Kennewick to tackle fifth fire station, add police in next two years
By Kristi Pihl, Tri-City Herald (Kennewick, Wash.) | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
The city's preliminary two-year operating budget is about
Also proposed is about
The preliminary budget includes adding 15 full-time equivalent positions in the next two years, to bring the city to 365 total positions. Of those, 10 would be in the police department, paid for using the criminal justice sales tax that will be collected starting
"This budget is really a lot about sustainability, not just balancing the current biennium," said
City staff are proposing to hire four police officers and a police support position each of the next two years. Three existing police also will be paid for with the sales tax revenue.
The
The remaining four police officers would be added during 2017.
Fire department changes
Property tax dollars currently paying for three police positions would move to the fire department once the city begins receiving the criminal justice sales tax money in April. Those dollars will pay for three captain positions needed when the city opens its fifth fire station, possibly in spring 2016, said
Staff is proposing the council approve
Some fees are proposed to be increased to better cover the cost of providing existing and improved services.
The city may increase the monthly ambulance utility charge residents pay on their city utility bills by
Recouping the full cost of emergency medical services would mean charging
Legard said the charge is a way to strategically plan for future staffing needs. The city could consider raising the fee in the future to add new positions other than the three fire captains. The city would need to add at least 12 new positions to staff a sixth fire station.
The city also plans to create a more proactive annual fire inspection program in the next two years, Mosley said. The council would need to approve an inspection fee for the program that businesses would pay, which would pay for fire inspectors for the program.
That would free up firefighters who are currently doing inspections on a limited basis, Mosley said.
The goal is to eventually reach annual inspections for every business at a cost that is no more than what it would cost businesses if the city's rating with the
Land use fees, permits
The city also is proposing increases to land use fees, which haven't been adjusted since the early to mid-80s, Mosley said. The additional revenue would allow the city to turn around permits quicker, something residents and businesses have requested.
One position would be added in planning and a 3/4 position in the engineering department would become full time, Legard said.
City officials also are proposing some minor cuts so that current resources for lower priority programs can be used for higher priorities, Mosley said. Reductions are all based on responses the city received during a recent survey of city residents and business owners.
The city aims to cut the loss at Columbia Park Golf Links in half, to about
Summer day camp, library
Recreation fees also would be phased in to reach the point where 75 percent of the costs for youth programs are covered by the fees in 2016. Fees now cover 60 percent of the costs.
The council is expected to consider setting the property tax levy on
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