City manager submits 2027 budget with 2.152‑mill reduction, 3% raises and service cuts

City Manager Darren Hall presented the city manager‑submitted 2027 budget and said the packet will be posted online the next morning. Hall said the administration worked to reduce spending and set a lower mill levy and that the budget incorporated the new financial management system the finance division is implementing.

Darren Hall told commissioners the draft reduces the mill levy by 2.152 mills and includes 3% employee raises: “We did reduce the mill 2.152 mills,” he said. The submission also trims several line items to balance the general fund; examples discussed included removing a $100,000 tree removal allocation and reducing demolition funding from $100,000 to $50,000. Hall said staff took a conservative approach to transfers among funds and left some transfers for possible year‑end action.

Commissioners pressed for more time to review the new packet view and asked for either a special session or to use scheduled budget meetings (Aug. 11 and a late‑Aug session) to examine line items. Commissioner 2 asked that commissioners receive the packaged budget materials earlier next year so they can review prior to the submission meeting. Finance staff described the technical work of importing and cross‑walking accounts into the new system and said additional scenarios (different raise levels, etc.) could be run on request for commission review.

No adoption vote occurred; the packet is the manager’s submitted budget and the commission has public hearings and follow‑up meetings scheduled before the required adoption date in early September.