From left, Parkersburg Mayor Tom Joyce, Finance Director Eric Jiles and Interim Police Chief Scott Elliott listen to questions during Monday’s budget hearing in City Council chambers at the Municipal Building. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

PARKERSBURG — Although the Parkersburg Police Department is getting closer to its full complement of 74 officers, city officials do not expect the overtime budget to decrease in the upcoming fiscal year.

“In all reality, I’ll be shocked if we don’t have to make a revision,” Mayor Tom Joyce said Monday during the second of a trio of budget hearings before City Council.

Councilwoman Sharon Kuhl asked about the projected overtime budget of $275,000 for the fiscal year that starts July 1, noting it’s $25,000 higher than the starting figure for this year. That number was amended in January to $355,000.

With five new officers due from the state police academy on April 1 and two more sworn in Monday giving the department 68, “I just thought maybe we could see a little light at the end of the tunnel,” Kuhl said.

Joyce said one reason for the higher estimate is the longevity incentive pay council implemented last year, giving officers an extra 50 cents an hour when they’ve worked 10, 15 and 20 years. Like other non-elected city employees, police are set to receive a 3.2% raise in the upcoming budget.

Parkersburg City Councilman J.R. Carpenter asks a question during budget hearings Monday in council chambers at the Municipal Building. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

“We’ve increased the base significantly,” Joyce said.

Police can also be paid for off-duty overtime, where they are requested to attend and support events for which the department is reimbursed. Because of being shorthanded, “we’ve had several of those go unfilled this year,” Joyce said. With more officers, there may be more individuals to work those events.

Joyce noted there are also retirements coming up, including interim Chief Scott Elliott, whose last day is expected to be April 15.

But Elliott said there are 30 people set to take the next police hiring exam today, a higher number than those tests have often drawn in recent years.

Despite the pay increases and overtime, the department’s requested budget is down $253,582 from last year, due largely to gains made in paying down the police pension fund obligations. That’s also why the Fire Department budget is only $19,685 higher, Finance Director Eric Jiles said.

Parkersburg City Council President Zach Stanley asks a question during discussion of the Finance Department’s budget Monday in council chambers at the Municipal Building. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

Councilwoman Wendy Tuck asked why there was $50,000 allocated to the Urban Renewal Authority in the proposed budget, down from $150,000 last year, and $250,000 to the demolition fund, up $100,000.

Joyce said the URA money goes primarily toward that entity, made up of all nine council members, acquiring property, sometimes through eminent domain. There was very little eminent domain activity for almost two years during the COVID-19 pandemic and the fund has a nearly $500,000 balance.

The demolition fund is more often used to tear down dilapidated structures with a lien then placed on the property in an effort to recover costs from the property owner. Since the city is not actually taking ownership of the property, “demo and lien will always be quicker,” Joyce said.

The capital reserve fund is proposed to receive transfers of $169,110 from the general fund, $150,000 from the sanitation fund and $600,000 from the Memorial Bridge fund, to go along with a beginning fund balance of $960,622. Some of that money will be earmarked for the future purchases of a new fire truck ($175,000), street sweeper ($150,000), recycling truck ($50,000) and dump truck ($50,000).

From capital reserve, $751,300 is proposed for purchases in the upcoming fiscal year, including $220,000 for four new police cruisers and equipment, $190,000 for improvements to the City Park sidewalk along Park Avenue, $65,000 for a mini track hoe for the Streets Department and $50,000 for the overlay of the tennis courts and fence repair at Southwood Park. The remaining $764,932 would be left for contingent capital outlay.

Parkersburg City Councilman Austin Richards asks a question about the city information technology department during a budget hearing Monday in council chambers at the Municipal Building. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

Councilman J.R. Carpenter questioned why the budget did not reflect the numbers in the infrastructure capital plan submitted to council. For example, that document lists $325,000 a year for floodwall maintenance “until the need is reduced.” But the budget only includes $11,400 for maintenance, repair and contractual services after a number of improvements were made in recent years.

“This is encumbering funds,” Carpenter said, pointing to the capital plan.

Joyce said the budget encumbers funds, while the capital plan reflects needs that may not always be able to be met immediately.

“That’s always been a guide. It’s never been a plan to spend,” he said.

Carpenter also asked about the increase in proposed funding for Wood County Recreation, going from $37,500 this year to a proposed $60,000.

Parkersburg City Attorney Blaine Myers looks over the proposed municipal budget during a hearing Monday in City Council chambers. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

Joyce said the organization, on whose board he sits as a city representative, has improved in recent years and had not been funded by the city for a long time.

“This is commensurate with what the county does annually,” he said.

Sitting as the Committee of the Whole, council voted to recess until 6 p.m. Thursday, when members can offer amendments to the budget before voting to finalize it.

Evan Bevins can be reached at ebevins@newsandsentinel.com.

Parkersburg Finance Director Eric Jiles, right, speaks during Monday’s budget hearing in council chambers at the Municipal Building as Mayor Tom Joyce listens. (Photo by Evan Bevins)