The Grand Island City Council held a special meeting on August 21, 2025, at 6:00 PM in Council Chambers to discuss the FY26 Finance and Information Technology department budget proposals, review capital projects, capital equipment requests, and new Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) positions. Council members present included President Sheeran, Stelk, Brown, Hazie, Mendoza, O'Neill, Pollock, and Landwear, with Conley and Nickerson absent. Mayor Steele presided. City Administrator Laura McAloon, Assistant City Administrator/CFO Patrick Brown, and department heads presented and responded to council questions.
FY26 Finance Department Budget Proposal: CFO Patrick Brown presented a finance budget with personnel services increasing 3.8% and operating expenses increasing 31.9%. The operating increase is primarily due to a new three- or five-year audit services contract (Bergen BVD), with audit costs rising from $70,000 to $120,000. A proposed reorganization includes reclassifying the Assistant Finance Director to Controller, creating a Budget and Purchasing Manager position (to handle 12-month budget process and RFP oversight), moving utility billing to the Utilities Department, and moving the Grants Administrator to Community Development.
FY26 Information Technology Budget Proposal: IT personnel services are increasing 7% due to reclassifying a Systems Technician to an IT Infrastructure Engineer (step three with benefits). Two of seven IT positions are vacant; six to seven highly qualified interviews are scheduled. Operating expenses increase 7.6% ($69,740) due to new antivirus software and Microsoft licensing. The department now protects approximately 500 devices and 60 servers with a 24/7 SOC package.
Review of FTE Requests: New FTE requests were presented:
Capital Equipment: Items included a building inspection vehicle (replacing 2004 Ford Focus), police vehicles, and a firing range ($675,000). Council member Sheeran suggested deferring the firing range until other building projects (Heartland Ag renovation, code enforcement office, LEC gates) are completed. Chief agreed the range is lowest priority. A hybrid/electric vehicle discussion arose; currently no city chargers exist outside the Law Enforcement Center.
Capital Projects:
Fiscal Policy and Financing: Discussion on how to fund projects. CFO Brown reported city valuation increased 8.1% to $5.055 billion; the city proposes keeping the same tax ask of $12.086 million, which would lower the mill levy from 0.2610 to 0.2414. Excess reserves are near $20 million; Brown recommended using half to three-quarters for capital. Several council members favored bonding for larger projects (e.g., Island Oasis) and using cash for smaller ones. Hawsey suggested reviewing the city's fiscal policy (e.g., 30% reserve cap, 70% personnel cost guideline) and forming a committee. Stelk requested staff analysis on how much to draw from reserves, bond, or budget.
Welcome to our meeting. The date is August 21, 2025. The time is 6 p.m. This is an open meeting of the Grand Island City Council. The City of Grand Island abides by the Open Meetings Act in conducting business. A copy of the Open Meetings Act is displayed in the back of this room as required by state law. We have some representatives of the Boy Scouts with us tonight. Steve White, who is with KRVN. I hear him quite often. Asher, Steve and Sarah's son, a sixth grader at Barr Middle School, and the wife Sarah, who serves on our library board. They are going to come forward. We are honored to have them lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Please rise. Thank you, Steve and Asher. It's always nice to have scouts come to our meetings and show an interest in our process of governing the city. Mrs. Grenier will now perform roll call. Council President Sheeran. Present. Councilmember Stelk. Present. Councilmember Conley and Nickerson will be absent. Councilmember Brown. Present. Councilmember Hazie. Present. Councilmember Mendoza. Present. Councilmember O'Neill. Present. Councilmember Pollock. Present. Councilmember Landwear? Present. And Mayor Steele. Present. Also present are Jill Grenier, the City Clerk, Laura McAloon, the City Administrator. Patrick Brown, the assistant city administrator, and Chief Financial Officer. Individuals who have appropriate items for City Council consideration should complete the request for future agenda items form located at the information booth. If the issue can be handled administratively without council action, notification will be provided. If the item is scheduled for a meeting or study session, notification of the date will be given. State your name and the agenda topic on which you will be speaking. Our agenda item 6A, fiscal year 26, Finance Department budget proposal. Mr. Brown, good afternoon. Good afternoon. Thank you, Mayor. Good afternoon, Council. We are going to start off with the finance budget presentation. And with that, um during these presentations, obviously I'm going to be up here all evening.