Budget & Finance Committee

MEETING MINUTES Village of Palmyra Budget Committee Meeting Tuesday Sept. 30, 2025 100 W. Taft St. Village Hall Meeting Room 6:00 p.m. The meeting was called to order at 6:02 pm by Chairperson Wallace: Roll call: Wallace, Ball, Tucker- present. Also present: Tim Gorsegner, Scott Halbrucker, Stephanie Butler, Kris Dexheimer, Paul Blount, Penny LePak, Mike Gartzke, and Laurie Mueller. Business 1. Discussion/possible action on 2026 budget requests for Village Departments. The Rec. Director put in her increased revenues for the increase in fees she is proposing, this puts her revenues slightly higher than her expenses. No other changes. Library Director Dexheimer addressed the fact that the budget committee is recommending that the Village holds to the same amount for the library in 2026 as in 2025, $112,350. She is asking for a $5617 increase for 2026. She explained that the cost of living is 3.2%. She also told the committee that since 2023 the village’s donation has decreases from 59% to 48% of her operating budget. She compared the Clerk’s office wages and benefits to the Library’s stating that she can run the library with 8 part time employees, who do not get benefits on $134,000 budgeted for wages and benefits vs. the clerk’s office who’s entire wages/fringes is about $183,000. The clerk stated that she run her dept. on just part time employees and the benefits are what are most costly. Dexheimer also said that the building has repair issues that need to be addressed. The Clerk said that the library has $27,482 in the LGIP account that they could use for these expenses if needed or use the library’s fund balance and that expense line could be offset with this revenue which would help her budget. There was a very significant wage increase in 2023 because the employees were getting a wage much less than average libraries in the area. Dexheimer said she is NOT asking the village to help cover wages but this $5617 increase is to cover just cost of living. No decisions made by the committee. Public Works: Scott Halbrucker reduced his forestry budget and park field maintenance budget to match the discussions from the last budget meeting. He is going to pay the estimated $6,000 for a new snow blower and plow blade out of 2025 budgeted funds so that was removed from the 2026 budget. Halbrucker talked again about streets that aren’t being maintained due to lack of funding. The clerk spoke and said that there should be a capital project or 5 year plan for roads so that the board can decide what we can/should budget for. She said that this way they could possibly do a 1 year note for things like slurry sealing. Mueller said that the budget letter that Trustee Wallace sent out said to have this in your budget and no one did it. We can’t keep talking about what is NOT getting done, we should start having a plan or it will only get worse, Mueller said. No action taken. Police Dept: Sgt. LePak said that there were a couple of minor cuts, but she had to add the body camera cost into the budget, which is $7,000 so their budget actually increased. Paul Blount said that he would like the 3% proposed increase put into the budget for wages vs. the 7% increase that is still there. This was what was proposed during union negotiations, but the draft agreement has the 3% increase. This would also reduce the fringes. LePak will go back and make those changes. Fire/EMS budget: A lot of discussion took place about wages and adding an additional person 24/7 so that they would have a safe crew to go out on calls. Mike Gartzke said that with 2 people they can only spray water on a fire they can’t enter a building. Everyone realizes that money is very tight this year but they all agreed that the FT fire/EMT’s must get a raise. We are hoping that once homes start being built in the Marsh Road development that this will bring in tax revenue and next year we will be in a better spot. So for now they will reduce the 3rd position to 12 hours a day vs 24 hrs. This is a significant savings. They are working on a policy for new employees who are issued turn out gear that if they have to stay employed with us for a certain time or they will be responsible for paying the Village back for a portion of their gear. A set of turnout gear alone is about $3,000.00 There was also some discussion on the tabled budget amendment to carry over 2024 unused Police Dept. expenses and distribute it to this year’s police, fire, and EMS budget. That will be looked at again more closely at the next meeting. Another meeting was set for Oct 7th at 6 pm. Wallace/Tucker motion to adjourn at 8:34 pm. All ayes-motion carried. Respectfully submitted, Laurie Mueller, Village Clerk/Treasurer Minutes approved without corrections on Oct. 20, 2025