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Miles City council adopts budget amendment as city finance reports ambulance fund nearly $77,000 in deficit
Summary
The council approved Resolution No. 4661 amending the FY2025–26 final budget after a public hearing with no speakers; officials also reported the ambulance fund is $77,000 in the red and city operating cash is about $365,000 short, with taxes not yet posted and the ambulance account unreconciled.
Mayor Chris Grenz opened and closed a public hearing on Resolution No. 4661, a proposed amendment to the city’s FY2025–26 final budget, after calling for proponents and opponents three times and hearing none. The council then took a second-reading vote to adopt the resolution.
The budget action came after the mayor requested that City Clerk Rowe attach regular cash reports for council review. Deputy Clerk Tamara Ellsworth told the council the ambulance fund is currently $77,000 in the red and the city’s operating cash is approximately $365,000 in the red; she added that taxes have not yet been posted and the ambulance account has not been reconciled to date. Those figures framed council discussion about fiscal pressures and training and travel cuts.
Resident Susan Felstehausen had suggested the city consider grant-writing capacity to help close shortfalls; Mayor Grenz said the city has no dedicated grant writer and department directors currently apply for grants, and he raised the possibility of having the City Treasurer take on grant-writing duties.
On a motion by Councilmember Rick Huber, seconded by Councilmember Don Simpson, the council voted to adopt Resolution No. 4661. The minutes record the motion carrying with affirmative votes from Councilmembers Dan Scott, Ed Pulecio, Rick Huber, Jeni Losey, Cody Steiner, Kevin Thomason, Brooke Bartholomew and Don Simpson.
Next steps noted in the meeting minutes include continued review of cash reporting and reconciliation; no additional hearing testimony was recorded at the Feb. 24 meeting.
