The Courier of Montgomery County reports that a $389.9 million budget was adopted last week by the Conroe City Council. The budget includes a $4.3 million deficit after reserve funds were allocated for several capital improvement projects.
On September 10th, by a 4-2 vote, the council approved the budget.
The 2026 budget was slightly lower at $381 million. Regarding contingency funds, the budget includes $11.3 million dollars.
They city’s tax rate will remain the same at 42.72 per $100 of property valuation.
Councilman David Hairel said, “We really aren’t short money; we are just allocating reserves for things we need.”
Using reserves, the city will use around $26 million to pay for a water plant, several water wells and street rehabilitation.
To break the budget down to salaries found on the city’s website, for its step pay program for officers $1.1 million is allocated; flat raises for sworn police personnel are at $2.8 million; and a 4% raise at $1.9 million for all the other personnel, which includes firefighters. Regarding part-time and full-time employees, the budget also includes $628,000.
To include 53 automated license plate readers, the budget also has $130,000 to fund the city’s 2027 Flock contract. A month after saying no to a proposal to ask voters in November if the city should proceed with the Flock system, the council approved a new contract.
Voting “no” on the budget were Councilmembers Hairel and Arthur because of the Flock contract.
The city is moving into a second year of a five-year contract, having contracted with Flock in 2019.
Hairel was concerned about “constitutional questions” that the cameras raise and requested the council to give a pause in funding the Flock program and have a review of the use of the technology.
Other councilmembers did not agree on a pause of the contract.
