Sedalia Council Trims Proposed Budget to Help Reduce Deficit

Trying to balance the City of Sedalia’s fiscal year 2027 budget is proving quite challenging, with some very tough decisions to be made concerning what to leave in and what to cut out.

Sedalia City Council spent about 80 minutes contemplating what to do Monday night as part of their regular meeting, which was somewhat of a work session on the budget. Council aims to finalize the FY “27 budget its next meeting on March 16.

Council looked at the general fund, transportation and capital improvement segments of the overall budget. That took up a majority of the 93-minute meeting.

Several line items were ultimately removed from next year’s budget after much discussion, including advertising for the Sedalia Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual Christmas parade, a City of Sedalia booth at the 2026 Missouri State Fair as well as an entry fee for the opening day parade, and take advantage of online Missouri Municipal League (MML) training videos instead of attending the four-day conference in person at Margaritaville resort in Osage Beach Sept. 13-16.

No across the board COLA raises will be in next year’s budget, according to City Administrator Matt Wirt, only merit raises.

In the IT department, out of 300 PCs in use throughout the City of Sedalia, IT Director Chris Franklin told the Council that he tries to replace around 25 of them a year. And about 70 monitors also need to be replaced. Franklin agreed to reduce that number to around 35 this coming year.

After all was said and done, the general fund deficit was reduced from $282,180.22 to $39,207.22.

Council approved a waiver of the City’s open container law to accommodate the Sedalia Lion’s Club Pub Crawl event on March 14. The law will be suspended within a designated area from 12 to 7 p.m. that Saturday.

Under Public Works, three change orders were approved  concerning the Washington Avenue Bridge repairs from Double Arch Construction Company (Florence). The three change orders totaled $45,569.

Council then approved for staff to submit a $75,000 grant application to the Missouri DNR for the walking trail at the Sedalia Animal Shelter. The material will be made out of scrap tires. No local match is required, it was noted.

There were no items up for discussion under Public Safety or Community Development.

Two liquor licenses were approved, including:

*Jenna Gier dba Tiger Eagle Stop, 3415 E. Broadway, for packaged liquor and Sunday sales, $450

*Chris Robinson dba Osage Gun & Pawn Shop, 116 West Main, for packaged liquor sales, $150

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Under Miscellaneous, Third Ward Councilman Bob Hiller presented a $345 check to Sedalia Police Chief David Woolery for the Sedalia DARE program. The funds came from Les Harrell, Jr., a former Sedalia Councilman who died in mid-December at the age of 96.

No one signed up to speak this time during Good & Welfare.

Council meets again March 16.