Council approves $1.68M in cuts

No discussion before vote

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

The Jefferson City Council has approved $1.68 million in cuts to cover an unexpected budget shortfall that was revealed late last month.

At the City Council meeting Monday, the council approved an extensive list of cuts to the current budget with no discussion. The largest cuts will hit the streets division within the public works department, where more than $478,000 is being cut, mostly from street chemicals and street materials.

The city’s transit system will see a $138,500 cut through cuts to fuel, vehicle repairs and a possible two-hour midday break. That two-hour break would have buses stop running routes midday, which also would stop Handiwheels from running for those two hours, as that service is complimentary to the JeffTran system.

But even if the City Council approves the transit cuts, Public Works Director Roger Schwartze has said federal regulations will require the city to hold public hearings on the proposed schedule change before anything can be implemented. Schwartze has said whatever comes out of the public hearings will be taken back to the council.

The Police Department will see about $121,000 in cuts, largely from overtime. Previously, Police Chief Roger Schroeder had said the overtime cuts will be managed by using compensatory time.

The Fire Department will see $51,660 in cuts, the largest of which comes from overtime. There also is a $10,000 cut to training and education.

The Jefferson City Area Chamber of Commerce will see their contract with the city take a $15,000 cut.

The cuts also include $187,000 in vacancy savings from not filling open positions at City Hall, as well as $150,000 in savings from the early retirement program.

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RobHunterJohnson 2 months, 1 week ago

We are giving up alot to balance the cities budget, our safety with cuts to the Fire, and Police department's! Our Street Department mostly in Chemicals, and Materials! Public Transit! I for one would like to know since the Chamber of Commerce has been stripped of $15,000 from our budget, what percentage of our budget is the the Chamber to Jefferson City? To make it simpler, how much does the City of Jefferson give this political action group? Why does Jefferson City give them anything? The way their history reads, the merchants of this fine city wanted something, and they made it happen, our first BRIDGE, the merchants made it happen, so again why is the City funding this political action group at all! I agree with some of their positions, but not all! A while back I watched an election for Mayor proceed, looking at both their financial statements, they both were relatively the same, but one had more Billboards? Alot more billboards all over town! rob

usmc007 2 months, 1 week ago

Scratch my back I'll scratch yours Is An EPICDEMIC in this city, it's an issue in every city, but more so Here in Jefferson City. We have people who some times forget that they are there for the citizens and it's the citizens who votes. Where have All of the. REAL POLITICIANS who are About the true civics and principles for the people Gone? For the Good of the People and citizens of Jefferson City.* Always Faithful *

jfester 2 months ago

I have a question about an item listed in the "cuts" 10-330529050 Police Animal Control - Spay Neuter Program $45,000.00

It is my understanding from an article, Page B5 in the News Tribune today, Wednesday, March 20, 2013 that persons adopting a "pet" in the local shelter are given a voucher that requires them to spay/neuter the adopting animal themselves by a local veterinarian.

so WHAT spay/neuter program is this budget cut item alluding to?

m_leroux 2 months ago

City staff has advised that the cut will discontinue the existing voucher program and the shelter will provide in-house spay/neutering instead.

Madeleine Leroux/News Tribune reporter

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