A little belt-tightening was in evidence as the Mineola City Council began reviewing the proposed 2024-25 budget Monday.

One of the city’s chief revenue sources, sales taxes, won’t be budgeted for an increase for the first time in years.

The city expects to end the budget year Sept. 30 with less sales tax income than was budgeted by about $75,000.

The public safety portion of the budget was reviewed by the council.

The police department, the city’s largest department, has a proposed budget of $2,120,069, of which 86% is personnel costs.

The proposal includes one new vehicle at $50,000 plus another $25,000 to equip it.

Police Chief Chuck Bittner said the latest model police vehicles are not holding up well.

“There is not a vehicle out there that any departments are having luck with,” he said.

The department has had two catastrophic engine failures in recent years, he said, costing $8,500 each to repair.

Repairs were budgeted at $31,500 this year but are already over $50,000 and projected to reach $60,000.

The animal shelter budget is increasing $3,000. Bittner said they are trying to do more vaccinations and spay and neutering.

Much of the rest of the budget is similar, with an increase requested in overtime expense.

Fire department Operations Chief Aaron Munn reviewed two, five and 10-year goals for the department.

Security upgrades for the fire station and technology improvement for fire trucks are proposed in the coming year.

Among items that Munn proposed which were removed by City Manager Mercy Rushing in her review of the proposed budget were a command vehicle ($82,000) and an additional paid position ($72,000).

The department has three paid firemen, and Munn said a fourth is needed to have 24-hour coverage by paid personnel.

Volunteers make the calls on nights and weekends, as well as weekday runs when available.

Mayor Jayne Lankford questioned how much the county contributes, given that 48% of the department’s calls are outside the city.

That money ($53,000 last year) goes into the department’s capital fund for future equipment purchases.

Lankford encouraged efforts to seek more county funds.

Volunteer firemen Javier Ortega and Eric Carrington addressed the council, noting that Mineola is a volunteer fire department supplemented by paid personnel during the day.

Ortega questioned how a proposed addition to the station would impact the training/meeting room if living quarters are expanded, while Carrington questioned the need for a command vehicle.

The council also heard from municipal court clerk Lisa Morrison who noted that a back up is being trained for her position.

The city has not received its health insurance bids, which will impact all departments. The current carrier has proposed an eight percent cost increase.

The council will hold another budget workshop July 29 to review additional departments, at which time the city should also have its certified property values.