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Claremore presents pared‑down $121 million proposed budget and a $3 hourly boost for city workers
Summary
City and related authorities presented a combined FY2026–27 budget with a $121 million total (about $101 million operating) that trims $12.5–13.3 million from the current year, prioritizes infrastructure and includes a $3/hour across‑the‑board pay increase for non‑director employees.
The Claremore City Council, Claremore Public Works Authority and Claremore Cultural Development Authority on Monday reviewed a combined proposed FY2026–27 budget that staff said tightens spending while protecting major infrastructure work.
Mr. Barry introduced the budget presentation and asked Miss Mallaloy and city finance staff to walk the board and council through the numbers. The total consolidated proposal is about $121 million before interfund transfers, a reduction of roughly $13.3 million from the previous year. Staff said operating budgets (excluding interfund transfers) total about $101 million, approximately $12.5 million less than the current fiscal year.
Staff framed the reductions as targeted cuts “to the bone” to preserve reserves and maintain essential services while continuing investment in capital projects. Presenters highlighted continued funding for large infrastructure needs: substation planning and upgrades, a $2.1 million reconductoring project, in‑house street rehabilitation work and water and wastewater improvements. Planned capital items described included an AMI electric and water meter replacement (staff estimated $8–10 million depending on vendor selection), stormwater land purchases (about $940,000 with grant assistance), transit‑adjacent pedestrian/bike TAP projects (city portion $100,000), and an ongoing list of in‑house street projects totaling roughly $950,000.
Council members and staff also reviewed facility costs for the CCDA portfolio: the rec center budget is about $934,000 in total and the expo is budgeted around $2.1 million; staff warned the expo roof replacement could cost roughly $550,000 and said that estimate might shift when bids are solicited.
The presentation included the Claremore Public Works Authority (CPWA) figures: projected outstanding debt for FY27 of $71.8 million and revenue breakdowns the presentation said include $34 million in electric revenue, $5.4 million in water revenue, $2.6 million in sewer revenue and $1.6 million in sanitation.
On staffing costs, the proposed budget includes an across‑the‑board increase of $3 per hour for hourly and exempt, non‑director employees — a raise staff said equals about $6,200 per year per full‑time employee — and absorbs a projected health‑insurance cost increase of roughly $697,000. City management said the increase is intended to improve competitiveness with the private sector and to help the city retain employees after years of merit increases.
The budget presentation will be posted online and the city intends to hold a required public hearing at the council’s second June meeting before any adoption votes.
What happens next: staff will post red‑line materials and the proposed budget online; the council will hold the statutory public hearing at the next scheduled meeting and consider adoption thereafter.
