Council hears FY2026 midyear budget amendment, T-SPLOST revenue and sanitation increases discussed

City staff presented a midyear FY2026 budget amendment on May 21 that would adjust multiple funds to reflect approved expenditures, higher costs than anticipated and newly recognized transportation sales-tax (T‑SPLOST) revenue.

Mr. Luckett told the council there are three primary reasons for the amendment: expenditures approved since adoption but not budgeted, budgeted items that exceeded estimates, and recognition of T‑SPLOST revenue that began in April. The presentation reviewed proposed general-fund adjustments (the transcript contains an unclear figure phrased as 'about $1.2 $2 million' and the precise amount was not specified in the meeting record), project-specific revenues and expenditures for the public art project in Heritage Park, the theater lighting project, and special-event security costs.

Staff said the T‑SPLOST fund is expected to receive about $3.7 million for the remainder of the fiscal year and recommended recognizing roughly $400,000 of project expenses in that fund. The hotel/motel fund would use reserves of about $33,000 to cover a theater lighting project previously approved by council. The sanitation fund recommendation included a $100,000 expenditure increase largely due to approximately $85,000 in higher disposal costs and a proposed $55,000 transfer from the general fund.

Luckett reported the city’s payment for county fire services had been budgeted at "7.3" but came in at about "7.8" (the transcript did not specify units). Staff said some street-light replacement costs (River Green project) will be partially recouped over time, and that remaining general-fund revenue recognized could be placed in contingency pending further action. Staff said they will return at a later meeting with an adoption request; no final council vote on the amendment was taken at the May 21 meeting.

Council members asked for clarity about the fire-services number and the timing mismatch between county and city budget schedules; staff confirmed those figures are tied to the county digest and a final number may not be available until county adoption.