Newberry approves $75.1 million FY2025–26 budget; staff presentation and resolution record slightly differ on millage rate

The City of Newberry City Commission on Sept. 22 adopted the city’s fiscal year 2025–26 final budget and approved a final millage rate after a required public hearing. Commissioners voted unanimously to pass the resolutions that finalize the budget and levy ad valorem taxes. Dallas Lee, assistant city manager and chief financial officer, led the staff presentation and described the budget as “balanced” and positioned to support major capital projects.

The budget matters because it funds the city’s operating needs, utilities and planned capital investments, including a planned $10,000,000 utility relocation for the State Road 26 Twin Pairs project and what staff described as the city’s largest-ever capital project, a regional wastewater treatment plant expansion. Lee told the commission Newberry’s taxable value grew about 8 percent to nearly $884 million, allowing staff to recommend a lower rate in some presentations while preserving capacity for the projects.

Most of the hearing consisted of staff explanations of the TRIM notice process, the proposed millage and the budget totals. Lee said the city’s combined “revenues and other financing sources available” total $75,124,284, with $8,414,344 carried forward in reserves. He said the proposed general fund budget is $15,277,194; enterprise funds total $52,513,850; debt service totals $402,650; special revenue funds total $4,983,138; capital improvement funds $190,262; and internal service funds $1,757,190. Lee also presented household utility impacts staff estimated at about $5 more per month for electric, $4 for water and $6 for wastewater for an average household.

On millage, staff repeatedly described the proposed final millage as 5.88 mills and noted that figure is 3.16% higher than the rollback rate of 5.6995 mills. Later in the record the city attorney read language stating the commission had determined “a proposed final millage rate of 5.8088 mills is necessary.” The commission nevertheless voted to adopt the title-only resolutions presented that evening. Resolution 2025-44 (adopting the final tax rate) and Resolution 2025-45 (approving the final budget and five-year capital improvement program) were both moved and seconded on the dais and passed by unanimous voice vote.

City Manager (name not specified) thanked the finance team and department heads for their work in shaping what he called a difficult but necessary budget. He and Lee emphasized that the budget is intended to maintain services and prepare Newberry for several large infrastructure projects the commission identified as priorities, including an elevated half-million-gallon water storage tank east of downtown, a new utilities and public works operations center, and a second electric feed to improve system resilience.

No taxpayer comments were offered during the public comment portion of the hearing. The commission approved the budget after the staff presentation and brief internal discussion. The commission also authorized staff to make technical changes as needed to finalize documents for the official record.

Ending: The adopted resolutions set Newberry’s FY2025–26 spending plan in motion and fund a string of multi-year infrastructure projects staff described as foundational to the city’s growth. The record contains two different millage figures presented at different moments of the meeting (5.88 mills in the staff presentation and 5.8088 mills in the ordinance language read aloud); the commission adopted the budget and tax-rate resolutions as presented on Sept. 22.