The last few weeks have been eventful for new Forney City Council members Amanda Lewis and Sarah Salgado in the wake of spending nearly all of a $16,000,000 “unencumbered” city fund balance without addressing the two biggest needs the citizens have been calling for, and that they promised in their campaign. To make things worse, Councilwoman Sarah Salgado has taken to social media in an attempt to defend their actions. She makes many claims as it pertains to their decision making, also placing blame on her predecessors for needs they ignored while spending the $16,000,000 mentioned above. But, are her claims true? Lets take a quick look at the history of Public Safety improvements and compensation over the past 15 years with a timeline of the events, as well as a little history behind them.
2007 (population 7,800): City of Forney passes bond to build new Forney Justice Center, including new police station, and Forney Community Park. New Justice Center to provide for next 25 years of growth.
2011 (population 13,889): City Council issues bonds to fund preliminary design of fire station #2.
2012(population 14,692): Fire station #2 preliminary design presented to City Council in October.
2012 (population 14,692): Forney Fire Department receives $739,104 SAFER grant for use in hiring six firefighters.
2014 (population 16,017): Gateway development conveys land to city for construction of fire station #2 in September.
2015 (population 16,793): Construction of fire station #2 begins in August. Cost to city to be approximately $3,000,000.
2017 (population 17,793): Fire station # 2 open for service in March.
2017 (population 17,793): Forney Fire Department receives $809,412 SAFER grant from FEMA for use in staffing Fire station #2. Grant funded 75% of firefighter salaries for two years and 35% the third year. The City of Forney became responsible for 100% of the salaries in 2021.
2017 (population 17,793): Forney Fire Department receives ISO 1 rating, joining only 52 other departments in Texas and 180 in the nation with an ISO rating of 1, a rating they continue to hold today. A communities ISO rating is based on many factors including the Fire Suppression Rating Schedule which grades the communities fire department equipment and manpower, fire alarm facilities and the department’s ability to receive and handle fire alarms, and the community’s water supply and distribution systems.
2017 (population 17,793): City Council receives compensation study results, a study initiated and approved earlier in the year. New compensation plan includes raises for police and fire staff and new step plan for recurring raises thereafter. Then Police Chief Sherwin and current Forney Police Officer’s Association President Curtis Billings, as well as then Fire Chief Rick Townsend and Assistant Fire Chief Phillip Pyle were in attendance and stated the new plan would help in recruiting and retaining public safety candidates and that they approved of the plan. Cost to city to be $351,000.
2018 (population 19,366): New compensation plan for Public Safety takes effect in March.
2020 (population 23,455): Due to pandemic, City Council approves conservative budget putting staff raises and capital projects on hold.
2021 (population approx. 25,000): City Council approves Bellagio PD, including an agreement to convey land to the City of Forney for the use of a south side fire station in January. As of this date, the City Council has not initiated discussions with the developer on the conveyance of the land.
2021 (population approx. 25,000): City of Forney reinstates pay raises mid year due to record sales tax revenues, indicating Forney’s economy was not being affected by the pandemic.
Police Chief Mica Lunt, Fire Chief Derek Briggs, The Forney Police Officers Association, and the Forney Professional Firefighters Association prepared the following statement in response to the Forney City Council’s Decision:On behalf of the men and women of the Forney Police and Fire departments, including both sworn and civilian public safety professionals, we appreciate the action taken tonight regarding the compensation of City of Forney employees. The reinstatement of the step plans, the five percent salary increase for all employees not on a step plan, the five percent one-time payment for those employees at the top of their current pay scale, and the two and one-half percent payment for all employees to cover the first half of Fiscal Year 2020-2021 represents a commitment to compensate employees fairly. We appreciate the difficult decisions faced by all of you to plan for the budgetary health of the City of Forney, and we recognize that the actions taken earlier this year were based upon the unknown effects the COVID-19 pandemic would have on the financial health of the City. With now knowing the status of sales and property tax revenues for this fiscal year, we appreciate your commitment to reasonably compensate all city employees. We look forward to continuing to work with you to ensure that compensation and benefits are fair and represent a shared commitment to recruit, retain, and support the best public safety professionals and city employees possible. Thank you for your support.
2021 (population approx. 25,000): In August, Finance Director conducts initial budget presentation to City Council and announces that due to the previous conservative budget approval, record development, and record sales tax revenues, the city would enjoy a $16,000,000 “unencumbered” fund balance in 2022 budget year starting in October.
2022 (population approx. 27,000): On February 1st, “Unencumbered” fund balance down to under $11,000,000. City Council announces they will use what’s left of the “unencumbered” fund balance to construct a community center/library.
2022 (population approx. 27,000): Due to citizen and staff outcry, at the next City Council meeting on February 15th, City Council votes to spend $8,000,000 on a new fire truck, temporary storage facility for the fire truck, and upgrades to fire station #2. So far, no word on plans for a southside fire station.
2022 (population approx. 27,000): In the days following the City Council meeting, Sarah Salgado makes the following claims on social media about the situation:
“One of the most basic things a city is charged with, is keeping its residents safe. Since being elected to council in May 2021, there have been great strides made by the city council to correct oversights and mismanagement of our first responder needs. Additional staff have been approved for both Police and Fire. Much needed pay raises have been given across both departments to make us more competitive with other cities. New equipment has also been approved for purchase for both departments. If it seems that our city is currently playing “catch up”, well, that’s because we are. The staffing, equipment and facility needs for both departments have been unattended to for years. Many of the needs of our departments have now been met, and there are plans in place to meet the other imminent and immediate needs they have.”
For more on the events surrounding this situation, as well as no plans for roads and infrastructure, check out the video below. It’s a bit long but full of information. The facts don’t lie.
So where did the $5,000,000.00 go? And why does she think the $16,000,000.00 was only $3.9Mil? Looks like financial mis
management already!