City officials questioned whether the money would be enough 鈥� and what happens when the federal relief funds proposed to fill in the gaps run out.
That's according to city staff鈥檚 mid-year budget adjustment briefing to City Council during Wednesday鈥檚 meeting. Council members were briefed over a detailed budget reallocation which staff says is necessary to meet current needs.
Staffing shortages and a lack of recruiting is adding to the department鈥檚 overtime costs. And city officials say roadway crashes while DFR officers are in the field are adding to how many vehicles the city really needs.
鈥淚 would just like to say, I don鈥檛 think we are funding our apparatus for DFR sufficiently,鈥� District 12 Council Member Cara Mendelsohn said during Wednesday鈥檚 meeting.
Costly overtime
City staff recommends the city reallocate over $11 million in funds to pay for DFR overtime needs.
The budget amendment briefing suggested that a total $7.8 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds be reallocated 鈥� with $2 million being claimed from next year's budget 鈥� and an additional $3.6 million from excess city revenue be used to cover DFR overtime costs.
But most of the money 鈥� ARPA funds 鈥� are limited. After 2026, the city will no longer be able to rely on the source of money when it comes time to approve a budget 鈥� or amend one.
Mendelsohn expressed concerns over how the city would deal with the large overtime costs after the federal funds run out.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not going to say to our residents 鈥榮orry we don鈥檛 have overtime available鈥e鈥檙e not sending an ambulance,鈥� that鈥檚 just not going to happen,鈥� Mendelsohn said during Wednesday鈥檚 meeting.
Mendelsohn says for the past few years the city has used ARPA funds to pay for DFR's overtime expenses.
鈥淲hat does that look like as we鈥檙e now ending the ARPA funding, in terms of our general fund?鈥� Mendelson asked. 鈥淎re we going to realistically budget what the need is, given our staffing deficiencies?鈥�
Jack Ireland, the city鈥檚 chief financial officer, says the city has factored in the expiration of federal funds into future budgets.
Mendelsohn asked once the money ran out, if council members would be presented with a budget that would 鈥渟ignificantly increase鈥� allocations for public safety. City Manager T.C. Broadnax said those decisions would be made over the summer.
鈥淚鈥檓 not going to get into what will be proposed in the budget,鈥� Broadnax said. 鈥淲e do have a plan and that has been a discussion when we made the decision to use one-time funds.鈥�
Dallas Fire Rescue has amassed over 300,000 hours of overtime since Fall of 2022, according to a March 10 memo given to city officials.
A need for new vehicles
In addition to the over $11 million proposed to cover overtime expense for the department, city staff also suggested that $17.8 million be spent on new fire vehicles. That includes eight new fire engines, two ladder trucks and the rest to be spent on 鈥渁s many ambulances as [the city] can get.鈥�
Alex Rodriguez is the assistant director of financial and personnel services for Dallas Fire Rescue. He says the department makes do with what vehicles they have now 鈥� but claims fire engines getting hit on the roadway is driving up the need for more.
鈥淲e make do. We do as much as we can.鈥� Rodriguez said. 鈥淲e keep getting vehicles hit on the road.鈥�
Rodriguez says there has been times in the last month that there haven鈥檛 been any vehicles in the department's reserve. He says DFR is even considering 鈥渋nnovative projects鈥� 鈥� remounting existing ambulance 鈥榖oxes鈥� to new chaises.
Mendelsohn says funding for overtime and vehicles could come from a reprograming of other funds 鈥� whether it be a bond program or the general fund.
All of the budget amendments are packaged into an ordinance that city council members will consider in mid-May. If approved, Dallas Fire Rescue could see new vehicles 鈥� and overtime funds.
But Mendelsohn 鈥� who is the only council member that is guaranteed to return to the horseshoe after the May 6 election 鈥� wants people to know when once all the federal dollars are spent, the city budget could change dramatically.
鈥淚 am concerned we don鈥檛 have the resources to respond,鈥� Mendelsohn said. 鈥淚t is a very significant amount of money and it鈥檚 going to change the balance of our budget.鈥�
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