Jacksonville police and fire chiefs make requests for 2018 budget

Aug. 08--JACKSONVILLE -- The city's fire and police chiefs Monday asked for new equipment and vehicle purchases in the 2018 fiscal year.

The Jacksonville City Council focused mainly on the police and fire departments in its final of three work sessions to determine the greatest needs and find any possible spending cuts for its draft 2018 budget.

Both chiefs asked mostly for the city to replace aging equipment used in the field. The requests come in the face of a $900,000 deficit in the proposed $14.46 million budget.

With the final budget work session complete, the council members are set to meet Aug. 21 to discuss their spending priorities and recommend spending cuts, if any. The city's next fiscal year begins Oct. 1.

The draft budget has a projected deficit, in part because of department equipment requests, employee raises, insurance price jumps and the recently opened Jacksonville Public Safety Complex.

Police Chief Tommy Thompson's proposed $2.2 million department budget requests purchases such as $15,000 for bulletproof vests.

"It's been five years since we've had bulletproof vest upgrades ... we've applied for a grant, but it has not been approved yet," Thompson said during the meeting.

Thompson also requested other equipment purchases, such as $16,632 for in-car cameras, $62,740 for two patrol vehicles and $24,600 for an investigator vehicle.

"We're pretty much bare bones like last year, but with a few purchase increases," Thompson said of his proposed budget spending.

Fire Chief Wade Buckner and his approximately $2.5 million department budget includes purchase requests such as $193,000 for replacement firefighter breathing equipment.

"Our current inventory is nearing the end of its service," Buckner said of the breathing equipment. "We're sending about two packs a month out for repairs."

Buckner said that he's trying to obtain a grant for the equipment to cover the cost to the city.

Other spending on Buckner's wish list include $20,000 for lighting, plumbing and kitchen cabinet upgrades at the department's second station, and $32,000 for a device that performs CPR on patients. Buckner also wants to spend $7,500 to install specialized, sauna-like rooms at both fire stations that help firefighters remove toxins from their bodies.

"They're basically a sweat box ... the sweat helps remove toxic carcinogens," Buckner said. "We're trying to do things to reduce the risk of our guys contracting cancer."

The council agreed to prioritize what spending and cuts they want in the next budget meeting.

"I think each council member, between now and the next meeting, should have some suggestions and choices," Councilman Jimmy Harrell said of budget spending and cuts. "This next meeting needs to be the most productive meeting we have."

Staff writer Patrick McCreless: 256-235-3561. On Twitter @PMcCreless_Star.

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