Lawrenceburg council reviews draft budget; discusses insurance, SRO funding, part‑time fire pay and personnel changes

At a Sept. 17 work session, Lawrenceburg City Council members reviewed the draft 2026 budget and heard staff outline key revenue and spending items, including a projected general‑fund surplus of roughly $1.3 million after an estimated $600,000 reduction tied to “Senate Bill 1.” City staff also flagged rising health‑insurance costs related to weight‑loss drugs, proposed a $4 increase for part‑time firefighter pay, discussed moving school resource officer (SRO) support into the MDF account, and proposed several personnel and retirement plan adjustments.

City staff opened the session with a page‑by‑page review of the budget book. Mark Graber (staff member) summarized year‑to‑date projections and said the general fund has performed well in recent years and that, after the Senate Bill 1 reduction, the draft shows a projected surplus of about $1.3 million. Graber told the council that the MDF account is benefiting from about $1.5 million in interest earnings, which is supporting additional expenditures in the draft. "I feel good about this budget," he said.

Why it matters: the items discussed affect the city’s operating costs, nonprofit support and public safety staffing costs, and several of the changes would take effect in the coming…