Council OKs $5.42 million reserve transfer for downtown and citywide public-safety measures

City Council voted to transfer $5,420,000 from the city’s reserve for weather events and other one-time needs to the general fund to support police visibility, lighting and camera upgrades, and downtown ambassador staffing.

The vote came after public-safety committee and council debate on how best to allocate immediate funds to curb violent and property crime. Council member Jeff Kramer Ding, who described the package as a first step, said the ordinance “is a transfer from the city's reserves for immediate public safety needs.” He listed key allocations: $1,200,000 for police visibility overtime, $1,200,000 for street lights and cameras, and $880,000 for downtown ambassadors.

Vice Mayor Kearney and other supporters framed the transfer as urgent. Kearney said the city is “losing some of our youth to this gun violence” and urged action to stop shootings now. Council member Scottie Johnson opposed the overall amount, saying the police chief had requested $500,000 and that the council was authorizing far more than the chief asked: “The police chief said all she needed was a half a million dollars. We decided to give 1,200,000.” Johnson also argued for clearer accounting of reserve levels and fiscal impacts before larger transfers.

Council member Alvey emphasized prevention alongside enforcement, noting investments in lighting and cameras and a youth outreach line item she said has shown success at transit stations. Alvey said the city has programs like career pathways that are important, while also stressing the need for on-the-ground prevention and trauma-informed follow-up after incidents.

On the roll call for passage the ordinance passed with the following recorded positions: Yes — Council members Nolan, Owens, Walsh, Alvey, Krammerding and Jeffries; No — Vice Mayor Kearney, Council member Parks and Council member Johnson. The council also approved the ordinance as an emergency by similar roll call counts.

Councilors said the administration will track and report spending. Council member Owens noted the administration will update the ordinance by year-end with details on expenditures and that any unspent funds could be reallocated by June next year, and she said she expects targeting of resources to “hot spots” where the interventions are most needed.

Council debate included repeated calls from some members to direct more funding to youth jobs and community violence-intervention programs instead of—or alongside—additional policing resources. The motion that passed did include a modest line for youth outreach, which several members said will need expansion.

Implementation details: the transfer reallocates the stated $5,420,000 from the city’s reserve account into the general fund; specific project and contract awards and operational deployment will be handled by the administration, with periodic reporting to council as directed in the ordinance.