Raymore council approves FY2026 budget on first reading, shifts $1.4 million to street preservation

Raymore City Council unanimously approved the first reading of the fiscal year 2026 budget (Bill 39-89) at a regular meeting on Oct. 13, adopting a package of amendments that reallocated available fund balance to several city priorities.

City Manager Jim Fearborn presented the budget and its fund summaries before the public hearing, saying total general-fund expenditures and transfers were $14,956,894. Other fund totals included $816,185 for the public safety sales tax fund, $2,099,159 for the park fund, $12,823,349 in enterprise fund expenditures/transfers and $10,084,370 across capital funds. Fearborn said the proposed amendments left a general-fund available balance of about $703,503 after the transfers.

Councilmember Abdul Gawad moved the approval “subject to the following amendments,” and listed eight reallocations from the available balance. The largest change was a $1,400,000 transfer from the general fund to the transportation fund to be used for street preservation and curb-and-sidewalk repairs. Other allocations included $40,000 for enhanced summer entertainment at the amphitheater to mark the city’s 250th-anniversary celebrations, $3,500 for holiday lighting at the RAC, $4,700 for two pitching mounds and one pitching machine for Recreation, $8,000 for two sets of rolling bleachers for parks, $18,000 to replace a Police Department drone, $17,000 total ($8,500 from the general fund and $8,500 from the enterprise fund) for trench and manhole worker safety equipment, and $15,000 from the enterprise fund for a payment kiosk for Finance.

Mayor Turnbull framed the vote as consequential. “This is a pretty important document,” he said before taking the roll call. After a second by Councilmember Holman, the council voted unanimously, 8–0, to approve the first reading as amended.

Why it matters: The allocations prioritize street preservation and public-safety equipment while preserving a modest available general-fund balance, signaling council support for near-term infrastructure work and recreation investments. The action was taken on the council floor during the first-reading/public-hearing step; the council followed its normal procedures for budget consideration.

Provenance: The council opened a public hearing on Bill 39-89, reviewed staff-prepared fund totals, heard no public comment and then voted to approve the first reading with the listed amendments.