Carlin council reviews 'bare-bones' FY 2026–27 budget and eyes balanced books

Carlin — City leaders and staff on Feb. 9 reviewed a “bare bones” version of Carlin’s tentative fiscal year 2026–27 budget that pares capital projects and seeks to bring spending in line with projected revenue amid uncertainty over state sales-tax distributions.

Mayor Cameron Kinney opened the special workshop saying his goal is to present a balanced fiscal plan to the public and identify where costs could be cut. City consultant Bernardo Sandoval, who has advised Carlin since about 2018, framed a conservative budget that excludes capital outlay and focuses on core operating costs such as salaries and routine expenses.

Sandoval told the council consolidated (sales) tax is the largest and most volatile revenue source and recommended reducing the current estimate by about $100,000, from $2.5 million to $2.4 million, pending official state projections due in March. With that and other conservative assumptions, Sandoval said General Fund revenues were projected at roughly $3.5 million.

On the expenditure side staff started from a flat-budget baseline that initially produced about $3.8 million in spending — a roughly $320,000 gap — and then identified cuts to lower that shortfall. Suggested reductions included lowering contingency, trimming accounting fees, removing a one-time debt-service transfer, and delaying capital outlay. After those adjustments Sandoval reported the general fund moved to a positive $167,053; restoring a $100,000 contingency left a projected $60,000 surplus.

Department-level changes were highlighted throughout the workshop. Police staffing and benefits were revised after the council agreed not to immediately replace one vacant officer slot; the revised police budget presented by staff totaled about $1.13 million. Fire department staff urged keeping equipment-repair funding at $20,000 citing aging apparatus and a recent engine loss; councilmembers discussed whether fireworks expenses should move out of the fire budget to parks and recreation.

The senior center emerged as the most sizable ongoing shortfall. Senior Center Director Barbi Meyers presented grant-driven revenues projected at about $175,900 and congregate and transportation expenses that together produce expenditures of roughly $374,550 — a projected deficit of about $198,650. Sandoval noted the senior center has historically received transfers from the General Fund (about $210,000 in the prior year) and currently retains a fund balance reported at about $220,000.

Other funds were described as largely stable: utilities are expected to be self-supporting with a combined net positive of roughly $211,000; the garbage fund showed a projected profit of about $22,000 but those funds cannot be shifted to other accounts. Park and recreation revenue typically ranges from $10,000 to $20,000, Sandoval advised budgeting conservatively at $20,000 after an unusual $75,000 year in 2024.

Councilmembers and staff reiterated the primary outstanding uncertainty is the state’s consolidated-tax figures, which will be finalized next month. Sandoval cautioned that while the city can use fund balance to cover shortfalls, state rules and longer-term sustainability mean the council should aim toward structural balance.

During public comments Linda Bingaman of the Carlin Fire Department disputed social-media rumors that firefighters responded without water or ran out of hoses, saying the department lost an exhaust fan and one length of hose and will seek reimbursement from homeowner insurance. Several attendees and staff praised the meeting’s transparency and usefulness.

Mayor Kinney indicated that staff will update revenue projections when the state issues official consolidated-tax numbers in March and that department heads will continue to trim nonessential spending where feasible. No formal budget adoption or votes occurred at the workshop; next steps will be further refinement ahead of formally publishing the tentative budget and scheduling required public hearings.