Snapshot: Appropriation & Staffing Changes from 2023 Budget
| 2023 Budgeted | 2024 Proposed | Net Change | Percent Change | |
| Appropriations | $109,129,306 | $110,169,871 | $1,040,565 | 1.0% |
| Positions & FTEs | 962 | 970 | 8 | 0.8% |
Departmental Highlights
- OEMC has undergone a number of oversight and responsibility changes over the years, causing a great deal of variance in its historic budget and headcount comparisons. OEMC as it currently exists is most effectively compared to the 2021 budgets onwards, when the existing division of responsibilities between OEMC, the new OPSA, and the existing police and fire departments was fully implemented.
- During the 2021-2023 period, OEMC’s budget declined at an average rate of -6.2%, while overall departmental budgets (boosted by the pandemic-era influx of federal funding) increased at an average rate of 10.1% annually and the citywide budget including general finance appropriations increased 11% annually. OEMC headcount declined at an average rate of -3.1% annually from 2021-2023, while the citywide workforce increased by an average of 1.6% annually.
- The 2024 budget adds eight OEMC positions: five additional Senior Emergency Management Coordinator positions, one additional Supervising Police Communications Operator position, and two new clinical therapist positions within the city’s 311 dispatch center.
- Like most departments, OEMC’s appropriations are primarily personnel-related. Salaries and wages on payroll is the largest appropriation by far, making up roughly 64.9% of the department’s budget at $71.5 million. The department’s most significant non-personnel appropriations are outside contracting through the professional and technical services appropriation ($29m) and office and building services ($1.8m).
- Salary and wage increases made up the bulk of the increases in OEMC appropriations in the 2024 budget proposal. Outside contracting via the professional and technical services appropriation saw the largest single-appropriation decline, about -5% down to $29 million.
Historical Context
A 2016 shift of crossing guards from the Chicago Public Schools budget to the city budget resulted in a near-doubling of OEMC’s budgeted headcount in 2016, a move that was reversed with a corresponding staffing drop in 2021. Setting apart the roughly 800-900 annual positions related to crossing guard operations, OEMC’s staffing levels have been relatively consistent.
Appropriations have declined as various OEMC expenses became obsolete or were shifted to other budgets, including phone billing and hardware categories and wages and benefits for crossing guards.
Historical comparisons for the current OEMC effectively begin at the 2021 budget and onwards, when the existing division of responsibilities between OEMC, the new OPSA, and the existing police and fire departments was fully implemented. During that period, OEMC’s budget declined at an average rate of -6.2%, while overall departmental budgets (boosted by the pandemic-era influx of federal funding) increased at an average rate of 10.1% annually and the citywide budget including general finance appropriations increased 11% annually.
OEMC headcount declined at an average rate of -3.1% annually from 2021-2023, while the citywide workforce increased by an average of 1.6% annually.
Staffing
OEMC added eight positions, without any title or seniority changes: five additional Senior Emergency Management Coordinator positions, one additional Supervising Police Communications Operator position, and two new clinical therapist positions for the city’s 311 dispatch center.
Appropriations
Largest Appropriations
Like most departments, OEMC’s appropriations are primarily personnel-related. Salaries and wages on payroll is the largest appropriation by far, making up roughly 64.9% of the department’s budget at $71.5 million.
The department’s most significant non-personnel appropriations are outside contracting through the professional and technical services appropriation ($29m) and office and building services ($1.8m).
Change from Previous Year
Salary and wage increases made up the bulk of the increases in OEMC appropriations in the 2024 budget proposal. Outside contracting via the professional and technical services appropriation saw the largest single-appropriation decline, about -5% down to $29 million.
