Boise City Council approves nine interim budget changes including Fry Street open-space purchase and airport art

Boise City Council voted to approve nine interim budget changes proposed by city staff, covering one-time reallocations, a short-term staff position, facility security and art projects, and an open-space acquisition on the West Bench.

Finance presenter Alicia McAndrews told the council the package included two percent-for-art expenditures from the airport fund — $300,000 for a mural on the east façade of the consolidated rental-car facility and $61,000 for a wall installation near Gate 16 — and a $52,500 one-time reallocation from the general fund strategic plan contingency to increase the council's maintenance and operations professional services account ($50,000) and to add $2,500 to sponsor the Andrus Center’s Young Women and Leadership Conference.

Other items approved included a two-year, term-limited digital communications coordinator in the Office of Community Engagement (initial reallocations of $36,405 in 2025 with personnel costs built into FY2026 and FY2027); a $150,000 Heritage Fund appropriation to install six webcams and six security cameras at the Willow Lane Athletic Complex; and a $550,000 appropriation from the Open Space and Clean Water Levy to buy open space on Fry Street between Northview Street and Fairview Avenue on the West Bench.

Housing and Community Development requested a transfer of net sale proceeds of $336,000 from housing project accounts to the property management fund to support the city’s rental housing program after the sale of a rental house. Public Works requested a $110,000 transfer within streetlight project accounts to fund replacement of aging street lights and a $250,000 one-time appropriation from the geothermal fund to repair a service line along Capitol Boulevard adjacent to the pedestrian greenbelt tunnel — work that staff said was interrupting Boise State University services and was expected to conclude in weeks. The final change was an $80,000 percent-for-art appropriation from the Water Renewal Fund for a water‑inspired sculpture at the Foothills Learning Center.

Alicia McAndrews concluded the presentation with, “that concludes my presentation of the interim budget changes. Happy to stand for questions.” Council discussion included questions about the remaining balance in the Open Space fund (staff estimated approximately $2,000,000 and said they would provide a precise figure after the meeting) and supportive comments praising the city’s percent-for-art program and the Fry Street acquisition. A motion to approve the interim budget changes carried; the transcript records the chair announcing, “All in favor of motion carries.” The mover, seconder and a formal roll-call tally were not specified on the public transcript.

Why it matters: the approved reallocations are mostly one-time or budget-neutral changes but will add a term-limited staff resource, shore up park and public-safety monitoring at athletic fields, expand public art at city gateways, and secure open space in a central neighborhood identified as high priority for park access. The Fry Street acquisition was highlighted by council members as a step toward improved neighborhood park access while city staff noted development of the site will depend on later funding sources such as impact-fee revenue and capital planning.

What’s next: staff said they will provide the council with the exact Open Space and Clean Water Levy fund balance after the transfer and will proceed with the projects, acquisitions and contract actions described in the interim changes.