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Council postpones police budget interview after chief’s absence; members press administration on communication
Summary
The City Council Committee on Finance voted to reschedule the police department’s budget presentation after the newly appointed police chief was absent; councilors said they had not been notified and asked the administration for an explanation and a letter to the chief.
The City Council Committee on Finance voted June 4 to postpone the police department’s budget interview because the newly appointed police chief was not present. The chief had notified the mayor’s office earlier in the day that she would be absent for a family commitment, and the interim finance director said the committee received notice only that day.
Councilors criticized the lack of timely communication. One member moved that the police department be rescheduled so the newly appointed chief could appear; the motion was seconded and carried without recorded opposition. The committee agreed to reconvene the police department interview the week after next so the chief could attend.
Several councilors said they would send a letter to the police chief and request the mayor’s office explain the absence and why the council was not notified earlier through the clerk’s office. A councilor characterized the absence as an “abuse of power” in the context of failing to appear for budget review; other members framed their concerns as a breakdown in routine scheduling and communication. The clerk and interim finance director said the chief’s absence was communicated that day and that she had a family commitment scheduled in advance.
Why this matters: the police department’s proposed fiscal 2026 budget is about $27 million; committee members said the department head’s presence is necessary to answer leadership and policy questions tied to that appropriation. The committee deferred questioning for two weeks and asked staff to set a new date and to provide a direct notice to council members and the clerk’s office before the next interview.
Formal action: the committee made and seconded a motion “to postpone the police department to a later date in order to have the newly appointed chief present.” The motion passed on a voice vote; the committee set the police presentation for the next scheduled meeting cycle and will request a written explanation from the mayor’s office and a letter to the chief.
