Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.
On Tuesday, October 13, 2026 at 6:00 PM, the Powell Finance Committee met in Council Chambers to review the monthly financial report for September and conduct a detailed review of the proposed 2027 operating budget. The meeting featured presentations from staff on three new full-time position requests (Economic Development Coordinator, IT Systems Coordinator, and Administrative Police Sergeant), budget trends, and departmental spending plans. No public comments were recorded. The committee discussed key financial assumptions, capital plans, and fund transfers, and directed staff to prepare a final draft for City Council presentation in November.
We might want to look at in other avenues of the city. I think police accounts for around 44% of operating payroll. That's not uncommon for a community that's grown. The expectation of safety is critical. But the benchmark that they provide, I think, creates a consideration for us in that as we make more investments in other areas of the city, that 43% that's established with the city will kind of reduce by comparison. So there's certainly services and engineering and some of the technical administrative positions that would warrant consideration. Those we haven't tested the water quite as much, but we do have a few open positions right now that we're in the midst of recruiting. So I'll hold that one and let you know how we make out no pressure, Jason. Um the next category there is transfers. That's 26% of the budget. So those are transfers between funds. Um when we look at kind of the all fund summary, it's picking up all the transfers that are um being extended to other funds. So you when you analyze transfers, you also kind of have to analyze the transfer revenue too, because there's always a a corresponding revenue side within those as well. And Sam, where would we find a chart here? And you don't need we don't need to reference it now, but maybe when we get to it, that would show what these transfers are because you see that number for transfers and to say a resident, that would just be meaningless, you know. Yep. So there is a chart here in this presentation. It looks like it's on page 55. That'll show you general fund transfers. Um that's the bulk of it. So those are transfers going out of the general fund and into these corresponding funds listed here. Um that's the bulk of it. If you wanted to see the others, unfortunately, we don't have a chart that shows all of them, but if you're looking at that um printo of all the accounts there, um all the transfer accounts would be listed under those as well. And that's this one sheet. It's it's sort of yes, that yes. So I could probably add that for our council presentation. That might be helpful too to see just all transfers. Right. Because ultimately, once you you clear out those transfers, you see the essence of what those dollars are being spent for. Right. And and I would guess that a lot of those transfers have to deal with capital. Yes. And so, you know, that's that's the big message here is that much of our stuff is going for capital. Yep. Capital and repayment of debt as well, too. Yep. Okay, back to uh page 13 there. Um the comparison at the bottom where it shows um the percentage changes in the column to the right there. I'll just highlight that 5.8% in estimated personnel costs. Um, so that does include the three new FTEs that we're proposing, as well as um kind of a four percent merit increase for staff for who that will be applicable to. And then um, we're also anticipating uh 18% increase in health care costs, which is unfortunately large change, but what the market is showing based on what our health care consultant is letting us know about. So five point eight percent change is uh pretty good there, depending on all those 50 new factors playing into