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Recommended budget creates new economic development department, adds director position
Summary
The recommended FY26–27 budget includes a new Economic Development Department and funding for an economic development director (half‑year cost in FY26), plus modest staffing additions in recreation and utilities funded from enterprise or dedicated funds.
As part of the FY26–27 recommended budget, staff proposed establishing an Economic Development Department and adding an economic development director position to lead business attraction and retention activities.
Bryce Atkins, presenting the administration department budget, said the director position is the primary general‑fund addition in the recommended budget and will support business attraction, downtown strategy, development of the ICE Center and the 536‑acre Hecker Pass property. Atkins said FY26 includes roughly half a year of salary for recruitment and classification work, with the goal of filling the position by mid‑FY26.
Atkins also identified three recreation positions (a management analyst, a recreation supervisor and a recreation coordinator) funded from the recreation fund, and a part‑time communications specialist for the communications and engagement office. He said the recreation fund has recovered and could support three positions without additional general‑fund contribution.
City Administrator Jimmy Forbus and staff described limited general‑fund staffing augmentation overall; the budget contains strategic, targeted additions funded from identified ongoing or one‑time revenues, not broad increases in general‑fund headcount.
Why it matters: A dedicated economic‑development director changes the city’s organizational structure and focuses staff resources on business attraction, potentially affecting the city’s revenue mix if the position meets its objectives. The council directed staff to finalize job description, recruit and return with associated personnel commission actions.
