Bluff council reviews FY2025–26 budget amendment; manager proposes $50,000 consulting line and generator grant plan

Town Manager Erin Nelson presented the council with details of a proposed FY2025–26 budget amendment during the March 10 work session.

Nelson said tax revenues are performing better year-to-date than originally projected but cautioned that a seasonal tourism dip could affect receipts later in the year because tax remittances lag collections. She recommended conservative budgeting for the FY26 amendment and the FY27 plan, noting the council is currently seeing an average of 12–16% of the 25% decrease budgeted (year-to-date patterns noted in the presentation).

Key amendment items Nelson described include increasing the Class C Roads allocation to meet a $106,000 matching grant application; adding a $50,000 professional‑services line (previously $0) to fund consulting for the Secondary Water and Housing working groups; and a $47,000 mobile generator grant intended to equip the Bluff Community Center (BCC) to serve as an emergency shelter pending required electrical retrofits and an in-kind solar plug-in contribution. Nelson explained that capital projects and special-project grants will be spent from a separate fund and that a balanced budget will be achieved by moving excess funds to the Capital Projects Fund or Fund Balance.

Nelson said council currently has roughly $100,000 in the FY26 budget available for allocation. She noted that building-department items, community promotion, road project strength for a future CIB request, Dark Sky Festival, fire and EMS fundraisers, cemetery needs, interns, IT, and training line items were discussed and that she will update year-to-date figures for public distribution in advance of the April 7 public hearing.

No formal motion or vote occurred during the work session; Nelson will circulate updated YTD numbers and return materials for the public hearing.