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Officials note reserve drawdown; city ordinance sets 10% minimum
Summary
Alderman Rand challenged whether recent general fund drawdowns were one-time or recurring; Director Sassman said the 2025 decrease resulted from multiple items and noted the city's ordinance requires a 10% minimum reserve while staff aim for incremental increases.
Alderman Rand questioned whether the recent reduction in the City of Menasha's general fund balance was driven by one-time costs or an ongoing operating gap.
Director Sassman replied it was not a single issue but a combination of items, saying staff “did spend about 40,000 of carryovers from '24 to '25,” and that the city “did settle our municipal court debt ... That was 52,000. We did have a revenue shortfall, budgeting to actual of 85,000.” Sassman told the committee staff revised budget treatment for the Family Advantage Health Plan in 2026 to reduce after-the-fact entries.
Auditors reported the general fund decreased by about $317,000 in 2025 compared with a budgeted decrease of about $215,000, and the unassigned portion of the general fund was reported at $3,081,000, approximately 14% of 2025 general fund expenditures. When asked about a minimum reserve level, Sassman said the city ordinance sets a 10% minimum and that staff would like to reach roughly 14–15% before working toward higher recommended reserve levels.
The exchange framed reserve-policy considerations for upcoming budget planning; the committee did not take further formal action on reserve policy at the meeting.
