How Fairview is run
Who runs Fairview, what it costs, and where your money goes
The city manager, council pay, the budget, your property tax bill and who provides each service, from Fairview's own public documents. Every number links to its source and says which year it describes. Checked Oct 10, 2026.
Who runs Fairview
A city manager hired by the council runs the city day to day. The council sets policy, adopts the budget and sets the tax rate.
What they are paid
- City-issued computer and cell phone
- City vehicle or a fuel card or fuel allowance
- Business expenses covered under city policy
- Either side may end the deal on 30 days' written notice, with full pay during notice
Fairview city staff
Tennessee has no statewide pay database. The city's budget shows pay by department but posts no salary schedule by position. We name pay only for elected officials and the city manager.
Is Fairview in the red?
Cities must pass a balanced budget, so "profit" and "deficit" mean something different here. The useful questions: does the city's everyday money (the general fund) cover its everyday costs, how much does it keep in savings compared with its own target, and how big are its pension and debt bills.
Savings against the city's own target
Unassigned general fund balance: $3.5M (2025-06-30). The city's own target: Keep unassigned general fund balance of at least two months of general fund spending, plus a separate committed stabilization reserve rising from 10% to 20% of the operating budget by July 1, 2030. City of Fairview · Dec 15, 2025
Why we skip the "budgeted deficit": many cities plan to dip into savings, then spend less than planned. The audited result tells you what really happened.
Where the money comes from and goes
The general fund only: the city's everyday money for FY2026-27.
Comes from
- Taxes$10.2M · 69%
- Intergovernmental$1.5M · 10%
- Licenses and permits$1.1M · 8%
- Other revenue$483,400 · 3%
- Fines and fees$228,300 · 2%
- Drawn from cash balance$1.1M · 8%
Goes to (FY2026-27)
- Police$3.3M · 22%
- Fire$2.9M · 20%
- Administration$2.8M · 19%
- Capital outlay$1.4M · 9%
- Debt service$1M · 7%
- Planning$926,138 · 6%
- Parks$820,126 · 6%
- Other (public works, court, finance, board, transfers)$1.5M · 10%
Who provides your services
Not everything in Fairview is run by the city. Who provides a service decides whose budget pays for it and whose election decides it.
- PoliceThe cityFairview Police DepartmentCity of Fairview
- FireThe cityFairview Fire DepartmentCity of Fairview
- 911 dispatchThe countyWilliamson County E-911City of Fairview
- StreetsThe cityFairview Public Works DepartmentCity of Fairview
- Leaf and brush pickupThe cityFairview Public Works DepartmentCity of Fairview
- Parks and recreationThe cityCity of FairviewCity of Fairview · Dec 15, 2025
- WaterSeparate districtWater Authority of Dickson CountyCity of Fairview
Compared with similar cities
The cities in this state closest in population that we cover. Read it for scale, not as a ranking: cities provide different services.
| Per city | ClintonTN | ParisTN | Union CityTN | FairviewTN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 10,466 | 10,468 | 10,814 | 10,877 |
| Top administrator's base pay | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | $157,200 |
| Council member pay | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| General fund per resident | $1,545 | $3,110 | $1,791 | $1,334 |
| Debt per resident | $704 | $236 | $1,235 | $958 |
| Unfunded pension per resident | $-457 | $-82 | $83 | $186 |
| City staff per 1,000 residents | 36.5 | 13.5 | — | — |
Figures as shown in each city's section, divided by its population. Years differ by state, and pension figures are measured differently in each state (each city page says how).
What Fairview publishes
What a resident can find online today. A "no" is something you can ask the council to publish.
- Yes: Adopted budget posted onlineThe signed FY2027 budget ordinance and line-item budget are posted on the city's finance page. City of Fairview · Jun 18, 2026
- Partly: Council pay stated in a public document City of Fairview · Jun 18, 2026
- No: Employee pay publishedThe finance page posts budgets, audits and monthly reports but no salary schedule by position. City of Fairview
Questions to ask your council
- The general fund spent $16,406,603 in FY2024-25 against $12,034,377 in revenue, and its balance fell $4,372,226. How much more capital spending will come from savings?
- Unassigned reserves were $3,483,734 on June 30, 2025, and the city's target is two months of general fund spending. Does the board expect to stay above that target after FY2026-27?
- The interim city manager is paid $13,100 a month. What is the timeline and budget for hiring a permanent city manager?
Fiscal year starts July 1. The City Manager submits the proposed budget to the Board of Commissioners. For FY2027 the board passed it on first reading May 21, 2026 and held the public hearing June 18, 2026. See who is running for council
Help decide what comes next
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Every number here was checked by hand against the linked document. Cities publish on different schedules, so years differ between sections; each figure says which year it describes. Spotted something wrong or out of date?
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