Two officers proposed with three‑year HB2015 grant; council warned of full cost after grant ends

City staff told council they propose two additional sworn positions in the police department, with staggered start dates to generate near‑term savings. Staff said the city would assume a mid‑year start in 2027 for one officer and a July start for the other, and would not include vehicle costs for the first year because vehicles will be bought with grant funds.

An agency official explained the HB2015 grant is a three‑year seed that pays salary, benefits and one‑time startup costs: "It also includes every single item we would have to add to our collective equipment inventory for the new officer...It's their vehicle, their radio, their computer...It's every single thing the city would have to absorb," the official said, adding the grant figure for an officer was "up to $125,000". Staff warned council that beginning in year four the city will be responsible for the full recurring costs of those positions and that planning for that eventuality is needed.