Council committees approve budget amendment substitute and move forward 2026 resurfacing assessments

The Budget & Finance and Public Service committees advanced a package of budget and street-improvement items to full council.

At Budget & Finance, administration presented a substitute budget amendment intended to address higher-than-expected costs in 2025. Wheeler said the substitute accounts for retroactive pay, overtime and longevity increases; it requests an additional $350,000 in special-assessment debt service (note) and about $50,000 to finish a vendor payment related to a Tyler Odyssey implementation. It also asks for an extra $1 million in the liability self-insurance fund to cover above-forecast medical-claims expense. The committee voted to suspend the rules with a favorable report so the substitute can go to council.

In Public Service, Service Director Chris Lehi described the 2026 resurfacing program. He explained the assessment methodology for property owners (example: $4.50 per front foot for an arterial/collector residential property), noted that assessment rates have not changed in many years despite rising materials and labor costs, and said the department is planning two bidding programs to improve pricing and logistics. The committee approved suspension of rules with favorable reports for the arterial/collector, residential and unimproved resurfacing assessment resolutions and for a Local Public Agency (LPA) resurfacing project with ODOT on State Route 261 (Vernon Odom Boulevard). Council asked about contractor selection, homestead exemptions and neighborhood impacts; staff said bidding will determine exact inclusion and that homestead exemptions are applied by the county for eligible properties.

What’s next: The budget substitute and resurfacing assessment resolutions will appear on council’s calendar. Staff said the assessment notices will be sent to affected property owners and that details about final bid awards and complete street lists will follow.