Committee hears budget update; run totals to be provided next month and new reporting software targeted for June 1

A committee member reported that department budgets are generally under or at their targets and that they meet monthly with Dennis James to review items that "pop out." The meeting excerpt shows the committee accepted the monthly reports on a roll call vote.

The committee did not have run totals available at the time of this meeting excerpt. A committee speaker said run counts currently arrive via emails from fire chiefs and that the department intends to centralize reporting when new software is implemented. The speaker said the department is aiming to begin the new software on June 1.

Why it matters: Centralized run reporting will provide the committee and department more consistent operational metrics; the absence of March and April run totals means the committee will receive those counts at a later date.

During the discussion a committee member said they would provide run totals for March and April next month. The transcript records that run totals are derived from chiefs emailing their numbers to staff and that the first-run software implementation is scheduled for June 1. No numeric run counts for March or April were reported in the transcript.

The finance committee speaker noted the timing of vendor bills can distort month-to-month budget figures but said overall departments are "doing a great job with their budgets." The committee directed staff to supply the missing run totals at the next reporting cycle.

No formal action beyond acceptance of the monthly reports was recorded in the excerpt.