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Board of Estimate and Apportionment reallocates ARPA funds, adopts short-term $1.4M budget fix after police raises
Summary
The Board approved consent items, amended and adopted Board Bill 43 to reappropriate ARPA dollars for water-infrastructure work, and adopted a set of budget amendments (items 14A–C) that reallocate roughly $1.4 million to cover fire-department salary impacts stemming from police raises; members said the fix is one-year and the Board of Aldermen will meet Monday to meet a July 1 deadline.
The Board of Estimate and Apportionment met June 18, 2026, approved a package of consent items and, after amending Board Bill 43, voted to reallocate unspent American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for water-infrastructure replacement and repair. The board also adopted budget amendments to cover an estimated $1.4 million in added fire-department salary and benefit costs tied to pay raises the police board approved earlier this month.
Budget Director Paul Payne told the board the adjustments—labeled items 14A, 14B and 14C—would combine three offsets to produce roughly $1.4 million for the fire department. Payne summarized the package as a roughly $1.0 million increase to general-fund fire salaries and overtime and to the charge-off to the GEMT (Ground Emergency Medical Transport) special fund; a $445,000 reallocation from fleet capital (reducing that line from $2.6 million to $2.2 million); and a $1.0 million reduction to an internal services/judgment reserve in the police budget that the police department said it would under-spend this fiscal year. "So between those two you have the million four going to the fire department," Payne said.
Board members praised Payne's rapid work but repeatedly stressed the package is temporary. "These are not long-term funding sources," President Green said, adding that the city will need to identify ongoing revenue to sustain raises if the police board continues to approve large adjustments. President Green noted the Board of Aldermen called a special meeting for Monday to ensure the overall city budget meets the July 1 deadline.
On item 6, Board Bill 43 was introduced as an ordinance to reappropriate unspent ARPA dollars for water infrastructure with an emergency clause. The presiding official moved to amend item 6 to reflect changes the Board of Aldermen HEDs Committee sent forward; the amendment passed on roll call and the Board subsequently approved the bill as amended.
A motion to adopt items 1–5 (consent items including ENA approvals, Board Bill 32 a Bloomberg subaward for youth climate leadership, and Board Bill 27 concerning the Homer G. Phillips Senior Apartments lease assignment) was approved earlier in the meeting. The clerk recorded roll-call votes for the motions; the presiding official announced approval after affirmative responses.
The board closed the meeting by recognizing Juneteenth and adjourning. The budget adjustments adopted at this meeting rely on one-time transfers and line-item reductions; members and staff said they expect to return with proposals for long-term funding solutions in the next budget cycle. The Board of Aldermen is scheduled to reconvene on Monday to take up the package in time for the July 1 deadline.
