New Berlin officials outline proposal for ongoing public-safety levy to shore up police and fire staffing

City of New Berlin officials on Aug. 14 presented a plan to ask residents to approve a permanent public-safety levy increase aimed at addressing projected retirements in the police department and long-running staffing shortfalls in the fire department.

Mayor Heemann opened the special Committee of the Whole meeting saying the purpose was to provide “clear, consistent information” about a proposed public-safety levy-limit referendum to cover future police and fire needs and to give the council and public time to weigh options. Staff has posted supporting documents on a Budget Hub on the city website, the mayor said.

Police staffing concerns: the department that presented staffing data said the force currently stands at roughly 70 sworn officers, of whom 28 were hired since 2020. The police presentation flagged an expected wave of retirements over the next several years and noted that recruits can take up to 10 months of training before operating independently. The presentation identified three priorities: (1) addressing officer retirements and vacancies; (2) exploring embedded crisis-response capacity to handle mental-health calls; and (3) reinstating or funding part-time police aids and non-sworn clerical help to reduce overtime and let sworn officers focus on patrol and investigations.

On the embedded crisis-worker proposal, Lauren Koster, coordinator for crisis intervention services, told the council that co‑response teams have reduced unnecessary police responses in nearby jurisdictions and that an embedded crisis worker can provide de‑escalation, assessments and referrals. “A high number of calls are mental health related, so it's very important for the crisis worker to be able to see those incoming calls and respond with deputies or officers and provide that immediate support, de‑escalation, assessments, and referrals for services,” Koster said.

Fire department case: the fire chief presented daily staffing and response data, saying the department runs three shifts across four stations and is frequently below target staffing. The chief said the department’s maximum scheduled staffing is 17 per shift but that on many days the number on duty is closer to 13, with a minimum staffing level of 12 that can leave some stations under‑covered. The chief said cross‑staffing of apparatus creates coverage gaps and slows response times.

The fire presentation cited NFPA 1710 staffing and response‑time guidance and NIST research on crew sizes; the chief proposed adding 12 personnel (two additional staff on selected apparatus/stations) to raise maximum daily staffing toward 21 and reduce service gaps, particularly on the city’s west side where hydrant coverage is limited. The chief said higher staffing could also affect the city’s ISO points and homeowners’ insurance ratings.

Budget and tax estimate: staff presented a five‑year projection for union positions and step increases, noting the referendum would be structured as an ongoing levy increase rather than a one‑time payment. As a rough example using current assessed values, staff estimated the package could add about $127.05 annually to a typical single‑family home assessed at $369,700 by 2031; staff described that projection as a working scenario and said final numbers would depend on union steps, assessed‑value changes and Council decisions.

Next steps and timing: staff and council discussed ballot timing and statutory deadlines; staff referenced assistance from the Wisconsin Legislative Council for drafting language. Council members and staff agreed to gather public feedback at forums and to pause formal action for now. As recorded in the meeting, council members said they would “put everything on hold till the 20 sixth” to collect public input and return with additional information.

No formal vote or ordinance was taken at the Aug. 14 meeting; council members instructed staff to continue compiling data, hold public outreach, and return with refined cost scenarios before deciding whether to place the referendum on a specific ballot.

The committee adjourned at approximately 7:48 p.m.