Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget And Finance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Taft council adopts 2025–26 budget, approves consent agenda and appointments in 4-0 votes
Summary
The City of Taft adopted the final FY 2024–25 budget and the proposed FY 2025–26 spending plan and approved multiple routine items, planning-commission appointments and a Verizon lease option; all votes passed 4–0 with one absence.
The City of Taft council voted to adopt a resolution approving the final budget for fiscal year 2024–25 and the proposed budget for fiscal year 2025–26 at its June 17, 2025 meeting. The adoption passed on a 4–0 roll-call vote with one absence.
Finance Director Theresa Binkley presented the 2025–26 proposed budget, describing projected revenue and expense changes, staffing allocations and planned capital purchases. Binkley said the city is projecting an operating surplus across funds of roughly $434,000 before capital transfers, but that personnel and insurance costs are rising. "There is a significant increase that we're proposing in the 25–26 fiscal year over the 24–25," Binkley said during the presentation, citing higher workers' compensation, liability insurance, CalPERS unfunded liability and ongoing operational costs tied to the Taft Alternative Program (TAP) correctional facility.
Why it matters: Binkley told the council that personnel-related costs and increases in insurance and utility expenses account for much of the pressure on the general fund. The council and city staff discussed planned transfers from gas-tax and other restricted funds for street maintenance and capital purchases; the budget package included proposed capital spending for streets, police, and equipment replacement.
Council action and related votes: after the presentation the council moved to adopt the resolution titled "A resolution of the City Council of the City of Taft adopting the City of Taft final budget for fiscal year 2024–25 and the proposed budget for fiscal year 2025–26," and approved it on a 4–0 vote with Mayor Noor noted as absent. The council then approved a consent agenda (items 11–23) containing routine items such as minutes, payment of bills, audited financial statements, agreements for professional services, event permits, updated facility rentals and purchase approvals; the consent agenda passed by the same 4–0 margin.
Votes at a glance: - Resolution adopting final budget FY 2024–25 and proposed budget FY 2025–26: Passed 4–0 (1 absence). Motion by Councilmember Kreier; second by Councilmember Waldrop. (Roll call recorded four yes votes; one absence.) - Consent agenda (items 11–23): Approved 4–0 (1 absence). Items included approval of 06/03/2025 minutes; payment of bills ($415,000); receipt of Kern County Fire Station No. 21 May 2025 report; Landscape & Lighting Maintenance District No. 1 engineer's report and setting a July 15 public hearing; position-classification updates; Measure A appointment; receipt of audited financial statements for specified wastewater years; ratification of an on-call planning-services agreement; approval of a special-event permit for the July fireworks show; updated rental forms for the transit center events room; authorization for SB 1383 technical-assistance services; and the purchase of eight less-lethal tasers for police. All items were presented on the consent calendar and passed on a single roll call. - Planning Commission appointments (Item 24): Council appointed three applicants to the Taft Planning Commission for terms 07/01/2025–06/30/2029. Vote: Passed 4–0 (1 absence). - Lease option agreement for Verizon cell tower (Item 25): Council authorized the mayor to sign a four-year option to lease city-owned property adjacent to the Tractor Supply shopping center for a Verizon cell tower; the city manager said the site has limited service and the lease would produce roughly $16,000 per year after exercise of the option. Vote: Passed 4–0 (1 absence).
Council discussion stressed conservative revenue estimates, plans to revisit budget details at midyear and a request that staff delay major purchases until the council has time to assess actual costs. City staff said transfers from gas-tax and reserve funds were proposed to cover capital purchases and that a midyear finance-committee review is expected. The council adopted the budget and approved the related consent and action items before adjourning the meeting.
