CC Council reviews police staffing, OT costs

CC Council reviews police staffing, OT costs

City opens first budget meeting of the year

Short police staffing, an AMR rental negotiation and new pet control ordinances –– it was a busy 2015 for Charles City’s public safety, reflected in a few of the numbers as City Council sat down Wednesday for the first budget workshop of the year.

Revenue

— After negotiation with the AMR ambulance service, the city is down $21,000 in staff reimbursement revenue to help the service cut operating costs. The city agreed to freeze costs to AMR in a new three-year contract in September, when the company announced they were facing nearly $87,000 in deficit. The contract adjusted the staffing amount paid by AMR to the city down to $350 a month for the first year of the contract, which would amount to about $4,200, then add about five percent to AMR’s charge during each of the next two years.

“That’s a pretty big hit we have to absorb,” City Administrator Steve Diers told the council.

The new licensing laws are budgeted to bring in the city $2,500, which Diers said was a low estimate attempt.

“We always budget our revenues low, and try to budget our expenditures high and kind of meet in the middle,” Diers said.

Expenditures

— Anticipated overtime salary for the police department has risen, from $64,700 in the 2015 budget to $75,000 for fiscal year 2016. In contrast, the Charles City Police Department is now at full-staff, Diers told the council, with one captain position left to fill.

“We spent quite a bit on overtime this year because we’ve been short-staffed with our full-time officers,” Diers said. “It all has a domino effect.”

The city doesn’t expect to reach $75,000, Diers said.

“It’s a high estimate … we’re just planning for if we have an unexpected departure,” Diers said.

Officers also qualified for more overtime as they attended court proceedings more than ever before, Police Chief Hugh Anderson told the council.

“Our court overtime is astronomical compared to what it used to be. It’s a good thing and a bad thing; it’s a double-edged sword,” Anderson said. “Our county attorney is more aggressive, and our officers see a lot more court than they did before.”

More courthouse time means more costs for the city and county, he noted, but Anderson believes it’s also brought benefits: “We are seeing a positive result on the enforcement side,” he added.

The police department looks to replace two tasers, one AED unit, one CAFR and add funds to replace one squad vehicle in the coming years. Combined, the tasers, AED and CAFR total about $11,600. The department is budgeting for $49,600 in total for capital improvement.

Last year, the city put $20,000 to the side for a vehicle replacement, which would cost in total $37,500, Diers said, including the vehicle purchase and any new equipment and installation for the police department.

“These are all debt-serviceable items,” Diers said.

The fire department flatlined their capital equipment budget at $25,000, lower than the budget two years ago. The department is working to replace turnout gear on a time schedule, some of which is 15 years old, Fire Chief Eric Whipple said. “We are getting some holes and tears in turnout gear which need to be replaced. I think we’re at about 25 percent replacement right now with new gear for our 32 employees,” Whipple said. “Just getting that on a regular cycle so we don’t have to do that all in one year.”

The postal department may see a city spending increase of up to $200, partly due to a few pets licensing tag mailings, Diers added. Those dogs are good enough to lick the stamps themselves, though: the city anticipates a revenue of $2,500 from fees in the licensing ordinance’s first year on the books.

By Kate Hayden khayden@charlescitypress.com