LYNN — The City Council Budget Committee held fiscal year 2024 budget hearings for city departments Tuesday. Chief Financial Officer Michael Bertino told the council that the financial situation of the city was “tighter” compared to previous years due to inflation, so all departments were asked to present a level-funded budget.
Those presenting budgets discussed items that came up during FY23, and what each department’s budget will look like if approved.
The Police Department is preparing to hire more police officers in FY24, Chief Christopher Reddy told the committee.
“After a period of reduced crime, we are now experiencing increases that are consistent with the pre-pandemic levels, and in response to that in the coming year we anticipate that we will be filling open positions in the areas of traffic enforcement, investigative units, and community-engagement positions,” Reddy said.
The department is also planning on expanding school resource officer positions, he said.
In the FY24 budget for the Police Department, Reddy said there is a decrease in funds for overtime pay. There is a possibility that this could present “challenges” for the department due to the “unpredictability” of events that officers need to respond to, he said.
The Fire Department’s budget did have a “slight” increase due to the amount of injuries in FY23, which led to higher overtime costs, Chief Daniel Sullivan told the council.
“We’re finding this is probably the new norm, so the city thankfully has come through and addressed that,” Sullivan said.
The department has goals of improving data collection and efficiency in FY24, he said. New software to track incidents, manage the department’s assets, and generate better reports is “hopefully” going to be implemented on June 1.
The department is also in the process of hiring new firefighters, as Sullivan said there have been retirements over the past few months, with more approaching.
Sullivan said one thing the city and the department need to be aware of is the need for a new ladder truck in the next few years.
“The problem with that is it takes three years to build it, and right now the cost was about $1.8 million. So, how do you sign off on a ladder [truck] for an unknown cost and an unknown delivery date down the road? We’ll have to put our heads together to address that in the future,” Sullivan said.
For the Department of Public Works, Commissioner Andrew Hall said it will cost around $15.9 million to run the department.
“I think an issue that we can all agree exists is litter in our parks and public spaces,” Hall said. “This budget used both capital and operational dollars to help address litter.”
Ward 3 City Councilor Coco Alinsug asked Hall why there wasn’t a line item regarding funds for those who could not afford the fees for trash pickup of mattresses and other furniture items.
There are conversations in the Mayor’s Office about a reimbursement program for those who cannot afford the fees, Councilor-at-Large Brian Field said.
The department and council should have a longer discussion about the program in the future, Councilor-at-Large Brian LaPierre added.
Other departments and positions that presented budgets were the Planning Department, Mayor’s Office, harbormaster, Parking Department, Council on Aging, Department of Veteran Services, comptroller, treasurer/collector, assessor, Purchasing Department, Law Department, Inspectional Services Department, Personnel Department, Grand Army of the Republic Hall and Museum, city clerk, License Commission, and precinct officers.
The next step in the FY24 budget season is a public hearing and council deliberations on June 13, according to LaPierre.
