Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Milford public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
15 issues in taxes budget
City investment portfolio performance
Milford's investment portfolio saw its first negative quarter ever, losing about half a percent as Fed rate hikes pushed bond prices down. The city still has about $31 million invested, earning 4.42% in income, and officials emphasized the holdings are high-quality and publicly viewable online.
Fund reserve policy and utility transfers
Council approved moving $400,000 from water and sewer funds to balance the budget — the second year in a row of using utility transfers, though this time sparing the electric fund.
Fund Reserve Policy Revisions (FY26)
The city is updating its 2021 reserve policy and adding a utility transfer rule, which shapes how much money is set aside and transferred between the city's utilities and general fund.
Tressler Settlement Statement
The city formally acknowledged it violated the Freedom of Information Act by denying a resident the right to speak at a 2025 meeting, and will review its public-comment procedures with legal counsel.
Charter update not reflected online
Councilman Jason James flagged that charter changes approved in July 2025 haven't made it to the City's online charter — a transparency gap he wants fixed.
Council vs. city manager authority
Council got a refresher on the split: they set policy, the city manager runs operations and staff. Council members were warned not to direct staff or get involved in personnel matters.
FY 2027 budget squeeze preview
The finance director warned that cost escalations make next year's general fund budget a real challenge, and staff are planning creative uses of FY26 surpluses to balance it — the same approach used in 2024 and 2025.
Fiscal Year 2026 Tax Warrant
Property tax bills of just over $7 million go out in August. The rate went up a penny, adding about $114,000, plus roughly $200,000 from growth — about $300,000 more than last year.
S&P downgrade of 2016 GO bonds
S&P dropped the rating on the city's 2016 bonds from AA-minus to A-plus, citing accounting presentation of interfund loans and local economic data. Staff say the practical cost to the city should be negligible since Milford hasn't issued public debt since 2016.
Audit Services Bid Award
The city is picking the firm that will audit its books for the next three years, which affects how confidently residents and lenders can trust the city's financial reporting.
City Clerk staffing request
City Clerk Katrina White is asking for a third full-time employee, citing surging and increasingly complex FOIA requests (98 in 2021 to 144 in 2025), more special events, and more meetings — with no staffing increase in years. Council debated restructuring part-timers and using technology instead.
Milford Corporate Center Electric Infrastructure Budget Adjustment
Council approved an extra $823,000 in electric impact fees to finish phase one electric work at the corporate center, a key economic development site.
FY2024 City Audit
The city received a clean audit for fiscal 2024, though the audit remains late until fiscal 2026 is caught up, with comments on bank reconciliations and cash presentation.
Public comment response policy
Council members clashed over whether and how the city should answer questions raised during public comment. One suggestion: a dedicated email inbox so every question gets an answer without picking favorites.
County Assessments
Milford will use Kent and Sussex County's new assessments instead of running its own reassessment, saving an estimated $400,000. Homeowners will see specific tax impacts by December 2026.