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Elizabethtown council holds first reading of $157.97 million fiscal 2025-26 budget; members highlight school resource officers
Summary
On June 2 the Elizabethtown City Council conducted a first reading by summary of ordinance number 15 20 25 to adopt the fiscal 2025–26 budget, which totals $157,969,480 in available funds. Council members emphasized growth in sworn police positions and placement of school resource officers paid by local schools while on duty.
Elizabethtown City Council held a first reading by summary on June 2, 2025, of ordinance number 15 20 25 to adopt the city budget for fiscal year 2025–26, which lists $157,969,480 in total funds available, $126,940,521 in appropriations and an estimated ending fund balance of $31,028,959.
The council completed the first reading by summary and the clerk noted the full text is available from the city clerk. A city staff member read the budget summary and said the ordinance adopts the budget “as required by state statute.”
The discussion following the reading focused on police staffing and school resource officer (SRO) placements. Councilman Tim Isaacs and the presiding officer, Judge Howard, described growth in sworn staff since February 2025. Judge Howard said sworn positions increased from about 55 in February to 92, a rise he attributed in part to adding SROs. “We have them in all of our schools in the city limits and we think it's really made a difference and will continue to make a difference,” Judge Howard said.
Council members described how the SRO program is funded when officers are assigned to schools. Judge Howard said Hardin County Schools, Elizabethtown Independent Schools and Saint James (a private Catholic school) and ECTC pay the salaries of officers while those officers are acting in their school-resource role; during school breaks some officers revert to patrol status and are paid by the city. Judge Howard said the police department is selective about officer assignments to schools and that the program has helped build relationships with students.
The reading was a first reading by summary only; no final adoption took place on June 2. The council did not specify a vote tally tied to named members in the public transcript for this first reading. The city clerk confirmed the full ordinance text and budget documents are available by contacting the city clerk’s office.
The council also noted other community events and programs in recent days, but no additional budget amendments or adoption votes were recorded at the June 2 meeting.
