Hilliard Introduces Proposed 2027 Operating Budget and Pay Grade Overhaul

The City of Hilliard launched its annual municipal budget deliberations on Monday, Oct. 12, as City Manager Joshua Rauch presented the administration's proposed 2027 Operating Budget to City Council's Committee of the Whole.

The presentation opened the city's formal legislative cycle to determine operating funds, staffing levels, and municipal services for the upcoming fiscal year. Following the committee presentation, City Council advanced the initial slate of budget legislation during its regular evening meeting. Council members introduced Ordinance 26-23 on first reading to fund city operations through 2027, adopted Resolution 26-R-98 to establish public hearing dates for community input, and introduced Ordinance 26-24, a companion measure reforming compensation schedules and job classifications for non-union municipal staff.

Operating Appropriations and Strategic Goals

Ordinance 26-23 serves as the primary appropriations measure for municipal government operations, formally titled as legislation appropriating funds for the operating expenses of the City of Hilliard for the period ending Dec. 31, 2027. The measure authorizes departmental expenditures across core city operations, including police and safety services, street maintenance, parks programming, community development, and administrative functions.

Rauch presented the spending plan during Council's Committee of the Whole meeting, which provides an open forum for council members to evaluate administrative proposals before taking formal legislative action. The 2027 operating budget aligns departmental requests with the five broad strategic focus areas established by City Council to guide municipal investments.

Chief among those priorities is Council's first strategic focus area, directing the city to ensure the continued delivery of excellent and innovative services by developing a long-term financial plan centered on fiscal resilience and sustainability. The strategic framework also prioritizes public infrastructure maintenance, community engagement, commercial development to expand the local tax base, and recreational amenities.

As Hilliard's legislative body, City Council oversees the municipal budget, enacts local ordinances, and establishes policy goals. The seven-member council includes Council President Emily Cole, Vice President Tina Cottone, and Council Members Greg Betts, Kathy Parker-Jones, Nadia Rasul, Andy Teater, and Cynthia Vermillion.

Non-Union Pay Scales and Staffing Framework

In tandem with the general operating appropriations, Council introduced Ordinance 26-24 to modify the municipal employment and pay structure. The measure amends Section 127.04 of Hilliard's Codified Ordinances to reflect personnel changes, adjust salary bands, and update pay grades for non-union municipal employees.

Section 127.04 governs classifications, compensation ranges, and authorized staffing allocations for municipal staff members who are not represented by collective bargaining units. The proposed updates adjust pay scales to ensure city compensation remains competitive with central Ohio municipal benchmarks and support the recruitment and retention of administrative and technical personnel across departments.

The compensation ordinance was introduced on first reading without public testimony, following standard council procedures. Council members also scheduled an executive session during the Oct. 12 meeting to consider matters pertaining to public employee compensation under municipal charter provisions. Public hearings and further debate on Ordinance 26-24 will proceed concurrently with the operating budget review.

Public Hearings and Council Timeline

To establish an official calendar for public oversight, City Council adopted Resolution 26-R-98 on its consent agenda during the Oct. 12 session. The resolution establishes public hearing dates for the operating budget, ensuring local taxpayers have scheduled opportunities to review allocations before final votes.

Under the adopted timeline, City Council is scheduled to convene for its next regular meeting on Monday, Oct. 26, at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers at the Hilliard Municipal Building, 3800 Municipal Way. Budget public hearings and detailed committee review will proceed at that meeting.

Council is also scheduled to hold a regular meeting and Committee of the Whole work session as part of its fall budget review cycle on Monday, Nov. 9. Those sessions will allow council members to examine departmental requests, review revenue projections, and consider amendments before second readings and final adoption votes prior to the 2027 fiscal year.

Hilliard residents and business owners wishing to address Council during the scheduled hearings or open comment periods may speak in person. Under council rules, individuals speaking on public hearing legislation or items not on the agenda must sign in with the Clerk of Council, maintain professional decorum, and limit comments to three minutes per speaker.