Council approves $5,000 budget amendment for fire department data platform; council limits authorization to one year

Meridian City Council on March 11 approved a $5,000 fiscal year 2025 budget amendment to buy a data analytics platform for the Fire Department's Community Risk Reduction Division, using funds donated by Light My Fire. The council voted 4-1 to authorize one year of funding while the department and IT stand up an internal data hub.

The software described to council as "Craig 1300," a Community Risk Assessment Insight Generator tied to NFPA standard 1300, will be used to map and assess the effectiveness and reach of the fire department's risk-reduction initiatives. Fire Chief Bloom told council the platform helps identify underserved areas, detect whether risk-reduction efforts are working, and can track issues such as lithium-ion battery incidents.

Council members pressed staff about whether the purchase was a one-time expenditure or an ongoing license. Chief Bloom stated the intent was to purchase one year of access while IT and the department build an internal dashboard. CFO Todd Lavoie said IT had characterized the package as an ongoing expense, and the finance office intended to treat it as recurring unless council specified otherwise. To reconcile those views, Council President Kavanagh moved to approve the amendment for one year only and directed the fire department to report back on the platform's efficacy after 12 months. The motion passed 4-1, with Council President Kavanagh recorded as voting "no" and the other four members recorded as "aye." The council's action authorizes use of the Light My Fire donation to cover the $5,000 cost for the 12-month period.

Why it matters: Council conditioned the approval so the city would not incur an automatic ongoing obligation without explicit budgetary review. The one-year limit requires the department to test the platform, report results, and seek any future funding through the usual budget process.

What council said: Chief Bloom told council the system can help identify an uptick in lithium-ion battery thermal-runaway incidents and show whether prevention efforts are reaching the right neighborhoods. CFO Todd Lavoie urged clarity in budgeting: he said IT considered the package an ongoing expense and recommended council be explicit if it intended the purchase to be one-time.

Next steps: The fire department will deploy the platform for up to 12 months and report back on implementation and outcomes; if the department wants to continue beyond one year, it will need a separate appropriation or inclusion in the city's next fiscal budget.

Vote and motion: The council approved the fiscal year 2025 budget amendment of $5,000 to authorize the software purchase using Light My Fire donation funds, limited to one year. Motion: Council President Kavanagh (mover); second: not specified in the record. Roll-call: Cavanagh (No), Little Roberts (Aye), Overton (Aye), Strader (Aye), Whitlock (Aye). Outcome: approved (4-1).

Reported excerpts from the meeting: "we are seeking the transfer of Light My Fire funds to be utilized by the Community Risk Reduction Division," Fire Chief Bloom; and "this is an ongoing expense that there will be expenses every single year from this point forward," CFO Todd Lavoie. The council directed the department to report back in one year to allow a budget decision based on efficacy and internal IT build-out.

No additional funding was included in the fiscal year 2026 budget at the time of the vote; any renewal would require a future council appropriation.