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Grain Valley City reviews 2026 budget outlook, weighs pay increases and police staffing
Summary
City officials reviewed revenue trends, a 25% reserve policy and personnel cost pressures for 2026, discussed a proposed 3% cost‑of‑living adjustment and an erroneously funded police position staff will remove; police pay negotiations are scheduled Oct. 31 and staff will return with updated figures in November.
Grain Valley City officials reviewed the 2026 fiscal‑year budget on Oct. 14, focusing on revenue shifts, reserve policy and employee compensation as staff prepared final numbers for the first reading in November. City Administrator Ken Murphy said the city maintains a 25% emergency and budget‑stabilization reserve, a level that helped during the COVID pandemic, and Finance Director Steven Craig reported mixed revenue trends in 2025 as construction‑related permit income slowed but property and utility receipts met or exceeded estimates.
Murphy and Craig showed staff is projecting an approximate 11% decrease in budgeted expenditures for 2026 when excluding TIF activity. On personnel costs, Murphy said the city’s health plan year runs July 1–June 30 and staff estimate a roughly 12% increase for the second half of the 2026 plan year. The administration presented a proposed 3% cost‑of‑living adjustment (COLA) for all employees and shared cost estimates for 1%, 3%, 5% and 7% increases; Alderman Ryan Skinner reiterated support for at least a 3% increase and asked the board to consider higher amounts if feasible.
The draft budget included an additional police line item that staff identified as erroneously funded; Murphy recommended removing and reallocating those dollars rather than carrying the extra position forward. Mayor Mike Todd and Alderman Kyle Sole noted that police bargaining with the FOP is scheduled for Oct. 31, and staff reminded the board the budget remains adjustable through the second reading. Murphy said staff will return to the board at the November meeting with updated personnel and salary figures for the board to consider.
The discussion also included retirement costs, with staff noting a 1% increase in the city’s LAGERS contribution rate and one new school resource officer position budgeted for 2026. No final personnel actions or votes were taken at the workshop; direction to provide updated budget figures and options was the principal outcome.
