THE VILLAGES - The Village Center Community Development District moved forward with its proposed fiscal year 2005/2006 budget Friday morning and scheduled a public hearing on the document for Aug. 26.

The Villages Public Safety Department's projected $3.4 million budget is based upon a 12.9 percent increase in assessments to all residents and commercial institutions reaping the benefits of its service.

Pending final approval from Sumter County commission, assessments will be increased from $56 to $63.22 per year for residential units, which translates to 60 cents more per month.

According to District Manager Pete Wahl, fire assessments have not been raised since 1999.

The Recreation Amenities Division's proposed budget is more than $33 million, while the proposed Center Service Area budget is nearly $5.2 million. The Little Sumter Service Area budget is estimated at $7.7 million.

In addition, the district is proceeding with an agreement to maintain common areas and parking lots in The Village of Spanish Springs, effective Oct. 1, based upon a total assessment of $701,532.

"This is a continuing work in progress," Wahl said. "We will be making substantial changes to this."

Proposed budgets must be approved by the end of June. After that, they will be subject to a 60-day period of review and comment.

In other business:

• Residents should receive a single bill for amenity fees, water, wastewater and trash by the July 25 billing date, according to Wahl. "We will be dealing with half of the number of invoices to process," he said. A letter will be sent to residents explaining the changes.

• 
  The Villages Public Safety Department Chief Mike Tucker said the state has offered $46,000 in response to a $100,000 grant request to replace the department's current cardiac monitors with a capnography monitor. The new monitor would indicate if patients with breathing difficulties have been properly intubated and if the transfer of oxygen is keeping tissue alive. According to the department's training officer, Gail Lazenby, the device is particularly beneficial to asthma patients. The Center District board also authorized the department to acquire one new fire engine and a new mini-attack pumper for Station 44.

• 
  Residents of District 5 will face a 1.53 percent assessment increase in the fiscal year 2005/2006 proposed budget. With a recorded 3,854 voters, the district's proposed budget totals $3.8 million. Wahl said residents would be sent a postcard explaining the changes. District Administrator John Rohan stressed, "This is a proposed budget. It's not for adoption."

• 
  Ron Grant, director of engineering for The Villages, explained to the District 6 board that, because additional areas were included in the district, there aren't enough bonds to cover work in the second phase. The board gave the go-ahead to seek more than $39 million in additional bonds for the project.