Pool closure helps balance tax revenue dip

A shortfall in tax revenue this year required a budget amendment of approximately $189,000 in the city of Willow Springs. With both sales and use tax revenues lagging behind, the city balanced the budget with the savings on the operational costs of the municipal pool. As previously reported by Howell County News, neither the pool nor the water park opened this summer after city workers discovered a massive leak in the big pool that caused water levels to drop six inches overnight. Wages alone would have cost the city $120,000 this summer, according to information provided to the board of aldermen by City Administrator Beverly Hicks. On the flip side, repairs to the pool cost $63,000 this summer, and the city could not collect $49,000 in admissions, season pass, and rental fees. 

 

Hicks has been tracking lagging tax revenues for most of 2026, and budget amendments are part of the annual maintenance of a city budget. The downward trend in tax revenue is new, however. As inflation spike post-COVID, so did revenues. Inflation caused expenses to balloon at the same time, but for the first time in years, the city is collecting less than expected in revenue. Tax revenue came in $140,000 short of predicted amounts, mostly caused by a dip in use taxes, down 12%. Sales taxes are down just shy of 4%. 

 

Other large budget cuts included more than $20,000 slated for building repairs, and $40,000 planned for replacement vehicles. 

 

The Willow Springs Police Department, however, has purchased two more fleet vehicles in 2026. The 2025 Ford Explorer police package vehicles are funded by WSPD’s participation in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)’s 2879(g) program. As previously reported by the News, the department trained all its officers for the program in the hope of receiving federal funding. On July 26, the department received $145,212.42. $100,000 of that sum is designated for the purchase of vehicles. The two already purchased cost $77,000. More than $45,000 is for equipment and supplies. About $150 is a wage reimbursement for ICE-related transportation and booking expenses. 

 

A long-term purchase plan has been a frequent topic of discussion for the city’s Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC). According to a letter from Chief Wes Ellison to the aldermen, the two vehicles, and the planned purchase of a third to be funded from a different federal grant, “represents a significant improvement to the fleet.”

 

In the same meeting, the aldermen voted to amend the ordinance governing the PSAC, a committee that has struggled to establish a quorum and meet regularly. With this change, PSAC no long meets monthly, but only as needed, and is no longer required to provide an annual report of activities. 

 

In other actions:

-The board held a public hearing for the annual tax rate levy, but there were no public comments. 

-During the meeting, the board approved a $0.5119 levy for every $100 of assessed value of property and a $0.1634 levy for every $100 of assessed valuation to benefit the Willow Springs Public Library. According to figures provided to the board by City Clerk Heather Tooley, revenue from these taxes will be approximately $53,000, roughly the same as last year. 

-The board approved the Howell County Hazard Mitigation Plan, and the biennial approval of the city’s conflict of interest policy.

-The board will combine September and October meetings to one date: Thursday, October22, at 5:30 p.m.