City Council approves first reading of operating budget, development agreements and pilot transit talks; multiple resolutions pass unanimously

The Spartanburg City Council on Monday approved several items including first reading of the city’s 2025–26 operating budget, a $70,000 roadway improvements contract, authorization to negotiate a microtransit pilot with VIA, and multiple development- and property-related resolutions.

At the meeting council approved the operating budget for July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026 on first reading after a public hearing. Chris Story, city manager, told council the proposed budget reflects general fund revenue growth of “just under 5%” and that the single largest increase in proposed expenditures is personnel costs. Story said the budget would include a 3% across-the-board wage increase for roughly 420 full-time employees and that the city would absorb an estimated 11.8% increase in medical insurance premiums rather than pass that cost to employees.

“ The single largest item of increased expenditure would be in the area of personnel cost,” Story said. He also said roughly $36,000,000 of…