Minutes 04/16/1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

share for the City. THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 1998 Mayor Adams asked how the general health of the community might be characterized, and was told that it was generally good and that there were no particular concerns at this time. Council Member Dallas asked about the infant mortality cases from the previous year, and whether or not the children in question were being cared for outside the community at that time. Dr. Roycroft stated that all the children in question were receiving good care, that all died within about a 3 month period and that all deaths were related to infections, but that there was no common tie with the cases, just a coincidence. Council Member Haskell then commended the organization for their creative use of volunteers. Council next considered the budget of the City Sheriff's Department. Sheriff Steve Draper presented the budget, and stated that it was essentially a level funding budget with the exception of $4,000 in supplement for the Electronic Incarceration Program, which would recover these costs from clients. The Sheriff noted that the current year' s budget was $50,000 less than expected in expenditures, and that next years budget request was 20% below this years actual expenditures. SheriffDraper stated that the majority of savings came from lowered costs for food service and medical care. Vice-Mayor Crabtree asked if the supply of inmate labor for Public Works was going well, and was told that it was. The Sheriff also pointed out the large reduction in costs for the Care of prisoners, which was $187,306 in FY-96-97 and only expected to be $62,000 in FY-97-98. He noted that he had only requested $10,000 for this purpose in FY-98~99. Mrs. Haskell commended the Sheriff on his creative efforts and innovation. Sheriff Draper stated that he was looking forward to his first year of having the Prison Farm, and stated he hoped to provide savings in this operation as well. Council Member Teague asked what was spent on the Prison Farm the previous year, and was told $711,000. Mr. Teague asked if the total impact of all savings and decreases had been calculated, and Vice-Mayor Crabtree offered a figure of $223,000 as an estimate, from savings in Care of Prisoners and Operating Budget savings alone. Mrs. Haskell noted that when you consider that savings were being achieved in life-cycle and operating costs we were getting these savings in the best way. Mr. Reynolds pointed out that if the Council had not had the wisdom to make the capital investment in the temporary jail