City councilman questions ever-growing budget
By JIM LUTGENS
Publisher
Does New Richland need a police force?
The question has come up before and it was decided that, yes, the town benefits from police protection.
But, considering the ever-rising cost, New Richland City Council member Jason Casey brought up the question of contracting with Waseca County for law enforcement. It came during a special council meeting Monday, Aug. 19 to discuss the proposed budget for 2020.
City clerk Wayne Billing said rising costs for the police department are mainly because of salaries, schooling, records access and being involved with the Drug Task Force. The NRPD currently includes two full-time and at least five part-time officers. New Richland has had two full-time officers since the early 1970s, according to Billing.
Casey wondered how staffing levels are determined in the police department.
“It’s all based on council decisions,” said Billing. “The staffing level is based on what the public wants.”
Casey asked how much the city could save by contracting with the county for law enforcement.
“It depends on what level of service you want,” said Billing.
“Does it cost anything to ask them?” said Casey. “It would be nice to see what they have for comparison.”
Billing agreed to contact the county for a cost estimate.
Most of the meeting was very confusing, as one of several visitors noted. The meeting was opened to a question-and-answer session at the end, but during the meeting only council members and Billing were allowed to speak.
Casey presented most of the questions, asking Billing how much the major and city council members get paid and when. The mayor receives $100 per meeting, council members $85, payable at the end of December.
New Richland’s proposed budget for 2020 calls for a 6.79-percent tax levy increase after an increase of 12.01 percent the previous year.
Costs for the police department have risen from $253,031 in 2018 to a proposed $306,883 for 2020. The chief earns approximately $57,700 annually and gets three weeks of paid vacation.
Salary increases of all city employees the last couple years were driven by a collective bargaining agreement. The 2020 budget includes a 1.6-percent increase in pay.
The meeting was the first for the council to discuss the proposed 2020 budget, which was prepared by Billing, who was the town’s mayor before becoming city clerk.
The 2020 preliminary budget will be finalized in September. The tax levy cannot go up, but can be decreased before the budget is finalized in December.