High Springs budget includes targeted police pay increases to aid recruitment; K‑9 and vehicle plans discussed

The High Springs City Commission discussed targeted pay adjustments in the proposed 2026 budget aimed at improving police recruitment and retention, and commissioners raised questions about canine funding and vehicle procurement.

The finance presenter told commissioners the draft included a “marketable increase that would make the the police department marketable for recruiting and retention.” The presenter added, “We are the lowest paid in the region, and we are starting to lose officers… we're about 7 to $8,000 below,” and said the market adjustment in the draft was intended to raise starting salaries to be competitive with neighboring agencies.

What commissioners and staff said: - Pay and benefits: The draft contains a 3% across‑the‑board raise and a separate market increase for police recruitment. The presenter said rising FRS retirement costs reduced the amount of new discretionary funds available after accounting for raises. - K‑9 program: Commissioners asked whether the department planned to add another K‑9. Staff said the department had been discussing it but was not currently funding a new dog in the general budget. A staff speaker said the last K‑9 was donated and the department hopes a donation could cover a future dog; another staffer said there remained roughly $5,000 in a K‑9 donation account set aside for that purpose. - Patrol vehicles and leases: Commissioners asked about patrol vehicle leases and whether replacing or buying vehicles would be more fiscally responsible. Staff said the chief was evaluating each vehicle as leases come due to determine whether to buy or continue leasing; leases include equipment costs (light bars, mobile data computers, etc.). - Dispatch and overtime impacts: The presenter noted a higher Alachua County dispatching invoice than budgeted last year and that dispatch costs were increased in the draft after an underbudgeting in 2025. Separately, police overtime and minimum staffing concerns were discussed in the context of fire staffing and overtime practices.

Next steps and constraints: The presenter said collective bargaining negotiations were ongoing and declined to detail some police pay items in public for that reason. No formal personnel changes or binding commitments were made during the workshop; questions were directed to the police chief and staff for further evaluation as the budget is finalized.