Mayfield adopts FY2026 budget, amends FY2025 to cover shortfalls

Mayfield Town officials adopted the town’s fiscal year 2026 budget and approved an amendment to the just-ending fiscal year 2025 budget during a public hearing and regular meeting on June 11.

Amanda, Mayfield’s certified municipal clerk, presented the fiscal report and said the town closed fiscal year 2025 with total revenues of $323,595 and total expenditures of $353,683, producing an operating deficit of about $31,229 that the council addressed with a formal amendment. “This negative change reflects an operating deficit, which is why we’re going to go ahead tonight and open and amend our budget to take care of that,” Amanda said.

The council approved Resolution 2025-C to amend specific line items in the FY2025 budget. The resolution cited three departmental adjustments: highways and public improvements (original appropriation $87,007.62; amended appropriation $147,007.44), parks and recreation (original $6,008.25; amended $7,001.84) and public safety (original $28,004.42; amended $29,879.25). The resolution passed at the June 11 meeting.

Council members then moved to adopt the FY2026 budget by resolution (Mayfield Town Resolution 2025‑D). The FY2026 package presented during the hearing shows a general fund appropriation and a utility fund plan; Amanda summarized cash balances and reserves in the presentation. As of the report date the town’s cash totaled $728,334.71: general fund $392,934, utility fund $207,786 and restricted perpetual-care funds $127,614.

The clerk’s presentation also identified contributors to the FY2025 shortfall: lower-than-expected assessed valuations and new construction that reduced property-tax growth, weaker sales taxes, and underperformance in service-based charges for facilities and permits. On the expenditure side, a larger-than-anticipated chip-seal project increased highways and public-improvement costs and pushed that department over budget.

Budget-related fee and compensation changes included in the FY2026 adoption: an increase in dog licensing (proposed $10 fixed; $15 for male or female licenses) and a late fee (listed in the town fee schedule at $25); proposed adjustments to staff pay were also in the budget packet (the clerk, treasurer and public works director salaries were listed in the packet). The town clerk recommended using impact fees for capital improvements and projected modest growth in new water connections tied to an in-fill housing phase.

Both the FY2025 amendment and the FY2026 budget were passed by the council. The clerk noted state law requires general fund expenses and revenues to balance and said the town will implement the changes immediately and attach the amended operational schedule to the resolution for signatures.

Clarifying details from the presentation: FY2025 revenues $323,595; FY2025 expenditures $353,683; net operating deficit about $31,229; cash on hand $728,334.71 with general fund $392,934, utility fund $207,786 and perpetual-care $127,614. The FY2025 amendments target a roughly $59,800 chip-seal overrun in highways and small overages in public safety and recreation.