City Clerk Diana Thompson presented the City Council portion of the proposed 2026 budget and highlighted a new $10,000 allocation to fund an officially adopted Youth Council Committee.

The clerk described the youth-council allocation as a startup amount to cover civic learning trips, supplies, outreach, apparel and training. Thompson said the council adopted the committee in August and that the $10,000 is an initial, estimated amount broken into categories because this is the committee's first budget year.

During council questions, staff and council members also discussed a payroll calendar quirk: because the city uses a biweekly pay schedule, some years have 27 pay periods rather than 26. Budget staff said the extra pay will appear as a one-time increase in salaries in 2026's budget documents; payroll worksheets in the proposed budget will separately identify contractual pay increases, cost-of-living adjustments and the extra pay period.

Council members asked about safeguards for the youth-council selection process; Thompson said the council president and clerk plan to solicit applications from city schools and will select students from different schools based on application criteria. Members raised conflicts-of-interest concerns and asked for language that would prevent relatives of city employees or elected officials from receiving stipend or paid benefits; Thompson clarified the program will provide free services and will not pay students a stipend.

Ending: Council asked staff to show payroll worksheets in the proposed package so the public and council can see what portion of salary increases reflects contractual or COLA adjustments versus the additional pay period.