Parkersburg Finance Director Eric Jiles, front left, presents the projected 2026-27 fiscal year budget to City Council in council chambers Monday night. Mayor Tom Joyce, right, sits beside him to provide further insight. (Photo by Amber Phipps)

PARKERSBURG — The first day of municipal budget hearings Monday included an overview of allocations presented by the city Finance Director Eric Jiles.

Jiles went through half of the budget with an opportunity for council members to ask questions about increases and decreases in allocations.

The budget was balanced with total expenditures at $36,035,649.

Based on current collections, Jiles said business and occupation tax revenue would increase $300,000 to be projected at $9,555,000 with the municipal sales tax increasing $200,000 to be projected at $7,600,000 for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1.

Counted as general fund revenue will be $119,020 billed to Wood County Schools for the four school resource officers stationed at schools in the city.

Jiles said the budget includes a 4.2% cost-of-living adjustment for all non-elected city personnel in the civil services funds.

Councilwoman Sharon Kuhl said she was glad to hear the health insurance costs wouldn’t be passed onto the employees like they were in last year’s budget.

According to Jiles, last year was the first year during his time in the position that 5% of health insurance had been passed onto the employees due to a 16% increase in costs.

“This year the city is able to absorb 3% without having to pass it onto the employees,” he said.

Jiles said much of the budget was largely unchanged in the council, city attorney, and municipal judge departments.

Members of the council inquired about a $50,000 increase in contractual services for the Development Department.

Development Director Ryan Barber said the increase was due to an events and marketing coordinator position which is being proposed and will appear on the agenda for today’s regular council meeting. It also was the result of an early business development program to assist small business owners.

The department’s total budget would be $767,280 with increases in personnel and contractual services. It would be an overall increase of $139,014 from the current fiscal year.

Officials also reviewed minor operating budgets, which include regular contributions to the Wood County Public Library, Greater Parkersburg Convention and Visitors Bureau, public transit, social services and Wood County Economic Development.

“This is consistent with our budget annually,” said Jiles.

Discretionary agency funding totaled $444,470 with a projected $22,000 increase in contributions to SW Resources.

Kuhl asked about that increase, noting the company is a subsidiary of Goodwill. Jiles said the request would be for a new transit van the company was looking to purchase. Kuhl requested more information.

The user fee revenue fund was projected to generate $2,150,000, a $50,000 decrease from this fiscal year. Jiles said the decrease in revenue is balanced within a decrease in the general fund.

That money is to be divided between the police and fire department budgets – $575,000 each – and street repairs and preservation.

Prior to the budget hearing, council’s Finance Committee met to approve a budget revision which will be considered by the full council during tonight’s regular meeting.

The revision included an additional $20,000 from the opioid settlement fund line item to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Parkersburg for intervention programs and $15,000 to First Choice Services to provide crisis intervention training to local agencies.

Mayor Tom Joyce said he had been working with local agencies like Westbrook Health Services to launch upcoming intervention programs.

“We don’t have too many details right now … it’s something that’s going to be launched relatively soon within our local jurisdiction.”

Joyce said the Boys & Girls Clubs reported a “rapid growth impacting daily attendance” which is why they requested more funds this year.

Joyce said the funds are primarily used for programs geared towards helping teens make good decisions and personal hygiene.

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Parkersburg City Council Meetings

Tuesday 5:30 p.m. – Budget hearing, council chambers (police, fire, engineering, code administration, Municipal Building, public works administration, floodwall, streets, street lighting, central garage, street cleaning, stormwater management, parks and recreation, parks and recreation fund, sanitation fund, demolition fund, parks and recreation capital projects, bond financial capital projects, street infrastructure capital projects)

Tuesday 7:30 p.m. – City Council, council chambers (budget revision from Finance, if referred Monday; resolutions appointing Tyler Koreski and reappointing Andrew Woofter III as administrative law judges; first reading of an ordinance amending and reenacting the city’s personnel manual to classify new positions of land surveyor, budget and grant analyst and events and marketing coordinator; first readings of ordinances updating salary classification tables)

Wednesday

∫ 5:30 p.m. – Budget hearing (amendments and adoption)