Cookeville council adopts FY2027 city budget, approves tax levy and nonprofit appropriations

The Cookeville City Council adopted the fiscal year 2027 city budget and approved related ordinances in a unanimous vote on June 18. Finance staff presented the budget, explained amendments, and recommended adoption on second and final readings where applicable.

Miss Alexander, the staff presenter, summarized the budget measures and amendments across multiple funds and recommended approval. "This ordinance is amending of current fiscal year's budget in the general fund, state street aid fund, solid waste fund, drug fund, economic development fund, debt service fund, general improvement bond fund, and transportation fund," she said. The council then approved a second and final reading of the FY2026 budget amendments by a 5–0 vote.

Council members moved next to the FY2027 measures. Staff reported the property tax levy was presented on second reading with the certified rate not yet available; staff said there was no proposed tax increase beyond rounding to the nearest cent. The council closed the public hearing with no speakers and adopted the levy ordinance 5–0.

On the annual city budget, staff reported general fund revenues and transfers in of $40,955,728 and operating and capital expenditures of $45,307,028, with a projected ending fund balance of $34,422,024. Citywide proposed expenditures were listed at $244,474,039. Council discussion emphasized the budget's role in setting priorities for projects and services. A council member said, "This is the most important thing we do on council''it sets up the entire year, for projects and what we're gonna do." The council voted 5–0 to adopt the FY2027 budget.

The council also approved an ordinance appropriating funding for public service partners and nonprofit organizations for FY2027. Staff reported allocations of $876,055 to governmental partners and joint ventures and $160,000 to nonprofits; the total cited in the spoken record contained garbled phrasing and was not read cleanly. The council approved the appropriation ordinance 5–0.

Finance staff presented an "intent to reimburse" resolution to permit the city to use fund balance on covered projects until bond proceeds are issued; staff said the city anticipates issuing debt this fall for projects such as Depot improvements, the East‑West Connector, design engineering on 10th Street (phase 3), and a fire training facility, and that the resolution was not to exceed $10,000,000. The council approved the resolution 5–0.

The most recent procedural step is adoption of the ordinances and the reimbursement resolution; no public comments were offered on the items at the hearings. The council recorded unanimous votes on each final reading and related motions. Future steps include any bond issuance approvals in the fall tied to the reimbursement intent resolution.