News Director Terry Frank speaks with Jamestown Mayor Kim Ecklund, who just signed the city's amended, just over 45-million budget for 2026. Ecklund says the spending plan includes an additional 348,000 projected in sales tax revenue... and, significant reductions in the amount of health insurance, and retirement costs Jamestown will pay next year. The final budget includes a 5.5% tax increase... as opposed to the original increase of 7.5%. It also uses 60% of the savings to be put back into the undesignated fund balance... with the other 40% for tax reduction. Ecklund that was the best they could do for next year's spending plan because of the amount of fund balance used in 2023 and 2024. We also discuss city officials recently making a 15-minute presentation on the city's proposed 2025 Downtown Revitalization Initiative for the coming year. Ecklund says the proposal for the 10-million grant is titled, "Core to Shore" referring to the downtown area to the McCrea Point boat landing area. She says the reuse of the former Furniture Mart building, and putting a new roof on the Fenton History Center, are among the projects being considered. We also discuss housing, and efforts to provide shelter for the homeless this Winter.
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