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City adopts 2025–26 budget and maintains tax rate at 0.853; council presses staff for multi‑year revenue and staffing plan
Summary
The Manor City Council adopted a balanced fiscal 2025–26 budget and voted to maintain the city’s ad valorem tax rate at 0.853. Council members requested follow‑up work on vacancies, staffing priorities, cybersecurity and multi‑year projections to fund upcoming facilities including a library and police relocation.
The Manor City Council adopted the fiscal 2025–26 budget and approved an ad valorem tax rate that remains at 0.853 per $100 of valuation.
Vilen Peña, the city’s finance director, told the council the proposed budget is balanced. The adopted general fund budget totals roughly $25.8 million, and the utilities budget totals about $9.4 million, according to staff. Council members praised staff for producing a balanced budget but pressed for follow‑up numbers on vacancies, personnel costs, long‑term maintenance of upcoming facilities and projections of new revenues tied to ongoing development.
Council members asked staff to provide a multi‑year forecast that ties expected new development (and the related water and utility connections, sales tax and ad valorem growth) to future staffing needs and recurring operating expenses such as library operations and building maintenance. One council member said a 30,000‑square‑foot library would carry recurring annual operating costs in the neighborhood of $2.2 million and urged the city to plan for ongoing operating costs in addition to capital outlay.
The budget adoption proceeded with a motion by Councilwoman Wallace, seconded by Councilman Moreno; the motion passed.
Council members also discussed vacancies. Staff reported about 125 employees citywide and noted challenges filling specialized roles, particularly purchasing and finance‑related positions. Staff proposed that departments could bring requests for reallocations or reclassifications based on market studies and recruitment results; council directed staff to return with a review of vacancies and recommendations on whether to reclassify or increase pay scales for hard‑to‑fill positions.
Council also approved an ordinance levying ad valorem taxes for the 2025–26 fiscal year with no change to the tax rate.
Staff said cybersecurity training and additional email authentication measures are in place and that IT continues to add safeguards. Council members asked staff to confirm line items and to return with any additional cybersecurity needs identified during the first quarter of the fiscal year.
The budget and tax ordinances passed as separate motions at the meeting.
