Dardenne Prairie, Missouri Development News

City Council Reviews Proposed Budget Revisions for Fiscal Year 2026

The City Council held the first reading of Bill 2632, an ordinance revising the city's budget for the fiscal year commencing January 1st, 2026, and ending December 31st, 2026 [cite: 52-56]. The proposed revisions account for expenses carried over from the previous fiscal year and document some carried-over or unplanned revenues [cite: 64-68]. Key adjustments include an increase in general fund revenues by $248,000, primarily from development agreements [cite: 73-77], and a decrease in the Capital Improvement Fund revenues by $12,000 due to unrealized grant and cost-share revenue [cite: 78-82]. The Parks Fund anticipates a $25,000 increase for accrued interest [cite: 83-85]. The Special Revenue Fund is projected to increase by $658,000 due to carryover revenue [cite: 85-89]. The Transportation Fund anticipates a $145,000 increase from additional interest earnings and carryover revenues [cite: 91-95]. Expenses are being adjusted for city hall cleaning services [cite: 97-100], repairs to a walk-in cooler [cite: 101-103], and reduced conservation maintenance costs [cite: 103-107]. Building department expenses have a minor increase for vehicle repairs [cite: 108-110]. The recreation department is reducing anticipated expenses for the Fourth of July event [cite: 111-118] and increasing insurance for special events, adding line items for the Taste County and annual shredding events [cite: 118-124]. Municipal court expenditures have a minor increase for unplanned warrant enforcement and hiring a new court clerk [cite: 125-130]. City operations will see a reduction in budgeted election costs as there is no election this fall [cite: 131-134], and expenditures are being adjusted to align with development agreements and pilot payment pass-throughs [cite: 134-143]. Technology expenditures for elected officials are reduced as the project is complete [cite: 144-147]. Personnel costs are adjusted to accurately track logger expenditures for employee contributions [cite: 147-150]. Street maintenance will increase snow plowing budget by $100,000 and decrease concrete slab replacement by $100,000 [cite: 151-155]. Capital projects include increases for post-road improvements due to design scope changes and right-of-way acquisitions [cite: 169-174], accounting for carryover expenditures on the town square overlay [cite: 175-177], and reducing expenditures for Henning Road Trail replacement as construction is delayed [cite: 177-181]. An electronic sign expenditure that hit in 2026 is being accounted for [cite: 181-185]. The Stormwater Master Plan budget is reduced by $20,000, with funds reallocated to acquire a sewer inspection camera for public works [cite: 185-194]. Capital projects also include increasing trail replacement costs, reducing Barrett Haven Field Phase One budget by $200,000 pending further packaging of projects [cite: 212-228], and reducing the proposed vehicle acquisition for public works by $32,000 [cite: 228-232]. Overall, these amendments are expected to reduce the budget deficit by approximately $1 million, attributed to increased interest revenues and reductions in some larger projects to be rolled into the next fiscal year [cite: 233-244]. Further changes are anticipated before the next reading, including evaluation of bids for cameras for city hall, Bluebird, and Barrett Haven Parks [cite: 244-255].