Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the City Budget Fy17 18 topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
City Manager frames FY2017–18 budget; dispatch center, police and fire costs draw scrutiny
Summary
At the Nov. 21 meeting Newport’s City Manager presented a FY2017–18 budget proposal emphasizing capital reinvestment. Councilors probed a proposed regional dispatch center (a figure of up to $245,000 was cited for the initial Newport allocation), fire-station repairs and equipment needs, and a proposed part-time grant-administration position to improve grant pursuit and compliance.
City Manager Laura Dogen presented the proposed FY2017–18 city budget on Nov. 21 and urged the council to consider capital investments and staffing needed to support services. She said years of low budgets have produced deferred maintenance and that the council should refocus on long-term capital projects such as roads and gateway improvements.
Dogen highlighted a significant change in the police budget tied to separating dispatch costs into a new dispatch center. Council members pressed staff on why Newport taxpayers would shoulder an initial-dollar figure that appeared as a $245,000 total for the newly created dispatch center. The City Manager said some line items — notably salaries — bring down the net cost and cited a lower salaries-based figure as a point of comparison, but members asked for firmer commitments and clearer timing for participation by other towns before committing Newport taxpayers to full initial costs.
The fire department also received attention. The fire chief described bay-floor deterioration at the station and proposed an epoxy resurfacing that could avoid a full rebuild; he also confirmed ongoing efforts to secure grants for new air packs and protective equipment. Vehicle replacement was discussed but deferred for a few years pending needs and funding.
Dogen proposed adding part-time grant-administration hours to support grant writing, invoicing and reporting, telling the council she has been working excessive hours and that a skilled, part-time administrator would allow the city to pursue more grants and manage in-kind matches. Councilors debated hours, costs and whether administrative overhead could be built into grant applications.
Council set a schedule for focused budget meetings (beginning Nov. 28) to review departments in detail before the Dec. 5 regular meeting. Members repeatedly emphasized maintaining preventive maintenance to avoid larger future costs while balancing tax impacts on residents.
No final budget adoption occurred at this meeting; the council scheduled follow-up sessions to examine specific departments and capital items in greater detail.
