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Board of Aldermen trims FY26 budget; prioritizes staff raises and modern records
Summary
The Board of Aldermen presented a smaller FY26 budget that preserves staff raises, cuts several contract and supply lines, and plans to implement meeting-management software and a digitization project with the Missouri Secretary of State.
The Board of Aldermen presented a proposed FY26 operating budget to the Budget & Public Employees Committee on May 8 and described modest reductions aimed at preserving staff salaries while trimming nonessential contract and supply spending.
The board’s proposed FY26 total is $5,493,651, a slight decrease from the FY25 adopted budget, the board president told the committee. Personnel services remain the largest part of the budget; regular employee salaries are budgeted at about $3,000,596 and reflect the citywide 3% increase given to city employees. The board president said the office prioritized staff pay and benefits after personnel review.
Why it matters: the board’s office supports aldermen and their ward work and administers the legislative process. The presentation said the board completed a meeting-management software purchase and will roll out the system to improve agendas and public access; following that, the board will evaluate community-engagement software. The president also said the board will partner with the Missouri Secretary of State’s local records program to digitize historic legislative records.
The presentation listed several category reductions: materials and supplies were cut from $126,000 in FY25 to $38,000 in FY26 because equipment replacements and internal projects concluded; contractual and other services declined nearly 35% as several one-time projects completed; and professional services for mail and printing were cut by $79,000 after limited utilization in prior cycles.
The president said personnel committee-approved facility upgrades for Room 230 (workstations and flooring) are scheduled for the board summer break and that the office is focusing on constituent engagement and more accessible meeting materials.
Committee members praised the board’s focus on staff compensation and efficient cuts. The board did not take formal votes on any FY26 appropriations in the hearing; the presentation was informational and committee members moved to recess and continue budget hearings later in the day.
Ending: The board president said staff will answer follow-up questions from the committee and proceed with the meeting-management rollout and the public-records digitization project.
