Plain City Administrator previews 2026 budget, flags insurance and staffing costs

Village Administrator Hailey Lupton presented a third-quarter report and a preview of the proposed 2026 budget at the Plain City Council meeting on Oct. 13, 2025.

Lupton said the village has collected income-tax revenues at about 100% of the estimate and that receipts are running roughly 4% higher than expected — about $129,000 more than budgeted so far — while personnel expenses are at about 67% spent with 78% of the year elapsed. "We are in the process of finalizing the budget, the budget documents," Lupton said during her presentation.

The presentation laid out the administration's assumptions and planned expenditures for next year. Highlights the administrator identified include: projected 10% growth in income taxes for 2026 in the forecasting tool; a strong parks fund driven by campground receipts (approximately $273,000 year-to-date); continued transfers to subsidize the recreation fund; and use of police impact fees for traffic-enforcement equipment (a speed trailer and speed signs).

Lupton told council she will budget for an additional code compliance officer at 50% of the year in the general fund (to support a property maintenance code rollout planned for spring 2026); a supplemental personnel change to cover cadet training in the police department; and a proposed 3% merit pool to be applied at employee evaluations. She flagged health insurance as a major uncertainty: the administration has placed a large placeholder in the draft because premium projections are currently "not good," and options under consideration include soliciting alternative plans.

The capital program preview included the depot splash pad (currently in engineering), phase 2 plans for Bicentennial Park, a proposed pole-barn storage expansion for public works near the wastewater treatment plant, sidewalk/stormwater/repaving work tied to the Shepherd and Converse corridor projects, and plans for a parks master plan funded from growing park-impact fees. Lupton said about $300,000 has been made available to fully fund recent street repaving projects.

On police staffing, Lupton noted one cadet began academy training Oct. 1 and another is expected in January; she said the police levy revenues are performing as expected but the department will continue to require a transfer from the general fund. The administration also plans to begin using police-impact fees for equipment purchases this year.

Next steps: Lupton said staff will finalize the full budget document in the coming weeks and distribute it to council for review. The administration aims for a first reading of the 2026 budget ordinances on Nov. 10, 2025, and a second-reading/adoption on Nov. 24, 2025, or in December if additional time is needed.

Provenance: presentation begins at 00:19:12 (transcript block starting at s=1152.075) and continues through 00:30:00 (transcript block ending at s=1859.4651).