Council reviews proposed budget; members flag pump stations, sheriff equipment and staffing requests

City Council received a staff presentation on the proposed budget that focused on capital improvement items and personnel requests. Dr. Mankert told the council the agenda covered two budget items in tonight’s review: the capital improvement program and personnel requests.

The presentation identified the city’s Office 365 costs in the proposed budget and called attention to public-safety equipment needs in the sheriff’s office, including body-worn camera replacements and radio communications equipment. Councilors discussed what the transcript described as a roughly $100,000 request for radio and camera equipment and a separate $30,000 radio communications line that “is already in the budget,” per the discussion. Dr. Mankert said the larger radio/camera request was a priority because prior “hand‑me‑downs”…