SIDNEY -- The Sidney City Council approved the 2024-2025 budget September 24. 

Prior to the city council meeting, a budget hearing was held.

City Manager David Scott spoke in the budget hearing, commending City staff for the dedication to frugal fiscal management.

"First of all, I just want to thank the council for all the time they put in, all the workshops, and strategic planning sessions that we went through, all the department heads for their hard work. They continually every year after year after year get asked to do more with less and they always come through," Scott said.

He said the City has faced fiscal challenges this year common with other communities.

"Some of the issues, or some of the obstacles we faced, of course, are the same things a lot of municipalities are facing. We're not immune to it; soaring inflation, supply chains, some increased legal expenses ( City Attorney J. Leef retiring), we have some older buildings in desperate need of repairs ..." Scott said.

Scott also listed the expense of an EMS subsidy and employee health insurance.

"We've been so lucky over the last three or four years to have little to almost no increase, I think, a couple of times. Claims were low and we were having a very good run. This year that did not happen, and we have a huge increase in health insurance. So there's a lot of things we had to take into consideration in this budget. With all that said, I would like to point out that this is a balanced budget. It is actually a decrease. It will not increase," he said.

Scott said the city's valuation increased by about $2 million. He said the City is lowing the mill levy, and the dollar amount asked of tax payers.

The budgeted 2024-2025 revenue for the City's General Fund is $10,217,527. General Fund revenue includes Property and Vehicle taxes; Franchise and Admin fees; Sales and Occupation taxes; Fees for Service; Federal, State and County; other revenues and Capitol Projects.