City of Green unveils 2026 budgets with large parks and capital spending increases

Shelly Goodrich, the city's finance director, told the council's finance committee on Nov. 10 that the proposed 2026 operating budget totals $47,900,000 and the capital budget is about $24,100,000.

Goodrich said the operating figure represents a 6.24% increase over 2025 and that the capital budget rise is driven by several large projects, including road and park improvements. "Our focus in this budget is really on parks capital improvements and community events," she said, noting $1,456,000 in parks capital funding and specific projects such as an accessible playground at Kleckner Park and amphitheater improvements in Central Park.

Council members pressed the administration on assumptions behind revenues and costs. One councilor asked about rental and membership projections for the city's new recreation facility, known as the core, pointing to apparently low initial revenue estimates. Goodrich said the budget includes a conservative estimate of $572,000 in operating costs for the core and forecasts $20,000 from memberships and $30,000 from rentals, adding: "Because this is a new facility and we have no rental history, these projections are intentionally conservative." She said the administration expects membership and rental revenue to grow but declined to revise the figures at the meeting.

Committee members also raised labor-cost uncertainties. Goodrich recapped that the city granted a 4% raise effective July 2025 and has budgeted an additional 3.25% for July 2026, pending approval; the administration is negotiating with the fire union and has budgeted 4% but said the final result will depend on negotiation outcomes. "We're budgeting for 4," Goodrich said, but added negotiations are ongoing and could require later amendments.

On capital work, Goodrich described pavement preservation ($2.57 million total), timing for the Arlington Road widening and intersection improvements (with an anticipated $12.5 million in federal reimbursement), and the plan to finance three 3.5-ton service trucks over five years using local financing at just over 4% interest. She told the committee the city expects to roll bond anticipation notes into a bond issuance to cover Arlington and Southwood projects; estimated debt service for the package was discussed at roughly $700,000 annually over 20 years.

Committee Chair Mr. Neugebauer opened the item for additional questions and said the administration will return with supplemental appropriations and givebacks as details firm up before the December final readings.

What's next: The capital and operating appropriations measures are proceeding through the council's multi-reading schedule and will return for further discussion and votes at upcoming meetings.