Public Hearing:  2026 Tax Levies and General Fund Budget

• Adopt Resolution #25-288 Adopting the 2025, Payable 2026 Municipal Tax Levy
• Adopt Resolution #25-289 Adopting the 2026 General Fund Budget
• Adopt Resolution #25-290 Adopting the 2026 Economic Development Authority (EDA) Budget

Purpose: The City is required to hold a meeting where the city's budget and levy will be discussed and the public can give input.  The City is required to adopt a levy and certify to the county auditor by December 29, 2025.

A budget/levy slide presentation will be provided that will outline the city's proposed 2026 levies and General Fund Budget.

A brief recap of the proposed levy to be adopted is as follows:

• 2026 Final Overall Levy: $23,376,916.  No change from the September Preliminary levy adopted September 23, 2025.
• The final adopted levy for 2025 was $21,950,694.

  
      Levy Components:  General Fund Levy:                             $18,286,749    ($16,931,046 - Year 2025)
                                       Pavement Management Levy:            $ 2,033,819    ($1,936,970 -  Year 2025)
                                       Debt Service Levies:                           $ 2,969,981    ($2,996,311 - Year 2025)
                                       EDA Levy:                                           $      86,367    ($86,367 - Year 2025)

The levy increase of $1,426,222 from payable 2025 to payable 2026 is largely attributed to personnel costs for existing staff (COLA, wage steps, health, retirement (PERA), workers comp and new Paid Family Medical Leave in the amount of $751,177 and new personnel requests-additional personnel and additional hours (New personnel consists of a full-time Firefighter/Fire Technician, full-time Building Inspector/Plans Examiner, full-time City Engineer, full-time Engineering Tech II, full-time Parks Maintenance Worker & a part-time Communications Specialist  and a part-time Evidencce & Property Technicin/Records Management Technician in the amount of $457,825.

Other Factors of Levy Increase:

1. $146,701 increase in line items:  website redesign, street maintenance, software licensing 
2. $96,849 Pavement Management Levy Increase - additional 5% per year as recommended
3. ($26,330) decrease in Debt Service Levy attributed to funds remaining after retired bonds

   2026  Est Final Tax Capacity Rate: 46.296%        (46.214% - Year 2025) -   Overall 5.41% Increase in Tax Capacity Value

   2026 General Fund Budget:  $22,789,599      ($20,373,610 - Year 2025)
  
   2026 EDA Budget:  $91,167                            ($91,367 - Year 2025)
    
All EDA and General Fund documents are included together, as the EDA levy calculates into the total general levy calculation of the city.

Option #1 - Motion for City Council to Adopt Resolutions #25-288 Adopting the 2025 Payable 2026 Municipal Tax Levies(General, Pavement Management, EDA and Debt Service) in the amount of $23,376,916; Adopt Resolution #25-289 Adopting the 2026 General Fund Budget in the amount of $22,789,599; and Adopt Resolution #25-290 Adopting the 2025 EDA Budget in the amount of $91,167.

Option #2 - Motion for City Council to Adopt Resolutions as stated above in Option 1, but with the following modifications:________________

Option#3 - Motion for City Council to not adopt the attached resolutions.  If a final levy is not adopted it reverts back to the final levy of 2025 in the amount of $21,950,694.

Motion to Adopt Resolution #25-288 Adopting the 2025, Payable 2026 Municipal Tax Levies (General, Pavement Management, EDA and debt service) in the amount of $23,376,916; 
     and

Motion to Adopt Resolution #25-289 Adopting the 2026 General Fund Budget in the amount of $22,789,599
     and

Motion to Adopt Resolution #25-290 Adopting the 2026 EDA Budget in the amount of $91,167.

NOTE:  Each Resolution will be adopted by a separate motion.