Grove City council amends 2026 budget to fully fund Visit Grove City, hold Career Academy funding and cut CARES pilot money

Grove City Council on the evening reviewed the administration’s proposed 2026 budget and approved several targeted amendments that reshape how tourism and certain community programs will be funded next year.

The council voted to appropriate $650,000 to the Grove City Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Grove City), a change members said would restore predictable funding for destination marketing while allowing the council to build a grant program to distribute remaining hotel‑bed‑tax dollars to other local groups. Finance chair Holt moved the amendment; it passed after debate about the statute that governs bed‑tax distributions and earlier practice of allocating portions to the chamber and small nonprofit recipients.

Council members said they want the grant program to include written criteria, a reimbursement process and an independent review body; the motion directs staff to draft the grant rules and identify funding sources in follow‑up legislation. Several council members urged that the Visit Grove City agreement continue in writing to align how the CVB spends the allotted dollars.

Separately, council reduced an initially proposed $150,000 allocation for the Southwestern Career Academy to $100,000 for 2026. Members said they support the academy’s workforce programs but requested more detailed reporting on local participation and outcomes before restoring higher funding. The council asked that the academy return with a presentation showing how the city’s contribution will be used and who directly benefits.

On a separate amendment, council removed a $75,000 pilot allocation for a municipally run CARES‑style reimbursement program, citing concerns about administrative readiness and program design. The amendment’s supporters said the pilot did not yet have a fully developed narrative or staffing plan and preferred to delay funding until the proposal is refined.

Council also moved to set City Council’s part‑time salary line to $0 in 2026, freeing up modest funds staff said could be redirected to the newly formed grant program. Staff indicated removing the part‑time line would mean any future part‑time pay would require a separate appropriation.

The mayor and finance staff provided a larger budget context during the meeting: the city’s capital improvement program grows from roughly $20 million in 2025 to $33 million in 2026, while the general fund projection drops modestly by about $1.6 million. Health‑care costs for employees were identified as a key driver — projected to climb about 21% from $4.365 million in 2025 to approximately $5.291 million in 2026.

Next steps: council directed staff to draft the Visit Grove City funding language, to prepare grant program rules for smaller applicants and asked the Southwestern Career Academy to present more detailed program and beneficiary data before consideration of additional funding. The council will reconvene on Dec. 15 to consider final adoption of the 2026 budget.