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Fort Wayne council hears 2026 department budgets, holds some salary ordinances for coordinated passage
Summary
Council members spent Oct. 14 on 2026 budget hearings for Parks, Fire, Police and other departments; they approved amendments to the Allen County Public Library appropriation, moved several budget items to cash, and agreed to hold three salary ordinances for coordinated passage with the broader budget process.
The Fort Wayne Common Council devoted much of its Oct. 14 committee session to 2026 budget presentations, with department heads answering council questions and several budget-related ordinances held for coordinated action.
Councilman Russell Yale and Finance Chair Councilman Hartman led discussion on a package of budget bills. An amendment limiting salary increases in the Allen County Public Library appropriation to 2% was adopted in committee and the ordinance received a do-pass recommendation. Hartman told colleagues he wanted to ‘‘discuss them thoroughly tonight, in the interest of expediency, but hold to pass them with the budgets,’’ a procedural approach the council followed for several items.
Parks and Recreation presented its 2026 priorities and a $4 million capital improvement program increase. The department highlighted completed neighborhood projects in 2025 — new playgrounds and the Mechanic Street Pavilion renovation — and said it plans replacements and renovations of playgrounds and courts in 2026. Parks staff told council two large mowers in the CIP total about $202,000 because they are high‑capacity turf machines used across the park system.
Fire Chief Eric Leakey presented a Fort Wayne Fire Department budget ‘‘just over $62,000,000’’ for 2026 and said much of the increase is driven by pension and insurance costs the department cannot control. Leakey said the department cut roughly $5 million from an initial submission by moving capital purchases to cash at the controller’s direction and cited a roughly $1,400,000 Lifepak monitor purchase that was shifted to cash.
Police Chief Scott Caldell described declines in reported crime metrics for 2025 and his department’s plans to run a recruit class to maintain staffing. Caldell told the council homicide clearance rates and other investigative investments (including drones and a real‑time crime center) support public‑safety goals. He also confirmed plans to replace aging in‑vehicle and mobile data terminals on an interval and to sustain body‑camera and social‑worker partnerships.
On a joint public safety budget item, the council heard from the Consolidated Communications Partnership (CCP) and voted to hold the CCP budget until Oct. 28 so the item can return to committee and the regular session together. Council President Yale said the city should not commit additional net funds for 911 dispatch without broader discussion.
Several council members pressed for equity in cost‑of‑living adjustments, with one member signaling intent to propose flat elected‑official pay while preserving modest staff increases. Hartman said three salary ordinances that set pay for city employees and elected officials would be discussed but held for two weeks to allow unified consideration with the rest of the budget.
What’s next: Several items remained held for Oct. 28 committee consideration; council members said they expect to complete coordinated votes after that meeting.
