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Bonney Lake council hears early warnings on budget as insurance, personnel costs rise
Summary
Council members and staff discussed the biannual budget and heard that insurance and personnel remain the largest pressure points; staff will present a multi-year forecast at the upcoming retreat and final '25 figures will not be available until after Jan. 20.
At a Bonney Lake City Council meeting, council members and staff discussed early steps for the biannual budget and flagged steep insurance and personnel costs as key pressure points.
A council member urged examining memberships and subscriptions to find savings “so that we're not having to cut people,” the council member said, advocating for cuts to nonessential subscriptions or memberships where appropriate. A staff member responsible for budget figures told the council the city cannot close the books for 2025 until after Jan. 20 and that a fuller picture will be available in mid-February.
“Insurance costs us a lot of money,” the staff member said, noting that the city's pooled insurance costs have risen. “It's now closer to 860,000. We just got the bill,” the staff member added, citing the most recent renewal and urging caution about cutting coverage without increasing risk.
Council members and staff identified health insurance, jail and public defender costs, vehicle replacement, and personnel as the highest-dollar items in the general fund. The staff member suggested options such as increasing deductibles, prolonging vehicle replacement cycles and benchmarking benefits against other cities, and said some limited-term positions may remain unfilled depending on council direction.
Members noted bargaining agreements for city personnel expire in 2026 and negotiations are due to begin in coming months; the discussion included the potential use of an outside negotiator for management-side talks if needed.
The staff member said they are preparing a multi-year forecast that will show actuals for past years, anticipated year-end balances for 2025, and projections for 2026 plus the next several years. That forecast is scheduled to be presented at a council retreat, giving council members material to inform decisions on taxes and potential cuts.
The council did not take formal action at the meeting; staff said they will return with updated numbers and a formal forecast in the coming weeks.
