East Point council adopts FY2026 budget, shifts oversight of council events to city manager

The East Point City Council on a special called meeting adopted its FY2026 operating budget and approved a reallocation of $8,225 from a Ward B at-large group insurance line item to Public Works, and moved supervision of council-sponsored events to the city manager's office.

Councilman Glover opened discussion by asking staff to explain legal and operational deadlines tied to the budget. The finance and administrative staff told the council that state law requires adoption of a balanced annual budget before the start of the fiscal year and that staff needed two to three hours to implement changes if the council delayed action. "There is Georgia law that mandates that every local government must adopt a balanced budget annually...prior to the beginning of the fiscal year," Councilman Glover said, quoting a memorandum included with the city manager's report.

The memorandum and staff briefing warned that failing to adopt the budget before the deadline could trigger monthly budget approvals under the city ordinance, create cash-flow pressure that might require using reserves or short-term borrowing to meet payroll, risk audit findings and harm the city's bond rating. "If we don't pass the budget tonight...it could affect our bond issuance," the council was told.

Nut graf: The council moved to conclude debate and act to meet a statutory deadline and avoid operational risks. After debate over council spending and public events — especially the Wednesday Wind Down concert series funded from hotel-motel revenue — the council voted to adopt the FY2026 budget with the two changes: an $8,225 reallocation to Public Works and transferring responsibility for council events to the city manager's office.

City staff presented the broad numbers for the proposed spending plan during the meeting. The ordinance and staff presentation listed a proposed general fund of about $70,000,005 and a grand total budget figure read aloud as $247,100,451. The staff also provided department-level totals during the briefing, including a police budget described on the record and the water/sewer and electric fund totals.

Much of the debate focused on discretionary spending included in the council and council-committee lines, where roughly $943,000 was identified as the council and clerk budget. Several council members urged trimming event spending and reallocating savings to direct services such as senior home repairs and expanded summer camp capacity. Council member Atkins proposed and secured an amendment to move $8,225 from Ward B's at-large group-insurance line (line item 100-1115-512.21) to Public Works for city facility improvements.

Council member Ziegler, who has organized Wednesday Wind Down, defended the event as a long-running, safe series funded primarily from hotel-motel revenue and sponsorships rather than the general fund. "Wednesday Wind Down comes from hotel motel money and we also get sponsorships," Ziegler said.

Council member Butler moved to adopt the budget with two changes: the $8,225 reallocation to Public Works and moving supervision of council events from the city clerk's office to the city manager's office. City Manager Redmond Jones said the administrative side could take responsibility for event coordination and seek efficiencies; he also proposed bringing a related discussion to an upcoming council retreat. The city attorney advised there was no legal barrier to moving event oversight between offices.

After a final round of discussion the council approved the budget as amended. The meeting then adjourned to an executive session on one legal item.

Ending: The council adopted the FY2026 budget and immediate next steps discussed on the record included internal coordination to implement the reallocation, and a council retreat to provide staff with additional direction on event strategy and efficiencies.