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Greenville staff previews FY2025–26 budget, council weighs tax-rate and fund-balance tradeoffs
Summary
City staff showed a draft FY2025–26 general fund budget with a roughly $99,000 preliminary surplus driven by a lower-than-expected health-insurance renewal; councilmembers debated using the funds for small capital items or adjusting the tax rate or fund-balance target ahead of a Sept. 9 adoption vote.
City staff presented a spreadsheet model of the proposed fiscal 2025–26 general fund budget and told the council it currently shows an over/under target of about $99,000.
“We got word … that we have a 3% renewal,” the staff presenter said, noting the budget had assumed 5% and the lower renewal freed roughly $80,000 for the general fund. Staff said the model allows council members to change the tax rate and the fund‑balance target (modeled at 17%) and that the council has until Sept. 9 to ratify the tax rate and adopt the budget.
Councilmembers suggested several small capital items they would like to consider if the council uses some of the available capacity, including a police traffic‑safety trailer, a parks weather station, library furniture and a John Deere lease. One member urged the council to consider repairs or redesign of Old Mill Road because of safety and traffic concerns.
Members discussed whether to raise the tax rate by fractions of a cent (staff said approximately $350,000 per 1¢) or reduce the fund‑balance target (with suggestions ranging from 16% to 15%) to fund the requests. On personnel, the council debated whether a proposed 5% merit pool could be reduced; one member said she preferred keeping it at 5% while others asked about alternatives. Staff agreed to add a 0.5 percent figure to the circulated spreadsheet and distribute the updated model ahead of the Sept. 9 meeting.
The presentation emphasized the council could make changes in the upcoming work session and that several formal votes to adopt the budget and ratify the tax rate are scheduled for Sept. 9.
