City Council Work Session - May 11, 2026

Meeting Summary

The May 11 City Council Work Session continued the Council's spring budget deliberations on Mayor Paul Binns' proposed fiscal year 2027 spending plan. Work sessions are informal, no-vote meetings where staff walk Council members through department-level requests, and this session served primarily as a final preparatory discussion ahead of the formal public hearing scheduled for the following evening. Discussion centered on the proposed property tax increase of $1,729,474, which would direct new revenue to the police, fire, parks, and justice court departments. Council members reviewed how the package would translate into roughly $35.52 more per year for the owner of a $600,000 home and about $64.58 per year for a similarly valued commercial property, along with the staffing rationale behind the police department's request for three new patrol officers, an additional school resource officer, a records clerk, and a shift differential pay program tied to a reported 46% rise in caseload since 2021. No decisions were made at the work session, which is consistent with its role as a study and discussion meeting. The next step in the process is the public hearing and ongoing budget deliberations at upcoming City Council meetings, with final adoption required before the state-mandated June 30 deadline. Residents wishing to see the full agenda and recording can use the official links above.