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Bellflower approves operating budget and capital plan; adds 15 positions across two years and funds traffic-calming and weekend cleanup crew
Summary
The Bellflower City Council approved the FY2025–27 operating budget and capital improvement plan June 9, authorizing 11 new positions for FY2025–26 and four more for FY2026–27, and funding targeted street and cleanup work.
The Bellflower City Council approved the FY2025–27 operating budget and capital improvement plan as part of the consent calendar at its June 9 meeting. Council discussion highlighted new staffing additions and targeted capital funding.
Councilmembers noted the budget adds 11 new positions in FY2025–26 and four more in FY2026–27 for a total of 15 new positions. Councilmember Santanez described the hires as investments in a "high capacity organization," and emphasized the practical results of a weekend cleanup crew that addresses graffiti and bulky-item pickup on weekends and holidays. He said the weekend crew's work has reduced complaint response times: after a recent Sunday worship service he found graffiti removed by late morning.
Councilmember Coops and others stressed the need to fill new positions promptly: "a vacant position, that means there's no one doing the job," a councilmember said, urging the city manager and HR to prioritize hiring. HR manager Dana Hanks had told council the AB 2561 vacancy snapshot was taken May 30 and that HR is working to streamline onboarding and make processes electronic.
Councilmembers also questioned a traffic-management capital request; finance staff explained the budget increase from $75,000 to $150,000 is split because the original $75,000 remains in the capital projects account (Measure M) while the additional $75,000 was placed in the streets department's general fund account to retain flexibility for projects that may not qualify for Measure M funding. "We decided to use the general fund catch all, account to fund the additional $75,000... that way it's a flexible funding source," finance staff said.
The council moved the consent calendar and approved it by roll-call vote, which includes the operating budget and capital improvement plan. Councilmembers asked staff to prioritize recruiting to fill the newly authorized positions quickly to avoid prolonged vacancies.
