Ashland City Council Study Session - November 2, 2026

The City of Ashland, Oregon, held a City Council study session and budget retreat on November 2, 2026, to guide development of the proposed 2027–29 biennial budget. Staff described a plan to address the General Fund’s structural deficit through targeted rather than across-the-board reductions, preserve frontline services where possible, and improve public-facing budget information. Council discussed personnel-cost growth, reserves, deferred facilities maintenance, and upcoming capital improvement planning. No contracts were awarded and no spending or procurement motions were voted on during the session.

Utilities and infrastructure were prominent in the fiscal review. Staff said the wastewater treatment plant headworks project is expected to cost less than projected, with a related contract expected to come before Council in November; approximately $4 million was noted for preliminary work. Council also discussed the need to prioritize street projects amid uncertainty over the food-and-beverage tax, which could mean a loss of roughly $2 million annually if it sunsets, and a possible tax extension or street-fee changes. Other upcoming budget discussions include reserve policies, equipment replacement, facilities funding, ambulance-service cost efficiency, and whether to explore automated meter infrastructure. These were planning topics, not decisions authorizing procurement.