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Lacey staff preview $34 million in 2025‑to‑2026 carryover budget requests, including police station and housing projects
Summary
Acting financial services manager Chelsea Knight told the council that the carryover amendment moves previously authorized but unspent 2025 commitments into 2026, listing about $34 million in requests — including a $7.1 million police station and training center carryover, $3 million for permanent supportive housing, and multiple parks, utility and street projects. Staff will bring the full ordinance to the March 17 council meeting.
City staff presented an overview of the 2025 carryover budget amendment at the March 10 work session and identified roughly $34 million in previously authorized but unspent commitments that staff proposes to carry into the 2026 budget.
Chelsea Knight, acting financial services manager, explained that carryovers are limited to previously authorized and encumbered obligations and do not increase the city’s overall appropriated budget; they move funds forward to complete projects that span fiscal years. Knight said the carryover package includes human services grant program carryover (~$298,000), permanent supportive housing ($3,000,000), a veterans accessibility project ($372,000), the police station and training center (about $7,100,000), Midtown District economic development ($436,000), and multiple parks and dock projects (e.g., Rainier Vista Park improvements, Busch Park playground equipment), among others.
Staff also described street and utility carryovers (arterial streets $3.5M; water $6.8M; wastewater $5.3M; stormwater $338,000) and estimated a total carryover request of approximately $34,000,000. Councilors asked how this compares to prior years; staff said last year’s carryover was about $19,000,000 and that carryovers vary depending on project timing. No decisions were required at the work session; the ordinance adopting the carryovers will come forward at the March 17 council meeting for formal adoption.
What’s next: Staff will return with the full ordinance for review and adoption at the regular council meeting and will continue to brief council on any subsequent spring and fall amendments tied to multi‑year capital programs.
