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Wesley Chapel council adopts $1.26 million FY2026–27 budget, adds fee and sets staff card limits
Summary
The Village Council on June 8 unanimously adopted a $1.264 million FY2026–27 budget, approved a $150/hr fee for administrative document services, and set staff credit‑card limits (Clerk $2,500; Park Director $500 per card). Council also approved year‑end budget amendments to set aside funds for dam repair and road improvements.
The Village of Wesley Chapel adopted its FY 2026–27 budget on June 8, approving a $1,264,496 spending plan and associated budget ordinance after a public hearing and unanimous council vote.
Finance and budget officer Lori Bailey read the budget message, including revenue assumptions and set‑aside plans: “The total proposed budget for FY 2026‑2027 is $1,264,496,” she said, and described the council’s continued strategy of saving $250,000 annually toward dam repairs and another $250,000 toward road improvements.
Council members cited concern about weakened revenue projections despite modest assessed‑value increases. Staff explained the dip in the overall budget largely reflects reduced nonproperty revenues (for example, sales‑tax projections) rather than property‑tax rates; the council kept the tax rate at 2.25 cents per $100 valuation.
During the meeting council also amended and adopted the municipal fee schedule to add a $150‑per‑hour administrative fee for document services; the amendment passed unanimously. Councilors said the fee was designed to cover staff time and recover costs for records requests or special document work.
On procedural budget matters, council approved a package of year‑end amendments (ord. #2526‑5) unanimously that: (1) moves $250,000 for FY25‑26 dam repair into the assigned fund balance, (2) moves $250,000 for road‑improvement set‑asides into the assigned fund balance, and (3) reallocates $5,500 from park part‑time wages to code‑enforcement professional services for year‑end cleanup.
Council also agreed to formal credit‑card limits to support a tighter pre‑audit control process. After discussion, the body set the Clerk/Amy’s Truist card limit at $2,500 and the Park Director/John a $500 limit on Truist plus a $500 limit on a Lowe’s card; the motion passed unanimously. Staff said the limits will be folded into the town’s pre‑audit and reconciliation procedures and that temporary increases could be authorized when training or larger purchases are planned.
Councilors said the budget adoption preserves capacity for the village’s priorities — notably the Dogwood Park work and the dam set‑aside — while strengthening controls on contracts and spending. The council fixed a typographical error in the budget message before finalizing the ordinance.
