Council backs $2 million police alternative-response fund, social workers and dispatchers in budget straw polls
June 3, 2021, 2:00 p.m. · Electronic meeting
At a budget work session the council heard the City Attorney's and Information Management Services budgets and then resolved open issues by straw poll. All members present backed a $2 million holding account for an alternative police response model, social worker positions, more dispatchers and a higher capital fund share. Council Member Darin Mano did not join the votes on skipping the fireworks recapture and the urban forest position. The council then held a closed session on collective bargaining.
From the approved minutes. Updated October 14, 2026.
Decisions at a glance
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Fiscal year 2021-22 budget: City Attorney's Office | Discussed |
| Fiscal year 2021-22 budget: Information Management Services | Discussed |
| Fiscal year 2021-22 budget: unresolved issues | Discussed |
| Closed session for collective bargaining | Approved · 7-0 |
Agenda, item by item
Item 1 · Presentation
Updates from the Administration
Discussed
Council Member Rogers asked the administration for the cost of providing the police force with up-to-date vehicle equipment, protective gear and tools. No further discussion was held.
Item 2 · Presentation
Updates on racial equity and policing
No action
Item not held.
Item 3 · Budget
Fiscal year 2021-22 budget: City Attorney's Office
Discussed
City Attorney Katie Lewis said the office is managed through the District Attorney's office under an interlocal agreement, includes Risk Management and the Recorder's Office, and requested continued staffing and $15,000 for software. District Attorney Sim Gill described a request for three new prosecutors and a victim advocate, saying the office was down three prosecutors with six active attorneys because of departures and military leave. Council members asked how adding vacancies would help given retention problems, and discussed police response times, case workload, jail beds and repeat offenders.
- Budget$15,000
Item 4 · Budget
Fiscal year 2021-22 budget: Information Management Services
Discussed
Director Aaron Bentley presented a $24,302,487 request with 84 full-time positions (up six). It includes $1,129,391 in contract increases, $234,449 in technical and inflationary increases, $125,000 for website stability, $180,000 for aging servers, $2 million for first-year implementation of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, and $206,788 for current staff costs. Chief Innovation Officer Nole Walkingshaw described the ERP project, which brings HR and finance into a common data structure. Council members expressed enthusiasm.
- Budget$24.3 million
- Budget$2.00 million
Item 5 · Budget
Fiscal year 2021-22 budget: unresolved issues
Discussed
Council members worked through open budget questions. In straw polls, all members present supported: placing $2 million of Funding Our Future money in a holding account for an alternative police response model including traffic enforcement; funding social workers (3 for six months and 6 for ten months); allowing for a possible lease or remodel of the Community Connections Center; buying additional Axon body camera software; raising the CIP fund to 7% for specific community applications; and eight new dispatchers for a full year to enable a 32-hour work week. Members present except Council Member Mano supported not recapturing $25,000 for a city fireworks show and not funding the urban forest FTE. Parks and remaining issues were continued to another meeting.
- Budget$2.00 million
- Budget$25,000
Item 8 · Other
Closed session for collective bargaining
Approved · 7-0
The council voted to enter closed session for collective bargaining and advice of counsel, then to exit and adjourn. The closed session ran 4:48 to 5:29 p.m.
What residents said
Police alternative responseCity Attorney prosecutor staffingDispatcher staffing