Question: What is the cost of the part time position requested in the budget, and are there any opportunities to combine with another position that was added in the budget? (Mayor Gaskins)
Response:
The amount requested by the Office of the Independent Policing Auditor (OIPA) for a community engagement position was $29,640. This position does not include benefits and would work less than 20 hours per week. The cost did not include Social Security costs, which are mandated even for unbenefited employees, and would increase the cost to approximately $32,000.
The position was not recommended in the FY 2027 proposed budget because OIPA is currently recruiting to fill a vacant investigator position that may provide some additional support for outreach, and departments have worked together in the past to successfully staff community events and outreach efforts. OIPA hopes that filling that position will free up a portion of the Director’s time to focus on community engagement. If that turns out not to be the case, then an alternative approach would be considered, including Council’s recommendation to explore a shared community engagement position with the Office of Human Rights.
There are only six new positions in the FY 2027 proposed budget, and none are suitable to be combined with this function. The positions include four firefighters and two information technology specialists for cybersecurity and network operations. There is a vacant community engagement specialist position in the Office of Communications and Community Engagement (OCCE) that is proposed to be frozen for a portion of FY 2027. If the City were to provide increased resources for community engagement, staff would recommend adding them in OCCE to support multiple departments’ community engagement efforts.