Budget committee approves FY25–26 departmental budgets, hotel‑motel distributions and grant requests

The Pryor City Council budget committee moved to approve a broad package of FY2025–26 budgets, hotel‑motel tax allocations, final expense reports and grant applications, sending the consolidated package and several items to the full council for final action.

Committee members approved procedural items including minutes from the Aug. 12, 2025 meeting and multiple grant/final‑expense items for community organizations. The committee voted to allocate the hotel‑motel tax as recommended: 30% to the Pryor Area Chamber of Commerce, 10% to Pryor Public Schools and 10% to Pryor Main Street (amounts shown in the committee packet). The committee also accepted final expense reports and letters of intent from Pryor Public Schools, the Pryor Area Chamber of Commerce and Pryor Main Street for FY2024–25 and FY2025–26 as listed in the meeting packet.

Specific grant approvals forwarded by the committee included a $2,000 final‑expense report for the Pryor Area Arts & Humanities Council for Missoula Children’s Theater (event held June 9–13, 2025), a $4,000 grant application for Hot Rods on a Mission (car show Sept. 13, 2025) and a $2,000 grant for Hot Rods on a Mission and the Maze County Hope for Dam Jam bicycle tour (Sept. 6, 2025), each recommended by the committee. The committee recorded praise for local event organizers who drew attendees and helped promote downtown activity.

The committee reviewed a long list of departmental budgets (general government Fund 201; community development Fund 203; planning and zoning Fund 205; manager Fund 207; facilities Fund 208; clerical/accounting Fund 209; city attorney Fund 211; city treasurer Fund 213; SRO Fund 214; police Fund 215; animal shelter Fund 216; fire Fund 217; parks Fund 219; cemetery Fund 223; emergency management Fund 225; municipal court Fund 231; street Fund 214; and others). For most funds the committee described budgets as “flat” with targeted increases for insurance, outside services, repairs and a small number of backfills for vacated (not eliminated) positions. The committee directed that any unallocated funds discovered after final reconciliation be added later if available.

During the street‑and‑infrastructure discussion the committee noted numerous encumbered projects and one‑time capital needs carried over from the prior fiscal year (for example, a street sweeper share and drainage and retaining‑wall work at the cemetery), and cautioned against re‑allocating street funds because of mounting infrastructure needs.

All motions listed on the agenda were approved by the committee without extended debate except where noted (police budget topic had substantive discussion). Several budget line items and minor numerical entries in the packet were corrected during the meeting (for example a library materials line was corrected from an erroneously large figure to $14.06). The committee adjourned after completing the agenda.

Votes at a glance

- Approve minutes from 08/12/2025 — approved (roll call: Bradshaw, Brashears, Shropshire, Sears recorded as yes). - Hotel‑motel tax allocations (30% Pryor Area Chamber of Commerce; 10% Pryor Public Schools; 10% Pryor Main Street) — approved (unanimous among members voting). - Final expense report: Pryor Public Schools FY2024–25 — approved. - Letter of intent: Pryor Public Schools FY2025–26 — approved. - Final expense report: Pryor Area Chamber of Commerce FY2024–25 — approved. - Letter of intent: Pryor Area Chamber of Commerce FY2025–26 — approved. - Final expense report: Pryor Main Street FY2024–25 — approved. - Letter of intent: Pryor Main Street FY2025–26 — approved. - Hotel‑motel grant final expense: Pryor Area Arts & Humanities Council (Missoula Children’s Theater) — approved, $2,000. - Grant application: Hot Rods on a Mission — recommended, $4,000. - Grant application: Maze County Hope / Dam Jam bicycle tour — recommended, $2,000. - Approve FY25–26 budgets for city funds (general government Fund 201, community development Fund 203, planning and zoning Fund 205, manager Fund 207, facilities Fund 208, clerical/accounting Fund 209, city attorney Fund 211, city treasurer Fund 213, SRO Fund 214, police Fund 215, animal shelter Fund 216, fire Fund 217, parks Fund 219, cemetery Fund 223, emergency management Fund 225, municipal court Fund 231, street Fund 214, etc.) — approved (most by unanimous vote; individual roll calls recorded in clerk’s packet).