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Floyd County Council approves wheel tax ordinance and a package of budget transfers and appropriations
Summary
The Floyd County Council passed an ordinance creating a vehicle excise surtax and approved multiple transfers and appropriations including insurance adjustments, line transfers and a $200,000 move for park repairs; an EMS ambulance appropriation was hotly debated before being tabled and later approved.
The Floyd County Council voted to adopt a second-reading ordinance establishing a county vehicle excise surtax and making related amendments to the wheel tax (Ordinance 2025-20). The ordinance passed on a voice tally recorded in the minutes as 4–3 after several council members expressed concern about tax impacts and urged offsetting reductions to the public safety tax.
Council members also approved routine and targeted budget moves. Staff presented and the council approved an insurance appropriation to cover added coverage for the judicial center and a downtown Chase building; the 2026 estimate will be revised when additional facilities are fully included. Council approved bundled line transfers intended to shore up utilities, pictometry timing differences and a shortfall in an inmate-patient billing line.
Other approved items included transferring $200,000 into a line for Sanpeton Park repairs (the appropriation had been previously allocated to Matt Dennison), multiple preapproved line transfers (items 5a–5h), an additional appropriation for increased life insurance (basic coverage changed from $10,000 to $25,000), and a coroner vehicle deposit (item 5k) that authorizes a down payment to secure two outfitted vehicles.
A contested item involving funding for ambulances (item 5j) generated extended debate. Some council members argued it was premature to appropriate funds without a signed contract, a financial plan and an operating plan; others said commissioners asked that money be set aside to preserve a purchase option. The council initially voted to table the matter to December (with an option to carry to January) and minutes show a later motion to approve item 5j carried during the same meeting.
Votes at a glance: approved—agenda; October 14 minutes and 2026 budget adoption minutes; Ordinance 2025-20 (vehicle excise surtax) passed (voice vote recorded 4–3); 3a (insurance appropriation) approved; 3b–3d transfers approved; 4a (Sanpeton Park line move) approved; 4b approved; 5a–5h transfers approved; 5i (life insurance appropriation) approved; 5k (coroner vehicle deposit) approved; 6a transfers and 6b additional appropriations (Ordinance 2025-23) approved; 6c (2026 schedule) approved. Item 5j (ambulance appropriation) was tabled and later recorded as approved in meeting minutes.
The council adjourned after asking for no public comments and scheduling follow-up where required. Several items (insurance estimates for 2026, the final CNAV/TIF corrections and the ambulance contract and financial plan) were left for subsequent meetings or follow-up correspondence.
