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Council approves small budget amendment but stalls fees resolution amid wider dispute over police pay and FY26–27 budget transparency
Summary
At a lengthy work session the Seat Pleasant council passed a budget amendment (O26‑13) but debated the proposed FY2026–27 budget's large 'other' revenue subtotal and a contentious, recently implemented police pay scale; council requested an itemized fiscal‑impact statement and clearer line‑item revenues before the second reading.
The Seat Pleasant City Council voted 5–2 to adopt Ordinance O26‑13, a budget amendment that adjusted several Environmental Justice line items and took effect immediately on adoption. City clerks read the ordinance at the meeting; a roll call vote recorded the result.
Council then heard the first reading of the FY2026–27 budget (O27‑13), which lists appropriations for general government, public safety and other funds and proposes tax rates for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026. Several council members pressed finance staff for a clearer breakdown of a roughly $699,802 “other” revenues subtotal and asked that those line items be itemized before the second reading. The treasurer and finance staff acknowledged the request and agreed to provide the requested reconciliation and subtotals prior to the next vote.
The meeting’s largest substantive dispute concerned implementation of a previously approved police recruitment and retention plan that resulted in substantial, immediate increases to officer pay scales. Several council members said they were surprised that the full scale increases were implemented immediately rather than incrementally, and asked for a detailed fiscal‑impact statement showing how the pay changes will be funded and whether they preclude other priorities. Acting Chief Haywood defended the plan, saying committee and council processes had taken place and reiterating that the increases were intended to make the department regionally competitive and to reduce turnover.
Residents who spoke during public comment urged the council to support fair compensation for police given reported reductions in crime; other council members emphasized the need for transparency in budget presentation so elected officials and residents can understand funding choices. Council requested that the fiscal‑impact analysis and departmental cost breakdowns be delivered to members before the next meeting and that finance provide more granular revenue source detail for the large “other” subtotal.
Separately, the council reviewed a consolidated fees schedule (resolution R26‑13) covering park rentals, business license tiers and event security. After debate about definitions (for example what constitutes a “large event”) and whether police security fees should be mandatory, the first vote on the resolution produced three yes votes and three abstentions and failed; council asked staff to gather missing notes and return the item with clarified language.
Next steps: staff will provide an itemized revenue breakdown and a fiscal‑impact statement for the police pay changes and the FY26–27 budget ahead of the second reading; the fees schedule will return with clarifications on security requirements and definitions of event sizes.
