The Jasper City Council approved a $38,700,000 general-fund budget and associated measures after a presentation by city staff, a move council members said preserves a surplus and positions the city to compete for grant matches.

City staff told the council the budget includes a full 3% step pay increase for employees effective in January and will cover 85% of the added employee health-insurance cost, which the presenter described as “about another $744 a year for every employee's health insurance.” The budget also includes a direct appropriation of $3,700,000 to Jasper City Schools and roughly $3,000,000 in city payments toward debt service for the new Jasper High School.

The presenter also said the budget raises roughly $1,000,000 for a new paving plan and $500,000 for capital improvements. The presenter described the overall package as a $38,700,000 revenue budget in the general fund with about $1,500,000 in receipts from special-revenue funds.

Mayor said the council’s action preserves a budget surplus that will help the city provide required matching funds for infrastructure grants, noting some matches range from 20% to 50% and that having matching funds “allows us to be in the queue to get grants to help with our infrastructure.”

Council members voted unanimously to approve the budget. The council also approved a related budget amendment by unanimous consent earlier in the meeting; the amendment fixes items that had been discussed in a prior work session and regular meeting and were described by staff as corrections to the published permit-fee document.

The council did not identify any further conditions tied to the adoption during the meeting. The city indicated the employee pay increase will be implemented in January and the budgeted school and paving expenditures will be included in next year’s appropriation cycle.

The council chair closed discussion after the unanimous vote; Mayor and staff said the budget positions the city to pursue federal and state infrastructure grants that require local matches and maintains the city’s surplus for uncertain times.