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Elko council approves omnibus budget guidance including 2.5% COLA, position changes and fleet lease buyout
Summary
Council approved a combined motion directing staff to include a 2.5% COLA for non‑represented employees, add specified public‑works and police positions (offset where noted), proceed with a three‑year purchase plan for a $1M fire engine, and buy out certain Enterprise Fleet Management leases estimated to net interest savings.
On May 13 the Elko City Council accepted staff budget guidance for FY2026 through a consolidated motion that bundled multiple personnel, capital and program items.
Finance staff presented fund‑balance projections and recommended options for a cost‑of‑living adjustment (COLA) for non‑represented staff. Staff outlined three options: a 2.5% COLA (estimated to cost the general fund roughly $92,000), a 1.625% option (to cover half of the PERS increase), or no COLA. Council settled on the 2.5% figure in the omnibus motion.
The omnibus motion also authorized: adding one streets public‑works position (to be offset by a water fund reimbursement), a two‑and‑a‑half grade increase for the street and landfill superintendent positions, adding a police captain position offset by removing two patrol officer positions (council noted the patrol positions had not been filled since they were created), and proceeding with a three‑year payment schedule to purchase a $1,000,000 fire engine (with an anticipated GEMT contribution of about $408,000 by FY2028).
Staff also recommended buying out several Enterprise Fleet Management leases; staff estimated net interest savings of about $50,000 after a $44,000 cancellation fee and projected a FY2026 outlay of roughly $463,000 to governmental funds. Council endorsed moving forward and asked for a special agenda item to document the termination of the leasing program.
The omnibus motion included maintaining current HSA/HRA and dependent subsidy levels and tentatively setting the municipal pool closing date as December 31; council asked staff to return with a closure plan. The motion, moved and seconded, passed by voice vote.
