The Waycross City Commission will consider a proposed budget of $40,188,299 million for Fiscal 2026 over the next few weeks.
City Manager Ulysses “Duke” Rayford presented the ledger in detailed form to commissioners during a public hearing Tuesday, May 22. The proposal represents a decrease of about $2.48 million from the $42.668 million FY 24-25 budget.
Much of the difference in the two rests in smaller amounts of special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST) revenue as well as American Rescue Plan Act funds for this offering.
There will be a second public hearing on the budget at 3:30 p.m., Tuesday, June 3 prior to the commission’s first bi-monthly meeting that day. Rayford has targeted the commission’s meeting at 5 p.m., Tuesday, June 17 for a vote on a final budget.
The ledger would begin July 1. A copy of the budget is available on the city’s website.
The theme for this year’s budget is “Divest and Invest.” The proposal’s introduction says: “We are committed to divesting from outdated policies and procedures that prioritize asthenics over impact — those that have not demonstrated meaningful value for our community. Instead, we are investing in modernization, innovation, and bench-marking practices that improve the effectiveness of our day-to-day operations. Our focus is on smart, datainformed decisions that enhance service delivery and ultimately improve the quality of life for the residents of Waycross.”
The proposed budget shows $1.5 million less in TSPLOST 18 money, $910,000 less in SPLOST 14 funds and $1.825 million less in ARPA dollars.
The proposed budget’s general fund, however, is $1.1 million higher than last year ($19.151 to $18.048).
Most of that comes from $600k in the water-sewer fund. That anticipated revenue comes from a rate hike the commission approved last month that begins October 1.
Other budget increases were in the waste management fund ($48k, 1.8 percent), hotel-motel taxes ($44k, 7.4 percent), city auditorium proceeds ($38k, 76.6 percent), and SPLOST 23 $50k, 1.2 percent).
The city’s budget schedule is in contrast to last year when the commission didn’t approve the current budget until October 15. That process was hampered by the death of District 1 Commissioner Norman E. Davis in April and removal of Alvin Nelson from his District 5 seat in May pending his appeal to the Georgia Supreme Court of the lower court ruling on a lawsuit by Henry Strickland.
That left only Commissioners Sheinita Bennett, Katrena Felder and the late Diane Hopkins to consider the ledger with a unanimous vote needed for passage.
The three did agree on approval of a resolution for the city to continue operating on its existing FY23-24 ledger until approving its successor.
