CORTLAND — Voters in Cortland will be asked on the Nov. 4 general election ballot to support a 1.5-mill additional police levy for maintaining the current police department and allowing for two officers per shift.

Police Chief David Morris said the 1.5-mill levy will generate $315,673 annually and cost the owner of a $100,000 home $53 per year.

He stated that the money generated from the requested levy will be used to maintain current police department operations and cannot be used for any purpose other than funding the police department.

“The funds generated through this levy will allow the department to continue to provide the high-quality services our residents have come to expect,” Morris said.

The last levy passed for the department was in 2020, Morris said, and prior to that, in 2015.

He said the 2020 levy generates around $210,000 annually.

Morris said for police officers and public safety, the collective bargaining agreement requires a minimum of two officers on duty per shift. Throughout the years, he said, the department relied on part-time police officers to supplement the full-time staff to accomplish the mandate and minimize overtime.

He said recruiting new full-time officers has become a nationwide crisis, is competitive between agencies, and with the availability of part-time officers, has become nearly nonexistent.

The police department currently has nine full-time officers and one part-time officer. Morris said Cortland is authorized to have eight part-time officers.

That officer works full-time for another department and generally covers two open shifts on the weekends.

Morris said that in 2019, more than 4,000 part-time hours were worked and 1,200 hours of overtime were worked by full-time officers. He said that in 2024, the one part-time officer worked 866 hours, primarily covering the two open weekend shifts. During the same time, full-time officers worked over 4,000 hours of overtime.

Morris said the current budget was never designed to function without the use of part-time officers, but the times have required adaptation.

Council President Kevin Piros said the levy is needed to keep up with the rising costs of police operations, including training, equipment and maintenance, and to maintain the service residents have come to expect.

HEALTH CARE COSTS

City officials have said there has been a significant increase in health care and overtime costs since 2020. Officials said that in 2018, health care expenses were around $190,000. In 2024, health care expenses ended the year around $307,000.

The $210,000 generated by the 2020 levy has been exhausted and leaves the department operating on funding that was passed 10 years ago.

Morris said during the most recent contract negotiations, the city unions recognized the staggering rise in costs and agreed to a significantly higher employee share.

Morris said to conserve tax dollars, the department actively pursues grant money and receives private donations every year to upgrade needed equipment and technology.

Officials have said the city’s general fund can be used to help the department with emergency expenditures, but it is insufficient to sustain the long-term operation of the department.

In 2024, a 2.5 mill levy was placed on the ballot to hire new officers to the department, but voters turned the issue down.