Baxter City Council adopts FY2027 budget after public hearing with no comments

The Baxter City Council adopted the city’s FY2027 budget during its April 13 meeting at Baxter Council Chambers. Council member Bethards moved to adopt the FY2027 City Budget; the motion was seconded by Smith and carried with ayes recorded from Bethards, Churchill, Milligan, Schabilion and Smith.

The adoption followed a public hearing opened by Mayor Daniel Kunkel at 6:08 p.m. and closed at 6:10 p.m.; no written or oral comments were received during the hearing. Councilors then approved related administrative measures: Milligan moved to approve FY2027 employee wages, and the council approved the motion unanimously, and Milligan’s motion to renew annual insurance with EMC Insurance also passed.

Mayor Daniel Kunkel said the hearing was brief and that staff had provided the required notices and budget documentation. City Administrator/Clerk Jill Braye had earlier presented routine financial reports, including March expenditures and revenues by fund.

The council did not specify a single consolidated budget amount in the public minutes; March 2026 operational reports presented at the meeting showed total month expenditures of $131,737.70 and total month revenues of $145,042.19. The council also approved a City match of $1,800 for an identified project and directed staff to begin planning to budget for similar projects in future fiscal cycles; Churchill was recorded as abstaining on the match motion.

The council’s adoption of the FY2027 budget is the formal direction for city expenditures in the coming fiscal year. The council will review the trial implementation of several administrative process changes at its next regular meeting.