Laramie City Council adopts fiscal year 2027 budget, funds infrastructure projects

Laramie city leaders finalized the city’s fiscal year 2027 budget during a regular meeting Tuesday evening while also unanimously approving emergency funding to replace a failed boiler at the City Hall campus and authorizing the purchase of a new fire engine. The largest item before council was Resolution 2026-43, formally adopting the city’s fiscal year 2027 budget following weeks of work sessions and public discussion. “Well, tonight is certainly a night of celebration in the council chambers because it’s budget adoption night and that’s something to celebrate,” Administrative Services Director Jennifer Wade said. “You know how I feel about the budget. It really is an expression of the will of you as a governing body for how you want to deploy resources to serve our community.” Wade said staff focused this year on making the budget process more accessible by creating clearer graphics and explanations to help both council members and residents better understand city finances. The budget includes an 8-mill property tax levy projected to generate approximately $2.48 million. Overall, the budget is about 10% smaller than last year’s, largely because the city is reprioritizing capital projects. “Remember, we have the lowest cost of government in the entire state of Wyoming for municipalities that offer the same level of services,” Wade said. “We have to be creative. We have to do more with less. … If we compare our total budget this year to last year, you’re going to see it’s about 10% less. That’s mainly because we’re reprioritizing capital projects, and we’re going to continue to look at how we can make those planning processes better.” The council also committed reserve funds toward several long-term initiatives. Those include $3 million in the general fund for surface water drainage program expansion, representing the remaining balance of a previously approved $5 million repurposing effort; $500,000 for right-sizing city operations; and $4 million for continued street improvements. Council members also carried forward its housing-enabling infrastructure initiative, committing $2 million from the general fund, $2 million from the water fund and $1 million from the wastewater fund after the program was not fully developed last year. Emergency boiler replacement Resolution 2026-44 amended the current biennial budget by $70,000 to replace a failed boiler at the City Hall Annex. “The boiler is at the end of its life and has stopped working. We actually have two boilers that heat the city hall, the fire department and the annex. So, two boilers that handle this large campus of a lot of square footage,” Parks, Recreation and Public Services Director Michael Bork said. “… The $7,000 cost is not just for the purchase of the boiler. It’s also for the installation and for the particular boiler that we’re ordering. It’s also for some control systems that are a lot more advanced than what we’ve got right now. What we’re proposing is a noncondensing boiler, which in layman’s terms it’s how the boiler operates, condenses and puts out heat.” While condensing boilers can achieve efficiency ratings between 95% and 98%, he said they cost 30% to 50% more and require substantially more maintenance due to increased corrosion and regular cleaning requirements. The proposed boiler is still considered a high-efficiency upgrade. Bork added that alternatives such as heat pump systems would require significantly larger upfront investments and much longer payback periods. Councilor Matt Lockhart asked about the timeline for the project. Bork said installation is expected to take two to three months after approval because a deposit must first be made before the equipment can be ordered. New fire engine The City Council also authorized a $1.26 million contract with IKON Fire LLC, a fire department equipment supplier based in Fort Collins, Colorado, for a custom fire pumper engine to replace Engine 3. The project was already included in the Laramie Fire Department’s $1.3 million fleet replacement budget. IKON Fire was the only qualified bidder after the bidding process closed in April. “In just a couple of years, the price moved from just under $1 million to about $1.26 million, so I wanted to understand why that happened,” LFD Chief Dan Johnson said. “After calling around and doing some research, I found that much of the increase is being driven by volatility in material prices. “A lot of the body of these engines is made from aluminum. In January 2024, aluminum was $1.18 per pound. A year later, it was $1.41 per pound, and by June 2025 it was $1.72 per pound. Over an 18-month period, that represented a 45% increase.” The new engine will also be tailored specifically for Laramie’s operating environment. Johnson said diesel engines lose roughly 3.5% of their power for every 1,000 feet of elevation, requiring a larger engine at Laramie’s 7,200-foot elevation than departments at sea level would need. Firefighters also customize storage compartments to maximize space for firefighting and emergency medical equipment. Johnson said fire engines typically have a lifespan of about 20 years, though Laramie has historically extended that through regular maintenance and long-term planning. The new engine is expected to be delivered within 630 calendar days after the notice of award is issued. IKON Fire also offered early payment options that could save the city between $23,821 and $83,292. City staff will evaluate whether those options are fiscally advantageous before making a recommendation.