ROCK SPRINGS — The Rock Springs City Council adopted the 2026-2027 budget Tuesday night. 

Budget documents show the city anticipates $32.1 million in revenue, along with $12.2 million in cash already available for the budget, while having $44.3 million in expenditures. The preliminary budget established by the city faced a $3.15 million deficit, though later adjustments and financial updates let the city bring its general fund budget into “complete balance,” according to a budget letter written by the city’s Director of Administrative Services, Matthew McBurnett. Councilman Larry Hickerson said the budget doesn’t utilize reserves to balance it. 

The city’s financial outlook improved mainly due to a 25% boost in property tax projections, which allowed it to project an additional $515,000 in revenue. Projected direct distribution revenue from the state was also increased after the Wyoming Association of Municipalities released its budget outlook, which included projections from the state’s Legislative Service Office that were higher than what the city used. 

There were budget cuts as well, with Councilman Eric Bingham saying the parks and public works departments took hits in their funding requests.

“Despite the aggressive measures required to balance the budget, this proposal maintains the critical commitments outlined in our preliminary draft,” McBurnett wrote. “Personnel costs remain our largest recurring expenses, but we recognize that competitive wages are essential to retention.”

The budget retains the 1.5% cost of living adjustments proposed for all city employees, along with 2.5% for firefighters, and up to 3.5% movement within pay ranges. The city is also able to follow through with its strategic staffing plan. Along with the budget, the city approved three firefighter positions that are anticipated to bring savings to the city by utilizing the funds originally earmarked for overtime to hire the positions. The idea is that more staff would significantly reduce overtime and is projected to bring the city savings.  

Increases to water and sewer rates were also part of the budget, with water rates seeing a 7% increase, while sewer rates went up 9%. A rate survey the city conducted previously recommended higher increases, though the city opted to go with a smaller increase this year. The additional money raised through the increases will go directly to the water and sewer funds, which operate as enterprise accounts and can’t be used for anything beyond operations and maintenance of those services. Per month, average residents can expect to see their water bill increase by $4.26, with their sewer bills increasing by $3.30.

McBurnett says the budget halts a trend where the city closed its prior years with a deficit. McBurnett notes those years highlighted a danger related to relying heavily on carryover from the prior year, with the new budget establishing a sustainable and resilient foundation that also protects the city’s $17.2 million in reserves.

Rick Milonas’ Opposition

Not everyone was on board with the city’s budget, as Councilman Rick Milonas, who is competing with Mayor Max Mickelson to be the city’s next mayor in 2027, vocally voted to approve the budget, but has spoken against some expenditures. When pressed to specify where he thought the city was wasting money, he immediately said sending goats into the Bitter Creek for weed mitigation. The city has not budgeted funds for the goat project in 2027, with the city looking to apply for a grant to pay for the plant mitigation project in the coming year. 

Milonas alleged Mickelson had shut him out of everything and won’t listen to his suggestions, which Mickelson denies doing. McBurnett also confirmed that each Council member received a copy of the proposed budget. The city also posted its budget as a link in its online meeting agenda.

Milonas was also critical of a $50,000 software subscription for the city attorney’s office, the city’s $30,000 per year membership in Wyoming Association of Municipalities, as well as the salary increases for city employees. 

“If you want to learn how to save money, quit giving everyone raises,” Milonas said.

The software subscription is needed by the attorney’s office as it provides access to case law, with Mickelson saying the department would cripple it. The Council views the benefits of being involved with WAM as being worth the cost of being a member, though Mickelson notes the city can reconsider the membership.

With city employees’ compensation, Councilman Rob Zotti questioned the wisdom of Milonas’ approach, saying the city wants to be competitive and keep its employees. Zotti said the city has to pay employees appropriately and in line with market value to keep them. 

“You got to keep up with market or you’re not going to have the employees, you’re not going to have the services that the city supplies its residents,” Zotti said. “You don’t think people deserve, for the time they put into this community, to be paid a fair and market wage? That’s crazy.”