186 · 33%
- Special districts0.3709 · 3%
- Total (mills)12.7522
FY2024-25 rates for a home in the city of West Melbourne (Brevard County). City of West Melbourne · Apr 14, 2026
See what a West Melbourne home costs each year, line by line →Who provides your services
Not everything in West Melbourne is run by the city. Who provides a service decides whose budget pays for it and whose election decides it.
- PoliceThe cityCity of West Melbourne Police DepartmentCity of West Melbourne · Sep 23, 2026
- FireThe countyBrevard CountyCity of West Melbourne · Sep 23, 2026
- Emergency medical (paramedics)The countyBrevard CountyCity of West Melbourne · Sep 23, 2026
- Streets and drainageThe cityCity of West MelbourneCity of West Melbourne · Sep 23, 2026
- Parks and recreationThe cityCity of West MelbourneBrevard County runs the regional parks.City of West Melbourne · Sep 23, 2026
- LibraryThe countyBrevard CountyCity of West Melbourne · Sep 23, 2026
- Building permits and code enforcementThe cityCity of West MelbourneCity of West Melbourne · Sep 23, 2026
Compared with similar cities
The cities in this state closest in population that we cover. Read it for scale, not as a ranking: cities provide different services.
| Per city | CasselberryFL | RockledgeFL | West MelbourneFL | Dania BeachFL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 30,132 | 30,554 | 32,372 | 34,034 |
| Top administrator's base pay | Not current (2023) | Not confirmed | $209,449 | $290,000 |
| Council member pay | Not confirmed | $7,200 | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| General fund per resident | $1,028 | $1,148 | $896 | $2,640 |
| Debt per resident | $1,731 | $114 | $1,686 | $1,894 |
| Unfunded pension per resident | $14 | $139 | $148 | $600 |
| City staff per 1,000 residents | 8.1 | 8.3 | 5.2 | 7.2 |
Figures as shown in each city's section, divided by its population. Years differ by state, and pension figures are measured differently in each state (each city page says how). Casselberry and West Melbourne and Dania Beach pays another agency for police or fire, so its own staff count is lower.
What West Melbourne publishes
What a resident can find online today. A "no" is something you can ask the council to publish.
- Yes: Audited financial report filed on timeFY2025 report with a transmittal letter dated April 14, 2026, within the nine months state law allows; posted on the Florida Auditor General site. Florida Auditor General
- Yes: Adopted budget posted online City of West Melbourne · Sep 23, 2026
- Yes: City manager's contract findable onlineThe 2022 employment agreement is in the June 21, 2022 agenda packet; later raises and the extension are in council minutes. City of West Melbourne · Jun 21, 2022
- Partly: Employee pay publishedCouncil adopts pay ranges for each job class each year (Resolution 2026-19), but no list of what each employee is paid. City of West Melbourne · Sep 23, 2026
Questions to ask your council
- The FY2026-27 general fund budget draws $8,080,090 from reserves, mostly for buildings, roads and land. How much of the $22.5 million unassigned balance will be left above the 20% reserve policy?
- The council set the city manager's salary at $209,448.64 in September 2024, then approved raises of 3.5% and 4%. Will the city publish his current salary in one document?
- The city owes $54.6 million in water and sewer bonds, mostly for a new water plant due January 1, 2027. How will water rates change when the city stops buying water from Melbourne?
The fiscal year starts Oct. 1. Council held budget workshops from April 7 to June 16, 2026, the proposed budget was posted July 31, and council held hearings on Sept. 9 and adopted the FY2027 budget and 1.7724-mill tax rate 7-0 on Sept. 23, 2026. See who is running for council
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