City officials say they’re leaving no stone unturned in their
search for up to $1.5 million a year to boost the police department
by nine officers and three staff members.
Morgan Hill – City officials say they’re leaving no stone unturned in their search for up to $1.5 million a year to boost the police department by nine officers and three staff members.
At a July 20 workshop, the Morgan Hill City Council convened with department leaders to discuss ways to turn up the extra money in the city’s budget by streamlining expenses, outsourcing services or floating a tax measure to voters.
The city hopes to make the public safety enhancements by 2010.
Here’s a look at next steps city officials will take:
- The Morgan Hill Finance and Administration Committee, consisting of council members Marby Lee and Mark Grzan, will explore ways to preserve existing city services to residents at reduced costs. The most dramatic idea broached so far is outsourcing the Morgan Hill Aquatics Center’s staff, but the political and economic ramifications need to be weighed.
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The finance committee will also study ways to boost revenues, including a city-wide 911 fee that could cost each phone line a few dollars a month, a Mello-Roos tax district for future subdivisions and a tax measure that could take the form of a utilities tax, a sales tax or a parcel tax. The city will examine criticisms of 911 fees in other cities from taxpayers and phone companies as it moves forward, said Brian Stott, assistant to Morgan Hill City Manager Ed Tewes.
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The Morgan Hill Police Department is going to “quantify” the measurable benefits of a locally controlled law-enforcement agency, Stott said. The department will report back to the Morgan Hill Public Safety and Community Services Committee this fall.
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Morgan Hill city “staff” – Stott said it’s likely to be himself – will study the city of Cupertino’s contract with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Department. Cupertino, which has a population of about 55,000, pays about $3.5 million a year for its contract with the sheriff’s office. Cities that contract with the sheriff’s department sign up for a certain number of service hours with general patrol officers costing $127 an hour.
In May, council members agreed contracting with the sheriff’s office might save money, but elected officials also formed a gut-level consensus that locally controlled law enforcement is desirable.
Additionally, Morgan Hill Police Chief Bruce Cumming said a contract with the county for law enforcement services might not save the city any money if residents want the same number of cops and special teams such as crime suppression units and gang prevention officers.
Saratoga, Los Altos Hills and Monte Sereno contract police services with the sheriff’s department. None of these small communities ever had their own police departments, Cumming said.
In May, the Morgan Hill Public Safety and Community Services Committee concluded the city needed to make improvements in its police services as the city grows.
In a nine-page report, the committee found existing 12-hour shifts for officers – who work three or four days a week – may contribute to burn-out. Additional officers would allow for 10-hour shifts.
The report also notes overtime costs continue to be a concern for the department. The patrol division ended the 2006-07 fiscal year on June 30 with a projected $315,000 in overtime costs.
