The budget presentation for the city revealed a 2.5% increase in the property tax levy and an estimated new growth of $1.7 million. It also included the use of $2.3 million in free cash to stabilize the budget while maintaining 100% of net school spending for education. Despite these measures, there were still worries over the long-term ability to fund the city’s share of the Diamond project for the next two decades and the potential of deficits without additional resources. The city’s department heads and directors have continued to stay within the budget and have taken advantage of grants and earmarks to enhance their departments, with the city securing $10.9 million in grants in the calendar year 2023 for various projects.

The addition of new positions was compliance-driven, with ongoing negotiations with all nine units. The school department is also facing the challenge of accommodating a growing pre-k student population and the need for more special needs and ESL teachers. The superintendent discussed the potential savings from electric buses and the redistricting of schools to better accommodate students.

Council members raised questions about the school budget, specifically inquiring about enrollment trends, pre-k statistics, recruitment efforts, and the impact of new school buildings on student enrollment. They also asked about the transportation budget, including costs for homeless student transport under the McKinney-Vento funding and the use of federal ESSER funds for staffing.

Concerns were also voiced about the proposed increase in police staffing, with 14 new officer positions introduced and 11 officers currently in the academy. Members questioned the sustainability of funding for these new positions and the number of officers on day and night shifts. The police department’s budget included an increase to outfit new recruits with gear, but the long nine-month training process for new officers was a point of contention. The potential impact of natural retirements on staffing levels and the challenges of retaining officers were also discussed.

The topic of allowing residents to use the track at a local school was brought up, with hesitations due to security concerns. Additionally, the discussion on the Nagle Auditorium 2.0 included plans for construction of a new roof and fire suppression system, exploring the possibility of naming rights for revenue generation.

Moreover, the meeting recognized the retiring superintendent of public schools for her 39 years of service. Public Safety Council concerns about removing 14 vacant positions from the police department’s budget were addressed, with the department aiming to fill 11 vacancies despite challenges in recruitment and administrative comp time due to recent contract changes.

In the fire department, discussions centered on the needs for trucks and renovations to fire stations, as well as the use of grants to cover overtime expenses. The fire chief was content with the current capital needs and budget but highlighted the need for voice-activated fire alarms and CO2 detectors in homes.

The council also debated salary increases for city employees, with disparities in increases ranging from 1.6% to 15.5%. The mayor’s position was mentioned as a potential change from an ordinance to a contracted position, and there was support for a salary raise for the Emergency Management Agency director due to successful grant applications.

Finally, discussions about political positions in the mayor’s office and the event resource coordinator provoked a debate on the justification for salary increases and the importance of tourism promotion for the city. Budget allocations for accounting, auditing, and legal expenses were scrutinized, with concerns about potential shortfalls and strategies to address them.