Board approves bills, minutes and tentative 2026 budget; financial notes on Sunrise Engineering retainage

The board reviewed a short list of bills paid since the last meeting and discussed several large pay requests, including invoices to Sunrise Engineering and Tusher Contracting that still include retainage. A board member moved to approve the financials "presented by David," a motion that was seconded and approved with recorded "ayes."

In discussion of the tentative 2026 budget, staff presented a three-column comparison showing proposed 2026 figures, approved 2025 budget amounts and fiscal-year-to-date actuals. Staff said revenues were projected from last-quarter billings and noted that interest income — about $137,000 collected year to date — is likely to decline as major projects complete. Presenter emphasized that fees per unit would remain unchanged unless the board initiated a public hearing.

The tentative budget lists total expenditures of $1,773,840 and uses carryover to balance revenues and expenditures. Line items discussed included a projected 5% wage adjustment (budgeted roughly $137,000 for salaries), $25,000 for equipment parts/repairs and a $35,000 allowance for a chip-seal on Upper Meadows Road. Board members asked how leftover funds in the special assessment area would be treated; staff said the original $4,000,000 loan for improvements laid out allowable components and roughly $3,000,000 has been deployed to date, leaving unspent cash that will be applied against remaining invoices.

A motion to approve the tentative budget passed after a second; the board agreed to finalize the budget at the next scheduled meeting (December 5).