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Evansville keeps 2026 tax levy at 8 mills, approves project payments and officer pay step plan
Summary
On Feb. 9 the Evansville Town Council adopted Ordinance 2-226 fixing the 2026 tax levy at 8 mills and approved multiple pay applications and draw requests for road and pathway projects while adopting a sworn-officer step pay structure for 2026.
The Evansville Town Council on Feb. 9 adopted Ordinance 2-226 on second reading, setting the town's 2026 tax levy at 8 mills, the same rate used in previous years. The motion to adopt the levy carried after a brief exchange and a vote.
The council then approved several routine but budget-sensitive items requested by town staff and the town engineer. Town engineer Shane Porter presented pay application number seven for the Mystery Bridge and Wildcat Road improvements, describing a pay request totaling roughly $380,359 for work completed through Jan. 30 and noting the town is holding 5% retainage; the engineer recommended payment to Wayne Coleman Construction and the council approved the request. Porter also presented draw request number seven seeking reimbursement of invoices totaling about $267,199; the engineer said the related grant covered the majority of those costs and recommended submitting the draw-down request to the Wyoming Business Council, which the council approved.
Porter described additional pathway work: a draw request for the Laser Pro pathway phase 2 design invoices (the engineer said invoices totaled roughly $26,500 and the grant covered about 90.5%); and a preliminary engineering completion certificate for the Lyther Road pathway TAP grant, indicating design services are complete and that about half of the design budget has been spent and will be moved into construction. The council voted to authorize the mayor to sign the TAP certification and to submit the pathway draw request as recommended.
Separately, the council approved a proposed step pay structure for sworn police officers for 2026. Chief of Police Mike Thompson was present to answer questions; after a motion and second the council voted in favor of adopting the step pay plan as presented.
Town staff also opened and closed a required second public hearing on the town's Community Development Block Grant-funded sidewalk project, which staff and the engineer said is complete and signed off. No members of the public spoke during that hearing.
The council accepted the town engineer's report, approved the listed pay and draw motions, and then voted to adjourn into executive session.
What happens next: the ordinance fixing the levy is effective per the town's normal notice and publication practices; staff will submit the approved draw requests and reimbursements to the named grant agencies for processing and will move remaining design funds into construction as indicated for the TAP-funded pathway project.
