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Boulder City committee previews tentative $27.9 million utilities operating budget as ARPA funds drop out
Summary
City budget manager presented the tentative FY26 utilities budget: $30.9 million in utility revenues and $27.9 million in operating expenses. Staff told the advisory committee the absence of ARPA funding reduces revenues and higher purchased power costs are the largest operating driver.
Angela Maninen, the city’s budget manager, presented the Utility Advisory Committee with the tentative fiscal year 2026 utilities operating budget, saying total utility revenues are $30.9 million and the operating budget is $27.9 million.
“By the funds total the utility revenues total $30,900,000,” Maninen said, and she broke that down as roughly $16.7 million for electric, $10.0 million for water and $2.3 million for waste. She told the committee the drop in revenues from the prior year is primarily because American Rescue Plan Act funding used in FY25 is not available in FY26.
Maninen also flagged major expense drivers in the presentation. She said purchasing power and purchased water are the largest costs and that purchase power alone is expected to rise notably year over year. “Purchasing power … is 8,900,000,” she said, and noted the operating increases reflect higher energy costs rather than new programs or staffing requests.
Committee members asked staff to break out salary and admin allocations in the final executive summary so the committee and public can see each utility’s contribution. The budget manager said those details will be available in the final executive summary.
Committee members also asked about several reserve or special-fee accounts referenced in the package. Maninen said the landfill closure fee and other hook‑up fees are held in separate accounts and that she would supply balance details on request.
The committee did not take a formal recommendation on the budget at the meeting. Maninen said the schedule remains unchanged: staff will present a tentative budget to the City Council on May 15 and a final budget on May 27, and there could be changes between the committee’s review and council action.
What happens next: the committee asked staff to email the presentation slides and the supporting budget handouts, and requested a clearer breakout of salary, admin fund and capital components in the final packet so members can more easily compare years.
