City Council Approves Budgets for 2025-26 Fiscal Year, Welcomes Back a Familiar Face
By Chris Johnson on March 25, 2025
The city’s finances for the 2025-26 fiscal year are in order as Council approved five budgets during Monday’s regular meeting.
The budgets up for approval were:
- The general fund budget at $22,931,477.00
- The coal severance budget at $40,000
- The excess Levy budget at $2,270,241.00
- The cemetery budget at $571,363.00
- The sales and use tax budget (The Bridge) at $9,379,901.00.
Within the grand total of $35,192,982.00 are plenty of items City Manager Patrick Ford is excited about./Ford%204-24.JPG)
“We had 36 meetings through this process to come to a budget that I think we are excited about,” Ford said. “We were able to afford a lot of things for our employees, a 2.5 percent cost of living allowance, providing broader health insurance options. We wanted to make sure we did the small things like boot allotments for our field team.
“We created nine new positions for fire, library, parks and recreation, and development services. “We were also to do a lot of great things with vehicles and equipment, add to our escrow accounts and also do some additional fixes with new improvements and equipment for emergency services and the fire department.”
Another big part of the budget centers around Parks and Recreation in regard to expansion of trail systems and amenities.
Ford also mentioned the library’s role in the budget and its look toward the future as libraries continue to grow with regards it its purpose and use.
“The libraries of today are not like the ones we were accustomed to 30 years ago,” Ford said. They have really become a professional service center, they have become a gathering place for performing arts.”
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A master plan and needs assessment for the library are part of the budget and Ford said he believes they will start charting a course for the expansion of the library well into the future.
The budgets were unanimously approved but one councilman abstained from voting and he had a pretty good reason.
Former councilman Jeff Smell was chosen to fill the vacancy that was created when Jon Griffith resigned for health issues on March 5.
Smell will fill in for the rest of an unexpired term that ends on June 30. It is one of three Council spots that will be on the municipal election ballot on June 10.
Smell previously served as a Councilman for eight years during two consecutive terms that began in July of 2015 and ran through July of 2023.
Smell was present at Monday's meeting and sworn in by Mayor Andy Lang.
"We're all called to serve and it's just my opportunity to serve," Smell said. "It's a short stint, three months. There's a lot less pressure and the schedule is a little more open. I'm excited to be able to help."
Once sworn in, Smell took a seat alongside the rest of the Councilmen and participated in the meeting. He did however abstain from casting a vote for the budgets that were on the on agenda since he wasn't on Council during the process in which the budgets were put together./andy%20proclomation%204-24.JPG)
During his City Manager report, Ford said he has been working with Droo Callahan, the general manager at The Bridge, and Bridgeport Little League on reaching a resolution with an on-going issue with the usage of the concession stand at the C-Ball and Tee Ball Fields at The Bridge Sports Complex.
“I’ve been on site with Little League representatives and Droo and what’s exciting is, we’ve able to work toward a common solution to make it possible for them to use that concession stand.”
Ford has also been working with the Associated Businesses of Bridgeport (ABB) to find a resolution for the business licensing for musicians issue that came to light during last year’s closing of Music on Main.
“After a couple of meetings with ABB we have an option that we are excited to bring to Council at the next Council meeting with regards to what a recommendation might be for consideration of City Council,” Ford said.
Council approved a resolution accepting the charitable donation of approximately 1.76 acres in the Woodside Heights subdivision to the city be identified as Parcel No. 145, on Harrison County Assessor’s Tax Map 2401 for the Bridgeport-Simpson District.
An individual reached out to the city and wanted to donate the land to the city and the city just happens to have a trail that ends in the general area of his property.
“It’s mainly the creek bottom,” Parks and Recreation Director Joe Shuttleworth said. “If we do any trail work back there, it’s another piece of property we have at our disposal.”/clayton%20rice%204-24.JPG)
Robin Urquhart and Jim Christie were both reappointed to the Bridgeport Development Authority at Monday’s meeting.
In his mayor’s report, Lang issued his gratitude to the Bridgeport Fire Department and other area fire departments for their efforts in combating Sunday’s fire on Main Street. Read more about the fire HERE
Lang also read a proclamation that designates April as Litter Awareness Month.
“I urge residents and business owners of our community to participate in activities to commemorate this event and help make Bridgeport a beautiful place to live, work and play,” Lang said.
Editor's Note: Top photo shows City Manager Patrick Ford, in the second photo Mayor And Lang (right) swears in Jeff Smell. In third photo, Lang reads a proclamation. Bottom photo is of Councilman Clayton Rice.
