Council reviews proposed FY2025–26 budget; debate centers on road paving priorities and staff cuts

City staff on Tuesday presented a proposed fiscal year 2025–26 budget that trims every general‑fund line item by 7% and keeps $18.5 million in capital projects across multiple funds, while leaving the council to decide which major road paving projects to prioritize.

The budget presentation opened with a staff overview of the process and constraints. “I know that one of my job duties … is to present a balanced budget to this board each year. Just kinda emphasize, this is my fourteenth time presenting to the board of an annual budget,” a staff member said as they summarized fund restrictions and the work to pare requests from 10 departments.

Why it matters: council members focused most of the discussion on how to apply limited paving dollars amid competing public‑safety and quality‑of‑life claims from neighborhoods. Staff warned that a shortfall in the general fund required cuts and reassignments and that some funds are legally restricted and cannot be moved for general uses.

Most important facts

- Staff reported a list of proposed cuts and realignments that initially totaled about $1.6 million; an additional $418,000 in requests were shifted from the general fund into other, allowable funds where possible.

- To close the remaining gap staff applied a 7% cut to every general‑fund line item, which produced a projected general‑fund reserve (fund balance) around 22% after the reductions.

- The budget maintains $18.5 million in capital projects across the city’s 15 funds and includes funding to support a new public services building; staff said operations for that building add roughly $400,000 in recurring costs.

Paving showdown: Wilkinson cluster vs. Pleasant Grove and Boyles

A large portion of the meeting…