The Gainesville City Commission heard a budget overview for the four largest city departments on Tuesday, accounting for 62% of the general fund budget.  

The departments—police, fire, parks and public works—presented two budget scenarios that hinge on whether Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU) sends funding through the general services contribution. At the last budget meeting, the city used the same two scenarios for its other offices that presented budgets, leaving Gainesville dependent on Gov. Ron DeSantis appointees. 

Departments presented one budget that would assume receiving no funds from GRU and another that assumes receiving the same amount—$15.3 million—as the current fiscal year. 

City Manager Cynthia Curry said that the cuts discussed by the department heads are not recommendations. Curry will present a budget in June that will take commissioner comments into account when deciding which cuts to recommend. 

The police department has the largest budget, currently set at $41.3 million from the general fund. The scenario of receiving no money from GRU could mean cutting 21 vacant positions from the police force and reducing overtime expenditures. That budget scenario sits at $39.1 million from the general fund. 

Interim Chief Nelson Moya said the department still lacks 46 positions, mostly officers, and the reduction of vacant positions will still leave openings to fill. However, reducing overtime allotments will mean fewer officers on patrols since most patrols use overtime officers.  

“Although we would remain operational, the quality of the service that we would deliver would be in question,” Moya said. 

Moya said the department tried to balance cuts to technology, personnel and operations.  

One of the technological cuts on the table could be body cameras, saving more than half a million per year. Moya said the five-year contract with the camera provider ends this year.  

But multiple commissioners opposed cutting body cameras and Curry said she would likely not bring it back as a recommended action.  

“It will cost us a lot more to not have body cameras on our officers,” Commissioner Reina Saco said.  

The fire department has the second largest budget, currently at $27.9 million. Under the scenario receiving no funds from GRU, three filled positions and one vacant position would be cut along with overtime spending. That budget scenario sits at $26.2 million.  

At the meeting, the commission also voted to keep the current fire assessment. The final vote on the fire assessment will come in September.  

The public works’ budget currently receives $18.1 million from the general fund. Reductions could include the loss of a construction crew, leading to delays in pothole and sidewalk repairs, and repositioning current duties.  

The proposed budget, if the city gets no funds from GRU, could be $15.7 million for the next fiscal year.  

The parks department currently gets $11.8 million from the general fund. No revenue from GRU could mean a budget reduction of around $900,000. The impacts could be the closing of Ironwood Golf Course, stopping free events at Bo Diddley Plaza, and eliminating enhanced funding for summer youth activities.  

The budget scenario with no funds from GRU would place the funding at $10.9 million. 

The GRU Authority will discuss its budget, and a potential transfer to the city, at its regular meeting on Wednesday. That meeting will be the first by the newly appointed Authority. Right now, GRU staff recommends keeping the transfer at $15.3 million.  

Gainesville’s budget still has several unknown variables besides the GRU money transfer, including the change in property values and state revenue sharing funds. The City Commission will also need to decide how to fund GRACE Marketplace and the state’s new homelessness requirements.  

The next city budget meeting is scheduled for June 18 and will cover housing, the Gainesville Community Reinvestment Area, sustainable development, transportation and capital projects.