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Sandy proposes two new sworn officers, committee debates sustainability of public safety fee
Summary
The proposed 2025–27 budget adds two sworn positions (one funded earlier) plus a community safety officer; staff recommended a $1 increase in the public‑safety fee to sustain officer funding, which prompted questions about long‑term sustainability and whether the council or voters must approve the fee.
City staff presented the Sandy Police Department budget to the Budget Committee on May 5, outlining proposed staffing increases and a recommended $1 increase to the public‑safety fee to fund ongoing officer positions.
The department’s proposed staffing rises to 22 full‑time equivalents in the 2025–27 biennium, up from 20 FTE in the prior biennium. The increase reflects a sworn officer that was funded earlier in the current biennium plus a new community safety officer partly funded by a county grant, staff said. Personnel costs and related benefits drive most of the department’s proposed increase.
City staff said the public‑safety fee was created to fully fund two officer positions. “Due to increase in staffing costs and slower new development, the fee needs to be increased by a dollar to meet the goal of full funding on these positions,” staff said. That $1 increase is reflected in the proposed budget and accounted for roughly $123,000 of projected revenue in committee discussion.
Committee members queried the risk of budgeting on the assumption the fee will be enacted. “That is in here as if it’s currently in effect, which it is not,” said one member, noting the council had not yet adopted a rate change. Several members asked what would happen to the budget if the council did not approve the fee; staff said it would create a shortfall and recommended the committee forward questions and recommendations to the council for decisions on revenue options.
Members also asked about the school resource officer (SRO) contract and whether the budgeted amounts reflect full salary and benefit costs. Staff said the current intergovernmental SRO agreement includes a 4% annual escalation and the city will renegotiate near the contract’s 06/30/2026 expiration.
Committee members raised concerns about structuring long‑term funding from property‑tax growth toward police, noting that the bulk of the recent increase in property tax revenue was allocated to police in the proposed budget. Staff acknowledged a multi‑year sustainability review is planned for the coming biennium to address structural issues across city services.
Ending: The committee discussed the police budget but did not adopt final budget decisions; members asked for additional information on possible public‑safety fee adoption mechanics, contract renegotiations and long‑term sustainability before finalizing allocations.
