Council and staff preview 2027 budget changes, including IT timing, street preservation and 9-1-1 consolidation

City staff and the mayor previewed proposed adjustments to the 2027 budget, including timing changes and transfers intended to increase pavement-preservation capacity.

Michelle told council the city will move $50,000 for a financial-software upgrade into 2027 because the implementation will not start until December 2026. She also recommended reducing the Sandstone remediation budget by $140,000 and moving that amount into the pavement-preservation line, increasing that line from approximately $825,000 to $965,000 to allow for additional street repairs. "So we'll remove 140,000 for that project from the 2027 budget in Streets," Michelle said.

Staff also discussed the Downtown Business Improvement District parking assessment (a special assessment that requires 30 days' notice and public hearings, delaying any increase to 2028), progress on 9-1-1 consolidation with Lawrence County (which will reduce the city's in-house dispatch budget and a planned $250,000 transfer), and the airport water-main extension where bids came in lower and staff suggested reducing the planned transfer from about $1.1 million toward roughly $700,000 pending final verification. Council asked staff to prepare numbers and to discuss adjustments in an upcoming study session.