Abilene commission approves resolution declaring intent to exceed revenue-neutral rate for 2027 budget

The Abilene City Commission on July 15 adopted Resolution 071526-1, declaring the city’s intent to exceed the revenue neutral rate for the City of Abilene’s 2027 budget and directing the city manager to notify the county clerk.

The action came during a brief special meeting that opened with roll call and the pledge of allegiance, approved the day’s agenda and moved immediately to the budget resolution. The presiding official moved to approve the agenda “as written,” and the motion was seconded; the commission recorded the vote and the motion carried. The commission then considered the resolution related to the 2027 budget.

The resolution was introduced as “a resolution of intent to exceed the revenue neutral rate for the purpose of the City of Abilene Kansas 2027 budget and directing the city manager to notify the county clerk of such intent.” The interim city manager, Quinde, was asked if there was anything to add from Monday’s meeting; none was recorded in the meeting transcript. One commissioner made the motion to consider approval, it was seconded, and the commission took a roll-call vote. The recorded votes on the resolution were three in favor, one opposed and one commissioner recorded as absent during the meeting; the motion carried.

The presiding official who led the meeting also voted no on the resolution in the roll call as recorded in the transcript. The record shows a subsequent, unanimous-seeming vote to adjourn the special meeting. The transcript also records that Commissioner Kohloff was noted as absent during roll call; later segments show a vote from “Commissioner Koloff” in the adjournment vote. That inconsistency appears in the meeting record and is noted here.

Because the resolution states an intent to exceed the revenue neutral rate, it signals the city may set a tax rate above the revenue-neutral benchmark when adopting the final 2027 budget; the resolution itself does not set a final tax rate. The resolution also directs administrative action to notify the county clerk as required by local budget process rules.

The special meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn that was seconded and passed. No public comments were recorded during the public forum portion of the meeting.

Next steps: the record shows the commission has directed the city manager to notify the county clerk; any subsequent formal budget ordinance or final tax-rate adoption would be documented in future meetings.