City of Grand Rapids issued the following announcement on July 23.
City Manager Mark Washington today announced a timeline for strategic considerations to improve public safety outcomes that might impact the City’s budget. The road map allows for a holistic performance-based budget deliberation that supports the desired outcomes outlined in the City’s strategic plan.
“This is part of the continuation of our strategic plan and performance-based budgeting process,” Washington said.
The timeline kicks off Aug. 11 with the police department’s new draft strategic plan. Police Chief Eric Payne will present the plan during the City Commission’s Committee of the Whole meeting. Based on commission and community feedback, Payne will provide an update on the strategic plan Sept. 29.
Also at that time, City staff will present a fiscal year (FY) 2020 performance management update to highlight progress made across the entire City organization between July 1, 2019, and June 30, 2020.
The remaining timeline is:
November: City staff will present an analysis of the City’s FY2020 budget versus actual expenditures, FY2021 mid-year adjustments and a FY2022 budget forecast. The City Commission will discuss a FY2021 reprioritization strategy and FY2022 prioritization.
- December 15: Washington will propose any mid-year budget amendments as needed.
- February 2021: City staff will provide a FY2021 mid-year performance management update.
- April 2021: Washington will propose the City’s FY2022 preliminary fiscal plan.
- May 2021: The City Commission will vote on the FY2022 fiscal plan.
Washington earlier this month proposed and the City Commission approved a budget amendment that reallocated $403,000 of the police department’s budget to support increased investment in the Office of Oversight and Public Accountability, public safety communications and a non-sworn civilian position in the police chief’s office to more strategically manage the budget, community engagement, recruiting and hiring and the implementation of the department’s strategic plan.
Community members and some members of the City Commission have asked for millions of dollars to be reallocated out of the police department’s budget. Washington has said budget amendments of this magnitude should not be made ad hoc during the year but are better made and more strategic as mid-year budget amendments or as part of the annual budget proposal process.
“I used a very deliberative budget process for the two previous budgets and tough choices were made to ensure we were investing strategically to achieve our desired outcomes,” he said. “This situation requires the same deliberative approach.”
Washington outlined his specific concerns about making a significant reduction to the police department budget beyond what was approved July 7:
- The City’s FY2021 approved budget was $22 million less than FY2020 due to the economic impacts of COVID-19.
- The general fund portion of the police department’s budget was reduced by $1.1 million – the largest department budget reduction. This resulted in a decreased FY2021 general fund police budget compared to FY2020.
- The $1.1 million reduction made during the budget process and the additional $403,000 cut made earlier this month total $1.53 million and equates to 63% of the department’s overtime budget, or roughly 15 officers.
- This adjustment, along with the fact the 327-person police department staff is lower than the millennium high of 369, is an indication of staffing divestment despite the city’s population growth.
- Since personnel accounts for more than 80% of the police department’s budget, further reductions likely would result in layoffs. Personnel changes must be carefully determined.
- The end is not known for the economic recession as a result of COVID-19 or the pandemic itself. It is not wise to make drastic changes without a clear picture of expected revenue and expenditures.
Original source can be found here.
Source: City of Grand Rapids
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