Pawnee City council adopts 2025–26 budget, sets property tax request

Pawnee City Mayor Charlie Hatfield and the City Council adopted the 2025–26 fiscal year budget and set a property tax request during their Sept. 8 meeting after a short special hearing.

City Auditor Julie Bauman told the council the city is "anticipating $3,964,791.08 for expenditures" in the coming fiscal year and described recent procedural changes intended to increase transparency in setting the tax request. Bauman said the city’s valuation rose about 22 percent but the proposed property tax request would be $236,127.14, an increase of roughly 3 percent from $233,059.06, producing a proposed tax rate of 0.538952.

The council recessed the regular meeting to open the special hearing, then closed the hearing and voted to adopt Resolution #15 approving the 2025–26 budget and Resolution #16 setting the 2025–26 property tax request at $236,127.14 with a proposed rate of 0.538952. Council Member Vickie Zelenka made the motions to open and close the hearing and to approve the budget; Council Member Donnie Fisher seconded; roll-call votes were recorded as unanimous among those present.

The clerk said staff will produce an updated Treasurer’s Report through Sept. 23 so the council can review fund balances before the current budget year ends Sept. 30. Officials noted that, because valuations changed at the county level, officials are submitting materials to the county clerk and state ahead of the statutory Oct. 14 deadline to allow for any needed adjustments.

The council did not debate significant program-level cuts or additions during the meeting. The final budget and tax-request resolutions were approved with unanimous affirmative votes from the members present. The council reconvened the regular meeting at 7:15 p.m. and continued with the agenda.