Show Low council adopts budget scenario 4 and funds four school resource officers

The Show Low City Council voted 4–3 to adopt budget Scenario 4 presented by staff and to include funding for four school resource officers (SROs) in the FY2027 manager's recommended budget. The vote followed extended discussion about how to meet a state-mandated annual expenditure limitation; staff said the proposed budget exceeded that limit by $1,873,834.

"With these additions, the fiscal year 2027 budget exceeds the state-mandated annual expenditure limitation by 1,873,834," budget staffer Mr. Johnson told the council as he summarized the magnitude of the shortfall and the need to select projects or scenarios to meet the limit.

Staff presented four scenarios that would bring the budget into compliance by delaying or removing capital projects such as frontier parking expansion, meadow parking, the CK Peterson subdivision and AMI meter work. The council debated risks of removing grant‑dependent items (members noted AMI grants are competitive) and priorities for the event center and pavement projects.

Council members also discussed SRO funding after staff reported the state grant that covered three of four SROs had not been approved; the district had verbally committed to paying half the cost for the junior-high SRO. Councilman Hatch moved to adopt Scenario 4 and to include four SRO positions; the motion was seconded and passed 4–3.

Supporters said maintaining SRO coverage across district schools was a public-safety priority. Councilman Clark emphasized the role of SROs saying protecting children was central to the decision; opponents cited long-term fiscal risk and the potential to lose grant funding for other projects.

The council also discussed updating the intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the school district to clarify data‑sharing protocols for investigations and to formalize cost-sharing. Staff will prepare the necessary budget documentation and update IGAs as directed. The motion specified Scenario 4 as the preferred approach to bring FY2027 budget figures into compliance with state law.

The council's action on the budget was effective immediately; staff will prepare the tentative budget with the council's direction and revise staffing- and project-level details as requested.