FY 2018-19 CBO review - Security related outtake
(full document here: https://www.portlandoregon.gov/cbo/article/675824)

Add Security Services Funding
MF_46, $663,895, 0.00 FTE

This request is for continued augmentation of security services at City Hall ($604,660)
funded by City Hall tenants, as wells as for additional security services at the 1900
Building funded by BDS ($59,235).
Early in calendar year 2017, an uptick in security incidents at City Hall prompted an
increase in contracted security services. The cost for these security services exceeded
the available operations and maintenance budget for the building, so Facilities
Services temporarily relied upon major maintenance reserves to fund these services.
In the FY 2017-18 Fall BMP, additional one-time funds were authorized to support the
increased security level into the current fiscal year. While this increased level of
funding may be warranted to ensure both tenants and the public’s sense of safety
when accessing City Hall, this level of spending on security is approximately four
times the amount spent as recently as FY 2014-15. Year to date security incidents at
City Hall appear to have fallen relative to the spike in late FY 2016-17 and early FY
2017-18, but the trend is not clear given that many City Council events were held in
the Portland Building during construction in City Hall chambers. It is also not clear
whether the decrease in security incidents resulted from the increase security
presence or whether external factors led to a decreased number of incidents.
CBO is not uniquely qualified to assess the appropriate level of security services at
City Hall, but in light of competing requests for ongoing General Fund resources to
fund other Council priorities and absent information from the pending Citywide
Security Assessment, CBO recommends that security services at City Hall be
maintained at the threshold in the FY 2018-19 base budget. The increased
interagency agreement with BDS for security services at the 1900 Building is
recommended as requested.
CBO Recommendation: $59,235 I 0.00 FTE