Merced City Council to review proposed budget

Public safety is likely to be center stage Wednesday when Merced’s City Council starts to peel back the layers of the budget.

City Manager John Bramble is proposing a $201 million budget, which would be a 3 percent increase from last year. The general fund has grown by 4 percent to $35.8 million, according to the budget.

The budget calls for a number of new positions, including additions to the city’s Economic Development Department, Parks and Recreation Department, and public safety.

Bramble is proposing the addition of three police officers, which would bring the total number of funded officers to 91. The added officers would be used as a full-time traffic unit.

Merced Detective Joe Deliman, who is the president of the Merced Police Officers Association, said having three more officers would be a good start.

He said he hoped the city would continue to add to the force in coming years. “I think (the council’s) intentions are good,” he said.

The department has a handful of openings it has struggled to fill.

The union made a push for more officers this year, and the effort ramped up after an officer was shot in the line of duty in March. The city and the union also agreed on a new contract this year that restored some benefits officers agreed to give up to try to balance the budget during the Great Recession.

The budget also makes room to add two firefighters, bringing the total to 19 per shift. The addition to the crew along with an increase in overtime funding is an effort to cut down on brownouts, when the Merced City Fire Department leaves an engine unstaffed to save money.

Councilman Michael Belluomini said he was pleased to see the proposed addition not only of officers, but of those in city departments. He has been an vocal advocate for more recreational offerings for young people in Merced, which he said he hoped could be addressed by the addition of a recreation coordinator in the budget.

The Economic Development Department would also benefit from an existing employee who would be reassigned to the department, as well as contracted services from an outside consultant. Belluomini said a push for economic development is good news.

“There is some money to spend versus having to reduce programs constantly,” he said. “So, it’s positive in that we’re able to begin to improve the programs that we offer the public.”

The budget review session is set for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at Merced City Hall, 678 W. 18th St.

The council is expected to approve a budget by June 30.

This story was originally published May 12, 2015 at 5:18 PM with the headline "Merced City Council to review proposed budget."