Sedro-Woolley council approves 2025 budget amendment to add stormwater, code-enforcement and vehicle funding

Sedro-Woolley — The City Council on Dec. 17 approved Ordinance 21,125, the fourth amendment to the city’s 2025 budget, authorizing adjustments that finance a library interlocal agreement, cover a property cleanup in the code enforcement fund, increase stormwater operations spending for an updated stormwater management plan, and add a previously omitted ER&R allocation for police vehicle replacement.

Finance staffer Kelly told the council the amendment consists of four principal changes: (1) a modification to the library interlocal agreement tied to levy rates and the city’s loan payment on the library’s behalf; (2) additional expenditures in the code enforcement fund related to a property cleanup; (3) a roughly $77,000 increase in stormwater operations to pay for the stormwater management-plan update; and (4) inclusion of the purchase of three police vehicles that had been overlooked in the original ER&R budget line.

No members of the public spoke during the budget hearing. Councilman Joe Burns moved adoption and Councilman Henderson seconded; the ordinance passed on a voice vote.

Council members asked staff whether the code enforcement expenses were tied to a specific property (staff said yes, to a house on 11th Street) and whether the ER&R fund remains sustainable. Finance staff said the ER&R vehicle replacement program is funded at three vehicles per year and that the ER&R fund remains sustainable going forward. The council also discussed the stormwater consultant costs and noted the increase resulted from a late-line-item identification during year-end reconciliation.

The ordinance prepares the city to finalize end-of-year cash projections and will be reflected in the published 2025 budget documents. The council will receive additional budget materials and staff commentary as part of the city’s normal year-end reporting.