Huntington council adopts FY2027 budget, keeps certified tax rate and approves employee raises

Huntington Mayor Norton and the City Council on June 17 voted to adjust the city’s FY2026 budget, adopt the FY2027 budget and confirm the city’s certified tax rate for 2027 at 0.000716.

The council opened a public hearing and heard a staff presentation of the proposed changes and FY2027 line items. The council approved Resolution 9-20 26 to increase FY2026 total revenue from $1,304,210 to $1,332,610 and then adopted Resolution 10-20 26 to approve the FY2027 budget as presented. Staff also explained individual line items, including general government ($294,250), public safety ($116,500), highways and public improvements ($289,400), parks and recreation ($375,093), debt service ($42,090) and a $75,000 transfer to capital projects for planned work. The capital project fund shows revenue and expenses of $208,000 in the adopted budget; the presenter said that amount includes grant-funded engineering work for a planned pickleball court.

The council also adopted Resolution 11-20 26 setting the FY2027 certified tax rate at 0.000716, which staff estimated would yield about $81,000 in property-tax revenue for the city. Council discussion during the vote focused on clarifying the decimal and percent representation of the tax rate before the motion passed.

Council members approved a personnel wage package tied to the budget: a general 3% increase for most staff and a $100-per-month increase for one employee named Jessica, plus specified hourly adjustments for several employees. The council approved the pay changes on a recorded voice vote.

During budget discussion staff noted the utility fund showed a revenue/expense gap and flagged a separate special-service district increase that will add $0.40 to water, $0.40 to sewer and $0.40 to secondary service in January (staff said that increase will recur annually through 2030). Council members asked staff to return with rate scenarios at a future meeting to address the utility shortfall.

Votes at a glance - Resolution 9-20 26 (Adjust FY2026 budget to $1,332,610): approved by council. - Resolution 10-20 26 (Adopt FY2027 budget): approved by council. - Resolution 11-20 26 (Set FY2027 certified tax rate at 0.000716): approved by council. - Employee wage adjustments (3% general increase and specified raises): approved by council.

Other business and context The council also approved several nonbudget items during the meeting: a business license for Picture Perfect Cleaning and Remodeling LLC; Resolution 07-2026 setting donation and sponsorship limits (examples presented: $100 per individual, $200 per group, with authority to increase if budgeted); and Resolution 08-2026 establishing a $100 nonrefundable annexation application fee and process requirements. Two applicants — Chantelle Kaye and Josh Wagner — were appointed to fill expired seats on the Planning & Zoning Commission; the appointment vote recorded at least one dissenting vote.

Mayor Norton praised staff and volunteers involved in Heritage Days and rodeo preparations, and staff reported that the city’s 2025 drinking-water report met federal and state requirements. ‘‘I would like to thank everybody who has been involved in getting Heritage Days and the rodeo… all up and running,’’ Mayor Norton said during the meeting.

What’s next Council directed staff to return with water/sewer rate options at a future meeting. The budget resolutions are effective as adopted; further implementation items (rate changes, capital-project scheduling) will be brought back to council for action as needed.