Washington Terrace council adopts FY2025–26 budget, approves privacy policy and other measures

Washington Terrace City Council on June (date of meeting not specified) approved the city’s fiscal year 2025–26 budget, adopted the county auditor’s certified property-tax rate, approved a $22,695 budget amendment to pay the city’s share of encryption for the regional law-enforcement radio system, and adopted a state-mandated city privacy program policy.

The actions were taken at a regularly scheduled council meeting in which finance staff reviewed the certified tax rate and additional budget items, and staff answered council questions about fraud risk, information-security roles and a contract addendum for the city prosecutor.

The budget vote and related measures

Council members voted to adopt Resolution 25-12 to approve the fiscal year 2025–26 budget, the city fee schedule and the county auditor’s certified property-tax rate. Finance staff said the certified tax rate is “lower” than last year and that the budgeted revenue being certified rose by about $20,000, roughly 1.5%, which staff attributed to new growth. The council approved the budget by roll call (unanimous; roll-call names and total votes not fully specified in the record).

Council also approved Resolution 25-11, a one-item budget amendment to cover Washington Terrace’s share of the law-enforcement radio encryption project. City staff said the city’s portion for working with contract cities is $22,695. The council moved and seconded the resolution and adopted it (vote recorded as unanimous; three members were recorded present for that vote).

Privacy program adoption and records access

The council approved Resolution 25-14 to adopt the city privacy program policy required by the state under recent legislation (referred to in the meeting as House Bill 444). City staff said the policy is intended to limit collection and disclosure of personal data, to set incident-response roles for IT, and to place obligations on vendors who handle city-held personal information. The policy passed by roll call (unanimous; specific vote names/counts not fully recorded in the transcript).

During discussion, council members asked for clarification about the roles named in the policy. Staff identified Jason Glines as the city’s IT specialist and said the city contracts with a vendor called TechServe for IT services; the information-security duties would be carried out by that IT specialist/contractor under the program. Staff also described the privacy officer role as an oversight position on policy and compliance; staff emphasized the policy will be implemented across vendors and internal systems. City staff tied the policy to GRAMA (the Government Records Access and Management Act) in explaining how records requests and fees will be handled.

Fraud-risk assessment

Staff presented the city’s annual fraud-risk assessment, which the city prepares per guidance from the State Auditor’s Office. The assessment continues to show the city maintaining a low fraud-risk score in the range the staff report listed (3.55–3.95). Staff said the two commonly discussed measures that could raise that score — a formal internal-audit function and a formal audit committee — remain optional for the city and were not required by the independent auditors; staff said those practices can improve the score but would increase costs. No formal action was required on the report.

City prosecutor contract addendum

The council approved a staff-requested addendum to the city prosecutor’s services contract that increases the prosecutor’s compensation by a modest amount. Staff noted the contract had not been increased in a long time — the last increase discussed in the meeting was in February 2004 — and described the new amount as modest. The meeting record does not provide a clear, consistent figure for the contract’s new monthly total; the transcript states a modest monthly increase was approved but does not specify the final monthly total conclusively. The council approved the contract addendum by motion and voice vote (no roll-call tally provided).

Other items and administrative notes

Council and staff thanked organizers and public-works personnel for Terrace Days and planned a debriefing. Staff said the final adopted budget document will be compiled for public posting and that the city will continue routine notices to utility customers about rate changes, including a plan to include a QR code linking to a podcast summary of the budget. Staff listed upcoming meetings: a Planning Commission meeting (date in staff remarks), a City Council meeting on July 1 at 6 p.m. with an RDA meeting attached, and a City Council meeting on July 15 at 6 p.m.; city offices will be closed July 4 and July 24 for Independence Day and Pioneer Day, respectively.

Votes at a glance

- Resolution 25-11 — FY2024–25 budget amendment (city share of law-enforcement radio encryption): motion passed (yes: unanimous; three members recorded present when the chair announced unanimity). Motion text: approve budget amendment to pay $22,695 for encryption costs; mover/second recorded in transcript; full roll-call names not all recorded.

- Resolution 25-12 — Adopt FY2025–26 budget, fee schedule and adopt county auditor certified property tax: motion passed (roll-call; unanimous; specific tally not specified). Staff noted the certified tax rate is lower than last year and the budgeted revenue to be certified rose ~$20,000 (about 1.5%) from new growth.

- Addendum to city prosecutor contract (no ordinance/resolution number specified in the transcript): motion passed on voice vote; the meeting record describes a modest monthly compensation increase and notes the last increase was discussed as February 2004; transcript does not provide an unequivocal final monthly total.

- Resolution 25-14 — Adoption and implementation of the City Privacy Program Policy (required by state law referenced as House Bill 444): motion passed (roll-call; unanimous; specific tally not specified). Motion text: adopt privacy program policy as presented and implement roles and vendor controls indicated in the staff report.

Who spoke (selected)

- Mayor Howell — Mayor (presided over meeting). - Tom — City staff member (presented/introduced several items, including prosecutor-contract addendum and led some agenda items). - Sherry (finance staff) — finance staff (presented certified tax rate and fraud-risk assessment details). - Amy — city staff/clerk (conducted roll call and assisted with votes). - Jason Glines — IT specialist (named as the city’s IT specialist; staff said the city contracts with TechServe for IT services). - Amy (privacy staff) — staff member identified in the meeting as responsible for drafting the privacy program (referred to in the transcript as Amy; role: staff/record-keeping/implementation).

Ending

Council members and staff said they will post the final adopted budget document online, continue standard notices to utility customers, and follow up with a Terrace Days debrief. The council adjourned and planned to convene an RDA meeting immediately afterward.