Indianola leaders say FY2027 budget balances after staff cuts and targeted borrowing

Indianola city officials told listeners the City’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget, adopted by council on April 20, trims recurring costs and uses targeted borrowing so the city can fund capital projects without drawing down reserves.

Jacob Meshke, City Manager, said the budget process began last fall with department kickoffs and a capital improvement plan. He described the budget as the operational plan that enables “public safety, streets, library and wellness campus” services and said staff worked to align spending with Council priorities. Mayor Steve Richardson said the budget process was intended to avoid “using our City credit card, so to speak,” and to restore fiscal stability after previous years’ draws on reserves.

The adopted budget removes seven full‑time positions — four in the police department and three clerical positions — and eliminates the marketing coordinator role and two parks and recreation positions. Meshke said these cuts helped close a structural gap and that the city reduced more than 11,000 culture and recreation staff hours, paused private swim lessons and is pursuing partnerships to sustain some programs. He warned of service impacts such as reduced fingerprinting hours, possible delays in report processing and limitations on after‑hours impounded‑vehicle retrievals.

Jackie Raffety, City Clerk and Finance Director, noted personnel is the largest budget component: “76% of our general fund is comprised of personnel expenses.” Officials said the Council and staff prioritized replacement of critical fleet and equipment and authorized borrowing to fund vehicles and infrastructure so day‑to‑day operating funds remain focused on core services.

The budget also restores several one‑time items: the city will replace its permitting software with myGov, conduct a compensation and benefits study, invest in streetlight replacements and make upgrades at the Indianola Wellness Campus. Meshke said some parking lots at New Heights and the Presbyterian Church will be paved and that the city is emphasizing in‑state, lower‑cost staff training.

Officials stressed the budget is data driven: two staffing studies (public safety and non‑public safety) informed reductions and helped the council focus on call volumes and response metrics for public‑safety staffing. Meshke said the FY2027 plan includes about $122,000 of one‑time expenses, with roughly $23,000 coming from reserves this year and a smaller draw next year as one‑time items fall off the ledger.

The city encouraged residents to consult the two‑page budget brief and the full documents posted online for details; officials said Treasurer’s reports regularly show fund balances for public review. Meshke and Richardson said the changes aim to preserve essential services and position the city for longer‑term sustainability.

The council adopted the FY2027 budget by resolution on April 20; officials said the budget will take effect July 1, 2026, and that outcomes could be affected by county valuation updates and pending state property‑tax legislation.