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Community Review Board readies budget submission, requests new investigators and support staff
Summary
Board leaders outlined a compressed schedule to file an FY submission in Metro's Norbert system by Feb. 7 and described specific staffing requests including two compliance monitors, an executive assistant and expanded research capacity.
The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County Community Review Board said it will prepare a budget packet for Metro's Norbert system ahead of the Feb. 7 filing deadline and is seeking additional investigators and administrative support.
Board Chair Walter Holloway said the board must upload its budget by Feb. 7 and discussed calling a special meeting — suggested for Feb. 3 — so members could vet and, if necessary, approve the submission before staff uploads it. Executive Director Pitcher (staff) told the board she and Committee Chair Alicia Haddock were meeting to finalize position requests and would circulate materials the week of Jan. 27 to allow review before any special meeting.
The board's budget discussion focused on staffing needs tied to workload. Pitcher said the office started with nine positions, later added an administrator to reach 10, and now has 14 staff. She said the office currently uses leadership roles (lead compliance monitor, assistant director, lead research analyst, service manager and lead community engagement) and is requesting two additional compliance monitors, an executive assistant and an expanded research position to handle increased reporting and coordination with police and council members. Pitcher characterized those hires as operationally necessary to avoid overworking current staff.
Members pressed for production of supporting data. Member Alicia Haddock asked for counts of sworn officers, vacancies and how many investigators are assigned to the police OPA and to the board's own office; Pitcher said she had requested an update from Commander Lara and that the police department had indicated a force size figure in the conversation but that the board was still waiting for formal numbers. Holloway and other members emphasized they needed staffing requests to be anchored to the board's anticipated workload rather than only as a percentage of the police budget.
Pitcher provided past and current budget figures from the transcript record: she said the office began with roughly a $1.5 million budget and now operates on about $2.2 million. She also described Metro's budget equity tool and said the board will include equity justifications in the submission packet. The board discussed the mayor's routine request for savings and said prior years included a small savings target placed in salary lines.
Procedural directions recorded in the meeting: Pitcher will circulate draft position lists and the prior year's packet the week of Jan. 27; the board discussed a special meeting to approve the submission before Feb. 7 (possible date Feb. 3). Member Haddock was identified as chair of the budget committee; board members said the committee needs at least two members and ideally three.
The board did not vote on a final budget at the Jan. 15 meeting. The discussion closed with staff commitments to circulate materials and to pursue the ECC/police data needed to finalize the staffing request.
Looking ahead, the board plans to present a formal budget for a vote at its February meeting unless a special meeting is scheduled and held beforehand.
