Council approves two assessments for fiscal 2025–26 after presentations on spending, reserves and projects

The Livingston City Council on July 1 approved engineer reports and set the annual levies for two assessment districts covering drainage and landscape maintenance for fiscal year 2025–26.

In separate public hearings, representatives from Willdan Financial Services summarized the engineer's reports for the Benefit Assessment District (drainage and street-related improvements) and the Citywide Landscape Maintenance Assessment District (LMD) and recommended adoption of the reports and collection of assessments.

For the Benefit Assessment District, Mayor Moran moved to approve the engineer's report and set the levy; Council Member Roth seconded. The roll call showed Council Member Roth voted yes, one council member recorded an abstention, Council Member Wallace voted yes and Mayor Moran voted yes; the motion passed with three yes votes and one abstention.

For the landscape maintenance districts, Willdan and Public Works staff provided a detailed presentation on recent spending and planned work. Anthony Chavarria, public works, said reserve balances fluctuated: the presentation listed a FY 23‑24 reserve amount of $490,174, a FY 24‑25 reserve budget amount of $1,437,432 and a FY 25‑26 budgeted reserve of $357,731 after completing the FY 24‑25 LMD budget. Chavarria said the LMDs spent about $150,632 in FY 24‑25 on equipment and projects, including a 2024 Ford F‑650 chipper truck, a 37‑horsepower diesel lawn mower, a John Deere backhoe, bleachers at the sports complex and exercise equipment installed at parks.

Chavarria outlined renovation projects completed in FY 24‑25 (Sundance, Bridgeport, La Tierra, Parkside and Country Lane LMDs) where staff installed irrigation, planted trees and shrubs and added weed barriers. Planned FY 25‑26 purchases and projects totaled about $348,814 and included an irrigation mower, a utility truck, a booster pump station, park facility renovations, a VersaLift truck (boom truck), a gopher gas machine, signage and one full‑time equivalent position for LMD parts and maintenance.

Council asked how reserves work, how equipment costs are allocated across multiple LMDs and what happens when a district lacks sufficient funds. Staff explained leftover budget amounts roll into the LMD reserve fund for that district and can be used in subsequent years; equipment purchases are proportionally charged to LMDs based on usage; and if a district runs short the city could reduce services for that district or, if approved by council, temporarily cover shortfalls from the general fund.

Staff also noted that several older zones were formed before California's Proposition 218 and have fixed assessment rates unless property owners in those zones ballot to change them. After discussion, Council Member Paul moved and Council Member Roth seconded approval of the LMD engineer's report and levy; the roll call vote was 4‑0 in favor.

Both actions will allow the city to levy and collect the assessments for FY 2025–26 as described in the engineer's reports.