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New positions to ensure public safety
By Stephanie Flemmons, Staff Writer
Plano City Manager Tom Muehlenbeck recommended 25 new full-time positions to be added for the police and fire departments.
In Muehlenbeck’s recommended budget for fiscal year 2007-2008, $3,722,957 was dedicated to ensure a safe city.
Salary and benefits account for the largest source of funding out of the 2007-2008 General Fund Expenditures, which totals $222,634,685.
“Tom knows that the main priority is to keep our city safe,” Mayor Pat Evans said. “Therefore, our instructions to him are pretty clear. Police and fire are top priority.”
According to Muehlenbeck’s budget overview, shifts in population, calls for service, major crime, response times and the Service Standard Index (SSI) staffing formula help the Police Department review current needs and future challenges. Calls for police service declined slightly in 2006 and major crime decreased by .3 percent, but increased .6 percent the first quarter of 2007.
In the recommended budget, nine full-time positions will be added to the police department. This includes two police officers, two sergeants — one to oversee the business district and one to oversee crimes against property. There will also be five administrative staff added, including a police quartermaster assistant, police records assistant, property evidence specialist, public safety officer and terminal agency coordinator. These new full-time positions total $1,161,622.
The recommended budget for the Fire Department includes six fire rescue specialists, one lieutenant overseeing prevention, one captain overseeing personnel and one battalion chief / special operations officer. These new full-time positions total $961,891.
“Back in January, we (the fire department) had an all day retreat and we looked at the department from a strategic standpoint,” said Hugo Esparza, Plano’s fire chief. “We wanted to make sure in our budget we included ways we could improve. We looked at what we could do better and how we could fill the gaps.
Esparza said the department created four categories including looking at areas that are mandated by the state, public safety related issues, how the department can become more efficient in operations and envisioning the department 10 years from now.
“These new positions will help us in all four of those categories,” Esparza said.
The FY 2007-2008 recommended budget also includes a $4.6 million for a 0 percent to 5 percent merit increase for non-civil service employees and an across the board 4 percent for civil service employees.
Contact Stephanie Flemmons sflemmons@acnpapers.com
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