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Mayville council reduces city administrator pay, narrows 2026 general fund shortfall
Summary
The Mayville Common Council approved trimming $40,000 from the city administrator wages and made a series of adjustments to the draft 2026 general administration budget to reduce an estimated $74,000 shortfall after an unexpected insurance increase.
The Mayville Common Council voted Tuesday to reduce the city administrator wages and benefits line by $40,000 and otherwise approved adjustments to the draft 2026 general administration budget as officials sought to close a roughly $74,000 gap created after an insurance cost increase.
Council members said updated insurance figures showed a roughly 20% increase to property insurance costs for the coming year, adding about $13,007.67 to the general administration line and lifting the general fund portion of the budget by about $158,879 from an earlier estimate. That change, together with other estimates, left the council projecting a $70,000–$80,000 deficit that must be addressed before final budget adoption.
The council’s action — motioned by Alderperson Smith and seconded (second not specified on the record) — reduced the city administrator pay line and left council staff to pursue further line-item adjustments and potential reassignments of costs (for example, moving the Charter/Internet account into a city hall line). The motion passed on a roll call with Alderperson Smith and Alderperson Henkel voting aye, Alderperson Newman voting no, and Alderperson Olsen voting aye.
Why it matters: Council members said penalties from state requirements and the need to publish and adopt a tax levy on schedule make it critical to produce a balanced tentative budget. Staff warned that missing publication deadlines would force a special meeting and could delay proper notice for the public hearing and tax roll deadlines.
Council and staff discussion and follow-ups
Controller/Treasurer Baker and finance staff reported the insurance increase and additional line-item impacts, including small increases to utility budgets in enterprise and internal service funds. Staff identified potential savings of about $3,400 by adjusting phone/Charter billing allocations. Council discussed moving Charter (telephone/Internet) costs out of departmental budgets into a city hall line to reduce variability across departments.
Council members also discussed the timing for adoption: if unresolved, a special finance meeting could be held before the regular council meeting, but publication and notice schedules may require a later special council meeting to act on the budget and hold the public hearing. Staff said some state deadlines for tax roll and billing production must be met.
Ending
Council approved the revised draft of the general administration budget and a motion to reduce the city administrator pay line; staff will return with any further revisions and with options for the charter/Internet allocation and other line-item changes ahead of final budget adoption.
