Surfside's first budget change of the year adds $193,000 for outside accountants

Surfside would pull $288,120 from its general fund reserves to cover new costs, most of it for outside accounting help, under the first amendment to the town’s 2026-27 budget. The town’s Budget Committee is set to discuss the amendment at 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 9, according to its agenda.

The biggest single change is $193,220 more for “Finance Department support services” from Fierman Accountants & Advisors, raising that professional-services line from $33,000 to $226,220. The amendment ties the spending to a resolution the Town Commission passed Oct. 13.

The other general fund additions, according to the amendment:

• $55,000 more for an outsourced payroll and HR onboarding platform, bringing that line to $120,000.
• $24,900 for structural and electrical observation services on the Town Hall recertification project, at 9293 Harding Ave.
• $15,000 for a five-year software license for the automated restroom at the Hawthorne tot lot, the small playground at 90th Street and Bay Drive.

Parks and capital projects

In the capital projects fund, the amendment carries forward $2,597,113 left over from last year for Surfside Memorial Park. Smaller carryovers go to Town Hall air conditioning ($79,670), townwide street lighting ($107,695), the living seawall ($70,154) and dune work ($50,731).

It also adds $55,709 for the 96th Street Park renovation: $44,534 for more architectural services and $11,175 for construction administration. The document cites a settlement agreement with Lunacon, approved by commission resolution, as the reason. The Hawthorne tot lot restroom project gets $7,000 more, bringing it to $307,000.

From the resort tax fund, $26,450 more would go to replacing pump-room electrical equipment, bringing that line to $385,450.

Monday’s meeting is open to the public. The full agenda packet is on the town’s meeting portal, and the town clerk’s office can be reached at 305-861-4863.