Boise City Council approves 10 interim budget changes including dog park, pathways and equipment purchases

The Boise City Council approved 10 interim budget changes that staff said were needed to accept grants, start designs and authorize procurement to keep several projects on schedule.

Alicia, the city’s budget director, outlined the items during the council meeting: a $228,000 budget-neutral grant appropriation for the Boise Fire Department (state and county grants for specialized training and lithium-ion battery suppression equipment); authorization to begin hiring for ERP-related backfill positions and two permanent positions; a $75,000 increase to deliver a dog park at Charles F. McDevitt Youth Sports Complex offset by a $35,000 reduction to council contingency and a $40,000 transfer from regional park impact fees; and a $1.17 million appropriation for a second design phase of two federally funded multiuse pathways (Garden Street and Broadway-to-Federal Way), most reimbursable by federal grant with a local match from reserved open-space levy funds and a $14,000 Idaho Transportation Department upfront payment.

Other approved interim changes included $125,000 to begin design on a culvert replacement beneath the Albion Street bridge (funded from existing pathways capital and neighborhood investment program funds), a $110,000 transfer to the HUD fund for CDBG/HOME administrative costs, a $400,000 increase in the fleet services fund to cover higher maintenance costs (offset by additional service revenue and vacancy savings), a $175,000 geothermal fund investment to extend pipeline service to Boise State University’s new materials sciences building (BSU funds internal conversion; city covers the pipeline extension), a $2,000,000 one-time appropriation from the water renewal fund to procure primary clarifier equipment at the Lander Street water renewal facility, and a $12,000 NASA grant appropriation for the Watershed Education Center to host a teacher professional-development workshop in partnership with the University of Idaho.

Council members thanked staff for grant-seeking efforts and problem-solving. Several members called out the Garden Street and Federal Way pathway projects as long-sought connections, and others highlighted the importance of the lithium-ion battery suppression funding for the fire department. One council member noted the McDevitt dog park will complete a long-delayed amenity in that neighborhood.

Motion and vote: Council voted to approve the interim budget changes; roll-call reflected unanimous support in the recorded vote (6 yes, 0 no). The council directed staff to implement the appropriations and proceed with the procurement and hiring steps described in the requests.

Ending: Staff will proceed with the hiring and procurement steps authorized by the council; several items (federal grant reimbursements and local matches) are contingent on grant terms and standard procurement lead times.