MARSHFIELD — Continued work on the city’s 2027 budget, a proposed extension of downtown redevelopment negotiations and a discussion about broadcasting council meetings live on Facebook will be among the matters before the Marshfield Common Council on Tuesday, Oct. 27. The evening will begin with a budget meeting at 5 p.m., followed by the regular council meeting at 6:30 p.m. or upon completion of the budget session. Barg said the council has completed its initial review of the general fund and will turn its attention to other portions of the budget, including debt, room tax revenues and capital projects. Another budget meeting is planned for Thursday, Oct. 29, at 6 p.m. Officials hope that session will conclude the remaining budget deliberations before publication of the proposed budget and the subsequent adoption process. “We’ve got a lot of other budgets we deal with that have to do with debt and room tax and any number of things, capital projects that we also need to go through so council understands where we’re at,” Barg said. The regular council agenda includes a request to extend an exclusive negotiating agreement with the developer pursuing a downtown housing redevelopment project. Barg said the existing agreement expires Nov. 30. The requested extension would carry negotiations into early May 2027, allowing additional time for tax credit applications and arrangements for control of the property. The developer is pursuing affordable housing and historic tax credits to help finance the project. A future development agreement would establish terms such as the property’s purchase price, the number of housing units and the development’s taxable value. Parking remains an issue under discussion between the city and the developer. Barg said work on the proposal continues weekly, while Poeschel described the effort as a collaboration between both parties. Council members also will consider employee benefit arrangements for 2027, including health, dental and vision insurance and administration of a dependent care spending program. Barg said health and dental premiums are expected to increase, adding pressure to the city’s budget. The city uses an insurance consultant to obtain and compare proposals from carriers, considering both costs and access to local providers. The agenda also includes proposed city contributions to employee health savings accounts of $500 for single coverage and $1,000 for family coverage. Barg said those contributions help employees manage medical expenses and encourage them to contribute their own money toward future needs. Another discussion will focus on whether council meetings should be streamed live on Facebook. Barg said two council members requested the discussion as a way to expand public access and engagement. Previous consideration of Facebook broadcasts raised questions about live comments, records retention and whether viewers might mistake online commenting for formal participation in a meeting. Officials also expressed concern about council members receiving different information during deliberations if some were monitoring online comments. Barg said the discussion is expected to focus on whether the city should explore the option further and how potential concerns could be addressed. He did not anticipate a final decision Tuesday, although council action remains possible. The consent agenda includes a resolution updating the city’s urban functional street classifications. Barg said those classifications reflect traffic counts and travel patterns and can influence transportation planning and opportunities for state assistance. West McMillan Street is among the roads being considered for a higher classification because of observed traffic levels. Barg said the information helps the city identify where future improvements may be needed. Residents with questions or concerns about upcoming agenda items can contact city officials or their district council representative before the meetings. Public comment also provides an opportunity to address the council.