TROY – The Troy Board of Aldermen voted a second time 4-2 to increase city employee retirement benefits, overriding the mayor’s veto.

Citing a projected general fund deficit of nearly $1 million, Sconce said the city couldn’t afford the added expense without an accompanying tax increase.

The benefits increase, including the elimination of an employee match, will cost the city $450-500K a year, including about $300K from the general fund.

With little to no discussion from the board, the aldermen voted exactly as they did June 12 when they first approved the increase. Board President Rachel Dunard, Quentin Laws, Terri Huffman and Dennis Detert all voted in favor while Harold Horner and Mitch Bryant voted no.

Both men had previously expressed concern with the additional debt the city would incur.

A projected general fund deficit is nothing new for the city of Troy, as revealed by a Lincoln County Journal investigation. Every budget for the last six years predicted general reserve deficits of $600K-$800K and in each year, a surplus was generated.

According to the Journal investigation, over five years, a $3.5 million deficit was projected while a $1.5 million surplus was generated over the same time.

“I would say it was not an easy thing to do, but I felt like it was the right thing to do,” Sconce said after the vote overriding his veto. “So I appreciate you going through this exercise with us.”

After addressing that major budget issue, the board went ahead and approved the 2025-26 budget on the last possible day allowed by state law.

Horner cast the lone dissenting vote against the budget, which Sconce stated included a deficit projection of $992,150.