Noblesville sets June 23 hearing on $1.6M midyear adjustments, proposes 1% pay bump for sworn police and fire

Noblesville — The Common Council on June 9 voted to establish a June 23 public hearing for ordinance 28-06-26, a set of 2026 midyear budget adjustments that the administration said total about $1.6 million and include both one-time and ongoing items.

Deputy Mayor Matt Light and Deputy Financial Officer Tom McDonald told the council the package comprises roughly $1.1 million in additional appropriations and about $500,000 in contingency transfers. McDonald said most of the requests are one-time; the administration identified roughly $510,000 of ongoing cost, driven mainly by a proposed 1% increase in base compensation for sworn firefighters and police officers to take effect in the first pay period in July.

“We've included ... a 1% increase in base compensation for all across the board for all sworn firefighters and sworn police officers. And that would go into effect if approved in first pay in July,” Matt Light said. Administration staff said a corresponding salary ordinance amendment will appear at the June 23 meeting.

Officials also described other midyear needs funded in the package: higher-than-anticipated fuel costs, an unexpected rooftop HVAC replacement for a city building, temporary staffing for planning and inspection workloads, one-time license costs tied to a payroll system conversion, and some reimbursements tied to the police headquarters project. Finance staff said they expect about $3 million in year-end reversions that make these midyear appropriations feasible; previous years’ reversions were larger ($7.3M in 2025 and $11M in 2024).

Council voted to establish the public hearing for ordinance 28-06-26 (hand vote, nine in favor reported). The public hearing and subsequent votes on appropriation and transfer items are scheduled for June 23.