Commission reviews FY2027 decision packages, staff recommends waiting for certified valuations before final approvals

The NSCD commission met July 7 to review proposed decision packages for the fiscal year 2027 budget and heard staff recommend delaying final funding decisions until the city receives certified property valuations and an additional sales‑tax receipt.

City Manager (city manager) told the commission finance recalculations since mid‑June reduced the pool available for decision packages: "thinking that we had $3,400,000 available to then $2,300,000" after accounting for merit and staffing adjustments. Director Mulley (presenting finance estimates) said staff is forecasting a conservative 2.5% year‑over‑year property‑tax growth and noted a June sales‑tax report that supports a projected 7.7% increase over last year.

Why it matters: staff said holding decisions until the Ellis County certified valuation — expected July 25 — would avoid repeating last year’s mid‑cycle shortfall. The city manager said the draft prioritizes recurring obligations first (paying employees, agreed 4% cost‑of‑living adjustments and public‑safety step plans), then seeks to identify which decision packages can be accommodated.

Commissioners debated whether to act immediately or wait. One commissioner said they preferred to "wait and make my decision when we have a real number"; another said changes would likely be "minimal" and favored acting sooner. Staff offered to provide the county’s certified numbers to commissioners as soon as they are available and to prepare materials ahead of the August 4 budget workshop so commissioners can review the deltas before deciding.

Staff noted statutory notice requirements for the public hearing and tax‑rate notices that shape the calendar: final revenues must be available in time to publish legally required notices and adopt the budget on schedule. The commission agreed to revisit decisions on August 4, with staff proposing extra time that evening to step through remaining items.

Next steps: staff will send the certified valuation when available, provide a final sales‑tax receipt, and present a revised budget calendar and a tally of the commission’s prioritized decision packages at the August workshop.