Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Fy2026 Operating Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Buckman board forwards FY2026 operating budget and MR&R contributions to city and county with board approval
Summary
The Buckman Direct Diversion Board approved and recommended the FY2026 operating budget and major repair and replacement contributions to the Santa Fe City Council and Santa Fe County Commission; the proposal budgets about $8.79 million for operations and requests approximately $1.79 million in MR&R contributions.
The Buckman Direct Diversion Board voted April 3 to approve and forward the Buckman FY2026 proposed operating budget and major repair and replacement (MR&R) fund contributions to the City of Santa Fe and Santa Fe County for their budget processes.
Kurt Travers of CliftonLarsonAllen presented the budget and said the proposed operating budget for FY2026 totals $8,786,157 for operations and includes third-party reimbursements and rebates. Travers told the board the FY2026 request increases by $273,810 from FY2025 adopted budget and includes a higher chemicals line driven by market costs; the emergency reserve fund target remains at $2 million and the MR&R proposed contribution is about $1,786,519.
Staff explained assumptions underlying cost-share allocations based on partner volumetric estimates and noted personnel costs remain the largest single category of expenditures. Nancy and HR staff clarified that the packet used the city’s February salary file and did not include any additional salary phase-in proposals; if the city implements further pay changes in its finalized budget the numbers would be reflected when the budget returns to the board for final approval.
Board members asked detailed questions about vacancies (the packet listed 36 FTEs and 19 vacancies in the staffing ladder) and how chemical price volatility had been handled in prior years. Staff said vacancy-savings and other line-item variance had absorbed increases historically, and that the MR&R balance with the proposed contribution would leave a projected fund balance of about $4.66 million for FY2026.
The board voted to approve the FY2026 operating budget and to recommend it to the Santa Fe County Board of County Commissioners and the City of Santa Fe City Council. The roll-call vote was unanimous among members present.
Ending: Staff will forward the approved budget package and the MR&R contribution recommendation to the city and county for inclusion in their budget processes and will return to the board for final approval after partner adoption.
