Budget workshop outlines proposed 2025-26 budget, phase‑2 salary study and staffing additions

At a budget workshop in August 2025, city staff presented draft numbers for the 2025‑26 budget, including a proposed roughly $305,000 phase‑2 implementation of a prior salary study that staff said would amount to about a 5% across‑the‑board increase in general‑fund employee wages. Tammy, a finance staff member, and other department staff outlined revenue estimates, proposed transfers to program funds, capital project funding and staffing changes, and set a public hearing and ordinance adoption for Sept. 22.

The budget matters because it proposes recurring wage changes and program transfers that affect core services and projects across the city, including public safety, library operations and transportation projects. The presentation also flagged higher projected costs for health insurance, utilities and property insurance that could affect fiscal flexibility.

City staff summarized the package as fund‑by‑fund highlights and the largest proposed items. “We made a determination or a goal to go ahead and have the phase 2 of that study to go ahead and be implemented, which is approximately a $305,000 increase. This is just in the general fund,” a staff member said during the presentation. The staff member added: “that’s an approximate 5% increase for all employees across the board.”

Staff also described revenue assumptions…