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Lucas City Council adopts midyear budget adjustments, creates police and court departments
Summary
The Lucas City Council unanimously adopted midyear adjustments for FY 2025–26, reallocating roughly $4.2 million for capital and confirming new departmental line items for police and municipal court; staff said the changes rely largely on restricted prior-year funds and line-item transfers.
The Lucas City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved Ordinance 2026-05-01045 adopting midyear budget adjustments for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2025, and ending Sept. 30, 2026.
City finance presenter Miss Exum outlined the amendments, saying reallocated capital projects total about $4.2 million and revenue/expense adjustments total roughly $331,000, while previously approved items of about $2.9 million were also incorporated. She told the council the General Fund shows a projected revenue-over-expense position and that GASB 54 reserve balances remain in place to cover multi‑month operations.
The adjustments included creation of two discrete departmental accounts: a police department (dept. 6700) and a municipal court (dept. 6710). Councilors asked whether ticket and court-related revenues would be shown separately; Miss Exum said staff already breaks those receipts into separate line items and that historical activity has been minimal but some restricted child-safety funds (approximately $100,000) have been carried and restricted for future use.
Council members pressed staff on how the amended annual budget compares with year‑to‑date actuals through March 31 and whether the increases would draw on restricted reserves. Staff explained the amended column projects the expected year‑end balances and that several large items appearing in the midyear package are reclassifications of earlier, restricted allocations — for example, ambulance ($500,000) and fire engine ($1,100,000) purchases ordered over multiple years but realized in the current accounting period.
After the presentation and questions, Mayor (speaker 1) moved to adopt the ordinance; the motion was seconded and carried unanimously.
The council packet and the taxpayer impact statement required by Texas House Bill 1522 are posted on the city’s website for public review. Staff said any additional questions about specific line items could be addressed through follow-up with the finance office.
The ordinance takes effect upon adoption; council directed staff to implement the approved line‑item transfers and reflect the new departmental accounts in future reports.
