Minutes 04/19/1994 - Laserfiche WebLink

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April 19~ 1994 Last year, you approved 12 officers during the budget process. Just recent L know, I authorized the addition of two more police officers to the complement. With the five officers proposed for this fiscal year, we will have added 19 officers to our streets in twelve months. Should you desire to increase the effective complement by more than the five officers proposed for this fiscal year, then I recommend that you consider raising the real estate tax by 3 cents to $1.35 which would provide the revenue to employ, equip, and outfit 15 additional police officers. This action would increase the complement by a total of'22 next year, about a 10% increase in sworn personnel. Over one year ago, our Mayor, with the support of the City Council, requested that the churches join with the City to offer our youth an effective alternative to "hanging %n the street" looking for trouble whic~ all too frequently Ks found wit~ ~eadly outcomes. We must give our young people more positive alternatives, and our approximately 200 churches offer a unique opportunity to provide-just .that -- a place to "hang-out, learn and grow." I join our Mayor in again offering this challenge to our churches to link with effective City programs offered primarily through our Leisure Services Department, Community Services Board, and the Sheriff's Department. Join us in offering an alternative that, with determination, can become just as effective as the successful campaigns which have led so,many citizens across America to stop smoking. Along the same lines, it is essential that we maintain~and expand our City's Neighborhood Watch programs and the highly successful Intensified Drug Enforcement Assistance (I.D.E.A.) program. The recommended budget includes sufficient funding in the operating contingency to continue the I.D.E.A~ program for another six months, as requested by neighborhood leaders. Fire Department We too often subscribe to the notion that our dreams will be realized if only we "spend more to have more." Such simplistic thinking has dominated government practice for too many years. With this thought in mind, an assessment team coordinated by the Fire Chief along with effective input from professional firefighters was tasked to examine our City's fire protection structure and delivery systems. The product of this effort will result in a sav~ngs of more than $375,000 to our citizens. The budget recommends the elimination of one ladder company presently located at the Jamestown Avenue Fire Station and the reassignment of three firefighter positions to supplement manning at other lOcations. This results in a net reduction of three lieutenant positions and six firefighter positions. The Fire Chief has given his assurance that fire coverage throughout the City will continue to be adequate with these changes. I salute our Fire Chief and fire department personnel for their teamwork and for demonstrating that collectively we can provide for full fire protection of our citizens at less cost. E-911 I am recommending an increase in the dispatch staff of two positions. This will allow us to more effectively utilize all aspects of our system to better serve and protect the citizens of Portsmouth. As you know~ last year we installed a state of the art computer aided dispatch system which significantly improves our capability to respond to police, fire, and medical emergencies. This is a service enhancement I san proud we can offer to our citizens, but the equipment cost is substantial. In order to offset a portion of these costs, i am proposing to increase the E-911 fee from $.50 to $1.50 per month.