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Lompoc council approves midyear budget adjustments, moves $1.09 million to reserves
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Summary
City finance staff reported a modest increase in the unassigned general-fund balance to $8.28 million and recommended shifting $1,090,000 to an economic-uncertainty reserve to meet a two-month operating target; council approved staff recommendations 5–0, plus salary reallocations to cover police staffing costs.
Finance Director Robert Cross presented the midyear general-fund update and a set of budget adjustments that the council approved unanimously.
Cross said the unassigned general-fund balance increased to $8,280,000 for fiscal 2025 — roughly $1.09 million higher than the prior year — and recommended transferring $1,090,000 of the surplus into the city’s economic uncertainty reserve to reach the city’s two-month operating-reserve policy target. Staff explained best-practice guidance suggests a three-month reserve, but the two-month target is the city’s current policy.
The presentation also described salary-savings allocation changes (allocating vacancy savings by program rather than centrally) and requested several salary reassignments. The council approved a transfer of $519,000 to cover projected police department salary overages through June 30, financed by vacancy-related savings from other divisions.
Council members asked detailed questions about staffing and service levels, especially the fire department. Staff said they did not plan to reduce service levels as a direct result of the transfers and explained that the reserve move reorganizes fund balance rather than spending it; any future use of the reserve would require council action. Council requested a follow-up discussion about fire staffing and retention given vacancy pressures in that department.
The council’s approval of staff recommendations was recorded as a 5–0 vote.
What’s next: Finance staff will implement the transfers, post updated vacancy and reserve reports, and return with any requested follow-up on fire-department staffing and service-level implications.
