Fiscal Year 2025- 2026 Recommended Budget

PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICE AREA SUMMARY

Budget Highlights: The FY 25-26 Recommended Budget is increasing by $12,016,913 or 5.9% .

The FY 25-26 Fire Department budget includes the following cost of business increases: $204,600 for supplemental fire protection contracts, $125,000 for vehicle maintenance, and $75,000 to supplement the NC Firefighters and Rescue Squad Workers Pension Fund. The FY 25-26 Fire Department budget includes $3.6 million towards financing installment payments for 11 new fire engines over the next several years. This is a reduction of $700,000 from the projected FY 25-26 budget due to a cost saving measure to delay the purchase of a replacement ladder truck. Pending approval by the Guilford County Board of Commissioners, the FY 25-26 Fire Department budget includes the following fire district tax rate increases: Guilford College PFSD from 15 to 16 cents, PTIA from 4.95 to 16 cents, and Fire Station #14 from 9.82 to 12 cents. The rate increases are projected to provide a $66,000 increase in revenue. As part of a two-phase project, Guilford Metro 911 is replacing and upgrading console furniture in the 911 call centers. The backup site was completed in FY 23-24 at a total cost of $421,133, of which $375,245 was covered by the State, and the main site was completed in FY 24-25 in the amount of $668,336, of which $597,507 was state eligible. The FY 25-26 GM911 budget includes an increase of $30,000 for equipment upgrades to establish and maintain a backup internet connection between the primary site and backup site. The FY 25-26 GM911 budget is increasing by $13,414 and the FY 26-27 projected budget is increasing by $45,841 due to a new Motorola contract for new public safety radios. The FY 25-26 Technical Services budget includes an increase of $96,173 for a new Motorola contract for new public safety radios. The projected FY 26-27 Technical Services budget includes a decrease of $808,965 due to the Greensboro Police Department having a separate Motorola contract for police radios. During FY 24-25 the Parking Enforcement division was transferred from the Transportation department to the Police department. The transfer includes seven (7) positions from the Transportation department in the General Fund and one (1) position from the Parking Facilities Operating Fund. Approximately $49,000 in program expenses and $1,100,000 in program revenues were also transferred to support operations. During FY 24-25 one (1) Procedural Adoption & Policy Compliance Coordinator position was transferred from the City Manager’s division of the Executive department to the Police Department. The FY 25-26 Police Department budget includes a service enhancement for two (2) Victim Advocate positions. The FY 25-26 budget includes partial grant funding for the positions. However, the FY 26-27 projected budget does not include any outside funding. The FY 25-26 Police Department budget includes $330,000 in contract increases and $470,000 in supply and equipment cost increases due to inflation. During FY 24-25 the Police Department entered a new contract with Motorola for radios, which is separate from the City’s primary Motorola radio contract. The FY 25-26 budget includes $415,000 to address a brief overlap in contracts. Additionally, $146,000 is included in both years for debt service payments for the initial cost of the radios. The Police department budget includes a cost-saving measure to delay the Take Home Car Program for at least one year. Delaying the purchase of 20 additional police cars will avoid a budget increase of $1,840,000. Funding for the program will be revisited during the FY 26-27 budget development process.

Recommended FY 25-26 Budget

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