Cabot council adopts 2025 operating budget, OKs ARPA spending and Justice Center change order

The Cabot City Council voted unanimously to adopt the calendar‑year 2025 operating budget and to approve two related resolutions, including appropriating American Rescue Plan Act funds and authorizing a change order to the Justice Center contract.

City manager Matthew told the council the budget includes targeted pay increases and staffing additions while remaining cost‑conscious: "we were able to do um solid raise address some staffing needs and uh we're actually able to do it for less money than what we've done the last few years," he said. The council approved the budget as Resolution 57 of 2024. Resolution 58 of 2024 formally appropriated ARPA funds reported in the proposal.

The mayor and staff said most departmental budgets are flat or modestly changed; line items highlighted during presentations included increased food costs and a new three‑head mini‑split for the senior center kitchen, replacement of an aging 35‑year HVAC unit at the annex, planned vehicle additions for construction services, and a $400,000 budget line for animal‑shelter donated funds that would not come from general tax revenue.

Staff also called out a significant one‑time technology project in the mayor’s budget: replacement of the city’s virtual server cluster, a project discussed at about $175,000 to replace aging infrastructure and allow continued patching and vendor support for core systems. Police leadership described personnel changes tied to a planned move of dispatch operations to a consolidated county dispatch center; the city expects 12 dispatcher positions to transfer to the consolidated center and plans to add several local administrative and supervisory posts to support in‑person services and evidence management.

Councilors approved two zoning ordinances on third reading (Ordinance 28 and Ordinance 29 of 2024) involving rezoning parcels in section 18; both passed on unanimous roll calls. The council also approved Resolution 59 of 2024, a change order to the city's agreement with Baldman and Shell Construction for work on the Cabot Justice Center.

Votes were recorded by roll call. For the budget adoption (Resolution 57) and the other listed resolutions/ordinances, all council members present voted yes: Tammy Long, Spangler, Red, Hillenberg, Cope, Weber and Wayman (7–0).

The council ended the meeting with staff directed to circulate ordinance language and other supporting documents for items that will return for further consideration. Follow‑up items include staff research on enforcement options raised during department briefings and confirmation of capital procurement timing for projects already included in the adopted budget.