Berkley Council approves fourth-quarter budget amendment reallocating carryover CDBG funds

The Berkley City Council on June 16 approved motion M49-25, a fourth-quarter amendment to the 2024–25 budget that increases revenues and appropriations in the general fund by about $89,000 and accelerates spending of accumulated Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds.

Finance Director Carl Johnson told the council the amendment primarily rebalances accounts across departments and reflects additional marijuana-related revenue and the use of previously unspent CDBG funds. Johnson said the CDBG adjustment accounts for roughly $125,000 to reconcile several years of unspent allocations and to fund a sidewalk project already underway near a city park. He described the amendment as “housekeeping” that brings the budget into alignment with actual receipts and outstanding projects.

Council members thanked staff for consolidating multi-year CDBG balances so the city can undertake a larger, more complex sidewalk project. A council member asked whether such fund accumulations are common; Johnson said this instance was unusual and reflected timing and multi-year carryover rather than a routine pattern. The ordinance-level authority and spending limits behind the CDBG program were discussed in general terms during the presentation.

The motion carried on a roll-call vote. No public comments were recorded on the amendment, and staff said there are no substantive programmatic changes in scope—mainly internal transfers and recognition of revenue. The amendment will take effect as part of the city’s fiscal-year accounting close-out.