Chief says staffing needs persist; council reviews supplemental funding options including small utility fee

Chief Waddell reviewed the department’s staffing context, a prior deputy-chief role, and a proposal to reclassify positions. He said the originally projected savings from replacing the deputy chief with a lieutenant/sergeant structure are smaller than expected, and that the proposal should not be framed solely as a cost-savings measure.

On supplemental funding, Chief Waddell presented a survey of more than 30 small agencies and described mechanisms cities use to add public-safety funding, from voter-approved levies to utility-bill fees. He noted one example city that added a utility fee (reported in the discussion as a $5 fee) and suggested that a modest fee can generate material revenue. "There's 30 plus agencies that are doing different things... one council determined they went to the voters to add a $15 fee," he said, and staff later noted a $5 example would yield an estimated $150,000 in one community. Councilors discussed the political difficulty of asking ratepayers for higher fees given recent infrastructure costs on rates, and several said any voter measure would require careful public outreach.

Council did not take action at the work session but asked staff to continue studying options and to prepare materials (including voter-information elements) if a measure were pursued.