CREEDMOOR — Commissioners spent nearly three hours reviewing information on the budget after Ed Gleason was sworn in as a commissioner replacing Kechia Brustmeyer-Brown during the May 16 meeting.
Emma Albright and Ed Mims were nominated to fill the remainder of Brustmeyer-Brown’s term as mayor pro tem. Albright won the appointment with a 3-2 vote.
City Manager Gerald Smith delivered an in-depth budget presentation including the possible impact of a cost of living increase and merit raises on the operating budget for salaries and benefits. Smith mentioned the increases to insurance, including health, property, workers comp and casualty. 
The board will need to consider those factors when making a decision.
Smith also provided the board with projected tax increase figures associated with funding for the fire department.  
Smith said the fire department had presented its asks, and now the board had to figure out how to budget for those asks. 
The city must contract with the fire department for fire services.
Commissioner Ed Mims spoke about preparing for the future with electric vehicles. Mims said that public works would be the place to start when replacing vehicles.
Commissioners Robert Way and Georgana Kicinski said the city needed to reinvest in its employees and wanted an estimate for a higher than 2% cost of living adjustment. Way said he was thinking about a possible 4% increase, but would need to see the figures before making a decision.
Albright questioned bank and credit card charges within the budget and wanted those to be addressed.
Newly seated Commissioner Gleason reminded the board that the tax rates should never have been cut years ago.
There were multiple questions the board must consider before moving forward with any budget recommendations. 
Mayor Bobby Wheeler said the budget presentation was a lot to digest, and wanted the board to have time to fully review the information before any suggestions about raising taxes were discussed.
The city has a tentatively scheduled the budget public hearing for June 7.