[1. Call to Order]
[00:00:04]
IT'S UH, 6:30 PM THE 2ND OF APRIL, 2026 ON MAYOR MICHAEL WATSON.
AND I'M CALLING TO ORDER A SPECIAL BUDGET MEETING FOR THE TOWN OF CHEVROLET.
TONIGHT'S AGENDA CONSISTENT ENTIRELY OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, FY 2027 BUDGET PROPOSAL.
I WILL CALL, UH, UH, I WILL CALL THE ROLE, AND THEN THE FIRST ORDER WILL BE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
UH, I AM HERE, UH, THE TOWN ADMINISTRATOR, DELAINE GALLOWAY HERE IS HERE.
THE DEPUTY CHIEF AND CHIEF OF POLICE ARE HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER WADE, ARE YOU HERE? PRESENT? WARD TWO? HERE.
ALRIGHT, SEEING THAT WE HAVE FOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT, WE HAVE A QUORUM TO CONDUCT BUSINESS IN THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
ALRIGHT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, I AM AWARE THAT VICE MAYOR BRINER IS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND AS ANYONE ELSE HEARD FROM ANY, UH, FROM EITHER OF THE OTHER TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO, UH, LET US DO A MOTION IF YOU ARE WILLING TO EXCUSE VICE MAYOR BREER.
AND IF WE NEED TO DO, UH, MOTIONS FOR THE OTHERS NEXT TIME WE CAN.
IS THERE A MOTION TO EXCUSE VICE MAYOR BREER FROM THIS MEETING? MOVE TO EXCUSE VICE MAYOR BREER.
ALL THE MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER LALO HECK AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TANZI.
IS THERE ANY DEBATE? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? THE MAYOR CAST THE FOURTH AFFIRMATIVE VOTE AND THE MOTION IS PASSED.
[5. Departmental Budget Review]
AS I SAID EARLIER, UH, THE ONLY ITEM ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT IS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FFY 2027 BUDGET PROPOSAL.AND WITH THAT, I WILL TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO THE CHIEF AND DEPUTY CHIEF.
GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
AND I WANT TO JUST EXTEND OFF, THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME OUT OF WE, WHAT WE KNOW IS YOUR INCREDIBLY BUSY SCHEDULES, PARTICULARLY THIS TIME OF YEAR, UH, BUDGET IS ALWAYS EITHER DEJA VU OR GROUNDHOG DAY PICK, PICK YOUR POISON.
BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT THIS IS, IS DURING THE SPRING BREAK AND EVERYONE'S TRYING TO GET SOME FAMILY TIME IN AND WE CAN APPRECIATE AND RESPECT THAT.
SO WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING, AND WE'RE GONNA MOVE RIGHT INTO OUR BUDGET PRESENTATION.
THE DEPUTY CHIEF IS GOING TO LEAD US OFF, AND THEN WE'LL GO INTO NUMBERS AND THEN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT MAYOR COUNCIL MAY HAVE.
SO I'M GONNA TURN THIS OVER TO THE DEPUTY CHIEF.
UH, WE'RE GONNA GO RIGHT INTO THIS PRESENTATION, AND IT STARTS WITH A MISSION STATEMENT THAT WE AS AN AGENCY DEVELOPED TO INCORPORATE EVERY COMPONENT OF THE TOWN.
AND I'LL JUST READ IT OUT LOUD AND NOT GO INTO ALL OF IT, BUT TOGETHER.
TOWN HALL PUBLIC WORKS IN THE CH POLICE DEPARTMENT ARE UNITED IN SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO SAFEGUARDING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, MAINTAINING DEPENDABLE INFRASTRUCTURE, ENHANCING THE OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL WHO LIVE, WORK, AND VISIT CHEVROLET.
WE DELIVER RESPONSIVE, TRANSPARENT, AND EFFICIENT MUNICIPAL SERVICES WITH PROFESSIONALISM, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND A STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE THAT IS UNMATCHED IN OUR COMMITMENT TO THOSE WE SERVE.
THROUGH COLLABORATION OF INNOVATION AND OPEN COMMUNICATION, WE WORK EVERY DAY TO BUILD A STRONGER, SAFER, AND BETTER CHEVROLET.
NOW, THE PREMISE BEHIND THIS IS IN IS TO SHOW THAT MOVING FORWARD, AND IN THE PAST YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF OR SO, UM, WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD AS IN, IN COLLABORATION WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND TOWN HALL.
AND I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT, CHIEF THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT IN OUR AGENCY TO SHOW THAT WE WORK TOGETHER.
THAT IT IS NOT JUST THE POLICE DEPARTMENT PUBLIC WORKS, BUT IT'S A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT.
PILLARS OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT INCLUDE COMMUNITY SAFETY AND PROTECTION, BUILDING TRUST AND LEGITIMACY, PROFESSIONALISM AND ETHICAL CONDUCT, RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, EFFICIENCY AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
THOSE ARE OUR FIVE CORE PILLARS FOR OUR
[00:05:01]
AGENCY.AND UM, ANNA, CAN YOU SWITCH? I CAN YOU ZOOM THAT IN ON THAT BY CHANCE, PLEASE? THERE WE GO.
SO THIS IS OUR FUTURE AND OUR INVESTMENT, MEANING THE TOWN OF CHEVROLET MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THIS IS HOW MUCH IT COSTS BROKEN DOWN TO HIRE A POLICE OFFICER, BRAND NEW IN THAT FIRST YEAR.
AND, UH, TO MY KNOWLEDGE IN THE PAST, THIS HASN'T BEEN PUT TOGETHER YET, OR AT LEAST NOT INTO THIS DETAIL.
THESE NUMBERS ARE VERY CONSERVATIVE, BUT WE'RE TALKING ONCE WE HIRE SOMEBODY TO THE END OF ONE YEAR, MEANING WE HAVE TO GIVE 'EM A POLICE CAR, A PORTABLE RADIO, A GUN TRAINING, BODY ARMOR, UNIFORMS, THE DRUG SCREENING PROCESS, THE PHYSICAL EXAM, SO ON AND SO ON.
AND, AND IF YOU COULD SCROLL QUICKLY TO THE BOTTOM, AS YOU CAN SEE, 260,364.
AGAIN, I REITERATE THESE NUMBERS ARE CONSERVATIVE, BUT TO BUY AN OFFICER, ALL OF THE EQUIPMENT THEY NEED TO BE A POLICE OFFICER, PROVIDE THEM WITH ALL THE TRAINING THAT THEY NEED TO BECOME A POLICE OFFICER.
AND THE BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION, THIS IS THE NUMBER THAT IT COSTS FOR ONE OFFICER TO WORK IN THE TOWNSHIP.
NOW, THAT NUMBER DECREASES AFTER THE FIRST YEAR BECAUSE WE'RE NOT OBVIOUSLY BUYING THEM A GUN, A RADIO AND A CRUISER AND ALL THE OTHER EQUIPMENT EVERY YEAR.
BUT THE INITIAL ONSET COST TO THE TOWN FOR THIS POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ANY OTHER POLICE DEPARTMENT AROUND US WOULD BE $260,000.
SO THIS IS THE INVESTMENT THAT THE TOWN HAS PUT IN TO EACH AND EVERY OFFICER THAT YOU HIRED HERE IN CHEVROLET.
LET ME JUST PAUSE AND, UH, MAKE SURE THAT THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING REFLECT THAT COUNCIL MEMBER FRY FROM WARD SIX.
WHAT YOU SEE AT THE TOP OF THE SCREEN HERE IS THE BLUE CARD M-P-C-T-C CARD THAT CERTIFIES EACH AND EVERY OFFICER WHO COMPLETES ALL THE MANDATED TRAINING, THE BACKGROUND AND THE PROCESS TO GET HIRED AND CERTIFIED BY THE STATE OF MARYLAND.
OKAY, APPLICANT POOL VERSUS APPLICANT PUDDLE.
I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE TOWN TO REALIZE MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THAT IN MARYLAND THERE'S 155 LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, 15,834 CERTIFIED POLICE OFFICERS.
BUT THERE'S LESS THAN 10 TO 12% OF ANY AGENCY IN MARYLAND THAT IS FULLY STAFFED.
THAT BLUE CARD, THAT BLUE CARD AT THE TOP OF THE SCREEN, EACH AND EVERY OFFICER CARRIES THAT.
AND IT'S MORE OR LESS A LICENSE TO GO ANYWHERE AND BE THE POLICE IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND.
IF YOU'RE CERTIFIED AND YOU DON'T HAVE, UM, ANY ISSUES WITH YOUR BACKGROUND, THEN YOU CAN GO TO ANY AGENCY AND WORK.
SO OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS HERE, YOU AND THIS ADMINISTRATION MADE A COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WE WOULD GO 24 7 AND BE FULLY STAFFED.
AND THE CHIEF AND I PROVIDED THAT, THAT TO THIS, TO THIS NEW COUNCIL COUNSEL.
IF I CAN JUST ADD IT JUST SLIGHTLY TO THIS.
AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DEMONSTRATE HERE IS THE TREMENDOUS INVESTMENT THAT DAMERIN COUNCIL HAS MADE IN SUPPORT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND THIS IS NOT LOST ON US, AND WE COMPETE WITH THE OTHER 154 LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, NOT JUST THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF MARYLAND, BUT THROUGH DC, VIRGINIA, AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
SO THAT MARYLAND POLICE TRAINING CERTIFICATION CARD IS, IS A LICENSE HERE IN MARYLAND.
AND YOU, THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL, YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY BEFORE, POLICE DEPARTMENTS CAN HIRE AND FIRE, BUT ONLY THE TRAINING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION CAN CERTIFY ANYONE TO BE A POLICE OFFICER.
AND WITHOUT THAT CERTIFICATION, THEY CANNOT SERVE AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER IN THE STATE.
BUT LIKEWISE, ONCE THAT CERTIFICATION IS ACHIEVED IN MARYLAND, IT'S EASILY TRANSFERABLE TO OTHER STATES, JUST AS OTHER STATES ARE TRANSFERABLE TO MARYLAND THROUGH A COMPARATIVE COMPLIANCE PROGRAM.
SO THAT COMPARATIVE COMPLIANCE PROGRAM IS LESS NUMBER OF HOURS OF TRAINING AND ALLOWS OFFICERS TO, TO LOOK ELSEWHERE.
WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS THIS TOWN HAS MADE A TREMENDOUS INVESTMENT AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE RETURNING TO THE TOWN ON THAT INVESTMENT.
UM, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT AT THIS POINT WE ARE FULLY STAFFED CURRENTLY AT 18 POSITIONS.
WE, UM, HAD TWO POSITIONS THAT WERE UNFROZEN IN JANUARY.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE ONE WHO'S BEEN THROUGH THE MAJORITY OF THE BACKGROUND PROCESS AND, UH, JUST WAITING TO RECEIVE A, A, A COUPLE OF HIS TESTING RESULTS AND HE WOULD BE ABLE TO HIRE.
AND WE ALSO HAVE 70 OTHER APPLICANTS
[00:10:02]
IN THE PROCESS.SO THAT'S WHERE WE STAND RIGHT NOW CURRENTLY.
AGAIN, I CAN'T REITERATE THAT ENOUGH.
UM, IS THAT THE TOWN MAYOR COUNCIL, YOU ALL HAVE PROVIDED US THE OPPORTUNITY TO FULLY STAFF THIS AGENCY AND WE ARE JUST WORKING VERY HARD TO KEEP THEM FULLY STAFFED HERE.
SO KEY RETENTION STRATEGIES ARE COMPETITIVE COMPETITION OR COMPENSATION, QUALITY EQUIPMENT AND RESOURCES, CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND ADVANCEMENT, POSITIVE ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE AND WORK-LIFE BALANCE.
UM, WE AS AN AGENCY, WORK VERY HARD TO PROVIDE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE OUR OFFICERS NOT ONLY PROVIDE THE BEST SERVICE FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND MATCH THIS COMMUNITY'S NEEDS AND WANTS, BUT ALSO GIVE THEM AN ENVIRONMENT INTERNALLY WHERE THEY FEEL THAT THEY'RE GETTING THE TOP TRAINING, THEY'RE GETTING THE EXPERIENCE, AND IT'S A MORE ENJOYABLE PLACE FOR THEM TO WORK.
SO WE STRIVE VERY HARD TO, WE DON'T WANT EMPLOYEES THAT WANT TO LEAVE.
SO WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO GIVE THEM THE TRAINING AND SKILL SETS THAT THEY WANT, AND THEY ACTUALLY LOVE THE TOWN OF CHEV AND WANT TO BE HERE.
WE EMPHASIZE THREE CORE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DEPARTMENT.
WE WANT OUR EMPLOYEES NOT JUST IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND THIS GOES BACK TO OUR MISSION STATEMENT, BUT WE WANT THEM TO FEEL VALUED, RESPECTED, AND INCLUDED.
AND IF WE CAN, IF WE CAN TREAT EACH OTHER THAT WAY, THEN THAT CARRIES OVER INTO SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY SO THAT OUR COMMUNITY FEELS VALUED, RESPECTED, AND INCLUDED.
UH, LET ME, I'LL JUST ALSO REFLECT THAT AT 6:38 PM COUNCIL MEMBER GARZA FROM WARD FIVE JOINS US.
SO WE HAVE SIX OF THE SEVEN ELECTED OFFICIALS HERE.
SO THIS PAGE TALKS ABOUT, UH, LIKE I SAID, 10 TO 12% OF THE AGENCIES IN MARYLAND ARE FULLY STAFFED.
THE OTHER 85 TO 90% OF THE DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE STATE ARE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO GET TO WHERE WE ARE.
THESE ARE A FEW OF, A FEW OF THE ADS THAT HAVE BEEN POPPING UP RECENTLY WITH DIFFERENT INCENTIVES TRYING TO ENTICE OFFICERS TO LEAVE ONE AGENCY AND COME TO ANOTHER, OR JUST IF THEY HAVE NO EXPERIENCE JOIN IN GENERAL, I THINK MOST RECENT IS, UH, BUOY LOOKS TO, TO BOOST ITS POLICE DEPARTMENT BY AROUND 25%.
SO AS YOU SEE, THESE ARE ALL AGENCIES THAT ARE NEARBY US THAT OFFER SOME OF THE SAME, UM, RETENTION BONUSES AND WHATNOT THAT WE DO.
BUT THESE ADVERTISEMENTS WE SEE EVERY DAY.
AND IF YOU DON'T THINK OTHER AGENCIES TRY TO RECRUIT OUR OFFICERS, THEY ABSOLUTELY DO.
UH, SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND.
EVEN AS OF LAST WEEK, TWO WEEKS AGO, BOWIE ANNOUNCED THE 25% INCREASE IN THEIR AGENCY.
AND, AND THE FACT THAT OTHER AGENCIES LOOK TO OUR STAFF IS A TESTAMENT TO OUR STAFF.
IT IS A TESTAMENT TO THE SUPPORT THAT THIS, THAT THIS MAYOR COUNCIL HAD GIVEN TO IN BUILDING THIS POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND NOT JUST BUILD IT, BUT TO BUILD IT WITH A LEVEL OF QUALITY SERVICE THAT WE CAN BE PROUD OF.
SO THAT MAKES IT VERY, VERY TEMPTING FOR OTHER AGENCIES.
AND, AND, AND I THINK WHAT YOU'LL SEE AS WE GET INTO THE OTHER NUMBERS IS THAT WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO BE THE HIGHEST PAID.
WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO BE THE LOWEST PAID.
WHAT WE WANT IS, IS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE, UH, WELL-TRAINED, WELL-EQUIPPED AND, AND FAIRLY COMPENSATED EMPLOYEES WORKING WITHIN A GOOD CULTURE.
SO WE DID A BREAKDOWN FISCAL YEAR 20, ANNA, CAN YOU SCROLL UP? SLIGHTLY FISCAL YEAR 2026, PUBLIC SAFETY FUNDING REVIEW AND REGIONAL COMPARISON.
WHAT WE DID, NOW YOU CAN SCROLL DOWN SLIGHTLY,
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, RANGING FROM LAUREL DOWN TO CHEVROLET IS 25% OF THE OVERALL TOWN BUDGET GOES TOWARDS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO THIS IS A, THIS IS A GRAPH THAT JUST SHOWS THE OVERALL SPENDING OF THE BUDGET.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE PIE IS ONLY SO LARGE, AND WE ALSO RECOGNIZED THAT FOR MANY YEARS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS SIGNIFICANTLY UNDERSTAFFED MM-HMM
AND BECAUSE OF THAT LEVEL OF STAFFING,
[00:15:01]
IT MAKES SENSE THAT THE TOWN SPENT LESS ON PUBLIC SAFETY THAN THEY DID ON THE OTHER, THE OTHER ENTITIES.WHAT WE'RE SAYING NOW IS THAT BECAUSE WE ARE AT THAT STAFFING LEVEL THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE THAT THIS PIE JUST NEEDS TO BE, UH, TWEAKED, MODIFIED IN A WAY THAT, UH, ENSURES THAT, UH, ALL OF THE GOVERNMENT IS WORKING IN A, IN AN EFFICIENT AND AN EFFECTIVE WAY.
THE, THE TOWN STAFF THAT WORKS UNDER MR. GALLOWAY IS BORN ON SOME OF THE BEST THAT I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH, UH, ABSENT MY CIVILIAN STAFF, WHICH ARE THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS
UH, SO JUST, YOU KNOW, PUT THAT PLUG IN THERE.
AND, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT A TREMENDOUSLY, UH, WELL RESPECTED PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
SO WE SHARE THIS EARLY TO SAY THAT AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD THAT THIS, THIS JUST BECOMES SOMETHING FOR THE MAYOR COUNCIL TO CONSIDER.
SO THIS IS THE OPERATIONAL FLOW CHART FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
BLUE IS CURRENT
NOW, UM, WE CURRENTLY HAVE MOST OF YOU KNOW, SERGEANT JACKSON, WHO HAS TAKEN ON THE RESPONSIBILITY OF HANDLING ALL THE INVESTIGATIONS THAT HAPPEN IN THE TOWN.
IF IT'S A FELONY OFFENSE, HE COORDINATES WITH PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY POLICE, CID OR, OR ANY OTHER COMPONENT TO, UM, WORK TOGETHER WITH THEM FOR INVESTIGATIONS.
THIS IS, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT HE'S DOING BOTH ROLES NOW.
HE IS A FULL-TIME PATROL SERGEANT HERE, WORKING A 12 HOUR SHIFT, AS WELL AS TAKING ON ALL THESE INVESTIGATIONS.
SO THAT IS WHAT WE ARE SEEKING TO BUILD OUT IN THE 2027 BUDGET IS A SERGEANT, DETECTIVE AND ONE OFFICER.
SO I'LL JUST ADD AS IT RELATES TO SERGEANT JACKSON'S WORK, UH, AND HE JUST PROVIDED THE, THE CRIME TRACK, THE CRIME TRACKER FOR THE DEPUTY CHIEF AND I FOR MARCH OF 26.
AND THERE WERE 21 DIFFERENT CRIMES THAT WERE, THAT OCCURRED IN THE TOWN.
MOST OF THEM PROPERTY CRIMES, ONE WAS A SEXUAL ASSAULT, BUT OF THOSE, OF THOSE 21 CRIMES HAD RESULTED IN 15 ARRESTS.
THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT CLOSURE RATE FOR ANY POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO HE DOES A TREMENDOUS JOB OF NOT JUST, WE'RE NOT JUST REPORT TAKERS.
ONCE THE REPORT IS WRITTEN, THERE'S FOLLOW UPS TO THIS.
SO, UH, MOST RECENTLY WITH THE ATTEMPTED THEFT OF TIRES IN THE TOWN, UH, UH, OVER OFF OF, UH, CHEVROLET AVENUE, THE, UH, ALTHOUGH THE PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY GUN SQUAD CAME OUT BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF WHAT OCCURRED GENERALLY IN THAT, UH, HE ALSO FOLLOWED UP WITH ALL OF THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORS TO FOLLOW UP ON RING CAMERA.
AND HE IS CONTINUED CONTINUING TO TRACK THE MOVEMENT OF THOSE SUSPECTS IN CONCERT WITH PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, ALL WHILE SUPERVISING A SQUAD.
SO, HENCE THE REASON THIS IS THE NEXT, NEXT STAGE TO BRING THIS DEPARTMENT INTO THE, UH, UH, MORE CONTEMPORARY POLICING AT.
SO GOING FORWARD, WE HAVE FOUR ACTIVE SQUADS, EACH LED BY A SERGEANT AND EACH CONSISTING OF TWO OFFICERS.
PLUS BILLY, RIGHT? I SHOULDN'T CALL HIM BILLY INTERMEDIATE.
WHICH LIEUTENANT LISA, THERE IT IS.
WHICH, UH, I, I'M QUICKLY REFERRING TO HIM MORE AS THE UBIQUITOUS LIEUTENANT GLEASON, BECAUSE HE SEEMS TO BE EVERYWHERE EVERY TIME.
AND, UH, AND, AND PARTICULARLY BACKFILLING WHEN, WHENEVER THERE'S A, UH, A NEED ON THE STREET.
SO, UH, IT BRINGS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TALENT AND EXPERIENCE.
UM, CAN I PAUSE FOR A SECOND AND TAKE A QUESTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER HICK.
I JUST HAD A QUESTION, UM, REGARDING THE, I THINK THE IDEA OF HAVING A DETECTIVE IN TOWN IS A GREAT IDEA.
I JUST WANTED TO KNOW, ARE THERE OTHER COMPARABLE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE DETECTIVES IN THEIR, IN THEIR COMPLIMENT OF POLICE FORCES? AND SO CAN YOU JUST, YOU KNOW, ILLUSTRATE THAT FOR ME? YES, SIR.
UM, MOST OF THE JURISDICTIONS THAT BORDER US HAVE DETECTIVES AND THEIR OWN DETECTIVE BUREAUS.
AND, UH, COINCIDENTALLY IN OUR TOWN CODE, IT SAYS WE MUST HAVE A DETECTIVE IN, IN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
BUT YES, BLADENSBURG HAS DETECTIVES AND A DETECTIVE BUREAU.
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OF THE RIVERDALE PARK HAS DETECTIVES IN A DETECTIVE BUREAU.SO IT WOULD NOT BE UNCOMMON FOR AN AGENCY OUR SIZE TO HAVE DETECTIVES AND A DETECTIVE BUREAU.
HAVE WE HAD ONE IN THE PAST? YES, WE HAD IT.
AND, AND JUST TO EXPAND ON THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, THERE, PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS AN INVESTIGATIVE, UH, UH, A REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING OF INVESTIGATORS FROM AROUND THE COUNTY.
SO CHEVROLET PARTICIPATES IN THAT MEETING OF INVESTIGATORS, EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T HAVE A FORMAL INVESTIGATIVE BUREAU, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANNA LOSE TOUCH WITH THOSE LEADS, PARTICULARLY SINCE WE KNOW THAT, UH, JUST BECAUSE IT HAPPENS OUTSIDE THE TOWN DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY WON'T COME INSIDE THE TOWN.
AND VICE VERSA, CRIMINALS DON'T RESPECT JURISDICTIONAL LINES.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GIVING THE TOWN WHAT IT NEEDS AS IT RELATES TO NOT ONLY OUR PATROL RESOURCES, BUT OUR INVESTIGATIVE CAPABILITIES.
AND I'M JUMP IN HERE FOR A SECOND, UM, JUST TO SAY, SEE, PLEASANT GLEN ARDEN, BLADENSBURG, MOUNT RAINIER, UH, THEY'RE ALL OF SIMILAR SIZE AS, AS FAR AS COMPARISON, AND THEY ALL, THEY ALL DO HAVE DETECTIVE DIVISIONS.
SO WE ARE FINALLY STABLE AND READY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES AND COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT ALMOST 12 MONTHS AGO.
THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME WE'VE LAID IT ALL OUT ON PAPER, ON CALENDAR.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, THESE ARE THE TRAINING, DIFFERENT TRAININGS WE'VE OFFERED.
SOME ARE IN-HOUSE TO OUR OFFICERS, SOME ARE OPENED UP TO OTHER JURISDICTIONS THAT ARE COMING INTO THE TOWN TO TRAIN WITH US, AND SOME OF IT'S AVAILABLE TO THE COMMUNITY MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UM, IT IS OUR INTENTION TO BUILD UPON THIS AND KEEP IT GROWING SO THAT WE HAVE EQUALLY AN, AN EQUAL AMOUNT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT HERE IN THE TOWN AS WE DO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY, UH, CRIME PREVENTION EFFORTS.
SO, JUST TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW, WE ARE STANDING UP, WE'LL, WE'LL CHANGE IT ON HERE, BUT IT SAYS EXPLORE PROGRAM.
WE'RE GONNA GO WITH THE CADET PROGRAM.
WE'VE ALREADY FINISHED UP THE MOU FOR THAT, AND WE'RE MOVING FORWARD ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR CADET PROGRAM MAY 1ST.
AND THEN, AS YOU SEE, IF YOU GO DOWN VIRTUAL REALITY TRAINING FOR THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THERE'S, THERE'S MANY DIFFERENT, UH, NEW EVENTS ON HERE THAT WE HADN'T HAD IN THE PAST CPR AND A ED CLASS AND CERTIFICATION FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UH, SITUATIONAL AWARENESS IS WE WILL OFFER TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEN I THINK ONE OF THE FIRST ONES WE'RE DOING AT THE PUBLIC WORKS BUILDING IS GONNA BE A CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS TRAINING THAT'S OFFERED TO OUR AGENCY AND ALL OF THE SURROUNDING JURISDICTIONS.
IT, IT'S BASICALLY THE HOSTAGE NEGOTIATOR SCHOOL TAKING OUT THE BARRICADE PORTION OF IT.
SO IT'S ALL ABOUT COMMUNICATING WITH PEOPLE IN CRISIS.
AND LIEUTENANT GLEASON HAS TAKEN THE LEAD ON THAT COURT.
THAT'S THE, ALSO THE PROGRAM THAT WHEN WE MENTION IT, WE'LL BE GLADLY ACCEPTING THE HELP OF ROLE PLAYERS.
AND I DO BELIEVE THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER BRI'S, UH, DAUGHTER WHO IS, IS, UH, AN EXQUISITE ROLE PLAYER AS A VOLUNTEERED HER SERVICES AS WELL, BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S NOT JUST WHEN WE THINK ABOUT OUR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY, OUR COMMUNITIES, NOT JUST THOSE OVER 21, UH, WE, WE'VE GOT, UH, A POPULATION THAT'S UNDER 21 IN THIS TOWN, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DELIVERING THE SAME LEVEL OF SERVICE, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO COMMUNICATING WITH, WITH CHILDREN OR YOUNG ADULTS.
THE ONE UP HERE ON THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS, UH, LISTED IN OCTOBER, IT'S BECAUSE OCTOBER IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH.
BUT AS WE CONTINUE TO SEE IN OUR CALLS FOR SERVICE, NOT JUST HERE IN CHEVROLET, BUT, AND NOT JUST HERE IN THE COUNTY, BUT THROUGHOUT THE STATE, THAT IS BECOMING AN INCREASINGLY CHALLENGING PROBLEM.
SO WE'LL PROBABLY BE SPREADING THAT OUT OVER SEVERAL MONTHS.
WE'LL ALSO BE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE STATE'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND, AND OUR SITTING JUDGES TO HELP BRING SOME OF THIS TRAINING TO THE TAP.
UM, BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THIS, I DO WANNA POINT OUT THAT I RECENTLY DID SOME ANALYSIS OF OVERALL CRIME IN THE COUNTY ON EVERY JURISDICTION FOR EVERY JURISDICTION.
I, I IRONICALLY, DID NOT DO IT FOR THE TOWN OF CH BUT THE RESULTS CAME IN, AND WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DISCOVER WAS THAT CHEVROLET, I WAS HAPPY TO SEE THAT
[00:25:01]
CH HAS THE, UM, THIRD LOWEST CRIME RATE PER CAPITA IN THE ENTIRE COUNTY WITH ONE OF THE HIGHEST CLOSURE RATES FOR CRIMES THAT DO OCCUR IN THE TOWN.AND I CERTAINLY WANNA, I, I WAS VERY PLEASED TO FIND OUT THIS INFORMATION, COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD OF THE WORK THAT THESE OFFICERS DO, AND WE WANNA MAINTAIN THAT.
SO THIS IS THE CURRENT POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, 14.7% GOES TO OPERATIONS.
THE REMAINING BULK OF OUR BUDGET, 85.3% GOES TO SALARY AND BENEFITS.
IS THAT PRETTY TYPICAL FOR, UH, WITH AN AGENCY, 85 15? ACTUALLY, MAYOR, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
AND THE REALITY IS THAT SALARY AND BENEFITS ARE USUALLY ANYWHERE FROM 80 TO 82%.
AND WITH THE REST OF IT BEING OPERATIONAL, KEEPING IN MIND AND OPERATIONAL IS EVERYTHING FROM PURCHASE OF POLICE CARS TO FUEL, TO MAINTENANCE, TO TURNING ON THE ELECTRICITY IN THE BUILDING AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN TO OPERATE THE DEPARTMENT.
SO WHILE OUR, AND, AND THIS IS FOR FY 26, YOU'LL SEE WHEN WE GET TO OUR SPREADSHEETS THAT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF TWO CATEGORIES, WE HAVE NOT INCREASED OUR OPERATIONAL BUDGET LINES.
WE'RE COMP WE'RE, AND, AND YOU'LL SEE WHY WHEN WE GET TO THAT.
SO THAT 85.3% OF SALARY AND BENEFITS IS PROBABLY GOING TO INCREASE WHILE, WHILE OPERATIONAL, UH, PERCENTAGES DECREASE, AT LEAST FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
BUT AGAIN, WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS THAT WHILE, WHILE THERE'S THINGS THAT WE MAY, MAY NEED, WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'LL BE ASKING FOR IS THOSE THINGS THAT ARE ESSENTIAL.
SO AS IT RELATES TO THIS, WE ARE JUDICIOUS IN OUR EXPENDITURES, AND WHAT WE STRIVE FOR IS EFFECTIVE SERVICE WHILE DOING SO AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE.
FY 2026, AUTOMATED ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM, FINANCIAL OVERVIEW.
THE RED LIGHT CAMERA PROGRAM, THE SPEED CAMERA PROGRAM, AND THE COMBINED PROGRAM TOTALS TOTAL REVENUE BEING 1,021,950, BUT WITH A NET REVENUE OF 5 63 9 63.
SO, ALTHOUGH PUBLIC SAFETY IS OUR NUMBER ONE GOAL WHEN IT COMES TO AUTOMATED ENFORCEMENT, WE DO WANNA POINT OUT THAT WE DO BRING IN A REVENUE TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THIS, THROUGH THESE PROGRAMS. AND THESE NUMBERS ARE UP THROUGH DECEMBER THE 31ST.
SO WE'RE ON TRACK, UH, TO, TO, UM, DOUBLE THESE.
BUT EQUALLY IMPORTANT AS WE DISCUSSED DURING THE WORK SESSION, IS WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE RFP AS IT RELATES TO THE OTHER PROVIDERS OF AUTOMATED ENFORCEMENT, BECAUSE AS WE DEMONSTRATED DURING THE WORK SESSION, THERE'S A LOT OF CITATIONS.
AND THIS IS ABOUT MODIFYING DRIVER BEHAVIOR WHEN WE HAVE TO DISMISS CITATIONS BECAUSE OF THE POOR QUALITY IMAGE, THAT THAT DOES NOT MODIFY DRIVER BEHAVIOR YET, IT COSTS THE TOWN SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNTS OF MONEY.
SO THIS IS A BALANCING ACT WITH PUBLIC SAFETY BEING OUR PRIMARY FOCUS AND, AND, AND DOING SO AGAIN, IN, IN A WAY THAT PROVIDES FOR AN EFFECTIVE PROGRAM AS WELL AS EFFICIENCY AND TO DOING AND DOING SO IN AN ETHICAL WAY.
HENCE THE REASON FOR THE RFP, LET THE, LET THE PROVIDERS OF THIS SERVICE GIVE US THEIR BEST FINAL OFFER AND, AND MAKE THEIR PITCH FOR SERVICE HERE IN THE TOWN.
AND THIS IS, UH, MAYOR I, I, I THINK I WAS TOLD THAT YOU STOLE THIS QUOTE FROM MR. GALLOWAY.
RIGHT? BUT I STOLE IT FROM SOMEONE, BUT WE HAVE NO EVIDENCE OF THAT, SO THERE'S NO WARRANTS ON, I THOUGHT I STOLE IT FROM THERE.
I MAY HAVE STOLEN, STOLEN IT FROM MR. GALLOWAY.
BUT, UH, SO IF, IF, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS ON THE PRESENTATION, WE'D CERTAINLY ENTERTAIN THOSE NOW AND THEN WE'LL MOVE MORE INTO THE, THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
COUNSEL, GO AHEAD AND SPEAK UP.
THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, OTHERWISE, WE'LL GO TO THE SPREADSHEET.
SO WE'RE GONNA, UH, GO NOW TO THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND WHAT YOU ALL SEE, UM, ARE FIVE OR SIX, SIX COLUMNS, UH, GOING OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, INCLUDING THE PROPOSED FY 27 IN THE FAR RIGHT.
IT SHOULD, IT SAYS PROPOSED, I THINK, BUT IT SHOULD SAY ADOPTED, WE CHANGED TO ON WHAT'S COMING UP HERE.
[00:30:08]
AGAIN, YEAH, LIKE FOUR MORE TIMES.MOST OF THE ACTION IS IN THE FIRST SECTION, RIGHT?
THAT'S WHERE THE BIG DOLLARS ARE.
SO, UH, BE, BEFORE WE GET TO, TO THE BOTTOM LINE, LET ME HIT A COUPLE OF HIGHLIGHTS.
AND THESE ARE AREAS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THE CON OUT OF OUR CONTROL FROM A BUDGET PERSPECTIVE.
CAN ANNA BACK OUT JUST A LITTLE BIT FOR VIEWERSHIP PURPOSES? YOU CAN'T TELL WHAT THE CORRESPONDING LINE ITEM IS.
I'LL, I'LL READ IT OFF OF, I'LL READ IT OFF MY DOCUMENTS HERE.
CAN YOU GO UP ONE
GO, GO AHEAD AND GO DOWN AND ANNA JUST DOWN ONE, AND THAT WAY THOSE CAN READ IT.
SO LET ME FOCUS ON A NUMBER OF AREAS THAT IS, HAS SUBSTANTIAL INCREASES IN COSTS.
AND AGAIN, PART OF THIS WAS AN UNDERESTIMATION ON THE PART OF THE STATE AS IT RELATED TO PENSION FOR THE, FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS IN A LEE OPS PROGRAM.
IT'S A LAW ENFORCEMENT PENSION PROGRAM THROUGH THE STATE.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF AGENCIES THROUGHOUT PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, UH, MUNICIPAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE NO, NO PENSION PROGRAM, AND THEY RELY SOLELY ON SOCIAL SECURITY.
OTHER MUNICIPALITIES HAVE A, HAVE A, A PENSION THAT IS SERVED IN-HOUSE.
SO WE'RE FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN A PROGRAM THAT LAYS OUT A PATHWAY FOR OUR OFFICERS FROM, FROM HIRING TO RETIRING.
HOWEVER, IT, IT COMES AT A COST.
SO IF WE CAN LOOK AT THE LINE ITEM 601 10, IT'S THE RETIREMENT PENSION, WHICH YOU'LL SEE THAT WAS BUDGETED FOR UNDER FY 26 WAS $275,000.
THE ACTUALS AS OF FEBRUARY WAS FOUR, OVER $459,000, ALMOST $460,000 THAT WAS UNDERESTIMATED BY THE STATE AT $239,000.
UH, OR UNDERESTIMATED BY THE STATE.
AND, AND WHAT'S PROPOSED IN FY 27 AND THESE NUMBERS WERE PROVIDED BY THE ACCOUNTANT TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE AS CLOSE TO ACCURATE AS POSSIBLE IS $514,000.
THAT'S A $239,000 INCREASE OVER WHAT WAS BUDGETED IN FY 26.
IF YOU SKIP THE NEXT LINE AND GO DOWN TO THE, TO THE WORKMAN'S COMP, UH, WORKMAN'S COMP AGAIN WAS BUDGETED AT 150,000.
AS OF FEBRUARY OF 26, WE HAVE SPENT ALMOST 132,000.
AND ACCORDING TO THE ACCOUNTANT, AND AGAIN, THESE NUMBERS ARE BASED UPON THE SALARIES OF OUR OFFICERS.
SO DIFFERENT SALARIES ARE, UH, YOU KNOW, IF A, FOR EXAMPLE, THE OPS PROGRAM IS 39.6% CONTRIBUTION PART ON THE PART OF THE TOWN.
SO BASICALLY FOR EVERY A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT WE PAY AN EMPLOYEE, AND I'M JUST USING ROUND NUMBERS, THAT'S $40,000 THAT'S PAID IN THE OPS FOR THAT EMPLOYEE.
AND ALSO WITH THE INCREASE OF STAFFING, RIGHT? SO NOT JUST WAS IT UNDERESTIMATED BY THE STATE, BUT WITH THE INCREASE IN OFFICERS, YOU KNOW, WHEN I GOT HIRED, THERE WERE SIX, RIGHT? SO WITH THAT INCREASE, THAT NUMBER GOES UP.
SO LIKEWISE WITH WORKMAN'S COMP, WORKMAN'S COMP IS PROJECTED AT 185,000.
THAT'S A $35,000 INCREASE, RIGHT? BELOW THAT IS PAYROLL TAXES, IT'S SOCIAL SECURITY.
LIKEWISE, WHEN WE GO DOWN TO HEALTH INSURANCE AND BENEFITS, THE, THE TOWN IS VERY GENEROUS WITH OUR HEALTHCARE.
AND, BUT AGAIN, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT ATTRACTS INDIVIDUALS TO OUR TOWN, RIGHT? BOTH IN PUBLIC WORKS, GENERAL STAFF AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
BUT THAT IS ESTIMATED AT AN ADDITIONAL $75,000 FY 27 OVER FY 26.
AND EVEN OUR LIFE INSURANCE, UH, INITIALLY PROPOSED TO THE THOUSAND DOLLARS AND WE'VE PAID ALMOST 6,000 IS PROJECTED WITH A $6,000 INCREASE.
AND THEN IF WE JUMP DOWN UNDER THE LIABILITY INSURANCE UNDER INSURANCE COSTS, THERE'S ANOTHER 7,500.
SO WHEN WE TAKE THAT ENTIRE TOTAL, THAT ENTIRE TOTAL IS $389,500,
[00:35:02]
ALMOST $390,000 IN INCREASES IN THE BUDGET.THAT IS JUST FOR A LACK OF BETTER WORDS, IS JUST PART OF DOING THE BUSINESS AND, AND ACHIEVING THE STAFFING LEVELS THAT, THAT WE'RE AT.
SO, I'LL STOP THERE AND TAKE ANY QUESTIONS OR DEFER TO MR. GALLOWAY.
ANY QUESTIONS AS IT RELATES TO THESE EXPENDITURES? ARE YOU'RE SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT PERSONNEL? SPECIFICALLY? PERSONNEL, YEAH.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE, UH, FIRST, I DON'T KNOW, 15 LINE ITEMS UNDER PERSONNEL OR ANY COMMENTS FROM MR. GALLOWAY? NO COMMENTS FROM YOU, MAYOR.
I THINK THIS WAS LAID OUT PERFECTLY.
LESS POSSIBLY, I SHOULDN'T SAY GETS BETTER.
SO, UH, THE, THE, THE SALARY INCREASE, THE SALARY INCREASES TO PROVIDE THE, UH, COLA AND MERIT INCREASE.
AND AGAIN, KEEPING IN MIND THAT THAT'S, UH, BASED UPON THE SALARY OF THE OFFICERS.
SO SOMEONE THAT'S MAKING $50,000, 2% OF $50,000 IS LESS THAN 2% OF 75,000.
SO YOU CAN'T JUST TAKE THE, THE LAST YEAR'S BUDGET AND ADD 2% TO IT, OR 4% OR WHATEVER THAT PERCENTAGE THAT THE, THE COLA, UH, AND MERIT THAT MR. GALLOWAY HAS PROPOSED.
BUT WHAT I DO WANT TO POINT OUT, THERE ARE THREE AREAS THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW, AND SPECIFICALLY IT IS FIELD OFFICER TRAINING.
WE PAY WHEN, WHEN AN OFFICER HAS TO TRAIN ANOTHER OFFICER, AND MINIMALLY, IF WE HIRE AN EXPERIENCED POLICE OFFICER THAT'S ALREADY CERTIFIED HERE IN THE STATE, THERE'S A MINIMUM OF 80 HOURS.
UH, SOMEONE LIKE OFFICER WHITEHOUSE HAD JUST GRADUATED FROM THE POLICE ACADEMY IS 240 HOURS OF FIELD TRAINING.
SO WE COMPENSATE OUR FIELD TRAINING, OUR, OUR OFFICERS THAT ARE DOING THE FIELD TRAINING IN A WAY THAT, UH, UH, RECOGNIZES THEIR VALUE TO THE DEPARTMENT.
AND KEEPING IN MIND THAT WE DON'T GET TO JUST APPOINT INDIVIDUALS AS A FIELD TRAINING OFFICER.
THE MARYLAND POLICE TRAINING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION SETS THE STANDARDS.
THEY HAVE TO HAVE SO MANY YEARS OF SERVICE.
THEY HAVE TO HAVE, UH, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THEIR INTERNAL AFFAIRS RECORD IS, IS NOT ONE THAT WOULD SUGGEST THERE'S SOMEONE THAT WE WOULD NOT WANT TRAINING ANOTHER POLICE OFFICER.
AND LIKEWISE, THEY HAVE TO COMPLETE SUCCESSFULLY FIELD OFFICER, UH, INSTRUCTOR TRAINING THROUGH THE MARYLAND POLICE TRAINING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION.
SO WE PROVIDE THEM COMPENSATION.
LIKEWISE, OUR OFFICERS THAT WORK THE MIDNIGHT SHIFT, WE PAY A SHIFT DIFFERENTIAL OF $3 AND 80 CENTS AN HOUR, UH, FOR EACH HOUR.
UH, WE PAY THE, UH, WE PAY OUR OFFICERS ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION FOR HOLIDAY WORK.
THE REASON THAT YOU SEE IT IN YELLOW RIGHT NOW IS BECAUSE UNDER FY 26, THAT 1.911 MILLION ABSORBED THE COSTS IN THE SALARY LINE OF THOSE THREE AREAS.
WE KNEW THAT WE WEREN'T GONNA BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE MAXIMUM STAFFING LEVELS, UH, OR, OR NOT LIKELY TO UNTIL WE GOT LATER INTO THE FISCAL YEAR LIKE WE ARE NOW.
SO WE, IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO BRING IN THAT BUDGET LAST YEAR AS DIRECTED AS FLAT AS POSSIBLE, WE INCORPORATED THOSE THREE CATEGORIES INTO THAT 1.9 MILLION.
WHAT YOU SEE NOW IN THE PROPOSED FY 27 BUDGET FOR THAT 2.25 IS TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION OUR FULL STAFFING.
IT DOES ADD, WE TOOK THE LIBERTY OF PUTTING IN THE ADDITIONAL SERGEANT AND THE ADDITIONAL DETECTIVE, UH, AT A, UH, AT A COST OF ABOUT $185,000 FOR THOSE TWO POSITIONS TOTAL.
AND THAT'S PROBABLY SLIGHTLY HIGH, BUT WE WANTED TO, WE WANTED TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE.
UH, SO IT DOES TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION, BUT WHAT THAT SALARY DYING DOES NOT INCLUDE IS THOSE COSTS OF FIELD TRAINING SHIFT DIFFERENTIAL AND HOLIDAY PAY THAT WE ABSORBED INTO THE 1.9.
SO THE SALARY LINE, YOU SEE, IS WHAT WE WOULD PAY JUST ABOUT DOWN TO THE PENNY FOR, FOR THE, UH, FOR OUR STAFFING.
AND THEN WE SEGREGATED THOSE THREE LINES.
SO MAYOR COUNCIL CAN SEE THAT THESE ARE ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURES.
SO WHILE IT LOOKS LIKE A, AN ADDITIONAL 158,000, THE REALITY IS THAT WAS JUST ABSORBED INTO THE FY 26 BUDGET.
WE SEGREGATED IT FOR SAKE OF TRANSPARENCY AND, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, SO THAT MAYOR AND COUNCIL CAN SEE ON WHAT THESE ADDITIONAL COSTS ARE.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? UH, HOPEFULLY I WAS CLEAR.
NO, I THINK THAT'S, I THOUGHT IT WAS CLEAR.
COUNCIL MEMBER LILO? UH, YES, I HAVE THREE QUESTIONS, ONE OF WHICH WAS ABOUT THE HIGHLIGHTED PORTION IN YELLOW.
ONE OF THE FIRST OF WHICH IS, CAN YOU COMMENT ON, I FEEL LIKE I'VE HEARD ABOUT THIS BEFORE, ABOUT THE BUDGET LINE, UH, CONCERNING WADA, AND THEN IF YOU COULD TALK
[00:40:01]
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THOSE ITEMS THAT ARE IN RED AND HOW THERE, IF THERE IS ANY MEANS TO CORRECTING THOSE NUMBERS, TO GETTING THEM BACK INTO THE BLOCK.SO AS IT, WE, UH, AS IT RELATES TO ADA, WE'LL CONTINUE THAT CONTRACT.
UH, I THINK LAST YEAR I USED THE WORD COST NEUTRAL.
IN FACT, IT'S COST BENEFICIAL, UH, BECAUSE THE TOWN, UH, WE PAY OUR OFFICERS OVERTIME, AN OVERTIME RATE, UH, THAT IS REIMBURSED TO THE TOWN PLUS AN ADMINISTRATIVE FEE.
SO I, I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME, BUT AS OF DECEMBER, I BELIEVE, UH, THE TOWN HAD MADE PROBABLY AN ADDITIONAL 25% ON TOP OF THE OVERTIME THAT, THAT WE SPENT.
AS IT RELATES TO THE NUMBERS IN, IN RED, THOSE NUMBERS, MR. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER LAIC WERE PROVIDED TO US FOR UNDER THE FY 27 WERE PROVIDED TO US BY THE ACCOUNTANT, BASED UPON THE PROJECTED EXPENDITURES, UH, BASED UPON OUR SALARIES AND ARE NOW, UH, AND, UH, THE STAFFING WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO THERE, I HIGHLIGHTED THEM AND READ SO THAT THEY WOULD STAND OUT SO THAT MAYOR COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY COULD SEE WHAT WAS PROJECTED IN FY 26 AND WHAT IS NOW PROJECTED IN FY 27, SIMPLY BECAUSE THE VARI VARIABLES AND STAFFING.
ANNA, DO YOU HAVE THE AVERAGE OFFICER NUMBERS IN FRONT OF YOU? OH, OKAY.
SO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GLICK IN, UH, FY 24, UH, WE, AND THIS IS JUST AN AVERAGE NUMBER OF OFFICERS BECAUSE IT EBBED AND FLOWED AS OFFICERS CAME IN AND OFFICERS LEFT.
AND FY 24, WE HAD EIGHT OFFICERS ON AVERAGE THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE YEAR FY 25, WE HAD 14 OFFICERS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
FY 26 WERE AT 18 THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
NOW, I CAN TELL YOU AT THAT FY 26, WE LOST FIVE OFFICERS IN ABOUT THREE MONTHS, UH, THAT, THAT, YEAH, UH, WENT TO, WENT TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS OR INTO PRIVATE INDUSTRY.
AND, UH, WHILE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S JUST, THERE WILL ALWAYS BE ATTRITION, UH, NO MATTER WHAT THE ORGANIZATION MIGHT BE.
SO THESE NUMBERS THAT YOU SEE IN RED COUNCIL MEMBER AND, AND MAYOR COUNCIL ARE THE PROJECTED COSTS THAT WERE PROVIDED TO US BY THE ACCOUNTANT.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, COUNCIL MEMBER? IT DOES.
I JUST WANTED SOME, SOME BACKGROUND ON WHY THE NUMBERS WERE IN RED, AND THAT MAKES PERFECT SENSE TO ME.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT EXPLANATION.
UH, MOVING DOWN INTO THE, UH, OPERATIONAL COSTS, UH, FROM STAFF DEVELOPMENT DOWN, AND THERE'S ONLY TWO AREAS THAT WE RECOMMENDED AN INCREASE, MINIMAL INCREASE.
I, I THINK ONE WAS IN OUR TRAINING, OUR TRAINING BUDGET FOR FY 26 IS, I THINK IT SAYS 55,000.
UH, THAT'S ACTUALLY CHANGED AND, AND INCREASED BECAUSE WE'VE REGISTERED FOR A NUMBER OF CONFERENCES INCLUDING MML AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
THE, WE'RE RECOMMENDING A $10,000 IN INCREASE IN THAT BUDGET LINE, UH, MOVING INTO FY 27 PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF THE ADDITIONAL STAFFING.
AND THE OTHER AREA WHERE WE'RE RECOMMENDING AN INCREASE UNDER THE OPERATIONS IS UNDER SPECIALIZED SERVICES.
AND WE'RE RECOMMENDING AN INCREASE FROM 40,000 TO 65,000.
THAT'S A, UH, I THINK THAT, IS IT 55? I'M TRYING TO READ THAT.
FROM 40 TO 50, IT IS 50 15,000.
SO BETWEEN THOSE TWO BUDGET LINES, IT'S JUST AN ADDITIONAL $25,000.
UH, EVERYTHING ELSE WE ARE TARGETING TO REMAIN FLAT, INCLUDING OUR COST OF FUEL AND COST OF VEHICLE MAINTENANCE AS WE MOVE INTO THE LEASE PROGRAM THAT WE DISCUSSED AT THE COUNCIL WORK SESSION, UH, TO HOPEFULLY REDUCE THOSE COSTS.
AND JUST TO GIVE YOU A GENERAL IDEA, THE DEPUTY CHIEF WORKED OUT AN AGREEMENT WITH, UH, UH, WITH A COMPANY TO PROVIDE OUR GENERAL PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE, OR LET HER SPEAK TO THAT BRIEFLY IN THE AMOUNT OF COST SAVINGS JUST ON PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE ALONE.
SO, UM, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH A, UH, LOCAL, NOT TOO FAR AWAY, UM, MECHANIC SHOP THAT WAS DOING OUR REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND THEN REALIZED OR RECOGNIZED THAT THE BILLS WERE COMING HIGHER, SLIGHTLY HIGHER, SLIGHTLY HIGHER.
SO WE WORKED OUT A DEAL WITH ANOTHER LOCAL, UM, MECHANIC SHOP THAT'S, WE'RE ABLE TO SAVE NOW ROUGHLY $65 ON EVERY OIL CHANGE DONE
[00:45:01]
BY AND FOUR.AND THEN WE SWITCHED TO, UM, DIFFERENT MECHANICS FOR DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS, WHETHER WE NEED TIRES.
SO WHAT WE DID IS LOOK AT THE OVERALL COST, WHAT WE WERE PAYING OUT FOR TOWS FOR THIS, FOR, FOR WHATEVER SERVICE WE NEEDED FOR OUR VEHICLES.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY, UH, QUALITY SERVICE FOR A MUCH LOWER PRICE.
SO WE WENT AHEAD AND SWITCHED TO THE NEW, UH, LOCATIONS FOR THOSE SERVICES.
SO IT MAY NOT SEEM LIKE A LOT ON THE FRONT END, BUT WHEN YOU START ADDING THOSE NUMBERS UP, IT COME, IT COMES PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL.
SO WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THE CURRENT FUEL COSTS AND THE, AND THE SITUATION WITH THAT.
SO, UH, WE EMPHASIZED OUR OFFICERS, WE DON'T LEAVE CARS IDLING.
SECONDLY, IT WEARS ON THE ENGINE.
UH, AND WE'RE INCREASING OUR TIME WHERE OUR OFFICERS ARE SPENDING TIME AT OUR TAS ON FOOT, UH, BUSINESSES ON FOOT, UH, AGAIN TO TRY TO HELP OFFSET SOME OF THOSE FUEL COSTS.
HENCE THE REASON WE'RE NOT RECOMMENDING AN INCREASE AT THIS TIME.
IF THAT BECOMES A PROLONGED ISSUE, THEN WE'LL CERTAINLY COME BACK TO MAYOR COUNCIL FOR ANY CONSIDERATION.
'CAUSE WE KNOW IT'S NOT ONLY GONNA AFFECT US, IT'S ALSO GONNA AFFECT OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
SO THAT'S OUR, UH, THAT'S OUR ONLY TWO ASKS AS IT RELATES TO THAT.
SO THAT COMES DOWN TO OUR, OUR BOTTOM LINE, UH, WITH, UH, APPROXIMATELY, UH, THIS ROUND NUMBER 715 TO $720,000 INCREASE BETWEEN FY 27 AND FY 26.
SHOULDN'T THE CAPITAL OUTLAY INCLUDE VEHICLES OR NO.
SO I BELIEVE MR. GALLOWAY IS GOING TO MOVE VEHICLES INTO THE CAPITAL BUDGET.
UH, THAT WAY, THAT MONEY OH, SO IT'LL BE ADDED HERE.
IT'LL, IT'LL BE SO INSTEAD OF ADDING IT, SO, UH, INSTEAD OF PUTTING IT ON OURS AND ALTERNATIVE TO MR. GALLOWAY, RATHER THAN PUTTING THE CAPITAL OUTLAY ON THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET, BECAUSE OUR BUDGETS GO FROM YEAR TO YEAR AND ANYTHING NOT SPENT SHOULD GO BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND.
WHEREAS IF IT'S IN A CAPITAL BUDGET, THAT MONEY CAN BE CARRIED FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT.
SO IT'S A MORE JUDICIOUS USE OF THE MONEY AND ALLOWS, UH, MR. GALLOWAY TO TRACK THAT MONEY FROM A CAPITAL PERSPECTIVE.
MR. GALLOWAY, DO YOU WANNA ADD ANYTHING TO THAT? YEAH, I DID.
AND MAYOR COUNSEL, JUST SO THAT YOU ALL KNOW, UH, THERE WAS A PRESENTATION GIVEN TO US FROM, UH, CAPITAL FLEET AT THE LAST WORK SESSION.
I WILL BE INSERTING $125,000 IN THE CAPITAL OUTLAY FOR VEHICLES.
UM, UH, AND THAT'S FOR FIVE VEHICLES.
UH, THE VEHICLES WILL BE UPFITTED AND THEY'LL BE ON THE LEASE PROGRAM.
SO, UH, JUST WANT TO DO THIS, DO THIS JUST A LITTLE DIFFERENT BECAUSE I DO KNOW THAT THE CAPITAL OUTLAY OF SOME OF THESE THINGS CAN ENHANCE DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS, WHICH COULD GET IN THE WAY OF THE OPERATE THE OPERATING BUDGET.
AND I JUST WANTED TO, UM, REALLOCATE THIS TO WHERE IT PROBABLY SHOULD BE, WHICH IS IN THE CAPITAL OUTLAY OF IT.
UH, JUST SO COUNCIL'S CLEAR, THE 4.432 MILLION DOESN'T INCLUDE THE 1 25 FOR THE CARS? CORRECT.
UM, MY, I, WHICH MIGHT BE MY LAST QUESTION FOR NOW.
UH, SO WE ADOPTED 10 MONTHS AGO A BUDGET FOR OF 3.713 MILLION.
WHERE DO YOU THINK WE'RE GONNA LAND? IS IT 2.6? IT'S GOTTA BE HIGHER THAN 2.6, RIGHT? WELL, 2.6 WAS AS OF FEBRUARY.
SO, UH, MARCH, APRIL, MAY, JUNE.
I, I THINK I, I THINK BASED ON SOME OF THE MORE RECENT NUMBERS THAT WE'VE SEEN FROM THE ACCOUNTANT, WE'RE GONNA LAND IN THE BLACK YEAH.
AS IT RELATES TO, AS IT RELATES TO THIS, BECAUSE WE STILL DO HAVE SOME, UH, SOME SAL SOME SALARY SAVINGS.
UM, I, I DO WANNA REMIND OR, OR MAKE THE MAYOR COUNCIL AWARE THAT THE, UH, THE, THE, THE BONUSES, THE HOLIDAY BONUSES THAT WERE, UH, RECOMMENDED BY MAYOR COUNCIL DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON WERE MOST, UH, MOST GRACIOUSLY WELL RECEIVED.
BUT, BUT THAT WAS NOT MONEY THAT WAS BUDGETED RIGHT IN INTO THE FY 26 BUDGET.
SO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ABSORBED THAT COST, UH, I THINK ALMOST IN TOTAL, IF NOT CLOSE TO IT, MR. GALLOWAY CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT, UH, SO WE DID ADD THAT AS A, UH, AS A BUDGET LINE.
SO, UH, AND, AND I FAILED TO MENTION IT, SO IT'S UNDER THE HOLIDAY BONUS, IT'S 100.5, WE PUT $20,000 IN THERE.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A DECISION THE MAYOR COUNCIL IS AS TO WHETHER THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO CONTINUE.
UM, AND IF WE HAVE SALARY SAVINGS, WE CERTAINLY WANNA RECOGNIZE THE GREAT WORK OF OUR EMPLOYEES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
SO, UH, WELL, I I, I, I WILL SAY IT, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE WENT AHEAD AND DID IT AS WELL IS BECAUSE THERE WAS
[00:50:01]
TURNOVER, SAVINGS INSIDE OF THE SALARIES LINE ITEM THAT I KNEW THAT WERE THERE.SO I WAS, I WAS COMFORTABLE WITH KNOWING AND SPEAKING WITH THE ACCOUNTANT THAT THE SALARIES HAD ROOM ENOUGH TO ABSORB THE, UH, THE BONUSES.
SO, YOU KNOW, AS CHIEF JUST INDICATED, THERE'S A WHOLE NOTHER LINE FOR HOLIDAY BONUSES THERE NOW.
SO THE THREE POINT, SO WE'RE GONNA COME IN, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS GONNA COME IN 200,000 IN THE BLACK.
THAT'S POTENTIALLY, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TARGETING.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THE TOWN WILL COME IN THE BLACK, I SUSPECT WE'LL BE IN THE RED, BUT THAT IF IT IS 200,000, THAT WILL CERTAINLY HELP US GET, BE LESS RED AS AN OVERALL CORPORATION AND, AND KEEPING IN MIND.
AND KEEPING IN MIND, MAYOR, THAT, UH, JUST THE PENSION ALONE, UH, THE TOWN PAID 459,000 WHEN HAD HAD BUDGET TO 2 75.
SO, UH, WE WE'RE WORKING HARD AND, AND I WILL, I WILL SAY THAT THE DEPUTY CHIEF AND I MET WITH OUR STAFF, UH, WELL, WE MEET REGULARLY, BUT WE MEET MORE REGULARLY ON BUDGET.
AND I MADE IT ABUNDANTLY CLEAR THAT, UH, OUR EXPENDITURES ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO BE NEEDS, NOT WANTS.
AND THAT WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO THE TOWN TO TRY TO BRING IT IN UNDER BUDGET TO THE DEGREE THAT WE CAN, BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE, UH, THE SITUATION BEING WHAT IT IS.
WE CERTAINLY HAVE TO GIVE A, UH, I, I'VE GOTTA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO MR. GALLOWAY.
UH, HE HAS DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB OF WORKING WITH US.
HE, UH, HE TEACHES US NEW THINGS EVERY DAY.
UM, NOT NEW TRICKS, NEW THINGS, AND, UH, WAYS TO, UH, TO BE MORE EFFICIENT IN OUR OPERATION.
AND WE'RE CERTAINLY GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
COUNSEL, ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT? NOT QUESTIONS AS COUNCIL MEMBER WADE.
JUST COMMENTS, UH, THANK YOU AGAIN, UH, CHIEF AS WELL AS, UH, DEPUTY CHIEF FOR YOUR, UH, THOROUGH, UH, DETAIL REPORT.
UM, IT NOT ONLY SHOWS THE LEVEL OF SERIES OF PUBLIC SAFETY THAT YOU TAKE IT, BUT ALSO, UM, CREATIVE WAYS TO BE FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE WITH, UM, THIS PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH YOU ALL.
UM, WE DEFINITELY, UM, THE BUDGET DEFINITELY NEEDS TO HAVE, UH, SEVERAL CHANGES TO IT, BUT THAT ALSO IT JUST SHOWS THE IMPORTANCE OF, UH, PUBLIC WORKS.
UM, BEING AT THE FOREFRONT OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
I'M SORRY, BEING AT THE FOREFRONT OF WHAT THE TOWN REPRESENTS AS A WHOLE.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND, UH, YOUR COMMITMENT TO MAKE, CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE WHAT IT IS AND YIELD BACK.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COUNCIL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME? HEARING NONE.
ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, UH, THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO ANSWER OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ANSWER? BUT WE'D WELCOME ANY PUBLIC INPUT AT THIS TIME ON THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET PROPOSAL, AND I CAN'T NECESSARILY SEE, SO MR. GALLOWAY, I MIGHT NEED YOUR HELP.
UM, YEAH, NO ONE HAS THEIR HAND UP, SIR.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP AND PRESENTATION.
UH, I'LL SAY IT AGAIN PUBLICLY.
WE DEEPLY APPRECIATE THE SERVICE OF EACH AND EVERY CHEVROLET POLICE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE.
AND, UM, YOU GUYS DO TREMENDOUS THINGS FOR THE COMMUNITY, AND WE ARE A HUNDRED PERCENT BEHIND YOU AND THE OFFICERS, UH, GOING FORWARD AT THE FISCAL YEAR AHEAD.
UH, COUNSEL, IF YOU DO HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, UH, PLEASE EMAIL THEM IN.
UH, WE WILL BE MEETING AGAIN A WEEK FROM TONIGHT AT SIX 30 TO DISCUSS GENERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET, AND THEN AT 7:30 PM ON APRIL 9TH, WE WILL HAVE OUR REGULAR APRIL TOWN MEETING.
UM, ALL RIGHT, IF THERE'S NO FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL, IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? TO ADJOURN? SECOND.
I HEARD A MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER NALO HECK TO ADJOURN.
AND A SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER.
WADE, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION FROM THE COUNCIL? HEARING NONE.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? THE MOTION PASSES FIVE ZERO GOODNIGHT.
AND WE WILL SEE YOU IN A WEEK.