Pea Ridge City Council members got their first look at the proposed 2017 budget on Nov. 10 when they met in committee with department heads.
The most lengthy discussion was over the proposed Police Department budget, which showed an increase from $1,116,500 in 2016 to a proposed $1,499,640 in 2017.
Police Chief Ryan Walker said the biggest part of the increase would be for salaries, as he is asking for three new officers.
"That gets us back to where we can be more proactive," he said, explaining the department has "slipped to where we're just reactive. I don't feel like we're doing a good service to the community by just being reactive."
The second largest expense would be on vehicles, Walker said. The department has three vehicles with more than 100,000 miles, three that will have 100,000 within a year, and three that will have 80,000 within a year. Walker said he does not believe vehicles are safe after 80,000 miles. Council member Bob Cottingham said preventive maintenance on the vehicles could change that.
Walker said the department has radios that are 15 years old or older and officers are trying to buy their own. He said he can hardly get the shop to work on the radios any more because they are so outdated the shop doesn't have the parts. He said $22,000 would replace the car radios and hand held radios.
Walker also wanted to replace eight Tasers at a little more than $1,000 each and to purchase eight pepper guns at $675 each. He also put $20,000 in the budget for the purchase, training and equipping of a K9.
City Council members agreed the Police Department budget would have to be cut back.
"We're going to look at it and see if there's areas where we can redo some things and shift some things around," Mayor Jackie Crabtree said. "This is no different from what we go through every year."
The Fire-Ambulance Department's 2017 budget total dropped from this year, although the salaries line item increased because departments in the area are starting to pay more, Fire Chief Jamie Baggett said.
The Library budget was down due to the completion of the multipurpose room.
Street Department superintendent Nathan See proposed an increase in fixed assets from $30,000 to $80,000 to purchase a boom mower.
Water/Sewer superintendent Ken Hayes said his budget had a 2.3 percent increase for water and a 4.9 percent increase for sewer. Both departments had increases in payroll, he said.
General News on 11/16/2016