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Goldendale staff report lower year‑to‑date revenues; council asks for review of ARPA spending
Summary
City finance staff presented the 2024 third‑quarter and a draft 2025 budget showing lower year‑to‑date revenue percentages due to accounting changes and project timing; council voted to have the mayor and staff report back on how ARPA funds were allocated and on the original intent for that funding.
Goldendale — Finance presenter Jen Forsburn told the council the city’s 2024 third‑quarter revenue sits at 67.67% of the budget compared with 79% in 2023, a difference she attributed to accounting changes that now route special sales tax receipts directly to dedicated funds and to timing differences in capital project revenues.
"The 2024 3rd quarter revenue is at 67.67 percent of the budget compared to 79% collected in 23," Forsburn said, noting that the change in how sales tax revenue is posted to the street and public safety funds affects year‑to‑date percentages and that airport fuel system revenue timing also influences results.
Forsburn walked council through utility, street and capital funds and summarized that overall the city is progressing but that timing of capital projects and grants skews year‑over‑year comparisons. She pointed to a handful of large projects carried into 2025, including a West Garland improvement and an airport land purchase, and outlined proposed 2025 assumptions such as a 2% overall increase in expenditures and an assumed 1% property tax levy increase.
Councilors raised questions about how ARPA (federal American Rescue Plan Act) funds were used in prior years and whether the city had planned to use those funds to relieve general fund obligations. One councilmember moved that the mayor and staff research and report back on ARPA expenditures and the original intention for that funding mechanism. The motion was seconded and approved by the council.
One council member suggested scheduling a budget committee meeting to examine the numbers in more detail; Forsburn offered to add page numbers to the slides and provide committee members with the detailed materials in advance.
Forsburn also reminded council the public hearings on the budget and property tax resolution will be held Nov. 18, with a second reading in December, and invited council to request another budget discussion on the first November meeting if desired.
The council’s direction to have staff report back on ARPA allocations will be addressed by the mayor and staff via email and a follow‑up at an upcoming meeting.
