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Council reviews budget amendments to cover rising public defender and jail costs and capital carryovers
Summary
City staff outlined 2025 budget amendments and 2026 modifications to account for rising jail and public defender costs, payroll payouts and capital-project carryovers; much of the added expense is being covered by grants and operating or capital reserves, staff said.
Paul presented proposed amendments to the 2025 budget and changes to the 2026 budget, telling council that public defender workloads and jail-related costs have risen and that recent legislation will increase public-defender needs. He said the city is using operating and capital reserves and some grants to cover the increases and that some 2025 capital projects are sliding into 2026.
Paul flagged rising public defender and jail costs as a continuing pressure and described one-time expenditures tied to retirements and payouts. He also noted a recent grant for event barricades that will be captured in the budget cycle for both revenue and expense. Councilmember Deborah asked specifically about a commercial-kitchen design grant connected to the food-truck court; Paul confirmed Commerce funds are for design, not construction, and said staff will return with construction-cost estimates if the council wants to pursue building the facility.
Why it matters: the amendments shift reserves and grant funding between years to reflect actual obligations and anticipated costs; council members asked clarifying questions about specific projects and grant matches but did not take a final vote that evening.
What’s next: staff indicated they would incorporate council feedback; several items are slated for the regular agenda or consent agenda for future action.
