Council agrees to assign $500,000 to capital projects from discretionary funds; debate continues over property-tax mills and CWC funding

Jackson Town Council directed staff May 27 to reassign $500,000 from general-fund discretionary balance into the capital projects account as an assigned funding source for deferred-maintenance needs, while stressing that the funds would not be spent without further council approval.

Town Manager Tom Sinclair and budget staff updated the council on fund balances and the five-year model and presented a change log showing the fiscal impact of prior council directions. Council had previously discussed setting aside a larger sum; after debate members converged on a $500,000 assignment to keep the general-fund reserve near a 37–38% level and to preserve flexibility given economic uncertainty and federal grant risks.

Councilman Huntsman Schechter and others emphasized the difference between an internal assignment of funds (a balance-sheet allocation) and an operating expenditure (an income-statement item). "This million dollars is not leaving our balance sheet. It's just going into a different bucket," one council member said while urging clear tracking of assigned vs. spent funds. Staff clarified the council’s direction: the money will be assigned to capital projects and will require additional specific project approvals before any expenditure.

Separately, Mayor raised a broader policy question about shifting part of Fire/EMS funding from sales-tax-driven revenues to property-tax mills, proposing an increase in mills used to fund Fire/EMS to provide more stable, long-term support. The mayor noted that many Wyoming municipalities fund fire and EMS through property-tax mills and suggested a modest mill increase could shift roughly half of Fire/EMS costs onto property taxes. He also renewed a prior idea to use a small fraction of mills to fund Central Wyoming College (CWC) as a service-provider to the community; staff estimated CWC’s request would equate to roughly 0.27 of a mill.

Council members expressed a range of views. Some said they preferred exploring lodging or sales-tax options before adding property-tax mill increases. Others emphasized the need for more public outreach, clarity on the administrative mechanics and sensitivity to taxpayers’ concerns. Several members asked staff to produce clearer cost and revenue breakdowns as part of the ongoing strategic-budget process.

On the capital assignment, multiple members voiced support for the $500,000 approach as a middle path between doing nothing and committing a larger share of discretionary balance. Councilman Regan said he supported setting aside a smaller tranche but stressed the importance of transparency about how and when assigned funds would be used. Staff agreed to update the change log and five-year model to reflect the $500,000 assignment and to bring back specific project proposals and any necessary budget amendments at future meetings.

Council did not enact any property-tax mill changes at the May 27 special meeting. The mayor warned that if the council did not address long-term revenue structure, the town could face more difficult choices later, but several council members said they needed more analysis and public discussion before supporting a mill increase or any targeted mill allocation for CWC.

Staff will revise the budget change log, show the $500,000 assignment in the capital line, and bring the updated slides and proposed project list to the June 9 meeting and the June 16 budget adoption process. The council also discussed possible next steps if they wish to pursue voter-approved revenue tools such as lodging-tax or sales-tax adjustments, and staff noted timing constraints for placing such measures on a ballot if council chooses to pursue them this year.