The city of Whitewater’s Finance Committee met Oct. 28 to review updates and possible challenges for the upcoming 2026-27 city budget. The meeting focused on responsibility, employee insurance and prioritization of upcoming projects.
The committee, which reviews and makes recommendations for the city’s financial operations, began with the city’s comptroller, Jeremiah Thomas, explaining how the employee health care insurance has changed. This year, the city transitioned from the state’s local EFT plan to a level-funded self-insurance model, a move that is already proving to be extremely beneficial financially and for employees’ health.
The new plan consists of a primary care model, which allows employees to receive medical services at little to no out-of-pocket costs. The year has brought some financial strains due to claims. The new system is promoting accessible care and highlighting the importance of physical well-being.
“The big catalyst with this is the direct primary care providers that allow our employees to still receive medical treatment at $0 out of pocket,” Thomas said. “The reason it can be done that way is we’re going outside of the large medical system.”
Following the insurance update, the committee turned to a discussion on city management, responsibility and delegation. Members debated how to balance efficiency with oversight when it comes to creating and developing new positions within city departments. The conversation centered on communicating clearly and having a sense of mutual respect between managers and members of the council.
“We just want to make sure that there is respect for each other’s roles,” said Patrick Singer, a member of the City Council and Finance Committee.
This portion of the meeting focused on timeliness and collaboration and is a major part of how the committees run, especially as the city continues to finalize the budget.
The meeting continued with a discussion on ranking and prioritizing city projects. Committee members reviewed the draft budget and discussed what projects should be considered must-do’s and can-do’s, emphasizing the importance of essential needs and projects that can be done at a later time.
Projects that were discussed consisted of stormwater systems, upgrades to Starin Park and the potential construction of an evidence garage for the Whitewater Police Department. These proposals are still in the early stages of consideration but will be discussed in greater detail in future City Council and Finance Committee meetings.
The meeting ended with a report from Director of Finance Rachelle Blitch, who updated the committee members on an unexpected expense. A city truck that was equipped with a lift accidentally damaged a main electrical line, which resulted in immediate repairs from We Energies.
“Because that’s clearly the city’s fault, we went ahead and paid that and just wanted to report that here,” Blitch said.
As Whitewater prepares to adopt and examine its 2026-27 budget, city officials emphasized that budgeting responsibility remains an important aspect of the city’s operations. Committee members agreed that balancing financial efficiency with community needs will play a key role in creating a budget that benefits both city employees and residents of the Whitewater community.
