Council weighs flat mill levy against revenue-neutral rate for 2027

Officials outline spending plan for new sales tax revenue

City proposes 10-year plan to rebuild general fund deficit

City employees to see market-based salary adjustments

City to purchase asphalt equipment, bring street paving in-house

Consultant to present options for aging wastewater treatment plant

Airport budget grows as city takes over fuel operations

Budget includes $660,000 to finish golf course master plan

Police department requests security fence for officer safety

Council weighs flat mill levy against revenue-neutral rate for 2027

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson City Council debated whether to adopt a revenue-neutral rate or maintain a flat mill levy for the 2027 budget. Property valuations increased by an average of 2.72% this year. Maintaining a flat mill levy, which city staff recommends to help rebuild the general fund balance, would cost the owner of a $100,000 home an additional $13.23 a year and the owner of a $400,000 home an extra $52.90. Adopting a revenue-neutral rate would mean the city collects the exact same amount of property tax revenue as the previous year, requiring budget cuts to account for inflation.

Officials outline spending plan for new sales tax revenue

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The city of Hutchinson's newly implemented 0.75-cent sales tax is conservatively projected to generate $8.9 million in its first year, according to budget presentations. City staff proposed allocating $1.35 million to street operations, $2.75 million to parks and $2.16 million to the stormwater fund. An additional $2 million will be used to pay cash for capital improvement projects, a strategy designed to reduce the city's reliance on bonds and save taxpayers money on long-term interest payments.

City proposes 10-year plan to rebuild general fund deficit

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — To restore the city of Hutchinson's depleted general fund balance to the levels recommended by the Government Finance Officers Association, staff introduced a formal 10-year deficit recovery plan. The policy would require the city to set aside $570,000 annually from sales tax revenues over the next decade. The written plan is expected to reassure bond rating agencies of the city's financial stability and includes language directing one-time, unrestricted revenues straight into the reserve fund.

City employees to see market-based salary adjustments

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The proposed 2027 budget includes an overall salary increase pool of 5.5% for city of Hutchinson employees, but raises will not be distributed evenly across the board. Instead, the city is implementing the results of a recent compensation study. Employees currently paid below market rate will receive larger raises to bring them up to standard, while those already at or above market rate will see smaller increases. Additionally, employee health insurance premiums are projected to increase by 6.3%.

City to purchase asphalt equipment, bring street paving in-house

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — In a move aimed at long-term savings, the city of Hutchinson plans to purchase an asphalt distributor and paver to bring residential street repaving in-house. The equipment purchases are part of a $4.6 million equipment reserve fund request. Public Works staff will initially practice utilizing the new machinery on city parking lots and hike-and-bike trails before transitioning to neighborhood streets. City officials anticipate the move will eventually save the city hundreds of thousands of dollars annually compared to outsourcing the work to private contractors.

Consultant to present options for aging wastewater treatment plant

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — City officials are preparing for a major financial decision regarding the Hutchinson Wastewater Treatment Plant. A representative from HDR Engineering told the city council that a cost-benefit analysis will be presented in the coming months detailing whether the city should continue repairing the current facility or invest in a full replacement. In the meantime, the proposed five-year capital improvement plan allocates significant funds to keep the current plant operational and replaces approximately 2% of the city's water mains annually.

Airport budget grows as city takes over fuel operations

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Regional Airport's operating budget will increase by roughly $200,000 next year as the facility transitions to a city-run fixed-base operation. The airport will add three employees to handle aircraft refueling, groundskeeping and wildlife management. The city has budgeted $2 million for bulk aircraft fuel purchases, but airport officials noted they will only buy fuel as it is sold, in 8,000-gallon increments. The city expects the revenue generated from fuel sales to fully cover the cost of the new personnel.

Budget includes $660,000 to finish golf course master plan

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The 2027 capital improvement budget sets aside $660,000 to complete the final phase of the Carey Park Golf Course master plan. The funding, which combines two years of previously deferred project money, will be used to renovate holes 10, 11 and 12. City officials noted that finishing the project now prevents construction from dragging into an additional year.

Police department requests security fence for officer safety

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Police Department has requested a $92,000 security fence for the Reno County Law Enforcement Center parking lot, an item currently deferred to the 2028 budget. Police officials stated the fence is a nationwide best practice designed to protect officers and dispatchers arriving at the station at all hours of the night. The request follows a 2025 incident in Wichita where an armed individual was fatally shot by officers in the Patrol North substation parking lot.

Found a mistake? Have a news tip or feedback to share? Contact our newsroom using the button below:

Contact Us