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Council reviews FY2026 budget amendment; staff flags one-time employee bonuses and remaining ARPA funds
Summary
City staff outlined a FY2026 budget amendment that includes CIP carryovers, an ARPA spenddown (about $1.7 million remaining), and a proposal for one-time employee bonuses ($1,000 per full-time FTE; $500 for eligible permanent part-time). Council members asked for additional details and asked staff to return with precise calculations and legal guidance on including elected officials.
City staff presented highlights of a proposed FY2026 budget amendment at the Dec. 2 Manassas Park City Council meeting, noting the update captures revenue increases, departmental carryovers and several operational adjustments.
Staff said the amendment shows a net increase of about $3.2 million driven primarily by capital carryovers from projects that did not finish in fiscal 2025. Enterprise fund items (water, storm water and other projects) were unchanged from the adopted budget and were shown only for context. Staff also reported $512,000 in operational additions and carryovers that do not include ARPA, and said the city has just under $1.7 million of ARPA funds remaining.
The presentation identified one primary decision point for the council: a one-time bonus program for employees. Staff described a proposal of $1,000 per full‑time FTE (the presenter said about 212 qualified full‑time employees) and $500 for qualifying permanent part‑time employees. The staff presentation cited a budget line of $216,000 for bonuses; council members and staff noted that the per-head math (212 full‑time FTEs at $1,000 each) would equate to roughly $212,000, and asked staff to reconcile the figures and confirm eligibility rules (e.g., hire‑date cutoffs and minimum hours for permanent part‑time employees).
Council members also asked whether council members should be eligible for any similar one-time payment; staff said they would consult the city attorney about legal constraints and the mechanics of extending any payment to elected officials. Members asked several operational questions about ARPA rules (for example, a $22,000 smart‑meter line that may need reallocation) and the presenter said staff will review allowable uses and follow up.
Staff asked the council to place the amendment on consent for the Dec. 16 meeting and to consider the bonuses at that time. No formal vote on the amendment occurred on Dec. 2; council members requested additional information on the bonus calculation and the ARPA balance prior to final approval.
Next steps: staff will provide reconciled bonus calculations, confirm permanent part‑time eligibility thresholds and follow up on ARPA rules for the $22,000 smart‑meter line; the amendment is slated for consent consideration on Dec. 16.
