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Owasso council holds public hearing on proposed FY 2025–26 budget
Summary
City staff outlined the proposed FY 2025–26 operating budget, which emphasizes public safety, street work and utility projects; council opened and closed the required public hearing with no public speakers recorded.
Owasso city staff presented the proposed fiscal year 2025–26 operating budget and the City Council opened a public hearing to receive public comment on the proposal.
City Manager Chris Garrett said the proposed budget relies mainly on taxes, which represent about 65% of projected revenue, with charges for services making up about 30.7% and smaller shares from miscellaneous revenues, intergovernmental sources, fines and permits. Garrett said staff built the budget assuming flat sales and use tax collections compared with projected FY2025 collections, while noting the FY2026 budget is about 2.1% higher than the FY2025 budget for sales and use taxes.
The presentation said public safety would receive the largest share of spending (about 37.5%), while public works and utility operations together total about 30% of expenses. The proposed budget includes salary and benefit increases, new full‑time positions and capital spending for streets, parks and utilities. Garrett said staff proposes a 1.5% across‑the‑board increase for civilian employees and merit steps up to $1 an hour; a 2% across‑the‑board increase for 24‑hour fire personnel and a 3.25% across‑the‑board increase for police personnel are included subject to ratified contracts. Health insurance costs are budgeted to rise about 17.3%.
Street funding in the proposal totals $5.6 million, comprised of $3.2 million from the CIP third penny, $1.9 million from the $55.01/100s transportation fund and $500,000 from the half‑cent sales tax fund. Garrett said $2 million is dedicated to the annual street rehabilitation program and the budget also includes $800,000 for an update to the transportation master plan and street assessment.
Among other items, the proposed budget includes capital and maintenance funding for parks, funding for stormwater maintenance projects, utility system improvements and equipment for the golf course. Staff said the proposed budget would put the general fund reserve at about 25% of a year’s revenue, within the city’s 25–33% target range.
The municipal budget act requires the governing body to hold a public hearing; Garrett said the notice ran in the Tulsa World and the proposed budget was posted on the city website beginning May 7. Mayor Alvin Frigier opened the hearing and then closed it after the presentation; no public commenters were recorded during the hearing.
Council will discuss the budget and comments at an upcoming work session; adoption is scheduled to be considered at the June 17 meeting. The adopted budget must be filed with the state auditor by July 31.
