Commission approves second reading of Ordinance 25-150 to adopt FY 2025-26 budget; board moves into executive session

The City of Hickman Board of Commissioners conducted a second reading and adopted Ordinance 25-150, which establishes operating budgets for the general fund, gas, water, wastewater, cemetery and Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) funds for fiscal year 2025-26. Speaker 1 read the ordinance's sections on anticipated revenues and appropriations, the city manager's authority to administer funds and to change line items with board approval, audit requirements, and severability.

Speaker 2, who described work on the budget, said the document was difficult to prepare because some revenues were projecting lower than expected and because ABC fund records included checks that had not been accounted for in prior bookkeeping. —This one was probably the hardest one to write so far,— the speaker said, noting staff is reconciling accounting entries.

Speaker 1 said the police budget was one of the items most affected by the unrecorded ABC checks but that once those checks are reconciled the department's funds should increase. Commissioners emphasized caution and the ability to amend the budget later; Speaker 1 reminded the board the adopted budget must be submitted to the Kentucky Department of Local Government by the 30th of the month.

A motion to adopt the ordinance was made and seconded (the motion was identified as by Commissioner Gannon with a second by Commissioner Holloway). Commissioners recorded affirmative votes during roll call (Commissioner Bridges, Mister Dain, Mister Mueller, Mary Cartman and others responded yes). The chair announced the motion passed. Following the vote, the board also approved a motion to enter an executive session citing Kentucky statute 61.18, section 1(f).