Sutter Butte Flood Control Agency preliminarily approves amended 2023–28 budget, schedules June 11 hearing

The Sutter Butte Flood Control Agency board preliminarily approved an amended 2023–2028 budget and set a public hearing for June 11, the board voted unanimously May 14.

The amended budget “trues up” prior-year actuals and revises projections through 2028, reflecting lower expected capital spending on some large projects and new revenue anticipated in mid-2026, agency staff said.

Agency Executive Director Michael Bassett told the board the revised spending plan reflects recent favorable bids on the Tudor flood risk reduction project and changes in timing for Sutter Bypass construction work. “The bottom line … is the agency has a very healthy budget to advance our strategic plan,” Bassett said before turning the presentation over to staff.

Staff member Sean presented the amended budget and explained it combines 2023–24 actuals with 2024–28 projections to show differences from last year’s approved plan. Sean said the package was presented for preliminary approval and to set a June 11 public hearing: “Today the proposed amended 2023–28 budget [is] presented for preliminary approval to set a public hearing for June 11.”

Major changes in the amended budget include a net decrease in total expenditures of about $21.2 million and a decrease in projected revenues of about $13.3 million compared with last year’s approved plan. The largest drivers are timing shifts on capital projects: construction phases for parts of the Sutter Bypass were pushed beyond 2028, reducing near-term capital spending, while the Tudor flood risk reduction project moved into active construction and affected the capital-funding profile.

Board discussion included a request to show an additional column that reconciles what was approved last year to what was actually spent in 2023–24. Charlie Hopin asked for that reconciliation to be added to the finalized packet; staff said the audit contains that information and agreed to include an explicit “budget vs. actual vs. proposed” column in the June materials.

Director Chris Schmidle moved to approve the preliminary amended budget and incorporate Hopin’s suggested reconciliation; the motion received a second and passed on a roll-call vote with all members present voting in favor.

The board packet and staff presentation say the amended budget factors in new near‑term revenue from a credit transfer payment expected in June 2026 from an outside partner (referred to in the packet as Sajafka) and shifts some administrative costs from the capital fund to the agency’s operating fund as earlier external funding streams conclude. Staff recommended making the amended budget available for public review and publishing a notice for the June 11 hearing.

The board will consider final adoption of the amended 2023–28 budget after the public hearing at its June meeting.

Votes at a glance: The preliminary approval of the amended 2023–28 budget (agenda item 3) passed unanimously on roll call.