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Williston adopts $195 million 2026 budget with modest tax, rate increases
Summary
The Williston City Commission adopted a $195.05 million 2026 budget with a roughly $19,000 surplus, approving modest increases — 3% property tax, 5% water and sewer rates, and small rises to recycling and landfill fees — while trimming capital and staffing requests.
The Williston Board of City Commissioners approved the City of Williston 2026 budget (Resolution 25‑019) on Sept. 23, adopting a plan that the city says balances revenues of $195,050,399 against expenditures of $195,031,635, leaving an estimated surplus of about $19,000.
City Administrator Shawn Wenko and Finance Director Hercules Cummings told the commission the final budget reflects significant reductions from earlier projections, including trimming capital requests, cutting operating expenses and reducing roughly 25 positions by hire freezes and attrition while maintaining a 3% merit increase; city leaders said there were no layoffs. Officials also said the city pared capital equipment requests from about $39 million to roughly $29 million and adjusted gross production tax (GPT) revenues down to $28 million to reflect current oil‑and‑gas forecasting.
The commission approved modest revenue adjustments for 2026: a 3% increase in property taxes, a 5% increase in water and sewer rates (with the summer rate structure retained), a $0.50 monthly increase to household recycling (to $2.00/month), and about a $1/month increase to average household landfill fees, with higher increases for some commercial customers. Finance Director Hercules Cummings told the commission the city’s year‑end debt principal is projected at about $248 million, with annual principal and interest payments of roughly $41 million; he said most large debts mature by 2035 and the city has refinanced or paid down several obligations.
Public comment during the budget hearing focused on project prioritization and debt transparency. Resident Dan Shupe asked which projects were deferred and how they would be returned to the active capital program; City Engineer David Juma said staff rearranged project timing, sought state revolving loans where possible and considered special assessment districts for certain work. Resident Loni Steppler asked for public access to the city’s strategic plan and for clarity on debt levels; officials pointed listeners to the city website and described the city’s methods for managing tax increment financing and other incentives.
President Howard Klug closed the budget hearing and commissioners voted 5–0 (Bervig moved; Siemieniewski seconded) to approve Resolution 25‑019. Klug noted that while the budget is set, the commission could review emergency needs or new opportunities that arise during the year: “The 2026 budget is set, but if an emergency comes up or if funding becomes available for a project, the City Commission would review it,” he said.
What happens next: With the adoption of Resolution 25‑019 the finance and department staff will move to implement the approved appropriations and rate changes for 2026. The budget documents and supporting materials are posted on the City of Williston website for public inspection.
