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City finance director outlines $5.2M revenue, $14M expenditure budget amendments; council seeks more detail on vehicle replacements and allocations
Summary
Finance Director Chelsea Walls briefed council on a multi-fund 2025 budget amendment that increases revenues by about $5.2 million and expenditures by about $14 million across 13 funds; council asked for detail on fund balances and the effect of two deferred vehicle replacements.
Chelsea Walls, finance director, presented a proposed amendment to the 2025 budget that would affect 13 city funds. Walls told the council the amendment reflects updated grant awards, project costs and transfers: total revenue increases of roughly $5.2 million (in eight funds) and total expenditure increases of roughly $14 million (in 11 funds). She said approximately $3.5 million of the change reflects transfers between city funds.
Walls highlighted material items: a roughly $1.7 million general-fund revenue increase tied mostly to grant receipts (including a $1 million CHIP grant partnered with Spokane Housing Authority), and corresponding general-fund increases of about $1.9 million in appropriations. She also cited a $350,000 proposed increase in contract attorney services under the council department, described in the RCA as covering legal costs associated with Council Member Merkel; those costs would be offset by reduced salary and vehicle replacements elsewhere in the budget—specifically a reduction from 14 to 12 law-enforcement patrol vehicles scheduled for replacement in 2025.
Street O&M revenues were lowered by about $985,000 due to corrected Transportation Benefit District license tab-fee estimates, a change the city attributed to a Department of Licensing vehicle-count error. The Park Capital Projects Fund would increase about $1.8 million to add the Sullivan Waterline project (funded by a mix of a $915,000 transfer from the Capital Reserve Fund, grant proceeds and a cost-share contribution), Walls said.
Council members pressed for more detail. Council Member Merkel asked for the estimated fund balance in the Capital Reserve Fund (3‑12); Walls said the estimated balance after proposed expenditures would be about $7.6 million. Council Member Wick asked whether delaying replacement of two patrol vehicles is temporary and whether alternatives exist; Walls said she would return with more information when the ordinance is scheduled for a May public hearing and readings (public hearing and first reading May 13; second reading May 27 were proposed).
The meeting included extended remarks from council members about political context and the allocation of one-time funds versus recurring expenditures. City Manager and City Attorney responded to some of those points later in the meeting, clarifying the council’s prior decisions on funding public safety hires and noting restrictions on using one-time or restricted funds for recurring costs.
Council gave consensus to move the budget amendment forward for a May 13 public hearing and first reading and May 27 second reading, and staff said they will provide additional details requested by council ahead of those hearings.
