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City presents third budget amendment; staff flags $2 million net increase and major capital items
Summary
City finance staff told the council Budget Amendment 3 would add roughly $5.2 million in expenses, offset in part by about $3.2 million in new revenues and reimbursements, for a net increase to the budget of about $2.0 million.
City finance staff briefed the Casper City Council on Budget Amendment 3, an end-of-year package that adds expenses and aligns spending authority with developments during the fiscal year.
Accounting supervisor Nicholas (presented material assembled by staff) said the amendment increases expenses by about $5.2 million and includes roughly $3.2 million in offsetting revenues and reimbursements, producing an overall net increase to the budget of about $2.0 million. Staff described several large items driving the changes.
The single largest addition is approximately $2.0 million to transfer and hang water and sewer lines onto the new city-owned pedestrian bridge so those utilities are no longer attached to the state-owned Poplar Street (WyDOT) bridge; staff said that will come from water utility fund balances. Risk-management costs also increased (roughly $880,000 in added expenses), driven in part by higher insurance premiums and a significant playground liability claim; staff said they expect about $480,000 of reimbursements or grant/insurance recoveries for that category.
Staff explained active wildland-fire deployments by Casper firefighters generate reimbursable costs (state or other agencies reimburse deployment costs) and therefore produce offsetting revenue. Budget Amendment 3 also incorporates salary changes that took effect in January, records five newly awarded grants (mostly public-safety-related) and removes one grant the federal government rescinded (the Branches Across America/Arbor Day grant).
Council members asked questions about specific funds (solid waste/landfill LRP credits and the Bailfell/solid-waste fund). Staff said some items are “lumpy” — for example, landfill remediation and tipping fees — and offered to provide a follow-up memo on those line items. Councilors agreed to place the amendment on the upcoming agenda for formal consideration; staff said the amendment will appear on the next meeting agenda and that council may pull items for discussion if desired.
Staff emphasized the water fund has sufficient reserves to absorb the bridge‑utility transfer without immediate rate impacts and argued acting now avoids higher future costs and operational complications when the state replaces the Poplar Street bridge years from now.
