08-28-61 Council Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes

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The additional $2,000.00 telephone and telegraph item is accounted for by the new telephone reportying system we have installed and which the chief tells me is working most efficiently. Another $1,150.additional budget item reflects the addition to our force of some new policemen.... the four - footed variety. As you know, we have added a canine corps to our department and while we like to keep these dogs hungry and alert, we still have to provide dog food and veterinary services. The increase of $1,150.00 under instruction on page 31 represents the cost of sending one of our officers for additional expert training to the FBI school in Washington. Again here, I call to your attention the savings made in supplies, equipment and housekeeping items in this budget as in all others. The Fire Department budget for 1962 calls for a decrease in expenditure of more than $87,500.00. You will note that here, too, as with the police department....there is an added $8,000.00 for longevity pay. I will at this time re- quest your body to delete $10,000.00 under item Q -711, page 36 of the budget. Thus, if you will move to delete this item, you will find that we have budgeted for no new buildings and building additions in the next year. Before continuing, I would like to take this opportunity of commending our able Police and Fire Departments. I think we can be proud of these men who provide these essential services to our community and I would rank them with similar departments of any city in the country. On page 37, you will note an increase in the budget of the department of weights and measures of $1,867.00. As you know, we have had a part time deputy in this department, but the state Inspector has ordered that, because of the additional work load, we provide for a full time deputy . This accounts for the increase. As we move along, on pages 39 and 41, you will note decreases totalling more than $11,000.00 on the Electrical Department and Department of Sanitation. Our Civil Defense Budget....on page 51.... is increased by about $4,500.00. As you know, a concerted effort is being made by Federal Officials to strengthen our civil defense preparations. In line with this, the Federal Govern- ment requested that we add an operations officer to the Civil Defense staff at a salary of $5,288.00. Again you will note that we have made a determined effort to offset at least part of this increase by cutting back on supply and equipment items. Our Street Department budget, pages 55 through 57, is under the Million Dollar Mark of last year .... almost $15,000.00 under last year's figure. Most of the savings here is in reduction of requests for new motor equipment and savings in the road oiling program. I would like to request you gentlemen to further consider the amendment of reducing line 2 on page 64 by $27,000.00. I have worked with my department heads as late as early evening and find that we will be able to operate our street department for the remainder of 1961 on a lesser amount of money. I am pleased to suggest this to you at this time. Decreases also will be noted in the Traffic Department budget on pages 59 and 61, and the Park Department, pages 65 and 67. The savings of more than $45,000.00 in the park department results mainly from a cutting of. $40,000.00 for land acquisition, plus other departmental expenditures that we have been able to trim. On page 71, you will see that the budget for the police pension fund is increased almost $44,000.00. The bulk of this, about $35,000.00 represents additional policemen becoming eligible for pensions. I might point out that, under the law, we are required to provide for these pensions whether the officer chooses to retire or not. On the other hand, the Fire Pension Fund calls for almost $7,900.00 less than last year. This is just the reverse of the Police Department situation, with fewer firemen becoming eligible for pensions.than last year. Despite the fact that we have stepped up the work of our City Planning Department considerably, the new budget calls for about $3,000.00 less than before. This decrease will not affect the scope of the work, but reflects again operational economies that we have insisted on across the board. On pages 83 and 85 you will find the Urban Redevelopment Commission Budget and the figures indicate an increase of more than $37,000.00. However, this needs some explanation. At the bottom of the list on this page, you will find a $12,000.00 item for appraisals. This has to do with the clearance work being carried out by the Commission. The $10,000.00 economic comprehensive survey covers a need that has long been unfulfilled in our community. We have been drifting much too long in our business development and are overdue for this kind of survey to help us set our sights on the future. Incidentally, I have received guarantees f the business community that it will match this $10,000.00 in order to get a really comprehensive survey made. Now, as for that $45,000.00 item for a comprehensive planning survey, at the time this budget was prepared, it was felt that this kind of a survey was vital to our economic welfare .... and also essential in making our city eligible for Federal aid in rehabilitation measures. However, since the budget was drawn, the Mayor's office and Urban Redevelopment decided to check Federal authorities in Chicago to see what assistance might be available. The result was that we have received their assurance that they will pay the cost of this important survey ... and so I am pleased to report that this $45,000.00 item can be deleted from the budget ... a savings of two cents on the tax rate. So, actually, rather than a $37,000.00 increase for the Urban Redevelopment Commission, with the deletion of this item, we will have a decrease of approximately $7,600.00. On page 89, you will find a completely new departmental budget ... The Fair Employment Practices Commission. This department was created under city Ordinance and the budget for its operation is a minimum one. I believe, Gentlemen, after going over each section of the budget, by the time that you reach page 54,line 2, there will be certain decreases which will affect the tax rate. In conclusion, I believe through the tenacious efforts of our entire administration, there has been submitted to you this evening a budget which at most will be a couple of mills more than the 1961 budget and I think with your cooperation, Gentlemen of the Council, it will be the same as last year. This I must say: With the benefits that we have in store for 1962 as set out in the budget, we can look back to this evening and say: "We have served our Community well ".