Council adopts tentative FY25–26 budget and sets May 21 public hearing; staff present program priorities and changes

The Toquerville City Council voted to adopt a tentative FY2025–26 budget and set a public hearing on the tentative budget for May 21. The budget discussion that preceded the vote covered fund balances, capital projects and program priorities; councilmembers asked questions about funding assumptions, service impacts and contract and vehicle costs.

City staff (presented by Ben, who led the budget presentation) summarized current fund balances and reserves: a restricted Recreation/Arts/Parks set-aside of about $180,000 earmarked for West Hill Park; an unrestricted general-fund reserve of about $560,000; capital-projects balances that included a remaining parkway fund of roughly $2.8 million (separate from an additional $6.5 million in potential funding); and various impact-fee reserves (streets ~$170,000; parks ~$190,000; stormwater ~$14,000; water impact fees ~$218,000). The staff presentation noted the water utility had an unrestricted reserve of about $290,000 and that $450,000 reimbursement from the state related to the water tank was…