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Sunset council reviews tentative FY 2027 budget; playground funding, wages and utility rates debated
Summary
At a work session after the regular meeting, the council reviewed the tentative FY 2027 budget. Members discussed restoring parks capital outlay (a proposal to increase playground funding to $60,000), modest raises and staffing adjustments, and possible utility/stormwater rate changes; the tentative budget will be adopted at the next meeting.
The Sunset City Council held a work session after its regular meeting on April 21 to review the tentative FY 2027 budget and several targeted spending and revenue items. No final adoption occurred; staff presented updated revenue and expenditure figures and council members discussed priorities for parks, staffing and utility fees.
The office manager reviewed revenue projections including increased building-permit receipts and small fee adjustments. She said total general fund revenues are projected and explained line-item changes: modest increases in permit fees, return-check charges and some state surcharges. She also noted the councils general fund balance and that the tentative budget reflects several transfers and one-time adjustments.
Council members debated parks spending and whether to restore a capital-outlay line for playground equipment to $60,000 so the city could buy a large swing set for Rachel Runyon park and update older playgrounds. A council member said that if $60,000 were approved it could cover equipment deposits now and additional spending from next years budget. Several council members expressed support for investing in long-term park improvements; others urged cautious use of fund balances and suggested seeking grants or donations first.
Staff also outlined personnel decisions reflected in the tentative budget: modest wages and position restructuring in stormwater (promotions, an administrative position to handle water/sewer clerical work and two lead/foreman-type positions rather than hiring expensive outside engineers), and a limited number of additional firefighter positions in a neighboring fire district budget that may require a small transfer from the general fund. The office manager noted routine wage accounts and a proposed 4% extra for stormwater staff under the tentative numbers.
Councilors discussed possible adjustments to utility-related fees. The stormwater fee was discussed as a conservative $2.75 option; staff said a higher increase would have been larger had the city engaged engineering studies. Members weighed the timing of rate changes and noted that dispatch fee changes from other jurisdictions will appear on customer bills and could affect public perception.
Several members raised compensation topics: a narrow proposal for a small percentage increase for the mayor (discussed as roughly a 2.5% adjustment or about $33 a month) and broader suggestions to consider across-the-board adjustments to keep pace with cost-of-living increases. No binding change was adopted; councilors discussed the fairness of targeting only elected positions versus broader employee adjustments.
The session ended with staff and council agreeing the document under review is tentative; the council expects to vote on the tentative budget at the next regular meeting. Council members were urged to submit any follow-up questions or requested changes before final adoption.
What happens next: Staff will finalize any edits requested between now and the next meeting; the tentative budget will be placed on the next meeting agenda for formal approval.
