City of Oak Creek

Common Council Report

Meeting Date:  June 7, 2005

Item No.:         15

Recommendation:  That the Common Council approve the hiring of the third additional police officer as allocated in the 2005 budget.

Background:  The Police Department was allocated monies in the 2005 budget for the hiring of three additional police officers. The first two officers were hired in January. However, due to the Common Council’s concern over the State budget, they chose to postpone making the decision to approve the hiring of the third budgeted police officer.

This request will be contingent upon the approval of the Personnel Committee who will be meeting on this subject sometime prior to this Council meeting.

As stated in the Personnel request submitted for the 2005 budget:

“The third officer would be assigned to operations and utilized to offset the very regular loss of an officer. Our experience over the last 5 years is that we are down an average of 2,000 hours, or one officer, each year due to the following:

                  Duty incurred injuries;

                  Federal and State approved Family Medical Leave Act;

                  Sick time usage;

                  Military leave;

                  Long-term disability;

                  Unanticipated resignations”

Fiscal Impact:  The salary and benefit cost for this additional officer for the remainder of 2005 would be $27,121.96. A total of $54,243.92 is included in the Police Department’s 2005 budget for this position.

                                                                        Respectfully submitted,

                                                                        Barbara S. Blumenfield, Ph.D

                                                                        City Administrator

Prepared by:

Thomas P. Bauer

Chief of Police

Fiscal Review by:

Beverly A. Buretta, CMC

City Clerk