Webster Groves manager outlines FY2026 budget that would use reserves for stormwater, keep pay increases for staff

Webster Groves City Manager Dr. Peebles presented the proposed fiscal 2026 budget to the City Council on April 15, saying the proposal reflects strategic priorities while relying on some reserve spending to begin stormwater repairs and to finish park projects funded by Prop W. "The budget is the foundation that supports all of the work that we do," Dr. Peebles told the council.

The proposed all‑funds budget reflects an expected drop in one‑time bond and Prop W receipts that pushed all‑fund revenues down compared with the previous year. Finance Director Gregory Donovan told the council the city faces a roughly $1.18 million general‑fund shortfall at the manager's proposal — a gap he said in part reflects conservative revenue assumptions and planned spending on one‑time projects. "Please hold me to that. If I get too carried away, just say, Gregory, stop," Donovan said while reviewing revenue risks.

Why it matters: the budget sets operating and capital priorities — including starting the stormwater master‑plan projects, continuing Prop W park work, and funding employee compensation adjustments — and it determines whether the city will use reserves to…