The City of Westlake finalized another trim to its millage rate during its Thursday, Sept. 11 budget hearing, locking in 4.6 mills for the 2026 fiscal year that begins Oct. 1.
It was the fourth straight tax rate decrease for the 10-year-old municipality. The 2025 rate was 4.7 mills.
That means the average Westlake homeowner with a property valued at $500,000, with a Homestead exemption, will pay approximately $2,070 in city property taxes, a decrease of about $45 from the fiscal year 2025 rate.
Mayor JohnPaul O’Connor said that even though Westlake remains one of the fastest growing municipalities in the state, that doesn’t mean government has to grow at the same pace.
“We can run a lean city and provide essential services, without huge government coffers,” he said. “As more commercial real estate comes online, I’m confident we can lower the millage rate further.”
Councilman Gary Werner, a professional city planner, said that he was comfortable with the rate cut.
“It preserves the city’s ability to do the things that are necessary… [and] provides our residents with a tax break,” he said. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to lower them again next year.”
The unanimous 5-0 vote also formalized the FY 2026 budget at $12,292,000 — up 14.9 percent, or $1,596,500, from the FY 2025 budget.
Meanwhile, Westlake’s operating budget increases by 16.7 percent, or $1,270,600, to $8,898,300. Tax revenues increased by 23.2 percent, or $2,705,919, to $14,370,730.
According to the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser’s Office, the taxable value in Westlake has increased 26 percent over last year, City Manager Kenneth Cassel wrote in his introduction to the budget.
“The growth in home sales and commercial development coming online accounted for this increase,” he noted. “The sale of single-family homes and commercial development continue to be strong.”
That 4.6-mill rate continues a glide path that the council has pushed for several cycles.
Westlake held the rate at 5.125 mills from its 2016 founding through 2022. It stepped down to 5.1 for 2023, trimmed to 5.0 for 2024 and cut to 4.7 for 2025. That equates to a $180 reduction for the average homeowner since 2023.
In other business:
Burgess is an employee of Inframark, a government staffing agency, as is Cassel. The appointment keeps Westlake’s contract services with Inframark intact while the council designs its search for a permanent manager. Council members have made clear that they want the new manager to be answerable only to the city.
Earlier this month, the Florida City & County Management Association (FCCMA) outlined a no-fee advisory process that Westlake can use. An agreement to formalize that engagement is expected to be on an upcoming agenda, along with a plan to hold a public workshop to define a candidate profile.
O’Connor said that finding someone who is committed to “lean government” and “cutting taxes whenever possible” will be crucial in the selection.
FCCMA’s playbook, as explained publicly, calls for the council to settle on the must-have traits for a Westlake manager, advertise broadly through professional networks, have senior advisors screen the pool into groupings, then bring forward finalists for one-on-one and public interviews.
Background and reference checks remain the city’s responsibility, but proponents said the advisory model saves a $30,000 to $50,000 recruiter fee and has been used successfully in similar Florida searches.
Werner and Councilwoman Charlotte Leonard had earlier supported a move away from Waste Management, the city’s longtime trash hauler, in favor of a less expensive bidder, Coastal Waste and Recycling.
While the difference in price is only about $1 a month, Werner said that when a possible 5 percent annual increase is figured in to the five- to seven-year contract, multiplied by the growing number of homes in Westlake, sticking with Waste Management could cost residents between $800,000 to $1 million overall.
The event will be held from 12 to 4 p.m. along Kingfisher Blvd.
“Our Holiday Pop-Up Market brings the heart of Westlake together each December,” O’Connor said in a recent press release. “It’s a joyful way to celebrate the season, support our local businesses and share in the spirit of community.”
The FLC also announced that Councilman Erik Gleason has been appointed to serve on the 2025-26 Municipal Operations Committee.
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