Granite Falls holds public hearing on 2026 preliminary budget; no public testimony

City Manager Jeff Balentine presented the City of Granite Falls' 2026 Preliminary Budget to the City Council on Nov. 5, covering General Fund, Street Fund, multiple Capital Improvement Funds (CIF), water, sewer, storm and solid‑waste funds along with end‑fund balance projections.

The council opened the public testimony portion of the hearing; no members of the public signed up or chose to speak. Mayor Matthew Hartman closed public testimony and the council unanimously moved to close the hearing. No adoption or formal vote on the budget itself was recorded at the Nov. 5 meeting.

The presentation included revenue and expense overviews for each fund, end‑fund balance projections, and CIF schedules. City Manager Jeff Balentine noted that a budget amendment is expected to be considered at the council's first meeting in December, and staff will return to the council for subsequent budget actions.

Why it matters: the preliminary budget frames spending priorities and fund balances across city services and capital programs for 2026; the public‑hearing step provides an opportunity for public input before final adoption.

Next steps: after staff revisions and any required amendments, the council will consider final adoption at a subsequent meeting; a budget amendment was noted for the first December meeting in the minutes.