Council committee forwards fourth-quarter appropriations and budget transfers, cites firefighting overtime pressures
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Summary
The Personal & Finance Committee forwarded Q4 appropriations (substitute Bill 7,525) and several substitute bills that reallocate funds for equipment, garage management and salary-ordinance cleanups. Controller Kyle Willis cited unusually high firefighter retirements this year that increased overtime needs and said EMS revenues helped offset costs.
The Personal & Finance Committee approved sending several year-end budget adjustments to the full Council, including substitute Bill 7,525, which contains cleanup appropriations and additional funding for operational shortfalls.
City Controller Kyle Willis highlighted the largest Q4 items: a $240,000 appropriation from Solid Waste Operations for repair and maintenance of equipment, a $105,000 appropriation for landfill services, and a $750,000 allocation for the Fire Department's overtime and related costs. Willis said the Fire Department experienced an unusually high number of retirements earlier in the year that drove overtime expense; new recruiting classes have begun to restore staffing levels but the department remains below its full authorized strength of 256 firefighters.
Willis said EMS billing revenues have been higher than budgeted, helping to offset overtime costs. "The projected revenue they have for EMS services is currently over that amount about $2,600,000 from what they had budgeted," Willis said.
Committee members discussed retirement-planning and whether the city can anticipate future retirements; Willis said departments keep lists of eligible retirees but exact timing is uncertain. The committee also approved substitute budget transfers for motor-equipment capital, visitor-experience contract services and internal salary-ordinance adjustments to add or correct positions.
The items were forwarded to the Committee of the Whole with favorable recommendations.