The Muncie City Council adopted Muncie’s 2025 budget Wednesday, scaling back a plan drafted by the mayor’s administration.  As IPR’s Stephanie Wiechmann reports, some council members also shared frustration with the budget process.

Councilwoman Nora Powell is the head of the finance committee, which runs the city budgeting process.  That committee amended a budget written by Mayor Dan Ridenour’s administration to cut back totals to the 2023 budget numbers, plus 11 percent.

Powell says that was necessary because the budget was delivered “in pieces and parts” with $1.7 million in errors.  And, she said the city is still in negotiations over three union contracts.

“Adopting a budget without having accurate totals of the city’s expenses factored heavily into the choices of the finance committee.  In order to balance the provision of services and still be responsible with taxpayer money, it only made sense for the finance committee to be conservative in our decisions.”

Read More: Muncie council tables retroactive raise approval amid ongoing union contract negotiations

City controller Craig Wright represented the mayor’s administration at the meeting.  He said the administration wanted the budget accepted as submitted, but they’ll accept the budget as adopted.

When several council members, like Jeff Green, asked whether the amended budget would allow employees to be paid, the exchange was tense.

Green asked, “Are there going to be reduction in staff?  Are we going to have anything in harm’s way as far as safety for the citizens of Muncie by reducing that?”

Wright responded,“I can’t answer that as far as the staff reductions, that’s up to the departments heads.  But, and I’m not going to speak for police, fire … so.”

In a statement on Friday from the mayor’s office, Wright said he emailed all council members before Wednesday’s meeting, telling them “there is no need for these salary cuts of City employees due to the revenue adjustment to interest income.”

Read More: Muncie planning for police and fire salary raises to compete regionally

Councilman Harold Mason, Jr, also amended the city budget to remove the salary for three positions – deputy mayor, deputy controller, and city communications director.  It was approved by a vote of 6-3 with no discussion.

In a statement, Ridenour called those employees three “very good people and dedicated public servants” and said the move was “unwarranted.”  He says he will be “seeking opportunities” for the three unfunded employees.

One of those positions, deputy mayor, was something Ridenour brought back into the budget during his first term.  Muncie hadn’t funded such a position in more than a decade

Ridenour ended his statement by writing that, as mayor, “I commit to continue the momentum that is occurring in our city.”

The overall 2025 city budget was approved by a vote of 6-3.

Stephanie Wiechmann is our Managing Editor and “All Things Considered” Host.  Contact her at slwiechmann@bsu.edu.