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Budget review flags forecasting gaps and raises questions about fire department funding
Summary
At a Feb. 17, 2026 budget meeting, staff and the budget chair identified multiple 2025-to-2026 forecasting variances — including higher-than-projected street-fund interest and underspent personnel lines — and called for follow-up on fire department staffing and auxiliary funding.
Budget Chair Randal Rullah Bolen and city budget staff reviewed the 2025 accounts on Feb. 17, 2026, identifying several forecasting gaps that officials said should shape the 2026 budget process. Staff reported that the street fund earned $3,194.33 in interest in 2025, well above the $1,792.01 projection, and said the difference reflected conservative first-year estimates and larger cash balances.
Staff highlighted personnel-related variances, saying health coverage and holiday-pay lines were substantially under budget last year because the city employed fewer people than expected. The 2026 budget includes $28,000 for health insurance, but staff projected actual 2026 spending would be below $24,000 based on current staffing; they warned that hiring an additional street employee would increase that line.
Officials said workman's compensation estimates for water and sewer rose in part because 2026 calculations used 2025 payroll data even where head counts changed. IT costs also drew scrutiny: the city prepaid a year of computer support, which made year-to-date support spending appear high, and participants asked the provider to explain internet and phone billing allocations across departments.
The solid waste contract overspent by about $10,000 in 2025 after customer counts fell; staff said the 2026 budget was reduced accordingly. A recurring concern centered on the fire department: a 2015 memo proposed converting a full-time position into two part-time roles to save money, but staff reported the department currently has two full-time and one part-time positions and questioned why the fire auxiliary has not funded a full-time position as originally intended. The meeting concluded that staff should discuss the auxiliary’s role and funding with the fire chief and return with findings.
The group endorsed regular (quarterly) budget reviews to catch discrepancies earlier and refine forecasting methods. The committee scheduled its next review for May 19, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.
