Antioch Council to consider budget items, including an assistant for Mayor Harper, Tuesday night
By Allen Payton
The Antioch City Council will consider budget matters for the 2015-16 fiscal year, which begins July 1,during a 5:30 p.m. special study session before their regular meeting on Tuesday, April 14.
One of the items on the list for consideration is a first-ever proposal of hiring a part-time assistant for the mayor, although the position is not included in the proposed budget.
Another item listed but not included in the budget, are the three Community Service Officers requested by Mayor Pro Tem Lori Ogorchock in January.
What is included in the budget is a pay raise for police of between 2% and 4.25%, and allocating the remainder of Measure C tax revenue for sworn police officer funding of 102 for fiscal year 2015-16, vehicle purchases for Police Officers totaling $450,000 and the purchase of body cameras and tasers for Police Officers totaling $225,000.
Following are the proposed budget items to be discussed during Tuesday’s study session.
Positions Requested But Not Included In Proposed Budget:
– Three (3) Community Service Officers (CSOs), with .25 funded out of the Abandoned Vehicle Fund, at a General Fund budget impact of $274,600.
– One (1) Police Records Technician at a budget impact of $86,545.
– One additional (fourth) Code Enforcement Officer at a budget impact of $122,030.
– Two (2) General Laborers assigned to Code Enforcement with two pick-up trucks at a budget impact of $173,960 for salary and benefits and approximately $50,000 for two vehicles.
– One (1) Assistant Development Services-Engineering Technician position requested in Code Enforcement. This position would replace two part time positions at a net budget impact of $79,800.
– One (1) Administrative Assistant position to be split between the City Manager, Human Resources and City Clerk’s offices with a budget impact of $84,780. Approximately $19,000 of this cost would get allocated to various non- General Fund funds through the cost allocation plan.
– One (1) Deputy City Attorney position requested at a budget impact of $193,340. Approximately $30,500 of this cost would get allocated to various non-General Fund funds through the cost allocation plan.
– One (1) Public Works Inspector position requested at a budget impact of $139,770. This position would have partial cost recovery for time charged to capital projects and any developer reimbursable projects.
– One (1) Associate Planner position requested by Community Development at a budget impact of $143,250. This position would have partial cost recovery for any developer reimbursable projects.
– One (1) Irrigation Technician to be funded 50% out of General Fund and 50% out of the Water Fund. Budget impact unknown at this time as the position does not currently exist, however, staff estimates that the minimum General Fund impact would be $50,000.
– One (1) part-time, temporary Office Assistant in the Mayor’s Office at a budget impact of approximately $16,000.
To view Tuesday night’s complete meeting agenda, click here.
I never put much thought into the recall of the Mayor. If hes needing an assistant though, and no other Mayor here has had one, maybe he isn’t fit to be Mayor.
Again, no priorities
What about safety and blight?
We don’t need more secretaries
This is outrageous! Nothing should be added to staff except for CSO’s in the police department, a police technician and 8 new code enforcement staff members of any specification the department needs.
The city has had many many mayors in full time jobs who have managed quite well with out a “staff person” of any sort. This mayor is at best a part time employee of the school district and volunteered to quit his full time job as a police officer so he could turn this mayor’s job into a full time job. No matter how he classifies his job the job he has done is terrible.
This city in it’s next budget does not have 2 million dollars for this wish list. The following budget has already been declared a deficit budget by Mrs Merchant in public session many times. 2015 through 2017 are not budgets we can be proud of and anyone hired this year will in fact face lay off almost immediately.
Take into account the horrendous pensions hanging over the heads of the tax payers and we are in bankruptcy all over again.
December through March we have lost 5 restaurants. FIVE. We have had a new Economic Development Director for months now. What has happened there? This city does nothing to help the businesses already here. Why would any business want to come here? The city looks like crap and we have a terrible school district. Given another chance I wouldn’t even move here and I have been here nearly 50 years.
This city government currently in charge including the city manager has to improve the over all appeal of this city, clean it up, hire Police Officers, CSO’s and Code Enforcement Officers. Give them money and two years to clean this city up. Then and only then can you begin to ask for additional staff in any department.
By the way, how much money has been collected from the Measure O money since January. I understand no one knows.
NO ADDITIONAL STAFF except Police Officers, CSO’s and Code Enforcement Officers.
Enough is Enough………….Get out to Williamson Ranch Park on Lone Tree this weekend April 18 & 19th. to sign the petition to RECALL MAYOR WADE HARPER. Hours are 10 am to 4 pm.
Thanks Mary! I thought you folks had given up!