Newcastle council adopts first 2025 budget amendment, carries forward about $4 million

The Newcastle City Council voted 7-0 March 4 to adopt Ordinance 2025-970, the city’s first budget amendment for 2025, after a presentation from Director Chambers. The amendment reconciles 2024 year-end balances, carries forward unspent project funds and adds revenues and expenditures tied to grants and pandemic-relief items.

Director Chambers told the council the amendment is primarily a housekeeping item to reflect carry-forwards from the prior year. “We’re carrying forward a little over $4,000,000 from what was unspent last year,” Chambers said during the meeting, and she noted the amendment adds projects awarded after the budget was adopted, including a TIB grant in transportation capital and items from the pandemic relief plan.

The amendment adjusts beginning fund balances, revenues and expenditures to reflect actual 2024 activity. Chambers said the net effect raises the total budget by $5,414,202 when beginning fund balances are included. After questions from council, a motion to adopt the ordinance was moved and seconded and the council approved it unanimously, 7-0.

Why it matters: Carry-forwards and grant recognitions preserve the city’s ability to complete planned projects and reflect legally required accounting of fund balances. The amendment also brings post-adoption awards and pandemic-relief items into the 2025 spending plan, ensuring those projects can continue without interruption.

The council did not debate new policy changes in this vote; members thanked staff for the reconciliation work and approved the ordinance as presented. The action will be reflected in the city’s financial reports and quarterly budget monitoring.

The ordinance and related exhibits are part of the council packet; the finance director and city staff will continue to report on project status in later quarterly updates.