Council hears wide range of Fiscal Year 2025–26 supplemental requests; staff recommends using unused voter‑approval increment for streets

The Mineral Wells City Council spent extended time reviewing supplemental requests that staff will include in the proposed Fiscal Year 2025–26 budget, including a set of capital purchases, facility repairs and personnel requests across public works, parks and recreation, library, water and wastewater divisions.

Front‑of‑mind for council members was how to pay for deferred street work. City staff recommended the no‑new‑revenue tax rate of 0.5717881 as the baseline and outlined an option to use the voter‑approval rate plus the city’s unused increment (roughly 4¢) for one year to direct an additional amount — staff estimated just under $500,000 — to street improvements. City Manager Will Weeks said that combination “represents the deferred maintenance” and would create nearly $1.5 million for streets next year when combined with the current $800,000 street budget and other proposed additions.

Key budget clarifications: Weeks said the city expects to receive roughly $800,000 in one‑time funds returned from employer insurance premium savings (vacant positions) that can be used for one‑time capital purchases. For some items staff said financing (multi‑year…