By Susan Shinn

For The Salisbury Post

KANNAPOLIS — The City of Kannapolis is getting three more patrol officers in the next fiscal year.

That’s not enough for one resident, the mother of a Kannapolis police officer.

Police Chief Woody Chavis, however, said he was satisfied with the decision of Kannapolis City Council on Monday evening. A public hearing was held on the budget during last night’s meeting.

“We’re 18 officers short as far as our workload,” Chavis said afterward. “There’s no way anybody could afford to hire that many officers in a year.”

Chavis told council that the cost to hire and outfit a first-year officer, with equipment and a car, totaled $90,000. Those 18 officers will be hired, however, as part of the city’s 10-year plan.

“I’m tickled to death to get three officers,” Chavis said. “I can do a lot with three. You put three officers in the right place and they can do a lot.”

Seventeen of the city’s police officers attended the meeting to show their support. Chavis and Deputy Chief Terry Clanton attend every meeting.

“They liked the fact that we were getting new officers and they wanted to show their support,” Chavis said.

That wasn’t enough for Vickie Carpenter.

During the public hearing, Carpenter quoted City Manager Mike Legg, who said previously that the department was “overburdened.” She repeated this four different times.

“I’m not here just for my son, but for the whole police department,” she said. “They are truly the finest of the finest. They care about our community.”

Carpenter said afterward that she was not aware of the “desperate need” for more officers until her son began serving four years ago.

“They put their best foot forward every day,” she said. “These guys are awesome. I’m proud of all of them. They’re just special to me.”

But council members were hesitant to make such a drastic change to the budget, in hiring officers at $90,000 a pop, and Mayor Darrell Hinnant said as much.

“I feel uncomfortable making a decision on what our staffing needs are, when the city manager and staff have gone over this in detail,” he said.

“You have to find areas that you don’t want to fund,” Legg said. “There’s always a way, but to hire three additional officers, you have to find an amount in the budget equal to $180,000. That’s a half-penny on the tax rate or cuts in another area.”

He added, “Other departments are woefully behind as well. Our goal is to stick to our 10-year plan. You can delay projects if you think personnel is more important.”

Violet Mitchell, a frequent speaker, was the only resident who spoke against the 3-cent tax increase. That equates to $45 a year for a $150,000 house.

The proposed budget totals $59,539,383, a 12.2 percent increase from last year’s budget. Legg presented the budget at a special meeting on May 20.

Other budget highlights:

• Legg said this budget will address positive economic growth; bring about the completion of the city hall and police department; facilitate major changes in the city; and be restructured in several areas with the addition of two new departments and the creation of a downtown fund. Those departments are general services and planning, now an in-house function.

• The downtown fund has been set at $1,986,825, which reflects a general fund transfer of $1,138,825 with some $849,000 in leases.

• The purchase of the downtown has been set at $8.1 million, but Legg also pointed out nearly $2 million in property taxes ($653,285), sales taxes ($470,000) and water and sewer income ($765,679).

• A current general fund balance of 23.9 percent is projected for 2016. The fund balance goal is between 25 and 33 percent. This number is up from 14.9 percent in 2012.

• No water and sewer or environmental fee increases.

Council members will vote on the budget at their next meeting on June 22.

In other business, council voted unanimously in favor of a voluntary annexation of approximately 77.374 acres, north of N.C. 73 on Macedonia Church Road. David and Gwen Faggart made the request.

Freelance writer Susan Shinn lives in Salisbury.