MONROE - The city will pick up the tab for extra police services at all special events, under a new policy approved by the city council Tuesday.
The council's 7-3 vote reverses a decision by the city's Public Safety Committee, which voted 2-1 June 15 to keep the original directive of billing for police services at special events.
Mayor Bill Ross said Wednesday that, as he understands the new directive, "anybody who gets a special events permit can get police services."
Ross compared the new policy, where any permit-holder can request police services, to the original directive in the city's special events permit guidelines created in 2008, which required extra police at events that served alcohol or had paid admissions. Event organizers could hire extra city officers at overtime pay and be billed for the service, or hire an outside security service.
The new no-billing directive creates a conflict for the police department, because the Salary and Personnel Committee cut out overtime pay during its budget planning last fall, Ross said.
"The committee told (Police Chief Fred Kelley), no more overtime under any circumstances," he said.The city requires a special events permit when any "planned extraordinary occurrence or temporary aggregation of attractions," open to the public, is held on public property or private property and has a substantial impact on public property. The special event permit is also required if an event has activities that require special temporary food or liquor licenses; or requires special city services, such as street closures, barricades, no parking signs, garbage cans, stages, special electrical services or special police services.
Special events and permits are reviewed by the city's police department, fire department and Public Safety Committee, before being approved by the council.
Kelley said he sees no differences in procedures for his department, except that it will not be billing for events that fall into the city's definition of special events.
He said officers will still be present at any event, if he sees a need for extra officers.
"We want an event to be as safe as it can be," he said.
In 2008, the Monroe Police Department had $17,900 in overtime pay for city officers and hired extra officers for Cheese Days at $7,000. During non-Cheese Days years, the cost is about $9,000.
Kelley explained to committee members that not having to bill out for services would be easier for the department; however, the city would have to find "some money in the budget for this now," he said.
"If there is one thing causing the police budget to go over budget, it's special events," Kelley said.Aldermen Neal Hunter, Michael Boyce and Thurston Hanson voted Tuesday against the motion not to bill special events. Boyce and Hanson both cited unequal treatment as the reason for their vote against the motion.
Some events that aren't required to have a permit, such as school sporting events, will not get the free police services, they said.
Monroe schools request extra police services at some sporting events, according to Kelley. The school is billed about $100 for the service, which is requested about six to eight times a year, he said.
Hunter was not available for comment after the council meeting.
After the committee's vote last month to retain the billing, some council members requested that the issue be revisited, and that the committee reconsider its decision and bring the issue before the council, according to Carol Stamm, Monroe city clerk.
Committee members went an extra step prior to the council meeting Tuesday and voted 3-0 to recommend to council that no event be billed for police services, a move that Boyce and Hanson said they would have voted for in council.
But the recommendation was amended by Jan Lefevre to not bill only special events. The council voted 7-3 in favor of her amendment.
The council's 7-3 vote reverses a decision by the city's Public Safety Committee, which voted 2-1 June 15 to keep the original directive of billing for police services at special events.
Mayor Bill Ross said Wednesday that, as he understands the new directive, "anybody who gets a special events permit can get police services."
Ross compared the new policy, where any permit-holder can request police services, to the original directive in the city's special events permit guidelines created in 2008, which required extra police at events that served alcohol or had paid admissions. Event organizers could hire extra city officers at overtime pay and be billed for the service, or hire an outside security service.
The new no-billing directive creates a conflict for the police department, because the Salary and Personnel Committee cut out overtime pay during its budget planning last fall, Ross said.
"The committee told (Police Chief Fred Kelley), no more overtime under any circumstances," he said.The city requires a special events permit when any "planned extraordinary occurrence or temporary aggregation of attractions," open to the public, is held on public property or private property and has a substantial impact on public property. The special event permit is also required if an event has activities that require special temporary food or liquor licenses; or requires special city services, such as street closures, barricades, no parking signs, garbage cans, stages, special electrical services or special police services.
Special events and permits are reviewed by the city's police department, fire department and Public Safety Committee, before being approved by the council.
Kelley said he sees no differences in procedures for his department, except that it will not be billing for events that fall into the city's definition of special events.
He said officers will still be present at any event, if he sees a need for extra officers.
"We want an event to be as safe as it can be," he said.
In 2008, the Monroe Police Department had $17,900 in overtime pay for city officers and hired extra officers for Cheese Days at $7,000. During non-Cheese Days years, the cost is about $9,000.
Kelley explained to committee members that not having to bill out for services would be easier for the department; however, the city would have to find "some money in the budget for this now," he said.
"If there is one thing causing the police budget to go over budget, it's special events," Kelley said.Aldermen Neal Hunter, Michael Boyce and Thurston Hanson voted Tuesday against the motion not to bill special events. Boyce and Hanson both cited unequal treatment as the reason for their vote against the motion.
Some events that aren't required to have a permit, such as school sporting events, will not get the free police services, they said.
Monroe schools request extra police services at some sporting events, according to Kelley. The school is billed about $100 for the service, which is requested about six to eight times a year, he said.
Hunter was not available for comment after the council meeting.
After the committee's vote last month to retain the billing, some council members requested that the issue be revisited, and that the committee reconsider its decision and bring the issue before the council, according to Carol Stamm, Monroe city clerk.
Committee members went an extra step prior to the council meeting Tuesday and voted 3-0 to recommend to council that no event be billed for police services, a move that Boyce and Hanson said they would have voted for in council.
But the recommendation was amended by Jan Lefevre to not bill only special events. The council voted 7-3 in favor of her amendment.