Gun Barrel City council approves $102,612 amendment to 2024–25 budget for operations, repairs and staffing

The Gun Barrel City Council on May 12 adopted ordinance O-2025-007 amending the fiscal year 2024–25 budget to incorporate a fund balance of $206,154 and to reallocate and reduce certain accounts for a net transfer the ordinance described as $102,612 to be allocated across departments.

City Manager Dr. Smith explained the council-approved list of adjustments previously discussed at a workshop. The ordinance directs moving $9,298 from the capital improvement fund, decreasing recovery of expenditures by $12,840, and using other fund-balance amounts to cover the listed needs.

Smith told the council the specific allocations discussed at the workshop included $12,687 for court-clerk insurance, a $10,000 workers-compensation audit adjustment, $12,841 to fund the city manager’s salary for three months (with EDC to continue monthly reimbursements per existing arrangements), $9,000 for one month of community-center operations already begun, and funds to replenish the fire department’s vehicle-maintenance account to replace amounts spent on an overhaul. Staff also listed an annual MuniDocs maintenance fee (noted as $375 per year), $35,000 to replace the Tamarack warning siren, and $10,000 to replace fence around the helipad. Smith said the animal-control officer’s hours could be increased back to 40 per week “if so decided by the police chief based on his call logs to dispatch.”

Councilmembers asked clarifying questions about the salary funding, the short-term rental-permit registration effort and enforcement, and the origin of some tax-tracking discrepancies. Smith said the city is working with a contractor, Avenue, to reconcile short-term rental listings and the city’s hotel-motel tax records; staff will send notices and begin citations to owners who do not register. Smith also reminded residents to report dog complaints to dispatch so the city can track incidents.

A motion to adopt ordinance O-2025-007 was made, seconded by Councilmember Jacobs, and adopted by the council with Burns, Evans, Jacobs and Carson recorded as voting yes.

The ordinance amends ordinance O-2024-023 (which adopted the FY 2024–25 budget) to reflect the changes; the council provided direction for staff to continue implementation and monitoring. No additional appropriations beyond the items listed were approved in the meeting record.