Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Bedford council approves $405,426 midyear budget amendment covering seven funds
Summary
The council approved a $405,426 amendment affecting seven funds to cover unbudgeted facility repairs, vehicle replacements, implementation of a consolidated work-order system and other items; staff said most expenditures are one-time and fund balances remain above policy targets.
Assistant City Manager Karen Riggs presented a second midyear budget amendment to the Bedford City Council on May 27, asking the council to amend the adopted fiscal 2024-25 budget by $405,426 to cover seven funds including one-time implementation costs and several unbudgeted expenses.
Riggs said the amendment includes cleanup items and new requests: $5,000 to the Drug Enforcement Fund (cleanup), $46,000 to the Facilities Maintenance Fund (repair and invoices), about $45,702 to the SWAT NetCast fund for ammunition and training, vehicle replacements funded through the equipment replacement fund, and $142,832.95 for implementation of a consolidated Elements XS work-order system that will replace three separate systems.
Councilmembers probed fiscal impacts. Councilmember Farco asked whether midyear amendments harm the city's credit; Riggs said one-time expenses do not harm credit if fund balance policy is observed. Riggs said the vehicle-replacement fund was built up with a prior one-time transfer and can cover planned replacements; she cited an expected $21,000 increase in lease payments for this year and $78,000 ongoing for the vehicle lease program.
Riggs emphasized the work-order system is a one-time implementation cost (about $142,832.95) with an ongoing annual cost of roughly $45,500; departments that use the software will share the ongoing cost beginning with the FY 2025-26 budget process. She said consolidating systems will improve operational tracking for fleet, facilities and public works and enable data-driven vehicle replacement decisions.
Councilmember Dawkins asked about a facilities maintenance audit and whether extended warranties would be considered; staff said warranty options will be evaluated for high-ticket replacements. Councilmember questions also covered how the Drug Enforcement Fund had been handled in prior budgets and confirmed adequate fund balances exist across impacted funds.
Councilmember Donovan Brandon moved approval; Mayor Pro Tem Gagliardi seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
