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Sedro‑Woolley council holds first public hearing on 2025 budget amendment, debates HR and IT staffing
Summary
At a required first read and public hearing, city staff summarized a routine amendment to the 2025 budget that includes a loan repayment from the arterial streets fund, one‑time projects (Olmsted Park, window film, sally gate), an HR manager upgrade, an IT technician FTE, and an anticipated COPS grant position for police.
Sedro‑Woolley — The City Council opened the legally required public hearing for Ordinance 02/9825, a first read of the 2025 budget amendment, receiving the staff presentation and holding a detailed council discussion on proposed staffing changes and one‑time expenditures.
Finance Director Kelly Konkin told the council the amendment revises general‑fund revenues to about $15,011,000 and expenditures to about $14,730,000, leaving a projected $281,000 surplus for 2025. A notable revenue increase reflected repayment of a $541,000 interfund loan the arterial street fund owed the general fund after a late grant came in.
The amendment also lists $491,000 in one‑time costs, including $353,000 authorized earlier for Olmsted Park improvements, $204,000 for a jail stabilization payment to Skagit County, and smaller projects such as window privacy film for city hall and a secure alley sally gate. Excluding one‑time costs, the general fund showed a modest operating positive.
The amendment proposes changing a previously budgeted part‑time HR analyst to a full‑time HR manager and adding one FTE in IT as a workstation support specialist. Konkin said the HR change reflects experience that the earlier part‑time model was not meeting organizational needs and that the COPS grant would add a partially funded police position over three years if awarded. Konkin also noted the budget includes estimated impacts of police labor negotiations.
Council discussion: Council members voiced mixed views. Supporters said a full‑time HR manager is necessary to manage recruitment, risk and labor matters and to help stabilize public safety staffing. Several members — including Councilwoman Diamond and Councilman Lavaca — urged caution on adding an IT FTE without first pursuing outsourcing or managed‑service options and asked staff to provide a cost‑comparison and the results of an IT ticketing analysis planned by the department.
Councilman LaVaca questioned whether the city’s small surplus was large enough to add permanent staff and asked about hiring step levels; staff said the budget used step 4 as a conservative estimate for the HR manager. Several members asked for follow‑up analysis on IT alternatives before the council adopted the amendment.
Public comment: The hearing drew no public speakers on the budget. The first read concluded with the mayor closing public comment and noting the council will consider the amendment at a later meeting.
Outcome and next steps: This was the required first read and public hearing only. Staff will provide additional information requested by council — including IT outsourcing cost analysis and more detail on the HR manager compensation grade and step — before a future second reading and adoption vote.
