DECEMBER 2024 BUDGET STUDY SESSION City of Van Buren, Arkansas
Minutes of the 2025 Budget Study Session of the City Council
Monday, December 9, 2024
Van Buren Municipal Complex
CALL TO ORDER 5:30M
The study session meeting of the Van Buren City Council was called to order by Mayor Joseph P.
Hurst at 5:30PM. Council Member Madison Simmons led the invocation. Mayor Joseph P.
Hurst led the Pledge of Allegiance.
ROLL CALL 5:31PM
Present: Council Member Tyler Wood, Council Member Madison Simmons, Council Member
Tonia Fry, Council Member Kneeland, Council Member Shannon Newerth-Henson, Council
Member Dodson, Mayor Joseph P. Hurst, City Clerk-Treasurer Shawnna Reynolds
Absent: City Attorney Jacob Howell
PRESENTATIONS - AWARDS
None
NEW BUSINESS 5:32PM
Resolution 12-01-2024 Economic Development Partnership
City Clerk-Treasurer Shawnna Reynolds read the resolution in its entirety. Mayor Joseph P.
Hurst stated this was a great opportunity to partner with the Van Buren Chamber of Commerce
for Economic Development. The city and the chamber have had an agreement since 2019 and
this request to pay$50,000 before the end of 2024. He also mentioned that the Chamber
would be moving to the annex in 2025 and there will be more discussion on that in the future.
Motion to adopt Resolution 12-01-2024 was made by Council Member Tyler Wood. Seconded
by Council Member Shannon Newerth-Henson. Roll Call. All in favor. None opposed.
Resolution 12-01-2024 Economic Development Partnership is adopted with six yeas and zero
nays. Mayor Hurst declared the resolution passed and signed same in open council, duly
attested by City Clerk-Treasurer Reynolds.
MISCELLANOUS and GENERAL DISCUSSION 5:44PM
Mayor Joseph P. Hurst began the 2025 budget study session by saying that it felt good to have
a surer footing than the budget for 2024. There was about a one-million-dollar shortage from
sales tax, and he was unsure how that would impact the budget for 2024. He stated that all
Department Heads were diligent in their department budgets and how much he appreciated it.
Mayor Joseph P. Hurst discussed the following:
1. General Turnback and Street Turnback funds are sent to the city from the state. Those
funds are based on population. The 2025 General Turnback formula has decreased
slightly compared to 2024. As a result, the city budget projection for State General
Turnback has been decreased to $350,000.
2. The 2025 State Street Turnback formula has increased compared to 2024. Those funds
include proceeds from the highway% cent sales tax and the wholesale fuel tax. Based
on the formula increase, the city budget project for 2025 State Street Turnback is
increased to $1,950,000.
3. City Sales Tax is up 1% compared to 2023 despite the lower revenue city sales tax is 7%
above forecasted. That will leave our 2025 budget for Sales Tax Proceeds (4410) at
$8,200,000.
4. County Sales Tax was not received in January & February 2024 which explains why it is
lower than previous years. All county sales tax funds must be spent on PD (12.5%), FD
(12.5% and Capital Improvements (75%). Despite the lower revenue, county sales tax is
still 9% above the 2024 budget amount. The proposed budget for 2025 for lines 4116,
4117 and 4118 is $3,460,660.
5. Employee raise request will be 3% and are included in each department salary total.
This is a good raise as the Social Security Administration is 2.5% for 2025.
6. There was no change in health insurance premiums for 2025.
7. There was further discussion regarding worker's compensation being almost the same
for 2025 as it was in 2024 because the city took advantage of several discount programs.
8. Quorum Court may be raising their contribution to help cover District Court salaries, but
that amount has not been determined yet.
9. The city has committed 3 million dollars to the 140 interchange that is set to begin in
Spring 2025.
10. There are several drainage projects set for 2025.
There were a couple of other general questions and answers from department heads regarding
line items and projections.
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ADJOURNMENT 6:14PM
Council Member Madison Simmons made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Council Member
Shannon Newerth-Henson. The motion passed 6-0. The Regular Meeting of the Van Buren City
Council 2025 Budget Study Session was adjourned at 6:1413M.
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