Circleville Council Considers Budget Cuts Amid Levy Failure
Circleville, OH – The Circleville Financial Council met to discuss an ordinance amending the city’s annual appropriation ordinance and general fund, primarily focusing on cost-saving measures following the recent failure of a safety services levy. The council reviewed several budget adjustments, including the elimination of key positions and the reallocation of existing funds.
Mark, the city’s financial officer, presented the proposed changes, highlighting the necessity for cuts due to the levy’s defeat. Key adjustments included:
- Parks and Recreation: The elimination of the Parks and Recreation director position, resulting in a $108,780 budget reduction.
- Police Department: The removal of funding for two new police officer positions, yielding a $176,148.44 savings. This decision raised concerns about the police department’s staffing levels, which are already below the city’s ordinance requirements.
- Land Purchase Match: An addition of $112,000 to the budget for the city’s 26% match on a parkland purchase grant. (Pickaway Street) but reducing 317,754.24.
- The city has asked the Fire Department to reduce the staffing levels of the fire department from 7 to 6 temporarily.
The council clarified that the total net reduction to the budget, after adding the land purchase match, was $317,754.24.
Police Staffing Concerns
A significant portion of the discussion centered on the impact of the police department cuts. Council members expressed concern about the department’s ability to maintain adequate staffing levels, noting that the department is already operating below its ordinance requirements.
Law Director Kendra Kinney discussed the current staffing levels and the previous ordinance numbers, clarifying that the current approved ordinance numbers had raised the total police staff numbers. The current proposal would reduce the number of funded police officers from 20 to 18, while other supporting staff positions remain.
The council acknowledged the need to address the police department’s staffing levels in the long term, particularly in light of the city’s growth. The Mayor replied that they have been trying to recruit officers and are not currently even fully staffed at the Police department now.
Circleville Fire Department Union fires back
Circleville Firefighters Local 1232 has issued a public warning to city residents, expressing deep concern over the city’s decision to reduce daily firefighter staffing from seven to six personnel. The union argues that this reduction significantly compromises public safety, leading to potentially slower response times and diminished service quality, especially in critical emergencies. The firefighters highlighted the dangerous practice of cross-staffing, where a single firefighter may be responsible for multiple vehicles, further straining their ability to respond effectively. While pledging to maintain their commitment to citizen safety, the union implores city leadership to reconsider the decision, emphasizing the unnecessary risk it poses to the community and urging residents to support their advocacy for adequate staffing.
Mayors statement on Budget Cuts
As we begin April, I want to acknowledge the difficult financial discussions and decisions our community faces in the coming months. We are experiencing a challenging time, and some tough choices lie ahead While some decisions will be temporary, others may be permanent as we work to ensure the long term sustainability of our city. We are considering all options and working together to make informed decisions. Although the road ahead may not be casy, the strength of Circleville lies in the resilience of its people, and together, we will rise to meet these challenges.
Next Steps
The council approved the amended ordinance, forwarding it to the next council meeting for final approval. The council also requested that the financial officer provide further clarification on the utility fund adjustments before the next meeting.
The council will also revisit the police department’s composition ordinance in order to correctly reflect the new budget numbers.
