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Council amends proposed budget cuts, sends final adjustments back to staff for more review
Summary
After hours of discussion on proposed revenue changes and spending cuts aimed at closing a roughly $1.19 million shortfall, council approved a narrowed package of adjustments, removed three contested items for further vetting, and tabled the full budget amendment to the next meeting.
Ypsilanti — City council on May 19 wrestled with proposed budget adjustments intended to reduce a projected general‑fund shortfall of about $1.19 million over the next fiscal cycle and ultimately voted to accept most of the manager’s package while reserving three items for further review.
City staff presented a multi‑part plan of revenue updates and expenditure reductions; the manager summarized the package and finance staff provided line‑item figures. "The next section would get to the 1,190,000," staff said when describing the full set of proposed adjustments.
Council members probed several items during a sustained discussion: whether to reduce building‑maintenance allocations, whether to remove a proposed transfer to a forestry program, and a $6,000 senior‑center allocation funded out of the public‑safety millage. Council members raised concerns about the effect of cuts on services and on capital needs such as an elevator and electrical work at City Hall.
Council member McLean moved to accept the manager’s proposal with three exceptions — (1) the $100,000 decrease to building maintenance, (2) removal of a $100,000 transfer to forestry, and (3) the $6,000 senior‑center allocation from the public‑safety millage — and members approved that amendment. After further discussion, council voted to table the broader budget action to the next scheduled meeting to give staff time to provide requested clarifications including overtime drivers, vacancy credits, and the financial timing of the City Hall elevator/electrical work.
Council asked staff for a clearer vacancy‑credit estimate and more detail on police overtime drivers. The city manager and finance director said they would supply a highlighted version of adjustments and answers to the outstanding questions before the second reading. Council did not adopt the budget at this meeting.
