Lansing City Council reviews and approves FY 2026 Budget, discusses infrastructure concerns, makes staff appointments
by Joshua Sharpe
The Lansing City Council convened for a regular meeting Monday, April 21 to address a range of infrastructure updates, finalize the budget for the upcoming fiscal year, and approve seasonal staff appointments. The session at the City Hall chambers included presentations from city staff, resident feedback, and votes on municipal actions.
CITIZEN CONCERNS
During the public comment portion of the meeting, resident Ken Hanson addressed ongoing issues concerning the private water line servicing 471 Platt Street. Questions were raised regarding the extent of municipal and private responsibilities for the newly installed infrastructure. It was explained that, according to city ordinance, costs associated with the water line from the main to the house are the homeowner’s responsibility.
FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET HEARING AND APPROVAL
Mayor Mike Verdon initiated the formal public hearing process for the proposed Fiscal Year 2026 budget at 7:10 p.m., asking the chamber, “Does anybody have any concerns about the proposed budget?”. After a small period of no response from citizens, he then stated that “It’s been publicized and published,” confirming that the proper notice procedures had been followed under state law. The council chamber remained silent, with no comments or objections raised by attendees. Verdon concluded the statutory hearing window, saying, “The public hearing is closed at 7:14 p.m.”
Following this, he introduced the formal motion: “We have before us Resolution 1049, approving the fiscal year 2026 budget. It runs July 1 of this year through June 30 of 2026.” This resolution outlines the proposed allocations for all city departments, including infrastructure, public safety, recreation, and administration. The council unanimously approved the resolution.
VALLEY STREET RESURFACING
The council reviewed a proposal to resurface a problematic section of Valley Street. Mayor Verdon stated, “This is an 860-foot section of Valley Street going over top of the existing.”
Further elaborating on the project’s engineering aspects, Verdon noted, “One inch to level, two inch lift over top of that and drainage going to the north side of the street,” confirming that the plan would include addressing “those three little locations by the high school,” where prior drainage issues have been observed. The project will utilize existing budget allocations while leaving room for additional funding, if necessary.
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