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City outlines $575,000 repayment plan for temporary transfer from sewer to parks
Summary
City staff presented a plan to repay a $575,000 temporary transfer from the sewer utility to cover a parks deficit using a mix of general-fund salary savings, parks savings, and other one-time sources including $101,000 in interest the city holds on water project funds.
City staff presented a repayment plan Tuesday to return $575,000 temporarily transferred from the sewer utility to cover a parks department deficit. The transfer had been approved in December; state board of accounts rules require the money be repaid within six months because the transfer occurred in 2024.
Staff outlined three source categories to repay $575,000: general-fund salary and benefits reductions ($283,500); parks general fund reductions and miscellaneous ($114,500); and other one-time sources ($177,000). The “other” category includes $50,000 from campground/NRO dollars, about $101,000 in interest accrued on city funds held for the water improvement project, and two pilot/TIF-type payments totaling about $49,000 combined.
City staff emphasized they identified these sources after reviewing the 2025 budget and meeting with department heads, and that the plan is intended to avoid cuts to public-safety staffing or to parks programming. The chief and major were consulted to confirm public safety staffing would not be affected by the proposed general-fund salary adjustments.
A councilmember warned against using water-utility interest for non-utility purposes; staff responded that the interest cited was city funds’ interest on a city contribution to the water project and not derived from ratepayer revenue or bond proceeds.
Staff said the next step is to return with an ordinance or fund-transfer resolution to formalize the appropriation and move the money; because the transfer occurred in 2024, the city has a six-month deadline to complete the repayment.
