NEWBURGH – The city council spent another three hours on Wednesday night discussing potential options to balance the Newburgh budget for 2020.
Police and fire department representatives offered recommendations on how to close a deficit, which city officials say is fueled in large part by some $2 million in overtime costs in those departments.
Councilman Anthony Grice summed up concerns of the city council. “When we look at the past history of the budgets that have been passed, just slashing the budget doesn’t curb that overtime. It’s sitting down at the table during those contract negotiations; it’s going to our state and doing those other kinds of things. It’s looking at our mutual aid,” he said.
The council made no decisions, but representatives of both the fire and police departments made recommendations to save money. The police suggested suspending the ShotSpotter program for one year to save $195,000, reducing the number of court officers and attendants and saving $145,000 by joining the Orange County radio transmission system.
Fire officials suggested spreading out the purchase of new safety equipment.
Mayor Torrance Harvey again brought up his proposal to hire a public safety commissioner to oversee police and fire in hopes of keeping a lid on overtime and efficiency.
