Finance director reports steady revenues; Sammamish to consider budget amendments in November

Vicki Carlson, Sammamish finance director, told the City Council on Sept. 16 that the city's interim general-fund results for January through June are generally in line with expectations and noted several items for council attention.

"If you remember nothing else, that's the key takeaway," Carlson said, summarizing the report: revenues and expenditures are tracking to budget for the first half of the biennium. She reported that sales-tax receipts are stronger than last year by about $275,000 and that building-permit revenue exceeded last year by about $354,000.

Carlson said the city issued 2,996 permits in the period with a total valuation reported in the packet at about $74.8 million; she contrasted that with a smaller permit count and valuation in the previous year. Interest earnings through June were lower by about $257,000, which was anticipated in the adopted budget. On the expenditure side, salary and benefit costs are lower than budgeted because of vacancies, and the Eastside Fire contract totaled approximately $5.7 million through June, about $712,000 higher than the previous year (a 15.2% increase). The police contract totaled roughly $3.6 million through June.

Carlson outlined a revised approach to biennial budget amendments: the city plans two amendment cycles per biennium (a mid-biennium amendment in the fourth quarter of the first year and a final amendment in the fourth quarter of the second year). Work-plan updates will be presented in October and the administration will present amendments or adjustments for council review in early November, with adoption planned for the November 18 meeting.

Council members asked for additional detail on permit valuation methodology and grant-tracking; Carlson said the new ERP system will offer improved data capture and that staff will return with more detailed work-plan and grant information during October presentations.