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52 employee cost of living adjustments (COLA) and wage steps, healthcare increases, 53 contractual obligations & professional services, and general inflationary costs. Non-union 54 staff will continue to advance through their wage steps as part of the new compensation 55 system. At this time, a 3% COLA is anticipated to be factored into the budget for non-union 56 employees to match existing union contracts. Union members that have existing contracts 57 going into 2026 will receive the wage adjustments and COLA contained in their contracts. 58 With regard to other union contracts, the following contracts expire at the end of 2025: 59 Police Officers and Firefighters. We expect wage adjustments for each union to be 60 included in the 2026 budget. Additional tax levy support for capital improvement funds will 61 also be included in the 2026 budget. 62 63 The City Manager has met with each department to review their specific budget needs and 64 will be focusing on refining those requests into his proposed budget which will be presented 65 to the City Council on August 25, 2025. 66 67 In addition to the tax levy impacts noted above, continued emphasis on our water, sanitary 68 sewer, and storm sewer infrastructure replacement programs is expected to drive utility rate 69 increases for 2026 as well. More specific information regarding budgetary impacts will be 70 addressed with the release of the 2026 City Manager's Recommended Budget in August 71 and the utility rates later this fall. 72 73 Staff is seeking specific direction from the City Council on budget priorities for the 2026 74 budget cycle. This discussion is essential to ensure that the City Manager’s proposed 75 budget aligns with the Council’s goals and provides clarity on how to approach service level 76 expansions and financial constraints. 77 78 To help frame this discussion and ensure staff is focusing efforts in the right areas, we are 79 seeking initial guidance from the Council on several key issues. While no final decisions are 80 being made at this stage, your input will help shape the development of the preliminary 81 budget and ensure it reflects your priorities. The questions below are intended to prompt 82 discussion and surface early direction as we navigate what is expected to be a particularly 83 challenging budget year. 84 85 Public Safety Staffing Requests: 86 Given the significant staffing requests from Police and Fire, does the Council have 87 initial guidance on whether to consider full implementation in 2026 or take a phased 88 approach over multiple years? 89 Are there factors—such as external funding, workload analysis, or service level 90 impacts—that you would like staff to evaluate further as part of this conversation? 91 Service Level Prioritization: 92 As we consider how to balance potential staffing additions with overall budget 93 constraints, are there service areas or initiatives you believe should remain a high 94 priority — or conversely, areas that could be considered a lower priority in 2026 if 95 tradeoffs are necessary? 96 Are there any services that you feel should be protected or prioritized regardless of 97 budget pressures? Page 3 of 5 Qbhf!81!pg!488