Lakewood council committees finalize year‑end and 2025 appropriations; council approves budget substitutes

Lakewood officials moved forward on the city—s fiscal housekeeping and the 2025 spending plan at a Finance Committee meeting on Dec. 16 and in the subsequent full council session. Committee members adopted a substituted ordinance to reconcile 2024 year‑end appropriations and a substitute permanent appropriations ordinance for 2025, and reported a slate of budget ordinances favorably to full council.

Council finance staff told members the 2024 adjustments include transfers and advances that increased appropriations by more than $5 million in the general fund, reductions to ARP (approximately $3.8 million) because of fourth‑quarter water and sewer project spending, and a forestry departmental overtime increase of about $74,000 tied to August storm response. Finance staff said the changes do not materially change the projected general fund cash balance going into 2025 but align appropriations with actual activity and pending claims.

Council moved that the substitute ordinance 25‑2024 (2024 year‑end appropriations) be substituted and adopted in committee and later vote to report it favorably to full council. A separate substitute for the permanent appropriations ordinance (ordinance 27‑2024) for fiscal 2025 was discussed and likewise reported favorably. During committee deliberations members voted to amend Exhibit B to remove a $1,000,000 appropriation in the land acquisition fund, reasoning there were no identified acquisitions at this time and that appropriations are better approved when there is a known need. That amendment passed in committee.

Committee chair and finance staff emphasized that many of the line‑by‑line changes are administrative cleanups and routine reconciliations. The session included detailed questioning from council members about communication line items, the mailing frequency and postage costs of the Lakewood Life newsletter, and the make‑up of the "other" general fund roll‑up (rents, copier usage, printing and cross‑departmental charges).

With committee approval, council then considered and passed group motions to adopt a broad set of 2025 budget implementation ordinances (authorizations for contracts, capital project pools, sidewalk and street programs, water and wastewater replacement programs, and similar implementing language). Several council members praised the improved public information tools and document portal that helped staff and members review budget materials.

What happens next: the substitute appropriations and related budget ordinances adopted on Dec. 16 set the city—s spending authorizations for the immediate year end and calendar 2025. Council indicated it expects to continue targeted budget conversations in January, including possible amendments to add funding for specific council priorities (community block club support, tree preservation, smart locks for public restrooms and active transportation plan implementation).