Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Concord budget review stresses police and fire staffing, EMS workload and first-responder wellness
Summary
City staff told the finance committee FY26 public-safety budgets increase largely for wages, overtime, and training; proposed additions include a police social worker and a half‑year assistant fire marshal.
City officials told the finance committee that the proposed fiscal-year 2026 budgets for public safety reflect rising personnel costs and steps intended to address high call volumes and worker wellness.
For the police department the city manager said expenses were up about $1.4 million or 9%, driven mainly by wage and benefit changes and by additions including “a third social worker outreach position.” The manager said the police budget also includes funds for recruitment materials, equipment replacement for motorcycle units, training for new officers, and a “first-responder wellness consultation program.” “This budget continues the emphasis on public safety and support resources for working the city's most vulnerable populations,” the manager said.
On the fire side the manager said revenues were up modestly while expenses increased by $912,000 or 5%, primarily for wages and benefits. The fire budget includes a half-year addition of an assistant fire marshal, increased overtime (about $496,000), paramedic tuition and backfill, a technical-rescue trailer, uniform washing machines, recruitment training/backfill and specialized trainings including swift-water operations. The manager noted the department does not include cost-of-living increases tied to an unratified IAFF successor agreement that expires June 30, 2025.
Councilors repeatedly raised the volume of EMS calls as a driver of stress on both departments. The manager said Concord’s fire and EMS workload has grown with the city’s daytime population, housing growth and other regional pressures; he and councilors agreed that station siting and equipment need review as growth continues. “You’re going to have to increase... the number of staffing that are available today,” the manager said in response to a councilor’s question about a new station. Councilors and public speakers urged phased planning for engine and station changes rather than immediate large capital commitments.
Several public commenters with ties to public safety asked the council to consider a phased plan to restore Engine 1 and to prioritize additional ambulance capacity or a paramedic-focused unit to relieve wear on ladder and engine apparatus. A member of the public who also works in the fire department told the committee call volumes have risen much faster than population growth and urged the city to analyze non‑population drivers of demand, such as homelessness, mental‑health crises and the presence of state facilities.
The committee did not take final budget votes at the May 19 meeting; the presentation was part of an ongoing review and staff said they will return with staffing, capital and implementation details as needed.
