Owasso presents conservative FY 2025–26 budget emphasizing street projects, staffing and reserves

Chris Gehr, city manager, presented the Owasso proposed fiscal year 2025–26 operating budget to the joint meeting of the Owasso City Council, Owasso Public Works Authority and Owasso Public Golf Authority.

The proposed general fund budget relies on projected actual sales and use tax collections for FY25 rather than the prior-year budget. Gehr said projected actual collections were about 2.1% above the FY25 budget, and staff modeled FY26 revenues conservatively in light of flat economic indicators. The proposal accounts for cost increases in salaries and benefits, service contracts, vehicle leasing, fuel, utilities and landfill fees. Gehr said staff is negotiating labor contracts with the IFF and FOP and that final costs for those agreements were not yet known.

The nut of the proposal: the budget would fund 1.5% across-the-board increases for many employees on July 1, plus a performance-based increase of up to $1 per hour on anniversary dates; it adds multiple new full-time positions; and it dedicates capital funding for streets, parks, stormwater and equipment.

New staffing in the proposed budget includes an assistant city attorney, a cybersecurity administrator, right-of-way and stormwater…