Hot Springs council delays adding full‑time police officer, cites budget pressure

Councilors spent substantial time examining whether to add a full‑time police officer for 2026 and how that recurring cost would be sustained. Staff estimated adding a new sworn position would raise the general fund shortfall by roughly $97,000 to $109,750, depending on benefits and overtime impacts.

Proponents framed the request as a public‑safety and retention issue; others warned that adding a recurring personnel expense while reserves are being restored would be fiscally risky. Speaker 1 (chair) said he did not think the city had the money to add the officer now and indicated he would not support the hire for this budget cycle. Several councilors agreed to revisit the priority in 2026 and to pursue additional savings and revenue to make the position affordable in a future year.

Outcome: With council members divided and finance staff reporting only modest near‑term savings, the council did not approve adding the officer for 2026 and instructed staff to continue looking for savings and revenue options to fund the position next year if possible. No formal ordinance was adopted at the meeting; the discussion concluded with staff confirming the draft budget would carry a small projected deficit rather than the additional recurring personnel cost.

Next steps: Staff and councilors agreed to continue quarterly budget conversations, revisit fee and revenue options for enterprise funds, and prioritize structural options to create room for recurring public‑safety staffing in a future budget.