Jefferson City fire, police talk staffing levels

Council considers funding additional public safety positions in 2015 budget

Jefferson City Council members will look for ways to fund two additional public safety positions, based on the recommendations of the department chiefs.

At the Budget Committee meeting Wednesday, council members heard from both the fire and police departments. The chiefs of both departments outlined a number of staff cuts made in the last year and specified positions they'd like to see reinstated. Their pleas resulted in the council approving funds for one firefighter and one police officer to be placed on the "parking lot." The parking lot is where council members place any added expenditures, revenues or cuts that are not in the draft budget.

Police Chief Roger Schroeder said the department lost three positions from employees taking advantage of the separation incentive program, or SIP, offered last year. Schroeder said the department is short two full-time positions in the records section and one police officer.

Responding to a council member's questions, Schroeder said the department is authorized to have 89 officers and they are currently short by nine. The department averages roughly 14,000 hours of overtime per year, he said.

After some discussion, the council unanimously voted to place the funds for one additional officer, which would cost $53,292 including benefits, on the parking lot.

Fire Chief Matt Schofield also outlined staffing needs in the Fire Department, telling the council that the department is down three positions from the SIP program; one training officer and two firefighters. Schofield said department employees have had to juggle additional duties to make up for the lack of staffing.

"We've managed it, I think under the circumstances, very well," Schofield said.

Schofield said the department spent $85,299 on overtime last year and, for this year, has already spent $89,566 on overtime with 43 days remaining in the fiscal year.

When one council member asked about any other areas the department could cut to help pay for the additional staffing, the response was there was nowhere left to cut.

Jason Turner, division chief of prevention and public information who served as interim fire chief for 18 months, said it would be impossible to find any additional money within the department's budget.

"I don't know that we could make any cuts period," Turner said. "We're struggling now."

The council unanimously voted to place the funds for one firefighter, which would cost $57,145 including benefits, on the parking lot.

The next Budget Committee meeting is set for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall where public works and transit are expected to be discussed.