The Guthrie City Council heard the first reading of an ordinance outlining the city’s 2025-2026 annual budget at its regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday evening.
The budget includes a 4% raise for all city employees, $30,000 in flood control monies, increased bonuses for fire department employees, and additional fire equipment.
City Clerk Alison Blumel told the council that the budget also includes an additional salary increase for the city’s police officers, an effort to retain the city’s existing officers.
click to download audioThe council approved the formation of a budget committee aimed at reviewing the budget prior to its 2nd reading and passage at the council’s June meeting.
Council members Chad Johnson, Andrea Milkowski, and Zolle Rose were appointed to the committee.
In other news, City Engineer Mike McGee told the council that bids for construction of the city’s new permanent wastewater treatment plant could be sought as early as next year. Both the engineering report and the facilities plan have been completed and are awaiting the approval from the Kentucky Division of Water.
McGee told the council the new plant will more than triple the current plant’s capacity and could be extended beyond that if needed in the future.
click to download audioThe city continues to operate with a temporary wastewater treatment plant.
