McCall council adopts $42.24 million FY26 budget, raises golf fees and approves foregone levy; Juniper Muir subdivision hearing continued

The McCall City Council on an evening session voted to adopt the fiscal year 2026 budget appropriation of $42,244,085, approved an increase in the city’s golf-course fee schedule and adopted a resolution to recover $80,424 of foregone property tax revenue for maintenance and operations.

The budget adoption, passed by roll call vote, follows months of public discussion and staff briefings about aligning tax and fee revenues with expected expenditures and capital projects. City staff also presented a proposal to raise regular golf fees about 3% and increase tournament fees more steeply to reflect demand. Council opened, heard and closed four public hearings; it adopted two resolutions and an ordinance and continued a preliminary plat hearing for the Juniper Muir subdivision to a date certain for additional follow-up.

City manager Forrest, in a transmittal included with the budget materials, said the budget was prepared conservatively and balanced maintenance-and-operations with anticipated tax and fee increases. The transmittal notes capital improvement plan projects totaling about $19.5 million — largely grant-funded or to be repaid through enterprise fees — and a proposed 4% general salary increase for employees. "We took a conservative eye," Forrest said in describing the budget and the goal of widening the gap to build reserves for capital needs.

Golf-course staff Phil Goodson presented the proposed fee schedule during public hearing No. 1 and explained the rationale for the increases, saying, "I propose that we increase our regular fee structure, the minimal 3%..." He told council the larger increases for tournaments reflect high demand and deep wait lists and would help the golf course enterprise fund build a reserve for maintenance and future capital work. After receiving one written comment and no in‑person objections, the council approved resolution 25-19 adopting golf-course fees, rental and tournament charges and authorized the mayor to sign necessary documents.

Finance director Randy Currys briefed council on public hearing No. 2 about recovering $80,424 of a foregone levy for maintenance and operations, telling the council the amount is a portion of funds collected over multiple years and is within statutory limits. Council opened the hearing, received no public testimony and adopted resolution 25-20 by roll call vote.

On public hearing No. 3 the council considered ordinance 10-31, the FY26 annual appropriation ordinance. Forrest and Randy described the budget highlights: maintaining current service levels while funding master plans and studies (comprehensive plan update, water master plan, impact-fee and transportation/parking studies), continuing housing-program support from local option tax, and funding $30,000 for initial climate‑action priorities. Council suspended the rules, read the ordinance by title and adopted ordinance 10-31 by unanimous roll call.

Public Works staff Nathan addressed a council question earlier in the meeting about a recent extensive chip‑seal program and acknowledged problems with loose gravel and contractor performance. He said the city will tighten specifications and enforcement for future contracts and noted chip sealing must be applied to roads in good condition; roads in poor condition cannot be restored effectively with chip seal.

Public hearing No. 4 covered preliminary plat SUB25-01 (Juniper Muir Subdivision at Spring Mountain Ranch). Meredith Todd, city and sustainability planner, summarized staff review and planning-and-zoning commission recommendation. The applicant, Richard Hill, and engineer Greg Tankersley described a five-lot subdivision averaging about an acre per lot and said they had consolidated driveways to minimize the number of access points to Woolley Avenue. Neighbors raised safety and sight-line concerns at Woolley Avenue (pedestrian and bicycle conflicts, winter snow berms and blind curves) and urged fewer or different access points.

Morgan Stroud, City Engineer (online), and Tankersley said the proposed driveway locations meet AASHTO sight-distance and local driveway‑slope standards and that the applicant could not feasibly provide a 60-foot public road through the parcel without consuming the buildable area. Council members expressed continuing concern about pedestrian connectivity and winter sight-line safety. Council directed staff and the applicant to return with specific, actionable proposals addressing (a) pedestrian access/connectivity to existing pathways, (b) measures to prevent cars from having to back onto Woolley Avenue (driveway geometry or on‑lot turnarounds), and (c) possible signage or targeted traffic‑calming options (for example, hidden‑driveway signing or evaluation of a rapid‑flashing beacon or radar speed sign), and then continued the public hearing to a date certain: September 25, 2025, so the council could review the follow‑up materials.

On airport issues, staff and the Airport Advisory Committee asked the council to send a joint letter to Valley County urging that future plats include avigation (avigation) easements on records. Staff said easements recorded on plats remain with the land and cannot be changed by future revisions to private covenants; the letter asks the county to require that protection for property owners and the McCall Airport. Council authorized sending the revised letter with the mayor’s signature and requested staff include an illustrative map showing the avigation overlay.

Council also accepted staff direction on a process for the city manager’s first performance evaluation (a nine‑month review), asking consultant Phil Kushlin to facilitate. Staff will collect a self‑evaluation from the manager and supervisor evaluations from direct reports, combine results and return to council for goal setting in executive session.

Ending: The council completed remaining business items and moved into executive session on pending or imminent litigation and privileged records; the public meeting record shows the votes and the items to be brought back at the September 25, 2025, meeting for the continued subdivision hearing and other scheduled work sessions.

Votes at a glance - Resolution 25-19 (golf-course fees): adopted, roll call unanimous (Council members Nielsen, Nelson, Machesek, Thrower; Mayor Bob Giles). - Resolution 25-20 (recover $80,424 foregone amount): adopted, roll call unanimous. - Ordinance 10-31 (FY26 annual appropriation): adopted, roll call unanimous (appropriation $42,244,085). - SUB25-01 (Juniper Muir preliminary plat): public hearing continued to September 25, 2025, for additional pedestrian/sight-line follow-up (motion carried, roll call unanimous). - Letter on avigation/avigation easements to Valley County Board of Commissioners: authorized for signature by mayor on behalf of the council and Airport Advisory Committee (motion carried, roll call unanimous).

Quotes (selected) - "We were granted $500,000," Sheila Francis, executive director of the McCall Chamber, reported about a state lodging-tax grant to support tourism marketing and subgrants. - "I propose that we increase our regular fee structure, the minimal 3%..." Phil Goodson, golf-course staff, on the recommended fee changes.