Shepherdsville City Council on Monday continued second readings of three amendments to the city’s fiscal 2024–25 budgets and heard a detailed administration explanation of why the figures now differ from the adopted ordinance.

Mayor Jose Cabero said the city will present the council with line‑by‑line explanations for nine accounts that exceeded their budget and emphasized improved monthly reporting going forward. “We were 2 and a half million dollars over our projected revenue piece. On the expense side of it, we were 2 and a half million dollars less,” Cabero said, later adding the council will be provided “an itemized list of all of those items moving forward.”

The changes before council include ordinance 025031 (general fund amendment) and two sewer‑budget amendments (025032 and 025033). City staff walked through updated revenues and appropriations, showing higher occupational and property tax receipts and adjustments across departments: fire, police, public works, and capital projects tied to the $30 million capital program that funds the aquatic center, amphitheater and other park projects.

Why it matters: Council members pushed for clarity about the city’s authority to amend a budget after the close of the fiscal year and for assurances that the council would be told in advance when line items are expected to go over. Cabero said the city did not raise taxes during the period and credited staff for controlling expenses while the city’s growth raised revenues.

What the council heard
Mayor Cabero identified nine budget lines that exceeded appropriations, including fire payroll and expenses related to flood response in April for which FEMA reimbursement is still pending. He said three of the nine overages were in the fire department, one was a council general liability line, and others related to AC repairs, fleet rental costs for the police department and furniture purchases for city offices.

Cabero also described improved transparency: council members will receive monthly bank statements and line‑by‑line reports of the $30 million capital borrowing and will be notified when staff anticipate any line item will go over appropriations. “We are going to amend it anytime we think we’re going to go over budget,” he said.

Legal question about amending a closed fiscal year
Council member Rob (last name not stated) and others pressed whether the city can legally amend a budget after the fiscal year ended. Council member Mike cited guidance he said he had from the Kentucky League of Cities (KLC) noting statutory limits against after‑the‑fact spending. Cabero said he called KLC and “reached out to Jamie Cheney” who told him cities in practice do amend budgets afterward to record actual numbers; Cabero also said he spoke to KLC president Jay King who supported reviewing the numbers and documenting the actual results.

Council discussion returned frequently to process: several members urged the administration to bring amendments earlier in the fiscal year when overages become apparent, while others noted some overages only appear when the fiscal year closes and final invoices post. Cabero and staff said they will bring the council detailed line‑item analyses and expect only one anticipated overage this year (a planned fire truck purchase).

Formal actions
- Ordinance 025031 (amendment to the city general fund budget for 07/01/2024–06/30/2025) was read as the second reading and remained on the agenda for final action; the council heard the ordinance text and discussion but the transcript records the item as a second reading and the matter will be finalized at the next meeting.
- Ordinance 025032 (amending the sewer operation and maintenance budget for 07/01/2024–06/30/2025) was read and moved; in roll call the council recorded mixed votes (Bonnie: yes; Brad: yes; Faith: yes; Jennifer: no; Rob: no) and the ordinance passed the council’s vote as recorded in the meeting minutes.
- Ordinance 025033 (amending the sewer budget for 07/01/2025–06/30/2026) was given first reading; the council set a second reading for its next regular meeting.

The administration also presented ordinance 025034, a technical correction to an annexation ordinance to align the legal description and acreage with a licensed professional land surveyor’s description; that matter was introduced and set for the required later reading.

What remains unresolved
Council members requested written documentation from the administration: the detailed nine‑line overage list, any KLC guidance the administration relied on about after‑the‑fact amendments, and clear forecast procedures so the council can act before lines overrun appropriations. Cabero committed to providing those materials and said staff will come to council “anytime we think we’re going to go over budget.”

Ending note
Council members emphasized process improvements and oversight as the council moves toward final votes on the ordinances at the next meeting. The administration said the city’s excess revenue and underspending on expenses created an overall positive picture but still requires ordinance amendments to reflect actual operations for the fiscal year.