Reply To: Budget Blueprint

[Johnny Hill]

Dear Council and Citizens,

As of right now, our proposed budget is online in the packet for this coming Monday’s Public Budget Hearing. This budget is based on and includes the following things:
1- The reinstatement of Troy Harrison in a dual role of Police Chief and city Manager for the first 6 months of the 2025-2026 budget year at the same rate that he had before he resigned that role. The thought behind doing this was to maintain some continuity in the leadership of City Hall until we can hire a full time city manager and elect a new Mayor.

2- the budget provides for adding a full time city manager for the second half of the year.

3- The budget provides 70,000 dollars for repairing lift station 2 and sealing 5 manholes that are currently allowing storm water to drain into and overload the sewer system.

This budget requires an approximately 11% tax increase to balance it.

If we do not raise taxes and we go with the “no new revenue” tax rate of .85013 per $100 of evaluation, then we are facing a budget shortfall of <$159,514.85>

I am hoping that council and citizens will review the posted budget and come to the hearing with constructive ideas of what we can cut out of the budget in order to balance it without a tax increase. I will be prepared in Monday’s meeting to make any suggested cuts on the fly to see in real time how they change the bottom line.

Looking forward to a productive meeting.