Council hears FY26 personnel requests, overtime pressures and proposed certification pay
July 09, 2025 | Fredericksburg City, Gillespie County, Texas
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City staff told council the personnel portion of the budget remains the largest expenditure and highlighted overtime and several requested positions.
Krista, finance staff, said personnel costs are projected to rise about 6% in the FY26 request. The draft budget assumes a 2.5% step plan increase, a 2% cost‑of‑living component and additional merit increases where applicable. Health insurance is loaded into personnel at about $2.3 million across active employees.
Overtime levels were described as high for first responders: staff reported roughly $676,000 year‑to‑date for first responders and about $1.5 million total citywide overtime. Officials noted recent fires and emergency response added to overtime and that some costs may be recoverable through FEMA claims.
On staffing, staff presented five net personnel requests, down from prior years. Highlights included a municipal court administrator (new position), moving a deputy clerk from part time to full time (council noted caseloads up about 33% year over year in filings), a police records analyst to process rising open records requests (police reported roughly 900 requests annually and 705 in the first six months of the current fiscal year), and a public works outreach position to assist with water conservation, sanitation messaging and transfer station outreach. Staff said the sanitation driver request is driven by residential growth and possible future curbside recycling routes.
Staff also called out certification pay (education and credential incentives) budgeted at about $250,000 citywide and said they are implementing statutory authority to charge fees for public information requests to offset some processing costs.
Discussion vs. decision: council discussed the case volume driving court staffing and options to manage overtime; no formal personnel hires were approved at the meeting — the positions remain requests in the FY26 package tied to the budget adoption process.
Ending: Staff will include detailed personnel justifications in the July 14 packet for council review and potential adjustments.
Krista, finance staff, said personnel costs are projected to rise about 6% in the FY26 request. The draft budget assumes a 2.5% step plan increase, a 2% cost‑of‑living component and additional merit increases where applicable. Health insurance is loaded into personnel at about $2.3 million across active employees.
Overtime levels were described as high for first responders: staff reported roughly $676,000 year‑to‑date for first responders and about $1.5 million total citywide overtime. Officials noted recent fires and emergency response added to overtime and that some costs may be recoverable through FEMA claims.
On staffing, staff presented five net personnel requests, down from prior years. Highlights included a municipal court administrator (new position), moving a deputy clerk from part time to full time (council noted caseloads up about 33% year over year in filings), a police records analyst to process rising open records requests (police reported roughly 900 requests annually and 705 in the first six months of the current fiscal year), and a public works outreach position to assist with water conservation, sanitation messaging and transfer station outreach. Staff said the sanitation driver request is driven by residential growth and possible future curbside recycling routes.
Staff also called out certification pay (education and credential incentives) budgeted at about $250,000 citywide and said they are implementing statutory authority to charge fees for public information requests to offset some processing costs.
Discussion vs. decision: council discussed the case volume driving court staffing and options to manage overtime; no formal personnel hires were approved at the meeting — the positions remain requests in the FY26 package tied to the budget adoption process.
Ending: Staff will include detailed personnel justifications in the July 14 packet for council review and potential adjustments.
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