Colby council approves 2027 budget, major street and equipment investments

The Colby City Council approved the city’s 2027 budget Sept. 1, authorizing a property tax rate slightly above the revenue-neutral rate while city officials emphasized their use of other revenue sources to limit the burden on property owners.

No members of the public spoke during separate hearings on exceeding the revenue-neutral rate or on the proposed budget.

The council approved Resolution No. 1248, allowing the city to exceed the revenue-neutral rate of 34.211 mills. The budget calls for an estimated tax rate of 34.447 mills and approximately $2.29 million in property-tax revenue, an increase of $46,022 resulting from growth in the city’s assessed valuation.

City Manager Ron Alexander said property taxes provide only part of the money supporting the city’s tax-levying funds. The city also uses sales taxes, transient guest taxes, airport fuel revenue and state and federal grants, among other sources.

“We need to keep as much of a tax burden off our community as we can and utilize those other funds,” Alexander said.

He said Colby’s tax rate compares favorably with those of similarly sized Kansas communities.

Council members thanked Finance Director Deb Zerr, her staff and city department heads for their work preparing the spending plan. The council subsequently adopted the budget and approved the city’s five-year capital improvement plan for 2027 through 2031.

The council also approved an updated classified-position and pay scale through Resolution No. 1249. Alexander said the city regularly compares its wages with those offered by similar communities in an effort to remain competitive.

Although competitive starting wages are important for recruitment, he said retaining trained employees may be even more important. Replacing workers can create significant expenses for training, equipment and certifications, particularly in departments such as law enforcement and public works.

Among the evening’s largest purchases, the council approved a $292,275 street sweeper using a city self-financing plan.

The city will use $70,000 from its Municipal Equipment Reserve Fund as a down payment and repay the remaining cost to the fund at approximately $40,000 annually. Alexander said the arrangement would avoid roughly $180,000 in financing charges associated with a lease-purchase proposal.

The purchase includes a $7,000 trade-in allowance for the city’s existing sweeper, a five-year parts-and-labor warranty and lifetime operator training.

Public Works Director Omar Weber recommended returning to a more traditional mechanical street sweeper. He said Colby’s sand-heavy conditions have caused extensive wear on the vacuum-style machine the city currently uses. The replacement has a simpler design and should provide at least 10 years of service, he said.

In other transportation business, the council approved a $955,933.50 project-programming request related to improvements on Range Avenue.

The proposed project would mill and overlay Range Avenue from Poplar Street north to Fourth Street and improve portions of Fourth Street between Cleveland and School avenues. Two Kansas Department of Transportation grant awards will provide a combined $800,000 toward the work.

The project is listed for 2028, although it has been referred to as the Range Avenue 2027 improvement project. Alexander said the timing of the state funding could push construction into 2028.

Council members also approved a $35,000 invoice from Penco Engineering for construction inspection on the Country Club Drive improvement project. The southbound portion of that project has been completed, including connections near the cemetery and Pine Street.

The council approved three contracts with Woofter Construction for repairs stemming from a June windstorm. The work includes $31,085 for fencing at the city’s ballfields, $5,295 for damage to an airplane hangar at Colby Municipal Airport and $12,400 for fencing at the Fike Park tennis courts. City officials said insurance proceeds for the damage have already been received.

Other approved items included:

During department reports, Weber said city crews were transitioning from Sunflower Festival preparations to fall work. Street painting remained underway, while staffing shortages in sanitation had required some street employees to assist with trash collection. The department also recently received additional six-yard dumpsters.

Councilwoman Velma Goodheart complimented city employees on the newly painted equipment at Smith Drive Park.

Zerr reported that month-end financial work was underway and that Z-Tag had requested its fifth reimbursement for its fifth apartment building. Officials said the building was fully rented and that 13 of its 15 tenants had moved to Colby to fill local jobs.

Technology Director Mike Halbleib said security cameras purchased through a grant had been ordered. He is also studying ways to better protect the city’s water and electric utility networks and assisting with a review of new criminal-justice information requirements affecting dispatch operations.

Mayor Lee Leiker, Councilman Jared Johnson and City Attorney John Gatz were absent. The council adjourned after completing department and council reports.