To: Honorable Mayor and Members of Town Council
Through: David L. Corliss, Town Manager
Title
Discussion/Direction: Potential Fall 2024 Ballot Measure and Police and Fire Presentations
Body
________________________________________________________________________________
Executive Summary
Staff has briefed Councilmembers individually on the Town’s five-year financial outlook relative primarily to Fire and Police department staffing needs. Since 2022, Council has been shifting resources away from other priorities to allow for the hiring of 28.75 public safety personnel. However, current plateauing resources cannot continue to meet these departments’ staffing needs over the next five years.
Staff has explored alternative revenue options and proposes implementing additional conservative budgeting measures beginning in 2025 to make available added resources for public safety needs. Beyond these items, staff additionally recommends Council consider placing on the fall 2024 ballot a request for a .2% increase to the Town’s sales tax. This would generate about $3.75 million annually - the bulk of which would allow for the hiring of 40 additional public safety personnel between 2025 and 2029. The increase would also benefit road maintenance, recreation programming and cultural arts in Castle Rock.
Town Council will need to decide by July whether to place a measure on the November ballot. Second reading of an ordinance setting forth a ballot measure would need to be considered at the last (and only) August Council meeting in order to meet deadlines. Accordingly, staff engaged a firm to poll Castle Rock residents in late April on their thoughts surrounding a potential ballot measure.
Tonight, staff will present information on Fire and Police staffing needs and staff’s recommendations for attempting to meet those needs - along with results from the poll - so Council can begin deliberating this issue as a group and can provide any direction to staff as appropriate. Staff has included several attachments for Council’s review.
Proposed Motion
“I move to direct staff to continue to follow the outlined calendar.”
Attachments
Attachment A: Presentation on Fire Department Staffing Needs
Attachment B: Presentation on Police Department Staffing Needs
Attachment C: Presentation on Financial Planning
Attachment D: Presentation on Polling Results
Attachment E: Staff Memo - Recommended Future Approach to Downtown
Sales Tax TIF
Attachment F: Staff Memo - Alternative Revenue Options
Attachment G: Municipal Tax Information