Lorain must think safety with budget

The city or Lorain’s Finance and Claims Committee has started budget meetings and the needs of the Lorain Police Department correctly took center stage.

Lorain police Chief Cel Rivera made it clear Dec. 13 that his force has some pretty critical needs to continue to protect the city of 65,000 residents.

Rivera pleaded for help at City Hall during budget discussions at City Council as his department faces an ongoing shortage of officers and outdated equipment, forcing it to make tough decisions.

Despite overseeing the most dangerous city in Lorain County, Rivera said his officers are the lowest paid.

The chief said his officers are paid at a rate of about 15 percent below the average for other Lorain County police departments, and that Lorain faces heavy face competition in hiring.

Rivera said because of the lack of manpower, his officers are working 12-hour shifts as compared to other departments where officers are working eight-hour shifts.

He also told members of the Finance and Claims Committee that his department is down 17 officers and nine dispatchers, that there is a dire need for new equipment, that there are more than 60 cars with over 100,000 miles and he needs additional funding for the communications center, the records department and to update the Lorain City Jail.

Even if 33 cruisers were added to next year’s budget, there are still squad cars that are older than 9 years and should be replaced.

Rivera adds that the SWAT officers need vests and the records room closes at 4 p.m. because there is no one to staff it evenings and weekends.

Lorain’s top cop is pleading for financial support, and Council really needs to consider it.

The draft budget shows the Police Department is set to spend $11.21 million out of the city’s general fund, with additional funding from a levy.

It appears Rivera has some early support from Council atLarge member Mary Springowski.

With improvements to downtown businesses and Meijer Inc. set to begin construction in 2019 at Leavitt and Cooper Foster roads, Springowski said a growing municipal tax base will help with making improvements to the Police Department.

Springowski said having adequate funding for police is one of Council’s top projects for 2019.

Mayor Chase Ritenauer acknowledged challenges in recruiting and retaining officers, but a number of factors come into play.

Ritenauer said trends nationwide show fewer people are taking police civil service exams, coupled with the amount of departmental infrastructure involved in training and preparing officers for duty and intense recruitment competition between departments is attributing to fewer officers.

From a budget standpoint, however, Ritenauer said staffing levels are moving in the right direction.

Last month, the city hired four officers for a total of 96.

But he also said training and keeping young officers in Lorain for a long time is a real challenge.

As for the budget, Ritenauer said Lorain is set to end 2018 on a good note with Moody’s upgrading the city to stable and the general fund is expected to have a $1.3 million rollover into 2019.

Barring any surprises, the mayor said, the city will end 2018 in a pretty good place with a surplus for the second consecutive year.

Revenue is expected to remain flat and the city is anticipating cost increases in health care, including prescription drug prices and hospitalization.

The city will push for additional money to cover more health services such as wellness and preventive care.

With the $1.3 million rollover, Auditor Karen Shawver said the city is expecting to move $250,000 into Lorain’s rainy day fund.

Council is working off a 127page spreadsheet with figures submitted by city department heads and compiled by Shawver and Ritenauer.

According to the draft budget, general fund revenue is projected to be $29.68 million.

Income tax is expected to be the city’s largest single source of revenue, coming in at more than $20 million.

City officials have suggested revenue is expected to remain flat while some expenses will increase including employee raises that will impact costs.

The general fund pays for a number of services on the streets of Lorain and in City Hall.

The Finance and Claims Committee will hold another budget hearing at 6 p.m. Dec. 19 at City Hall.

Although the Police Department has the largest municipal budget, it still needs more to equip officers to adequately do their jobs, which is protecting the city, the residents and enforcing the laws.

Council must take under consideration what Rivera needs for the police force.