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Nebraska City council approves 3.5% budget increase, lowers levy to $0.27
Summary
At a special Aug. 25 meeting, the Nebraska City Council approved a total 3.5% budget increase, reduced the levy rate to $0.27 (yielding $1,309,500), included $276,766.35 in equipment and capital projects, and authorized drawing down operational reserves to cover the shortfall.
The Nebraska City Council on Aug. 25, 2023, approved a total 3.5% increase to the city’s budget and agreed to lower the property tax levy rate to $0.27, officials recorded in the minutes of a special budget meeting.
The actions finalized at the Gary White Memorial Room of the ROWE Safety Complex included adoption of a 2.5% base budget increase followed by an additional 1.0% increase, each approved on unanimous 5-0 roll calls. Commissioner Cole Sharp moved both budget increase measures; the 2.5% increase was seconded by Joe Chaney, and the additional 1.0% was seconded by Patrick Wehling. The council’s roll-call votes were recorded as Osovski, Sharp, Wehling, Chaney and Mayor Bequette voting yes on each motion.
Council members also agreed to include Equipment Requests and Capital Improvement Projects totaling $276,766.35 in the adopted budget. To cover the resulting deficit this budget year, the council authorized using operational reserves: a withdrawal of $123,823.22 was recorded to cover the difference, and a separate transfer of $200,000 from Operational Reserves to Equipment Reserves was approved. The council agreed to revisit reserve balances again in November.
The minutes show the council recessed at 9:29 a.m. to allow staff to update budget numbers and reconvened at 11:04 a.m. All routine business included approval of the Aug. 21, 2023 city council meeting minutes (moved by Commissioner Patrick Wehling and seconded by Ron Osovski), which passed on a unanimous vote.
The meeting record does not quote speakers verbatim; actions and vote tallies are recorded in the minutes signed by City Clerk Randy Dunster. The special meeting adjourned at 1:12 p.m. and the council’s minutes include a certification of proceedings.
