Rush Valley council adopts tentative 2026–27 budget; fire and roads funding highlighted

Rush Valley’s town council adopted a tentative budget for fiscal 2026–27 after a detailed review of revenues, grants and planned expenditures.

Chair (speaker 2) presented the spreadsheet used for the tentative budget. Significant items discussed included expected building-permit revenue (Chair said he set it at $25,000 as a conservative estimate), class B and C road funds expected around $85,000, and interest earnings tied to a road project account. The chair also highlighted a potential $225,000 capital outlay for road paving that staff hopes to schedule in June so the cost can be paid from the current budget year rather than shifted into next year’s budget.

The fire department’s finances drew extended discussion. Staff estimated about $38,000 in grant income for the department plus about $69,000 in other department income (automatic aid payments, recruitment/retention receipts) and approximately $10,000 in wildland income — numbers the chair and the fire chief used to project a fire-related income total near $132,000. The council discussed paying off a rescue truck lease and funding equipment needs from those figures.

Other budget line items included sanitation ($1,200), parks and recreation ($20,000), cemeteries ($5,000) and a proposed Clover Church renovation (listed at $52,000) that staff said remains subject to grant confirmation. Chair said there would be no special assessments or property-tax increase tied to the proposed CIB application discussed earlier.

After questions and minor clarifications, the council moved, seconded and adopted the tentative budget on a voice vote. Chair said staff will revisit a few line items next month as grant awards are confirmed and invoices arrive.