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Councilor proposes committed fund balance for active‑transit and pedestrian safety projects
Summary
Councilor Berman asked staff to prepare an amendment to create a committed fund balance to finance active‑transit and pedestrian‑safety initiatives using unassigned fund balance above ordinance targets; city staff explained committed fund balance is controlled by council and can be appropriated for specific projects.
Councilor Berman asked the city administrator Monday to prepare an amendment (either for the budget or a later action) that would create a committed fund balance to support active‑transit projects and pedestrian safety initiatives.
City Administrator Bananco and finance staff explained how committed fund balance works: unlike unassigned fund balance, money placed in a committed fund balance is reserved for a specific purpose and can be appropriated only by the governing body (the city council). The administrator suggested the council could move a portion of any unassigned fund balance that exceeds the ordinance minimums into a committed reserve for the stated objectives.
Finance staff noted the city currently had no committed reserves and agreed this is a standard tool to reserve funds for future projects; they said committed reserves can be returned to unassigned fund balance if council later decides to do so. Councilor Berman said his intent is to use surplus funds to seed a capital account for sidewalks, bike paths, pedestrian safety measures and grant matching. The administrator said staff and the mayor would draft a motion or amendment and council could act either at the budget adoption next week or after audited numbers are available.
Why it matters: creating a committed fund balance would allow the council to earmark surplus funds for active‑transportation infrastructure and ensure those funds are spent only on council‑approved projects.
