MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS – The city’s Finance Committee met Thursday, recommending Weirton’s fiscal 2026-27 general fund and coal severance budgets, as well as two other action items. All are set to be considered during Monday’s Weirton Council meeting. -- Craig Howell

WEIRTON — Weirton Council is set to consider the city’s 2026-27 fiscal budgets during its regular meeting Monday.

The proposed general fund and coal severance budgets were among items presented and recommended Thursday by the city’s Finance Committee, and will be up for a vote by the full council at 7 p.m. Monday in the Weirton Room of the Millsop Community Center.

The budget was discussed during a work session Feb. 26, where officials were presented with a proposed budget of approximately $29.6 million, with breakdowns of requests for each department. A second workshop had been scheduled for Thursday night, but was canceled earlier this week.

“I’m glad we got the budget out of the way,” said Finance Director Diana Smoljanovich at the conclusion of Thursday’s Finance Committee meeting.

Smoljanovich previously reported the city’s budget had to be completed by March 25 in order to meet the timeline for legal advertisements and submission to the state.

One major aspect in formulating the fiscal budget, which will become effective July 1, was the increase in costs for employee health insurance. Under a contract approved with Highmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Pan American Accident and Health, the city’s health insurance rates were increased by 17.8 %.

Funds also were allocated for potential pay increases as a result of scheduled contract negotiations with the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 84 and Weirton IAFF Local 948.

While the budgets were recommended, no member of the committee – which includes Councilmembers Tim Connell, Rick Stead, and Anthony Rocchio – offered any comments or discussion during Thursday’s meeting.

Other items recommended by the Finance Committee were a resolution for an agreement with CivicPlus for the maintenance and hosting of the city’s website, the AudioEye’s website accessibility, and ADA compliance software, and the mass notification emergency alert system, at a cost of $20,930.29; and a resolution to approve “substantial amendments” to the city’s fiscal 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 annual action plans for the use of Community Development Block Grant funds, typically made as a result of unused funds.

Those items also were recommended without discussion.