Garden City council approves $35.39 million tentative FY2027 budget, schedules public hearing Aug. 24

The Garden City Council on Monday approved a motion to publish and advance a tentative fiscal year 2027 budget totaling $35,393,406.

"I moved to approve fiscal year 20 27 tentative budget in the amount of $35,393,406," Council President (speaker 3) said when making the motion, which passed on a roll call vote with all members recorded as voting yes.

City staff who presented the packet material (identified in the transcript as Miss Lively and as "Lisa") told the council the tentative-budget summary will be published and a full public hearing on the budget has been set for Aug. 24. That Aug. 24 meeting will also include a public hearing on the foregone property tax and hearings on proposed rate increases. The clerk (speaker 2) said the council will request a waiver of the ordinance's three readings so the budget ordinance could be approved that same night, and that property-tax certification to the county is due by Sept. 10.

The action advanced the budget for public review rather than adopting a final spending plan. The council and staff did not provide in-meeting detail on spending line items in the transcript; the tentative-budget packet and the Aug. 24 public hearing were identified as the venues for further review and public comment.

Next steps: the council will hold the Aug. 24 public hearing and may move to adopt the budget and property-tax ordinance at that meeting if it grants the requested waiver of readings.