Council adopts third budget amendment; pedestrian bridge funding and public concerns noted

The City Council adopted the third amendment to the fiscal year 2024–25 budget on May 20, approving staff recommendations to recognize and authorize expenditures for projects the council previously approved, including a grant-funded pedestrian bridge adjacent to Poplar and First Street.

City Manager Jay Carter Napier told the council the amendment "recognizes projects that council has given the green light for," and that the pedestrian bridge project would allow placement of needed infrastructure underneath a grant-funded bridge alignment. Napier also said the amendment addresses risk-management and wildland-fire funding items and tied authorization for pay raises from an earlier study.

A member of the public who spoke in the budget hearing raised concerns about the pedestrian bridge project's location and cost. The commenter said the structure was originally linked to a $3,500,000 federal American Rescue Plan Act grant and noted additional funding included a $2,000,000 transfer from the Water Fund balance and a $550,000 transportation alternatives grant, bringing the commenter's total tally to just over $6,000,000. "I'm just not sure how many people are gonna be using this bridge and where they're going from," the speaker said, asking why the site was chosen given other nearby crossings.

Napier and staff provided a report during the hearing but did not revise the amendment on the record. Councilors asked questions and heard public comment; the council then voted unanimously to adopt the third budget amendment. Councilors did not add conditions or amendments at the meeting; staff will implement the authorized transfers and grants per the adopted amendment and will continue to provide project-level updates to the council.

The resolution was adopted by a unanimous recorded vote.