Fort Smith budget-cutting process begins

story by Aric Mitchell
[email protected]

The search has begun.

The Fort Smith Board of Directors began scouring the proposed 2012 budget Thursday night with the goal of making at least $800,000 in deductions that may be applied to Convention Center funding. On Nov. 8, a 1% prepared food tax proposal was rejected by voters, leaving the Center in the care of the city’s general fund.

As a result, City Administrator Ray Gosack warned, “The adjustments necessary to operate the Convention Center will be much deeper than what we’ve had to make in the past. They will affect services in ways that most citizens will notice.”

Updated budget figures for the Convention Center showed the 2011 beginning balance of $1,071,899 was reduced to $301,629 following a deficiency in revenues against expenditures of $770,270. For 2012, estimated revenues are $600,800 against a $1,375,780 price tag for operation and personnel. That’s a loss of $774,980 before the general fund transfer, which shows a line item of $777,016. As a result, Gosack expects $2,036 in excess revenues, which will leave the Center with around $303,665 to start 2013.

Proposed cuts to make this possible include $317,900 from the Fort Smith Police Department; $202,600 from the Parks Department; $202,700 from outside agency funding; $46,000 from the Fort Smith Public Library; and $30,800 from Senior Services.

Other possible cuts the Board may choose to make include eliminating the Focus on Fort Smith newsletter (a savings of around $93,000) and government access channel announcements (around $50,600). The Board could also reduce allocation of the county-wide sales tax to downtown projects from 3% to 2% (around $153,000) and three staff positions from the Fort Smith Fire Department (around $115,800).

Gosack and most board members were in agreement that the reduction of fire department staff would be the least likely to pass.

“I find it unacceptable,” City Director George Catsavis said, responding to the news that three reduced staff positions would result in as many inactive fire engines.

Focus on Fort Smith may also escape the cuts as board members agreed that there was a “PR and communication problem” between the City of Fort Smith and its citizens.

“I agree with cutting, but we have a communications problem, and this (cutting Focus) will upset that. I understand that by the time many get this newsletter, it may seem like old news, but it’s so informative, and just packed full of valuable information,” City Director Don Hutchings said.

One area that may be affected in this round of deductions is that of board salaries. Director Phillip Merry expressed a desire to see a reduction in his and other members’ salaries, though the suggestion faced opposition from director Andre Goode.

“I don’t know how many of you are salary, but I’m not. I’m hourly,” Good said, indicating his position with Federal Express. “I don’t have a problem making an example of ourselves, but when I’m here, I’m not getting paid. Every time I make a meeting, I’m taking money out of my family’s pockets.”

“We’re talking about $1,000 a year to do this job,” added director Steve Tyler. “If you want to give your whole salary back, that’s fine, but don’t force it on all of us.”

In an Aug. 26, 2011, memorandum, Gosack highlighted the proposed cuts and what each would likely mean to the citizens of Fort Smith as follows:
• Funding for outside agency contracts would be eliminated. This would impair the ability of many community organizations to provide a variety of recreational, social and arts services to the community.

• The police department would eliminate the crime prevention officer, the officer dedicated to serving arrest warrants, and the bicycle patrol (a total of four officers).

• Part-time public safety dispatch positions would be eliminated. This would increase hold times for non-emergency calls.

• A police cadet position would be eliminated. This would require sworn officers to perform mundane work such as shuttling vehicles for service and repairs. The result is slower response times for lower priority calls for service from the public.

• The urban forester position in the parks department would be eliminated, thereby lessening the city’s efforts to expand the tree canopy in Fort Smith and jeopardize the city’s status as a Tree City USA.

• Recreation events such as movies in the park, concerts in the park, the father/daughter dance, and the mother/son fishing derby would be eliminated.

• Reduce mowing of Oak Cemetery from once per week to once every three weeks.

• Eliminate funding for the Tales from the Crypt event at Oak Cemetery.

• Close community centers at Creekmore Park, Martin Luther King Jr. Park, the River Park events building, and the River Park Pavilion two days per week.

• Close the wading pools at Tilles and Woodlawn Parks. Curtail operation of the aquatic facilities at Creekmore Park by closing 2 days per week.

• Reduce the allocation of countywide sales tax revenue to the library by $46,000 annually. This would result in several thousand fewer book offerings, fewer replacements and upgrades of PC’s for public use, and no expansion of popular e-book offerings. Library usage has increased by 15% in the last 5 years.

• Reduce the allocation of countywide sales tax revenue to senior services by $30,800 annually. This would likely reduce operating hours at senior centers and curtail in-home health care services for senior citizens.

“Decisions about which services to reduce are never easy to make,” Gosack said. “The staff has used its best professional judgment to identify cuts that won’t affect core services.”

The Board will meet again next Thursday night — 6 p.m., Community Room of the Fort Smith Police Department — to finish reviewing the 2012 proposed budget. Final voting will be held at the December meeting.