Troy Board of Aldermen Approves Fiscal Year 2027 Budget in Split Vote
- John Eads
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
TROY, Mo. — Following a review of the city's financial framework before the start of the new fiscal calendar, the Troy Board of Aldermen approved the fiscal year 2027 budget last night in a 4-2 vote.
The special legislative session convened at 6:30 PM inside the City Hall Council Chambers on Cap Au Gris Street with all members of the board present, including Mayor Quentin Laws, Ward I Alderman Preston Gebhart, Ward I Alderwoman Terri Huffman, Ward II Alderman Conor Martin, Ward II Alderman Jim Wallis, Ward III Alderman Michael Quezada II, and Ward III Alderman Dennis Detert.
Upon calling the meeting to order, the board immediately entered into a closed executive session under Section 610.021 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri to discuss confidential legal, personnel, and contract matters. After concluding the executive session, the board returned to the chamber floor to conduct public business and vote on Bill No. 1471 and Bill No. 1472. The subsequent floor discussions highlighted differing perspectives among board members regarding deficit management, property tax rates, and police department infrastructure.
During the public comment portion of the meeting, former Troy Alderwoman Rachel Dunard shared concerns regarding the current operational climate and staffing levels within the Troy Police Department. Dunard read a letter from an active local police officer expressing worry over a proposal discussed with City Administrator James Knowles to freeze four vacant patrol positions to offset a projected budget deficit. The letter stated that reducing active recruitment lines could impact response times over the long term and questioned the stability of relying on a future use tax initiative. The communication also requested that the board prioritize personnel retention adjustments over structural station improvements, such as proposed flooring replacements. A local resident and spouse of an officer also spoke, suggesting that municipal wage increases should differentiate between the specific operational demands of law enforcement and other city service departments.
Public testimony also addressed the recent administrative suspension of a 20-year veteran police lieutenant. The lieutenant's spouse addressed the board, stating that the disciplinary action, which included a required psychological evaluation and the temporary turning in of his duty weapon and vehicle, resulted from statements made during a period of professional frustration regarding department resources rather than a breach of public safety.
These comments brought forward discussions on the city's broader logistical data. The Troy Police Department currently operates with 9 vacancies out of 29 total positions. Additionally, due to the military deployment of Chief Dustyn Tienter, the finalized 2027 budget does not allocate immediate active funds for a Chief or Assistant Chief salary, which represents roughly $317,000 in unallocated lines. City Administrator James Knowles noted that while this temporary absence projects a $25,000 surplus for the current cycle, those positions will return to the general fund requirements upon the Chief's return in upcoming cycles.
The debate on the floor reflected distinct viewpoints on municipal financial strategy, particularly between Alderman Dennis Detert and Alderman Connor Martin. Alderman Detert, who has served on the board since 2006, stated that the city has historically managed its annual budgets effectively without experiencing catastrophic operational deficits. He pointed to end-of-year savings within the current police budget as evidence of financial flexibility, which administration officials later noted was primarily due to unfilled staff vacancies.
Lincoln CountyWatch reached out to city officials for additional comment on the session. Alderman Preston Gebhart directed the newsroom to his public statement, which emphasized that Troy is the largest city in Missouri's fastest-growing county and must proactively address public safety infrastructure. Gebhart's plan implements a temporary strategic freeze on four vacant roles to fund a higher 7.5% compensation raise for the remaining five open positions, alongside targeted adjustments for water, sewer, and public works lines.
Conversely, Alderman Connor Martin advocated for a strictly balanced baseline budget before adjusting revenues or adding expenditures. On the record, Martin criticized the decision to expand the structural deficit while simultaneously increasing revenue demands on residents, describing the strategy as irresponsible. Martin noted that drawing from the city’s $6 million reserve fund without a long-term plan to curb spending could exhaust the safety net within five to six years.
Lincoln CountyWatch submitted inquiries to Mayor Quentin Laws and the remaining aldermen, but no responses had been received at the time of publication. Inquiries were also made through indirect channels regarding the suspended lieutenant, though direct contact has not yet been established.
At the conclusion of the debate, Mayor Laws provided administrative input regarding future ballot initiatives. Laws shared that he and City Administrator Knowles had met with an influential local resident to review the financial documentation. The resident advised city leadership that if the board chose to implement unbudgeted raises while subsequently asking the community to approve an expanded use tax, he would campaign publicly against the ballot measure.
Following the floor discussion, the board rejected a baseline 2.5% increase and approved an amended split-tier wage package providing a 7.5% salary increase for police personnel and a 5% increase for all other city departments. To support the adjustments, the budget incorporates the collection of the city's full property tax levy of approximately 32 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, a rate originally established by voters in 1983 and reaffirmed in 2011, which effectively sunsets a temporary 15-cent voluntary rollback. Alderman Martin introduced a motion to remove the 32-cent property tax revenue projection from the budget draft, but the motion died on the floor due to the lack of a second.
When the final roll call was called to adopt the annual budget with the revised wage package and property tax levy, the ordinance passed 4-2. Alderman Connor Martin and Alderman Jim Wallis cast the two dissenting votes.
The raw visual record of the meeting, including all public statements and the complete legislative debate, is available for public viewing.
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All individuals referenced in this investigative report are presumed innocent of any criminal wrongdoing unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. The refusal of a special prosecutor to file criminal charges means no convictions or formal allegations exist regarding this incident.