The Moses Lake City Council on Tuesday adopted the city’s 2026 budget and approved related ordinances after a final public hearing and brief council discussion.

Finance Director Madeline Prentice told the council the final public hearing on Ordinance 3080 required no new presentation but did include one staffing change: the city is asking to reinstate a business‑license technician by combining it with another administration position, which adds roughly $114,000 to the budget presented at the last meeting. No members of the public offered testimony during the hearing (Madeline Prentice).

A motion to adopt the proposed 2026 budget passed on a recorded voice vote; the council chair announced the motion passed 6–1. Several council members thanked staff for budget work and asked clarifying questions about assessments and timing of property‑tax collections (council discussion).

Alongside the 2026 budget, the council unanimously adopted Ordinance 3081, a set of budget amendments that affect non‑general funds. Prentice said the amendments add about $2.1 million in expenditures and bring in roughly $2.4 million in revenues — a net gain in fund balance of about $222,000 — driven in part by a PFAS settlement and several grants that were not included in the original budget.

On separate business, the council considered and unanimously approved Ordinance 3082, the Group 1 2025 code amendments. Acting Community Development Director Vivian Ramsey summarized three docket items: (1) permitting 95% compacted‑gravel as an alternative hard surfacing for mini‑storage in industrial zones; (2) adding auto‑repair and auto‑body shops to the land‑use chart; and (3) adding flight‑zone compatibility and density restrictions to the airport overlay district. Council members asked technical questions about airport overlay boundaries and FAA height restrictions before voting.

Votes at a glance

- Ordinance 3080 (2026 proposed budget): Motion adopted, vote announced 6–1.
- Ordinance 3081 (2025 budget amendments): Motion adopted, unanimous vote.
- Ordinance 3082 (2025 code amendments Group 1): Motion adopted, unanimous vote.

What happens next

Staff will finalize budget documents and begin implementing the adopted budget; the Department of Health and other external reviewers will be engaged as needed for projects that rely on state approvals. The council moved several consent items and directed staff to return with any follow‑up required by detailed budget line items.

Sources and attributions

This article is based on council presentations and remarks in the recorded meeting: Madeline Prentice (finance director) presented the budget and amendments; Vivian Ramsey (acting community development director) presented the code amendments. Direct quotes and figures are taken from council proceedings.