Germantown trustees opt for committee-level review to shape 2026 budget, set Sept. 2 kickoff

The Village of Germantown General Government Finance Committee voted unanimously to recommend that initial reviews of the proposed 2026 budget be handled at the standing-committee level and that the Village Board hold an initial budget review on Sept. 2.

Finance Director Matthew Usidin told trustees that in June staff had identified an approximately $600,000 gap between projected revenues and expenses for 2026; as departments submitted detailed budgets, staff narrowed that gap to roughly $350,000. Usidin said he and the village administrator will meet with departments over the next two weeks and plan to present a balanced budget to the Village Board on Sept. 15.

Trustees expressed a strong preference for Option 2 in staff materials, which would have each standing committee vet the budgets for the departments they oversee—General Government & Finance for finance, clerk and administration; Public Works for public works and utilities; and Public Safety for police and fire—then forward recommendations to a final committee-of-the-whole for action. Trustee Kaminski said the committee process produces more meaningful review and asked for a special Public Works meeting as soon as next week to examine equipment requests and an asset-management report.

“Any piece of equipment that anybody wants, why they need it, how old is the old piece,” Kaminski said, describing the level of detail she expects from committee review.

Trustee Kutz and Trustee Jan Miller voiced agreement with committee-level review. Several trustees noted scheduling constraints: the village administrator and at least two trustees will be unavailable for part of September and October, increasing the benefit of moving key review work to committee meetings early in September.

Usidin cautioned that reviewing department budgets prior to presentation of a formally balanced budget has limited value because some revenue numbers remain uncertain; he said some state aid figures typically do not arrive until September or early October. He agreed, however, to accelerate the timeline and planned to try to present the balanced budget at the Sept. 2 meeting if possible and to distribute the packet electronically over the weekend before that meeting.

Other budget-related items discussed at the meeting included:

- Asset and capital needs: Trustees asked for an asset management report on vehicles and equipment; capital borrowing typically funds large purchases and vehicle replacements. - Contracts and accounting systems: Staff said contracts are being tracked in the Tyler Munis financial system and that retainage is being held open on some 2024 DPW contracts pending final inspection. - An RFP for municipal adviser and municipal investment services: staff reviewed submissions internally and will expand the review team before making a committee recommendation. - Revenue tracking: Usidin said community development building-permit and recreation revenues are tracking $40,000–$50,000 ahead of last year at this point; third-quarter utility bills will be mailed at the end of next month.

The committee then approved a motion—moved by Trustee Kaminski and seconded by Trustee Kutz—to send the committee-level review recommendation and a Sept. 2 Village Board budget kickoff to the full board. The motion passed unanimously.

Public comment at the start of the meeting included a resident urging the village to be more "financially conservative" and to limit spending on projects such as sewers in other communities and new paths; trustees and staff responded during the budget discussion by noting that expenditures must be adopted in the annual budget and that spending outside the approved budget requires separate approval.

Next steps: staff will meet with departments over the coming weeks, attempt to present a balanced budget for the Sept. 2 board packet (with formal presentation aimed for Sept. 15), and conduct committee-level budget reviews in early September per the trustees’ direction.