Council members press for update on public safety building and raise alarm about police pay and staffing

Council members on an evening in January pressed city leaders for greater clarity on the public safety building project and for a review of police compensation amid concerns about retention.

Councilwoman Snodgrass asked the city manager for a detailed update on the public safety building purchase and demolition timeline, saying the city had now invested about $4 million between feasibility studies and the building acquisition and that council needs a clearer timeline and accounting for those funds.

"I would like to ask that of our city manager," Snodgrass said, noting the community interest and taxpayer dollars already spent.

Snodgrass also raised alarm about police staffing and pay, saying the department has "151 certified officers out of 173" positions and that starting pay is "right under $24 an hour," which she said leaves the city behind surrounding agencies and risks losing senior officers. "We are significantly behind," she said. She asked colleagues to consider salary changes during the budget season to improve retention.

Council members asked for a report detailing where project funds have been allocated and for clearer timelines for demolition, construction and planned use of previously appropriated funds. The discussion produced no formal vote or directive recorded in the meeting; council members characterized the exchange as a request for staff follow-up during budget preparations.

If the city provides the requested update, the council is expected to use that information in budget deliberations this year.