City Administrator Faye Johnson on Aug. 11 told commissioners that the proposed FY26 budget cannot accommodate both a millage reduction and the addition of five extra police positions without offsetting reductions elsewhere, and that she does not recommend pursuing either change before the budget is balanced.

Johnson said the proposed budget already includes money to hire sworn officers (the proposed general-fund budget included funding for 25 police officers and two sergeants; the police department requested funding for 30 officers). She warned that a midprocess directive to reduce the millage rate or add roughly $1.2 million for five officers would force staff into rapid, high-effort rebalancing during a tight two-and-a-half-week window before the first hearing.

"I don't want it to be lost, on commissioners that if you do a millage reduction, that decreases the amount of tax revenue and or if you add in the additional 5 officers of the $1,200,000, we're gonna have to make offsetting reductions," Johnson said. She also said she worried that funding positions that are unlikely to be onboarded in the fiscal year (given historical hiring rates) would not be an efficient use of staff time to unravel a balanced budget.

Police staffing and recruitment

Chief Tony Arano said the department has been redesigning hiring practices and is "working very hard" to fill open positions. He said the department is covering neighborhoods and events, but acknowledged staffing pressures and the additional time police work now requires for many calls. "The city is covered. Every neighborhood, every special event," Arano said, while adding that modern policing demands more time per incident and increased training commitments.

Johnson and the chief said the budget proposes a dedicated recruitment initiative for the police department; Johnson said she preferred to include recruitment funding and assume a realistic hiring pace rather than tear up a balanced budget to add positions that may not be filled this fiscal year.

Commissioner positions and follow-ups

Commissioners voiced differing positions. Commissioner Ward supported tracking and recovery efforts and emphasized using private-security supplements while staffing is ramped up. Commissioner Bellizzi said she supports the administrator’s balanced approach and opposes a millage cut this year. Commissioner Baduosi said he would consider a modest millage cut in a future year but not this fiscal cycle given current staffing and hiring challenges.

Fire staffing and grants

Johnson, and staff, noted the city is pursuing a federal SAFER grant to support firefighter positions; if the SAFER grant is not awarded, staff said they would work with the fire chief and finance to consider midyear or amendment options to address staffing needs.

Ending

No change to the proposed budget was adopted at the work session. Commissioners asked staff and department chiefs to continue recruitment efforts, pursue grant funding, and provide additional information on staffing timelines and tradeoffs before the first formal budget hearing on Sept. 8.