ALTO, Ga. — Confusion over a proposed budget resolution led the Alto Town Council to delay action Tuesday night on a measure tied to the town’s ongoing effort to finalize its finances and move toward adopting a 2026 budget.
Mayor Gail Armour introduced the resolution during the council’s regular meeting and began reading the document aloud. Several council members said they had not previously seen the language of the proposal.
Armour told the council the resolution had been discussed during the town’s Feb. 10 meeting.
However, as the mayor read the resolution, council members said they were unsure what the measure would do.
Councilwoman Debbie Turner said Councilman John Smith, seated beside her, was also confused by the proposal.
“John is telling me that he doesn’t understand any of this either,” Turner said. “So that’s definitely important that everybody understand this.”
Resolution intended to extend current budget
Alto’s Chief Financial Officer Lisa Turner explained the resolution was intended to temporarily extend the town’s existing 2025 budget authority into 2026 while financial records are reconciled.
“The purpose of it was to extend the 2025 budget that we have in place to cover 2026,” Turner said, “including the provisions that the council wanted added in until we can get the 2026 budget adopted.”
She said the measure would also maintain several cost-control provisions previously requested by the council, including a hiring freeze and limits on overtime.
Councilman Eddie Palmer initially made a motion to approve the resolution. As questions continued, however, Palmer revised his motion and instead called for the measure to be tabled so council members could review it.
“In order to stop the confusion here, I’ll rephrase my motion,” Palmer said. “That we table this matter until everybody’s had a chance to look at the study.”
The council unanimously voted to table the resolution. Armour did not comment following the vote.
The delay marks the latest step in Alto’s ongoing effort to reconcile financial records before adopting a 2026 budget. The council has previously said amendments to the current fiscal year budget are needed before a new budget can be finalized.
Council approves updated fee schedule
Earlier in the meeting, the council approved an updated fee schedule after a lengthy discussion about service costs and water rates.
The revised schedule includes a $2 increase in the town’s monthly garbage collection fee and raises the water inspection fee for new hookups from $50 to $75. The changes will take effect during the April 2026 billing cycle.
Chief Financial Officer Lisa Turner said the town may also need to gradually increase water rates while awaiting the results of a formal water rate study.
“We know when they do the water study that it’s going to merit an increase,” Turner said. “We just don’t know exactly how much.”
She suggested the council consider modest incremental increases, such as 50 cents or $1 per 1,000 gallons of water, to help offset operating costs until the study is completed.
Councilman Allen Fox said the town may need to phase in water rate increases rather than implement a larger adjustment at once.
“I think we’re probably going to have to step into that,” Fox said. “Maybe over six months say this is what it should be.”
Fox also raised broader concerns about inspection requirements tied to rental housing.
“It feels like a major government overreach to me, just to come between a landlord and a tenant,” Fox said. “But since that’s the system we have in place right now, it only makes sense to cover the costs.”
Despite the debate, the council ultimately approved the revised fee schedule unanimously.
