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Clayton presents mid‑year budget review, proposes three new positions
Summary
Budget Manager Todd Milton told council department budgets are generally 'appropriately sized' after 19 mid‑year meetings; staff recommended three FTEs and some internal fund reallocations to support Clayton Fitness, ERP work and asset management.
Budget Manager Todd Milton presented the town’s mid‑year budget review during the council work session, saying the review is a check‑in on both revenue and expenditures and was designed this year to test the town’s base budgeting approach. He told council staff issued tailored line‑item reports and held 19 mid‑year meetings with department heads to reconcile projections and justifications.
Milton said, “We found … the budgets are appropriately sized,” and that departments largely did not request major changes. He identified three staffing needs that emerged from the review: one FTE for parks to help operate the newly acquired Clayton Fitness facility (a request made by Parks Director Todd Riddick), two business analyst positions to support the enterprise resource planning (ERP) selection and implementation, and filling an already‑budgeted vacant asset management position.
To fund those adjustments, staff proposed reallocating some dollars from general government into parks for the Clayton Fitness role and moving the asset management funding from IT into general government where the position will be housed. Milton said the budget office is developing training and tools for department leaders and will incorporate the staffing changes into the FY27 base budget development.
On revenues, a council member said sales tax receipts are currently tracking a bit higher than expected but noted only a quarter of distributions have been received. Staff also reminded council that a previously discussed state health plan change was deferred for one year; officials said planning for that potential cost is underway but did not specify an exact dollar figure during the session.
Why it matters: The mid‑year review is a routine part of municipal financial management; the staffing and reallocation proposals will affect departmental capacity and will be folded into the coming fiscal year budget process. No formal budget amendment or hiring vote was taken at this meeting.
Council response and next steps: Council members praised the improved process and staff work. Milton said the budget office will continue work on the ERP RFP and integrate the mid‑year recommendations into the formal budget timeline.
