Lewisville council approves midyear FY2026 supplemental appropriations for fire engines, ambulance bodies and a debt-reserve transfer

Ashley Carlisle, Lewisville’s budget manager, told council the city is broadly on track for FY2026 and presented two midyear supplemental appropriations that staff said are covered by reserves.

"The main takeaway that I want to relay to you tonight is that we are on track with this year's budget," Carlisle said, noting general-fund revenues are meeting or exceeding expectations and that a temporary April sales-tax outlier produced about $729,000 in additional revenue compared with April last year.

Carlisle outlined two supplementals brought forward for approval. The first is a maintenance and replacement fund request totaling about $2,830,000 to cover fleet needs, of which approximately $1,900,000 is earmarked for replacement of fire engines 1 and 3 (orders placed years earlier), $729,000 for two ambulance bodies (chassis already funded), and $200,000 for increased parts costs. "These are costs that have already been funded through prior annual replacement contributions and now require appropriation for payment as engines 1 and 3 are ready for delivery," staff said.

The second supplemental is $426,418 to the water and sewer fund as a utility-related debt-reserve transfer; staff said the adjustment is required to meet a bond covenant and is covered by existing reserves.

Council members asked clarifying questions about lead times for vehicles, whether auction proceeds from retired vehicles are factored in, and the degree to which tariffs have affected parts costs. Chief O'Neill and Carlisle said some vehicles are retained as back-up units when that is operationally sensible and auction proceeds are recorded as revenue in the appropriate fund.

Council moved to approve the two midyear supplementals and voted to adopt them. The motion to approve the supplemental appropriations passed unanimously.