Staying with the story
The Springfield News-Sun has been following New Carlisle’s financial problems and its affect on public safety. Coverage has included debate over keeping the city pool open and crime rates after two deputies were eliminated.
By the numbers
$450,000 annually — Estimated amount the New Carlisle police levy could generate
$360,000 — Budget for deputies for 2016, which covers three full-time positions.
$400,000 — Cost of adding a fourth deputy, depending on the years of service and benefit packages of the deputies who take the jobs.
A petition is reportedly circulating in New Carlisle to recall an income tax hike that residents said they believed would pay the salaries of four full-time deputies next year.
But city leaders cautioned that they need to see how much the tax increase will generate first and repealing it could put New Carlisle into fiscal watch.
At least one resident, Ronald Cobb, said at a city council meeting this week he would sign the petition. Residents believed that passing the levy would mean four deputies would be back on duty in New Carlisle, he said.
“When you passed these fliers out, you guaranteed four deputies if the levy passed … not three and a half. Now either you’re going to bring four deputies back or you’re going to be a bunch of liars,” Cobb said.
Earlier this year New Carlisle leaders cut two of the four deputies from its contract with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office to patrol the city due to budget constraints.
Voters then approved a half-percent income tax increase in May that was expected to generate about $500,000 annually. City leaders said the money would be used to restore those two police jobs.
But it’s not clear exactly how much that income tax increase will bring in, City Manager Randy Bridge said, and it could be only about $450,000.
The city is currently reviewing a new contract with the sheriff’s office that will include three full-time deputies, Bridge said.
It’s budgeted $360,000 for deputies in 2016, which covers three full-time positions. Adding a fourth deputy could increase the cost to nearly $400,000, depending on the years of service and benefit packages of the deputies who take the jobs.
The goal is for New Carlisle to eventually hire four deputies, Bridge said, but currently the city can only afford to pay for three full-time deputies next year and potentially share one with Bethel Twp.
The concerns of residents are valid but premature, Bridge said, and he asked them to give the city time to build up its general fund.
“If the money doesn’t come in, the money doesn’t come in. You can look at it like this council is trying to get things over on its citizens. That’s not the truth … If we have to go to three deputies to stay out of fiscal watch then that’s what I’m recommending to council,” Bridge said.
Nancy Lubanovich, a New Carlisle resident, said the city needs more police protection due in part to the heroin problem.
She urged council members to look hard at the budget to find the money for an additional deputy, even it means going into fiscal watch.
“We understand what you’re telling us, totally. The problem is you didn’t tell us this before you had the vote for that levy. It was understood by everybody in New Carlisle from you people that we were going to have four deputies at the start of the year,” Lubanovich said.
Councilman Mike Lowrey said he wants four full-time deputies, too, but he said the city cannot spend money it doesn’t have.
New Carlisle Finance Director Colleen Harris said the city needs to save money as the general fund recently came close to going into the fiscal watch.
“It’s got to build its own reserve,” Harris said.”The intent is exactly what we’re doing. Let us get this money collected. Let us get the three deputies that the city manager has been working on and as we get it collected that first quarter, we’re going to have some really good numbers to work with to see where it’s going and how well it’s coming in. But the general fund needs to get stronger.”
Council members promised residents if the levy passed, the city would bring back four deputies, Councilman Rick Lowrey said. Now the city should make good on that promise, he said.
“We need to do it and we need to do it soon,” Lowrey said.
Mayor Lowell McGlothin said deputies have worked extra duty to protect the city.
“I’m all for 24/7 deputies for the city of New Carlisle. But to be able get to that point we would have to have quite a bit more money. This extra duty is a great way to supplement that at this time,” McGlothin said.
Councilman Richard Zsambok told residents the new contract with the sheriff won’t lock the city into only three deputies for the remainder of the contract.
“The opportunity to expand upon that exists. So it doesn’t mean there won’t be but three deputies. It’s the beginning of it,” Zsambok said.
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