Sanford Commission adopts 2025 millage, 2026 budget and updates transfer authority

Mayor Art Woodruff and the Sanford City Commission unanimously adopted the city's final 2025 millage rate and the 2026 budget during a public hearing on Sept. 22, 2025. The commission also approved a correction to a budget-resolution provision expanding the city manager's authority to approve intra-departmental transfers up to $75,000 per item.

The vote followed a presentation from Cindy Lindsey, Sanford's finance director, who told the commission the proposed millage rate is 7.325. "I just wanted to let you know that the 7.325 is a 6.8049 increase over the rollback rate of 6.8583," Lindsey said during the hearing. The commission had previously received and vetted the budget at workshops and in July when staff and directors reviewed it.

The adoption came at the commission's second public hearing on the millage and budget. Lindsey said the document had been reviewed by staff, department directors, the city manager and the commission. With no public speakers on the matter, commissioners moved and seconded the budget and millage resolutions and voted to approve them.

Commissioners also approved Resolution 3417 with an administrative correction clarifying the dollar threshold for transfers that the city manager may approve, and Resolution 3418 formally adopting the 2026 budget. City staff thanked department directors and the city manager for additional review work in the weeks before final adoption.

The actions finalize the city's revenue and spending plan for the coming fiscal year and authorize the city manager limited authority to move budgeted funds between departments up to the stated threshold. The commission did not discuss any changes to the millage rate at the Sept. 22 hearing.