[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-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],{"_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",6197535,"mediaKeyId","3851102-b0d0803b6128c7ca9bacc2bc279adf42","parentId",3851102,"title","Sierra Vista to move employees from PPO to EPO plan; council budgets to split insurance increase with reserves and employees","audioSeconds",240,"startMs",2513000,"endMs",2753000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3851102-b0d0803b6128c7ca9bacc2bc279adf42&start=2513&end=2753","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3851102-b0d0803b6128c7ca9bacc2bc279adf42/thumbnail_2513000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6197535/Arizona/Sierra-Vista-to-move-employees-from-PPO-to-EPO-plan-council-budgets-to-split-insurance-increase-with-reserves-and-employees","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6197535-2b86a1e03a6d5b832f6bdde7cb7a30a9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437033&Signature=feOJKgDUxtYvOgc1~dj7mRHFrlzz1B~cNbIPbhRJ8L-deraQgov70McbJoUevyrSWj71baj2p0htst35i5kEKIx5YARBRL4-1w-D8EilUkiS93EvJqScN9UhiAXdOMYX6fQ8wbsHDKWcLJzfw4ML5o72eeM826lab3r6h2XS0c7kN4KSHcEDmUlX6ZfS1xc3dLUIbuCWuGmTCQoNFt2U2rOaWr7tJo2XVU-~YVZYuJhF~fS~hNueampPx8P2uYixi07oPpljm046yHIcRw8jsXIVJfc0mGl5iPuJWqHSa2lxk~1mVjYYerqJma4DWoiBvGEr3n934ni-wWNzLDi46Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Sierra Vista City, AZ","date","2025-06-17T17:36:57.657Z","article","City staff told the council the proposed FY2026 budget includes changes to employee health coverage and personnel costs. Kenzie (HR staff) said, “starting with the new fiscal year, all employees who are currently on the PPO will be changed to the EPO.” Kenzie further explained the EPO option remains on the Blue Cross Blue Shield network and will pay for in-state and out-of-state providers as in-network when those providers participate with Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Chuck (city manager) said the city engaged a benefits consultant from Gallagher after several catastrophic employee claims that significantly raised insurance costs. To limit the immediate effect on employees’ pay raises, Chuck said staff and consultants structured premium increases so about one-third of the increase is absorbed by the city budget, about one-third by the city’s insurance reserve, and about one-third by employees. “We came up with, basically a split of, about a third of the increase, being taken up by an increase in budget, from the city, a third coming from the reserve we have... and then only a third of the increase, was being borne by the employees,” he said.

Victoria (budget staff) said the FY26 personnel plan also includes a 2% step increase for all employees and reclassifications or market adjustments for several positions (police records clerks, IT system administrators, code enforcement officers, among others). She also noted an increase in the city’s PSPRS retirement contribution of about $87,000 for FY26 to a total contribution “just under $7,600,000.” Victoria emphasized that retirement contribution rates are set by PSPRS and ASRS and are outside the city’s direct control.

Council members asked clarifying questions about whether the change to an EPO would reduce providers available to employees in rural areas. Kenzie and Chuck said the EPO will operate on the Blue Cross Blue Shield network and should expand in- and out-of-state access compared with the prior plan, and staff reiterated the city kept the high-deductible design.

Staff said they will continue to monitor claims and plan performance and that they used reserves to moderate the employee share of the increase so employees still receive at least part of the planned pay adjustments.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Special Work Session (budget) | 06.16.25","oneSentenceSummary","City staff told the council that all employees on the PPO will be switched to an EPO Blue Cross Blue Shield plan starting with the new fiscal year and that the budget absorbs roughly one-third of a planned insurance increase while a third will come from reserves and a third from employees.","taxTitle","Sierra Vista, Cochise County, Arizona","taxId",37671,"location","Arizona","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},6197541,"Council shifts Roadrunner Park construction to fund $5.8 million Sierra Vista Golf Center energy project",208,981000,1189000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3851102-b0d0803b6128c7ca9bacc2bc279adf42&start=981&end=1189","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3851102-b0d0803b6128c7ca9bacc2bc279adf42/thumbnail_981000.jpg","/articles/6197541/Arizona/Council-shifts-Roadrunner-Park-construction-to-fund-58-million-Sierra-Vista-Golf-Center-energy-project","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6197541-770ef3990fc8b2f46977002c44b05d81/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437033&Signature=bzpsA2sYmRG99O3KWNj8MEywyTmpTjPDDm8B9EZbhXoVgSgpGF46oE5rPgpGfqZTwdVy039sdnEuX2s1hN-d~SDUs~sEfKihfzxJCXJfckcmuez0S4L3gw2KjDpfyINT62tJxJOAz9ZkcPlHudxHnGLXnqTdL1WZgOBPuWXOQjRHxbIxkJFbYfPxHVZpEykCO7JOmHZZLulT-nXI3hcuCPaCgnvVGb12bKKgV8V0rNdF8txIMLK05G~r953lAeytMYPD0uFOgo9LT9hGvG4HWQDyb~ZJ2wyLVoH7XW0tUlG9R66-X021YAeT7U9AIbbHgGqZLSGSUrEXbxPVnQBdUA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff told the City Council they plan to delay Roadrunner Park construction for one year and reallocate capital improvement funds to an energy-savings project at the Sierra Vista Golf Center (SVGC) after discovering much higher-than-expected utility costs at the golf facility.

Victoria (budget staff) told the council that electricity costs tied to the golf course wells have been “skyrocketing,” running roughly $13,000 to $16,000 a month and that the front-9 well is old and likely needs replacement. Victoria said a past estimate from Castle and Cooke placed a new well around $700,000, but she noted that estimate is roughly two years old and will need updated costing.

Because design work for Roadrunner Park will take at least another year, staff proposed swapping Roadrunner Park’s construction funding into an energy-savings project at the golf course. The proposal relies in part on a larger-than-expected rebate from the prior Schneider Electric solar covered-parking project: staff said the rebate came in at about $1,300,000, higher than an earlier $750,000 estimate. Victoria described a preliminary, very rough total estimate for the combined energy project — including a replacement well, a potential solar installation, and water-use optimization — of about $5,800,000.

Victoria said staff plan to remove a previously budgeted Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant match (described in the presentation as $1,500,000) and other Roadrunner Park construction line items to free funds. She explained staff would allocate $100,000 of the $1,300,000 rebate to additional design for Roadrunner Park and apply the remaining rebate and available carryover to the golf-course energy project.

Paradigm, the golf-course management company, has assumed operational costs for course operations under its contract; staff said the rising electrical and supplemental water costs — the city has paid about $40,000 a year to supplement water from Pueblo Del Sol Water Company for the old well — have strained that arrangement. Victoria said staff want to help Paradigm reduce ongoing energy and water costs so the management contract can be sustainable.

Councilmember Rodriguez asked about the $700,000 well estimate; Victoria repeated that the Castle and Cooke figure is two years old and staff will do their own due diligence. A council member expressed sympathy for Paradigm’s situation as summer temperatures rise and noted electricity costs have increased since April.

Staff characterized the $5.8 million figure as a working, very rough estimate developed quickly for council discussion; they said further study and competitive procurement of design/construction teams will follow if council approves reallocation.

","City staff proposed delaying Roadrunner Park construction for a year and reallocating funds and a large solar rebate to a roughly $5.8 million energy savings and well-replacement project at the Sierra Vista Golf Center amid sharply higher utility costs for the course.",{"_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},6197546,"Sierra Vista presents balanced $125 million FY2026 budget; no general tax increase",1112,622000,1734000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3851102-b0d0803b6128c7ca9bacc2bc279adf42&start=622&end=1734","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3851102-b0d0803b6128c7ca9bacc2bc279adf42/thumbnail_622000.jpg","/articles/6197546/Arizona/Sierra-Vista-presents-balanced-125-million-FY2026-budget-no-general-tax-increase","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6197546-c1b812419625dac1a9a6298d2a390ab9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437033&Signature=KSF7aajr1BcY1pjarXeXMcg4~RnCMNuYvjenLOjmCOUtgl-G~Mh8HyvoUChBZK~KMYiG122rMClxSBee-nIodgg~EVWPb4dqQXqGWQWtqyLvcqThaTXGO-ioD6b-ieIe9OajHwquvsxvAlFzPPyUFSTVS5GJsEUZrbwHX6c6p4z~KqOOaHEc4BV1ks8w3x5CHt0RgpMfPrxTemTXOeDrH631ADw7wPoBQPM2CO4oloTuopYDZdQa3yjXmd44v6sDsUz45XJSa8GJkYkH77z3FIGIFZHULLZJF6IXK-KpVk6DfqJhB8bRz13NIFyEd8jqCEp-i-7QOHEV2e8J~BxysA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sierra Vista city staff presented a proposed fiscal year 2026 budget to the City Council that is balanced at just over $125,000,000 and does not include any general fund tax increases. City Manager Chuck (city manager) opened the presentation and said, “The budget, before you is balanced at, $125,000,000,” and then turned the presentation over to Victoria (budget staff) for details.

The budget team told the council the city faces flat sales tax growth and legislative changes that have reduced parts of the local tax base, particularly rental taxes, putting pressure on capital projects and wages. Victoria described a series of last-minute adjustments to state-shared revenue and other carryovers and said staff made changes to carryover projects such as Fire Station 2 and the airport AWOS weather system to balance the plan.

Why it matters: the document sets the city’s spending cap for the fiscal year and defines the ceiling the council will use for tentative and final adoption. Staff warned that numbers could still change before final adoption but said next steps include tentative budget adoption next week, a property tax hearing and final budget adoption on July 24, and tax levy adoption on Aug. 14.

Major shifts in the draft budget include a $50,000,000 net reduction in the HEERF fund driven by removal of two large grant assumptions: the previously budgeted RAISE grant and a $25,000,000 Buffalo Soldier Trail appropriation. Victoria said staff removed the appropriations from the FY26 plan because even if the city were awarded those funds, they would not be received for several years. The general fund was reported to be only about $61,000 higher than last year’s general fund total.

City staff also reported updated figures from the League of Arizona Cities and Towns that lowered some state shared revenue estimates; staff increased the Vehicle Licensing Tax (VLT) estimate where actuals supported it. On debt, Victoria said a slide contained an error and that outstanding debt for fiscal year 2026 should be about $28,500,000; staff will correct that before the council adopts the final budget.

Staff described technical budget adjustments across funds: increased carryover for certain airport projects, adjustments to transit indirect-cost calculations that generated a small increase in federal funding match, and changes in how multi-year grant matches will be budgeted to avoid over-budgeting matches in years when projects are not yet spent.

Council members asked clarifying questions during the presentation about franchise-fee declines, the sources behind changes in shared revenue, and the timing of capital projects. Councilmember Rodriguez asked staff to verify franchise fee numbers and to provide further detail on specific capital project timelines. Mayor Pro Tem Humphrey asked about using state budget appropriations that might become available for the airport spaceport license; staff said the state House and Senate proposals differ and final amounts remain uncertain.

The council’s next formal steps are a tentative adoption on the following council meeting, the July 24 property tax hearing and final budget adoption, and the Aug. 14 tax levy adoption.

","City staff told the City Council the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget is balanced at just over $125 million, reflects flat sales tax growth, no proposed general fund tax increase, and removes two large grant assumptions; tentative adoption is next week and final hearings run through August.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Sierra Vista to move employees from PPO to EPO plan; council budgets to split insurance increase with reserves and employees

Council shifts Roadrunner Park construction to fund $5.8 million Sierra Vista Golf Center energy project

Sierra Vista presents balanced $125 million FY2026 budget; no general tax increase