The Village of Romeo: Board of Trustees "Budget" Meeting - May 27th, 2026

The Village of Romeo Board of Trustees held a budget meeting on May 27, 2026, focusing extensively on the financial planning for the sewer and water funds, cemetery expansion, and general fund challenges. Key procurement-related discussions included the approval of capital improvement projects such as a $4 million sewer plant upgrade funded partly by debt, with annual debt service estimated at $295,000, and a $3 million water capital investment over six years with $2 million financed by new debt. Rate increases were proposed to stabilize cash flow, with options including a 7% sewer and 3% water rate hike or an 8.5% sewer increase with no water rate change. The cemetery board requested a millage levy increase to fund a 2-3 year expansion plan involving an RFP for related work, with an initial $130,000 budgeted for the project and $15,000 for equipment. The general fund faces a structural deficit, partly due to rising fire contract costs, prompting discussions on potential revenue measures such as special assessments and franchise agreement renewals, as well as expense reductions including cuts to training and board pay. Additional procurement considerations involved IT contract updates, software upgrades for police dispatch costing $24,000 upfront plus $18,000 annual maintenance, and road maintenance projects like crack sealing. The board also discussed exploring outsourcing dispatch and police services to the county as cost-saving measures. Overall, the meeting addressed multiple budgetary and procurement decisions aimed at maintaining infrastructure and services while managing fiscal constraints.