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Garden City council opens budget to cover $750,000 road overage, adopts 2027 budget with 4% COLA
Summary
Council approved Resolution ART 2602 to open the budget to cover overages including an unbudgeted $750,000 expense on Paradise Parkway and adopted the proposed 2027 budget, which includes a 4% cost-of-living adjustment for municipal officers and staff and small insurance/technology tweaks.
Garden City's Town Council voted May 26 to accept Resolution ART 2602 opening the municipal budget for interfund transfers and to adopt the 2027 budget for general, water and capital project funds.
Staff described the annual process to open the budget for overages and interfund transfers. The clerk noted a large unbudgeted expense: "we had $750,000 on Paradise Parkway that was never budgeted," which required moving funds between funds to cover the work. The council discussed normal frequency of these adjustments and agreed to the resolution to cover the overages.
During the public hearing on compensation, council considered a 4% cost-of-living adjustment for municipal officers and personnel. Mayor Arkeim read the proposed change and said "it's a 4% cost of living," while members and public commenters urged the council to consider health insurance as an additional retention tool. Councilors discussed revenue projections, the effect of growing property valuation on the mill levy, and the need for public education on truth-in-taxation should the town seek revenue increases in future.
After discussion the council moved to adopt the 2027 budget, including the 4% COLA and the modest adjustments to insurance and technology line items. Council asked staff to prepare outreach materials explaining town revenue and service tradeoffs to residents.
Next steps: staff to finalize budget documents, publish the adopted budget, and prepare public communications on revenue and service levels.
