NAHUNTA — The City of Nahunta’s governing body wrapped up the second part of the proposed FY26-27 budget work session Wednesday night.
The City Council handled the Water/Sewer and Sanitation part of the budget during the Wednesday, May 27 meeting. The work session followed a Thursday, May 14 meeting to discuss the General Fund.
The FY26-27 proposed budget totals $2,793,262 — down $188,449 from the FY25-26 budget of $2,984,711.
The City of Nahunta will hold two public meetings for discussion of the budget Monday, June 8 at 10 a.m., with a second scheduled later in the afternoon at 6 p.m.
City Clerk Angie Wirth explained the divided layout of the Water budget and the Sewer budget stating it is the guidelines of the USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture).
The Operating Revenue for the Water Department came in $120,831 under the FY25-26 budgeted total of $415,687 and will finish the year taking in approximately $294,856. That is the proposed budget for FY26-27.
“I over estimated last year,” said Wirth of the Operating Revenue for the Water Department.
The two biggest line item shortfalls came at Water Charges ($72,146 short) and a $40,373 GEFA (Georgia Environmental Finance Authority) grant which was not received.
Operating expenses (Water Administrative) will finish roughly $7,574 over the budgeted $74,442. Several line items (Workers Comp Insurance, Liability Insurance, Advertising and Postage) went over budget figures.
The proposed figure for FY26-27 is $79,623 — an increase of $5,181.
Water Operations/Distribution will finish approximately $84,618 under the budgeted figure of $338,977. Helping were the loss of $81,000 in salaries.
The proposed budget for FY26-27 is $294,856 — $44,121 less than the previous year.
The Sewer Department Operating Revenue is projected to finish approximately $148,807 less than the budgeted $860,567 or at approximately $711,760, which is the FY26-27 proposed budget.
There was $141,089 shortfall in Sewer charges and $4,000 in Sewer Tap/Connect Fees.
The FY25-26 budgeted Operating expenses (Sewer Administrative) was $150,992. Expenses are projecting to be $51,076 less with an approximate total of $99,916. The FY26-27 budget proposal is $81,077 or $69,915 less.
The biggest expense saved was $50,000 in Professional Services ($100,000 to $50,000).
“There are some things in the sewer that we just don’t know yet,” said Wirth noting the City has had only one year of working with the USDA mandate.
Sewer Operations/Distribution is trending towards $182,528 below the FY25-26 budgeted figure of $475,127. The biggest savings was approximately $145,000 in electricity.
“That’s going to change,” said Wirth. “We know the electricity is going to be very, very expensive (budgeted $100,000 for FY 26-27), because it’s a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week plan. It’ll always be running and this is guesstimation The proposed budget for FY26-27 is $16,995 higher at $492,122.
The Sanitation Fund is projected to finish $1,203 over the budgeted figure of $106,550 at $107,758. The City is proposing a budget of $107,758 for FY26-27.
“We charge residents basically what we are charged,” said Wirth. “We pay the garbage company $104,070.”
For the General Fund, the City is projected to take in $59,556 ($1,155,750) more than the FY25-26 Operating Revenue (taxes) budget of $1,095,194 with $110,090 coming from the Insurance, Fire & Safety Commission to offset the shortfall.
Figures for headings of Fines & Forfeitures ($66,529), Intergovernmental ($47,277), Other Revenues ($10,215) and Licenses & Permits ($978) collections totaled $124,999 below the FY2526 budget figures.
The total Operating revenue budget figure for FY25-26 was $1,708,457. Revenue projections for collection are $1,643,014 ($65,443 less).
Headings for expenses for the Council and Mayor showed a savings of $13,350 under the budgeted figures totaling $46,054.
For the Administrative heading, the City was under budget ($487,988) in 20 of the 32 line items with six having exact expenditures. The projected expenditures total $397,660 — $90,328 less than the budget.
Spending for Municipal Court is projected $13,900 over budget, the Nahunta Police Department is projected to finish $83,515 under budget ($646,466 to $562,951) and Streets is projected to be $45,792 under budget ($424,499 to $378,707).
There is also a debt service of $210,624 to the USDA. According to Wirth, money taken in has to be shown on the budget for the USDA and then a check is sent for payment.
Council members still have to decide whether to give every employee a five percent raise or pay 100% of the health insurance premiums for 11 full-time workers. According to Wirth, the City would save $2,501.57 doing the 5% pay raises.
“This is not something we need to decide tonight,” said Mayor Marty Lee.
