Hastings council adopts 2026–27 budget after rejecting downtown parking special assessment

The Hastings City Council adopted Resolution 2026-09 on May 11, 2026, enacting the city’s General Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2026–27 and establishing property tax millage rates after removing revenue that had depended on a downtown parking special assessment district (SAD).

Councilmembers voted to reject Resolution 2026-07, which would have approved the final assessment roll for the 2026–2027 SAD for parking improvements in the principal shopping district. The vote failed with ayes from Councilmember Resseguie and Mayor David J. Tossava and nays from Bergeron, Brehm, Devroy, McLean, Rocha and Stenzelbarton; Councilmember Barlow was absent. Because the assessment did not pass, city staff reduced the equivalent revenue in the budget before the council approved the appropriations act.

The city manager had opened a public hearing on the proposed budget and millage rates and described changes from the draft presented at the Budget Workshop; that hearing closed with no public comments. A separate public hearing on the final assessment roll for downtown parking drew comment: property owner Phillip Joseph told the council he owns three downtown properties and "appreciates the Council members' comments to reduce or eliminate the SAD and support of local businesses." Councilmembers Rocha, Devroy and Stenzelbarton had expressed opposition to the assessment during the hearing.

The council’s budget action authorizes city operating budgets for the coming fiscal year with the amendment removing the SAD revenue line. The motion to adopt Resolution 2026-09 passed unanimously among members present: Bergeron, Brehm, Devroy, McLean, Resseguie, Rocha, Stenzelbarton and Tossava; Barlow was recorded absent.

Next steps: the city will implement the adopted operating budgets for FY 2026–27 as amended. The transcript does not specify additional measures to replace the removed SAD revenue beyond the stated budget adjustments.