PRYOR, Okla. — The Pryor Creek Police Chief is concerned about the city’s budget shortfall and its potential impact on public safety.
Chief Jeremy Cantrell said that his staffing is already at critical levels and layoffs would be devastating.
“The general fund right now is the main concern for the city because it’s over budgeted and has been from a prior administration. They're wanting us to cut the general fund and right now the budget is set at a 9.2 million dollar budget and they are trying to get down to 8.3,” said Cantrell.
He said he is worried about public safety and what potential layoffs could do to his department and the city.
Cantrell said any cuts could increase police response times, decrease police presence and potentially increase crime.
There is a special city council meeting scheduled for Monday to discuss the budget shortfall and possible solutions.
“Some of the things that have been brought up is a severance package that went out on an agenda, a $20,000 severance package and it is broke down by department on that agenda and it's one person from each department who they are offering it to,” sand Cantrell.
2 News checked online and discovered the city council meeting agenda for Monday and noticed item #2 referencing voluntary severance agreements in the amount of $20,000.
Pryor Creek resident Clark Ayres said he thinks pubic safety layoffs should be a last resort.
“ I’m not happy. I see that there is probably other places you need to tighten the budget. You can tighten budgets. I’m friends with Mayor Doyle and so he talked to me about it a little bit that he is going through this battle,” said Ayres.
Here is the link to that special city council meeting scheduled for Monday.
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