Log in

Budget Workshop #2: Sustainability and Public Safety

Posted

Several members of the City Council said it during the second budget workshop. "It's not sustainable." Even the City's Chief Administrative officer used the expression. What were they talking about?

budget workshopThe phrase refers to the inability of the City to meet all of the needs and wants of the residents with the existing revenue.

"(City Administrator) Glenn (Irby), was very clear yesterday when he said yesterday, 'This is not sustainable' " said Mayor Joe Kilsheimer. "We can't continue to spend more than we take in. That's not sustainable."

At Tuesday's Workshop, Commissioner Doug Bankson questioned the calculation of the City's reserves, also referred to as the Unrestricted Fund Balance. Finance Director Pamela Barclay distributed several documents at the beginning of Wednesday's Workshop. She first explained, "The GFOA Best Practice is to keep no less than two months in Unrestricted Fund Balance of regular expenses. Two months is 16.7%.

Barclay referred the Council to page 20 from the 2015 CAFR which shows $10,828,328 in Unrestricted Fund Balance as of 9/30/2015. She then explained that using that the Unrestricted Fund Balance represents 21.5% of expenses.

Bankson then asked, "Do we have a plan to replenish any of the reserves that have to be used?"

Irby responded, "There is no way to develop a plan based on the revenues we have coming in today. There is no way to do it."

Apopka Police Department

Chief of Police Michael McKinley used a PowerPoint presentation to make the case for adding five officers to the Apopka Police Department during the 2017 Fiscal Year. The current ratio of officers to residents in Apopka is 2.08. The average ratio in Florida is 2.50. The average ratio for Central Florida law enforcement agencies is 2.55.

budget workshopAdding five officers will bring Apopka's ratio up to 2.18. Apopka would need to add 20 officers in order to bring it up to the 2.50 statewide average.

The annual cost for each new officer is approximately $72,000. The cost to equip each new officer is approximately $49,000.

McKinley also explained the need for several capital projects including several replacement vehicles, a crime-scene laser mapping system and an air purifier for the evidence room.

At the end of his presentation the Council tentatively added $1.15 Million back into the budget.

Apopka Fire Department

The biggest item in Fire Chief Chuck Carnesale's budget was the construction of a new fire station. Fire Station #5 will be built near the intersection of Jason Dwelly Parkway and Appy Lane. It will service the portions of the City that lie north of Ponkan Road. Current plans are to break ground in November and make the station operational by this time next year. The cost of the station is estimated to be $1.1 Million. The annual cost of the 12 firefighters needed to operate the station is $725,000.

The other "big ticket" items for the fire department are the replacement of a 19-year-old fire truck, Engine 11, at a cost of $540,000 and the replacement of an aging ambulance ($170,000).

At the end of the day, the Proposed Budget was out of Balance by $1,373,000.

To watch the Council balance the budget, come to Workshop #3. It is scheduled for next Tuesday, July 26th at 1:00 PM at the City Council Chamber in Apopka City Hall.


 

Apopka City Budget, Apopka Fire Department, Apopka Police Department

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here