Vehicle maintenance, higher fuel costs and software prices are three issues that the Moose Jaw Police Service (MJPS) is monitoring because of their effect on its 2022 budget.
The police service presented its monthly budget update during the recent Board of Police Commissioners meeting, which looked at the agency’s revenues and expenses from January to August.
The agency budgeted $12,729,939 in expenses and $1,571,813 in revenues this year, leaving a net budget of $11,168,126. By Aug. 31, the police service had spent 67.7 per cent of its net budget, leaving 32.3 per cent — or $3.6 million — for the final four months of the year.
“We are on track with the budget,” police Chief Rick Bourassa said during the meeting.
One financial pressure affecting the police service is expenses for vehicle maintenance and repairs, especially since the organization is operating vehicles that are past their lifespan and require continual upkeep, he continued. The organization has ordered new squad vehicles, but supply chain issues make acquiring them difficult.
The budget update showed the police service had paid $181,693.58 in vehicle maintenance out of a budgeted amount of $220,000.
“Once the new vehicles come in, those expenses will even out again,” stated Bourassa, adding higher fuel costs have also been a problem but have fallen recently.
The police service is also facing issues with computer software because the costs to maintain the program licences are going up, the police chief said. These programs are necessary because the organization is required to have more and more of them to function. However, they will be considered an operating expense in the future.
The budget update showed the police service had paid $241,308.79 in computer software costs out of a budgeted amount of $290,000.
“We have budgeted for a number of upgrades in the future in the equipment reserve, so the actual hardware costs are covered, but we will see additional software maintenance costs,” Bourassa continued. “That’s the nature of our world right now, but we can manage it.”
There are two large revenue items that the police service hasn’t received yet but should receive soon, he stated, including $110,000 from provincial automated speed enforcement cameras and $215,000 from provincial contractual revenues.
“They will come. These are never smooth. There will be $0, and then there will be a huge increase in revenues when those arrive too,” added Bourassa.
There are three expense items that the police service has not yet paid, the document showed, including a $15,000 building reserve contribution, $3,500 for water utility bills and $40,000 for a retirement gratuity contribution.
The next Board of Police Commissioners meeting is Wednesday, Oct. 19.
