Budget planning shifts to public safety departments, including police and fire

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- Public safety funding will take center stage at City Hall Thursday evening as budget planning shifts to St. Joseph's police and fire departments for day three of discussions.

Councilmembers and city leaders will return from a one-day break and resume FY2026 budget talks from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 8.

As mentioned previously, overall Public Safety funding will experience a recorded budget decrease of roughly $16.6 million as the result of planned budget policy changes such as the elimination of fund transfers, particularly for the Public Safety and the Police Tax funds.

This change resulted in marked decreases in budgeted revenues and expenditures by fund to align with this new policy. Ultimately, the budgeted amounts by function are consistent with prior years.

• St. Joseph Fire Department: $19.4 million budgeted ($27% decrease).
• St. Joseph Police Department: $25.1 million budgeted (26% decrease).

Early this week, City Manager Mike Schumacher communicated to councilmembers his desire to increase funding for additional fire department training in fiscal year 2026. The department recorded an all time high in training hours in 2025 as it successfully filled open positions.

Along with police and fire, a $4.7 million budget for the St. Joseph Health Department, a projected 9.5% decrease from last year, will also be brought up for further discussion, including funding talks for general health services and animal control.

A finalized budget is expected to go before City Council for first reading on May 27 followed by a final vote on June 9.

Fire Department planned initiatives:

• Present a fleet replacement proposal to plan for the spread of financial burden while continuing to replace the aging fleet.
• Serve on a federal task force to identify best practice for FD response to homelessness.
• Begin to create specifications for a new ladder truck to serve the west side as part of the CIP plan (3-year build-time).
• Pursue a partnership with MWSU or NCMC in the creation of a fire academy for local recruitment.

Police Department planned initiatives

• Initiated a large-scale project to procure body-worn cameras and to replace vehicle and interview room cameras.
• Continue to move forward with our mission to become accredited with the Missouri Police Chief’s Association.
• Remain focused on plans to replace the aging fleet and provide members with the most functional patrol vehicles.

Stay with us as we continue to update this story post-meeting.