Gazette file photo The Hancock City Council adopted a budget at its meeting Wednesday

HANCOCK — After several budget work sessions and council meetings leading up to Wednesday evening, the Hancock City Council passed budget for fiscal year 2026-27. It also passed millage rates for the general fund, fire department, police department and recreation.

Council approved the amended 2025-2026 budget, from City Manager Mary Babcock during discussion. “Everything else in in order,” she said.

The council unanimously approved Resolution 26-13, which adopts next fiscal year’s budget and levies taxes. Babcock said there is a Headlee Amendment affecting millage rates due to property values increasing in the area.

Councilor Ron Blau said he was concerned about if property value went down. Babcock said it is not expected to.

The millage rates reflected in the 2026-2027 budget are as follows:

General Fund: 12.9323 mills

Fire Department: .7798 mills

Police Department: .7798 mills

Recreation: .7798 mills

Other business in Wednesday’s meeting included approving funding for a new door at HoCo arena. According to Babcock, someone threw a rock at the door and it has had problems closing all the way shut. The new door cost the city $8,229.68.

No one brought anything before the council during either of the public comment periods.

What’s in the budget

Last year’s final amended budget allocated a little over $3.9 million in sourced revenues from taxes, levies, fees and recuperated costs. Its general fund net of revenues and appropriations was amended to reflect a negative value of $6,824. It brought the find balance from $800,506 to $793,682. This year’s proposed budget estimates a total revenue of a little over $3.96 million. Its general fund net of revenues and appropriations is in the negatives, with a $35,355 deficit, bringing the fund balance to $758,327.

The City of Hancock’s Police Department 2025-2026 budget was amended to reflect $1.53 million. This year’s proposed budget sees an increase of around 31,000, bringing the appropriations to $1.56 million. The fire department’s budget will begin at $112,270 this year. Last year’s updated amended budget allocated $115,739 for the department.

Public Works will have a proposed budget of $151,880, an increase of $294. Garbage will have around $12,000 in more funding at $307,682. Parks will increase from an amended $72,634 to $77,495 in the proposed budget. The campgrounds will have its budget increased by around $12,000. It will go from $165,541 to $177,883. In last year’s budget, HoCo arena was originally at $294,830; this was changed to $344,196. Next year’s budget will have the rink operate with a $336,519 budget.

The rest of the budget comes outside the general fund and miscellaneous fund including the cemetery fund, transit and sewer.