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Council approves modest Q1 budget amendments and accepts Q1 financial report
Summary
Council approved motion M10924 to amend the 2024–25 budget to reflect a $10,000 SEMCOB planning grant, $15,000 in marijuana license renewals reclassified as revenue, consultant payments and $7,000 for cash-counting equipment — presented as offset by revenues — and accepted the quarter ended Sept. 30, 2024 (M11024).
The Berkeley City Council approved a set of first-quarter budget amendments and accepted the city’s Q1 financial report at its Dec. 16 meeting.
Finance staff described M10924 as a limited set of adjustments arising since budget adoption. The changes include a $10,000 SEMCOB planning grant (revenue and matching expense), reclassifying $15,000 of marijuana license renewals as recurring revenue (three $5,000 renewals), and recognizing consultant payments related to the city-manager search and strategic-planning work. Staff also requested authorization for two cash-counting machines, a $7,000 expenditure the finance director said will improve efficiency.
City staff told the council these items can be offset by modest revenue increases and reprogramming; the finance presentation characterized the package as a net-zero amendment to the general ledger for the quarter. Council members asked clarifying questions about the marijuana license categorization, the timing of consultant invoices and documentation of internal processes; staff said the city is documenting procedures to reduce future backlog and will onboard a human-resources director in the new year to help institutionalize practices.
Separately, the council accepted the quarter ended Sept. 30, 2024 (motion M11024). The finance director said Q1 looked light because of staffing gaps and transaction backlog but that the administration expects a more robust Q2. Council members welcomed recent hires and sought continued progress on process documentation.
M10924 and M11024 passed on roll calls recorded in the transcript.
The council asked staff to return with any implications for Q2 budgeting and to track consultant payments and revenue reclassifications for audit clarity.
