[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6467564,"mediaKeyId","5786794-80d211ec153a0333081227c13ce3a1f2","parentId",5786794,"title","Stafford police present budget increases for evidence kits, software and overtime; requests PIO position","audioSeconds",463,"startMs",137000,"endMs",600000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5786794-80d211ec153a0333081227c13ce3a1f2&start=137&end=600","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5786794-80d211ec153a0333081227c13ce3a1f2/thumbnail_137000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6467564/Stafford/Fort-Bend-County/Texas/Stafford-police-present-budget-increases-for-evidence-kits-software-and-overtime-requests-PIO-position","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6467564-b5decef046893f7ecdb444daf5ae9f42/orig.mp4?Expires=1771074036&Signature=eRbRQ8LOyth-30qIctpRnfnlqJg14W7XNTd3ur-Vz3Joy2xzRVeTRLm9eRErq5C56NgntaxYopYxdYm0jiLfpxD4QJhyZI5TmGDo1uQky8MUDmOJojvH83QzBs015Z21yREIC87vbKe6ctzhiDC-k-IoqL4gTZnv0OCwQ511KdY-PlBgkozi3Agbp6PoGe4eJojawYnFLN-sUY82lFS387xyNjlLKtnWJmqz~pJoJm7uULjtUN-afAIRwgvhQ1Lja-c-99V6IbxQ3Y98FuJ~a3XMvnERe~ylVkTLD9cp4Vhj9~YBTg4Ouz7qgQ2g3pBT~MCK~8JS8~xyR1qB8sSbgw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Stafford","date","2025-09-18T00:00:00Z","article","Stafford Police Chief requested multiple increases to the department’s proposed FY2025–26 budget during a city council special workshop, citing depleted supplies and higher recurring costs.

The chief said the department needs an additional $2,000 for narcotics test kits and blood-collection kits, raising that line from $3,000 in the mayor’s proposed budget to $5,000. He told the council the department “ran out of both last year” and that blood kits must be purchased because the department supplies them when a blood warrant is obtained. The chief also requested that $2,000 be added to the account that pays for sexual assault (SANE) kits and medical services, increasing that line from $2,000 to $4,000 to cover expected bills.

On software and subscriptions, the chief asked the council to reinstate or increase the department’s request to about $250,203 (rounded and later discussed as $252,205 after small adjustments). He explained those subscriptions support essential police programs and said last year’s LexisNexis subscription had been removed and was not restored in the mayor’s proposed budget. The chief and council clarified the city’s policy that a subscription paid by a single department should come from that department’s budget, while multi-department subscriptions are IT’s responsibility.

The chief also outlined intergovernmental costs for radios and warrant-entry charges and described an $80,000 contract approved by council the previous night that will be added to the proposed budget.

On staffing and overtime, the police chief reported upward pay-pressure and overtime needs tied to special events (he specifically mentioned FIFA as an example) and requested that the council approve two new sworn officer positions and two dispatch conversions that were discussed earlier in preplanning. Separately, he proposed funding a civilian public information/media position by adding roughly $35,000 in salary and benefits so one person can “wear two hats” (communications and office of professional standards) rather than hiring a separate full-time PIO. He said the Stafford Municipal School District (SMSD) currently reimburses the city for a sergeant and one officer assigned to the district but that the interlocal agreement needs updating.

Council indicated general support for restoring some of the chief’s requested increases and for the staffing conversion; the council asked the chief to follow up on the SMSD interlocal and to return if final contract language or funding commitments changed.

Ending: The council’s preliminary additions to the mayor’s proposed budget included the police increases discussed above; council staff said they will incorporate the agreed changes into the draft and return with the capital-item list at the next meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Stafford - Special Called City Council","oneSentenceSummary","Stafford Police Chief requested increases to supplies, software and overtime lines in the proposed FY2025–26 budget and asked the council to fund a civilian public-information position by adding about $35,000 for salary and benefits.","taxTitle","Stafford, Fort Bend County, Texas","taxId",69474,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6467545,"Council preliminarily adds $1.35 million to mayor’s FY2025–26 proposals; schedules capital-item session",7386,1626000,9012000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5786794-80d211ec153a0333081227c13ce3a1f2&start=1626&end=9012","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5786794-80d211ec153a0333081227c13ce3a1f2/thumbnail_1626000.jpg","/articles/6467545/Stafford/Fort-Bend-County/Texas/Council-preliminarily-adds-135-million-to-mayors-FY202526-proposals-schedules-capital-item-session","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6467545-7264f989df521133fffeb77f313b323e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771074036&Signature=hv~jQeAYiQNsQ4hv8Ewjtyj1Qyeo31Qj32qItglHf9s8ZQY9GfOQPc0fSqpHW2M-59eqM5sGTeOLUFYxADyALcIWZPd4i9ZTwIub-4J4JrXQ~4iqrIFnZDhm2T8~mmRWrkXEM-q-VwlpwiSIVqWTozmb2Lr3o9Jdw2~o271SbErjUOM1jg4vQYZwdy1-u2mRjLUcN85iOAegu9C0EsPwhm1XNOrWSFtFhyfjTR6FUnwweyzL29YythISQeDu6AtCjehiuhlhlM6~MotQhN7QSRguJkDJ8RFWyBXdO8pz9PUlYOblUt1fhymn0k04deaqhsfNifnqeYV2IinLzbytpw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Council spent the session line-by-line with department heads and agreed by consensus to a set of restorations and additions to the mayor’s proposed FY2025–26 budget. Finance staff and department directors walked through departmental line items; staff tallied the council’s adjustments and reported a preliminary grand total increase.

Finance staff reported that, after the workshop’s adjustments across police, fire, public works, development services, IT and other departments — and including an $80,000 contract approved by council the previous night — the preliminary sum to be added to the mayor’s proposed budget is $1,352,506. Staff noted that capital items (one-time purchases) will be taken up at a follow-up meeting on Monday and that the capital list would be funded from fund balance; staff said the capital list approximated $2.6–2.7 million in requests.

The council also discussed citywide personnel topics including a proposed reduction of a 3% cost-of-living adjustment to 1% in the proposed budget and other staffing-change proposals; several staff-requested position restorations (e.g., parks caretaker) were raised for later decision. Council members repeatedly emphasized the need to avoid committing recurring funds that cannot be sustained without a plan to pay for them in future years.

Ending: Staff will prepare an updated budget draft incorporating the agreed line-item changes, return with capital-item detail at the next meeting and provide requested follow-up material (contracts, encumbrances, cost estimates) for items council asked to revisit.","At a special workshop the council agreed by consensus to add approximately $1,352,506 in department-requested restorations and additions to the mayor’s proposed FY2025–26 budget and scheduled a follow-up meeting to review capital items that would be funded from fund balance.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6467550,"Council debates hiring in-house city attorney and restoring purchasing agent position",1060,4784000,5844000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5786794-80d211ec153a0333081227c13ce3a1f2&start=4784&end=5844","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5786794-80d211ec153a0333081227c13ce3a1f2/thumbnail_4784000.jpg","/articles/6467550/Stafford/Fort-Bend-County/Texas/Council-debates-hiring-in-house-city-attorney-and-restoring-purchasing-agent-position","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6467550-19713e3d405e789c9e1cd72da09f903c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771074037&Signature=C4-uQeIS8MXebNOLsiv~H-dmfYIo6yHWuvCYx0fSKHgjiJQ9keH3DJIRL1QUTGoV7~7GDjvjOZL7Zguxl1IGISbwNdCK6QqLg5azqlgMcz--EuNp2Fwdd-FKcdEyLRfcCGss9CtGcKMt1VmPuTqjtdwX6Xkr~Y3GYqwz-VlT9bYd9lp6r4d9R2XwoSM6hND31PbJSUXJ1hLasLbJYkqIw9-GEOaBOxfPyKryeG71TWoPFjBvSbJ5tpJnyCWUUGh5zD~GDkSALFeRQtrK4NO2J12YEZoH6iF7EiAoGKPyM1u7DXEnloQ4hy1sOZtjavprljpUjByIN-nRBeytuGQ5GA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Council members discussed whether to add an in-house city attorney to the FY2025–26 budget and separately whether to restore a purchasing-agent position that had been removed from the mayor’s proposed budget.

Several council members argued an in-house attorney would provide immediate, on-site counsel for city operations, FOIA requests and meeting needs and could reduce reliance on outside firms. Supporters said an in-house attorney would not eliminate the city’s contract with Olson & Olson (the current outside counsel) but would reduce billable outside work. Other council members raised concerns about costs, administrative support needs (paralegals, secretarial staff), office space and whether one attorney could replace the capacity of a multi-attorney outside firm; the transcript records back-and-forth about Olson & Olson’s historical role and about the legal workload that arises from litigation and council decisions.

Separately, department heads and council members asked why the mayor had removed a purchasing agent position; several department heads said a purchasing agent would free department staff to work on core duties and help centralize bidding and local vendor use. The city’s existing purchasing staff confirmed departments had previously requested that support.

Council did not make a final decision on either item during the workshop. Members asked staff to bring more detailed staffing, space and cost estimates for a city attorney and to reconsider whether the purchasing-agent role can be restored in the balanced budget.

Ending: Council directed staff to prepare cost estimates and implementation plans for both the potential in-house city attorney (including administrative support and space needs) and the purchasing agent for review at a later meeting.","Council members and staff discussed a proposal to create an in-house city attorney position, while others urged restoring a previously removed purchasing-agent job; debate focused on expected workload, billable hours from outside counsel and administrative support needs rather than a formal decision.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6467555,"Council told reducing Stafford Center budget would require offsetting HOT transfer; cut yields no net general-fund savings",180,8004000,8184000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5786794-80d211ec153a0333081227c13ce3a1f2&start=8004&end=8184","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5786794-80d211ec153a0333081227c13ce3a1f2/thumbnail_8004000.jpg","/articles/6467555/Stafford/Fort-Bend-County/Texas/Council-told-reducing-Stafford-Center-budget-would-require-offsetting-HOT-transfer-cut-yields-no-net-general-fund-savings","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6467555-010125bfc5f03ebfd09d3f5f116e48af/orig.mp4?Expires=1771074037&Signature=C4oBMPJsVcXKWxpGN59-aukmon2dMMz0HCeEeGzVqU4VNKF448DUKzDVVmfTRPA862tGqvgCYNEaNnwhB24dbMZclQR6912K8SWLVSQzguj~ye3X2xo0gj4EfHTxeUG9ueMgXQ5bCE0f-JYUpe4FxMf8jpG662nPeXdWDvud26H-cvGB9ptHk7uYtMhhvogGVZVFBPSpUXHVZKh3j-1cmcdBCv~gxQTdun2Xvcv2PZBkZ15IE1BnjSgxUAiFoYNvIwHezSQkCtrYSFj~byzwyxUqdV2ZddxHQHlhu4EXRlfnu23kR3SyNcC8MB5H0gNH2rJbxx52sQZA1fHC7POKCg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City finance staff told council that Stafford Center’s budget and the annual transfer from hotel-occupancy-tax (HOT) funds are linked by a formula reviewed by the city attorney and audited by the state, so any reduction in Stafford Center operating expenditures would reduce the authorized HOT transfer by the same amount.

During discussion the city’s Stafford Center presenter said the mayor’s proposed budget included a transfer of approximately $1.2 million from HOT funds to Stafford Center. Staff explained that the $191,902.45 reduction proposed by some council members would require an equivalent reduction to the HOT transfer, producing a zero-sum effect on the general fund.

Finance staff and the mayor emphasized that the HOT transfer calculation is audited and must meet state requirements; reducing the center’s budget without changing the formula would therefore not reduce net costs to the general fund. Council asked staff to retain the center’s budget in the draft as proposed and noted the transfer’s legal/audit constraints.

Ending: Council accepted the finance explanation and instructed staff to carry the Stafford Center allocation forward; staff noted the transfer is subject to state audit and that any change to the center’s budget requires corresponding HOT adjustments.","Finance staff explained that the hotel-occupancy-tax (HOT) transfer that supports Stafford Center is calculated by formula and tied to the center’s operating budget; reducing Stafford Center’s general-fund operating line would require a proportional reduction of the HOT transfer, producing no net general-fund savings.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6467560,"Fire chief asks council to reinstate training, uniforms and driver/operator positions after recent vehicle incidents",6268,1332000,7600000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5786794-80d211ec153a0333081227c13ce3a1f2&start=1332&end=7600","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5786794-80d211ec153a0333081227c13ce3a1f2/thumbnail_1332000.jpg","/articles/6467560/Stafford/Fort-Bend-County/Texas/Fire-chief-asks-council-to-reinstate-training-uniforms-and-driveroperator-positions-after-recent-vehicle-incidents","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6467560-59430f63aee6360bc6c665a7403425b8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771074037&Signature=JeCqZnRnIvOjC8wlmhhCP4i6genHrM3EpxdprRFgJuA3QzwIZs4QNV7dfLUZ7bs4vki2nYvO4-lZyuexgm-OhfL1XgGzTUZGrHdaemJyXNwm4B6GxDlfdF9kR~w8nv3OcC7g7xW5Zk7dVj7PWrrWknJhlbknGrsQGWjUKjH2l-Rt2MpL-oKpEmKptDeDQnTnUAH9hUjK5m-skqfCu8HRo2RLCecpuM7LW5t8uKWpjPR6kZQNToBdeGcyxoyLFmyDVolnrC7k-s1cr8KOuGQyvC2HGVWZs0tcjTKwGvfl0jkU~VMy-eqgcPpI4IGUBijajtwVD7kMRV-SvC2qnpHxpQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Stafford’s fire chief asked the council to reinstate several line items cut from the mayor’s proposed FY2025–26 budget and to create dedicated driver/operator positions for the fire department.

The chief asked the council to restore $25,000 for training, arguing that last year’s cuts reduced mandatory training capacity and that upcoming credential and ISO (Insurance Services Office) requirements will increase the department’s training needs. He said some training costs are paid from restricted funds in prior years but those funds have been exhausted and that anticipated invoices may carry into the next fiscal year.

On uniforms and personal protective equipment, the chief asked the council to move the mayor’s $40,000 allocation up by roughly $5,470 (discussed as rounding to a $45,500 total and later to $75,000 in combined training/uniform adjustments for multiple line items). He described a multi-year gear contract that had reduced previous single-year spending and asked council to account for increased staffing when setting uniform budgets.

The chief also proposed creating six dedicated driver/operator positions (pump operators and ladder operators) to professionalize driving and pump operations and to meet driver-hours expectations used by ISO. He said Stafford is “the only paid department in the county that doesn’t have this set position,” and that repeated apparatus incidents and high repair costs — including one ladder truck the chief said had had roughly $221,000 in damage — illustrated safety and operational risk.

Council members asked for more written detail, including accident counts, encumbrance/invoice status, and precise estimated personnel costs before approving the driver/operator proposal. One council member said the idea was reasonable but requested additional information; the chief offered to email the requested documents.

Ending: Council asked staff to carry the chief’s requests forward to the next budget session and to return with additional information on encumbrances, expected invoices, and a more detailed cost estimate for establishing driver/operator positions.","Stafford Fire Department requested restoration of training funding and uniforms and proposed establishing dedicated driver/operator positions, citing recent apparatus damage, ISO training requirements and retention concerns; council asked for more detail and tentatively agreed to revisit.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Stafford police present budget increases for evidence kits, software and overtime; requests PIO position

Council preliminarily adds $1.35 million to mayor’s FY2025–26 proposals; schedules capital-item session

Council debates hiring in-house city attorney and restoring purchasing agent position

Council told reducing Stafford Center budget would require offsetting HOT transfer; cut yields no net general-fund savings

Fire chief asks council to reinstate training, uniforms and driver/operator positions after recent vehicle incidents