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Reinbeck council flags $170,751 FY2027 shortfall, asks library to trim request and approves 2.8% COLA
Summary
Facing a projected $170,751 gap for FY2027, Reinbeck City Council asked the library to rework its request and directed other departments to cut spending; the council also approved a 2.8% cost-of-living increase for city employees and asked for a merit-pay plan for FY2028.
The Reinbeck City Council on Jan. 5 reviewed the city’s preliminary FY2027 budget and identified a projected shortfall of $170,751, prompting the council to direct cuts and a recalculation of board requests.
Council members discussed the revenue projection of $880,229 against department and board expenditure requests totaling $1,050,980. Councilmember Bueghly said the library’s funding request was substantially higher than prior years and moved that the library refigure its request. The motion, which passed unanimously, asked the library to revise its submission using a target range of $135,000 to $140,000 and ordered other departments to reduce their budgets and resubmit figures for the February meeting.
The council also voted unanimously to give city employees a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment for FY2027. The motion, made by Pease, included direction that the council develop a plan for merit-based pay to consider for FY2028.
Mayor Jamie Eiffler and council members emphasized the need to align requests with projected revenues. The minutes note the fire department agreed to cut $6,000 from its medical and wellness line because it likely will not conduct physicals in FY2027. The clerk was instructed to collect revised figures and return the budget for further action in February.
The council’s actions on the budget were procedural — the meeting record does not show final FY2027 adoption, only directions to revise requests and a short-term personnel pay decision. The next procedural step is for boards and departments to submit revised budgets for council review at the February meeting.
