Committee approves departmental budgets after questions on staffing, leasing and park operations
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Summary
Council approved individual departmental budget sections after detailed Q&A: police leasing/AXON costs and vacancy levels, fire overtime and staffing math, public works accounting shifts and contracting, and parks staffing/ride-operator shortages (Bay Beach). Directors described recruitment plans and cited some one-time revenue offsets.
The Finance Committee moved through departmental budget sections with substantive discussion and approval for each area.
Police: Staff explained a significant lease-payment increase driven by a new Axon agreement and more leased vehicles (including nonmarked patrol cars and leased motorcycles). The police chief said the department recently hired seven officers, still has roughly 13 open positions on a day-to-day basis and expects around six retirements in 2026; total sworn positions if fully staffed would be about 190. Council members noted a marked drop in workers' compensation costs as positive and pressed on grant timing and troop-fill strategies.
Fire: The fire chief described overtime as driven by staffing ratios and leave, noting industry staffing factors (about 1.4 people per riding position) versus the departments current level (~1.3). The department has added ambulances and is proposing additional firefighters to reduce overtime, though retirements are expected in 2026.
Public Works: Staff clarified apparent regular-salary increases were mainly accounting reclassifications (utility contributions moved between lines). Contractual services are expected to rise because of more engineering and facilities-and-bridges project work; lease payments for vehicles are being tracked and some equipment previously in capital funds has been moved into the operating budget.
Parks and Bay Beach: Parks staff said Bay Beach operates on a separate budget and struggles with seasonal staffing (ride operators) and a mechanic shortage; the department will pilot a donor-funded winter lifeguard training program and is planning facility openings in 2027 that will increase maintenance and staffing needs. Directors also detailed miscellaneous revenue items that offset some costs (events, sponsorships and increased corn-bag pricing at a park attraction).
Across sections, the committee approved line items by voice vote after staff answered clarifying questions; no department budgets were defeated in the session.
