Bruceville‑Eddy council debates proposed 2025–26 budget, keeps 3% COLA and pauses TMRS increase; adds Friendly Oaks item

Bruceville‑Eddy — City officials on Aug. 4 presented a proposed fiscal 2025–26 budget that would fully fund current operations, raise the municipal property tax rate by 1¢ to 47¢ per $100 of valuation and draw on reserve funds for several capital projects, City Administrator Kent Manton said.

Manton said the proposed 47¢ rate “fully funds our current operations. It does increase the property tax rate by about 1¢ per $100 evaluation,” and estimated that the change would increase taxes by about $25 a year on a $250,000 home.

The proposal funds continued construction and early operating costs for the new sewer system, a package of water‑system improvements and street maintenance priorities, officials said. Council received a detailed review of reserve balances and potential pulls from those balances: $387,142 planned from the general fund and $546,492 from the water fund to balance the proposed budget as presented, Manton said. He also pointed to the sewer fund’s current outstanding debt—about $16 million—and said some sewer expenses remain unknown until the system begins operations.

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