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Public safety reports from the fire and police chiefs, the adoption of the annual operating budget, and an update to the Capital Improvement Plan were among the City Council’s top agenda items for last Wednesday’s City Council meeting.
The adoption of the $28.3 million general fund budget concludes a lengthy public outreach effort that included multiple community meetings and an online survey to gain input on various spending proposals.
The result, say city officials, is a budget that reflects community priorities such as infrastructure improvements, street repairs, emergency preparedness and economic development.
“This budget incorporates extensive community input and aligns spending with the priorities voiced by our residents,” said City Manager Stephanie DeWolfe.
The budget does not add new positions and maintains a strong emergency reserve fund, DeWolfe said.
The City Council also updated Capital Improvement Plan for 2020-2024 that calls for $143 million in infrastructure investments. Of that amount, $11.8 million is proposed for capital improvements during the 2019-2020 fiscal year, with $2 million expected to be drawn from the general fund and $9.8 million from grants and special funds.
The city’s police and fire chiefs presented fiscal year-end reports on public safety. Among the highlights of their reports:
- The South Pasadena Fire Department responded to 2,483 calls for service in 2018, a slight increase over 2017.
- The Fire Department’s response time outperformed national standards, with an average of 4.56 minutes.
- The Fire Department’s number of annual service calls has increased by 30% over the past 10 years.
- The Police Department responded to 16,334 calls for service in 2018, with an average response time of 2.05 minutes.
- Crime is down in all major categories except two (robberies were up slightly and larceny also saw increases).
“These reports reflect the commitment and dedication that our City public safety officers demonstrate on a daily basis,” said DeWolfe. “The data show that South Pasadena remains a safe community, protected by two of the best public safety departments in the state.”
The City Council meets again at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 19 in the Council Chambers, 1424 Mission Street in the city.
