Council committee flags public-safety staffing needs, public defense cost pressure; directs staff to scope levy plan

Council members reported committee discussions on public safety staffing, grants and revenue options during the June 11 meeting and directed staff to begin developing a six-year levy plan to fund parks and public safety if placed on a future ballot.

Council member Mary Hudson, reporting from the Public Works and Library committee and the Public Safety committee, said the Mount Vernon Fire Department received an approximately $15,000 grant under House Bill 1168 to purchase tools, a portable pump kit and a fire-danger sign for Fire Station 3. Chief Harris also discussed a SAFER grant application and two hiring options: a smaller option to add six positions (three firefighters and three firefighter-paramedics) and a larger option to add nine positions (six firefighters and three firefighter-paramedics). Hudson said the larger option better meets IAFF staffing guidelines and makes receiving the SAFER grant more likely.

Hudson also summarized police staffing discussions led by Chief Chrisman and Lieutenant Moore. She said the police plan proposed hiring three additional officers over three years and that staffing impacts would affect traffic patrol, special operations and other services.

Steve Sexton presented proposed public-defense caseload standards and their budgetary impact; Hudson said the city currently pays about $562,000 a year for public defense services but that proposed changes (as discussed earlier in the committee presentations and under Supreme Court consideration) could raise the city’s costs to an estimated $2,700,000 annually by 2028 under one scenario. She noted the Supreme Court adopted part of the proposal and that the timeline is longer but signaled significant fiscal pressure ahead.

Finance Director Doug Velasquez reviewed 2026 funding options and historical budget data. Hudson said the council agreed to allow staff to begin developing a six-year levy plan to potentially put a property tax levy lift on the fall ballot; the levy would fund parks and public safety and requires documentation to the county to be listed on the ballot. Council also discussed a potential business and occupation (B&O) tax and a recently authorized local sales tax option for criminal-justice support that the state authorized this session; Hudson said preliminary estimates place criminal-justice sales-tax revenue at about $1.2 million annually if the city qualifies and implements it under the statute.

Hudson reported council discussion of uses for $522,000 of general-fund savings created by the mayor’s reallocation of ARPA funds originally intended for the Stokely Tower repainting. Staff presented four options; staff recommended renovating the old library and converting the current Public Works building into rental property (option 3b). Hudson said the council directed staff to move forward with option 3b.

Council did not adopt specific revenue measures at the June 11 meeting; the direction was to begin developing the levy plan and continue evaluating revenue options and grant applications. Committee members said they will return to council with specific proposals and the required public-notice and ballot-timing materials.