Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council opens public hearing on proposed fiscal 2026 budget; special meeting set Oct. 7
Summary
Town staff presented the proposed fiscal 2026 budget, explained the public-notice timeline and the special meeting planned for Oct. 7 to consider an adoption ordinance, and answered resident questions about published increases and assessment protections.
Town staff opened the public hearing on the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget on September 16 (year not specified in the transcript), explaining the budget-development steps, recent vendor support and the public-notice timeline. The notice to taxpayers was published Sept. 5; staff said a special meeting is scheduled for Oct. 7 at 5:45 p.m., preceding the regular 6:00 p.m. council meeting, when an ordinance to adopt the 2026 budget will be proposed.
Clerk Treasurer Stonecipher described the process that led to the draft figures and said the numbers published tonight are intentionally elevated as a procedural safeguard: "The numbers that are being published tonight are not the final numbers. In fact, they are elevated on purpose because procedurally, we can get ourselves in hot water if we initially publish numbers that are too low and then realize that we actually have to really try to raise rates." Staff emphasized that final figures will be adjusted before adoption and that statutory caps such as the circuit-breaker protections limit what taxpayers ultimately pay.
The hearing included opportunity for public comment and technical questions about which funds are affected and when residents will receive final levy figures. Staff said they will take comments into consideration and return a recommendation at the October special meeting.
