City Council Tuesday night gave preliminary approval to the city’s proposed $413 million budget, which is balanced and includes room for 29 new employees. The 2023 budget includes funding for a new police vehicle take home program but not for new personnel for the city's Public Works and Natural Resources Division.
Councilors unanimously approved putting the budget up for a second reading and final public hearing on Oct. 25.
Resident Shari Malloy, a member of Stand with Our St. Vrain Creek, recently told the council she was surprised when the group learned that the city’s Public Works and Natural Resources division has requested six new personnel but none of those positions were recommended in the city’s 2023 budget.
The result is that local parks and nature areas are falling into disrepair because there are not enough personnel to do upgrades, Malloy said. She said the city should have a committee with clear guidelines for determining needs and priorities throughout the city.
A $4.2 million proposal to purchase 59 new vehicles over the next three years to start a program to allow Longmont police officers to take their patrol cars home with them will get underway in 2023.
To get started, police services will purchase 20 vehicles to be funded through $1.44 million from the general fund and $570,000 from the public safety fund, Longmont CFO Jim Golden told the council in September.
