The El Dorado Police Department’s 2018 capital expenditure request has almost been fulfilled with four of five new patrol units having hit city streets within the past several weeks.
City officials also recently approved a funding request to help purchase 11 new protective vests for the police department.
Because of a revenue shortfall in the 2017 general fund, city officials took several cost-cutting measures, one of which largely placed capital expenditure requests on hold, including the purchase of new police cars.
Earlier this year, the El Dorado City Council Finance Committee and later the full council, signed off on more than $819,000 in capital improvement expenditures for the police, fire and public works departments.
The EPD received a $179,000 budget for five new SUVs and related equipment.
On Friday, Police Chief Billy White said four of the new SUVs are in service and the fifth is being outfitted.
“It’s being decked out right, and we should have it here soon,” White said.
With the exception of three police cars that were replaced last year and earlier this year — two were wrecked and another was struck by lightning —, the annual request for new police cars was tabled as city officials kept a close eye on budget numbers.
The three cars that were replaced included funds from insurance reimbursements, with the city making up the difference in costs.
In January, White said five new police cars would help meet the immediate needs of the department, noting that a total of 12 units that have more than 100,000 miles.
“And they’re constantly in the shop. That’s going to deplete my maintenance line item,” White said.
The completion of several large industry expansion and maintenance projects, which brought scores of contract workers to town for extended stays, was cited as the primary cause of a $1 million revenue shortfall in the 2017 city budget.
As projects for several local industries, including El Dorado Chemical, Clean Harbors and Delek/Lion Oil, began to wind down in 2016, those workers, who had pumped money into the local economy, began leaving town.
A noticeable decrease in consumer spending overall was also a contributing factor that affected city revenues, including play at Lions Club Municipal Golf Course, city officials said.
The Finance Committee is using 2015 city revenues as a measuring stick, and in February, they noted that while 2017 revenues outpaced 2016, they still lagged behind those of 2015.
With a small bump in revenues last year, city officials have said they feel optimistic about 2018 revenue projections.
However, they are still taking a cautionary approach with a conservative 2018 budget that includes capital expenditures that were placed on hold in 2017.
Finance Committee members and the city council are planning for a mid-year financial review to see how revenues and expenditures are trending.
In the meantime, they said they wanted to do what they could to provide the three major city departments with the equipment to help provide the best city services possible.
White said the protective vests are typically included in the EPD’s annual capital expenditure request “if I know it’s coming,” but because of recent uncertainties with city budget projections, the request was not included this year.
He said the gear is usually covered with a 50/50 matching grant from the federal budget, but the $3,812 that is left in the fund is not enough to cover the cost for 11 vests.
“Normally, we would need five or six or year, but we’ve got 11 that are worn out and will soon be worn out this year,” White said, adding that vests have a five-year shelf life.
Alderman Willie McGhee asked if the vests are adjustable for size.
“The vests are custom-made for officers. We take measurements, and the vest itself allows a little for adjustment,” the police chief said.
He said the measurements were done and the vests ordered last Thursday, and they are expected to arrive within the next four or five weeks.
Other capital expenditures that were approved for the year include:
• $177,500 for three new cardiac monitors, 45 new sets of protective gear, and a generator for a heating and air unit for the El Dorado Fire Department.
• $80,000 for two new pickup trucks for the Sanitation Department.
• $330,000 to help advance the process of razing condemned houses.
An additional $30,000 was approved to help cover overtime pay for El Dorado firefighters to burn structures that are eligible for live fire training.
The money was taken from the city’s reserve coffers.
Tia Lyons may be contacted at 870-862-6611 or by email at tlyons@ eldoradonews.com.