Water, trash expenses up — City approves $10.8 million budget
The budget approved by the city council last week for the city of Newcastle increased by over $2 million from the budget for fiscal year 2025, which ends on June 30. Most of the increases in the coming year’s budget are in the water and garbage accounts, according to the budget provided by City Clerk-Treasurer Stacy Haggerty. The fiscal 2026 budget, approved by the council on June 2, includes total appropriations of $10,886,698 over four different accounts.
In the general fund, line items total $4,223,398 in requirements, a slight increase from the $4,140,518 budget approved for fiscal 2025.
The largest line items in the general fund are the Newcastle Police Department at $1,621,500; streets and alleys at $879,900; and parks at $452,043. The police department and streets and alleys line items were decreased by $45,721 and $19,851, respectively, from the previous year’s budget amounts, while the budget for parks increased by $116,647.
Other line items in the general fund budget include $40,280 for municipal court, $201,600 for financial administration – clerk and treasurer, $216,000 for the Newcastle Volunteer Fire Department, and $170,675 for health and welfare.
As for the city’s enterprise accounts, which are maintained separately to support specific services, both the water and garbage funds saw significant increases in requirements while the sewer fund saw a slight decrease.
According to the budget, requirements for the water fund increased by $1,015,400 from $1,952,500 to $2,967,900 in the upcoming fiscal year. Most of this increase is attributed to an increase from $1,089,500 to $2,403,700 for the transmission and distribution line item.
Other line items increased slightly, while the wells, tanks and pumping equipment line item decreased by over half ($285,000) to total $257,000 for the upcoming year.
According to Public Works Supervisor Greg Stumpff, the increase is due to several planned projects, including a $1 million loan from the State Revolving Fund for the 2025 Improvements Project.
“Another project, which is fully funded by a mineral royalty grant, is the addition of disinfection, which is estimated to (be) $772,000,” he said. “We also plan to replace
our pumps at our booster station. The pumps are past their useful life and are obsolete. We cannot find parts for the pumps anymore. We have budgeted $200,000 for the replacements.”
Stumpff noted that the funding for the pump station is from the rate increase imposed by the city last year.
“We are also planning to finish our meter radio reading system, called FlexNet, upgrade to the meter system and purchase the last of the water meter radios needed,” he said. “We estimate the FlexNet upgrade will cost $59,000 and the radios will be $60,000. This meter system upgrades are also funded from our budget.”
In the garbage fund, requirements increased from $581,800 in fiscal 2025 to $1,721,300 in the upcoming fiscal year. This increase includes the addition of another general expenses line item with a budget of $1,025,000. Operating expenses will cost the city $662,500 in the new fiscal year, an increase of $114,500.
Looking at projects, Stumpff said that the Landfill No. 1 remediation project will be completed in the upcoming fiscal year.
“The project is estimated to cost $4,000,000 which the city will have to pay 25% of the project or $1,000,000, which is an SRF loan,” he said. “We also must replace the garbage truck. We were awarded a grant for 75% of the $408,000 purchase price.”
When it comes to the sewer system, however, Newcastle budgeted $47,750 less for the upcoming fiscal year for a total of $1,974,100 in requirements.
According to Stumpff, only one project is planned for the sewer system this year as part of the 2025 Improvements Project.
“After we awarded the bid, we are planning $1,000,000 for the sewer portion of the project. … We received a $1,000,000 grant from the MRG program,” he said. “With most of the money spent on the Duff Avenue project then, there is only one project reflected in the sewer budget.”
“When we have projects to complete, the budgets must reflect the grant or loan income because that account is where the expenditure will come from,” Stumpff said. “Like the water, there is an additional $1,772,000 for two projects that is not from utility bills. But that money is spoken for and may only be used for the specific projects.”
City Beats\
Notes from the June 2, 2025, meeting of the Newcastle City Council
Rick Dunford, of the Weston County Planning Commission, met with the council to provide an update on planning commission activities.
The council approved an ordinance providing for revenue to be raised by taxation on an emergency basis. The entirety of the ordinance can be reviewed on page B4.
The council approved a bar and grill liquor license for the Antlers. It was noted that there are stipulations regarding food sales versus liquor sales associated with the license.
Mayor Tyrel Owens informed the council that a tree inventory was going to be taken at the site of the Backyard Park. He said it was to determine what trees would be kept during the design of the Backyard Park. Once that is complete, American Ramp will move forward with the design.
The council approved the request of Public Works Supervisor Greg Stumpff to visit with the Board of Weston County Commissioners to begin planning a mill and overlay project on Morrissey Road for 2029.
The council approved Police Chief Derek Thompson’s request to bid for two new police vehicles. He noted that preliminary bids totaled $61,632.50.
The council approved Ordinances 4 and 5 referencing the repeal of the obscenity ordinance and the repeal of the unlawful carrying of weapons in the city on first reading.