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Assembly presses staff for prioritized project lists, FTE details during FY2026 budget review
Summary
During a line-by-line work-session review of proposed FY2026 budgets, the assembly asked staff for a consolidated projects list, FTE allocations, clearer capital project definitions and funding sources; members asked for prioritization information to guide difficult resource decisions ahead of first readings.
Assemblymembers spent the April 24 work session reviewing FY2026 budget proposals for the general fund, special revenue funds (buildings and grounds), and several enterprise funds (hospital, KFRC, Research Court apartments). The review prompted repeated requests from members for clearer, higher-level presentation of capital priorities, FTE counts and funding sources.
Key requests from the assembly: Members asked staff to provide (a) a consolidated projects list across borough facilities with time sensitivity, rough order-of-magnitude cost estimates and prioritization, (b) a breakdown of current versus proposed FTEs and where they are allocated by department, and (c) clearer separation of capital projects versus maintenance items in budget lines. Assemblymember Dave requested explicit FTE tables; several members asked that project lists be ready before first-reading budget votes so the assembly can weigh major tradeoffs.
Budget highlights and concerns raised in session: - Buildings & Grounds/special revenue: staff explained rent and in-kind services for school buildings are counted in the special-revenue fund and that prior practice has included an appropriation to the school district to match the rent expense. Assemblymembers asked whether the borough could instead reduce the rent charge to the district and use that to cover other school funding requests; staff responded that the rent is restricted to building-and-grounds purposes under the special-revenue fund rules. - Signal Hill (Mental Health building): assembly asked that structural assessment findings be included in capital prioritization once the building official provides a written report. - KFRC and Research Facilities: members asked for a clearer line-item list of pending capital needs (e.g., disinfection system replacement, pump repairs) and observed that depreciation and fund balance treatment in enterprise funds means there are resources technically available for repairs but that they appear as non-cash depreciation in the budget presentation. Assemblymember Ryan asked for clarity on how depreciation figures relate to available maintenance funds.
Process and presentation suggestions: Several members suggested the assembly should receive a summarized rollup (high-level: changes, major new capital asks, and significant year-to-year deltas) rather than a continuous line-by-line readout. A repeated request was for staff to supply the projects list and FTE reconciliation by the next meeting so members can make informed tradeoffs for FY2026.
Next steps: Staff said they will produce the requested projects list and a reconciliation of FTEs (current vs. proposed) and provide clearer capital/maintenance distinctions. The assembly also asked that the list of prioritized projects be available before first reading of the budget so the assembly can evaluate alternatives.
Ending: The assembly concluded the budget segment by restating the need for higher-level summaries and a prioritized projects list to guide decisions in the face of constrained revenue and significant pending capital needs.
