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Board hears 2026 public works draft budget; staff projects to meet or beat most department budgets
Summary
Public works staff reviewed the village's draft 2026 budget for engineering, streets, parks, water and wastewater; staff projected most departments will meet or come in under adopted 2025 budgets and outlined capital project notes for 2026 including Eagle Drive preliminary cost estimates.
Village of Jackson public works staff presented the draft 2026 budget for engineering, streets, parks, water and wastewater at the Board of Public Works meeting on Sept. 30 and recommended the board forward the draft to Budget & Finance and the Village Board.
Jack, public works staff, told the board engineering is currently at about 82% of its 2025 budget with a projected year-end near the adopted $58,577 figure. Under streets, parks and trash the department had taken in roughly $6,001.77 in revenue to date and was at about 56.7% of expenses; Jack projected the department would come in under its adopted 2025 budget of $1.5 million overall though some line items would exceed amounts because of rising costs and specific items such as the JCC sidewalk and a feed pump replacement at the splash pad.
For water, staff reported about 49% of expenses recorded to date (not including third-quarter bills) and projected meeting or beating the adopted $1.7 million budget. Jack said work at the Cisco Tower (interior painting and cleaning) should be completed ‘‘by the end of the week’’ and that water-main repair and replace line items were likely to run over due to several repairs required before hydrant flushing.
Wastewater revenues were tracking high (about 66.8%, not including Q3) while expenses were low (about 39.2%). Staff noted higher industrial monitoring costs and increased sludge-hauling truck rates, items that were addressed in the 2026 draft to recoup costs.
Capital highlights and notes for 2026 included: - A new vehicle budgeted at $35,000 and an engineering contracted-services line of $12,000 for outside assistance. - An increase to the water mains repair and replace line (staff signaled it may rise from $70,000 toward $100,000). - Preliminary estimates for Eagle Drive construction show full concrete could cost roughly $250,000–$300,000 more than an asphalt option; staff said this is a preliminary figure and additional analysis will be provided before final budget decisions.
Board member Heckendorf moved that the board recommend Budget & Finance and the Village Board approve the proposed draft 2026 budget for engineering, streets, parks, trash, water and wastewater; Mitchell seconded and the motion carried by voice vote.
Ending Staff asked for and received the board's recommendation to forward the draft 2026 budget for further consideration by Budget & Finance and the Village Board; staff said some numbers (notably water rate-case projections) remain subject to an upcoming rate study by consultant Ehlers.
