Loomis council adopts two‑year budget, establishes operating reserve policy

The Loomis Town Council approved its biennial budget for fiscal years 2025–26 and 2026–27 during the June 10 meeting, adopting four related resolutions including a position allocation for 2025–26, certification of the appropriations limit and a general fund operating reserve policy.

Ted (finance director) summarized adjustments since a May 15 budget workshop: combining interior and exterior library projects into a single library project, adding a town‑hall expansion funded from community facilities fees (Fund 325) now that an adjacent property purchase has closed, and moving a recently completed culvert reconstruction out of the next fiscal year’s capital list. Staff also updated sales‑tax revenue forecasts upward by modest amounts and adjusted staff wage assumptions to reflect the published cost‑of‑living increase.

“Those are all the changes,” the finance director said, and presented projected surpluses of roughly $194,000 for 2025–26 and $145,000 for 2026–27 in the general fund after the adjustments.

Council member roll call on the budget motion recorded the following votes: Council member Youngblood — Aye; Council member Clark‑Kretz — Yes; Council member Cartwright — Aye; Council member Cortez — Aye; Mayor Ring — Yes. The roll call resulted in unanimous approval.

The council also approved a written general fund operating‑reserve policy memorializing a target reserve level (policy adopted in the resolutions) and noted staff will return with position‑allocation changes for fiscal year 2026–27 when COLA numbers are known.