[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6557202,"mediaKeyId","3310297-b21cc99f06d59d63327729d5737619fb","parentId",3310297,"title","Council discusses earmarking $1 million for depreciation and maintenance; asks staff for policy check before spending","audioSeconds",7337,"startMs",4796000,"endMs",12133000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3310297-b21cc99f06d59d63327729d5737619fb&start=4796&end=12133","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3310297-b21cc99f06d59d63327729d5737619fb/thumbnail_4796000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6557202/Wyoming/Council-discusses-earmarking-1-million-for-depreciation-and-maintenance-asks-staff-for-policy-check-before-spending","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6557202-f47b1e71f2d10c5ea52cfac9ebb64f46/orig.mp4?Expires=1775197485&Signature=eVfNlJpUCZmLEkEexXFK31zyJU54GATBxETpWmhYtU4zqCg0LSMkjtr8Z7Wh4yzHmPooDPJqkgDf8T-H7rViRh9aO3kPEmw1G133t3IOBTTriPL8kZyO2y5~B~B8gSzhbdzJA-W07fSu22jZv~2bw17J0eO2ZzNuSLbrDA4G7rHzieNEWDk-hnFGmHmuZ0tBLHTne3jC4pbMaUW~KeFhd5wARWKMf71g0kgGrlVTR2UR23KBdX~n3Mb7KwSOmlmcsSU0bqN40HKAxEHp~W6JO1xMREFnbLWS9cybEQZ-gU2o85YDO9EthhaqYid3-CgyNjmNrtv2bmPuOvtCpPvcQA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Jackson","date","2025-05-14T00:00:00Z","article","Councilors discussed a proposal to reclassify $1 million from the town's discretionary general fund into the capital projects fund to address depreciation and deferred maintenance.

Councilman Schechter proposed moving $1 million into a designated depreciation and maintenance reserve to begin addressing deferred upkeep. \"My concern . . . is that we have been very good at building things. But the question is, have we been adequately reserving to cover depreciation and maintenance?\" he said.

Staff explained the capital-projects fund receives a half-cent of sales tax (the town's standard capital transfer) and other special revenues; current-year projects and SPET-funded work are already programmed. Adding $1 million would increase the left-hand capital fund balance that pays for projects. Staff said routine capital requests and cost overruns are brought to council as budget amendments and that any additional allocation would follow the existing CIP prioritization process.

Several councilors said they supported placing $1 million into the capital fund as a designated reserve but asked staff to return with a short policy memo: (1) what the town's existing depreciation/maintenance policy is, (2) how well the town is meeting it, and (3) recommendations for how to prioritize the additional funds before any expenditures are authorized.

There was no immediate allocation for spending; council directed staff to present that analysis before the money would be used.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Jackson - Special Town Council - May 14, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Councilors debated reclassifying $1 million of general-fund discretionary dollars into capital to address deferred maintenance and depreciation. They asked staff to report on current policy and condition before authorizing expenditure.","taxTitle","Jackson Town Council, Jackson, Teton County, Wyoming","taxId",68752,"location","Wyoming","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6557206,"Council weighs adding modest allocations for employee and community housing to change log",4554,2257000,6811000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3310297-b21cc99f06d59d63327729d5737619fb&start=2257&end=6811","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3310297-b21cc99f06d59d63327729d5737619fb/thumbnail_2257000.jpg","/articles/6557206/Wyoming/Council-weighs-adding-modest-allocations-for-employee-and-community-housing-to-change-log","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6557206-6043a33c4382e337617f4c2381b19e60/orig.mp4?Expires=1775197485&Signature=UDRObU5Du7C3dRHHBGNI1eWPqzNfTBrlYn-RWMNjP0n16GKGtshZEDfuG5JmWwOMyNxwPKTmRe8HxzrMkfSBIpoCGyX1sxqCsogxdhS~gghNuEkluxCeYA0Cx7lhH1PzPzmMRw9Bxxrxok4z3NyjMpJP5fXRUPk3UrDeRl3ccohXiXsXQ85aBynBtGjSR4gDdWLkijNWMTKfc89qqAa32r2-lgc4sYyRr-po7hwpc74badDCKlxiro-YyDThiPNhnkFRZ51X1Doo6STsxRjbp6~hABTL5oFzzdnQsycYoA4m9iIEIfySJhOzIwXsIR2LoViypGZRwUYfSBxF8Yx0ZQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jackson's councilors debated whether to place money into two housing accounts on May 14: a town employee-housing fund and a broader community affordable-housing fund.

The Mayor and several council members urged adding money to the funds to begin building a corpus for future housing investments. \"Employee housing fund . . . the ending fund balance that we have right now when we get to the point of wanting to start investing that, is going to be spent down very quickly,\" Tyler said; he proposed increasing the employee-housing balance to $3.8 million in aspirational planning. The mayor said community housing and employee housing are critical priorities and recommended adding the items to the change log for further discussion of pay-for options.

Other council members urged caution. Councilman Schechter and others noted the town has already committed substantial funds to the Virginian project and said that, for FY26, they preferred to defer large new housing appropriations until the strategic budgeting effort and until the Virginian's final costs are clearer. \"For one year, I don't have any heartburn over not putting money in there,\" Schechter said.

A compromise emerged: several councilors favored leaving a modest placeholder amount in the change log rather than a multi-million-dollar commitment. Council members asked staff to include housing options in the strategic-budgeting work and to provide scenarios showing how different funding approaches (general fund, property-tax mills, bonding) would affect the town's reserves and debt capacity.

No final appropriation was approved; staff will return with scenarios for council review.","Councilors debated placing additional funds into employee housing and community housing accounts as aspirational items for FY26, but several members said they prefer to defer larger commitments until strategic budgeting work is complete and until the Virginian project cost exposure is clearer.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6557211,"Council discusses one-time bridge support for Central Wyoming College and county property-tax refund program",466,3146000,3612000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3310297-b21cc99f06d59d63327729d5737619fb&start=3146&end=3612","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3310297-b21cc99f06d59d63327729d5737619fb/thumbnail_3146000.jpg","/articles/6557211/Wyoming/Council-discusses-one-time-bridge-support-for-Central-Wyoming-College-and-county-property-tax-refund-program","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6557211-4a0babb123aeb832d2c7b6149aebc465/orig.mp4?Expires=1775197485&Signature=MLOTo0dd5Edn5fRc3~SIVarLNBwpcLgf6jVd93ZxSxuZPQUrbkYG5dWgSG5Rl8VOBzLzsrYFvDS0n-YGGKON4-tKDBLS5SNJKAPJ89N2z0dBQXxiIFi83CKB-CcOqgv0AnNFfrCT5JA4QFxgAvKn4IYZOJPHvZPFdO1y4VfxLBEVUFrqnu1wHRFsWcQ10BWG9qbvcxUQzTrqgl~Yc-TS1R-GtiVU5Qkgh6w5nk0ZB870eByjelrec1~WUzPdGfIu16EAU1bofcALHEIMCVw5QcIaDgXGFoaHtlBB9NitJxKA8EUz0ReC~FQLcm-wTbgmj0UNVusNMU7eQitwe0lv8g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Councilors on May 14 discussed a request from Central Wyoming College (CWC) for operational support and the mechanics of the county's property-tax refund program.

Mayor and council members described CWC's effort to include Teton County in the college's taxing district and said the college faces statutory hurdles that may take a year or two to resolve. Council members agreed they would not want to underwrite an ongoing college operation that could be funded by a tax district under state law, but some said they were willing to provide a one-year bridge payment. \"I would very much like to have $238,000 in our budget as an aspirational, with the agreement with CWC that this is to help bridge their effort to find a sustainable funding source,\" the Mayor said.

The council also discussed the state and county property-tax refund program. The state-funded refund program targets property-tax relief for qualifying residents; the county has indicated it may augment that program. The mayor described an approach whereby the town could participate by reimbursing the town's share of refunds to town residents. Staff said a town contribution tied to the current half-mill town levy would be a much smaller annual cost than a contribution tied to a higher mill increase; staff estimated the town's share of the county's enhanced refund program as roughly $110,000 under certain mill assumptions (staff provided a range and said exact numbers would be calculated).

Council members asked for clearer cost estimates and asked staff to model both a one-year bridge appropriation to CWC and the town's potential participation in the property-tax refund program for a range of mill levels. No formal funding decision was made; councilors said they wanted more numbers before committing town dollars.","Councilors debated a one-year town contribution to Central Wyoming College to bridge its operational funding while it pursues district funding, and they discussed options for the county's property-tax refund program and possible town participation.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6557216,"Council backs keeping START vanpool and Teton Village summer express under review",7787,466000,8253000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3310297-b21cc99f06d59d63327729d5737619fb&start=466&end=8253","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3310297-b21cc99f06d59d63327729d5737619fb/thumbnail_466000.jpg","/articles/6557216/Wyoming/Council-backs-keeping-START-vanpool-and-Teton-Village-summer-express-under-review","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6557216-a4d5c2d5d8e71ce07fdd2e5218464aa8/orig.mp4?Expires=1775197485&Signature=JJLwN~dZsg1mlTSMRC06SapJmAqNW3WDTISAy3sIo7Zlg6e8bzp7rI9Rce-bAOdZjTY0DWAGKpImUu5Xs-pblQzhfFeCNt~3xN72-sM-BpoRj8qAt6djb25XRP5m5ADcUVLgX8jOMf-wEdst09oVFS70PxPRUQ3krJ2ogIf6s-V5I9gR0znwey8yA-dvAFdCotKouIWGXN6o2tmcIGiXNkG9u5sR~-IG2sqP-P8LNnhvFEwI~fUkjVTMfRs~WnPDepWLOi4sxrSI29yu7Kj0lMs7aypQKX0UG0bQBGQMYzskKDuCdRPJbWmGhuBuu4B--kLrMTTkKw-3C6Xn0tZPJw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Council members on May 14 indicated support for continuing to explore two START public-transit items on the aspirational list: a vanpool pilot and the Teton Village Summer Express route.

Councilman Regan said the vanpool pilot and the Teton Village Express together accounted for about $36,851 of the town's aspirational list; Tyler confirmed the two items appeared on the staff slide and recommended adding them back for further consideration. \"If [the county] support[s] it and you support it, fine. We do our 43 to 57 split,\" Tyler said, describing the town's cost-share arrangement with Teton County for joint services.

Several council members asked that the items remain on the change log and be taken to the joint meeting with county commissioners on June 2 so the county can decide whether to participate. Councilman Regan said the vanpool is a top operational priority for him if the county declines to join.

The council also discussed a larger START vehicle procurement question: whether to purchase diesel or hybrid buses. Staff said recent price increases have pushed some hybrid bus options up, and council members asked staff to return with cost comparisons and a recommendation. \"If the goal is to buy four buses ... I'm not even clear what the goal is,\" Councilman Schechter said; he asked staff to provide clearer options before the June 2 joint meeting.

Staff will return with updated cost figures and joint-department recommendations at the next workshops.","Council members agreed to keep a START vanpool pilot and the Teton Village Summer Express service on the aspirational change log and to consult Teton County before finalizing funding for FY26.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6557221,"Jackson council advances FY26 budget discussion, frames strategic budgeting process",11342,949000,12291000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3310297-b21cc99f06d59d63327729d5737619fb&start=949&end=12291","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3310297-b21cc99f06d59d63327729d5737619fb/thumbnail_949000.jpg","/articles/6557221/Wyoming/Jackson-council-advances-FY26-budget-discussion-frames-strategic-budgeting-process","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6557221-23bf031c78bbfa206ab582c6e4bcdde9/orig.mp4?Expires=1775197485&Signature=KmbQ7fwUCGQsXRmUwiTZ-8Kj7B4U2jIngbDCQ2FMXPCdnxAKMAtPTXsvhaMn3fcEqrPolBF6S52vBMOwRFOSbPeOBjOOdsNxrfnVTn6sMev3gNi-KJB3ec7B0AJQlcp1cbIY2fwIwC4dC7OJiyF8RY1YxmDJz4-DaXTWE~IntFFL8VYKPZF2pvw9neNelclDApUEhwJAR5gfqwd4b9o2R3tovkOtYJc6WzHmF-tHND4jI3nHzCeNS8hJHPmUYCD0B18uVVgjqq6lM0GKQ9-R7S4L2adsjXDcA8HXSrEGC8CvEn1cKncuOpU-elLBMO8xF4~r-vB4dANL6rhcyQDLNQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Jackson Town Council on May 14 continued a multi-meeting review of the town's fiscal year 2026 budget, focusing on a set of aspirational expenditures and on a new strategic budgeting process staff plans to run this summer.

The council heard that staff will present a change log of items the council may choose to add to FY26 and that a broader strategic budgeting effort will begin after adoption, intended to align a five-year expenditure view with projected revenues. \"We'll call it June and July,\" Town Manager Tyler said, describing staff's plan to survey department needs and present options to the council.

The council debated how aggressively to pursue new revenue tools. Several members said they are reluctant to raise property taxes in FY26 but are open to discussing lodging or sales taxes later. Councilman Schechter said he was \"content without going to any major changes\" in FY26 and urged a strategic review before asking voters for new taxes. Councilwoman Beeman said she supports strategic planning first and is not comfortable with tax increases this year; she noted concern about the county's fiscal pressure.

The budget discussion threaded two related strands: (1) which aspirational items to place on the change log for potential inclusion in FY26 and (2) an expanded strategic-budgeting review staff will lead to map multi-year needs and revenues. \"I would really like to have gone through with all the directors and kind of look at what they see as expenditures or needs over the next five years,\" Tyler said.

Councilmembers also emphasized the need to develop public-facing communications if the town chooses to pursue voter-approved revenue changes. One councilor warned that a poorly timed ballot question could harm future efforts; another argued the council should begin educating residents now.

Public comment at the meeting reflected those divisions. Resident Jessica Chambers urged the council to hire a municipal finance expert before pursuing tax changes; Joe Spiebel and other attendees urged the council to reduce or re-prioritize expenditures rather than raise taxes.

The council scheduled follow-up meetings: staff will return with detailed change-log numbers and with a timeline for the strategic-budgeting process; a joint session with Teton County is planned to coordinate shared items. The council agreed to continue the FY26 deliberations at its May 27 workshop and to meet with county officials on June 2 to discuss joint requests.

Looking ahead, the council signaled it wants a clearer multi-year plan before asking voters for new revenue. \"I see this coming year particularly being marked by the hiring of your new deputy as being a real transitional year,\" Councilman Regan said, urging a methodical approach.","Jackson Town Council continued its FY26 budget review, discussed aspirational expenditures and revenue options (including lodging and sales taxes), and agreed to pursue a strategic budgeting process that staff will develop this summer.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council discusses earmarking $1 million for depreciation and maintenance; asks staff for policy check before spending

Council weighs adding modest allocations for employee and community housing to change log

Council discusses one-time bridge support for Central Wyoming College and county property-tax refund program

Council backs keeping START vanpool and Teton Village summer express under review

Jackson council advances FY26 budget discussion, frames strategic budgeting process