[{"_1":2,"_120":-5,"_121":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,98,108],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6155919,"mediaKeyId","5473023-7aae3a68c9a7788b01d7cf80d8f57bd4","parentId",5473023,"title","Staff presents water and electric forecasts; water cost-of-service suggests large near-term increase, council hears 2% electric proposal","audioSeconds",294,"startMs",9965000,"endMs",10259000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5473023-7aae3a68c9a7788b01d7cf80d8f57bd4&start=9965&end=10259","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5473023-7aae3a68c9a7788b01d7cf80d8f57bd4/thumbnail_9965000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6155919/Columbia/Boone-County/Missouri/Staff-presents-water-and-electric-forecasts-water-cost-of-service-suggests-large-near-term-increase-council-hears-2-electric-proposal","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6155919-2104767351a822c27199e99c42944e87/orig.mp4?Expires=1770994432&Signature=P5-8UJ~juCfeUvgQtgraHgbLRPG0K9np93ZLUDnyMkODnpnHBrcknDtodTLfXOogBdiOQ7Uf15dYFOHGzydNk~WaeYlV8GfrUPKmC2-71Ed2a10W8qUegzsJtcfuF82-6qgYXwXBZ-waYA0~~FPzYwlXHl8vv9Rn7H~303gHWh3KTWFGnWkU5vu0rztkLZEaHHTRxL1P6qqZjdAH8O-DpZdtKNG9l-JpLepu-YA3UOKW4BgQPH92hCZcSnmfzHnDpwj3KxrGCyIt8owKO~VdVTqApbLjx7nUR1x47J6ufv~vrzV7MJ~GIIXDq3RgPAKVPJd9Oyt~GDasFT5v2We7og__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","MO / City of Columbia","date","2025-07-19T00:00:00Z","article","City staff presented water and electric utility forecasts and customer‑bill examples at the July 19 budget work session, describing how cost‑of‑service recommendations would affect cash reserves and customer bills.

Why this matters: Utility rate adjustments change recurring costs for households and businesses and are subject to public notice and rate‑board review. Forecasts inform the broader FY26 budget and the council’s decision about whether to include a rate change in the adopted budget.

Water: staff showed the cost‑of‑service model and said the consultant’s proposed scenario calls for a notable near‑term revenue increase to maintain operating targets. Staff said the model contained a 12% revenue increase in 2026 in the study scenario (followed by smaller increases in later years to sustain reserves and coverage) and that without any increase the operating fund trend would fall “below that 0 line” in the cash projection. Staff said they would provide the full cost‑of‑service report and a detailed bill‑impact analysis before the public hearings.

Electric: staff offered an illustrative multi‑year scenario that applies a 2% rate increase in FY26 and 2% in subsequent years; staff said the 2% annual approach produces steady reserve rebuild and favorable debt‑coverage indicators in the model. The presentation included customer examples for a variety of residential heating sources (gas‑heat, electric‑heat, heat pump, apartments) and showed the approximate monthly dollar impacts for high‑end customers in each class. For example, staff presented that a higher‑usage electric‑heat residential account would see roughly a $7 per month change in a winter month under a 2% increase and a larger change for very high users under a larger increase; staff emphasized these examples represent above‑average usage for those rate classes.

Council discussed the power‑cost adjustment (PCA) mechanism for electric bills and staff said the PCA has been capped relative to a residential tier and that recent higher market costs resulted in exceeding budgeted PCA recovery in some months. Council members asked staff to return with a two‑year look at how the PCA has performed and whether board discussion should revisit the PCA cap. Staff said the water and light board has already discussed possible percentage adjustments and that staff will bring formal rate proposals through the board and the budget process.

Ending: Staff recommended including a 2% electric adjustment in the FY26 budget model and said they will provide fuller bill‑impact tables, the complete cost‑of‑service study, and communications plans to the council and the utility board ahead of the formal hearings.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Columbia City Budget Work Session July 19, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","City staff presented water and electric utility forecasts and customer‑bill examples at a July 19 budget work session, describing cost‑of‑service scenarios and a proposed 2% electric rate increase in FY26.","taxTitle","Columbia, Boone County, Missouri","taxId",2593,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6155935,"Council staff outline FY26 budget framework, propose keeping public-improvement sales-tax share in general fund",523,313000,836000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5473023-7aae3a68c9a7788b01d7cf80d8f57bd4&start=313&end=836","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5473023-7aae3a68c9a7788b01d7cf80d8f57bd4/thumbnail_313000.jpg","/articles/6155935/Columbia/Boone-County/Missouri/Council-staff-outline-FY26-budget-framework-propose-keeping-public-improvement-sales-tax-share-in-general-fund","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6155935-6abab3aaae1718d4aff8ba4410a788d1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770994432&Signature=GiFhUXcy~8IAJDvI8~WTK7VP3oU~7rDgwy3wbCfgIAwqOB3YgcRIjMxEUeIeZqGCvpdK81hNfVaHIrcTDZo8LmAuP1Spc4BaWuYH0-Cn3yUyWWFnqEAvFgX5mQOZSDnqGh3rEiPh8QrkXuGC8xxo22DyHuAfBBE6fR-edU9YSv5IITTCZ5NJgP3YpZG4RdsAjsYgbUJSVFbRz9SbYO3VcJVsRdXdZsrMo~ppZny4409YZlXDzoyXqfEK7vtyvsL28oMOOqTL00sZlsf7vhAk0yE-Ae4dHv~Xv40dmeavGFE9~AGuu~hnRvM33gf76raKgZzasLb8~T0MDtPxkJ878Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City finance staff presented the draft Fiscal Year 2026 budget and revenue forecasts at a July 19 budget work session, proposing not to continue a recent practice of diverting 2% of general‑fund sales tax to the public‑improvement fund and instead keep that share at 1% within the general fund. Finance Director Matthew Lu said staff will monitor the public‑improvement fund balance and return unused funds to capital projects if community priorities require it.

Why this matters: The proposed treatment of sales‑tax revenue affects the size of the general fund available for operations and the public‑improvement fund available for capital projects. Staff framed the recommendation with multi‑year revenue assumptions — including population and development fee trends — that shape the city’s ability to pay for projects now versus saving for later.

Finance staff told the council the budget forecast uses a population assumption of about 1.17% annual growth drawn from American Community Survey data; Lu said, “we are seeing on an average around 1.17% annual growth in population, and that's kind of our key assumption when we go to the pop property tax and other revenue assumptions.” That growth, plus permit‑related development fees, is central to revenue forecasts for capital projects.

Staff noted the public‑improvement fund still shows roughly $1 million in estimated annual revenue and relatively modest planned expenses for FY26. That revenue mix includes sales and use taxes, development fees and investment income; finance staff said development fees have recently comprised a larger share of the fund as development activity increased. The presentation showed that in some recent years sales and use taxes were less than half of public‑improvement fund revenue after development fees rose.

Council members asked for additional detail on the public‑improvement fund and the capital improvement plan (CIP). Staff said the CIP materials and a community trends manual will be released and presented at a council meeting later in July and that staff can provide a line‑item breakdown of planned CIP expenditures when the council asks. Staff also explained that development fees are paid by private developers at permitting and, under current rules, may be used only for collector and arterial roadways, and therefore are commonly applied to street projects on the capital ballot list.

Other revenue and fund items presented included the convention and visitors bureau (hotel tax) fund, park sales tax funding for parks and recreation operations and capital, and transportation sales tax reserves. Finance staff said the transportation fund has built reserves (in part from CARES Act grants) and that FY26 plans call for spending down some reserves on fleet and public‑works vehicles and projects. Council members asked staff to identify a target reserve level for transportation; staff said there is not a fixed number but expressed comfort with a substantially lower reserve than the current balance.

Ending: Finance staff said the full FY26 proposed budget and CIP detail will be available before formal public hearings in August and September. Staff also promised to provide the council with the community trends manual, the CIP breakdown, and the reimbursement calculation details requested by council members.","City finance staff presented the draft Fiscal Year 2026 budget and revenue forecasts at a July 19 budget work session, proposing not to continue a recent practice of diverting 2% of general‑fund sales tax to the public‑improvement fund and instead keep that share at 1% within the general fund.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6155915,"City outlines fleet, vehicle replacement and self‑insurance plans; staff cites vacancies and outsourcing tradeoffs",0,5532000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5473023-7aae3a68c9a7788b01d7cf80d8f57bd4&start=5532&end=5532","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5473023-7aae3a68c9a7788b01d7cf80d8f57bd4/thumbnail_5532000.jpg","/articles/6155915/Columbia/Boone-County/Missouri/City-outlines-fleet-vehicle-replacement-and-selfinsurance-plans-staff-cites-vacancies-and-outsourcing-tradeoffs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6155915-5ed167805f2a4257a20608a7327dcd67/orig.mp4?Expires=1770994432&Signature=L5ZpbtBrFwah7KXgTtdUHd6Bu~NQ5iP2HbMHAI8qk45LQUJ7UcdSCeTbyVgmkMym-lvQSoD0j-mAhZ421WFYXFZyxHLEJZfOB8tWO4JoCFHXEKeP53CmBr3EL4hkIQYcyce11a03HAXBj~klMMvTAfqlXWpq7Y1rrWm6tP-ixEeSP0-1NKw75MbVQ4I54Lbsva4IM~2l2FT8Y62vIVcRbfBdyuv~UUKRjArmVTJ0I5BSdJ5ht0H03iQpWJH32K1HK8JkmanYjTk012gCo5F5FfgHvZ7fbvG8DKhpsUKUjnVRkEj0YrJXgfDeDVSZtSENKMLn~Pk5AA4cFqEUYRaKJQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff reviewed internal service funds, fleet operations, the vehicle and equipment replacement fund (VERF), and the city's self‑insurance arrangement at the July 19 budget work session, explaining how staffing shortages, aging vehicles and contract choices affect costs.

Why this matters: Fleet and internal service charges appear in department budgets across the organization. Choices about when to outsource repairs, when to invest in replacement vehicles and how much to hold in insurance reserves affect multiple funds and operating costs.

Fleet staff said the city maintains about 1,400 assets across three shops and an inventory of roughly $850,000 in parts. Fleet currently has 37 authorized positions and 30 filled, with seven vacancies focused on mechanics and support roles; staff said those vacancies increase outsourcing because if mechanics are not available for in‑house repairs the city must send work out to vendors. The presentation noted that fleet outsourcing exceeded $1 million before COVID and that more than $1.5 million in some subsequent years does not necessarily indicate a dramatic outsourcing increase but instead reflects specific repair needs, the age of equipment and occasional specialized services (for example, boiler work, transmissions, or heavy‑body repairs).

Staff described the VERF, established in FY23, as a way to spread vehicle replacement costs over time: departments pay into the fund on a predictable schedule so the fund can accumulate cash and finance vehicle purchases without single‑year spikes. The capital improvement sales tax and other funds still pay for high‑cost, one‑off capital vehicles such as fire trucks; VERF is intended for routine vehicle replacement. Councilmembers asked whether major purchases should be out of the replacement fund or managed by individual departments; staff explained VERF provides predictability and reduces the chance vehicle purchases get mixed with general‑fund operating items.

On self‑insurance and employee benefits, staff said the city operates a self‑insured plan, and the employee benefit fund includes medical, dental and claims expenses. Recent work resolving contract/provider issues with MU Health and Anthem provided some near‑term relief; staff built a 10% placeholder for medical cost increases into the FY26 budget as a conservative assumption and noted a higher cash reserve target is kept for claims and stop‑loss exposure. Council members asked how internal charges to departments are determined; staff explained charges are based on historical claims and exposure and noted they are temporarily reducing transfers into self‑insurance to draw down excess cash toward target levels.

Ending: Staff said they will monitor fleet staffing and the outsourcing budget, consider adjustments to internal charge rates if positions are filled, and report to council on progress and any recommended rate changes for internal services before final budget adoption.","At a July 19 budget work session city staff reviewed internal service funds including fleet, vehicle and equipment replacement (VERF), and self‑insurance; staff said fleet shortages and aging equipment have driven higher outsourcing in some years and described the newly established VERF to smooth vehicle purchases over time.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":90,"_43":101,"_45":101,"_47":102,"_49":103,"_51":104,"_53":105,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":106,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":107,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6155924,"Council reviews FY26 staffing requests; police ask for 51 officers while budget includes smaller additions",6247000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5473023-7aae3a68c9a7788b01d7cf80d8f57bd4&start=6247&end=6247","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5473023-7aae3a68c9a7788b01d7cf80d8f57bd4/thumbnail_6247000.jpg","/articles/6155924/Columbia/Boone-County/Missouri/Council-reviews-FY26-staffing-requests-police-ask-for-51-officers-while-budget-includes-smaller-additions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6155924-fdca77595c0f030891978e821407549c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770994432&Signature=YVU~bKgFLXTFf3v8ZuV8IFK9IE9IyEhPoEQxYM2oBWCpnHqbTX1sXsOfSJ59IJXRnEVKmtzg0XOfjc5xJIXE~UR0Jj-2IVkLgrFCqspLZrjb0CqcFQu5DSNzTTGnLgWCgdSdjJo1QKC1IMWJu75nOTXFSPipNhMVXLZh6~uAf4pmrIPwkuV-VqZGVAplmEPT4dAIJwevOLK49RnMy1~Nvc3fWGsDgK5y61Ww55YFW1pjhg3zggu2OXr8aV3Y9jBnrZPPrXo9Z6p-xEi3KLbHdsMgsOt~w9nP1W~AoRnMsDrYvAEYRGxclCkz3Jxt1RHu6JmObFWw-pgZ07m42TVjHA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City human resources and department leaders reviewed staffing requests, vacancy trends and the effects of the recent class‑and‑compensation actions at the July 19 budget work session. HR staff summarized requests submitted in January and explained how departmental conversations and the city manager’s prioritization led to the positions included in the FY26 proposed budget.

Why this matters: Hiring decisions and the number of authorized full‑time equivalents affect service levels, recurring personnel costs and the long‑term structural budget. Departments used the January submission deadline to itemize needs; the council and city manager then prioritized which could be funded in FY26.

HR said departments submitted 122.25 FTE requests at the January deadline. Since then, some requests were withdrawn or moved to mid‑year actions; the city approved a net of 4.5 FTE earlier in FY25 through mid‑year actions. The draft FY26 budget contains 20.5 proposed new FTE and five proposed eliminations for a net gain of 15.5 FTE in the FY26 draft; when combined with the mid‑year net gain already approved this fiscal year, staff calculated a net increase of about 20 total new FTE from the FY25 starting point.

Police leadership requested a larger package: the department requested 51 officers. Finance staff provided a high‑level personnel cost estimate for the 51 positions — about $4.6 million in recurring pay and benefits — and noted that vehicle, equipment and other non‑personnel costs would be additional if the council approved hiring at that scale. Police explained the 51‑officer figure was derived from benchmarks such as calls‑for‑service per officer, the city’s participation in benchmarking groups and command‑level staffing priorities (for example, restoring a downtown unit and upgrading civilian investigative staffing).

Human resources and the city manager described an iterative review process that modifies requests after departmental meetings. Several council members asked for a clearer mapping between the council’s stated priorities and which positions were funded; staff said that connection will be explained when the full budget and priorities are presented at public hearings. HR also described results of the recent classification and compensation work: the city implemented market‑leading pay ranges and a series of adjustments in FY24–FY25, and HR said turnover and vacancy measures have improved since implementation.

Ending: Staff said they will provide council members with additional documentation on vacancies, positions not budgeted for immediate fill, and any expected service impacts from delayed hiring. Council members asked for periodic updates on the police hiring pipeline given conditional offers and backgrounds are processed weekly.","Council members and staff discussed a full list of FY26 new‑position requests and vacancies on July 19. Departments requested 122.25 total FTE by the January submission deadline; the FY26 proposed budget includes roughly 20.5 new FTE (net 15.5 after 5 eliminations) and council staff noted mid‑year adjustments already approved in FY25.",{"_33":109,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":110,"_41":111,"_43":112,"_45":113,"_47":114,"_49":115,"_51":116,"_53":117,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":118,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":119,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6155929,"Council hears plans for capital work on fire stations, including proposed replacement of aging Fire Station 5",279,2223000,2502000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5473023-7aae3a68c9a7788b01d7cf80d8f57bd4&start=2223&end=2502","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5473023-7aae3a68c9a7788b01d7cf80d8f57bd4/thumbnail_2223000.jpg","/articles/6155929/Columbia/Boone-County/Missouri/Council-hears-plans-for-capital-work-on-fire-stations-including-proposed-replacement-of-aging-Fire-Station-5","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6155929-ac15e6bbf57824f142e1a7b298d880b0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770994432&Signature=bHrNb2bsWNjLZ2wpdtHFYcK7JyyBtTKBI9GYRUDFrKvd3b6d5pM-Ub8cpnXOGdy-gsX1YY8hguNsYi5btw8f7RvnL3orO23gUEmNEbN33vzOBgnglBAnlCNmsq0nzRxhzNcdV1qHC349ARNAh1Q4q1h3f5K30TFhZ6aRQFBs1jlaHnaB~fWUDcCrGwdpPi8Et~GfhEVHlvRTcRI7Wdha5vKUEjdYx6X4SIVzJK1jBTp3rFDOW1T6lu5ZXj10RlkMdwjUXKrfWGti9FGz7VtPBDxY8705exlh3BJG-LThKcMuLFnuiIlqkWugmNIKwBKYc~K5zemtiu4Lzv2JtTa1Jg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff and the fire department described multiple capital projects for fire facilities at the July 19 budget work session, including renovation work tied to Fire Station 10 and a proposed full replacement of Fire Station 5 due to foundation subsidence.

Why this matters: Replacement or major renovation of fire stations affects emergency response capacity and capital spending; the council asked staff for further detail about contingency plans if a site is found unsuitable and whether alternative city‑owned parcels might be available.

The fire chief reported that Fire Station 5 is about 50 years old and ‘‘sinking’’ and that preliminary engineering and predictive analysis identified subsidence as a concern. Staff said the station’s location remains well positioned for current and projected response needs on the city’s north side, and that the preferred action is to replace the existing facility at the site if subsurface conditions permit. The chief said the city has begun limited renovation work for an interim fire marshal’s building on an adjacent church property and is proceeding with planning for a new Station 10 on the same lot.

Council members pressed staff on contingency plans if soil or underground risks prevent rebuilding at the same site. Staff said they would run scenario models using predictive planning tools and first check whether any city‑owned parcels were acceptable alternatives; only if no suitable city property exists would staff pursue the outside market. The city manager said the council will get a fuller presentation on capital projects and the CIP at the next capital meeting.

Staff said funding for the work would come from the capital improvement sales tax fund and that some renovation items are already in the FY26 capital program. Council members also asked for clearer site identifiers and timing; staff committed to follow up with addresses and timeline details.

Ending: Staff flagged that capital‑project approvals and funding will be part of upcoming CIP hearings; they committed to provide specific project scopes, estimated costs and contingency plans before final budget adoption.","City staff described capital‑improvement plans for fire facilities during the FY26 budget work session, including renovation work on Fire Station 10 and a proposed full replacement of Fire Station 5 after staff and the fire chief described subsidence and structural concerns.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Staff presents water and electric forecasts; water cost-of-service suggests large near-term increase, council hears 2% electric proposal

Council staff outline FY26 budget framework, propose keeping public-improvement sales-tax share in general fund

City outlines fleet, vehicle replacement and self‑insurance plans; staff cites vacancies and outsourcing tradeoffs

Council reviews FY26 staffing requests; police ask for 51 officers while budget includes smaller additions

Council hears plans for capital work on fire stations, including proposed replacement of aging Fire Station 5