It’s unknown what the final 2022 city budget will include as the Jamestown City Council is set to vote on the spending plan Monday.

The only thing that might be known about the approved budget for next year is it will most likely not be the same spending plan Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist presented to the council in October.

At the city’s budget hearing earlier this month, Kimberly Ecklund, At-Large councilwoman and Finance Committee chairwoman, said there will be amendments made to the budget before the council votes on the final spending plan.

If the 2022 proposed budget is anything like the spending plan the council approved in 2021, there will be quite a few amendments. Last year, the council approved 16 amendments before passing a 2021 budget that included no tax increase.

Also, Ecklund has stated that she would like to pass a general operating budget that doesn’t include American Rescue Plan funding. Sundquist’s proposed budget includes more than $3 million in American Rescue Plan funding for capital projects.

Any additional changes there might be to the proposed 2022 budget is unknown because no member of the council submitted any amendments to city officials, which were due Nov. 10. Also, during four council meetings and a public hearing, no council member discussed publicly any proposed changes to the budget other than separating the city’s general operating budget from American Rescue Plan spending.

However, if the public had its way, there would be one department that would receive additional funding, whether it be from the city’s general operating budget or American Rescue Plan funds.

During the city’s budget hearing, three members of the public expressed their concern for a lack of equipment and vehicles for the Jamestown Police Department.

Tamara Dickey, a city resident and former Ward 3 councilwoman, said there have been a lot of issues lately with crime on her street where she lives with her family. She said city officials should be providing the necessary resources to the police department so they can do their job successfully.

“We have to give the police department the resources they need,” she said.

Lt. Sam Piazza, Kendall Club Police Benevolent Association Executive Board president, said Jamestown Police Department Chief Tim Jackson has discussed the equipment and vehicle needs with the council during budget deliberations the past two months. Piazza said Jackson requested five new vehicles, with only one being funded through American Rescue Plan money in the proposed budget. Piazza said other requests by the chief to renovate the indoor shooting range, Glock gun trade-ins, virtual reality training and trauma kits were not included in the proposed spending plan. He said the department needs to be provided with this equipment so they can do their jobs effectively.

The only other request Jackson made that was in the budget is to purchase new portable radios for $144,321, which will be funded through American Rescue Plan funding.

“Without the American Rescue Plan funds, were we not going to fund the police department?” Piazza asked.

Doug Champ, city resident, also discussed the lack of funding for the police department.

“If I haven’t seen a budget that defunds the police, this budget does,” he said.

Following the public speaking portion of the hearing, Ecklund said just because funding isn’t in the general operating fund for equipment and vehicles doesn’t mean the council is ignoring the police department’s issues.

Anthony Dolce, council president and Ward 2 councilman, said the council is going to first deal with the city’s 2022 operating budget and then they will handle how to spend the American Rescue Plan funding, which could be used for new equipment and vehicles for the police department.

On Oct. 7, Sundquist released his executive 2022 spending plan, which includes a 0.8% tax levy increase – a $130,000 hike. According to the state Department of Taxation and Finances, the tax levy is the amount raised through property taxes.

The tax rate proposed by the mayor will remain at $23.69 per $1,000 assessed property value. According to the state Department of Taxation and Finances, the tax rate is determined by dividing the tax levy by the total taxable assessed value of all property in a jurisdiction.

The council has a Dec. 1 deadline to pass a spending plan or the executive budget will be the blueprint city officials use next year.