Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Hebron committees preview 2025 budget as finance chief warns police rely on $975,000 General Fund transfer
Summary
At the Sept. 18 meeting, Hebron officials previewed the proposed 2025 budget and flagged that $975,000 supporting police operations is a General Fund transfer the department says it needs to remain operational; Council will consider drafting legislation to adopt the budget at the next meeting.
At its Sept. 18 combined council committees meeting, Hebron officials discussed the proposed 2025 budget and signaled they will ask the full Council to draft legislation to adopt the plan.
Finance Committee Chair Jerry Carpenter said the committee reviewed proposed budgets for each department and that he will ask the Council at its next meeting for a motion to prepare adopting legislation. Chief Fiscal Officer Deborah Morgan provided a synopsis of department budgets and told councilmembers that $975,000 of the police department’s available balance is a transfer from the General Fund, adding that the police department “would not be operational without those funds.”
Councilmember Kenney Nauer pressed for clarity about police department finances as the department is seeking a replacement levy; Morgan confirmed the transfer is part of current accounting and that any levy outcome would affect future funding decisions. Carpenter thanked Morgan for preparing the proposal and said the process on the draft budget review went smoothly.
The draft budget includes a proposed 3% payroll increase that Morgan said would require Council approval if they decide to move forward. Morgan also said she had budgeted a 24% increase in medical insurance costs for planning purposes but said she hopes the actual change will be lower; she said she plans to survey employees about benefits preferences.
Police Chief Larry Brooks provided context on staffing and tenure, saying Hebron’s higher-ranking officers have served 13 years or more and pointing to Hebron’s training program as a factor in officer marketability and turnover. During open discussion, Chief Brooks said a new outfitted police vehicle costs about $56,000, a detail relevant to capital and vehicle-replacement planning.
The Finance Committee’s recommendation to draft adoption legislation will be presented at the next Council meeting. The committees adjourned at 6:29 p.m. following a unanimous roll-call vote.
