Bossier City budget draft shows healthy fund balance, proposes 2% raises and capital transfers

Bossier City staff presented a draft 2026 budget that shows a $57,241,155 fund balance as of Dec. 31, 2024, projects adding roughly $2 million during 2025 and proposes 2% salary increases for fire, police and municipal employees in 2026.

The budget presentation, led by budget staff including Miss Nottingham with supporting figures from Molly Haugen, the city controller, said the administration is recognizing an increase in projected sales tax receipts (about 4.5%) and rolling several property millages forward in the revenue estimate. Nottingham said the millage roll-forward adds roughly $800,000 to projected revenue but noted the city may not need to adopt the full millages if collections exceed expectations midyear.

City staff stressed the municipality remains above the ordinance-required 15% fund-balance threshold (about $12 million). Nottingham said the administration expects to have “nearly $60,000,000 by the end of the year.” The draft also reflects a projected decrease in retirement costs (about $236,000 overall) and a one-time savings in general insurance premiums after an internal review that reduced premiums by “in all over $3,500,000” (staff clarified a premium savings in the low millions).

Salary and staffing: City staff explained that 2026 budgeted salary increases are 2% for fire, police and municipal employees; the combined cost for police and fire is “a little over $800,000,” with municipal employee increases about $333,000, for a total increase of roughly $1.1 million. Nottingham said portions of prior raises were covered from fund balance in 2025 and therefore appear larger when fully recognized in the 2026 budget.

Capital and other funds: The budget would transfer a portion of parkway capital to the general fund to cover expenses related to raises and other costs, and staff reported riverboat capital is largely used for debt service (netting roughly $2.5 million next year). Sales-tax capital revenue is shown in the draft at about $9,741,400 and will continue to fund vehicle and capital purchases for departments. Staff also noted a debt-refunding change that reduces riverboat fund debt service by about $375,000.

Organizational changes in the draft include creating a new department to consolidate property tax and license accounting (one position from finance and two from sales tax administration), combining long-unfilled laborer positions into a single public-works position (net neutral for headcount) and recognizing a building-maintenance supervisor as a department head where the charter requires it.

Next steps: Staff reminded the council that a public hearing on the budget is scheduled for Oct. 7, with adoption at first reading on Oct. 7 and second reading on Oct. 23. Nottingham said the administration will accept written questions and that council amendments should be submitted to the clerk before adoption to allow staff time to evaluate changes.

Ending: The draft budget contains multiple proposed changes that would require ordinance amendments and later council action; staff recommended additional scrutiny of midyear revenue before finalizing millage decisions.