Public Property seeks nearly $9M for FY27 as council presses on take‑home vehicles and EV charging

John Lazamini, introduced by staff as director for Public Property, told the Standing Committee the department’s proposed FY27 budget totals $8,990,580, a $300,692 increase over FY26 including salary step increases and new staffing requests.

The presenter said the budget request includes funding to convert a subordinate public property role into a manager of facilities at an annual cost of $12,193, add three custodial laborers (one transferred from telecommunications) at roughly $145,165 and two maintenance positions totaling about $100,003. He also described a split between fixed costs (liability insurance, annual contractor maintenance such as Prism Streetlight) and discretionary line items such as postage and professional services.

Why it matters: the department manages a large municipal fleet and dozens of city‑owned buildings. Councilors said they wanted clearer accounting of recurring operational pressures — notably motor fuel, which the presenter said is rising sharply — and how new hires and transfers affect other departments’ budgets.

Councilors asked a series of operational questions. One member sought the current count of take‑home vehicles and whether public safety vehicles are included; staff said about 100 take‑home vehicles (excluding police and fire) and confirmed many vehicles have GPS. On mileage reimbursements, staff described an employee‑submitted form signed by directors and reviewed by accounts payable; reimbursements are limited to staff who do not have a city vehicle. "When mileage reimbursements occur they are minimal," staff said.

On electrification, the presenter said the city currently operates roughly 20 electric vehicles and expected another 10 to arrive in the next month, with chargers being installed at department garages and other facilities. Committee members pressed whether there are enough chargers to support an expanding EV fleet; staff said funds and plans exist to scale charging at public safety and DPW facilities and that some vehicles come with home chargers.

Members also questioned where certain line‑items live. The presenter explained that some departments (for example DPW and Public Safety) maintain their own garage budgets for parts and repairs while Public Property pays for parts tied to the assets it manages — hence the apparent separation between the "auto parts" line and a "repairs" line.

What’s next: staff agreed to provide a corrected org chart and a list of take‑home vehicles on formal request. Committee votes on budget items were deferred; the committee later moved to continue items for further consideration.