JEFFERSON — The Jefferson City Council on Tuesday had to postpone plans to announce a new police chief from within the city’s police department because it lacked a quorum and could not conduct business that included taking any votes.
The meeting now has been moved to next Tuesday to name the new leader.
The city’s most recent chief, Jason Carroll, resigned last month after community members voiced complaints over some of his social media posts, for which he apologized. Carroll initially pledged to take sensitivity training but later resigned amid ongoing outrage from community members.
Despite a lack of a quorum, the council held a budget workshop.
“I need every council member to study the budget very well before we come back to meet next week,” Jefferson interim City Mayor Victor Perot said. “In talking to (City Secretary Doris Hines), our revenue, compared to where it was this time last year, is a little over $400,000 short.”
Perot said the city’s budget has been affected by rain and COVID-19, and the council is asking city departments to tighten up the proposed budget by about 10% before the next meeting.
“We still have three months after this month to see more income come before we see where we are,” Perot said.
The city has several upcoming events planned in the coming months that typically draw a high number of tourists and visitors to the city, generating sales tax revenue.
Perot said the city still is planning to adopt about a proposed $250,000 deficit budget for the 2020-21 fiscal year.
He said the city will forgo its street repair program for next year.
“We’re going to tighten our belt tremendously. We know we’re going to have large expenditures in election costs this year, because we paid for May election ballots and then found out we couldn’t have it,” Perot said. “So we’re close to double-paying what we paid for just one election.”
Perot said city staff will go line by line to see where cuts can be made.
“I’m begging you all to do your studying and see where we can cut expenditures,” he said.
