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Neighborhood services seeks 8–9% increase; asks for positions funded by CRA, equipment still general fund cost
Summary
Director Jerry Pryor presented a line‑by‑line preliminary request for the Department of Neighborhood and Community Services, describing a roughly 8–9% increase driven by officer safety equipment, training and vehicles tied to CRA‑funded positions where equipment remains a general‑fund responsibility.
Jerry Pryor, director of Neighborhood and Community Services, presented the department’s preliminary FY2025–26 request at the Delray Beach budget workshop on April 8 and described a granular, line‑by‑line approach to the packet.
Pryor said the department’s work was done “item by item, line by line, division by division” and that the overall request is “about hovering about 8 to 9% increase from last year's budget.” He told commissioners the largest line‑item changes reflect officer safety and operational continuity: upgraded portable radios for code officers (needed because current radios do not interoperate with law enforcement and dispatch), increased training budgets to meet consultant recommendations, and requests for vehicles and small maintenance equipment to support Clean & Safe and CRA operations.
Pryor said the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) will fund certain positions — for example, an irrigation worker and an administrative position for the Clean & Safe district — but CRA policy does not typically fund vehicles and equipment. “CRA said, yes. We'll help fund the position, but you have to buy the equipment,” he said, explaining why the general fund includes vehicle and equipment requests tied to CRA‑funded positions. For sanitation services, Pryor proposed two night litter‑patrol positions charged to enterprise funds to address high overnight work after busy events.
Commissioners praised Pryor’s work since joining the city and asked for continued collaboration with finance and the city manager to identify operational efficiencies. Staff reiterated that these submissions are preliminary: finance will continue vetting, and the office of the city manager will expect departments to identify efficiencies to help reconcile the gap between projected revenues and departmental requests.
Commissioners also asked for a list of all city funds with balances and any restrictions; staff confirmed that the 596‑page packet includes the funds and that a more tailored schedule of fund balances and restricted vs. unrestricted funds would be provided on request.
