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La Plata council adopts FY2026 financial plan, approves LEOPs evaluation and a 1.5% employee bonus
Summary
The Town Council adopted the FY2026 financial plan (Ordinance 25-05) and approved adding a 1.5% employee bonus and funding for an evaluation of LEOPs (approximately $7,305). The vote on the amended budget was unanimous.
The La Plata Town Council on May 27 adopted Ordinance 25-05, the town's FY2026 financial plan, and unanimously approved two additions to the plan: a 1.5% one-time bonus for town employees and funding to initiate an evaluation of LEOPs (a compensation/organizational evaluation). Council members voted 5–0 to adopt the budget with those additions.
Councilman Taejon Johnson moved to adopt the FY2026 financial plan with the additions; the motion was seconded and approved unanimously. During discussion staff identified the expected cost of the 1.5% bonus at $110,795 and the cost to initiate the LEOPs evaluation at $7,305. Town staff said the bonus would be “distributed by the town manager” with department heads' input once the manager arrives.
Finance Director Ms. Larson walked the council through major budget items and answered questions about reserves, cash balances and the treatment of capital projects. She told the council that the town is audited annually and that audited financial statements for the last 10 years are available on the town website. On the question whether current projections show an end-of-year deficit (without transfers or reserve draws), Ms. Larson said, “I do not believe so,” citing higher-than-expected investment earnings and revenue/expense amendments that have offset some gaps.
Council members used the adoption vote to add the LEOPs evaluation and the 1.5% bonus into the FY2026 plan rather than voting on them as separate standalone items. Director of Human Resources Kennedy confirmed the LEOPs initiation cost of $7,305. All five council members—Mayor Janine James and councilmen Paul Guttenberg, Patrick McCormick, Gregory Sampson and Taejon Johnson—voted in favor.
With the financial plan adopted and the additions approved, staff will proceed with the LEOPs evaluation procurement and implement the employee bonus according to the town manager's guidance. The council requested staff to track and report the fiscal effects of the bonus and the study in future financial reports.
