Millington Keeps Taxes Flat, Approves FY27 Raises And Projects

Millington is giving its employees a solid pay bump, planning big-ticket projects and still refusing to touch the property-tax rate.

The Board of Mayor and Aldermen signed off on the city's fiscal year 2027 budget at its June 8 meeting, keeping the property-tax rate flat while steering new money toward pay raises, public safety and infrastructure. The spending plan includes a 5% across-the-board raise for city staff, with step and special-pay adjustments that push many police officers and firefighters to roughly a 10% total compensation boost. The budget also reserves money for a replacement fire station and park complex, sets up a multiyear contribution to a YMCA expansion and commits millions for water and sewer upgrades.

Board members gave final reading to Ordinance 2026-11 during the June 8 session and adopted the budget as the city prepares to enter the new fiscal year, according to the City of Millington. The packet included a final draft budget and several related resolutions that staff circulated ahead of the vote.

Raises, Retention and Public Safety

The FY27 plan includes a 5% general pay increase, new paid parental leave and continuation of the employee residency bonus program, measures officials say are meant to shore up recruitment and retention, according to Millington, TN - Municipal Government (Facebook). Most rank-and-file police officers and firefighters are expected to see total compensation climb by roughly 10% once the across-the-board raise is combined with step increases and special-pay programs. The budget keeps the Fire Medic 5% special-pay program in place and expands police special pay for field training, bilingual assignments and investigative work.

New Fire Station Site and Park Complex

The board also cleared the purchase of roughly 52 acres identified as 0 Wilkinsville Road to lock in space for a new fire station and related park infrastructure. According to the City of Millington, Resolution 29-2026 approves the $875,000 acquisition. City officials say the land purchase positions Millington to serve growth in the area and to eventually consolidate emergency-service facilities on the site.

Infrastructure, Schools and Capital Spending

Local reporting pegs the multi-year capital plan at roughly $20 million, with about $7 million set aside for water and sewer work, figures the city released this week and that were reported by the Daily Memphian. The plan also continues support for school capital requests and increases the educational-facility deferred-maintenance fund by 10%.

Department-level line items in the city's FY27 materials spell out a three-year, $4.1 million water-line restoration program, a $350,000 south water-plant operations building and a $750,000 lagoon-aeration project in the sewer fund, alongside school, parks and public-safety capital requests, according to the City of Millington. The capital list also earmarks $270,000 for a Lone Sailor monument and includes annual $250,000 contributions toward YMCA building improvements.

YMCA Expansion and Parks

The city notes on social media that the Millington YMCA is planning more than $10 million in renovation and expansion, and the adopted budget frames a roughly 10-year contribution pattern that would cover about 25% of that cost, according to the city's Facebook post. Parks and recreation line items also include money for playground upgrades and partnership projects at USA Stadium.

How It Is Funded and What Residents Will Feel

City leaders have stressed that the plan keeps the property-tax rate steady and leans instead on a mix of enterprise-fund borrowing, targeted loans and transfers rather than a tax increase, a financing approach reported by the Daily Memphian. For residents, the day-to-day impact should look like pay boosts for municipal employees and a steady stream of capital work on roads, schools and utilities over the coming fiscal year.

Full details, including the ordinance adopted and the complete budget packet, are available on the city's City of Millington meeting page, where the packet and final draft budget can be downloaded. Board minutes and signed resolutions will be added to the meeting record once clerks post the official minutes.