Berea Development News

Berea City Council Approves Multiple Ordinances, Including Annual Budget and Pay Scale Revisions

Ordinance number 06-2026, adopting a supplement to the code of ordinances for the city of Berea, Kentucky, was read for the second time and approved via roll call vote. Ordinance number 07-2026, adopting the annual budget for the fiscal year July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, including a long-range capital improvement project and public facilities improvement program budget and plan, was also read for the second time and approved via roll call vote, following a recommendation from the Audit and Finance Committee. Ordinance number 08-2026, revising authorized positions, assigned pay grade, and pay scale to include a 4% cost of living adjustment and creating separate hazardous duty pay scales for the police and fire departments, had its second reading and was approved via roll call vote. Finally, ordinance number 09-2026, amending personnel policies and procedures regarding seasonal and part-time pay and eliminating the police and fire uniform allowance, was read for the second time and approved via roll call vote. The council also held the first reading of ordinance number 10-2026, an amendment to the land management and development ordinance to comply with state requirements for manufactured housing, with the second reading scheduled for July 7th, 2026. Additionally, a budget overage of $12,000 was requested and approved for laboratory analysis sewer, increasing the fiscal year 26 budget from $70,000 to $82,000, primarily due to increased fees for industrial sewer use customers and additional sampling for non-compliance issues. The Mayor commented on the smooth budget process, highlighting it as a work of art and a testament to team effort, with the council managing the city's purse strings effectively.