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Lago Vista staff outlines budget pressures, proposed fee changes and modest staffing requests
Summary
City Manager Charles West told council the city faces a potential shortfall tied to lower property valuations and previewed a consolidated budget approach, a planned unified fee schedule (approved), and five requested new positions including parks staff, two police positions (one SRO), and additional street crew staffing.
City Manager Charles West briefed the Lago Vista City Council during a budget work session on revenue projections, organizational changes and a small set of staffing requests for the coming fiscal planning cycle.
West said property valuations have declined enough to create a potential shortfall in ad valorem revenue; staff is examining three‑year averages and other savings to avoid raising the tax rate. As part of an ERP and chart‑of‑accounts update, staff plans to consolidate about 26 single‑person departments into broader budget units (administration, development services, public works) to improve transparency and accuracy.
The council earlier approved an updated unified fee schedule for the Development Services Department (Ordinance No. 26‑05‑21‑01). Staff said the fee changes were benchmarked against peer cities and are intended to better align fees with staff time and services; staffing increases implied by the fee schedule will be addressed through the normal budget process.
West listed five proposed new positions in the draft budget: three positions for Parks & Recreation to support expanded maintenance and summer programs, two police Department positions (including a school resource officer to restore SRO coverage at local campuses and an officer/animal control hybrid role), and two additional street department positions to separate drainage and ROW duties for maintenance efficiency. West said 121 employees currently serve the city (with eight vacancies) and the budget will request five new positions.
Councilors asked whether the SRO funding follows the established joint‑funding arrangement with local schools (staff confirmed the existing cost‑share model applies) and asked about continuity for municipal court during a transition in judges (staff replied an associate judge will cover while interviews proceed).
Next steps: staff will continue refining the budget, return with draft budget documents and departmental workshops, and will present memos on the chart of accounts and specific CIP impacts. Council was asked to expect targeted budget workshops in the coming weeks.
