City Council on Nov. 26 read Bill 7, the proposed 2026 appropriations ordinance, and moved it on first reading toward final approval. The ordinance sets the general fund budget at $62,199,011 and notes prior unpaid pensions estimated at $43,000,000, producing a total general fund expense figure of $105,199,011.

Council and staff walked through line items during the reading. Council raised questions about a new "Department of Administrative Support" subtotal (listed at $4,781,524 in the reading) and requested a clearer breakdown of which departments and personnel those administrative line items cover. CFO Richard Troutman and staff said the detailed attachments contain line-by-line expenditures and that the administration will recategorize or clarify the presentation for the second reading.

Council also moved Bills 8 through 12 on first reading. Those measures include an ordinance governing employee duties and compensation for 2026 (Bill 8), a business privilege tax reenactment (Bill 9), an earned income tax ordinance with specified rates for residents and nonresidents (Bill 10), a local services tax (Bill 11) and a real property tax rate (Bill 12). Council member 12 emphasized that existing tax rates will remain unchanged for 2026.

The council authorized publication of a notice for a public hearing on the 2026 budget for Dec. 8 at 1 p.m. in City Council Chambers. Residents seeking line-item detail were directed to the city clerk’s office, where the full budget exhibits are available for review.

Councilors indicated they expect to make clerical and categorical adjustments before the second reading; the mayor and staff said the administration aims to present a clarified attachment with the same total appropriations but a clearer departmental allocation.

The ordinance was moved and seconded for first reading; council signaled that the matter will return for a formal vote at a subsequent session after the public hearing.