During a recent city council meeting, significant discussions centered around the fleet and facilities budget, which has seen a notable reduction of over 7% due to the elimination of a project manager position. Heather Reed, the acting facilities manager, presented the fiscal year 2025 budget, highlighting that the total budget decrease amounts to $158,500, bringing the full-time equivalent (FTE) count to 10.5.

Council members expressed gratitude for the sensitivity shown in addressing budgetary concerns and inquired about the status of 13 vacancies within the department, which are budgeted to be filled. The conversation also touched on the potential for outsourcing certain services, such as janitorial work and field maintenance, which had previously been contracted out during the COVID-19 pandemic due to hiring difficulties. Reed acknowledged that while outsourcing could be explored, the city had opted to bring cleaning services back in-house after evaluating the effectiveness and cost savings.

The council reviewed a list of 29 capital projects, which include essential maintenance tasks such as roof replacements and elevator repairs. There was a discussion about the classification of these projects, with some members questioning whether certain items, like changing a basketball hoop, should be categorized as capital projects or maintenance tasks.

Reed emphasized the importance of tracking the workload of the facilities manager, suggesting that monitoring small contracts could help inform future budgeting decisions. The meeting concluded with Chief of Police Tracy Frazano addressing the operational budget for the police department, which encompasses 42 FTEs, indicating ongoing discussions about staffing and resource allocation within the city.